Best of Australia intro vol 1

BEST OF

AUSTRALIA

Volume 1

AUSTRALIA

Chapter 1

BEST OF

8 – 69

Best of Australia

92 – 103

Fine Dining and Nightlife

Chapter 3

Chapter 2

70 – 91

Hotels

Best of Australia

ChapterS Best of Australia

Health and Beauty

Chapter 5

Chapter 4

120 – 135

104 – 119

Fashion

144 – 159

Corporate Profiles

Chapter 7

Chapter 6

136 – 143

Design and Interior

Best of Australia

Chapter 1 Best of Australia

Best of Australia

Best of Australia

Australian Facts and Figures

Essential Australian Information

Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II. Governor-General: Michael Jeffery.

Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Anglican 21%, other Christian 21%, Buddhist 2%, Islam 2%, other 1%, none 15%.

Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd.

Literacy rate: 100%.

Land area: 2,941,283 sq mi (7,617,931 sq km); total area: 2,967,893 sq mi (7,686,850 sq km).

Economic summary: • GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $642.1 billion; per capita $32,000.

• Real growth rate: 2.6%.

• Inflation: 2.7%.

• Unemployment: 5.2%.

• Arable land: 6.15%.

• Agriculture: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry.

• Labor force: 10.42 million; agriculture 3.6%, industry 21.2%, services 75.2% (2004 est.).

• Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel.

• Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum.

• Exports: $103 billion (2005 est.): coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment.

Population (2007 est.): 20,434,176 (growth rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 12.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.6/1000; life expectancy: 80.6; density per sq mi: 7.

Capital: Canberra, 327,700.

Largest cities: Sydney, 4,250,100; Melbourne, 3,610,800; Brisbane, 1,545,700; Perth, 1,375,200; Adelaide, 1,087,600.

Monetary unit: Australian dollar.

Languages: English 79%, native and other languages 21%.

Ethnicity/race: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%.

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• Imports: $119.6 billion (2005 est.): machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products.

• Major trading partners: Japan, China, U.S., South Korea, New Zealand, India, UK, Germany, Singapore (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 11.66 million (2004); mobile cellular: 16.48 million (2004). Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997). Internet hosts: 5,351,622 (2005).

Internet users: 14,189,544 (2005).

Transportation: Railways: total: 54,652 km (3,859 km electrified) (2004). Highways: total: 811,601 km; paved: 316,524 km; unpaved: 495,077 km (2002). Waterways: 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling river systems) (2002). Ports and harbors: Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney. Airports: 450 (2005).

Geography The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

Government Democracy. Symbolic executive power is vested in the British monarch, who is represented throughout Australia by the governor-general.

History The first inhabitants of Australia were the Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. There may have been between a half million to a full million Aborigines at the time of European settlement; today about 350,000 live in Australia.

Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish ships sighted Australia in the 17th century; the Dutch landed at the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606.

In 1616 the territory became known as New Holland. The British arrived in 1688, but it was not until Captain James Cook’s voyage in 1770 that Great Britain claimed possession of the vast island, calling it New South Wales. A British penal colony was set up at Port Jackson (what is now Sydney) in 1788, and about 161,000 transported English convicts were settled there until the system was suspended in 1839.

Free settlers and former prisoners established six colonies: New South Wales (1786), Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land)

(1825), Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1834), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859).

Various gold rushes attracted settlers, as did the mining of other minerals. Sheep farming and grain soon grew into important economic enterprises. The six colonies became states and in 1901 federated into the Commonwealth of Australia with a constitution that incorporated British parliamentary and U.S. federal traditions. Australia became known for its liberal legislation: free compulsory education, protected trade unionism with industrial conciliation and arbitration, the secret ballot, women’s suffrage, maternity allowances, and sickness and old-age pensions.

Australia fought alongside Britain in World War I, notably with the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) in the Dardanelles campaign (1915). Participation in World War II brought Australia closer to the United States. Parliamentary power in the second half of the 20th century shifted between three political parties: the Australian Labour Party, the Liberal Party, and the National Party.

Australia relaxed its discriminatory immigration laws in the 1960s and 1970s, which favored Northern Europeans.

Thereafter, about 40% of its immigrants came from Asia, diversifying a population that was predominantly of English and Irish heritage.

An Aboriginal movement grew in the 1960s that gained full citizenship and improved education for the country’s poorest socioeconomic group.

In March 1996 the opposition Liberal Party–National Party coalition easily won the national elections, removing the Labour Party after 13 years in power. Pressure from the new, conservative One Nation Party threatened to reduce the gains made by Aborigines and to limit immigration.

In September 1999, Australia led the international peacekeeping force sent to restore order in East Timor after pro-Indonesian militias began massacring civilians to thwart East Timor’s referendum on independence.

In November 1999, Australia’s 11.6 million voters rejected a referendum that would have ended Australia’s formal allegiance to the British Crown. In 2000, Prime Minister Howard instituted a new tax system, lowering income and corporate taxes, and adding sales taxes on goods and services.

John Howard won a third term in November 2001, primarily as the result of his tough policy against illegal immigration.

This policy has also brought him considerable criticism: refugees attempting to enter Australia – most of them from Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq and numbering about 5,000 annually – have been imprisoned in bleak detention camps and subjected to a lengthy immigration process.

Asylum-seekers have staged riots and hunger strikes. Howard has also dealt with refugees through the “Pacific solution,” which reroutes boat people from Australian shores to camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In 2004, however, the government began easing its policies on immigration.

Prime Minister Howard sent 2,000 Australian troops to fight alongside American and British

troops in the 2003 Iraq war, despite strong opposition among Australians.

In July 2003, Australia successfully restored order to the Solomon Islands, which had descended into lawlessness during a brutal civil war.

Australia has been the victim of two significant terrorist attacks in recent years: the 2002 Bali, Indonesia, bombings by a group with ties to al-Qaeda in which 202 died, many of whom were Australian, and the 2004 attack on the Australian embassy in Indonesia, which killed ten.

In Oct. 2004, Howard won a fourth term as prime minister. When rival security forces in East Timor began fighting each other in 2006, Australia sent 3,000 peacekeeping troops to stem the violence. Howard was defeated by the Labor Party’s Kevin Rudd in elections in November 2007. Rudd campaigned on a platform for change, and promised to focus on the environment, education, and healthcare.

Observers predict Rudd will maintain a close relationship with the United States.

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Experience Australia

Experience Australia Australia’s many and unique experiences make for a memorable, fun and exciting time.

They have excellent food and wine for you to enjoy. A red outback punctuated by stunning greens, purples and an endless blue sky. Cities that brim with vibrancy. Beaches that sparkle and invite. Rainforests that started their life thousands of years ago. Roads to be driven, paths to be walked. Unique animals to behold. And an ancient Aboriginal culture that explains how it all came about. It’s yours to explore and to enjoy.

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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the world’s smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania and a number of other islands in the Southern, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the French dependency of New Caledonia to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast.

The mainland of Australia has been inhabited for more than 42,000 years by Indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by European explorers and merchants starting in the seventeenth century, the eastern half of the mainland was claimed by the British in 1770 and officially settled through penal transportation as the colony of New South Wales on 26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were successively established over the course of the 19th century.

On 1 January 1901, the six colonies became a Federation, and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth Realm. The capital city is Canberra, located in the Australian Capital Territory. The current national population is around 20.6 million people, and is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.

The name “Australia” is derived from the Latin Australis, meaning of the South. Legends of an “unknown land of the south” (terra australis incognita) dating back to Roman times were commonplace in medieval geography, but they were not based on any actual knowledge of the continent. The Dutch adjectival form Australische was used by Dutch officials in Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south as early as 1638. The first use of the word “Australia” in the English language was a 1693 translation of Les Aventures de Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le Voyage de la Terre Australe, a 1692 French

novel by Gabriel de Foigny under the pen name Jacques Sadeur. Alexander Dalrymple then used it in An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean (1771), to refer to the entire South Pacific region. In 1793, George Shaw and Sir James Smith published Zoology and Botany of New Holland, in which they wrote of “the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or New Holland.”

The name “Australia” was popularised by the 1814 work A Voyage to Terra Australis by the navigator Matthew Flinders, who was the first recorded person to circumnavigate Australia. Despite its title, which reflected the view of the British Admiralty, Flinders used the word “Australia” in the book, which was widely read and gave the term general currency. Governor Lachlan Macquarie of New South Wales subsequently used the word in his dispatches to England. In 1817, he recommended that it be officially adopted. In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia.

History The first human habitation of Australia is estimated to have occurred between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago. The first Australians were the ancestors of the current Indigenous Australians; they arrived via land bridges and short sea-crossings from present-day Southeast Asia. Most of these people were hunter-gatherers, with a complex oral culture and spiritual values based on reverence for the land and a belief in the Dreamtime. The Torres Strait Islanders, ethnically Melanesian, inhabited the Torres Strait Islands and parts of far-north Queensland; their cultural practices are distinct from those of the Aborigines.

The first undisputed recorded European sighting of the Australian mainland was made by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon, who sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula in 1606. During the 17th century, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines of what they called New Holland, but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770, James Cook sailed along and mapped the Best of Australia

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east coast of Australia, which he named New South Wales and claimed for Britain. The expedition’s discoveries provided impetus for the establishment of a penal colony there.

The British Crown Colony of New South Wales started with the establishment of a settlement at Port Jackson by Captain Arthur Phillip on 26 January 1788. This date was later to become Australia’s national day, Australia Day. Van Diemen’s Land, now known as Tasmania, was settled in 1803 and became a separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom formally claimed the western part of Australia in 1829. Separate colonies were created from parts of New South Wales: South Australia in 1836, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859.

The Northern Territory (NT) was founded in 1911 when it was excised from the Province of South Australia. South Australia was founded as a “free province” - that is, it was never a penal colony. Victoria and Western Australia were also founded “free”, but later accepted transported convicts. The transportation of convicts to the colony of New South Wales ceased in 1848 after a campaign by the settlers.

The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at about 350,000 at the time of 14

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European settlement, declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly because of infectious disease combined with forced re-settlement and cultural disintegration. The removal of children, that some historians and Indigenous Australians have argued could be considered to constitute genocide by some definitions, may have made a contribution to the decline in the indigenous population.

Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons.

This debate is known within Australia as the History Wars. Following the 1967 referendum, the Federal government gained the power to implement policies and make laws with respect to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land - native title - was not recognised until 1992, when the High Court case Mabo v Queensland (No 2) overturned the notion of Australia as terra nullius at the time of European occupation.

A gold rush began in Australia in the early 1850s, and the Eureka Stockade rebellion against mining licence fees in 1854 was an early expression of civil disobedience. Between 1855 and 1890, the six colonies individually gained responsible government, managing most of

their own affairs while remaining part of the British Empire. The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs, defence and international shipping. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting, and the Commonwealth of Australia was born, as a Dominion of the British Empire. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was formed from New South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of Canberra (Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927).

The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia willingly participated in World War I; many Australians regard the defeat of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC’s) at Gallipoli as the birth of the nation - its first major military action. Much like Gallipoli, the Kokoda Track Campaign is regarded by many as a nation-defining battle from World War II. The Statute of Westminster 1931 formally ended most of the constitutional links between Australia and the United Kingdom when Australia adopted it in 1942. The shock of the United Kingdom’s defeat in Asia in 1942 and the threat of Japanese invasion caused Australia to turn to the United States as a new ally and protector. Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the US under the auspices of the ANZUS treaty. After World War II, Australia encouraged mass immigration from Europe; since the 1970s and the abolition of the White Australia policy, immigration from Asia and other parts of the world was also encouraged. As a result, Australia’s demography, culture and image of itself were radically transformed.

Final constitutional ties between Australia and the United Kingdom were severed in 1986 with the passing of the Australia Act 1986, ending any British role in the Australian States, Best of Australia

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Experience Australia

and ending judicial appeals to the UK Privy Council Australian voters rejected a move to become a republic in 1999 by a 55% majority.

Since the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972, there has been an increasing focus on the nation’s future as a part of the Asia-Pacific region.

Politics The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government.

Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Australia, a role that is distinct from her position as monarch of the other Commonwealth Realms. The Queen is represented by the Governor-General at Federal level and by the Governors at State level.

Although the Constitution gives extensive executive powers to the Governor-General, these are normally exercised only on the advice of the Prime Minister. The most 16

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notable exercise of the Governor-General’s reserve powers outside the Prime Minister’s direction was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in the constitutional crisis of 1975.

There are three branches of government: • The legislature: the Commonwealth Parliament, comprising the Queen, the Senate, and the House of Representatives; the Queen is represented by the GovernorGeneral, whose powers are limited to assenting to laws.

• The executive: the Federal Executive Council (the Governor-General as advised by the Executive Councilors); in practice, the councilors are the Prime Minister and Ministers of State.

• The judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts. The State courts became formally independent from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council when the Australia Act was passed in 1986.

National Party. Independent members and several minor parties - including the Greens and the Australian Democrats - have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses. Since the 1996 election, the Liberal/National Coalition led by the Prime Minister, John Howard, has been in power in Canberra. In the 2004 election, the Coalition won control of the Senate, the first time that a party (or coalition of governing parties) has done so while in government in more than 20 years. The Labor Party is in power in every state and territory. Voting is compulsory for all enrolled citizens 18 years and over in each state and territory and at the federal level.

The bicameral Commonwealth Parliament consists of the Queen, the Senate (the upper house) of 76 senators, and a House of Representatives (the lower house) of 150 members. Members of the lower house are elected from single-member constituencies, commonly known as ‘electorates’ or ‘seats’.

Seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to states on the basis of population.

In the Senate, each state, regardless of population, is represented by 12 senators, while the territories (the ACT and the NT) are each represented by two. Elections for both chambers are held every three years; typically only half of the Senate seats are put to each election, because senators have overlapping six-year terms. The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms Government, with its leader becoming Prime Minister.

There are three major political parties: the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and the

States and territories Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories.

The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The two major mainland territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. In most respects, the territories function similarly to the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation overrides state legislation only with respect to certain areas as set out in Section 51 of the Constitution; all residual legislative powers are retained by the state parliaments, including powers over hospitals, education, police, the judiciary, roads, public transport and local government.

Each state and territory has its own legislature (unicameral in the case of the Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland, and bicameral in the remaining states). The lower house is known as the Legislative Assembly (House of Assembly in South Australia and Tasmania) and the upper house is known as the Legislative Council. The heads of the governments in each state and territory are called premiers and chief ministers, respectively. The Queen is represented in each state by a governor; administrators in the

Northern Territory, and the Governor-General in the ACT, have analogous roles.

Australia also has several minor territories; the federal government administers a separate area within New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, as a naval base and sea port for the national capital. In addition Australia has the following, inhabited, external territories: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and several largely uninhabited external territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Foreign relations and the military Over recent decades, Australia’s foreign relations have been driven by a close association with the United States, through the ANZUS pact and by a desire to develop relationships with Asia and the Pacific, particularly through ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum. In 2005 Australia secured an inaugural seat at the East Asia Summit following its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, in which the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings provide the main forum for cooperation. Much of Australia’s diplomatic energy is focused on international trade liberalisation. Australia led the formation of the Cairns Group and APEC, and is a member of the OECD and the WTO. Australia has pursued several major bilateral free trade agreements, most recently the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement. Australia is a founding member of the United Nations, and maintains an international aid programme under which some 60 countries receive assistance. The 2005 - 06 budget provides A$2.5 bn for development assistance; as a percentage of GDP, this contribution is less than that of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Australia’s armed forces - the Australian Defence Force (ADF) - comprise the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, Best of Australia

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and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), numbering about 51,000. All branches of the ADF have been involved in UN and regional peacekeeping (most recently in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Sudan), disaster relief, and armed conflict, including the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. The government appoints the Chief of the Defence Force from one of the armed services; the current Chief of the Defence Force is Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. In the 2006-07 Budget, defence spending is $19.6 billion.

Geography Australia’s 7,686,850 square kilometres (2,967,909 sq. mi) landmass is on the IndoAustralian Plate. Surrounded by the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans, Australia is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor seas. Australia has a total 25,760 kilometres (16,007 mi) of coastline and claims an extensive Exclusive Economic Zone of 8,148,250 square kilometres (3,146,057 sq. mi). This exclusive economic zone does not include the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, lies a short distance off the northeast coast and extends for over 2,000 kilometres (1,250 mi). The world’s largest monolith, Mount Augustus, is located in Western Australia. At 2,228 metres (7,310 18

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ft), Mount Kosciuszko on the Great Dividing Range is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland, although Mawson Peak on the remote Australian territory of Heard Island is taller at 2,745 metres (9,006 ft).

By far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Australia is the driest inhabited continent, the flattest, and has the oldest and least fertile soils. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. The majority of the population lives along the temperate southeastern coastline. The northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, has vegetation consisting of rainforest, woodland, grassland, mangrove swamps and desert. Climate is highly influenced by ocean currents, including the El Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia.

Flora and fauna Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests.

Because of the great age and consequent low levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia’s biota is unique and diverse. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperatezone fish are endemic. Many of Australia’s ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and introduced plant and animal species. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is a legal framework used for the protection of threatened species.

Numerous protected areas have been created under the country’s Biodiversity Action Plan to protect and preserve Australia’s unique ecosystems, 64 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention, and 16 World Heritage Sites have been established. Australia was ranked thirteenth in the World on the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index.

Most Australian woody plant species are evergreen and many are adapted to fire and drought, including many eucalyptus and acacias. Australia has a rich variety of endemic legume species that thrive in nutrient-poor

soils because of their symbiosis with Rhizobia bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Well-known Australian fauna include monotremes (the platypus and echidna); a host of marsupials, including the kangaroo, koala, wombat; and birds such as the emu, and kookaburra. The dingo was introduced by Austronesian people that traded with Indigenous Australians around 4000 BCE. Many plant and animal species became extinct soon after human settlement, including the Australian megafauna; others have become extinct since European settlement, among them the Thylacine.

Economy Australia has a prosperous, Western-style mixed economy, with a per capita GDP slightly higher than the UK, Germany and France in terms of purchasing power parity. The country was ranked third in the United Nations’ 2006

Human Development Index and sixth in The Economist worldwide quality-of-life index 2005.

Traditionally, the absence of an export oriented manufacturing industry has been considered a key weakness of the Australian economy. More recently, rising prices for Australia’s commodity exports and increasing tourism has to some extent alleviated this criticism. Nevertheless, Australia has developed the world’s third largest current account deficit in absolute terms (in relative terms over 7% of GDP). This has been considered problematic by some economists, especially as it has coincided with high prices for Australia’s exports and low interest rates which keeps the cost of servicing the foreign debt unusually low.

In the 1980s, the Hawke Government started the process of economic reform by floating the Australian dollar in 1983, and deregulating the financial system. Since 1996, Best of Australia

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the Howard government has continued the process of micro-economic reform, including partial deregulation of the labour market and the privatisation of state-owned businesses, most notably in the telecommunications industry. Substantial reform of the indirect tax system was implemented in July 2000 with the introduction of a 10% Goods and Services Tax, which has slightly reduced the heavy reliance on personal and company income tax that still characterises Australia’s tax system.

As of January 2007, unemployment was 4.6% with 10,334,800 persons employed.

The service sector of the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services, comprises 69% of GDP. Agriculture and natural resources comprise 3% and 5% of GDP but contribute substantially to Australia’s export performance. Australia’s largest export markets include Japan, China, the United States, South Korea and New Zealand.

Demographics Most of the estimated 20.6 million Australians are descended from nineteenth- and twentiethcentury European settlers, the majority from Great Britain and Ireland. Australia’s population 20

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has quadrupled since the end of World War I, spurred by an ambitious immigration program.

In 2001, the five largest groups of the 23.1% of Australians who were born overseas were from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam and China. Following the abolition of the White Australia policy in 1973, numerous government initiatives have been established to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a policy of multiculturalism.

The indigenous population - mainland Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders - was 410,003 (2.2% of the total population) in 2001, a significant increase from the 1976 census, which showed an indigenous population of 115,953. Indigenous Australians have higher rates of imprisonment and unemployment, lower levels of education and life expectancies for males and females that are 17 years lower than those of other Australians.

In common with many other developed countries, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. A large number of Australians (759,849 for the period 2002 - 03) live outside their home country. Australia has maintained one

of the most active immigration programmes in the world to boost population growth. Most immigrants are skilled, but the immigration quota includes categories for family members and refugees.

English is the national language, and is spoken and written in a distinct variety known as Australian English. According to the 2001 census, English is the only language spoken in the home for around 80% of the population.

The next most common languages spoken at home are Chinese languages (2.1%), Italian (1.9%) and Greek (1.4%). A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are bilingual. It is believed that there were between 200 and 300 Australian Aboriginal languages at the time of first European contact. Only about 70 of these languages have survived, and all but 20 of these are now endangered. An indigenous language remains the main language for about 50,000 (0.25%) people. Australia has a sign language known as Auslan, which is the main language of about 6,500 deaf people.

Australia has no state religion. The 2001 census identified that 68% of Australians call themselves Christian: 27% identifying

themselves as Roman Catholic and 21% as Anglican. Australians who identify themselves as followers of non-Christian religions number 5%. A total of 16% were categorised as having “No Religion” (which includes nontheistic beliefs such as humanism, atheism, agnosticism and rationalism) and a further 12% declined to answer or did not give a response adequate for interpretation. As in many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is much lower than this; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, about 7.5% of the population.

School attendance is compulsory throughout Australia between the ages of 6 - 15 years (16 years in South Australia and Tasmania, and 17 years in Western Australia), contributing to an adult literacy rate that is assumed to be 99%. Government grants have supported the establishment of Australia’s 38 universities, and although several private universities have been established, the majority receives government funding. There is a state-based system of vocational training colleges, known as TAFE Institutes, and many trades conduct apprenticeships for training new trades people. Approximately 58% of Australians between the ages of 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary qualifications and the tertiary graduation rate of 49% is highest of OECD countries. The ratio of international to local students in tertiary education in Australia is the highest in OECD countries.

Culture The primary basis of Australian culture until the mid-20th century was Anglo-Celtic, although distinctive Australian features had been evolving from the environment and indigenous culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian culture has been strongly influenced by American popular culture (particularly television and cinema), large-scale immigration from nonEnglish-speaking countries, and Australia’s

Asian neighbours. The vigour and originality of the arts in Australia - films, opera, music, painting, theatre, dance, and crafts - achieve international recognition.

Australia has a long history of visual arts, starting with the cave and bark paintings of its indigenous peoples. From the time of European settlement, a common theme in Australian art has been the Australian landscape, seen in the works of Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Albert Namatjira, among others. The traditions of indigenous Australians are largely transmitted orally and are closely tied to ceremony and the telling of the stories of the Dreamtime.

Australian Aboriginal music, dance and art have a palpable influence on contemporary Australian visual and performing arts. Australia has an active tradition of music, ballet and theatre; many of its performing arts companies receive public funding through the federal government’s Australia Council. There is a symphony orchestra in each capital city, and a national opera company, Opera Australia, first made prominent by the renowned diva Dame Joan Sutherland; Australian music includes classical, jazz, and many popular music genres.

Australian literature has also been influenced by the landscape; the works of writers such as Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, captured the experience of the Australian bush. The character of colonial Australia, as embodied in early literature, resonates with modern Australia and its perceived emphasis on egalitarianism, mateship, and anti-authoritarianism. In 1973, Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the only Australian to have achieved this; he is recognised as one of the great English-language writers of the twentieth century. Australian English is a major variety of the language; its grammar and spelling are largely based on those of British English, overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical items and phrases, some of which have found their way into standard English.

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Australia has two public broadcasters (the ABC and the multi-cultural SBS), three commercial television networks, several pay TV services, and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations. Australia’s film industry has achieved critical and commercial successes. Each major city has daily newspapers, and there are two national daily newspapers, The Australian and The Australian Financial Review. According to Reporters Without Borders in 2006, Australia was in thirty fifth position on a list of countries ranked by press freedom, behind New Zealand (19th) and the United Kingdom (27th) but ahead of the United States. This ranking is primarily because of the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia. Most Australian print media in particular is under the control of either News Corporation or John Fairfax Holdings.

Sport plays an important part in Australian culture, assisted by a climate that favours outdoor activities; 23.5% Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities. At an international level, Australia has particularly strong teams in cricket, hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union, and performs well in cycling, rowing and swimming. Nationally, other popular sports include Australian Rules football, horse racing, soccer and motor racing. Australia has participated in every summer Olympic Games of the modern era, and every Commonwealth Games. Australia has hosted the 1956 and 2000 Summer Olympics, and has ranked among the top five medal-takers since 2000.

Australia has also hosted the 1938, 1962, 1982 and 2006 Commonwealth Games. Other major international events held regularly in Australia include the Australian Open, one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, annual international cricket matches and the Formula One Australian Grand Prix.

Corporate and government sponsorship of many sports and elite athletes is common in Australia. Televised sport is popular; some of the highest rating television programs include the summer Olympic Games and the grand finals of local and international football (various codes) competitions.

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Australia’s Heritage

Australia’s heritage is the World’s heritage Australia has more than its fair share of World Heritage Sites treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Park. Others, such as the Australian Fossil Mammal sites and Purnululu National Park are lesser known but also available to visit.

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Australia is a custodian of some of the oldest rainforests on Earth and a massive one-third of the world’s protected marine areas. When the island continent split apart from the mainland it launched a time capsule that was preserved for generations by its Aboriginal inhabitants.

Though many of the sites are in remote areas by international standards, they are well served with most easily accessible by road, plane or on foot. So, get out of your comfort zone and venture out and about into our unique nature and wilderness areas.

Australian Fossil Mammal Sites, South Australia and Queensland From giant prehistoric kangaroos to long extinct marsupial lions and giant wombats, Australia’s fossil mammal sites – Naracoorte, South Australia and Riversleigh, Queensland - tells the story of how Australia’s native animals evolved to be so different from wildlife anywhere else on earth.

Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, New South Wales and Queensland Lose yourself in a timewarp in the cool crisp air of the rainforest reserves of Queensland and New South Wales. Graded tracks lead through ancient damp rainforests with crystal clear waterfalls and glass rivers, to pristine white beaches.

Fraser Island, Queensland The largest sand island in the world and the only place in the world where tall rainforests are found growing on sand dunes at elevations of over 200 metres, Fraser Island is blessed

with one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Long uninterrupted white beaches, majestic tall rainforests and numerous crystal clear freshwater lakes will ensure you have an unforgettable experience.

Great Blue Mountains Area – New South Wales The famous Blue Mountains area is made up of seven outstanding national parks and is best known for its thick eucalypt forests, dramatic sandstone cliffs and the Three Sisters - a fascinating rock formation with an associated Aboriginal legend.

The Mountains are also home to the dinosaur of the plant world - the Wollemi Pine - and to the world’s steepest incline railway, The Scenic Railway, which provides easy access deep into the forest floor.

Heard, McDonald and Macquarie Islands Visits to remote Heard, McDonald and Macquarie Islands are strictly controlled and usually restricted to scientific visits only.

Macquarie is a rare above water section of the ancient ocean floor and Heard is known as the wildest place on earth.

Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory Kakadu National Park is the second largest national park in the world and is abundant with amazing Australian wildlife.

A wide variety of flora and fauna inhabit the majestic 10 square kilometres of the landlocked Yellow Water Billabong, with up to one million water birds gathering in the park during the Autumn months.

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Lord Howe Island, Queensland Lord Howe Island is a Mecca for nature lovers with at least 129 native and introduced bird species, approximately 500 species of fish and 90 species of brilliantly coloured coral - four per cent of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. With only 400 visitors on the island at any one time, Lord Howe Island is a place to feel free and enjoy the pleasures of nature.

Purnululu National Park, Western Australia The Purnululu National Park is most famous for the striking banded, beehive rock structures of the Bungle Bungle Ranges. With its huge expanse of amazing landscape of domed rocks, gorges, chasms and waterfalls, the best way to view the park is from above.

Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, Melbourne The magnificent Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens in Melbourne was constructed in 1880 to house Australia’s first international exhibition of cultural, technological, and industrial achievements. It was used for the opening of the Australian Parliament on 9 May 1901 and flourishes as one of the world’s oldest exhibition pavilions.

Shark Bay, Western Australia A place where you can feed dolphins by hand, that is home to over 10,000 dugongs, and where you are more than likely to see whales, manta rays, turtles, sharks and rare marsupials, Shark Bay provides a significant habitat for some of Australia’s most precious marine creatures. It is also home to the remarkable Hamelin Pool stromatolites – the oldest and largest living fossils in the world.

The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland The Great Barrier Reef is the largest marine park in the world. A maze of 2,900 reefs and islands make up the worlds largest collection of coral reef that is home to a myriad of sea creatures including dolphins, turtles, dugongs and more than 1,500 species of fish. Whether Best of Australia

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you visit an island, sail the seas or dive deep to see all the colours of the reef it will be one of the most magical experiences of your life.

million years old and supports over 3,000 plant species. Why not 13 indulge with a rejuvenating spa treatment.

The Sydney Opera House, New South Wales The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognisable images of the modern world.

With a roof evocative of a ship at full sail, it was designed by renowned Danish architect - Jorn Utzon - in the late 1950s and opened in 1973. His design was considered beyond the capabilities of engineering of the time.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory Featuring one of the most recognisable landscapes in the world, The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park holds a great cultural significance for the Anangu traditional landowners.

Take a guided tour of the land with the traditional Aboriginal landowners and learn about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories of the area.

The Tasmanian Wilderness, Tasmania The Tasmanian wilderness is an outstanding example of Australia’s untouched regions.

At over one million hectares in size the region represents all major stages in the earth’s evolutionary history. Go back in time and experience what Australia was like millions of years ago.

Wet Tropics of Queensland The Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland is the oldest rainforest in the world – 135

Willandra Lakes Region, New South Wales The outback Willandra Lakes Region was home to the Mungo people over 40,000 years ago when the lakes were full and the area aplenty with vegetation and wildlife.

Today the 17 dried up lakes uncover some of Australia’s richest Aboriginal culture and history along with an abundance of fossils and information about the last ice age on earth.

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Australian Sports

Sport in Australia One of the greatest sporting nations in the world.

Sport in Australia is popular and widespread.

Levels of both participation and spectating are much higher than in many other countries.

Testament to this is the level of achievement in the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games as well as other international sporting events in comparison to the population of the country, particularly in the areas of water sports and team sports.

With the new Australian Rugby Championship joining the National Rugby 30

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League, the A-League and the Australian Football League, Australia will become the only country in the world to sustain fully-professional leagues for four different football codes.

The climate and economy provide ideal conditions for Australians to participate and watch sports. Such is the Australian population’s devotion towards sport that it is sometimes humorously described as “Australia’s national religion” Armchair sports fans drive high television ratings for sports

programs. In fact, nine of the top 10 highest rated shows in 2005 were sports programs.

Professional sport leagues in Australia use a model based on franchises and closed league membership, as is standard in North America.

The “European” system of professional sports league organisation, characterised by promotion and relegation, is foreign to Australia, at least at the professional level.

In October 2007, the Australian Government announced a new drug policy for sport that it

hopes will be adopted by all sporting bodies and will involve tests of 6000 illicit drugs a year.

Australian Rules Football Australian rules football (commonly known as Aussie Rules) is played in all Australian states and territories. It is the most popular football code in Australia, and its premier league, the AFL has the third highest average attendance in the world [Behind the USA’s NFL (gridiron) and Germany’s Bundesliga (soccer)].

The sport which originated in the Colony of Victoria in 1858 is the predominant winter sport in its traditional areas of popularity, Victoria, Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

In these areas, the population takes a high interest in the sport and actively attend matches. It is also popular, along with other codes of football, in the Australian Capital Territory, the Riverina and Broken Hill regions of New South Wales and in the Cape York region of Queensland.

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the national Australian rules football competition.

It is the most attended sporting league in Australia and the third most attended in the world (an average of 36,793 per match for 2007). It consists of a single division of 16 teams. Of these 16 teams, 10 are Victorian, and with 2 each from South Australia and Western Australia. The remaining two teams are based in Brisbane and Sydney.

The AFL is the result of the expanded Victorian Football League, a competition that has been running since 1896 which changed its name to the Australian Football League in 1990 to reflect its national focus. Each state has its own local league, and there are amateur recreational, children’s, junior, masters and women’s competitions.

Most towns and cities in the southern states of Australia have at least one team competing in a local league.

Rugby Union The first recorded game of Rugby football in Australia was on 25 July 1839. The Sydney University club, the first recognised club, was formed in 1864. By 1874 there were enough clubs for the formation of the Sydney Metropolitan competition playing by the rules of the Rugby Football Union.

English teams toured Australia in 1888 and 1899. Throughout the 20th century Australian Rugby Union teams were reliably competitive.

In Australia, rugby union became a professional sport in 1996. The Australian national rugby union team are the Wallabies.

Major international competitions played by the Wallabies include the Bledisloe Cup, between Australia and New Zealand, which since 1996 has been part of the Tri Nations Series.

The Rugby World Cup was first held in 1987 and is now held every four years. Australia is the only nation to have won the Rugby World Cup twice, in 1991 and 1999. The Mandela Challenge Plate began in 2000, which started as a minor tournament involving Australia and South Africa. From 2006 on, it will be contested in the Tri Nations alongside the Bledisloe Cup. The premier provincial rugby competition is the Super 14 (previously the Super 12) consisting of 4 teams (Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs, the Brumbies and Western Force) from Australia, along with 5 teams from New Zealand and 5 teams from Best of Australia

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South Africa. Of all the Australian teams, only the Brumbies have won a Super Rugby Title, in 2001 and 2004. The Australian Rugby Shield was first played in 2000, to try and promote rugby union in states outside New South Wales and Queensland. To celebrate 10 years of professional Rugby Union, Australian Rugby celebrated the occasion with the announcement of the Wallaby Team of the Decade.

Cricket Cricket has a long history in Australia, and is played on local, national and international levels. It is Australia’s national summer sport and unlike the various football codes, enjoys consistent support from people in all parts of Australia. The Australia national cricket team 32

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was the winner of the first Test match, and is today regarded as the leading international team in world cricket, having been the unquestionably dominant team for most of the 2000s. The first Australian cricket team which played overseas was the 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England. The Australian team which toured England in 1948 was nicknamed The Invincibles and was captained

by Donald Bradman. In recent years the Australia team has been captained

by Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, and currently Ricky Ponting.

Through to 2007, Australia has won the Cricket World Cup four out of the nine times it has been held, including the last three. Australia has dominated world cricket since the mid-90’s,

it has appeared in every world cup final since 1996, and has been undefeated in a world cup match since 1999 where they have gone on to win every single match in the world cup.

Domestic competitions between the states include the Pura Cup first-class competition (previously known as Sheffield Shield), the Ford Ranger One Day Cup List-A cricket competition and the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash Twenty20 competition.

The Pura Cup and Ford Ranger One Day Cup tournaments involve each team playing against each other team both at home and away with the two highest-placed teams playing in a final match, while the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash is similar but with only one match against each other team before the final.

Cycling Cycling is one of the most popular recreational activities in Australia, as the weather is suitable most of the year. In 2004, almost 1.5 million Australians aged 15 years and over participated in cycling for exercise, recreation and sport at least once.

Road Cycling is gaining a higher profile at a competitive level in the Tour de France and other international cycling competitions with a number of professional Australian cyclists being based in Europe and riding exclusively for European teams.

Strong results have been achieved over the years, most notably Cadel Evans’ second placing in the 2007 Tour de France and overall win of the 2007 UCI ProTour. From 2008, Australia’s only major international cycling race, the Tour Down Under to be held in Adelaide, will become the first UCI ProTour cycling race to be held outside of Europe.

Track cycling has also obtained more of a following in recent years, particularly due to strong results in international events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games. Young riders such as Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ben Kersten are a testament that this sport is popular with the young talent and will remain popular for years to come.

Football Australia’s national team, nicknamed the Socceroos, are active in international games including World Cup Qualification games.

The governing body, Football Federation Australia, is a member of the Asian Football Confederation, having moved from the Oceania Football Confederation on January 1, 2006.

The popularity of the sport as a spectator sport has increased notably in recent years, due to reforms made to the sport’s national governing body and the participation of the national team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup reaching the round of 16.

The year 2004 marked the last season for the National Soccer League, Australia’s first club based national league of any sport and in 2005 the A-League was launched.

The A-League plays during summer, the traditional off-season, to avoid conflict with the more established football codes in publicity and facilities as well as being in line with European competition.

Unlike Australian rules football, Rugby league and Rugby union there are no ‘traditional’ regional biases for the sport allowing for a common ‘football’ identity.

The A-League has proved successful, with the 2006-07 regular season recording an average attendance of 12,927 people. Most notably, Melbourne Victory averaged 27,728 people to their home matches throughout the season, and a crowd of 55,436 watched the Victory beat Adelaide United 6-0 in the Grand Final, a record for a domestic club football (soccer) game in Australia.

Historically, the sport has been known by many as soccer, but numerous official organisations and clubs are now using the name “football” in line with common international usage of the word. However, popular use of the word “football” to mean either Australian rules football or Rugby league is well-established in Australia.

Swimming Swimming is a very common and popular sport in Australia as a recreational activity as well as

in competitive racing events. Many Australians learn to swim from a young age out of necessity due to Australia’s love of the beach and the abundance of backyard pools.

Many swimmers go on to continue to swim competitively by training through squads and attending weekend competitions. Successful Australian swimmers such as Samantha Riley began their swimming careers through a learn to swim program.

Learn to swim programs are also often offered through primary schools at local swimming pools during school times.

The success of Australian Swimming is measurable through Australian international dominance in the sport. Athletes such as Grant Hackett, Ian Thorpe, Leisel Jones and Libby Lenton are all a credit to the extensive development programs in the sport and with the AIS. This is a further achievement because of Australia’s small population in comparison to other swimming dominant nations such as the USA. Tennis One of the four tennis Grand Slams is played in Australia, the Australian Open held in Melbourne. The tournament has been held for 100 years since 1905 when the Australasian Tennis Championship was first held at a Cricket Ground in St Kilda Road, Melbourne.

Like the other three Grand Slam events, it was contested by top-ranked amateur players.

It was known as the Australian championships until the advent of open tennis in 1968.

There are men’s and women’s singles competitions, men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles, as well as junior and master’s competitions.

Some of Australia’s best known tennis players include Rod Laver, Mark Philippoussis, Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Lleyton Hewitt, John Newcombe, Pat Rafter, Ken Rosewall and The Woodies. The Woodies consisting of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde was the most successful men’s tennis doubles team in history, and won eleven Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal.

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Business Events in Australia

Australia as a Business Events destination Five of the top 12 business travel cities in the world are in Australia, according to a survey conducted by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit in 2006. The business trip rankings were based on broad categories covering infrastructure, cost, stability, healthcare, culture and environment.

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Out of 127 international cities, The Economist ranked Adelaide fourth, Brisbane equal sixth, Perth equal eighth, Melbourne ninth and Sydney twelth. The Australian cities far outranked capitals like Hong Kong, Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, Beijing, New York and London.

Joyce DiMascio, Head of Tourism Events Australia, the business events unit within Tourism Australia, says that Australia has a great track-record of delivering outstanding business events in both our major capital cities as well as in regional Australia.

“We have outstanding pedigree in the sector having serviced clients from a broad range of industry sectors – including finance and banking, agribusiness, bio-medicine, pharmaceutical, insurance, automotive and many more. Our portfolio of experiences for the corporate meetings, incentives and conference sectors is outstanding – and our people rise to the occasion to make every clients’ event a winner” she said.

“Combine the easy access into the main Australian gateways, with the outstanding range of premium hotels, venues, attractions and unique events and you have a great place in which to meet and do business.”

She said that the business events industry in Australia was actively addressing “sustainability” issues to ensure the environmental footprint of the events sector was carefully managed.

“We are developing a compelling portfolio of best practice in “greening of events”. We have some outstanding “green” products and services that are coming online around the country.

The new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is an outstanding example of environmentally sustainable infrastructure and

will be a great asset for Australia when it opens in 2008.” Ms DiMascio said.

The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and APEC Leaders Week 2007 in Sydney, demonstrated Australia’s event management excellence to the world. As many global companies have discovered, Australia is an ideal place to re-energise and reinvigorate their team. In the cities, expect high tech facilities, innovative cuisine, excellent entertainment and the chance to have your conference opened by a leading scientist, top novelist, Olympic gold medalist, celebrity chef or leading cinematographer.

Venues that can be hired range from the Great Hall of the Houses of Parliament in Canberra to the Perth Yacht Club, from the Sydney Superdome to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square in Melbourne.

Australia is known for its innovation in science, medicine, biotechnology, education, information technology, finance, insurance and business. Holding a convention or meeting in Australia can provide opportunities for networking and getting fresh ideas. An example of this was when Hobart Antarctic conference, Tasmania, was chosen as the destination for a major because the port was a key centre for

Antarctic research and a base for exploration of the frozen continent. Whether you choose to meet in one of Australia’s great cities or a more intimate resort destination, efficient and friendly service is likely to be the hallmark of your event.

Why choose Australia?

There is a superb range of conference, exhibition and special event venues in major capital cities. Accommodation ranges through the spectrum to cater to all budgets and business needs. There are also excellent support services and knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Research shows that Australia is one of the travel destinations that people truly aspire to visit. With hundreds of international flights arriving and departing every day, it is easy to travel to Australia. And since English - the international business language - is also Australia’s national language, it is easy to do business here.

Australia also hosts a number of international exhibitions and trade shows every year, in a wide range of industries from medical to manufacturing, agriculture to leisure.

Information on events held in Australia can be found on Tourism Australia’s dedicated Business Events website www.events.australia.com.

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Business Events in Australia Melbourne Convention Centre The jewel in Melbourne’s ‘venue crown’ is undoubtedly the new Melbourne Convention Centre which, when it opens in 2009, will be one of the most impressive architectural environmental buildings in Australia.

Its centrepiece is a 5,000 seat plenary hall that can be sub-divided into acoustically separate plenary halls for 1,000, 1,500 or 2,500 delegates.

Designed to achieve a Six Green Star environmental rating, it will be one of the greenest convention centres in the world.

Its entry level foyer will be capable of hosting 8,400 guests who will have views out to the Yarra River through an18 metre glass wall façade.

It will be fully integrated with the existing Melbourne Exhibition Centre, which provides 30,000 sqm of pillarless exhibition space and is located in central Melbourne, surrounded by public transport, restaurants and accommodation.

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Already seventeen large international conventions are confirmed for the new convention centre, bringing more 42,000 delegates to the city with a combined economic impact for the State of Victoria of more than AU$285 million.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre’s Chief Executive Leigh Harry says the new convention centre will emulate its city namesake.

“Not only will it be structurally striking, but it will leave those who enter the space feeling like they have experienced Melbourne, from its maritime history, to its art and culture and sporting ethos.”

Plenary Group’s architects on the convention centre project, Nik Karalis from Woods Bagot, and Hamish Lyon from NH Architecture, say they’ve done this in a variety of ways using wall motifs, Australian timber and making the banquet hall feel like a ‘real’ theatre experience.

And it doesn’t end there – even the majority of the food and wine served at conferences

will be sourced from local specialised food producers and vineyards.

Hamish Lyon says the locality also offers a unique ‘Melbourne’ experience.

“Most convention centres are like being in a black box. In the new Melbourne Convention Centre, you can stand in front of an 18 metre glass façade looking out to the Yarra River and feel like you could touch the city – you’re that close to the city centre.”

Nik Karalis says another key feature of the design is the flexibility of its plenary hall. It will transform from full plenary, to grand theatre, to intimate theatres, to small conference rooms, to cabaret, or to flat floor banquet.

“Put simply, the range of options for event organisers is unparalleled. The design is also particularly unique. It was designed as the ‘spirit’ of the building and will appear to glow to those looking in through the glass façade.

“Once inside any of its smaller configurations, you would never know it could possibly accommodate 5,000 people. Every theatre is an experience in itself and every service has been considered from the side walls to the ceiling.”

Its fan shape design means all delegates will have an unobstructed view, no matter what the convention mode, something no other centre in the world can do.

He says the area around the plenary hall has also been carefully designed. “It’s an open, uncluttered space and oozes simplicity. When standing inside, you can see all aspects of the building, the stairs and meeting areas.”

Hamish Lyon says the outside has not been overlooked either. “There is no back side to the building, it will be equally attractive regardless which side of the building you are on.

“It’s an uncomplicated, stunning building which will be the centrepiece of this new development for Melburnians and visitors alike.

Darwin Convention Centre In mid 2008 Darwin, the Northern Territory’s capital city, will proudly open the doors of its first world class, purpose built and architecturally spectacular convention centre.

With confirmed bookings to 2011, the Centre is already making its mark in the international and national convention scene.

From its waterfront location on the edge of Australia’s largest harbour, the Darwin Convention Centre is the jewel in the crown of the Northern Territory’s AU$1 billion waterfront development that will see 25 hectares of land transformed into restaurants, hotels, apartments, wave lagoon, marina, gardens and public art.

With a 1500 seat plenary capacity, to a total of 12 meeting rooms and 4000 square metres of exhibition space the multipurpose convention centre will feature flexible spaces to cater for banquets, conventions and exhibitions as well as concerts and indoor sporting events.

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Business Events in Australia

Cradle Mountain Lodge Cradle Mountain Lodge is a warm, retreat nestled high in the Tasmanian wilderness, a superb escape featuring cosy cabins, fine food and wine and many activities.

Cradle Mountain Lodge is a unique wilderness retreat on the edge of the World Heritage Listed Cradle Mountain/Lake St. Clair National Park.

Here you see the face of creation all around you in the mirror lakes and rugged mountain peaks. And you don’t need to be an environmentalist to feel humble in the towering presence of a King Billy Pine - over 1,000 years old yet still a relative newcomer to these ancient forests.

This is a superb escape with breathtaking scenery, cosy cabins, magnificent meals and days filled with simple pleasures. The Lodge itself has an ambience of warmth and security

that welcomes you to every room. Perhaps it’s the glow of the open fires that keeps drawing you back or those quiet moments in the Guest’s Lounge, catching up on local lore and history.

Then of course there’s the temptation of the Highland Restaurant and its walk-in Wine Cellar.

Or perhaps the mood calls for a less formal meal in the Tavern Bar, a great place to share your adventures with new friends.

Inside your cabin you’ll immediately feel at home. The layout is generous, comfortable and more than a touch romantic.

And when the snow falls, as it can even in the summer months at Cradle, there’s nothing cosier than being in your cabin. After dinner in the Lodge retreat to your cabin and perhaps share a glass of red wine in front of a fire.

One thing is certain, summer or winter, the beauty of Cradle Mountain is an inspiration that will stay with you long after you leave.

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Business Events in Australia

Australian Business Events Destinations Australia has countless exciting and diverse destinations which are suitable for a corporate meeting, incentive program or conference. There are 13 Convention and Visitors Bureau around the country that represent these diverse locations, who can provide you with all the information you need to seamlessly plan your event.

Adelaide The heartland of Australia’s wine industry – Adelaide is renowned for its world class wines and equally astonishing cuisine.

Adelaide is a flourishing arts and cultural centre and is home to many festivals, which draw crowds year-round.

Whether you are after a night at the opera, modern theatre or a good old-fashioned street party – Adelaide has something for you. Venture out of Adelaide and visit one of Australia’s most famous wine producing regions, the Barossa Valley. For further information visit www.acta.com.au.

Brisbane Brisbane – Queensland’s capital city – is a modern and diverse subtropical metropolis with a friendly and relaxed environment.

Charter a cruise on the Brisbane River or take an exclusive guided tour of Fortitude Valley’s designer shops.

A must-do is a gala dinner in an exclusive area of Kangaroo Point. High atop sandstone cliffs that are more than a million years old, you’ll get to taste the culinary delights of the state’s best chefs, while treating yourself to the splendid view of the city skyline. For further information visit www.brisbanemarketing.com.au.

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Cairns Located in Tropical North Queensland, Cairns is a stepping stone to the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns is located adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef, providing easy access to take in the sights of the world’s largest living organism.

Indulge in luxurious spas in Palm Cove – the spa capital of Australia. Further north, an aquatic atmosphere awaits visitors at Port Douglas with the picturesque Four Mile Beach.

For further information visit www.cairnsconventionbureau.com.

Canberra Canberra is Australia’s political heart. Canberra combines natural flora and fauna and a relaxed lifestyle. No trip to Australia is complete without visiting its architecturally acclaimed Parliament House and National Museum and the internationally envied Australian Institute of Sport. In contrast to many cities, Canberra has an abundance of native animals, which can be seen in their natural habitat just minutes from the city centre. An overnight visit grants the opportunity to enjoy Canberra’s café strips and a morning hot-air balloon ride over the city’s central focus, Lake Burley Griffin.

For further information www.canberraconvention.com.au.

Gold Coast The Gold Coast is often described as Australia’s playground. It is famous for its endless white beaches, theme parks, shopping and restaurants. Nestled between picturesque mountain ranges and the warm blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Gold Coast is a resort city, offering a wide range of natural and manmade attactions. Enjoy the dazzling nightlife, cosmopolitan restaurants, and amazing

shopping opportunities. For golfers, the Gold Coast is located close to some of Australia’s top championship courses.

For further information visit www.verygc.biz.

Melbourne Arts savvy, sports crazy, food-loving Melbourne has it all; the sophistication of the ‘Most Livable City’ fused with the excitement of ‘Australia’s events capital’. Discover the city streets and laneways chequered with boutique fashion, rich café culture and vibrant nightlife.

Escape to the fringe of the city and delight in breathtaking Victoria. Visit the Yarra Valley for superb wine, The Great Ocean Road for the natural wonder of The Twelve Apostles, Mornington Peninsula or Phillip Island for the renowned penguin parade.

For further information visit www.mcvb.com.au.

Northern Territory Few places on earth have the ancient majesty and diversity of the Northern Territory. From the green, tropical north, to the awesome red deserts, it never fails to evoke a sense of awe for those who visit. The Northern Territory is famous for the world-recognised Ayers Rock (Uluru) in the heart of Australia and Kakadu, the World Heritage listed National Park in the top end of Australia. The Red Centre is home to Alice Springs, a modern outback centre and gateway to Kings Canyon and the stunning MacDonnell Ranges.

For further information visit www.ntconventions.com.au.

Perth Perth is set on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

It is a vibrant modern city with graceful boulevards, slick skyscrapers, kilometers of beaches and an impossibly blue sky. Be

touched by nature in the World Heritage region Shark Bay. Enjoy the wide variety of water sports Australians love so much.

Visit the magnificent Margaret River wine region; try your luck in the goldfield towns of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. If gold’s not your thing, head north to the pearling town of Broome – gateway to the Kimberley – with its tree lined streets, colonial homes and spectacular coastline.

For further information visit www.pcb.com.au.

Sunshine Coast Blessed with a superb sub tropical climate, clean sandy swimming beaches, warm clear water and bounded by national parks and pristine sub tropical rainforests, the Sunshine Coast is one of Australia’s most naturally beautiful regions. With abundant air and road access it offers many international hotels and resorts and is the destination of choice for those seeking a true Australian experience.

Across the Sunshine Coast you will find innovative wine and food, numerous health and beauty spas, art galleries, designer boutiques and quirky markets. There are more than 60 group activities including surfing, yachting, deep sea fishing and skydiving, it is home to the world famous Crocodile Hunter’s “Australia Zoo” and is the gateway to World Heritagelisted Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. The Sunshine Coast also enjoys many of Australia’s top ranked championship golf courses and is the home of the Australian PGA tournament. The Sunshine Coast is one of Australia’s most exciting Business Events destinations and provides a beautiful location to meet and do business in a refreshing, natural and unspoilt environment.

For further information visit www.sccb.net.au.

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Business Events in Australia

Sydney Sydney is a colourful, cosmopolitan harbour city with spectacular natural beauty and a free-spirited outdoor lifestyle. Experience Sydney Harbour – one of the world’s most famous waterways – while sailing on a yacht, luxury cruise or climbing its world famous icon – the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Venture less than a few hours outside Sydney and explore the majestic Blue Mountains, or sample wines from one of Australia’s premier wine regions – the Hunter Valley.

For further information visit www.scvb.com.au.

Tasmania Tasmania is a medley of pristine wilderness, grand convict-built architecture, fine wine and food, creative arts and crafts, bustling markets and leisurely historic towns. Delight in the pleasures of Hobart or base yourself in Launceston and wander along the wine trail of the Tamar River. Visit the historic Port Arthur penal settlement or experience nature in the World Heritage listed Freycinet and Cradle Mountain – Lake St Claire National Parks. Roam the historic towns to the Heritage Highway or the beautiful Huon Valley.

For further information visit www.tasmaniaconventions.com.

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Townsville Townsville, located in Tropical North Queensland, is bordered by the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands and outback towns. Enjoy scuba diving or snorkeling from the exclusive Orpheus Island where you will be amazed by the Yongala ship wreck and dive amongst the beautifully coloured corals and sea creatures of the deep. Take a cruise to Magnetic Island on board a luxury catamaran, spend time jet skiing, sea-kayaking or horse riding on the beautiful beaches.

For further information visit www.townsvilleonline.com.au.

Venue Capacity Information:

Whitsundays The Whitsundays are a group of 74 tropical islands, located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef off the north-east coast of Queensland.

Indulge in resort luxury amongst age-old national parks and the protected waterways of the Coral Sea, home to the splendid Heart Reef and the sparkling sands of Whitehaven Beach.

Discover the kaleidoscope of colours and shapes of the corals as you dive into the blue of the Great Barrier Reef or sail across the calm turquoise waters between the rugged green shapes of the islands.

For further information visit www. whitsundaystourism.com.

LOCATION

FACILITY TYPE

Â

Theatre Style

Banquet Style

Classroom Style

Adelaide

7155

4500

2910

Alice Springs

1200

800

720

Brisbane

4000

2740

1209

Cairns

5000

1300

730

Canberra

3200

1800

1700

Darwin

1000

400

300

Gold Coast

6021

2240

2106

Melbourne

2200

1940

1499

Perth

5200

3630

3545

Sunshine Coast

1280

800

650

Sydney

3500

3500

800

Tasmania

1600

1000

750

Townsville

5200

1000

980

Whitsundays

1000

800

650

More information on these destinations, including image downloads, itineraries and more visit www.events.australia.com.

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Events Australia Events are a great way to experience the depth and variety of culture, landscapes and products Australia has to offer. And Australians love to get involved. Here is just a snapshot of the hundreds of events that will add to your experience in Australia. To find out more about these and other exciting events in Australia, go to www.australia.com.

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So what’s happening?

Winter – (June–August) Gold Coast Marathon July Sweat, adrenaline and success.

Elite athletes and sports enthusiasts of all ages and fitness levels pound along the course that hugs the spectacular coastline.

The Lion Camel Cup – July Camel Comedy Alice Springs welcomes visitors who love to laugh to the quirky, annual Camel Cup. Racing camels can prove a nightmare for riders and handlers but fantastic viewing for spectators.

Assa Abloy Henley-On-Todd Regatta August Who needs water?

Held in Alice Springs, this regatta captures the imagination as crews ‘sail’ boats on a waterless Todd River.

Australian Safari August–September Ultimate test of man and machine An epic adventure for the lovers of cars, motor bikes and quads. The nine-day safari crosses about 5,500 kilometres of spectacular Western Australian outback, taking you through gruelling terrain from the tropics to the outback and on to the sea.

Opera In The Outback October Nature has the best seats in the house Nature resonates with stirring performances of operatic greats, classical hits and Broadway

memories. The event offers two different musical programs, taking place on the edge of the Undara Volcanic National Park.

Riverfestival Brisbane August–September Waterways, heart of city celebrations A celebration of a natural landmark, the Brisbane River. Outdoor river venues host a diverse program of art, environmental science and sport. Highlights include River Symposium and Riverfire.

Spring – (September–November) Floriade September–October Art in bloom Canberra, our national capital, bursts into colour with Floriade showcasing great Aussie icons in an incredible, creative display of over one million floral blooms.

Cricket Season – November–March Howzat!!

With a spectacular program of international, state, and local competition you will be sure to find a game to enjoy at one of the many great cricket grounds around Australia.

Red Bull Air Race – November Aircraft spin and turn on edge Watch the world’s most talented pilots compete in a race based on speed, precision and skill as they fly a daring, compact course in Perth’s sky.

A major festival inspired by the race features the history of aircraft and much more.

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Events Australia

Melbourne Cup – November The race that stops the nation On the first Tuesday of November, the nation stops to celebrate this major annual horse race.

Whether you are track-side in Melbourne, at a pub in the middle of the Outback or lunching at one of the many restaurants throughout the country, the Melbourne Cup is an event that everyone gets involved in and is a truly Australian experience.

Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge – November Pushing the Boundaries A gruelling 6-day physical and mental adventure race in aid of charity held in Tasmania, Australia’s adventure capital. Participants range from elite athletes to corporate teams, who compete in some of Tasmania’s most remote and stunning landscapes.

Summer – (December–February) Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – 26 December–3 January Yachties face the Great Southern Ocean This gruelling 628-nauticalmile event is the 46

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emerging filmmaking talent at free public outdoor venues across Australia.

Autumn – (March - May) AFL Season – March to September Muscle and might make AFL legends For a fair dinkum Aussie experience go to an Australian Football League (AFL) game.

A favourite sport amongst Australians, AFL attracts huge crowds of vocal, animated and loyal supporters. legendary Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Thousands of people cheer the crews as they leave the Harbour, and more welcome sailors on arrival into Hobart. This race has captivated Australians since 1945.

You don’t have to love country music to have a great time at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The atmosphere, the fringe festivals and the visitor attractions keep everyone entertained.

The Sydney Festival – January Summer, music, performance and art The Sydney Festival is a cultural celebration of Sydney in Summer, presenting the best performing and visual arts throughout the city.

Up to 100,000 music lovers delight in concerts in the Domain. A mixture of free events and ticketed shows ensures something for everyone.

Tour Down Under - January Elite cyclists dazzle thrilled crowds Cycling superstars compete in a six-day race travelling the city streets of Adelaide and picturesque South Australia.

Australian Open – January Stars contest Grand Slam title The Australian Open brings the world’s hottest players to Melbourne for two weeks of tennis thrills. Join the vibrant atmosphere in and around the city with matches broadcast on big screens, in beer gardens and with live music.

Tamworth Country Music Festival – January Pull on your boots, kick up your heels

Australia Day - 26 January Celebrate what’s great about Australia Whether you choose to make a splash at the beach, sizzle a sausage on a BBQ, enter a lamington eating competition, or play cricket in the park, Australia Day brings everyone together and is a great way to get out and enjoy the great Aussie summer!

Tropfest – February Outdoor cinema comes alive through Australian film Now the world’s largest short film festival, Tropfest showcases the works of Australia’s

The Canberra Balloon Fiesta – April Magic mix of hot air and colour A sea of hot air balloons lift into the skies each day from Old Parliament House and float over Canberra’s iconic national attractions. Whether you watch from the ground or take to the sky, you are sure to be impressed.

Alice Springs Cup Carnival – April - May Dusty track to dinner and dancing Hooves hammer around the dusty track and the race caller sings the winner’s name to the roar of a happy crowd. Four unique race days are packed into a three-week program in the heart of Central Australia.

ANZAC Day – 25 April Lest We Forget On ANZAC Day, we remember young lives lost and honour those Australians who have served our country. In small communities, towns and cities people rise early for sombre dawn services. Then, in a time-honoured celebration of mateship, it’s time for a well-earned beer and a game of two-up.

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Wine Australia

Wine Australia Wine Australia is the platform that the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) use to represent Australian wines around the world.

Australia has about 2,000 wine companies and is the world’s fifth largest wine producing country (behind France, Italy, Spain and the USA). Surprisingly Australia is the fourth largest exporter – approximately one billion bottles of wine per year – and is enjoyed in more than 100 countries around the world.

Australian wine can be enjoyed at all levels – from everyday informality (Brand Champions) to aspiration and excellence (Landmark Australia). To help explain the diversity of wines from Australia we have created a framework from which to explore and enjoy Australian wines for every occasion.

The framework is as follows: Brand Champions: ambitious but accessible 48

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wines that carry the flag for us in Australia and in international markets. This is where the story began for Australian producers selling to the world, and where the journey often begins for consumers newly introduced to wine and keen to find out about what the best New World wines have to offer. There are hundreds of wines to choose from and a great diversity of styles drawn from across Australian wine regions. The common theme, though, is the guarantee of quality, accessibility, affordability and enjoyment.

Generation Next: new wine styles and blends created with traditional expertise and a touch of flair. You will find brands, brand names, packaging, marketing ideas and education

pedigree and quality. Collectable, renowned ‘conversation’ wines that compare with the very best in the world. These are the Australian wines to which we all aspire. They are not necessarily old wines, but they are wines with a story to tell that reflect an uncompromising pursuit of viticultural and winemaking excellence. This framework highlights the diversity of Australian wines and the supportive relationship between accessibility, added interest, innovation and the ultimate pursuit of wine quality.

programs that are modern, make a statement and represent the wine maker’s values and the consumer’s. These are wines that you will find in your bottle shops, supermarkets and restaurants, and you will talk about wherever you choose to drink them.

Regional Heroes: Wines from somewhere rather than wines from anywhere. These are wines and producers that have blazed a trail for their region’s profile with varietal choice and/or style dictated by who made them, where they were made, and why. When consumers buy within this category – whether from specialist or independent retail chains, in restaurants where wine and food go hand in hand, or via online dealings with a chosen producer

– they will be beginning a new journey of wine exploration. The ultimate invitation, of course, is to make the journey to experience the wine, history and heritage – to try a Barossa Shiraz in the Barossa Valley or drive south of Perth for a Margaret River Cabernet.

Landmark Australia: The name says it all. Landmark Australia reflects the Australian fine wine dimension – the ultra-premium collectables that are known and respected around the world. Landmark Australia is by definition neither inclusive nor self-selecting – it is the recognition of some of the leading wines from Australian estates that have harnessed either awards and/or recognition for outstanding excellence in wine style,

What does it mean when I see the Wine Australia logo on a bottle of wine?

Quality: samples of each and every wine exported are examined by an expert panel to ensure quality standards are always maintained Integrity: Australia offers a unique label integrity program that ensures vintage, variety and region are all truthfully identified on the label Diversity: there are over 60 designated wine regions, over 100 wine grape varieties and more than 2000 wineries in Australia Authenticity: Australia boasts the world’s oldest soil types and a diverse range of original plant material including pre-phylloxera Shiraz vines Innovation: always at the forefront of research on oenology, viticulture and marketing, producing 25% of the worlds technical papers on wine Ambition: the restless pursuit of excellence in grape growing and winemaking Relevance: consumer led and customer driven, winemakers who understand marketing as well as winemaking Excellence: an established and constantly evolving wine show system that seeks to recognise and acknowledge excellence and stylistic diversity Inclusive: wines that range from award winning popular premium brands to landmark image makers.

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Sydney

Sydney, Australia Sydney is the perfect place to mix business with pleasure. This world-class city buzzes with the extroverted energy of a city that means business - yet this is combined with a sizeable helping of laidback good humour.

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Set on the shores of one of the world’s most photogenic harbours, Sydney is home to Australia’s two most famous icons - the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Sydney has a tremendous array of business venues and accommodation at your disposal. As a business visitor to Sydney, you have the opportunity to host a gala event at the Opera House, or host a ‘dine-around’ dinner at a number of Sydney’s harbourside restaurants.

By day, there are thousands of top class shops and attractions awaiting you. And by night, the city shines with vibrant electricity, with restaurants, bars, and nightclubs springing to life. When it comes time to relax by the water, Sydney has everything you need. Want to build some team spirit with a game of beach volleyball or an ironman challenge? Or maybe you would prefer to take a trip out on a catamaran or a yacht? Sydney can offer anything a business visitor could possibly desire.

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.12 million. It is the state capital

of New South Wales, and is the site of the first European colony in Australia, established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, leader of the First Fleet from Britain. A resident of the city is referred to as a Sydneysider.

Located on Australia’s south-east coast, the city is built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, leading to the city’s nickname, “the Harbour City”. It is Australia’s largest financial centre and is home to the Australian Securities Exchange. Sydney’s leading economic sectors include property and business services, manufacturing, tourism, media, health and community services.

The metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and contains many bays, rivers and inlets. It has been recognised as a beta world city by the Loughborough University group’s 1999 inventory. The city has played host to numerous international sporting, political and cultural events, including the 1938 British Empire Games, 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. In September 2007, the city hosted the leaders of the 21 APEC economies for APEC Australia 2007, Best of Australia

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and in July 2008 will host World Youth Day 2008. Sydney is in a coastal basin bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north and the Royal National Park to the south. Sydney lies on a submergent coastline, where the ocean level has risen to flood deep river valleys (ria) carved in the Hawkesbury sandstone. One of these drowned valleys, Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is the largest natural harbour in the world. There are more than 70 harbour and ocean beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach, in the urban area. Sydney’s urban area covers 1687 square 52

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kilometres (651 mi²) as at 2001. The Sydney Statistical Division, used for census data, is the unofficial metropolitan area and covers 12,145 square kilometres (4,689 mi²). This area includes the Central Coast and Blue Mountains as well as broad swathes of national park and other unurbanised land.

Geographically, Sydney sprawls over two major regions: the Cumberland Plain, a relatively flat region lying to the south and west of the harbour, and the Hornsby Plateau, a sandstone plateau lying mainly to the north of the harbour, dissected by steep valleys.

The oldest parts of the city are located in

the flat areas south of the harbour; the North Shore was slower to develop because of its hilly topography, and was mostly a quiet backwater until the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932, linking it to the rest of the city. Sydney has an temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters, with rainfall spread throughout the year. The weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, and more extreme temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs. The warmest month is January, with an average air temperature range at Observatory Hill of 18.6°C – 25.8°C and an average of 14.6 days a year over 30°C. The maximum recorded temperature was 45.3°C on 14 January 1939 at the end of a 4 day nationwide heat wave. The winter is mildly cool, with temperatures rarely dropping below 5°C in coastal areas. The coldest month is July, with an average range of 8.0°C – 16.2°C. The lowest recorded minimum was 2.1°C. Rainfall is fairly evenly divided between summer and winter, but is slightly higher during the first half of the year, when easterly winds dominate. The average annual rainfall, with moderate to low variability, is 1217.0 millimetres (47.9 in), falling on an average 138.0 days a year. Snowfall last occurred in the Sydney City area in the 1830s.

Sydney is a modern, prosperous city with the highest median household income of any major city in Australia (US$43,171 PPP). The largest economic sectors in Sydney, measured by numbers of people employed, include property and business services, retail, manufacturing, and health and community services. Since the 1980s, jobs have moved from manufacturing to the services and information sectors. Sydney provides approximately 25 per cent of the country’s total GDP. Best of Australia

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Over the past 63 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Davis Cup tennis and the cricket tests between Australia and England.

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No yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage – except, of course, the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race – than does the start on Sydney Harbour. And the others only happen every four or five years.

Over those years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia have had marked influence on international ocean yacht racing. The club has influenced the world in race communications and sea safety, maintaining the highest standards of yacht construction, rigging and stability for ocean racing yachts. The club’s members have also fared well in major ocean racing events overseas, with victories in the Admiral’s Cup, Kenwood Cup, One Ton Cup, the Fastnet Race and the BOC Challenge solo race around the word, not to mention the America’s Cup. As the then Governor of Tasmania, Sir Guy Green, observed at the prize giving for the 2001 race, it is indeed an egalitarian event, attracting yachts as small as 30-footers and as big as 98-footers, sailed by crews who range from weekend club sailors to professionals from the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race circuits.

In the earliest years of the Sydney Hobart Race all the yachts were built from timber - heavy displacement cutters, sloops,

yawls, schooners and ketches designed more for cruising than racing.

The increasing popularity of the 628 nautical Christmas-New Year sail south to Hobart quickly began to attract new designs and innovative ideas in boat-building, sails and rigs, dacron sails and aluminium masts and in the early 1950s, the first boats built of GRP (glass reinforced plastic) or fibreglass as is the more common phrase. Then came aluminium, steel (mostly home-built) and even one maxi yacht built of ferro cement.

Innovative Australian yacht designers such as the Halvorsen brothers, Trygve and Magnus, and the late Allan Payne and Bob Miller (Ben Lexcen) produced faster boats and the race was on to create line and overall handicap winners. Prof. Peter Joubert, a part-time designer of stout cruiser/racers, and John King were other Australians who produced winning boats.

Following in their wake are currently successful designers such as Iain Murray and his partners, Andy Dovell and Ian “Fresh” Burns, along with Scott Jutson, David Lyons and Robert Hick.

New Zealander Bruce Farr, now based on the US, led the move towards light Best of Australia

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Travel, Tour and Leisure displacement yachts and is by far the most successful designer of Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall winners under different international handicap systems, first IOR (International Offshore Rule), then IMS (International Measurement System), and now IRC. The space age has had a significant spinoff for yacht racing, first in the America’s Cup and then in the design and construction of ocean racing yachts, introducing composite construction of boat hulls, using Kevlar and other manmade fibres in moulding the hulls in high-tech ovens.

In the past few years carbon fibre has been used successfully to build yacht hulls, masts and spars and in the construction of working sails (mainsails and genoas/jibs). The double line honours winner Wild Oats XI is the latest example of almost total use of carbon fibre in its hull, mast, boom and working sails.

The fleet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is virtually all sloops (mainsail 56

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and one foresail genoa or jibs) but several of the maxi yachts with a big fore-triangle (between the foredeck, the forestay and the mast) are successfully using two headsails on close reaching races, theoretically making them cutters. Fleets range in size from the 30 foot Maluka, the 1932 built gaff rigged timber boat, through to the one-design Sydney 38s including Another Challenge, Challenge and Star Dean Willcocks, then the grand prix IRC boats in the 45 to 60-foot group, including the two new Reichel/Pugh boats, Yendys and Loki, the Cookson 50s Quantum Racing and Living Doll and the TP52 Wot Yot which was joined by sistership Ragamuffin, Syd Fischer’s latest yacht of that name, for the 2007 race.

Then there are regulars, the club cruiser/ racers that sail in the race almost every year. The Rum Consortium’s Phillip’s Foote Witchdoctor is preparing for its 27th race south after breaking the record for the most races undertaken by a yacht in the 2006 race.

John Walker’s Impeccable is lining up for

its 25th Rolex Sydney Hobart this year, Polaris of Belmont for its 24th and Margaret Rintoul II, which made its Rolex Sydney Hobart comeback under new owner Mike Freebairn following a nine year absence.

The 628 nautical mile course is often described as the most grueling long ocean race in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part.

From the spectacular start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

People who sail the race often say the first and last days are the most exciting. The race start on Sydney Harbour attracts hundreds of spectator craft and hundreds of thousands of people lining the shore

as helicopters buzz above the fleet, filming for TV around the world.The final day at sea is exciting with crews fighting to beat their rivals but also looking forward to the traditional Hobart welcome, and having a drink to relax and celebrate their experience.

Between the first and last days the fleet sails past some of the most beautiful landscape and sea scapes found anywhere in the world.

The New South Wales coast is a mixture of sparkling beaches, coastal townships and small fishing villages, although for most of the race south the yachts can be anywhere between the coastline and 40 miles offshore.

During the race, many boats are within sight of each other and crews listen closely to the information from the twice-daily radio position schedules (“skeds” as they are called).

In more recent years, crews have been able to pin point the entire fleet’s whereabouts and follow each boat’s progress against their own using on board computers and Yacht Tracker on the official race website.

Bass Strait (nicknamed the ‘paddock) has a dangerous personality. It can be dead calm or spectacularly grand. The water is relatively shallow and the winds can be strong, these two elements often coming to create a steep and difficult sea for yachts.

The third leg after the ‘paddock’ - down the east coast of Tasmania takes the fleet past coastal holiday resorts and fishing ports with towering mountains in the background. Approaching Tasman Island, the coastline comprises massive cliffs, sometimes shrouded in fog.

The winds are often fickle and can vary in strength and direction within a few miles. Sailing becomes very tactical.

After turning right at Tasman Island, sailors often think the race is near completed, but at this point there is still 40 miles of often hard sailing to go. Yachts can be left behind in the maze of currents and wind frustrations. Even when they round the Iron Pot, a tiny island that was once a whaling station, there is still

a further 11 miles up the broad reaches of the Derwent River to the finish line off Hobart’s historic Battery Point, with Mount Wellington towering over the city.

No matter the time of day or night, the first yacht to finish receives an escort of official, spectator and media boats as it sails towards the finish line.

Hundreds of people crowd the foreshores of Sullivans Cove to cheer the yachts and their crews while volunteers from the finishing club, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, meet the weary crews with open arms and famous Tasmanian hospitality, and escort them to their berth in the Kings Pier marina. It’s an event that Tasmanians love to host in the middle of Hobart’s Taste of Tasmania Festival.

Then it’s time to celebrate or commiserate, swap yarns about the race with other crews over a few beers in Hobart’s famous waterfront pubs such as the Customs House Hotel or the Rolex Sydney Hobart Dockside Bar. Best of Australia

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House is Australia’s pre-eminent centre for excellence in live performing arts. It is one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world, staging over 1,500 performances annually and welcoming over 4.5 million visitors each year.

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Home to some of Australia’s premier performing arts companies such as Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet, Sydney Opera House presents a diverse range of performances from some of the world’s best artists as well as showcasing up-and-coming talent.

In June 2007, Sydney Opera House was formally recognised as one of the most outstanding places on Earth with its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It is now listed alongside other universally treasured places such as the Taj Mahal, the ancient Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China.

In addition to presenting the very best in performing arts, Sydney Opera House also offers visitors a range of unique experiences, such as High Tea at Sydney Opera House.

An afternoon of decadence which leaves guests breathless, High Tea at Sydney Opera House features sublime food from Michelin trained culinary maestro Guillaume Brahimi and an exhilarating performance, close up and live, by some of the world’s finest opera singers

High Tea at Sydney Opera House has quickly established itself as one of Sydney’s hottest tickets, offering a fresh perspective on the concept and adding that special Sydney Opera House magic, the thrill of live performance.

For those visitors wishing to delve a little deeper into the workings of Sydney Opera House, the Backstage Tour is just the ticket.

How about following in the footsteps of superstars such as Dame Joan Sutherland and Pavarotti by singing on the stage of the world-famous Concert Hall, or striding into the Opera Theatre orchestra pit before stepping up onto the conductor’s podium?

The Backstage Tour offers all of the above and much more, conducted by experienced guides who share some of the secrets of the House and stories of the real-life dramas that happen behind the curtain.

The newest addition to the range of visitor experiences is The Essential Tour. For the first time ever, visitors can now see as well as hear the dramatic story of the building Featuring previously unseen video

footage from the House archives, with narration by Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths, The Essential Tour uses the latest audio-visual technology to give visitors a compelling experience.

Video sequences are shown at points of interest, using the building itself as a storytelling canvas. The sequences are delivered in ways which respect the building’s world heritage values using methods such as the projection of footage directly onto the interior fabric of the building. The Essential Tour takes visitors on a journey celebrating the creative genius of architect Jørn Utzon, telling the story of a building which came into existence against seemingly impossible odds.

Tours of the building are also conducted in Japanese, Korean and Mandarin languages.

For more information on upcoming performances and to booking tickets contact : Tel: +61 2 9250 7777 or visit our website.

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

Sydney Aquarium Walk underwater at Sydney’s #1 attraction!

Nowhere else will you find a larger collection of Australian aquatic life with over 12,000 marine animals!

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Take a journey through one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world, exploring Australia’s rich and diverse waterways, marine ecosystems and unique aquatic environments.

Walk underwater and come face to face with dozens of sharks of many different species – some over 3.5 metres long and weighing 300kg! Marvel at the majestic giant rays as they pass overhead; confront Nancy our ferocious three metre saltwater crocodile; and be entertained and amazed by the secretive platypus and adorable penguins.

The world’s first all-natural Seal Sanctuary at Sydney Aquarium allows you to get closer than ever before. Walk through the underwater tunnels to see playful seals racing through the water at full speed or just frolicking around. The exhibit features a two million litre tank where the water is pumped and filtered directly from Sydney

Harbour creating a natural environment for the seals to live in, with live feeds daily to enthrall and entertain you.

Sydney Aquarium is also home to the largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit in the world.

Visit the home of Nemo and see clown fish dart amongst the wavering tentacles of an anemone, as well as stunningly beautiful hard and soft corals. And our interactive touch pools let you get truly up close, just like being at Sydney’s sea-side rock pools.

Plus, jump on our interactive website www. sydneyaquarium.com.au and find all the latest information and fun facts on everything aquatic. The website provides hours of entertainment.

Read about the exciting work of the Sydney Aquarium Conservation Foundation which is helping to save and protect Australia’s oceans and rivers. Check out the

exciting web cams, take a virtual tour, win prizes in our monthly competitions, adopt a virtual pet and have hours of fun challenging your friends playing the online games!

Featuring 60 tanks and three oceanariums holding approximately five million litres of water, as well as 160 metres of underwater tunnels, Sydney Aquarium is an ideal allweather venue conveniently located at Sydney’s Darling Harbour and is open until late every day, including Christmas Day. For more information contact: Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour Sydney, Australia Tel: (+61 2) 8251 7800 Open every day from 9am to 10pm

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

Sydney Tower Sydney’s best views are just the beginning…

Standing head and shoulders above the heart of the city, Sydney Tower is one of the first landmarks that visitors spot when approaching Sydney – by sea, air or land.

An icon on the city skyline for more than 25 years, the striking Sydney Tower takes you to the highest point above Sydney for breathtaking 360-degree views of the city, from its sparkling harbour, to its world famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House, and Bondi and Manly beaches on the coastline.

Soaring 250 metres above the city streets, the Tower’s Observation Deck is one of the highest in the southern hemisphere and offers an extraordinary panoramic viewing experience.

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Before the Tower was built, the maximum allowable height of a Sydney building was only 279m to allow for the harbour’s flying boats that were popular before the modern jet era.

Sydney Tower now sets the height for construction in the city at a maximum of 305 metres.

In a true engineering feat, Sydney Tower’s turret was assembled around the bottom of the shaft then lifted hydraulically by 24 100-tonne jacks at the rate of nine metres a week until it reached its final position.

On a clear day, visitors can enjoy unsurpassed views of up to 85km to the Blue Mountains in the west, the Central Coast

in the north and the South Coast. Visitors’ Observation Deck experience also includes OzTrek, one of the largest motion theatre rides in the Southern Hemisphere, offering an amazing magic carpet ride across Australia’s cultural history and geography.

Fun for the young and the young-at-heart, this virtual Australian tour includes OzTrek’s surround-sound technology, 3D holographic imagery, 180-degree cinema screens & heartstopping real-motion seating.

Soar above Sydney’s icons, glide effortlessly over the Bridge, Opera House and the warm sands of Bondi beach; feel the exhilaration of white water rafting down a tropical Queensland

river; and get up close to the jaws of a huge saltwater crocodile!

Those with a sense of adventure will enjoy the Tower’s “top” attraction, Sydney Skywalk, which offers unbeatable, uninterrupted views from the outside of the Tower’s distinctive gold turret.

Located a breathtaking 260 metres above the city – more than double the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – Skywalk is a multi-sensory experience, that takes thrillseekers outside their comfort zones and into the open air.

Skywalkers can feel the high-altitude airflows and the Sydney sunshine on their

faces, or the cool evening breeze above the shimmering city at night. Walking along two levels of steel walkways and two viewing platforms, Skywalkers venture onto the moving, glass-floored platform that extends out over the edge, to view the glittering city beneath their feet - literally.

Skywalk is made up of 2132 metres of steel held together by 2188 nuts and 2188 bolts, with each section up to two metres in length so it would fit inside the Tower’s lifts for the long trip to the top for assembling.

Dressed in special Skysuits and wearing safety harnesses throughout their experience, Skywalkers are accompanied by expert guides who provide colourful insights into Sydney’s rich history.

Since Skywalk opened in 2005, tens of thousands of visitors have dared to take the challenge and hang out on the horizon.

Meanwhile hundreds of thousands visit the

Observation Deck each year, making it one of Sydney’s most popular attractions. More than 17 million people have visited Sydney Tower since it opened in 1981 – that’s more than four times the population of Sydney!

Sydney Tower Centrepoint Podium Level, 100 Market Street Sydney. Sydney Tower + OzTrek bookings Open daily: 9.00am to 10.30pm (Saturdays to 11.30pm) Tel: (+612) 9333 9222 or book online 24 hours.

Sydney Skywalk bookings Open daily 9am to 8.45pm (last Skywalk departs 7.30pm) subject to seasonal variations Tel: (+612) 9333 9200 or book online 24 hours.

www.sydneytoweroztrek.com.au www.sydneyskywalk.com.au Best of Australia

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

Sydney Wildlife World Australia’s wildest new flora and fauna experience!

Walk through a whole new world and enjoy an authentic Australian wildlife experience, right in the heart of Darling Harbour, with Sydney Wildlife World, Australia’s wildest new attraction.

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Home to the spooky, the spiny and the scary, explore 3 levels, 9 habitats and over 65 exhibits, featuring the largest variety of Australian plants and animals under one roof. Sydney Wildlife World is home to over 100 different species, representing animals from all across Australia.

Experience a real Australian adventure, without having to travel all around the country, by taking a journey through a tropical rainforest surrounded by hundreds of colourful butterflies, or walk amongst the Agile and Tammar Wallabies in our iconic red centre.

Meet the most dangerous bird in the world, the Southern Cassowary, and explore Flight Canyon and discover which birds live within the heights of a forest canopy and the amazing calling sounds they make.

Don’t miss your chance to get up close and personal, and have your photo taken with, one of Australia’s cutest national icons, the Koala.

Shudder at the sight of the most venomous snakes in the world, touch the scales and tails of our unique reptiles, and adjust your eyes and find out what the possums and quolls get up to after dark in our Nocturnal house.

Make sure you don’t miss out on daily feeding time for the animals and our live bird training demonstrations and reptile shows!

Don’t miss your chance to step into a world that’s totally wild, and allow yourself to be completely immersed within Sydney Wildlife World.

It’s all there, and all so close.

For more information contact: Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: 02 9333 9288 Open every day from 9am to 10pm.

www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au Best of Australia

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Travel, Tour and Leisure

BridgeClimb, Sydney The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the worlds largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge and, in its beautiful harbour location, has become a renowned international symbol of Australia.

In 1989 BridgeClimb’s Founder and Chairman, Paul Cave, was involved in organising a climb over the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of an international business convention.

It was such a success that the dream of making climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge a possibility for all was born. In October 1998 BridgeClimb Sydney first opened its doors and unlocked the secret of scaling this awesome structure. BridgeClimb provides the opportunity to learn about the secrets of this amazing 66

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structure and the influential position that the Bridge holds in Sydney’s past, present and future. Small groups are taken to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134 metres (440ft) above sea level.

The experience offers Climbers an unforgettable 3 ½ hour journey with the chance to walk over catwalks and climb ladders and stairs while trained Climb Leaders provide a full commentary on the history of Sydney and its Harbour Bridge.

There are now two unique ways to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb. Climbers can choose between ‘The Bridge Climb’ and their newest experience, ‘The Discovery Climb’, the ultimate bridge adventure.

‘The Bridge Climb’ is an unforgettable experience that takes you along catwalks, up ladders, and steadily to the summit of the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Climbers will experience the satisfaction of

conquering the top of the Bridge while taking in the spectacular 360° views of Sydney and its beautiful harbour.

‘The Discovery Climb’ is a new adventure that takes Climbers through the heart and workings of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

On this journey to the Bridge’s summit, Climbers wind around structural elements and climb upon staircases that connect the two arches of the Bridge. Climbers will also have opportunities to touch

and feel the Bridge whilst admiring the views of Sydney and its surrounds.

Whether they choose ‘The Bridge Climb’ or ‘The Discovery Climb’, all Climbers reach the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and are sure to have the Climb of their Life!

Climbs are available at Dawn, Day, Twilight or at Night, and depart at 10 minute intervals seven days a week 363 days a year.

Whether it is watching as the city wakes up, capturing the hustle and bustle of a typical

Sydney day, taking in the romance of twilight or the city at night, BridgeClimb Sydney offers unique and intimate experiences that Climbers will never forget.

The experience will captivate Climbers from beginning to end and leave memories that will stay in their hearts and minds forever.

www.bridgeclimb.com Best of Australia

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