TNT Magazine Australia 679

April 30 - May 6 2012 Issue 679 tntdownunder.com

IBNAR!RIER W EAT

A GR GALA REEF & YON IVE WRECK D E ADVENTUR

MAGIC MELBOURNE The southern city brims with highlights

BACK INTO OUTER SPACE

THE CAPE COAST Sun and seals in South Africa

Dance duo Orbital rinse new tunes

L I A S G N I T T SE

n the planet o e c la p l fu ti beau be the most ll e w y a m s day The Whitsun

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TOM STURROCK EDITOR editor@tntdownunder.com

EDITOR’S LETTER This week in TNT, we head up to one of Australia’s most spectacular, enduringly popular destinations, The Whitsundays. If you’ve never been, what the hell are you waiting for? If that’s not enough to put a smile on your dial, we also chat to Orbital, one of the grand-daddies – sorry, lads – of British dance music, who have a new album out and are playing all over Australia this week.

THIS WEEK OZ DIARY

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MUSIC & FILM

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CHATROOM

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COMPETITION

22

TRAVEL

24

NEWS

40

OPINION

42

SPORT

44

LISTINGS NSW

49

LISTINGS QUEENSLAND

50

LISTINGS TASMANIA

53

LISTINGS VICTORIA

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LISTINGS WA

58

LISTINGS NT

60

LISTINGS SA

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LISTINGS NEW ZEALAND

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WORK

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TRIVIAL PURSUITS

66

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FEATURES BOURNE IDENTITY

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From trendy laneway bars to retro Luna Park, we’ve got Melbourne covered

ORBITING THE MOON

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Chatting to dance music heavyweights Orbital about their Australian tour

SUNDAY SESSIONS

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White sand, blue lagoons, wet T-shirt comps. Welcome to the Whitsundays

CAPE CRUSADERS Jungle safaris, action sports and cafe culture. Cape Town has it all

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OZDIARY EDITORIAL Editor Tom Sturrock Deputy editor Alex Harmon Editorial assistant Leigh Livingstone Contributors Alasdair Morton | Andy Williams

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Mardi Grass – just roll with it

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Account manager Justin Steinlauf Sales executive Caroline Ward MARKETING & EVENTS Business development manager Tom Wheeler Marketing assistant Leroy Meurs DISTRIBUTION Lee Sutherland ACCOUNTS Financial controller Trish Bailey

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MAIN EVENT MARDI GRASS NIMBIN

It’s not easy being green, unless you’re in Nimbin this weekend. It’s a special occasion in the sleepy northern New South Wales town because it’s the twentieth anniversary of Mardi Grass – the festival that ‘grew’ from a cannabis law reform protest. Enjoy stoned chess, joint-rolling competitions or, if you’re feeling energetic, a bong throwing contest.

Come for a day, or come for the whole weekend with a ‘Golden Bud’ pass for $50. Groovy. $25

May 5-6 Cullen Street, Nimbin

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DALY WATERS RODEO

MAY THE FOURTH DAY

GRAMPIANS GRAPE ESCAPE

It’s in the middle of the Northern Territory desert but this annual rodeo is worth a look. Saddle up and find yourself a bona fide Aussie cowboy or girl. There’s horse riding, bull riding and one hell of a hoe-down. Don’t forget to bring your spurs.

If this Friday you see people wearing Jedi robes and brandishing light sabres then fear not, they’re celebrating the so-called Star Wars Day, so chosen because of the pun with the movie series’ famous line. May the fourth be with you.

Admit it, it’s hilarious.

Word on the grapevine this weekend is the Grampians have Victoria’s best food and wine on display. While you’re grazing, listen to live music, watch cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs and crack the cupcake competition.

May 4-7 Daly Waters Rodeo Grounds dalywaters.net.au

May 4 Everywhere maythefourthbewithyou.com

May 5-6 Grampians Road, Halls Gap Vic grampiansgrapeescape.com.au

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Southern stunner Melbourne is often overlooked by travellers but it’s a city that rewards closer attention. These highlights should get you started WORDS LEIGH LIVINGSTONE

Melburnians are fond of saying that Sydney is a tramp while their city is a lady. And, while that owes something to the time-honoured rivlary between the two cities, there’s a nugget of truth to it. Sydney’s charms are permanently on display – they’re obvious. In Melbourne, you might have to look a bit harder, but rest assured, they’re there in abundance.

Melbourne may not have Sydney’s gleaming harbour or its city beaches, but it ticks pretty much every other box. It’s the sporting capital of the country and Australian rules football is the biggest game in town. And rather than making the trek all the way out to the suburbs to watch a game, there

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are a couple of stadiums right next to the city. Throw in the Australian Open tennis and the city’s two rugby sides – one league, one union – and sports fanatics are ridiculously well-serviced.

But Melbourne also leads the line when it comes to culture. While Sydneysiders were still stuck drinking in massive, echoey pubs, Melbourne was already saturated with small boutique bars and a thriving late-night drinking scene. It’s become a cliche to say that “Melbourne is more European”, but in this respect, and in the importance placed on food and drink, it’s spot-on.

There’s also a thriving art scene – the Melbourne International Film Festival is Australia’s top cinema event and you

can catch in-demand comedians and bands all year round. When it comes to fashion and design, Melbourne has also worked harder to carve out a niche than some of Australia’s other cities.

So while sunning yourself on the east coast might be good for your tan, you should definitely pack your winter gear and head south to Melbourne, at least for a weekend. You never know – you could lob in one of Melbourne’s inner-city suburbs – St Kilda, Richmond, Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Northcote – and decide you never want to leave. Beware though – if the locals ask you whether you like Sydney better, you’re advised to answer very diplomatically.

VISIT THE OLD TREASURY BUILDING THE TOP END OF COLLINS ST

TAKE A WINE TOUR THROUGH THE VINEYARDS THE YARRA VALLEY

Unlike a lot of big cities, Melbourne’s CBD is one of its main attractions, tiny laneways splitting off from the main thoroughfares at every turn, with tons of small bars and shopping strips to discover. And, at the top end of Collins St, one of the busiest city stretches, is the Old Tresury Building, which is one of Melbourne’s most recognised and cherished struictures. It turns 150 this year, so drop in and take a look at its permanent exhibitions, which trace the development of Melbourne, from its gold rush days into a bustling centre of urban cool, hipsters, food-lovers, artists and sports junkies. Once you’re done with your educational fix, head around the corner and cruise down Little Collins St, where you’re sure to find plenty of neat bars to wet your whistle and more than a few cracking restaurants.

The Yarra Valley is considered the heart of Victoria’s winegrowing industry. An hour’s drive east of Melbourne at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges, this picturesque area of rolling hills and cool-climate wines is the perfect daytrip destination outside of Melbourne. Most of the 75-plus wineries are open daily for tasting and some even have a restaurant so you can line your stomach before the afternoon round of sampling. There are also regular farmers markets and local craft stalls dotted along the way to check out. When you’ve had enough vino for the day, Healesville Sanctuary is a great place to see native Aussie animals like kangaroos, koalas and platypuses in their natural environment. And then it’s back into the car or bus for a snooze – probably a bad idea to drive, after all.

oldtreasurybuilding.org.au

visityarravalley.com.au

CATCH A GAME OF AUSTRALIAN RULES THE MCG OR THE DOCKLANDS

DINE OUTDOORS ON LYGON ST CARLTON

Melburnians love their footy so a trip down south wouldn’t be complete without taking in a game and maybe even adopting a team. From March until September, it’s all about Australian rules, which attracts more obsessive coverage than either of the rugby codes enjoy in the northern states.

The famous MCG is only a few minutes’ walk from the centre of the city, so you can catch a tram most of the way there or you grab the train to Jolimont station and then complete the well-worn walk with the rest of the punters into the MCG cauldron. Alternatively, you can go across to the Docklands Stadium on the city’s west side. Oh, and everyone hates Collingwood, apart from their fans, who are one-eyed and have no teeth. A bit like Aussie scousers.

Melbourne fancies itself as the eating and drinking capital of Australia and, although top-notch restaurants have now cropped up all over the city, Lygon St was one of the earliest sites of the European food revolution which transformed Australian cuisine. Carlton is one of Melbourne’s innernorthern suburbs, a short cab-ride from the city, and you’ll find it buzzing on a Saturday night, with eager restaurateurs standing outside their establishments trying to coax you in, going all out to get your dollars. It’s less overrun during the week but with no less choice. So take a stroll and look for the best bargain or whatever tickles your fancy. After dinner, you can grab a gelato or go for a nightcap at one of the area’s dozens of licensed late-night bars or cafes.

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HAVE A NIGHT ON THE TILES ON FITZROY ST OR THE ESPLANADE ST KILDA The laughing-face facade of Luna Park fun fair welcomes visitors to this southern suburb. Its pretty bayside view and beaches make it easily one of the main Melbourne attractions, ensuring popularity with backpackers and Aussies alike.

Luna Park is all very well for a family-friendly day out but it’s after dark that St Kilda really comes alive. The main boardwalk – Fitzroy St turns into The Esplanade – snakes along the top of St Kilda beach and is lined with bars and clubs. Be warned, some of them are a little too cool for school so if you want to fit in, you’ll have to leave your checked shirt and cargo pants at home. There’s a fair bit of glamour in St Kilda, but it’s also home to some old-school live music venues, so you’re sure to find a gig or two that’s worth a look if you’re in town for a few days. melbourne.com.au/stkilda.htm

HAVE AN EVENING ALONGSIDE THE YARRA SOUTHBANK

TAKE THE NEIGHBOURS TOUR VERMONT SOUTH

The famous Yarra river is the boundary between north and south Melbourne, winding for 240 kilometres from Baw Baw National Park to the coast. A popular feature along the Yarra is the Southbank area that houses a market and a beautifully scenic promenade, which extends to the glittering gambling labyrinth that is the Crown Casino and entertainment complex. Along the Yarra, visitors can find the Melbourne Aquarium and the Melbourne Convention Centre as well as the Maritime Museum. Or, if you fancy an open-air cook-out, you can find public barbecues that are free to use. It’s a world-class location for a barbie but it’s probably an idea to give the grills a good scrub before putting your snags on them.

What would a visit to Melbourne be without jumping on a bus and riding around the locations of the long-running Australian soap? The real Ramsay St, for the record, is way out in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, while the other Erinsborough locations are dotted around nearby. You’ll get to go past the coffee shop and Lassiter’s – if you’re lucky, you might even catch Toadfish having a beer. Tours depart from Flinders St in the city so you won’t have to traipse out to the burbs on your own. But be prepared, if you mention that you’re taking the tour to any locals, they might roll their eyes and regard you as slightly tragic. Most Aussies are baffled by the British obsession with one of their quainter cultural exports.

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GO FOR A COFFEE ON BRUNSWICK STREET NORTH FITZROY

EXPLORE THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD DOWN THE COAST FROM GEELONG

If Lygon St is the stomach, then Brunswick St is the soul of Melbourne. There’s still a pleasant village feel during the day – it’s a great place for coffee and is full of interesting bookshops and boutiques. Then, when the shadows lengthen, its nightlife kicks in. You can catch a live band at The Evelyn Hotel or enjoy a beer at the dingy but beloved Bar Open, which is a Brunswick St institution. Other bars have come and gone over the years, but Brunswick St remains one of Melbourne’s most vibrant, free-spirited inner-city stretches. If you feel like you’ve had your fill, it’s also worth heading a few blocks east to Collingwood’s Smith St, or a bit further south to Johnston St or Gertrude St, which have the same vibe but aren’t as busy.

Another great mini-trip outside of Melbourne is the Great Ocean Drive. The route itself covers over 240 kilometres and if you join it in Geelong, south-east of Melbourne CBD, you can just keep heading east and see where the day takes you. It’s an incredibly scenic part of the Victorian coast so make sure to stop along the way at Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, which has beautiful beaches and invigorating hikes through national forest to magnificent waterfalls. If you are ambitious enough with your early start, you can even make it to the Twelve Apostles, which jut out of the ocean just over four hours away from Melbourne. Only eight of the stacks, caused by the constant erosion of the cliffs by the water, remain standing today.

brunswickstreet.com.au

GO FOR A DRINK IN SQUARE NEXT TO FLINDERS STREET STATION

SAMPLE THE PRODUCE AT QUEEN VIC MARKET NORTHERN END OF ELIZABETH STREET

Federation Square is an impressive example of modern architecture set in an open square full of restaurants, bars and galleries. You will find it at the corner of Swanston and Flinders St and it’s a great place to pull up a deckchair and check out a classic AFL game for free on the big screen. Or visit the remarkable Atrium built from fractured glass and steel, which hosts three galleries exhibiting the best local work. There is always something going on in the square, from multicultural festivals to wine showcases. And when you’re done, it’s a short walk to a cool bar, like Transport, which boasts views over the Yarra river. If you’re in a more sober mood, you can wander across to Flinders St Station, which is one of Melbourne’s oldest buildings and makes a stunning photo opportunity.

This vibrant open-air market is a bustling hub of activity and fresh produce. In fact, fifty per cent of it is dedicated to meats, vegetables, fruits and fresh seafood. It’s a proper working market during the week, with hospitality types flocking there at the crack of dawn for their daily stock.

That’s a wonderfully authentic sight but if you’re keen to take it easy, maybe schedule your visit on a Sunday, when everything is a little more low-key. You’ll be stunned by the variety and quality of the produce and will likely end up buying something for your dinner. If not, it’s still worth going along simply to marvel at the old-world charm of the high-vaulted ceilings and vibrant atmosphere. It’s one of Melbourne’s most recognisable buildings and, to the city’s credit, still enjoys a busy life rather than being retired.

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Neighbours Tour B. Official Neighbours Ultimate tour with “EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO EXTERNAL SETS”. $68 Departs Sat & Sun. Official and World famous Neighbours night! Meet and take plenty of photos with the Stars and Rock out to Dr Karl* or Paul Robinson* with the band Waiting room. $40 Monday nights from 7pm @ the Elephant & Wheelbarrow, St Kilda. *On selected night.

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CHATROOM

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Fiona O’Loughlin The shamelessly up-front comedian from the Alice is back with a camp new show where she channels her inner gay man, sings and takes inspiration from The View INTERVIEW ALEX HARMON

The contestants this year have been described as ‘controversial’. Are you?

I don’t think so, but I love sitting back and watching the fireworks. I like to stir the pot. Ben Dark was a good bloke. He’s on the Getaway show and he’s from the Territory as well.

You still live in Alice Springs – got any tips for backpackers?

Oh yeah, go to Annie’s Place in Alice Springs.

My kids go there, they’re locals. But it’s just a place where they can meet people from all over the world. It’s really cool.

You attracted attentions for calling Bindi Irwin “creepy”. Happy with that?

Well, the whole Bindi thing is weird. Joel was so excited – he said it’s the only thing going for me because I made it onto Perez Hilton. It’s bizarre.

“The whole Bindi Irwin thing is weird” Tell us about the new show.

Well, it’s stand-up but I’m singing a few numbers. It is a very camp show. I was touring last year with Joel Creasy, who is a young, gay comic and I realised that I am actually a young gay man trapped inside a middle-aged woman’s body. I love all the same things. We got excited about watching The View together and we would sit around and laugh and bitch and that is when I thought: I am going to go after the pink dollar.

Gay icons have longevity.

That’s right! And now I just have to wait until I’m 70, like Joan Rivers. But yeah, it started as a bit of a joke but then Joel came on board and directed the show. It’s me venting as a middleaged woman against my life peers. I am just so sick of my generation. I just think we’re a pack of whingers and we need to lighten up.

What did you learn from Joel?

Well, what I love about Joel is that he’s 21 and he doesn’t see age. We’d watch The View and he’d look at Joy – she’s about 80 – but he’d say, “oh, I love Joy in that colour.” He wasn’t noticing how old she was, just what dress she had on.

Did you see much at the comedy festival?

I saw Paul Foot, who was wonderful. I tend to

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enjoy genres that are very different to mine. It’s not a scripted show, so it goes whichever way it goes. It’s like watching a tightrope act. I love nonsense and he is full of nonsense.

Do you like being referred to as a working mother?

People always ask me how I juggle kids and a career in comedy and I say: ‘I don’t, I leave them’. I talk about that in my show. It’s almost a competition between women, like who is the busiest. We’re not busy – we’ve got automatic washing machines. My grandmother had 11 children in the Forties – she was busy. Talk about getting up and making breakfast. She had to get up and make the fucking bread.

Any Celebrity Apprentice gossip?

Well, there is something wrong with me. We were filming for 20 minutes and I think I told The Hoff to go and do something to himself.

What’s The Hoff really like?

It’s weird – there are like three levels to him. On one level, he is very aware that it’s a joke, and then there is the savvy side – his brand. But I think the ultimate level is that he’s actually a dickhead. I have got material about him that is already in the show, so that was handy.

She is bizarre, though.

She is, isn’t she? But for me to say that on Spicks and Specks, well, that’s a pre-recorded show. So ultimately that was the directors call that it aired.

And then it just turned into a media storm. My only concern was that she was going to hear it.

I am not in the market of hurting 12-year-olds.

Any other celebrities you’d like to make fun of? maybe some adults?

Ha, yes, who is in my firing line? I am tired of throwing shots at Nicole so I have moved on to Cate Blanchett. I like to make fun of her new moisturiser ad, the one where she’s like, “I am talking like I have a fox up my ass”.

What is next for you?

Taking the show to Perth and then I will probably start a new book. The last book I wrote was a memoir but there is only so far you can take the characters because they’re real. I’d like to write a novel and just use everyone I know but put them in different sexes and ages. They’ll never know.

Catch Fiona O’Loughlin’s new show, On A Wing And A Prayer, at the Perth International Comedy Festival, May 18-19 Astor Theatre perthcomedyfest.com.au

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Being kicked out of a fancy dress party can really ruin your night

THE AVENGERS FILM review by James Rundle STARRING: Robrt Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson | M | 132mins

Long in gestation, and feverishly anticipated, the live-action Avengers outing promises much and delivers on nearly every count.

CAFE DE FLORE FILM review by Leigh Livingstone STARRING: Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent, Hélène Florent | M | 120mins

Director Jean-Marc Vallée produced a cinematic piece full of raw emotion. This creative French film with English subtitles is artistic and visually appealing to the audience. It tells two parallel stories of love and loss, one set in modern day and the other in the 1969 slums of Paris. Both are interconnected by the album Cafe De Flore and a poetic plot twist at the end that might divide audiences. The soundtrack is rocky and works, so does Paradis as the troubled mother.

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Set one year after the events of Thor, The Avengers deals with the return of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his plans for intergalactic domination after falling into bed with a devilishly evil, and appropriately belligerent, alien force. After he steals a source of unlimited energy known as the Tesseract it’s up to the ensemble of superheroes, introduced over the last few Marvel Studios outings, to stop him.

Two hours of unabashed comic-book joy follow, all laden with stunning visual effects. Robert Downey Jr shines as Tony Stark, Mark Ruffalo proves more than adequate as the new Bruce Banner, while Evans, Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner play their roles with aplomb. Samuel L Jackson delivers his usual fireworks and Hiddleston steals the show as the deliciously unlikeable antagonist.

The real star of the show, however, is director Joss Whedon. Here, his greatest triumph isn’t the glorious spectacle of New York being destroyed, or the sublime CGI, but in the breaking down of traditional characters so routinely abused in comic book films to date. Hulk, Iron Man and Thor, traditionally some of the more boring characters, become the most interesting. The plot falls under its own weight at several points but the overall experience should satisfy even the most ardent aficionado of Marvel’s imagined universe.

GOOD FOR: Fans of Marvel and blockbuster cinema alike

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INDOOR SKI + SNOW BOARD SLOPE

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SNOW TIME

Celebrate the start of the snow season by hitting the slopes in Melbourne. That’s right, SkiCity in Cheltenham features three indoor moving ski slopes suitable for beginners, intermediates or advanced skiers and snowboarders with instructors on hand to teach technique. No lift queues and no freezing wet weather.

SkiCity Cheltenham Free entry on May 5 skicity.com.au

DEUS TOUR

PERTH INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

GIG

COMEDY

The rockers from Belgium are back in Australia with two shows only. They’ve been described as “Europe’s answer to Sonic Youth”, had a career spanning twenty years, and managed to win “Best Belguim Act” at the MTV Europe Music Awards last year. Catch them at Manning Bar in Sydney. Tickets on sale now.

Comedy fever is sweeping the country and this month Perth is getting its dose of laughter. For three weeks from May 2, catch international acts and home-grown talent alike. See Des Bishop, Deanne Smith, Tripod, The Pajama Men, Stephen K Amos, Tom Gleeson, Joel Creasy, Fiona O’Louglin and many more.

Manning Bar, Sydney University Tickets from $49. May 10 oztix.com.au

Various venues in Perth Tickets from $30. May 2-20 perthcomedyfest.com.au

Splendour in the Grass Catch Jack White, Bloc Party, Mike Snow, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Shins, Gossip, Lana Del Ray. Tickets from $135 splendourinthegrass.com

East 17 No Nineties pop revival could ever be complete without them. The boys are coming (deep) Down Under in June.

Tickets from $55 east17official.com

Ladyhawke New Zealand’s favourite hipster, Pip Brown, is touring all over in July in support of her new album.

Tickets from $44 oztix.com.au

SHADY PINES

THE WONDERS OF ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

BAR

EXHIBITION

Ever been to American saloon bar? Well, now you can in Sydney. This small bar has been around for a couple of years but it’s still got it. Hidden off the ‘highway’ that is Oxford St, beers are served in cans and whisky shots are encouraged. It’s shady, just the way we like it.

Melbourne Museum presents an exhibition exploring an era of extraordinary invention and innovation. It guides you through three of the great centres of ancient civilisation – Sumer, Assyria and Babylon – bringing their rich history to life through objects and multimedia.

Shady Pines 256 Crown St, Darlinghurst shadypinessaloon.com

Melbourne Museum Tickets from $16. May 4-Oct 7 museumvictoria.com

TIX TO SEE S-CLUB!

WIN

TNT has teamed up with Big Apachee to offer you double passes to see S-Club in the city of your choice. The ‘Club are “bringing it all back” to play in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Wollongong, Sydney and Newcastle throughout May and June. To enter, just head to tntdownunder. com and answer the question for your chance to win. And remember, there ain’t no party like an S-Club party.

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Back into outer space Orbital were one of the breakthrough acts of Britain’s rave revolution – now, after a five-year break, they return Down Under WORDS TOM STURROCK

After a lengthy hiatus, British dance-music heavyweights Orbital are back behind the decks with a new album and a series of upcoming gigs in Australia. It’s a relaunch for brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll, whose ambient techno and acid house made them two of the shooting stars of the Nineties’ rave explosion. Although the duo are intent on moving forward rather than reliving former glories, a session reviewing and digitising footage of old performances brought back some embarrassing memories from those heady days nearly 20 years ago.

“My brother – he used to wear this ridiculous jester’s rave hat with little bells on the end of it,“ Phil says of his brother.

“I tried to stop him but it took about a year-and-a-half to persuade him. And when I came across these old videos of us playing in a club, I just thought, ’I’m glad it wasn’t me wearing it’.“ Although the Hartnoll boys’ storied past gave way to a lengthy split, Phil insists that any comparison to rock music’s feuding siblings, the Gallaghers, would be misplaced.

“It was a lot more civil than that,“ he insists. “But it certainly reached a point where we had had enough and we weren’t stupid enough to flog a dead horse. We could have carried on but I think we both knew we had to go and do something else for a while.

“We lost our mojo with it – Paul did a solo project where he worked with an orchestra and I got stuck into DJing for some inspiration and slowly got motivated again.“ After five years apart, the Hartnolls eventually bowed to pressure to play a one-off reunion gig at the Big Chill festival in 2009. It was rapturously received by their loyal fans, delighted to see the trademark headlights, worn during sets, shining brightly once again, and the momentum towards further touring snowballed from there.

“There was enough time spent apart and we felt it was time to revisit it, but it was never a master plan,“ Hartnoll says. “We did a year’s worth of reunion gigs and it then reached a point where we felt we couldn’t just keep playing old stuff. We were getting on well, so we went into the studio and it was like when we first started out.“

“

We could have carried on but we knew we had to do something else

”

The new album, Wonky, which was released at the start of April, bears all the hallmarks of an Orbital release, its warm, uplifting anthems underscored by a softer, lilting ambience. There is nothing cold or mechanical about it and, although Hartnoll is patently proud of it, he resists making any direct comparisons with their earlier work.

“Music can be like a photo in that it captures a time but it’s entirely of that time, if you know what I mean,“ he says.

“So it’s hard to compare what we’re doing now with what we were doing back them. But I’m really happy with this new album and it was enjoyable to make, and that, ultimately, was why we stopped, because we weren’t that happy with the previous two albums. You could probably have made one good one by combining them.“ Orbital’s time away, spent rejuvenating through various solo projects, was also a period of reflection. The scene today, comprising sprawling outdoor festivals in world-class locations, is unrecognisable from the world of underlit, underground clubs where Orbital established themselves as pioneers. Plenty of old-school ravers would insist it was better back then, but Hartnoll is impressed with the variety and visibility of dance music in the 21st century.

“It’s like an electronic tree, with files growing and busting out all over the place. In the Nineties, you could go to one or two big clubs and listen to the music but now you’ve got all these different nights all over the place,“ he says.

“It all kicked off some time in the Nineties, with jungle, drum’n’bass, dub-step and grime. Now, you’ve got young producers who are in their twenties, who were tiny kids when techno first came out but they’re making music that

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’If it doesn’t move up, it doesn’t get you’ draws on that earlier stuff. It’s not by design – a lot of our work, for example, probably doesn’t as well if you’re a DJ and you’re playing to a packed dancefloor in a club.“ Orbital’s sets are unlikely to feature on any cheesy dancefloor anthems compilations but their pulsating live club sets were a major factor in their eaerly success, and their complicated, improvised performances remain one of their trademarks today.

“We were lucky with our first record – we had one big club hit and if you get that then you get asked to play live shows and tour around,“ Hartnoll says.

“At that time, though, you still had people playing shows, miming away. But we jumped in and did our own thing that way – it was a bit like an indie music scene in many ways.“ The relentless, never-changing thrum of trance or hard house doesn’t particularly excite Hartnoll. Indeed, Orbital remain distinct among their contemporaries for the varied arrangements of their tracks and their willingness to depart from the script when playing to a crowd – whether it’s a few dozen in a small club or, more often, tens of thousands at a banging outdoor party.

“Melody and harmony are important – we try to express emotions and convey them through music. If it doesn’t move up, it doesn’t get you,“ he says, “And the way we play live, improvising the structure of our songs, we want to

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keep the audience on their toes all the way through.

So we can make a track last for a minute or string it out for an hour.

“That’s important – it all has to develop depending on the reactions of the crowd. It’s that connection with the audience that makes for the best gigs. We don’t really care where we play or in front of how many people.“ That said, Hartnoll admits a preference for playing somewhere with decent weather – he spends most of his time in Brighton, the sometimes-sunny seaside town, popular with exiled artists, south of London. He may yet be disappointed by what Australia turns on store during Orbital’s visit but nonetheless, Hartnoll is happy to be back Down Under, proclaiming an enduring fondness for appreciative Australian crowds unafraid to let their hair down and cut loose.

“We’ve had a fantastic time there in the past with really good crowds who are all really welcoming,“ Hartnoll says.

“They’re quite wild, too, so I’m looking forward to it.

They’ve definitely got a touch of the Irish in them. It’s great, though – they’re not as reserved as the English. They definitely go for it.“ Orbital will play Hq in Adelaide on May 3; The Palace in Melbourne on May 4; The Metro in Sydney on May 5 and The Tivoli in Brisbane on May 6

Fed up of carrying around heavy guidebooks?

Then TNT has the answer We’ve published our 2012 Independent Traveller’s Guide to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

It’s free, it’s online and it’s full of tips on where to go, what to do and how to find work.

FIJI W ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA NE

It’s also got listings for all the best hostels, tour companies and job agencies for all three countries, complete with links that will take you straight to their websites.

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If you’re travelling on, there’s also sections on Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

2012

To check it out, just head to tntdownunder.com and click the link on the right hand side.

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER SUN SALT: Stephanie Marbach, 29, from Switzerland STEPHANIE SAYS: ”This picture was taken in Bolivia in the Salar de Uyuni desert. It was a nice, sunny day and one girl had an umbrella with her and it just happened to fit with the background as I took the shot.

I’m happy with the result.”

THE MONTHLY WINNER GETS THREE DAYS CAR HIRE FROM TRAVELLERS AUTOBARN Send high-res (300 dpi) jpegs with name, age, nationality and a description to: travel@tntdownunder.com. Photos are judged by the TNT team at their own discretion.

Weekly winner Stephanie wins a free night’s stay at the award-winning Sydney Central YHA (yha.com.au). The monthly winner gets three days’ car hire from Travellers Auto Barn. The runner-up wins a Great Barrier Reef snorkelling adventure and cruise with Awesome Adventures Oz. (awesomeoz.com)

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WIN

HOT TIPS: Mood + Colour Colour can be used to create different feelings and emotions. It can either draw the reader in or turn them off. But remember, hues don’t always have to be of the same family in order to make an appealing image. One way to create interest is to match cooler tones with warmer ones. Contrasting primary colours are a great idea to convey the vibrancy of life: think of a bright blue sky above a pure yellow sandy beach. That doesn’t look out of place, does it? Your aim should be to shoot colours that look good together in a digital image.

However, avoid an abundance of headacheinducing bold colours in one photograph.

The main subject should have the prominent colour, rather than multiple objects in the background stealing the focus away from what you want people to see first.

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TRAVELTIPS

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The united colours of Darwin

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ON THE ROAD WITH TRAVEL

TALK PEGGY HIERONYMUS 31, GERMANY WHAT DID YOU DO TODAY? I was grumbling to our dog on the station because he killed a colourful lizard. So now he is in lizard-heaven...

Poor bugger. I also mustered some cows on to a fresh spot.

YOU ASKED FOR IT...

WE ANSWER YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

Q

I want to drive from Cairns to Darwin.

Is it safe? Alice Graham, Canada

hello, you adventurous traveller.

A Well, You’ve certainly picked a road less travelled. The short story is yes, it is relatively safe. The long story is that there are a few things to keep in mind when you do this drive to ensure it’s as safe as possible. Heading west from Cairns, the most interesting route is the Savannah Way. The first stop you’ll come to about eight hours into your trip is Normanton, with a whopping 1,100 people. This is a relatively easy road to drive with sealed roads and small towns to stop off at. Three hours on from Normanton, you’ll reach Burketown. Here is where it gets tricky. If you stick to the Savannah Way, this is some of the most adventurous four-wheel-driving you’re ever likely to do. And you will definitely need a 4WD. Over 18-and-ahalf hours to a place called Borroloola, you will see the outback like you’ve seen in the pictures.

There are some fabulous places to camp along the way. Finally, it’s just another 12 hours to get to Darwin but that’s bypassing Kakadu and you can’t miss that. So we recommend you spend at least three of four days exploring one of the most picturesque places in Oz. Safe driving!

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there many snow jobs going during Q Are the Australian winter? Noel Bromley, Ireland Australia not being known for A Despite its snow, plenty of people visit the fields around NSW and Victoria every year to get their powder hit. As a result, there’s a decent amount of resorts, the main ones being Thredbo and Perisher, which all need plenty of seasonal workers. The best news, if you’re not the best skier but you’re wanting to learn, there are still jobs available. If you’ve got experience in hospitality then you’re in luck, as resorts, hotels, restaurants and bars need staff to look after their guests. While you’re not likely to get rich, the bonus is that many jobs come with discounted lift passes, making it easy to hit the slopes between shifts and master your parallel turns. Experienced snow bunnies should have no problem finding work, whether as ski technicians, fitters, instructors or lift operators, which are all integral to the snow field make-up.

And if you really like it, a lot of the ski resorts in Australia have work available during the warmer seasons – Thredbo is open all year round, offering mountain biking and bobsledding.

Visit ski.com.au for more info.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SO FAR? I started in Adelaide and went to Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, basically all around Oz. My favourite is the fiery red centre of the breathtaking Outback.

ANY STRANGE EXPERIENCES? Well, I unfortunately rolled over a huge kangaroo with my 4WD on the Oodnadatta Track in South Australia.

But it wasn’t dead, so I put it in reverse gear and killed the roo. Sorry, I had to do it, otherwise it would’ve been an agonising death.

ANY PLACE YOU’D REVISIT? The Painted Desert, close to South Australia’s Arckaringa Hills. Breakfast with sunrise at this spot is just so impressive.

EVERYONE SHOULD TRAVEL BECAUSE...

Life is too short to waste time, to be unhappy or grumpy.

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS AUSTRALIA EXPERIENCE

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Each month our fave interview WINS a four-day Conservation Volunteers Australia experience. Email: alex@tntdownunder.com.

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XXXXXX TOP FIVE TRAVELLERSTALE

ISLAND FEVER

According to JENNY TICE, there are ups and downs when it comes to working in the Whitsundays.

It’s now been over two weeks of living on Hayman Island and I have come to learn that there are both pros and cons of living and working on an island. And while some of the points below are specific to Hayman, I imagine many other work-life scenarios in small isolated towns, islands or cruise ships would have similar advantages and disadvantages. So before you pack your bags and head off to work in the mines or sign a contract on a cruise ship, here are some things to consider.

Location. Whether it’s the ability to see the world on a cruise ship, spend a winter on the ski slopes or live on a tropical island, location is key. Being able to live in different parts of the world is an adventure on its own.

Free leisure activities. This is by far and away the biggest attraction of coming to Hayman and likely true of other tropical islands. Having access to tons of great activities such as kayaking, water sports, windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, tennis – all for free or at a discount rate. If nothing on that list appeals to you – you might want to look elsewhere for work.

Meeting new people. Maybe you’ve

recently gone through a bad breakup or are just looking for some new people to hang out with. Moving to any location where you bunk with other staff, you are bound to meet dozens of new people within a few days. Even if you’re not a social butterfly, you are likely to make a few friends with the hundreds of staff.

No chores. Do you come home from work to find your fridge always empty, the bills still not paid and your laundry not done? Besides cleaning your room here on Hayman (which isn’t that big to begin with), there isn’t much else for you to worry about. Your uniform is washed for you each day and all your meals are provided for you.

But with positives there inevitably come a few negatives.

Food. While not having to cook or do dishes everyday is wonderful, if you have dietary restrictions or are a picky eater, that staff diner is not your friend. Be mindful that the kitchen has to feed about 300-400 staff three meals a day; you see a lot of the same food options each week. You can have food sent over from the mainland but it’s not going to be cheap and there isn’t a kitchen for you to prepare anything in.

The buzz of city life. Love checking out the new blockbuster movie each

week, or shopping all the spring sales?

You will have to wait for your days off to head back to the mainland for any kind of city-life activities. On the pro side, it is a great way to save money when there isn’t much to spend it on.

Dating scene. While not completely a con, you will have to do your background research before hooking up with anyone on the island. You never know who they were dating before, and you don’t want it to turn out to be your boss or roommate. With the exception of “fresh meat Mondays” when the new staff arrive, you’re unlikely to run into any hotties at the bar that you haven’t seen before.

No separation. We’ve all had bad days at work, disagreements with co-workers and our bosses, so imagine seeing them after work when you have dinner, at the gym and then at the bar later. You’ll want to be taking the advice that if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all because you never know who’ll be listening wherever you are on the island. And don’t even think of faking a sick day here – word gets around pretty fast if you’re at the beach when you called in sick for work.

Overall, I am happy to say on most days the pros heavily outweigh the cons. After all, no job is perfect but this comes pretty close.

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Send us your scary, funny or embarrassing travel tale (preferably about Australia or New Zealand) and if published you’ll win a $250 travel voucher redeemable on Oz Experience passes (ozexperience.com), ATA NT camping trips (adventuretours.com.au) and with Wayward Bus (waywardbus.com. au). Email your stories (700 words max), to alex@tntdownunder.com

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The Whitsundays QUEENSLAND

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Welcome to Paradise Picking your way through the Whitsundays on a boat is one of the most spectacular trips in this country or anywhere else WORDS GILLIAN MCVEIGH

Just inland from the magnificent Whitsunday Islands lies the legendary Airlie Beach. Air-lie. The name immediately strikes me as unearthly, evoking images of a fabled paradise. What will I find there? Immaculate beaches and infinite secluded lagoons? Lapping waters of azure blue and billowing shores of platinum sand? Waves breaking rhythmically around Brooke Shields’ naked thighs, like in The Blue Lagoon?

Arriving in downtown Airlie Beach, I’m relieved to find an inviting selection of pubs and cafés. I order a beer – seeing as I’ll be on land for just one night, I’m determined to experience Airlie Beach before rushing off to explore the islands beckoning me from the horizon. ”Which way to the beach?” I ask the barman at the pub with the blackboard advertising a weekly Wednesday night wet T-shirt competition. “Over there,” the Irishman replies, pointing to what looks like brown mudflats. I survey the apparent beach from over the top of my glass. I’ll seek it out later. For the moment, I want to soak up the ambience before sailing off into Paradise.

“

The trip can be as chilled-out or as actionpacked as you want

”

shark find me tasty? Am I still breathing?

As unnatural as it all seems at first, once you glide through the crystal clear waters, like the Little Mermaid’s long lost twin, you soon feel right at home in the underwater world. Well, maybe it doesn’t come quite as naturally as that, but as you swim deeper and watch all the brightly coloured little fishies float by, it’s not difficult to get lost in the awe of it all. It is amazing to look around and see hundreds of little eyes look back at you as they swim by. At one stage, I even forget I’m swimming with other

Sail away Sailing the Whitsundays hovers pretty close to the top of most backpackers’ “must-do” lists. People come for different reasons: some to dive by the Great Barrier Reef, some for Whitehaven Beach and others for the pure luxury of exploring this part of Australia without having to cook, clean or even lift a finger, apart from putting on suntan lotion that is. The trip can be as action-packed or chilled out as you want it to be.

Cruising through the Whitsunday Islands, by the Great Barrier Reef, and not giving diving a go is simply not an option. And so, as we’re waiting to do our first ever dive, lingering under the water, waiting for one of our group to get to grips with her equipment and join us in the deep blue sea, it feels like we’ve been under there forever. I want to burst out laughing, looking at my friend hooked up with all her scuba gear. But I dare not – if the breathing apparatus slip out of my mouth, it will be panic stations. As we wait, I get to thinking – is my mask filling up with water? Would a

The white sands of Whitehaven

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“

Don’t bag XXXX within earhsot of any proud Queenslanders

It doesn’t get any better humans at all, stopping to watch the shimmering of blue and yellow scales flicker past every inch of my vision. We also see little turtles and hundreds of varieties of fish in every size, shape and colour. And, sure enough, once I’ve got a taste of the life aquatic, I’m soon donning my snorkle to head in again. And again. And again. I’ve fallen in underwater love.

There are 25 of us on board, all experiencing our first taste of the Whitsunday Islands and most of us embarking on our first ever sailing trip, all equally impressed as we spread out across the boat’s spacious deck to enjoy front-row seats for the spectacular sunset, which paints an orange-and-red masterpiece across the sky.

Silicon Valley There are so many amazing spots to visit around the islands that you couldn’t possibly see them all on one trip, but when our skipper drops us on Whitehaven Beach, with its 98 per cent-pure silica sand, it instantly becomes my personal favourite. The weather is amazing, and in between exploring the waves and some backyard cricket along the shore, the time passes far too quickly for my liking.

We put the sails up once but there is less than a gnat’s fart of wind and we do it more for the appearance than for any practical purpose. It would have been cool to wrestle with billowing sails and plough through foamy wave crests, but the calm means the conditions are perfect for diving, and I’d take good visibility over seasickness any day.

Stopping off at one of the world’s top three beaches is undoubtedly the highlight of many visitors’ trips. Indeed, having a picture of yourself in a human pyramid on Whitehaven Beach is a mandatory addition to any self-respecting backpacker’s Facebook page.

From the lookout point, Whitehaven Beach looks beautiful but it’s not until we’re down there that we see exactly why it is regarded as one of the best beaches on the planet. The sand is so fine that you can clean your jewellery with it and no matter how high the temperature, the sand remains cool thanks to its unexplained amounts of silicon.

At the risk of sounding like a glutton, one of my favourite aspects of the trip is the food. After travelling the coast for a few weeks, it’s great to get quality food, and plenty of it.

Being a vegetarian - or vege-terrible as Captain Johnno

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”

dubs me – I didn’t know what to expect. However, I couldn’t be more satisfied. Each night after dinner the crew produce a slideshow of all the pics from throughout the day, which makes for a hilarious and often embarrassing night’s viewing. The shots from the dive sites are particularly entertaining and we all get some great snaps underwater, kitted out in our scuba gear.

After an unforgettable tour of the Whitsundays, it’s then back to Airlie Beach where the fun most doesn’t stop.

After a long, much-anticipted shower – we had to limit them to just two minutes a time on the boat – we meet up again with the group and crew to enjoy free jugs of beer in the bar and spend the night recounting our sailing adventures.

There is a reason why sailing the Whitsunday Islands is high on most travellers’ agenda. If you go, expect to spend some of the most memorable days of your travelling here.

You’re guaranteed to leave with plenty of very happy memories and lots of very cool photographs.

Return to the Blue Lagoon Finishing my beer, I follow the direction of the Irish barman’s casual wave. I walk the coast for a good half-hour but find no beach. It’s 1pm and about 32°C. The sky is an uninterrupted expanse of perfect blue and I’m surrounded by a relaxed-looking group in sarongs and boardshorts.

Groups of travellers saunter past with beach bags and guitars and I count three combies parked along the kerb.

As if the gods had noted my disappointment, I walk straight into a lagoon. It’s not the kind of lagoon I’d expect to see Ms Shields spear-hunting supper in – this one is manmade for a start. Nevertheless, it is a lagoon so I whip off my bits and lie roasting in the tropical Queensland sun.

At the hostel that evening, I sit poolside with a group of Americans drinking XXXX and discussing their recent seafaring expedition. They have been here a week and confirm the following: sailing the Whitsundays is one of their best ever life experiences; there is no beach at Airlie Beach and – most importantly to them – Bud is a better beer than XXXX. Perhaps not the greatest accolade, but don’t say so within earshot of any Queenslanders, who are fiercely proud of their local brew.

I grab a Brit and suggest we head back down to the main drag, where we soon hit a heaving Irish pub.

The rest of the evening Australian snow: unravels into a surreal how to make the montage of Swedish most of the winter girls wearing bikinis months Down Under and witches’ hats – just another Airlie night, apparently.

NEXT WEEK

You’d have to be crazy not to book your Overnight Sailing Adventures with AirlieBeach.com, the Whitsundays Central Reservations Centre. Their local knowledge, friendly advice and honest recommendations are legendary. They will beat any genuine quote and don’t forget to ask about the free accommodation package.

More importantly, they are right there in Airlie Beach upon your return to ensure that the trip met with your expectations. We all know it is safer and can be much cheaper to book your trip in Airlie. Drop in to meet their friendly staff at the travel and internet centre next door to the Hog’s Breath Cafe, top end of the main street.

“Amazing time, Great people, great laugh just what we wanted.”

2 DAYS/2 NIGHTS TO 6 DAYS/6 NIGHTS

AirlieBeach.com

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THE EASY QUESTIONS WHAT’S WHAT ABOUT THE WHITSUNDAYS

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The Whitsundays – what’s all the fuss about?

Shut your eyes and (even if you’re an atheist) try and picture heaven. Does it have icing sugar beaches, fringed by palm trees? Are there startlingly transparent, warm waters calling out your name? Is there a sailing boat at your disposal, lazily anchored in a bay? Is there a bevy of bikini-clad beauties and bronzed adonises? Sorry. We got carried away. Anyway, your biggest difficulty will be trying to decide whether to dive, snorkel or bask on a beach or ship deck. If most of that sounds pretty heavenly to you, we are willing to bet our editor’s salary that you’ll enjoy the Whitsundays.

Well, where is it then?

The islands – 74 in all – lie off the coast of Airlie Beach, between Mackay and Bowen. As well as all the postcard-perfect scenery, they provide the local marine life and tourists with an aquatic playground. Diving, snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, sailing, bushwalking and camping are amongst the activities on offer.

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What are the highlights of the Whitsundays?

Too many to mention – and everyone has their personal faves.

But the most famous and most photographed spot is the incomparable Whithaven Beach, with its sparkling white sands.

It’s found on Whitsunday Island, the largest, at 109km2. Every tour boat will stop there.

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Cape Town SOUTH AFRICA

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BIGTRIP

Sun and surf in South Africa Cape Town combines thrilling adventure sports and rugged safari trips with cosmopolitan delights, making it one damn fine city WORDS ADAM EDWARDS

WHEN TO GO: The South A squeal of confused excitement goes up Cock-a-hoop at conquering such a African summer is between among the other surfers treading water mammoth challenge, my friends and I November and March. offshore. What looks like a fin edges above catch a cab to Long Street, in the heart of the surface, snaking between my friends the city centre, for a few well-deserved CURRENCY: Rand. and I. My imagination kicks into overdrive: drinks. Packed bars and clubs overflow onto 1 GBP = R11.5.

“This is it,” I say to myself, expecting my life ACCOMMODATION: A dorm mezzanine verandas, and people huddle to flash before my eyes. But before I know bed at South Boutique Backpackers around tables to watch the comings and what’s happening, I’m screaming to my goings in the street below. Leaning against (book through hostelworld.com) friends, pointing at the blackish-brown the wrought-iron balustrades, with live music costs £6, while a dorm bed at The object slipping through the water. and laughter ringing in my ears, I feel like I’m Backpack & Africa Travel Centre “Look,” I yell, just as a tiny pup leaps in New Orleans’ French Quarter during Mardi costs £10. A double room at The out of the water. “A baby sea lion.” The Gras, rather than Africa on a weeknight. As Tulip Hotel & Conference Centre excitement reaches fever-pitch as the bugthe band starts to hit its stride, however, I costs £28 (hotelclub.com). eyed scamp swims within a whisker’s length decide to call it a night, and head back to my SEE: capetown.travel, of us, flippers twirling, lapping up the digs for some much-needed shut-eye. sharkcagediving.co.za, attention. “Only in Cape Town,” I tell people I’m staying a short taxi-ride away in skydivecapetown.za.net and afterwards – a cheesey sentiment, but the Observatory – a bohemian suburb packed addoelephant.com so-called LA of Africa is one of those rare with buzzing hole-in-the-wall bars, shabbyplaces that actually lives up to the gushing travel reviews. chic cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy anything from a quiet coffee over a book or a sumptuous three-course Long and late meal for less than a tenner to a rowdy night dancing Coyote Ugly-style on the bar, depending on what takes your fancy.

The Mediterranean climate, exhilarating mix of cultures, laid-back pace, and some of the best waves in the southern Up close and personal hemisphere have me coming back year after year. My friends, The next morning, I wake up at the crack of dawn itching on the other hand, are drawn by the hair-raising activities to hit the beach. From Observatory, it’s a 30-minute drive to the Cape has to offer – I quickly discover this when they the premier wind- and kite- surfing hotspots at Kalk Bay and start producing pamphlet after pamphlet as we settle down nearby Muizenberg – scene of my nose-to-nose encounter for lunch at one the smart bistros that line the historic with the Cape seal pup. After a few hours of pounding V&A Waterfront.

Muizenberg’s waves, we decide to head down the coast Thankfully, the troupes of fire-breathers, jugglers and to Kalk, and grab lunch at the Brass Bell – an open-sided traditional African dancers battling it out on the quayside restaurant-cum-bar that I drift back to whenever I’m here. offer a welcome distraction, and the conversation soon Bikini-clad beauties and bronzed gods sit at rustic picnic moves on. But it’s not long before talk turns to climbing tables exchanging stories of their day’s exploits over some Table Mountain, the soaring flat-topped mountain that of the best – and most reasonably priced – grub in the city. looms above the city, and I soon find myself on a three-hour Gentle waves lap against the restaurant walls, sending slog up this 3,500ft (1000m) Everest. Just thinking about a refreshingly cool spray into the air, and I ponder chilling it makes my legs ache.

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out here for the rest of the day – but the promise of seeing the pint-sized Jackass penguins further down the coast at Boulders Beach proves too alluring.

The waters in this part of the Cape, known as False Bay, may be home to animals more typically associated with Antarctica than Africa, but this stretch of coast is actually the warmest in Cape Town. However, if you don’t mind your

“

A herd of about 60 elephants appears, marching trunk-to-tail

The Insider’s guide Myrna van Pinxteren, a freelance writer and master’s student based in Cape Town, reveals her favourite hangouts.

Where do you go to chill out?

I usually meet my friends for half-price cocktails in the city centre. We tend to head to Kloof Street – there are fewer tourists here and the drinks are a lot cheaper than they are on Long Street or the Waterfront. Buzz Cafe is one of my particular favourites – it’s really chilled out and serves delicious food and cocktails. Plus, it has great views of Table Mountain. Then, we tend to go to this old cinema nearby called Labia. It’s a really odd little place – it used to be the ballroom of the Italian Embassy and doubles as a café too – but I love the nostalgic feel of the place. They usually show art films rather than mainstream movies, but a lot of local people prefer it as you can take your own drinks and it’s a lot more relaxed.

What are some of Cape Town’s other best-kept secrets?

One of the best things about the city is the range and quality of food on offer. For instance, Cape Town has some great sushi joints. Beluga on Waterkant Street is one of my favourites, while I love the Asian-fusion menu at Asoka – a swish cocktail lounge-cum-bistro on Kloof Street. The Royale Eatery on Long Street is great for fancy burgers, and there’s a rustic restaurant in Observatory called Café Ganesh that’s serves hearty South African grub.

Where’s good for an adventure?

The area around Paternoster and Langebaan, 90 minutes north of Cape Town, is the place to spend a few days with friends. When I was there last, my mate and I camped right next to the sea at Tietiesbaai where we could hear whales frollicking in the surf from our tent at night. This stretch of coast is also great for wind- and kite-surfing, kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, horse riding and hiking. Plus, at Langebaan you can go scuba diving with seals or explore the shipwrecks off the coast.

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”

surf bracing, the Atlantic coast has some of the best waves.

In the South African summer, Kommetjie’s Sunset Reef even boasts some of the biggest waves in the world, which on good days can reach a bone-crushing eight metres.

The sight of the comical penguins waddling on the beach and swimming among the bathers has me in hysterics. My pals, on the other hand, are preoccupied with thoughts of the seabirds’ mortal enemies – the waters off Cape Town are home to one of the largest populations of great white sharks in the world and, unbeknownst to me, we’ve scheduled a cage-dive with these toothy predators.

I manage to give this excursion a wide berth – I’ve seen Jaws too many times to be dangled over the side of a boat like giant bait – although I end up cursing myself when I see my friends still have all their limbs intact.

“The sharks come so close to the cage,” my friend Frank enthuses, adding salt to the wound. “They just appear out of nowhere and start circling around the boat, before swimming right up to the bars for a closer look.

“It’s such a weird experience. There is literally just a few inches of metal separating you from all those teeth.”

Later that week, a private transfer whisks my friends away to an airstrip half an hour north of the city. While I thumb my way through one of Desmond Tutu’s biographies by the pool, they are climbing 9,000ft above the peninsular, preparing for a petrifying skydive.

“It’s the most fantastic way to see the city,” my friend says. “We could see Robben Island and the ocean dotted with boats, and Table Mountain towering over the city on the other side of the bay.

“And the jump itself was unforgettable. After freefalling for 30 seconds, the instructor pulled the shoot and we slowly drifted back down to Earth. It was so quiet.”

With the adrenaline now well and truly pumping, all sights are set on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump – a gravity defying 216-metre drop – a few hours’ drive from the city along the tourist-clogged Garden Route.

Road tripping My friends and I decide to hire a car and set out along this spectacular drive, and it’s not long before I discover why South Africa’s answer to Route 66 is so popular: it’s the sheer number of sights and activities on offer, including dune boarding at De Hoop, black-water tubing down Storms River,

The Cape Town locals will welcome you with a smile zip-wiring though the forests of Tsitsikamma, ostrich-racing in Oudtshoorn and whale-watching at Hermanus.

My trip along the coast takes me as far as Addo Elephant National Park – home to the largest concentration of elephants on the planet – where I book a guided night-safari to witness Africa’s big game in their eerie nocturnal world.

Driving through the bush, the driver scans the darkness with his industrial-strength torch, wisely ignoring the incandescent eye-shine of the antelope and kudu standing agape by the side of the road. Suddenly, he cuts the engine.

After a tense few minutes a pride of lions emerges from the

shadows, encircling our Jeep. As the rest of the passengers and I watch in awe, gripped as though watching a scary movie in a darkened cinema, a crackled message comes over the radio. Before I understand what’s happening, we’re off in hot pursuit of something else. After a few twists and turns, the driver slams on the brakes once more and out of the darkness appears a herd of more than 60 elephants marching trunk-to-tail.

Back in Cape Town, I spend my last few days flitting between Long Street and the beach, before deciding it’s only polite to drop by some vineyards – “when in Rome”. I make a beeline for the Boschendal estate near the picturesque town of Franschhoek and while away a blissful couple of hours sipping wine under a sprawling oak tree, before continuing the “vineyard crawl” with a visit to Spier, near the historic town of Stellenbosch.

My friends and I stock up on vino and head back into the city to watch the sunset from Lion’s Head, the sphinxshaped hill that flanks Table Mountain. After an hour-or-so climb, we finally make it to the top and crack open a bottle of Boschendal just as the setting African sun dips into the Atlantic.

The others reminisce about the best part of their adrenalinefuelled holiday, while I slip into my own little world and Bali: Are the Gili start planning my next visit.

Islands the new I just hope I’ve discovered my Ibiza? We find out inner daredevil by this time next year.

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

Pearl of Asia Explore Phnom Penh in 48 hours WORDS ADAM LEYLAND

DAY 1: 09:00 Sitting on the banks of the mighty Mekong river, Cambodia’s capital was known as the ’Pearl of Asia’ during the French colonial period.

Temples and monks litter the city landscape, while mopeds piled high with all manner of loads – fruit, pigs, families – speed past in a never-ending cycle of activity. It’s also home to an undeniably dark history, which you can get a sense of with a trip to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, a short tuk-tuk ride south-west of the city. A visit here is upsetting, but provides a valuable insight into the hell this country went through when the Khmer Rouge came to power.

It’s a visit likely to stick in your memory.

12:00 That was intense, so wind down with the serene spirituality of Wat Ounalom on Samdech Sothearos Blvd. The most important temple in Phnom Penh, it’s the centre of Cambodian Buddhism. Established in 1443, it consists of 44 structures in a huge garden, and is even said to contain hair from Buddha himself.

13:00 Cambodia is great for markets, so whizz down to the Russian Market (south of Mao Tse Tuong Boulevard) where you’ll find weird, wonderful and exotic goods to scare family members on your return.

14:00 You must be hungry by now, so jump in a rickety tuk-tuk and whizz over to locally owned Friends Restaurant (13 Street). It collaborates with local NGOs, so your business benefits the community.

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Try the creamy, coconut-infused fish but watch out for the monkeys that clamber the walls, as they too are partial to this delicacy.

15:00 Another haunting insight into the reign of the Khmer Rouge can be found at Tuol Sleng (Street 131).

It was at this former school that thousands of innocent Cambodian citizens were imprisoned, tortured and massacred by the regime in the Seventies. The scale of the horror is harrowing but the faces of Toul Sleng’s victims deserve to be remembered.

18:00 Breathe a sigh of relief as the weather begins to cool, and the mood is set to change dramatically.

Sovannah Phum (Street 99) is home to traditional Khmer dancing, with its rich mixture of hypnotic, almost ballet-like gestures. Shows also include Cambodian Shadow Puppet performances. Check out shadow-puppets.org.

20:30 Spend a kitschy but enjoyable evening on the Kanika Floating Restaurant Bar (Sisowath Quay), which provides incredible sunset views of the Royal Palace (main image) as you cruise down the Mekong river.

23:00 Luckily, one of Phnom Penh’s friendliest and best value hotels, California 2 Hotel, lies on the same quay.

For $22 per night, including breakfast, with comfy beds, wifi and air conditioning, it’s a steal. Have a beer with popular American owner Jim, who will give you the lowdown on life in the city.

Check out Phnom Penh’s Buddhist temples

DAY 2: 12:00 Sleep off those beers before hopping in a tuk-tuk for more sightseeing. Don’t forget to grab the free bottles of water Jim offers before you leave, as they’ll come in handy. Swing by the Lotus Blanc Restaurant (Stung Mean Chey), an NGO-run training establishment for hundreds of poor students, where the delicious $5 mango salad provides a pick-me-up.

14:00 Now make your way to the glimmering spires of the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda (between Street 240 and 184). This peaceful complex shows off some stunning examples of Khmer architecture, so enjoy wandering the landscaped gardens at leisure.

Keep an eye out for the medieval Buddhist artwork surrounding the palace interior – one particular painting stretches out nearly half a kilometre.

18:00 It’s been a busy one, hasn’t it? Slow things down with a trip to NGO-run Romdeng Restaurant (Street 74, #174). If you’re feeling adventurous, try the fried tarantulas. If not, try the rather gentler pumpkin curry wrapped in a banana leaf.

21:00 A refreshing drink is on the cards, so dive into a rip-roaring slice of modern Cambodia, the Heart of Darkness (Street 51, #26) to quench that thirst.

Undoubtedly the most popular club in town, you can expect a crowd that’s up for a party.

02:00 Swig down the last drops of your Angkor beer and smile – you’ve just nailed Phnom Penh.

The Khmer are renowned for their friendliness

Watch the sun go down over the Mekong river TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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NEWSWEIRD

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Slumming it: The down-and-out Ernie is part of an exhibition by Patricia Waller, called Broken Heroes at the Deschler Galler in Berlin, Germany. The hand-crocheted Ernie stars as a desperate alcoholic. He sits among other pop-culture figures such as a suicidal Winnie the Pooh, and Spongebob Squarepants, the suicide bomber

Austria haven’t yet thanked Bruno...

I LIKE: BORAT GETS KAZAKH APPROVAL KAZAKHSTAN

At first the attention was resented, but finally, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister has thanked Borat for boosting tourism in the country.

The nation reacted with fury when Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan hit the screens in 2006, due to its central character’s sexist, homophobic and anti-semitic behaviour, and banned the film from being shown.

However, foreign minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov changed his stance last week and thanked Sacha Baron Cohen for encouraging tourists to Kazakhstan.

“After this film the number of visas issued to Kazakhstan grew by ten times.

This is a big victory for us and I thank Borat for attracting tourists to Kazakhstan,” Kazykhanov said.

ENTERING POLITICS: FOR DUMMIES UNITED KINGDOM

An eccentric pensioner has been arrested for registering a mannequin as an independent candidate in the Aberdeen City Council.

Renee Slater entered the shop-window dummy, Helena Torry, in the election to raise awareness for human rights.

However, her political intentions backfired when she was arrested for alleged electoral fraud. The mannequin has also been confiscated – and is being detained indefinitely by police.

“This is a very serious and unusual step to take but is necessary to ensure that the interests of the genuine candidates and voters are protected, and that the election can take place on May 3,” officer Valerie Watts said.

Slater, however, said the brunette

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bespectacled dummy represented the voiceless people of Aberdeen.

“Helena’s aims and objectives are equality for human beings, ensuring there is a fair deal for everyone and giving a voice to the silent majority,” she said.

TURN BACK TIME OR CHANGE LOCKS? AUSTRALIA

Cher has upset residents of Adelaide after selling her key to the city on eBay. The singer was presented with the key at the 1990 Grand Prix by the then lord mayor Steve Condous, who has since voiced his disappointment at her selling the gift.

“I think that’s pretty poor,” he said when he saw the key was up for auction “I would have thought that getting the key to a city like Adelaide would have had some value to her, but obviously it doesn’t because she wouldn’t have got rid of it.”

The key received 146 bids worldwide, the successful bidder taking home the key and its accompanying plaque for $95,900.

Don’t cry, Adelaide.

Proceeds from the eBay sale will go to Cher’s charity.

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Riots: a girl’s best friend

THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS Height, in centimetres, of the diamond encrusted Lego model of the Queen on display at LegoLand

10

Years it took for a UK man to build a four-storey pirate-themed ‘man cave’ in his backyard to take refuge from his family

ARTIST FINDS DIAMOND IN ROUGH UNITED KINGDOM

When the dust settled on the 2011 London riots, one woman collected material to be made into a diamond.

Mexican artist Teresa Margolles collected residues generated by the rioting, including carbonised remains of burnt out buildings and vandalised objects.

In a bid to create art symbolising the riots, she separated pieces of wood and carbon from a burned building in London Rd in Croydon and sent it to an English company which specialises in elaborating diamonds with the remains of ashes from incinerated bodies. The result was a threequarter carat, 58 facet cut diamond. Not bad for a day’s work.

Margolles has earned a reputation internationally creating art that relates to violence, crime and death.

CHICK COMES OUT OF HER SHELL

Photos: Getty Images

SRI LANKA

An answer to the age-old question was finally delivered last week when a hen gave birth to a live chicken.

In a freak birth at a poultry farm in central Sri Lanka, the hen produced a chick without an egg. The vet in charge said the egg appeared to have incubated inside the hen for 21 days. Sadly, the hen died during the birth.

“I had only heard about such aberrations, but I was able to see it for myself today,” the vet said.

The chick survived and is said to be healthy and fully formed.

On Twitter, many joked that it solves the age old riddle of which came first – the chicken or the egg.

Distance, in kilometres, a trainee coastguard pilot detoured to collect a parcel of prime fillet steaks from a butcher

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Weight, in pounds, of two-year-old cat, Meow, who was given up by his owners after his weight spiralled out of control

Brains sold separately

I’M A BARBIE GIRL IN A BARBARIC WORLD

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK

RUSSIA

Life is plastic is fantastic for one 21-year-old woman, who has become an internet sensation by ‘perfecting’ her look as a real-life Barbie.

Valeria Lukyanova has become the subject of heated discussion online, after claiming on her blog to be the most famed woman on the Russian-language internet. well, who else is there?

Apparently, Her doll-like features, long blonde hair and ‘perfect’ body make her look like a real life Barbie.

Horrified viewers have slammed the model over her manufactured looks. One commented: “She looks not only ugly, but ridiculous”, while another wrote: “A woman with completely perfect features is a boring woman.”

Others claim Valeria is staging an elaborate Photoshop hoax.

It would be lovely to be an MP. I believe I can use my power as a celebrity Cross-dressing cage fighter Alex Reid eyes off a new career as a Labour MP

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OUTSIDE THE FLAGS

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Some (who could be bothered) defaced posters to read “phony”

Invisible Children indeed: protest fades into obscurity They came, saw, bought the bracelet and lost interest, writes Alex Harmon

» Agree or disagree? Did the Kony 2012 campaign achieve anything? alex@tntdowunder.com 42

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The One Direction boys may have bedded a few ladies during their trip Down Under, but did they have to go and accuse our koalas of giving them a sexually transmitted infection?

The big-haired boy band members got up close and personal with a koala called Kat at a Brisbane sanctuary. However, the koala, (like any young female) got overexcited and she weed on Harry and Liam.

“

The koala weed all over Harry and Liam

”

Because 80 per cent of koalas carry chlamydia, the boys are now worried their furry friend has tarnished their sex-lives.

“I’m genuinely scared,” The Sun quoted Liam as saying. “This is worrying. I’d have never picked the thing up if I’d known.”

Sure boys, blame the poor animal who can’t sell her side of the story. Koala’s already get a bad rap, as stoners or vicious beasts. Now, thanks to One Direction, they’re also disease-spreading rapists.

Photos: Getty

We were meant to wake up to a sea of red two Saturdays ago. Around the world, thousands of people had pledged to “paint the town Kony”. The Invisible Children followers were going to take down the Ugandan warlord by blanketing the world in propaganda posters. Instead, we woke up as normal, most of us had forgotten what the campaign was about. Even in the socially progressive inner-west of Sydney, there were more posters for an S Club concert. So what happened?

Well, a number of things, the charity was questionable, their spokesman turned out to be a jerk (figuratively and literally). But the main reason is Gen Y apathy.

What started as a feel-good Facebook cause in March ended up in the “too hard” basket by April. The friends who had harassed me with “please help catch Kony” group messages had given up, many confused by conflicting reports in the media, many just didn’t care anymore. Kony was “so last month.” Our ‘clicktivists’ had simply moved on.

Of the 19,000 people who hit ‘attending’ on Sydney’s Paint the Town Kony Facebook page, only 25 of them showed up to storm Martin Place. It was cold and posters had to be paid for in advance. It was all too much for a cause we didn’t really understand.

Despite starting as a social media phenomena, on April 20, Kony failed to crack the top ten Twitter trends. It seems we were more interested in the Tupac hologram at Coachella.

On the Kony 2012 Facebook page, many LOL’d at the pathetic numbers and others concluded it wasn’t good for the environment to poster the city. The mood summed up Gen Y: post on someone’s wall – sure. Post on an actual wall – too much effort. And so you’re not left red-faced? Simply disguise your apathy with another feel-good cause.

GROUPIES SPREAD STIS, NOT KOALAS

dK KK< W,KE ϭϴϬϬ D '/ KZ s/^/d ǁǁǁ͘ŵĂŐŝĐďƵƐ͘ĐŽ͘Ŷnj

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SPORTNEWS

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Kenny Dalglish weighed in

ROONEY WANTS TO SEAL TITLE AT CITY FOOTBALL

Liverpool manager has made a rare intervention on behlaf of Premier League rivals Chelsea, who will face Bayern Munich in next month’s Champions League Munich – in Munich.

“I think Uefa say they’ve got to book it 12 months in advance or something like that because they’ve got to allow time to book the hotels, but why?” Dalglish said.

“For me, I don’t think they should book it in the venue of a team which will be representing their country in the European Cup. It’s totally unfair.

“It is a huge advantage for Bayern Munich. Uefa aren’t going to change it, but it is a huge advantage for them. Whether the advantage weighs for them or against them, remains to be seen. But it is an advantage being at home.

“They state it’s an advantage because away goals count double, so they’re telling you that home advantage counts.”

REDS MUST DIG DEEP TO RETAIN GENIA RUGBY UNION

Wallabies playmaker Will Genia could leave the Queensland Reds at the end of this season unless they meet his increasing salary demands.

Genia is reportedly asking for $400,000 per season – aside from any possible topup from the ARU – to stay with the Super 15 franchise and, if they fail to stump up, he could be lured overseas to play in France or Japan. Given new salary cap restrictions, the Reds could be in trouble.

“I’d love to stay in Queensland and still have the option to play for Australia,’’ Genia said a few weeks ago. “But at the same time you can’t close yourself off to what else is out there, other opportunities that may present themselves.”

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Anyone fancy a dip?: David Florence of Team GB trains in the C1 at Lee Valley White Water Centre in London, where the canoeing and kayaking events will be held at this year’s Olympics. Looks pretty bloody chilly, doesn’t it?

CHELSEA CHASING HIGUAIN FOR £ 35M FOOTBALL

Chelsea are ready to make a £35m summer swoop for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain.

Roman Abramovich’s Blues are lining up the Argentina striker to replace Didier Drogba, who is set to quit this summer.

And Madrid could be willing to do business as boss Jose Mourinho wants Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero at the Bernabeu next season. So selling Higuain would help raise some of the money needed to try to capture the City star.

A Chelsea source said: “Higuain is top of the shopping list. He has a phenomenal record for Real and for Argentina but he helps make lots of goals too.”

BIG WEEK FOR ...

Australian basketballer Pat Mills could well win an NBA championship ring in the coming months, given his impressive form for the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are one of the favourites for the title and should be able to get past the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs. Mills, for his part, will be hoping his 27 points against Phoenix on the eve of the playoffs keeps him in the rotations.

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK Ia always had a good al rapport with him. I didn’t have a problem to forgive him Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini on his decision to pick Carlos Tevez again. Pretty unconvincing

United can clinch the title against City

PREVIEW After nine months, it all comes down to this MANCHESTER CITY V MANCHESTER UNITED

TUESDAY 4.30AM, FOX SPORTS 3

In this most important of Manchester derby, United must start slight favourites, buoyed by the prospect of killing of City’s challenge at their rivals’ home ground.

Earlier in the season, City looked an irresistible force, a runaway train rattling inexorably toward a long-awaited league title. Think back to October, when Roberto Mancini’s men belted United 6-1 at Old Trafford. At that point, it seemed a long way back for Alex Ferguson’s side but they

slowly rebuilt their campaign while City’s gradually lost its momentum. They have, though, won their past three matches, albeit it against unfancied teams, without breaking a sweat. So perhaps there is another twist in the tale yet.

If United take all three points, they will pull six points clear of City, while a draw will leave the door ajar. A City victory, however would bring them level on points and ahead on goal difference, setting the stage for a memorable finale to the season, with just two matches left to play. Squeaky bum time, indeed.

Our tip? A 1-1 draw, leaving United clinging grimly to top sport.

THE CHAT | London rains on Bolt’s parade

When you’ve got two Wh fledgling sides that are going to get flogged, who plays them twice and who doesn’t?

Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold isn’t happy about sides getting two cracks at GWS and the Gold Coast

Mic Michael ic tends to have a llittle bit of a golden arm and he rocks up, he does a little bit of e work and gets it done Mickey Arthur, coach of the Australian cricket team, on Michael Clarke’s knack of taking wickets with his part-time spin

TV HIGHLIGHTS RUGBY LEAGUE

Photos: Getty

Broncos v Warriors Bolt in the 100m final will be the most Q Usain anticipated event at this year’s Olympics. Will he be able to smash his own world record? never want to rule anything out with this guy, who A You’d has already confounded expectations more dramatically than any track athlete in memory. Bolt’s world record stands at 9.58sec and there is talk that he may be primed to lower that to an astonishing 9.40. Bolt says he is determined to “amaze” in London but that kind of performance would be truly freakish.

Alas, it seems London’s notoriously fickle weather may yet intervene – should it rain or even by typically overcast, that would it make it harder for Bolt to produce his very best.

Can the Kiwis cause an upset?

Saturday 5.30pm, Fox Sports 2

RUGBY UNION Brumbies v Waratahs The Brumbies look Australia’s only hope Saturday 7.30pm, Fox Sports 3

AUSTRALIAN RULES St Kilda v Hawthorn Bolt hopes to amaze

Two finals aspirants – will be a tight one Saturday 7.30pm, Fox Sports 1

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Eight of the best Ahead of the FA Cup final, we relive the classics We hear plenty about “the romance of the FA Cup“ and, although its significance may have diminished in recent years, there‘s no doubt the tournament retains its power to fascinate. It is partly to do with the fact that, unlike in the Premier League, the FA Cup comes down to one match, to a decider. It allows for one winner-takes-all encounter in a way the long attritional grind of the league does not.

And so, less than a week before Chelsea and Liverpool clash in this year‘s FA Cup final, what better way to pay tribute to the competition‘s storied past than to recount the epic deciders that helped build the legend?

1953 Blackpool 4 d Bolton Wanderers 3 Stan Mortensen grabbed Wembley‘s first FA Cup final hattrick but this was Stanley Matthews‘ day. At 38, it was third time lucky for Britain‘s best-loved footballer.

The two sides traded early blows before Bolton surged 3-1 ahead and looked in total control. But Matthews then sprung into life and created the opening for Booby Mortensen‘s second 20 minutes from time, and again for the equaliser with just two minutes left. And then, deep into stoppage-time, Matthew set up South African winger Bill Perry for the winner.

1958 Bolton 2 Manchester United 0 Manchester United stirred the British public by reaching the final in the aftermath of the Munich air crash. But Bolton hero Nat Lofthouse gave them a dream start when he fired home inside three minutes.

And then, finally, United were brought undone by one of the most controversial FA Cup goals in history, United keeper Harry Gregg, while holding the ball, was bundled into the back of the net by Lofthouse. Amazingly, a goal was given and the recriminations continue to this day.

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WORDS TOM STURROCK

1970 Chelsea 2 Leeds United 1 After a spiteful drawn final at Wembley, Chelsea and Leeds met again at Old Trafford to resume their war. And the replay was not less nasty, players clashing throughout the first half, in which Mick Jones put Leeds in front.

But then, Peter Osgood, a player in the thick of the illfeeling, equalised in the 78th minute. Then, in extra time, David Webb bundled home the winner in extra time to deliver Chelsea their first victory in the FA Cup.

1979 Arsenal 3 Manchester United 2 For most of the match, it was an ugly affair. The Gunners seized a two-goal lead before half-time, suggesting victory was a mere formality. But with four minutes left on the clock, United‘s Gordon McQueen bundled home what appeared to be nothing more than a late consolation. But when Sammy McIlroy weaved toward goal and snaked home a bouncing equaliser, Arsenal were left shattered.

Luckily, Alan Sunderland had enough left in the tank to get on the end of a Liam Brady cross and cap a remarkable final with a last-gasp winner.

1981 Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 2 In another replay, Wembley was lit up by a game that game swung from end-to-end, Ricardo Villa and Steve Mackenzie cancelling out each other‘s opening strikes with the first 10 minutes.

The second half was just as gripping, City edging ahead through Kevin Reeves‘s penalty before Garth Crooks slammed home an equaliser 20 minutes from time. With time ticking away, it was left for Villa to bamboozle the City defence, leaving then flapping at thin air as he slid the winner, and his second for the match, past Joe Corrigan to cap a famous Spurs victory.

Clockwise: Coventry prevailed in 1987; Crystal Palace were heartbroken in 1990; Spurs held on in 1981

1990 Crystal Palace 3 Manchester United 3 Crystal Palace had already knocked out Liverpool, so went into the final with a head of steam. They took an early lead but United soon equalised and then went ahead through Mark Hughes. Midway through the second half, though, Ian Wright was brought off the bench, having missed much of the season with a broken leg.

Wright fired home a dramatic equaliser and then followed up by putting Palace ahead in extra-time. The fairy tale wasn‘t to be, though – Hughes scored again to draw the match and United won the replay 1-0.

1987 Coventry 3 d Tottenham Hotspur 2 When Spurs forged ahead early, Coventry looked headed for a frightful hiding. But they fought back valiantly, equalising through Dave Bennett, only for Spurs to edge ahead once again through Gary Mabbutt.

Coventry‘s Keith Houchen covered himself in glory with a superb header that sent the game to extra-time, before Mabbutt ended up the villain, he turning Lloyd McGrath‘s cross past Ray Clemence and into his own net with his knee.

Photos: Getty

2006 Liverpool 3 drew West Ham 3 Liverpool were the clear favourites going into the game at Cardiff‘s Millennium Stadium but Jamie Carragher‘s owngoal put West Ham in control after 21 minutes and Dean Ashton doubled the advantage, leaving the Reds reeling.

Djibril Cisse pulled Liverpool back into it and Steven Gerrard levelled the score after the break. Paul Konchesky put the Hammers back in front to bring the cup within reach, but Gerrard once again proved a man for the big stage, hitting a last-gasp equaliser to force extra-time.

No more goals followed and Liverpool ended up prevailing 3-1 on penalties.

BLUES AGAINST REDS WHAT CHANCE A CLASSIC? Chelsea and Liverpool head into the weekend’s decider with varying formlines but that goes out the window in this one-off match.

Chelsea, of course, managed to win through to the final of the Champions League with their stirring win over Barcelona last week and will still hold out some hope of qualifying forcing their way into the top four of the Premier League. Liverpool on the other hand, have fallen away dramatically, and face the galling prospect of finishing below rivals Everton in the league.

For that reason, Chelsea will start favourites, and they will be hoping that Fernando Torres (pictured) continues the gains made in recent weeks. But Liverpool will be desperate to salvage something from a season which was derailed by controversy and now looks set to end with a whimper.

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OZLISTINGS TRAVEL AGENTS Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com Backpackers World Travel 1800 676 67 63, backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 188 799, peterpans.com Travellers Contact Point 1800 647 640, travellers.com.au Tribal Adventure Travel 1800 984 484, tribaltravel.com.au YHA Travel 02 9261 111, yha.com.au

TOUR FIRMS

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Bottom Bits Bus Tours around Tasmania 1800 777 103, bottombits.com.au

Maxi Ragamuffin Whitsundays sailing 1800 454 777 maxiaction.com.au

Wilderness 4WD Adventures Top end tours 1800 808 288, wildernessadventures.com.au

Travellers Auto Barn 1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.com.au

Bunyip Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 286 947, bunyiptours.com

Melbourne Australia Tours Victorian tours. 03 9016 9347 melbourneaustraliatours.com.au

Wildlife Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 661 730, wildlifetours.com.au

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

Cool Dingos Fraser Island Tours 1800 072 555, cooldingotour.com

Mojosurf Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 113 044, mojosurf.com

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com

Nullarbor Traveller Tours from Adelaide and Perth 1800 816 858, the-traveller.com.au

Groovy Grape Getaways Tours linking Adelaide, Alice Springs & Melbourne 1800 661 177, groovygrape.com.au Heading Bush Adelaide to Alice Springs outback tours 1800 639 933, headingbush.com

TRANSPORT CO

RENTAL FIRMS

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com Oz Experience Hop on-hop off Australia-wide tours 1300 300 028, ozexperience.com Surfcamp Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 888 732, surfcamp.com.au

Adventure Tours Australia-wide tours 1800 068 886, adventuretours.com.au

Jump Tours Tours around Tasmania 0422 130 630, jumptours.com

Airliebeach.com Whitsundays packages 1800 677 119, airliebeach.com

Kakadu Dream Kakadu tours 1800 813 266, kakadudreams.com.au

Autopia Tours Tours around Victoria 03 9391 0261, autopiatours.com.au

Kangaroo Island Adventure Tours Adelaide to KI tours 13 13 01, kiadventuretours.com.au

Under Down Under Tours Tours around Tasmania 1800 064 726, underdownunder.com.au

Awesome Adventures Oz Whitsundays packages 1800 293 7663, awesomeoz.com

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Adventures South Australia 1800 786 386, surfandsun.com.au

Western Xposure WA tours 08 9414 8423, westernxposure.com.au

The Rock Tour Red centre tours 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au Topdeck Tours covering all of Oz 1300 886 332, topdeck.travel

Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com

Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia. 13 20 30, greyhound.com.au

Backpacker Campervan Rentals 1800 767 010, backpackercampervans.com.au

Jetstar Airline.

131 538, jetstar.com.au

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au

Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast.

13 34 10, premierms.com.au

Explore More Rentals 1800 708 309, exploremore.com.au

Qantas Airline.

13 13 13, qantas.com.au

Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo.

02 9358 5000, carmarket.com.au

Regional Express Airline.

13 17 13, rex.com.au Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania.

03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline.

03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com

Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania.

03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com

Virgin Australia Airline.

13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

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*Van price based on Breezer Campervan, 3+ day rate, for travel 20/05/2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 26/05/012. Car price based on Economy Car, 1-6 day city rate for travel May 2012. Prices correct at time of print, rates change weekly so contact our Reservations team for the best daily rate. Minimum hire applies, offer subject to availability and liability reduction cover is additional. For full terms and conditions contact Backpacker Rentals.

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SYDNEY STAY Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD. 02 9267 7718, stayatbase.com Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9267 7718, bighostel.com Bounce Budget Hotel 28 Chalmers St. CBD. 02 9281 2222, bouncehotel.com.au Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au

Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach.

02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street.

Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com Lochner’s Guesthouse 8 Gowrae Ave. Bondi.

02 9387 2162,

City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333, cityresort.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks.

02 9261 1111, yha.com.au Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. 1800 013 186 nomadshostels.com

Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee.

04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee. 02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee.

02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au

Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross.

02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com

The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly. 1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly. 02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney. 02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com Wake Up! 509 Pitt St, CBD. 02 9288 7888, wakeup.com.au

SYDNEY DO Manly Surf School Manly Beach.

02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com

Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au

Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road. Glebe. 02 9692 8418, yha.com.au

Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sydneyolympicpark.nsw. gov.au

Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills.

02 9261 1111

Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly. 02 9977 3411 boardrider.com.au

Sydney Tower and Skytour 100 Market St, CBD. sydneyskytour.com.au

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

CENTRAL COAST

Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au

Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle.

02 4925 3544, yha.com.au

Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal.

02 4384 1919, yha.com.au

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

BYRON BAY

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Backpackers Holiday Village 116 Jonson St 1800 350 388, byronbaybackpackers.com.au

SYDNEY MUSIC

Backpackers Inn 29 Shirley St 1800 817 696, backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au

Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com

Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net

Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. 02 6685 7709, nomadshostels.com

The Annandale annandalehotel.com The Enmore enmoretheatre.com.au The Gaelic Hotel thegaelic.com The Metro metrotheatre.com.au

BLUE MTNS Blue Mountains YHA 207 Katoomba St, Katoomba.

02 4782 1416, yha.com.au

Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane.

1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. 1800 678 195, yha.com.au

COFFS HARB Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 02 6652 6462, yha.com.au

COOL SUBURB

GLEBE Sydney’s inner-west suburb Glebe is very cool with lot sof students but has also exploded with small wine bars and impressive restauarants. Not only that, it boasts the grungier, more alternative of the markets in town (Saturdays in the schoolyard on Glebe Point Road).

Petersham Guest House ARE DORMS GETTING YOU DOWN? Then come sleep with us!

The place to stay in the Sydney Suburbs.

Double room - $240 p/week Twin room - $240 p/week Single room - $200 p/week Ensuite room - $300 p/week

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BRISBANE STAY

Gallery of Modern Art 07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au

Aussie Way Backpackers 34 Cricket St. 07 3369 0711, aussiewaybackpackers.com

SPORT FIX

Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing. Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point.

07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au

Banana Bender Backpackers 118 Petrie Terrace.

07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com Base Brisbane Embassy 214 Elizabeth St. 07 3166 8000, stayatbase.com Base Brisbane Central 308 Edward St. 07 3211 2433, stayatbase.com Brisbane Backpackers Resort 110 Vulture St, West End. 1800 626 452, brisbanebackpackers.com.au

REDS V CHIEFS

Brisbane City Apartments 1800 110 443, brisbanecityapartments.com

Suncorp Stadium. Sun, May 13. From $26.

The Reds are the reigning champs but have struggled this year. They will need to beat the high-flying Chiefs is they are to make the play-offs.

Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St, 07 3236 1947, yha.com.au Chill Backpackers 328 Upper Roma St. 1800 851 875, chillbackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, bunkbrisbane.com.au

Castlemaine St, Milton

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BRISBANE DO

The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm.

04 3377 7061 Tinbilly Travellers Cnr George and Herschel Sts. 1800 446 646, tinbilly.com

Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah. 07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Lone Pine Koala Santuary 708 Jesmond Rd, Fig Tree Pocket.

07 3378 1366, koala.net

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@tnt_downunder Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au

Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point.

1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au

Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise.

1800 074 393, islander.com.au

XXXX Ale House Brewery tours.

Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.

07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com.au

Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise.

1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au

GOLD COAST

Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers. 1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers.com.au

Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise.

1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise.

1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au Cheers International Backpackers 8 Pine Av, Surfers Paradise.

1800 636 539, cheersbackpackers.com.au Coolangatta Kirra Beach YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga.

07 5536 76442, yha.com.au

Surf â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sun Beachside Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise.

1800 678 194, surfnsun-goldcoast.com Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise.

07 5571 1776, yha.com.au Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport. 1800 100 004, trekkersbackpackers.com.au

GC DO Dreamworld Theme park. dreamworld.com.au

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Get Wet Surf School 07 5532 9907

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Seaworld seaworld.com.au

FRASER ISLAND

Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World wetnwild.myfun.com.au

Eurong Beach Resort 07 4120 1600, eurong.com.au

Warener Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au

Palace Adventures 184 Torquay St, Hervey Bay, 1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au

Zorb 07 5547 6300

SUNSHINE CST

BUNDABERG

Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba.

1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com Nomads Noosa 44 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads.

1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa. 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au

Federal Backpackers 221 Bourbong St. 07 4153 3711 federalbackpackers.com.au

ORBITAL The Tivoli. Sun, May 6. From $68.90.

Catch the British dance pioneers on a whirlwind tour in honour of the original ravers’ latest album, Wonky, coming 25 years after they started.

52 Costin St, Fortitude Valley

ticketek.com.au

RAINBOW BEACH Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111 126, dingosresort.com Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

Palace Backpackers 184 Torquay, 1800 063 168, palaceadventures.com.au

HERVEY BAY Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Road.

07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive.

07 4125 1844, yha.com.au

Fraser Roving 412 The Esplanade. 1800 989 811, fraserroving.com.au

Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166 Bundaberg Bondstore Distillery tours.

07 4131 2999 bundabergrum.com.au

TOWN OF 1770

Next at Hervey Bay 10 Bideford St. 1800 102 989, nextbackpackers.com.au

1770 Backpackers 6 Captain Cook Dr. 1800 121 770, the1770backpackers.com

Nomads Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade.

1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com

1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

AIRLIE BEACH airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119 Airlie Beach YHA 394 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 247 251, yha.com.au Airlie Waterfront Backpackers 6 The Esplanade. 1800 089 000, airliewaterfront.com Backpackers by the Bay 12 Hermitage Dr. 1800 646 994, backpackersbythebay.com Base Airlie Beach Resort 336 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com Magnums Whitsunday Village Resort 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 624 634 magnums.com.au Nomads Airlie Beach 354 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 666 237 nomadshostels.com

BOWEN Bowen Backpackers Beach end of Herbert St. 07 4786 3433 bowenbackpackers.net

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QLDLISTINGS WORD FROM THE STREET

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TOWNSVILLE Adventurers Resort 79 Palmer St. 1800 211 522, adventurersresort.com Adrenalin Dive Yongala diving. 07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com.au Yongala Dive Yongala diving.

07 4783 1519, yongaladive.com.au

MAGNETIC ISL Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd. 1800 24 22 73, stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshoe Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay.com.au Magnums 7 Marine Pde, Arcadia Bay. 1800 663 666, magnetic-island.com/arc-rsrt.htm Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

Hannah Jones, United Kingdom SO, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS PART OF AUSTRALIA? The Queensland, is my favourite state in Australia. I went to the Gold Coast, Cairns, where I dived, Port Douglas, and the Whitsundays.

WHAT’S YOUR PICK OF THE BUNCH FOR HANGING OUT IN THE DAY? It would have to be the Hamilton Islands. We didn’t travel through any type of tour so we were able to stay at any beach we wanted for as long as we wanted which was pretty cool. It was very relaxed and we were really luck to have awesome weather.

AND WHAT AB OUT AFTER DARK? WHERE ARE THE BEST PARTIES? I guess it was Cairns. It is a really good party town. Also Port Douglas.

GREAT SPOT

MISSION BEACH Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Scotty’s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au

CAIRNS STAY Bohemia Central Cairns 100 Sheridan St. 1800 558 589, bohemiacentral.com.au Bohemia Resort Cairns 231 McLeod St. 1800 155 353, bohemiaresort.com.au Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au Dreamtime Travellers Rest 189 Bunda St. 1800 058 440, dreamtimehostel.com

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Gilligans Backpackers and Hotel Resort 57-89 Grafton St. 1800 556 995, gilligans.com.au JJ’s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com NJOY Travellers Resort Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au Nomads Beach House 239 Sheridan St. 1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com Nomads Cairns 341 Lake St. 1800 737 736, nomadshostels.com Nomads Esplanade 93 The Esplanade.

1800 175 716, nomadshostels.com Northern Greenhouse 117 Grafton St. 1800 000 541, northerngreenhouse.com.au

CAIRNS DO AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com Pro Dive 07 4031 5255, prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting. 07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au Skydive Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

CAPE TRIB Crocodylus Village Lot 5, Buchanan Creek Rd, Cow Bay. 07 4098 9166, crocodyluscapetrib.com PK’s Jungle Village Cnr Avalon & Cape Trib Rd. 1800 232 333, pksjunglevillage.com.au

GOOD FISHIN’

GULF OF SAVANNAH Known as the ‘Tropical Outback’, the Gulf of Savannah stretches from the Great Dividing Range of the east to the NT border in the west. As well as the super dry Burketown Salt Plains, it’s also a good area for keen anglers, thanks to its many rivers, wetlands and gorges.

FARMHAND REQUIRED FOR COTTON

CALL ON 0419 795623 52

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LIZARD ISLAND Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler have named Lizard Island as one of the two destinations not to be missed in Australia. This rugged island boasts 24 pristine beaches that range from white sand to rocky escarpments, and it’s only a stone’s throw away from some of the best diving sites on the Great Barrier Reef. The island resort is pricey, but luckily you can camp, too. You can also borrow a “tinnie” and sail around the island. You can fly there from Cairns.

Photo: Tourism Queensland, Darren Jew

Duties would include machinery operations of tractors, and associated equipment including GPS, day to day duties of irrigation and general farm maintenance.

Accommodation supplied.

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HOBART STAY Central City Backpackers 138 Collins St. 1800 811 507, centralbackpackers.com.au

LAUNCESTON DO

SPORT FIX

Cataract Gorge launcestoncataractgorge.com.au

Montgomery’s YHA 9 Argyle St. 03 6231 2660, yha.com.au

HOBART DO

Mt Wellington Descent Bike tours. 03 6274 1880 mtwellingtondescent.com.au Salamanca Markets Every Saturday, Salamanca Place. salamanca.com.au Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 5 Argyle St. tmag.com.au

Overland Track Six-day walk parks.tas.gov.au

Tasmania Zoo 1166 Ecclestone Rd. 03 6396 6100, tasmaniazoo.com.au

Pickled Frog 281 Liverpool St. 03 6234 7977, thepickledfrog.com

Cascade Brewery 140 Cascade Rd. 03 6224 1117 cascadebreweryco.com.au

Devils at Cradle Tassie devil sanctuary. 3950 Cradle Mountain Rd. 03 6492 1491. devilsatcradle.com

Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery 2 Invermay Rd & 2 Wellington St. 03 6323 3777, qvmag.tas.gov.au

Narrara Backpackers 88 Goulburn St. 03 6234 8801, narrarabackpackers.com

Transit Backpackers 251 Liverpool St. 03 6231 2400, transitbackpackers.com

CRADLE DO

Centre for Beer Lovers Boag’s Brewery, 39 William St. 03 6332 6300, boags.com.au

Hobart Hostel 41 Barrack St. 1300 252 192, hobarthostel.com

FREYCINET Iluka Backpackers YHA Reserve Rd. 03 6257 0115, yha.com.au

DEVONPORT HAWTHORN V NORTH MELBOURNE Aurora Stadium. Sat, June 2. $25.

Tasmania doesn’t have its own Australia rules side but their passionate to entice clubs from Melbourne to play regular games down there.

Invermay Road, Launceston

PORT ARTHUR Port Arthur Historic Ghost Tours 1800 659 101, portarthur.org.au

LAUNCESTON Arthouse Backpacker Hostel 20 Lindsay St. 1800 041 135, arthousehostel.com.au

ticketmaster.com.au

Launceston Backpackers 103 Canning St. 03 6334 2327, launcestonbackpackers.com.au Lloyds Hotel 23 George St. 03 6331 9906, backpackersaccommodation.com.au

GREAT SPOT

Mt Roland Budget Backpacker Rooms 1447 Claude Rd, Gowrie Park. 03 6491 1385

Tasman Backpackers 114 Tasman St. 03 6423 2335, tasmanbackpackers.com.au

Freycinet National Park Brewery, Wineglass Bay camping. 03 6256 7000, wineglassbay.com

BICHENO

STRAHAN,

Bicheno Backpackers 11 Morrison St. 03 6375 1651, bichenobackpackers.com

Strahan YHA 43 Harvey St. 03 6471 7255, yha.com

Bicheno Penguin Tours 03 6375 1333, bichenopenguintours.com.au

STRAHAN DO Four Wheelers Henty Sand Dunes quadbike tours. 04 1950 8175, 4wheelers.com.au

CRADLE MTN Discovery Holiday Parks Cradle Mountain Rd. 1800 068 574, discoveryholidayparks.com.au

Water by Nature Extreme multiday whitewater rafting. 1800 111 142, franklinrivertasmania.com

WORD FROM THE STREET

Photo: Tourism Tasmania, Chris Bray

Catherine Dow, United Kingdom

FLINDERS ISLAND The island has been described as ‘mountains in the sea’ and it’s not hard to see why. Scattered in the Bass Strait off Tassie’s eastern tip, Flinders is as remarkable up close as it is from afar. It’s great for fishing, diving and exploring the rocky headlands or beaches.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN IN TASSIE? Everywhere, pretty much! We hired a car (read: Rent-a-bomb!) and chased around the island state to see all the highlights – Wineglass Bay, Launceston, Burnie, Penguin, Cradle Mountain, Hobart, Huon Valley – didn’t miss too much.”

FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? Cradle Mountain for sure. We spent the afternoon skimming rocks on Dove Lake and Ronny Creek at Cradle.

WHERE ARE YOU HEADING NEXT? Melbourne. We’re house sitting for a friends’ parents. Free rent!

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MELBOURNE STAY All Nations Backpackers Hotel & Bar 2 Spencer St. 1800 222 238, allnations.com.au

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square.

03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au

ALL THAT JAZZ

Base Melbourne 17 Carlisle St, St. Kilda. 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com

Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au

Central Melbourne Accommodation 21 Bromham Place, Richmond. 03 9427 9826, centralaccommodation.net

Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au

Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697, exfordhotel.com.au Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane.

1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au Home at the Mansion 66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 4212, homemansion.com.au Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda.

1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au

Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. 13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL Melbourne. Jun 1-10. From $55.

Over the course of a week-and-a-bit, Melbourne turns it hand to jazz.

There will be some big gigs but also some gems at smaller venues.

Various Melbourne venues

ticketmaster.com.au

Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com

Space Hotel 380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au

Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au

The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, hotelspencer.com

Nomads Melbourne 198 Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com

Urban Central 334 City Rd, Southbank. 1800 631 288, urbancentral.com.au

National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au

MELB MUSIC Cherry Bar myspace.com/cherrybarmelbourne Corner Hotel cornerhotel.com

East Brunswick Club eastbrunswickclub.com Esplanade Hotel espy.com.au Northcote Social Club northcotesocialclub.com Palace Theatre palace.com.au The Hi-Fi thehifi.com.au The Tote thetotehotel.com

GREAT OCEAN RD Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea.

03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. 03 5237 7899, yha.com.au Great Ocean Road Backpackers YHA 10 Erskine Av, Lorne.

03 5289 2508, yha.com.au Port Campbell Hostel 18 Tregea St, Port Campbell.

03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com

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VICLISTINGS

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DANDENONG

HOT GIG

SPORT FIX

Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

MURRAY RIVER Echuca Gardens YHA 103 Av, Mitchell St, Echuca.

03 5480 6522, yha.com.au Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Ave, Mildura.

03 5022 7922, milduracitybackpackers.com.au Oasis Backpackers 230 Deakin Av, Mildura.

04 0734 4251, milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

KIMBRA Palais Theatre. Wed, May 9. $50.

The Kiwi songbird has made a name for herself by appearing on Gotye’s smash single – now see her in concert on her own.

Lower Esplanade, St Kilda

MORNINGTON Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie.

03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au

ticketmaster.com.au

Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento.

03 5984 4323, yha.com.au Tortoise Head Lodge French Island.

03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

GIPPSLAND Prom Country Backpackers 03 5682 2614 Rawsom Caravan Park Depot Rd, Rawson.

03 5165 3439, rawsoncaravanpark.com.au

PHILLIP ISLAND Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 3620, yha.com.au

STATE OF ORIGIN I Etihad Stadium. Wed, May 23. From $37.

The annual rugby league grudge match between Queensland and NSW kicks off in Melbourne this year. It’s a cracker every year so get involved.

740 Bourke St, Melbourne

The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road. 03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com.au

GRAMPIANS Grampians YHA Eco Hostel Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds,

WORD FROM THE STREET

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Halls Gap. 03 5356 4543, yha.com.au Tim’s Place 44 Grampians Road, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4288, timsplace.com.au

CITY BREAK

Mickael Vilay, France

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MELBOURNE STREET ART The leading lights of the graffiti world, like Banksy, rate Melbourne as one of the best cities in the world for street art, so it’s well worth hunting some down. One of the easiest, and best, places to start is right in the centre of the city, by Federation Square. Just opposite the square lies the opening to Hosier Lane, with MoVida tapas restaurant on the corner. Nearby AC/DC Lane is also well worth a quick look. Don’t just stay in the CBD, however, but take a stroll out into the suburbs, especially Fitzroy and Collingwood.

Photo: Tourism Victoria

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? WHY? I really loved the Melbourne area and surroundings. I’ve been to Grampians, Wilsons Promontory and the Mornington peninsula, however my favourite spot is the Great ocean Road.

AND NIGHT SPOT? Go to Vinyard restaurant on St. Kilda’s beach. The waiters are really funny. And it’s like a big family atmosphere.

WALISTINGS

follow us on One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge.

1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au

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BOOK NOW

Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge.

08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au

YORK FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL York Town Hall. June 2-3. $6.

Sample the best wines from all over Western Australia as well as a ton of fresh produce from the picturesque Avon Valley

81 Avon Tce, York

PERTH STAY Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, billabongresort.com.au Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge.

08 9227 6000, perthbrittania.com

yorkwa.org Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe. 08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au

The Witch’s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, witchshat.com

PERTH DO Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys.

08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au

HILLTOP HOODS Challenge Stadium. Wed, August 18. From $58.

The standard-bearers of Aussie hip-hop are heading for Western Australian so spend an evening ‘digging their flow’.

Stephenson Ave, Perth

PERTH MUSIC

Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au Perth Mint 310 Hay St. 08 9421 7223, perthmint.com.au Perth Zoo 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth.

08 9474 3551, perthzoo.wa.gov.au

Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Mojo’s Bar mojosbar.com.au The Bakery nowbaking.com.au The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

WORD FROM THE STREET

ticketmaster.com.au

FREO STAY Backpackers Inn Freo 11 Pakenham St. 08 9431 7065, backpackersinnfreo.com.au Old Firestation Backpackers 18 Phillimore St. 08 9430 5454, fremantleprison.com.au

DON’T MISS!

Alex Vivas, United Kingdom WHERE? I did a roadtrip from Perth to Broome. What a trip. The Ningaloo Reef was at least as good as the Great Barrier Reef, the Pinnacles were pretty amazing as was Karijini National Park. The whole trip has been incredible. But I hear the Kimberley is even better.

FAVOUTE PLACE FOR A NIGHT OUT? Broome is great fun. Except when an Aboriginal busker guys thought I was in the proclaimers. Sod.

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MONKEY MIA Monkey Mia (pronounced ‘my-ah’) is located on the Coral Coast, about 850km north of Perth.

It’s become famous for the bottlenose dolphins that swim to shore and interact with people every day. As a result it’s become fairly touristy, but if you’re keen to see the finned ones up close, you’d struggle to find somewhere better.

Monkey Mia Flash Backpackers like us on

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Sundancer Backpackers Resort 80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com.au

FREO DO

MONKEY MIA Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort 1800 653 611, monkeymia.com.au

NINGALOO REEF

Fremantle Markets 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace.

08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

ROTTNEST ISL Rottnest Island YHA Kingstown Barracks. 08 9372 9780, yha.com.au

Blue Reef Backpackers 3 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth 1800 621 101, aspenparks.com.au Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth.

08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

MARGARET RIV Margaret River Lodge YHA 220 Railway Tce. 08 9757 9532, yha.com.au

BROOME STAY Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road.

1800 655 011, cablebeachbackpackers.com

ALBANY Albany Bayview Backpackers YHA 49 Duke St. 08 9842 3388, yha.com.au

t accommodation. Stunning beachfront location.

Quality budge able, world-leading activities and facilities.

Unique, afford shpacker Voted top ten f la under $100 in Australia accommodation veller Magazine a r T n a li

by Austra

Kimberley Club 62 Fredrick St 08 9192 3233, kimberleyklub.com

Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruizeinn.com

BROOME DO

Metro Inn Albany 270 Albany Hwy. 1800 004 321, metrohotels.com.au

Sun Pictures Carnarvon St. 08 9192 1077, broomemovies.com.au

monkeymia@aspenresorts.com.au t freecall 1800 653 611 t ph +61 8 9948 1320 t monkeymia.com.au

Aspen Parks Begin your re today...

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Visit our website for great accommodation specials and online bookings

Holiday Parks with a difference Australia Wide Western Australia Woodman Point Holiday Park Coogee Beach Holiday Park Perth Vineyards Holiday Park Exmouth Cape Holiday Park Blue Reef Backpackers Pilbara Holiday Park Cooke Point Holiday Park

1800 244 133 1800 817 016 1800 679 992 1800 621 101 1800 621 101 1800 451 855 1800 459 999

South Australia Port Augusta BIG4 Holiday Park 1800 833 444 1800 356 103 Myall Grove Holiday Park Victoria Boathaven Holiday Park Geelong Riverview Tourist Park Golden River Holiday Park Yarraby Holiday Park Ashley Gardens BIG4 Holiday Village

1800 352 982 1800 336 225 1800 621 262 1800 222 052 1800 061 444

New South Wales A Shady River Holiday Park Maidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inn Holiday Park Magic Murray Houseboats Murray River Holiday Park Wymah Valley Holiday Park Twofold Bay Beach Resort Wallamba River Holiday Park

1800 674 239 1800 356 801 1800 356 483 1800 357 215 1800 776 523 1800 631 006 1800 268 176

Queensland Island Gateway Holiday Park

1800 466 528

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59

NTLISTINGS DARWIN STAY

KATHERINE STAY

Banyan View Lodge Darwin 119 Mitchell St. 08 8981 8644, banyanviewlodge.com.au

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road.

1800 501 984, big4.com.au

DON’T MISS!

Elkes Backpackers 112 Mitchell St. 1800 808 365, elkesbackpackers.com.au

KATHERINE DO Airborne Solutions Scenic helicopter flights.

08 8972 2345 airbornesolutions.com.au

Frogshollow Backpackers 27 Lindsay St. 1800 068 686, frogs-hollow.com.au Gecko Lodge 146 Mitchell St. 1800 811 250, geckolodge.com.au

Nitmiluk Tours Gorge cruises and kayak hire. 1300 146 743 nitmiluktours.com.au

TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

Melaleuca on Mitchell 52 Mitchell St. 1300 723 437, momdarwin.com

Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront.

08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

TENNANT CREEK

From Alice Springs to Apatula. June 9-11. $15 Australia’s biggest desert race wends its way through the outback to the remote community of Apatula. A must for petrol-heads.

Youth Shack 69 Mitchell St. 1300 793 302, youthshack.com.au

Crocosaurus Cove Crocodile park and cage of death. 58 Mitchell St. 08 8981 7522, crocosauruscove.com

Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive.

1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au Toddy’s Resort 41 Gap Rd. 1800 027 027, toddys.com.au

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

Darwin YHA 97 Mitchell St. 08 8981 5385, yha.com.au

DARWIN DO

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Tourist Rest Leichardt St. 08 8962 2719, touristrest.com.au

http://finkedesertrace.com.au Fannie Bay Gaol Heritage prison. East Point Road, Fannie Bay. 08 8941 2260, nt.gov.au Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher St, Bullocky Point.

08 8999 8264, magnt.nt.gov.au

Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf.

1300 135 595, ozjetboating.com.au Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise Adelaide River.

08 8978 9077, jumpingcrocodile.com.au Wave Lagoon Waterfront Precinct. waterfront.nt.gov.au

ALICE SPRINGS Alice Lodge 4 Mueller St. 08 8953 1975, alicelodge.com.au Alice Springs YHA Cnr Parsons St & Leichhardt Tce. 08 8952 8855, yha.com.au Annie’s Place 4 Traeger Ave. 1800 359 089, anniesplace.com.au

ALICE DO Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive.

08 8951 8788, alicespringsdesertpark.com.au Alice Springs Reptile Centre Meet and hold lizards.

9 Stuart Terrace.

08 8952 8900, reptilecentre.com.au Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides.

1800 809 790, outbackballooning.com.au Royal Flying Doctor Service Base Museum and operations room.

Stuart Terrace. 08 8952 1129, flyingdoctor.net School of the Air Long-distance schooling museum.

80 Head St. 08 8951 6834, assoa.nt.edu.au The Rock Tour Uluru tours.

78 Todd St. 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

WORD FROM THE STREET

Karin Leesmann, Estonia WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE NT? Darwin and Kakadu NP, Katherine and driving to QLD. FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? Kakadu NP, Ubirr and fishing on East Alligator river, spotted a croc there.

FAVOURITE NIGHTSPOT: A “bush pub” on the way to QLD, name has escaped my mind, but there were bras on the wall and locals were colourful. Had the best game of pool ever there but I’d definitely try to find it if I was ever in that part of the world again.

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ADELAIDE STAY Adelaide Backpackers Inn 112 Carrington St. 1800 24 77 25, adpi.com.au

COOBER PEDY Opal Cave Coober Pedy Hutchinson St. 08 8672 5028, opalcavecooberpedy.com.au

BOOK NOW!

Adelaide Central YHA 135 Waymouth St. 08 8414 3010, yha.com.au

Radeka Down Under 1 Oliver St. 1800 633 891, radekadownunder.com.au

Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au

Riba’s Underground 1811 William Creek Rd. 08 8672 5614, camp-underground.com.au

Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au

KANGAROO IS

Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg. 1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com

Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw.

08 8553 1344, yha.com.au

COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Venues around Barmera. June 1-11. Prices vary It’s the annual boot-scoot in South Australia’s Riverland region, which is on Lake Bonney, about 250 km east of Adelaide.

riverlandcountrymusic.com

My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au

Memorial Drive.

08 8300 3800, cricketsa.com.au

Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

Adelaide Zoo Frome Rd. 08 8267 3255, zoossa.com.au

ADELAIDE DO Adelaide Oval Home to the Donald Bradman collection. War

Haigh’s Chocolates Factory tours. 153 Greenhill Rd, Parkside. 1800 819 757, haighschocolates.com.au

Temptation Sailing Dolphin swimming, Glenelg.

04 1281 1838, dolphinboat.com.au

BAROSSA VAL Barossa Backpackers 9 Basedow Road Tanunda.

08 8563 0198, barossabackpackers.com.au

RIVERLAND Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri.

08 8582 3144, berribackpackers.com.au Harvest Trail Lodge Loxton.08 8584 5646, harvesttrail.com.au

FLEURIEU PENIN Port Elliot Beach House YHA 13 The Strand, Port Elliot. 08 8554 2785, yha.com.au

EYRE PENINSULA Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

08 8687 0411, coodliepark.com Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims.

08 8626 5017, bairdbay.com Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au Nullarbor Traveller Tours across to Perth.

1800 816 858, the-traveller.com.au Port Lincoln Tourist Park 11 Hindmarsh St. 08 8621 4444, portlincolntouristpark.com.au Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions Great white shark cage diving.

08 8363 1788, rodneyfox.com.au

FLINDERS RANGES

Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray.

1800 665 166, nomadsworld.com

Angorichina Tourist Village 08 8648 4842, angorichinavillage.com.au

Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

Wilpena Pound Resort Wilpena Rd. 08 8648 0004, wilpenapound.com.au

GREAT SPOT

If you’re travelling between Adelaide and Darwin, whether by road or on board The Ghan train, you’re almost certain to stop off at this bizarre town right bang in the middle of the Aussie outback. Coober Pedy is where about 85 per cent of the world’s opals come from, meaning that it’s a place where fortunes are quite literally still regularly made and lost, giving it a slightly wild edge. That edge is no doubt helped by the fact that temperatures are so consistently high that most people in fact live underground, and you have to wonder who’s keen to do that.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Photo: SATC, Calypso Star Charters

COOBER PEDY

61

NZLISTINGS BUS TOURS

Rent-A-Dent 0800 736 823, rentadent.co.nz

Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.co.nz Nakedbus.com 0900 62533, nakedbus.com

Rental Car Village +64 9376 9935, hire-vehicles.co.nz Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv Standby Cars 1300 789 059, standbycars.com.au

NZ Travelpass 0800 339 966, travelpass.co.nz

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

Stray +64 9309 8772, straytravel.com

AUCKLAND

RENTAL FIRMS Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz Backpacker Campervan & Car Rentals +800 200 80 801, backpackercampervans.com Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.nz Darn Cheap Rentals 0800 447 363, exploremore.co.nz Econo Campers +64 9275 9919, econocampers.co.nz Escape Rentals 1800 456 272, escaperentals.co.nz Explore More 1800 800 327, dcrentals.com.nz Jucy Rentals 0800 399 736, jucy.com.nz

Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International Backpackers (BBH) 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584, Base Auckland 229 Queen St. 0800 227 369, stayatbase.com Bamber House (BBH) 2 2 View Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9623 4267, hostelbackpacker.com

follow us on The Fat Camel (Nomads) 38 Fort St. +64 9307 0181, nomadshostels.com

Nomads Capital 118 Wakefield St. 0508 666 237, nomadscapital.com

Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. +64 9300 9999, nomadshostels.com

Rosemere Backpackers (BBH) 6 McDonald Cres. +64 4384 3041, backpackerswellington.co.nz

Oaklands Lodge (BBH) St. +64 5A Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9638 6545, oaklands.co.nz

Rowena’s Backpackers (VIP) 115 Brougham St. 0800 80 1414

Queen Street Backpackers (VIP) 4 Fort St. +64 9373 3471, enquiries@qsb.co.nz Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. +64 9363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz YHA Auckland City Cnr City Rd & Liverpool St. +64 9309 2802, yha.co.nz YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. +64 9302 8200, yha.co.nz

WELLINGTON Base Wellington 21-23 Cambridge Tce. +64 4801 5666 stayatbase.com

Central City Backpackers 26 Lorne St. +64 9358 5685, backpacker.net.nz

Downtown Wellington Backpackers (BBH) 1 Bunny St. +64 4473 8482 db@downtownbackpackers.co.nz

City Garden Lodge 25 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell. +64 9302 0880

Lodge in the City (VIP) 152 Taranaki St. +64 4385 8560 lodgeinthecity.co.nz

Less clicking and more member savings on the new, faster yha.co.nz.

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YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

CHRISTCHURCH Chester Street Backpackers (BBH) 148 Chester St East. +64 3377 1897, chesterst.co.nz Foley Towers (BBH) 208 Kilmore St. +64 3366 9720, backpack.co.nz/foley Jailhouse Accommodation (BBH) 338 Lincoln Rd. 0800 524 546, stay@kiwibasecamp.com

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QUEENSTOWN Base Discovery Lodge St. +64 Queenstown 49 Shotover St. +64 3441 1185, stayatbase.com Bungi Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 15 Sydney St. 0800 728 286, bungibackpackers.co.nz Cardrona Alpine Resort Between Queenstown and Wanaka. +64 3443 7341, cardrona.com Flaming Kiwi Backpackers (BBH) 39 Robins Rd. +64 3442 5494, flamingkiwi@xtra.co.nz Hippo Lodge (BBH) 4 Anderson Hts. +64 3442 5785, hippolodge.co.nz Nomads Queenstown 5-11 Church St. +64 3441 3922, nomadshostels.com

Kiwi House 373 Gloucester St. +64 3381 6645, kiwihouse.co.nz

Pinewood Lodge (VIP) 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 7463 9663, rgrieg@xtra.co.nz

The Old Countryhouse (BBH) 437 Gloucester St. +64 3381 5504, oldcountryhousenz.com

Southern Laughter (BBH, VIP) 4 Isle St. 0800 728 448, southernlaughter.co.nz

Tranquil Lodge (BBH) 440 Manchester St. +64 3366 6500, tranquil-lodge.co.nz

YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street. +64 3442 7400, yha.co.nz

Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 70 Bealey Ave. +64 3377 7931, rucksacker.com

YHA Queenstown Lakefront 8890 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413, yha.co.nz

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OZWORK

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@tnt_downunder

A few trade secrets Whether in skyscrapers in Sydney or townhouses in Tully, qualified tradesmen are almost certain to land a job in Oz

You don’t have to walk the streets of any Aussie city for long to realise how many building sites there are. It ensures qualified tradesmen are in high demand Down Under.

However, the skills and experience you have could well dictate where you’re most likely to pick up work.

“Anybody who’s completed an apprenticeship and has got a decent skill level at either electrical work, plumbing work, or anything to do with air-conditioning or refrigeration is highly in demand,” Hays regional director of construction Shane Little says. But he adds that people in New South Wales are crying out for is “anyone with commercial or industrial experience. People who’ve worked on big office block installations”.

Once in a job, there’s a “massive variance” of pay and regular work, depending on where you are and whether you’re working for an agency, contractor or sub-contractor.

“Working through an agency you may not earn as much as if you work directly for a contractor,” Little says, “but you’re going to have more stability and work.”

For more information on the tools of the trade, head to tntdownunder.com.

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TOTALLYTRIVIAL

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MYTHBUSTERS WHY SO BLUE?

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

MYTH

VICTORIA

OF THE

WEEK

Q

1. Which Guinness World Record was broken in Melbourne in 2008? a) Largest human wheelbarrow race b) Largest cup of coffee c) Most number of cupcakes eaten at once d) Most number of piercings on a body

Q

2. Queen Victoria ruled for how long? a) 6 years b) 46 years c) 4 years d) 64 years

Melbourne’s Queen Victoria market Q 3.used to be a what?

Q 4. Which is the official animal

7

9

9

4

8 2

3 5

8

3

5

8 6

9

4

1 1

4

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

b) Cate Blanchett d) Emily Blunt

6

“BALD AS A BANDICOOT ” Obviously, this implies a person is hairless. What isn’t so obvious is why the little marsupial, known as a bandicoot gets such a bad rap from Aussies? They do have fur. “Barmy as a bandicoot” is another one.

THIS WEEK IT’S...

AUSSIE ISLANDS 1. MINT HALO 2. OLD WHORE 3. ANTIC GEM 4. TORN TEST ANSWERS: 1. Hamilton 2. Lord Howe 3. Magnetic 4. Rottnest

2

6

ANAGRAM-ARAMA

AUSSIE-ISM

3

5

6

66

4

Why are the Blue Mountains so blue?

In Australia, they like to keep names simple. The long road beside the ocean is the Great Ocean Road.

The bridge over Sydney’s harbour is the Harbour Bridge. And the Blue Mountains are so-called because, well, when you look at them, they appear rather cobalt in hue. This is because there are rather a lot of eucalypt trees in the area that give off a fine mist of minty-scented oil, which you can smell in the air. And when you’ve got that much mist, it becomes visible in the sunlight as a hazy blue cloud, which hangs over entire valleys. So there you go.

ANSWERS: 1. a 2. d 3. b 4. a 5. c 6. c 7. b 8. d

6

1

What was the world’s first feature Q 7.film, made in Melbourne, called?

which actress? a) Anna Massey c) Judi Dench

SUDOKU PUZZLE

6

a) Promite b) Nutella c) Vegemite d) Marmite

Q 8. The film The Young Victoria starred

emblem of Victoria? a) Possum b) Platypus c) Wombat d) Kanagroo

5

Which spread has only ever been Q 6.made in the same Melbourne factory?

a) Les Miserables b) The Story of the Kelly Gang c) Oliver Twist d) Australia

a) Horse stable b) Cemetary c) Casino d) Brothel

1

Q 5. Which river runs through Melbourne? a) Murray b) Darling c) Yarra d) Flinders

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VISIT OZEXPERIENCE.COM OR CALL 1300 300 028 T&Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Prices are subject to change without notice. Local payments are to be paid to the tour operator directly. For full terms and conditions visit www.ozexperience.com.