feb/mar 2020
A real Australian business magazine
ATV ACTION
Crazy fun to be had on four wheels
GO GLAMPING
Retreats for when you don’t feel like roughing it
Vietnam & Thailand A culinary journey through South-East Asia
VISIT THE REAL AUSTRALIA
TRULYAUS.COM
Welcome. WELCOME ABOARD We extend to you Alliance’s warm hospitality as you fly with us in 2020. We hope you enjoyed the festive season, which provided an opportunity to reflect on 2019. From September, Alliance has worked to deliver air services for fire and rescue personnel including firefighters, paramedics, and parks and wildlife crews, who battled blazes and helped communities in bush fire-affected regions. We operated to more than 20 airports across New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Our thoughts have been with these communities. Alliance supported a fundraiser hosted near Port Macquarie for the NSW Rural Fire Service, and our headquarters’ personnel donated rice as part of Foodbank Australia’s appeal. In December, Alliance celebrated the 1919 Great Air Race Centenary with the Darwin community. To honour the pilots and mechanics of Vickers Vimy G-EAOU and commemorate the first UK to Australia aerial flight, Alliance’s VH-QQW aircraft continues to visit cities and regional towns around Australia, and was on static display at the Edinburgh Air Show 2019. Our fleet of more than 40 Fokker aircraft continues to service a broad range of clients across multiple flying streams, including the resources sector, wet leasing, regular public transport, emergency services and tourism. Alliance’s focus continues to be the transportation of personnel for Australia’s diverse resources sector, as our fleet is perfect for servicing regional mine sites. We continue to operate services from Brisbane to Bundaberg and Gladstone, which are gateway cities to the Southern Great Barrier Reef region, and to Port Macquarie, one of Northern New South Wales’s most beautiful coastal destinations. We continue to support Breast Cancer Network Australia with our corporate cycling charity event, which is taking place in South Australia February 28–March 1, 2020. To support our riders and BCNA, please donate via hangar2hangar.com.au Alliance appreciates your patronage as we deliver genuine inflight service, industry-leading on-time performance and a safe travel experience for all passengers. We value your feedback at any time via media@allianceairlines.com.au Lee Schofield Chief Executive Officer
FEB/MAR 2020
1
VINNIES
BUSHFIRE APPEAL Australia is burning as we face some of the most dangerous and devastating bushfires our country has ever seen. Now, and long after the devastation Vinnies will continue to be there, for our local communities as they recover and rebuild their lives.
DONATE NOW
BUSHFIREAPPEAL.COM.AU
OR CALL 13 18 12 OR DONATE IN-STORE
20 24 In this issue. upfront
Features
8 Alliance News
20 ATV Action
Alliance provides support to emergency services personnel during the bush fire crisis; Alliance supports Variety the Children’s Charity SA; Explore Port Macquarie; Centenary of the first UK to Australia flight; Tasting Australia Airlines returns to SA.
16 Events Calendar A wrap-up of fun things to do across the country.
18 Entertainment
Books, tours, art and more.
AusBiz. Check out AusBiz. at the back of the magazine. REGIONAL COWORKING More and more people in regional Australia are taking a different approach to working.
There’s a new type of bush dasher in town. Here’s our pick of the best ATVs.
24 Glamping Hotspots
Where to stay around Australia’s most beautiful locations when you don’t feel like roughing it.
AUSTRALIAN APPLES Our apple producers are doing it tough, but there are ways that we can support them.
28 Vietnam & Thailand
A fun foodie journey – from the big city Bangkok highlights to getting off the grid in Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
28
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS The Australian transport industry is transforming.
FEB/MAR 2020
3
JUNE 26
0
- 28, 202
GET YOUR TICKETS QUEENSLAND’S BIGGEST CAR FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY IN ASSOCIATION WITH
ROCKYNATS.COM.AU
EDITORIAL
PUBLISHER’S
It’s been a sombre beginning to this year for most Australians, and for so many others here and around the world, one that has been filled with a sense of helplessness as we’ve watched so much of this precious country and its fragile ecosystems destroyed, and so many of our fellow people lose their homes, businesses and livelihoods. There have also been countless heart-wrenching stories shared, and many that have made our hearts melt with gratitude, as resilience and strength is something that tends to arise from bad situations. Bonds are forged in the most unlikely of places as people (and indeed animals) are pushed out of their comfort zones and forced into situations that they would never have dreamed of. Who would have dreamt of a wombat sharing its burrow with goannas and wallabies? One farmer saw it and could not believe his eyes. Although most of us love to fit in some overseas travel (and I highly recommend it!), do remember that this year it’s important to keep helping those communities that were, are, and will continue to be affected by fire damage. One of the many ways you can do this is to visit them. Listen to people’s stories, create new friendships and bonds, and if you
MICHELLE HESPE
can, spend some of your well-earned money in the villages, towns and areas that were struck, as it will help to get the locals back on their feet. That’s my New Year’s resolution – to travel around this country even more, and to spend my time, money and energy in places where it is needed the most. Every little bit helps. And remember that giving money isn’t the only way to help – caring is something that won’t cost you anything but your time and energy, and maybe a big hug. Our team can’t thank Australia’s amazing firies enough. Brave everyday Australians have stood up to help those in need, and you really can’t give any more than putting your life on the line to help others. I fitted in some travel overseas this past year as well – making it across to Bangkok and Vietnam for the most amazing food-orientated trip (read it on page 28). I explored a lesser known area called Quy Nhon, and the people there were some of the best hosts I have ever come across. Many of the Vietnamese are poor, and yet they are so giving. If you do need a break next time you have time off, it’s a place that will offer you some calm within the chaos. Here at Publishing ByChelle, we will continue to create stories that matter.
@ALLIANCE _ MAG /ALLIANCEAIRLINESMAG
Publisher: Michelle Hespe publisher@publishingbychelle.com Art Director: Jon Wolfgang Miller AusBiz. Brand & Communications Manager: Effe Sandas advertising@publishingbychelle.com Lifestyle/Travel Brand & Communications Manager: Shakira Wood shakira@publishingbychelle.com Assistant Editor: Sarah Hinder editorial@publishingbychelle.com Editorial Assistant: Samuel Steinberg Sub-editors: Shane Cubis & Claire Hey
CONTRIBUTORS
Karl Peskett Sarah Hinder Darren Baguley Ian Lloyd Neubauer Lisa Smyth Kirsten Craze Beau Robinson
PRINTING
Blue Star PRINT 81 Derby St, Silverwater NSW 2128 feb/mar 2020
A real Australian business magazine
ATV ACTION
Crazy fun to be had on four wheels
GO GLAMPING
Retreats for when you don’t feel like roughing it
Vietnam & Thailand A culinary journey through South-East Asia
Cover image: Xuanhuongho
Alliance is published by Publishing ByChelle (ABN: 78 621 375 853 ACN: 621 375 853) 3 Westleigh Street, Neutral Bay, NSW 2089 publishingbychelle.com The reproduction of any content, in whole or part without prior written permission by the publisher, Michelle Hespe, is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in the content are those of the contributors, and not necessarily those of the publisher. All information in this magazine was believed to be correct at the time of publication, and all reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. Publishing ByChelle cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. We apologise if we don’t get back to your email, as we do receive a large volume of communication via various online channels. Some images used in Alliance are from iStock and Getty images, and we make every effort to credit all contributors.
FEB/MAR 2020
5
Route Map.
Where we fly. Alliance Airlines is Australia’s leading air charter services operator.
PORT MORESBY
CHRISTMAS ISLAND GROOTE EYLANDT W E I PA
KUNUNURRA
CAIRNS
CENTURY
TOWNSVILLE
PORT HEDLAND K A R R AT H A
CANNINGTON
CAPE PRESTON
ROCKHAMPTON GLADSTONE BUNDABERG
SUNSHINE COAST
MOOMBA
BRISBANE
POR T MACQUARIE
K A LG O O R L I E
NEWCASTLE PERTH
SYDNEY
ADELAIDE
NOTE: MAPS ARE NOT TO SCALE
key Private charter flights Alliance Airlines & Virgin Australia commercial flights
FEB/MAR 2020
7
Alliance News.
Alliance News.
Stay in the know with what’s happening with our airline and in our industry.
Alliance’s emergency services support Over the years, Alliance Airlines has promptly responded to disasters and emergencies that have affected communities throughout Australasia. We have provided recovery flights with minimal advance warning for our resources and tourism clients when cyclones and floods have occurred in Far North Queensland and Western Australia, have transported emergency services personnel in times of natural disasters including bush fires, and have assisted the Australian Defence Force,
8
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
when and where requested. Alliance’s most recent support has been in the provision of aircraft and crew for NSW Rural Fire Service’s dedicated use. This has been for the transportation of fire and rescue personnel including firefighters, paramedics, and parks and wildlife crews from within New South Wales and interstate to battle bush fires and assist with rescue efforts throughout regional New South Wales. Since September 2019, Alliance
aircraft and crew have operated to more than 20 airports across New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, with more than 2500 passenger movements, as part of this complex and critical operation. Alliance’s dedicated personnel have made our emergency services support possible. Our team’s commitment and enthusiasm to support the NSW Rural Fire Service and affected regional communities at minimal notice, has been acknowledged by the NSW RFS.
Alliance News.
Alliance Airlines proudly supports Variety the Children’s Charity SA On Saturday April 18, 2020, the Variety Footy Jet will take flight from Adelaide, South Australia, to the MCG in Melbourne, Victoria, to watch Port Adelaide take on Collingwood. With all proceeds going to help children who are ill, disadvantaged or who have special needs, this charity event includes same-day return flights, coach transfers and AFL reserve seating. Variety SA CEO Mark McGill stated: “Variety is thrilled to have partnered with Alliance Airlines through the Variety Footy Jet for the past six years. It is a unique and authentic partnership. The Alliance Airlines team are fully invested into making the
experience for our guests as seamless as possible. “Through the generosity of Alliance Airlines, the AFL and SITA, the package has been delivered to Variety at no cost, and this has resulted in more than $225,000 being raised so far, which is extraordinary when you consider what impact that has had on children in need in our state. “This trip enables us to raise additional funds for South Australian children who need help most. On behalf of all the children whose lives are brighter as a result, we say thank you.” To book, please visit variety. org.au/sa/event/footy-jet
Variety SA Footy Jet - See an AFL game live in Melbourne! Collingwood V Port Adelaide at the MCG, Saturday 18 April 2020
The Variety SA Footy Jet is a day trip to watch an AFL game interstate with proceeds supporting SA kids in need! It includes: Private jet (same day return), Coach transfers, AFL reserved seating and refreshments on board. All proceeds from the event go to South Australian kids who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.
Book tickets: variety.org.au/sa/event/footy-jet/
Variety Footy Jet 2020 FINAL.indd 1
12/12/2019 FEB/MAR 12:18:072020 PM
9
VIVA E VN I VEAR GE YN EARVGI A Y TAI O V INA T I O N
Keeping Keeping your aviation your aviation business ying business ying With over 50 locations around the country and supplying fuel for approximately 1,100 flights a day, we’re providing the aviation industry with the infrastructure needed to keep With over 50 locations around the country and supplying fuel Australia flying. for approximately 1,100 flights a day, we’re providing the aviation industry with the infrastructure needed to keep Australia flying.
vivaenergy.com.au
Images: Remy Brand
Alliance News.
Alliance Airlines invites you to Greater Port Macquarie, New South Wales Greater Port Macquarie is one of Northern New South Wales’s most beautiful coastal destinations – and it’s closer than you think. At the centre of this beautiful region is the laidback coastal town of Port Macquarie, located on the water between the Pacific Ocean and Hastings River. Port Macquarie boasts pristine beaches, lush rainforests, abundant wildlife and countless boutique and luxury accommodation options. Lover of all things art and culture? Port Macquarie offers a range of entertainment and activities. Take a stroll along Town Beach, and listen to the waves crash in the background as you admire the artwork by locals and visitors from across the globe on the Breakwall. Or plan your visit to coincide with the biggest cultural event of the
year: ArtWalk, a starlit festival when all the town museums and galleries open their doors, along with live music and pop-up performances. Get up close and personal with Australian animals at Billabong Zoo or head over to the world’s first and only Koala Hospital to learn more about one of Australia’s most beloved national treasures. Spot humpback whales and dolphins on an ocean cruise or take in the gorgeous coastal views of Lighthouse Beach while riding on the back of a camel. Surrounding Port Macquarie are the beautiful regions of Camden Haven and Wauchope, where lush hinterlands meet rivers, waterways and beaches. A visit to these outer regions is a must for any nature lover. In Wauchope you can enjoy unique boutique shopping, quirky artisans and fresh produce, while
Camden Haven is known for its endless pristine beaches and waterways. With a strong culinary scene of award-winning vineyards, a hatted restaurant and many local ecofriendly and sustainable farm-to-table businesses, the region is a great destination for food enthusiasts. Whether you’re travelling for a romantic getaway, a family holiday, planning a wellness weekend away or want to eat your way through the regional cuisine, there’s something for everyone in the Port MacquarieHastings region. Visit Port Macquarie and come out of your shell! portmacquarieinfo.com.au Alliance Airlines operates daily direct services from Brisbane to Port Macquarie. Bookings via allianceairlines.com.au
Alliance Airlines’ 1919 Great Air Race Aircraft RAAF Base Edinburgh, on the outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia, opened its gates for a spectacular air show in late 2019. Alliance’s Fokker 70 VH-QQW was on static display at the show. The aircraft honours pilots Ross and Keith Smith, and mechanics Sergeants Walter Shiers and James Bennett, who won the 1919 Great Air Race – the first aerial flight from the UK to Australia – 100 years ago in their Vickers Vimy G-EAOU. Pictured: Steve Padgett, Chairman of Alliance Airlines, and his wife Lorraine, after delivering VH-QQW to the RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia.
FEB/MAR 2020
11
OUR NATIVE ANIMALS NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER Please give to WIRES today to give animals like Poppy a second chance wires.org.au
Alliance News.
Tasting Australia Airlines, in partnership with Alliance Airlines, invites you to discover McLaren Vale SA, April 2020 Be it a collaboration among worldclass chefs, an inimitable tasting of beer, wine or spirits, or an evening soaking up the flavours and aromas of Adelaide’s Town Square, Tasting Australia, presented by RAA Travel, is a unique and moreish food and beverage experience. A cast of culinary stars from around the nation and the world converge in Adelaide, South Australia. It’s where the chef’s place is not just in the kitchen, but among the people, collaborating with producers and gaining new inspiration. Explore the truly unforgettable regional destinations where delicious delights are masterfully blended with the iconic landscapes of South Australia. Ready to indulge? We know just the thing. The inaugural Tasting Australia Airlines flights from Brisbane and Melbourne offer the ultimate
Fleurieu Peninsula adventure. In 2020, Tasting Australia Airlines, in partnership with Alliance Airlines, invites you to discover McLaren Vale. South Australia is ready to put on a show: taste celebrated wines among the very vines that produced them; relax before sun-drenched vistas as renowned chefs present their pick of local produce: seafood caught fresh that morning, olives from a nearby grove, vegetables just scrubbed of their dirt. Be where time doesn’t matter. The flight from Brisbane features a McLaren Vale feast and wine tasting with a twist. Enjoy lunch at Coriole Vineyards, a winery, cellar door and restaurant set among the rolling hills of McLaren Vale. Adventures continue with a tasting at the d’Arenberg Cube, a breathtaking venue inspired by the complexities
and puzzles of winemaking. If you’re starting your journey in Melbourne, you’ll be heading to Yangarra Estate, a biodynamic vineyard devoted to growing varieties of the southern Rhône. Taste wines, including the 2016 High Sands Grenache – named 2020 Wine of the Year by James Halliday. Lunch will be hosted at the Star of Greece restaurant in Port Willunga. Forget filters: the azure water, sweeping cliffs and smooth sand here need no embellishment. Tasting Australia Airlines • $680 Friday April 3 TAA Melbourne > McLaren Vale • $785 Saturday April 4 TAA Brisbane > McLaren Vale Pack your appetite and your curiosity. Bookings via tastingaustralia.com.au
FEB/MAR 2020
13
SPECIAL FEATURE
Delicious cocktails and harbour views Hyde Hacienda Sydney Bar + Lounge is the perfect Sydney destination for drinks, dinner and dancing, with signature cocktails and premium beverages, South American-inspired eats designed for sharing, and Australia’s finest DJs and live music elevating the experience. Set against a backdrop of breathtaking Sydney harbour views, the new vista bar is inspired by the grand plantation architecture of Cuba and the playful modern vintage hotels of 1950s Miami. Early-risers will love the weekend Bottomless Brunch, where free-flowing Chandon Rosé Champagne is the star. The Instagrammble venue is also perfect for birthdays, special occasions and team bonding events. Come play with us. hydehaciendasyndey.com
Tesalate’s sand-free, lightweight, super absorbent, fast-drying beach towels are this season’s top travel essential. Retailing for between $79 and $139 AUD. Check out the collection exclusively available at www.tesalate.com
14
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Regional News
Ride, wine and dine your way through Margaret River This new Ultimate Ride to Wine and Dine tour is a private mountain-bike experience led by Margaret River Mountain Bike Tours, in partnership with the highly-acclaimed Leeuwin Estate. Starting with Indian Ocean views from Boranup Karri Forest, guests choose either electric
mountain bikes or giant dualsuspension mountain bikes before being personally guided into the forest, home to some of the largest and most ancient trees in the world. The leisurely two-hour scenic ride through forest and farmland finishes up at Leeuwin Estate winery, where
guests then enjoy a behind-thescenes tour, learning about the winemaking process and tasting of five iconic Art Series wines. Tours run for about six hours in small groups of up to six people. margaretrivermountainbiketours. com.au
See the Mornington Peninsula from above A fantastic experience to jump aboard in the Mornington Peninsula is Arthurs Seat Eagle – an aerial gondola that glides above Arthurs Seat State Park with astounding 360-degree views of the Mornington Peninsula and out to the ocean. Bespoke picnic packages are available to complement the sightseeing experience, full of goodies such as hot pastries, wraps, snacks and sweet treats. There are ample walking paths – many are wheelchair- and pram-friendly – to explore and find a secluded picnic spot within the park, as well as at nearby Seawinds Gardens, home to indigenous and exotic gardens with a William Ricketts sculpture collection featured throughout. aseagle.com.au FEB/MAR 2020
15
What’s on.
February 20–23 Superloop Adelaide 500
Adelaide SA Opening the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship series, the Superloop Adelaide 500 is the crown jewel for motorsport Down Under. superloopadl500.com.au
What’s on. February 1–6
Imparja Cup
Alice Springs NT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from right across the nation come together to play cricket while celebrating country and culture in this awesome annual event. ntcricket.com.au
February 7–March 1 Perth Festival
Perth WA A city-wide celebration for all ages, Perth’s major cultural festival presents a diversity of perspectives on the world through theatre, dance, film, and visual and cultural arts. perthfestival.com.au
16
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
by: sarah hinder
February 14–March 1
February 21–23
February 22–March 1
Sydney NSW This kaleidoscope of events celebrates Australia’s vibrant LGBTQI+ community, culminating in the Mardi Gras Parade and Party on February 29. The 2020 theme is WHAT MATTERS – what are you willing to fight for? mardigras.org.au
Agnes Water Qld This classic Queensland music festival sees eclectic acts perform at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. agnesbluesandroots.com.au
Noosa Qld Have a fun day at the beach while watching some of Australia’s, and the world’s, best boardriders catch gnarly waves off the pristine Sunshine Coast. noosafestivalofsurfing.com
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
February 15
South West Craft Beer Festival
Busselton WA More than 20 local craft breweries, from Mandurah to Denmark, come together for a chipper day of beer and cider tastings and live gigs. swbeerfest.com.au
Agnes Blues, Roots & Rock Festival
February 21–March 8
ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2020 Melbourne Vic After a series of great matches, the finals of the Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup will fall on International Women’s Day at the MCG. Be part of the action in this opportunity to set a new world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event. cricket.com.au
Noosa Festival of Surfing
February 28–March 1
2020 Superbike World Championship
Phillip Island Vic The Phillip Island Circuit jumps into action for the Superbike World Championship. Since 1990, this iconic track right by the ocean has hosted the adrenaline-pumping event. phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Image: RICHARD WATSON
What’s on.
March 6–23
Sculpture by the Sea
February 28–March 15
March 13–15
Adelaide SA This exciting program of arts and culture includes Adelaide Writers’ Week, bringing together eminent writers and intellectuals. adelaidefestival.com.au
Sunshine Coast Qld The Mooloolaba Tri brings in awesome athletes from around the country. Plus, there’s fun events for kids and casual runners, too. mooloolabatri.com.au
March 1
Porongurup Festival
Porongurup WA This family-friendly wine-tasting festival showcases the best Porongurup region labels. porongurup.com
March 6–8
FABalice Festival
Alice Springs NT Who says you can’t be fabulous in the middle of the desert? Head out to Alice Springs for one of Australia’s largest LGBTQI+ festivals, in the heart of the country. fabalice.com
March 9–20
Brunswick Music Festival
Melbourne Vic Kicking off with the iconic Sydney Road Street Party Parade, Brunswick’s artistic spaces, streets and footpaths set the stage for emerging musicians and artists. brunswickmusicfestival.com.au
March 12–15
Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix Melbourne Vic Get ready for the highoctane action of this huge event, which marks the first round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. grandprix.com.au
Mooloolaba Triathlon
March 13–15
Parramasala
Sydney NSW Discover Sydney’s rich melting pot of cultures with this huge international celebration in Parramatta. discoverparramatta.com/ Parramasala
March 18–22
CMC Rocks
Ipswich Qld Presenting the world’s best superstars, this outstanding country rock do welcomes a fantastic international line-up to this heritage city. cmcrocks.com
March 25–April 19
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Melbourne Vic One of the top three comedic events in the world, MICF is filled with a cool program of stand-up comedy, theatre, cabaret, film, radio and visual arts. comedyfestival.com.au/2020
March 6–9
WOMADelaide
Adelaide SA A lively celebration of music, arts and dance, WOMADelaide presents unique and extraordinary entertainment in an inclusive family-friendly atmosphere. womadelaide.com.au
March 27–April 5
Tasting Australia
South Australia An outstanding showcase of South Australia’s food and wine culture, the program is filled with foodie tastings, classes and workshops. tastingaustralia.com.au
Image: Morgan Sette
Adelaide Festival
Perth WA This beautiful pop-up sculpture park graces the sands of iconic Cottesloe Beach for three weeks. sculpturebythesea.com
FEB/MAR 2020
17
Entertainment.
by: sarah hinder
art Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art
February 29–June 8 at Art Gallery of SA in Adelaide SA Marking its 30th anniversary, the 2020 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Monster Theatres will “probe our understanding of fear, horror, strength and survival in the postinternet Anthropocene. Through the works of 23 artists, the pathology of the monster will be challenged, and the expectations of spectacle and storytelling will be ruptured.” agsa.sa.gov.au
Image: Rankin
Image: David Hindley
Leigh Robb, Curator, Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.
tour
Queen + Adam Lambert
February 13–29 in Brisbane Qld, Sydney NSW, Melbourne Vic, Perth WA, Adelaide SA & Gold Coast Qld Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Adam Lambert joins Brian May and Roger Taylor around Aus this summer. queenonline.com
18
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Scorpions & Whitesnake
February 19–24 in Melbourne Vic, Sydney NSW & Brisbane Qld These two hard rock legends are ready to rock you like a hurricane. Here we go again. the-scorpions.com whitesnake.com
Lenny Kravitz
April 3–8 in Sydney NSW, Newcastle NSW & Melbourne Vic Lenny Kravitz returns to Australia for the first time in eight years on his world tour. Are you gonna go his way? lennykravitz.com
Entertainment.
books
theatre
How Good’s Australia, The Betoota Advocate November 2019, Pan Macmillan, humour Australia’s oldest and favourite newspaper takes a satirical look at the country’s public and political ups and downs over the past few years. Just how have recent times shaped the nation?
Bob Hawke: The Complete Biography, Blanche d’Alpuget
December 2019, Simon & Schuster, biography This new commemorative biography, beautifully written by the late Bob Hawke’s wife, brings together a complete and definitive account of his life and legacy.
Mining and Me, Michael Martucci
August 2019, Little Steps Publishing, children’s Having a dad who works at a fly-in fly-out mine site isn’t always easy. But no matter how far away he is, his love is always there. Kids learn what it’s like to be part of a mining family in this book written by an Aussie FIFO dad.
The Gospel According To Paul
March 24–April 4 at Dunstan Playhouse in Adelaide SA The hilarious Jonathan Biggins becomes Paul Keating in a virtuosic performance that brims with the former Prime Minister’s signature wit and charisma. statetheatrecompany. com.au
art Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
March 27–April 26 at Mrs Macquarie’s Point in Sydney NSW Sydney’s annual Handa Opera event is set in a magnificent open-air opera house on the harbour with fabulous fireworks at every show. This year’s performance is La Traviata. opera.org.au/harbour
ART 22nd Biennale of Sydney
March 14–June 8 in locations around Sydney NSW This year, 98 artists will participate in art installations and performances in six locations around Sydney. In 2020 the theme is NIRIN, a phrase of the Wiradjuri people of western NSW meaning ‘edge’. The 22nd Biennale of Sydney focuses on “our city as an expansive, global city comprised of vibrant, complex villages.” biennaleofsydney.art Nongirrna Marawili painting on stringybark at Buku Larrngay Mulka, 2019, Courtesy the artist and Buku Larrngay Mulka.
FEB/MAR 2020
19
Fast Torque
FAST FACT If acronyms aren’t your thing, here’s a handy guide: all-terrain vehicle (ATV), recreational off-road vehicle (ROV), utility terrain vehicle (UTV), side-by-side (SxS)
¨ H U B S HER S A D ˜ ˜ WORDS: Karl Peskett
20
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Fast Torque
SUVs and dirt bikes have held sway for far too long. Make way, there’s a new bush basher in town. Fallen logs? Who cares. Mud? No problem. Sand dunes? Puh-lease, give us a real challenge. To explore beyond the black stump is an ATV’s mantra. Even if the path you’re taking is flooded out, you can virtually boat it through on an all-terrain vehicle. So why wouldn’t you stick with the conventional knobby-tyred two-wheeled variety of motorised transport? One word: stability. There’s no doubt dirt bikes are both fun and incredibly capable, but stop on a hill and gravity becomes the master. On an ATV, with four wheels on the ground, you just stop and get off – no staggering, no falling over, it just stays put. More than that, an ATV’s towing ability and storage compartments make them very practical. You can see why they’re a staple piece of equipment for farmers and emergency crews. But why let them have all the fun? If exploring our great nation is in your blood, there are few machines that will get you as far. Just don’t call them quad bikes anymore – that went out in the ’90s. While the basic shape of ATVs is familiar to most people, the term also includes three-wheelers and side-by-side Dakar-style off-road racers. Most fourwheeled ATVs share the same basic set-up: a grunty single- or twin-cylinder petrol engine, automatic gearbox, thumb-controlled throttle and rear-wheel drive. Several models offer a selectable all-wheeldrive system that makes them even more capable, and there’s a reverse gear for when humility kicks in and you need to back up a bit. The trick to riding an ATV is to not overdo it. Start out slow and get used to how it feels rather than punch the throttle and fly off the back. They may have double-wishbone front and independent rear suspension just like a sports car, but they ride more like a motorbike. You still sit on a padded seat, there are handlebars and brake levers, and you’ll need to don some pretty heavy-duty safety gear. Helmets are a must, and watch that you keep your legs inside the body of the bike; a tree branch stuck in your shin is never fun. Get stuck in a bit of mud, though, or head out onto a soft, sandy beach, and ATVs come into their own. A short wheelbase means they can climb over obstacles with ease, chunky tyres will churn through just about any muck you can find,
Polaris Sportsman XP 1000
and a cargo-rack means you’re not limited to taking a backpack everywhere. Get one with waterproof storage boxes, and a spare change of clothes is a handy bonus. But with so many to choose from, how do you know what to look for? Here’s a rundown of some of the best.
Polaris Sportsman XP 1000 With a 67kW twin-cylinder engine, and only weighing 366kg, the Sportsman’s power to weight is exceptional. Ground clearance of 290mm is more than a Land Rover Defender, and with Bluetooth connectivity, it will even alert you to a missed call while you’ve been having fun. It has a towing capacity of 680kg, and with selectable all-wheel drive it’s able to get through some very challenging conditions. Three levels of throttle response means you can take it easy or go hard, and it’s even painted in a scratch-resistance duco.
Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4x4i Like the Polaris, the “Kwaka” comes with a two-cylinder petrol motor. Sure, it’s less powerful (37kW), but towing is still 567kg, and with electric power steering (EPS) it lessens the kickback when climbing over rocks or branches. Cast aluminium wheels are a first for a Japanese ATV, and the Brute Force’s 4x4 system has a lever on the handlebars to vary the left-right torque distribution to the front wheels, aiding traction. Even when completely covered in sludge, the waterproof rear braking FEB/MAR 2020
21
Fast Torque
Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4x4i
system means that nothing can get in and your braking power is never compromised. Add to that 120kg of carrying capacity and day trips to a remote campsite are sorted.
Can-Am Outlander XT-P The V-twin powered Outlander Pro gets the most powerful engine in the business, with a 68kW Rotax V-twin, but it’s underneath where this machine’s advantages are most obvious. The suspension can be dialled in to three different modes of firmness, and instead of the rear wheels arcing during vertical movement, the Outlander’s fully independent set-up keeps the wheels straight, ensuring maximum traction. The power steering is variable, so it’s more stable at speed and easier to turn when slowing down, plus there are three modes to tailor your weighting preference. But the party piece is the Warn winch, which is installed from the factory, with a massive 1361kg pulling capacity. With this hooked up, it doesn’t matter which mire you’re buried in, it’ll get you out.
Can-Am Outlander XT-P
Yamaha YZX1000R
Yamaha YZX1000R
22
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
If quad bikes aren’t your thing, and you prefer dust up your nostrils instead of mud, then the YZX may be more appealing. Looking more like a Baja racer than an ATV, this blue-roofed monster is a side-by-side arrangement, and gets an angry one-litre three-cylinder engine that screams to over 10,000rpm. That should wake up the neighbours. With a conventional steering wheel, a sequentialshifting, five-speed manual gearbox and clutch set-up, it’s more car-like than any other ATV. But with 330mm ground clearance and over 400mm of suspension travel, the YZX makes a dune buggy look like a kid’s Lego set.
NETWORKING INDUSTRY EDUCATION LEAD GENERATION
Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition
21-23 JULY 2020 Mackay Showgrounds
4500+
Industry Personnel
250+
Industry Suppliers
Engage
Engineers Senior Managers Site Personnel
EXHIBITING APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN For more information visit qmeexpo.com.au
Glamping Experiences
Happy glampers! Nestled among sand dunes and hidden between towering gums, these are some of the top glamping destinations across the country. WORDS: sarah hinder
24
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
1
SAL SALIS, NINGALOO REEF WA Set upon outback dunes overlooking one of Australia’s most well-preserved coral reefs, this remote eco-luxe retreat offers guests a truly surreal experience. An outstanding oasis where the outback meets the reef, Sal Salis is one of the Luxury Lodges of Australia. With 15 wilderness tents, plus a special hut for honeymooners, the ethos here is to ensure only a minimal footprint upon the pristine landscape. From April to July you can take a swim with local whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, while from August to October you can jump in beside migrating humpback whales. salsalis.com.au
Image: Jeremy Somerville
Image: George Apostolidis
Glamping Experiences
2
LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT, GREAT BARRIER REEF QLD Situated at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island is a coral cay that provides a sanctuary for more than 1200 species of marine life. The island’s eco resort has secluded glamping tents alongside its comfortable rooms. The aim is to engage and educate guests with minimal impact, and with such an abundance of manta rays, turtles, sea birds and tropical fish, there’s plenty of opportunity for natural encounters. Guests are encouraged to join in efforts towards conservation and sustainability. ladyelliot.com.au
5
3
GLAMP SANDRIDGE, BOAT HARBOUR TAS This campsite and wedding venue is all about the location: at the centre of a 500-acre wilderness reserve in rugged north-west Tasmania, overlooking the distant Bass Strait. When it comes to the eight-tent eco village, Sandridge Estate really throws in the good stuff – with everything from wine and cheese to fairy lights and log fires – plus Tassie’s extraordinary star-studded skies and abundant native wildlife. Book your wedding here and guests need only walk a short distance from the reception to spend a night beneath the stars. sandridgeestate.com.au
4
LONGITUDE 131°, ULURU-KATA TJUTA NATIONAL PARK NT A glamping experience of a lifetime, Longitude 131° has been thoughtfully and sustainably designed to preserve the natural lay of the land. Atop acaciacoloured sand dunes, 16 tented pavilions overlook Australia’s most recognisable natural landmark: Uluru. When you’re not dining under the desert stars or peering out from your lodge at Uluru, perhaps venture out for a helicopter ride over the Red Centre, hike the Valley of the Winds walk at Kata Tjuta, or learn about the local Anangu people, the traditional custodians of this ancient land. longitude131.com.au
KARIJINI ECO RETREAT, KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK WA Set among one of Western Australia’s largest and most awe-inspiring national parks, these low-impact glamping lodges are designed to cause no harm to the surrounding natural environment. The spacious solar-powered eco tents feature a king-size bed, quality linen and their own ensuite bathroom. The region is home to gorges, rock formations and cascading waterfalls that have been virtually untouched for more than two billion years, providing plenty of opportunities for hiking, abseiling, rock climbing and swimming. karijiniecoretreat.com.au
FEB/MAR 2020
25
Glamping Experiences
SWELL LODGE, CHRISTMAS ISLAND Christmas Island’s first luxury ecoaccommodation, Swell Lodge opened in June 2018. It’s the first ecologically sustainable accommodation to be approved inside an Australian national park. Perfect for those seeking privacy, two glass-fronted chalets are nestled on the island’s rugged west coast (eight are planned). Strikingly remote and set within wild country overlooking the open Indian Ocean, the island is known as ‘Australia’s Galapagos’. Guests can snorkel and dive amongst a kaleidoscope of marine life. swelllodge.com
6
7
COSY TENTS, DAYLESFORD VIC Deep in Victoria’s spa country, in rural Hepburn Shire, Cosy Tents aims to provide all the creature comforts in a low-key environment. From goose down quilts and a woodfired heater to a continental-style breakfast basket and Bose Bluetooth speakers, a stay here is like checking into a luxury hotel – but outside under the stars and with a firepit at your door. In the surrounding region you can book yourself into a day spa or explore local restaurants and wineries. cosytents.com.au
26
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
8
PAPERBARK CAMP, JERVIS BAY NSW With safari-style tents inspired by the owners’ time in South Africa, Paperbark Camp seamlessly combines luxury with sustainable camping in a bushland setting. Surrounded by towering gums, 12 deluxe canvas tents boast all manner of five-star luxuries, while allowing you to entirely switch off from the outside world – meaning no power points or TV. The intimate site is a beautiful wedding and event venue, while the licensed restaurant serves gourmet breakfasts and dinners as well as offering picnic hampers: the perfect lunch to accompany your day exploring Jervis Bay. paperbarkcamp.com.au
Bushfire Emergency Appeal Rebuild and Restore Hope for Aussie Families
Habitat for Humanity Australia is providing recovery services to 86 fire-affected families in Cudlee Creek, South Australia. Our Disaster Recovery Team is on the ground restoring hope and rebuilding the communities affected. Families will need our help for many months, even years. Your financial support will mean a large team of volunteers can remain for as long as is needed.
Every donation will help families and communities get back on their feet during a crucial time of need.
Please donate today:
habitat.org.au/aubushfires
International Fast Torque Travel
CALM WITHIN THE
CHAOS A CULINARY ADVENTURE
28
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Thailand and Vietnam are both renowned for their culinary offerings, so what better way to spend a honeymoon than to eat a path across them? WORDS: MICHELLE HESPE
International Travel
AHH,
Making and selling Thai noodles in a floating boat market.
Bangkok. Crazy busy, eye-wateringly colourful, bonkers Bangkok. Upon leaving the airport, the first thing that strikes most people is the order somehow rising from the chaos. Thousands of pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, tuk tuks, cars, trucks and buses all stream raggedly along – merging, tangling, drifting, dodging – in a frenetic flurry of human motion that somehow manages to move forward. And then there’s the intense heat of the day, ramped up by the humidity. Which makes stepping into the palatial lobby of five-star sanctuary Anantara Siam Bangkok a somewhat surreal experience. After the doors close, cool air envelopes my partner and I as the city’s never-ending boom crash opera dissolves. Immaculately dressed Thai staff greet us with sweet smiles and gently spoken welcomes. Our luggage is whisked away and before we know it we’re seated in the hotel’s Spice Market restaurant, with a quietly delivered glass of champagne and a local craft beer. An artfully arranged platter of local Thai delicacies is placed before us, setting the tone for the culinary adventure we’ve excitedly embarked upon. Just beyond the restaurant’s walls – lined with hessian bags, woven baskets and jars of traditional Thai spices – are hundreds of plump red, white and black koi fish. They swim nonchalantly around in enormous ponds surrounded by jungle-like gardens and pictureperfect wooden bridges spanning the rockeries they call home. We’re told by the waiter that the fish symbolise prosperity, health and good luck. FEB/MAR 2020
29
International Travel
BRUNCH OF T HE GODS
Grand staircase at Anantara Siam Bangkok
There’s so much to do in Bangkok. There are sprawling high-end malls aplenty, night and day markets galore (head to MBK for eight floors of insane shopping options where you can haggle your heart out), river cruises to enjoy, rooftop bars to indulge in and a plethora of tailors ready to whip up your dream outfit, straight from the pages of Vogue. If architecture, history and fashion are your thing, make time for a fascinating tour of Jim Thompson House in downtown Bangkok. Jim was an American entrepreneur who, after making the city his home, was pivotal in saving then developing Thailand’s silk industry. He mysteriously disappeared in 1967, leaving behind his remarkable home with an enviable collection of Asian art, furniture and antiques. Food is our guiding force, so on Sunday we follow our noses to one of our hotel’s expansive sunlit courtyards, where more than 20 chefs from around the world cook dishes for what is considered Bangkok’s biggest and best brunch. Like a well-oiled machine, it’s been tantalising the tastebuds of guests for 36 years. We settle on the dining plan that offers us unlimited champagne, wine, beer and soft drinks, with as much food as we can eat from 11am to 3pm.
Luckily, we prepared by attending with empty stomachs and our largest elastic-waisted pants. Thai duck pancakes and chilli jam stirfries, Chinese dumplings, honeyed chicken, Italian pastas and pizzas, European chicken and beef roasts with gravy, Middle Eastern kebabs and Mediterranean platters, Indian curries and samosas, Japanese sushi and sashimi... all this and so much more is whipped up and delivered to tables while a band plays jazz songs by the fish ponds. Then there’s the range of buffets – cheeses of the world; seafood platters piled high with oysters, prawns and lobster; a creative salad bar, and a dessert laboratory with a mind-boggling array of cakes, slices, chocolates, lollies, cookies, pancakes and pretty much anything sweet you can think of. We wander from one exhibit to another, taking breaks to sip on French Champagne and consider our next moves. Four hours later we roll down the hotel’s opulent hallways, babbling like toddlers high on sugar, recounting course after course of some of the finest food of such diverse origins that we’ve ever seen arranged in the one space. As the lights of Bangkok twinkle, we fall into food comas and dream of the next phase of our foodfirst journey: Quy Nhon.
GOOD MOR NING, V IE T N A M
A flight from Bangkok through Ho Chi Minh City has us landing in the small airport of Quy Nhon – a coastal city a few hours south of the more widely known tourist hot spot Hoi An. On the drive from the airport to our resort, quintessentially Vietnamese rural landscapes, bustling villages and urban scenes roll by us like a kaleidoscopic slide show: ride paddies with locals toiling under conical straw hats, old toothy men selling fish and
30
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
International Travel
Locals fishing using traditional fish traps.
fruit on the roadside, construction happening everywhere with bamboo the scaffolding of choice. Everywhere we look people are on motorbikes, transporting everything from chickens, pigs and eggs to pieces of furniture and entire families – babies and toddlers wedged comfortably between smiling parents and siblings. We arrive at Anantara Quy Nhon, which is sandwiched by a grassy mountain on one side and a beautiful beach on the other. The sun sets behind islands on the horizon, the sea where fisherman bob in their round fishing bowl-boats glowing golden. Each night we sit in the resort’s restaurant, Sea.Fire.Salt, the sound of crashing waves the only music we need. The signature dish here is meat and seafood cooked on an ancient slab of rock salt. The meat is still sizzling when it arrives, alongside a trolley of locally produced aromatic salts in miniature pottery bowls. We soon learn that naturally enhanced flavours are
everything here, and British chef Marcus Meek is a master with his fresh takes on classics such as lobster thermidor and surf ‘n’ turf. Our days at the resort glide gently by – we visit a 1000-year-old temple and an incense-making factory where women create millions of joss sticks a week, take a martial arts lesson with the charismatic local legend Mr Phuc, and wake every day to calming views across the ocean, tropical gardens and palm trees rustling like whispers on the breeze. A couple’s massage in the resort’s spa, positioned above the sea and in the jungle, has us walking on air. Stoically set on our mission, we once again turn our attention to Vietnam’s food. In a hole-in-the-wall local café we dine on rice paper rolls that have the crunchy bonus of deep-fried prawn and chicken crêpe-like fillings. It’s a Quy Nhon specialty, we’re told. We visit a floating restaurant in a fishing village and choose our seafood from the ‘menu’ – which consists of
live tubs of lobsters, crayfish, prawns, squid, snails, mussels and pippies straight from the sea. Beer is a staple wherever you go and will usually set you back a dollar… or just 50c from the supermarket. Anywhere, at any time, you can order the country’s most famous meal, bánh mì. If you haven’t sampled one from a VietnameseAustralian outlet, picture a sandwich on a crusty white baguette, with a mix of meats and vegetables from native Vietnamese cuisine such as cha lua (pork sausage), coriander, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, with some condiments from French cuisine such as pâté thrown in, along with chili and mayonnaise. I can’t help but eat one for breakfast every morning along with noodles, green tea and a papaya or watermelon juice. Back at the resort we take a cooking lesson with the resident Vietnamese chef, who teaches us how to make a papaya and green mango chicken salad, a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish, and rice paper rolls. Then we sit by the sea and dine on our own creations with some French wine. By day five we’ve actually lost weight, as the food is so healthy. It’s no wonder that the Vietnamese are so slim – they mainly live on seafood, chicken, vegetables, fruit, noodles and rice. FEB/MAR 2020
31
International Travel
RHYTHMIC IN ITS MADNESS M A R K E T S A ND M AY HE M
And then we’re off to the big smoke. Ahhh, Ho Chi Minh City. Mad busy, eye-poppingly chaotic HCMC. This city (formerly known as Saigon) has a similar feel to Bangkok – same same, but different. It’s somehow more rhythmic in its madness, and the only way the city can continue at its established pace is to ensure that no one stops. Ever. Motorbikes are the main means of transport and everyone simply weaves in and out of obstacles in a neverending stream of humans. Once you decide to cross a road, commit and just keep going. Maybe pray as some people even drive the wrong way down a road without a care in the world. My partner and I checked into the grande dame of HCMC – New World Saigon Hotel. After a recent multimillion-dollar renovation, it retains its position as the city’s most popular, modern hotel. Its enormous domed lobby is just a taste of the style and sheer size of the place. The Executive Suites are well worth your money as they grant access to the Club Lounge, where cocktail hour kicks off at 5pm and includes free wine, beer, and an assortment of delicious
32
ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
nibbles. Put a day aside for lounging by the pool, as you can order food, relax and watch from the balcony as the locals do their crazy traffic thing. The hotel is also a stone’s throw from the historic markets, which have more than 7,000 stores. It’s utter madness. Get your best wheeling/dealing face on, as the Vietnamese are incredible salespeople. You can pretty much be assured getting 50 per cent off the original price quoted on anything, but don’t be rude. Word travels fast in this place and although most vendors love a good haggle, like anyone, they don’t appreciate being ripped off or being spoken down to. Smile, laugh, and play the game with them. It’s a lot of fun. To wrap up our food odyssey, we squeeze in one last meal of rice paper rolls and some drinks in the lobby bar of New World Saigon, where the wine list is superb. Sporting healthy glows from some poolside downtime, we look back at what we’ve done in just one week then raise a glass to good food and long health… and to finding a sense of calm within the chaos. The writer was a guest of Anantara Hotels: anantara.com and New World Saigon Hotel: newworldhotels.com
Top to Bottom: New World Saigon’s poolside lounging area; The Club Lounge at New World Saigon Hotel.
AusBiz.
NEWS+VIEWS | MINING | AGRIBUSINESS | INFRASTRUCTURE
UPSETTING THE APPLE CART Disrupting a primary industry isn’t easy, but these three operators are keeping the doctor at bay with innovative thinking. p24
p.10 mining: tailings management P.18 regional coworking spaces p.28 transport: new inland rail P.34 charity spotlight: careflight
Waverley Mills Recycled Grid Charcoal Throw $199.00 (140cm x 200cm) Made from recycled merino wool and designed by BernabeiFreeman.
WRAP YOURSELF IN LUXURY Waverley Mills is Australia’s last remaining weaving mill located in Launceston, Tasmania.
waverleymills.com
ONLY 95 CALORIES PER CUP
made with r e a l probi o t i c y o g h u r t TW-Tiger Ad-1/2Page 123x188_FA.indd 2
TWISTEDHEALTHYTREATS.COM.AU
17/12/19 13:08
AUSBIZ NEWS
BUSINESS NEWS & VIEWS
DEFINITION OF ‘AUSSIE BEACH’ CHANGED IN TOP 20 OF 2020 LIST
Image: Rik Soderland
In the official ‘Top 20 Australian Beaches 2020’ list, an inland ‘beach’ has been named for the first time. Wagga Wagga’s historic Wagga Beach made the cut at number nine this year in Tourism Australia ambassador Brad Farmer’s list. Farmer, who co-wrote 101 Best Australian Beaches in 2012, has spent his life visiting and studying thousands of Australia’s sandy hotspots. The annual top 20 list takes into account academic-based criteria such as environment, water quality, cleanliness, social history and facilities, as well as factors such as international suitability, beach safety and engagement with authentic Aussie locals. 101bestbeaches.org
OzHelp wins ACT Social Change Maker Award Nominee for the 2019 Telstra Social Change Maker Award and winner of the ACT category, OzHelp is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preventing suicide and promoting mental health by providing evidence-based preventive mental-health programs in high-risk workplaces across the country. “Our hope is that by winning the ACT category for Social Change Maker and being placed on this renowned national platform, we can shine a light on suicide risk factors in high-risk industries, as well as show how employers can take a proactive approach in supporting their employees and their communities to be healthy and to thrive.”
OzHelp seeks to break down barriers in order to better promote positive self-care and help-seeking behaviours. The organisation was established after apprentice David O’Bryan took his own life, followed by another three young Canberran men in a three-month period. David’s mother realised the dire lack of support services for young apprentices and vowed to make a change. Eighteen years on, OzHelp’s programs are delivered nationally, and in 2018 more than 38,000 people benefited from a range of programs, tools and awareness campaigns. ozhelp.org.au FEB/MAR 2020
3
AUSBIZ NEWS
TINY HOMES CARNIVAL REACHES SYDNEY For the first time, the Tiny Homes Carnival will come to Sydney this March 7–8. Leading the way in the tiny house movement – described as “a social trend to simplify our lives by reducing size without sacrificing quality of life” – Big Tiny are collaborating with Australian Tiny House Association to bring this exciting international carnival to St Ives Showground in Sydney’s north. The tiny house trend has grown enormously in Australian in recent years, as has integrating the concept of tiny houses with ecotourism. Special guest speakers John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin from Netflix’s Tiny House Nation will be taking the stage, as will Bryce Langston, creator of the popular web series Living Big in a Tiny House. tinyhomescarnival.com
FAST FACTS WA’s newest national park
Image: Tourism WA
The Houtman Abrolhos Islands, a series of 122 ecologically significant islands surrounded by coral communities, have recently been granted national park status. Located 60 kilometres off the coast of Geraldton, the islands extend across 100 kilometres of the Indian Ocean. They’re accessible by several boat day tours, as well as scenic flights from Geraldton and Kalbarri, which offer land-based activities such as guided nature walks and snorkelling. westernaustralia.com
4
AusBiz.
50m²
According to the Australian Tiny House Association, “tiny houses are moveable dwellings up to 50m² that are suitable for residential use.”
11,761
Australia is officially home to a total of 11,761 beaches. This number has the potential to soon grow with the introduction of ‘inland beaches’ to the list.
16%
Just 16 per cent of Australia’s beaches are accessible by conventional roads. A further 12 per cent are accessible by unsealed roads, 29 per cent by four-wheel-drive, and 43 per cent are inaccessible.
KARIJINI
eco RETREAT
World class Karijini National Park is a must-see for any visitor to the Pilbara and located in the depths of the park is the magnificent Karijini Eco Retreat. Designed with the environment in mind • Deluxe and dorm style eco tents and cabins • Outback restaurant & bar • 15 min. walk trail to Joffre Gorge • Campground with BBQ facilities, showers/WC • Easy access - only 3km unsealed
Bookings T: (08) 9425 5591 E: reservations@karijiniecoretreat.com.au W: www.karijiniecoretreat.com.au Off Weano Road, Karijini National Park, Western Australia Owned by the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation
ecoretreat karijini
27 June to 3rd July 2020 7 days of riding Road - Elite Rider & Social Rider Packs Mountain Bike - Fast Pack & Fun Pack Fully Catered & Supported
Raising funds to support the education of kids in the bush.
Early Bird Offer
Register Now until the end of February to receive a free pair of C2K Knicks (Value $185)
C2KBIKERIDE.COM.AU
SPECIAL PROMOTION
Cairns to Karumba Bike Ride Taking place this June 27–July 3, the 2020 Cairns 2 Karumba Bike Ride will see riders of all abilities and experience levels race or ride 780 kilometres through astounding Far North Queensland scenery, from Cairns on the east coast to Karumba in the remote Gulf of Carpentaria. For elite riders, the event offers the chance for a solid training week before a major event. To the social rider, the journey can mean an unforgettable week away with mates and the chance to meet new people and make life-long friends. If the full week isn’t possible, there’s also the option to join for a one- or threeday ride, which still allows you to be part of the amazing experience. The ride offers two main tracks: Like to keep it clean? The road ride will be your thing! Don’t mind getting a little dirty? Then the ‘Dirty Boys’ ride is for you! Both rides start and end together daily, before splitting off during the day to offer two very different riding experiences. The ride has never been just about the cycling. C2K raises money each year for the Cairns School of Distance Education to assist in the education of kids across Far North Queensland, which allows them to be part of experiences that may not be otherwise available. In recent years this has included a program called Pedals, where students have been part of workshops provided by some of Australia’s best presenters across a range of areas. Small schools along
the ride’s route also benefit from the ride with funds going to projects such as interstate trips, robotics programs and upgrading school sporting grounds and equipment. Along the ride, riders meet with many families for whom they are raising funds, and see the benefits they have received. Each year, the almost
70 volunteers and event sponsors involved make the ride possible. The early bird registration special ends February 29. After that, you can register any time until May 31. If you are interested in riding, being a supporter to a mate or family member, volunteering, or becoming a sponsor, please visit c2kbikeride.com.au FEB/MAR 2020
7
Workforce
solutions
Are you looking for a reliable workforce to help you plan ahead? The Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) is an employer sponsored program connecting eligible businesses in rural and regional Australia with workers from nine Pacific island countries and Timor-Leste. The PLS offers employers access to a reliable workforce when there is not enough local labour available to fill low and semi-skilled positions.
The PLS is open to all sectors, including: • • • • •
Aged care and social assistance Accommodation and food services Non-seasonal horticulture & agriculture Fisheries and aquaculture Meat processing
For more information: Contact the Pacific Labour Facility Enquiries@pacificlabourfacility.com.au Phone: (07) 3557 7750 www.pacificlabourmobility.com.au
SPECIAL FEATURE Jason Mani from Malaita province in Solomon Islands harvests vegetables at Gracekate Farms. Photo: Pacific Labour Facility.
David Sondopiea from Papua New Guinea works at Skybury Farm in Mareeba, Queensland, through the PLS. Photo: Pacific Labour Facility.
Helping regional and rural businesses address labour shortages The Pacific Labour Scheme connects workers with rural and regional Australian businesses that can’t find enough local labour. Kerry and Simon McCarthy own and manage Gracekate Farms on the Darling Downs in Queensland, supplying leafy greens to farmers’ markets as well as major national supermarkets. Gracekate Farms has employed workers from Solomon Islands through the Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) since 2012, and many of these have returned to the farm for several seasons in a row. Having these seasonal workers on the farm has enabled the business to expand, and the McCarthys have now also signed up to the Government’s newer Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) to meet their longer-term labour needs. While the SWP allows farmers to employ workers from nine Pacific
countries and Timor-Leste for unskilled roles for up to nine months, the PLS enables employers to recruit workers for low-skilled and semiskilled roles for a longer period of one to three years, subject to local market testing requirements. Kerry McCarthy says the Solomon Island workers have been highly productive and have hit the ground running from the start. “Our team from Solomon Islands is fabulous – because of them we’re now able to plan ahead,” she explains. “It will be great to get a more permanent workforce on the ground soon to help us prepare for the harvesting season.” Along with the SWP and the Working Holiday Maker Programme, the PLS is another way in which rural and regional
Australian businesses and Pacific island workers can benefit from labour mobility arrangements in our region. People from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu can apply for employment in Australia through the PLS. Anyone who signs up to the scheme from these countries has the same workplace and health and safety rights as Australian workers, and built-in systems protect them against exploitation. Rural and regional Australian employers from any industry or sector can apply to join the PLS. For more information, and to find out your eligibility and if Pacific labour mobility meets your employment needs, visit the website: pacificlabourmobility.com.au FEB/MAR 2020
9
MINING: TAILINGS
TELLING TAILS We delve into the management of tailings storage facilities, highlighting the risks and looking at how new technology is being utilised. Words: Darren Baguley
10
AusBiz.
MINING: TAILINGS
When Vale’s tailings dam near the Brazilian city of Brumadinho burst, it killed hundreds of people, threatened global iron supplies, and reset the conversation on tailings dam safety. Just after noon on 25 January 2019, Tailings Dam I of the Brazilian mining giant’s Córrego do Feijão iron ore mine collapsed, flooding the valley below with a 12 million-cubic-metre cascade of thick brown tailings sludge that swallowed the mine’s offices and its packed caféteria, farms, the hamlet of Vila Ferteco, and buildings on the outskirts of the city of Brumadinho. Official figures state that 272 people died in the disaster, including 14 whose bodies have never been recovered. In the aftermath of the disaster Vale’s stock price plummeted 24 per cent, and was followed by a farreaching, criminal investigation that’s still ongoing. The company’s viability is being questioned after numerous individuals, companies and businesses launched the largest lawsuit in UK history in the wake of a previous disaster: the 2015 Samarco Mariana dam collapse. That failure killed 19 people and virtually destroyed the nearby villages of Bento Rodrigues and Paracatu de Baixo. It does not take much imagination to expect that similar suits will follow the Brumadinho disaster. There are more than 3500 tailings
dams worldwide, and according to mineral process engineering company McLanahan’s International Business Manager Richard Williams: “there are one or two tailings dam failures a year.” But the 2019 failure threatened the global iron ore supply, with frenzied trading pushing prices up 18 per cent in a fortnight, rocketing the commodity price towards 2014 levels as other miners struggled to lift production. Another impact was the effect the disasters had in the boardrooms of the world’s major mining companies. In December 2016, the International Council on Mining & Metals, which encompasses the 27 leading mining companies in the world, put out a position statement bluntly titled ‘Preventing catastrophic failure of tailings storage facilities’. In September 2019, the Minerals Council of Australia followed up with the Australian Mining Tailings Communique, a document developed in concert with its members. The communique acknowledged that “tailings management in Australia is advanced and highly regulated but focuses on demonstrating global leadership and best practice in governance, information sharing and technical expertise in tailings storage management. The communique also seeks to solidify
FEB/MAR 2020
11
One Passion. Many Opportunities.
Find your opportunity Liebherr-Australia are seeking suitably qualified people to join us.
Further information at: www.liebherr.com.au/jobs
MINING: TAILINGS
AS SOCIETY COMES TO ACCEPT THE NEED TO ELIMINATE TAILINGS DAMS, THE INDUSTRY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE IN PARALLEL.
the industry focus on preventing a repeat of past tailings storage errors.” The mining equipment, technology and services sector has responded favourably to what it sees as a new willingness on the part of mining companies to invest in tailings storage management and safety. Williams says, “without a socially acceptable plan to responsibly deposit and rehabilitate these areas, you have no project and the community expectation appears moving to some form of dry tailings. Multiple technology options exist currently to produce and stack dry tailings. There are no technical limits to achieving this, only a cost implication. As society comes to accept the need to eliminate tailings dams and loss of life, all of the industry should be able to move in parallel to improve the safety and reliability in these areas.” He adds: “A number of McLanahan customers are currently assessing how ‘filtered tailings’ could fit into their resource expansion projects or upgrade projects. When we configure a filtered tailings solution, we typically aim for a closed loop or zero pond tailings management strategy. For a closed loop tailings system, quarry operators are encouraged to consider an ultra-fines recovery system, where potentially usable ultra-fine product can be reused as a blend medium or for other products, rather than sending it straight to waste. Quite simply, product fines that would go to a pond can now be redirected to a thickener, where they are densified, and process water is captured for plant reuse. The thickener underflow is pumped to a mixing tank and run through a filter press, where the solids are further dewatered and a dry cake is produced. The filtrate (water) is also captured from this process for reuse or disposal to alternative markets.” While there is a definite move
towards dry processing of tailings, there are thousands of tailings storage facilities in existence, and a key challenge for mining companies is monitoring the status of both open and closed tailings facilities. According to Inmarsat’s Mining Innovation Director Joe Carr: “there is a wide range of methods used across the industry for collecting data at tailings dams by mining companies, regulators and auditors, but the vast majority typically rely on manual processes … This manual approach to data collection commonly leads to human error in the reporting of FEB/MAR 2020
13
MINING: TAILINGS
There are innovative technological solutions which give mining companies a centralised, real-time and reliable view of the status of their tailings facilities.
FAST FACTS • Tailings are the finegrained solid residues left after minerals and metals have been extracted from an ore. They are commonly transported as slurry and thickened before being stored in tailings dams. • There more than 3500 tailings dams worldwide.
metrics, which leads to a lack of consistency in reporting, making it difficult for mining companies to obtain a complete view of the conditions at their tailings facilities. ”The net effect of this is that mining companies often have a disjointed and siloed approach to managing tailings dams, which they struggle to access, comprehend and use any data they collect. It is a particular problem for mining companies with global operational footprints, as they often struggle to bring the data together from their tailings dams across the world to a central place,” says Carr. ”Furthermore, even the larger companies that have more sophisticated multi-sensor systems may have a completely different arrangement at another dam, making data standardisation a difficult and inconsistent process. “Fortunately, there are innovative technological solutions that have been developed and implemented, which give mining companies a centralised, real-time and reliable view of the status of their tailings facilities. For example, our solution allows mining companies
OPAL MINE TAILINGS NEAR COOBER PEDY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
to gather and process data from various sensors via edge computing technologies, like LoRaWAN, and send it via our ultra-reliable L-band network to a central cloud dashboard that displays the data.” According to Carr, the most obvious benefit of this approach is that “it allows off-site teams to manage their tailings sites more proactively by giving them a centralised and real-time oversight of key metrics, such as pond elevation, piezometric pressures, inclinometer readings and weather conditions. This means mining companies can make faster, better-informed decisions and stop any issues from developing into more serious problems, dramatically improving the safety of their dams and local communities.” Given that two tailings dam collapses in less than 10 years have killed close to 300 people, caused massive environmental destruction and are threatening the viability of one of the world’s largest mining companies, both the change in emphasis and the advent of new technology are very welcome developments. FEB/MAR 2020
15
Tiny Surveyor Pre-Marking Robot Mark lines from the comfort of your car! Tiny Surveyor is a robotic pre-marker tool that will save you time, increase safety and enable you to mark out road lines automatically. With the ability to interface to any GNSS or total station for precise height measurements, the Tiny Surveyor is a versatile and reliable tool that works for eight hours on a single charge. Key benefits: • Up to 10 times faster than marking out on foot • Increase safety by following the robot from a car • Reliable, repeatable 2-3cm accuracy • Works as hard as you do with 8 hour battery • Versatile to accommodate different spray can sizes • Compact, portable design makes for easy transportation • Use with your existing GNSS and optical survey equipment • Works with a variety of standard file formats Visit our website to register for a demo roadshow near you in 2020! Get in touch today:
1300 867 266 info@positionpartners.com.au www.positionpartners.com.au Australia • New Zealand • SE Asia
SPECIAL PROMOTION
Final trim the Topcon way
Topcon machine control technology will provide you with the flexibility to mix and match your grader solution to suit different applications at different stages of the project you’re working on. With many of the new construction graders in Australia arriving from the factory or dealer with the option for an integrated system and basic machine control technology already installed, it is more important than ever to ensure you have the best solution on your grader that both suits your current needs and has the ability to grow with your business. If you rely on a factory-fitted system, you may be limited by the fact that these systems are often not upgradeable or transferable between machines, so if you need a more sophisticated solution, it can be difficult to proceed without starting again with a different option. This can be needlessly expensive and time-consuming. Ensuring you have the best machine control solution is arguably even more important on your grader, because if fine tolerances are not achieved consistently across the site, it will result in rework and extra materials, increasing costs and decreasing efficiencies. Ideally, you need to get the grade right the first time, and Topcon machine control can ensure you do. “The machine control technology available from Topcon is compatible across all machine types, makes and models. This makes it a highly
flexible and customisable solution. A GNSS machine control system can be adapted with a high precision laser transmitter that combined will deliver millimetre vertical precision for fine grading tasks, a technology unique to Topcon,” says Josh Allan, Construction Business Manager at Position Partners Australia. Topcon machine control technology is the most flexible on the market, so you can mix and match your solutions to suit whatever job you’re working on. All contractors can attest that every job is different, and you often need more than one machine control system configuration to complete the range of tasks you work on to the tolerance you require.
Topcon grader machine control gives you the option to: • Easily swap machine control technology between machines – so you can stretch your machine control system across a range of machines. • Scale up or scale down to suit the job – for example, you might box out a subdivision with GPS/ GNSS, but then you can switch to a sonic tracker to follow the kerb. Topcon lets you work with 2D or 3D technology without having to install a whole new system. • Combine GPS/GNSS with other technology, including laser or prisms with a total station, to increase accuracy even further for final trim work. FEB/MAR 2020
17
REGIONAL: COWORKING
COWORKING IN THE COUNTRY Coworking spaces are popping up all over regional and rural Australia, but are they here to stay or just another ‘remote working’ fad? Words: lisa smyth
18
AusBiz.
REGIONAL: COWORKING
I wanted to see if you could create a software engineering industry in a small rural town.
When Liam O’Duibhir opened the tech-focused coworking space CoWS Near The Coast in the rural NSW town of Bega in 2014, it was a big deal. “There was a massive opening ceremony – the local MP came and gave a speech and everything,” laughs O’Duibhir. “It was a grand experiment – I wanted to see if you could create a software engineering industry in a small rural town. Now we have freelancers, people who work remotely for big companies in Sydney and Brisbane, and people just passing through, visiting family. But it’s still mostly people in the tech sector.” Australia is the sixth fastest-growing
market for coworking in the world, just behind the UK at number five, and Luxembourg in the top spot. While the vast majority of coworking spaces are located in capital cities, and concentrated in the central business districts of those cities, a 2017 study reports that 15 per cent are located in Australia’s regional towns. “It’s become unstoppable,” explains O’Duibhir. “There are now multiple coworking spaces in the Bega Valley, and Bega is only a town of 5000 people! We were the first ones to introduce the idea to local government – they had no idea what coworking was – and now our valley is brimming with coworking spaces.”
WORKING ON A ‘SEA CHANGE’ Initially, coworking spaces were seen to only cater for IT start-ups and entrepreneurs, and were snapped up due to their reduced costs, flexible leasing terms and speed of delivery – the average move-in time for a small business in Australia to a coworking space is just 37 days. In the beginning, the ability to get a business up and running in a short space of time with minimal spend was the key attraction. But lifestyle choices are now increasingly becoming a factor, with places like Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and NSW South Coast having the highest concentration of FEB/MAR 2020
19
REGIONAL: COWORKING
A COMMUNITY OF CO-WORKERS
coworking spaces. Ben Howe, CEO of Co Spaces in Southport, Queensland, says, “It’s unbelievable the people who live on the Gold Coast and fly in and fly out to Sydney a few days a week. With technology getting better and internet speeds getting faster, there’s no reason you can’t work outside the major cities.” When it comes to regional coworking spaces, there are no hard and fast rules, says Dr Yvette Blount, Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University Business School. “Regional coworking spaces are unique to their locations because communities and their needs are so different,” she explains. “Jobs are different, and lots of people are looking for a ‘sea change’ or ‘tree change’. Working remotely all the time is not productive or good for your mental health, and coworking spaces
20
AusBiz.
can help with social isolation.” While many people would never consider giving up a stable job in a big city, ‘sea changers’ are increasingly blending the best of both worlds. Major corporations, such as Woolworths, Accenture and LG Electronics, now make up 20 per cent of coworking space clients in Australia; five years ago they constituted only 2 per cent. “Out of the eight businesses we have working from the space at the moment, four are satellite offices for larger companies, two of which are international businesses,” notes Julia Telford, Director of Queensland’s Goondiwindi Business Hub. “People want to raise their kids in a country town, but also have a professional environment to work from, and we offer that.”
Along with price and leasing terms, coworking members in large cities usually consider if a space is close to major transport links or has parking, as well as whether it’s within walking distance of good lunch options. In regional and rural towns these factors are obviously less of a consideration, and instead the focus is on how the space contributes to the local community. “We partner with the Chamber of Commerce on events for new arrivals,” says Telford. “We have afternoon meet-ups for people who are new to town to help them build their network quickly – both professionally and personally. Rural Queensland can be quite isolating, and we want to support and provide connections, so no one feels like they are on their own. “Of course, one of the big challenges in regional areas is good internet access. A lot of farmers come into the hub specifically to use the internet – if we don’t have a desk available we sometimes set them up in the kitchen! No one gets turned away.”
20% OFF Custom, Tailored SUIT Suits From $599 YOUR When You Purchase A Shirts From $89 Full Price Shirt *
USE CODE: FLIGHT20 | *T&C’s Apply.
SYDNEY | MELBOURNE | BRISBANE | PERTH | CANBERRA | ADELAIDE | NEW YORK SYDNEY | MELBOURNE |www.InStitchu.com BRISBANE | PERTH ||CANBERRA @InStitchu| ADELAIDE | NEW YORK
www.InStitchu.com | @InStitchu
REGIONAL: COWORKING
Tim Ford founded CoHoots Coworking in Castlemaine, Victoria, in 2014, and he declares community, not coworking, was always the focus of the business. “Our passion is enterprising communities, and we run events for the Castlemaine community all the time. We wanted to build a sense of community cohesion within the coworking concept.”
COMMERCIAL COWORKING
FAST FACTS • 7.3 months is the national average length lease of a coworking space. • 64 per cent of coworking members are aged 25-44.
22
AusBiz.
While many regional coworking spaces are a positive addition to their communities, overall they don’t have the highest success rate. “A lot of coworking spaces in regional and rural areas are set up using government grants and they are not sustainable in the long term,” explains Blount. “The volume is just not there in country locations, and that’s why a lot of them fail.” Telford knew the risks of setting up a coworking space in a town of just 6000 people in 2014, but kept the bottom line in mind. “We knew we needed to run it as a commercial business, which is why we focused on getting longer-term tenants. You need to consider the rural context, especially when deciding the price point, but you have to run your space with a long-term business model in mind.” Howe agrees that the future of regional coworking spaces is about finding ways to make them more profitable, and thinking outside the box. “We built the first rooftop bar in Southport and it has started to change how people view the area. People want mixed-use spaces – coworking spaces that also function as art galleries, cafés and bars. We need to get smarter and create spaces that are just as much about liveability and community as work.”
AGRIBUSINESS: APPLES
Disrupting a primary industry isn’t easy, but these three operations are keeping the doctor at bay with innovative thinking. Words: Ian Lloyd Neubauer
UPSETTING THE APPLE CART
24
AusBiz.
AGRIBUSINESS: APPLES
If you think Australian dairy farmers are doing it tough, spare a thought for our apple growers. Since the turn of the century, one out of every two has gone out business. Of the relative few who remain, some are choosing to let crops rot on their trees rather than accept farmgate prices set by the big supermarkets at as little as 90 cents per kilogram for a fruit that costs at least $2 a kilogram to produce. At the same time, Australians are eating 12 per cent fewer apples than they did in 2015, while apple exports have fallen 19 per cent since 2016, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Then there’s the drought and its impact on the size and number of apples produced. Australian farmers grew 14 per cent fewer tonnes last year compared to 2017. ď ˝
FEB/MAR 2020
25
AGRIBUSINESS: APPLES
PREVIOUS PAGES: BRAVO™ APPLES; DARKES ‘HOWLER‘ CIDER FROM GLENBERNIE ORCHARD. FROM LEFT: BRAVO™ APPLES ORCHARD; BRAVO™ APPLES; CHRIS MCCOLL OF KALANGADOO ORGANICS; GLENBERNIE ORCHARD; KALANGADOO ORGANICS APPLE JUICE.
Consumers are happy to pay more for new ‘designer apples’. Many in the industry believe the outlook is grim and that soon only large-scale producers will survive. But with every new threat to business comes an opportunity. We talk with three apple farmers using novel strategies to earn a living in the face of a perfect storm.
DESIGNER STRAINS While sales of mainstream apple varietals like Red Delicious are in decline, consumers are happy to pay more for new strains of ‘designer apples’ that comprise about 10 per cent of the market. Examples include Redlove, a red-fleshed apple developed in a Swiss breeding program, Yello, a new hybrid varietal from Japan, and Bravo™ apples, a sweet burgundy-coloured apple from Western Australia that comes loaded with juice. At the time of writing, Bravo™ apples were selling for $8.50 at Coles. Granny Smiths? Only $3.50. “Consumers are willing to pay a premium for Bravo™ apples because they taste better, have a distinct look and because people know it’s a better quality product developed here in Australia,” says Rebecca Blackman, CEO of Fruit West, a cooperative of growers that owns the global Bravo™ apples Plant Breeder’s Right (PBR). “We can’t keep up with demand.” Currently, 8 per cent of Fruit West’s Bravo™ apples are exported to markets in Asia, UAE
26
AusBiz.
and North America. The figure towers above the national average (only 1 to 2 per cent of Australian apples are exported), and already eclipses the 5 per cent target set by Agrifutures Australia, a government body focused on the long-term prosperity of rural industries. Exporting more apples, the industry recognises, can give farmers some leverage over the prices paid by Australia’s big supermarket chains. Fruit West has set a much higher export target for Bravo™ apples. Within a decade, the cooperative aims to export 70 per cent of stock to lucrative new markets in China, North America and Europe. “We definitely see exports as the future,” Rebecca says. “It’s always been the plan.”
CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLEMAN In the 1990s, Chris and Michelle McColl of Kalangadoo Organics, a small apple farm on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, grew table apples and sold them to a wholesaler who on-sold them to supermarkets where they went for $4 per kilogram. But the McColls were getting only 40 cents. “We couldn’t survive. It wasn’t sustainable,” says Chris. “So, in 2002, we changed our business model and converted to organic. The difficult thing about the conversion was
AGRIBUSINESS: APPLES
that many of the problems organic farmers face are unique to their properties. It took a lot of trial and error to get things right. “Once we had our product right, we decided we only wanted one person between us and the consumer, because in our experience the longer the supply chain, the less we earn. So we had to start doing all our own packing and distribution. We also decided to sell to independently owned businesses only because you can build personal relationships with them. It’s a much more resilient business model than having just one big corporation that’s typically foreign-owned buying all your apples. “There’s a mantra in farming today that you have to get big or get out. But that’s not necessarily the case. You can go in another direction like we have: stay small, focus on quality and do things big producers can’t do. We grow 50 tonnes of apples a year – nothing in the grand scheme of things – but we’re doing okay.”
THE THEME PARK The Fahey family have been growing apples in Darkes Forest in the Illawarra region since 1939. But around 30 years ago, the family began noticing a downward trend in apple consumption and narrowing of profit margins, so they diversified into stone fruit, a crop with very different agro-ecological requirements
to apples. If one crop has a bad year, the other tends to flourish, and vice versa. “Our family has always been innovative and looked at creative ways of doing things,” says Jo-Anne Fahey of the Darkes Group, a small business empire that incorporates Darkes Brewing, producers of an apple cider than won gold at the World Cider Awards last year; the Appleshack, a boutique cellardoor-like retail outlet that sells branded apple juice, jams, honey, ciders and vinegar; and Glenbernie Orchard, a working farm that offers pick-your-own apple tours and hosts weddings on the weekends. “Our tours are not just point-andpick experiences. They are value-adding experiences,” explains Jo-Anne. “We take people on a journey of learning so they can understand the journey our trees go through in the different seasons of the year and the constantly evolving challenges we face. We demystify farming. We answer questions. We share stories that they take with them and share with their family and friends.” She adds: “It’s not all doom and gloom in our industry. It is if you take the approach that our business is just about growing table fruit and accepting low prices. But if you get creative and more in tune to what is possible beyond the farmgate, things look very different.”
TOP 5 AUSSIE APPLE PRODUCTS 1. APPLE JUICE The average Australian consumes 1.2 litres per year. 2. CLOUDY APPLE JUICE Unfiltered apple juice, full of pulp and fibre. 3. APPLE CIDER An alcoholic drink made primarily from ‘cider’ apples. 4. APPLE VINEGAR Made from fermented apple juice. Great on salads. 5. DRIED APPLES A healthy snack with no added sugar or preservatives. FEB/MAR 2020
27
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS: INLAND RAIL
THE MISSING LINK While the debate over a high-speed rail link between Australia’s far-flung cities rages on, a new freight railway line between Brisbane and Melbourne is right on track. Words: Ian Lloyd Neubauer For all the talk of a high-speed rail link between Melbourne and Brisbane, it’s not going to happen any time soon. It’s just too expensive: $120 billion, the equivalent of a generation’s worth of Australia’s infrastructure spend on one project. As the debate trundles on, another rail link between the two cities is quietly taking shape: the $10 billion Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Railway. With a top speed of 115 kilometres per hour, it was not designed as an alternative to air travel but to provide fast and cost-effective freight transport between Australia’s four richest farming regions and booming export markets in Asia. When it comes online in 2024 or 2025, Inland Rail will reduce freight time along the 1700-kilometre route from four to five days to less than 24 hours. According to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), the
28
AusBiz.
government body managing the project, Inland Rail will add $16 billion to Australia’s GDP and do much to relieve congestion in Sydney – the current midway point for freight on the eastern seaboard. It will also reduce carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes per year. Inland Rail is not one big new project. It is 13 individual projects that will link existing rail infrastructure and complete the backbone of a national freight network. The longest project is Narromine to Narrabri in Central New South Wales, at 307 kilometres long. The most complex section is a 6.38-kilometre tunnel that will be built through the steep terrain of the Toowoomba Range in Queensland.
PADDOCK TO PORT
Inland Rail is no ordinary train line; it’s a high-tech freight line of the
future. Instead of regular trains, it will use mega-trains up to 1.8 kilometres long with double-stack carriages and increased axle loads that significantly increase the payload of each train. And instead of carting produce to stations, farmers will able to load produce onto trains in their fields thanks to new mobile rail loading kits. “Traditionally we would have carted the chickpeas to port in trucks,” says Stuart Tighe of Boolah Partnership, a grain grower in north-central New South Wales participating in trials of the mobile loading system. “We are loading today the equivalent of 70 double-stacked train carriages. Before it would have taken us about a week and we’re now doing it in six hours.” The ARTC says Inland Rail will deliver savings for farmers of $5 to $10 per to tonne. “It’s sort of history-making when farmers can
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS: INLAND RAIL
Inland Rail is no ordinary train line; it’s a high-tech freight line of the future.
FAST FACTS • The steel required to complete Inland Rail is five times the quantity used to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge. • Inland Rail will remove 200,000 truck movements from our roads every year and prevent road deaths, according to the Truck Accident Research Centre. FEB/MAR 2020
29
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS: INLAND RAIL
FROM TOP: MODERN HIGHSPEED TRAINS AT MILAN CENTRAL STATION, ITALY; INLAND RAILWAY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
actually load directly into a train from their paddock. It just makes sense,” says Moree Plains Mayor Katrina Humphries. The National Farmers’ Federation believes the new system will prove a game-changer for agriculture in the eastern states. “In my opinion, Inland Rail represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” says CEO Simon Talbot. “The mining boom is over but Australian agriculture can double in value and provide high-quality produce to Asian markets.”
NOT IN MY BACKYARD Yet in parts of the country where individual Inland Rail projects are taking shape, the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) phenomenon has divided opinion. In some places it is being alleged routes have been selected in the interest of big business instead of farmers and regional communities. Documents obtained by The Guardian show the Wagners – a prominent Queensland family who came in at 14th place of BRW’s rich
30
AusBiz.
families list in 2015 – lobbied the government to divert the line past their Wellcamp airport outside of Toowoomba. The Guardian’s report did not allege the Wagners had acted unlawfully, but it highlighted concerns the ARTC is not being as consultative as it claimed in a $190,000 taxpayerfunded advertising campaign. “I support Inland Rail and all it has to offer,” says Robert Mackay, a farmer on the NSW-Qld border whose land will be cut into four portions by the project. “But the ARTC has disregarded advice regarding flooding from the local community and proceeded with an alignment right below the junction of the two biggest rivers in the area. It’s a recipe for a flooding disaster.” The ARTC has also come under fire about its routing decisions along the Narromine and Narrabri project in Central NSW. There, in a section near the town of Coonamble, it decided to build a new railway line that will cut through 300 properties instead of using an existing rail corridor that wouldn’t impact a single landowner.
DISASTER
APPEAL Please donate now
salvationarmy.org.au
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS: INLAND RAIL
FROM TOP: CENTRAL STATION, SYDNEY; SOUTHERN CROSS STATION, MELBOURNE.
FULL STEAM AHEAD ARTC says it took the aforementioned decision in order to make the inland route quicker. But the NSW Farmers Association says that’s bull, claiming the new route will lead to savings of only four minutes – not enough to justify the impact on 300 landowners. After failing to convince ARTC to rethink its decision, NSW Farmers took its case to Canberra in early 2018, and demanded an independent inquiry into Inland Rail. No one much listened until the federal election was called in April, and the Labor Party saw an opportunity to steal votes from the Nationals. “This is appalling. The government has botched this from day one,” thenInfrastructure Spokesman Anthony Albanese said on talkback radio at the time. “It’s very clear that there are real issues with the route going through prime agricultural land, that the locals aren’t being listened to.” Labor’s announcement gave those 300 landowners a clear way to make their voices heard at the election. But a large majority of people in the bush voted against Labor and its calls for an independent enquiry into Inland Rail. Outgoing ARTC chief John Fullerton did, however, take the challenge to heart, and promised to take a more consultative approach with landowners. But he also maintains an independent enquiry cannot be allowed to delay Inland Rail. “Every day our freight task grows – freight volumes are forecast to more than double by the year 2050,” he says. “Our existing transport network won’t cope with this increase in freight without further investment.”
32
AusBiz.
90 elegant rooms | Onyx Grill | Artisaint | Skye Bar
Spoil yourself in the world of Marsden Mention ‘M MARSDEN INFLIGHT’ on arrival and receive a welcome gift on us! Bookings available via our website
60 Burwood Road, Burwood NSW 2134 www.marsdenhotels.com.au marsdenhotels marsdenhotels
SPECIAL PROMOTION
Fast Fact
CareFlight’s 24/7 HelpPoint centres make or receive more than 80,000 phone calls each year when coordinating medevac missions around Australia.
Taking the hospital to the patient: CareFlight’s medevac mission
As a patient-focused organisation, CareFlight finds innovative ways to get medevac patients to the vital treatment they need as quickly and safely as possible. It’s the type of scenario that most FIFO workers would rather not think about: you’re working in a very remote location, a long flight away from essential services, when you become seriously unwell; or there’s an accident and you, or a workmate, require urgent hospital treatment. What happens next? While the statistics tell us that the probability of these scenarios happening is very low, in the notso-distant past patients requiring emergency treatment in remote locations had a reduced chance of making a full recovery. But today, thanks to advances in aeromedical care, patient outcomes have improved significantly. CareFlight, a not-for-profit organisation, funds many of its community programs by providing
34
AusBiz.
aeromedical and medical staffing solutions to the oil, gas and mining industry across Australia helping it realise its mission to save lives, speed recovery and serve the community. Commencing in 1986 with a single rescue helicopter, CareFlight’s founders had a vision to create a new kind of medical retrieval service in Australia that focused on starting emergency department care at an accident scene, rather than many hours later when the patient arrived at a city hospital. For severely injured and very sick patients, starting treatment at the scene dramatically increases their recovery prospects. “We know that patients have the best chance of recovery if we reach them quickly and immediately commence emergency department standard
treatment on-scene,” says Dr Toby Fogg, CareFlight’s National Medical Director and Retrieval Specialist. “Our mission on a medevac is to remove any time, distance and logistical barriers to getting hospital treatment delivered to a patient at the place of injury – well before the patient actually gets to a hospital emergency department.” From its urban beginnings, CareFlight now operates a fleet of more than 15 aeromedical aircraft, including search and rescue medevac helicopters, air ambulance jets and turbo-prop aeroplanes, as well as patient transport vehicles. The CareFlight team is made up of more than 520 people across Australia, including emergencycare doctors, nurses, intensive-care paramedics, pilots, engineers, logistics,
SPECIAL PROMOTION
dispatch and support staff. “We spend much of our time either performing medevacs or training to be the best we can be for a patient going through the worst day of their life,” says CareFlight CEO Mick Frewen.
LIFE BLOOD
CareFlight’s established relationships with hospitals across Australia, and its sophisticated logistics network, means that it can gain rapid access to blood if needed during a complex medevac. Dr Fogg relates a case where a patient who needed four units of blood over an extended medevac received two life-saving transfusions enroute to hospital, because CareFlight’s team was able to arrange for blood delivery from its hospital partners during transport transfers. “Not only did the patient need blood, they needed to get to hospital quickly. We were able to deliver both aspects of care in a compressed timeframe. We have put in place processes that allow us to get rapid access to blood if we need it,” says Dr Fogg.
THE I-CARE STRETCHER SYSTEM – AN INNOVATIVE RESCUE REMEDY
In 2013, INPEX approached CareFlight to assist in the development of an innovative solution to speed up the medevac process from remote locations to city hospitals. INPEX is operator of the Ichthys LNG offshore facilities located approximately 220 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia.
Conducting a medevac from an off-shore oil and gas facility is inherently complex, involving rotary, fixed-wing and road ambulance platforms for the journey to the nearest hospital, which could be more than 1000 kilometres away. Multiple transfers mean a patient could be moved from one stretcher and life-support equipment to another, three or four times. Each transfer can take up to 45 minutes for a patient in a critical condition. “This creates a lot of challenges,” says Dr Fogg. “These transfers can take 30 minutes or more to move the patient. If they’re on life support, we have to slowly and methodically swap all the monitoring equipment and the drips, the life support and the breathing machine. Each change carries a risk of something going wrong, usually in the middle of nowhere.” INPEX had conducted a detailed study to assess the capabilities of hospitals and airfields in north-west Australia. Based on this, INPEX’s objective was to devise a solution that adopted world’s best practice for the seamless delivery of remote and offshore diagnostics, medical care and aeromedical evacuation to INPEX staff and their contractors. Fundamental to this objective was the need to develop a new stretcher system that could be used seamlessly between road, rotary and fixed wing assets needed for a medevac from the Browse Basin.
With funding from INPEX of $3 million and a team of more than 80 technical specialists working together for seven months, INPEX and CareFlight developed and launched the ‘I-CARE‘ Stretcher System. I-CARE allows a patient to be transported from an offshore clinic to hospital on the same stretcher and life support system, irrespective of how many different modes of transport are used. It comprises a light-weight stretcher, a secure oxygen system and a swivelling ‘bridge’ that holds vital medical equipment. The unit locks securely into the transport platform – whether, helicopter, jet, turbo-prop aircraft or road ambulance – and is easily wheeled between them. I-CARE also includes a telediagnostic unit, so remote medical specialists who are part of CareFlight’s extensive Australia-wide network can help offshore paramedics determine whether a patient needs evacuation, and also provide lifesaving medical diagnosis and direction to CareFlight paramedics working in remote locations. “Thanks to INPEX’s investment and research, we’ve been able to bring something new to the industry and dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to get a patient in a remote location to hospital care,” says Dr Fogg. “For example, in one client’s medevac logistics chain, we have reduced the medevac time from their remote location to a city hospital FEB/MAR 2020
35
SPECIAL PROMOTION
from eight to six and a half hours, while also reducing the risk to the patient.” CareFlight was named Australia’s most reputable charity at the end of 2019. Fraser Allen, CareFlight’s General Manager Partnerships and Development, says that having partners such as INPEX for joint collaboration and innovation is crucial to the organisation’s focus on bringing quality care to regional and remote Australia. Sponsorships, donations and contributions from the proceeds of oil, gas and mining service agreements have also helped CareFlight fund and deliver more than 400 ’MediSim’ Trauma Care Workshops to 5800 first responders working in remote locations across Australia. “Collaboration and innovation are a critical part of our DNA because saving lives only improves when you challenge the traditional barriers that slow medevacs down,” says Mr Allen. “We share a common denominator at CareFlight: we collaborate and innovate to improve speed to patient; the medical skillset we take to the patient and the aircraft type that is best for the patient – we just keep re-examining how we can make this faster and better to reduce the impact on the patient.”
TELE-DIAGNOSTICS – EXACTLY WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED In May 2014, CareFlight’s telediagnostic system was put into practice for the first time during a life-saving medevac off the coast of Western Australia. A worker on an offshore drilling rig was feeling unwell and visited CareFlight’s intensive care paramedic in the rig’s medical facility. Tests were done immediately and the real-time results sent via the I-CARE tele-diagnostic device to a CareFlight emergency department specialist in Perth. The specialist confirmed that the patient was suffering a heart attack.
36
AusBiz.
CareFlight and INPEX developed the I-CARE Stretcher System
reduces time and clinical risk when transferring patients between multiple modes of transport = better patient outcomes
To save the cardiac muscle, time was of the essence. The paramedic activated a medevac via CareFlight’s 24/7 HelpPoint centre and arranged online assessment of the patient’s ECG results in real-time via a tele-diagnostic link to a cardiologist at Royal Darwin Hospital. The on-site medevac team, the CareFlight critical care specialist, and the Darwin cardiologist decided that instead of waiting for the patient’s arrival at hospital, that thrombolysis would be immediately administered on the rig to break up and dissolve the blood clot that was blocking the patient’s artery. The patient was evacuated to an airbase in WA’s North Kimberley, transferred on the same I-CARE stretcher and critical care equipment to a waiting jet air ambulance, and
flown to Royal Darwin Hospital. As a result of the integrated response, the worker made a full recovery and was back at work three months later. “Everything combined to save his life: the speed of transfer made possible by the I-CARE system; our paramedics; specialist consultant doctors; CareFlight’s logistics; and our relationships with our hospital partners,” says Dr Fogg. “We’re here to make a difference because we can significantly increase the level of care that the patients get at the place where they are most vulnerable: the side of a road; down a canyon; lost in the bush; out at sea – to be able to put in place all the procedures and equipment and people to not only help the patient survive, but to see them back at work, it’s fantastic.”
Save lives, speed recovery and serve the community
DE L I V E R I NG COM M U N I T Y BE N E F I T S F ROM BUSI N E S S SOLU T IONS
• Priority medevac services by fixed wing • Corporate social responsibility programs
• On-site helicopter, clinic and paramedic solutions • Corporate sponsorship opportunities
• Trauma training (on and off-site) • 24/7 clinical governance and logistic solutions
Call Fraser for your business solution on 0488 999 582 or email fraser.allen@careflight.org
OPINION FEATURE
SOMETIMES YOU SIMPLY NEED TO HAVE THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS Words: Beau Robinson
38
AusBiz.
30–6 was the final score. We had been beaten, and convincingly. It was round two of the 2011 Super Rugby season and we, the Queensland Reds, had suffered a thoroughly disappointing loss to our arch-rivals the NSW Waratahs. This season had been looking good, after the boys had finished the previous season in fifth position. But the start of the season definitely wasn’t going to plan. We’d had a skin-of-your-teeth win against the Western Force in round one at home, with the final scoreboard reading 21–20. As a playing group, we had high expectations for the season – higher than anyone else could have placed on us. I wasn’t there the previous season, but coming at the start of the 2011 preseason, there was a real buzz around the place. So what happened that night in Sydney with the Waratahs defeat? We were up for the game, but they were up for it more. They had sensed that this year would be tougher than they had faced in a long time… and they would be right, but not on this night. Ewen McKenzie, our coach, got us into the meeting room to face him. There were no heated words, no yelling and screaming – something Ewen was more than capable of, but not tonight. He wanted answers from the playing group. Why were we not up for it? Pre-season, the pre-season games and training had all been good. Why weren’t the performances? This went on for about 40 minutes. Were we still living on last year’s achievements? There seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm and that showed in a lack of communication. Communication is one of the best indications of whether a team – business or sport – is committed. Communication leads to clarity and confidence. We walked out knowing what had to change. And it did. The next time both teams met we were on a roll and went on to beat the Waratahs. We would actually go on to become champions. As a business leader, you will at times find yourself in Ewen’s position. You don’t always know, or have to have the answers. So, ask your team what’s going on. Especially if you’ve set the standards and expectations as a group, and they aren’t being met. Sometimes the team needs to take ownership for their performances. Don’t just allow it to go on, unaddressed. Have the tough conversations.
BUY OUR AWARD-WINNING BEERS ONLINE Or visit Tumut River Brewing Co’s 1,500 litre brewhouse with adjoining bar and restaurant. We proudly showcase 24 taps of TRBC’s beers along with a small range of other locally sourced beer, wine, cider and food. And it’s all here all because…Two mates wanted to make great beer
Website: www.trbc.com.au Address: Capper Street, Tumut. NSW, 2720 Search for 'Tumut River Brewing' on Facebook, Insta and Twitter
PUZZLES
CROSSWORD
14. Masted vessels
16. Wheel covers
18. Nakedness
17. Wound with claw
21. Pencil end
19. Illinois is there (1,1,1)
22. Canoe oar
20. Surrendered
24. Wear by rubbing
22. Short pasta tubes
25. Global hostel chain (1,1,1,1)
23. Highest ranking peers
26. Charitable 27. Dessert, ... pie 28. Cash machines (1,1,2) 29. Occurred afterwards
ALEXANDER BASSANIO BEATRICE BENEDICK BURGUNDY CALIBAN
40
AusBiz.
CASSANDRA CLARENCE CLEOPATRA DESDEMONA FREDERICK HIPPOLYTA
HOLOFERNES LYSANDER MARCELLUS PROSPERO QUINTUS VALENTINE
H O L O F E R N E S Y E C
L L O I E L I A A U R N O
C Y O L L N E U P C S E N
L T N U A B I P Q L T B A
F A S A V Y D N U G R U B
E O R X N N E S T E D E M
O P E Z T A S C D R C D E
P P P U I A S N R N I I D
A I S A N F A S E A S C S
T H O D E X E R A D M K E
R A R H E C A L I B A N D
A A P L D L Y S A N D E R
P W A K C I R E D E R F A
SOLUTIONS:
15. Try
P W A K C I R E D E R F A
13. Eve’s mate
A A P L D L Y S A N D E R
12. Devour
R A R H E C A L I B A N D
6. Unrelenting
11. Recesses
T H O D E X E R A D M K E
10. Erected
Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally. Theme: SHAKESPEARE CHARACTERS.
A I S A N F A S E A S C S
5. Dancer’s costume
P P P U I A S N R N I I D
9. Australian gem
WORD SEARCH
O P E Z T A S C D R C D E
4. Actress, ... Monroe
E O R X N N E S T E D E M
8. Large
L L O I E L I A A U R N O
3. Anaesthetises
C Y O L L N E U P C S E N
2. Attain
7. Consumption
L T N U A B I P Q L T B A
1. Feminine
5. Look before you ...
F A S A V Y D N U G R U B
DOWN
1. Series of rabbit tunnels
H O L O F E R N E S Y E C
ACROSS
The Aboriginal Artists Project combines the fashion accessory designs of Catherine Manuell with the artworks of many wonderful women artists from remote Australian communities. Shown here is the Bush Yams artwork by Evelyn Pultara from the Utopia region of Central Australia. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these products goes directly to the artists.
Call us on 03 9486 4066 for help or a little personal service, or email: info@catherinemanuelldesign.com
www.catherinemanuelldesign.com
The last of the last. Western Australia’s world-renowned Argyle Mine will soon close. Now’s the time to secure the rarest of the rare, an Argyle pink diamond, for yourself.
THE COLOURED DIAMOND SPECIALISTS
Founded in Kununurra in 1966, Nina’s Jewellery are the original Argyle diamond jeweller. With a team of GIA certified Diamond and Design Specialists and on-site Master Jewellers, you can trust Nina’s for the last word on Argyle pink diamonds. Visit them online or in-store today. K U N U N U R R A • D U N S B O R O U G H • W W W. N I N A S . C O
C E R T I F I E D S P E C I A LI S T
Kununurra Shopping Centre, Konkerberry Dr, Kununurra Centrepoint Shopping Centre, 55 Dunn Bay Rd, Dunsborough
@ninas_co
/ninasjewellery
enquiries@ninas.co