ROCKS August

ADVENTURE TRAVEL • EVENTS • PEOPLE • FOOD • ENTERTAINMENT • SPORT

ISSUE 13 AUGUST 2014

SUN VALLEY

Shredding slopes with the stars

THE JOY OF SETS

How tennis got awesome for resources ally p ifci

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monthly in ging -fli ga

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FALLING FOR GOD

Greece’s ancient cliff-top clergy

BUCKING HELL

AUSSIE PRO BULL RIDERS TAKE A LICKIN’ AND KEEP ON TICKIN’

THE INSIDE LINE ON TASMANIA’S BEST DRIVER’S ROADS

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SISCO JERSEY

Welcome to ROCKS, the in-flight magazine for Alliance Airlines Welcome aboard. We hope you’re enjoying your flight today, either relaxing on the way home from work, or revving yourself up for another stint in the mines. We make this magazine to entertain you, so I hope that’s exactly what this issue does.

Are you into loud cars? If that’s a yes, then boy do we have one for you. The Jaguar F-Type Coupé is louder than, as our writer says, all the trumpets in the world being blown at once. And saying that it looks damn good is possibly the understatement of the year.

Now even if you’re not a big fan of tennis, it’s hard not to notice when the season kicks in, and it’s even more difficult to turn a blind eye to the bizarre things that go on in this high-profile sport. From wacky parents to tantrums on court, catfights, and the occasional hotties strutting their stuff, let’s face it – you could never call it boring. While I’m on sport, we’ve interviewed some young cowboys who are kicking butt in Australian bull riding. They tell us how it’s done (and not) here and in the United States, and just why they choose to be a part of one of the most dangerous sports around.

Travel-wise, we hit some of the best driving roads in Tassie, get into dates (yep, the ones that look like big sultanas) in Oman, meet monks in Greece, and take a look at the fortune-tellers who advise big businesses – and governments – in Asia.

Are they for real? And did someone say white stuff? We’ve checked the conditions in Idaho’s Sun Valley and the good thing is, the place is rocking all year round – even when the snow has long gone.

Enjoy this issue of ROCKS and feel free to drop us a line. We like hearing your thoughts. I hope you filled out our survey too, as soon one lucky passenger is Scott goingMcMillan to be the owner of the coolest kit in the campground.

Managing Director

Michelle Hespe, and the team at ROCKS and Alliance.

Brisbane skyline, Queensland.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Hespe DEPUTY EDITOR Ben Smithurst ASSISTANT EDITORS Danielle Chenery, Simone Henderson-Smart SENIOR DESIGNER Guy Pendlebury SUB-EDITORS Sally Macmillan, Liani Solari CONTRIBUTORS Stephen Corby, Guy Mosel, Scott Newman, Simon Madden, Joe Worthington, Kris Madden, Jack Cleaver, Christine Retschlag, Oryana Angel, Darrell Croker, Kevin Lee, Zoran Solano, Michael Yardney

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Jason Popkowski 02 8962 2656 or 0400 838 490 advertising@edgecustom.com.au WA AND NT SALES AGENT Helen Glasson Hogan Media: 08 9381 3991 E: helen@hoganmedia.com.au PUBLISHER Geoff Campbell CEO Eddie Thomas PRINTER SOS Print & Media

ROCKS is published by Edge 51 Whistler Street, Manly NSW 2095 Phone: 02 8962 2600 edgecustom.com.au ROCKS is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge.

Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders.

ROCKS cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. A selection of images used in this publication has been sourced from Thinkstock, Getty Images and Corbis.

July/August 2014

1

EAST COAST PILBARA DIRECT

... simply the best FIFO experience.

PROVIDING CUSTOMISED AVIATION SOLUTIONS • FIFO charter services • ACMI aircraft leasing P W

• Ad-hoc air charter flights

07 3212 1501 E sales@allianceairlines.com.au allianceairlines.com.au/charter

DARWIN

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LAWN HILL

CAIRNS TOWNSVILLE

THE GRANITES

TREPELL

SHAY GAP KARRATHA ONSLOW

PHOSPHATE HILL EMERALD

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COONDEWANNA

CLONCURRY

MOUNT ISA

NEWMAN

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AYERS ROCK (ULURU)

ALICE SPRINGS

GLADSTONE

BALLERA COOBER PEDY MOUNT KEITH LEINSTER

MILES

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PROMINENT HILL OLYMPIC DAM

LEONORA

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MELBOURNE

July/August 2014

3

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE COMING OUT ON TOP.

CELEBRATING 2 0 YEA

RS OF RACING!

BHP Billiton

ROXBY DOWNS OUTBACK CUP SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2014

Alliance Airlines Roxby Downs Racecourse Gates open 11am | Gen Admin $20 Seniors’ Concession | U/18 FREE Car parking $5

Gold Members’ Marquee $160pp Includes entry | Roxby Races 2014 cap smorgasboard lunch | beer and wine package 200 tickets available | must be pre-booked

Visit roxbydownsracingclub.com.au, phone 0467 773 001 or find us on facebook

Fashion at The Races Automatic qualifying event Sign up from 11am - 1pm on the day $800 Heading Contracts Ms Outback plus seven novelty categories

ABOUT US Alliance Airlines was established in 2002, recognising the growing demand from the domestic mining and energy sector for a provider of safe and reliable air transportation services to and from remote site locations. Alliance commenced operations with two Fokker 100 aircraft servicing two FIFO contracts, both of which are still serviced today.

Our company has since expanded its fleet and operational capabilities to better service the continuing air transportation needs of the mining and energy sector .

Alliance is a leading mining services company specialising in providing: • FIFO services • Ad hoc charter services • ACMI, or wet leasing, services.

In December 2011, Alliance successfully listed on the ASX as AQZ.

FLIGHT BOOKINGS For customers wishing to book flights between Perth and Karratha, this must be done online: www.allianceairlines.com.au/home For customers wishing to book flights between Adelaide and Olympic Dam, this can be done online: www.qantas.com

OUR FLEET FOKKER F100

Number

18

Passengers

100

Length

35.5 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 650-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,167km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

FOKKER F70LR

CHARTER BOOKINGS For corporate or private charters of Alliance aircraft, the following contacts are available: www.allianceairlines.com.au/charters sales@allianceairlines.com.au 07 3212 1501

SAFETY INFORMATION Even though you may travel frequently, please familiarise yourself with the Safety On Board card located in your seat pocket.

ALCOHOL Passengers are not permitted to bring alcohol on board for in-flight consumption. On flights where Alliance offers a bar service, our flight attendants adhere to RSA guidelines.

SEAT BELTS Please observe the ‘Fasten Seat Belt’ signs when illuminated. In the interest of safety, keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

CABIN BAGGAGE

Passengers should ensure that carry-on baggage does not weigh more than 7kg and fits into the overhead lockers.

Number

7

Passengers

75

Length

31 metres

Wingspan

28 metres

Engines

RR Tay 620-15 Turbofans

Cruise Altitude

11,000 metres

Cruise Speed

800km/h

Range

3,800km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

FOKKER F50

Number

6

Passengers

52

Length

25 metres

Wingspan

29 metres

Engines

2 x PW125B Turboprop

Cruise Altitude

7,800 metres

Cruise Speed

500km/h

Range

2,600km

Passenger Detail

All economy seat configuration, 33-inch seat pitch, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned

July/August 2014

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RZR 1000 KEY FEATURES • Exclusive 29” Maxxis Bighorn Tyres • 999cc EFI Engine with Polaris Variable Transmission • 123 km/h Top Speed • Quick Acceleration - 0 to 80 km/h in 5.3 Seconds • 2” Front & 2.5” Rear Walker Evans Anti-Bottoming Needle Shocks • Dual Rate / Dual Springs with 16-Position Adjustable Clickers • High Performance On Demand True All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System • Factory Fitted Doors, Adjustable Driver & Passenger Seats and Adjustable Steering Wheel

CODY CROCKER

POLARIS RACING TEAM DRIVER DISC BRAKES FRONT & REAR

ADJUSTABLE DUAL SPRINGS WITH WALKER EVANS NEEDLE SHOCKS

HIGH PERFORMANCE ON DEMAND TRUE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE (AWD)

4 time Asia Pacific Rally Champion – Subaru WRX 2 time ARC SXS Challenge Winner – Polaris RZR XP 900

0 - 80 KM/H IN 5.3 SECONDS

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING

999CC EFI - 107 HP

For your nearest dealer call 1300 654 142 or visit www.polarisindustries.com.au

Peaking at Sun Valley

CONTENTS THE PICK

14

It’s hairpin heaven! Discover three of the Apple isle’s top driver’s roads.

09 INCOMING!

Talking tattoos with the Amity Affliction, Elvis comes to the Gold Coast, Kim JongIl and a brace of cool apps.

12 CRUST

Craft beer, cocktails and cool cuisine in Australia’s coolest laneway bars, and three (legal) whisky speakeasies.

14 MAN + MACHINE

Can Jaguar’s new F-Type Coupé match the hype?

ISSUE 13 IN ORE

UNLEASHED

30 TARMAC TASSIE

36 DATING IN OMAN

Through the ribs is the surest way to your heart, but this place goes via the gut.

42 CLUMSY MONKS

Holy men once plummeted from the cliffs, but today the monastries of Metéora are a little less deadly.

24 50

50 BANGKOK AND HONG KONG Getting the shui fully fenged on the fortuneteller’s trail in South East Asia.

56 COLD GOLD IN SUN VALLEY The iconic resort in Idaho

that is a playground for the rich and famous, was the brainchild of three very unusual men.

16 THE VAGUELY INTERESTED PERSON’S GUIDE TO TENNIS Nine arguments why there’s never been a better time for fuzzy-yellow-ball thumping.

24 INTERVIEW: AUSTRALIAN PRO BULL RIDERS Meet David Kennedy and Troy Wilkinson, two boys from the bush who fear no bull.

54 insidemining • news & current affairs • resources sector profiles • finance & technology

July/August 2014

7

FIFO syndrome symptom #10

Eating a steak with a snake called Jake.

Stop sharing your T-Bone with a Taipan. Fly in to the energy and engineering opportunities and legendary lifestyle of Taranaki, New Zealand.

THE PICK

ROCKS has sniffed out the best stuff so you don’t have to.

Just sit back, relax and enjoy!

E VENTS + ENTERTAINMENT + TECH + MOTORS + FOOD & DRINK

ON THE DOWNLOAD

Play, create, snap – 3 cool apps MapsWithMe Lite

(Free, Android/iOS) A navigation app that rules when abroad. It works offline (using your phone’s GPS) with maps you downloaded free earlier. Or now, when you’re lost, cadging Starbucks’ Wi-Fi.

Field Trip

ELVIS ON THE GOLDY

> Parkes, in central NSW, has somehow co-opted the spirit of Elvis “Never forget that I died on the toilet” Presley with its Elvis Festival, which runs each January.

But it’s the Gold Coast that’s a better fit.

The King is associated with Las Vegas and Hawaii, and toilet death, and the Goldy is Australia’s best mishmash of the first two, if not the third. Viva Surfers Paradise is a 10-day tribute to the Prez, with an invitation-only tribute at its heart. Grow out your sideburns (and de-friend fibre) now. July 11-20, surfersparadise.com

THE AVON DESCENT

> Held since 1973 (when there were no rules, and just 49 competitors), the Avon Descent is a bonkers, two-day 124km time trial down the Avon and Swan rivers. With around 600 competitors in a variety of paddle and powered craft – the pint-sized, custom-made, flat-bottomed two-crew speedboats (above) are the best – it draws 50,000 spectators. Kicking off in Northam Shire and finishing in Bayswater, it is simultaneously gruelling, admirable and a bit silly. And it’s just near the Swan Valley vineyards. avondescent.com.au

(Free, Android/iOS) This uses your GPS and compiles data from guides, blogs, etc to display what’s near you – museums, bars, points of interest – with distances. Good for wandering.

S.M.T.H.

(Free, Android) Simple but high-risk, S.M.T.H. (“Send Me To Heaven”) records how high you throw your phone. Catch it and it uploads the result to leaderboards.

Sensibly, it’s banned by Apple.

THE DARWIN FESTIVAL

> Sure to be picketed by confused Creationists, the Darwin Festival was first held in 1978 to celebrate the town’s recovery from Cyclone Tracy. This year includes the Soweto Gospel Choir, the phenomenal 100% Darwin theatrical event and lysergic Indo puppet show Wedhus Gembel. It also incorporates the National Indigenous Music Awards, aka the “Cripes, Dan Sultan is cleaning up this year” Trophy. 7-24 August, darwinfestival.org.au

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SAY WHAT?

Got something to say about ROCKS ? Is there something you’re burning to see covered?

Don’t mumble it under your breath – tell us what you think!

Send an email to rocks@ edgecustom.com.au and have your say.* *Please be kind – our fragile egos might not be able to take it.

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UNBREAKABLE, NOW EVEN SAFER. HILUX 4x4. NOW WITH A 5 STAR ANCAP SAFETY RATING.

Whether for work or for play, the HiLux will take you where you want to go and get the job done safely. Visit your Fleet Specialist dealer today and experience the unbreakable.

2014

toyota.com.au/hilux

Image: Kane Hibberd

OUTER EDGE

BOOKS THE BLACK EYED BLONDE

BENJAMIN BLACK, $29.99 Phillip Marlowe – famously played by Humphrey Bogart – was created by pulp noir god Raymond Chandler … who died 55 years ago. But Benjamin Black, aka the Irish Man Booker winner John Banville, has breathed life back into him Chandler-style. This could have been a disaster, but as detective fare set in 1950s LA, Black/Banville does great hard-boiled man-prose.

MUSIC Queensland’s hardcore heroes are back with a brilliant new LP. But what’s their advice on tattoos?

THE AMITY AFFLICTION

G

ympie, Queensland, has produced a galaxy of stars, including jockey Glen Boss, paralympian Chris Scott and quirky troubadour Darren Hanlon. But none of those has ruled the Warped Tour, and none will, because Warped doesn’t have horse riding, Scott is retired and Hanlon would be killed. Which leaves hardcore tattoo fans The Amity Affliction: vocalist Joel Birch, bassist Ahren Stringer, drummer Ryan Burt and guitarists Dan Brown and Troy Brady. Their last album debuted at number one on the Aria charts, and new LP, Let The Ocean Take Me, is out now.

Before becoming heavily inked, do you need a plan?

Joel: Correct! Look at me – I

didn’t think about it and now I’ve got a mishmash of sh_t.

Fools rush in.

But it looks cohesive.

Joel: It looks fine, but it’s not.

For example, I’m an atheist with a massive Jesus tattooed on my arm. I regret that.

Where’s the most extreme place to get one?

Joel: Arms are free rein, but I’ve seen people with just hand tattoos, which is ridiculous. I always planned on getting waaay more, so I wasn’t worried about the stigma attached to getting one in any particular place. I mean, people can get what they want, but you’ll look like a d__k if you get a neck tattoo and nothing else.

What about facial tatts?

Joel: Nah. Never. Not once. No. Only tattooists should be able to do that, and gang members.

They look tough. If the band was in a Mad Max III, Thunderdome death battle, which weapon would you choose and who would win?

Joel: I wouldn’t win – I’d be the guy with the baseball bat with nails in it, and someone would grab a gun and shoot me.

No guns.

Joel: Sorry, I haven’t seen it since I was a kid, so it’s a tricky question. What weapon would you grab, String? No gun.

Ahren: Swords.

Ryan: I want a sock full of batteries.

Joel: A sock of batteries!

That’s very violent, Malky.

Dan: I want a chainsaw. A small one, that I can throw.

Troy: I haven’t seen Mad Max. Joel: You haven’t seen Mad Max! What the f__k is going on? That’s very unAustralian.

THE KILLING SEASON

MASON CROSS, $29.99 When Caleb ‘the Chicago sniper’ Wardell escapes the clink a fortnight before his execution, hired gun manhunter Carter Blake joins FBI agent Elaine Banner to TRACK. HIM. DOWN. Read that in the Hollywood-voice-overguy’s voice and you’ve got the gist. A genre-aware airport thriller, this is a kind of Jack Reacher novel on an alternate dose of ’roids.

DEAR LEADER

JANG JIN-SUNG, $34.99 There’s something a bit ew about getting up close to former North Korean crackpot leader Kim JongIl, but Jang was right in there as part of his inner circle. More than that, he drove the propaganda machine that created the myth of this (not so) superpower.

Jang escaped a decade ago and this memoir is a rollicking Orwellian ripper.

SHARE YOUR MUSIC, SHOW YOUR STYLE

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July/August 2014

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WHERAET TO E INK & DR

FIVE OF THE BEST

LANEWAY GEMS

There’s nothing wrong with a colossal brass-and-floorboards beer barn, per se, but sometimes only a cool small bar will do.

WORDS: Simone Henderson-Smart

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Clever Little Tailor Adelaide, SA

Super Whatnot Brisbane, Qld

Ash St. Cellar Sydney, NSW

Hihou Melbourne, Vic

Peel Street has taken a cue from its neighbouring bar-filled buddy, Leigh Street, and added to this city hipster oasis with Clever Little Tailor. This is high-end hip, where quality liquors get shaken and stirred by quality bartenders. The decor is very grunge-warehouse, the exposed brick and rough stone walls contrasting with the polish of everything else on offer. Food comes via Lucia’s slick new charcuterie in Adelaide Central Market in lovely, nibbly morsels. cleverlittletailor.com.au

You can’t walk down the street without another Australian craft beer appearing, and this bar celebrates the fact (and sells Hop Rod Rye; at 8 per cent ABV you can’t walk down the street. Or anywhere). To go with the brew is some grand grub: super chilli dogs, 12-hour braised beef burritos and finger lickin’ Rasta chicken. It’s lucky the comfy couch is one long continuous banquette that wraps around the room, as you’ll want to dine and recline. superwhatnot.com

If you fancy the idea of sipping fine wine as you watch the world totter past from your Parisian sidewalk table, save yourself the airfare and head straight to this little place. The wine list is by Merivale’s Franck Moreau – one of Sydney’s best – and is expertly paired with nibbles that elevate tapas to another stratosphere. Tucked away off Angel Place, with its suspended birdcages and cobblestones, this joint is a romantic little hideaway. merivale.com.au/ashstcellar

Everything in this awardwinning slick new bar is quietly and elegantly turning Japanese, from the Negroni that blossoms with the addition of pluminfused gin and Umeshu (plum wine), to the can’t-stop-at-one hot dog that comes with a sweet sesame-encrusted bun, pickled onion and bottles of wasabi mayo and sauce as cocondiments. It was declared the Best Small Bar by Time Out last year – in a city like Melbourne, that’s a very big deal. hihou.com.au

July/August 2014

CRUST

FRISKY FOR WHISKY If love were measured in single malts, these places would be getting luckier than Pharrell’s hatmaker.

THE BAXTER INN Sydney, NSW

Wolf Lane Perth, WA The secret about this Wolf is out – its eclectic collection of vintage couches and armchairs is chocked with revellers who like to pretend they’re visiting Grandma’s house.

This is one seriously cool Grandma, though, who knows a thing or two about fancy cocktails and puts them into a teapot for sharing. For an extra fiver, she’ll even throw in a couple of toasties from the cute and casual menu.

Try the Absinthe Swizzle for a DIY fairytale. wolflane.com.au

After they opened their new joint, the “Have you been to Shady Pines Saloon yet?” question buzzing around Sydney quickly became “Have you checked out The Baxter Inn?” Beloved bartenders Anton Forte and Jason Scott had an instant hit on their hands with Shady Pines, but where that was all bourbon, 10-gallon hats and taxidermy, their new venture is all about whisky. In fact, you could pop in and sample a different delicious dram every day of the year. Food is non-existent – apart from the complimentary pretzels – so make sure you fill up before you drink up. thebaxterinn.com

WHISKY + ALEMENT Melbourne, Vic

LARK DISTILLERY Hobart, Tas

You’ll want to have something to hold on to when you walk into this stylish space, as the 500 glittering whisky-filled jewels behind the bar will have your head spinning like Linda Blair. These guys are in cahoots with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, which gives them access to some very rare and wonderful examples of liquid gold and plenty of material for their School of Whisky classes and events, which regularly attract the attention of top international distillers. The ‘Alement’ refers to the time-honoured pairing of whisky with a beer chaser, and these guys offer a Peroni Red with a top-shelf single malt for a very canny $10 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. whiskyandale.com.au Whisky is perhaps the most storied of spirits, whether the tales are of Scottish highlands or that time your uncle Gary parked his Corolla on the letterbox. The rise of Tasmanian whisky is the latest chapter, and most are aware that Tassie’s tipples currently rival the world’s best. Lark was Tassie’s first whisky distillery in the modern era (prohibition was only lifted after founder Bill Lark saw the potential and lobbied hard) and its cellar door by Hobart’s waterfront is worth a visit.

Lark’s single malts have been consistent medal-winners in the UK, and all Lark whiskies are available for tasting. larkdistillery.com.au

July/August 2014

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MAN + MACHINE

JAGUAR F-TYPE COUPÉ TESTED

METAL

There are louder things than Jag’s new cat – although most of them are explosions. But how does it drive?

WORDS: STEPHEN CORBY

T

here are, supposedly, rules about how loud cars can be.

These are confusingly called ‘drive-by laws’, which brings to mind more the sound of gunshots than exhausts.

In most countries, a vehicle must pass a drive-by test, during which the sound of its exhaust at cruising speed cannot exceed a certain number of decibels. No HarleyDavidson in the world has passed this test, partly because it would ruin the brand’s image if it did.

Similarly, Jaguar’s stunning new F-Type Coupé is not so much flouting these regulations as it is shouting right over the top of them. If there’s a louder car in the world I’ll never hear it, because my ears will never recover from driving this one.

Allegedly, there is an agreement among the big car marques to voluntarily limit top speeds to a safe, sensible 250km/h. Jaguar’s new range-topping R Coupé, which

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July/August 2014

is powered by a bonkers supercharged 5.0-litre V8 that makes 404.5kW (every half a kilowatt counts) and 680Nm, is claimed to be capable of 300km/h. I’m a lot more willing to believe this than any suggestion that its exhaust is road legal.

To be fair, Jag has tried to comply by offering two supercharged V6powered versions of the new Coupé, which follows the slightly prettier original F-Type Roadster, which was launched a year ago.

The $119,900 base model offers 250kW and 450Nm, making it now the cheapest way to get into any F-Type by almost $20,000. The S version ups the ante to 280kW and 460Nm for $152,300 Both options seem a bargain next to a base Porsche 911 Carrera, with 257kW and 390Nm for $212,450.

The V6 F-Types feature the same Sports Exhaust system as the R, which basically means there’s a button that you’d press

automatically every time you started the car because it makes the exhaust sound louder, thus better. If you don’t press this button (activating the Sports Exhaust in the base F-type Coupé and Active Sports Exhaust in the F-type S), the two cheaper models sound borderline legal – until you get past 4000 rpm, and then they don’t.

Anyone who can afford to will want the full-fat V8 for $219,600.

With the Active Exhaust inactive it sounds like every trumpet in the world being blown at once. Press the button, flatten your foot even slightly and it sounds like all those trumpets are being fired out of a volcano that’s also been filled with amplifiers and rock bands.

The cacophony at full throttle is not one you’ll hear too often, unless you have a death wish, because using all of this car’s power at once is neither practical nor sane. Jag says the Coupé R will hit 100km/h from rest in 4.2 seconds, but the fact is you’re more likely to hit a road sign, or the sky, because tromping the Very Loud pedal from a standing start simply overwhelms

the traction control, fries the tyres and usually sends you sideways.

Fortunately you don’t need all that power to have a very good and

LEATHER, LEATHER, CARBON FIBRE, BIG ORANGE ‘GO’ BUTTON

THE COUPÉ IS A WHOPPING 80 PER CENT STIFFER, THANKS TO IT HAVING A PROPER ROOF. slightly scary time in this F-Type. It’s staggeringly quick, with a monstrous mid-range and a particularly slick paddle-shift gearbox (operated via unique drilled-steel shifters), but it’s also a car blessed with sharp handling.

The original Roadster was no slouch in this department but the Coupé is a whopping 80 per cent stiffer, thanks to the structural

integrity derived from having a proper roof, and the difference shows in every sharp change of direction.

The highly clever Electronic Active Differential combines with “Torque Vectoring by braking” (as opposed to “by hope”) to cancel both oversteer and understeer. Quite simply, the big Jag doesn’t behave like something with this much power and heft should. When you feel like you should be starting to slide at the rear or push at the front, the software and mechanicals combine to pull you through the corner perfectly, and much faster than you’d believe possible.

All this makes it a brilliant car in which to carve up a bit of country road, except that the cops will have heard you coming from the moment you started it up in your garage … two hours earlier.

July/August 2014

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INORE

THE VAGUELY INTERESTED PERSON’S

MODERN TENNIS

GUIDE TO

WE’RE LIVING IN A GOLDEN AGE OF RACQUET FLAILING. DON’T BELIEVE US? HERE’S WHY. WORDS: GUY MOSEL

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July/August 2014

INORE

O

F US

AT

H ER

T NU

JOB

: J E L E N A D O K I C’

S IN

FA

M

1

WORLD NUMERO UNO SPANISH STAR RAFAEL ‘RAFA’ NADAL

MENTAL TENNIS PARENTS (ARE EVERYWHERE!)

In 1993, then 18-year-old pro Mary Pierce was forced to hire bodyguards, travel under an assumed name and take out a restraining order against a man who had abused her emotionally and physically. Jim Pierce, who Mary also knew as ‘dad’ was a special guy, publicly scolding his daughter during matches while resorting to violence to defend her from others who did the same (the Women’s Tennis Association barred Jim from the tour after he punched out two fans during one of his daughter’s matches at the 1992 French Open). Jim is just a pioneer; the pro scene is still littered with shitty – and sometimes criminal – mums and dads, and some of them have called Australia home. Jelena Dokic’s infamous dad Damir, banned from tournaments over the world for violent behaviour and outright nuttiness, was also jailed in 2009 for threatening the life of Australia’s ambassador to Serbia. With a hand grenade.

Now John Tomic, Bernard’s daddy, has picked up where Damir left off. John – who, despite never having played tennis, is Bernard’s coach – was banned from the pro tennis tour in 2013 after head-butting Bernard’s playing partner and breaking his nose. But with that period of exile ending in May, expect more amusingly violent headline-grabbing insanity soon.

July/August 2014

17

INORE

2

RAFAEL NADAL HAS A GIGANTIC LEFT ARM

How big is it? When Rafa’s left and right arms go to the beach, all the chicks want to see Lefty with his shirt off, while bullies kick sand in Righty’s face. Rafa’s left arm is so muscular it could beat your entire body in an arm wrestle with itself tied behind its own back. When ROCKS interviewed Rafa before the Australian Open a couple of years ago, Nadal’s left arm entered the room two minutes before he did.

In short: this is Rafa’s left arm’s world – we just live in it.

KING OF CLAY WINS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE

3

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN MAY ACTUALLY KILL SOMEONE

Our Open is less a tennis tournament and more a Hunger Games-style test of endurance. With on-court temperatures soaring above 40°C in January, play had to be suspended lest the ground open up and players fall into the gaping mouth of Hell. (Water bottles literally melted, while Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic hallucinated Snoopy, then fainted.) There have been calls to move the Open to a cooler time of year, or even abandon it. But while players such as Rafael Nadal complain about not being “protected”, the organ-roasting heat could be the greatest home-court advantage in the history of professional sports. Except that it’s not (see No.4).

d open up Play had to be suspended lest the groun of Hell. and players fall into the gaping mouth 18

July/August 2014

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INORE

4

5

AUSTRALIA IS RUBBISH…

Gone are the days when Australia bestrode the tennis world like a giant in white pantaloons. As such, our claim to hosting one of the world’s four majors is weaker than Bernard Tomic’s serve-volley game.

But … the pressure’s off!

With Rafa, Federer, Djoko and co, the standard has never been higher, and without a stake in the game, we’re free to enjoy what David Foster Wallace called “the most beautiful sport there is …it requires body control, hand-eye coordination, quickness, flat-out speed, endurance, and that weird mix of caution and abandon we call courage,” he wrote. “It also requires smarts.” Although speaking of Tomic, that cranky personification of Beaker from the Muppets, it’s time for the big-chinned brat to pull his finger out.

The future of Oz tennis rides upon his bony shoulders.

Beyond Bern, our ranks are thinner than Laver’s hair.

SARENA: SERENER

…BUT THE ENGLISH ARE WORSE (THANK GOD)

If Australian tennis is the equivalent of a 64th-ranked player who rarely makes it to a grand-slam fourth round, English tennis is a fat middle-aged bloke air-swinging at gently lobbed balls from his bored instructor.

The highest ranked Englishman (and second-highest ranked British tennis pro) is a 23-year-old midget named Daniel Evans who currently sits at 130. Who? Exactly. And while it may give our shower-shy cousins some measure of comfort to pretend that top-10 Scot and Wimbledon champ Andy Murray is one of them, he’s not.

He’s from Glasgow. He has a Scottish accent. He eats haggis and wears a kilt everywhere he goes (probably).

He hates the English football team. He’s more Scottish than a deep-fried Billy Connolly.

n oo ye G b i ? ?? l ch l e ’ t I g! ma agin a t i b wh Pom baw e Y y a t daf lus l e a c er y p pro

6

WTA PLAYERS HATE EACH OTHER! HA!

Male pros occasionally talk smack but they mostly steer clear of the personal. The women’s circuit operates by a different, better code, with players publicly airing their dirty laundry at every turn. Take this exchange between haters Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, beginning with

Williams talking about Sharapova before Wimbledon 2013: “I mean, seriously, give it a rest. She begins every interview with, ‘I’m so happy. I’m so lucky.’ It’s so boring. She’s still not going to be invited to the cool parties.”

Sharapova responded in kind: “If she wants to talk about something personal, maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and is getting a divorce and has kids.” Game, set, match.

SHARAPOVA: LESS SERENE

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July/August 2014

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INORE

7

THE SPARTAK TENNIS SCHOOL (SHIRYAEVKA)

Russia’s premier tennis academy is a remote, run-down facility with all the charm of Vladimir Putin’s … well, of Vladimir Putin. But it’s there, overseen by a team of stony-faced coaching staff in velour tracksuits, that starry-eyed children are broken down and reassembled as Russia’s serve-

volleying cyborgs of the future.

Notable alumni include Yevgeny Kafelnikov, super-brat Marat Safin, Elena Dementieva, Anastasia Myskina and Anna Kournikova. In fact, since Kournikova reached the top echelon of tennis in the late 1990s, Spartak alone has produced more top-20 women players than the entire United States. The program’s success has been attributed to a rigorous training regimen – including lots, like years, of visualisation miming.

9

8

MODERN RACQUET TECHNOLOGY ROCKS

When tennis was invented during the Middle Paleolithic age in what we now know as Swaziland, racquets consisted of little more than the severed legs of vanquished enemies.

Sort of. But wood became the frame material of choice in the 1500s, followed by metal in the 1960s and lightweight graphite in the 1980s, which is the standard today. Since those evolutionary leaps, racquet technology has become a game of millimetres, with players looking to extract that extra bit of power or accuracy by changing string types and tension and experimenting with handle length and head width. One of the newest technologies is “copolyester” strings, invented by a Japanese engineer who used a 10,000-frame-per-second camera to capture, for the first time, the behaviour of the ball during the five milliseconds it’s in contact with the string surface. Copoly strings generate more spin than any previous types, allowing players to pull off what Novak Djokovic’s trampled opponents often describe as “complete f__ing bullshit, I mean, come on, dude!” shots.

22

July/August 2014

RUSSIA IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT, TAKING OVER THE WORLD

AND LLEYTON HEWITT HAS SERIOUS OFF-COURT SKILLS

Lleyton was forever the bratty kid, scrapping and cursing his way around the tennis courts of the world. We loved those Wimbledon and US Open victories, but the backwards hat and the “C’mon!”s and the sooky-faced petulance got old very quickly. But now Lleyton loses more than he wins and his controversial racist ‘incident’ with African American slugger James Blake is a dozen years gone – “Nobody (on tour) is a friend of him”, said Argentine David Nalbandian – the lad’s suddenly a little bit … well, likeable. It took two decades for him to achieve the feat, but LleyLley is no longer a dickhead. And though his annual Australian Open tilts are doomed to failure, there is an upside: Lleyton can spend more time in the commentary box where, it turns out, he’s the best and smartest commentator since John McEnroe.

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INORE

Welcome to the world of pro bull riding: a brutal place where the money is finally catching up to the bucks.

YEE-HARD WORDS: BEN SMITHURST

T

here’s a reason old cowboys walk like they’re smuggling pineapples, and it’s not just because they’re mimicking John Wayne. It’s because important parts of them don’t work any more: joints are seized up, ankles tender, spines fused and tailbones ground to paste.

Because while other sports are dangerous, you’re usually safe when the ride is over. In rodeo, coming off a bull is just the start of the bull trying to smash down on top of you.

In bull riding, the bull regularly wins.

“Bull riders say it’s not when you get hurt – it’s how badly,” laughs 23-yearold Professional Bull Riding (PBR) circuit star Troy Wilkinson, who has been nursing a six-centimetre groin tear

through competition for a year.

“I’ve broken fingers, sprained ankles, torn muscles and been concussed. Lots of times, you get thrown off and land funny and then a bull jumps on your fingers.

A big bull can weigh a tonne. It hurts a fair bit, but, you know … at least the ground’s soft.”

This month sees three major PBR rodeos across the country, and in anticipation, Rocks spoke with two Australian pros who’ve stamped their mark on the profession, both here and internationally. Both are from the NSW bush: Young gun Wilkinson comes from the tiny village of Upper Horton, 120km west of Armidale, and three-time Australian PBR Champion David Kennedy, 29, is from Kyogle, 60km west of Byron Bay.

“BULL RIDERS SAY THAT IT’S NOT WHEN YOU GET HURT – IT’S HOW BADLY.”

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July/August 2014

INORE

PBR Invitational Cairns (Saturday July 5) Brendon Clark Invitational Newcastle (Saturday July 12) Australian National Finals Sydney (Saturday July 19) “BROKEBACK? NAW, IT’S JUST A LITTLE SCIATICA”

pbraustralia.com July/August 2014

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INORE

Is that when the rodeo clowns come in?

Yep. Mate, they get hurt a lot more than what we do, I’ll tell you. They do a really good job. They’re always busted up: bad knees, sore legs, sore ribs. We get away safely and they run in and jump on the bull’s head. They just love it. They’re mad.

What’s the difference between riding in the US and Australia?

We’ve got really good stock here, but they seem to have really specific breeding lines, and their bulls seem to be a lot bigger and stronger. There’s so much money in the industry there that they even make clones out of the great bulls that were really

“I’VE SEEN SIX OR SEVEN BROKEN LEGS – SOME WHERE THE BULL’S JUMPED ON THE BLOKE AND HE’S GONE TO STAND AND HIS LEG’S JUST FOLDED.”

NDERRATE

NS, U

OW O DE

CL RO

Your riding career began when you were a kid riding sheep in the shearing shed, and since you started competing in the PBR in 2008, you’ve been to the US three times and Canada once. You must have shaken off your share of injuries…

Yeah – but the groin has taken the longest to heal. I did it 12 months ago in the States; I caught the rope with my spur and jagged my leg, which tore the muscle. Hurt pretty bad. I couldn’t stand up, couldn’t walk. I didn’t even know where the bull was.

D

TROY WILKINSON

dangerous back in the day. They made four clones of this one bull and those clones were the best bulls in the world for a time. Some people sell bulls in the US for $150,000 – just for a bucking bull! Here you’re lucky to get $5000 for a good one.

Do bull riders have groupies?

Well, American women like the Australian accent a lot, and they do like cowboys, that’s for sure! They want to get to know you.

They’re just, um, fans of the sport, I suppose.

I don’t know if you’ve ever talked to an American girl before but they get a bit funny.

What’s it like being on a big bull?

When I was a kid you’d get on and it was rough. You’d sit there and you’re bouncing around and your arms would get jerked away from your body – but over time you learn techniques and how to ride the bull properly. When you know what you’re doing it’s pretty relaxed; it’s like sitting on a drum, and you just rock it.

Have you ever won a prize on one of those mechanical bulls in a pub?

Yeah! This is funny. I went to a thing at my girlfriend’s university and they had one of those bulls. I was just dressed in shorts and shirt and thongs, and nobody there knew I rode bulls for a living. They talked me into getting on it, and I rode it so long that they eventually had to stop it. They still didn’t know I was a pro bull rider. Unfortunately the prize was only about $20!

What’s the worst injury you’ve seen?

I’ve seen six or seven broken legs – some where the bull’s jumped on the bloke and he’s gone to stand and his leg’s just folded sideways with the bone sticking out. That looks pretty bad. I’ve seen a lot of guys land on their head, I’ve seen broken necks … oh, and I saw my brother-in-law, Chris Lowe, who is also a pro bull rider, get kicked in the side of the head. We were

July/August 2014

27

INORE

in the United States for a couple of months and I got recognised by people in the airport. We’re on TV there every week. But it’s getting more like that in Australia as well – people are travelling a lot further to follow their favourite bull riders.

What’s the key to good bull riding?

The main thing is being able to handle your own body weight and be flexible. I nod my head when I see the bull for the first jump and then I go into a place where my subconscious mind takes over. Sometimes I get off and I can’t remember what happened – I have to ask someone which way it spun.

“THE SMARTER BULLS FEEL WHERE YOU ARE ON THEIR BACK AND JUMP LEFT OR RIGHT TO THROW YOU OFF.” riding down in Wollongong last year and it completely knocked him out and ripped his ear off. Ha! There was blood everywhere.

He was lying there stiff with his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I can tell you, that was a pretty hard thing to see.

Did they sew his ear back on?

Oh yeah, but it looks a bit different now, haha! It’s on a bit crooked.

DAVID KENNEDY You’re just 29 but you’ve been around a long time – multiple national titles, representing Australia at World Cups in Brazil, Las Vegas and Australia. Are you considered an old hand?

Yeah – a ‘veteran’, they call us, not that I’m happy to be one! I wish I was a young gun again, because it hurts more when you get old. You don’t bounce as well. As you get to the end of your career the body starts to stiffen up and you can feel all your injuries.

What’s ‘old’ for a bull rider?

About 35 is getting on. It’s a rough sport.

The dislocated shoulders add up.

Are cowboys the same all over?

Yeah: a cowboy’s a cowboy, whether you’re here or in the United States or wherever, but the money is bigger in the United States – a lot bigger. I rode in Australia my whole career and never got recognised, but I rode

28

July/August 2014

Can you anticipate what a bull will do?

You have a rough idea. You know before an event which bull you’ll be riding and what that bull’s done in the past. But they’re live animals and they can change their minds at any time. The smarter bulls feel where you are on their back and they’ll jump left or right to throw you off. Every bull has got its own personality and its own attitude. They probably outsmart us more than we outsmart them.

Do you ever get scared?

No – that’s when something goes wrong.

I’ve been on the wrong end of a bull, though. If you don’t respect them, they’ll just hurt you.

Pro bull riding is judged as well as being objectively scored, isn’t it?

You’ve got to stay on for eight seconds and your free hand, the hand you hold up, is not allowed to touch yourself or the bull in that time or you’re disqualified. And you get 100 points. Fifty of those points are judged on how good the bull bucks and 50 are judged on how good you ride.

According to Troy, American ladies love a fair dinkum accent. Do Vegas showgirls like the look of an Aussie cowboy?

Yeah, there’s plenty of those – we call them buckle bunnies. But if it wasn’t for my wife keeping me on the straight and narrow and not partying, I don’t think that I’d be three times Australian champion. I’d have done a lot more drinking and probably had a bit better time, but I’m very driven in making my three kids proud of me and bucking out bulls. Their heroes are bull riders and I’m trying to set a good example. I want them to take this as a professional sport.

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UNLEASHED asmania is a small, rugged island in one of the least populated sectors of the globe.

Domestically, it is known for its food and wine, iconic boozing batsman, Boonie, and MONA – the eclectic Museum of Old and New Art. All are state assets, alongside the Tarkine, Errol Flynn and the wonderfully named Honey Bacon, widow to former Labor premier Jim. But to concentrate on their joys is to overlook the Apple Isle’s greatest resource: its roads.

All cars are driven by drivers but not every car is a ‘driver’s car’. Similarly, not every road is a driver’s road, and the sort of people who know one Porsche 911 variant from another know the world’s best driving roads by name: Italy’s Stelvio Pass; Tennessee’s Tail of the Dragon; Norway’s Geiranger Pass…

Australia has a lot of boring roads. But we also have some great strips of tarmac, and Tasmania lays claim to the lion’s share. The map of Tassie is riddled with spaghetti-like strips of road that twist from tip to tail, and that make our southernmost state a Mecca for driving and motorcycling enthusiasts. And while you can barely go wrong, whatever road you choose, ROCKS is happy to detail three of the island’s best stretches of bitumen…

Buckle up, Tassie is home to Australia’s top driver’s roads.

HAIRPIN HOLIDAY WORDS: STEPHEN CORBY, SCOTT NEWMAN, BEN SMITHURST

July/August 2014

31

UNLEASHED

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE ‘99 BENDS’ WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT INTESTINES.

WEST

THE 99 BENDS (Lyell Highway between Queenstown and Gormanston) 5.6 kilometres, six minutes.

WORDS: Stephen Corby It’s impossible to drive the ‘99 bends’, as the locals call the licorice-stick wriggle of the Lyell Highway from Queenstown to Gormanston, without thinking about intestines.

For a start, that’s what the road looks like on a map: a series of sharp bends, folding in on themselves, that goes on for a seemingly unfeasible distance (in actual fact it’s only just over five kilometres, but it feels a lot longer).

Then there’s what a fang along this absurd and justifiably infamous section of Targa Tasmania does to your insides. From the passenger seat, it can start to feel as if you’ve somehow swallowed a vice, which is being applied to your bowels with another vicious twist each time you hit a new bend.

Even from the driver’s seat, it’s a road that can give you motion sickness if you’re foolish enough to try and drive it flat out.

Attack it at 80 per cent, though, and pace yourself, and it’s a pure joyride of perfect corners, throwing themselves at you in a feast of fun.

Even if you are being careful, you’ll still feel the kind of nerves that settle in at the base of your stomach, because there are some steep and ravine-ous drop-offs in some sections that can cause you to ponder your continued existence.

Throw in the fact that large parts of the scenery look like they could be used to fake a Mars landing – a legacy of more than 100 years of continuous copper mining in Queenstown – and the whole thing takes on an other-worldly feel.

Drive the road at sunset and the strange, sickly pink and grey hues of the savagely deforested (the trees all went in the smelters) and permanently eroded rocky hills take on a kind of eerie beauty.

The 99 bends – a name chosen more for dramatic impact than for accuracy, because there are probably only 60 or so – is a surreal stretch of road, and one that’s not to be missed.

It is also, for all its gut-punishing g-forces, an absolute hoot to drive in the right car.

32

July/August 2014

UNLEASHED

SOUTH

HOBART TO TAHUNE AIRWALK

87 kilometres, 95 minutes; 110km, 2 h 10 mins with Mount Wellington diversion WORDS: Scott Newman It’s not immediately clear why you’d want to leave Hobart in

the first place. The picturesque waterfront area, Salamanca, is enough in itself to hold most visitors’ interest, with eateries to satisfy virtually any taste and a near-endless cascade of Cascade from the taps of the many waterfront pubs.

Those brave enough to venture beyond the city’s confines, however, will discover some of Australia’s best bitumen.

Heading south-west out of the CBD deposits you on Huon Road (B64), a bumpy, twisting ribbon of tarmac that’ll have you unleashing your inner rally driver in moments. Just be sure not to bypass the turn-off to Mount Wellington, a worthy diversion which will reward you with glorious views of Hobart.

The B64 winds down into the valley town of Longley (stop at the pub) before climbing to rejoin the main highway south. Ten minutes’ drive later – Southern Tassie is a small place – you’ll land in Huonville, at which point you’ll have two options...

Hang a left on the Channel Highway (B68) and you’ll enjoy a picturesque yet entertaining coastal drive through the sleepy towns of Cygnet, Woodbridge and Kettering, and views of the D’entrecasteaux Channel. The loop winds its way back to Hobart and takes about 70 minutes, plus stops.

We’re pushing on, though, following the Huon through the apple communities of Franklin and Castle Forbes Bay to the logging town of Geeveston. From there, it’s right onto Arve Road (C631), a 30km access road to the Tahune AirWalk.

Once a year, this road serves as a stage for the fastest tarmac rally in the country, and the fact that the spectacular treetop walk is worth a look in its own right serves as the perfect excuse for a fang. The road itself is wide, flowing and mostly well surfaced – just keep an eye out for the occasional logging truck and kamikaze tourists with no sense of lane discipline.

July/August 2014

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EAST

LAUNCESTON TO ST HELENS 164 kilometres, 2 hours WORDS: Ben Smithurst Tasmania’s bitumen bounty makes it a favourite place for international car marques to hold local launches. To do so, they’ll often fly journos into Launceston and out of Hobart … giving them the chance to drive the roads of the north-east in between. And for good reason: with dense forest sprawling to the road’s verge, it’s like driving through a densely wooded Jurassic Park, except with roads created by people usually responsible for designing race tracks, or Scalextric.

There are many bracing options – including St Marys Pass, where cheeky locals have scrubbed the ‘P’ from the roadside sign originally proclaiming that ‘You are now entering St Marys Pass’. But it’s the arced 160-kilometre sweep up the A4 from ‘Lonny’ to St Helens that takes the cake.

Spearing north-east to Scottsdale along what’s now become the A3, you’re met with a riot of twists – beware logging trucks and dawdling see-Australia-and-die nomads more than stepped-out bikers – before pitching east, skirting the Mount Horror Forest Reserve and then barrelling south through the Blue Tier Forest Reserve. It smells mostly like brakes.

You’ll want a car with wide tyres, big anchors and a surfeit of grip. Like the mythological Hydra, forever growing new heads, this is an

inexhaustible up-and-down challenge, with another tightening bend or switchback appearing every time you expect it’s spent.

Beware, also, the wildlife. Tasmania’s fauna is iconic – but it’s also clueless about looking both ways before crossing. Each kilometre passed is a gasp-inducing testament to roadkill.

You’ll catch your breath on the drop down to the coast at St Helens – a perfect spot for lunching, with the Freycinet National Park just over an hour’s breathtaking coastal drive south.

Here, on a fine day, the essential trek/climb to overlook Wineglass Bay proves conclusively why it’s one of the world’s top 10 beaches.

IT’S LIKE DRIVING THROUGH JURASSIC PARK.

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This remote land of desert sand is marked by rocks and H2O. Whet your appetite for trekking – and dating – in Oman.

WORDS: SIMON MADDEN

s i h t o t s e m o Rain c n e h t d n a y l e r a r country . s d o o fl e s n e t n i in

WE SAT UNDER the squat

Acacia tree, the scrawny branches providing more shade than their appearance suggested. Pin-sharp, inch-long thorns lent it a vaguely hostile air, making the shade feel like only a temporary welcome.

Still, the hint of a breeze lifted the sweat from my body and it was quiet and restful. In the silence, cool water sluiced down my throat, irrigating muscles dusty from five hours of hiking steep hills. The morning’s march over uneven terrain had brought us out of the deep, fertile valley of Wadi Tiwi, up onto a plateau high in the eastern Hajar Mountain range. And as I stared out across the sun-blasted landscape, all I saw were rocks.

But that was because while I was looking, I couldn’t really see.

How you experience a place changes over time. It takes a while for your mind to shift its focus and comprehend a new environment; the dawning realisation resulting from this shift is part of the joy of travel. Subtleties emerge, and so I slowly came to see that water, not rocks, is what marks Oman. It’s strange to think of a desert land as marked by water, but it is. And dates. And goats – heaps of goats.

In reality, though, the dates and the goats are byproducts of the water.

Oman stands as a testament to humanity’s ability to carve out an existence in unlikely terrain

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OMAN’S ROADS ARE VISIBLY IMPRESSIVE

through a combination of ingenuity, tradition and bloodymindedness. Forty years ago, the country was a near-medieval land of warring tribes; today, it’s an oil-rich sultanate.

Compared to its neighbours, Oman was slow to exploit its oil.

It began only in 1970 after the current ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, moved his father on. Royal succession is not something most of us need to plot, and taking over the family business can be a bit tricky at the best of times, but Omanis seem genuinely content with their ruler. There is little doubting the impact of his modernisation drive.

Sustained by the world’s thirst for crude, the essentials of life – power, water and mobile phone reception – have all come to once-isolated outposts; schools have been built and education is prized. But travelling through the country, it’s the roads that are the most visibly impressive.

The Al Hajar Mountains rise abruptly out of flat gravel plains.

The peaks are covered in a skin of shattered rock and we are bumping along rough roads that the Omanis have somehow cut to join hidden villages. These roads mean just driving around the country is a full-on 4x4 saga, and their improbability makes the places they go seem more remote and beautiful. Rain comes to this country rarely and then in THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE WADING IN A WADI ON A HOT DAY

intense floods, which wash away the roads. Each time they have to be re-driven into the hillsides in a perpetual dance of bulldozers.

Over millions of years, these flooding rains have rushed down off the mountains and plateaus to carve out wadis – catchments that begin as tight canyons on high ground, then broaden into valleys as they near the flatlands.

Omanis are experts at making use of the water’s periodic presence – transporting it great distances and hoarding for irrigation.

The use of this water is what marks the land.

Looking down at any of the wadis you are

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ONCE YOU EAT A HALAS (‘THE END’ IN ARABIC), YOUR SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT DATE IS OVER. struck by the contrast of crops against the dry landscape.

Brilliantly simple systems of irrigation – afalaj – are used to distribute water throughout a village’s terraced fields. Garlic, onion, mango and lime are all grown here, but it is the date palm that stands above them.

Dates are everywhere; they say there are about 120 varieties in Oman, and they are the standard snack – delicious, sweet and high in energy.

They’re also addictive and almost impossible to stop eating. The only problem is the fug that envelops you and your hiking buddy due to stomachs unaccustomed to a diet so high in dried fruit (hint: don’t walk downwind). The best are perhaps the halas, literally ‘the end’ in Arabic. Meaning that once you eat a halas, your search for the perfect date is over.

The other peculiarity of dining Omani-style is that it is done with the right hand. The technique takes some mastering; shovelling rice into your gob with ungainly fingers is no easy task. The amount that ends in your lap will have you marvelling at how Omani men manage to keep

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their dishdash – the traditional garb – so sparklingly clean. But what appears at first to be magic is more often than not just dexterous fingers, and a couple of quick tips on technique from a friendly local is recommended. Eating sans cutlery feels deliciously liberating.

With a belly full of food and a slightly soiled lap, it is the perfect time to head up into a wadi – a cool world of emerald-green pools spilling among jumbles of grey, water-scoured limestone boulders. Pushing deep into any one of the dramatic canyons demands that you scramble, rock-hop, cliff-jump off waterfalls, swim, wade and slip down natural water slides. It’s like a big kids’ natural water park.

Add to that sleeping out in a tented camp in the dunes of the Wahiba Sands and a coastline teeming with aquatic life, all within a couple of hours of the surprisingly tranquil capital, Muscat, and you’ve got a lively destination.

Tranquil it might be, but Muscat has the trappings of a prosperous city. The supercars that line the beachfront Corniche – colloquially known as Love Street – at dusk are filled with young men showing off and making big noises when they

drop the hammer; this is no left-behind backwater. The oil is not going to last forever, though, and Oman is looking to diversify its economy. Enter tourism. And here, Oman has something that its gleaming, newly built neighbours don’t: realness. A sense of life and tradition beyond towering construction and air-conditioned malls. The wonders of the country are accessible. You don’t have to get far out of Muscat to feel that you are far away from everything.

The word is getting out, too.

Adventurers are on the march into Oman right now. The vanguard of climbers is seeking cliffs and peaks; kitesurfers and SCUBA divers are making for the coastline; fourwheel drivers are penetrating the mountains and flying over sand dunes, and trekkers are plunging deep into wadis. All of them chowing down dates by the hundreds, eating slow-roasted goat with their right hands, and coming to see a starkly beautiful country marked by water.

MUSCAT’S GRAND MOSQUE: MAGICAL

Oman Air and Etihad offer regular flights to Oman. Oman Air usually schedules flights in partnership with either Thai Airways or Malaysian Airlines via Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, while Etihad flights go through Abu Dhabi. A side-trip to Oman from Dubai is easy and costs about US$150 with an Emirates Arabian Airpass or a oneworld® Visit Middle East Pass with Qatar Airways. There is really only one international airport in Oman: Seeb International Airport. Australians can apply for a one-month visa on arrival; the cost is 20 Omani rial (about A$56).

NOTE: PLASTIC TROUSERS RECOMMENDED WHEN EATING TRADITIONAL OMANI DISHES

All levels of accommodation from plush to rustic are available in Oman; if you’re getting away from it all, there are bush and official camp sites throughout the Al Hajar Mountains.

Road infrastructure in Oman is pretty good and getting better, though you will still need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to make the most of your adventure – plus there’s next to no public transport. Take the usual off-road precautions such as carrying plenty of water in case your vehicle breaks down.

Oman is a very safe destination to visit. It is politically stable and its people, for the most part, are friendly and helpful. The further you go from Muscat, the less English is spoken, so a couple of words in Arabic will serve you well. Almost all signs are written in both Arabic and English. The best time to visit is between November and mid-March, when the weather is cooler and more stable.

Oman is a Muslim country and, while it’s not as hardcore as some of its neighbours, you do need to be respectful, especially outside the capital. Men should wear pants (or at least shorts to the knee) and women, loose clothing that covers their arms and shoulders – dresses should go at least to the knee, but pants are probably best.

The author travelled to Oman courtesy of Oman Tourism and was hosted by Oman World Tourism (omanworldtourism.com; info@ omanworldtourism.com).

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HEAVE CLOSER TO

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elcome to the Hellenic Republic, the home of democracy, medicine, philosophy and, in 1925, a 10-day war that kicked off when a Greek soldier was shot dead chasing a stray dog over the Bulgarian border. In Greece, wandering off the tourist trail can be dramatic, especially here among the six monasteries of Metéora. They’re located high up upon towering 450-metre cliffs near the Pindus Mountains and the River Peneios in the central highlands.

It’s arguably Greece’s most

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underrated UNESCO site, and getting around here was a matter of life and death challenge long before Bulgaria became involved. Long, in fact, before Bulgaria even existed.

In the ninth century, hundreds of monks chose to settle in Metéora and abstain from material possessions, speaking, and eating luxurious foods. Instead, they devoted their lives to thinking about God. The monks found hundreds of naturally occurring caves in the cliffs and turned them into homes. They climbed up to 550 metres to find the best caves,

which were sheltered from the scorching summer sun and the freezing winter ice.

By the end of the 14th century the sun was setting on the millennium-long reign of the Byzantine Empire. When the Turkish Ottoman Empire began to encroach upon Greek territory, the hermit monks convened at the base of the tallest 60-million-year-old sandstone cliff and decided to build a monastery out of harm’s way. Work began on the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron.

As an extra layer of protection, fishing nets were tied together

EN

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Atop sheer 450-metre cliffs, these ancient Greek monasteries are ringed with the bones of plummeted monks.

WORDS: JOE WORTHINGTON

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FAST FACT

The Church of Transfiguration inside the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron was built with the money donated by the Serbian king-turned-monk John Uros (St Iosaph) in 1373, who gave up his power and privilege to lead a simple life.

and dropped 450 metres down the cliff for visiting monks and nuns. If the visitors were able to pull themselves up the musclestretching cliff, they were welcomed with open arms by the community of monks. But if they fell, this was believed to be what the Lord desired.

The community of monks supposedly only replaced the nets when ‘the Lord let them break’, which, if the records are to be believed, was regularly.

Over the next two centuries a further 23 monasteries were built at the peaks of the highest cliffs in the area. Six survive: the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron, the Holy Monastery of Varlaam, the Holy Monastery of Rousanou, the Holy Monastery of St Nicholas Anapausas, the Holy Monastery of St Stephen and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity. Unholy they are not.

Most modern visitors to Metéora are there to bask in the backdrops of some of the world’s most famous movies and games. These include the Monastery of the Holy Trinity (James Bond’s For Your Eyes Only), the Monastery of St Nicholas Anapausas (the inspiration for St Francis Folly

in Tomb Raider) and Metéora in general (the inspiration for the Eyrie of House Arryn in Game of Thrones).

Even so, a visit to Metéora is not really complete until you’ve spent the day jumping over deep ravines and bathing in the cold, pure waters of Peneios. Just as the hermit monks did all those centuries ago, I also hoped to spend the evening huddled around a self-made camp fire, berries and leaves boiling in the crackling flames, and woody odours filling the fissures and

METÉORA INSPIRED THE EYRIE OF HOUSE ARRYN IN GAME OF THRONES. hollows of the surrounding rocks. Where better to leave your smart phone and tablet computer behind to live the life of a hermit – however briefly?

Standing at the base of the lowest point of Metéora, I gazed upwards at the towering grey, black and brown rocks. It’s a dizzying experience. The heights cause you to lose balance, and you see why the hermit monks chose this area to hide away from the hustle and bustle of July/August 2014

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UNLEASHED everyday life. They came for silence and solitude, to devote their lives to God. I walked across the orange sandy paths, searching for the perfect cave to bed down in for the night and leaving clouds of dust in my wake. Thick tree trunks protruded from the cliffs, their leaf-filled branches swooning in the light midday winds, while white doves above seemed to guide the way. The echo of my hiking boots bounced between the tall cliffs behind and in front of me.

Eventually I saw a perfect cave in the distance, and dashed to claim it before a wandering wild boar got there first. Dashed, that is, until a deep ravine stopped me in my tracks. What to do? I could turn and retreat to my hotel in nearby Kalabaka, population 11,000, or take my life into my own hands and leap across the two-metre gap between one rock and another.

As Ottomans and Nazis alike failed to do before me, I took a running jump and launched like a lizard pouncing on its prey.

A 150-metre cavern below beckons for those who put a foot wrong; for centuries, monks and nuns performed the same death-defying stunt to get to their new homes. I landed ungracefully on the other side with a dull thud.

As I dusted myself off and set off for my cave, the sun began to set behind the cliffs and a chill wind moved in. The rumbles of my stomach became more aggressive, so I prepared myself to go scavenging for food. Wild berry and spearmint leaf soup sounded nice; I’ve seen several episodes of Man vs Wild. The only berry bush in sight was hanging over the cliff above my cave, with the juicy red berries just asking to be picked.

Then a frayed rope swung

I COULD TURN AROUND AND RETREAT TO MY HOTEL IN NEIGHBOURING KALABAKA, POPULATION 11,000, OR TAKE MY LIFE INTO MY HANDS BY LEAPING THE TWO-METRE GAP SEPARATING ONE ROCK FROM ANOTHER.

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down the cliff and a faint voice whispered from the peak: “Climb up my boy, we have food.” Peering up, I saw a smiling monk dressed in a black cloak, waving his hands towards me. Once again, I took my life into my own hands and hauled myself up the frighteningly weak rope, dragging my shoes along the crumbling cliff face. Intrepid.

The monk hoisted me up and dragged me onto the cold stone floor, and I stood up to look around at a dominating whitewashed stone and orange slate shrine. “Great Meteoron,” said the monk, gesturing at the surroundings.

By sheer chance I’d arrived at the first and largest of the Metéora monasteries.

Overcast skies enveloped the cliffs as the sun slipped down.

I looked out to the canyons laid out below like a collage of rock

and stone. Rain clouds opened and I saw all the monasteries lined up in a jagged row – some higher, some smaller – an unforgettably perfect view. The trees swayed in the cold breeze and the rain got heavier, but the breathtaking view just became more perfect. Each minute changed the picture, and each

THE MONK HOISTED ME UP AND DRAGGED ME ONTO THE COLD STONE FLOOR. movement of the clouds added a new effect to the moment.

A lthough I didn’t want to leave that amazing place, I knew I would have to, so I followed the monk into the monastery.

He pointed ahead of him.

“On your way back down to the bottom,” he said, “you should use the steps.”

FACT FILE Where: Metéora, Greece Official name: Prefecture of Trikala Climate: Average daily temps 14–23°C Time to go: Spring/summer

(April–September) Best for: Caving, hiking,

rock climbing, camping Pack: Hiking boots, safety rope,

tent, waterproof coat

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“ONE MOGWAI, PLEASE!” “FOR THE LAST TIME, THIS IS A 7-ELEVEN”

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PTING FATE Curious about what lies ahead? In Hong Kong and Thailand – in fact, most of Asia – fortune telling is serious business.

WORDS: KRIS MADDEN

hile sceptics think fortune telling is a gimmick or scam, its roots in Asian culture run deep. If you’re planning on doing business in China or South-East Asia, it would be wise to consider that luck and superstition can play a big role in your negotiations – whether you’ve got a ‘Magic Happens’ sticker on your Kombi or you worship at the logical non-altar of Richard Dawkins.

When almost everyone else in the society believes, the influence of fortune foretold is hard to escape – for anyone.

In Hong Kong, mystics are regularly consulted for advice

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on every possible major decision, while Thai locals have been guided by fortune tellers for centuries. Today, millions of Thais regularly consult maw du – aka ‘doctors who see’ – to gain insights into health, career, love or money.

While the methods differ in each place, there are many factors in common, mostly involving numbers, auspicious dates and the person’s birthday.

HONG KONG’S MYSTIC MILE

In Hong Kong, if you want answers – should you take that corporate job offer? Could he or she really be ‘the one’? – Kowloon’s Temple Street is the

place to go. At the busy Temple Street Night Market, travellers and locals alike seek answers to life’s big questions.

In the middle of the main drag is Tin Hau temple, which has provided the backdrop for many a Hong Kong gangster movie. Past Men’s Street (good for guys’ clothing bargains), the Ladies’ Market (clothes, shoes, bags) and the Chinese medicine clinics, there’s a row of sixth-sense seers who will reveal your future using every method imaginable, from reading palms (chiromancy), tarot cards or the bumps on your face. There are even fortune-telling birds.

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Advertising Feature

Property Relocation Brisbane Director of Development, Maurice Wrenn of Graystone Group, shares 30 years’ experience managing commercial property and tenancy relocation and answers the five most important questions to consider in order to smooth the process and avoid costly pitfalls.

1. WHEN TO START PLANNING

In today’s changing economic times lease options and expiries often stay off the radar until tenants are at the mercy of their landlord. Depending on the complexity of the space and the amenity required, key dates need to be flagged well in advance and preparation of the tenancy brief should be organised at least 18 months ahead of potential relocation.

2. SELECTING AN OWNER YOU CAN WORK WITH

Particularly dynamic companies, which are likely to further expand or contract within normal negotiable lease terms, need to ensure they engage with a landlord who is in sync with the level of flexibility they may require. Larger property management organisations can seriously compromise the flexibility necessary to ensure the accommodation is efficient and relevant. Choose your landlord and their property manager carefully as a lesson not to learn the hard way.

3. SELECTING YOUR LOCATIONS DRIVERS

Our cities are changing. The average age of a building in Brisbane CBD is now 28 years old and lacking in cost effective amenity.

Accessibility and sufficient affordable car parking are also growing issues. Consider where your business really needs to be because relocating to a more convenient location could save significant property occupancy costs. Retaining a serviced office in the CBD for meetings if you need a presence is worth considering.

4. AVOIDING BUSINESS DISRUPTION

Office amenity and efficiency expectation of staff have changed dramatically in even the past five years. Work place ratios, break out space and amenity in general require regular reviews and a new layout could be what is required to revitalise staff enthusiasm. Be careful never to agree to building modifications or refurbishment while your are in occupation. The disruption will be intolerable and it is far better to simply move to a new space.

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UNLEASHED TEMPLE ST FORTUNES SEMI-SCEPTICAL MELBOURNE PLASTERER ARTIE SHANKS VISITED HONG KONG PSYCHICS “I went to some face readers first, and then some fortune-telling finches, although the birds were pretty vague! And I saw some card interpreters with the deck skills of Vegas dealers, who took about three seconds to pluck one card and tell me all that would be well … provided I drank less. Probably true. The face reader said I would have trouble hanging onto money because my nostrils (he said) are abnormally wide. He also told me that I wouldn’t end up living in the place where I was born, which was also true. But it was an ancient-looking guy with a wispy Fu Manchu moustache who let drop, via a translator, a series of unnerving revelations about my past that only my closest mates would know. After that it was hard not to believe what he predicted for my future. I liked it.”

Unfortunately, you can only ask questions about yourself – not who will win the flag in September or what Lotto numbers you should pick.

WIND AND WATER

The Chinese system of feng shui (literally ‘wind and water’) is evident not just in architecture or interior design. Its influence seeps even into the mundane, dictating the time of day you might do your banking or the date you should buy a car.

Master Alex Yu is a Hong Kong-based fortune teller whose geomancy (reading scattered soil, rocks or sand) services are in demand by some of the world’s top companies. Over two decades he has consulted with more than 20,000 people, including clients such as Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Cathay Pacific Airways and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

You’ll feel lucky immediately, as Master Yu gives free weekly talks at his geomancy and physiognomy (face reading) school in Kowloon. One talk covers the belief that numbers strongly affect our lives, right

down to our mobile phone numbers. Apparently, if your phone number ends in 5, you could be sending and receiving bad luck every time you use it.

Yu also runs workshops for incentive groups and corporate executives about choosing the right employees through face reading and other cosmic tools.

Participants leave with a bunch of potential ‘cures’ for the feng shui’s ominous ‘flying stars’. It is fun – even if you think it means as much as a ‘Which Lannister are you?’ Facebook quiz.

MASTER YU: ALSO HIS DJ-ING NAME

HOKUM OR SCIENCE?

MASTER ALEX YU IS A HONG KONG-BASED GEOMANCER WHOSE SERVICES ARE IN DEMAND

BY SOME OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST COMPANIES.

Virtually all Thais believe in destiny, good luck and spirits.

Sensible, well-heeled, highly educated people regularly consult fortune tellers before they make an investment, buy a business or reach a big decision.

High-end fortune tellers can command up to 10,000 baht ($330) per hour – in a country where doctors make $3000 a month – although a street fortune teller might work for as little as 40 baht ($1.30) a session.

Even government officials consult their personal mystics about crucial decisions. Thailand University found more than 70 per cent of Thai Government officials believe in the concept.

Among Thailand’s powerful policymakers is Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, the

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UNLEASHED former head of Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission and the former Finance Minister of Thailand. He carefully watches inflation rates, world markets and the statistics of the Thai economy, but his main guide is the Thai zodiac.

Master Montri, on Express Way Road, 15 minutes from the heart of Bangkok, alleges he’s the best fortune teller in Thailand (and his website says so too: see right). He’ll ask for your name and a few personal facts (give them or not, it’s up to you) and tell you about your past, current and future life. Montri claims 99–100 per cent accuracy in his predictions, and his clients include the Thai army and police force; which is slightly worrying.

THAILAND’S ‘DOCTORS WHO SEE’

You’ll have no trouble finding Bangkok city’s maw du. Their skills cover the spectrum from palmism and face reading, to astrology, handwriting analysis and those hidden secrets lurking in your name.

The highest concentration in Bangkok is found around Tha Prajan pier off the Chao Phraya River. You’ll encounter others at Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) temple, one of Bangkok’s oldest and largest, which is also famed for its seers. You can also get a cold Chang beer here, and a reasonably priced massage at the Thai Traditional Massage School.

Even if you think it’s a load of malarky, it’s worth giving it a go

THE LOWDOWN HONG KONG Temple Street, Kowloon Catch the MTR to Yau Ma Tei Station or Jordan Station.

Master Alex Yu Geomancy & Physiognomy Mong Kok Commercial Building, 16 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon Bookings necessary. alexyufengshui.com

WAT PHO (RECLINING BUDDHA) TEMPLE, ONE OF BANGKOK’S OLDEST AND LARGEST, IS ALSO FAMED FOR ITS SEERS. – especially at the 40 baht end of the market – so you can experience a big part of Chinese and Thai culture. It’s cheap, a lot of fun, and a great story to dine out on back home. Plus, if Richard Dawkins turns out to be wrong, the gods might go a bit easier on you in the afterlife.

And if you plan on doing business in Thailand, follow the lead of the locals and never wear a yellow shirt on a Monday.

Importantly, never, ever get your hair cut on a Wednesday.

LINGER LONGER IN BKK In the unlikely event that your virility is questioned, visit Tubtim Shrine in the grounds of Bangkok’s Swissôtel Nai Lert Park. The hundreds of palad khik or linga (read ‘cocks’, not the feathered kind) range from small wooden carvings to giant stone sculptures. All are said to guarantee a happy ending; these effigies of the Hindu god Shiva are believed to grant good fortune and fertility. Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine is another popular place to ask the spirit world for special favours.

Be forewarned: If your wish is granted, apparently you’re obliged to supply a maiden to dance naked around the shrine three times.

The Salisbury YMCA of Hong Kong 41 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon Excellent accommodation and great facilities, right next door to The Peninsula hotel. Same views at a fraction of the price. ymcahk.org.hk

More info: discoverhongkong.com BANGKOK Wat Pho Temple 2 Sanamchai Road, Pranakorn District Open daily 8.00am–6.30 pm.

Entry fee 100 baht (AU$3.30). watpho.com

Master Montri Ramindra-Artnarong Road, Soi Yothin Pattana 3, Bangkok A two-hour reading costs about 5000 baht (AU$165).

Reservations essential. bkk-best-fortuneteller. blogspot.com

Lebua at State Tower 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak Close to everything. Sky Bar is one of the world’s best rooftop bars. The Hangover Part II was filmed here. lebua.com

Swissôtel Nai Lert Park 2 Wireless Road, Bangkok Home to the Tubtim fertility shrine. swissotel.com

More info: tourismthailand.org

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UNLEASHED

UNCANNY

VALLEY Sun Valley, Idaho, was built by a railwayman, an Austrian Count and a Depression-era PR shill.

Today it’s powder heaven.

No, Not me.

UNLEASHED

n the mid-1930s a strapping young American man by the name of Averell Harriman inherited from his father an incredible amount of wealth and, among many responsibilities, the role of chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). The UP had problems between the wars: it had an outdated rail system and falling passenger numbers. Being in the middle of the Great Depression didn’t help — it wasn’t a boom time for mass vacation travel.

But Harriman was a determined business-minded man and he knew how to dream big. He set his sights on establishing – in a relatively unknown part of the American West that was a vast, remote

and forbidding wilderness – a European-style ski resort.

But first Harriman needed a mountain. It couldn’t be just any mountain. It had to be a mountain that would tempt American and international skiers and socialites to pack their kit and make the long journey to a place where they could live out a dream and be in a place to be seen.

Harriman, being loaded, did what loaded types do: he tapped into his well-to-do, educated, adventurous and affluent circle of friends. Soon he’d zeroed in on the perfect man to select the perfect peak he needed: Count Felix Schaffgotsch of Austria. From a family of Viennese bankers, Felix was part of a privileged set who

skied and socialised in Austria and Switzerland, and Harriman knew Schaffgotsch would find a mountain good enough to draw those who could afford a lavish lifestyle to a far-flung place in the North American wilderness.

Importantly, Harriman had to make sure the chosen mountain was near his inherited railway line (which made its way from the Rockies to San Francisco) because UP needed bums – preferably well-to-do ones – on seats.

Schaffgotsch finally chose Bald Mountain in Ketchum, Idaho, an old mining town as run-down as the trains that serviced it.

Ketchum’s wintertime population was 150; the good citizens thought they were hearing things when

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SUN VALLEY CLUB IN WINTER

Harriman let it be known that he was going to build a huge hotel there, not to mention spend millions of dollars on the region.

Next, Harriman sought a canny spin doctor to kick off word of mouth in America’s well-heeled – preferably famous – crowd. He hired Steve Hannagan, who was charged with creating the reputation that ol’ Ketchum still enjoys today. Aiming for ‘unique and upscale’, Hannagan cunningly renamed Ketchum ‘Sun Valley’ and insisted on a ‘contraption’ to get people, who would have no interest in trudging about, up the hill to ski.

Within a year, a chairlift and an up-market hotel in the middle of nowhere called Sun Valley Lodge were built. Once the PR wheels started turning, film stars and Hollywood starlets, including Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Gary Cooper and Errol Flynn, flocked to the newly named paradise. Sun Valley became the place to be for the rich and famous. It’s a reputation it still enjoys. Celebrities such as Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Tom Hanks and Mark Zuckerberg all holidaying there and/or snapping up a home or two.

And that’s how Harriman, Schaffgotsch and Hannagan – aka Averell, Felix and Steve –

AVERELL HARRIMAN ON THE SLOPES

FAST FACT

Although Sun Valley is famous for the movie stars who live and hang out there today, Ernest Hemingway penned For Whom the Bell Tolls in Suite 206 at the Sun Valley Lodge.

He also wrote parts of Islands in the Stream, The Garden of Eden and A Moveable Feast at his Ketchum home.

SUN VALLEY BECAME THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS. IT’S A REPUTATION IT STILL ENJOYS.

became the catalysts for Ketchum slipping into a bright, dapper and ridiculously glamorous new suit – the Sun Valley of today.

AVERELL HARRIMAN (LEFT) WITH THE PUBLICIST WHO NAMED SUN VALLEY, STEVE HANNAGAN

FAST FORWARD

Comtemporary Sun Valley is as welcoming as it’s ever been. It’s said that the stars love it because there isn’t a paparazzo in sight and it flies under the radar in comparison to Whistler and Banff. Stepping off the plane means being greeted by the friendliest locals imaginable, all eager to show off their town, while a common response to “How are you?” is “Living the dream, just living the dream!”

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HELLO OR GOODBYE? Photo credit: Mike Calder Photography.

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The devil population has suffered immensely and, more than 80% have been lost.

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Funding is vital, and we need your help.

To make sure it’s not goodbye, the Tasmanian devils need your help!

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UNLEASHED

VIEWS FROM THE ROUNDHOUSE

THE NORDIC TRAILS, BALDY

Sorting out ski equipment is often a hassle if you roll into a resort during ski season, but it’s a painless affair at Sun Valley because it’s less frantic than many other ski destinations. There’s a sense of space and no-one seems to be in a rush. People amble at their own pace, taking in the spectacular scenery that stretches in every direction around Ketchum town: a chorus of mountains, hills and valleys punctuated by thick forests and tree-cloaked streams.

Before hitting the slopes, take the chance to explore the town and get some food into you.

Hungry new arrivals can’t go past cramming it all into one sitting at The Pioneer Saloon. A pinecovered bar and restaurant, it serves up the biggest goddamn potatoes and steaks in the Wild West. It’s easy to imagine being in a Daniel Boone film when you you take a seat in the dimly lit eatery. Waitresses wearing

THE PIONEER SALOON SERVES UP THE BIGGEST GODDAMN STEAK AND POTATOES IN THE WILD WEST.

TRAIL CREEK CABIN

cowboy boots, denim shorts and checked shirts stand beneath mounted buffalo heads and period firearms — it’s like a bit of living history.

If there’s one thing you can’t leave without trying, it’s the jumbo steamed Californian artichokes – they’re piping-hot, absolutely smothered in butter and served with dipping chilli and mayonnaise. Peel off each leaf and indulge in a meltingly salty, hot, buttery heaven that

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UNLEASHED TAI BARRYMORE ON DOLLARJUMP

just gets better the closer you get to the artichoke heart. Wash it down with a Pinot Noir or a cleansing American ale.

There’s a huge range of restaurants in town, including Globus for a gourmet Asian experience; Il Naso for fresh Italian food and wine; Sushi on Second, which has a wine and sake bar; and Bald Mountain Pizza & Pasta, which dishes up the goods in a family-friendly, cosy restaurant. In fact, there are so many restaurants that you could eat out every night of the week for a month and still find something new to chow down on.

For an experience that harks back to the days before Averell’s arrival, visit Trail Creek Cabin.

Established in 1937, it offers wagon or sleigh rides to the rustic restaurant cabin that serves three- to four-course meals matched with wines.

Views across the valley and the mountains beyond are all the more romantic with the crackling open fire lighting up the animalhide-covered seats and the homely space that is a melting pot of Wild West ‘comfy-ness’ and Nordic ski lodge charm. Tim, the local accordion player, entertains guests all night while they indulge in the hearty, gamey fare.

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July/August 2014

THE WHITE STUFF KEEPS EVERYONE COMING IN THE WINTER MONTHS. If you’re after the views that Harriman envisioned for the crowds that were to follow his dream, dine at The Roundhouse, which is perched on the ski slopes halfway up Bald Mountain. Pile into cheese or chocolate fondue, and wash it all down with Champagne, just as Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant once did.

The food, people and many activities to get into year-round at Sun Valley are definite drawcards, but it’s the fantastic ski conditions that made this place what it is, and the white stuff keeps everyone coming in the winter months. Bald Mountain (‘Baldy’, to the locals) is the peak that put the cogs into motion back in the ’30s. With a summit of 2789 metres and

UNLEASHED BALD MOUNTAIN, AKA BALDY

SUN VALLEY LODGE

a vertical drop of 1036 metres, it has an enormous amount of terrain to get stuck into and lots of forests to fly through.

Experienced powder monkeys consider it one of the better ski mountains in the world, but until the 1960s, it was reserved for employees of the Potlatch Corporation, a US timbercutting company. The ‘Dollar’ mountain nearby, with barely a tree on it, stands at 2023 metres and has a vertical drop of 191 metres.

At the bottom of Baldy, as the last of the skiers are fitting in their final runs, the music cranks up as live bands bring the base of the mountain to life for après-ski action. Later, when the sun dips out of sight, Sun Valley becomes a winter wonderland where socialising reigns supreme, the bars fling open their doors and the scent of roasting potatoes and ribs drifts down the main drag.

A horde of locals frequents the lodge that Averell built all those

years ago. It’s as elegant as ever, and it’s about to be given a $40-million renovation that will turn up the notch on its grandeur and glamour. But no PR shill will be required to sell this upgrade to a new generation of Sun Valley worshippers. They’ll no doubt flock in, ready and set to keep on living the dream.

DON’T PANIC WHEN THE SNOW GOES BECAUSE THERE’S …

FISHING

GOLF

HIKING

RAFTING

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Big Wood River, Ketchum and Silver Creek, south of Sun Valley, are full of trout; the Salmon River system, an hour north, is chockers with salmon (duh) and steelhead trout during late autumn and early winter.

Sun Valley Resort has 45 holes (Trail Creek Course, Elkhorn Course and nine holes at White Clouds Course) of great golfing, along with nine more holes at Bigwood Course at Thunder Spring.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Pioneer Mountains and BoulderWhite Cloud Mountains all offer exceptional areas to hike and explore, and the chance to be eaten by a bear.

Think of the Facebook likes!

About an hour north of the Sun Valley region is the rugged mountain town of Stanley. It’s where you get some serious rapids in the rivers and creeks; don’t miss the chance to go riverrafting on the Salmon River.

The Ketchum/Sun Valley area has more than 600 square kilometres of back-country single- and double-track trails. It hosts the USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships each June.

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insidemining Issue 14 – August 2014

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THE FUTURE

OF HAULAGE Automation is the buzzword in haulage, logistics and transport

FOREFRONT Can mining and agriculture coexist?

8

INDUSTRY FOCUS An inside look at fuels, tyres and lubricants 15

MINING REVIEW The state of mining in Queensland 20

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Compiled by Cortney Roark

KEECH 3D PRINT TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE PRODUCTION

FROM WASTEWATER TO FRESH RAINWATER

Mining wastewater was given a good clean up when new technology that treats and reduces up to 90 per cent of sludge was used for the first time at a mine in Queensland.

Called the Virtual Curtain, this cost-effective technology removed metal contaminants from the mine’s wastewater, resulting in enough clean water to fill about 20 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Sludge reduction has many benefits, says CSIRO scientist Dr Grant Douglas: “Our treatment produced only a fraction of the sludge that a conventional limebased method would have, and allowed the mine water to be treated in a more environmentally sound way. Reducing the amount of sludge is beneficial because the costly and timely steps involved to move and dispose it can be reduced.”

Australia’s mining industry generates hundreds of millions of tonnes of wastewater annually, so the Virtual Curtain could encourage companies to be more sustainable.

Douglas believes that it can increase a miner’s overall recovery rate and partially offset treatment costs by producing a material high in metal value.

The technology was developed after Douglas and his team discovered that hydrotalcites – minerals found in some stomach antacids – could be formed by adjusting the concentrations of wastewater contaminants aluminium and magnesium to an ideal ratio and increasing the pH. Virtual Curtain can be applied to a range of industrial applications and is available through Virtual Curtain Limited.

The rail, mining and manufacturing industries are set to benefit from Keech introducing the first commercially available large-format 3D printer to the Bendigo region.

The technology will allow Keech to improve manufacturing response time dramatically, compared with traditional manufacturing. Clients will be able to ask Keech to make a Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing, make necessary changes, create a 3D prototype and put the item into production in less than a week – five weeks faster than before.

Almost $1 million has been invested in the technology, including a grant of about $140,000 awarded by the Victorian Government. Keech brings in $50 million in annual revenue and invests approximately seven per cent in research and development.

NSW MINERAL SANDS MINE TO CREATE NEW JOBS Hundreds of jobs will be created when a new mineral sands mine in the Balranald Shire, New South Wales, is approved.

The $200-million project will require 300 workers for construction of the mine and 200 workers to operate the mine thereafter.

Construction of a rail load-out facility at Ivanhoe will also be needed. The facility will support the off-loading of materials from Cristal Mining’s processing centres at Broken Hill. Affected roads will receive ongoing maintenance to ensure they can support traffic changes.

The mine is estimated to supply 109 million tones of mineral sands ore. The extraction of 7.2 million tonnes per year, over 20 years, will deliver $95 million in 5

news+views

royalties for New South Wales.

Precautions for environmental disturbances will be taken: a threatened species management protocol will be applied to the area, and there will also be native vegetation management of 16,540 hectares in nearby Mungo National Park and Mungo State Conservation Area.

‘ROCK’ CREATED FROM PLASTIC Scientists have identified a new type of ‘rock’ that will stay in the earth’s strata forever. Named plastiglomerate,

it is made of plastic rubbish and other detritus. The rock is formed from melted plastic that collects anything it touches on the beach – such as coral, shells and twigs – and then hardens.

There are two types of plastiglomerates, as classified by scientists conducting research in Hawaii.

‘In situ’ plastiglomerate is created by plastic melting into existing rocky outcrops, while the more common ‘clastic’ plastiglomerate forms as a loose structure.

Oceanographer Captain Charles

COAL SEAM GAS MINING BAN DEFEATED

A motion calling for a ban on coal seam gas (CSG) mining has been defeated at the National Assembly of Local Government, falling short by seven votes out of a total 300 councils present.

The motion by Griffith City Council called for the Federal Government to intervene to ban all CSG activities on agricultural land, in the hope of protecting the national interest and Australia’s ability to continue to produce clean, safe food.

Phil Laird, Lock the Gate national coordinator, reported that the motion was a corollary of more than 53 individual councils and two council representatives already passing motions that aim to restrict the spread of invasive, unconventional gas mining.

Laird says he is thankful for the support the motion received but sees issues with the final decision made.

“It’s incredibly disappointing that just as large numbers of local councils are calling for increased federal regulation of CSG drilling, the Federal Government is moving in the opposite direction, voting in the lower house last week to hand the CSG water trigger back to state governments and gut federal biodiversity controls.”

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Moore discovered plastiglomerate and believed molten lava melted the plastic to create it. It is thought that plastiglomerate will endure and provide future generations with insights into our lifestyle today.

QUEENSLAND AIMS TO BECOME THE LEAD EXPLORATION STATE Queensland hopes to position itself as Australia’s leading exploration state, according to a report released by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Exploration (MACE).

Looking past falling levels of investment in the exploration industry worldwide, Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps, who formed MACE, said the Newman government was working with the resources sector to grow resources as a pillar of the Queensland economy.

“The Newman government has a strong plan for a brighter future and we’re committed to ensuring Queenslanders enjoy the benefits of the resources sector for generations to come,” Cripps said.

The resources sector employs tens of thousands of people and provides livelihoods for families now and into the future, Cripps said.

“That’s why we’re working with the sector to position Queensland as the best-performing exploration jurisdiction in Australia and to identify how we can improve the way we do business to make that happen,” he added.

“We are committed … to developing a 30-year vision and action plan to grow a robust resources sector that will continue to deliver significant economic benefits for Queensland communities.”

Cripps went on to say that the Queensland Government is investing in a strong and prosperous future for the mining sector by showing support for the exploration sector. “It is not only vital that the regulatory system be world class, but that the Queensland Government heed the advice of MACE and remove the financial and administrative barriers to exploring in Queensland,” he said.

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forefront

Can mining and agriculture coexist?

MINING AND AGRICULTURE ARE BOTH ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES. ONE PROVIDES FUEL, ENERGY AND MATERIAL FOR CONSTRUCTION; THE OTHER, FOOD AND FIBRE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TWO COMPETE FOR LAND? WORDS: MANDY McKEESICK

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forefront

Image by Paolo Lim at The Illustration Room

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forefront

O

ver many years, Peter Andrews has developed and refined Natural Sequence Farming, a landscape management technique designed to improve agricultural land. It has gained the attention of prominent Australians, such as retail giant Gerry Harvey and board member of Soils for Life Michael Jeffrey, and spawned books, workshops and television appearances. So when Andrews’ home property, Tarwyn Park, was sold to mining interests in May 2014, the old question of whether mining and agriculture can coexist was once again thrust into the spotlight.

Tarwyn Park is but one example of the time, innovation and funds that farmers traditionally put into their land in an effort to not only produce food and fibre but also maintain and improve the environment around them. The process takes years of effective management and becomes a source

of pride yet, due to the often slim economic margins in farming, the results of this process tend to be susceptible to financial pressures.

The food bowls of Australia’s eastern seaboard are currently a hotspot of conflict between miners and farmers, with court proceedings and protests well reported in the media. Vast resources of coal and gas underlie places such as the Liverpool Plains in New South Wales and the Darling Downs in Queensland – places also rich in agriculture, from livestock to intensive market gardens.

Phil Laird is national coordinator for the Lock the Gate Alliance, which was formed in these food bowls as a response to community concern over the rapid expansion of coal and gas development. According to their website, the Lock the Gate Alliance “is a national grass roots organisation made up of thousands of individuals and more than 160 local groups who are concerned about inappropriate mining”.

Vast resources of coal and gas underlie places also rich in agriculture, from livestock to intensive market gardens.

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“We are not against all mining,” says Laird. “Just mining that goes against long-term national interests, such as water quality, environment, health etc.”

Laird owns a cattle property in the Maules Creek district of New South Wales, where sheep are raised alongside wheat, canola and cotton crops. Whitehaven Coal already has two mines in the area, and the proposal to develop another, larger mine is causing concern.

“Our biggest worry is the mine, which will extend to a depth of 300 metres, will empty our aquifers,” says Laird. “Research suggests we will see a five- to 10-metre drawdown of the freshwater table, and underneath is the saline water of the coal seams.

The mine will centre on Leard State Forest, which is home to 34 threatened and endangered species, and will impact surrounding grazing and cropping land.

“This strategy of locking the gate is all about people power – putting power and equalisation back into negotiations (with mining companies), letting communities take back power and forcing governments and big business to listen.”

And it’s not just the farmers joining the fight. “We have an unusual mix of people here; farmers, environmentalists, Aboriginal groups and climate change proponents are all against the new mine,” Laird adds.

Not all landholders oppose the development of energy resources.

On the extensive grazing properties around Roma, central Queensland, where in a good season the cattle grow glossy and fat, gas companies such as Santos have been working cooperatively with farmers for many years. The most obvious benefit to the farmers is the guaranteed income provided by compensation and access agreements – cash flow

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“We are not against all mining, just mining that goes against long-term national interests.”

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that is there, regardless of the season – but other benefits extend to the provision of roads and earthworks.

Flow-on effects from the establishment of gas wells on properties include investments in regional infrastructure and the expansion and solidification of local businesses and employment opportunities for farming families, who otherwise may have drifted to the cities to find work.

Queensland cotton grower Ian Hayllor believes the relationship between farmers and the coal seam gas (CSG) industry is improving as science underpins the discussion, government ensures compliance, and companies better understand the requirements of agriculture. He cites an Aquifer Connectivity Trial, conducted on his Dalby property, as a great example of all parties working perfectly together.

“The trial was funded by Arrow Energy, designed and managed by OGIA (Queensland Government’s Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment), involved community input and an independent hydrologist, and was peer reviewed.

It is a great example of using ground truthing to prove models,” he says.

Hayllor is also a commissioner with the GasFields Commission.

The commission is an independent statutory body that was established in 2013, with the objective to “manage and improve sustainable coexistence of landholders, regional communities and the onshore

gas industry in Queensland”.

Another form of coexistence stems from the recycling of mining water. Near Injune, in Queensland, Santos is using reverse osmosis to purify the water, which is then re-injected into the aquifer serving the community of Roma.

The water is also being used to irrigate leucaena for cattle fodder. On the semi-arid plains of the Pilbara in Western Australia, Rio Tinto is growing hay.

Red dirt and spinifex are typical of the Pilbara, but green grass, centre pivot irrigators and tractors provide a startling contrast on Hamersley Station. The Hamersley Agricultural Project uses excess water from the Marandoo iron ore mine to grow rhodes grass, which Rio Tinto bales and is using to supplementary-feed 25,000 head of cattle on the six properties it owns in the area.

Plans are underway to sell this product to other graziers, giving them feed options throughout the dry season. This, in turn, may open the doors of opportunity and lift the uncertainty cast since the suspension of the live trade export in 2011.

It appears there is potential for mining and agriculture to coexist in particular circumstances.

Both industries have a commitment to environmental stewardship and both acknowledge their practices alter the landscape, yet both will always be required in society.

For everything, there is a place.

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Haul truck manufacturers CAT and

Westport Power Inc are cooperatively developing the next generation of engine technology – Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-powered vehicles.

According to Westport vice-president partner relationships, Bruce Hodgins, mining company interest in natural gas as fuel is being driven by the need to reduce operating costs, with the reduction of emissions a side benefit.

Initial concerns about price and supply security are being addressed and it looks like a technology that’s time has nearly come.

“The mining companies are concerned with security of supply of LNG and long-term price differentials, but those items are being addressed with the larger LNG producers.

“There are some significant additional benefits with high-pressure direct injection (HPDI) technology that directly injects both diesel and natural gas at the end of the compression stroke and is capable of Tier 4 emissions with minimal after-treatment.”

In real terms, this gives an approximate 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) versus diesel while performing like diesel, which means there is no need to retrain haul truck drivers. The HPDI system under development by CAT and Westport uses a high percentage of gas

Fast fact • In 2009-10 contract miner Downer EDI Mining Pty Ltd (DEDIM), moved more than 121 million bank cubic metres of overburden and product on mine sites and used 0.27 petajoules of diesel fuel and biodiesel B20.

under all operating conditions, more than 90 per cent over the haul cycle. In effect, 100 per cent diesel is only used to allow a loaded truck to get out of the pit.

There are some aftermarket dual-fuel conversion systems currently being used by various companies. This technology fumigates natural gas in with the air flow during the intake stroke under higher load conditions. This means the truck retains the ability to operate on 100 per cent diesel, but only 30 to 60 per cent LNG is used over a duty cycle.

Driver retraining is needed as the converted engines lack the pulling power of pure diesel and methane emissions can negate the GHG benefits – or even have higher GHG than diesel. Nevertheless, Hodgins says, “Dual-fuel technology does provide a low-risk entry point for mining companies to experiment with LNG, establish LNG supply, distribution, and onsite storage with proper permitting and safety protocols so that mines are able to adopt HPDI technology when it is commercially available.”

At the height of the mining boom, worldwide demand for haul truck tyres outstripped supply to the point where junior miners who hadn’t locked in long-term supply contracts were left out in the cold and had to ground trucks for lack

17

industryfocus

There’s an old saying, “oil is cheap, engines are expensive”, and it’s even truer for haul trucks than it is for the family car.

Fast fact • In 2011, one giant 3.5-metre wide haul truck tyre cost more than a new Mercedes Benz SLK convertible sports car.

18

of new tyres. According to Kal Tire’s manager of sales and marketing Australia, Danny Moore.

“Supply of [haul truck] tyres has eased and availability has increased, at least in the short term. Tyre performance is being scrutinised more heavily at present due to a push to reduce costs, as are operational/maintenance considerations (tyre pressures, general site maintenance and clean up, load and haul procedures, etc.). The price of these tyres has come off rapidly, so some of the second- and third- tier manufacturers are finding that the gap between their price and the major manufacturers has reduced significantly. While this is better for the end user, it makes life much more difficult for developing brands.”

The main technology advance that mining companies are deploying for haul truck tyres is on-

board air pressure monitoring systems. These systems have been around for a while, but Moore notes that more players have come into the market with differing offers. “The better ones provide real-time monitoring of both pressure and temperature, relaying alerts in real-time back to site managers, when the tyre is reaching its limits. This then allows the site manager to manipulate that vehicle’s haul, stand the vehicle down for a period of time to let things cool off, or send the vehicle to the workshop for maintenance, instead of going through the aggravation of downtime due to failed tyres. These systems also potentially lead to increases in tyre performance, as pressures are kept at the optimum levels.”

There’s an old saying, “oil is cheap, engines are expensive”, and it’s even truer for haul trucks than it is for the family car due to the harsh operating environment. Shell Australia spokesperson Paul Zennaro says, “Technically advanced products exist today to improve productivity and lower total cost of ownership. Drop-in solutions such as synthetic lubricants are becoming more widespread and offer immediate benefits. Depending on the product and application, Shell has demonstrated reductions in energy consumption in the range of two to five per cent and there is typically the added benefit of extended oil change intervals.”

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miningreview

The state of resources in Queensland The resources industry has hit stumbling blocks in the past few years. We investigate the issues and opportunities facing Queensland.

WORDS: MITCH BROOK

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QUEENSLAND IS still one of the major players in the Australian mining industry. Now that commodity prices have dropped and investment has been reduced, the general consensus is that the mining boom has ended.

However, there are still new projects on the horizon, so what’s in store for the Queensland resources sector?

The state has abundant resources, notably coal, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc and silver. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is also set to become a significant resource for the state.

The end of the boom “We’ve just come through one of the most extraordinary periods of investment in the resources sector’s history,” says Michael Roche, chief executive of the Queensland Resources Council, the peak representative body for the mining and gas industries in Queensland.

“So, yes, the investment phase is on the wane.”

The period he refers to is the mining boom, which many say is now behind us.

Statistics released by the Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines show that coal export prices have decreased over the past three years to the end of 2013, but production and export volumes have steadily increased.

Far from spelling the end for the industry, these figures show it is simply transitioning into a new phase, suggests Roche: “We’re moving into a production phase. So all of those investments will result in higher volumes of exports of coal and minerals.”

Budget winners While the Federal Budget drafted by the Abbott government has been criticised for targeting many sectors of Australia to aggressively make savings, the resources industry, country-wide, is arguably one of the better-off sectors. The government has promised to axe both the carbon and mining taxes, which will reduce pressure put on the industry by the previous Labor government.

Another measure that will assist mining companies in Queensland is the Exploration Development Incentive, which, according to the Federal Budget, will “encourage investment in small exploration companies undertaking greenfields mineral exploration in Australia. Australian shareholders of these companies will receive a tax offset for the company’s greenfields exploration.” Whether Prime Minister Abbott can pass the bill in Parliament is another matter.

The sector in Queensland has also had strong backing from the state government. Its 2014–15 budget outlines support for ongoing and new projects and for responsible management of land affected by mining activity.

“Our industry has received bipartisan support over many years,” says Roche.

“Certainly, the current Queensland Government is a strong supporter of the resources sector, both mining and, of course, the gas industry.”

On the up The up-scaling of the export of LNG is expected to boost Queensland’s economy significantly over the next few years.

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“From about December 2014, Queensland will be an exporter of gas in the form of LNG to the rest of the world,” says Roche. This change will have a strong impact on the state economy, purportedly initiating extremely strong growth.

In his speech announcing Queensland’s new State Budget in June, Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade Tim Nicholls said: “In 2015–16, the ramp-up in LNG production is expected to underpin a surge in exports, which, combined with an improved domestic economy, is forecast to boost economic growth to an 11-year high.”

The mining of uranium is also expected to play an important part in Queensland’s resources future.

Currently, Australia is the world’s thirdlargest producer of uranium and has the world’s largest reserves (estimated at 31 per cent of the world total).

While legislation in Queensland had prohibited uranium mining since 1989, this ban was lifted in 2012, allowing uranium mining to start up again; several projects are already underway across the state.

Barrier to progress Another development that will boost the Queensland resources industry, particularly exports, is the Abbot Point Port development in North Queensland.

There are plans for the port to undergo significant expansion to allow increased access for the export of resources, primarily coal.

The expansion has been hotly contested, with opponents from scientific fields and the tourism industry claiming the dredging and

dumping of spoil – routine processes for the creation and expansion of ports – so close to the Great Barrier Reef, puts the reef at risk, threatening its ecosystems and integrity, and thus the industries that rely on it.

“The Abbot Point Port development, and particularly the dredging for the port, has been the subject of an extraordinary campaign of lies and misinformation,” says Roche – a view vehemently opposed by those campaigning against the port.

While the Federal Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, has approved the project, the approval did not come without conditions – 95, to be exact.

In his statement approving the port, he announced the 95 environmental conditions for the go-ahead of the port, explicitly including “measures for protection of marine species and their habitat, ecological communities, flora and fauna”.

Bright future Mining is always a sector that attracts scrutiny, but it is also an industry that forms an integral part of Queensland’s and greater Australia’s economy – at least for now.

While there have been setbacks, those involved in the industry are confident the future is not bleak.

“We’re very optimistic about the fundamentals around demand,” says Roche. “We do have the challenge of remaining globally cost-competitive, but we are blessed with a whole range of minerals and energy commodities that the rest of the world wants.”

For Queensland, it will be a matter of turning those available resources into tangible profits.

25

Image: European Truck Factory

specialreport

FROM HAULAGE TO LOGISTICS TO TRANSPORT, AUTOMATION IS THE BUZZWORD IN MINING TODAY.

CARRY THAT WEIGHT WORDS: KRIS MADDEN

27

specialreport

THE PAST two decades have seen dramatic changes in the application of autonomous technologies in the mining industry, with notable leaps forward over the past two years in particular.

As mining companies are being driven to dig deeper in more remote locations to find the volumes of resources required for a commercially viable mine, the future of haulage, logistics and transport becomes crucial.

From fully-automated sites, autonomous trucks and automated surface drilling, through to driverless trains in the Pilbara, mining is undergoing an automation revolution.

Inside Mining looks at some of the innovative companies that are rising to the challenge.

Haulage: automation leads the way German-based European Truck Factory (ETF) claims to have rewritten the playbook on haul truck design, saying it initiated the “first significant change in rigid haul truck design for 60 years”. To accommodate demand

for higher payloads than even the largest conventional big trucks can provide, ETF truck units are designed to be linked to form a ‘Haul Train’.

“The Haul Train can be operated under the same conditions [as ETF’s other trucks] but controlled by just one front operator. The rest of the powered, linked units precisely follow the lead machine, fully controlled using the most innovative and technically advanced supervisory system available,” says Eddy de Jongh, chief executive of ETF Trucks.

“Of course, all our trucks are autonomous-ready, but where a fully autonomous conventional truck operation requires a huge investment in technology and infrastructure, if your mine currently operates conventional trucks of any capacity, the ETF Haul Train can integrate and start moving more material immediately.

“You first need to look at current mining truck designs, together with their inherent operating disadvantages. Then, take a different ‘out of the box’ perspective or view of what you recognise needs to change

From fully-automated sites, autonomous trucks and automated surface drilling, through to driverless trains, mining is undergoing an automation revolution.

Image: European Truck Factory

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in order to move the haul truck into the 21st century. Only then you will truly appreciate the total logic of our design,” says de Jongh.

Logistics: lean manufacturing Global industrial group Sandvik is applying what it calls ‘lean manufacturing’ techniques to its aftermarket services, with the aim of cutting the time that equipment is out of production. In May 2014, Sandvik opened its fourth High Productivity Centre in Orange, New South Wales, at a cost of $5.5 million.

The centre offers aftermarket repairs, maintenance, support and service, as well as setting environmental, health and safety

performance standards for mining operations throughout the state.

“If you think about production over a 20-year period, we’ve been able to achieve in the vicinity of 70 to 80 per cent productivity gains over this period when we are building machines,” says Jim Tolley, Sandvik Mining’s vice-president, sales area Australia.

“The trick now is in the aftermarket. Sandvik’s service benchmarks are to ensure that our customers’ equipment remains safe and fully productive 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.

“In the aftermarket, we haven’t seen very high productivity gain, which is why we’re introducing the high productivity methodology to

the aftermarket business. We’re focusing on driving out waste in aftermarket and support.”

In doing this, Tolley says the company has cut the average remanufacture time from 15,000 hours down to 10,000 hours and is looking at driving it even further down.

Transport: efficient materials handling In many mining regions ore grades are declining. New mines are being developed in more remote areas, pits are getting deeper, and underground mines are becoming larger. This means more material must be transported over longer distances, presenting new challenges for material handling systems.

Image: Sandvik

30

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The future of automation While it’s easy to get excited about fully-automated, remotecontrolled mine sites, it’s important to understand the time lines (and therefore the return on investment) for implementing such projects.

At Mining IQ’s Mine Automation and Communication event in Brisbane last April, both Rio Tinto and Glencore Xstrata spoke about projects that had started in the mid1990s but have only commenced in the past three or four years.

Still, it’s good to know there are pioneering companies out there forging the way ahead for mining in the future.

Image: European Truck Factory

Siemens, one of the world’s leading suppliers of automation systems for mining materials handling, says its automated truck/ trolley and conveyor technology systems are meeting the transportation challenges of the present and future.

“Our comprehensive, integrated portfolio of automation systems and solutions is helping customers meet the challenges of resources scarcity and environmental protection,” says the company’s website.

“By identifying cost sources and making energy flows more transparent, our innovative products and systems can help to reduce energy and operating costs by up to 20 per cent – a benefit to both our customers and the environment.

“By enabling customers to digitally and seamlessly integrate their production, administration and maintenance processes, our software solutions offer major potential for cutting costs and substantially accelerating time to market, which is an enormous competitive advantage in the global innovation sweepstakes.”

While it’s easy to get excited about fullyautomated, remote-controlled mine sites, it’s important to understand the time lines (and therefore the return on investment).

One-stop shop Chris Miers has been involved in heavy haulage his whole life. His parents formed Miers Bros Heavy Haulage in 1970 and completed several major Australian projects, including the Clinton Coal Facility and Phosphate Hill Mine, before their company was purchased in 2004. Miers has worked with many big names – including Komatsu Australia, Bucyrus Mining, Hitachi and Terex Mining – and on massive projects involving moving mining excavators and dump trucks across Australia. He started his own consultancy, Queensland-based Australian Heavy Logistics, at the end of 2010 to offer a complete logistics package in the heavy haulage industry.

“Our business provides safe, efficient and experienced service across Australia in the mining, gas and construction industries,” says Miers.

“We are involved in every part of the supply chain and we pride ourselves on providing a ‘one-stop shop’ where the client only has to deal with one contact at all times. australianheavylogistics.com.au

33

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Storage Tanks Lube oil, hydraulic oil, and diesel fuel oil Oil and fuel are already contaminated with particles and condensate by transportation and transferring.

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Industry trend analysis: Mergers and Acquisitions This report by Business Monitor International predicts that merger and acquisition activity in the mining space will pick up over the coming quarters. This will be driven by the low valuations of mining firms, the push for operational efficiency in the mining space and the chase for overseas assets by Chinese investors.

DESPITE A PICK-UP, austerity will remain a key priority for mining firms and thus merger and acquisition (M&A) activity will not return to the headier times of last decade.

Instead, we can expect consolidation in the mining space to pick up over the coming quarters. Mining firms will continue to push for asset sales in the face of weaker commodity prices and growing

demand for shareholders’ returns.

Majors such as BHP Billiton (BHP), Rio Tinto (Rio) and Anglo American are all pursuing a mandate of cost efficiency by shedding their non-core assets and focusing on the development of brownfield projects. Notably, BHP, which made $6.5 billion of divestments over the past financial year, is mulling over a $20 billion demerger of its aluminium, manganese,

coal and nickel operations in a bid to simplify its portfolio.

M&A activity in the mining sector should continue to gather pace over the course of 2014. For example, the value of gold mining M&A in Canada surged to a four-year high of $4.9 billion in recent months as a result of the wave of asset sales driven by the meltdown in gold prices last year.

35

overseas&underground

M&A in the mining space will be driven by three main factors

1

Low valuations A handful of larger miners with strong balance sheets will look to capitalise on the low valuations of mining firms through outright acquisitions. Given the low odds of success and the cost-intensive nature of greenfield development, we can expect miners with producing assets or ownership of material discoveries to prove the most attractive. This implies that more junior miners will struggle to stay solvent in 2014, on the back of funding constraints including share prices.

According to Bloomberg, there have already been four unsolicited or hostile bids, with a total value of $4.5 billion, for mining firms announced since March this year. This contrasts with $594 million for the whole of 2013.

Goldcorp’s $3.3 billion failed takeover bid for Osisko Mining was the largest unfriendly offer for a mining firm following First Quantum Minerals’ US$4.7 billion purchase of Inmet Mining in 2012.

It is estimated that China has ploughed more than US$226 billion in the purchases of global resources since 1995.

In particular, an easing of approval rules by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) could trigger more M&A deals in the coming quarters. The new verification and registration regime will substantially simplify the regulatory process administered by the NDRC and its provincial counterparts for Chinese outbound investment.

From May 8, 2014, only the following projects must be verified: • Total investment amount exceeding $1 billion (the aggregated sum of money, securities, in-kind contributions, intellectual property rights or technology, equity, debt and guaranteed amounts provided by Chinese investors); or • Mining projects involving ‘sensitive countries and regions’ or ‘sensitive industries’ – these include countries and regions where China does not have diplomatic relations, or which are

2

Push for operational efficiency Some mining firms will seek to achieve greater economies of scale through mergers. For instance, the recent (failed) pursuit of Newmont Mining

by Barrick Gold was driven by a desire to unlock cost synergies, estimated at $1 billion, due to the companies’ complementary operations in Nevada.

3

Chinese rush for overseas assets We can expect that the rush for overseas mining assets by Chinese investors will provide a firm platform for mining M&A in the coming years.

As exemplified by the recent purchase of the $5.8 billion Las Bambas project, China will continue to enhance its grip on overseas mines in order to plug the structural shortfalls in domestic production.

36

Many mining firms will be reluctant to divest their assets at current prices.

subjected to international sanctions, or embroiled in war or riots. ‘Sensitive industries’ include cross-border water resources development and utilisation, large-scale land development, transmission lines, power grids, basic telecommunications operations, as well as news and media.

All other overseas mining projects only require registration, not verification.

No return to headier times Nonetheless, it is not expected that mining M&A will stage a return to the headier times of last decade. Austerity will remain a key focus in the mining sector due to the cooling of Chinese economic growth and the subsequent softening of mineral prices. Indeed, enthusiasm for big-ticket acquisitions will remain low compared with the years during the China-led commodities boom.

Additionally, many mining firms will be reluctant to divest their assets at current depressed prices, choosing instead to hunker down until a cyclical recovery takes hold.

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MINE SURVEYORS TAKE OFF WITH UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS) Gary Robertson, a registered surveyor and senior engineer at a large coal mine in Central Queensland, has been keeping an eye on the development of UAS technology since 2000, when the first military drones were released and hobbyists were designing their own remote-control aircraft, and has become a UAS controller himself. “I could instantly see the potential for surveyors to use an unmanned aircraft for a wide range of applications on a mine site. It was just regulations and computing power that let us down,” he said.

Because UAS can carry different payloads, such as an infrared camera or even gas monitoring equipment, Mr Robertson explains that they can benefit a wide range of mine applications, including: • Reconciliation: using photogrammetry techniques for monitoring stock pile volumes and design comparisons for excavation and dumping equipment (where a fast turnaround of data is essential so that mining operations can take action while the machinery is still in the area) • Rehabilitation and environmental: using infrared and multi/hyperspectral

payloads for vegetation mapping and topsoil monitoring • Geology and geometric applications: UAS can cover a large area that could previously only be mapped with manned aircraft • Gas monitoring and spontaneous combustion: fly aircraft into the area to monitor sulphuric gas levels. Without UAS the monitoring is ‘hit and miss’, as it involves setting out monitoring devices based on wind direction in the hope something is collected • Imagery: multispectral 3-band imagery for use in presentations, data analysis, and QA of GIS layers • LiDAR: use for volumes, excavations and dumping, reconciliation, dig versus design, ramp grades & width compliance • Geotechnical monitoring: detect movement in the spoil piles by comparing UAS data to scan data.

Mr Robertson worked with local UAS service provider Airmap3D to explore and test a potential UAS mining solution. Matt Ewing, director of Airmap3D, conducted a demonstration flight and data analysis over the mine with his SIRIUS and SIRIUS Pro UAV.

Mr Ewing also did his homework before committing to a UAS. “I was starting my own business that was completely centred around this technology, so I had to make the right decision,” he said. “As with any complex technology venture, I also needed to buy from a supplier that would be able to support me.” He opted for the SIRIUS UAV, distributed in Australia and New Zealand

by Position Partners.

“The hardware met all of our safety requirements, as it is launched by hand just above the operator’s head and it has semi-autonomous control options to ensure a safe landing,” Mr Robertson said. “The data it supplies is well within our accuracy requirements and the SIRIUS Pro has the unique ability to map accurately without setting out ground control points through GPS RTK solutions.

This has the added safety benefit of removing surveyors from the active mine site environment while also reducing job request turnaround times.”

For more information about the Sirius Pro, visit positionpartners.com.au

39

CAPE PRESTON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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Australian mining communications of the future AUSTRALIAN MINING sites are located in remote locations where reliable communication infrastructure is often inaccessible. However, communications networks are essential for the successful operation of a mine site; whether it is for safety and security, employee welfare, asset tracking or real-time data transfer.

Beyond this, communications networks are also powering evolving technology such as automation and mobility applications, which are helping mining companies to reduce costs while increasing productivity. With extensive reach and a quality connection that provides an ‘at home’ experience, satellite has played an increasingly important role to provide fast, reliable and secure communications – enabling mining companies to achieve their business objectives.

Communication challenges Each stage of remote site development has fluctuating requirements and varying tasks that require access to reliable communication services. Flexible satellite communications infrastructure enables immediate data transfer and information sharing with head office during exploration and discovery phases, accelerating data analysis and decision making. Once construction begins on the site, high-speed and high-volume satellite communications supports operations, and assists with the safety and welfare of employees. Finally, once the site is operational, satellite communications essentially replicates the head office environment at the remote site, with fast, reliable, and secure connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Project requirements are continually evolving as technology advances and 42

more bandwidth becomes available.

This drives satellite providers to provide innovative communications solutions and subsequently creates new capabilities for the mining industry in terms of operational and production efficiency.

In their recent report, satellite industry experts Northern Sky Research (NSR) highlighted that the mining market is observing an increasing trend to support remote automation processes and continues to have strong bandwidth requirements in terms of VLAs, WLANs, voice, and video with crew and operational separations.

GE’s ‘The Industrial Internet@Work’ report noted that mobility is playing an increasingly important role in workforce productivity. “Wireless connectivity and the explosion of smart phones, tablets and related devices are putting real-time information and collaboration tools into the hands of workers everywhere from factory shop floors to hospital waiting rooms and offshore oil rigs.

“As the availability and performance of the global communications fabric continues to mature and expand, the deployment of these technologies and the sophistication of the applications they support continues to grow.”

As automation, mobility and other emerging trends increase in day-to-day activity, NSR (2014) projects that global mining demand for satellite capacity will

grow at double-digit annual rates over the next 10 years.

The cost of downtime Mine site profitability can be severely impacted by network downtime. It has been suggested that downtime costs in mining can be upwards of $50,000 per hour, so a reliable network is indispensable.

Satellite operators provide communications solutions that have essential elements to minimise downtime.

These include satellite diversity to support remote operations wherever they occur, 99.99 per cent up-time network availability to ensure ‘always on connectivity’, a 24x7x365 network operations centre if required, and secure communications to ensure the privacy of information and business activity protection.

However, as technology becomes further entwined in all aspects of individual roles and operations, complex networks are formed increasing capacity demands. The World Teleport Association (WTA) alluded to this shift. “Teleports were once basic satellite uplink facilities.

Today, they are more likely to be the hubs of dozens or even hundreds of overlapping complex networks mixing satellite and terrestrial transmission media with management, data, and business support systems.” (WTA, 2014) To ensure complex communications networks can be implemented effectively and critical

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“Today, teleports are likely to be the hubs of dozens or even hundreds of overlapping complex networks.”

commercial elements can be met, a true communications partner is required.

Satellite initiative A key provider of critical commercial satellite services today is NewSat, an Australian company that is transitioning from a teleport operator to a satellite operator with their Jabiru Satellite Program, a world first in the satellite industry.

NewSat’s Jabiru-2 will launch in September to provide fresh capacity and highly targeted coverage for the resource industry in and around Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands. Ready for the complex

communication challenges of tomorrow, Jabiru-2 will support innovative and bandwidth heavy applications – including data transfer, video conferencing, remote asset monitoring and workplace health and safety. Annunziata and Evans (2013) suggest, “Most significantly, workers will see their jobs become more rewarding as they will have faster access to information and be better able to collaborate; they will learn and upgrade their skills at a faster pace, while becoming more efficient and productive.”

Mining’s future evolution The availability of high-powered satellite capacity in and around Australia is essential

for the future evolution of the mining industry. While communications can be an afterthought for many large projects and remote operations, constant connectivity and ‘always on’ communications enables organisations to access key information, make faster decisions, support employee welfare and ensure critical operations function effectively. As the information age continues to advance, having fast, reliable and secure connectivity to support increasingly complex communications networks, provided by a true communications partner, will be the key component for future efficient and productive mining activity.

43

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ASTEC AUSTRALIA IS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING UNDERGROUND While

most suppliers are battening down the hatches and settling in for the long winter that will be the end to the mining boom, Astec Australia is moving forward. Astec are using the current period to introduce and establish themselves in the mining industry and plan on getting themselves known.

Astec Australia’s range of underground mining solutions from supplier Breaker Technology includes the complete range of Mobile Underground Utility and TM15 Mobile Rock Breaking Equipment.

Astec Australia currently has two TM15 Mobile Rock Breakers in operation, with a third due to be delivered, in two major Block Cave developments; one on the east coast and the second over on the west coast of Australia.

The Mobile Rock Breaker assists in the removal of oversize material from the draw points, with a decrease in the overall cycle time of previously used methods in the industry.

National Product Manager for Breaker Technology, Todd Aslander says,

“The use of a Mobile Rock Breakers in a Block Cave production application is key to maintaining high productivity.”

Below and above ground, Astec Australia has also installed mineral processing systems. Two recently installed projects include the completion of a turnkey crushing, screening and materials handling solution at an iron ore mine in Whyalla, South Australia, and mobile equipment supplied for iron ore processing near Mt Moss near Townsville in Queensland.

Astec Australia’s mineral processing and communition solutions have proved very popular in Africa with some of the world’s largest miners. These miners have appreciated significant cost savings using Astec equipment and have benefited from an improved operations.

What is surprising to many is the wide range of equipment that Astec has for such a new entrant in the market.

The heritage comes predominantly from their Astec Group suppliers, Osborn Engineered Products and Telsmith, who together offer milling, mineral sizers, crushing and screening

solutions. Osborn’s Coal Processing solutions offer Mineral Sizers, Apron Feeders, Rotary Coal Breakers and Vibrating Screens. The other area covers their range of comminution equipment such as AG, SAG, ball mills and scrubbers. “What we are most excited about,” states Brian Easton, Astec Business Development Manager – Mining, “is our range of comminution and mineral sizing technology. This technology has already proven itself in Africa and South East Asia and we are working on expanding this equipment in Australia based on these successful installations”.

Many in mining might know of Astec from its traditional exposure in the asphalt and extractive industries, where it is a major supplier, known roundly for its innovative, hard-working products and unwavering customer support.

Astec is located in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth and is fully established in these key resource markets and ready to deliver on its promise of Australia-wide service capabilities, 24/7 support and service and spare parts availability.

45

Darwin City

CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO INVEST IN DARWIN PROPERTY? Looking for a high cash flow investment normally only found in mining hubs but want the stability of a capital city?

W

ith the current under-supply in housing effecting Darwin and with a significantly growing population over the next 10 years and beyond, it is no wonder Darwin is considered by most independent property researchers as Australia’s undisputed investment hotspot.

1. Number one in capital city yields.

2. Number one for total investment.

3. Greater Darwin is forecast to increase by nearly 36,000 new residents between now and 2026.

4. Existing housing shortfalls. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) estimates that the NT will have a housing shortage of 11,500 dwellings by 2020. NT regional director of the Housing Industry Association, Robert Harding, said 1,900 new homes needed to be built each year to meet demand.

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5. Over 50 Billion dollars in investment across 11 current projects in mining, defence, government, infrastructure and agricultural.

6. Up to another 28 potential projects in mining, oil and gas projects set to kick off over the coming decade. Some of the most significant mining, oil and gas projects the country has ever seen are being and will be serviced and supplied through Darwin.

7. Strategic location within close proximity to Asia.

8. Depreciation components typically double other capital city locations due to high construction standards,

building materials and cyclone ratings.

9. ‘Multi-tiered Economy’, with Mining, Defence, Government, Agriculture and Tourism all providing economic benefits.

10. Limited space to grow within the CBD area with Darwin situated on a Peninsula surrounded by water on 3 sides putting residential property in the CBD at a premium for property investment.

Contact Real Estate Central Projects to discuss all your real estate investment options and opportunities.

For a free consultation call or e-mail our projects office to customise your investment plan.

5/48 Cavenagh Street Darwin NT 0800 projects@recentral.com.au

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We bring you the latest in property and investment analysis, penned by the professionals A REALITY CHECK Do Australians need to rein in their credit spend?

49

CASH FROM PROPERTY Tips on how to make more money from property 52

WISE WORDS Investment inspiration from Einstein 55

47

BUYING AT AUCTION IN QUEENSLAND! Tips and Tricks from the auction expert.

Sale by auction in Queensland is becoming more and more popular as the market starts its upswing in the property cycle. In this interview we speak to Property Buyers Agent Zoran Solano about his expert tips and tricks to getting auction ready.

Zoran says it all starts from when you first identify the property, if it is being marketing for auction, don’t sit of the fence and wait too long, contact the selling agent and declare your interest, Marketing campaigns for auctions usually run around 4 weeks leading up to a set auction date, this is the time you, the buyer need to action your pre auction checklist, it is very important you have the below items undertaken before you bid on auction day.

• Inspect the property either personally or arrange someone to inspect it on your behalf NEVER BUY SITE UNSEEN. • Arrange your Finance, Do not go to auction without a Formal Pre-approval.

• Do your own research on the market.

• Have the property formally valued, or appraised by a Buyer’s Agent to determine fair market price for the property.

• Get a copy of the contract of sale and Title search.

• Have confirmed your chosen solicitor or conveyancer, and have them review the contract of sale.

• Pre-Purchase inspections Now by around midway through these points Zoran says you will know if you’re on the right track or not, if you have hit stumbling blocks with the above items you know this isn’t BUYER’S AGENT

STRATEGISTS

the right property or the right time for you to buy at auction.

Many of these steps are often disregarded by interstate or inexperience’s buyers but they are the all important things to do before bidding at auction, in Queensland sellers are not legally obligated to undertake or supply prepurchase inspections such as Building and pest, council approvals, flood history ect. This is why as a buyer you need to seriously consider these taking the time to know what you’re purchasing.

Then finally, its auction time, you have done your due diligence; you have set your maximum purchase price, but have you set your strategy?

Every buyer needs to have a bidding strategy, for Zoran it changes subject to the property and even depending on the auctioneer who is calling the auction. This is where his local knowledge and experience really shines.

If you want to know more about Zorans auction strategy and Auction tips Visit www.HotPropertySpecialists.com.au

Zoran Solano Buyers’ agent, Hot Property Specialists Buyers Agency VENDOR ADVOCACY

Looking to buy real estate in Brisbane? Don’t do it alone!

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SUITE 1/15-17 MONTAGUE ST, GREENSLOPES | P (07) 3170 3760 | E enquiry@hpsba.com.au | W hotpropertyspecialists.com.au

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DOES AUSTRALIA NEED A REALITY CHECK? Kevin Lee drives home some uncomfortable truths about our increasing appetite for living beyond our means.

KEVIN LEE

Founder and director of Smart Property Adviser

TAX TIME has just ended, and many Australians who received a tax return may have used it to buy a new television, toys for the kids or even ‘toys’ for themselves. If you’re guilty of buying a new gizmo, don’t beat yourself up. Everyone is entitled to spoil themselves once in a while, right?

But imagine if you had used your tax return to pay off one of your credit cards, or to knock $1000 off your home loan.

Many people fall prey to the ‘end of financial year’ (EOFY) marketing trap and feel the need to buy something new with their tax return because the item is ‘on special’. The reality, though, is you don’t really need that thing, do you? Your excess cash could be put to better use, such as paying off your credit cards.

In fact, the five biggest mistakes people make with their

credit cards are that they: • often make late payments • exceed the limit • overuse the card • make only minimum payments • don’t pay the card down to zero every month.

Most people understand – and quite often ignore – the first three mistakes, but not many people fully understand the last two mistakes and how damaging they can be to your financial future.

Let me explain: if you don’t pay off the balance of your credit card/s in full every month, not only will you pay interest, but every time you apply for a loan the banks will multiply your total credit card limit by four and deduct that figure from your borrowing capacity. So, if you’re a couple and you have a combined credit card limit of, say, $38,000 and you carry some debt over each month – $152,000 gets taken off your borrowing capacity.

This type of information should make people reconsider their financial priorities, but, more often than not, it’s forgotten.

Albert Einstein said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” You can’t expect to see your financial position improve if

you repeat bad habits, which are the result of a poor mindset.

In the crazy world we live in, anyone can achieve great success.

We live in ‘the lucky country’, but we urgently need a reality check. Why? Because we have a combined credit card debt of $50.1 billion. A pack-a-day smoker spends approximately $6570 a year on cigarettes and 11 per cent of households with smokers suffer severe financial stress. In 2012, Australians spent $14.1 billion on alcohol.

Our burning desire to satisfy our egos, greed and bad habits is costing us billions of dollars. In the property investment market, I see ego and greed in action every day. In fact, 1.76 million Australian property investors lost a total of $13.2 billion due to negative gearing in 2011.

The only driving force that would encourage someone to buy a negatively geared property, in my opinion, is greed. Because we all know that property values double every seven to 10 years, don’t we? Yeah, right. That’s a very dangerous belief and an equally dangerous path to tread.

I’ve been in the finance sector for almost 20 years, an investor for 18 years, and a licensed

buyer’s agent for the past two, and I can see greed is alive and well in some areas of the property market today. In particular, across the Sydney market at large. Units we were buying for clients just two years ago for $185,000, over the past 16 months or so we’ve begrudgingly had to pay up to $253,000 for them.

The insanity has gone too far. Recently, I walked out of a “compact two-bedroom unit” in Campbelltown that had an asking price of $237,500. It was a tiny 52-square-metre one-bedroom unit converted by the owner into a makeshift two-bedder – he’d converted the lounge room into that second bedroom.

Then I inspected an average two-bedroom unit on the outskirts of Penrith that I was merely ‘okay with’ at $240,000.

The agent floored me when she said the owner had just knocked back $280,000!

Rents have not increased in the past two years; if anything, they’ve slipped back by $10 a week. But because interest rates are still low, the number of people desperate to buy a cheap property has pushed the prices of these properties through the roof.

This is a bubble! These 49

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propertyguide properties simply aren’t worth the prices buyers are paying. It’s greed and ego that’s driving people to pay these ridiculous prices.

There are many negative factors that influence our financial and investment decisions; some of these are driven by the need to satisfy our bad habits and some are driven by ego and greed.

Now we’re into a new financial year, you can make better decisions about your money, but the only way to do this is to invest in your financial education and reassess your mindset.

You have 24 hours in a day.

So do people such as Sir Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. How you spend that time determines your level of success, both physically and financially.

I’ve spent hours and about $62,000 over the past 18 years on my own finance, real estate and financial education. I still read

25 business books each year. I’ve attended dozens of conferences, seminars and courses hosted by highly successful people.

Financial education was removed from the education system years ago. Today, if you want to obtain your financial education you must first invest the time and money. Then, most importantly, put 100 per cent of what you’ve learned to work.

Knowledge alone will not make you successful; you must create a written set of goals and then take action towards achieving them.

My advice is to be careful about who you seek your financial and/or investment education from; there are plenty of sharks, just waiting to part you from your money.

A good financial education includes being able to see through the ‘smoke and mirrors’ and identify the

sharks so you avoid becoming a victim.

Here’s an alarming statistic from a 2008 Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) report: the group with the lowest levels of financial literacy in Australia were people aged between 18 and 24. Today, those people are 24 to 30 years old – the age group preparing to buy their first home, start a business or invest in property.

It’s more crucial than ever to invest in your financial education and future-proof your finances. We all want to leave the rat-race and lead the lifestyle we want. Without the right financial education, however, you could possibly be working for the rest of your life or until you reach retirement age. When you do retire, if you didn’t make sustainable financial arrangements earlier in life,

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you may have to rely on the age pension, which might not be enough to sustain the retirement lifestyle you’d always wanted.

You can’t assume the age pension will be sustained at current levels or even available when you retire. Currently there are more than 2.2 million people receiving the Australian age pension, and more than five million baby boomers will reach 65 years of age over the next seven years.

McCrindle Research forecasts there will be more 65-year-olds than one-year-olds in 2020.

Don’t waste time. Get the financial education you need.

Tomorrow could be too late.

Kevin Lee is regarded by many as Australia’s most trusted property investment adviser.

To attend one of Kevin’s free ‘No Secrets’ Seminars, visit smartpropertyadviser.com.au

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Ever wondered how people make money from property? Jane Slack-Smith has the answers.

Three ways to make money with property JANE SLACKSMITH Mortgage broker and investment expert

I BELIEVE that there are three ways to make money through property: 1. Buy below the market.

2. Buy in an area going up in value.

3. Add value by subdividing, changing the property use, or renovating.

Every property in my portfolio was bought with those three moneymaking ideas in mind. This became my Trid3nt Strategy.® It gives you three ways to make money, so if you make a mistake with one you have the other two to fall back on. This minimises your risk when investing.

Let’s look at the first buying strategy. We’ve all heard the saying you make money when you buy, but what exactly does that mean?

Let’s imagine this: there is a property on the market for $400,000, and your research 52

tells you this is a true market value. You pay that amount and the property is now yours.

Alternatively, you hear that the owner needs to sell quickly as they have bought elsewhere and they will consider any reasonable offers. You offer $350,000, they say no, but they will take $375,000, and you agree on that price. In theory, the property is still worth $400,000, so if you were to put it on the market tomorrow, and be willing to wait longer than the other vendors, you could sell for $400,000. Hence you have acquired an additional $25,000 in equity. This is one way for you to make money when you buy.

Alternatively, you could wait for capital growth to play its part. If the growth rate were 6.25 per cent per annum then it would take a year for your property to grow by that same $25,000. Or imagine you go in and do a quick $12,500

renovation – re-carpet, repaint, update the kitchen, polish floorboards and clean up the place. This would take maybe four weeks to do, which means four weeks of lost rent, four weeks of stress coordinating tradespeople, and maybe even sacrificing your own time to help out. At the end, if you have done a great job, the property might be worth an additional $25,000.

In each instance, you have created $25,000 worth of equity in your property in three different ways: 1. By questioning the real estate agent and negotiating – bingo! $25,000 of equity.

2. Waiting a year and hoping that all your research on capital growth was right and your property has grown by $25,000.

3. Spending $12,500 and putting in your own time, sweat (and tears) to create $25,000 within four weeks,

although you are really ahead only $12,500.

Each has exactly the same outcome – you make money – although the first option gets you an immediate result.

So next time you hear someone say you make money when you buy, you’ll know how they did it, and that you can do it too. It all comes down to knowing the right questions to ask the real estate agent and how to negotiate.

I will let you in on a secret: I have actually done all three – bought below the market, done a quick cosmetic reno and bought in an area with capital growth. If you would like to learn how to do this visit yourpropertysuccess.com.au.

Jane Slack-Smith is founder of Your Property Success, an online property investing education portal. For further information visit yourpropertysuccess.com.au

The next time you hear someone say you make money when you buy, you’ll know how they did it, and that you can do it too. It all comes down to knowing the right questions to ask the real estate agent and how to negotiate.

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Attention: Investment is subject to DHA’s lease terms and conditions of sale. Investors retain some responsibilities and risks.

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SPECIAL THEORY OF REAL ESTATE What Albert Einstein can teach you about the art of property investment.

MICHAEL YARDNEY

From Metropole Property Strategists

Michael Yardney is a director of Metropole Property Strategists, which creates wealth for its clients through independent, unbiased property advice and advocacy. metropole.com.au propertyupdate.com.au

PROPERTY investment is certainly not rocket science, and while you don’t have to be a genius to succeed in real estate, it never hurts to learn from great minds when trying to achieve great things.

So let’s look at some quotes attributed to Albert Einstein and see how we can turn these pearls of wisdom into profits from property.

1

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

There’s a lot to learn about success in real estate, which can be overwhelming for the beginner investor. But it’s not that complicated. Take the time to educate yourself and learn what’s really possible rather than get fooled by a smoke-and-mirrors

get-rich-quick scheme that promises you millions with no money down and little effort.

2

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.

We are all different, with different abilities and strengths.

That’s what makes the world interesting, isn’t it? You’ll be good at some things and not others. It’s okay if you’re not a genius in tax or structures or finance. Property investment is a team sport, so surround yourself with experts in the areas you’re not good at.

3

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot.

Many first-time investors jump into the market without having a

plan or a good team of advisers.

They buy one of the very first properties they come across, often close to where they live (because it’s familiar), where they enjoy holidaying or where they want to retire. These are all emotional reasons, which almost always lead to investment disaster.

While you need to have a sound understanding of property investment strategies and structures and a good knowledge of the market on which to make your decision, there is such a thing as information overload.

I’ve seen many would-be investors not take action, stuck in analysis paralysis. Either they’re too confused by the constant barrage of mixed messages, they spend too long trying to educate themselves so they understand ‘everything’,

It’s okay if you’re not a genius in tax structures or finance.

Property investment is a team sport, so surround yourself with experts in the areas that you’re not good at.

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or they spend too long looking for the ‘perfect’ investment that ticks all the boxes. While they’re waiting for the market to be perfect, the realists are busy actually buying properties and making money.

4

It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.

This is a brilliant quote, because the practice of going against the crowd and investing countercyclically is what makes many successful property investors stand out.

Warren Buffet put it rather eloquently when he famously said, “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.”

Sure, it’s easy to jump on the buying bandwagon when everything is rosy with the markets, buyer sentiment is high and economic conditions are favourable.

But you need courage and foresight to take action when everyone else is paralysed by fear and uncertainty.

Making your own path rather than following everyone else’s can be daunting, but in doing so you’ll enjoy many more lucrative 56

Whatever it is that’s stopping you from achieving what you want won’t change until you change. To become a successful investor, work on yourself first. Become financially fluent and get a good team around you.

opportunities as an investor.

Because as Einstein said…

5

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

Just as every property boom we experience paves the way for the next downturn, each property slump sets the scene for the next upturn.

Don’t forget that any investors who own substantial property portfolios today, actually sowed the seeds of their fortune during difficult economic times when the property markets slumped after the 2003 boom or in the severe downturn that occurred 12 years earlier.

They took advantage of the opportunities that the buyer’s market of their day provided and then waited for time, compounding and leverage to work their magic.

6

The world that we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.

If what you’re doing isn’t working for you, then something needs to change.

When things don’t work out, most investors jump from one strategy to the next. They try positive cash flow properties, and when this doesn’t yield results they try off-the-plan, options or renovations. But this is rarely the solution.

These unsuccessful investors blame the economy, the banks, the market, interest rates and so on. And all of these are beyond their control.

It (whatever ‘it’ is that is stopping you from achieving what you want) won’t change until you change. To become a successful investor you must work on yourself first.

Become financially fluent so you understand the economy, property markets and finance tax and the law as they relate to real estate. Get a good team around you, engage a mentor who can see your blind spots, and join a mastermind group of like-minded investors so you develop the right mindset.

Attend (the right) seminars and never stop working on your own personal development.

7

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

The power of all this knowledge is in its implementation. It has no benefit unless you take action. Things won’t always work out as you’d hoped and, of course, there are risks involved in getting into property. But there are bigger risks to your financial security if you don’t.

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