TNT Down Under 691

July 23-29 2012 Issue 691 tntdownunder.com

IN W ACTION-

AN N PACKED FIJIAE ADVENTUR

ROUGH RIDING Rodeos and crocs on the Capricorn coast

LONDON CALLING The Bondi Hipsters gear up for the Games

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E T O V O T E TIM

ays h Tiger Airw it w ts h ig fl e in fre packs and w k c a B n e ld o y in the G Have your sa + NEWS & SPORT WHAT’S ON FILM REVIEWS TRAVELLERS’ TIPS

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ALEX HARMON DEPUTY EDITOR alex@tntdownunder.com

DEPUTY EDITOR’S LETTER If you’ve picked up a copy of TNT chances are you’re travelling around the country right now. Or you’re a dreamer (like me). Got an opinion on the places you’ve stayed or the tours you’ve ticked off? Why not vote in the Golden Backpack Awards. Speaking of gold, we chat to the über-cool Bondi Hispters before they hit the London Games.

And we wrestle bulls, cowboys and caves in Queensland.

THIS WEEK OZ DIARY

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FILM

18

SPOTTED

24

TRAVEL

26

COMPETITION

46

NEWS

48

OPINION

50

SPORT

52

LISTINGS NSW

57

LISTINGS QUEENSLAND

58

LISTINGS VICTORIA

60

LISTINGS TASMANIA

64

LISTINGS NT

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LISTINGS WA

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LISTINGS SA

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LISTINGS NEW ZEALAND

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WORK

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TRIVIAL PURSUITS

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FEATURES GOLDEN TICKET

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We launch the Golden Backpack Awards and explain some of Oz’s oddities

BONDI OR BUST

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Meet YouTube sensation, the Bondi Hipsters, before they smash the Games

TROPIC THUNDER

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Riding bulls, swimming with turtles and adventure caving in the Capricorn Coast

SMILE HIGH CLUB

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Setting sail to discover Fiji’s unassuming northern island – Vanua Levu

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38 TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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OZDIARY

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EDITORIAL Global Editor Carol Driver Deputy editor Alex Harmon Editorial assistant Leigh Livingstone Contributors Tom Sturrock, Alasdair Morton Intern Caitlin Stanway

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Put some buzz into your Sunday

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Account manager Justin Steinlauf MARKETING & EVENTS Business development manager Tom Wheeler DISTRIBUTION Lee Sutherland ACCOUNTS Financial controller Trish Bailey Accountant Hannah Waters

TNT MULTIMEDIA LTD CEO Kevin Ellis Chairman Ken Hurst PUBLISHER TNT Multimedia Limited PRINTED BY Rural Press NEWS AAP PICTURES Getty Images | Thinkstock | AAP | TNT Images | Tourism Australia | Tourism Victoria | Tourism New South Wales | Tourism NT | Tourism Queensland | Tourism Tasmania | South Australia Tourism | Tourism Western Australia | Tourism New Zealand | Tourism Fiji | TNT Magazine , 126 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, Sydney, NSW 2008 tntdownunder.com General enquiries Phone 02 8332 7500 Fax 02 9690 1314 Email enquiries@tntdownunder.com SALES ENQUIRIES

MAIN EVENT THE ROCKS AROMA FESTIVAL SYDNEY

Experience the world in a day at this years Rocks Aroma Festival. Wander through the four global regions; The Orient, The Continent, The Oasis and The Latin Quarter, sampling mouth-wateringly delicious food delights. Sip freshly ground coffee amongst the cobblestones of Sydney’s historic Rocks area and explore the festival all day on a lazy Sunday in the city. Amongst all of this there will be dancing, entertainment and even a camel ride.

FREE

July 29. 10am-5pm The Rocks, NSW

therocks.com

02 8332 7511 tom@tntdownunder.com

PHONE EMAIL

WHERE TO GET TNT

SEE tntdownunder.com/magazine-location.html for pick-up points

ROYAL DARWIN FESTIVAL

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

ADELAIDE ROLLER DERBY

This is the Top End’s favourtie festival of the year where the city and country comes together. It’s a fun fair full of entertainment, food stalls, competitions and the best of multicultural Darwin. It also includes a grand parade opening on the Friday.

Tickets are flying out the door for Byron’s biggest music event.

Headlining this year are huge names like The Smashing Pumpkins, Jack White, The Kooks and too many other local and international acts to list in such a small space. Just go!

Bout six of the 2012 Roller Derby seaason is sure to be a big one and at just ten dollars entry you get more bang for your buck. It’s a game of speed and skill on rollerskates that can get pretty rough. Get there early to grab some snacks and a prime position for action.

July 26-28 Darwin Showgrounds, NT darwinshow.com.au

July 26-29 Byron Bay, NSW splendourinthegrass.com

July 28 Adelaide Showgrounds, SA adelaiderollerderby.com.au

$18

TNT Magazine is printed on paper from sustainable forests.

There is no business connection between the proprietors of this magazine and TNT Ltd, the worldwide transportation group. Copyright here and abroad of all original materials is held by TNT Magazine. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden, except with permission of the publishers. Registered by Australia Post.

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All come with a fuel allowance.

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19/10/11 2:05:12 PM

Going for gold As of today, voting opens for TNT Magazine’s annual Golden Backpack Awards – the only independent travel awards in Australia and New Zealand which are voted for by you, the backpacker...

Word of mouth. It’s a pretty useful thing eh? After all, when you’re looking to book anything from a bed to a tour, who are you going to trust more – the travel agent who will earn a commission from your booking or your new-found buddy who’s just back from where you’re heading?

It’s a no-brainer. Which is why a few years ago we set up an awards system to celebrate the best of the best when it comes to travelling Down Under.

We’ve only got one rule that matters – the company that gets the most votes from you guys in each category is declared the winner. For a full list of our current reigning champs, as chosen by thousands of backpackers last year, see page 10.

So, why vote? Well, for starters, it will only take a few minutes of your 6

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

time. That’s because it’s all done online, with the link to the voting page found on the tntdownunder.com.

Plus, everybody that votes is entered into a prize draw to win a $1,000 worth of flights from Tiger Airways.

And finally, and here comes the guilt trip, because it’s the perfect and easy way to help not only your fellow travellers, but also those companies who’ve contributed to giving the time of your lives in Oz and NZ Whether you’ve stayed in a fantastic hostel you’ll never forget, or went on a trip with the best tour guide Down Under, or found a great way to book a tour, get a job or simply find your way around the country, here’s your chance to give a little back. Whatever you’ve loved, it’s you guys alone that have the answers and you guys alone that

can give a helping hand to awesome companies trying to make a living in a fiercely competitive market.

As such, starting today, we’re doing nine weeks of special features to launch each major category, each highlighting a different part of the country, starting this week with the whole lot, as there’s also a national category.

Voting will close on 29th September with the winners being announced at a swanky ceremony on November 8th.

See page 15 for more details.

So, whatever scrapes you backpackers get into over the next nine weeks, just remember these companies are still going to love you.

And if you’ve just arrived and don’t know your budgie’s from your kookaburras, and don’t feel ready to vote – read on. Gosh we look after you.

Photo credit: www.facebook.com/HirstyPhotos

WORDS ALEX HARMON

.. .

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LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!

DA9 K F LG <AN= OAL@ 9MKLJ9 9J D= =$ F? DM = H L@ C= L9 VE PROFESSIONALS GREAT BARRIER REEF DI

Photo credit: www.facebook.com/HirstyPhotos

Our 5 Day PADI Open water course is the most popular way to do it.

We also specialise in Liveaboard dive trips and all levels of dive education.

www.prodivecairns.com SHOP: Cnr Shields & Grafton Sts, Cairns FREECALL: 1800 353 213 PHONE: +617 4031 5255 RES: info@prodivecairns.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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POMS

CRIME

Brits are called “Poms” in Australia. Some say it is because POHM (Prisoner of His/Her Majesty) was stamped on English convicts’ clothes. Others claim it stands for pomegranate, referring to the pasty skin colour of the English, or even that it stands for “Prisoner of the Motherland”, ‘cos convicts love a bit of irony.

For a society built on the remains of a penal colony, Oz has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. In comparison, the US, founded by religious zealots, has a homicide rate of about six per 100,000 (almost 400 per cent greater than Oz).

EMBLEMS The emu and the kangaroo are immortalised on the Australian emblem because neither can walk backwards.

VERNACULAR The Aussie accent is thought to be a derivative of Irish and Cockney. Combine that with the numerous “Strayan” slang words and you might find yourself asking “do you speaka my language?” Quick heads up. They call flip flops, “thongs”.

CULTURE

THE LUCKY COUNTRY Australia is sometimes called “the lucky country”.

Unfortunately for Aussies, the phrase was coined in 1964 by journalist Donald Horne to criticise the country for thriving on pure luck, as opposed to hard work or skill.

BUDGIE SMUGGLERS In 1961, a man was arrested on Bondi Beach for wearing Speedos. He was released after it was decided that no “personal hair” could be seen.

MOUNTAINS The Snowy Mountains receive more snow than the Swiss Alps.

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Australian citizens have to vote in federal elections by law. Failure to do so incurs a fine. About five per cent of eligible citizens still don’t vote.

On the first Aussie international cricket team, the Aboriginal players outnumbered Europeans 19 to three..

Australia has more beaches than any other nation, exceeding 10,000 in totals

If you find yourself thinking your fave chocolate bars don’t taste as good in Oz, you’re right. Only five per cent vegetable oil is used in making the chocolate – far less than in the UK or the US.

VOTING

CRICKET

BEACHES

CHOCOLATE

Indigenous Australians practice the world’s oldest continually maintained culture – it’s somewhere between 40,000 and 100,000 years old.

TERRA FIRMA

ROOS

DROP BEARS

It’s generally thought that “kangaroo” translates anslates as “I don’t understand”, an Aboriginal response to an n Englishman’s request to know the strange creature’s name. e.

And, yes, male roos do box.

The drop bear – a vicious species of koala that attacks people by pe dropping dr on them from the fro trees above tre was –w invented inv purely to pu mess with m American Am soldiers. so

The name Australia comes from the Latin Terra Australis Incognito, which means the Unknown Southern Land...

SNAKES Of the 10 most deadly snakes in the world, Australia is only home to... seven.

The TNT Golden Backpack Awards recognise those companies who make backpacking around Australia and New Zealand that extra bit special.

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These guys picked up a Golden Backpack last year after being voted the best at what they do. But have they still got what it takes? You decide...

THE REIGNING CHAMPS! LAST YEAR’S WINNERS

NATIONAL (AUSTRALIA) Best tour operator: Aventure Tours Australia Best car/campervan rental: Spaceships Best transport company: Greyhound Australia

NATIONAL (NEW ZEALAND) Best hostel: Nomads, Queenstown Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy, Queenstown Best backpacker night: Big Night Out, Queenstown Best tour/transport operator: Kiwi Experience Best car/camerpervan rental: Jucy Rentals

NEW SOUTH WALES Best hostel: Sydney YHA 10

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Best tour/activity: OzIntro Best backpacker night: Scubar, Sydney

Cairns Best backpacker night: Birdie Num Num

NORTHERN TERRITORY

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Best hostel: Toddy’s Backpackers Best tour/activity: The Rock Tour Best backpacker night: The Rock Bar

Best hostel: Shakespeare Backpackers Best tour/activity: Groovy Grape, Barossa Valley Best backpacker night: Backpack Oz

TASMANIA Best hostel: Central City Backpackers, Hobart Best tour/activity: Jump Tours Best backpacker night: The Pickled Frog, Hobart

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Best hostel: Perth City YHA Best tour/activity: Western Xposure Best backpacker night: The Old Swan Barracks

VICTORIA

GENERAL

Best hostel: Habitat HQ, Melbourne Best tour/activity: Bunyip Tours, The Great Ocean Road Best backpacker night: Red Eye Bar, Base Melbourne

Best large travel agent: Peterpan’s Adventure Travel Best small travel agent: Airliebeach.com Best recruitment service: The Job Shop, Perth Best indigenous cultural experience: Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua NZ

QUEENSLAND Best hostel: Bunk, Brisbane Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy,

Don’t just book first have a look!

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CRUISE WHITSUNDAYS Experience Queensland’s most innovative and spacious reef pontoon located at Knuckle Reef. Knuckle Reef Pontoon features Queensland’s largest and most spectacular underwater viewing chamber and is the only reef pontoon in Australia with a giant waterslide. Student and Backpacker Discounts available.

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FILMREVIEW

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Catwoman can’t do a Yorkshire accent but she sure can ride a tractor

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES FILM review by Alasdair Morton STARRING: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway / MA / 165mins

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER FILM preview STARRING: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper | PG | 105mins

Abraham Lincoln discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States so he makes it his mission to eliminate them. While it may sound like a farce, it’s based on a hugely successful action fantasy horror novel. (Think: vampires = slaves.)

On general release August 2

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The movie event of the year has a lot to live up to. Its predecessor, The Dark Knight, was the highest grossing movie of 2008, and was as critically lauded as it was financially successful. Does director/writer Christopher Nolan pull off the third and final part of his Batman trilogy?

It’s as epic a conclusion as you might expect, a tale of caped crusader redemption – in more ways than one – and of a city, and culture, under siege. New villain Bane (Hardy), a muscled, masked adversary who outguns his Bat-foe (in one bruising, bone crunching encounter in particular), leads an uprising to take the fight to the Gotham’s privileged elite.

If the Joker was an anarchic terrorist, then Bane is a politicised revolutionary, hell bent on chaos. What he isn’t though, is a match for the Ledger’s iconic portrayal. While Bane carries a brooding, bruising menace, he’s a less memorable villain than previous outings’, and his croaked-up voice (the cause of much online consternation pre-release) still flaunts elusive diction at inopportune moments.

Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman proves a worthier addition to the franchise, injecting a feisty, and refreshingly morally-scattershot, femme fatale quality.

It doesn’t raise the bar, and comes a close second to The Dark Knight, but rounds off the franchise in fitting style.

GOOD FOR: Seeing Batman get pulverised by Tom Hardy’s Bane

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Official

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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.

Bookings essential! Book online, at reception, travel agent or call:

03 9629 5866 *Unscheduled filming in Ramsay St will result in no public access with limited photo opportunities.

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ENTERTAINMENTFOCUS

Straight outta Bondi Shoreditch won’t be the same again after Dom and Adrian, the Bondi Hipsters, give it a nudge during the upcoming Olympsies WORDS TOM STURROCK

Since their YouTube series went totes viral, the Bondi Hipsters – Dom and Adrian, to the uninitiated – have become a pop culture phenomenon. These guys have turned their hands to everything: some fashion designing, a bit of rapping and DJing. Wherever the zeitgeist is headed, Dom and Adrian are already there, without even trying. Even though they’re the toast of Bondi, they’ve managed to keep it real and underground. Still, they’ve made the trip across to London for the Olympics, which, for the record, is probably the most try-hard thing ever.

We caught up with Dom and Adrian– Dom’s the one with the beard – to chat about their incredi London adventure.

every six weeks, so that they can say to their girlfriends, “Oh look at me and this D-list celebrity at the opening of some shitty restaurant”?

Adrian: We don’t want to watch any sports or find out any results or anything like that, we are just interested in getting some inspiration for our new fashion line, Athleticacaca – please spell that in Wingdings font – and since there will be so many sportspeople in one city at the same time, it might be a good opportunity for us to open our brand up to a wider audience.

So are you excited about heading to London for the Games?

Dom: Why would I be excited about visiting a place that I have already spent several weeks in?

Adrian: Dom spent a bit of time in London back in his male modelling days. He was totes all over the London scene.

Dom: Yarh, at the time I was signed to Vivien’s so they had me on the door list of literally every club in London, every night. But I never went to clubs because everyone at night clubs are total try-hards and anything that you have to line up for isn’t worth going to. I used to just hang out at mad underground live music venues that nobody else had ever heard of. My favourite venues were these secret underground clubs in the London Tube tunnels, where you could just get off your face on pingers and watch guys in fluorescent jackets fix trains. It was so underground. There was literally nobody there, just me, and these guys working on the trains. And I would get so fucked up – I dunno how I would categorise their performance style but I suppose it was kind of percussive.

What events do you like or dislike?

Dom: Personally I don’t give a fuck about any of them, but if I was to lie for the sake of sounding interested about the Olympics in your magazine, then I would say, ‘Yarh, man I like the most underground sports that nobody else cares about, like ping pong, shuttlecock and judo.” Are you happy? Thanks for making me lie, that’s so typical of you media types. Newspapers and magazines are all full of lies, unless they are exposing a truth, but in which case you don’t believe it because someone from the government will pass it off as a conspiracy. Free speech, my arse.

Adrian: Sorry, Dom’s just weird in front of the media.

Dom: I told you, I’m not cool with interviews. We should be doing our best not to say anything about anything and to make sure that people have no idea who we are.

Adrian: Anyway. I like the ones where you are most likely to see a nipple fall out. So, that’s mostly gymnastics, and athletics. You have to respect the ‘Shirvington effect’, too.

That’s when a male sprinter gets an epic dick-swing going on. I’m not into dicks or anything but it’s just nice to watch Mother Nature at work.

Your fans might not expect you to be that keen on sport – what persuaded you to head over for the Games?

Dom: Who actually cares about sports except for rednecks and money-grubbing PR chicks who desperately want to date sportspeople for their own self-promotion and to get their photo taken for the social pages of shitty magazines once

Are there any athletes whose style or look impresses you?

Adrian: From a physicality point of view, I’m impressed with all of them. I like the shapes their bodies can make. Most of them look like they are covered in ropes – it’s amazeballs.

But you know what? If I was a try-hard I could probably have the same body too.

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Adrian: ‘Swimmers often swing both ways’

Since you guys got super-popular on YouTube, how have your lives changed?

Dom: I hate the way this question sounds. It makes us sound like “viral sensations”. Eeeewwwww.

Adrian: What Dom is trying to say, is that we would actually prefer if people stopped watching our videos all together.

Please boycott them, and don’t watch them, and don’t tell anyone about them. Because we are now being tempted by all of these opportunities to make money, and we don’t want that. We don’t want success. For us, momentum is the worst possible outcome for what we are trying so not hard not to achieve.

What do you think of the Australian team’s uniform?

Adrian: I think that they were a little too literal with their choice of designers.

Dom: Oh yarh, how original. We are making a sports uniform so we are going to get a sports brand to design the uniform.

Adrian: Oh yarh, Adidas. Wow. Ground-breaking. Well done, Australian Olympic Committee – they’ve only made 10,000 sports uniforms before. I reckon that our brand Athleticacaca would have been able to do something really special.

Dom: Except that we would have turned down any such offer because you would have to answer to so many bureaucrats designing that outfit. Can you imagine how painful that would be, to have to take fashion advice from politicians and sports marketers? Please – sorry for knowing what cool is and for not wanting to share it with you!

What else have you guys got coming up? Any big projects?

Adrian: We are playing the national Australian Parklife Tour, with the likes of Wiley, Plan B, Jack Beats, The Presets, Passion Pit, so that’s pretty exciting.

Dom: Don’t tell them about that, I thought that we were gonna keep that underground.

Adrian: We are. Nobody reads TNT. Dom: Sweet.

Adrian: And we’ve also got another couple of songs coming out soon, so keep an eye out for those on YouTube.

Dom: Fuck man, didn’t we say that we were going to keep those underground as well?

Adrian: Yarh, but the same rule applies, because we’re still talking to the same guy from the same magazine.

Dom: True. Can we just not answer any more questions? I’m getting uncomfortable and this is starting to feel like we are talking to a journalist or something.

Adrian: Totes. Sorry man, we’ve gotta go. Been nice chatting.

Dom: Laters, brah.

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Check tntdownunder.com for the full interview and follow Dom’s and Adrian’s adventures on youtube.com/show/ bondihipsters

Photos: Gary Holmes

Dom: Sorry for having more important things to do than run around in circles and try to jump far. But I think Mark Spitz was the coolest sports guy ever. That merman used to get more tail in two laps of the Olympic swimming pool than Shane Warne used to get on a three-week bender in Bollywood. It’s rumoured that, at the height of his Olympic swimming career, Mark Spitz was having sexual relations with as many as 60 fit birds a week – that doesn’t even include the ugly ones that surely he would have had every now and then, just to mix it up.

Adrian: Would he have had a dude every now and then?

Swimmers often swing it both ways.

What do you think of Aussies living in London? Cool or not?

Adrian: I think that they're all inherently missing their vitamin D and are all in danger of the Heathrow Injection.

Dom: Yarh, the Heathrow Injection is a very dangerous problem for fit young Aussies. They get over to London, start smashing starchy carbs and then put on like 10kgs in a matter of weeks.

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Adrian: Yuck. That’s so disgusting. Why would you eat carbs?

I honestly don’t know why you would live in London, simply because of the weather.

Dom: I suppose there is the power of the 9/10 rule.

Adrian: Oh, yeah.

Dom: Do you want to explain it, or should I? Adrian: No, it sounds totes better when you say it.

Dom: OK, so in Sydney, the average population is about an 8 out of 10. Sydney people are hot. Sorry bout it, but it’s true. So for anyone that is below that 8 mark, they really struggle to find decent-looking sexual partners. It’s the laws of the jungle, pretty elementary stuff really. But when they go to London, where the average population is about a 4/10, they automatically go up to a 9, hence increasing their opportunity to have sex with more attractive partners. So I’m looking forward to seeing Adrian go through that transition, and be with him on his journey to becoming a 9. He’s owed it. Life hasn’t been too kind to Adrian.

Adrian: Yarh, I can’t wait. Dom’s already a 10, anyway.

Hey, what do you mean life hasn’t been too kind to me?

Dom: Nothing.

Adrian: No, I really want to know what you meant?

Dom: Seriously brah, nothing. Forget about it.

Adrian: I can’t.

WIN

ARE YOU SPOTTED IN THE CIRCLE?

Email us at tom@ tntdownunder.com with ‘Spotted’ in the subject line, email must include a photo of yourself! Boom - You’ve won yourself a $100 bar tab at Scubar. facebook/ Like us on tntdownunder for more party pics from the night!

SCUBAR Christmas in July Thursday 19 July

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER SAND STORM: Tom Ruzner, 24, Germany TOM SAYS: “I took this on a roadtrip to Anna Bay. We went sandboarding and had breakfast on the dunes during sunrise. It was magic” WE SAY: “The shadowed three musketeers with their sand-boards make a great image. The sand looks golden and the location is unrecognisable. It could be the Middle East or it could be the mid-north coast of Oz.“ 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: alex@tntdownunder.com. Photos are judged by the TNT team at their own discretion.

Weekly winner Tom 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: On the road TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY If you are planning to photograph as you travel, it can be helpful to be prepared before you go. Research your destination and study existing images to give you an idea of what to expect. You want to travel light so keep your equipment to a DSLR body and a spare (just in case). A few lenses that can be used for more than just one situation, flash, tripod, cleaning equipment and a durable carry case or bag.

Carry spare memory cards, a card reader and a portable hard drive for backing up your images. Keeping your equipment covered with adequate insurance can be a life saver. If the worst should happen on holiday you want to be able to replace your gear.

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.

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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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TRAVELTIPS

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ON THE ROAD WITH TRAVEL

TALK STÉPHANE MICHAUX 30, FRANCE WHY DID YOU COME TO AUSTRALIA?

YOU ASKED FOR IT...

WE ANSWER YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

planning a trip around Oz and I Q I’m want to travel as much as possible by train. Can you suggest any rail journeys?

Kou Wan Cheng, China distances between major cities make A Large trains the poorer cousins to planes when it comes to getting around Australia. Despite this, Australia is still home to a couple of classic rail journeys that provide a brilliant way of seeing the country. The Ghan is one of Australia’s most romantic and iconic railways, snaking its way for over two days through the Red Centre from Adelaide to Darwin (or vice versa) via Alice, and takes its name from the 19th century Afghan camel trains that travelled through the outback.

Australia’s other big one is the Indian Pacific, which travels between Sydney and Perth via Adelaide and includes the world’s longest straight stretch of track across the Nullarbor.

Standard fares can be prohibitive, but there are massive savings to be made with backpacker cards, like the YHA one. Also, the excellent Rail Explorer Pass, available only to holders of foreign passports, provides six months of travel on both routes, as well as the Melbourne to Adelaide Overland train, for only $690. The Overland, which commenced service in 1887, came from the term for an adventurer who had travelled across the country, however today the Overland is a comfortable and convenient way to travel between these two southern cities. Visit railaustralia.com.au/explorer.php 26

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or greatsoutherrail.com.au for details. And the Sydney to Newcastle train, well let’s just say there’s nothing romantic about that one. is so magnetic about Magnetic Q What Island in Queensland?

Laura Vernon, UK

Living in a big city in France, I felt disconnected from nature.

In Sydney, even in the middle of a crowded neighborhood, I see nature everywhere. Also, the job market was not very good in France.

YOUR CRAZIEST EXPERIENCE?

New Year’s Eve at Circular Quay, on the top floor of a big building.

Best view of the harbour ever.

DONE ANYTHING UNUSUAL?

Living in Coogee, going to the beach for lunch breaks is awesome.

Also, I was robbed by an ibis.

FAVOURITE PLACE IN OZ?

with an average of over 320 days A Well, of sunshine per year, Magnetic Island is almost perfect all year round, and that sure attracts us. But you may be wondering about the name. Well, when Captain Cook rocked up on Magnetic Island in 1700, he noticed that his compasses went a bit mental. He was so convinced the island had a magnetic force that interfered with his navigation, he quickly named the island after his assumption. Although, it turned out old Jimmy was wrong about the compass thing, over the years, Magnetic Island has developed a powerful magnetic force over backpackers. More than half of the island is national park, and there is plenty of untouched nature, beautiful walks, secluded beaches and rich wildlife, including rock wallabies, possums, koalas and a wide range of birdlife. Climb the 497 metres of Mount Cook, hike the 24 kilometres of walking track through the park, or just chill on the beach. Or what attracts many other backpackers are the Thai-style Full Moon Parties that the island’s Base hostel runs once a month. These parties definitely have some “pull”, if you know what we mean...

Fortescue Bay (in Tasmania).

The most untouched nature I’ve ever seen.

MET ANY AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS?

Everywhere. I have learnt to close my tent and not to leave out any food.

BIGGEST SURPRISE ABOUT OZ?

People in France think Oz’s nature is so deadly. I feel like the only thing we have to worry about is the sun.

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS AUSTRALIA EXPERIENCE

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TRAVELLERSTALE HUNG UP ON YOU

English lass Hollie Suffield took on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge in a sexy bolier suit and attached herself to a someone who had a fear of bridges.

Arriving late and having to run to get there had me thinking it was going to be one of those days. This soon changed as I dashed into the Bridge Climb building and was greeted by a friendly team of staff who quickly signed me in and got me kitted up for the big climb.

Given my small fear of heights, I was slightly anxious. That was, until I got chatting to the rest of the group and discovered one of the women had a fear of bridges. Not ideal when you’re about to climb one of the biggest bridges in the world, I thought.

We were all given sexy blue boiler suits to put on over the top of our clothes – accompanied by rather fetching caps or beanies. Don’t worry, these are optional if you’re fashionably conscious like I am.

The climb I chose was the Express

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Climb, which simply means it’s a hell of a lot quicker than the full climb and slightly cheaper if you’re on a tight budget. It also means you don’t have to participate in the ‘practice run’ which involves manoeuvring around a climbing frame so you get a feel for being attached to a bridge.

Rather than climbing the top arch of the Harbour Bridge, we set out along the cat walk which runs parallel to the road below until the inner arch is reached. It’s an interesting walk as you duck and climb over parts of the bridge structure.

From there it’s a steady climb up the steps to the summit. Don’t worry if you’re not a fitness fanatic, it’s not a back-breaking exercise. Before you set out you’re given headphones and a radio and throughout the climb the leader of the group tells you some interesting facts. I actually learnt some things about Sydney Harbour.

When you reach the top it’s a cheesy 10 minutes or so of individual and

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group photos while the leader discusses some general facts about the harbour below and everything else you can see. Believe or not, it’s a great vantage point to both Manly in the north and the Blue Mountains out in the west.

On your way back down you cross over so that you get a view of the other side of the harbour.

Then, once you’re back on land it’s a mammoth task of stripping off the 101 things attached to you and the suit.

You’re then awarded with a certificate for your bravery, a group photo and you are given the chance to buy the individual photos you had at the top.

They are a great souvenir to send to relatives.

I’d recommend going with at least one person you know, that way you can giggle at each other in the oh-so-sexy attire and chat on the way up and down during the not-so-exciting parts.

The only downfall is that you can’t take your own camera to snap some of the beautiful views you experience.

But their policy is that you cant take anything with you that isn’t attached to your suit. Girls can’t even have bobby pins in their hair in case they happen to fall down onto the road below.

Overall the experience itself isn’t that different from the full climb, it’s just that bit cheaper and it isn’t so laboriously long-winded.

I expected it to be a bit more nerveracking with my past experiences with heights, but you’re so well briefed that any fears are soon conquered. Give it a try!

WRITE TO TNT AND

WIN

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 travel@tntdownunder.com

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This study will look at different doses of the medication and compare to placebo.

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volunteers.4.trials@gsk.com The study is being run at the GSK Medicines Research Unit located at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. This study is recruiting in Sydney Only

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6/07/12 9:47 AM

The Capricorn Coast QUEENSLAND

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Falling for Capricorn Visit a stunning stretch of Oz where cowboys roam the streets, turtles rule the ocean and where the ride of your life awaits WORDS ALEX HARMON

“Girls don’t ride bulls,” the cowboy answers.

WHAT TO DO: Great legs are in the air and then up go his back I want to know where all of the female bull Western Rodeo, Rockhampton legs. He’s determined to buck me off. I riders are hiding. “It’s too dangerous. You can (greatwesternhotel.com.au); don’t want to fall under this heavy beast hurt your ovaries.” Right. Well, it’s too late to Snorkel Great Keppel Island and I don’t want to fall in front of him to be worrying about my future children. I’m in (freedomfastcats.com); Capricorn be gored by his horns either. My legs are the pits and about to ride a 900kg yellow bull Caves (capricorncaves.com. doing their best impression of a nutcracker, at the local Rockhampton rodeo. A live one.

I’m squeezing the bull so hard I think I’m au); Koorana Crocodile Farm That’s right, none of that mechanical shit. going to break him. Of course, he wins the (koorana.com.au) The bull seems very irate. He’s kicking dirt battle and I fall to the ground, landing on WHERE TO STAY: with his hooves and ratting the gate with my hip and coughing up dust. I must have A bed at Emu’s Beach Resort his heaving body. A group of cowboys are blacked out for a few seconds because the will cost you $25/night. frantically giving me some last-minute lessons. (emusbeachresort.com). Great next thing I remember is sprinting to the Keppel Island Holiday Village will side of arena and scaling the gates like “The most important thing to remember Spiderman. I don’t even realise I have lost cost you $35/night. Or a luxury is: you will fall off.” That’s reassuring. a shoe.

“No, actually the most important thing to tent for $80/night twin share.

The crowd goes wild. “The city girl has (gkiholidayvillage.com.au) remember is: when you fall – you run.”

These cowboys seem to have very little SEE: queenslandholidays.com. lost her boot!” That’s all I remember.

“You lasted four seconds, you did well,” faith in me. But then, why would they? I au for more info the clown tells me. Only four? I could have made a split-second decision, after a few local brews at the Great Western Hotel to sworn it was longer. jump on a bull. And before I could back out, I was wearing But the cowboys seem impressed. I go back to the a helmet, gloves, a vest and straddling a very angry bull. stadium, sink a XXXX beer and settle into my new position When in Pamplona you run with the bulls, and when in as town hero. Hero – or village idiot – it’s debatable.

Rockhampton you ride them, right? Not really, it turns out.

Later that night I meet a local girl who relays a different The second error of judgement was in thinking they’d kind of folklore. “Whatever you do in Rocky,” she says, go easy on me and give me a nice little bull – more of a “don’t fall in love with a cowboy. They’ll break your heart. cow – that would softly trot around the arena like a Miss They only care about one thing: the rodeo.” Luckily, I’m Rockhampton pageant entrant. more in the mood for a steak.

The third, and most pressing, mistake is that I am Being the beef capital of Australia, I order one of wearing red. So, when I inevitably fall to the ground, this Rocky’s famous steak, but because of my little romp, I’ve beast is going to see me and be really, really pissed off. missed out. Perhaps it’s a sign that I should thank the bull The bullfighters, or rodeo clowns, as they’re known, for sparing my life and become a vegetarian. laugh at this concern. “City girl,” they mutter. But I don’t Beef meets the reef see any of them wearing red.

They place me upon the bull and hand me the rope.

It’s not just a rough-and-ready frontier town full of “Hold onto him tight with your legs. When you fall, make cowboys and bucking bulls. I soon discover the Capricorn sure you let go of the rope.” This seems like a lot of last Coast is an area, smack bang in the middle of Queensland, minute instruction. I’m not ready for this I yell as the gate that encompasses all that is spectacular about Australia. It’s where the country meets the reef. And today I am to be opens. The beast takes off like a bat out of hell. His front

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Meet the Great Keppel Island locals

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The girls then proceed to show us the hundreds of underwater pictures they’ve taken. I’m beginning to think there is something slightly odd about these two. Then it hits me. They haven’t bumped into anyone new for a very long time. They have this deserted-island-cabin-fever look in their eyes. Thinking they may never let us go, and not wanting to miss the ferry back to the mainland, we make our excuses to leave. But not before they show us the pizza place, and the bar, and make us promise to come back.

Cave to pressure After a wild night at Emu’s Beach Resort, throwing back body shots and playing beer pong with backpackers in togas (just a normal Saturday night at the hostel I am told) I awake with a shocking hangover. But there’s no time to dwell on that because we’re off to explore another one of Capricorn’s natural wonders – the limestone caves.

The caves were discovered in 1882 by a sneaky Norwegian named John Olsen. He kept the news quiet until he could buy a permit for the caves and open them up commercially. The legend is he tied a rope to his waist and the other end to a tree before lowering himself into the dark caves with only a candle to find his way.

The cave system, with its huge open chambers, is so beautiful that they often hold weddings and operas inside.

But we aren’t here to listen to orchestra music. I often say when I’m hungover, that I’d like to crawl into a cave, but in hindsight I’d say: be careful what you wish for.

We are “adventure caving” which means we’re spending three hours exploring caves the tricky way.

Through tight crevices with sinister names such as ‘Entrapment’ and ‘Fat Man’s Misery’.

Dressed in helmets and boiler suits, mine with an

Photos: Justin Steinlauf, Tourism Queensland, Capricorn Caves

acquainted with the stunning marine life in the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Feeling like I’ve been hit by a bus, I board the ferry and am pleasantly surprised to find out it’s only a 30 minute ride to Great Keppel Island where we’ll spend the day snorkelling in and around the reef.

Jumping off the boat and into the stunning blue water we swim with turtles, sting rays and schools of beautiful electric blue fish.

Resurfacing I smell the sweet smell of a barbeque resonating from the boat. I swim up to see the skipper cooking us some of that famous Rocky beef. I’m determined not to miss out this time.

The salt water, the hangover, even the bruising to my body is washed away by this truly tasty lunch and spectacular view. Ahead we can see the shore of Great Keppel Island and we’re the only boat in the area.

After lunch we set off to explore the ‘castaway’ island.

Great Keppel Island’s resort is closed for renovations which means visitors to the island are few and far between.

We stroll the deserted beach before we are greeted by a couple of backpackers on a quad bike. They tell us they’re working at the holiday village and offer to show us around. We hop on their wheels and they take us to their accommodation. Hidden away in the bush we find Robinson Cruise style tents and cabins.

“It’s very chilled out here,” the French backpacker whispers. We’re all whispering – it’s that quiet.

“It’s my favourite place in Australia,” the Alaskan backpacker says. “I can grab a snorkel from reception and be swimming on the reef in five minutes.” I’m impressed.

“I’ve been all around Australia,” she adds, “and I still think it’s amazing how close the reef is to the beach.“

Capricorn’s caves aren’t all tight spots

“BELTS BAGS + BURGERS” KOORANA CROCODILE FARM

Join John and Lillian Lever and their thousands of crocodile offspring at their farm. They began in 1981 with 4 saltwater crocodiles and now they have over 3,000. The best (and safest) way to see the farm is on one of their guided tours. The guide will give you a history of the place and in into crocodile habits and breeding.

We were even given insight into the personalities of each of the crocs we met. There’s ‘Mrs Robinson’ who likes the younger male crocs, ‘Pinjara’ the romantic croc who likes to cuddle his and blow bubbles on his many girlfriends, and ‘Stumpy’, the tough old croc who hobbles around with a missing arm. Only problem is, after you’ve gotten to know these characters it makes it very hard to order them at the restaurant or buy their wares. But trust me on this one – the crocodile pie tastes so good you’ll soon forget ‘who’ you’re eating.

Visit: koorana.com.au for more info.

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ominous amount of rips and tears, we make our way into the caves. I am already feeling rather fragile and my nerves are tested immediately when the guide leaves us in a dark space, tells us to switch off our lights and make our way through a small tunnel. The hole gets smaller and darker and I’m crawling on my hands and knees searching for an exit. The darkness is playing tricks on my mind. Is this the right way? Is there any air in here? I am losing what little strength of mind I have left and then I hear the guide (or is it God?) “Follow the light”. I make it around the bend, towards his voice. I’ve never been happier to see him.

We then enter the cathedral, where we sit in wooden pews listening to a church organ play Amazing Grace.

I could sit here all day, music bouncing off the natural acoustics, watching the flickering light from candles dance around ancient stalactites. But that would be too easy.

“You’re going to love the next challenge,” he grins. “It’s called the ‘rebirth.’” This is a geologist’s sick joke, I think.

“It’s okay,” says the guide.

“You can do the ‘Caesarean’ if you don’t think you can handle a natural birth.”

Needless to say, the caving We go west of adventure for me is aborted.

Sydney to discover I thought I knew myself a country retreat in quite well but it’s taken a trip Macarthur to Capricorn to discover I have a fear of caves. Either that, or alcohol-induced claustrophobia.

Give me a bull ride any day. ❚

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

Life's a breeze This is Byron Bay in 48 hours WORDS LEIGH LIVINGSTONE

DAY 1: Byron Bay is a beach side, surfing mecca with an attitude to match. The locals are never in a hurry and visitors are happy to follow (bathing) suit. It's only a speedy two-hour ride from the bright lights of Brisbane. Brisbane 2 Byron (brisbane2byron.com) have an air-conditioned express bus that will take you and that will be the fastest pace you travel all weekend.

8:00: The most popular place to grab a good breakfast and coffee in Byron is DIP. Found on Fletcher Street, this busy little gem of a cafe is loved by locals and visitors alike.

The food has an Italian feel and the poached eggs with bocconcini and tomato on toast are a great way to start the day in this beach side town.

9:00: Byron is known as a top spot for sighting dolphins and whales, so why not get out on a kayak for an up-close and personal experience? Go Sea Kayak (goseakayakbyronbay.com.au) have tours twice a day during summer for $60 per person that will paddle alongside pods of dolphins and humpback whales. Their three-hour tour has been known to see turtles too and before stopping on a secluded beach for refreshments, you'll hear all about the local Aboriginal sacred places and stories.

13:00 Once you've dropped off the kayaks, it's back in the water. You shouldn't avoid spending time at Main Beach, it would be unheard of. Have a surf and say hello to your new dolphin friends, or just splash about. Grab a burger from any of the nearby takeaway joints and eat it while sitting on

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your beach towel. That's the Aussie way, mate.

18:00: You don't even need to wash the sand from your hair before you settle in at The Beach Hotel (beachhotel.com. au). This sprawling pub nicknamed "Top Pub" by the locals overlooks Main Beach. It doesn't get more relaxing than stretching out on a deck chair while you watch the sun go down behind the playing dolphins. Enjoy the warm air, cold Aussie brew and fill up on a delicious plate of fish and chips.

21:00: Your stomach should be heavy and happy by now, so there is no need to move. The Beach Hotel (beachhotelgigguide.com.au) has live entertainment on almost all night and big screens to watch sport on.

24:00: It's a short stroll to your bed at Backpackers Inn Byron Bay (backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au) where the motto is 'chillax'. If you feel like kicking on though, they have a central courtyard next to the pool which is a great place to meet other like-minded travellers. Just make sure you get a few winks in, all that fresh beach air and sunshine can really take it out of you.

DAY 2: 9:00: At a respectable time cruise over to Byron Beach Cafe (byronbeachcafe.com.au) for another big feed. The breezy beach-view cafe is the kind of place that you'll see surfboards leaning outside the door and a sunkissed clientele inside.

10:00: Now, we know you've had fun working at a snail's pace but now it is time to step it up a notch. You've got to make room for that surf and turf tucker later on. Hop on

Majestic Mt Welly

your bike with Mountain Bike Tours (mountainbiketours. com.au). They will show you Byron from a different perspective. Even if you've never ridden off-road before they can cater to all levels of experience and enthusiasm. Trust us though, once you get out on the secluded trails, your inner explorer won't be able to contain itself.

15:00: No trip to Byron would be complete without visiting the Cape Byron Lighthouse (byron-bay.com). Towering over the rocky headland, it is the most easterly light in Australia. That fact also means that if you walk not too far from the lighthouse itself, you've reached the easternmost point of mainland Australia with pretty amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. Well done. There are walking tracks too, if you feel like really milking your achievement for all it's worth.

18:00: To switch things up a bit, go for dinner tonight at The Balcony Bar and Restaurant (balcony.com.au). Nibble on a smattering of tapas with a cocktail and check out the atmosphere at one of Byron's last historical buildings. In summer a cool breeze blows right through and they have a cozy fireplace for enjoying a winter meal.

20:00 Now you're ready for a real night out and we've saved the best until last, Cheeky Monkeys (cheekymonkeys. com.au) is a bar created just for you. Really. It cropped up in response to the increasing backpacker presence in beautiful Byron and they know what we love. Cheap food, cheap booze and tunes to sing along with. It's Byron's most popular party bar, so get on it.

Vanua Levu FIJI

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Isles of smiles If you’re looking for world-class diving and desert islands, then set sail to discover Fiji’s lesser-travelled northern island of Vanua Levu WORDS CAROL DRIVER

The intrusive drilling sound of our speedboat as we slice through the ocean cuts through the tranquillity as we zoom along to our secret destination. Some of Fiji’s 333 or so islands can be seen in the distance – they’re lush and green, and with the sun beaming down, it’s like a scene straight out of Lost.

Our guide Tim nods at the driver who quickly shuts off the engine – the silence is like a jolt to the senses as we quietly drift along looking for the right spot.

“Here,” Tim says authoritatively. We’re already kitted up in our diving gear, so we roll backwards and descend into the warm, crystal-clear water. The underground world comes to life before our eyes – coral of every pastel colour is highlighted by the rays of sunlight piercing the surface. It’s teeming with life as schools of vibrant fish dart about, not in the least bit inquisitive about their huge intruders.

Tim and Simon fin along in front of me as I get distracted exploring the magical wonderland. As they turn to check I’m OK, I can see their eyes bulging behind their masks. They point behind me, motioning for me to turn around. I feel my heart pounding – I’m a keen diver, but I’ve never seen anything bigger or scarier than a trigger fish before, and I’m fearing the worst. Everything seems to happen in slow motion as I turn to face a gigantic manta ray, spanning about five metres, gliding effortlessly through the water towards us. Sensing it’s got company, it veers off, moving too quickly for us to follow.

by. Days start at 6am with yoga on the deck as the sun comes up. After that, guests – of which there are only 22 – can then choose to paddleboard, kayak, snorkel, surf, dive or go hiking and biking on an island.

Overnight, the boat is back on the move around the archipelago, so you wake in a new destination every morning.

Stunning traditions My group takes the bikes over to the volcanic Rabi Island. It’s inhabited by just 5,000 Micronesian people, most of whom relocated from Kiribati after World War II. Hordes of smiley children run beside us as we pedal along the small, dusty tracks, weaving in between tiny huts. Everyone on the island is friendly and before long, we are the VIP guests of the village.

We’re given front-row seats (after we’ve changed into respectable sulus) to a flamboyant dance as men and women don grass skirts and face paints, and the beat of the drums kicks in. It’s a stunning display of custom and expression – the

All aboard Back onboard our home for the next three days, the Tui Tai, we boast to anyone who will listen – the crew, all Fijians wearing loud shirts and salu-salus (flower necklaces) – have probably heard a similar story a thousand times before, but they’re polite enough to act as though it’s the first.

I’d boarded the vessel at Natewa Bay on Fiji’s north island Vanua Levu. Having been reluctant to do a cruise, I was assured this is the best way to explore some of the more remote islands and it offers some of the best diving in the world, anchoring overnight in the South Pacific Ocean.

But it’s not the type of cruise where you watch the world go

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One for me, one for you

attention to detail put into making the costumes reflects the level of importance in which the villagers hold the tradition.

My group applauds, but our hosts refuse to let us leave – apparently there’s one more part of our initiation into Fijian life. We’re told to sit cross-legged as the village chief is handed a small bowl brimming with a murky grey-brown liquid. He claps once, shouts “bula” and downs the drink in one. The bilo is refilled and my grinning host passes it to me, gesturing for

“

The coral comes to life before our eyes – every colour highlighted by the sunlight piercing the surface

”

me to follow suit, which I do. There’s uproar from the crowd of Fijians, who laugh wildly and pat me on the back.

It’s not the most unpleasant taste – a slight medicinal twang with a tongue-numbing side effect. I hand back the bowl and wait for a wave of relaxation to wash over – the reason kava, which is made from the piper methstyicum plant, is so popular.

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Finding skunk fish

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Nadi 3-star

from

$99*

you get 3 nights at the 3-star Smugglers Cove Beach Resort + breakfast daily + return transfers.

Nadi 4-star

from

$165*

you get 3 nights at the 4-star Novotel Nadi + breakfast daily + return transfers + late check out perks include 1 free game of golf.

Coral Coast 3-star

from

$89

from

$159*

you get 3 nights at the 4-star Wellesley Resort + breakfast daily.

Coral Coast 4½-star

from

$379*

you get 3 nights at the 4½-star The Naviti Resort + breakfast daily.

BEST PRICE GUARANTEE We swear we will beat any airfare quoteor you get $1500 towards your flight.

)

call 1300 316 770 facebook.com/studentflightsAU W

from

tours & cruises

$279*

you get a 7-day pass from Denarau + return transfers from most Nadi & Denarau hostels & hotels to Port Denarau Marina + 1 boat transfer from Denarau Marina to the Yasawas & the Mamanucas also 1 hop-on hop-off boat transfer between resorts & islands including South Sea, Bounty, Beachcomber, Mana, & Malolo Island.

Fiji – 2 Islands *

you get 3 nights at the 3-star Seashells @ Momi + breakfast daily.

Coral Coast 4-star

Bula Pass

from

from

from

from

$94*

you get a 1-day cruise also morning tea + lunch + return transfers from Nadi + Denarau & Coral Coast hotels perks include snorkelling. you get 1-day tour also lunch + resort transfers + snorkelling gear.

The Waterfall Tour

$495

*

ffrom

$119*

you get a 1-day tour also lunch + tour guide + return transfers.

Sigatoka River Safari from $155* you get a 4½-hour safari tour also lunch + jet boat ride + village tour.

$579*

you get 5 nights dorm also transport + most meals top spots Blue Lagoon + Sawailau Caves perks include visiting 3 Islands.

Fiji – 4 Islands

Tivua Island Cruise

Mana Island Day Tour from $109*

you get 4 nights dorm also transport + most meals top spots Wayalailai + Long Beach perks include visiting 2 Islands.

Fiji – 3 Islands

t deals.

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you get 8 nights dorm also transport + most meals top spots South Sea Island + Blue Lagoon + Sawailau Caves perks include visiting 4 Islands.

South Pacific Cruise

from

$899*

you get 12-night cruise quad share on board Pacific Dawn from Brisbane also all main meals + entertainment on board + port charges & government taxes.

Fiji Cruise

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you get 3-night cruise on board MV Fiji Princess, Blue Lagoon Cruises with private facilities also some meals + entertainment on board + transfers + snorkelling gear.

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Applies to genuine quotes from airlines and Australian registered businesses and websites for travel that originates/departs from Australia. Quote must be in writing and must be presented to us prior to booking. Fare must be available and able to be booked by the general public when you bring it to us. Fares available due to membership of a group or corporate entity or subscription to a closed group are excluded. Must be for same dates and flight class. We will beat price by $1.00 and give a $20 voucher to every adult-fare paying passenger travelling on a paid airfare. *Travel restrictions and conditions apply.

Please ask us for further details. Prices and taxes are correct as at 28 June 12 and are subject to change without notice. Prices quoted are on sale until 31 Jul 12 unless otherwise stated or sold out prior. Prices are per person and are subject to availability. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel. Airfare not included unless otherwise stated. Where airfare is included, additional taxes specific to your flight routing may apply and/or may not include checked luggage (which can incur additional charges). Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies, government charges and other applicable fees. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge. Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store. Advertised price includes any bonus nights. Minimum/maximum stay restrictions may apply. Student airfares are available to full-time students holding a valid ISE/ISIC card and/ or be a youth under 26 with a valid IYTC card. Flight Centre Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Student Flights. Lic No. ACT 18800224. NSW 2TA002719. NT 008. QLD TAG262. SA TTA254. TAS TAS031. VIC 31089. WA 9TA 589.

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Feast of kings Our guide has been preparing dinner on Tavewa island for hours. We make the short speedboat journey to the shore where the sand is golden and feels like cake mix between my toes.

Tavewa is popular with backpackers, it’s fairly undeveloped – and it isn’t connected to the centralised power grid, generating its own electricity through diesel generators. But we don’t need any tonight.

The food is being cooked in a lovo earth oven. Fish, meats and vegetables are placed in a pit, covered with soil and left to cook. Our guide informs us, before we start eating, that this was also how cannibalism was performed – a practice which is, thankfully, now extinct.

After a feast fit for kings, we head back to the Tui Tai where cocktails are being served. The boat is pretty empty – there’s only four of us stargazing.

One of the crew beckons for me to follow him and takes me down some steep steps where I find the rest of his shipmates sitting cross-legged in a circle. There’s a huge bowl of murky-looking water in the middle, and a bilo being passed around. I sit down; the whole room is filled with smiles and chatter and I’m made to feel incredibly welcome.

Soon the small bowl is handed to me. It may not taste as good as the Cosmopolitans above deck, but I know where I’d rather be. Bula! ❚

It would be rude not to

KAVA-ING IT UP FIJI’S TRADITIONAL BEVERAGE Kava is Fiji’s famous drink, writes Dave Mansford.

Unlike alcohol, it tends to tranquilise you, first making your lips go numb, then your tongue, before your whole body feels like it’s been transported into a Ministry of Sound chill-out album. It looks like ditch water but has a strangely medicinal, dentist’s mouthwash taste. One guide joked that it is Fiji’s unofficial contraceptive – after a few, the guys can’t muster enough energy to act on any urges they might be feeling, and the women can slip off back to bed without being noticed. Mental note: only have one kava tonight. In one village I visit, our host allows me to mix my own kava, a process of putting the root shavings into a small sack and mashing it around a ceremonial bowl until the water turns a muddy, brown colour. As I mash away, our host explains that if he wanted to talk to another village about anything, he wouldn’t be able to phone or write – he would have to visit personally and drink kava before any business could be discussed. Despite spilling most of it over my sulu (a traditional sarong), I receive more than a few compliments on my kava-making abilities, highlighted by the fact we had to carry three highly intoxicated people back on to the bus.

42

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Most travellers will land in Viti Levu, at Nadi Airport, which offers a good base from which to explore. Head to Robinson Crusoe Island, Nadi Rural, which is lively and filled with backpackers looking for a good time.

Beachcomber Island, in the Mamanucas, is one of the most popular – best known for its all-night parties. For some basic and cheap to stay, head to the Yasawa Islands where you’ll be able to enjoy Fiji on a tight budget.

Don’t forget about Tavenu which is known as the ‘Garden Island’ due to its lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls and a profusion of flowers. The main activities are diving and snorkelling. Flights and boats operate from Viti Levu.

Also, Kadavu which is Fiji’s fourth-largest island and lies 100km south of Vitu Levu. On its north coast is the Great Astralabe Reef, a famous night diving spot. Local airlines have daily return flights from Suva. A ferry operates from Suva on a regular basis.

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WIN

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HOW TO ENTER

@tntdownunder

Go to tntdownunder.com and click on the WIN page. See webpage for terms and conditions. Winners will be selected at random

WIN an amazing Fijian adventure for you and a mate To celebrate our special Fiji month, in which we will be exploring the various attractions of this gorgeous destination, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re giving our readers the chance to win a stack of awesome adventures. Whether you want to head to Fiji for a relaxing holiday spent idling in a hammock or an adrenalineďŹ lled skydiving and snorkelling romp, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got you covered. Fiji, of course, is renowned for its warm welcomes and friendly residents and our lucky winners will be able to enjoy Fijiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charms to the fullest, staying in the most comfortable, fun resorts on the mainland and the various islands.

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4/07/12 1:53 PM

NEWSWEIRD

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But getting it wrong is part of the job

FINE WEATHER AGAIN? YOU’RE FINED THE NETHERLANDS

Officials want to impose fines on forecasters who get the weather wrong.

Despite gloomy forecasts to the contrary, the Netherlands has been having unseasonably bright weather.

Joep Thonissen from Recron, a Dutch tourist attraction association, complained that forecasters who predicted bad weather are hurting the tourism industry.

“Last week it was good weather over most of the country but the weather forecasts were full of heavy rain, so people stayed home,” he said.

Tourist officials believe that the forecasters should pay as much attention to the good weather as they do the bad – and should be fined when they relay incorrect information to the public.

ALASKAN MAYOR ALWAYS LANDS ON FEET UNITED STATES

A cat is celebrating 15 years as mayor of the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska.

The feline is one of the longest-serving mayors in America.

The Alaskan locals thought the candidates running for mayor weren’t up to scratch so campaigned to get the cat, named Stubbs, an the honorary position after he was born.

Stubbs has around 1,000 friends on Facebook, which is more people than the population of the town (900).

The general store, which doubles up as Stubbs’ town hall, has attracted tourists from around the world.

“We probably have 30 to 40 people a day come in who are tourists wanting to

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Geek chic: Guests pile into this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego California.

It’s a happy place. Where even homeless geeks have a shot at getting laid

see him,” a female store worker said.

“He was just in the Alaska Magazine ne, and he’s been featured in a few different nt things,” she added.

SEX WORKERS ARE ES BENDING ROAD RULES NEW ZEALAND

More than 40 traffic signs have been en destroyed by prostitutes performing g pole-dances in the street to attract clients in New Zealand.

Traffic signs have been bent, buckled ed or broken in the past 18 months in one area rea of south Auckland.

Donna Lee, a member of the city council’s Otara-Papatoetoe board claims ms sex workers are damaging public property.

“Prostitutes use these (street sign poles) oles)

as dancing poles,” sshe claims.

“The poles are part of their soliciting equipment and they equip often snap them.

Some th of the prostitutes are big, prostit strong people,” she said. peopl One man, man who lives in an area of o town called Hunter’s Corners, says everybody everybod knows the area, thanks than to the local sex trade. ”We had tr a parcel delivered to us deliv recently and an the address was ‘Hooker’s Corner,’” ‘Hoo he said, said “and it found its way to us with no problems whatsoever.” wh

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS Temperature, in degrees Celsius, the Met Office is predicting the weather to “soar” to during the London Games

25 Taking Diablo 3’s secrets to the grave

Number of people who lined up mattresses to break the ‘mattress domino effect’ record in Shanghai

GAME PLAYER FORGETS TO RELOAD TAIWAN

A teenager has collapsed and died at an internet café after playing Diablo 3, an online video game, for 40 consecutive hours.

The 18-year-old male booked a private room at the café in Tainan, southern Taiwan and played for nearly two days without eating.

After two days an attendant entered the room and found the man resting on a table. When the attendant woke him, he stood, took a few steps and then collapsed.

He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital.

While the cause of death hasn’t been released, police speculated that long hours in a sedentary position created cardiovascular problems for the man.

This is the second death in Taiwan from playing video games this year.

HITLER’S DEATH BY CHOCOLATE WAS FOILED

Photos: Getty Images

GERMANY

Hitler planned to kill Winston Churchill with exploding chocolate according to secret wartime papers.

Nazi bomb-makers coated explosives with a thin layer of dark chocolate, packaged it in fancy gold wrapping paper and planned to have spies deliver them to Churchill – Hitler’s wartime enemy.

Within seven seconds of being unwrapped and tampered with, the chocolate would detonate and kill anyone within several metres of the explosion.

However, British agents foiled the plot and MI5 issued poster-size images of the chocolate to warn the public to look out for the explosive bars.

25,000

Price, in pounds, a former mortuary in England is expected to fetch in auction. The council want to turn it into a chalet

Amount, in dollars, Kazakh athletes will be given by the government for each gold medal they win at the Games

Dirk also had a weapon of mass seduction

1,001

195,000

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

AIRPORT GUARDS SEIZE MAN’S PACKAGE UNITED STATES

A man who owns the world’s longest penis (9 inches limp) was stopped by federal security agents, while flying from San Francisco to New York.

Jonah Falcon, 41, aroused suspicion when security guards at San Francisco International Airport spotted his bulging package. He was searched and even had powder sprinkled on his pants to check for explosives after his “very noticeable” manhood was mistaken for a weapon.

Mr Falcon told media “One of the guards asked if my pockets were empty and I said, ‘Yes. It’s my dick.’”

Mr Falcon is considered to have the world’s largest penis, although the Guinness Book of World Records does not record such achievements.

Apparently he loves a cougar. So I just lify fy about qualify P!nk reveals a crush h on cougar-chaser Harry Styles. At 32, she’s the st two same age as his last conquests.

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49

OUTSIDE THE FLAGS COMMENT: LEIGH LIVINGSTONE Twitter: LeighLiving

Everything about the show is fake

The Shire was shite – but what did you expect?

The outlook for the series looked bleak from the word “yeeeeew”

» Agree or disagree? Did you think The Shire was that bad? editor@tntdownunder.com

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We’re all pretty sick of hearing about Tom and Katie’s divorce. The big news this week is Tom reuniting with daughter Suri for the first time since the breakup was announced.

The popular belief is that Tom is a few screws short of a toolbox because of all of this Scientology business. Jumping on couches and playing aging rock stars doesn’t help matters.

Let’s be honest though, at the end of the day, he is a father who obviously loves his little girl as much as any father does.

“

Maybe it’s not that Maverick is mental

”

There are children out there who are a lot worse off than having a rich mother and father who buy them designer high heels.

Maybe it’s not that Maverick is mental.

Maybe he’s just a regular guy who happens to like getting married a lot and believes that one day, a spaceship will come and take him and his daughter to another dimension. It could really be that simple.

Photos: Getty Images

The first episode of The Shire ‘dramality’ series has aired and the reaction on social media was so overwhelming, it was a wonder the Internet didn’t implode.

I won’t deny it, I watched the whole dreadful thing (except for the times when I was trying to keep up with the constant stream of abuse about it on my Twitter feed) and it was indeed awful. But what was Australia expecting?

The debate around the water cooler (besides the widespread negative comments about the people in it) was all about trying to determine why it was so terrible. There were some really beautiful images over the Captain Cook Bridge, the golden, sandy beaches of Cronulla, and other sunshine-filled shots of people enjoying the good weather (who says Summer Bay is the only place that never rains). But the whole thing looked, and felt, so obviously staged that it was just plain awkward to watch.

Sometimes reality programs come along that are so incredibly bad that we love to watch the train wreck and the mere fact that we loathe it keeps it running. Where is the logic in that? Thankfully the ratings for The Shire were so average that I’m taking bets from friends about how long it will last. No one has gone past week three.

The section of the cast we were introduced to seemed to be collectively made up of strippers, surfers and wannabe rapstars. Who (if you believe the hype) have singlehandedly killed the property market in the Sutherland Shire. In fact most of the outrage has come from the fact that some of the cast apparently don’t even live in the Shire. The two plastic surgery loving, fake-tanned, bimbo’s named Sophie and Vernessa apparently live in Homebush together. I mean, Vernessa, really?!

If we truly want to end the monstrosity that is The Shire, then there is a little button on your TV set that will fix that. The power button.

TOM REALLY IS A NICE GUY, REALLY

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

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New Zealand is said to be the ultimate outdoor playground, so depending on what you’re into, SNOMAD can take you there.

SNOMAD will arrange all your ski lift passes, lessons, rental of equipment and clothing. They also provide all return transport, daily mountain shuttles, accommodation in a stunning alpine chalet, a personal host/ driver and breakfast to fuel you for an epic day on the mountain. So really, all you need to organize is your way to Wellington!

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SPORTNEWS

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NZ CAME FIRST FOR QPR MAN NELSEN OLYMPICS FOOTBALL

New Zealand Olympics football captain Ryan Nelsen’s says his recent signing with Shepherd’s Bush club QPR would not have happened if they hadn’t let him play at the Games.

“I said to them I refuse to sign any contract that wouldn’t let me go to the Olympics so I put it on Mark, he’s the manager, and said ‘no chance I’m not going to represent New Zealand’,” Nelsen (above) told Newstalk ZB. The New Zealand under-23 football team, known as the Oly-Whites, plays their first match against Belarus on Thursday.

SLEEPOVERS FOR GAMES COUPLE?

OLYMPICS SHOOTING Australian husband and wife Olympic shooters Russell and Lauryn Mark checked into separate rooms at the athletes’ village in London on the orders of Aussie Olympic officials.

But Russel Mark said he’d be sneaking in to see his wife at night during the Games and that she was fine with it.

Mark has claimed officials are punishing him for speaking out in support of athletes using sleeping pills, and because his wife has been pictured in a men’s magazine wearing a bikini and carrying a gun.

Australian officials have denied his claims.

STEFFENSEN MEDIA SPRAYS ‘MUST STOP’ OLYMPICS ATHLETICS

After becoming a target of John Steffensen’s Twitter tirade himself, Australia’s Olympic team boss Nick Green has warned the athlete to tone down his public grievances.

“If he continues to snipe away, we’ll

52

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In the green: Tiger Woods plays a shot from the rough during the Open Championship in Lytham St Annes, England. Either that or he’s serving some sort of roadside community service order and has forgotten his fluro orange vest

have to deal with it,” Green said.

Steffensen accused Green of not knowing the facts when the chef de mission said that he was disappointed with the 400m runner’s threat to boycott the Games and allegations that racism may have been behind his non-selection for the individual event in London.

“Nick green if your so disappointed why dnt you call me to find out the problem!! U talk to the media like u no the facts!! I dnt even no u!!” Steffensen wrote on twitter.

Earlier, Steffensen Triple M radio “We’ve seen the AFL deal with [racism] this year.

We’ve seen the NRL deal with it as well.

You’d be very naive and ignorant to think it doesn’t happen in other sports.”

Green says athletes are encouraged to use social media but must do so responsibly.

BIG WEEK FOR ...

Australia traditionally claims a lot of its medals in the pool and Alicia Coutts has a big first day.

Competing in both the women’s 100m butterfl flyy heats and potentially the he semi-finals. Then she’ll be competing in the women’s en’s 4X100m final. Because of this she’s been given a freee pass straight into the final’s team, and will be hoping to still have the energy to propel her er teammates to victory and start the games with gold. old.

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK The There’s T er two French handballers dressed only in socks, shoes, jockstraps, neckties and hats on top of a dining table, feeding one another lunch US soccer player Brandi Chastain tells ESPN about life in the Olympic Village

Main man: Patty Mills in action

PREVIEW Australia to open with a boom MENS BASKETBALL: AUSTRALIA V BRAZIL The Boomers, Australia’s men’s basketball team, are the second seeds in a group that contains England, China, Russia and this weekend’s opponents, Brazil The aim is to finish as high as they can, delaying a meeting with the goldmedal bound US until the last possible moment. Unfortunately, they’re missing ttheir main man Andrew Bogut, who’s out with injury, but keep an eye out for star w point guard Patty Mills, who was part of p

the San Antonio Spurs run to the western conference finals of the NBA and knows what big games are all about.

Coach Brett Brown, the assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has said Australia are aiming for a medal, so a top showing against Brazil, back in the Olympics for the first time since 1996 and who will trundle out NBA front-courters Nene, Verajao, and Splitter, will be crucial.

Have no doubt, Brazil will be tough, but Australia, as always, will back themselves.

Sunday 7:15pm Fox Sports 1

Photos: Getty Images

THE CHAT | The curse of the flagbearer all this I hear about the Australian Q What’s Olympic team being plagued by a curse?

Swimmer Ryan Lochte is planning a fun Olympics for himself. Why not?

I’’ve seen people having I’ve sex out in the open. On the grass, between buildings, people are ty getting down and dirty US soccer star Hope Solo remembers Beijing 2008. Those girls have seen a fair bit

TV HIGHLIGHTS

Australia, carrying the flag in the opening ceremony is A Inapproached with a degree of trepidation. And rightly so. In 2008, rower James Tomkin led the team out, but finished unplaced in the 8s final; sailor Colin Beashall finished 15th in the star class in 2004; 1992 had diver Jenny Donnet eliminated in the preliminary rounds; in 1988, hockey legend Ric Charlesworth was cruelly denied a medal as Australia were smoked by England in the semis; and in 1976 Raelene Boyle was disqualified after two false starts in the 200m. It could just be that they were all in the twilights, rather than the peaks of their careers, but special interest will be taken in whoever is out in front on Friday.

My M y llast Olympics, I had ag gi girlfriend – big mistake. Now I’m single, so London d should be really good

FOOTBALL Group games See New Zealand take on Egypt Sunday 8am, Fox Sports 1

AUSTRALIAN RULES Essendon v Hawthorn Tomkin in 2008

See the Bombers take on Hawks Friday 7.30pm. Fox Footy

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53

Vaulting vertigo Steve Hooker will need a miracle to defend his title WORDS TOM STURROCK

At the Beijing Olympics four years ago, Steve Hooker was one of Australia’s great surprise packets, coming from the clouds to win gold in the pole vault and break his country’s dry run in men’s track events. And, even for a period after the Olympics, Hooker looked invincible, winning at the 2009 World Championships and Commonwealth before being struck down by a dreaded case of the yips.

His horror stretch started with a knee injury and reached its nadir when fear set in and he simply couldn't jump.

Hooker, 30, hopes the toughest two years of his sporting life in London. But even he accepts that reward might not be an Olympic medal, let alone another gold.

The mental demons are clearing and the confidence is returning, but the defending champion seems resigned to just enjoying the experience of another Olympics.

“The last two years has been the toughest two years of my life in terms of my sport,” Hooker says. “That’s why I’m looking forward to London, that’s the outcome of all the effort and challenges I’ve had.

“I’m looking forward to enjoying the whole experience of going there because it’s going to be a big reward for what has really been a hard slog.”

That slog started with a knee injury in 2010 which kept him out of competition for six months and hit a low when he ran through his three attempts at 5.50 metres at the 2011 World Championships.

In the vault Australia's athletics team captain hadn’t cleared a height in major competition for over a year and when he finally did, it was a lowly 5.00m off a short run up in Adelaide in January this year.

So, the man whose 2009 leap of 6.06m is the second highest in history pulled out of the Australian domestic

54

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season. After taking success for granted for so long, his confidence was so shot Hooker retreated to a specially prepared indoor training facility in an old rail shed in Perth to start all over again.

Hitting the runway Hooker insists he trained harder in the two months at that facility than at any other time in his career. He was buoyant when the work paid off as he cleared the Olympic qualifying height of 5.72m at a special event there in May. “I haven’t stepped on the runway and felt like I owned it like I did tonight for two years," he said at the time.

With renewed confidence and a secure berth to London he immediately headed for Europe, where the progress has stalled dramatically.

Although Hooker says he's training well, he hasn't cleared anything higher than 5.42m in international competition this season, while his rivals are jumping beyond 5.90m. A month out from the Olympics, he says the thought of winning a medal is not a reality.

Indeed, Hooker’s showing at the London Diamond League meeting two weekends ago tells a tale. For years ago, he cleared 5.97m and, of course, went on to win a gold medal in Beijing. This year, he failed to clear a height, running through on two of his three attempts.

“It’s been hard, it’s been really hard,” he says. “Every day I turn up to training is a challenge.”

But, as tough as he admits it's been both physically and mentally, he's come a long way from feeling “lost on the runway” and is close to the mind-set he had when he won Olympic, world and Commonwealth titles between 2008-10.

“I feel like when I’m standing at the end of the runway I’ve got a lot more idea of what’s ahead of me,” he says. “I almost feel like I’m back thinking about similar things.

Steve Hooker

Renaud Lavillenie

“And that's the beginning. Getting that process right in my mind and getting the key messages I want in my head established and consistent. It’s probably more what happens after that, I'm building consistency but there can be slight variations from one jump to another

Photos: Getty Images

The path to success Hooker’s first coach Mark Stewart says he's seen many pole vaulters’ careers destroyed by a loss of confidence. At least Hooker has fought to ensure he hasn't gone down that path and to qualify for the Olympics is an achievement itself after the depths to which he’d plumbed.

But now he needs to find 50 extra centimetres if he's to be any chance of contending for a medal. He's not fazed watching Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie clear 5.97m and German Bjorn Otto jump 5.92m at the European championships a few weeks ago. In fact, he’s gracious.

“One of the great pole vault comps of all-time today in Helsinki. Congrats to Renaud and Bjorn! Amazing to watch!!!," he tweeted.

He's focusing on himself as he builds toward using bigger poles, working on being more relaxed in his run up and easing his grip.

“The competition is the litmus test. Training’s going fine, what I want is a couple of better results in competition,” he says. “The answer is going to come as I move along the next month and as I go through these competitions.”

The ultimate answer will come on August 8 when Hooker lines up for the qualifying round at the Olympic Stadium, no longer invincible, but not giving up either.

“I’m not giving up on it,” he says. “I’m going to go out and fight the whole time. I am going to continue to put in the effort. It's just a matter of keep ticking it over, staying optimistic and anything can happen." ❚

Michael Watt

ONE THE BRIGHT SIDE NOT SUCH A LONG SHOT If Steve Hooker can best be regarded as a dark horse in the pole vault, Australians can take consolation from the sparkling form of long jumper Mitchell Watt, who wasn’t even on the scene four years ago.

Watt was a freakishly talented schoolboy athlete but lost interest in track and field during his teens, instead turning his hand to Australian rules and rugby union.

Eventually, the 24-year-old was coaxed back to track and field, and travelled to the 2009 World Championships, where, at his first major international competition, he came home with a bronze medal. Two years later, at the World Championships in Berlin, he claimed the silver medal and now heads to London as the man to beat in the long jump. At the Diamond League meeting two weekends ago, Watt produced a season's best of 8.28 metres to claim victory and remain undefeated in 2012.

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OZLISTINGS TRAVEL AGENTS Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com Backpackers World Travel 1800 997 325 backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 669 424, peterpans.com.au 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

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

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

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

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

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

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

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 The Rock Tour Red centre tours 1800 246 345, therocktour.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

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

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

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

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

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

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Topdeck Tours covering all of Oz 1300 886 332, topdeck.travel

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

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Backpacker Campervan Rentals 1800 767 010, backpackercampervans.com.au Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au Explore More Rentals 1800 708 309, exploremore.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 Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

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TRANSPORT CO Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia. 13 20 30, greyhound.com.au Jetstar Airline.

131 538, jetstar.com.au Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast.

13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline.

13 13 13, qantas.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

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com

Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania.

03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au

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

Virgin Australia Airline.

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Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street. Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au

Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000

Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com

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

KATE MILLER-HEIDKE Metro Theatre. Aug 23. $49.95 The songstress is back to transport us into the world of soothing tones, and introspective lyrics that is her new album Nightflight.

George St Sydney

SYDNEY STAY Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD. 02 9267 7718 stayatbase.com Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9267 7718 bighostel.com

ticketek.com.au 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

Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross.

02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com

Lochner’s Guesthouse 8 Gowrae Ave. Bondi.

02 9387 2162, Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee.

04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au

Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com

Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee. 02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com

The Metro metrotheatre.com.au

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

Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach.

02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au

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

“ N O W I N - N O PAY ” All driving, criminal, violence and alcohol related offences.

sydney city solicitors Incorporating Shearman Lawyers

CONTACT (02) 8084 5707 or 0412 333 860 or ds@shearmanlawyers.com.au

BLUE MTNS

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

Blue Mountains YHA 207 Katoomba St, Katoomba.

02 4782 1416, yha.com.au

CENTRAL COAST Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle.

02 4925 3544, yha.com.au Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal.

02 4384 1919, yha.com.au Skydive Central Coast Warnervale. skydivethecentralcoast.com.au

BYRON BAY

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

Manly Surf School Manly Beach.

02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com

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

Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au

Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net

My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

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

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane.

1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com

Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com

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

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

Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

Sydney Tower and Skytour 100 Market St, CBD. sydneyskytour.com.au Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

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Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au Sydney Wildlife World

Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com The Annandale annandalehotel.com The Enmore enmoretheatre.com.au

Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au

Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills.

02 9261 1111

Compensation for recreational activities gone wrong.

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

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Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee.

02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au

Assaulted by bouncers, hotel staff or drunken patrons.

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com

Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross.

1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au

City Resort Hostel

Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

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

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Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, bunkbrisbane.com.au The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm.

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

SUNSUPER RIVERFIRE 2012 South Bank. Brisbane. Sep 29. Free The 2012 Brisbane Festival closes with a bang as Riverfire’s iconic fireworks display gets set to light up the Brisbane sky.

South Bank Parklands

BRISBANE STAY Aussie Way Backpackers 34 Cricket St. 07 3369 0711, aussiewaybackpackers.com Banana Bender Backpackers 118 Petrie Terrace.

07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com

brisbanefestival.com.au 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.

BRISBANE DO Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah. 07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Gallery of Modern Art 07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing. Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point.

07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point.

1300 254 627,

storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au XXXX Ale House Brewery tours.

Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.

07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com.au

GOLD COAST 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

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

Coolangatta Kirra Beach YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga.

07 5536 76442, yha.com.au

Get Wet Surf School 07 5532 9907

Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au

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

Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise.

1800 074 393, islander.com.au Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise.

1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au

Seaworld seaworld.com.au

Warener Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au Zorb 07 5547 6300

SUNSHINE CST Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba.

1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com

IN FOCUS

AIRLIE BEACH The gateway to the Whitsunday’s, Airlie Beach is a one-stop shop for all things holiday. Whether you’re after a luxurious retreat, or a budget party town, Airlie caters to all flavours. Jump onto any one of the numerous boats departing daily for day trips to the Great Barrier Reef and overnight adventures to one of the Whitsunday’s many tranquil islands. If snorkelling isn’t your thing, join the throng of chilled out sunbakers around the town’s central man-made lagoon that spans the length of the esplanade. The fun doesn’t set with the sun, with the esplanade coming to life after dark as tanned bodies pack the party strips’ wine bars, backpackers and pubs, guaranteeing a party every night of the week.

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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Nomads Noosa 44 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads.

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TOWN OF 1770

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

Beach end of Herbert St. 07 4786 3433 bowenbackpackers.net

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RAINBOW BEACH

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

Adventurers Resort 79 Palmer St. 1800 211 522, adventurersresort.com

Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111 126, dingosresort.com

1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

Adrenalin Dive Yongala diving.

07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com.au

Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com

AIRLIE BEACH airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

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Airlie Beach YHA 394 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 247 251, yha.com.au

Brisbane Riverstage. December 12. $79.90 The man formally known as Wally De Backer is bringing a 10-piece orchestra as he tours nationally at the end of the year.

Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677

Brisbane CBD

Backpackers by the Bay 12 Hermitage Dr. 1800 646 994, backpackersbythebay.com

ticketmaster.com.au

woolshedbackpackers.com Next at Hervey Bay 10 Bideford St. 1800 102 989, nextbackpackers.com.au Nomads Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade.

1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Palace Backpackers 184 Torquay, 1800 063 168, palaceadventures.com.au

FRASER ISLAND Eurong Beach Resort 07 4120 1600, eurong.com.au Palace Adventures 184 Torquay St, Hervey Bay, 1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au

BUNDABERG Federal Backpackers 221 Bourbong St. 07 4153 3711 federalbackpackers.com.au Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166 Bundaberg Bondstore Distillery tours.

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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

BOWEN Bowen Backpackers

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 Hotel Arcadia 7 Marine Pde, Arcadia Bay. 07 4778 5177 magnetic-island.com/arc-rsrt.htm Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

MISSION BEACH Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au

Y PLACE TO BE! THE ONL

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AYR NORTH QUEENSLAND

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CAIRNS STAY

cairns.ajhackett.com Pro Dive 07 4031 5255 prodivecairns.com

Bohemia Central Cairns 100 Sheridan St. 1800 558 589, bohemiacentral.com.au

Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting.

07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au

Bohemia Resort Cairns 231 McLeod St. 1800 155 353, bohemiaresort.com.au

Skydive Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com. au JJ’s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com NJoy Backpackers Hostel Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au Nomads Beach House 239 Sheridan St. 1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com

CAIRNS DO AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging.

1800 622 888

GREAT BARR IER REEF MAR INE PARK

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

INNISFAIL Innisfail Budget Backpackers Worker’s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 7833 Walkabout Motel & Backpackers 07 4061 2311

heart of the reef Airlie Beach QUEENSLAND

T HE WHI TSUNDAY IS L ANDS

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G R E AT B AR R I E R R EE F ADV EN T U R ES ES

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2 DAYS 1 NIGHT B AR E F O OT L A Z Y DA Z E

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plus heaps of other great packages 3-6 days

KEITH BARRY LIVE The world’s leading TV mentalist and brain hacker Keith Barry is on his way down under for a whirlwind tour set to get into people’s heads. TNT Magazine is giving you the chance to get up close and personal with the dashingly handsome Irishman during this tour. We are giving away double passes to his shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in August. To win, just email alex@tntdownunder.com and tell us a secret!

info@awesomeoz.com www.awesomeoz.com prices only available on presentation of a valid Student, Peterpans, YHA, ISIC, VIP * Backpacker or NOMADS card. Valid for travel until 31 March 2013. Conditions apply, see our website for details.

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All day cruises and packages depart daily from Airlie Beach. For info and bookings see your travel centre or contact us: FREECALL1800 awesome

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Stay. Play. Melbourne.

$20 Maximum 4 bed dormitories with linen and towel

Beds from $20 per night Monday to Thursday *Subject to availability

e),

FREE all you can eat breakfast (cereal, toast and juice), weekly meal, rice and pasta, tea and coffee FREE in room oversized locker with personal power point 5 minute walk to city Large bar with big screen (all major sporting events shown) Drink specials at the bar Public transport on doorstep

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

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

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 Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au Nomads Melbourne

MORNINGTON

MELB MUSIC

Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie.

03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au

Cherry Bar myspace.com/cherrybarmelbourne

Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697, exfordhotel.com.au

The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane.

1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au

Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com

Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com

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

Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au

portcampbellhostel.com.au

03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au

Corner Hotel cornerhotel.com East Brunswick Club eastbrunswickclub.com

EIFFEL 56 + N-TRANCE Palace Theatre. Sept 20. $52.60 The Nineties are well and truly back as these two bands from the end of the decade step back in time for the Stayin’ Blue tour.

Bourke St, Melbourne

ticketek.com.au

Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento.

03 5984 4323, yha.com.au

Esplanade Hotel espy.com.au Northcote Social Club northcotesocialclub.com

Tortoise Head Lodge French Island.

03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

Palace Theatre palace.com.au The Hi-Fi thehifi.com.au

198 A’beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com Space Hotel 380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, hotelspencer.com

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square.

03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au

Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. 13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St.

The Tote thetotehotel.com

DANDENONG

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,

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

ST KILDA The ultimate Melbourne beach-side suburb, St Kilda boasts all the hip cafes, bars boutiques that make Melbourne oh-so-cool, then tops it all off with some killer views and relaxing vibes.

Check out the St Kilda Esplanade Markets on Sundays and stroll the side streets for live music and rustic feeds. While the cold Melbourne winters may normally have swimmers shying away from the beach, the St Kilda Sea Baths provide heated indoor pools right on the waters edge for soothing dips all year-round. With Luna Park Melbourne lighting up the boardwalk, and St Kilda’s iconic local, Hotel Esplanade, keeping true to the grunge rock of Melbourne culture – St Kilda beats to it’s own drum.

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

KATHERINE STAY

DON’T MISS

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road.

1800 501 984, big4.com.au

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

KATHERINE DO

Gecko Lodge 146 Mitchell St. 1800 811 250, geckolodge.com.au

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

DARWIN DO Crocosaurus Cove Crocodile park and cage of death. 58 Mitchell St. 08 8981 7522, crocosauruscove.com Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront.

08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

ALICE DO Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive.

08 8951 8788, alicespringsdesertpark.com.au

Airborne Solutions Scenic helicopter flights.

08 8972 2345 airbornesolutions.com.au

Frogshollow Backpackers 27 Lindsay St. 1800 068 686, frogs-hollow.com.au

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

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

Alice Springs Reptile Centre Meet and hold lizards.

9 Stuart Terrace.

08 8952 8900, reptilecentre.com.au

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

WASHINGTON Darwin Turf Club. Aug 6. From $30 Teaming up with Kate Miller-Heide for a powerhouse concert full of indie-pop and folk sounds, a rare treat for Territory music lovers.

Gardens Road, Darwin 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

seatadvisor.com.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

TENNANT CREEK Tourist Rest Leichardt St. 08 8962 2719, touristrest.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

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

Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive.

1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au

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

Noelia Alvarez, Spain WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SO FAR? Darwin and Katherine so far FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? I loved the waterfalls in Kakadu National Park for the combination of the waterfalls and the beach in the forest is amazing AND NIGHT SPOT? The sites where we put our tents up, that was perfect for bbq and campfire

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One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge.

1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au 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

DON’T MISS

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

CERTIFIED MALE Regal Theatre, Perth. Aug 17-26. From $59 Certified Male invites Aussie audiences to join three corporate executives on their hilarious tropical adventure.

Subiaco, Perth

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

ticketek.com.au 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

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

08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au 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

BOOK NOW PARKLIFE Wellington Square. Oct 1. From $123 It’s the festival that kicks off the season and the line-up includes The Presets, Robyn, Plan B, Chiddy Band, Passion Pit and more.

East Perth

ticketmaster.com.au

PERTH MUSIC 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

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

FREMANTLE The hub of Western Australia’s arts and culture, the city of Fremantle is only a short 20km south of Perth. Established in 1829, Fremantle was the port to the Swan River Colony and for a long time was the major city in WA. Its strong heritage can be seen in its colonial architecture, with the city’s picturesque streets adding to its charm. With a strong focus on arts and music, Fremantle plays host to festivals all year round. From the Fremantle Street Art festival to the Hidden Treasure- Fremantle Winter Music Series festival, there is always something happening to keep the locals and tourists busy.

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

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

FREO DO

WORD FROM THE STREET

MONKEY MIA

Fremantle Markets 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au

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

Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace.

08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

NINGALOO REEF Blue Reef Backpackers 3 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth 1800 621 101, aspenparks.com.au

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

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

Rottnest Express 1300 Go Rotto rottnestexpress.com.au

Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth.

08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

MARGARET RIV

BROOME STAY

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

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

Karin Leesmann, Estonia

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

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN IN WA? The Nullarbor Plain, Perth, Broome and The Kimberley FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? The Ningaloo Reef. First time snorkelling! It was an amazing experience and great location FAVOURITE NIGHT SPOT? Northbridge. There’s places for every taste in music and free BBQs every night

FREO DO Fremantle Markets 08 9335 2515,

Metro Inn Albany

Aspen Parks Begin your re today...

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Wa

Brisbane

Sa Perth

Nsw Sydney

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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 Myall Grove Holiday Park 1800 356 103 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 Maiden’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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TASLISTINGS HOBART STAY

LAUNCESTON DO

BOOK NOW

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

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

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

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

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

DEVONPORT City Hall, Hobart. Aug 11. From $45 The boys from the hood are hopping over Bass Strait to treat Tassie with the sounds of their #1 Platinum album Drinking from the Sun.

HOBART DO

Macquarie Street, Hobart

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

Salamanca Markets Every Saturday, Salamanca Place. salamanca.com.au Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 5 Argyle St. tmag.com.au

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

HILLTOP HOODS

Cascade Brewery 140 Cascade Rd. 03 6224 1117 cascadebreweryco.com.au Mt Wellington Descent Bike tours. 03 6274 1880 mtwellingtondescent.com.au

Cataract Gorge launcestoncataractgorge.com.au 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

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

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

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CRADLE DO Devils at Cradle Tassie devil sanctuary. 3950 Cradle Mountain Rd. 03 6492 1491. devilsatcradle.com Overland Track Six-day walk parks.tas.gov.au

FREYCINET Iluka Backpackers YHA Reserve Rd. 03 6257 0115, yha.com.au Freycinet National Park Brewery, Wineglass Bay camping. 03 6256 7000, wineglassbay.com

BICHENO

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

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

Bicheno Backpackers 11 Morrison St. 03 6375 1651, bichenobackpackers.com Bicheno Penguin Tours 03 6375 1333, bichenopenguintours.com.au

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

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

STRAHAN DO Four Wheelers Henty Sand Dunes quadbike tours. 04 1950 8175, 4wheelers.com.au Water by Nature Extreme multiday whitewater rafting. 1800 111 142, franklinrivertasmania.com

WORD FROM THE STREET

PEACE OUT

Photo: Tourism Tasmania

CRADLE MOUNTAIN

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Take a trip back in time to the untouched wilderness of Tasmania’s famous Cradle Mountain.

Located in Lake St Claire National Park, Cradle Mountain is surrounded by ancient rainforests, alpine heathlands and pristine beaches. Home to the famous 6-day Overland Track, Cradle Mountain offers a huge range of bushwalking tracks and adventures. For those with limited time or stamina enjoy the brisk 2-hour Dove Lake Loop track and take in the clear waters of Dove Lake. Those who like a challenge can tackle the 65km overland track and amble through the glacially carved gullies and fragrant forests, with scenic stops at waterfalls and mountain summits. Or why not treat yourself to a luxurious getaway at Cradle Mountain Lodge, complete with a spa and fine dining.

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Jan Prochazka, Sweden WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SO FAR? We went with the ferry from Melbourne overnight to Devonport on the north side of the island.

From there we drove for 6 days, with stops at several National Parks, including Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair and Wineglass Bay FAVOURITE DAY SPOT? Hard to pick! Watching the sunset over Bay of Fires is hard to beat though NIGHT SPOT? A local bar/brewery next to the visitor’s center in Hobart: free samplings of scotch, apperitifs and liquor, as well as the friendly Tasmanian atmosphere!

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ADELAIDE STAY

DON’T MISS

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

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

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

KANGAROO IS

Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au 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 My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

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

08 8300 3800 cricketsa.com.au

1 Oliver St. 1800 633 891, radekadownunder.com.au

MUMFORD & SONS Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide. Oct 15. $89 The folk kings are back with their little lion man to placate the hipsters and launch their new album, set for release in September.

Port Rd, Hindmarsh

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

bass.net.au

BAROSSA VAL Barossa Backpackers 9 Basedow Road Tanunda.

08 8563 0198, barossabackpackers.com.au

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

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

Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw.

08 8553 1344 yha.com.au

Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims.

08 8626 5017 bairdbay.com

Vivonne Bay Lodge 66 Knofel Drive, Vivonne Bay 13 13 01 seaink.com.au

Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au

RIVERLAND Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri.

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

08 8584 5646, harvesttrail.com.au Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray.

1800 665 166, nomadsworld.com Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

FLEURIEU PENIN

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 Angorichina Tourist Village 08 8648 4842, angorichinavillage.com.au Wilpena Pound Resort Wilpena Rd. 08 8648 0004, wilpenapound.com.au

GREENER PASTURES

CLARE VALLEY

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Photo: SATC

Just two hours north of Adelaide lays a pristine country retreat, and world renown wine region, the Clare Valley. Known for producing some of the finest Riesling in the world, the valley is home to some of Australia’s best boutique wineries. Visitors can stay in the main town of Clare, or one of the many chic bed and breakfasts nestled amongst the vineyards. Hire a bicycle and take a ride along the 35km Riesling trail, where you can stop off at the numerous cellar doors spotted along the way for some tasting and gourmet treats. A popular destination for working holidays, the scenic vineyards play host to hundreds of backpackers who descend on the town throughout vintage to work and play.

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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

Rental Car Village +64 9376 9935, hire-vehicles.co.nz Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv

Nakedbus.com 0900 62533, nakedbus.com

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

Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz

Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz Backpacker Campervan & Car Rentals +800 200 80 801, backpackercampervans.com

Auckland International Backpackers (BBH) 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584,

Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.nz

Base Auckland 229 Queen St. 0800 227 369, stayatbase.com

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

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.

Backpacking just got easy as.

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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

WHEN YOU

JOIN YHA

yha.co.nz

Get paid to holiday!

Make the most of your Aussie travel experience.

Western Australia’s Challenger Institute of Technology offers a selection of hospitality short courses that will get you qualified and working in no time at all!

No need to give up long days at the beach. Challenger short courses are run on weekends or weeknights for minimum disruption to your itinerary.

CTA1612_Jan

These industry-relevant courses are run by highly qualified lecturers in a hands-on training environment.

Challenger Institute of Technology located in Western Australia is the preferred choice for more than 25,000 students studying a diverse range of careers, courses and subjects.

INTERESTED? Visit www.challenger.wa.edu.au or email stephne.ceicys@challenger.wa.edu.au

TROYS HOSPITALITY is Sydney’s leading hospitality employment agency, providing staff of the highest calibre to the Hospitality Industry since 1974. Whether you are looking for the right staff to fill temporary or fulltime positions such as chefs, Salad Hands, Kitchen Hands, Catering Assistant, event staff or whether you are in search of employment call Troys who will cater to your needs.

OUR TROY’S PEOPLE ARE OUR BIGGEST ASSET.

Working with Troys you can expect that you will have regular work with some of Sydney’s most reputable hospitality venues, events and establishments. We currently have work available for experienced and Qualified Chefs and Kitchen professionals, in a wide variety of establishments throughout Sydney.

YOU WILL HAVE; For Chefs, Trade Qualifications and a minimum 2yrs post - apprenticeship experience • A valid Driver’s License and your own transport is an advantage • Professional attitude • Good Communication • Willingness to travel • Your own uniform For Kitchen staff, Food preparation experience • Experience in clearing tables and wash up • A TAFE Workplace Hygiene (Food Handlers) Certificate, equivalent or a willingness to acquire a certificate • A valid Driver’s License and your own transport is an advantage • Good Communication • Willingness to travel • Your own uniform IN RETURN YOU WILL BE: • Become a member of a great team of hospitality professionals • Able to work flexible hours to suit your availability For the highest quality hospitality staffing solutions or for job opportunities call (02) 9290 2955 to speak to a Troys consultant AND if applying for work please email your resume to info@troys.com.au

TROYS. Hospitality Staff you can trust.

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71

OZWORK

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Trading places Skilled or unskilled, there are plenty of jobs in Oz for those in the trades industry. We look at the options for you travelling tradies

Whether it’s skyscrapers in Sydney or townhouses in Tully, qualified tradespeople are almost certain to land a job while in the land Down Under.

You don’t have to walk the streets of any Aussie city for long to realise how many building sites there are.

As a result, qualified tradesmen are in high demand in Oz. But you’ll want to know what qualifications are required...

“Most of our positions don’t require any formal qualifications, but there are some that require trades qualifications such as carpentry apprenticeships,” says Roger Johnson, company director at Infront Staffing.

If you are considering work on a construction site you’ll need to get a White Card. But don’t despair as most agencies will explain how to go about it.

“We currently conduct the OHS White Cards (also known

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as the OHS Green Card) which enables individuals to work on building and construction sites in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria,” says Johnson.

To get the card you must attend a one day course in your nearest city. This will normally set you back around $110.

But what other qualities do you need to secure that dream job? Hays regional director of construction Shane Little tells us that if you are “reliable, efficient, hard-working and loyal,” you can’t go wrong.

Last, but certainly not least, what income can you expect?

“Skilled individuals with good experience can earn over $26/hr. Individuals with lesser skill and experience may earn around $18,“ says Johnson.

Not too bad. So perhaps it’s time to jump off that builder’s bum of yours and secure a job.

If nothing else, at least you’ll be working on your tan.

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Tiffany’s has Sydney’s largest selection of immaculately groomed, stunning girls who are specialists in the art of making a man feel totally at ease and relaxed. Easily found in a peaceful central location, spread over five large terraces, Tiffany’s boasts a number of beautifully appointed self-contained spas, double bedrooms and private waiting lounges.

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73

TOTALLYTRIVIAL

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MYTHBUSTERS STRANGER THAN FICTION?

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

ROADTRIPPING

b) Mad Max c) Priscilla d) Ned Kelly

a) Catherine Gregson c) Enid Lyons

b) Nancy Bird d) Edith Cowan

Q 5. What is Australia’s most westerly town? a) Perth c) Denham

b) Dunsborough d) Margaret River

SUDOKU PUZZLE 2

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7 2

ANAGRAM-ARAMA

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was the big break for which Hollywood heartthrob? a) George Clooney b) Ryan Reynolds c) Brad Pitt d) Johnny Depp

“BOOZE BUS”

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Is Wolf Creek really a true story?

Despite claiming to be “based on true events”, the film Wolf Creek wasn’t strictly true. However, the movie undoubtedly took inspiration from some real life Aussie horror stories. Most similar is that of Ivan Milat, who was jailed in 1996 for killing seven travellers and dumping their bodies in Belanglo State Forest, south-west of Sydney. The travellers had been repeatedly shot, stabbed or sexually molested. Milat was captured after two lucky escapees came forward with evidence. They’d both independently been picked up

by Milat, but did a runner. The killer shot at them, but missed.

Q 9. Roadtrip film Thelma and Louise

1

7

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b) Broken Hill d) Alice Springs

a) 850km b) 3,880km c) 2,500km d) 1,140km

movie Road Trip? a) Seth Rogen b) Tom Green c) Jerry Seinfeld d) Ellen Degeneres

8

town is known as the ‘capital Q 7.of Which the Outback’?

How many kilometres is the roadtrip Q 8.between Sydney and Melbourne?

Q 4. Which comedian features in the

3

Q

6. What’s the name of the narrator in Jack Kerouac’s book On The Road? a) Mal Paridiso b) Jack Holiday c) Neal Cassady d) Sal Paradise

a) Darwin c) Dubbo

was the first woman Q 3.to Who drive around Australia?

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Q 2.a)Who Kevin Rudd

OF THE

ANSWERS: 1. d 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. c 6. d 7. b 8. d 9. c

Q

1. What is Australia’s longest highway? a) Pacific b) Bruce c) Great Northern d) Stuart

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