TNT Australia 727 by TNT MAGAZINE

29 July - 11 August 2013 Issue 727 tntdownunder.com

WIN

g a stunnin s y a d n whitsu e g a pack for two

capital city A slick trip to innovative Canberra

the other ashes The Aussies and Poms’ real rivalries

d l o g r o f g n i go

rair ! ts with Tige h ig fl in w d s an pack Award k c a B n e ld o ay in the G Have your s + news & sport what’s on

film reviews travellers’ tIPS

d n a l s i o o kangar r u o t e r u t adven 2 Days / 1 night

Vote for us unde r ‘Favour ite Sout h Australi Hint: en an Tour ter ‘KI A /Activit dventur Go to k y’ e Tours’ iadvent uretour s.com.a u to vot e now!

’s 18-3t5raveller) r o f r d ou t KI t spirite ur o • Bers for the ney t (o o ls m r mea d ue fo l n e a a V • tion esom usive a l w d c a o n i d an mm • All acco e, wildlife t a e tur • Gr dvecnenery a , n • Fu tural s na

TO BOOK:

Untitled-38 1

Call +61 8 8202 8678 Visit kiadventuretours.com.au email bookings@kiadventuretours .com.au or your local Travel Agent

23/07/13 8:30 AM

Alex Harmon EDITOR editor@tntdownunder.com

EDITOR’S LETTER If you’ve just arrived you probably don’t know about the Golden Backpack Awards, but if you do any travel while you’re here, you’ll soon hear. It’s basically the Oscars for the backpacking industry, except instead of Seth MacFarlane and lots of tears, we’ve got Dr Karl Kennedy and lots of booze. It’s voted by you travellers so expect everybody to be really nice to you for the next nine weeks. Happy travels!

THIS issue oz Diary

Food + drink

Gigs

Pub

Chatroom

Film

Lifestyle

News 26 Opinion

Sport 30 Travel

Hot Shots

win

weekender 62 listings Australia 68 listings new zealand 86 work 88 trivial pursuits

Features Ashes to Ashes

Don’t care about cricket? Good, because we’ve got the other Ashes

North and East

The Golden Backpacks are on their way so we look at the best of Qld and NT

That’s Capital!

Everyone’s really mean about Canberra but we disagree. Capital city rocks!

On a knife edge

We went to beautiful Honduras and did lots of fun things... Well, mostly fun

64 tntdownunder.com

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ozDIARY Editorial Editor Alex Harmon Deputy Editor Hugh Radojev Contributors Michael Gadd, Andrew Westbrook Interns Rory Platt, Kat Bannon

@tnt_downunder

Metallic balloons and gas masks... A tad weird

Design and production Design and production manager Lisa Ferron Sales Account manager Justin Steinlauf Marketing and events executive Georgina Pengelly marketing & events Business development manager Tom Wheeler distribution Lee Sutherland accounts Financial controller Trish Bailey

main event DARwin Festival: THIS Territory life festival park/george’s green, darwin

Born from the destruction and devastation of Cyclone Tracy, this year’s festival is an 18-day celebration and exploration of life in the Territory. The diverse program of 85 events includes music, theatre, comedy, opera, dance, visual arts, family activities and amazing eateries. It brings to life charming yarns from across Australia, international stars from Asia and beyond, and explores vital stories from the Territory’s cultural heart. Many of the events are free and held at the city’s two main hubs: Festival Park and George’s Green. 8 – 25 August, Darwin

darwinfestival.org.au

sales enquiries Phone 02 8332 7511 Email tom@tntdownunder.com Where to get TNT

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

byron bay writers’ festival

possible worlds film festival

Wax Wars at name this bar

Mingle with Australian writing’s cream of the crop in the amazing surroundings of Bryon Bay. With an easy, relaxed feeling to the festival, take advantage of the array of lunches, dinners, interviews and readings this weekend has to offer.

In its eighth year, the Possible Worlds Film Festival makes a welcome return showcasing 20 new feature films, 10 from Canada and – for the first time ever – 10 from America. The best films in both categories are to be judged by an all-female panel.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good turntablist battle? Ultra-cool Oxford Street venue Name This Bar are putting on Wax Wars. Every Thursday night two up and coming Djs will go head to head in three short rounds. The winner will be crowned on August 15th.

August 2–4 Byron Bay, NSW byronbaywritersfestival.com

August 8-18 Sydney possibleworlds.net.au

27 June – 15 August Taylor Square, Sydney waxwars.com.au

$110

Free

Image: Getty

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.

TBA

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Take a look at our latest deals at www.imoova.com

HOT DEAL

Byron Bay or Brisbane to Sydney from $5 per day with a free fuel allowance

imoova.com

To book or enquire call 1300 789 059 (toll free) or email info@imoova.com for more information standby_727.indd 01_727p3-19 A&E upfront.indd 1 5

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eats + drinks ocean room, sydney

[Caption]

Restaurant review by Alex Harmon

Imagine sitting in the shadows of the Harbour Bridge with the lights of the Opera House creating a spotlight on your table as you sip on cocktails and watch the ferries meander into the Quay. It’s the kind of Sydney experience you’ve probably dreamt about. Save you pennies, this is one truly dizzying experience. The grub Calling it grub is an affront to what these chefs create. They’re serving up works of art, fresh from the ocean and onto your plate. The eight course tasting menu showcases their modern Japanese signature items and will set you back $95. Items like the freshest Sydney rock oysters, silky yellow fin tuna, sweet miso dressed cod and the impressively tactile quinoa coated tiger prawn. Everything is presented with flair, with a detailed explanation and even a suggestion of which utensil to use. It’s a dramatic performance that only heightens the taste of the food. Behind the bar Loads of contemporary sake, but you should really go for the championed cocktail list. The Nippon Mojito $20 [pictured] is a Tokyo-inspired take on the classic with the sweet potato shochu adding a sugary kick. For something less sweet, try the Blood Orange and Plum Sour $20, a whiskey soaked citrus delight. Bill please For a degustation with stunning harbour views it’s actually quite reasonable. The panorama of the Sydney Harbour will have your senses drunk. verdict Perfect for anniversary dinners, birthdays or impressing that special someone. If you only have one night left in Sydney, put it on your bucket list! THE SCENE

Circular Quay West, The Rocks Sydney

3 of the best ramen places in sydney 6

theoceanroom.com

Menya Ramen

Ryo’s

Tenkomori

Big servings and big flavour means that Menya Raymen never disappoints. Sure you can get a rice based dish, but with such a dizzying array of ramens on offer why would you bother? The delicious Tonkotsu (pork) flavoured ramen is really where it’s at. If you’re super hungry you can order a double serving of noodles too.

While this place is in Crows Nest (and thus a massive trek from anywhere decent and civilised) this place is definitely worth the trip. The queue out the door most nights a week is a good indication of the quality of Ryo’s brothy fare. The Shoyu (soy sauce) flavoured spare rib ramen is – quite literally – worth killing for!

Regent Place has had a bit of a Japanese themed gastronomical overhaul of late and it’s now a veritable noodle mecca for hungry citizens in the city. The base ramens here are really cheap and you can add all manner of awesome little extras like kimchi, rich potato salad and prawn gyozas. They’ve even got a little miso dispenser!

menya.com.au

125 Falcon St, North Sydney

regentplace.com.au

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BITE SIZE

Chimmi’s–changa The Eastern is dead, long live the new Eastern. Chimmi’s is one of the four new places taking over the various levels of this old Bondi Junction den of iniquity. What do you need to know? Well, for starters it’s a rum bar, and who doesn’t love rum? They also have a killer selection of Cuban and other South/Central American cigars. We’ve always said that Bondi Junction needed a cigar bar! theeastern.com.au

Blinded by Science Named in honour of a Victorian Englishman with a penchant for studying plants, The Botanist Kirribilli put on a weekend brunch the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else, certainly not in the colonies anyway. Brunch staples like eggs, salmon and bread are all there, but they’ve been jazzed up. Brunch chorizo tacos and a Bloody Botanist are only one of many combos to sample and savour. thebotanist.com.au

Walk the Grounds This new Alexandria cafe is basically a self sustaining farm, right in the heart of Sydney’s inner west. The Grounds of Alexandria is at once a top notch coffee joint, a pizza bar, a herb garden and a happy home for a number of live chickens whose fresh, organic eggs never go to waste. groundsroasters.com

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gigLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

livenation.com.au Seth Sentry Free Union Jack Hotel, Cairns sethsentry.com

friday 2 Spin Off Festival $120 + bf The Barton, Adelaide spinoffadelaide.com.au You Am I $50 Newcastle Panthers premier.ticketek.com.au

DON’T MISS! Karnivool’s ‘Asymmetry’ Tour National tour, July 30 – Aug 11. Prices vary Ian Kenny, of Birds of Tokyo fame has released a new album with his other band Karnivool and they’re off on a national tour.

National tour

karnivool.com.au Paul Kelly $79.90 Lake Kawana Community Centre, Sunshine Coast livenation.com.au

monday 29 Frank Ocean $84.90 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au

Fidlar $40 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney moshtix.com.au

Fidlar $35 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au

thursday 1

tuesday 30 Darwin Deez $45 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au Alt J $71.80 Festival Hall, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au Passion Pit $78.60 Palace Theatre, Melbourne bigdayout.com/passionpit

wednesday 31 Alt J $71.80 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au

Jackie Onassis $15.30 Alahmbra, Brisbane tickets.oztix.com.au Oscar Key Sung $15 + bf Goodgod Small Club, Sydney moshtix.com.au

saturday 3 Dialectrix $15 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au Of Monsters and Men $69 Palais Theatre, Melbourne ticketmaster.com.au

Live at the Riot $10 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au

Bardo Pond $33 + bf The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au

Villagers $44 The Factory Theatre, Sydney lovepolice.com.au

The Migrations $10 Yah Yah’s, Melbourne themigrations.com

Cold War Kids $60.10 The Gov, Adelaide moshtix.com.au

Helena On the door Platinum Nightclub, Gold Coast platinumnightclub.com.au

Jagwar Ma $22 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au Paul Kelly $79.90 QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane

sunday 4 Karnivool $61.20 Lunar Park, Sydney tickets.oztix.com.au

DON’T MISS! ‘Choose our Adventure’ Tour Presumably national, TBA. Prices on website After four and a half years The Red Jumpsuit Aparatus are returning to Australia. Most pledges on GiggedIn.com will decide where they visit.

To be decided

redjumpsuit.giggedin.com

wednesday 7 Karnivool $61.20 Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane tickets.oztix.com.au Barn Owl $45 Goodgod Small Club, Sydney moshtix.com.au

thursday 8 Senses Fail $37 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au Iluka Free Grand Junction, Hunter Valley facebook.com/ilukamusic

friday 9 Cosmic Psychos TBA The Hi-Fi, Melbourne thehifi.com.au Grinspoon $35

The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au

saturday 10 Bernard Fanning TBA Geelong Performing Arts Centre bernardfanning.com 28 Days $23.95 Albany Creek Tavern, Brisbane ticketmaster.com.au Jimmy Barnes $89 Moncrieff Theatre, Bundaberg livenation.com.au The Delltones $40 Hexham Bowling Club, Hunter Valley delltones.com

sunday 11 Thirty Seconds To Mars $80.70 Sydney Entertainment Centre, ticketmaster.com.au

Jagwar Ma $20 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au Jimmy Barnes $89 Canberra Theatre Centre, canberratheatrecentre.com.au

monday 5 Frankies World Famous House Band Free Frankies Pizza, Sydney eventfinder.com.au

BOOK NOW! NOrthwest Festival Port Hedland. Aug 23 – 24. $139 incl camping. A huge line-up of massive Australian artists including 360, Bernard Fanning and Paul Kelly (pictured). Free camping too! Western Australia

northwestfestival.com.au

Motown Mondays Free The White Horse, Sydney whitehorsesurryhills.com

tuesday 6 James Reyne $28.95 Glenmore Hotel, Rockhampton ticketmaster.com.au

DON’T MISS! Woodford Folk Festival Woodfordia, Brisbane. Dec 27 – Jan 1. $561 + camping One of the largest and longest festivals anywhere in Australia, the Woodford Folk Festival is always a highlight on the music calendar.

Brisbane, Queensland

woodfordfolkfestival.com

tntdownunder.com

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Welcome to the Coolangatta Sands Hostel! Located only minutes from the Gold Coast Airport, our clean, friendly and safe venue is walking distance to some of the best surfing beaches in the world. With activities such as skydiving, surfing, scuba diving or cuddling a koala at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, there is always something to do in Coolangatta. Our popular Coolangatta Sands Hotel downstairs ensures you are close to some of the best food and drink offers in town.

1 t e g BuY 2

! e e FR g y bookin n with an ust 1st. o ti a d o Aug comm ightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ac nth from 1 FrEE n ts, valid for 1 mo h over 2 nig availability). e hostel. to ect with th ir d e d a (subject must be m Bookings

Take advantage of our FREE tour desk service located in reception where you can print your vouchers, get advice and plan your next adventure!

Cnr Griffith and McLean Streets, Coolangatta, QLD 4225 P: 07 5536 7472 / E: hostel@taphouse.com.au

www.coolangattasandshostel.com.au coolangatta 01_727p3-19 sands_727.indd A&E upfront.indd 1 9

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pUBLISTINGS hotelsteyne.com.au

HAPPY HOUR!

@tnt_downunder

New Brighton Hotel 71 The Corso, Manly newbrighton.com.au

HAPPY HOUR

In Situ 34/18 Sydney Rd, Manly insitumanly.com.au Four Pines 29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly 4pines.com.au Marlborough Hotel 145 King St, Newtown marlboroughhotel.com.au The Imperial 35 Erskineville Road, Erskineville theimperialhotel.com.au

$10 JUGs at the elephant The Elephant, Adelaide. Wednesdays all day The only place to go for a your mid-week pick me up with $10 jugs on all day. Just don’t forget that the weekend’s not quite here yet...

1 Cinema Place, SA

sydney pubs Trinity Bar 505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au DOME Bar Level 1 589 Crown Street, Surry Hills domebar.com.au Tea Garden’s 2-4 Bronte Rd, Bondi Junction teagardenshotel.com.au Scary Canary 469 Kent St, Sydney scarycanarybar.com.au Side Bar 509 Pitt St, Sydney wakeup.com.au/side-bar Scubar 4/11-23 Rawson Place, Sydney scubar.com.au Bar Century Lvl 4 640, George St Sydney barcentury.com.au 3 Wise Monkeys 555 George St, Sydney 3wisemonkeys.com.au

theelephant.com.au Candy’s Apartment 22 Bayswater Road, Potts Point candys.com.au World Bar 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point theworldbar.com.au Ryan’s Paragon Hotel Cnr Loftus & Alfred St, Sydney hotelparagon.com.au The Beresford 345 Bourke St, Surry Hills merivale.com.au/theberesfordhotel Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst oxfordartfactory.com White Revolver Cnr Curlewis + Campbell Parade Bondi Beach whiterevolver.com Pontoon Cockle Bay Wharf 201, Darling Harbour pontoonbar.com Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly

The Norfolk 305 Cleveland St, Redfern thenorfolk.co The Vanguard 42 King St, Newtown thevanguard.com.au Coogee Palace 169 Dolphin St, Coogee beachpalacehotel.com.au Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au The Bondi Hotel 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.com.au

2 FOR 1 TUESDAY MEAL DEAL The Clock Hotel, Sydney. Tuesday 12-3pm, 5-10pm Buy two meals and get the cheapest free on Tuesdays at one of Surry Hills’ best watering holes. Combine it with the 5-7pm happy hour for $4 drinks.

470 Crown Street Sydney 301 High Street Northcote northcotesocialclub.com Palace Theatre palace.com.au The Hi-Fi 125 Swanston Street Melbourne thehifi.com.au

Kinsela’s 383 Bourke St, Darlinghurst kniselas.com.au

The Tote 67-71 Johnston Street, Collingwood thetotehotel.com

Flinders Hotel 63 – 65 Flinders St, Surry Hills theflindershotel.com.au

Eden Bar and Nightclub 163 Russell Street, Melbourne edenbar.com.au

White Horse Hotel 381 Crown St, Surry Hills thewhitehorse.com.au

Turf Bar 131 Queen St Melbourne turfbar.com.au

melbournepubs Central Lion Hotel 3/221 La Trobe St, Melbourne acemelbourne.com.au/mclion/ The Nite Cat 137-141 Johnston St, Fitzroy thenightcat.com.au Shamiana 420 Lonsdale St, Melbourne shamiana.com.au

Fluid Oz Bar 450 Elizabeth Street Melbourne yelp.com.au Bar Humbug 586 Little Bourke St Melbourne barhumbug.com.au Eurotrash Bar 18 Corrs Lane Melbourne eurotrashbar.com.au

clockhotel.com.au

The Night Owl 35 Elizabeth Street Melbourne nightowl.com.au

adelaide pubs Grace Emily Hotel 232 Waymouth St, Adelaide yourbars.com.au Electric Circus 17 Crippen Place, Adelaide electriccircus.com.au Crown and Sceptre Hotel 308 King William Street, Adelaide sceptre.com.au The Promethean 116 Grote St, Adelaide theprom.com Club 58 58 Hindley St, Adelaide club58.com.au

perth pubs The Subiaco Hotel 465 Hay Street, Subiaco subiacohotel.com.au

Star Bar Hotel Melbourne 160 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne starbarhotel.com.au The Apartment Nightclub 401 Little Bourke Street Melbourne theapartment.com.au Cherry Bar 103 Flinders Lane Melbourne myspace.com/cherrybarmelbourne Corner Hotel 57 Swan Street Richmond cornerhotel.com

HAPPY HOUR NELLY’S DURTY weekday DRINKS Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub. Monday-Friday 5pm–6pm The Irish know how to drink. At Durty Nelly’s they’ve made it easier for everyone else to join in with $7.50 beers and spirits and $5.50 wine. 397 Murray Street, Perth

durtynellys.com.au

East Brunswick Club 280 Lygon St Brunswick East eastbrunswickclub.com Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au

HAPPY HOUR The Flying Fox wing night The Fox Hotel, Brisbane. Wing Night, Monday. Half a kilogram of delicious buffalo wings (mild or spicy) and a pot of James Squire beer for just $12. Fly in for a feed on Mondays. Cnr Hope & Melb St, Sth Brisbane

thefox.com.au

Northcote Social Club

tntdownunder.com

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MON–FRI 11.30AM–4PM ............... MON–THUR 7PM–11PM ............... FRI & SAT 7PM–9PM ............... SUN ALL DAY

OPEN 7 DAYS TILL 3AM KITCHEN TILL 2.30AM ............................... DJS & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVERY NIGHT! ............................... LUCKYCOQ.COM.AU FACEBOOK.COM/LUCKYCOQ 01_727p3-19 A&E upfront.indd 11

CNR CHAPEL ST & HIGH ST WINDSOR MELBOURNE 9525 1288 25/07/13 12:56 AM

pUBLISTINGS Voodoo Lounge 174 James St, Northbridge voodoolounge.com.au The Shed 69-71 Aberdeen St Northbridge, the-shed.com.au The East End Bar and Grill 189 High Street, Fremantle theeastendbar.com.au The Clink Nightclub 14-16 South Terrace, Fremantle theclink.com.au

brisbane pubs Hotel LA 68 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane hotella.com.au GPO Hotel 740 Anne St, Fort Valley gpohotel.com.au Canvas Club 16b Logan St, Woolloongabba canvasclub.com.au The Fringe Bar Cnr Ann and Constance St fringebar.com.au Pig ‘N’ Whistle Riverside 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane pignwhistle.com.au Sky Room 2/234 Wickham St, Fort Valley skyroom.com.au Bravo Bar Brunswick Central, 455 Brunswick St Fortitude Valley hotelbravo.com.au The Met Nightclub 256 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley themet.com.au

Rattle N Hum 65-67 Esplanade rattlenhumbar.com Gilligan’s Backpacker Hostel 57-89 Grafton St gilligansbackpackerhostel.com. au

hobart pubs Syrup Nightclub 39 Salamanca Pl, Battery Point syrupclub.com.au Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St, Hobart republicbar.com.au Isobar 11 Franklin Wharf Hobart isobar.com.au Knopwood’s Retreat 39 Salamanca Pl Hobart (03)6223 5808 The Duke 192 Macquarie Street Hobart theduke.com.au

newcastle pubs

Oriental Hotel 53 Bull St, Cooks Hill wotif.com.au Royal Inn Hotel Waratah 61/69 Station St, Waratah truelocal.com.au

byron bay pubs Cheeky Monkey’s 115 Jonson St, Byron Bay cheekymonkeys.com.au The Northern 35-43 Jonson St, Byron Bay thenorthern.com.au The Owl & The Pussycat 85 Jonson St, Byron Bay opcbyron.com.au

Mary Ellen Hotel 57 Railway St, Mereweather maryellenhotel.com.au

Treehouse on Belongil 25 Childe St, Byron Bay treehouseonbelongil.com

Hamilton Station Hotel 2-6 Beaumont St, Islington hamiltonstation.com.au

gold coast pubs

Hotel Delany 134 Darby St, Newcastle hoteldelany.com.au

Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au

Sunyside Tavern 20 Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow sunnysidetavern.com.au

Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa surfersbeergarden.com

Premier Hotel 1 Brunker Rd, Broadmeadow hotelpremier.com.au

Coolangatta Sands Hotel 3 Griffith St, Coolangatta coolangattasandshotel.com.au

Isobar 1 Honeysuckle Drive Newcastle thelanding.com

Fabric Cnr Shields and Esplanade St

Cricketers Arms 61 Bruce St, Cooks Hill tab.com.au

Woody’s Surf Shack 90-96 Jonson St, Byron Bay woodysbyronbay.com

Iceworks Cnr Given Tce & Dowse St, Paddington iceworks.com.au

P.J. O’brien’s 87 Lake St, Cairns pjobriens.com.au

Wickham Park Hotel 61 Maitland Rd, Islington thewicko.com.au

Kings Street Hotel 15 Steel St, Newcastle West kingsstreethotel.com.au

Bar Petite 5 King St, Newcastle barpetite.com.au

Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, Newcastle yourcambridge.com Lass O’Gowrie Hotel 14 Railway St, Wickham lassogowriehotel.com.au Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au Hamilton Hotel

HAPPY HOUR!

Beaumont Exchange Hotel Cnr Beaumont and Denison Street, Hamilton theexchangehotel.com.com.au

Beach Hotel Bay Ln, Byron Bay beachhotel.com.au

The Northern Star 112 Beaumont St, Hamilton northernstarhotel.com.au

cairns pubs

71 Tudor St, Hamilton hamiltonhotel.com.au

Kent Hotel 59-61 Beaumont St, Hamilton thekenthotel.com.au

The Exchange Hotel 131 Edward St, Brisbane theexchange.com.au

Shooters Superclub Shop 46 The Mark Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise shooterssuperclub.com

cairnsevents.com pubs

@tnt_downunder

canberra pubs

FREE POOL and board games The Canteen, Bondi. All night Mondays. Knock some balls around for free at this grungy Bondi haunt, indulge in a bit of chess or challenge your friends to a Connect Four competition. Corner Campbell Parade, Bondi

wollongongnightlife.com.au Harp Hotel 234 Corrimal Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Questions Unit 5 123-125 Corrimal Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Castros 5 Victoria Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

darwin pubs

Transit Bar 7 Akuna St, Canberra transitbar.com.au

Squires Tavern 3 Edmunds St Darwin squirestavern.com.au

Cube Nightclub 33 Petrie Plaza, City cubenightclub.com.au

The Deck Bar 22 Mitchell St, Darwin thedeckbar.com.au

ICBM 50 Northbourne Ave, Canberra icbmbar.com

The Tap Bar 58 Mitchell St, Darwin thetap.com.au

Mooseheads 105 London Circuit, Canberra mooseheads.com.au Academy Club 15 Bunda St, Canberra academyclub.com.au

the-canteen.com.au

alice springs pubs Todd Tavern Todd Mall, Alice Springs toddtavern.com.au The Rock Bar 2/78 Todd St, Alice Springs therockbar.com.au The Barra Bar 34 Stott Tce, Alice Springs chifleyhotels.com.au Firkin n Hound 21 Hartely St, Alice Springs (08) 8953 3033 The Juicy Rump Lasseters Hotel Casino, Alice Springs juicyrump.com.au Bojangles Saloon 80 Todd St, Alice Springs yourbars.com.au

HAPPY HOUR

Wollongong pubs OneFiveOne 150 Keira Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Grand Hotel 124 Keira Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Glasshouse + Su Casa 90 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Ivory 77 – 79 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Alibi 76 Crown Street Wollongong

WE’ll see you at the royal Royal Melbourne Hotel Monday-Friday 5-7pm Not only does this place have a weekday happy hour but can you grab a pizza and a free drink for just $10 on Monday to Wednesday.

629 Bourke Street, Melbourne

rmh.com.au

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PLUS LIVE SPORTS DAILY Pre-season friendlies The 2013 Rugby Championship NRL sport subject to demand please call to check if your team is playing

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Australia: You could enjoy Bondiâ&#x20AC;Ś

England: or Blackpool. You decide 14

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The other Ashes If you reckon cricket is totally wrong-un, we’ve put Australia and England head-to-head on 10 things that may actually matter to you Words Michael Gadd and Hugh Radojev

As the first of the Ashes flew wide at Trent Bridge in Nottingham a couple of weeks ago, excitement swept through England and Australia. The balloon of anticipation was burst as cricket fans got to see the friendly(ish) battle that’s been waged since 1882 finally reignited. Meanwhile, many others couldn’t give a toss (so to speak). So being an equal opportunity magazine, this is for you – the other Ashes; a toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose, tastebud-to-tastebud battle between the old enemies.

Coffee… WINNER: AUSTRALIA When Starbucks is a viable option for decent coffee in your country, you’re conceding caffeine isn’t your forte. Sorry England. On the other hand, the Australian coffee culture, in major cities anyway, has benefited from millions of Italian and Greek immigrants kindly opening cafes and showing how it’s done for decades. The quality of an Aussie heartstarter is embodied in the humble flat white and a brace of Alan’s (sugars that is) for just the right amount of sweetness.

Beaches… WINNER: AUSTRALIA Some people like long walks in the rain on a secluded beach. Others may hate sand so much the massage of stones on the shore are a godsend. Some doesn’t equal most though, and Australia dominates when it comes to sun, surf, sand and skin cancer, making it a clear winner here.

Cheer up: English classic EastEnders

Art… WINNER: ENGLAND This is not the walkover you’d expect, with the diverse history of Britain and an obscenely impressive amount of major galleries and museums. The view may change when Australia sends a stack of its finest and most famous works this year in a bid to highlight the Brits’ apparently “shameful” ignorance of Down Under art. More than 200 works from two centuries will go on show at the Royal Academy in London courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia, including Frederick McCubbin’s The Pioneer and Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly (Australia is open September 21 to December 8). But that won’t ever make up for Ken Done’s towels.

Breakfasts… WINNER: ENGLAND Sure, Australia does a fancier, more refined breakfast – see Bill Granger’s scrambled eggs and the fact no Aussie would blink at corn fritters with bacon and avocado salsa, but England can’t be beaten. When do you have breakfast out? On the weekend! What are you at the weekend? Hungover! What’s best when you’re that? A full English, please. Sometimes it’s half a plate of beans and the toast is soggy, but a mammoth builder’s brekkie where the only choice is whether you finish it or not is a thing of beauty. ››

Aussie masterpiece: Sidney Nolan’s landscape Rainbow Over The Pilbara tntdownunder.com

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Football: Socceroos won 3-1 – don’t want to play England again … ever

Cute: see Aussie animals that don’t want to kill you at London Zoo Lates

Challenge: The Blowout at Croydon’s Fat Boys Cafe

Super brew: the Great British Beer Festival

Beer… WINNER: ENGLAND

Barbies... WINNER: AUSTRALIA

This is a toughie. Australia’s beer has moved well beyond the menu being VB, XXXX or New, depending on the state. The likes of Cooper’s and Little Creatures now feature prominently on the taps of pubs and often in bottles in London – and they’re no longer the limp-wristed bottled ones you buy to look classy. But England, not just London alone, has been bitten by the craft beer bug too, with the likes of Greenwich’s Meantime dishing out super tasty brews. Check out more than 100 of them at the London Craft Beer Festival on August 16-18 in Bethnal Green. Or if you hail the Pommy cask ales, hit up the epic Great British Beer Festival at Olympia in Kensington on August 13-17, where there’s 800-plus real ales, ciders and other boozy delights.

If a contest of fortitude and resilience, England would win the meat raffle every time. Sun sneaking through the clouds is barbie weather here and if the heavens open up after the snags hit the coals – for far longer than they should – there’s no turning back. But in Australia, even snags on white bread with tomato sauce is a gourmet delight in the sunshine – and that’s before we get into the far more adventurous fare.

Pies… WINNER: AUSTRALIA What passes for a pie in Britain is nothing short of a scandal – a stew with a puff pastry lid does not a dog’s eye make. A great pie should be able to be held with one hand (a beer in the other), lathered in tomato sauce and with such hot filling that biting into the soggy top crust must conjure mental images of molten lava or the centre of the sun. Sort your shit out, England!

Soapies… WINNER: ENGLAND Tears and tantrums are a strong point for both nations, and the Poms’ love of Neighbours and Home And Away, which both air back-to-back on primetime in the UK – while the likes of Coronation St and the hilarious Hollyoaks haven’t really captured the hearts of those of us here in Oz. But EastEnders is the tie-breaker – those Londoners are so bloody sad all the time we’d hate to add to their misery by not letting them win. Watch it on Foxtel weeknights from 6.00pm. 16

Animals… WINNER: Australia Much of Australian fauna is renowned for being cute and cuddly, with koalas (not bears) and kangaroos being the most famed. Any Englishman however would try and call this one in favour of Britain’s less cute, but infinitely less deadly natural fauna. England either has animals that are either very tasty (deer and rabbits) or pretty cool (badgers and puffins). It is true that spiders, snakes, sharks and massive crocodiles don’t sell in large numbers as plush novelty toys for children and continually haunt the nightmares of European travellers in the height of summer. Still, call me biased, but I’m giving this to Australia. The platypus is one of the top five best animals on the planet!

Football… WINNER: ENGLAND While Australia did beat England in a friendly once, over a decade ago at Upton Park, to claim that Australian football is better than England’s is – quite frankly – ridiculous. To list all the reasons why the Premier League (not to mention the Championship and possible even League 1) are better than the A-League would take far too long. Just look at Emile Heskey, he looks like Pele when he’s playing for the Newcastle Jets…

FINAL SCORE 5-5 THE OTHER ASHES IS A TIE

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Bo’s saloon a territory icon

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Enter the saloon doors at Bo’s and experience the true Outback at it’s finest.

The whole property is decorated with historic artifacts that reflect the lifestyle of the early pioneers in Central Australia. A popular feature is our replica of Ned Kelly’s armor, including original period firearms and a Jarrah coffin that excites the interest of patrons. Upon arrival, customers are greeted with batwing saloon doors, the bar saloon tables and benches are made from Jarrah sleepers, salvaged from the old Ghan and Western Railways. Bo’s is intriguing and interesting, and serves ice cold beer and great food.

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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! You’ve won yourself a $100 bar tab at Birdees! Like us on facebook/ tntdownunder for more party pics from the night!

Birdees Saturday 20 July

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N I S U R O F E T VO

tntdownunder.com Voting opens 29th July, 2013

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25/07/13 3:28 PM

CHATROOM

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Greta Gerwig

The star of anticipated indie film, Frances Ha talks about casting herself and living in your twenties

Photos: TNT Multimedia

INTERVIEW Alasdair Morton

Gerwig (right) in a scene from her new film, Francis Ha

Are there any similarities between the character and you? That’s a question I totally understand but at the same time it is completely foreign to me. Both Noah [Baumbach – filmmaker, The Squid And The Whale] and I put a lot of ourselves and our experiences into the script but then there are a lot of other things that you make up that have nothing to do with our lives.

How were your twenties? Very different [to Frances’]. I had more tangible success in my chosen field than she does [as a budding dancer] but I empathise with her plight

Is there more pressure on young people these days to have it all figured out? We’re given more time but there is also more confusion these days. Yet, in other ways, it’s a hyper-competitive, driven world. There are fewer jobs for more qualified people meaning everyone is competing at a high level from a young age.

So you stick rigidly to the script? We try to make every document as perfect as we can and then insist every actor says their lines as they are written. Improvising can be interesting but it is not what we wanted to do with the film – it is not how Noah or I work. We’d spent about a year writing the script to be very precise.

Do you think people worry about being left behind? It can feel like, if you haven’t found your place by the end of your twenties, then you’ve missed the boat and been left behind by the world as everyone else has figured it out.

How did you find shooting on the busy streets of New York City? We shot for 50 days for 14 hours a day doing 3040 takes [of each scene], too. Once we entered the New York streets there were all these things we couldn’t control which made shooting more

Did you do a lot of improvisation when shooting the film? Noah and I didn’t improvise at all – we don’t do that on his movies.

difficult but it also meant that we had actual life in the movie. Why did you choose to shoot in black and white? Noah brought it up early on. It felt very intuitive to make it that way, and it also felt exactly what the movie should be like – both beautiful and nostalgic. It is a personal story about a difficult year in Frances’ life, but we wanted it to look like the sort of film Frances would never have envisaged herself being in. As the filmmakers, we could almost take of her in that way. When did you decide you wanted to play the role yourself? I was proud of the screenplay but didn’t want to win the role by default and I didn’t want to muck it up in any way. I wanted to be open to the possibility that I might not be the best person to play this part. Frances Ha will be shown on a limited release in Australian cinemas from August 13th franceshamovie.com

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Peace A quick Q&A with the lead singer of UK indie rock quartet Peace INTERVIEW alex harmon

Hi Harrison, sum up Glastonbury in one sentence... I remember nothing except it was magical. Describe the overall sound of your debut album, In Love, to those who haven’t heard it Confusing. Do you have any superstitions about going on stage? I always fear it’ll collapse. What is on a Peace rider? Warm beer and shit crisps. If you were the hypothetical lovechild of two bands/musicians who would they be? Ziggy Stardust & The Who (via Zeppelin). Three albums you’d take with you on a desert island? Maybe a 15 hour loop of the first four bars of I Want to Break Free.

Catch Peace when they hit Melbourne (Sept 14-15); Canberra (Sept 19); Wollongong (Sept 20); Sydney (Sept 21) and Brisbane (Sept 23). peaceforeverever.co.uk

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filmreview

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Captivating: Douglas and Damon give wonderful performances

Behind the Candelabra FILM review by Robert Pritchard. Out July 25 Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, Debbie Reynolds | MA | 119mins

The Wolf of wall St Preview by Hugh Radojev Leonardo di Caprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey | TBA

Based on a memoir of the same name by former stockbroker Jordan Belfort, this film will see di Caprio reunite with Director Martin Scorsese. If the excellent trailer is anything to go by, this film looks to be a darkly humourous study of human greed and excess in the hedonistic 1990s stock market, where millions of dollars were made and lost by people every single day. I can’t wait!

This quirky biopic tells the story of the turbulent, dysfunctional and ultimately disastrous hidden romance between Scott Thorson (Matt Damon), and flamboyant American concert pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas). This HBO production, directed by Steven Soderberg, is a captivating combination of black humour and sensational performances from Douglas and Damon alike. The eccentric, brilliant, vain, manipulative and sexually unstable Liberace, incises the young Thornson into being his live in ‘secretary’. The relationship which subsequently develops shows Thorson slowly transforms from a innocent country boy into a overweight, alcoholic, drug addict. This transformation is literally encapsulated when Liberace pays his plastic surgeon (Rob Lowe) to turn Thorson into a bizarre toy-boy doppelgänger of Liberace himself. The sexually motivated and possessive Liberace, ultimately dumps Thorson after their relationship falls apart and the drug-fuelled lifestyle Thorson has developed deteriorates further. As this story is told through the perspective of Thorson it’s perhaps easy to sympathise with him and demonsize the Liberace we see portrayed in this film. However the devotion which Liberace shows his fans, and the fear of ostracising himself as an openly gay showmen in the 70s and 80s is perhaps the real reason for his unusual personality. An utterly sensational performance from Douglas is certainly the key to this film. The leering and catty Liberace is an unforgettable character for him, one of his best. Good for: People who like dark humour, Oscar nominee worthy acting and tasteful sex scenes

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the Wolverine FILM review by Alasdair Morton starring: Hugh Jackman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto | M | 126min

Hugh Jackman returns for the fifth time as the sideburned mutant Wolverine, and after his lacklustre origin story, the overcrowded mouthful that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, he’s back to his former gruff and grizzled best. Director James Mangold and a screenwriting trio take Wolverine to Japan where he is stripped of his powers by evil green mutant Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova) and embroiled in a Yakuza-fuelled power fight going back to a Japanese soldier he saved from a WW2 Nagasakidestroying A-bomb. The Wolverine forgoes the usual superhero movie route – invading alien force needs to be stopped by a super-powered ultra-man – for a samurai-meets-Western take on the comic book genre and focuses more on Jackman’s famous on screen alter-ego than his own origin movie did. It does gift him the odd wisecrack, but the tone is weighted more towards the serious – this is a back-to-basics brawl as the bare-chested one leaps from one kinetically-choreographed grapple to another. Wolverine’s banter with Fukushima’s bad-ass injects enough new blood into this formerly headed-off-the-rails series to ensure Wolverine will live to fight another day. Good for: Wolverine fans disappointed by the character’s last two movies

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lifestyleliving The Worst Hostel dorm room faux pas and sins

3am lights: Wait, why is it so bright? Oh, you turned your light on. Are you fucking serious?!

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Riders on the dorm A few helpful hints for surviving life in a hostel Words Kat Bannon

Plastic bags: Rather than wake everyone with the rustling, why not just pop it over your head?

Bathroom hogs: In most dorm rooms you’ll be sharing a bathroom. Don’t bogart it!

Wet towels: You need to dry your towel? Drape the fucking thing over your own bunk, twat!

Hostel living is a bit like going on a bender: it’s easy to over-do and a continuous flip between the most mindblowingly fun moments of your life and the times when having your head repeatedly smashed with a rock seems like a less painful option. You can forge friendships for life or meet the kinds of characters you thought only existed in tabloid newspapers. Have a fitful night’s sleep due to the eight-man snoring symphony taking place in your dorm or, if you’re lucky, possibly never have to make your bed. If not, you’ll find that bed bugs really do bite. Either way, budget, accessibility and the old backpacker rite of passage means a hostel experience during any travelling trip is inevitable. So, we’ve decided to offer you a healthy dose of hindsight... Getting acquainted Unless you were on the red-eye flight from somewhere heinous like Sarajevo, chances are you’ll be arriving during the day. First things first, grab your sheets. Reception may have just handed you some still warm from the dryer but quilt covers are a different story. Apparently a shake and a re-fold is all that’s required to get these fresh again. Not your aftershave you’re smelling on there? Not surprising. Then, there’s the room mates. Sharing with a complete bunch of strangers can be pretty daunting. People can be plain weird. Or boring. Or at least three times your

age. Don’t worry though, chances are they won’t bite... Unless you ask them to. Then there’s the general lack of privacy (which will be covered in depth later) and security. Part of me believes that if someone is going to rob you, they’ll manage it whether or not you have your case padlocked and your passport stuffed in a pair of socks amongst your dirty underwear. Still, if you’re in the kind of place in which key cards need to be swiped at every door you can afford to be a bit more casual. If your dorm door is permanently unlocked and more people seem to be coming and going than at a tube station during rush hour, try and keep them locked away. It’s called common sense!

Grabbing some shut eye You’ve spent most of the day drinking cheap wine and sitting in the sun before hitting the nearest pub you could find and you’re ready to catch a few winks? You should think ahead. Once upon a time, top bunks were an adventure. Sleeping a few feet above the ground was an opportunity you’d fight tooth, hair and nail with any sibling for. Now, all it symbolises is nighttime toilet trips proving even more of an effort and a climb greater

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than Mt. Everest at 3am after six or seven too many. Bottom bunks are better value for money: there’s an unwritten rule dictating that the majority of floor space surrounding the bunk is automatically yours as well. If you do, however, end up getting stuck with the top bunk, chances are it’ll have a railing so at least you won’t be flying out of your bed in your sleep. Always a plus.

Photos: TNT Images, Thinkstock

Social butterfly “It’s got a swimming pool, a jacuzzi and I’m only paying $30 a night? Are you kidding me!?” Sometimes, if things sound just too good to be true, that’s because they generally are. When you see the word ‘jacuzzi’ don’t immediately reach into your bag for your bikini or swim shorts. Instead, think of nakedness and random people’s bodily fluids. The TV room is a different thing entirely, however. Regardless of bug infestations, lack of hot water and a kitchen stocked with a single fork, a great TV/film room can turn a barely livable hostel into a fucking brilliant one. You may think every day backpacking is a cultural exploration but, really, a rainy day watching back-to-back episodes of Summer Heights High is sometimes all you need. If you’d rather avoid making enemies, remember to gauge general opinion before deciding to embark on a serious Harry Potter or a Twilight marathon.

Too many cooks Your hostel kitchens can oscillate between the bleach-aroma cleanliness of a showroom (even if only for the short periods

lifestyleliving

of time after housekeeping have breezed through) to the kind of cockroach-infested, mould-ridden scene that you thought you’d left after university. If you’ve found yourself in the former – hooray! If you’ve found yourself in the latter, Dominos do $5 regular pizzas on Mondays and Tuesdays. Stealing food is frowned upon by humanity in general, not just the many warning posters blu-tacked to the walls. However, if someone happens to have left the majority of the previous evening’s takeaway on the free food shelf by mistake that’s not your problem. Yes, even if it does have their name on the lid.

Nocturnal creeping Attitudes to dorm sex are many and varied. Sometimes the overall consensus is that what wasn’t heard, didn’t happen, especially if general company are in fairly unrevivable goon-induced comas! After time, it becomes not a question of the etiquette behind whether people should be getting down and dirty in, effectively, a public space (private rooms don’t come cheap, you know), but whether it’s disturbing fellow dorm-members’ sleep. Therefore, just because you’ve managed to nab an extra sheet from laundry and artistically draped it over the bottom bunk like some poor-man’s fourposter bed, you don’t have permission to bump and grind through to the early hours. It’s not soundproof, nor does it make you two invisible! If you must rut in a semi-public space like a pair of hogs in heat then use the bathroom! That way when you’re finishing you can just aim for a sink. tntdownunder.com

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WORLDVIEW

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Nazi theme: not to some tastes

NAZI-THEMED CAFE FORCED TO CLOSE INDONESIA

He didn’t really think it through. Now Henry Mulyana has managed to offend people around the globe after opening a Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia. Following increasing pressure from local authorities and tourism bosses to change the theme of Soldatenkaffee in Bandung, Mulyana is to shut the venue. The cafe opened in 2011, but recent media reports prompted angry responses from foreigners and Indonesians. Mulyana insisted he was not pro-Nazi but was instead using the theme to attract customers.

Pricey cognac smashed in quake NEW ZEALAND

There was one victim in the Cook Strait earthquake – a £2100 bottle of cognac. Staff found the shattered 700ml bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII on the floor of the specialist shop following last week’s tremor. “We lost about 10 to 12 good cognacs and vodka, but interestingly, no scotch was harmed,” said Alistair Morris, general manager of Regional Wines And Spirits in Wellington. Luckily a bottle of 2001 Chateau d’Yquem survived – it usually sells for £800 and is considered the best vintage of the best sweet wine in the world.

PM or S&M?: A Kevin Rudd look-alike poses in handcuffs with Australian Sex Party president Fiona Patten on the opening day of the annual Sexpo exhibition of adult merchandise at the Convention Centre in Brisbane

hippo hiding in sewage works is captured SOUTH AFRICA

A roaming hippo that set up home in a Cape Town sewage plant last year has been caught and shipped off to a game reserve. The young male had eluded capture after spending a few weeks in a suburban recreational lake, popping up in gardens and on roads, while on the run. It then moved into the sewage treatment works where it was captured last week. “He walked into a boma (enclosure) and then into a crate and then we closed the crate door, put the crate on a truck and drove him

to Gondwana,” said Julia Wood, the city’s manager of biodiversity management. The semi-aquatic animals are known to be extremely violent at times and can run faster than a human on land. “We were very, very worried because obviously it’s such a dangerous animal,” Wood added, reassuringly.

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS 195 Drug-driving: this seems like a good idea if you’re on meth

Percentage of Brits who admit to getting jiggy in a car – with Fords getting the most action. Very sexy

Man uses pliers as steering wheel AUSTRALIA

He’s either a genius or an utter fool. Police thought the latter after they pulled over a 38-year-old man in Adelaide for driving erratically on blown tyres. On closer inspection of the old Holden Senda, officers noticed the steering wheel was missing – in its place, the man had fastened a pair of pliers to the steering column. Thinking the driver must be high, police carried out a booze and drug test on the man, who tested positive for both cannabis and meth amphetamine. To make matters worse, the car was both unregistered and uninsured, the man’s driver’s licence had been disqualified and he was found to be breaching his outstanding terms of bail. And it is suspected the man and his beat-up old Holden may have been involved in a hit and run incident earlier in the day. Needless to say, he was arrested.

Man wins smallest penis award

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty, Facebook, AAP

UNITED STATES

It’s not something you’d boast about winning to your mates down the pub – unless you’re Nick Gilronan. The 27-year-old has been crowned the winner of Brooklyn, New York’s annual ‘Smallest Penis Pageant’. Surrounded by 100 people, Gilronan proudly accepted his award, erm, beating off five others with his small member, as the band sung Tiny Dancer by Elton John at New York’s Kings County Bar. In his victory speech, Gilronan claimed to be proud of his puny package and said girth wasn’t as important as a sense of humour.

Cost, in pounds, of ‘limited edition loving cup’ to celebrate arrival of royal baby. Sounds like money well spent

400 Small package: Nick Gilronan “The size of a man’s penis does not matter for who he is as a person or in a relationship,” Glironan said. He also said that he just went out there hoping to “put on a good show for audience”.

Drunk Canadian swims to US

Amount, in pounds, the average woman spends on attending a wedding, according to UK study. Nothing in life is free

Height, in metres, of balcony in Portugal from which a man fell – surviving after landing on a car

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

CANADA

An intoxicated Canadian provoked an international rescue after he jumped into the Detroit River and swam to the US. After being released from custody, John Morillo, 47, called the stunt “very stupid” but said he’ll now be able to boast to friends about his exploit. Morrillo reportedly managed to swim across the river separating Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, and was heading back when he noticed the rescue operation. His neighbour back on the Canadian shore had called police when she lost sight of him in the treacherous waters. He has been charged with public intoxication and faces fines of up to £16,000 for swimming in a shipping channel. Still, bragging rights, bro.

Is likely to be injurious to the public good New Zealand Office Of Film And Literature Classification bans Elijah Wood’s horror film Maniac

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OUr view COMMENT: Hugh radojev Email: hugh@tntdownunder.com

I think this is what people refer to as a ‘pact of mutual destruction’.

Kevin 0–Heavens, no! Political sequels aren’t any good either Something is rotten in the Commonwealth of Australia and it’s not just the cricket team’s top order – although, let’s be honest, that’s pretty fucked as well. Kevin Rudd’s rise from the political Ashes (see what I did there?) looked good for a while in the polls, but it’s only served to highlight the dearth of decent human beings in Australian politics. It’s all your fault, John Howard! ABC’s youth-focused radio station Triple J took a straw-poll of students who were drinking beer at the main Uni bar at Southern Cross University in Lismore. They found the majority of people aged between 18–25 (who attend SCU and drink... arguably not the best cross-section) are so horribly disillusioned with the state of Australian politics that they simply place their unmarked ballots into the boxes come elections. I empathise with them, although I always do my best to vote properly. The state of the two major parties in Australian politics are, at best, morally repugnant. I’ll vote for the Labor party on preferences (after just about every other party I can find including the Greens and the Party Party Party) but it won’t be because I agree with Labor’s policies or because I like KRudd. He seems like a patronising arsehole and his new hard-line asylum seeker policy makes me ashamed to have a passport with a koala and a kangaroo on it. Yet, while locking up people in Gulag style prison camps in the swampy, mosquito ridden jungles of Papua New Guinea is beyond contemptible, it’s still a less horrifying ‘solution’ than the one being proposed by Fuhrer Abbott and his cronies. Big Tone cut his teeth under John Howard, the man who single-handedly did more to drag this country’s international reputation through the mud than anyone since, well, ever. How many more people will die when Tony starts getting the Aussie navy to ‘drag the boats’ and their supposedly ‘illegal’ human cargo back to Indonesia? I wouldn’t be surprised if he just put a big ring of mines around the coast from Broome across to Cairns. I’ll vote for Labor, not because I want to, but because I have to and, frankly, that’s shit! John Howard is the font of all things evil and wrong. Complaints: hugh@tntdownunder.com

By George, who gives a toss? Rejoice, Australians! We have a new future overlord and he’s not even in his swaddling clothes yet. Let me just say that I have no inherent problem with big Liz or indeed any of her royal brood. Charlie’s media gaffes are always good for a chuckle; Will’s balding faster than the tires on my 10-year-old Mazda station wagon and Haz, well, who doesn’t think that guy’s a hero? And, yet, why does everyone care about the new royal baby so much? The second

“

What do they do for Australia?

”

coming of Jesus would likely get less media coverage than the Duchess of Cambridge’s crowning vagina did. The monarchy apparently pay their keep through tourism visits in the UK, but what do they do for Australia? Nothing! At least by virtue of having a prince, Kate might be spared the headsman’s axe in the future... Don’t get it? Read a book!

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SPORTNEWS

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Ashes: third test preview in quotes cricket

The Australians have a mountain to climb to salvage their pride in this Ashes series, starting with the third Test at Old Trafford from Thursday. But naturally, the experts, players and former players all see it a bit differently. Some (Nathan Lyon) are more optimistic than others (Glenn McGrath) and England are simply going for the jugular after years of pain.

Cheeky grin: Warner may have smashed his way into Test three

Come in spinner: Lyon’s much better at bowling than football

Duck: things can only get better for captain Clarke

Broken record: tedious James Anderson gets another wicket

“We’re looking at a 3-2 victory to us right now.” Nathan Lyon, strongly tipped to make his series debut ahead of Ashton Agar, the spinner who’s starred more with the bat

“I’m embarrassed. I hope like hell they [Australia] can do something in Manchester.” Not exactly constructive from Aussie great fast bowler Jeff Thompson on 5Live

“I don’t really feel any sympathy. We want to win the series 5-0, so we will be doing everything we can in each game to win.” England bowler James Anderson plans to dish out a flogging like those he’s copped

“I can’t feel sorry for them because we’ve had many beatings from them. Losing is very hard and they do tend to rub your nose in it. They are going to take one Test match at a time and they have to keep the foot on the Australian throat and make sure they don’t get up … if there is a team that can do it sometimes, it’s an Australia team.” MCC Pres Mike Gatting echoes Anderson’s sentiment with a gentle warning

“They say that you have to hit the bottom before you can start to get back up. That is where this Australia team are right now, rock bottom. If these players have not heard the wake-up call by now, then they do not deserve to be in the Australia team. They have to turn this series around now.” 30

Glenn McGrath, former Australian quick and temporary Yazz member, goes with the “only way is up” mantra

“Nathan Lyon, between his debut in 2011 and the start of this series, took as many wickets in Test cricket as any other Australian bowler, 76 at an average of 33. He should start the next Test. I like Ashton Agar and admire his energy but … we need a spinner who can make more of an impact on a match than he is able to.” McGrath again in his Guardian column on the harsh truth of Agar’s two wickets

“I hate Headingley [in Leeds], so it is good to play a Test at Old Trafford.” Anderson on his home ground.

”Sitting on the sidelines and copping that punishment and not being selected, it was a thing that I needed. I definitely needed a kick up the bum. It was my own fault.” David Warner after he smashed 193 in South Africa to stake his claim on a spot in the struggling Aussie batting line-up

BIG WEEK FOR ... This is an unfortunate image of Shane Watson with his bat out of sight after being given out LBW – again – in the second Test at Lord’s. The Aussie opener’s willow has been deserting him at key moments this series, as it has throughout his international career, usually after he’s got between 20 and 60 runs and just as he’s getting wrapped on the pads and given out. Any likelihood of the big all-rounder being dropped is quashed by a lack of other obvious options and his vital, reliable bowling, but the chorus is getting louder and louder for Watto to live up to expectations if his side has any shot at getting something out of the series.

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Oz&Nz SnOw

s E r U t N e AdV

SyDnEy To ThE SnOw BuSeS dEpArT fRoM SyDnEy, CaNbErRa aNd WoLlOnGoNg

Guns: world champion James ‘The Missile’ Magnussen looks to put London behind him

PREVIEW AUSSIE SWIMMING CHASE REDEMPTION

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Until sat, FOX SPORTS Australia’s swimmers made the cricket team look like they’re flying after a dismal London 2012, finishing their first Olympics without an individual gold since 1976. They get a chance at redemption this week though at the FINA championships in Barcelona, which started yesterday. James Magnussen was known as The Missile coming into the 2012 Games, but was more dud than scud as he failed in his pet 100m event after talking it up big time. After being implicated in the team’s “toxic” events in the Athlete’s Village as well, he says he’s a changed man now, no longer believing his own hype as he targets the 50m and 100m this week. The Australians’ one gold (women’s 4x100m relay), six silver and three bronze was the worst Olympic haul since the 1992 Games in Barcelona. Since then, the Swimming Australia president, chief executive and head coach have left or been sacked, while a major sponsor’s gone and the government has cut back funding. Tough times. But still, Magnussen is the defending world champ and has posted the fastest time of the year so far in the 100m.

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TRAVEL HOTSHOTS | travel news | Travel deals | Travel stories | IMAGE OF THE WEEK

fresh prince

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

The first pictures emerge of the future king. As expected, Kate looks radiant and the heir shows up Wills in the hair stakes

INSIDE

Can Do attitude

/40

Canberra has a lot going for it, but most Aussies spend their time putting it down. We found it to be most agreeable for a weekend 32

Best of the best /40

Who dares wins

The Golden Backpack Awards voting season begins and where better to start than with the best of Qld and the Northern Territory

Just because our writer got mugged in Honduras doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go. It was still awesome!

/64

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SEE THE

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HOTSHOTS

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER Surfing Soul: Ben Proctor, 31, England Ben says: “I got up really early one morning to take this photograph of my friend surfing in Byron Bay.” we say: “Ah, there’s few things better than getting up early to catch a few waves. Early morning is also one of the best times to take some photographs as the light is usually at its best. In this photograph, Ben, you’ve captured the essence of the morning perfectly. The salt spray, the surfer’s silhouette and the beautiful lighthouse far in the distance. Great photo, man!”

HOT TIPS: Using shutter speeds WIN If you are starting to use the manual mode of your camera and trying to get some action shots, start with the ‘Tv’ setting. This stands for ‘Time Value’ and refers to the shutter speed, or the amount of time the shutter is open, allowing light to reach the sensor. Fast shutter speeds will stop action, such as waves at the beach or a bird flying. Slow shutter speeds will show movement in which can make things look blurry, but once mastered can help bring life to moving images like waterfalls or night time scenes with moving lights. Tips by ocean photographer, Joel Coleman. See saltmotion.com

the monthly winner gets THREE DAYS Campervan HIRE from mighty campers

Send high-res (300 dpi) jpegs with name, age, nationality and a description to: hugh@tntdownunder.com. Photos are judged by the TNT team at their own discretion. Photos will also be placed on TNT’s Facebook page. For terms and conditions, see tntdownunder.com. Weekly winner Ben wins a free night’s stay at the award-winning Sydney Central YHA (yha. com.au). The monthly winner gets three days’ campervan hire from Mighty Campers Australia (mightycampers.com.au)

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TRAVELNEWS

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star wars city buried Star Wars fans will be distraught to hear that the site of fictional city Mos Espa, featured in Episode I: The Phantom Menace of the Jedi saga, is about to be swallowed up by sand dunes. The remote site in the Tunisian desert was the set for the planet Tatooine in the movie, which was the home of the young Anakin Skywalker who later became Darth Vader. Many a devoted fan has taken the journey to visit this site (see tunisia-tourism.org for details). However, because of the movement of sand dunes in the desert, caused by strong winds, the film set will soon be buried. Experts say it will probably reemerge but will be badly damaged.

Photos: Getty

Germans go nude

With temperatures reaching scorching heights, it’s always tempting to just rip off those swimmers altogether... isn’t it? The answer is yes if you’re German, who, according to a new survey by Expedia, are the most likely to go au naturel on the beach. Nearly a fifth confessed they’ve gone nude by the sea on at least once occasion – that’s more than twice as likely as the global average. The Danes were similarly likely to throw caution (and bikini tops) to the wind, with 40 per cent of the country’s women happy to sunbathe topless. Least likely to sunbathe topless were ladies from Japan and Malaysia.

‘Mos Espa’ soon to be buried by dunes

Shark-proof suits Australian entrepreneurs have launched an ‘invisibility’ wetsuit, which they claim protects wearers from shark attacks. According to their research, in the last two seconds before an attack, sharks use eyesight over the other senses. The wetsuits have been designed with special patterns to deter sharks, including a black suit with stripes which confuses the predator and a blue-and-white design making the wearer ‘invisible’ to the shark. Entreprenuer Craig Anderson told AFP: “It’s based on new breakthrough science which is all about visionary systems for predatory sharks.”

ipad disguised iPads might well be terrifically handy gadgets to bring away on holiday, saving you from packing a suitcase full of guidebooks or laptops. The obvious flipside is that they’re so very nickable, which leads many travellers afraid of having their prized possession stolen to leave them at home. However, Paris-based ‘digital newsstand’ lekiosk.com has come up with a solution – iPad covers that double up as a nifty disguise. The cases look like glossy magazines, hopefully realistic enough to con passing sticky-fingered thieves into ignoring them. The covers will soon be available from lekiosk.com.

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TRAVELOFFERS Bunyip Tours OFFER

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Details MELBOURNE CAMPERVANS FOR $5/DAY! We have 2,4 and 6 berth campervans available in Melbourne for just $5/ day! Some of these vehicles also include a fuel allowance. imoova.com is the largest relocation agent within Australia and New Zealand with approximately 300 relocation deals daily! destination These vehicles are available for travel to Darwin, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth. Dates Available for travel from May 1 until June 23! HOW TO BOOK Visit imoova.com or email info@imoova.com. Or call 1300 789 059 (AU) or 0800 789 059 (NZ).

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Details 12 Apostles, London Bridge, Shipwreck Coast, Grampians National Park, Mackenzie Falls!! Enjoy this and so much more on our 3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour!! Destination Great Ocean Road and Grampians. Can go MEL - MEL or MEL - ADL Dates Offer valid until 31st Aug ‘13 and travel until 31st March ‘14 Price & how to book: Normally start from $375, now from $300. Just mention ‘TNT’ when you call Bunyip Tours on 1300 286 947 Web www.bunyiptours.com

seen a travel deal while in AUSTRALIA that you’d like to share? Email Justin@tntdownunder.com with details of any amazing deals you’ve taken advantage of while in the Land Down Under. The backpacking comunity is all about sharing and caring! Let us at TNT in on the secret and we will make sure we spread the love!

Check out TNT online for the latest news, gossip, gigs, bizarre headlines and awesome features

? t n t e r o m t n a w jobs, jobs & more jobs...

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tntdownunder.com Fly to Alice Springs from SYD/MELB from

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Kiwi ExpEriEncE is now carryinG MaGic Bus custoMErs on its nEtworK. that MEans if you’rE pLanninG to traVEL with MaGic Bus, you’LL BE hoppinG on to Kiwi ExpEriEncE.

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TO BOOK CALL +64 9 358 5600 or visit www.magicbus.co.nz tntdownunder.com

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Winners & grinners 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... Words ALEX HARMON

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 opposite page . 40

So, why vote? Well, for starters, it will only take a few minutes of your 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 Tigerair. 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. So, whatever scrapes you backpackers get into over the next nine weeks, just remember these companies are still going to love you.

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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: Oz Experience Best car/campervan rental: Jucy 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: Wake Up! Best tour/activity: Mojosurf Best backpacker night: Scary Canary NORTHERN TERRITORY

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

Best hostel: The Pickled Frog, Hobart Best tour/activity: Jump Tours Best backpacker night: The Pickled Frog, Hobart VICTORIA

Best hostel: Habitat HQ, Melbourne Best tour/activity: Groovy Grape, Great Ocean Road Best backpacker night: The Official Neighbours Night QUEENSLAND

Best hostel: Bunk, Brisbane Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy, Cairns Best backpacker night: Full Moon Down Under Base SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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

Best hostel: Old Swan Barracks Best tour/activity: Western Xposure Best backpacker night: Mustang GENERAL

Best large travel agent: Peterpan’s Adventure Travel Best small travel agent: Cairns Tribal Travel Best recruitment service: Travellers at Work Best indigenous cultural experience: Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua NZ tntdownunder.com

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best of QLD

Skydiving

Well, you could break the ice on the Manchester Ship Canal to study the mating habits of shopping trolleys, but wouldn’t you rather learn to dive in the warm waters surrounding the world’s largest reef system?

Is the best thing ever – it’s official. It makes you feel invincible, scares the living shit out of you and, in Queensland, offers incredible views in the process. What’s not to like? Take the tandem challenge on Mission Beach.

The Great BArrier Reef Another world lurks beneath that glorious turquoise ocean that laps Queensland’s beaches. Stretching for 2,000km, there’s plenty of opportunities to get down there and have a look.

rainforest The Daintree, north of Cairns, is the largest stretch of virgin rainforest in Oz. Lush, green and beautiful, a visit will make you feel like Mowgli in the Jungle Book – without the loincloth. Hopefully. Further up, in Cape Tribulation you can walk out of the glorious green onto white powder beaches. Heavenly. Head even further up, to Cape York, for what must be one of Australia’s greatest roadtrip

Bungyyy... The AJ Hackett site near Cairns is one of the only places in Oz where you can bungy. It’s also very pretty.

XXXX lager Just joking...

Koala cuties Take a stroll on Magnetic Island or drop intoBrisbane’s Lone Pine Koala Santuary and you’ll spy some of these cute mini-ewoks. Photo-op heaven.

Rafting White-water rafting is a knuckle-whitening ride that’s all for real. The Tully River, accessed from Mission Beach and Cairns, is the most popular place to get wet..

port douglas

Aboriginal culture

When you’ve found out that there’s not much more going on in Cairns than pole dancing and wet T-shirt contests, head a few clicks north to Port Douglas. Cycle around, catch some fish or rent a small boat.

The Laura Festival, held in the small Cape Yorktownship every July, is a unique opportunity to learn about the local Aboriginal culture through dance, song and art

Photo credit: Tourism Queensland, Whitsundays Jetski Tours

under water love

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Photo credit: Tourism Queensland, Whitsundays Jetski Tours

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES DOWN UNDER AND YOU’LL AUTOmATICALLY bE ENTERED INTO OUR PRIzE DRAW WITh A ChANCE TO WIN $1000 OF FREE FLIghTS* COURTESY OF TIgER AIRWAYS The TNT Golden Backpack Awards recognise those companies who make backpacking around Australia and New Zealand that extra bit special. Maybe you stayed in a fantastic hostel you’ll never forget, or went on a trip with the best tour guide Down Under. This is your chance to vote for your favourites. And who knows, you might even become a winner yourself. Vote and you’ll automatically be entered into our prize draw for a chance to WIN $1000 of FREE flights*with Tiger Airways. Voting closes on September 23rd 2013, with the winners of the Golden Backpacks announced in November. Don’t forget to tell your mates to vote too, so they can also have a chance to win this fantastic prize. *Terms and conditions apply.

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Surf’s up

Desert

Southern Queensland is, in more ways than one, Surfer’s Paradise. The reef puts a stop to the waves at Bundaberg, but until then, learning to surf is the most fun you can have with (some of) your clothes on.

The Simpson Desert is one of the largest national parks in Australia and looks like something from Star Wars, all rolling sand dunes and salt pans. It’s also the world’s only desert named after an irreverant cartoon family.

Mullets The worst haircut that ever raised its tufty spikes still lives large in Qld. The comedy value is priceless

Sail away

Soaking up the rays Queensland is officially Australia’s sunniest state. It’s also where the country’s highest recorded temperature was measured: 53.1ºC at Clonclurry, on January 13, 1889. Toasty.

Become a yachtie, if only for a few days. With this much coastline, Queenslanders love a boat. Yachties, by the way, are often very cute, with suntans and good arms. Just a tip, ladies...

Rum Bundaberg Rum. When in the town, order a ‘dark and stormy’ – Bundy rum and ginger beer.

Waterfalls Swimming in croc-free fresh water on a hot day is as close to heaven as most of us are likely to get. The Atherton Tablelands does them best.

Freewheelin’ Fraser

Farmstays

A perennial fave, nothing quite beats burning up the beach of the world’s largest sand island in a 4WD. The inland lakes are also some of the best swimming spots you’re likely to find in Oz.

Pretend to be a farmer for a few days. Ride horses, cuddle cute critters and milk cows. Myella near Rockhampton is a popular spot.

The Crocodile Hunter Okay, Steve won’t be there anymore, but there are more idiots that risk their lives by cuddling crocs. Check out the shrine to all things Irwin that is the Sunshine Coast’s Australia Zoo.

Feeling fruity If you’ve never eaten a perfectly ripe, dribble-downyour-chin Bowen mango, you haven’t lived, love.

Beef Rockhampton in central Queensland is the beef capital of Australia. Yes, they have one of those. Presumably, the burgers are better in Rocky

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Life’s a beach Queensland is packed with great beaches – they’re everywhere. The most famous being Whitehaven in the Whitsundays, which is so unbelievably picture-perfect you’ll find yourself yearning for a Bounty bar, even if you hate coconuts.

Dingos Show some respect for the native dog, which was actually brought over by the first Aboriginals as hunting dogs around 40,000 years ago. That makes them pretty good at hunting. Keep your distance and don’t feed them. You’re most likely to see them on Fraser Island.

Outback boozers

Theme parks

Big wooden buildings with huge, wrap-around verandahs, glasses kept in the fridge and wrinkly men in shorts perched on ricketty bar stools – that’s what we want from an Outback pub. And Queensland has heaps of them.

The Gold Coast boasts loads. So if you’re a rollercoaster junkie, you’re in heaven.

Lamingtons Yes, they taste like a bath sponge, but they’re very Aussie and they’re from Qld..

Island hopping There are too many stunning blobs of land off the Queensland coast to list. But we’ll tell you a few of our favourites: The Whitsundays are famous for their incredible beaches – like Whitehaven which bears a striking resemblance to the beach Tom Hanks got wrecked on in Cast Away; there’s also Hinchinbrook Island which is the wilderness walkers’ paradise; Fitzroy Island is full of adventurous backpackers and is great for partying; Magnetic Island is the sunniest; and Moreton Island is sand-tastic.

Jet skiiing In Thailand you get around on motorbikes, right? Well in Queensland you get around on jetskiis, the motorbikes of the ocean. Go island hopping around the Whitsundays or jet around Dunk Island off Mission Beach. You will love your new wheels. 46

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ote us! for

速

If you had an awesome time travelling through then give us a cheeky little vote, we would be stoked...

Best hostel New Zealand Nomads Queenstown

Best hostel Australia Nomads Byron Bay

Best Large Travel agent Mad Travel Shop

Best Australian tour operator Nomads Fraser Island tours

Best Hostel Victoria Nomads Melbourne

Best Hostel New South Wales Arts Factory lodge Byron Bay

Best Hostel Queensland Nomads Airlie Beach

Best Queensland Tour Operator Nomads Fraser Island tours

VOTE NOW aNd WiN $1,000 WOrTh Of flighTs

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best of NT Alice Springs Desert Park Not much point in visiting a nature park in the middle of the bush? Wrong. This park helps describe and interpret the area’s plants and wildlife in fascinating detail.

The ‘Green’ season ?

Going, going Ghan Jump aboard one of Australia’s most famous trains, which cuts the continent in half linking Darwin with Adelaide, stopping at Katherine Gorge and Alice Springs along the way. Just sit back and watch the endless Outback trundle past, olde worlde style.

The friendlier term for the Wet Season in the Top End (Nov-April), when it rains... a lot. It’s not so bad though. Flowers bloom and the numerous waterfalls flow at full power..

Aboriginal legends Almost every rock formation, mountain range or gorge has an Aboriginal Dreamtime legend attached.

The Barkly Highway

Ghost gums

The main road to Queensland is one of the country’s most dangerous. Rough, potholed, with wandering roos and roadtrains, it’s an adventure alright.

These beautiful, albino white trees dot the landscape, giving it an eerie, barren feel. Rub your hands on the trunk to get a white powdery residue as a natural sunblock. Gerrin!.

Palm Valley Due to its accessibility by 4WD only, Palm Valley is not on every itinerary. But with ancient cabbage palms, a striking gorge and the odd poisonous snake, it’s not to be missed.

Gosse Bluff crater A massive 140 millionyear-old comet crater near the Western MacDonnell Ranges. Created by an asteroid crash a thousand times more powerful than Hiroshima, you can see the ripples in the surrounding landscape. 48

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Ellery Creek Big Hole No matter how much you want to cool off from the sweltering heat, the water here is ice cold (due to the heavy tri-quartzite rock). We defy you to stay in longer than a minute. Over the millennia, massive floods have carved out this beautiful waterhole and unlocked some amazing geology.

Bushcamping rules You won’t have seen stars like it. When you’re out in the bush there are rules to follow, but the best advice is: the more you eat, the more room in the esky for beer.

Eating kangaroo tail It is as disgusting as it sounds, but when in Rome... Chucked on the campfire to roast, then shaved of its hair, the tail is very fatty and oily. Just like KFC then....

Alice Springs Desert Park

Rednecks With mullets, cut-off shirts, and beer bellies, some of the locals can look a bit redneck. But make the effort to talk and you may have the most memorable conversations of your trip.

Not much point in visiting a nature park in the middle of the bush? Wrong. This park helps describe and interpret the area’s plants and wildlife in fascinating detail.

Kakadu National Park Arguably Australia’s most spectacular national park, with billion-year-old rock formations, stunning waterfalls, scary crocs, and ancient Aboriginal art...

Tennant Creek A settlement that began when a cart carrying beer to workers broke down, nowadays it’s a major town on the Stuart Highway, and a good place to stop for a true flavour of the Outback.

Wild camels There are thousands of wild camels roaming free in the Territory. Slow the car to get a pic, but don’t get too close – they might get the hump. Arf. tntdownunder.com

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Photo credit: Tourism NT

Wycliffe Well

Ballooning

Arnhem Land

It claims more UFO sightings (per capita) than anywhere in Oz. The local roadhouse/ campsite pays homage to all things alien and boasts a vast collection of beers. Get pissed with ET.

Take an early morning hot air balloon flight over the Western MacDonnell Ranges, near Alice Springs. The ranges spread out like the spine of a giant sleeping beast. Breathtaking.

Arnhem Land is Aboriginalowned and is a vast, barelytouched area with stunning scenery and few people. Visit with a permit only, but well worth it.

Deserted roads

Take part in an Aboriginal Corroberee Get painted up in charcoal and gather around the campfire in a traditional Corroberee ceremony. You’ll learn the songs and dances past down through time.

Outback pubs Grab a coldie, sidle up to a local and take in the ambience of bars like nowhere else.

In some sections of the NT, you can go hours without seeing another vehicle. Stop by a road sign and take the popular “I’m in the middle of nowhere” photo.

Devil’s Marbles

Crocs

Lean against, push or jump inside these fantastic rock formations for some photographic tomfoolery.

These toothsome terrors are one of the coolest things you can see in the NT. Head to Kakadu and see them on their terms. Get even closer by watching the jumping crocs on the Adelaide River, or by entering Darwin’s Cage of Death..

Red dust The film of red dust which settles on everything you own will quickly show you why the middle of Australia is often called the Red Centre. 50

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e l a s t o H Red re! u t n e v d ssie a u A r u o y Heat up

Save up to 25% off selected tours* *Conditions apply

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www.adventuretours.com.au Valid for bookings made before 31 August 2013 for travel until 31 December 2013 on selected tours only, as advertised on www.adventuretours.com.au. Not valid for existing bookings. Promo codes found on the website must be quoted at time of booking to redeem discount. No extensions to booking or travel periods. Not valid with any other offer. Tours subject to availability and confirmation by Adventure Tours at time of booking. All prices are subject to change without notice and offer may be withdrawn or changed at any time. Please see our website for full list of terms and conditions. Intrepid Travel Pty Ltd trading as Adventure Tours Australia ABN 35 007 172 456.

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best of NT Kings Canyon

Uluru

The highlight of Wattarka NP, it’s a spectacular, 300m deep crack in the land. Check out the Lost City, a formation of hundreds of domed rocks, like a Star Wars-style settlement.

The big red rock star is the reason to get yourself to the middle. No amount of photos can prepare you for the sheer mystery and majesty of Australia’s biggest icon.

Katherine Gorge

Kata Tjuta

A welcome oasis on the road between Alice Springs and Darwin, Katherine Gorge is a series of interconnected gorges which can be hiked, kayaked or seen by helicopter.

These domed orange rocks are more significant (and therefore sacred) to the Anangu people of the region than Uluru. A highlight is a trek through the Valley of the Winds.

Aboriginal communities The NT is dotted with Aboriginal communities, which you can visit on your travels. Hermannsburg is home to the country’s best-known Aboriginal artist, Albert Namatjira.

Bo’s saloon a territory icon

Enter the saloon doors at Bo’s and experience the true Outback at it’s finest.

GOOd pEOpLE

GOOd fOOd GOOd SErvicE GOOd timES Open 7 days from 11.30am until late. 08 8952 2873 80 Todd St, Alice Springs NT

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ALICE SPRINGS

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Win a Whitsunday Island Scuba FROM AIRLIEBEACH.C Here at TNT we don’t like to throw around the term “paradise” without good reason. But we reckon that the Whitsundays is about as close to paradise as you’re going to get. The beautiful tropical islands of the north Queensland area are the most desirable in the world. So imagine being able to spend your days cruising around this slice of paradise on board a decked-out catamaran. That’s where we come in. TNT have teamed up with Airliebeach.com to offer one lucky reader and a mate a trip of a lifetime on an award winning Adventure and Dive Cruise on board the “Powerplay”.

You’ll have the opportunity to dive at some of the best dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef and visit the beautiful tropical islands of the Whitsundays on a two day, two night adventure. THE PRIZE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FOR two people: 2 Days / 2 nights Adventure and Dive Cruise! Competition closes Sunday, 25 August 2013. Log on to tntdownunder.com for further details and to enter.

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Canberra australian capital territory

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Politically incorrect While Canberra may get a hard time, we discover just how stunning and innovative the politician’s meeting place can be Words alex harmon

You aren’t allowed to bring political material into Parliament House,” the security officer announces as our bags are screened. It’s high alert in the nation’s capital of Canberra. As a joke we are wearing badges that say ‘Stop Taxing Tourism’. We thought it would make a great Instagram shot on top of Parliament House. The security officer, however, doesn’t share our sense of humour. “We’re from TNT,” we smile. “TNT, like the explosive?” she asks, genuinely alarmed. “This is getting interesting,” she mumbles. It doesn’t help that my colleague has a thick yanky accent and a backpack strapped to his body. We have only been in Canberra a few hours and we’re already in danger of being locked up, or if you’re my colleague – deported. We explain that TNT is a magazine, and not a bomb threat, and after exchanging a few smiles and business cards we are eventually permitted to enter. As long as we don’t wear the badge. Politics must be left at the door when visiting the meeting place of our nation’s leaders. We make it through just in time to catch a tour of the Senate (dusty red in colour) and the House of Representatives (an off-green colour) to learn a brief history of the building which replaced the old parliament house in 1988. The beautiful marble staircase which leads to the Great Hall is opulent, yet still very distinct to Australia, with portraits of retired and fallen prime ministers adorning the walls. Inside the Hall, we see a large tapestry (measuring 20 x 9 metres) of a dense forest of eucalypts which is based on an Arthur Boyd painting. For all of the ugliness that goes on inside, parliament is full of stunning art, impressive architecture, and because it’s a weekend, no pollies in sight. It feels very calm and museum like.

As a result I became scarred by Canberra, thinking of it as the holiday equivalent of watching paint dry (on a bitterly cold day). Now, more than 15 years later, I am returning, but I promise myself to do so with an open mind. I am determined to make new memories and put to bed some of those myths about Canberra being boring.

Wheels in motion What better way to see the flat, man-made city of Canberra than on a Segway? Being my second turn on the twowheeled electric vehicle, I am much more confident to climb aboard. With a local guide, we whizz around the city taking in the National Gallery, Old Parliament House with its tent embassy set up outside, Questacon - the hands-on science museum we get to visit later, and race around on a massive grass lawn. Our home-grown guide tells us about the ‘three P’s’ that Canberra is famous for. “Pornography, pyrotechnics and politicians,” he says. “Except you can’t get fireworks anymore, so it’s just porn and pollies, really.” Considering porn is readily available for

The offending badge

Making new memories Anyone who grew up on the east side of Australia can’t help but associate Canberra with the boring school excursion. At around 10-12 years of age you are shuffled onto a bus and subjected to a few days of learning about political history, architecture and science. If you’re really lucky you’ll get to go to McDonalds on the way home, that’s pretty much the pinnacle of the trip. Oh and it’s always in winter – so you freeze. tntdownunder.com

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Photos: Justin Steinlauf

Clockwise: Kingston market; biking Canberra; the War Memorial anyone with an internet connection, I tell him it’s Kevin and Tony who are promoting the city – which is a little unsettling. He looks like I’ve just put a stick in his wheel, so I laugh and tell him how much I already love Canberra. For starters, it’s winter but the sun is shining, the air is clean and I’ve had an amazing coffee and bacon and egg roll in Braddon this morning. We stumbled upon Braddon almost accidentally, discovering a street filled with vintage boutiques, pop-up stores, clever street art and cute cafes. So far, I am digging Canberra, and we haven’t even been to Questacon yet.

“

You can’t get fireworks anymore so it’s just porn and pollies

”

Lest we forget From a battle of the Segways to the battle of the Somme, we make our way to the War Memorial, which we can see glistening in the sun from Parliament House. The building symbolises the involvement of ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) who fought in the great wars and the memorial commemorates the service and the sacrifice that these men and women made during wartime. It is an incredibly humbling experience as we peruse the 102,000 names engraved in bronze plaques marking the servicemen and women killed in conflict, many of these are celebrated with red poppies. The roll shows names, not rank or other awards as a nod to the maxim, “all men are equal in death”. Our guide is a man who appears to be in his late sixties, and as he relays the stories of those who served, he has a 58

tear in his eye that moves me to tears myself. Especially when he shows us the tomb of the unnamed soldier, symbolising all of the soldiers who have died in wars without their remains being identified. We also learn about the ANZAC legend of Simpson and his Donkey, a soldier who fought in Gallipoli and, with the help of his donkey, carried wounded soldiers from the frontline to the beach where they were evacuated to safety. He did this tirelessly for three weeks, often ducking from gunfire, until he was eventually killed. While I believe in the futility of war, it’s stories like these that make me believe in humanity. Of course, that is short lived, for we’re about to dive into the nightlife of Canberra, pungent enough to change anyone’s positive spirit.

Uncivilised in Civic You can’t go out drinking in Canberra without going to the infamous Mooseheads. Try as you might, sooner or later (hopefully later) you’ll be lured in by the throngs of bright young things on hen’s nights of 21st birthday parties cueing up for $4 Smirnoffs. If you go in with an open mind you’ll have a good time, but be careful of the constantly mopped floors, they’re hazardous – as are the drunk meatheads, but that’s to be expected, really. We actually came across a couple of decent bars in the hit-and-miss Civic Mall area, Shorty’s is a new addition to the scene and the place to go for cocktails, old school RnB rather than the unironic new school RnB pumping out at Mooseheads, and overall a more chilled vibe. Likewise with Honkytonks, this place has some great Mexican food (cheap too) and the Sydney beer taking hipsters by storm, Young Henry’s. There’s also a local art initiative happening on the walls, so it’s pretty much the antithesis to Mooseheads. If you’re really struggling with humanity, make a night of it here. And when you think about it, it’s the drunk young students of Canberra that are breathing life into the ghostland of Civic Mall.

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Surly around Burley Waking up the next day with a Mooseheads-size hangover and the remnants of 2am pizza (those street vendors get me overtime) can only be conquered by one thing – and it’s not hair of the dog. It’s hairpin turns on a bicycle, hooray! You may groan but Canberra is perfect for biking, the openness, the fresh air, the flat roads and the friendly motorists all mean one thing: Canberra is the Amsterdam of Australia for bike lovers (their relaxed laws on cannibas just further my point). We head to Mr Spokes who rent bikes to enthusiasts by the hour/day, from your typical mountain bike to the old nostalgic pedal cars. We set off around Lake Burley Griffith on an eight kilometre flat circuit heading from West Basin to Commonwealth Park. We take in the tranquil waterlillies in the ponds and head over Kings Avenue Bridge where we cruise around the National Gallery’s sculpture garden taking in the eclectic sculptures on show. Lake Burley Griffith is actually a man-made lake, which is hard to believe given its size. It was actually made by an American architect who won the competition to design the city of Canberra. The whole city was created in 1908 to become the nation’s capital as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne (see, these two cities have been in competition for years.)

Cider and sliders We finish our hipster morning with a trip to Kingston. The Kingston Bus Depot Markets are known around town for their handcrafted goods and fresh produce, not to mention the best (unalcoholic) apple cider I’ve ever put my lips

around. We check our watches and realise we have time for one more stop on our weekend trip. Although I am gunning for the National Archives, we are told to check out Questacon by pretty much everyone we meet in Canberra. It is the National Science and Technology Centre and although it may be aimed at kids, don’t let this (or them) get in the way of a good time. Questacon is made up of more than 200 interactive exhibits on seven levels that have us racing up and down the spiral ramp. You’re never too old to experience a simulated earthquake, free fall on a six metre vertical slide or walk through a spinning LED tunnel. It has us giddy with excitement and pretty much sums up our Canberra experience. For a town built from nothing, there is creativity and innovation on every corner. Canberra may get a hard time but (once you get past security), you’re welcomed with open arms into a place of endless beauty with a wealth of things to see and do. It’s not just a place famous for three P’s (which recently lost an arm). As we visited on a weekend we never did get to see any politicians, although we probably did mix with some plain clothed public servants. The only fireworks we saw were on the dancefloor of Mooseheads, and as for porn, well let’s just say that all men might be equal in death, but in Canberra they’re very much alive – and who am I to judge?

Damage and details: Parliament House and the War Memorial both have free entry; visitcanberra.com.au; bike hire from Mr Spokes costs $20/hour mrspokes.com.au; entry to Questacon questacon.edu.au; guided Segway tours cost from costs $23 segglideride.com.au; The writer and photographer stayed $25 adinahotels.com.au at the Adina Apartment Hotel

We love science: Questacon

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

Harbour views This is Auckland in 72 hours Words Rory Platt

DAY 1: Cities on the water are cool, this much we know for certain, but a city caught in the middle of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean? Now that's a new level of awesome belonging to Auckland. The range of activities that are on offer could never be fully documented in as concise a guide as this one, nor experienced as quickly as seventy-two hours, so consider this your first bite of the BIg Kiwi. Auckland's massive, metaphorical arms are open wide to you, so take my advice and give it a great big bear hug and a cheeky kiss. 9:00: Auckland is the main starting point for most people hopping into New Zealand. If you arrive from a red-eye you'll probably want to hit the hay as soon as you touch down. Base Auckland Central Backpackers (stayatbase. com) is, as the name suggests, located right in the heart of the city and close to the action. It's clean, cheap and comfy and the perfect place to situate yourself amongst the sights and activities. If you've come from Australia be sure to rise early, don't blame jetlag (you wuss), take a brisk walk and go bottoms up on Auckland's best cup of coffee at Little B. You'll be needing that energy boost for the rest of the day. 11:00: New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world, so of course Auckland has wholeheartedly embraced the notion of leaping off tall things. With bungy cords attached that is. Auckland Harbour Bridge (bungy.co.nz) is home to the bungy kings, AJ Hackett, and also the first harbour bridge bungy in the world. If bungy isn't your game, you can enjoy the view over Auckland without getting any closer to the

water with the 1.5 hour Bridge Climb. No one will think any less of you. Except me. 13:30: There's a heap of free activities in Auckland, so don't assume that you'll be emptying your wallet into the harbour for the whole weekend. Get walking and take a sneaky peek at Mt Eden, Auckland's highest natural point and also a volcano (last eruption 15,000 years ago at time of writing). How many people can say they've climbed a volcano? Well, everyone in Auckland for a start... Never mind. 17:00: The best place to find yourself when your tummy begins to rumble is on Ponsonby Road (iloveponsonby. co.nz). As well as a range of cafĂŠs and shops, there's a variety of food galore, from Middle Eastern delights at Fatima's, to Mexican Food Trucks like The Lucky Taco. It's the coolest place to stuff your face. If you can't decide, go with whatever looks busy. The local's choice always wins! 20:00: You've refuelled on delicious eats, now you've got a thirst for some al-key-hol. It's early days yet, so a good bet is the Fort Street Union Bar at Nomads. It's the perfect venue to have a drink and share your best tales of the road with anyone drunk enough to listen. Like any good backpackers. there's always plenty of other travellers to sink your teeth into and it's just a few blocks to stumble back to Base after your feeding frenzy. DAY 2: 9:00: Hungover are we? Well shut up and slap on your happy teeth, because it's breakfast time. Just behind Queen Street is the life-saving CafĂŠ Melba (mgrp.co.nz)

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Photos: Destination NSW , Facebook.com

Harbour Bungy on Vulcan St who are eager to sort you out. Grab a B.A.T (bacon, avocado and tomato) and smash that headache! Works a million times better than any paracetamol I've ever tried before.d. 10:00: Keep the hangover at bay by taking a walk through Auckland's oldest park, The Domain. Enjoy the leaves, watch the joggers or roll in the grass, like lovers do. The fresh air will you do you good. There's even the remnants of explosion craters from when Auckland was home to active volcanoes. Neat! 13:00: Breakfast? Check. Walk? Check. Pilot a Boeing 737? Oh, that's next. Fly a Jet (flyajet.co.nz) are bang in the middle of the city and offer everything from first-timer simulation flights up to pilot training. While you might not have time to complete a full training course, you should take the opportunity to have a shot at being the captain. So put down that martini and step into the cockpit. Relive your fantasy of saving a plane full of orphans and nuns thanks to years of video game experience. "This is your captain speaking, we're currently experiencing some turbulence..." 15:00: You did it! Yaaaaaay! You can celebrate that successful (or unsuccessful) landing by heading out to some of Auckand's gorgeous beaches. There's plenty to choose from - you are surrounded by ocean after all. Karakare Beach is as stunning as they come and the perfect location to watch a huge ball of fire, trillions of miles away, sink into the ocean (otherwise known as a sunset). Bring along a baby grand to re-enact all your favourite scenes from 'The Piano'. Shut up, you love it. 20:00: Dine on some damn fine pizza with Italian mobsters at Covo Pasta Pizza Bar. The food is fantastic and the most authentic you can find off the boot. It's cheap and, let's be honest, you probably spent a bit much getting smashed yesterday. Night off? Good onya. Don't despair, you can make up for it on the final night anyway. DAY 3: 9:00 Up early, and there's no excuse this morning. Grab some breakfast and chill out. Maybe explore the city with a coffee in hand. You could spend a whole day doing this, but let's meet up again in an hour, alright? I don't mind, really. Go have fun! 10:00: Alright, back into it. No time for dawdlers. No one ever got anywhere by faffing around and drinking coffee.

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Viaduct by night

Beautiful nearby beaches

Head on over to the delightful Goat Island (goatislanddive. co.nz), for world class snorkelling or diving. The island itself is tiny, and the real appeal is to be found under the water. A PADI certified divemaster can take you around to all the most beautiful spots, or you can hire some snorkelling gear and splash around to your hearts content. 13:00: You've been in Auckland long enough to get a taste, of New Zealand culture, but you're doing yourself an injustice if you dont learn a bit of history. Auckland War Memorial Museum (aucklandmuseum.com) holds more historical relics and information than you can digest in a day, so saunter through and enlighten yourself. You sophisticated culture buff you! 18:00: No trip to New Zealand would be complete without a generous helping of the fabled Kiwi favourite, 'fush and chups'. Any of the coastal suburbs of Auckland are bound to have amazing fish and chips on offer, just look for the busiest one at this time and you can't go wrong. If you're no where near the water then Mt Eden Village Fish Shop is a choice you won't regret. 21:00: It's your last night and, oh boy, it looks like it's going to be a crazy one. Put on your fancy pants and super model smile and head into town. Auckland has an astounding nightlife, so whatever you're looking for - be it casual drink or dance club this city will not disappoint you. Start your night by rocking up to Chapel Bar & Bistro (chapel.co.nz) to sample the best on offer at Auckland's newest late night hotspot. There's an open air garden bar which is ideal for either summer or winter drinking. While it's a good start, after a couple of tasty beers it's probably time to move on and into something a little more lively. There's great live music and an awesome atmosphere up for grabs at Cassette Nine (cassettenine.com). If you missed out on fish and chips earlier then you'll be pleased to know that there's a seriously good kitchen here, ready to satisfy the hunger that comes with a night of drinking. They're open late enough to knock any party animal on their arse by the end of the evening. If you're still energised to make it to sunrise then you'll likely end up on K' Road by the end of the night. This street is absolutely massive and there'll be lots to keep you interested/awake. Stumble back to Base and relish in the undeniable fact that you have lived Auckland to the fullest in just seventy-two hours. Congratulations. Now please don't miss your flight or, if you do, don't hold us responsible.

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Magnetic island Queensland

30 sept -

4 oct 2013 THE GREATEST ISLAND ADVENTURE ON THE PLANET This October, backpackers and travellers of the world are descending on Magnetic Island in Queensland for four incredible days of sporting events, adventure challenges and tropical partying. Compete for great prizes. Everyone can participate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all fitness levels. Mark this must do event on your calendar and start putting your team together!

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For more information visit www.iatgames.com * Includes ticket to Cat Empire live

HOW TO BOOK To book your package to the greatest island adventure on the planet visit www.iatgames.com To book your accommodation, travel, pre & post tours go to www.iatgames.com/travel-accommodation

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Beach volleyball - beach football - beach Athletics - beach rugby 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barefoot bowls - Obstacle race - treasure hunt adventure race - concert - opening and closing ceremony - beach party - national anthem sing-off & much more! Foundation Partners

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25/07/13 1:10 AM

Honduras central america

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Into the danger zone Ignoring the warning signs we head deep into the heart of Honduras where we come face to face with ancient ruins, unforgettable dive spots… and one threatening machete Words andrew westbrook

“Whatever you do,” warned one of my oldest friends when asked for tips on travelling through WHat to do: Entrance to Central America, “avoid Honduras. That place is the Copan ruins costs $15, with like a failed state.” the tunnels costing another $15 I had no reason to doubt his word. After all, this and the museum $7. Four-day is a guy who’s not only made Central America his PADI dive courses on Utila cost home, but also works in tourism and has married around $250, including extra a local. Put simply, he knows his way around the dives and accommodation place. And besides, a little further research made when to go: If diving, it’s his comment seem, if anything, tame. A 2009 coup best to avoid the rainy season and a recent surge in drug trafficking have pushed (Nov-Feb). Whale sharks visit Honduras into the Premier League of dangerous from May to September countries, with its second city San Pedro Sula CURRENCY: $1 = 20.3 (HNL) boasting the dubious honour of being the world’s ACCOMMODATION: murder capital (see boxout). Sounds tempting eh? Copan’s Hostal Berakah Copan My problem, however, is that I can’t bear to (hotelberakahcopan.hostel. miss out. Know the line, “If they jumped off a com) has beds from $8/night, cliff, would you follow?” Well, I did (and got three including breakfast crushed vertebrae to prove it). SEE: Lonely Planet’s Central And so, nodding my way through the warnings America on a Shoestring and horror stories, I knew it would make no difference, I was going to Honduras. After all, it’s the original Banana Republic, the home of the spectacular Copan ruins and the world’s cheapest diving. There was no way I was missing out.

unhinged. Once, twice, three times he swings and jabs with his blade as I cower backwards, desperately wondering how the situation has escalated so horrifically. It was just minutes before that we’d been arguing in the street after the maniac, a taxi driver, had taken me to the wrong hostel and then doubled his fare for the privilege. Fed up of scams, I’d stood my ground, told him to call the police if he had a problem and stormed into the (wrong) hostel. The discussion, however, was far from over. The friendly receptionist, having witnessed our raging argument, had decided to let this knife-wielding psycho through the security gate and up to my room (I told you it was a great hostel), where there was not

Blade runner Fast-forward a few weeks, however, and that warning flashes through my mind as I stare ahead in dumbstruck terror, trying in vain to control my total fear. I’m standing in a corridor in quite possibly the world’s shittest hostel. To my left is a bare bedroom, containing little more than my bug-infested mattress. To my right is the bathroom, with the broken toilet and waterless taps. Behind me, meanwhile, is the kitchen, in which I’d earlier spotted two rats. And yet, all those delightful elements are far more heavenly than what stands in front of me – a crazed Honduran waving a rusty machete in my face. Screaming and swearing, the maniac is livid and clearly

To protect and serve

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another soul in sight. Not just me, but everything I own, was there for the taking. And so, wide eyes glued frantically to the point of his blade, I fumble for my money and hand over his inflated fare, having no idea if that will still suffice. Thankfully, as suddenly as it began, it’s over. A few more insults are thrown, as well as a final swoosh of the machete just inches from my face, and he’s gone. A psycho he may have been, but a robber he was not, it seems, content to leave once his gringo tax had been extorted. Whimpering back to my room for a night of intense, crazed paranoia, I add a new life lesson to my growing list – forget the principle, sometimes it’s worth paying the tourist price. After all, how much was this near-death experience over? The princely sum of $1.

Life in the slow lane In hindsight, of course, it’s easy to see that my less-thansmooth handling of the situation played a big part in it spiralling so badly out of control. The money was nothing and I was in a non-touristy area of La Ceiba, a gritty port that is the gateway to the Bay Islands off the Caribbean coast. I should have known better. Part of the problem was that I’d come straight from Copan, a town home to some of the most celebrated historical ruins in the world. With a healthy smattering of foreigners and safe streets, Copan represents the Honduras that’s a million miles from the fear-filled headlines of death and drugs. Nestled near the border with Guatemala and El Salvador in the country’s north-west, this was where I’d started my Honduran trip, the memories of past warnings growing fainter with every passing day. The town itself, Copan Ruinas, is about 1km from the site of the Mayan city and is an easy place to lose track of time (which is lucky, seeing as strikes prevented my entrance to the ruins for three days running). Like well-preserved colonial towns throughout Central America, Copan’s cobbled streets are lined with pretty, pastel-coloured adobe buildings covered in faded red tiles. Attempting to keep

“

Temple of boom Having spent several months in the region, visiting all the major Mayan sites, I’ll admit to a nagging doubt I might be a little ‘templed out’. But I needn’t have worried, as Copan’s reputation is well-deserved. A grand city that enjoyed a golden age of culture from about 250-900AD, Copan is widely regarded as being the artistic daddy of the Mayan world. And it doesn’t take long to see why. As well as the usual calendar-based pyramids and temples that poke out from the jungle canopy, amidst the sounds of howler and spider monkeys, Copan boasts a level of decoration that simply isn’t found elsewhere. The colours, carvings and sculptures are on another level. One of the most common subjects, in amongst the animals, skulls and gods, are the city’s great kings, who without fail boast brilliant names like Waterlily Jaguar, 18 Rabbit or, my personal favourite, Smoke Monkey. Walking through the forest of kings, a series of stone columns depicting the one-time rulers, I spend the day clambering up pyramids and through underground tunnels, gawping at Central America’s second biggest Mayan ball court before staring, mesmerised, at the hieroglyphic stairway, a series of 63 coloured steps which tell the story of the Copan dynasty through the use of over 2,000 glyphs in what is the world’s longest pre-Columbian inscription. My ancient Mayan might be a bit rusty, but the message is clear, these crumbling structures were once the centre of their world, a place where thousands came to trade, watch sport or pray. It was a home to pure power, bloody sacrifices and a civilisation so ahead of its time that it built cities perfectly aligned with the stars without using any metals, animals or the wheel, let alone modern astrological instruments. It’s a mystical, awe-inspiring place, a city where not much imagination is needed to transport yourself through the centuries until you’re stood beside the ruling shamans, macaw feathers on head and bloody jade dagger in hand, while thousands bow down before you, Apocalypto-style.

Copan boasts a level of decoration that simply isn’t found elsewhere

”

to the shade, denim-wearing cowboys saunter through the main square, dipping their Stetsons at the women serving up plates of steaming beans and rice from street stalls. There’s a timeless feel and nobody’s in a rush, not least the bands of shotgun-toting security men outside any building of importance, a Central American sight that quickly becomes as non-threatening and routine as your daily intake of tortillas. Finally, however, word spreads that the workers have cut a deal and the ruins are open for business, so off I stroll to see for myself the ‘Paris of the Maya world’. 66

Climbing the artistic daddy of the Mayan world

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Photos: Andrew Westbrrok, Thinkstock

Diving in Utila is A-ok Pirates of the Caribbean Sacrificial fantasies over, however, it was time to return to the real world and travel across modern-day Honduras to my next destination, the Bay Islands, which in itself meant crossing another great Honduran contrast, the switch from Latin to Caribbean cultures. As in most Central American nations, arriving on the east coast of Honduras is like entering a different country, a place where the skin colour suddenly darkens and the language of choice switches from Spanish to English. The reason is that while mainland Honduras spent centuries as a Spanish colony, the conquistador authorities were unable to stop British pirates like Henry Morgan setting up base just off the coast, perfectly placed for ransacking the departing treasure ships heading back to Europe. As a result, the Bay Islands are populated primarily by the descendants of those pirates, as well as the slaves brought over by the British from Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean. And today, as I step foot on the sandy streets of Utila, it’s the British influence that’s still clear to see. The pirates might be long gone, but the dominance of foreign-born locals is still the order of the day. The difference now is that visitors seek the treasures below the surrounding waters, rather than the ones sailing past, thanks to Utila’s reputation for being the cheapest place in the world to do a diving course, with the schools more than happy to corner their budget niche and let the big spenders go to Belize or Costa Rica. And so it is that I lose yet another week, filling my days by exploring the wrecks and wildlife of the world’s second biggest reef system, while my nights disappear into a blur of rum and reggae. Indeed, lying back in my hammock, mojito in hand, I decide I could get used to life in the danger zone.

How dangerous is HONDURAs? First things first, like most so-called danger hotspots; the vast majority of travellers visit Honduras without any bad experiences. If you know the risks and keep your wits about you, you’ll invariably be fine, especially in tourist-friendly areas like Copan and the Bay Islands. That said, Honduras is undoubtedly one of the planet’s most deadly countries. According to the UN, 86 of every 100,000 people are murdered there each year, a rate roughly 20 times higher than the US average. Even more shocking is that the death toll is twice as high in second city San Pedro Sula. Indeed, San Pedro might be called the “underappreciated dynamo of the Honduran economy” by Lonely Planet, but a label it more commonly goes by nowadays is “the world’s most violent city”, having recently toppled previous pace setter Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Situated on the Atlantic coast, near the Guatemalan border, San Pedro is a prime drug trafficking bottleneck, meaning the gangs have moved in big time. Scarier still, it’s also the AIDS capital of Central America. Oh, and bear in mind that, wherever you are in the country, just about every Honduran has at least quick access to some form of weapon, so maybe think twice before initiating shouting matches with taxi drivers… For detailed travel advice, visit fco.gov.uk

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ozLISTINGS travel agents

1800 293 7663,

awesomeoz.com

1800 786 386,

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Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com

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

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

Backpackers World Travel 1800 997 325 backpackersworld.com

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

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

Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 669 424, peterpans.com.au

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

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

Travellers Contact Point 1800 647 640, travellers.com.au

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

Tribal Adventure Travel 1800 984 484, tribaltravel.com.au

Groovy Grape Getaways Tours linking Adelaide, Alice Springs & Melbourne 1800 661 177, groovygrape.com.au

YHA Travel 02 9261 111, yha.com.au

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

Heading Bush Adelaide to Alice Springs outback tours 1800 639 933, headingbush.com Jump Tours Tours around Tasmania 0422 130 630, jumptours.com

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

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

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

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

Awesome Adventures Oz Whitsundays packages

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Adventures South Australia

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 Topdeck Tours covering all of Oz 1300 886 332, topdeck.travel Under Down Under Tours Tours around Tasmania 1800 064 726, underdownunder.com.au Western Xposure WA tours 08 9414 8423, westernxposure.com.au Wilderness 4WD Adventures

Top end tours 1800 808 288, wildernessadventures.com.au Wildlife Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 661 730, wildlifetours.com.au

rental firms Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Mighty Cars and Campers (Formerly Backpacker Campervan Rentals) 1800 809 944 mightycampers.com.au

@tnt_downunder

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

transport co Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia. 13 20 30, greyhound.com.au Jetstar Airline. 131 538,

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Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast. 13 34 10, premierms.com.au

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au

Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au

Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

Regional Express Airline. 13 17 13, rex.com.au

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 Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com Travellers Auto Barn 1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.com.au

Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline. 03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au Virgin Australia Airline. 13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

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like us on

NSWLISTINGS

facebook/tntdownunder

sydney stay Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD. 02 9267 7718 stayatbase.com

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

CHECK IN

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9281 6030 bighostel.com

sydneymusic Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com

Bounce Budget Hotel 28 Chalmers St. CBD. 02 9281 2222 bouncehotel.com.au

Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au Eva’s Backpackers 6-8 Orwell Street Kings Cross 02 9358 2185, evasbackpackers.com.au City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333 cityresort.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks. 02 9261 1111 yha.com.au Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. 1800 013 186 nomadshostels.com Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross. 02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au

The Annandale annandalehotel.com

surfside bondi beach backpackers 35a Hall St, Bondi Beach, Sydney. Dorms from $34.99 Right in the heart of Australia’s most iconic beach, this hostel is the perfect place to settle in and enjoy the Australian summer in style.

Sydney

surfsidebackpackers.com.au

Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee. 02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee. 02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road. Glebe. 02 9692 8418,yha.com.au Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly. 02 9977 3411 boardrider.com.au The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly. 1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au

Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills. 02 9261 1111

Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly. 02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au

Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach. 02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au

Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney. 02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com

Bondi Shores Level 1. 283 Bondi Road, Bondi bondishores.com.au

Wake Up! 509 Pitt St, CBD. 02 9288 7888, wakeup.com.au

Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street. Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au Sydney Tower and Skytour 100 Market St, CBD. sydneyskytour.com.au Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

The Enmore enmoretheatre.com.au The Metro metrotheatre.com.au

blue mtns 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 The Entrance Backpackers 2/56 The Entrance Road, The Entrance, 2261 02 4334 5005 theentrancebackpackers.com Skydive Central Coast Warnervale. skydivethecentralcoast.com.au

BYron bay Backpackers Holiday Village 116 Jonson St 1800 350 388, byronbaybackpackers.com.au Backpackers Inn 29 Shirley St 1800 817 696 backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. 02 6685 7709, nomadshostels.com Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. 1800 678 195 yha.com.au Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

coffs harb Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 02 6652 6462, yha.com.au Harbour City Holiday Park 123 Pacific Highway coffsholidaypark.com.au Hoey Moey Backpackers 80 Ocean Pde hoeymoey.com.au Solitary Islands Marine Resort North St, Wooli NSW 1462 1800 003 031 solitaryislandsresort.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

sydney do Manly Surf School Manly Beach. 02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au

Lochner’s Guesthouse 8 Gowrae Ave. Bondi. 02 9387 2162,

My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee. 04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

Jindabyne This small town in South East NSW is an adventure junkie’s delight. Jindabyne is situated 4 hours south of Sydney near the Snowy Mountains and overlooks Lake Jindabyne. It is most well known for its accessibility to ski resorts in Kosciuszko National Park including Thredbo and Perisher Blue. Pricey ski holidays are made more affordable by staying in the budget group lodging Jindabyne has to offer and travelling the 30 minutes up the mountain daily. Jindabyne is a hub of extreme sports with several board and equipment shops, rental stores and a skate park. In the summer months it is a great destination for fishing, water skiing and wakeboarding on the lake.

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QLDLISTINGS

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

CHECK IN

Banana Bender Backpackers 118 Petrie Terrace. 07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com

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

Base Brisbane Central 308 Edward St. 07 3211 2433, stayatbase.com

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

Brisbane Backpackers Resort 110 Vulture St, West End. 1800 626 452, brisbanebackpackers.com.au

fraser island

Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com

Blue tongue Backpackers 515 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. Beds from $17 Located just outside the centre of ‘the Valley’ is the Blue Tongue Bckpackers, known for its ‘home-away-from-home’ atmosphere.

Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, bunkbrisbane.com.au

Tinbilly Travellers Cnr George and Herschel Sts. 1800 446 646.

Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St yha.com.au Nomads Prince Consort Backpackers 230 Wickham St princeconsort.com.au Somewhere to Stay Cnr Brighton Rd & Franklin St somewheretostay.com.au The Palace Backpackers Cnr Anne & Edward St backpackbrisbane.com Tin Billy Travellers 462 George St tinbilly.com

brisbane do Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah. 07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au

Fortitude Valley

bluetonguebackpackers.com.au

XXXX Brewery Tours & Ale House Brewery tours. Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton. 07 3361 7597, xxxbrewerytours.com. au

tinbilly.com

Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com

hervey bay Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com

Base Brisbane Embassy 214 Elizabeth St. 07 3166 8000, stayatbase.com

The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm. 04 3377 7061

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

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 Coolangatta Kirra Beach YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga. 07 5536 76442, yha.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise. 1800 074 393, islander.com.au

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

Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise. 1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au

Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing. Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point. 07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au

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

Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb. 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 Nomads Islander Resort 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, nomadsworld.com Surf & Sun Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd surfnsun-goldcoast.com

gc do Dreamworld Theme park. dreamworld.com.au Get Wet Surf School 07 5532 9907 Seaworld

seaworld.com.au

Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World wetnwild.myfun.com.au Warner Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au Zorb 07 5547 6300

sunshine cst Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba. 1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com Nomads Noosa 44 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels. com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa. 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au

rainbow beach Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111126, dingosresort.com Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com

@tnt_downunder Bundaberg Bondstore Distillery tours. 07 4131 2999 bundabergrum.com.au

town of 1770 1770 Backpackers 6 Captain Cook Dr. 1800 121 770, the1770backpackers.com 1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

airlie beach airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119

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

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

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

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

Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au

Base Airlie Beach Resort 336 Shute Harbour Rd 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com

Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay yha.com.au Cool Dingo’s Rainbow Beach 20 Spectrum St dingosresort.com Dropbear Adventures Williams Ave, Fraser Island. QLD +61 487 333 606 dropbearadventures.com Frasers On Rainbow Beach 195 Torquay Terrace, Torquay, flashpackersherveybay.com Kingfisher Bay Resort River Heads Road, Fraser Island kingfisherbay.com Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park 21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness, Hervey Bay frasercoasttouristpark.com.au Fraser Island Backpackers Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island fraserislandco.com.au

Magnums Whitsunday Village Resort 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 624 634 magnums.com.au

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

townsville Adventurers Resort 79 Palmer St. 1800 211 522, adventurersresort.com Adrenalin Dive. 07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com.au Yongala Dive Yongala diving. 07 4783 1519, yongaladive.com.au

magnetic isl

Fraser’s on Rainbow 18 Spectrum Av, Rainbow Beach frasersonrainbow.com

Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd. 1800 24 22 73, stayatbase.com

The Friendly Hostel 182 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay friendlyhostel.com.au

Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshow Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay.com.au

Woolshed Backpackers 181 Torquay Road woolshedbackpackers.com.au

bundaberg

Hotel Arcadia 7 Marine Parade, Arcadia Bay. 07 4778 5177, magnetic-island.com/arc-rsrt.htm

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

Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166

Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road.

mission beach

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THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!

WHITS UND A Y S 3 DAYS IN ONE... Whitehaven Beach, top snorkel destinations & island bushwalks. P: 07 4946 6848 www.oceanrafting.com.au

CA PE TRIBULA TION Ask about our 2 trip special deal with our sister company OCEAN SAFARI - www.oceansafari.com.au

Great Barrier Reef - Half Day Snorkel Tour

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Cairns

Great Barrier Reef Townsville Prosperine

Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) Mackay Yeppoon Rockhampton

Gladstone Bundaberg Maryborough

Hervey Bay Fraser Island

BRISBANE

moreton bay Each year, Australia’s entire whale population embarks on its annual pilgrimage to and from the Antarctic, and they don’t mind an audience. July to November is whale-watching time, and you don’t have to go further north than Brisbane to catch these gentle giants breach, slap their tails and play around. Seeing whales up close and personal gives you a feeling of wellbeing and a sense of awe. Buses and trains run from Brisbane. Moreton Bay is only a 30-minute drive east of the CBD. Just follow the signs.

Terms and conditions: * To receive the discount international backpackers must hold a current passport with an international address. This fare type excludes domestic backpackers. # Receive up to 40% discount on economy seat adult rail fares. For more information or to book your Backpacker Rail Fares, visit queenslandrailtravel@qr.com.au or call 1800 872 467. Valid for travel until 31 March 2014. Queensland Rail Limited ABN 71 132 181 09 Travel Agent Lic. No. QLD 327 4957 QR3789.23_DL_0912.

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QLDLISTINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

follow us on 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Beach Shack 86 Porters Promenade missionbeachshack.com Scotty’s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au Jackaroo Hostel Mission Beach Frizelle Rd, Bingil Bay jackaroohostel.com Mission Beach Retreat 49 Porters Promenade missionbeachretreat.com.au

cairns stay Bohemia Central Cairns 100 Sheridan St. 1800 558 589, bohemiacentral.com.au Bohemia Resort Cairns 231 McLeod St. 1800 155 353 bohemiaresort.com.au Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au 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 Northern Greenhouse 117 Grafton Street. 1800 229 228, northerngreenhouse.com.au

cairns do AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com Pro Dive 07 4031 5255 prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting. 07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au Skydive Cairns POBOX 105N Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

cape trib Crocodylus Village Lot 5, Buchanan Creek Rd, Cow Bay. 07 4098 9166, crocodyluscapetrib.com

mission beach Where the rainforest meets the reef. Mission is a special place with a real village feel to it. Once an Aboriginal mission and a hippie hangout, it’s now home to budget accommodation. Enjoy 14km of secluded beaches and pretty rainforest areas. It’s also developed a reputation for its love of adrenalin. Mission is one of the best places to do a skydive, admiring the reef before landing on the sand, while the area is also good for less crowded dive sites and daytripping to the Tully rafting.

PK’s Jungle Village Cnr Avalon & Cape Trib Rd. 1800 232 333, pksjunglevillage.com.au

innisfail IInnisfail Budget Backpackers Worker’s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 78337

@tnt_downunder

Walkabout Motel & ackpackers 07 4061 2311 walkaboutbackpackers.com.au

atherton Kuranda Rainforest Park 88 Kuranda Heaights Rd, Kuranda. 07 4093 7316, kurandarainforestpark.com.au

port douglas Parrotfish Backpackers Resort 37 Warner St, Kuranda. 07 4099 5011, parrotfishlodge.com

gulf savannah Emu Creek Cattle Station 07 4094 8313

daintree Koala Beach Resort Cape Kimberly Rd. 1800 466 444

MOOLOOLABA Mooloolaba Backpackers VIP 75 Brisbane Road mooloolababackpackers.com

MORETON ISLAND Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

NOOSA Dolphins Beach House 14 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach dolphinsbeachhouse.com.au Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr NOOSA inland nomadsworld.com Noosa Backpackers Resort 9-13 William St noosabackpackers.com

NOOSA inland Ride On Mary Budget Bush Retreat imbilkayakandbike.com

PORT DOUGLAS Dougies Backpackers Resort 111 Davidson St dougies.com.au Global Port Douglas 38 Macrossan St globalbackpackerscairns.com.au/portdouglas Parrot Fish Lodge 37 Warner St parrotfishlodge.com Port O’Call YHA 7 Craven Close portocall.com.au

INNISFAIL Codge Lodge 63 Rankin St codgelodge.com Crown Hostel 25 Ernest St (07) 4061 2266

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

AdventureGoldCoast.com 04_727p 68-87.sections.indd 73

facebook.com/AdventureGoldCoast twitter.com/AdventureGoldCoast 24/07/13 11:18 PM

QLDLISTINGS Innisfail Budget Backpackers 125 Edith St jobsforbackpackers.com.au Farm work, Innisfail 0437 692 002

agnes water 1770 Beachside Backpacker 12 Captain Cook Drive independentbackpackers.com 1770 Southern Cross Backpackers 2694 Round Hill Rd 1770southerncross.com

@tnt_downunder

TOWNSVILLE Adventurers Backpackers

adventurersresort.com Civic Guest House Backpackers Hostel 262 Walker St civicguesthousetownsville.com.au Foreign Exchange Accommodation - Beachside 19 Eyre St, North Ward

ROCKHAMPTON

foreignx.com.au

Emu Park Resort 92 Patterson St, Emu Park emusbeachresort.com Rockhampton Backpackers YHA 60 Macfarlane St yha.com.au

MACKAY Gecko’s Rest 34 Sydney St

geckosrest.com.au

STRADBROKE is Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre 1 Eastcoast Rd mantalodge.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST Cotton Tree Beachouse 15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd

stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Koala Village YHA 40 Horseshoe Bay Rd

bungalowbay.com.au

79 Palmer St

coolangatta sands hostel Cnr McLean St &, Griffith St, Coolangatta. Dorms from $29 Escape the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise at this chilled out, friendly hostel just minutes from the beach. Free surfboard hire too.

Coolangatta

coolangattasandshostel.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

P surfing the gold coast You can’t claim to have experienced Australia until you’ve had a go at the national obsession, surfing. And where else to try it but at Surfers Paradise. Well actually, if you’re half-decent on a board, Surfers is one of the worse places on the Gold Coast to look for waves – instead try South Straddie, Snapper Rocks or Burleigh Heads. However, if it’s your first go and you’re looking for a lesson, then Surfers is, well, paradise.

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VICLISTINGS melbourne stay

lordslodge.com

CHECK IN

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

Melbourne International Backpackers 204 Punt Rd, Prahran mibp.com.au

Melbourne Oasis YHA 76 Chapman St yha.com.au

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

St Arnaud 99 Park St, South Yarra, starnaudguesthouse.com.au The Spencer City Central BP 475 Spencer St spencerbackpackers.com.au

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

Habitat HQ

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

333 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda. Dorms from $26.50 A real party hostel. Set in the beating heart of Melbourne’s beachside suburb of St Kilda, you’re close to just about everything. Rooms are clean, modern and there’s a big common area for meeting like-minded people.

Melbourne

The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane. 1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au Home at the Mansion 66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 4212, homemansion.com.au Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda. 1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200,

$22 $ Melbourne Metro YHA 78 Howard St yha.com.au

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

habitathq.com.au

hotelbakpak.com Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au Nomads Melbourne 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 Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor nomadshostels.com

Elephant Backpackers 250 Flinders St elephantbackpacker.com.au

The Nunnery 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy nunnery.com.au Urban Central 334 City Road, Southbank urbancentral.com.au

Victoria Hotel Backpackers Victoria Hotel, 380 Victoria St vichotelbrunswick.com.au

MaximumElizabeth 4 bed linen and towel Hostel dormitories with ST KILDA 490 Elizabeth St

Back of Chapel Backpackers elizabethhostel.com.au FREE all you can eat breakfast 50 Green St (cereal, toast and j College Lawn Hotel backofchapel.com 36 Greville St, Prahran King St Backpackers weekly meal, rice and pasta, tea and coffee 160 King Street collegelawnhotel.com.au

kingstreetbackpackers.com.au

Base St Kilda

17 Carlisle St FREE in room oversized locker with personal stayatbase.com Hotel Discovery 167 Franklin St Coffee Palace Backpackers power point hoteldiscovery.com.au 24 Grey St City Centre Budget Hotel Claremont Guesthouse 189 Toorak Rd, South Yarra hotelclaremont.com 22-30 Little Collins St citycentrebudgethotel.com

Lords Lodge Backpackers

5 minute167walk city Franklin to St

coffeepalacebackpackers.com.au

Large bar with big screen (all major sporting events shown)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Drink specials at the bar

Public transport on doorstep Unique value tour packages

Stay

Maximum 4 bed dormitor

FREE all you can eat brea weekly meal, rice and pas

5 minute walk to city

UC103

FREE in room oversized lo power point

Maximum 4 bed

Large bar with big screen FREE breakfast ( weekly meal, rice (all major sporting events UC103

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transport on doors Publicurbancentra 631 288

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5 minute walk to

Unique value tour packag Large bar with b

(all major sportin

Public transport

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the high country

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Book Now 1800 UC103

UC103

Although it peaks at about 2,000 metres and so never actually gets that high, this dramatic alpine landscape is packed full of snow fields, waterways and gold rush towns. In winter, the snow (mid-June) brings skiers to the downhill runs, which are some of the best the state has to offer. In summer the same peaks, the southern tip of the Great Dividing Range, transform into a dream for bush-walkers, horse-riders, 4WD enthusiasts and campers.

631 180

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urb

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Winter weekly 7 night deal only $150.00

Accommodation from $22 a night

Conditions apply: 1 off special for new guests only, no other discounts apply. Ad must be presented at check-in.

(subject to availability)

towel

Accommodation from $2

Beds from $24 per night Monday to Thursday (subject to availability) *Subject to availability

Maximum 4 bed dormitories with linen and towel

st and juice),

22 $22

FREE all you can eat breakfast (cereal, toast and juice), weekly meal, rice and pasta, tea and coffee

Free breakfast

FREE in room oversized locker with personal Free pasta, rice, tea & coffee power point

Free Weekly meal Free linen & towel Large bar with big screen Maximum spacious bed dormitories (all major sporting events4shown) Oversized locker with personal power point Drink specials at the bar (subject to availability) Public transport on doorstep 5 minute walk to city

tay. Play.

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value Unique tour packages Short tram ride to St Kilda

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n eat breakfast (cereal, toast and juice), supermarkets and shops e and pasta, tea and coffee

Accommodation from $22 a night (subject to availability)

UC103

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1800 631 288

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urban_wrkfle724.indd 04_727p 68-87.sections.indd 1 77

334 CITY ROAD SOUTHBANK MELBOURNE VIC 3006 AUSTRALIA

631 288 urbancentral.com.au

334 CITY ROAD SOUTHBANK MELBOURNE VIC 3006 AUSTRALIA 19/5/10 16:49:37

24/07/13 7/06/13 11:07 11:19 PM PM

VICLISTINGS Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Rd, thehabitathq.com.au

13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au

Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au The Ritz for Backpackers 109 Barkly St stkildabeachhouse.com.au St Kilda Beach House 169B Fitzroy St ritzbackpackers.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 Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au

Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com Tourism Victoria Backpacking ideas. backpackmelbourne.com Wildlife Tours Australia Specialising in Victorian tours +61 3 9314 2225 wildlifetours.com.au

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

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10-12 Phillip Island

dandenong

Tourist Road.

Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

Port Campbell Hostel 18 Tregea St, Port Campbell. 03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com

mornington Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie. 03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento. 03 5984 4323, yha.com.au

03 5956 6123

theislandaccommodation.com.

murray river Echuca Gardens YHA 103 Av, Mitchell St, Echuca. 03 5480 6522, yha.com.au

grampians Grampians YHA Eco Hostel

Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Ave, Mildura. 03 5022 7922, milduracitybackpackers.com.au Oasis Backpackers 230 Deakin Av, Mildura. 04 0734 4251, milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4543,

yha.com.au Tim’s Place 44 Grampians Road, Halls Gap.

gippsland

03 5356 4288,

timsplace.com.au

Prom Country Backpackers 03 5682 2614

mildura

Cambrai Hostel Maffra 117 Johnson St, Maffra. 1800 101 113 maffra.net.au/hostel

Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Avenue

milduracitybackpackers.com.au

phillip island Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes. 03 5952 3620, yha.com.au

Tortoise Head Lodge French Island. 03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

The Island Accommodation

The Spencer

STRATHMERTON Riviera Backpackers YHA 669 Esplanade

yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Everything you want in a hostel! Friendly and affordable

• • • • • • • •

Free Pick ups Free Parking Cable TV VIP Discounts Great bar Laundry Tour info Job search

• • • •

Rooftop garden Modern,fully equipped kitchen Short walk from Southern Cross station Female dorms, mixed dorms, twins, doubles, ensuites

Free call: 1800 638 108

475 Spencer Street, Melbourne email: hotelspencer@hotkey.com.au www.spencerbackpackers.com.au Find us on Facebook ‘The Spencer Backpackers’ We are a VIP hostel! 78

Lorne The Great Ocean Road tourist route passes through many beautiful seaside towns, none lovelier than Lorne. A two hour drive south of Melbourne awaits a Mediterranean café culture with shops, boutiques and galleries. The main tourist strip on Mountjoy Parade overlooks the wide sands of Louttit Bay.Lorne is home to the Pier to Pub; an annual 1.2km open water swimming race run by the local Surf Lifesaving Club. It is also the birthplace of the famous Falls Festival, a music and arts camping festival which attracts thousands of people each New Year’s Eve.

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SALISTINGS

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

fleurieu penin

CHECK IN

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

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

eyre peninsula Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny. 08 8687 0411 coodliepark.com

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

Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims. 08 8626 5017 bairdbay.com

ADELAIDE CENTRAL YHA

Adelaide

yha.com.au

Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg. 1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au

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

Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com

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

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

Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving. 08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au

135 Waymouth Street. Rooms from $29 This hostel offers a perfect city location close to markets,nightlife, shopping and public transport. Also free pancakes during the winter.

Temptation Sailing Dolphin swimming, Glenelg. 04 1281 1838 dolphinboat.com.au

barossa val Barossa Backpackers 9 Basedow Road Tanunda. 08 8563 0198, barossabackpackers.com.au

coober pedy Opal Cave Coober Pedy Hutchinson St. 08 8672 5028, opalcavecooberpedy.com.au

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

riverland

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

Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri. 08 8582 3144, berribackpackers.com.au

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

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

kangaroo is Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw. 08 8553 1344 yha.com.au Vivonne Bay Lodge

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

Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray. 1800 665 166, nomadsworld.com Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Photo: SATC

lake eyre Taking a guided tour to the lake around midday you will experience a true phenomenon, the lake surface can often become very flat. The surface then reflects the sky in a way that leaves both the horizon and water surface virtually impossible to see. Whether you want to be floating up with the clouds or keeping your feet firmly on the ground, Lake Eyre has it all. You can take a hot air balloon at dawn over the Barossa Valley or try hiking the Heysen Trail. The 1,200 kilometre track stretches from Cape Jervis on the south coast to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges.

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WALISTINGS perth stay Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, billabongresort.com.au

CHECK IN

Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge. 08 9227 6000, perthbrittania.com

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 City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St.

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge. 08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au The Witch’s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, Witchs-hat.com

Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au

One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. 1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au

08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com

Pirates Backpackers 11 Essex Street, Fremantle. Dorms from $24. A family owned and small, lively hostel in the heart of Freo. Outdoor fire pit and spa for chilly nights and plenty of activities year round.

Fremantle

piratesbackpackers.com.au

@tnt_downunder Hotel Bambu Backpackers 75 - 77 Aberdeen St, Northbridge bambu.net.au Mountway Holiday Apartments 36 Mount St mountwayapartments.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottesloe woceanbeachbackpackers.com

Backpack City and Surf 41-43 Money St backpacker.com.au

Perth Beach YHA & Indigo Net Cafe 256 West Coast Hwy, Scarbrough indigonet.com.au

Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au

Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au

Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com

The Shiralee Hostel 107 Brisbane St, Northbridge planetinn.com.au

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, shiralee.com.au

Easy Perth Backpackers 4 Francis Street, Northbridge easyperthbackpackers.com.au

Wickham Retreat Backpackers 25-27 Wickham St East Perth (08) 9325 6398

Grand Central Hotel Backpackers 379 Wellington St (08) 9421 1123

YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au

Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com

1201 East Backpackers 195 Hay St 1201east.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MONKEY MIA Monkey Mia (pronounced ‘my-ah’) is located on the Coral Coast, about 850km north of Perth. It’s become famous for the bottlenose dolphins that swim to shore and interact with people every day. As a result it’s become fairly touristy, but if you’re keen to see the finned ones up close, you’d struggle to find somewhere better. The dolphin interaction started in 1964 when a lady from one of the nearby fishing camps befriended the creatures and today there’s now a pod of around 300 that live in the bay. This amazing beach is part of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, and with its relaxed vibe, year-round sunshine, clear blue water and extensive wildlife, it’s the perfect winter escape. If you’re not planning on staying, make sure you drop by early in the morning as generally all the dolphin feeds are done and dusted by lunchtime.

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WINNER BEST HOSTEL IN WA 2007 FINALIST 2008,2009,2010 & 2011

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WALISTINGS perth do Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys. 08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au

CHECK IN

Surfpoint 12 Riedle Drive Prevally 08 9757 1777 surfpoint.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

perth music Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Mojoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar mojosbar.com.au The Bakery nowbaking.com.au

backpackers inn freo 11 Pakenham St, Fremantle. Dorms from $27. A beautiful heritage building located in the heart of vibrant Fremantle. What a great town old Freo is!

Fremantle

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

fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace. 08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

rottnest isl

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

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

freo do

Rottnest Express 1 Emma Place North Fremantle 1300 Go Rotto rottnestexpress.com.au

The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

freo stay

backpackersinnfreo.com.au/

Fremantle Markets Henderson Street Fremantle 08 9335 2515,

margaret river

albany Albany Bayview Backpackers YHA 49 Duke St 08 9842 3388, yha.com.au Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruizeinn.com

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

ningaloo reef Blue Reef Backpackers 3 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth 1800 621 101, aspenparks.com.au Ningaloo Club

@tnt_downunder Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth. 08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

broome stay Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road. 1800 655 011, cablebeachbackpackers.com Kimberley Club 62 Fredrick St 08 9192 3233, kimberleyklub.com

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St ningalooclub.com

ESPERANCE Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd, yha.com.au

EXMOUTH Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Exmouth Backpackers YHA Cnr Truscott Cres & Murat Rd yha.com.au

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

launceston do

CHECK IN

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

hobart do

devonport The Pickled frog 281 Liverpool St, Hobart. Dorms from $24 A five minute stroll to the waterfront or Hobart’s CBD, the Pickled Frog is the beating heart of Hobart and a multi-award winner.

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

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

thepickledfrog.com.au

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

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

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

bicheno 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

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

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

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

bay of fires Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point, north-eastern Tasmania. Despite being named as one of the world’s best beaches by Lonely Planet a couple of years ago, this undeveloped, idyllic corner of Tassie is still, just about, hanging onto its off the beaten track status. Kick back and enjoy the turquoise waters, white sands and fiery red granite rocks that give the area its name. Narrowly missing out on being included in our best camp spots in Australia feature, you can also stay at a basic site, right by the beach, for free.

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

katherine stay

CHECK IN

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road. 1800 501 984, big4.com.au

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

Airborne Solutions Scenic helicopter flights. 08 8972 2345 airbornesolutions.com.au

Gecko Lodge 146 Mitchell St. 1800 811 250, geckolodge.com.au Melaleuca on Mitchell 52 Mitchell St. 1300 723 437, momdarwin.com

69 Mitchell St, Darwin. Dorms from $28 In the heart of Darwin city close to the nightlife, Chillis takes care of all your travel needs, specialising in tour bookings.

darwin do

Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront. 08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

Darwin

chillis.com.au

Fannie Bay Gaol Heritage prison. East Point Road, Fannie Bay. 08 8941 2260, nt.gov.au Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher St, Bullocky Point. 08 8999 8264, magnt.nt.gov.au

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

ChilLis Backpackers

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

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

alice do Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive. 08 8951 8788, alicespringsdesertpark.com.au

katherine do

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

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

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

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

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Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides. 1800 809 790, outbackballooning.com.au Royal Flying Doctor Service Base Museum and operations room. Stuart Terrace. 08 8952 1129, flyingdoctor.net School of the Air Long-distance schooling museum. 80 Head St. 08 8951 6834, assoa.nt.edu.au The Rock Tour Uluru tours. 78 Todd St. 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

the cage of death At Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove you can jump in an acrylic cage and come face-to-face with a giant saltwater croc. It’s the only experience of its kind Down Under and seeing the crocs so close, and in perfectly clear water, is something you’re unlikely to forget. From $108.

Darwin

crocosauruscove.com

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NTLISTINGS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Devils Marbles Located south of Tennant Creek, the Devils Marbles is the home of spectacular rounded granite boulders. The Devils Marbles are iconic to the Australian outback and represent the dusty dunes we’re famous for. These seemingly gravity-defying geological structures are a result of years of sedimentary decay, but provide the perfect backdrop for tourists. Known as ‘Karlu Karlu’ by local Aboriginal landowners, there are countless dreamtime stories about the area including one involving a giant rainbow serpent laying eggs in the area. But no matter what you believe the marbles are, it’s no doubt they are huge tourists attractions, with almost 100,000 people visiting the site each year.

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NZLISTINGS auckland Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International The Fat Camel (Nomads) 38 Fort St. +64 9307 0181, nomadshostels.com Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. +64 9300 9999, nomadshostels.com

stayatbase.com Downtown Wellington Backpackers (BBH) 1 Bunny St. +64 4473 8482 db@downtownbackpackers.co.nz Lodge in the City (VIP) 152 Taranaki St. +64 4385 8560 lodgeinthecity.co.nz Nomads Capital 118 Wakefield St. 0508 666 237, nomadscapital.com

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

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

Queen Street Backpackers (VIP) 4 Fort St. +64 9373 3471, enquiries@qsb.co.nz

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

Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. +64 9363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz

YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

YHA Auckland City Cnr City Rd & Liverpool St. yha.co.nz +64 9309 2802, YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. +64 9302 8200, yha.co.nz

christchurch Chester Street Backpackers (BBH) 148 Chester St East. +64 3377 1897, chesterst.co.nz

Foley Towers (BBH) wellington 208 Kilmore St. TNT-OZ-halfpage-Oct11.pdf 6/10/2011 +6413366 9720, 8:36:04 p.m. Base Wellington 21-23 backpack.co.nz/foley Cambridge Tce. +64 4801 5666

follow us on Jailhouse Accommodation (BBH) 338 Lincoln Rd. 0800 524 546, stay@kiwibasecamp.com The Old Countryhouse (BBH) 437 Gloucester St. +64 3381 5504, oldcountryhousenz.com Tranquil Lodge (BBH) 440 Manchester St. +64 3366 6500, tranquil-lodge.co.nz Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 70 Bealey Ave. +64 3377 7931, rucksacker.com

queenstown Base Discovery Lodge 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 Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au Pinewood Lodge (VIP) 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 7463 9663, rgrieg@xtra.co.nz Southern Laughter (BBH, VIP) 4 Isle St. 0800 728 448, southernlaughter.co.nz YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street. +64 3442 7400, yha.co.nz YHA Queenstown Lakefront 88- 90 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413 yha.co.nz bus tours

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rental firms Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz Backpacker Campervan & Car Rentals +800 200 80 801, backpackercampervans.com Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.nz Darn Cheap Rentals 0800 447 363, exploremore.co.nz Econo Campers +64 9275 9919, econocampers.co.nz Escape Rentals 1800 456 272 escaperentals.co.nz Explore More 1800 800 327 dcrentals.com.nz Jucy Rentals 0800 399 736, jucy.com.nz Rent-A-Dent 0800 736 823, rentadent.co.nz

Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com

Rental Car Village +64 9376 9935, hire-vehicles.co.nz

Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.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

CMY

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NZLISTINGS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Rotorua This central North Island town is famous for its geothermal activity and hot spring mud pools, thanks to a number of regularly spouting geysers. It is nature at its most exciting, but also most pungent, with all the volcanic goings on being to blame for the town’s infamous sulphur scent. The most renowned geyser in the region, the Pohutu Geyser, which means ‘big splash or explosion’, usually erupts up to 30 metres high every hour. Just over a third of Rotorua’s population is Maori and the locals take full advantage of all the geothermal activity for their cooking and heating. It is also a great place to indulge in a spa treatment or two, with the bubbling mud pools being full of natural ingredients that are wonderful for the skin. No trip to Rotorua is complete without visiting the living thermal village, Whakarewarewa, to experience real Maori culture. The people of this village will welcome visitors and demonstrate how they utilise the geothermal activity for everyday living, as well as cooking a Hangi – which is the traditional method of using heated stones to cook food in a pit oven covered by earth.

EE FR limited

un hour 24

WiFi E

R MEMB

45+hostels, with eight in ideal ski destinations. Warm fires, drying rooms, modern facilities, perfect for group getaways. Ski, play and stay at YHA. Easy as.

your r o f n odatiodventures m m o c ac and a l a e Z New ow: Book n .nz 1 yha.co ne 1800 242 19 o free ph a.co.nz yh book@

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Ways of the raise

Photos: Thinkstock

If you want to get paid to travel Australia, help charities and get sponsored then maybe professional fundraising is for you

There are plenty of ways for young travellers with working visas to make a living, just not all of them are particularly desirable. Yet, working in concert with some of the world’s premier charities as part of a young and committed team of professionals certainly isn’t a bad way to make a buck. You’ll feel the pinch sooner or later. Living costs in Australia are certainly up there in the global exorbitant stakes and – what with the way the English pound is going at the moment – you’re sterling isn’t going to go as far as it used to, trust us on this. Don’t despair though, because there are many different ways to skin the metaphorical employment cat. Working as a face-to-face or phone fundraiser for a company like WAYS will not only keep some dollars in your back pocket but, perhaps, also give you a glowing sense of self satisfaction, knowing that you’re doing your part to help ease the world’s sufferings. A feeling you definitely won’t get from working at a pub or bottleshop. While being a fundraiser can be a great way to have a little temporary work for a couple of months while you find your feet in Australia, or save up to continue your travels, it can also be an excellent way to get yourself a sponsorship. The vast majority of people 88

working in senior positions at WAYS for example all started as face to face or phone fundraisers and have worked their way up in the company hierarchy armed with a good attitude and a mixture of hard work, dedication and perseverance. WAYS are committed to forging strong working partnerships and bonds with the charities they are approached by. Since founding in 2009, WAYS has formed extremely strong ties with some of the world’s largest not-for-profit organisations and charities including The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), Amnesty International and Sydney’s very own Wesley Mission to name but a few. The powers that be also understand that face-toface acquisition is the cornerstone of any good charity fundraising campaign as friendly interactions often provide the most regular sources of people willing to donate. Not only does this mean that WAYS are almost always looking for people looking to work as fundraisers but once you’ve begun, you’re seen as an integral and respected member of the wider team from day dot. As fundraising companies go, WAYS is also very much ahead of the curve in terms of innovative use of technology. Gone is the old-school clipboard, replaced

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with state-of-the-art iPads armed with WAYS’ very own fundraising app: Waysact. Reducing error rates through real time validation as well as providing face-to-face fundraisers with statistics, demographics and analytics to help you answer the toughest questions as well as meet your targets. As WAYS proudly proclaim on their website; ‘Our vision is to bring fundraising into the 21st Century’. As mentioned above, a company like WAYS is also a company that will likely sponsor travellers and backpackers if they’re hard working and committed to making a career within the company. As it is quite specialised work, WAYS will often promote from within as opposed to advertising outside for positions, meaning there is also good scope for growth within the company in terms of career trajectory. WAYS is also a nation-wide fundraiser, so, if you’re lucky, you might wind up getting to go and see Australia while getting paid for it at the same time. With offices and fundraising campaigns running in the capital cities of all the major states and territories (except the Northern Territory) there is plenty of scope within WAYS to get out and explore some of the best things this wide, brown land has to offer both to you and the wider global community. For more information head to waysfundraising.com

WAYS Fundraising is looking for fun, outgoing, passionate job seekers to join our Professional Fundraising Teams across Australia. WAYS has long standing client relationships with global Charity movements including Amnesty International, Oxfam, CARE Australia, World Society for the Protection of Animals and more. Using our in house WAYS Act branded iPad technology and utilizing our first class retention structure including the WAYS Phone call centre, our Professional Fundraisers interact with the general public on a day to day basis in paid shopping centres, street sites and festivals, inspiring them to join our major charity partners by donating on a monthly basis. As a Trainee Fundraiser you will receive: • First class induction training and ongoing coaching • Your own iPad mini • $2900 - $3750 per month starting base salary • Uncapped daily, weekly & team bonuses • Travel opportunities across Australia including paid flights, car hire & accommodation • Sponsorship opportunities for proven staff • Team Leader & Coach roles available for experienced Fundraisers • Weekly team meetings, social nights, ongoing training • Working hours Monday to Friday 9am - 5:30pm To be considered for this role you will have great communication skills, a positive work ethic, motivation, and passion to help our amazing charity partners.

email your application to jobs@waysfundraising.com

www.funwaysing.com tntdownunder.com

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totallytrivial

@tnt_downunder

who to blame

and their must have item for hostel living Editor

Alex Harmon (Sleeping pills)

Deputy Ed

Hugh Radojev (Hand sanitizer)

Rory Platt (A real towel)

aussie Champagne Wine+ rules football Quiz Where in Australia produces the best Q 1.Champagne? a) Hunter Valley b) Adelaide Hills c) Nowhere, only France d) Yarra

Design & production Lisa Ferron (My own sheets)

which state is the Hunter Valley? Q 2.a)InACT b) Queensland c) New South Wales

Business development Tom Wheeler (My night light)

Justin Steinlauf (Allergy pills)

marketing + events executive

georgina pengelly (Unicorn onesie)

Financial controller Trish Bailey (Ear plugs)

Crossed our fingers that the sun would stay out long enough in blighty for us to actually see it when we got there Treated ourselves to a weekend away in beautiful Melbourne... For work purposes, of course Checked out Blue Mountains band Cloud Control play in Sydney

b) Sovereign c) Magnum d) Melchizedek

a) Cab Sauvignon b) Zinfandel c) Pinot Grigio d) Pinot Noir

wine is likely to be ‘tannic’? Q 8.a)Which White Wine

Q 4. Can red grapes produce white wine? a) No, only red wine c) No, only rosé

b) Yes d) Sometimes

Q 5. What percentage of Australian wine bottles are screw capped? a) 50 per cent b) 85 per cent c) 30 per cent d) 100 per cent

sudoku puzzle

what we did this Fortnight

9 2

8 3 5 4

Q 9. Which best describes Sauv Blanc? a) Dry and oaky b) Green and grassy c) Heavy and tannic d) Soft and sweet

“Stunned Mullet”

b) Sparkling Wine c) Red Wine d) Rosé

aussie-ism

2 5

Australian appellation? a) Yarra Valley b) Temecula c) Orange d) King Valley

has the largest sized bottle? Q 7.a)Which Piccolo

d) Tasmania

The Coonawara Region is most Q 3.famous for its what?

account manager

Q 6. Which of these places is not an

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

Intern

4 5

To be in a complete state of bewilderment or astonishment, utterly dazed and confused about something that has happened. E.g “He just sat there, staring into space like a stunned mullet.”

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