OUTthere Skytrans June 2014 by Edge In-flight Magazines

Issue 120 • June 2014

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LOSE YOURSELF IN

LOCKHART Discovering the wonders of Cape York’s Iron Range

INDIGENOUS ART FAIR

Cairns shows off Queensland’s best

EXPLORING BEDOURIE

A memorable destination with a fascinating history

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welcome

Welcome to the June/July 2014 issue of OUTthere, Skytrans’ in-flight magazine. It’s our ‘happy birthday’ third-anniversary edition, where we all get to celebrate by introducing you to even more of our fabulous destinations on our ever-growing network. The aviation industry in Australia has been experiencing significant turmoil. Many airlines, large and small, have posted operating losses and expressed poor financial outlooks, while others have left the industry. I can say that Skytrans is here to stay, as we recently completed a financial transaction that resulted in our business extinguishing all of our debt. Furthermore, we recently restructured some of our nonoperational back office roles to remove extra costs and give us a flatter management structure. We will continue to focus on lowering our costs and improving both efficiency and product delivery, while always maintaining safety as our highest priority. This will allow our business to weather the current economic climate and be in the best position to take advantage of new opportunities as the market improves. Meanwhile, Skytrans will continue to deliver essential and sustainable services to our regional and remote communities. To that end, the Queensland Government, through the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), has invited airlines to tender for key regional routes throughout the state. Skytrans has tendered for these routes and we look forward to continuing to service our existing communities and, in time, expanding the network to more towns and communities across Queensland. On other matters, in May, Skytrans attended the MINEX expo in Mount Isa. Hosted by the Mount Isa

Chamber of Commerce and held for the past 19 years, the expo was created to highlight the wealth and quality of the mining industry throughout north-west Queensland. Despite the challenging times the mining industry is experiencing, the expo was well attended by mining suppliers and contractors and the public. The Mount Isa Chamber of Commerce put on an excellent show. On July 2, 2014, we celebrate the second anniversary of our direct aerial service between Toowoomba and Sydney. We have been pleased with the support that the Toowoomba community has shown for this service, and we have been delighted to create the connection for business, family and vacations. Recently, we trialled different scheduling options after listening closely to our customers’ needs and wants. We try to minimise changes to the schedule, but there needs to be some trial and error as we find that balance between customer requirements and sustainable operating practices. Thank you to those customers who use the service and we look forward to continuing to see you on our flights. Thank you for flying with Skytrans today. There are 230 fantastic people behind our great company, working hard every day to get you into the air and where you need to go. Please sit back and enjoy the in-flight service. Until the next issue of OUTthere, take care and safe flying. By the way, we always welcome story ideas and feedback about what you’d like to see in the magazine, so please keep those suggestions coming to info@skytrans.com.au. Simon Wild Managing Director

SKYTRANS CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE: 1300 759 872 or SKYTRANS.COM.AU 1

safetyinfo

Where we fly

safetyinfo

Safety Info

www.skytrans.com.au

Below are some guidelines to ensure your flight with us is more enjoyable. SAFETY BRIEFING Please listen carefully to the Safety Briefing and take the time to read through the Safety on Board card prior to take-off. This will help you familiarise yourself with the emergency exits, brace position and the location of your life jacket.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT) It has been reported that some airline passengers have developed clots in deep blood vessels, often in the lower legs, as a result of sitting for extended periods without exercise or movement. This condition is known medically as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. If blood-clot fragments break off and lodge in other areas of the body, such as the lungs, they may cause a possible fatal pulmonary thrombosis when the person starts walking after being immobile for a lengthy period of time. Risk factors for DVT include varicose veins, recent surgery or injury in the lower legs, malignant diseases, past history of DVT, obesity, pregnancy and recent childbirth. Anyone with any of these risk factors is advised to consult a medical practitioner prior to flying, to find out how to minimise the risk of DVT. During the flight, we recommend that you take the following precautions: â&#x20AC;˘ Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and minimise your intake of alcohol. â&#x20AC;˘ Exercise on board the aircraft by moving and stretching your toes, rotating your ankles, raising and lowering each leg and massaging your calves gently. In addition, we suggest that you avoid crossing your legs during the flight.

SEATBELTS Seatbelts must be fastened firmly for take-off, landing and while the seatbelt sign is illuminated. We recommend that your seatbelt be fastened at all times while you are seated in case of unexpected turbulence.

TRAY TABLES/SEAT BACKS Please ensure that your tray table and your seat back are in their upright positions for take-off and landing.

SMOKING Government regulations strictly prohibit smoking on all domestic flights. Special smoke detectors have been fitted to the toilets on board all of our aircraft. Smoking is also prohibited on the tarmac and throughout airport terminal buildings.

CARRY-ON LUGGAGE If you have carry-on luggage, please stow it in the overhead locker or under the seat in front of you. Hand luggage that is not correctly stowed may cause injury in the event of unexpected turbulence.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES Portable electronic devices can cause electromagnetic interference to the aircraft systems. The interference can cause aircraft systems to malfunction. To provide adequate protection for the aircraft please note that mobile phones must not be used at any time on board the aircraft. Other devices, such as MP3 players, iPods, CD players, portable palmtop and laptop computers, cassette players, personal electronic organisers, and personal DVD and video games, may be used during cruise only, NOT when the aircraft is taking off or landing.

AIRCRAFT GUIDE DEHAVILLAND DASH 8-300 Length: 25.68 metres Wingspan: 27.43 metres Height: 7.49 metres Cruise altitude: 7,620 metres Max cruise speed: 528 km/h Passenger seating: 50 leather seats, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned, in-flight entertainment, satellite tracking

DEHAVILLAND DASH 8-100 Length: 22.25 metres Wingspan: 25.89 metres Height: 7.49 metres Cruise altitude: 7,620 metres Max cruise speed: 440 km/h Passenger seating: 36 leather seats, galley, toilet, pressurised, air-conditioned, in-flight entertainment, satellite tracking One of the outstanding features of the Dash 8-100 aircraft is its capacity for being reconfigured to suit varying combinations of freight and passengers. All seating can be removed, providing a full freight capability; conversely, a 36-passenger configuration allows for more people and minimal freight. Two other configurations between these ensure optimal flexibility.

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contents getaway

08 skytransnews The fifth annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair will be a major cultural event; and Skytrans flies a group of performers to Brisbane for the Clancestry Dance Festival.

11 skytranscommunity The ‘1 Camera 1000 Smiles’ program goes to Aurukun; and Rod Jensen shares his Deadly Story.

13 don’tmiss Upcoming events worth checking out around the country.

15 explore Danielle Chenery shares five things about Queensland’s Iron Range region.

20 regionalstopover Kelly Theobald travels to Birdsville’s sister town, Bedourie, and discovers Australia’s most unique golf course.

destination

Issue 120 • June

Issue 121 • July

checkin

closeup

Kathryn Marshall chats to Australia’s only female stock contractor in bull riding, and gets the lowdown on her important role.

Simone Henderson-Smart catches up with two inspiring Bangarra dancers, and resident composer, David Page.

closeup

outtahere

We catch up with James Courtney – one of V8 Supercars’ biggest stars, and a really down-to-earth guy to boot.

Andrew Smith, NSW ‘Chief Funster’, gets into the top 10 fun things to do while exploring New South Wales.

outtahere

destination

Stephanie Williams explores some cool getaway options to get into this winter. It’s not all about chasing the sun.

Polo in the Paddock may have been a washout, but that didn’t stop anyone from getting stuck into Mudgee’s fabulous food and wine.

getaway

Simone Henderson-Smart travels to the Blue Mountains for the region’s Roaring ‘20s Festival, and finds that everything old is new and exciting again.

getaway Mitch Brook visits Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula to indulge in all things edible – including his first taste of live mussel.

insidemining • news and views • resource sector issues • finance and technology

islands, rainforests & reefs the place to live!

If you and your family lived in Cairns Northern Beaches, you would need to pinch yourself every day! Imagine living in Far North Queensland, surrounded by tropical rainforests, pristine beaches or your own marina berth leading directly to The Great Barrier Reef. With world class restaurants, shops, schools and parklands right at your doorstep, this really is The Place to Live.

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Make the move now! For a limited time get a $5000 Harvey Norman Gift Card when you purchase land, or a house & land package. Be Quick! Offer ends 31st July, visit placetolive.com.au for more details.

editor’sletter

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michelle Hespe michelle.hespe@edgecustom.com.au DEPUTY EDITOR Danielle Chenery ASSISTANT EDITOR Simone Henderson-Smart INTERN Kathryn Marshall SUB-EDITORS Kris Madden, Liani Solari, Amal Awad, Tatyana Leonov PRODUCTION MANAGER Brian Ventour SENIOR DESIGNER Guy Pendlebury PRINTER SOS Print & Media CONTRIBUTORS Kelly Theobold, Stephanie Williams, Sue Webster, Rochelle Tubb, Christine Retschlag, Mitch Brook, Kris Madden, Mandy McKeesick, Darren Baguley, Kevin Lee, Richard Asher, Kath Malmstedt, Andrew Crossley ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR, In-flight Division Jason Popkowski jason.popkowski@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, Rex, OUTthere Peter Anderson peter.anderson@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGERS, Inside Mining Chris Wykes chris.wykes@edgecustom.com.au David Little-Jones david.little-jones@edgecustom.com.au SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER, National Property Guide, skytrans Robert Desgouttes robert.desgouttes@edgecustom.com.au WA, SA and NT SALES AGENT Helen Glasson, Hogan Media Phone: 08 9381 3991 helen@hoganmedia.com.au PUBLISHER Geoff Campbell CHAIRMAN Chris Innis CEO Eddie Thomas ON THE COVER:

June: ‘Rainy Wet Time’, painting by Irene Namok.

July: Beach at Lockhart River, Cape York Peninsula. Image courtesy of Tourism Qld.

OUTthere is published by Edge 51 Whistler Street, Manly NSW 2095 Phone: 02 8962 2600, edgecustom.com.au OUTthere is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge, under license to MGI Publishing Pty Ltd. 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. OUTthere cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Some images used in OUTthere are from Thinkstock and Getty Images.

From the editor... A friend and I recently visited the Yarra Valley and stopped at a charming vineyard called Maddens Rise. Justin is the estate’s owner and his partner Emma, with a background in floral and interior design, took it upon herself to create the ‘shed’ that is now the couple’s stylishly kooky, rustic cellar door. Emma loves her wine, but she also has a deepseated lifelong passion for watering cans, and that is how one of the stories that defines her and the look and feel of the little wine shed, was created. A year ago, Emma and Justin travelled to Paris, and while exploring the neighbourhood of Le Marais – an alternative suburb bursting at the seams with artists’ studios and trendy cafés – she found a Fleuriste’s Atelier – a little flower studio that only opened by appointment. With her nose lovingly pressed up against the shop-front window, Emma could make out the little haven inside, and a row of well-used zinc and galvanized metal watering cans, including a tiny old-fashioned, wellloved watering can that looked like it belonged to a child. Just looking at the watering can set Emma’s heart racing – she desperately hoped it was for sale, but feared it wouldn’t be. Over the next week while the couple stayed in Paris, Emma made many trips past the studio to see if by some stroke of luck, it would be open. It never was, and so they travelled back to Australia, the baby watering can etched in her mind. At home in the Yarra Valley, Emma wrote an email to the store owners, painstakingly using her best French to tell her story and describe her love for watering cans; only to receive a friendly letter back in English from the Frenchman who owned the store. His name was Frederic Garrigues, and he invited her to visit. A year later, the couple returned to Paris, and Emma’s heart thumped as they approached the florist, a warm light flooding from the window. A smiling man greeted them at the door, welcoming them into his space. Emma was nervous, but soon ended up deep in conversation with the Frenchman. As he didn’t mention the watering cans, Emma thought it best to not raise the subject. She thought they could not possibly be for sale. But he must have read her mind, for then he asked if she would like to hold the watering

cans, asking which one she liked the most. She nervously pointed out the baby watering can and Frederic found an old step ladder so that he could fetch it from its resting place. As he placed it in her hands, he said: “I have had this arrosoir since I was a small boy. It was my grandmother’s before it was mine. When I was little I lived with her in Provence and helped her tend her beautiful garden. I would help water the flowers and vegetables with it. My grandmother is responsible for my love of flowers.” A brief pause, then: “This little arrosoir has been waiting for you for over one hundred years, and now I am giving it to you.” Emma almost fainted but responded quickly – politely refusing the kind offer. But he insisted. “Many ladies come to Paris for clothes, handbags and shoes. But not you Emma, you came for a little arrosoir – and now it is yours,” he said. She told him that if she took it, it was on loan, and she would keep it safe in Australia for him. The Frenchman agreed and the two became firm friends, who to this day stay in contact. It’s so lovely to hear inspiring stories like this. And to hear them while sipping on a glass of wine made by a person in that story, in a small vineyard in regional Australia, makes it all the more special. Drop us a line sometime. If you have a story to share – we’d love to hear from you. And of course, enjoy your flight and your next adventure.

Michelle Hespe and the OUTthere team 7

skytransnews

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair: a cultural drawcard THE FIFTH annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is set to be another landmark event, celebrating Queensland’s rich and diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture. CIAF’s chief executive officer, Alison Copley, says in the past 12 months there have been many exciting changes to the organisation and she is looking forward to presenting a stellar program this year at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal from July 24–27. “From its beginnings in 2009, CIAF has grown into much more than an art fair and is now a cultural drawcard and fixture on the national art fair and festival circuit. With pride, we also claim CIAF to be Australia’s premier Indigenous art fair. “To date, attendance figures have exceeded 65,000 visitors, there has been participation by more than 600 Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and performers, and more than $2.4 million has been generated by direct sales of artworks. On top of that, a further $5.6 million has 8

been generated in tourism expenditure. “This year’s program has been created to build on the success of previous events and, in so doing, we intend to bring Indigenous art and culture to the fore in a respectful and enlightening way. The multidimensional line-up of Indigenous dance, music, theatre, visual arts, curated exhibitions, performance, children’s programs, film and media, artists’ talks, symposiums and forums will have broad appeal and is destined to bring the whole city of Cairns to life for three full days and nights.” What CIAF does so beautifully, says Alison, is “bring the diversity and richness of Queensland’s Indigenous artists to the world”. CIAF has recently transitioned from Arts Queensland and is now an independent entity; a non-profit company limited by guarantee: Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Limited. For more information visit ciaf.com.au

“To date, more than $2.4 million has been generated by direct sales of artworks.”

skytransnews

Clancestry Dance Festival OPPORTUNITIES for people living in remote communities are significantly fewer than for those in the big smoke. A remote community can be hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres away from a small city such as Mount Isa. A simple trip to the doctor can take days before youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re safely back at home, and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just pop down to the local store to pick up the latest gadget or something you suddenly need. Also, opportunities for Indigenous Australians to share their culture and history, which is more than 200,000 years old, are few and far between, especially in remote

communities in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Waanyi, Garawa and Gangalidda tribes of Carpentaria are fiercely proud of their culture and songlines. The sharing of knowledge and the passing down of traditions is one of the most important and vital things in a young Aboriginal manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. Over the past year, these tribes have collaborated with Skytrans, which recently made it possible for a group of young men to travel from their homes in Doomadgee all the way to Brisbane for the Clancestry Dance Festival. It was a chance for them to share their culture and perform dances

for other tribes from around Queensland. The deputy mayor of Doomadgee, Tony Douglas, also attended and continues to champion tradition and culture for the young men of the community. The opportunity to participate in Clancestry has empowered these young men, giving them hope for the future and a chance to share something they are culturally and spiritually connected to. It has given them belief in their self-importance, raised their self-esteem and given them the confidence to walk proudly in this new world, as their ancestors did in theirs.

Opportunities for Indigenous Australians to share their culture and history are few and far between.

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skytranscommunity

One Camera – 1,000 Smiles LAST SEPTEMBER school holidays, Skytrans provided support for the ‘1 Camera 1000 Smiles’ photography program, helping children in the remote indigenous community of Aurukun learn the art of photography. The ‘1 Camera 1000 Smiles’ project runs digital photography workshops with young people in disadvantaged communities. The organisation believes that by learning photography skills, young people are better able to express themselves, tell their own story and develop problem solving skills. Skytrans provided return flights so photography teacher Ricardo Piscioneri could attend the workshops. Aurukun children, teenagers, community members and organisations all benefited; with 40 young people, ranging in age from three to 21 years, taking hundreds of images

during the two-week program. Throughout the sessions, participants learned the basics of photography; then used their new knowledge and skills to document their home environment, family, friends and community. The sessions involved team building with the participants working together in pairs, small groups and as a whole group on various projects, culminating in a presentation night. A book is currently being created of a selection of images to be distributed to the community and supporters. Through these and other social investments in communities, Skytrans aims to contribute to improving the quality of life of people throughout remote Queensland. 1camera1000smiles.com.au

Deadly Stories: Rod Jensen Being born and raised in a small town in a remote area doesn’t mean you can’t achieve great things. Rod Jensen is proof of that.

JENSON played in the National Rugby League for the Canberra Raiders and the North Queensland Cowboys, and now he’s with the Northern Pride in Cairns. He was born in Atherton and grew up in Ravenshoe in Far North Queensland, but he left

the small town to attend school in Cairns at the ripe old age of 14. Rod is both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, but grew up with more of the influence of the Djirubal Aboriginal group in Ravenshoe, Atherton Tablelands. While attending school in Cairns, Rod found and gained a new life and direction. As a student at Saint Augustine’s College, he learnt great leadership skills and was given many sports opportunities. After leaving school he started his sports career with the Adelaide Rams in 1998, followed by the Canberra Raiders in 1999 for four years, before signing with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2004. In 2007, Rod joined the Super League in England. Upon returning to Australia, in 2008, he represented his countrymen in the Indigenous Dreamtime Team at the Rugby League World Cup. In 2009, he was recruited to the Northern Pride in the Queensland Rugby League. During his sports career he knew there would

have to be life after football. “I like working with children and helping students before they get into trouble,” Rod says. In 2005, he completed a degree in teaching and spent several years teaching and lecturing at schools and James Cook University. “My mentors include Lionel Williamson, who was the boarding master at St Augustine’s College in Cairns, and Ruben Wiki and Mal Meninga when I was with the Canberra Raiders,” Rod says. Rod’s advice to youngsters is simple yet powerful: “Listening is the key. My advice is you can do things your own way, but there is importance in the advice of your elders. “We are resilient because we are a surviving blood line, so look inside and persevere; because without struggle there is no progress.” The Deadly Stories campaign celebrates the many achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities. Read other stories or post your own at: deadlystories.qld.gov.au 11

advertorial

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. 12

3. Selecting your locations drivers

5. How to integrate lessee & lessor works

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.

Fitout costs can really get out of hand. If possible, plan far enough in advance to relocate to a new building or space being refurbished ahead of completion. By integrating lessee and lessor works the cost of relocation, aside from any incentives, will be reduced by at least a third of the cost when your new layout can incorporate all the electrical, mechanical and hydraulic requirements without the waste of reworking these services in completed vacant areas.

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.

With more than 30 years of property experience throughout South East Queensland, Graystone has earned an enviable reputation forproducing exceptional commercial and industrial precincts. For more information to assist your businesses relocation please contact either the Graystone Project Management or Property Development Teams at graystone.com.au or phone 3368 1500.

don’tmiss

Compiled by Kathryn Marshall

these events in June & July if you’re in the right place at the right time. JUNE 4–15

JULY 11–13

Sydney Film Festival

Queensland Garden Expo

As one of the world’s oldest film festivals, the sixty-first Sydney Film Festival will be screening at venues across the city’s CBD this June. With a $60,000 cash prize up for the taking, the event has experienced an enormous 250 entries including documentaries, animations, short films, and much more. Grab yourself some popcorn and be entertained by the world’s best in cinema. sff.org.au

2014 is the thirtieth anniversary of this festival, held annually at Nambour on the Sunshine Coast. Hear from the experts, be inspired by the displays and taste nature’s best at the organic food court in the Giant Kitchen Garden. The kids aren’t forgotten either, with lots of entertainment, rides and free activities to keep them happy. qldgardenexpo.com.au

JUNE 24

Jordan Belfort – live in person

Yes the real-life ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, immortalised by Leonardo DiCaprio in the recent hit film, is travelling around Australia sharing the secrets of his success in the world of business. Tonight he’s at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, talking self-belief, vision and inspiration. wolfofwallstreet.co.nz

JUNE 5–9

JULY 19–20

Boulia Camel Races

This annual animal anomaly attracts thousands of spectators from across the globe. The camel races are comprised of 13 heats, including the signature events the Quarter-Mile Flyer and the Camel Cup. The weekend also includes markets, an impressive fireworks display and, of course, camel rides. tnqcalendar.com.au

Normanton Rodeo

Strap on your boots, dust off your cowboy hat and head to the Normanton Rodeo and Campdraft over the long weekend. It’s back for another big year of Saddle Bronc Riding, Barrel Racing and Steer Wrestling. Check out the rising rodeo stars and experience the extraordinary events this occasion has to offer. Be assured there will be plenty of horsing around.

JUNE 28–JULY 5

Cairns to Karumba Bike Ride

Thousands of road and dirt bike riders register to journey 780 kilometres across the most impressive and diverse terrain the outback has to offer. From rock-ridden roads to swamp-style creeks, this is an adventure no biker will want to miss. ridefnq.com

JULY 27

Subway Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim

Northern Australia’s premier long-distance open water swim is back. Most head to Magnetic Island the day before and enjoy the fine food and luxury accommodation on offer. When Sunday morning arrives, they battle with 100 other brave souls for a podium spot on the eight-kilometre swim across the Coral Sea; and then afterwards, reward themselves with some of the region’s best food and drink at The Strand. magneticislandswim.com.au

JUNE 6–8

Weipa Fishing Classic

Home to more than 40 species of the most exquisite and diverse Australian fish, the Weipa Fishing Classic has grown to be Cape York’s biggest annual event. The competition reels in schools of fishermen from around the country, casting their lines to lure the Catch of the Day. All proceeds are donated to local community groups. weipafishingclassic.com

JULY 11

Dan Sultan

The Australian king of working-class blues is taking his new album Blackbird and a razzle dazzle big-band around the country’s capital and regional cities. July 11 sees him pack out The Metro in Sydney before venturing south. dansultan.com

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explore

5 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE

IRON RANGE REGION Queensland’s Iron Range region, taking in Portland Roads, Lockhart River and Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, is full of hidden surprises, writes Danielle Chenery.

Image by Susanne Stannard

explore

The Lockhart River Art Centre is home to an inspiring range of paintings, sculptures, necklaces and locally created Indigenous artefacts. ‘The Art Gang’ – a group of Indigenous artists, work from the centre along with many artists of different ages. There’s ‘The Old Girls’, a highly respected group of elders producing vibrant art that’s among Australia’s most collectable, along with many artists who come on an ad-hoc basis to work in the bustling creative hub. Community elders have an important role at the centre, sharing knowledge of traditions, languages, song, dance, history and artefact making.

Art from this town certainly does what great art should – it reflects a modern take on the community’s environment, culture and traditions. The result is a unique expression of life in Lockhart River, and a completely different style of Australian art. Importantly, half the proceeds from every artwork sold by the centre goes to the artist. The centre retains the other half and uses the funds to provide artists with canvas, paints, brushes, exhibitions, exhibition-related travel, workshops and other essentials. Artists from the centre will be taking part in the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair being held from July 24 to 27. It is well worth checking out.

The town gets around 30 per cent of the 4WD traffic that goes to Cape York.

‘Rainy Wet Time’ by Irene Namok

Thriving art scene

Irene Namok at her recent solo exhibition at ReDot Gallery – Singapore.

Photo courtesy of ReDot Gallery

Less than 700 people live here However, during the dry season – from June to December, the Iron Range region swells with tourists. Greg Westcott, coowner of Out of the Blue café, in Portland Roads, says the town gets around 30 per cent

of the 4WD traffic that goes to the “Top” in Cape York, creating a temporary swell in the town’s otherwise small population. “For six months of the year we are very busy with tourism, but for the rest of the year Portland Roads is one of the tiniest communities in Australia,” he says. Tourists on their epic journey to Cape York come to Iron Range to experience the unique National Park, Chili Beach, and of course everyone wants to see the world famous Art Centre in the indigenous community of Lockhart River, he explains. “Tourism is the economic driver for the area. We look forward to the influx of people wanting to experience the region. Our dry season is our work time and we’re flat out, then the wet season is our time to recover and enjoy our paradise.”

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Image: Vic Penny, 1952

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Interesting history

This was eighty kilometres south of where the township is today. The mission was abandoned during World War II but was re-established in 1945 with the return of the residents. In 1964, the church handed power of the community back to the Government and, in 1971, the community was forced to relocate to the current site, which is now known as “Lockhart River”.

Image by Susanne Stannard

From its earliest beginnings, Portland Roads was always a safe anchorage and shore landing point, first for exploration, then for the commercial harvesting of pearl shell and sandalwood. Then in the 1920s, gold was discovered at nearby Gordon Creek and further west in the Wenlock River area. The population swelled to thousands. With an increased need for access to the goldmining area, an 800-foot jetty was constructed at Portland Roads in 1939 to allow steamers to berth and discharge cargo direct to shore. The gold rush had declined by the beginning of World War II but, in 1942, a bomber base was established inland from Portland Roads and three military airstrips were laid. At the peak of the battle for the Coral Sea about 20,000 United States and Australian troops were based in the area. At the end of the war the region was left abandoned. The coastal shipping service began again in the late forties as life returned to normal and continued until the early sixties when road access became available to the Cape. The labours of the past, the airstrip and the jetty were again revived as Commercial Fishing ventured north. The fisherman and sailors made use of these established freight facilities and, in doing so, helped sustain the Iron Range area until the advent of tourism in recent years. Lockhart River’s Indigenous history is especially interesting. According to the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council website: “Lockhart Mission was established in 1924, when people from five traditional territories in the area were coerced into a new Anglican mission now known as ‘Old Site’.”

Iron Range National Park Kutini Payamu is the name given to the National Park by the Kuuku Ya’u people, the traditional owners of the national park land. A 4WD is required to enter and the park is not suitable for large caravans. It’s worth the effort though, offering amazing beaches and views from headlands, along with animal and plant species not found elsewhere. The park

Camping at Chili Beach With five kilometres of magnificent sandy shores, Chili Beach is within the KutiniPayamu National Park, and is a hotspot for all 4WDers visiting the Cape. The Camping ground offers walking tracks behind the shoreline through the dense scrub or, for a more leisurely pace, a relaxing stroll along the

has the largest remaining area of accessible lowland rainforest in Australia and is a haven for birds such as the vibrant Eclectus Parrot, which lives only in the Iron and McIlwraith ranges. The Palm Cockatoo, Riflebird and Cassowary are also found here. There are four camping areas, including Rainforest, Cooks Hut, Gordon Creek and Chili Beach.

beach during low tide. Try your hand at beachcombing and there is a picnic and day-use area for those coming in for the day. You can spot many of the park’s stunning birdlife from Chili Beach. From August, the Metallic Starlings flock offshore to showcase their dance at dusk. Other Pelagic and Wader species are plentiful. Bird watching is best in the early morning or late

Alcohol restrictions apply to Lockhart River, but the camping areas within the national park are not in the alcohol restriction zone. Organise an e-permit in advance, as these areas are very popular in the dry season. The region attracts two main groups of visitors – the birdwatchers (aka twitchers) and adventurous 4WDers.

afternoon, but night twitchers will also enjoy spotlighting around the road or campsites at Chili Beach for nocturnal birds, including owlet-nightjars and Papuan frogmouths and mammals such as the spotted cuscus. Be aware though – you must be self-sufficient and pack lots of drinking water as there’s no fresh water in the park.

Photos by Michael Lawrence & Duncan Macfarlane

A non-profit humanitarian organisation whose aim is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing. surfaid.org

regionalstopover

BEST OF BEDOURIE Bedourie may be Birdsville’s sister town, but this outback oasis is a rewarding and eccentric destination in its own right, discovers Kelly Theobald. FLYING OVER western Queensland’s famed Channel Country is the best way to see a place that exceeds all expectations of large. The endless horizon frames vast plains of nothing but some of the best grazing land in Australia. From Mount Isa to Boulia a vibrant green covers everything – the result of recent long-awaited rain. Then, Bedourie, a town smack-bang between the Channel Country and the Simpson Desert, the largest area of parallel sand dunes in the world, is visible on the red and brown desert landscape. Its manicured lawns and foliage-covered trees giving the impression of an oasis on the desert’s edge. With a population of only 120, Bedourie is the quintessential outback settlement. At the airport, just out of town, a smiling, weathered face greets the few people who disembark, searching for the ones he’s scheduled to meet. Recognition and a strong handshake are followed by introductions from Jim Smith, the Bedourie Hotel publican. On the short drive back to the pub, Jim explains a little about himself. He’s owned the pub since 1971 and, although it’s still the post office, the pub also used to be the general store until a roadhouse opened on the other side of town. Jim has lived in Bedourie more or less his whole life and knows the place better than almost anyone.

The historical pub is an indicative first stop on a two-day visit to Bedourie. Built from adobe bricks in 1886, it’s one of the oldest structures in the town and, with its green tin roof, which was once thatched, is one of outback Queensland’s most iconic pubs. Directly opposite the hotel is the heritage-listed Mud Hut, which was also once owned by the Smith family. Constructed from rammed earth and timber, the unusual building was originally a private residence but, when the Bedourie Hotel was out of commission, it was used as a pub. Historians speculate that the ruins of stables on the block suggest it was once a Cobb & Co changing station back in the days when Bedourie was an important stop on outback trade and droving routes. “Bedourie’s population has almost doubled since 1990,” says Jim. “There were only 16 or so houses in Bedourie until tourism took off in the region. Now we have a much larger community and young families have settled here. The town has grown and we’re lucky that has included things like the aquatic centre and the golf course.” Arguably Australia’s most unique golf course, the Simpson Desert sand dunes make challenging obstacles for even the most practised golfer,

With a population of only 120, Bedourie is the quintessential outback settlement. 20

regionalstopover

The vast, red Simpson Desert as viewed from space with Bedourie to its right.

Image courtesy of NASA/JPL Caltech

regionalstopover Left: Publican Jim Smith is as genuine as they come and with a lifetime of local knowledge, it’s worth stopping for a yarn. This image: This sculpture represents a dust storm and was designed by local Indigenous artists.

while the claypans make excellent putting surfaces. With golf balls and clubs available for hire at the Visitor Information Centre (well worth a visit itself), a post-flight afternoon can be spent happily wandering the red fairways and marvelling at the eccentric course and its native flora. To wash the dust off after nine holes, the ultra-inviting artesian spa at the Bedourie Aquatic Centre, undoubtedly one of Bedourie’s best attractions, is just around the corner from the pub. Coming directly from the Great Artesian Basin, the naturally hot water is best experienced in the spa while the 25-metre swimming pool is a refreshing post-spa dip. Finish the day on the pub’s verandah with a simple yet homely and very generous pub meal and a coldie, while watching the corellas swoop across the setting sun. Or simply sit and chat with Akubra-topped locals. To witness an outback sunrise is the epitome of peaceful. Then, by 7am, the Simpson Desert Oasis roadhouse is open for car hire and a takeaway breakfast and picnic lunch. Hiring a 4WD is perfect for exploring the surrounding landscape. Go trekking in Diamantina National Park, a six-hour return drive, or visit the famous town of Birdsville, a four-hour return drive. There’s also plenty to see and do if you don’t want to spend all day behind the wheel, especially on the road south. Heading along The Bilby Way, the first port of call is Kings Creek, named after the sole survivor of the infamous Burke and Wills expedition, John King. In early outback pioneering days this was a favoured camp site of Afghan cameleers traversing the Birdsville–Bedourie trade route. Despite the natural stone causeway being the safest place to cross the creek, one unlucky teamster tragically died here and was buried, facing Mecca, on the far side of the creek, where his rocky grave is still visible today. There are more historical graves near the National Trust-listed Kidman Tree, further south, where Sir Sidney Kidman camped on 22

his first trip to the region. A memorial to Will Hutchinson, the founder of the Coober Pedy opal fields, is the next stop; he mysteriously drowned in Eyre Creek while working as a stockman for Kidman and droving FAST FACT cattle from Clifton Hills Station, South A claypan south of Australia, to Glengyle, near Bedourie. Bedourie has been surveyed The Cuttaburra Crossing is a causeway over another channel of as the possible site for a land Eyre Creek, which disappears west speed record attempt by into the Simpson Desert. SixtyAustralia’s ‘fastest man’, Rosco eight kilometres south of Bedourie, McGlashan, in 2015. this watering hole is a renowned birdwatching site. It’s just a short distance from one of Australia’s largest pelican breeding areas, Lake Machattie, so the species regularly convenes at the watering hole and can be easily viewed from within the viewing shed on the eastern side of the road. A picnic at the picturesque Carcoory Ruins is in

regionalstopover

For a town whose name translates as ‘dust storm’, Bedourie is a memorable destination with a fascinating history.

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Skytrans flies from Brisbane to Bedourie on Monday and Thursday, returning Tuesday and Friday. 1300 759 872 skytrans.com.au

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order before the drive back to Bedourie. Yet another National Trust-listed site, Carcoory homestead was one of the first properties purchased by Kidman in 1899. It was abandoned a couple of decades later because of severe drought. Upon returning to Bedourie, pick up an original Bedourie Camp Oven and ingredients from the Simpson Desert Oasis roadhouse and cook yourself an outback meal to remember. Developed in the 1920s by a Bedourie tinsmith as a more practical alternative to the traditional cast-iron camp oven, the Bedourie Camp Oven is a nationally recognised legacy of the charismatic town. For a town whose name translates as ‘dust storm’, Bedourie is a memorable destination with a fascinating history. “Bedourie might be small,” says publican Jim Smith, “but its characters are larger than life, it’s a unique and very pretty town and, you know, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

Top and right: Pub dog ‘Whiskey’ is a regular at the Bedourie pub and can be found mingling with the patrons; with Bedourie’s closest neighbouring town 190 kilometres away, it really is an isolated outpost.

Bedourie Hotel 07 4746 1201 bedouriehotel.com Simpson Desert Oasis roadhouse 07 4746 1291 simpsondesertoasis.com.au

EXPLORE

Bedourie Aquatic Centre The centre has an Artesian spa and swimming pool. The key is available from Bedourie Visitor Information Centre, for a refundable deposit. ‘Loo with a view’ Vaughan Johnson Lookout, north of Bedourie.

MORE INFO

Bedourie Visitor Information Centre 1300 794 257 diamantina.qld.gov.au/ bedourie-visitor-information-centre

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Five

minutes with …

Dakota Brandenburg At just 18 years of age, Dakota Brandenburg is the only female stock contractor for Professional Bull Riders Australia competitions. Kathryn Marshall speaks with the young trainer.

How did you get into the stock contractor trade? My dad was a champion bull rider and we always had practice bulls on the property. When he retired from competing, he started stock contracting and training the bulls. I used to help him out a lot. It’s become a bit of a family deal and turned into a family business.

How do you prepare a bull for competition? Throughout the year, we put the bulls on a diet to fatten them up. The bigger they are, the better they buck. On competition day we monitor what they eat and drink. Just like humans, bulls can’t have too much to eat and drink before competing because it might affect their performance. We fast the bulls on the day so they will buck to their best ability. We also let them into the ring before they compete and let them walk around for a bit so they can get to know the arena.

Do you have to psych up the bulls before they compete? I wouldn’t say the bulls need to be psyched up at all. They naturally know

what to do when it comes to bucking. We run them through the arena so they know where they will be bucking and where to leave the arena. The rest is up to them. A lot of our bulls aren’t aggressive and are rather quiet from being handled so often, but there are always a few that are a bit more sketchy, which you have to watch, but that’s all part of it. To be able to buck, they have to have a bit of a wild nature about them.

Have you ever been injured while working with the bulls? There was one incident where I was just standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. A bull was running and it hit a gate, which swung open onto me. But other than that, no – I’ve been very lucky.

Is stock contracting your career or a hobby? It’s my career. It’s the family business. But I also see it as a hobby. I really love it and enjoy it. We do a few other things, but we mainly deal with stock contracting and growing the bulls.

How are you treated as the only female stock contractor? I don’t believe I’m treated any differently. We’re all pretty close. If anything, the male stock contractors are very helpful.

I’ve known a lot of the other contractors growing up, so I guess it doesn’t seem like it’s a different thing for me to contract bulls, as that’s what I’ve grown up around. When I say they’re helpful, I mean that if I had trouble with a bull or needed help doing a job, I know it would be no big deal for them to help me.

Have you considered bull riding? I’ve dreamt about it. I think it would be a lot of fun, but it’s so dangerous. I don’t believe that bull riding is a female sport. I’d rather just provide the bulls and leave the riding to the men. I haven’t ever needed to ride a bull, either. We use a dummy on the bulls when they’re growing, and there’s always been someone around, like my brother or other riders, to ride the bulls when they’re in training.

What have been your most rewarding moments? Last year we won the Bucking Bull title at the Brisbane Invitational. We got a big belt trophy, which was pretty cool. This must all sound pretty strange to someone who has nothing to do with the rodeo scene! In a comp, judges score both riders and bulls, and we’ve had high-scoring bulls at heaps of other competitions and have won things like feeding grants for the bulls. It’s been a lot of fun. 1

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Or get into something larger and dig into the braised pork mini sandwich, over which you pour a hot arbol chili sauce.

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SOME LIKE IT HOT

BONDI BEACH, SYDNEY

Mexican fans beware, as this is the kind of place you may head to thinking you’re just going to knock back a couple of drinks with some guacamole-loaded tacos and perhaps some beetroot chips. But it doesn’t work like that. The dynamic duo with all things Mexican in their blood – husband-and-wife team Bildo Saravia and Regina Bueno Ros – won’t let you leave Mr Moustache without thoroughly indulging in their authentic Mexican street food, and also sampling some of their beloved Mezcal – straight up or mixed into creative cocktails by award-winning mixologist Mike Tomasic. Interior designer Tamsin Johnson’s decor is also bound to woo you – old-world French sophistication meets art deco with Mexican flourishes, resulting in a bar and restaurant that’s as cosy as it is cool. The gluten-free tostaditas are gems of black corn truffle, roasted corn and fresco cheese (unpasteurised cheese). Or get into something larger (not to mention damn hotter) and dig into the braised pork mini sandwich, over which you pour a hot arbol chili sauce. Mix it on your plate and eat it with your hands – while maniacally reaching for something cold to cool you down. Seriously hot stuff. facebook.com/mrmoustachebondi

GRAND OL’ DAME RANDWICK, SYDNEY

The Royal Hotel in Randwick, established back in 1887, is a familiar sight to most East Sydneysiders. With its sprawling wrap-around verandahs, the grand Queenslander-style hotel has had its 40 large rooms renovated while still retaining its charming heritage features. LED chandeliers light up the darkly-stained original wooden staircase leading to rooms outfitted in classy shades of cream, grey and pale blue. All rooms have ensuites, flatscreen TVs, Foxtel and free Wi-Fi. Downstairs, guests can enjoy the stylishly renovated bar and restaurant, complete with a tree-filled courtyard adorned with fairy lights. Acclaimed chef Danny Russo is behind the exciting new pub menu that takes pride in putting a twist on Australian pub classics such as pot pies, chicken parmigiana, beer battered fish and chips and steaks ranging from a 200-gram eye fillet to the 400-gram grainfed rib-eye. Russo is known for using the best quality local produce, and his personal picks from the new menu are the burgers. “I still reckon they stand out as some of the best on offer in Sydney,” he says. royalhotel-sydney.com 3

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Compiled by Kathryn Marshall

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WINTER GARDEN

Kristin Hannah, Pan Macmillan, $24.99

ZOO BOYZ Benjamin ‘Gorilla’ Marshall, Oliver ‘Kangaroo’ Looms, Josh ‘Giraffe’ Fergus, Daniel ‘Penguin’ Baxter and Luke ‘Seal’ McCabe make up new children’s music group, Zoo Boyz. The talented quintet offers a fresh sound, with Marshall as drummer, all members on guitar and ukulele, and all are excellent vocalists. The group is renowned for its eclectic repertoire that caters to both children and parents. The Zoo Boyz’ most popular hit, ‘Shake it Like a Jellyfish’ recently shot to the top of the iTunes children’s music chart, knocking The Wiggles’ ‘Hot Potato’ off its number one spot. The Boyz provide a refreshing approach to

education through music, and are passionate about the importance that active participation through song has on a child’s development and their confidence in learning. Benjamin (Gorilla) Marshall says: “We’re loving spreading our music around to as many people as possible and look forward to an exciting year ahead.” With no shortage of fans throughout Queensland after the group’s recent gig in Mackay, these party animals are exploring new ground – filling school halls and playgrounds on their safari through primary and infant education centres around Sydney. Their album is available on iTunes and the CD can be ordered through their website zooboyz.com.au.

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SETH

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A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST Universal Pictures, in cinemas May 29 Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy and Ted fame has his comic mitts all over this film: not only playing the lead role of Albert the sheep farmer desperately trying to stay alive, but also directing, producing and collaborating on the screenplay. The story is a pretty simple one of love and revenge, but Seth has a habit of making the mundane amazing. MacFarlane also played a major part in the production of the recent edition of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos with scientist Neil de Grassi Tyson.

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Two very different sisters and their cold-as-ice mother are drawn together around the deathbed of their father. He extracts one final promise from them, and reveals a secret about their mother’s past as well as a terrible truth that forever changes the girls’ sense of self and family.

staff pick

THE POWER OF THE SECOND QUESTION

Chris Skellett, Exisle, $29.99

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A GOOD PLACE TO HIDE

Peter Grose, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 This is the story of a brave, compassionate and heroic community in France’s upper Loire Valley, who gave shelter to around 3500 Jews during WWII, despite the possible dangerous consequences to themselves should their secret be discovered. A riveting read.

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LIVING THE

Images: Veracity Media/Holden Motorsport

Holden Racing Team’s James Courtney is one of V8 Supercars’ biggest stars, but he’s as down-to-earth as they come.

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HE COULD EASILY be your best mate, the knockabout wingman who is always ready with a quick joke here and a knowing smirk there. Yet, when it comes to racing, almost like flicking a switch, Holden Racing Team’s (HRT) James Courtney becomes razor-sharp and ready for battle. You can see it when he’s training in the gym or when he’s about to step into his day-glo HRT Commodore. His eyes burn hot with intensity. He means business, and you can instantly see why he’s so successful. This year Courtney and HRT are starting to build some serious momentum in V8 Supercars. The 34-year-old won the opening round – the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide – and has backed it up with podiums in Tasmania and Winton. “We came away from the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide with a solid victory, which was very well deserved for the team,” says Courtney, who is now fourth in the championship standings on points. “It’s still early days in the championship, but we’re starting out in a far better position than we have in a long time. So that’s fantastic.” It’s easy to see why Courtney has so many fans. His victory celebrations are now legendary, with a massive outpouring of emotion. His signature move – simply called ‘Frank the Tank’ after a character and scene in 2003 cult comedy classic Old School – really has to be seen to be believed, with fists and arms pumping all over the place. “It started back in 2008. My mechanic and I both loved the movie, and we were joking around about me doing it after I took my first win,” Courtney recalls. “I did it after the first one and it’s just stuck with me, so it’s a tradition now after 11 race wins in V8 Supercars. “I was rolling down the pit lane at Clipsal and all the boys were doing it as I was driving past them. It was awesome!” In terms of achievements, there’s not much Courtney hasn’t done – and won – since he started go-karting at the age of seven. Before joining V8 Supercars, Courtney took the world by storm by winning the FIA World Formula A Kart Championship, the British Formula Ford Championship and the Formula Ford Euroseries. He was even a Formula One test driver for Jaguar Racing (which later became champion team, Red Bull Racing) before sustaining serious injuries at Monza during a test in 2002.

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In V8 Supercars, he took the championship in 2010 with Dick Johnson Racing before making the switch to HRT in 2011. He remains hungry to close the deal again, this time for the official Holden factory team. The Penrith-born driver is yet to win Australia’s ‘Great Race’, the Bathurst 1000. You can bet it’s on his wish list, though, as HRT teammate Garth Tander is a three-time Bathurst winner. Away from the frantic V8 Supercars lifestyle, Courtney lives on the Gold Coast with his wife Carys (rhymes with ‘Paris’), their children Zara (aged six) and Cadel (four) and their two dogs Tojo and Diva. Their place on the water at Hope Island is a modern, spacious and beautifully decked-out family home – from the moment you step in, you can tell it’s their haven of comfort away from the media spotlight. “I came back from overseas and we were living up on the Sunshine Coast for a while and needed a permanent place to live,” Courtney recalls. “I’d just done the deal to race in V8 Supercars, so Carys and I were just looking around for a place on the internet and we found it there.” It’s also a great base for Courtney’s intense training regime.

“The difference between James and others is the fact he’s not trying to peak for one event a year. He’s trying to peak for 15.” “For any athlete, preparation is always key,” says Courtney’s trainer, Phil Young of GP Human Performance. “The difference between James and others is the fact that he’s not trying to peak for one event a year. He’s trying to peak for 15 events a year, so we do a number of mini peaks, and then we go for a larger peak before the endurance races.” As with most racing drivers, Courtney is a self-confessed cycling nut. He gets out on the bike as much as he can to train and enjoy some time-out. “It’s a good outlet where I can get away and still think about work stuff but go through things without having any sort of distraction,” he says. “It’s so beautiful at this time of the year with the weather so good, and it’s very motivating seeing a lot of other people out training. It’s a great hobby and I’m passionate about it.

From top: James’ famous victory dance; relaxing at his Gold Coast digs.

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I watch a lot of cycling on the TV as well.” By the time you’re reading this, Courtney will be preparing for Round 6 of the championship in Darwin. The event, which is held at Hidden Valley Raceway, is a firm fan favourite – it is less than 15 minutes by car from the city and has a distinct relaxed party vibe about it. Everyone loves going there. It’s also something of a bogey track for ‘JC’, as he’s fondly known, with last year yielding a pole position and two podiums. “Darwin is a good part of the world,” he says. “It’s very different to where I live, and where the team is based in Melbourne. It’s really good to get up there and it’s a brilliant event.” In past years, Courtney and Carys have stayed on in the Top End after the event to check out Litchfield National Park and Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge). “It was pretty amazing,” he says. “We flew down to the gorge in a small plane and then got into a helicopter and went all the way through it. We also stopped and did some kayaking. In a light aircraft you’re not all that high so you can see a lot. The pilot was pretty cool and took us on a bit of a tour on the way back. “Then we went four-wheel driving through Litchfield National Park, which was great. It’s a beautiful part of the world – you’ve just got to stay away from the crocs.” Courtney will be hoping to be the man to beat this year in Darwin. With the star driver in the zone, and the might of Holden behind him, anything is possible – especially when Frank the Tank is in town.

Above: James with his family – wife Carys and their children Zara and Cadel. Below: James approaches the finish line at the Clipsal 500.

JAMES COURTNEY

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outtahere

COOL WINTER HOTSPOTS The weather might be colder and the days shorter, but winter is a great time to get out and about and explore these cool gems, writes Stephanie Williams.

outtahere

Take your partner Some people chase the sun in winter, but if you love winter you’ll enjoy a getaway to the wild and woolly southern state. Hobart is the perfect combination of cosy nooks and fresh breezes and has so much to offer, even for a weekend. Check into The Islington boutique hotel and then check out MONA, Hobart’s world-class contemporary art gallery. Catch the MONA ROTA, a bright-purple helicopter offering scenic flights from the gallery; or splash out on a flight in a seaplane, from the city, over the Derwent River and Mount Wellington. A Gourmania walking tour with a local expert will reveal the talented artisan producers, cafés and food stores of Hobart. And a trip to Hobart isn’t complete without a

visit to Salamanca Market and the surrounding boutique stores. After dark, Hobart remains an epicurean’s paradise. Start the evening with a drink at local favourite Preachers – it’s like entering the grand old home of a friend who just happens to have 16 boutique beers on tap. Try Westend Pumphouse for a casual dinner in a large, warehouse-style space where you can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen; or Ethos Eat Drink for its menu featuring superb local ingredients. From Wednesday to Sunday drop into Sidecar for a nightcap on the way home. Beechworth, an easy three hours’ drive from Melbourne, is another winter hotspot. Apart from being on the way to the ski fields in the Victorian Alps, this is the perfect

Hobart at night as seen from the summit of Mt Wellington.

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Armidale: home of The Coach. Birthplace of the next NRL star!

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outtahere Snake by Sidney Nolan, 1972, was the original centrepiece of Hobart’s MONA museum.

Image courtesy of Jeff Owen.

place to cosy up to the one you love. StoneTryst Spa Villas makes for a picturesque base camp; it’s a short walk from town and each villa has a gas log fire and a spa bath. Ned Kelly left his stamp on Beechworth, so history buffs will love to while away a few hours in the old Beechworth Courthouse (where Ned was tried for murder) and Beechworth Gaol (where Ned and his mother were held). But if history isn’t your thing, the boutiques and quaint cafés should keep you occupied. Cyclists will love the Rail Trail (hire a bike for some two-wheeled action on the historical disused railway tracks; while mountain bike enthusiasts should head for the Beechworth Mountain Bike Park. Book a table at renowned twohatted restaurant Provenance and enjoy chef Michael Ryan’s outstanding degustation menu; or dine at The Ox and Hound Bistro on local produce such as foraged yabbies, mushrooms and berries. Locals love the coffee, the wines by the glass and the charcuterie at Cellar Door Wine Store.

Take your family

Image courtesy of Tourism Vic / Roberto Seba

In winter, thoughts turn to football, and in Australia we’re spoilt for choice. For AFL lovers there’s no better place to be in winter than Melbourne (pictured left), barracking for your family’s favourite team. But there’s more to Melbourne than just AFL. Familiarise yourself and the kids with this sports-minded city with Real Melbourne Bike Tours. Take off from Federation Square and, along the way, see rowers on the Yarra River. Swing by the home of the Australian Open, and ride past the world-famous Melbourne Cricket Ground and the newest stadium, AAMI Park, where NRL games are played. If you’re lucky you might even see an AFL or NRL team training on the nearby ovals. Lygon Street, which runs through Carlton and Brunswick, is home to the best Italian restaurants in town and is a Mecca for Ferrari-lovers after the Grand Prix. Go to Tiamo (Carlton) for authentic pastas; or 400 Gradi 15

outtahere

(Brunswick) for wood-fired pizzas. The kids will love the quirky flavours on offer at Gelato Messina in Smith Street, Fitzroy – their only problem will be choosing which ones to have. Winter means snow, and if the kids are keen to learn to ski, Falls Creek is the perfect destination. The slopes are gentle and most accommodation is ski-in, ski-out, so getting the kids to the runs is easy.

It’s great to learn to ski (and snowboard) at a young age. At Falls Creek kids as young as three years old can get started at the Snowclub 4 Kids, which teaches them basic skiing skills while taking them off your hands for the day so you can also enjoy the slopes. Children aged from 12 weeks to five years can be cared for at the resort’s childcare centre. Make sure you end the day with a warm donut or two at the base of the Falls

Express lift to get them home. Check into one of the many apartment hotels and self-cater – the FoodWorks supermarket should have everything you need. Skiing definitely exhausts the kids, so eating in will save you from some tired tantrums. But if you need a night away from the pans, try The Man hotel or The Gully Bar & Restaurant (by the Three Blue Ducks team from Sydney) for family-friendly fare.

The slopes at Falls Creek are gentle and most accommodation is ski-in, ski-out, so it’s easy with kids. 16

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outtahere

Take your mates Get away from it all and off the beaten track to South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. Full of awesome 4WD tracks, ranging from easy to advanced, it’s a 540-million-year-old landscape crammed with history and natural beauty, making this an unforgettable and classic Australian journey. Skytrek, a spectacular track in the heart of the ranges, is known as a 4WD rite of passage in these parts. You and your mates will enjoy the rugged rocky ranges, starting out at Willow Springs Station, a 28,000-hectare sheep property just north of Wilpena Pound (five hours north of Adelaide), and continuing for six thrilling hours. In the north of the state there are plenty of 4WD tracks to explore in and around the Simpson Desert, including the Strzelecki, Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks. Or, for something cooler, what better place to be with your mates in

winter than in Thredbo, carving it up on the slopes. A six-hour drive from Sydney or Melbourne, Thredbo has everything you need for an awesome skiing or snowboarding weekend. Book an apartment in the village or stay in nearby Jindabyne for a little less coin. Thredbo has terrain to suit everyone. Beginners can learn on the gentle slope of Friday Flat, stepping it up a gear at the Cruiser intermediate area, while the advanced can have a crack at some of the most advanced terrain in the country. After hours, Thredbo kicks off. Grab a drink at The Pub Bar and Bistro to get your night started or maybe catch a game while you enjoy bar snacks at Bernti’s Tapas Bar & Grill. After a day on the slopes you’ll be starving – at House of Ullr Bar & Grill you can cook your own steak; or try Al Fresco Pizzeria for casual Italian dining with BYO. All roads lead to the Keller Bar after hours, where you can enjoy live music while you swap ‘big powder’ stories.

Thredbo has the slopes, live music and dining options making it a great spot to hit with your mates.

FAST FACT The Flinders Ranges stretch for more than 430 kilometres, from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna and form the largest mountain range in South Australia. St Mary Peak is its highest point at 1170 metres. ABC Range, part of the majestic Flinders Ranges.

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Images courtesy of Armidale Tourism

destination

Traditionally the halfway stop on the road trip between Sydney and Brisbane, the vibrant city of Armidale is worth checking out as a destination in its own right. Rochelle Tubb explores.

destination

“Armidale has a great, diverse community and culture. It’s not just a rural community – there’s so much more to it than that.”

Clockwise from top left: Autumn in Armidale is an explosion of colour; Dangar Street in downtown Armidale; Goldfish Bowl bakery café make tasty wood-fired pizzas on Fridays.

o it looks like the cat’s out of the bag. A recent survey by Australian Traveller magazine confirmed what many residents of the country’s highest city already know: Armidale is a great place to visit. So great, in fact, that readers voted it number three among Australia’s hottest travel destinations in 2014, after the Kimberley and the Top End. That’s an amazing accolade for this unassuming, cosmopolitan little city buried in the beauty of the New England region. Now that the secret’s out, Armidale can expect an influx of curious travellers wanting to know just how and why this 22

inland city made it to such lofty heights on the hottest destination list, beating places like the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Victoria’s food regions and the entire state of Tasmania. Brothers Nick and Josh Oxley, who own and operate the popular Goldfish Bowl bakery café in Armidale, were taken aback when they heard the results of the survey, but having been brought up in the city, they are huge advocates of what they claim is the “untapped potential” of the area. “The area has so much natural beauty,” says Nick, whose café arguably makes the best coffee in town (roasted

on the premises), along with organic wood-fired sourdough bread, and tasty wood-fired pizzas on Fridays. “Armidale has a great, diverse community and culture. It’s not just a rural community – there’s so much more to it than that.” Traditionally known as the halfway stop between Sydney and Brisbane, Armidale has come of age in recent years and now offers visitors a bustling arts community, a plethora of arts events, and a thriving food industry in addition to classic architecture and beautiful natural scenery. Not to mention National Parks aplenty.

In-flight entertainment, Straddie style.

Visit Straddie in winter for front row seats for the annual whale migration. Point Lookout at North StradbrokeIsland is Queensland’s most easterly point, the perfect place for land based whale watching. It’s bumper to bumper on the humpback highway from June to October!

Book with Discover Stradbroke now for great winter rates at discoverstradbroke.com.au or phone 07 3415 3949. © David Biddulph, Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre.

destination

Natural beauty Some of the most popular attractions in the New England area are the picturesque national parks with extensive stretches of gorge wilderness. Visitors should take the trek to Point Lookout in the New England National Park, where they can look out across the untamed wilderness to the Bellingen Valley and the Pacific Ocean. An amazing view on a clear day. And when it is raining, there are some stunning waterfalls to discover in the region. The Wollomombi Falls, reached via Waterfall Way, east of Armidale, are the highest waterfalls in New South Wales and make for spectacular viewing when in full flow.

Food and wine A passion for local produce and an eclectic dining scene has taken off in Armidale over recent years. There’s an abundance of modern cafés offering all sorts of treats, from delicious pastries and fresh bread (Goldfish Bowl), to arguably the best blueberry pancakes you’ll ever taste (Fresh@110). Fortunately, much of the food grown here finds its way from pasture to plate and on to the tables of local eateries. There are also pubs galore offering great modern pub food (Whitebull Hotel) or hearty traditional country fare (The St Kilda Hotel). From casual family

restaurants, cafés, clubs and pubs, to fine-dining restaurants and cellar door establishments, there’s a diverse choice of dining options and types of cuisine.

Arts and music Music, both classical and contemporary, contributes enormously to the city’s cultural vibrancy and the University of New England’s (UNE) distinguished music department has a history of international significance. The heritagelisted Old Teachers’ College is home to the New England Conservatorium and the UNE music department, which support the Armidale Symphony Orchestra, Armidale Youth Orchestra, Fiori Musicali and many choral and other musical groups. There’s always something inspirational going on in the region’s museums and galleries and on any number of stages and screens. Whether it’s outdoor theatre, classical opera or music concerts such as A Day on the Green, rarely does a weekend go by without an event worth attending. The New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) is an enjoyable and inspiring place for visitors of all ages to spend a couple of hours. The museum is the custodian of about 5000 works of art, including the Howard Hinton, Chandler Coventry and NERAM collections.

Above from top: Gara Gorge Walk in Oxley Wild Rivers NP; Ebor Falls on the Guy Fawkes River; Booloominbah – a late Victorian mansion at the Uni of New England. 24

Conquer Cystic Fibrosis through research

n 2002 a small group of

parents of children with CF decided to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis WA (CFWA) which, at the time, was in need of financial support. The 65 Roses Grand Ball for Cystic Fibrosis was born and $42,986.25 was raised. Realising the potential they had to raise significant funds, and driven by the need to do all they could to make a real difference for people with CF, in 2003 this same group, in addition to raising money for CFWA, raised funds to donate to research. Since then, the group has grown to encompass people with CF and family friends. This very dedicated and extremely hard working group have continued to organise the 65 Roses Grand Ball for Cystic Fibrosis, making it an annual event. Their major focus being research. Why? The answer is best told in the numbers. Life expectancy in Australia for people with CF in

the 1960’s was 5 years. It is now 35 years. Deaths in Australia of younger people have, thankfully declined dramatically since 1998. The six years from 1998 to 2004 saw a fall of 70% in the number of deaths of people with CF aged under 20 years. The greatest contributing factor to this is undoubtedly research. Research leads to improvements in treatments,which in turn leads to longer, healthier lives. To date the 65 Roses Balls have raised $910,976.13 for CFWA and CF research. In 2012, Conquer Cystic Fibrosis was incorporated, thus allowing for expansion and increased fundraising for CF research. The Ball, the major fundraising event has been renamed “The Conquer Cystic Fibrosis Grand Ball”. Unfortunately there is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. But that is something Conquer Cystic Fibrosis Inc, intends to change.

There is still no cure for Cystic Fibrosis

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destination

History and architecture Armidale’s prosperous past is reflected in its splendid architecture, from its impressive Anglican and Catholic cathedrals to its stately post ofﬁce, state bank and courthouse. The best way to discover the interesting history of the city is to hop aboard the free City Heritage Tour bus for a highly entertaining two-and-a-half-hour narrated sightseeing jaunt that takes in the most important sites. Just outside Armidale, Saumarez Homestead is a 30-room Edwardian mansion with most of its original

FAST FACT Armidale is 1000 metres above sea level and experiences a cooler climate with less humidity than other inland and coastal centres of NSW.

furnishings intact. It is well worth a visit and offers a realistic glimpse of 19thcentury family life on the land. Renowned winemakers Colin and Judy Peterson established Petersons Winery & Guesthouse on the outskirts of Armidale in 1997, and while they regularly travel to their other vineyards in the Hunter Valley and Mudgee, they have been calling the New England city home for the past few years. Sitting in the stately lounge room of their boutique guesthouse, Colin tries to pinpoint exactly what it was about Armidale that has attracted so

many return visitors – particularly to their guesthouse. “The area has four very distinct and beautiful seasons, which is hard to find in other parts of Australia,” he says. “It has some beautiful gardens and historical homes to explore, and it really just has a lot of charm and character. It also has so much natural beauty and so much to see and do in the surrounding national parks. “Armidale is much more than just a halfway stop between Sydney and Brisbane – it truly has become a destination in its own right.”

“The area has four very distinct and beautiful seasons, which is hard to find in other parts of Australia.”

Round-up STAY

Petersons Winery & Guesthouse 345 Dangarsleigh Rd, Armidale 02 6772 0422 petersonsguesthouse.com.au Armidale Tourist Park 39 Waterfall Way (Grafton Rd), Armidale armidaletouristpark.com.au

EAT & DRINK

Goldfish Bowl Shop 3/160 Rusden Street, Armidale 02 6771 5533 The St Kilda Hotel 104 Rusden St, Armidale, 02 6772 4459 stkildahotel.wix.com/st-kilda-hotel Whitebull Hotel 117 Marsh St, Armidale; 02 6772 3833 whitebullhotel.com Fresh@110 110 Dangar Street, Armidale, 02 6772 9001

EXPLORE

The gothic-looking Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral.

The City Heritage Tour is a free two-anda-half-hour guided tour of Armidale leaving from the Visitor Information Centre at 10am daily; booking is recommended. 82 Marsh Street, Armidale, 02 6770 3888 armidaletourism.com.au

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getaway

A NEW ERA IN THE MOUNTAINS Winter and nostalgia are a perfect match for Simone Henderson-Smart, who discovers the grand old buildings, open fireplaces and huge leather couches she craves in the Blue Mountains. THE SHORT HOUR and a half drive from Sydney to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains is actually like travelling back in time. The region was a playground for the rich and famous during the ’20s and ’30s for drinking, dancing and gambling the night away, and many of the beautiful old resorts and theatres are still there, testimony to the fun that was had. Everything in the Blue Mountains is on a grand scale – perhaps that’s in response to the breathtakingly vast natural vistas of tree-filled valleys flanked by massive sandstone cliff faces. Soaring

ceilings, grand entrance halls with winding staircases and fireplaces you could stand up in, are all very Blue Mountains. The Hydro Majestic Hotel in Medlow Bath stretches for almost a kilometre along the ridge looking down over the Megalong Valley. Once a decadent party palace, the Hydro had been sadly neglected until recently. But there’s something in the air in the Blue Mountains. Like a forest regenerating after a bushfire (which sadly devastated much of the region last year), there are signs of new life everywhere, and the grand old spaces

are being restored and reinvigorated for a fresh generation of revellers. The Hydro itself has had a huge cash injection, with the owners spending a reported $55 million on the four-year overhaul that will restore the buildings to their former state, and add some new ones, including a four-storey glass spa. The ballroom, casino and restaurant plans show large crystal chandeliers and velvet furnishings, bringing back the glamour; while dark timber and carpets add drama with their high domed roofs and stained glass windows. You can almost feel the buzzing energy

The grand old spaces are being restored and reinvigorated for a fresh generation of revellers.

getaway The lavish new interior of Darleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant at Lilianfels, Katoomba

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getaway

fires, bring out the fluffiest feather quilts and hold special Yulefest events for people who like to have their roast Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, including warm pudding with brandy custard when it isn’t summer. Sometimes it even snows. Similar to the Hydro, Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels has undergone a dramatic renovation and is an example of the taste and class of the new style seen in the region. There isn’t a hint of chintz or dated ‘Laura Ashley’ countrystyle anywhere: gold velvet dining chairs were imported from Belgium,

the vintage-inspired wallpaper was custom-made, crystal chandeliers cast a soft, warm light, and the fireplaces ensure it’s cosy enough to open the curtains and let the light stream in through the ornate leadlight windows. An innovative menu complements the décor’s quality, and it’s not surprising to learn from hotel manager Ralf Breugger – a former chef himself – that they were awarded ‘Regional Restaurant of the Year’ in last year’s prestigious Tourism Accommodation Association NSW Awards for Excellence.

Above: An artist’s impression of the soon to be revealed renovations at the Hydro Majestic. Below: The Mall in Leura was packed with flappers for this year’s Roaring ’20s Festival.

Image: David Hill; Blue Mountains Lithgow & Oberon Tourism

of the ladies of yore in their satin and fur. The hotel won’t reopen until later this year but, thankfully, I still get my dose of satin and fur and feather boas. The annual Roaring ’20s and All That Jazz Festival is on, and Leura Mall is packed wall-to-wall with fringed dresses and fedoras, as more than 300 excited locals and visitors attempt to dance their way into the Guinness World Records book by being the largest number of people to frock up and dance the Charleston. Energy is high and smiles are wide as the crackling tune cuts through the crisp mountain air. The dance seems to go on forever, but there’s a massive marquee running down the length of the street ready for people to recover their strength in the shade, nourished by a picnic hamper of local delicacies as part of the Leura Long Lunch. It seems the Blue Mountains still knows how to throw a great party. The Charleston attempt is just the first event in a month of festivities that include plenty of excuses to dust off the vintage gear and dress up, such as the Art Deco Ball at the suitably grand Carrington Hotel, croquet on the lawn at Manor House, and even a Gatsby Soiree at restaurant Nineteen23 in Wentworth Falls. Of course, in the Blue Mountains, it’s possible to fuel your passion for nostalgia all year round. None more so than in winter, when resorts like Lilianfels in Katoomba stoke up the

getaway

Resorts aren’t the only ones raising the bar: local providores are rightfully proud of the region’s produce, with cheesemakers, chocolatiers, farmers and coffee roasters turning out quality offerings. The best way to sample their wares is with a lovely stroll down the Leura Mall. The street is full of designer boutiques and galleries and peppered with little cafés like Garage, where aged Megalong beef and Trunkey Creek pork feature on their regional and mostly organic menu. Make a sweet stop at Josophan’s Fine Chocolates and breath in the gorgeous aromas as you try to narrow down your purchases, although the wrapping is so pretty you can always kid yourself that you’re buying it as a gift for someone. More vintage clothing stores have popped up recently too. That’s a perfect excuse to find a fitting outfit for casually draping yourself across that big leather couch by the fire, after retiring to the lounge for a port and spot of backgammon. That’s just how you soak up jazz age glamour, Blue Mountains-style.

This image: The stylishly refurbished bar in Darley’s Restaurant. Below: Leura Garage is a great place to sample the local produce.

Round-up GET THERE

The Blue Mountains are a 90-minute drive west of Sydney, and are also well served by a rail service.

STAY

Image: James Horan; Destination NSW

Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort and Spa 5–19 Lilianfels Ave, Katoomba 02 4780 1200, lilianfels.com.au

EAT&DRINK

Darley’s Restaurant Lilianfels, as above Leura Garage – Café – Restaurant – Bar 84 Railway Pde, Leura 02 4784 3391, leuragarage.com.au

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community

Dr Candice Baker and her patient Eliza.

YOUNG DOCTORS ENCOURAGED TO GO RURAL A national campaign to attract young doctors and medical students to rural practice was launched in March with the backing of the Australian Department of Health. THE GO RURAL campaign is run by Rural Health Workforce Australia (RHWA) in partnership with the national network of not-for-profit Rural Workforce Agencies, and showcases the professional and lifestyle rewards of rural medicine. “Rural general practice is full of variety and is a great choice for young people who want to make a difference,” says RHWA general manager – programs, Jo-Anne Chapman. “You learn so much, help so many and really broaden your horizons. Now is a good time to consider a move because the Department of Health is offering incentives of up to $120,000 to relocate. But it’s more than just the money that we want to tell people about – the country is a great place to raise a family and connect with a community that values your skills,” she says. Dr Candice Baker made the move to the country last year and has never looked back. “A highway to health edged by wattle and eucalyptus,” is how she describes her experiences at the Brooke Street Medical Centre in the picturesque Victorian town of Woodend. “The community here is wonderful. You get given all sorts of things like homemade jams, and someone even knitted me baby clothes because they

knew I was planning a family. “I guess it’s one of the benefits of being a country doctor,” she says with a smile, referring to the flexibility that her role in a regional community offers, as well as the kindness she has encountered since moving to Woodend last year to do her GP registrar training. At a professional level, Dr Baker says her time in Woodend has opened her eyes to the potential of general practice and has convinced her that she has chosen the right career pathway. She says her journey into rural general practice has been so much more than simply treating coughs and colds. “You can be anything you want as a country GP,” she says, speaking of the many opportunities that exist to develop new skills. “Anaesthetics, paediatrics and obstetrics – you can do it all, and that builds your ability to support the community. The relationship you build

with the people who come to see you is phenomenal and the variety of medicine is fantastic,” she says. “I also love the lifestyle and the control I have over my hours.” Dr Baker explains that her daily commute is literally 70 steps from the front door of her home to the chair in her office. “That puts so much more time in my day and my life. Now I can go for a run in the morning, do my shopping and still be at work in time to see my first patient at 9am. It sure beats the one-hour slog through traffic when I was living in Melbourne and working at an outer metro hospital.” Dr Baker also enjoys the social side of town life including volleyball, book clubs and catching up with new friends at sidewalk cafes in the pretty main street. Then there are the attractions of the Macedon Ranges region with its bike trails, wineries and markets. Find out more by visiting rhwa.org.au/gorural

“Rural general practice is full of variety and is a great choice for young people who want to make a difference.” 35

agribusiness

PAYDIRT: Funding the farm Ask any farmer about their input costs and they’ll usually reel off the rising cost of power, fuel, diesel, fertiliser . . . but most forget to factor in the biggest input cost of all: financing. Sue Webster dishes the dirt on funding the farm. armers should be wary of overlooking financing costs, which have recorded the greatest growth of all typical farm inputs. Between 2006 and 2011, interest costs rose 35 per cent, followed by repair/maintenance costs at 32 per cent and insurance charges at 20 per cent. From 2002 to 2012, total RBA lending for all farming, fishing, forestry and support services rose from about $27 billion to $66 billion. In that decade there was only one financial quarter when annual lending growth went backwards, and even then only by 0.6 per cent. Analyst Neil Clark has devised an index of macro-statistics. Working to a benchmark of the 1990 CPI, it showed CPI growth of 14 per cent from 2006–2011, while the US/AU dollar exchange rate grew 24 per cent. However, surpassing both those indicators was the

28 per cent lift in lending to agriculture. Notwithstanding, the rush for dosh has not destabilised agriculture, yet. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) notes that farm equity remains strong. Equity ratios for all broadacre and dairy farms hover around 80 to 90-plus per cent, with only the Northern Territory recording slightly below this. The bureau commented: “The general observation from ABARES survey data is that institutional lenders permit relatively few farm businesses to operate with equity ratios below 70 per cent.” But will that always be the case? At least one person is worried. Commenting on growth projections for Victorian agriculture, Rob Goudswaard, CEO of Rural Finance, says: “Over the past 20 years Victoria’s production did double but, in the process, the level of farm debt

increased from $2 billion to $12 billion. We don’t think an increase in bank debt of this order is a feasible model for achieving the next doubling.” So, what is the debt fuelling? Bigger farms, more production and more intensification have driven most of the rising trend in real expenditure over the past 20 years, suggests the ABARES data. Debt to fund land purchase accounts for the largest share of debt on broadacre and dairy farms, accounting for 44 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively, of average farm debt in 2011/12. Between 2001/02 and 2008/09 farmland prices were hot. The ratio of average land price per hectare to total cash receipts per hectare rose from about 5:1 to 7:1 on broadacre farms – relatively similar across all agricultural zones and industries. The result, or the cause, of this

agribusiness

finance-fuelled buy-up was the consolidation of smaller properties into larger farming entities, either corporate or expanding family enterprises. Between 2007 and 2011, the biggest growth area in Australian farming was the nine per cent growth in entities with annual operations of $2 million to $10 million. These farms will be at the forefront of a projected dining boom costed out in the ANZ Greener Pastures 2012 report at $0.7 trillion to $1.7 trillion. However, the price tag for that dizzying level of development is considerable: $600 billion is needed in capital investment to enable production growth and a further $400 billion for farm turnover. “An annual capital gap of $9 billion … already exists today. Agriculture in Australia … will need to find innovative ways to attract domestic and foreign investment between now and 2050,”

says the Greener Pastures report. And where will the capital come from? Contrary to man-in-the-street opinion, not much of it is drawn from overseas. In 2011/12, of the total approved foreign investment in the economy of $170 billion, investment in agriculture was $3.6 billion. The share of agriculture in total foreign investment rose from 0.1 per cent in 2006/07 to 2.1 per cent in 2011/12. The highest investment was from Canada, with nearly a quarter of the total, followed by the United Kingdom and the United States. Data on foreign ownership of land shows that 11 per cent of Australia’s agricultural land is foreign owned. Mick Keogh, executive director of the Australian Farm Institute, warns that, with the absence of overseas equity investment, our debt level will have to grow substantially over the coming years, if the

agriculture sector is to continue to grow. “Unfortunately, the need to demonstrate short-term performance to keep attracting superannuation funds generates a very short-term focus by Australian fund managers, despite the fact that superannuation is a very long-term investment for most people in Australia,” he says. Superannuation funds and other investment platforms have traditionally snubbed agriculture investment as low yield. However, the top 25 per cent of farms have consistently been close to or more than 10 per cent ROI over the past decade, despite seasonal and commodity price volatility. What is more likely the reason is the requirement for long-term investment vision – a big call in these times – or the need to understand the dynamics of investing in farming.

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FAST FACT Crop insurance started in the 17th century when farmers in Western Europe formed private mutual crop hail insurance companies and mutual livestock insurance companies.

Ross Kingwell, chief economist in the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, and a professor at The University of Western Australia, notes that post GFC, farmers’ access to debt finance is now more often proscribed. This will cause a downward pressure on land prices, he argues. “Some farm businesses will expand more gradually than might otherwise have occurred and land price appreciation may also be affected by there being both fewer buyers among the farmer population and greater restrictions on lending,” he says. In turn, this could see greater reliance on other sources of capital investment, he adds. “Greater foreign investment and perhaps more corporate farming may occur. Equity rather than debt financing may feature more in agricultural development.” Some of the alternative financing structures on the horizon include a novel industry-funded model proposed by Victorian dairy farmer and Nuffield scholar Damian Murphy. He is working at establishing a government-guaranteed Future Farmers Fund using funds invested by retiring farmers. Professor Kingwell says: “Novel business structures may address some of the risk problems that characterise Australian farming and its historical reliance on debt financing. In concert,

these financing and structural changes may promote a more productive and profitable agriculture sector in Australia.”

Can farming insure against the bad times? Insurance and agriculture are uncomfortable bedfellows, and the volatility of the agriculture industry is nearly double that of any other industry. The crops that are the most commonly insured – grains and oil seeds – have the highest degree of volatility in the value of farm production, at 1.8 times the average. Insurance offerings in Australia focus on traditional products such as crop and peril insurance, and index-based products such as derivatives and yield insurance. However, for some farmers, salting excess funds away in tax-advantaged Farm Management Deposits represents their rainy-day cover. Farmers indicated in 2012, to a National Rural Advisory

Council forum, that they “generally do not consider insurance to be ‘value for money’ when premiums exceed 10 to 15 per cent of the amount insured”. Australia is one of the few countries to maintain a strong farming sector devoid of many insurance products. Many other agricultural nations enjoy generously subsidised insurance offerings; for example, up to 65 per cent of premiums are paid by the Italian Government. In 2010, the World Bank found that: “Australia and New Zealand are conspicuous for the absence of government financial intervention in agricultural crop and livestock insurance.” New tools, such as yield insurance, are venturing onto the market but, in 2012, ABARES commented: “While these tools may represent a low-cost solution to agricultural insurance, markets for these products have yet to mature and their longterm viability is yet to be confirmed.”

Insurance and agriculture are uncomfortable bedfellows. The volatility of the agriculture industry is nearly double that of any other industry. 39

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TAX DEBATE

INDUSTRY FOCUS We take a look at plant and equipment hire 15

TECHNOLOGY Innovation in crane and lifting technology 20

What do companies in the resources sector really think of Abbott’s pledge to axe the tax?

SPECIAL REPORT Aboriginal contribution to Australian mining 27

:42 PM

news+views RECORD PILBARA PROJECT After more than two years, Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill mine in the Pilbara has secured $10 billion in funding for what is Australia’s biggest mining construction project. As well as the mine, which is expected to produce 55 million tonnes of iron ore per annum, construction will include a processing plant, an airport to support its fly-in fly-out workers, a 1200-person accommodation village, a port stockyard and two-berth export facility in Port Hedland, and a 344-kilometre heavy haulage railway linking the mine to the port. The $10 billion has come from loans and guarantees from five separate export credit agencies and a consortium of 19 commercial banks from Australia, China, Korea, Singapore, Japan and Europe. Roy Hill CEO Barry Fitzgerald, believes it to be the largest ever finance package for a land-based mining project worldwide, and is currently spending an estimated $10 million a day on the mine and its associated infrastructure.

and increase their financial security”. The report also found FIFO is a choice that many employees make instead of relocating, noting: “Some workers might prefer long-distance commuting rather than relocating themselves, and potentially their families, to a mining region. Long-distance commuting might allow them to maintain links with their friends and family and broader community, and accommodate the career of their spouse.”

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PREMIER ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF MINING AND ENERGY AWARDS BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam took the award for Excellence in Social Inclusion in the 2014 Premier’s Community Excellence Awards in Mining and Energy. The awards recognise companies that deliver community and social benefits to South Australia. These companies operate in the mineral, energy resources Advertorial

PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION FINDS FIFO IS BENEFICIAL TO THE BUSH A Productivity Commission research report released in May has busted the myth that fly-in fly-out (FIFO) is a “cancer of the bush”, according to the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). Instead, the Productivity Commission research report: Geographic Labour Mobility, found the FIFO system helped the economy adjust to major structural change and has been “critical to meeting labour demand” all over the country. The recommendations from the Commission range from aiming to help employment mobility, to ensuring there is a supply of affordable rental properties to people on a low income. The report found there are many benefits of FIFO for families, such as high salaries that “allow workers to pay off debts, including mortgages,

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and extractive industries and associated services sectors. The winners were announced in May at the SACOME (South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy) Resources Industry Annual Dinner, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre. IMX Resources Ltd won the award for Excellence in Supporting Communities, while Thiess Pty Ltd was awarded for its Excellence in Leadership – Women in Resources. Iluka Resources Ltd won the award for Environmental Excellence while OZ Minerals Ltd and Murray Zircon Pty Ltd were highly commended.

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FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS ARE GOOD NEWS FOR MINING Australia’s historic free trade agreements (FTAs) with Japan and South Korea are good news for Australia’s resources industry, but leaders need to reform key areas of domestic policy regarding competitiveness and productivity to take full advantage, said Steve Knott, CEO of national resources industry employer group Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA). Japan and South Korea are top consumers of Australia’s resources exports, including coal, copper, iron ore and crude petroleum. Prime Minister Tony Abbott

and Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb secured the agreements with Japan and South Korea in April. “Free trade gets Australia into the game, but success will depend on reforming our economy and labour markets to make it easier to do business in and from this country,” said Knott in a statement on aapmedianet.com.au. “The first step should be supporting the abolition of the carbon and mining taxes – taxes shown to produce negligible outcomes for our economy and our community, but which damage our global competitiveness and investment prospects. We must also get back into the business of labour market reform, firstly by the Senate passing the government’s initial round of improvements to the Fair Work Act that will start to make it easier to

VICTORIA’S GLOBAL MINING CONFERENCE

The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) 2014 brings a worldclass event of global reach to Australia. Held in Melbourne, the event will run over five days, from September 22–26 and is the only truly international mining conference in the country. Drawing on a multitude of international relationships with key stakeholders from across the mining value chain, IMARC creates a global mining event for Australia that will connect mining leaders, policy makers, financiers, technical experts, innovators and educators all under one roof. It has been created through a partnership of the leading associations in the Australian resources industry, including MCA – The Minerals Council of Australia, AusIMM – the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Austmine – the association representing the METS industry, and in conjunction with the State Government of Victoria. In his video invitation to delegates, the Hon Peter Ryan, Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development says: “I am sure you will find this conference a great opportunity not only to hear about the latest developments in the global industry, but to learn more about what Victoria has to offer and make connections that will open doors to new opportunities.” IMARC creates a global mining event for Australia as a major stop on the global mining events calendar. Attendees can connect with the drivers and thinkers of the global mining industry at a major forum where mining leaders, policy makers, financiers, technical experts, innovators and educators are brought together under one roof. Register to attend at imarcmelbourne.com

Advertorial

South Australia’s Four Mile Uranium Mine started operating in mid-April, with production expected to begin during the second quarter of the year. Four Mile is located 550 kilometres north of Adelaide and is adjacent to the Beverley Uranium Mine. It is one of the world’s most significant uranium deposits discovered in the past 25 years and is worth $110 million. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said: “The government’s Plan for Accelerating Exploration (PACE), played a key role in the discovery of the resource at Four Mile. “This government has achieved international recognition through the success of our PACE programs, which have led to new discoveries and new mines over the past decade. Combined with our world-leading regulatory environment, we have been there to assist industry to invest, grow and create jobs.” Mr Koutsantonis said Four Mile will provide ongoing employment in the remote part of South Australia for about 200 people, including contractors. The project is a joint venture between Quasar Resources Pty Ltd and Alliance Craton Explorer Pty Ltd, while Heathgate Resources has been appointed the mining operator of Four Mile. “Heathgate Resources has always demonstrated a strong commitment to partnership and support to local communities,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

“I understand the start-up of Four Mile will ensure about 40 of the on-site jobs are secured for Aboriginal workers.”

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attract new major resources industry developments to Australia.” The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) also welcomes the Australia–Japan FTA. Chief executive Brendan Pearson said in a statement: “Japan is Australia’s biggest coal customer and our second-largest trading partner. In 2012–13, Australia exported $25.7 billion worth of coal, iron ore, copper and other concentrates to Japan. Coal contributed $13.7 billion of that total. “The FTA will provide a significant boost to Australia’s minerals exporters through a 3.2 per cent reduction in the tariff on coking (steelmaking) coal. Tariffs on aluminum hydroxide, titanium dioxide, unalloyed nickel and ferromanganese will also be reduced under the FTA. “More broadly, the FTA will further strengthen the deep and complementary trade and investment relationship in mineral resources between Japan and Australia.”

Government and reflected in our efforts to create a more enabling environment for the industry. That’s why we will not do anything to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs – like maintaining the mining tax and the carbon tax.” China’s economy will be one to watch, he added, as it is expected to expand by more than seven per cent per year in the medium term. Mr Baldwin described the future as “a mining boom in transition”, and claimed the production phase will bring significant benefits. “Higher exports will mean revenue growth for Australia, and long-term employment opportunities that are

specific to production activities will be created,” he said. He added we should not discount further investment in mining. “With more than 250 projects being planned, we may see a rebound of investment in the near future under the right business conditions. “Across Australia, there is more than $109 billion in publicly announced projects, $208 billion at the feasibility stage, and $240 billion at the committed stage. Much of this is in Northern Australia. “Northern Australia accounts for more than $58 billion in publicly announced projects, $147 billion in projects that are at the feasibility stage, and $231 billion at the committed stage.”

FOURTH MINING THE NORTH WEST CONFERENCE HELD IN MOUNT ISA

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The 2014 Mining the North West Conference, held in Mount Isa in early May, presented a range of topics on the future of mining in the North West Queensland and Carpentaria Mineral Province. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Bob Baldwin, addressed the conference and described the Mount Isa region as an “economic treasure house”. He claims the Australian Government intends to create “the right conditions for businesses to continue to invest in the region’s untapped wealth”. He adds: “One thing we shouldn’t forget is that investment in these resources is not just about metals or the bottom line; it is also about people. It is about the thousands of jobs that the mining industry here provides for many Australians to support their livelihood and their families. And the hundreds of small businesses that depend on this vital industry for their survival and to keep employing Australians.” Mr Baldwin described mining as the backbone of our nation’s economy: “This fact is recognised by the Australian

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Axing thetax AS A PROMINENT ELECTION PROMISE, TONY ABBOTT PLEDGED TO AXE THE MINING TAX. IT HASN’T BEEN SIMPLE, BUT WHAT DO COMPANIES IN THE RESOURCES SECTOR REALLY THINK OF THE MINERALS RESOURCE RENT TAX?

Gregory Baldwin at The Illustration Room

WORDS: MITCH BROOK

forefront

ONE OF THE most hotly debated and contested policy topics since the last federal election is the Labor-introduced Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT), aka the mining tax. Tony Abbott took the Liberal–National Coalition to the 2013 election promising that the axing of the mining tax would be among his first orders of business if his party won government. According to the Coalition’s policy documents, the repeal of the mining tax is vital because “Labor’s

“Labor’s mining tax has fundamentally undermined confidence in Australia as an investment destination.” mining tax has fundamentally undermined confidence in Australia as an investment destination and as a secure supplier of resources. To add insult to injury, the mining tax also failed to raise any meaningful amount of revenue.” It hasn’t been so simple for Mr Abbott to axe the tax. The results of the 2013 federal election were certainly in his favour, with the Coalition winning a strong lead in the House of Representatives and also gaining control of the Senate. While the lower house seats changed immediately, the changes in the Senate are due to take place for most of the senators elected

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Gregory Baldwin at The Illustration Room.

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The tax is based on the idea that Australia – and, by extension, its people – should benefit from companies accessing these finite valuable resources, especially when many of the corporations accessing them are from overseas.

on July 1 this year, somewhat delaying the Coalition’s progress on the scrapping of the mining tax. Until the newly elected Senate is able to sit and take a vote on the mining tax, Labor and The Greens remain in control of the upper house. With an opposing view to Mr Abbott’s repealing of the tax, they blocked the repeal legislation when it was put to vote in the upper house on March 25 this year, despite being passed by the lower house in November 2013. Many industry commentators predicted this turn of events, and it’s equally expected that, once the new Senate is in place, Mr Abbott will be successful in his attempts to repeal the legislation. The mining tax is aimed at generating revenue from companies that are making extraordinarily high profits – compared to past mining earnings and also to other industries – from their access to Australia’s mineral resources.

Once these resources are removed from the earth, they’re gone for good, and Australia has lost any future standing related to owning the resources. The tax is based on the idea that Australia – and, by extension, its people – should benefit from companies accessing these finite valuable resources, especially when many of the corporations accessing them are from overseas. To counter this argument, mining companies say that bringing jobs, profitable business and the money they pour into the economy should more than satisfy their obligations, alongside the company tax and royalties they already pay. It comes as little surprise, then, that when considering if there should be such a tax at all, the most significant noise is made by the mining companies. It stands to reason that the party to be taxed is the least likely to be in favour of the tax. 11

Gregory Baldwin at The Illustration Room

forefront

“I think the tax won’t work in its current form,” says Cole Latimer, managing editor of Australian Mining and Manufacturers’ Monthly. “Basically everyone is agreeing – people are either calling for the complete repeal or the changing of the tax.” FAST FACT Latimer says he’s seen In 1976, when he was support for a mining Shadow Minister for Minerals tax, but there must and Energy, Paul Keating was be changes before it’s one of the Labor politicians effective. “I think there should be some kind advocating a profit-based of tax, but nothing that resources tax. looks like what it is now,” he says. “These companies are making super profits – they’re making historically high profits – and there’s no way of pouring that back into the country; once it’s gone, it’s gone.” The sentiment runs further afield. “I think there’s no point in keeping the tax in its current form,” says Ray Keefe from Successful Endeavours, a supplier of electronic products and services to the resources industry. “But I think the concept behind the tax – that these are one-off resources and that access to the exploitation of these resources should come at a cost – is a reasonable principle.” Inside Mining attempted to contact several of the largest mining companies in Australia, including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals, but none was willing to comment on their stance on the mining tax. When contacted for comment, the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) supplied a statement that urged the Senate to agree to the

repeal of the tax during its vote on March 25, which included the following rationale for its position: “The tax imposes an unnecessary additional burden on Australia’s mining industry, which already pays about $20 billion a year in company tax to the Commonwealth and royalties to state governments … It also acts as a disincentive to invest in Australia’s minerals sector at a time when the industry is facing pressing challenges to improve productivity and cost competitiveness.” This stance strongly places the mining industry against the continuation of the mining tax or, indeed, any mining tax in the future. The statement supplied by the MCA to Inside Mining further reads: “Repeal of the MRRT will help improve Australia’s reputation as an attractive investment destination in the highly competitive global resources market. A strong, growing industry attracting investment will secure prosperity, jobs and higher government revenues for Australia into the future.” Whatever industry and public sentiment, the Abbott government will see the repeal of the mining tax as an essential election mandate, and will be sure to celebrate its axing once the newly formed Senate supports the repeal motion. While Coalition policy deals with much concerning the resources industry and its future, it’s safe to assume that a mining tax is not part of that policy, at least in the short term.

“I think there should be some kind of tax, but nothing that looks like what it is now.”

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In the competitive

game of mining, sometimes it comes down to the resources. And we’re not talking about coal, iron ore and the like. Sometimes it’s not even about the man, but about the machine. Plant and equipment hire is one of the crucial links in this competitive chain and now it’s going online. M&M Crushing’s managing director, Jason MacDonald, says his company supplies full turnkey solutions for mobile crushing and screening equipment such as drill and blast, load and haul, crush, screen and stockpile. M&M Crushing works primarily in Queensland and northern New South Wales for a mix of multinational mining companies, quarries and councils. MacDonald says the most popular items include road base, 10mm or 20mm stemming, gabion, rip rap and aggregates.

Michael Trusler started his plant hire business when he was a civil engineer and needed to source equipment fast. “Demand is down from previous years but is steady. [However, in the future there will be] a slow increase as mines realise the massive savings that can be made by crushing on-site using experienced operators,” he says. “Some sectors are extremely competitive and many competitors have entered the market in the past few years. The biggest problem is competing against [newcomers] that don’t have the experience to price these jobs properly and allow for all the additional costs. These companies are providing prices that are way below sustainable levels and so they go broke and don’t pay their bills.” MacDonald says the greatest challenges include cost of repairs; distances from industry; lack of skilled electricians, mechanics and operators; and time delays related to getting people to site or inducted once they’re on-site. PlantMiner.com.au is Australia’s largest plant and equipment hire website, offering more than 87,000 items from 1500 suppliers across the country. Michael Trusler, CEO of PlantMiner. com.au and Australian Mining Prospect Awards Young Achiever of the Year 2013, started the company when he was a civil engineer and needed a faster way to source equipment.

industryfocus

“PlantMiner.com.au gathers all of Australia’s plant and equipment hire companies into the one online portal, eliminating the searcher’s need to trawl through the Yellow Pages and Google, and cutting down on tedious hours spent researching and contacting suppliers,” he says. The online portal, which has been live for one year, has sent 110,000 leads to suppliers, which equates to 4.3 million machine hire hours and more than $1 billion worth of work quoted. There’s now a smartphone app that allows searchers to access the 87,000-plus hire items on the fly. Major miners such as the Downer Group, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are registered searchers. Ryan Woodhall, contracts manager at the Downer Group, says his company has saved hundreds of man-hours in tendering and project management through the site. “It’s a real innovation in the industry because it’s simplified the entire plant and equipment hire process and it’s perfect for me because it’s a completely free service,” Woodhall says. According to Trusler, PlantMiner.com.au receives some unusual requests: “It always surprises us what people in the mining and construction industry want to hire; for example, we never realised that companies ‘hired’ environmental monitoring equipment. Since launching last year, we have signed up to four of Australia’s largest environmental monitoring equipment hire companies due to massive demand in this area.” Equipment can sometimes present a challenge for hire suppliers. Trusler says: “There is no standard mine safety specification across the board

Fast facts • Among the most popular items hired from PlantMiner. com.au are midsize excavators (10 to 50 tonnes) and common earthmoving equipment such as dump trucks, loaders and graders. • The second most popular equipment includes site amenities such as site sheds, ablution blocks and storage containers, followed by access equipment such as scissor lifts, forklifts as well as cranes.

for equipment, meaning each mine site and each mining company requires a different set of safety features on each machine, which is extremely expensive and time-consuming for hire companies to keep up with.” However, there’s an upside. “The future is looking very strong with lots of large tenders being sent out through the website,” Trusler says. “This means there is lots of construction and mining work in the pipeline for our plant and equipment hire suppliers.” Renfrey Plant Hire’s general manager, Chris Bradley, says his company has been in business for 40 years, starting out with what was only the seventh excavator in South Australia, back in 1974. These days, the company supplies excavators, articulated dump trucks and water trucks, wheel loaders, dozers, breakers, graders, compactors and, recently, a DTH drill rig, with or without operators and maintenance crews. “There are a number of mining projects in the feasibility and bankable feasibility stages in South Australia, however, so much of their success relies on funding and significant new infrastructure. We are certainly not going to see a mining boom in South Australia, but we remain positive these projects will get up and provide opportunities in the mining sector for us over the next 40 years,” Bradley says. “We are cautious and prudent but, overall, we have a fundamental understanding of why we’re here. Everything we do assists our clients to win more work with less risk and better results.”

// U N R I VA L L E D PA R T N E R S H I P

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LIFTING BUSINESS

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WHEN JOHN LENNON and Paul McCartney sang, “Boy, you’re gonna carry that weight / Carry that weight a long time,” it’s unlikely they were singing about cranes on mining sites. But lifting is everywhere in mining; everything you remove or add has to be handled, sometimes multiple times. Mining environments are remote and arduous, and require cranes and hoists with the suitable specifications and reliability to meet the high vibration, and the highly corrosive and excessive heat conditions under which they operate. Belgium-based international heavy lifting and transport specialist, Sarens, began operating in Australia in December 2009, with a fleet of nine large cranes and approximately 10 employees. Last year, Sarens Australia skyrocketed to great heights in the Australian market of heavy lifting and heavy haulage with projects at Hay Point, Tom Price, Sydney, Port Hedland, the Hunter Valley, Tasmania, Stradbroke Island, Wheatstone, Gorgon and Gladstone. The contracts, with an estimated value of $65 billion, will take place over the next three years. “With Australia currently being the fourth-biggest LNG [liquefied natural gas] exporter in the world and the mining sector being a significant primary industry, it is not surprising these highvalue investment projects need stateof-the-art construction equipment like cranes and heavy transport machinery,” says Gert Hendrickx, Sarens Australia’s country manager. There are often challenges in implementing new lifting technologies at mine sites. Hendrickx says it’s a huge advantage if mining companies try to analyse solutions before or during contracting negotiations. Sarens has recently undertaken several studies in partnership with the mining industry to look at new lift and shift solutions for the Australian market. “Over the past four months, we have

executed works in direct cooperation with Rio Tinto, BMA and Xstrata, and did a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for Anglo American. All projects were based on a strong pre-engineered solution that created trust, not only at mechanical contractor level but also at end-user level. The Xstrata FEED study started one and a half years before execution. “[This] can solve lots of problems, [and] optimise planning and execution solutions,” says Hendrickx. The heavy lifting aspects of mining will improve in the future even while the core objective of unearthing product stays the same. In the crane and lifting business, new technologies are helping to make mining smarter and safer by becoming interconnected and intelligent. Konecranes, one of the world’s largest crane service organisations, introduced its most advanced family of remote service technologies to Australasia two years ago. The company says its latest innovation, Truconnect® Remote Services, includes

FAST FACT 70,000,000 containers are handled each year around the world by Konecranes. Placed side by side, those containers would stretch around the earth more than 17 times. a variety of distinct remote services ranging from periodic data reporting to real-time diagnostics, technical support and production monitoring. Maintenance activities are planned by actual crane usage and condition, not by calendar, saving money by ensuring the right amount of maintenance is done at the right time. “Konecranes’ Truconnect® Remote Monitoring and Reporting was introduced to Australasia to help our customers

Sarens Group operating within the amazing colours of the Cimeco-FMG Solomon mine, Tom Price, WA.

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Booming ahead In June last year, Boom Logistics was contracted by Redpath Mining to carry out the assembly of an imported tunnel boring machine at Anglo American’s Grosvenor coalmine in Bowen Basin, Queensland. Boom Logistics’ 750-tonne crawler crane increased efficiency by completing many lifts from the one radius. Redpath Mining is making history by being the first in the world to use this equipment to reach the underground coalmine. This new process may be the future of underground mining. boomlogistics.com.au

Boasting a 1600-tonne lifting capacity and a maximum load moment of 24,002 tonne-metres, the crane is a gamechanging addition to Tutt Bryant’s extensive portfolio of cranes and heavy lifting equipment. The CC8800-1 offers significant efficiencies in the erection and installation of large-scale facilities when compared with ring lift cranes and jacking towers. At ConExpo in March this year, Liebherr’s new LTM 1160-5.2 all-terrain mobile crane had its world premiere,

which the company says sparked a great deal of interest. The LTM 1160-5.2 is the successor model to the successful LTM 1160-5.1. Both the telescopic boom length and the load capacities have been significantly increased. One innovation is compressed air disc brakes, being used by Liebherr on a mobile crane for the first time, resulting in enhanced braking performance and optimised directional stability. These are just some of the innovative technologies helping to lift mining operations to a new level.

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.evcile nd am epeh nen viodrp rairm ch ed ®htio wSd kUcaxb isa tne tseim snaogceahtneokasm tfie eebsuesCeIRhBt A fo as srre e drllo ofrw w n-a atrreb bkc c ba afffoR RsF Fe11d# #ae e ae ett— se es W yb nO O n on d F lllla viled ,,d rro ehtt n i dn irb htt ,,®ttffo Sa rrttllU xe s W y lln ..ttn emrra g eht ekam o tt d esu CIRBAF Super-duper cranes ® htiw dekcab — sisab tnetsisnoc a no stfieneb eseht fo ..e c n a m r o f r e p n e v o r p t e k r a m f o s e d a c e d erups-teebkdra nm a YfFoICsEePdSa— otSiw artd lUexkectsaebW—htsiw ed agaru SAesTe’N ecHeavy namLift rofr&ep nehas v!o cedtfh isa batm nesti stnisenmorc nooy sEtfiM eU nS eb hO t fD o Tutt Bryant Shift ® worked alongside some of the largest !!e erru uss e eb bd dn na aY YF FIIC CE EP PS S— — ®ttffo oS Sa arrttllU U xxe ettsse eW Wh httiiw we ed da am m ssii ttn ne em mrra ag g rru uo oyy E EM MU US SS SA AT T’’N NO OD D mining, construction and commercial :ecnamrofrep cirbaf erapmoc dna soediv gnitset evil eht hctaW organisations in the country, as well as the federal and state governments. ::eeccn naam mrrooffrreep p cciirrb baaff eerraap pm moocc d dn naa ssooeed diivv g gn niittsseett eevviill eeh htt h hccttaaW W Operating one of the largest crawler crane fleets in the region and supported by other lifting and haulage assets, it has key operation centres in Brisbane, Perth, .sthgisni RF tsetal eht rof su wolloF Melbourne, Darwin, Karratha and the Hunter region. ..sstth hg giissn nii R RFF ttsseettaall eeh htt rrooff ssu uw woollllooFF In 2012, Tutt Bryant acquired the CC8800-1, the first of its kind in Sarens Group operating at the Cimeco-FMG Australia and the largest conventional Solomon mine, Tom Price, WA. crawler crane based in the country.

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BACK TO THE FUTURE THE ABORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN MINING PREDATES CAPTAIN COOK. IT CONTINUES TODAY IN A CHALLENGING CORPORATE LANDSCAPE THAT CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND RECONNECTION TO COUNTRY. WORDS: MANDY MCKEESICK

LONG BEFORE whitefellas came to Australia, the Wajarri people were mining ochre. On a scrubby ridge in Western Australia’s remote Weld Range is Wilgie Mia ochre mine, believed to have been created and protected by Dreamtime spirits. Open pits, underground chambers, tunnels, pillars and scaffolding are testament to an industry that saw the valuable ochre traded to places as far away as Queensland. Such is the significance of the mine that the Australian Government recognises it as a National Heritage Place. Today, Indigenous involvement in Australian mining continues as communities strive to work with and for the corporate operations on their traditional homelands. This cooperation is a two-way street. For miners it represents the chance to employ local people and services while recognising native title, and for the communities it’s a means to engage their people in a commercial framework. “Our main aims are to promote Aboriginal economic participation

and Aboriginal-owned businesses, which will, in turn, create employment,” says Gina Castelain, managing director of Wik Projects Ltd, an organisation that supports the Aurukun community on the western side of Cape York Peninsula

– an area that encompasses both world-class wetlands and world-class bauxite deposits. “About 90 per cent of people here are welfare dependent – some third generation – and we want to change those attitudes and break that cycle.

Above: The VTEC pick crew at work at the Christmas Creek mine.

specialreport

There has been mining on our country for 60 years, but up until now there has been very little Aboriginal involvement. Now we have a foot in the door with Rio Tinto and are getting a fair go for Aboriginal people.” Aurukun Earthmoving was set up by Wik Projects eight years ago and now has long-term contracts with Rio Tinto Alcan at its Weipa bauxite mine. Employing eight operators and two crew leaders, the Aboriginal company provides bulldozers and graders for clearing and rehabilitation work and, when required, for exploration drilling. “The people love the drill line work because it gets them out on their country and earns [them] good money. It is a source of pride and very important to them,” says Castelain. Forestry is another arm of Wik Projects and, with 20-year salvage rights negotiated with the Queensland Government, the business will retrieve trees that

B Rio Tinto Alcan would normally bulldoze and burn as part of its mining operations. The trees will be sawmilled, and the initiative has already gained interest from both local and overseas entities. International companies such as Rio Tinto underpin mining towns in Australia, and while the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the general population is about three per cent, the 2011 Census showed Weipa has 19 per cent. This is mirrored in other mining towns such as Port Hedland (approximately 15.5 per cent) and Newman (approximately 11 per cent) in Western Australia. While the mining industry may only be the tenth-largest employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (health care and social assistance is the leader), it is the industry with the largest proportion of Indigenous peoples in its workforce at 3.1 per cent.

“There has been mining on our country for 60 years, but up until now there has been very little Aboriginal involvement. Now we have a foot in the door...”

Above: Wik Projects’ Aurukun Earthmoving equipment. Below: Trainees from Fortescue Metal’s VTEC program replacing picks on a surface miner.

Fast facts • The colours of the Wilgie Mia ochre mine are believed to reflect parts of a Dreamtime kangaroo (marlu): red is his blood; yellow is his liver; and green is his gall (bile). • In addition to forestry and earthmoving, Wik Projects supports Indigenous-run fishing and wetland charters on Cape York Peninsula.

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specialreport

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd, which has operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, eclipses this 3.1 per cent figure with an Indigenous workforce close to 13 per cent of its total. This is due, in large part, to its Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC), which has been operating in the Pilbara since 2006. With a vision to change the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through employment, Fortescue Metals guarantees a job once training with VTEC is successfully completed, but the strength of the organisation is its support strategies designed to keep people employed. “We don’t just lecture. We look at each person’s situation and address the work barriers in a holistic way,” says Fortescue Metals’ VTEC development manager, Damien Ardagh. “Alongside training we

have support systems for health, transport, work history, family and accommodation. For example, if someone doesn’t have a driver’s licence, we have a special program to facilitate them obtaining one.” Such is the success of VTEC that the federal government has recently announced funding of $45 million, which will see the program expand into another 25 areas, working not only with Fortescue Metals but with other mining companies nationwide. Whether employed directly by mining companies or working for contracted services, the role of Aboriginal peoples within the Australian mining industry is an important and ongoing one. There may still be challenges to face, but with proactive and progressive organisations such as Wik Projects and Fortescue Metals, the future offers much promise.

“We don’t just lecture. We look at each person’s situation and address the work barriers in a holistic way.” COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITIES Last year’s atWork Indigenous Employee of the Year, Morris Corporation, has awarded a two-year contract to provide transport services to its Western Australian mining hospitality business to a joint venture between Sadleirs Nexus Logistics and indigenousowned company MIB Transport. The choice was made not only because of the quality of services offered, but also because it fitted perfectly with Morris Corp’s commitment to improving the lives and opportunities for Indigenous Australians through employment, training, mentoring and engagement. “We went with Sadleirs / MIB because of sound freight and logistics knowledge, excellent facilities and infrastructure with a professional team. To cap this off, the new indigenous partnership will contribute to the betterment of MIB [Martidja Banyjima] people,” said Morris CEO, Rodney Molla. This commitment is further reflected in Morris Corporation’s ‘Track to Triumph’ program, which starts with a week of preemployment preparation for living and working in remote areas. Week two is paid training, with a Certificate II qualification plus hands on experience, and culminates in an offer of employment. Morris Corporation has found that this not only provides a clear and simple pathway to employment, but also high staff retention rates of over 70 per cent, encouraging local Indigenous communities to enter into fulltime work. For more information, visit morriscorp.com.au

Above: Les Marsh, at one of Wik Projects’ sites. Wik Projects is an organisation that supports the Aurukun community on the western side of Cape York Peninsula.

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downdeep

Super Pit Gold Mine, Kalgoorlie ORIGINALLY known as ‘The Golden Mile’, the Super Pit was once a series of smaller gold mines run by different companies. In the ’80s, wealthy businessman and entrepreneur Alan Bond sniffed an opportunity and started buying up the leases on all of the mines in an attempt to streamline operations and cut costs by turning them into one massive gold mine. He didn’t quite succeed, however in 1989, the entire area was combined into one lease and Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines Pty Ltd (KCGM) was formed to manage the Super Pit. Stretching 3.8 kilometres in length and 1.5 kilometres wide, the pit – which is Australia’s largest open cut gold mine – is 600 metres deep. Unsurprisingly, output is on a similarly grand scale, with 800,000 ounces of gold being dug up each year on a roster that ensures the pit is being mined 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Originally known as ‘The Golden Mile’, the Super Pit was once a series of smaller gold mines run by different companies.

miningreview

SOUTH AUSTRALIA IS HEADING ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ AS COPPER PRODUCTION RAMPS UP AND A HOST OF JUNIOR EXPLORERS JOSTLE FOR THE NEXT BIG FIND.

Image courtesy of Arrium Mining and Materials

WORDS: DARREN BAGULEY

miningreview

n the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area approximately bounded by the towns of Wallaroo, Kadina and Moonta, in the north of South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, became known as the Copper Triangle. Copper mined there was a significant source of economic prosperity for the state, and at its peak it produced one-third of the world’s copper. While expansion plans for Australia’s biggest copper mine, BHP’s massive Olympic Dam, have been mothballed, a host of junior miners believe the state still has the potential to return to its glory days as one of the world’s largest copper producers – and they are exploring. And it’s not just copper. Where there’s copper there’s also gold, silver, uranium and iron ore, although iron ore deposits are mostly the lower-grade magnetite rather than hematite. Other, more speculative minerals include mineral sands (zircon), kaolin and graphite. Nevertheless, all projects in South Australia are suffering from a post-GFC rush to high-yielding stocks rather than those with potential for capital growth, according to the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy’s (SACOME) chief executive, Jason Kuchel. While South Australia’s other major copper producers – OZ Minerals’ Prominent Hill and Hillgrove’s Kanmantoo – are producing well while forging ahead with exploration to further prove the existing resources, there are more projects at various stages of development and a large number of copper prospectors working in the state, according to Kuchel. This view is echoed by Rex Minerals’ managing director and CEO, Mark Parry. “There’s a lot of South Australia that hasn’t been explored with modern mining techniques and most of the new players are focused on iron ore, copper and base metals using new and different techniques,” he says. Rex Minerals’ Hillside Project deposit is one of Australia’s largest copper

Fast fact • According to the Geoscience Australia report – ‘Australia’s Mineral Resource Assessment 2013’, mineral exploration investment fell in every state except Tasmania in 2012–13, with South Australia seeing a decline of 30 per cent to $230.4 million.

discoveries over the past decade, with a mineral resource estimate (June 2013) of 337Mt at 0.6 per cent copper, 0.14g/t gold and 15.7 per cent iron, for a copper equivalent (CuEq) grade of 0.9 per cent. This equates to 2Mt of copper, 1.5Moz of gold and 54Mt of iron ore. With the mine not yet in production, Rex Minerals successfully raised $11.2 million (before costs) in March 2014 with a share issue, and will be issuing a second tranche of shares later in the year (subject to approval at its AGM). Adelaide Resources’ Moonta CopperGold Project also looks highly promising. Recent air core drilling samples from its Image courtesy of SACOME

A group of workers examining core on the Eyre Peninsula (Eyre Iron).

“There’s a lot of South Australia that hasn’t been explored with modern mining techniques and most of the new players are focused on iron ore, copper and base metals using new and different techniques.”

If 36

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Grow through life.

miningreview Image courtesy of Arrium Mining and Materials

Arrium Mining and Materials is an exporter of hematite iron ore and has mines located in the Middleback Ranges of South Australia and northern South Australia.

3.5-kilometre-long flagship Alford West copper prospect, north-east of Wallaroo, have yielded, at much shallower depths, copper and gold grades comparable to early prospecting at deposits such as Olympic Dam and Prominent Hill. Havilah Resources is working on several copper-gold projects in the Curnamona Craton region. Its Portia gold and Kalkaroo copper-gold resource is the most advanced to date. In the southern Gawler Craton on the Eyre Peninsula, Investigator Resources’ Paris silver deposit is shaping up to be a significant maiden resource. Much of the mineralisation appears to be 75 metres below the surface with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.9Mt at 110g/t silver and 0.6 per cent lead (at 30g/t Ag cut-off) for 20Moz silver and a credit of 38kt lead. If exploration continues to yield similar results, it’s possible that an entirely new ‘hotspot’ may be ripe for development. Although Western Australia and the Pilbara get all the attention, the Eyre Peninsula is shaping up to be an iron ore area of significant activity. While South Australia has just two iron ore producers – Arrium Mining (formerly OneSteel) and IMX Resources – three of the state’s projects closest to producing are

all situated on the peninsula: IronClad’s Wilcherry Hill, Centex/Eyre Iron’s Fusion, and Iron Road’s Central Eyre Iron Project (CEIP). When Iron Road upped its estimate last year to 3.7 billion tonnes, the CEIP became the largest magnetite resource in Australia, placing it among the world’s top 20 magnetite projects. According to SACOME’s Kuchel, if three or four of the iron ore mines currently under development were producing at full capacity at an ore price of $100 per tonne, an extra $2 billion per year would be added to South Australia’s GDP. The main factors retarding this growth, Kuchel believes, are investor conservatism and the lack of a capesize-capable deep-water port in South Australia. While companies such as IMX Resources and OZ Minerals have deployed innovative measures such as

rotainer (rotating containers) loading, SACOME has calculated the cost of building such a facility at Port Bonython would come in at about $700 million. “That’s relatively cheap for such a facility and, geographically, it would serve reasonably well most of the new producers likely to come onstream,” says Kuchel. SACOME believes such an investment is unlikely until the investment environment for junior miners improves. To this end, it has been lobbying for a federal minerals exploration tax credit (METC) scheme to boost sagging exploration investment in the mining sector. An METC would enable Australian junior minerals exploration companies with no taxable income to voluntarily pass current losses on to Australian resident shareholders in the form of a tax credit.

Fast fact • Many people in Wallaroo, Kadina and Moonta are of Cornish descent and the area is nicknamed ‘Little Cornwall’. In oddnumbered years the three towns host Kernewek Lowender, claimed to be the world’s largest Cornish festival.

spotlight

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ WITH DRIVERLESS VEHICLES, IMPROVED SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HAULAGE SOLUTIONS, MINING TRUCKS HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE DAYS OF PICKS AND PIT PONIES. WORDS: KRIS MADDEN

spotlight

When the

Australian mining industry began in the early 1800s, material in coal boxes was backbreakingly pulled manually by miners from the shaft to the surface, and ships were loaded by basket. Women and children also slaved away in the mines at this time; but from the mid-19th century, new laws prohibited them from doing so and they were replaced by pit ponies. The miners often formed close bonds with their trusty and industrious little companions, which worked in the mines into the twentieth century. Pit ponies were still in use in New South Wales’ Muswellbrook mine up until 1965. Of course, rail also played an important part in those early days – but that’s a whole other story.

The wheels start turning The dawn of mechanical haulage gave the mining industry a great spur-along and the ponies eventually got the boot. The birth of the rubber tyre and diesel engine industries trounced many previous haulage and transport challenges and revolutionised the logistics chain of surface mining. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Ohio-based company Euclid was synonymous with off-road haul trucks and earthmoving equipment. These giants roamed strip mines and quarries worldwide.

Euclid was the first to commercialise the now ubiquitous articulated rubber-tyred loader, which is the mainstay of many of today’s heavy equipment manufacturers. Euclid trucks remain in use in some mines around the world, including in Australia. The Hitachi Construction Machinery Co Ltd bought Euclid outright in 2000, to fill what the Japanese company perceived as a gap in being able to offer a complete mining package – that completed its existing equipment. The Euclid name was finally phased out in 2004, ending 80 years of great trucking history.

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spotlight

Smart trucks Komatsu was the first manufacturer to commercialise autonomous haulage systems for mining. Each unmanned dump truck has vehicle controllers, high-precision GPS systems, an obstacle detection system and a wireless network that integrates with the dozers, loaders and shovels. Artificial intelligence learns the mine’s layout, how to avoid obstacles, and how to ferry loads from loading face to dump, with the least wear, delay and use of fuel.

The most sciencefiction-like trend in trucks is driverless vehicles and artificial intelligence. Caterpillar, which claims the title of the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, produced its first off-highway construction and mining truck in 1963. In the 1980s, Caterpillar made the decision to dominate the worldwide mining sector, introducing its first mining production machine, the 785, in 1984. It still hauls phosphate in Idaho’s Smoky Canyon Mine today. According to Michael Coulson’s book, The History of Mining, Caterpillar’s huge haul trucks and Euclid’s excavators transformed open pit mining. Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit would have been impossible without the machines available today.

What’s next? It seems bigger is always better. Switzerland-based manufacturer Liebherr, which was founded in 1949, says its latest diesel-electric mining trucks are designed to handle payloads of up to 400 US tons (363 tonnes). Liebherr is rightly proud of its T 282 C mining truck, which combines a high-horsepower diesel engine with an efficient AC drive system. Greg Smith, group engineering manager, international operations, mining support group for Hitachi, says AC drive technology is the most significant advancement in rigid dump truck design in the past 20 years. “The improvements in productivity, reliability and safety that are now incorporated into the large mining truck range because of technological developments is a huge leap forward in our industry,” said Smith in a statement. The most science-fiction-like trend in trucks is driverless vehicles and artificial intelligence. Yes, just as the trucks did away with the ponies, they’re now ditching their drivers (with the exception of remote operators, of course). The past few years have seen autonomous vehicles introduced at sites including Rio Tinto’s Remote Operations

d y

spotlight

Centre (ROC), BHP’s Integrated Remote Operations Centre (IROC) and Fortescue’s Solomon Hub, among others. “Automation of trucks is providing a huge leap forward in terms of safety and productivity,” said Smith. “Hitachi is well down the path of this exact direction, and the demand from the industry to develop functional and efficient autonomous fleets is clear.” German manufacturer European Truck Factory (ETF) says it has rewritten the playbook on haul truck design, integrating the payload advantages of a rigid machine with the all-wheel-drive, all-wheelsteering manoeuvrability of articulated trucks. ETF says it’s the first significant change in rigid haul truck design in 60 years and, indeed, its designs do look like they’re straight from a Star Wars set. “About nine years ago, we started development of our new concept of mining trucks that could operate under the most demanding conditions. ETF has re-redefined the vision of mining trucks and incorporated features that provide overall

“Automation of trucks is providing a huge leap forward in terms of safety and productivity.”

The world’s biggest truck Belarus-based company BelAZ, which claims it sells every third mining dump truck in the world, began production in the ’50s. Last year, the company unveiled its latest model, the 75710 dump truck, which has

vehicle efficiency, as well as being the kindest to the environment in their class,” says ETF’s CEO, Eddy de Jongh. “Technical innovation is, and will continue to be, the driving force behind developments in large mobile mining equipment,” says de Jongh. “But what is today defined as the new age of truck design may be outdated by the next innovation.” Let the big wheels keep on turning.

a payload of 450 tonnes, making it the world’s largest mining truck. BelAZ says the new truck is able to carry an empty BelAZ 360-tonne and 240-tonne truck – the equivalent of two and a half jumbo jets.

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Sandvik opens new High Productivity Centre in Orange andvik has opened a major new repair, rebuild and support centre in Orange, NSW, designed to deliver industry-leading levels of environmental, health and safety performance and services to mining operations throughout the state’s Central West. Its new Orange High Productivity Centre, incorporates a modern, high-tech repair and rebuild facility, including a paint booth, along with a large warehouse operation – all purpose-built to help it better serve the needs of mines in the region, and improve safety performance in line with its customer’s stated goals. It will also service equipment for customers from outside the region. According to Jim Tolley, Sandvik Mining’s Vice President, Sales Area Australia, the new facility is the latest example of the company’s focus on service and support for its customers throughout Australia. “Our Orange High Productivity Centre, as one of four of these centres nationally, will set new standards for safety and environmental performance, service efficiency and turnaround times for our Central West customers. “It has been designed with one purpose: to align with our customer’s goals and boost the productivity of our customers,” he said. “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 – and to achieve that, nearly 75% of our staff worldwide are dedicated to customer support.” Tolley said the company’s new centre was the latest example of this philosophy. “Employing 40 people, it incorporates a

“Sandvik’s service benchmarks are to ensure that our customers’ equipment remains safe and fully productive.” state-of-the-art workshop and a warehouse, each of which are larger than our entire previous facility in Orange – and because of our standardised processes and readily available spare parts, we can provide rapid and cost-efficient repairs. “This includes the ability to rebuild equipment to as-new condition, to Sandvik’s OEM specifications and standards, and with full factory warranty,” he said. Complementing Sandvik’s new rebuild facilities at Orange is a fleet of mobile service vehicles crewed by a fully trained field service team with the skills and experience to handle a wide range of requirements. The field service coverage extends to Cobar and Broken Hill through the dedicated field service centres located in those key mining locations.

“Our field service technicians can also carry out machine inspections, advise on operational and maintenance practices, and assist customer technicians,” Tolley said. In addition to its service and support capabilities, Sandvik’s new Orange High Productivity Centre will serve as its regional warehouse for the entire NSW Central West. “In most cases, we can now provide immediate replacement of parts and components for all types of Sandvik equipment used in this region,” Tolley said. “Combining our industry-standard service workshop, greatly expanded warehouse capacity and our extended field service capabilities gives us the ability to deliver reduced downtime and increased productivity for our customers.” 53

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discovery

Kalgoorlie

New mineral discovered in Western Australia A new mineral has been found at Lake Cowan on Western Australia’s Polar Bear Peninsula.

The mineral was called Putnisite after mineralogists Andrew and Christine Putnis. Miners had been looking for nickel and gold in the Lake Cowan area when they came across the mineral, which appears as tiny dark-pink semi-cubic crystals on a dark-green and white rock. It is relatively soft, so it’s not yet clear what it could be used for. The Putnisite crystal in the photograph above is from the Armstrong Mine, Widgiemooltha, Western Australia, where it has also been found. In Australian Popular Science, Peter Elliott, the co-author of a study describing the new substance and a researcher at the South Australian Museum and the University of Adelaide, said: “Most minerals belong to a family or small group of related minerals, or if they aren’t related to other minerals they often are to a synthetic compound, but Putnisite is completely unique and unrelated to anything.” Putnisite occurs as tiny crystals no bigger than half a millimetre in diameter and combines the elements strontium, calcium, chromium, sulphur, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, which is a very unusual combination, explained the University of Adelaide in a release on its website.

Lake Yindarlgoodoo

Lake Lefroy

First discovered here

Lake Cowan

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Putnisite Formula: SrCa4Cr83+(CO3)8SO4(OH)16·25H2O Right: The crystal structure of putnisite. Srф10 polyhedra are purple; Caф8 polyhedra are blue; Crф6 octahedra are red; CO3 triangles are green; SO4 tetrahedra are yellow; H2O molecules are large grey spheres; hydrogen atoms are small grey spheres. Far right: Coordination of the Sr site in the structure of Putnisite.

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Spotlight on opals

• A matrix opal (pictured) – is one where the opal is found in between grains or pores of its host rock. Andamooka in South Australia is a major producer of matrix opal along with crystal and black opals.

• Opals are Australia’s national gemstone and we produce 97 per cent of the world’s supply. South Australia alone mines around 80 per cent of the world’s opals.

Opal facts • The world’s largest and most valuable opal – ‘Olympic Australis’ – was found in Coober Pedy in 1956. • Opals come in many different types: black, white, crystal and jelly opals are just some. The internal structure of opal makes it diffract light, giving it its unique colour-changing characteristics. • Opals can contain every colour of the spectrum, and can also be clear. White and green are most common, while red and black are the rarest.

• The word opal was believed to have come from the Roman term ‘opalus’, which came from the Greek word ‘opallios’ meaning ‘to see a change of colour’. However most modern references suggest it actually comes from the ancient Sanskrit word ‘úpala’, which translates to ‘precious stone’. • Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales is famous for its black opals. In 2008, the black opal was named as New South Wales’ gemstone emblem.

Opals in folklore • In the Middle Ages, opals were believed to bring good luck. It was thought opals had all the virtues of each gemstone whose colour was reflected in the opal. In those days, it was also thought that you could become invisible if you wrapped an opal in a fresh bay leaf and held it in your hand. • In 1829, after Sir Walter Scott’s Anne of Geierstein was published, opals became associated with bad luck and death because one of the characters in the novel dies after holy water falls on her opal. This caused sales of opals to drop by 50 per cent throughout Europe.

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LONG-HAUL TRAVEL LONG-DISTANCE TRUCKING IS AN UNUSUAL CHOICE OF JOB FOR A WORKING HOLIDAY-MAKER. MEET ONE GUY WHO TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE – AND VISITED MANY A MINE ALONG THE WAY. WORDS: RICHARD ASHER

SOMETIMES, while trying not

to fall asleep at the wheel at 4am in the middle of the Northern Territory, I would question why I hadn’t just followed the herd and copied the other gap year folk. In these dark moments I had to remind myself why I’d chosen to become an outback truckie: the delightful efficiency of getting paid to see Oz, and achieving a silly goal I’d set myself as a teenager.  How had I even got this far? Well, I passed my licence before leaving the United Kingdom, so I’d be ready to roll when I arrived in Australia. And, to cut a long story short, I was legal to drive rigids for three months. When I first started job-hunting in Perth, though, I felt nothing but despair and rage. Every advert demanded experience. How was I supposed to get that? Then a truckie I’d gotten to know saved the day: “Try hot shots, mate. They’re always short of drivers.” A hot shot company, he explained, specialises in emergency deliveries. It doesn’t do scheduled runs; it simply responds to drop-everything-andsend-it-now calls by dispatching a

two-driver truck. One that doesn’t stop, in other words.   My trucker buddy proved to be spot-on. They practically offered me a job over the phone. And it was too good to be true. I’d be driving unimaginably long distances anywhere across the continent, passing endearing one-pump desert settlements, while racking up mileage that would make your brain pop.

Pretty much every trip, it turned out, involved hauling something to a mine site. I never grasped what those somethings were. But the recipients did … sometimes. Often, they were delirious to receive their thing. But some were strangely underwhelmed, even surprised, to hear that someone had put in a panicked phone call the day before.

Richard funded his travels by working as a truck driver.

DENTSU00016

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FAST FACTS

My routine went something like this: a co-driver and I would assemble at the yard in Kewdale, grab our instructions and head to a depot. Think Halliburton in Jandakot or WesTrac in Hazelmere. At the place of pick-up, I would try to look useful by fumbling hopelessly with ratchet straps (we writers don’t gel with them) before my co-driver did it properly. And then we’d be off. This being the age of workplace health and safety, it was important to arrive at the mine site (which could be anywhere from Cloncurry to Karratha) correctly kitted. Long trousers, sleeves, steelcaps – none of which you want to be wearing on the Great Northern Highway in January. Hence, the open-air changing ritual that I’d go through just before the mine came into view. If ever you see a truck pulled over just short of a site entrance, and see a man in underwear duck behind the cab, it’s likely you didn’t dream it.   Still, I never knew if I’d be allowed to join my co-driver inside. I didn’t have a hi-vis uniform, and not many knew what to make of my jeans and safari shirt. I frequently forgot my hard hat. Access depended, really, on who was on the gatehouse and how important they considered themselves. Mount Keith was the sort of place where they’d wave you in without a worry. Another Western Australian mine, Telfer, is so remote that the notion of them falling under anybody’s jurisdiction at all is faintly ridiculous. They know it, too. Sometimes it wasn’t uniform strife that kept me at the gates – 3am wasn’t a good time to arrive

at deserted Jimblebar. Once, we arrived at Brockman to find the internal roads had been rained on, apparently impassable. We sat outside the gatehouse for an entire afternoon, keeping a beady eye on the racehorse-sized goanna lurking in the car park.   I still can’t comprehend why, when most mining is in the Pilbara, equipment gets trucked 1000-plus kilometres up from Perth, where there’s no mining. If I had a depot, I’d put mine in Port Hedland. However, some places are equally far from everywhere – like the exploratory rig we visited beyond Innamincka on South Australia’s Cordillo Downs Road. For that run we hauled some pipes across the Nullarbor, hung a left and drove for about another day and a half on corrugations so bad I feared my eyeballs might fall out. Epic, though, and enough to warrant a night’s sleep in camp. Never has the sight of a bed been so welcome. Ditto the plate of pork chops and veggies. Apparently, night shift staff tried the pipes while we slept, only to conclude they didn’t fit. So they sent them back to Perth with us. But not before adding some pallets to drop off in Adelaide. Which may look like it’s ‘on the way’ on a map of Australia, but it really isn’t. Insomnia was not a problem we faced on our return run. I look back on those experiences with fonder feelings than I may have had at the time. But I wouldn’t have had my working holiday any other way. My security induction pass from Mt Whaleback still sits proudly at the top of my souvenir pile.

I still can’t comprehend why, when most mining is in the Pilbara, equipment gets trucked 1000-plus kilometres up from Perth, where there’s no mining.

Hot shot drivers can earn as little as 20 cents per kilometre. That makes a Perth–Newman–Perth run worth $478 before tax – or $18 per hour for the run, typically 26 hours at short notice. Road trains are limited to two trailers between Perth and Wubin, 280 kilometres up the Great Northern Highway. Third trailers, often brought up to Wubin by drivers known as ‘dog runners’, are attached there for the run north.

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TAX TIME: THE RULE OF THREE Kevin Lee is not an accountant, but as a seasoned property investor he knows that many investors dread tax time. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here are his

three simple steps for avoiding tax time troubles. WITH ONLY a few weeks

KEVIN LEE

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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

to go before June 30, property investors should be preparing their tax records now to avoid any stress. Most investors can recall their rent and purchase price at the drop of a hat, but few know each property’s rates, interest payments, repairs and maintenance costs. Property investors tend to make the most of the tax laws in Australia – especially the 72.8 per cent of property investors who are fans of negative gearing. (Tip: negative gearing was invented to make a poor investment look better. It’s not a strategy I would recommend for most people and it’s not a sensible long-term investment option. On the other hand, positively geared investors, you’re looking forward to some extra cash that can be put back into improving your property or paid towards your loan.) Unfortunately, though, when it comes to tax, even savvy investors can lose out by not organising their records throughout the year. To

prepare for the end of the financial year and tax time, investors will benefit from doing the following three things.

1. Know your tax obligations and claimable expenses Do your research, which may involve calling your accountant or the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Find out everything you need to know about your tax obligations and claimable expenses. Why? So you can file your records in a manner that makes it easy to comply, and so you have a simple method of record keeping. This will help you keep only what you need and will save you time, as you won’t have to dig through mounds of paperwork to find a document or receipt. Depreciation is a key component for most savvy investors, helping to improve their portfolio’s overall performance. Last year there was a change to the laws governing depreciation

claims, which means investors can only backdate for missed claims over the past two years, not four years as before. It’s even more crucial now to chase up any outstanding depreciation issues before the ATO blocks you from making these claims in the future. Your accountant is issued with depreciation guidelines from the ATO. To get the maximum allowable deductions, ensure you have a reputable depreciation report or tax depreciation schedule. A surveyor will be able to provide a detailed depreciation schedule/report, including renovations you may not know about, which may still qualify for a significant deduction. If your property is in a strata complex, you may be able to make a depreciation claim for a portion of the value of items in common areas, such as carpets and furniture in the foyer. Visit depreciator.com.au for an ATO-compliant tax depreciation schedule.

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2. Organise your records The law says you’re required to keep your receipts and paperwork for up to five years as proof for taxation audits or investigations. When sorting out your records, having a system is important. It may be time to ditch the trusty ol’ shoebox and embrace technology, including cloud hosting. If you’re not confident using technology, at least make a handwritten note of transactions in a financial diary or enter the data into an Excel spreadsheet. One of the best tools I’ve seen for staying organised is an iPhone app called Shoeboxed (shoeboxed. com.au). It organises your receipts, invoices and other documents online, improving storage of your investment property records. Using Shoeboxed for data storage may save you money on your accounting bill, as the data can be uploaded without manually entering it.

While you’re required to keep printed receipts and/or digital copies, recording your expenses in an Excel spreadsheet will help you clarify where your money is being spent and how much you need to budget for next year. Make a habit of entering receipts and expenses into an Excel spreadsheet or Shoeboxed on a regular basis – that way you won’t have to spend hours doing it at crunch time. Investors with multiple properties will find things a little more complex and it’s easy to let the details slip past. To stay on top of your tax-related record keeping, keep a different file or spreadsheet for each property and keep your records for each one separate. Take the time to ensure this is done to the highest standard and you’ll reap the benefits at tax time. My accountant says you need to keep these records: • receipts for legal fees paid • a copy of the contract and

settlement advice to verify the purchase price • receipts for all capital expenses • receipts for pest and building inspections • receipts for agent, body corporate and advertising fees • receipts for building maintenance and repairs • copies of landlord, building and other property-related insurance policies • receipts for cleaning and pest control • copies of council rates, water, electricity and gas charges • copies of strata levy notices • records of any loan fees • loan statements for interest payments • records of travel to and from the property • receipts for accommodation and meals (if your property is interstate) • copies of land tax notices • quantity surveyor’s report/ depreciation schedule • receipts for renovation and repairs. Tips for managing paperwork: • Streamline it. Create a system that streamlines how you receive and store records. Ask for electronic copies of receipts and statements. Input data into your spreadsheet or diary as soon as possible. Instead of weekly reports, ask for annual reports or statements. • Duplicate it. It’s crucial to keep a backup of your records. This will minimise the risk of losing your originals. • Scan it. Scan hard copies and save electronic files to an online cloud hosting system or external hard drive. Don’t rely on other people

One of the best tools I’ve seen for staying organised is an iPhone app called Shoeboxed. It organises your receipts, invoices and other documents online, improving storage of your records.

– your records are your responsibility. Chase them up and don’t leave it until it’s too late. Ensure the receipts you receive are clear and legible and have all the required information from the issuing party: date, total amount, GST charges, ABN and the words ‘Tax Invoice’. It’s smart to use a system that enables you to regularly track received receipts and reports, leaving you with a list of what you need to chase.

3. Speak with your property and finance professionals It’s likely you have a property manager, financial planner, mortgage broker and/or accountant, so make use of them. Ask your property manager to produce an annual rent statement, as well as the regular monthly version. Find out when your next rent review is, and compare the results with other properties in the area. It’s also good to have your property valued. If your insurance policies have been organised through a financial planner, it’s crucial to speak with them about preparing for tax time, as they may be able to point out details that you have forgotten or missed. This would also be a good time to discuss any changes or expected changes to your investments. Your property finance should be reviewed as often as possible. Speak with your mortgage broker or adviser about what’s on offer in terms of a better deal or interest rate. Banks won’t seek you out – it’s up to you to ask. Well ahead of time, speak with your accountant about where you’re at regarding this year’s tax situation and develop a clear understanding of the process. That way you can better prepare for tax time next year, and it will cease to become a time of year that you dread. 65

Property investment made easy!!! Coomera Grand - Gold Coast Located in the northern Gold Coast suburb of Upper Coomera, Coomera Grand offers affordable house & land packages situated in one of the fastest growing areas in South East Queensland

Houses on the outside - two rentals on the inside The Dual Living property is a revolutionary product that fundamentally boosts the yield and cashflow available from an investment property, changing a negative gearing outlook to one that is positively geared. From the streetfront it presents as a high-quality single residential home. It’s when you look at the floor plan that the revolutionary design becomes clear. What appears to be one dwelling on the outside is in fact two dwellings on the inside, producing two incomes. The fundamentals of this exceptional dual income property type include:

· Positive cashflow from the very first monthly rental payment for most investors · This means that for most investors, the property should be positively geared · Low outgoings - no strata fees, low council rates and water rates, which maximises yields & cashflows · Average investors who are able to borrow 100% will have more net income than previously after all costs are paid · Money in your pocket each week than you would have, if you didn’t own this property · Expected rents are $620.00 per week or more, instead of $400.00 - $450.00 per week · Located in high demand because they are just as affordable as the typical 4-bedroom investment house · If one of the dwellings is vacant for any period, the other will still be producing rent, minimising risk to cash flow

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Develop wealth through property with the right advice Kath Malmstedt 0418 193312 kath@mypropertyshop.com.au

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RESEARCH: EIGHT MUST-KNOW TIPS ANDREW

CROSSLEY

From Australian Property Advisory Group

Andrew Crossley is a property investment advisor and the founder of Australian Property Advisory Group. He is also the author of the #1 International Amazon Best Seller Property Investing Made Simple

What is research and due

diligence? Everyone seems to have an answer to this question. Many investors are drawn towards innuendo, media hype, and listening to friends, family, and backyard experts. The real issue, which inadvertently leads to failure, lies in not undertaking proper research. Here are eight must-know points for the where, what and when in property. This also reinforces why it is important to seek objective advice if you are time poor. 1. Research must be based on facts and figures, and reliable information – unbiased information. 2. Check the position the area is in, in its property cycle. Property cycle refers to the period of time over which

the price of a property changes by being influenced from demographic, economic, and supply and demand changes in the area. Each area may have its own cycle and be at a different stage to other areas. 3. Look at supply and demand in conjunction with population migration. This is key and is often only looked at in isolation to each other. 4. Look for infrastructure that has actually commenced or is definitely planned, rather than just proposed, as it is much more reliable in producing a tangible, lower risk, better end result. 5. The demographic – this determines the ‘what’ you should buy in the area to lower your vacancy rate risk. 6. Look at data trends – not just the current rate, but where it’s heading – along with capital growth history, vacancy rates, yields, days on market, discounting and auction clearance rates and median house prices. 7. Many people think that when a property has been on the market

for two months, nobody wants it. Maybe the vendor has been greedy. Conversely, the agent has normally signed a three-month contract to sell it, and both the vendor and agent may be more agreeable to a lower price. 8. Comparable sales and the timing of these sales is handy information to have up your sleeve and is vital to your negotiations. Research all the similar sales in the area within the past three months. In summary, narrow down the location – based on borrowing capacity and strategy – bearing in mind the basics of supply versus demand, in conjunction with population growth, and proximity to infrastructure. Also, look for a multiindustry suburb to avoid excessive risk. If you follow this process, you will dramatically reduce risk, and impact on your lifestyle – and better your future. For more information visit: australianpropetryadvisorygroup.com.au or contact andrew@austpag.com.au

Many investors are drawn towards innuendo, media hype, and listening to friends, family, and backyard experts.

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Getting rich from real estate isn’t all about ‘flipping’ – for savvy investors prepared to wait out a full property cycle, increased equity may mean never needing to sell.

BUY AND HOLD TO CREATE A PROPERTY ‘GOLDEN GOOSE’ KATH

MALMSTEDT

from Brisbane-based My Property Shop

Thirty-five years

ago, I bought my first block of residential land for $9,000; the land is now worth $300,000. Seven years later, I bought a second block, part acreage, for $35,000 that is now worth $400,000. That is $700,000 that should be in my portfolio now for me to enjoy in my later years. But I had debts at the time, so I sold them. If I’d only known then what I know now. You should always begin an investment strategy with an exit plan in mind. Without such a strategy, it’s easy to get distracted and stray from your path to systematic investing, from the vision you have for your future.

If you have the thought of selling to get out of debt – which is what I now know is not the way to grow an investment portfolio – let’s look at what would happen if instead, you’d covered your debt by rental income, and could use the equity gained to increase your investment portfolio. Let’s say you only ever buy three properties in your life. Here is a scenario: You purchase two wellchosen investment properties for $500,000 each and a family home, also for $500,000; hence the total value of your property holdings is $1,500,000. To make it simple, assume your total loan amount is also $1,500,000. Remember that tax breaks and rental income will help you fund most of these loan repayments. And we have already ascertained that, typically, well-chosen property will double in value every seven to 10 years. So when you hold investment property through a complete cycle, you become debt-free if you then sell it. If, instead, you use the equity (what I call ‘lazy money’) as the means to invest in

another property of the same value as that of your first one, you duplicate your investment portfolio for another life cycle. It’s important to remember that for this strategy to pay off, you need to spend time and effort searching for a sound property in a good location that will increase in value and generate passive, tax-deductible income as it does so – in other words, a well chosen property to invest in. If you’re not sure of how to go about this, seek the help of an expert. Though it’s not yet as common here as it is in the United States, employing a real estate expert as a ‘buyer’s agent’ can save you time, money and stress – and help you accumulate wealth down the track. Someone with long-term, comprehensive knowledge of property markets and their

fluctuations, of booming and stagnant localities, or what buyers and tenants want, is critical. They should also be able to understand your needs and requirements and within those parameters, be able to find suitable properties with long-term investment potential, access early and off-market property listings, and possess smart negotiation skills that can be an invaluable aid in your quest for solid investment property. Kath Malmstedt brings a wealth of experience in real estate markets nationally, sound knowledge of property investment, a broad contact base and well-honed interpersonal skills to her work, which includes sourcing suitable investment properties, including off-market listings, for clients across Australia and internationally.

Though it’s not yet as common here as it is in the US, employing a real estate expert as a ‘buyer’s agent’ can save you time, money and stress – and help you accumulate substantial wealth down the track.

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EXPERTS ARE SAYING BRISBANE IS THE NEXT MARKET TO MOVE

So how do you find a good location? Here are some tips:

Avoid getting caught up in the hotspot hype. Look for areas that will deliver sound and safe returns over the long term, we recommend a ‘buy and hold’ strategy.

Keep your options open. At all times in the property cycle there will be areas that may be better suited to different investors. Question your thoughts on where you’re considering buying and base your decision on factors such as cash flow needs, risk threshold, ability to add value through renovation. If you’re already a Brisbane resident, a property close to where you live might seem logical but formulating a strategy is a better first step.

Look for buyer demand. How long are properties on the market? What’s the capital growth trend in the suburb? Can you see signs of owners investing in their properties? Demographics of Brisbane suburbs move in cycles. Are young families replacing mature-aged couples that no longer require a family-size home?

Consider factors that will attract good long-term tenants. What’s happening in the area? Buying on the Brisbane city fringe is certainly desirable however there are many areas with business hubs that create employment opportunities. Planned infrastructure projects means area growth. People like to live within a reasonable commute to work and have good access to public transport. Close proximity to schools is another big tick. BUYER’S AGENT

STRATEGISTS

You’re able to do some of this legwork yourself although it’s recommended to also obtain the views and advice of Brisbanebased professionals working within the industry. The internet can provide copious amounts of research and information but is it the information you need, and is it correct, accurate and up-to-date? It’s difficult to beat information gathered from people with their feet on the ground. A lot of serious investors use buyers’ agents because they act solely on their behalf. Hot Property Specialist Buyers Agency is Brisbane-based, which allows us to provide comprehensive analysis of a spread of Brisbane locations. We value being put to the test, answering questions to ensure your investment matches your buying criteria. We can’t afford dissatisfied customers because our business relies on referrals. If you’re in the market please call or email us, first contact is obligation-free. We can discuss what you’re looking for in a property. We may already have a location that’s right for you. 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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