TNT Australia 730 by TNT MAGAZINE

9 - 22 September 2013 Issue 730 tntdownunder.com

WDICN OAST

A GOL NS RUGBY SEVE ZA N A EXTR AVAG 00 WORTH $20

GOING DOWN What not to miss in South Australia

NORTHERN EXPOSURE In search of adventure on New Zealand’s top end

E G A T S E R T CEN

luru stop-off U n a n a th re uch mo rings is so m p S e c li A y h culture: w Canyons and + NEWS & SPORT FLYING SHARKS

HOW TO BECOME A DIVEMASTER WHAT’S ON

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SYDNEY<>CAIRNS PACKAGES SYDNEY<>CAIRNS PACKAGES

Oz Experience’s range of packages are the perfect way to discover the best of what Australia has to offer. Packages bundle coach travel, tours, experiences and accommodation, making it even easier to plan your trip!

Oz Experience’s range of packages are the perfect way to discover the best of what Australia has to Packages offer flexibili to plan yourtours, own experiences trip, take asand little or as long asmaking you likeitfrom offer. Packages bundletycoach travel, accommodation, evenstart easiertotofinish plan up to 6 months. Our packages offer unlimi t ed stops, mul t iple daily departures and awesome activi t ies with your trip! some of the best youth partners in Australia! Packages offer flexibility to plan your own trip, take as little or as long as you like from start to finish up to 6 months. Our packages offer unlimited stops, mult iple daily departures and awesome activit ies with some of the best youth partners in Australia!

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• Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns • Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover • Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour INCLUSIONS: • Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns • Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover • Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour

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• Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns • Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Rainbow Beach: 3 day, 2 night Fraser Island Tour • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover INCLUSIONS: • Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour • • Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Rainbow Beach: 3 day, 2 night Fraser Island Tour • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover • Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour

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OZ E XPE R IE N C E . C O M $859 Prices and inclusions are subject to change at anytime without notice. Untitled-2 1

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INCLUSIONS:

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• Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns • Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Rainbow Beach: 3 day, 2 night Fraser Island Tour • Airlie Beach: 2 day, 1 night Whitsunday Sailing Adventure INCLUSIONS: • • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover Hop-on hop-off travel between Sydney & Cairns • Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour Byron Bay: Half day Surf lesson • Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Day Tour Rainbow Beach: 3 day, 2 night Fraser Island Tour • Airlie Beach: 2 day, 1 night Whitsunday Sailing Adventure • Townsville: 1 night Magnetic Island Stopover • Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Day Tour • Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Day Tour

$1299

1300 300 $1299 028 19/03/13 11:58 AM

andrew westbrook acting EDITOR andrew.westbrook@tntmultimedia.com

EDITOR’S LETTER It’s always handy to try to not believe everything you hear. Except if we’re talking about drop bears, of course – they’re evil bastards you need to be careful of. But there are two Aussie myths crying out for some much-needed busting. One is that Alice Springs is an annoying Uluru stop-off. The other is that South Australia is boring. Cobblers. See P46 and P54 to find out why they’re actually skill.

THIS issue oz Diary

Food + drink

Gigs

Pubs

Chatroom

Film

news

sport 26 Opinion

Sport feature

Travel

Hot Shots

win

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

Features kiwi classics

We look across the ditch and go all a’flutter over NZ’s Hollywood good looks

the beautiful south

Big sharks, epic landscapes and tasty wines. SA is as unboring as they come

centre of attention

Go to Alice Springs and do more than drink, sleep and go. We explain why

northern exposure We get a taste for adventure in New Zealand’s winterless Northland region

46 tntdownunder.com

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Blooming marvellous: Floriade NightFest

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 Suzanne Welsh

TNT Magazine , 126 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale, Sydney, NSW 2008 tntdownunder.com General enquiries Phone 02 8332 7500 Fax 02 9690 1314 Email enquiries@tntdownunder.com sales enquiries Phone 02 8332 7511 Email tom@tntdownunder.com Where to get TNT

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

main event Floriade 2013

Commonwealth Park, Canberra, ACT Thirty days of a million spring blooms make Canberra a very fragrant town to visit in September and October. Each year hosts a different theme, and presents a colourful opportunity for some spectacular Instagram posts. Canberra kicks off the sunny season for more than 400,000 local, interstate and international visitors each year. Experience the scenic burst of colour from the always-popular hot air balloon before floating down to Floriade NightFest, which involves five nights of entertainment, films, markets and food and wine. 14 September–13 October, Canberra

Red Earth Arts Festival

Environmental Film Festival

Alice Desert Festival

Travelling across regional WA towns such as Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson, REAF has performances and activities from across the world. Expect the weird and the wonderful. There’s even a tank full of mermaids.

Showing a wide range of films, from documentaries to narratives via plenty of genres and themes, from the personal to the quirky. Be informed and inspired by the creative exploration and presentation of both serious problems and their solutions.

Featuring live music, dance, theatre and comedy, the Alice Desert Festival is the Red Centre’s premier cultural event and one you definitely shouldn’t miss. Now into its 13th year, this is a festival that is as diverse and unique as the region it is celebrating.

7–21 September Outback WA roebourne.wa.gov.au

5–13 September Melbourne effm.org.au

11–15 September Alice Springs, NT alicedesertfestival.com.au

FRee

TBA

$10

Image: Floriade

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.

floriadeaustralia.com

tntDOWNUNDER.com

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HOT DEAL Brisbane or Cairns to Sydney from $1 per day. Some deals include a free fuel allowance!

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eats + drinks The Oaks

[Caption]

Restaurant review by Tash Levy

With the branches of a huge oak tree glittering with nightlights dangling above drinkers in the Garden Bar, it’s not difficult to guess how The Oaks got its name. Inside this iconic Sydney hotel, there’s the trendy Nineteenthirtysix bar, plus the Bar & Grill, where my friend and I are dining tonight. It’s got a minimalist, masculine decor, which rings true to its vintage roots – menus in hampers, rustic crates on the bar – with the venue having first opened its doors in 1885. The grub Expect a top steak menu as well as plenty of typical pub-grub options such as burgers, pizzas and potpie with mushy peas. The starter list (from $15) is impressive, and we end up ordering, and munching, three between the two of us – delicious oysters, crispy calamari served with aioli and tangy bruschetta. The bar is set high for our mains (from $17). And my roasted barramundi fillet ($29) served in a moreish light broth with cannellini beans and mussels doesn’t disappoint. I also help myself to a few of my mate’s chips, which come with her chunky cheeseburger ($22) served in a brioche bun. We’re too stuffed for dessert ($14), but the selection includes a tempting hot apple pie as well as banoffee. THE SCENE

An astounding selection of wines ($7/$25 a glass/bottle), but we can’t resist a classic Mojito and a salt-rimmed traditional Margarita at $16. verdict A memorable night out in a friendly up-market pub. Well worth a visit. Behind the bar

1118 Military Road, Neutral Bay, Sydney

3 of the best Sydney night out Starters 6

oakshotel.com.au

The Gin Mill

Hugos

El Loco

If the Great Gatsby taught us nothing else – and it didn’t – it’s that the 1920s was just about the coolest era in all of human history. The people at the Gin Mill Social understand this and bring the roaring Twenties to life in this speakeasy-style bar in the heart of Darlinghurst. Head along on Fridays for old-fashioned fun and jazz.

Break your suit jacket out of storage or totter into your highest heels, because Hugos is where Sydney’s best dressed and beautiful like to start a night out. One of Kings Cross’s classiest venues has a beautiful cocktail bar and restaurant upstairs and a great little club downstairs with lots of top DJs. Start, or finish, your night here.

Who doesn’t love a proper Margarita and a spot of Mexican food? Good thing El Loco’s got you covered on those fronts – and with venues in both the city at the Slip Inn and on Foveaux Street in Surry Hills you’ll find one that’s near to you. The soft shell tacos at this place are absolutely to die for and the Margaritas will get you going.

slide.com.au/theginmillsocial

hugos.com.au

merivale.com.au/elloco

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BITE SIZE

Edge of the pier Famous for its warm hospitality and massive Sunday sessions, The Pier Bar & Grill (above) also makes a seriously delectable steak. The food is not only delicious, it’s also very affordable – big servings of pizza, pasta and other mains usually run at $12 which makes it perfect for fuelling up before a big night or meeting in large groups. Also, if you fancy yourself a singer, head round on Monday nights for a karaoke session. palacehotelsydney.com.au

NE* G A P M A $1 CH e shots t tub & $5 tes from 5pm ursday every th S OR IF E LADIE Y *FOR TH S A LAD SSED A E R D E YOU'R

Out the back Cairns prides itself on being a party town and nowhere throws better parties than The Woolshed on Shields Street. With themed events every day, affordable alcohol and great music, this is an absolute staple of any night out in tropical north Queensland. The Mexican Monday is definitely one to check out. thewoolshed.com.au

Salt lick If the mark of any good city’s bar and restaurant theme is its quality bistros, then Cairns has itself a gem in Salt House. Since 2009 this wonderful venue has offered locals and visitors a unique dining experience and one of the best panoramic views of the marina anywhere in Cairns.

INFO@ASIANBEERCAFE.COM.AU

9663 5486 WWW.ASIANBEERCAFE.COM.AU

salthouse.com.au

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gigLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

The Basics $35 The Courier-mail Spiegeltent, Brisbane brisbanefestival.com.au

BOOK NOW

IN THE RED

Buffalo $30 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au

friday 13 Barbarion $10 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au

Adalita Nationwide. Oct 3–Nov 1. Tickets from $18. Armed with a new album of material and a full live band, Melbourne songstress Adalita is hitting the road for her 11-city All Day Venus tour.

National tour

adalita.com

monday 9 The Game $79 Metro Theatre, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au Frankies World Famous House Band Free Frankies Pizza, Sydney eventfinder.com

tuesday 10 Rolling Stone Live Lodge FREE 197 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, Sydney eventopia.co Cyndi Lauper $119.90 Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Gold Coast cyndilauper.com Anberlin TBA The Gov, Adelaide moshtix.com.au

wednesday 11 Mt Warning $11.90 77 Oxford Street. Sydney mtwarningmusic.com

Tonight Alive TBA The Hi-Fi, Melbourne tonightaliveofficial.com Jinja Safari $22 Woombye Pub, Sunshine Coast thewoombyepub.com.au

thursday 12

Twelve Foot Ninja $18 Waves Nightclub, Woolongong towradgibeachhotel.com.au Amanda Palmer: In Conversation FREE Venue 505, Sydney groovescooter.com Ghostpoet $48.10 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney moshtix.com.au

saturday 14 R.A. The Rugged Man $33 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au

Cloud Control TBA Metro Theatre, Sydney cloudcontrolband.com

Big Scary $19.70 Adelaide Uni Bar, Adelaide bigscary.ne

Jimmy Barnes $79.90 The Gawler Showground, Adelaide ticketmaster.com.au

The Preatures FREE Karova Lounge, Ballarat Central thepreatures.com

The History of Hip Hop FREE Seymour Centre, Sydney 2013.sydneyfringe.com Brian Kennedy $49 The Irish Club, Brisbane queenslandirish.com

Fingertips FREE Oxford Art Factory, Sydney itsfingertips.com.au The African Caravan TBA The J, Sunshine Coast scvenuesandevents.com.au

sunday 15 Reece Mastin $63.75 Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra shoalhavenentertainment.com.au

THE BOSS!

The redline Music Tour National tour. Sep 26–Oct 6. Early bird tickets from $56. Three of hip-hop’s biggest players – Fabolous, Omarion and Chingy – tour six Aussie cities (Bundaberg, Melb, Bris, Cairns, Sydney, Perth).

Around Australia

redlinemusic.com.au

tuesday 17 Kvelertak $49.10 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au

wednesday 18 Rudimental TBA University of Canberra Refectory, Canberra uclive.oztix.com.au Bohemian Nights at Open Studio $8 Open Studio, Melbourne erniegruner.com

thursday 19 Alison Wonderland $15 Corner Hotel, Melbourne corner.ticketscout.com.au Pigeon FREE Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast pigeonofficial.com

friday 20 Beach Fossils $38 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com.au Ólafur Arnalds $39.80 The Basement, Sydney moshtix.com.au

saturday 21 Not 2 Old 2 Dance TBA Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville not2old2dance.com The Paper Kites $23.50 Fly By Night Musicians Club, Perth flybynight.org Birds Of Tokyo TBA Bulgarra Oval, Karratha reaf.com.au

sunday 22 Mind Over Matter $60 Wilbar Lane, Cronulla tickets.oztix.com.au

Northlane $12 Coburg Town Hall, Melbourne northlane.oztix.com.au Three Piece Suite $20 Blackheath Presbyterian Church, blackheath tpschambermusic.com

CAN’T WAIT

monday 16 Bruce Springsteen Australia and NZ. Feb 7-26, 2014. Tickets from $99. The Boss is back! He takes the E Street Band to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hunter Valley, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Australia and New Zealand

ticketek.com.au

Motown Mondays FREE The White Horse, Sydney thewhitehorse.com.au Comedy@Spleen Free Spleen Bar, Melbourne comedyatspleen.com

st jerome’s LANEWAY Festival Singapore, OZ and NZ. Jan/Feb 2014. Prices TBA Hipsters everywhere, rejoice! Your favourite festival returns for another go around next year. A few bands have been leaked, including CHVRCHES.

Five Aussie cities & Auckland

lanewayfestival.com

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pUBLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

WRESTLEMANIA

In Situ 34/18 Sydney Rd, Manly insitumanly.com.au

EASY AS ABC

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

ABC 123 Ladies Night Asian Beer Café.$1 champanges for women from 5pm. 90s pop music and a heap of love for the ladies (or men dressed like ladies). As well as $1 champagne, hook into $5 test tube shots.

Lvl 3 Melbourne Central

Candy’s Apartment 22 Bayswater Road, Potts Point candys.com.au

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

asianbeercafe.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 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

Ultimate Jelly Wrestling The Bar @ Gilligan’s. Wednesday Nights 7.30pm-late. Cairns’ largest party venue throws a party every night of the week – Wednesdays is jelly wrestling. Live music and DJs keep the tunes pumping.

38 Sheridan Street, Cairns northcotesocialclub.com

Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au

Palace Theatre palace.com.au

The Bondi Hotel 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.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

The Beresford 345 Bourke St, Surry Hills Flinders Hotel merivale.com.au/theberesfordhotel 63 – 65 Flinders St, Surry Hills theflindershotel.com.au Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst White Horse Hotel oxfordartfactory.com 381 Crown St, Surry Hills thewhitehorse.com.au White Revolver Cnr Curlewis + Campbell Parade Bondi Beach melbournepubs whiterevolver.com Central Lion Hotel 3/221 La Trobe St, Melbourne The Palace Hotel acemelbourne.com.au/mclion/ Cnr of George and Hay St, City CBD The Nite Cat palacehotelsydney.com.au 137-141 Johnston St, Fitzroy thenightcat.com.au Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly Shamiana hotelsteyne.com.au 420 Lonsdale St, Melbourne

shamiana.com.au

Eden Bar and Nightclub 163 Russell Street, Melbourne edenbar.com.au Turf Bar 131 Queen St Melbourne turfbar.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 The Night Owl

gilligans.com.au

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

VIA CON DIOS

DJ DINO

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

Live Music on Saturdays Green Ant Cantina. Saturdays 7pm onwards Cairns’ best kept Mexican secret brings Saturday nights to life with live music and delicious Mexican food. Everybody wins! 183 Bunda St, Cairns

greenantcantina.com

East Brunswick Club 280 Lygon St Brunswick East eastbrunswickclub.com Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au Northcote Social Club 301 High Street Northcote

Jurassic Lounge extinction The Australian Museum. Every Thursday between Sep–Nov The after hour party to end all parties. All manner of weird and wild things take over the Australian Museum between 6–10pm until Nov.

6 College St, Sydney

jurassiclounge.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_730p3-19 A&E upfront.indd 11

CNR CHAPEL ST & HIGH ST WINDSOR MELBOURNE 9525 1288 5/09/13 1:30 AM

pUBLISTINGS Voodoo Lounge 174 James St, Northbridge voodoolounge.com.au

Fabric Cnr Shields and Esplanade St cairnsevents.com pubs

Hamilton Hotel 71 Tudor St, Hamilton hamiltonhotel.com.au

The Shed 69-71 Aberdeen St Northbridge, the-shed.com.au

Rattle N Hum 65-67 Esplanade rattlenhumbar.com

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

Gilligan’s Backpacker Hostel 57-89 Grafton St gilligansbackpackerhostel.com. au

hobart pubs Syrup Nightclub 39 Salamanca Pl, Battery Point syrupclub.com.au

Oriental Hotel 53 Bull St, Cooks Hill wotif.com.au

GPO Hotel 740 Anne St, Fort Valley gpohotel.com.au

Isobar 11 Franklin Wharf Hobart isobar.com.au

Royal Inn Hotel Waratah 61/69 Station St, Waratah truelocal.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 The Exchange Hotel 131 Edward St, Brisbane theexchange.com.au Iceworks Cnr Given Tce & Dowse St, Paddington iceworks.com.au

gold coast pubs Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa surfersbeergarden.com

The Duke 192 Macquarie Street Hobart theduke.com.au

newcastle pubs Kent Hotel 59-61 Beaumont St, Hamilton thekenthotel.com.au Kings Street Hotel 15 Steel St, Newcastle West kingsstreethotel.com.au Mary Ellen Hotel 57 Railway St, Mereweather maryellenhotel.com.au Bar Petite 5 King St, Newcastle barpetite.com.au The Northern Star 112 Beaumont St, Hamilton northernstarhotel.com.au Hamilton Station Hotel 2-6 Beaumont St, Islington hamiltonstation.com.au Hotel Delany 134 Darby St, Newcastle hoteldelany.com.au Sunyside Tavern 20 Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow sunnysidetavern.com.au 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

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

Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, Newcastle yourcambridge.com

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

Lass O’Gowrie Hotel 14 Railway St, Wickham lassogowriehotel.com.au Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au

EASTENDERS

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

Republic Bar 299 Elizabeth St, Hobart republicbar.com.au

Knopwood’s Retreat 39 Salamanca Pl Hobart (03)6223 5808

@tnt_downunder

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

Hotel LA 68 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane hotella.com.au

Canvas Club 16b Logan St, Woolloongabba canvasclub.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 Beach Hotel Bay Ln, Byron Bay beachhotel.com.au

Home Saturdays The Eastend Bar, Fremantle. ‘Le’ freshest beats from 11pm. With DJs banging out the tunes on both the top and bottom levels from 11pm Saturdays, this is the best and biggest party in Fremantle. 189 High Street

theeastendbar.com.au

77 – 79 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Alibi 76 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Harp Hotel 234 Corrimal Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

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

Questions Unit 5 123-125 Corrimal Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

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

Castros 5 Victoria Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

canberra pubs

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

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

PENNY DROPS

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

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

Live music at the Penny Black The Penny Black, Melbourne. 7-9.30pm Fri-Sat nights. The Penny Black loves live music and puts on gigs from local bands and musicians every Friday and Saturday nights. Check it out.

420 Sydney Rd Brunswick

thepennyblack.com.au

Ivory

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'Natural' disasters: Sharknado is the latest freaky phenomenon, spurred by those pesky snakes on a plane (below right). In 2010, it was prehistoric pirhanas (below left) released by a tremor. Is anywhere safe?

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There's a storm coming What do you get if you cross an ocean of man-eating sharks with a tornado? A made-for-TV movie coming to a cinema near you WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

Seven years ago, Samuel L Jackson Tasered a snake on a plane. This ground-breaking moment caused the world to tilt on its axis, and the consequences have been catastrophic. In 2010, underwater tremors released pre-historic piranhas that turned scantily clad spring breakers into fish food; in the same year, global warming caused an antediluvian ’Dinoshark’ to de-frost and devour tourists at a Mexican coastal resort, and now a freak tornado has sucked maneating sharks out of the waters and dropped them – still snapping their jaws and slashing their tails, naturally – on to the lands of Los Angeles. Oh, Samuel, what have you done? Of course, one man’s ’getting eaten alive by a flying great white’ is another man’s entertainment, and so we are all set to get our teeth stuck into Sharknado when it screens, aptly, on Friday 13 at select Hoyts cinemas across Australia. The made-for-TV mockbuster first aired in America on July 11 and was quickly hailed as both the ’world’s worst film’ and ’possibly the greatest film about sharknadoes in the history of movies about sharknadoes’. Although ratings were low, the flick worked the Twittersphere into a frenzy, with the social site reporting 5000 tweets per minute during the screening. Even celebrities got involved, such as Hollywood starlet Olivia Wilde (“@ElizabethBanks, this is our chance to play Siamese twins: two heads, one magnificent shark tail. Emmys all around. #SharknadoTwo“) and American TV personality Andy Cohen (“I am still not over #SharkNado“). It seems this is a film that not only the public have been longing for, but also directors. Sharknado’s head honcho, Anthony Ferrante, renowned (ahem) for his work on Leprechaun’s Revenge, Scarecrow Slayer and the Indiana Jones franchise (“under the pseudonym of Steven Spielberg“), told Cafe Press TV’s Aaron Perlut: “[The real] Steven Spielberg started Jaws off as a sharknado movie, but the visual effects weren’t there, so it just ended up as this typical, boring story about a shark in water.“ Ferrante, however, had technology on his side. He also had a tiny budget, 18 days of shooting time and an astoundingly unimpressive cast including the car crash that is Tara Reid, Ian Ziering – who once upon a time played 90210’s Steve Sanders – and John Road, who was out-acted by Macaulay Culkin when he played his 10-year-old son in Home Alone.

And so, taking a leaf out of the Kardashian’s book, Ferrante turned a load of crap into gold by tapping into our undeniable love for the ’so bad it’s good’ genre. “There’s a sincerity in [Sharknado’s] ridiculousness,“ he told Atlantic Wire. “All these summer movies out there that

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One man’s ‘getting eaten alive by a flying great white’ is another man’s entertainment

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take themselves way too seriously – some of them are really good – but there’s that sense of fun that I think audiences want every once in a while; we try to deliver.“ Even Tara Reid got the joke. “The whole concept is absurd: sharks fly in the sky and eat people in Beverly Hills through the drains and jump in their pools while we shoot at them. ››

Dream team: left to right, Anthony Ferrante, Tara Read and Ian Zeiring

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Hero: Ian pulling his 'I just sushi-d up a shark' face with Cassie Scerbo

Spotlight: Reid and Ziering's careers have been revived It is absolutely ridiculous,“ she told news.com.au. “We were laughing so hard, but I laughed even harder watching some of the actors take it seriously.“ Reid was surprised, however, at just how big the response to the film has been, even potentially reviving her drowning career. “I thought I would just do it for a laugh, take the money and run,“ Reid told TMZ. “I’m just so glad that people saw the humour in it that I did.“ One person who didn’t appear to be laughing was Ziering, who played the aptly named male lead, Fin. Said by Ferrante to have been “fully committed to his role“, who could blame him? With lines such as, “We can’t just wait here and wait for sharks to rain down on us“ (he really doesn’t like waiting) and a move that sees him turning a shark into sushi by jumping into its mouth with a chainsaw, this must have been the high point of his career. With a sequel already being discussed, we’re keeping everything crossed that Ziering will sign up again, while Reid has already expressed her interest (although, does she really

have anything better to do?). The best news? It could be set in Australia. “Sharknado 2 could work in Australia because there are so many sharks there,“ Reid told news.com.au. She makes a great point, as always. However, there’s a possibility sharks won’t even feature in the potential sequel, particularly as it is decided in the original that “sharks don’t like Vegemite“ when a great white chomps on, but doesn’t finish eating, an Aussie. Instead, mooted ideas include PandaMonium, Snail Quake, Lizard Blizzard and Bearnami. We also have competition with the Brits, with one viewer Tweeting the ideal plot proposal to be set in an English sea-side town: “Mildly irritated haddock are flung quite near an abandoned games arcade.“ Not sure if we can compete with that. We’re happy to hear your suggestions. Chew it over while watching Sharknado on Friday 13 and send your ideas via carrier shark. Please include a return address. ❚ hoyts.com.au/movies/2013/sharknado

Four more 'so bad they're good's MACHETE KILLS

I'M SO EXCITED

ALPHA PAPA

Oct 20, lunapalace.com.au The hilariously bad The Room follows a love triangle, with two men fighting over a girl who appears to be Britney Spears' ugly sister. With Joey Tribbiani-esque acting and cardboard cutout sets, this film makes Australian soap operas look Oscar-worthy. Dramatic satire at its best.

Oct 24, hoyts.com.au The long-awaited sequel to Machete, this spoof action flick by the king of comic-book-esque violence, Robert Rodriguez, sees Charlie Sheen as the US President (unbelievable), Mel Gibson as a revolutionary with a missile (believable), and even a cameo by Lady Gaga (hell, why not?).

Sep 19, palacecinemas.com.au Completely camp, completely ridiculous and completely brilliant, I'm So Excited is a Spanish film that follows air stewards who deal with a mid-air crisis by putting economy to sleep and giving business class hallucinogenic drugs. Think Carry On Camping, but with subtitles.

Oct 24, lunapalace.com.au The awkward-as-hell Alan Partridge of "smell my cheese" fame is the 'heroic' negotiator when his radio station is held under siege by an ex-employee. This brilliantly British film will have you feeling thankful to be thousands of miles away from Norfolk, but weirdly homesick too.

Photos: Getty; Facebook

THE ROOM

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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! Boom you’ve won yourself a Base Jumping Pass 10 nights accommodation at Base Backpacker properties in Australia valued at over $250. Like us on facebook/ tntdownunder for more party pics from the night!

Full Moon Down Under Colour Party 9th August 2013

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CHATROOM

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Rich Keam

The British winner of the best job in the world on why he loves Down Under and spending six months as Western Australia’s taste master INTERVIEW alasdair morton

How did it feel to win the best job in the world last month as Western Australia’s taste master for six months? I was on stage at the Sydney Art Gallery, where they had the presentation for the winners, underneath a load of yew trees. There were three finalists for each of the six categories [chief funster, lifestyle photographer, outback adventurer, park ranger, taste master, wildlife caretaker]. I was up there with everyone and I was a bit scared, nervous and anxious but excited, too. And then they read my name out! Were you surprised? My knees went a bit wobbly. Then they gave me a taste master apron and some giant salt and pepper grinders and I did a little speech. It has just been unbelievable.

‘It’s pretty nuts’: Rich Keam won the best job in the world and throw balls around. It was excellent.

Did it take time to sink in? The first application video was about five months ago and I got down from 300,000 to the final five, and then down to the final three. I was out in Brighton [where he lived on the south coast of the UK] one day and talking to someone and they asked: ‘What do you do?’ I said: ‘I’m a taste master for Western Australia,’ and they were like, ‘What!!?’ To my friends and family it seems pretty normal, but to the outside world it’s pretty nuts. How did your friends react? There must have been some envious eyes... Haha, not envy. Loads of them said: ‘I knew you were going to win.’ But my grandparents and my girlfriend’s mum and dad are a little sad because we have a five-month-old boy, so they were sad to see him go but that’s why Skype is so good! What were the adventure activities you had to participate in during the selection process? We went snorkelling with whale sharks in Exmouth up the west coast. And we played Aussie Rules with the Sydney Swans. How did you get on? I loved it – you get to run around like a lunatic 20

What do you think was your strongest asset that helped you to win? When we got down to the final 25, we took part in a two-week promo tour to create interest for the campaign. I wrote a few funny blogs about it as well as a song about Western Australia. What else made you stand out? I think one of the things was my not trying to give it the hard sell all the time. Instead, I just told funny stories that people could relate to. What was the hardest part of it? Being the focus of attention all the time, probably. There was a film crew going around and it was quite tiring, every day was filled with so much stuff. Fun stuff, but then you had to go and write a blog – time management could have been the hardest thing! But we were so lucky. We stayed in five-star hotels, swam with sharks and looked at all the great restaurants in Perth. It was a brilliant eye opener. What was the first thing you thought when you saw the job ad? When I saw it I thought: ‘I want to go on an adventure with the family.’ I love food and music, they are my two favourite things.

Had you been to Australia before? I had been to Australia when I was about 20 for a year on a working holiday visa, and loved it and knew how amazing it is. And I wanted to try something, to enter and see if I could win. Why not? If you don’t enter then you are never going to know. What are you going to be up to first? I had a brief teaser for the first month. I will be up in Kimberley, in the Bungle Bungles in the northwest, for the first month, as it gets too hot there later in the year and floods. I’ll be going to Lake Argyle doing some barramundi fishing and mud crabbing at Cape Leveque. I’ll be going to a pearl farm. And I got an email through saying the federal tourism minister wants me to do a skydive – and that was in the first week! How did your current employer react when you told them? It was easy as I work freelance as a costume designer on films. I said to the costume supervisor, ‘I can’t come in next week because I’m doing this,’ and he said: ‘Go for it!’ Brit Rich Keam began his new job as Western Australia Taste Master for Tourism Australia on August 26 for six months tourism.australia.com

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filmreview

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Out of gas: Vin Diesel’s sci-fi series return is underwhelming

riddick FILM review by Alasdair Morton Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban | 15 | 118mins | Out Sep 12

blue jasmine FILM Starring: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins 12A | 98mins

Woody Allen makes what has roundly been heralded as a return to form with this drama, in which Cate Blanchett stars as a wealthy New York socialite whose life unravels around her. Awards rumours have begun already for the widely praised Aussie actress’ portrayal of the unstable Jasmine. Released September 12

In the early Noughties, Vin Diesel was the hottest emerging action star with The Fast And The Furious and a sleeper sci-fi hit called Pitch Black, the story of which he returns to here. However, while producing as well as starring, Diesel hasn’t managed to rustle up much of the initial appeal. Pitch Black was a low-budget future-set action flick with Diesel as the anti-hero Riddick and it raked in more than US$50m at the box office in the summer of 2000. After Furious and xXx made Diesel the emerging action star, he opted to run with this sci-fi series, unloading 2004’s profoundly boring, big-budgeted The Chronicles Of Riddick. This sees him back to his smaller-scale roots, though, as the titular halfman, half-alien is trapped on a planet with critters and bounty hunters after him. Only it never catches fire and stretches its run time as far as it will go. The action is stalk and slash without the tension or suspense, and too much relies on the clearly CG-rendered beasts, their built-in-a-computer lack of weight meaning they don’t ever carry enough threat. The butch bounty hunter banter and posturing is underdeveloped, with too many stereotypes around, and the gratuitous nudity and lashings of gore give it a decidedly B-movie feel. Diesel is good value in the role that brought him to attention, but he spends too long grunting and doesn’t get enough winning one-liners. It’s one for the diehard Riddick fans out there, although there’s probably not too many of them left. Good for: Shlocky B-movie entertainment

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WORLDVIEW

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What a catch: thresher shark

uk’s biggest shark drags fishermen

united kingdom

One of the biggest sharks caught in British waters dragged two fishermen in their small dinghy four miles out to sea as they attempted to reel it in. Graeme Pullen and Wayne Comben were in waters south of the Isle Of Wight on 17ft boat Taryn when they caught a giant thresher weighing about 550lbs. Only the shark wasn’t too keen on being netted, and a two-hour battle began, during which the fishermen were dragged four miles into the English Channel. In footage shot for the Totally Awesome Fishing Show Comben says: “All I can tell you is this fish is game.”

man smuggles fish into nz in his pants

new zealand

A Vietnamese man was caught trying to smuggle fish through Auckland airport after officials noticed water leaking from his pockets. New Zealand customs netted an interesting haul after questioning the man when they noticed the bulging pockets of his cargo pants. He initially said the dripping was from a bottle of water he’d taken off the plane. His pathetic excuse didn’t hold up for long, and the marine animals in his pockets were soon discovered. Having been caught, the man – who had flown in from Australia – admitted he had been trying to bring

Censored: Facebook last week took offence over this too-cute endangered Booby bird found on Christmas Island after the island’s tourism chiefs posted about “gorgeous shots of juvenile boobies” on the social networking site. FB removed the picture, claiming the post breached decency guidelines. How very silly

the fish into the country for a friend. Craig Hughes, a spokesman for the Ministry of Primary Industries, said the man will face charges under the Biosecurity Act which could see him jailed for up to five years or face a £500,000 fine if found guilty, adding: “That’s something we take very seriously.”

swan detained on suspicion of spying egypt

In a case that’s ruffling feathers in Egypt, authorities have detained a swan that a citizen suspected of being a spy. Officials say a man brought the suspected winged infiltrator to a police

station, telling officers he had a hunch the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device. Mohammed Kamal, head of security in Qena, said officials examined the bird and the device and concluded it was neither an explosive nor a spying tool. It likely could, however, be a wildlife tracker. Earlier this year in Egypt, a security guard filed a report after capturing a pigeon he said carried microfilm.

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS 14

Time, in months, Daniel Clavin, 37, from Ireland has spent hiccuping – an estimated 5.25 million times

Weight, in kilograms, of record-breaking four-metre alligator caught by hunters in Mississippi

Prank: Blake Johnston

sorry after dwarf outfit set alight

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Value, in pounds, of new coin which has been announced by the Royal Mint, featuring St George and the Dragon

australia

St Kilda midfielder Clinton Jones has apologised and received a £1800 fine for his Mad Monday prank gone horribly wrong. Jones set fire to dwarf entertainer Blake Johnston at a Melbourne pub a day after the team’s AFL season ended. Johnston wasn’t seriously hurt in the incident and has decided not to press charges. Jones said in a statement: “I made an error of judgement in including Mr Johnston in the activity.” AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou also made an apology after breaking into laughter in an interview on TV’s Talking Footy. “I thought it was a joke,” Demetriou said on radio 3AW. “I was actually giggling in the beginning because I had been told by the producer during the break, before we went onto the next segment, and I thought they were having me on.”

psychic croc picks abbott for pm australia

It was something of a snap decision, but a psychic crocodile in the Northern Territory last week chose Tony Abbott to be Australia’s next PM. Big Wendell – a 5.5-metre, 800kg saltie – was given a choice between two poles, one with a photo of Kevin Rudd, and the other with a pic of Abbott. Wendell eventually took a chunk out

Number of times UK Houses of Parliament’s computers were used to log on to porn websites in past year

Scaly reptile – and a croc of the Opposition leader. By the time you’re reading this, you’ll know whether his prediction was right. His psychic croc predecessor Harry predicted Julia Gillard to defeat Abbott in the 2010 election.

we quit! Resignation notice goes viral united states

Ever wanted to quit your job and make a statement? That’s what shop workers in a shopping mall did – posting a public notice that’s gone viral. The sign, stuck to the security grill of the locked store in Rochester, New York, read: “Dear Jamie. Since you decided to say ‘cancer is not an excuse’ and think it’s OK to swear at your employees like you do ALL the time WE QUIT. THIS is why you can’t keep a store manager longer than a year. You abuse your roll (sic) and staff.” A shop spokesman said: “We take situations like this seriously.”

300,000

QUOTE OF THE WEEK She seemed a tad uncomfortable with the questions. Shame Host Simon Mayo tweets after upsetting Aussie actress Naomi Watts during an interview promoting her new movie Diana

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SPORTNEWS

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While Twenty20 teams from all over the world played for £10k in prizes in the Last Man Stands tournament at the Lord’s Nursery Ground, the Maasai Warriors team added a huge splash of colour to the fun format – but we’re not sure how they handled sandshoe crushers

home kick-offs for BIG WEEK FOR ... PRem rugby big guns Rugby union

Come on! Wolves’ Michael Monaghan

giants and wolves play for week off super league After finishing one and two at the end of the season, Huddersfield and Warrington host qualifying finals this weekend against Wigan and Leeds. The winners will get a hard-earned rest, while the losers will take on whichever two sides from places five to eight – St Helens, Hull FC, Catalan Dragons and Hull KR – won their elimination final. From then on, the Super League is a sudden death shootout for a place in the October 5 grand final at Old Trafford. Check Fox Sports guides for times. 26

After opening the Premiership Rugby season at Twickenham with the London double-header last week, Harlequins and Saracens will both be on home turf this weekend. Quins take on dangerous 2012 grand final losers Northampton on Friday night at the Stoop, with the visitors bolstered by new signings of George North, the giant Welshman fresh from his destructive performance for the Lions in Australia, and England international Alex Corbisiero. Sarries begin their first full season on the reliably firm and fast (artificial) surface of Allianz Park on Saturday against the slightly less fancied but no less troublesome Gloucester, whose fifth place finish last year sees them back into the Heineken Cup this season as well. Gloucester don’t have the stars to match Saracens almost totally international line-up, but in Freddie Burns and Billy Twelvetrees they have talent to upset.

They may be in the same league but Manchester United and Crystal Palace are in different worlds, no better illustrated than by Wilfried Zaha, the speedster who helped the Londoners win promotion as a loan player before returning to his new club United, for whom he is still to play this year. After featuring in pre-season matches, Zaha hasn’t made David Moyes’ Premier League match day squad yet, although he was included in Man U’s squad to play in the Champions League group stages. This week the England international’s Red Devils line up against his beloved Eagles at Old Trafford. In their last start Ian Holloway’s much-less-paid charges notched up their first win of the year against Sunderland, but this will be a whole other proposition. Will Zaha get a chance to show Palace what they’ve lost and Moyes what he’s got?

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QUOTEs OF THE WEEK At least reach the semifinals of the Euro Championship in 2020 and … to win the World Cup in 2022 (Qatar) New FA chairman Greg Dyke set two targets for English football, one of them to win a tournie in a Middle East sauna

Freedom Cup: Richie McCaw holds New Zealand and South Africa rugby’s answer to the Bledisloe

PREVIEW BLACKS AND BOKS FIGHT FOR FREEDOM nEW ZEALAND V sOUTH aFRICA

sAT, 5.35pM, fox SPORTS The largely irrelevant trophy up for grabs when New Zealand and South Africa meet in matches across The Rugby Championship is the Freedom Cup, a piece of silverware first given in 2004 to mark 10 years of Saffa democracy. That’s all well and good, and will be decided after the sides meet at Eden Park this week and in Johannesburg on October 5 (if they win a game apiece, holders New Zealand will keep the Boks’ Freedom for

another year). But this and every clash in the unimaginatively named Championship is all about points, and the way the All Blacks have started their campaign, bonus points will be important in the race for second between the Boks and Australia. An extra point goes to teams if they lose by less than seven points (as likely spooners Argentina did against South Africa in an impressive comeback from a 73-13 flogging the week before) or by scoring four or more tries. In all likelihood, the Blacks could go undefeated again, so not getting pumped could be a winner of sorts.

It’s been a pretty long trip in the UK, so it’d be nice for us to go home on a high with winning the series Understatement from Aussie cricket captain Michael Clarke ahead of the ODIs

I told him everything that was good about the code and how well his skills would fit Quade Cooper, who called the Wallabies “toxic”, was a surprise ally for the ARU in recruiting new star Israel Folau

TV HIGHLIGHTS

THE CHAT | Don’t do drugs: Ben Johnson

cricket

Mm’kay … is disgraced Canadian sprinter Q Ben Johnson seriously on the campaign trail talking about drugs in sport? Yep. He’ll be in Australia this week as part of a global tour A for compression clothing company SKINS to support their marketing exercise petition to reduce doping in sport. Johnson told journos in New York that he’s speaking out “to help make changes in today’s society about drugs in sports”. He also said: “I want to set the record straight that I’m a small part of a problem.” Hmm. At a time when Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell have been axed from the event he was stripped of the 1988 Olympic gold for, and cycling, AFL, NRL, baseball and other sports are embroiled in drug scandals, surely there’s a better ambassador.

Games three and four in best of five Wed 11th, 8pm, Fox Sports Sat 14th, 8pm, Fox Sports

ODI: England v Australia

Afl & nrl Finals AFL finals week two on Channel 7 See NRL finals week one on Channel 9

rugby union Australia v Argentina Cheat: Ben Johnson in ‘88

The Rugby Championship from Perth Sat 14th, 8.05pm, Fox Sports

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

Well may you scratch your chin David Moyes

The window slammed shut – and Man Utd were the losers Who really enjoys transfer deadline day? The managers certainly don’t. I can’t imagine the players do much either. One needs only think back to poor old Peter Odemwingie driving to London from Birmingham only to find out he hadn’t actually been transferred at all. That must have been embarassing. The fans don’t really enjoy it either – for every club who pulled off a big signing, a number of teams ended up losing out. Thankfully though (for this Liverpool fan anyway), Manchester United and their global fanbase of glory hunters got properly stitched up by Everton – and I laughed and laughed. In what parallel universe is Marouane ‘Burt’ Fellaini worth £27.5m? Having chased every central midfielder under the sun since the window opened in June, United ended up paying a vastly over-inflated price for the Afro’d Belgian in the last seconds of transfer deadline day. Don’t misunderstand me, Fellaini is a very good player and will no doubt do well at United. Yet – if the United trolls spouting their #moyesout tweets can be believed – he simply isn’t enough. The way manager David Moyes and United’s new chief executive Ed Woodward handled their business during the summer has made them look like absolute mugs and already the trophy-laden supporters seem to be dreaming of their dour, rednosed messiah making a comeback worthy of Lazarus. Perhaps all the worse for Manchester United was the coup that Arsenal and their under-fire manager Arsène Wenger managed to pull off in the dying hours of transfer deadline day; signing German international Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid. He’s not the sort of player the Gunners desperately needed (they already had plenty of attacking talent in their midfield), but he’s the kind of glamour signing the fans craved and – with an eye watering £42.5m price tag – certainly made a statement. Anyway, it’s over, until January at least. Let’s just concentrate on the football for now. Was Mesut Ozil the signing of the transfer window? Email: hugh@tntdownunder.com

The horror, the horror By the time you read this, Australia will likely have a new prime minsiter and we’re all going down with the ship. Sure, none of you will actually be voting and, believe me, I envy you that. Yet make no mistake, the outcome of this election will have a bearing on all of you, in one way or another. Tony Abbott and the LNP don’t really like people who aren’t from Australia or who are in any way financially poor. Sound like anybody you know?

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Abbott’s Liberals don’t like people

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The Liberals don’t want to just stop disenfranchised people legally seeking asylum by boat, oh no. They also think people on working visas are stealing fairdinkum Aussie people’s jobs. The application fees for Working Holiday Visas have become outrageous anyway, but they’ll only get worse under the Coalition – believe you me. We’re all doomed.

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N I S U R O F E T VO

tntdownunder.com Voting opens 29th July, 2013

AND Go in the draw to win

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Into the fast lane Aussie Daniel Ricciardo has been handed his dream drive with the big boys at Red Bull Words michael gadd

Big names were bandied about as to who would become the other Red Bull Racing driver next year when Australian Mark Webber left – Kimi Räikkönen (2007 World Champion) would have been popular with fans and Fernando Alonso (World Champion the two years before the Finn) was also rumoured – but there was already a chosen one. Perth-born 24-year-old Daniel Ricciardo was last week announced to take the Renault hot-seat Webber, 37, had occupied since 2007. While those outside the sport may be surprised at his promotion over more fancied options, a look at his steady yet swift rise through the motorsport ranks, and the words of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, explain how Ricciardo’s found himself in this position. “In the end it was a very logical choice,” Horner says. His success story started at age 11, when he won the Wanneroo Tiger Kart Club’s midget division in 2000, just two years after a compromise with his parents saw him into the mini four-wheelers instead of the motorbikes of his hero Valentino Rossi. After having a crack at Formula Ford in Western Australia, the talented teen went to Asia to take on the Formula BMW series aged just 16. He was soon at the Formula Medicine clinic in Viareggio, Italy, then racing in the Formula Renault and winning his first European title in 2008’s Western European Cup as a Red Bull driver. His blistering times at the 2009 Young Drivers Test – 1.3 seconds faster than the next – caught the attention of those not already in the know, then he became the first Aussie since David Brabham in 1989 to win the British Formula Three title. 30

DANIEL RICCIARDO • Born Perth, July 1, 1989 • Started karting aged 9 • Won British Formula 3 Championship 2009 • Formula 1 debut: British Grand Prix 2011 • Formula 1 starts: 43 • Best: 7th, China GP, 2013

“

People will be surprised at how quick Daniel is

”

When he got an F1 drive with the lowly Hispania Racing Team in 2011, his tyres were marked. “We’ll certainly be keeping a very close eye on him,” said Horner, before he was put with Red Bull’s junior F1 team Toro Rosso-Ferrari for the 2012 season. “This is the first step on the ladder for him. He’s still very young, but it’s an opportunity that has been presented to him and it’s down to him to grab it.” Earlier ear-marked by Sir Frank Williams (of the Williams team fame) as the sport’s next star, he’s now got a shot at making it a reality. But his move from Toro-Rosso to Red Bull is significant – he’s going from a team for which a top 10 finish is as good as what a win (or at very least a podium finish) would be for Webber and his new

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Laid-back: insiders say Daniel’s personality and professionalism are his greatest assets

Photos: Getty

World Champ: teammate Seb Vettel

teammate, three-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel. “We know Daniel is very quick and Sebastian is the best in the business at the moment, but I think people will be surprised at how quick Daniel is,” Horner said. “It’s going to be very surprising to see what he is capable of next year.” Webber, who goes to drive a Porsche in sportscar racing next season, has backed his countryman to replace him from the outset, despite his at times prickly relationship with the team and his younger, more successful teammate. Many pundits say Ricciardo’s perceived willingness to play second fiddle to Vettel gave him the edge over Räikkönen, but the driver with the cheeky grin doesn’t see it that way. “Next year I’ll be with a championship-winning team, arguably the best team, and will be expected to deliver,” he said. “I’m ready for that. I’m not here to run around in 10th place, I want to get the best results for myself and the team. “It will be a great challenge to be up against Sebastian Vettel; I’m looking forward to that. My aim is to finish this season as strong as possible, for myself and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Then, once the off-season is here, I’ll be fully focused on next year and the next stage of my career.” Before the weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, Ricciardo was in 14th for the driver’s championship with seven races to

go, one behind his French teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, although he’s managed four top 10 finishes (one more than Vergne). At Red Bull, Vettel is looking at his fourth title in a row having won five of the season’s 11 races and finishing out of the top three just three times (twice fourth and once retired). Webber was in fifth with three podium finishes but just one drive outside the top five. How much this gap in results has to do with Ricciardo’s equipment, we’ll soon find out. Horner clearly thinks the Aussie has the chops to build on the work of Webber and Vettel, signing him to what’s been called a “multi-year agreement”. “He’s got all the attributes that are required to drive for our team,” Horners said. “He’s got a great natural ability, he’s a good personality and a great guy to work with. “Daniel knows what the team expects. He’ll learn quickly and it’s very much a medium- to long-term view that we’re taking in developing him. I think he’s going to be a big star.” The team supremo also insists Ricciardo will be given the “identical opportunity and equipment” to Vettel. “From what I hear the team is very much interested in equality,” Ricciardo said. “I am definitely aware that if I do get the opportunity to race alongside [Vettel], it is not going to be easy. If I can’t, well, at least I can say I tried. But I believe I can.” tntdownunder.com

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

packing a trunk Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

Elephants and polo players take part in the quarter final of the King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand. Tournament proceeds help to rehabilitate animals rescued from abuse.

INSIDE

All that glitters

/38

The Golden Backpack Award voting season is coming to an end – this issue TNT looks at the best of South Australia and NZ. 32

Town in the middle /54

Up, Up and Away

Named for a woman who never visited and a water source that was never there – Alice Springs is full of rugged character.

We sent a writer into the Northland region of New Zealand. He surfed, kayaked and hugged an actual cheetah. Wild stuff!

/64

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HOTSHOTS

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER bridge the gap: Charlie Hearle, 25, United Kingdom Charlie says: “This is a photograph of the beautiful Sydney Harbour at night with a long exposure.” We say: “There is something oddly comforting about bright neon lights in a long exposure. The soft fuzziness invokes – for us at least – a kind of trance, or dream-like state. While this harbour area of Sydney has been photographed time and time again, we particularly like the composition of yours, Charlie. Especially good is the way you’ve made the two more famous landmarks frame the shot, as opposed to dominate it. Good work!”

HOT TIPS: Pack light, pack right If you carry too much photographic equipment with you, it will simply weigh you down, not to mention the stress of having a super-expensive kit that you never want to let out of your sight. Figure out what you need, get a protective case that it fits in, and get moving. You are better off being free and versatile than lugging around a heavy backpack just for your camera gear. Of course this is a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ scenario, as I am often carrying large cases of equipment across the globe. But hey, it’s my job! Tips by ocean photographer, Joel Coleman. See saltmotion.com

WIN

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 Charlie 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 PILOTS’ SCARY SECRETS A report by the US edition of Reader’s Digest entitled ‘13 Things Airline Pilots Won’t Tell You’ revealed that some feel they have to fly with less fuel than they are “comfortable” with and that passengers are unlikely to receive much warning if something goes wrong mid-flight. Along with those fun facts, one captain at a major airline also said: “The truth is, we’re exhausted. Our work rules allow us to be on duty 16 hours without a break. That’s many more hours than a truck driver. And unlike a truck driver, who can pull over at the next rest stop, we can’t pull over at the next cloud.” Afraid of flying? Well, you should be…

advert: don’t fly ba A disgruntled British Airways passenger paid for a promoted tweet to vent his anger at the carrier to as many people as possible on Twitter. Promoted tweets are designed for use by advertisers who want to reach a large group of users. Hasan Syed wrote: “Don’t fly @BritishAirways. Their customer service is horrendous.” Within six hours, the post had collected over 25,000 page impressions on the microblogging site. Syed, who was annoyed at the loss of his father’s luggage and the delayed response to his enquiries, subsequently received an apology from BA, also on Twitter.

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Exhausted: not how you want your pilot to look

smelly carpet crisis A Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt was diverted to Copenhagen over concerns about a smelly carpet. The Airbus A320-200 service was forced to divert after concerned passengers reported a “strong odour” on board. However, after landing and getting passengers booked onto alternative flights, maintenance staff discovered the stink had originated from a recently installed carpet. Lufthansa has not commented on the incident, but the offending carpeting resulted in two-and-a-half hours on the tarmac in Copenhagen and a Frankfurt landing that was almost three hours behind schedule.

CYPRUS STILL SAFE? The foreign minister for Cyprus has reassured tourists that it’s still safe to visit the island, despite the escalating situation in Syria. Cyprus, which lies off the coast of Lebanon, is wellpositioned to launch attacks on Assad’s regime should there be an international intervention, but Ioannis Kasoulides said the island’s military bases would not play a significant part in any action. “We have received assurances that [Cyprus’] territory will not be used as a launching pad,“ he said. Current FCO advice for Cyprus warns of an “increased risk of demonstrations” and urges visitors to be “vigilant”.

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The Kiwi classics Contrary to popular belief, there is more to New Zealand than bungy jumping, kiwi fruit and 60 million sheep. And we’re not just talking about the All Blacks and films about little people with hairy feet. Indeed, the biggest mistake anyone can make is to underestimate New Zealand and expect it to be just like Australia. Yes, they’re both full of people with funny accents, but that’s about where the similarity ends. With dashing snow-capped mountains, endless glaciated valleys, steaming volcanoes, tropical beaches and wild gushing rivers, New Zealand is not just a profoundly beautiful place, but one where you could go surfing in the morning and then snowboarding in the afternoon. There’s a mere four million locals, 38

which, considering the country is roughly the size of Britain, means it’s not exactly overpopulated. As a result, you’d be hard-pushed to find a nation home to a greater number of outdoorsy types. Understandably, it’s the adrenalin stuff that grabs the headlines. Whether it’s bungy jumping, zorbing, skydiving, whitewater rafting, canyoning, caving or half a dozen other ‘sports’ that we’ve not even had a chance to try yet, you can rest assured there’s a fair chance a Kiwi was involved in inventing it. Or at least somehow making it a bit scarier for us. Bless ‘em. Yes, who knows the reason (our money’s on Scottish settler ancestors with strong S&M tendencies), but the Kiwis are bizarrely obsessed with scaring themselves, and us, stupid.

You can join in the fun pretty much anywhere you step foot in the country. Queenstown is the undisputed daddy, but the likes of Taupo, Wanaka, Rotorua, Auckland, Franz Josef and Waitomo all pack plenty of punches. But it’s not just about the thrills. With a country so sexy, it’s no surprise that Kiwis jump at any opportunity to stuff their packs and head off into the mountains for some of the best hiking, or tramping as the locals call it, that you’re likely to ever experience. Indeed, from the Bay of Islands in the north, to Fiordland National Park in the south, there’s a good chance you won’t have experienced or seen anything like it before. In case you’ve not noticed, we’re a little bit obsessed with the Land of the Long White Cloud. It’s ace. Here are 22 reasons why.

Photos: Getty, Tourism NZ, Haast River Safari

Fiords, glaciers, whales, geysers, volcanoes, islands, golden beaches... a jealous person might say NZ has it all

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Photos: Getty, Tourism NZ, Haast River Safari

Out and about: (top to bottom) safari on the Haast River; Queenstownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canyon Swing; a Maori haka

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willing and abel

sounds great...

Arguably the finest spot for some kayaking is Abel Tasman National Park, at the top of the South Island. The water can be a curious glowing green, the beaches all golden little curves and the sea full of seals.

Half the visual pleasure of Milford Sound is the journey there; winding roads plunge into dense, moss-plastered woodland, snake along gaping drops and pass waterfalls crashing to the floor from way up somewhere.

give it some welly With green hills reaching up behind the capital and the shimmering harbour below it, New Zealand’s most attractive city is awash with cafés and culture. The Windy City has festivals aplenty, day-stealing museums, and good nightlife.

ice to see you New Zealand has gazillions of glaciers, but the colossal ice tongues of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers are the most accessible. It’s like stepping into a different world as your crampons crunch through an ice labyrinth of caves, frozen waves and crevasses. Make the most of it by doing the full-day or heli hike.

have a wanaka An hour from Queenstown is its younger, smaller, but equally attractive brother. It boasts: wineries, wonderful lakeside scenery, ski fields, mountain biking, skydiving, jetboating, canyoning, Lord Of The Rings lark. Silly name though.

feeling hip

Whararaiki Beach, by Farewell Spit 40

Cosy Coromandel caters for every hippy whim, with Hot Water Beach – where you can dig your own hot bath in the sand – our favourite.

... and it is A boat trip edges you out onto Milford Sound’s water, home to dolphins, fairy penguins and New Zealand fur seals, all looking like ants next to the immense Mitre Peak. Onwards to the open sea, passing all sorts of waterfalls; some twist in the air, while others thunder from impossible heights.

great walks The nine official Great Walks got their name for a reason. All of them come highly recommended, especially those in stunning Fiordland.

haka time It smells a bit like a rotten egg, but Rotorua is a great place to swot up on Maori culture, geothermal wonder and adrenalin thrills. Don’t miss seeing a haka and try to chow down on a hangi while you’re there.

hit the north Ever seen two oceans collide? Sand dunes the size of small mountains? A 90-mile beach? Dolphins dashing in between golden beach-fringed islands? Even if you have, it’s unlikely you’ve seen them all in such close proximity. Welcome to the “winterless” Northland.

Photos: Thinkstock, Tourism NZ, Chris McLennan,

Hamster habitat: zorbing in Rotorua

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BUNGY & SWING WITH THE BUNGY PIONEERS

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conquer mordor

bungyyy!

taupo can you go

Tongariro National Park has live volcanoes, bizarrely coloured lakes and postapocalyptic landscapes – Mordor was filmed here for those films. If you do one tramp in New Zealand, make it the Tongariro Crossing.

Queenstown is home of the bungy jump, but also canyon swings, jetboating, hanggliding, whitewater rafting, skydiving and more. Bring spare undercrackers.

Bang in the middle of North Island, Taupo combines thermal fun, plenty of adrenalin thrills, water sports and some great scenery, for tramping or simply gawping at.

all white

sealy good

Volcanic White Island is another unique and bizarre place. An island and smoking volcano crater in one. Like Mars.

Much-underrated swims with the highly-sociable seals are excellent in Kaikoura. Plus, there’s dolphin swimming, where you take the plunge with literally hundreds of the friendly blighters – go on, make ‘em jealous at home.

slap and tipple Get a bit of slap and tipple from the many, very tasty wine regions. Hic. The South Island’s Marlborough region, around Picton and Nelson, is our fave. Mmm sauv blanc...

cave in

skydive Go on, dare you. Those of you after the ultimate bragging rights should head to South Island’s Franz Josef, where the friendly locals will chuck you out from 18,000ft, NZ’s highest dropzone. Oddly, many find this less scary than bungy jumping.

Drop in on Queenstown

As long as the clouds haven’t hooded its handsome head, your first full sighting of Mt Cook should stop you in your tracks. New Zealand’s highest is one dashing mountain.

Mt Cook, from Lake Matheson

Last year’s NZ winners... Best hostel: Nomads, Queenstown Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy, Queenstown 42

way to otago

peak time

Sneak up on the sea lions and other amazing wildlife – especially the adorable penguins – on the Otago Peninsula, as preparation for sampling Dunedin’s highly rated nightlife.

sperm Kaikoura is a hot spot for all sorts of water-based creatures, especially whales, dolphins and seals. Watch whales – sperm, humpback and more – all year round.

farewell spit Best backpacker night: Big Night Out, Queenstown Best tour/transport operator: Kiwi Experience Best car/campervan rental: Jucy Rentals

Rather than a gesture of disdain, it’s a unique sandbar – the world’s largest – and wildife reserve stretching out from the tip of the South Island like a claw. A fascinating 4WD experience full of raw beauty.

Photos: Thinkstock, Tourism NZ, NZONE

Sensational caving and blackwater rafting at Waitomo’s extraordinary underground cave network. Thrill-seekers should start with the 100m abseil into the Lost World.

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South of the border Often left off the ‘must-visit’ list by adrenalin-fuelled, party-hungry backpackers, South Australia is a somewhat forgotten land. But look a little closer at Australia’s middle child and you’ll discover the quiet kid has some tricks up its sleeve. Hell, we’d go so far as to say it’s the country’s most under-rated state. Think South Australia is boring? Think again. Indeed, we’d argue that some of the most exciting stuff you can find Down Under is lurking south of the border, plus at a cheaper price than in most of the country. For starters, if you want to interact with the Aussie wildlife, you’d struggle to find anywhere better. Ideal Adelaide getaway Kangaroo Island is home to far more than old Skippy. It’s basically one giant open-planned zoo where 46

you’ll get to walk amongst seals, crawl after echidnas and no doubt spot a koala in the wild. If that’s not enough, go for a dip with dolphins off Glenelg or, better yet, meet the very cool sea lions off the Eyre Peninsula. Head along to tuna fishing capital Port Lincoln and brave jumping in a cage to meet Jaws, or get thrown in a tank full of big, speedy tuna – one of the more unusual, and surprisingly unnerving experiences you’re likely to have in Oz. But it’s not just about the creatures. The land of the crow eaters (as South Australians are known) does a couple of other things as well as anywhere we know. One of those is food and wine – the Barossa produces arguably the best grape grog in Australia, while Adelaide is paradise for foodies on

a budget (they’ve moved beyond crows). The other string in the bow of Australia’s driest state is epic, jaw to the floor, pass-the-camera now scenery. There’s surreal, white cracked-earth salt lakes, deafening blue skies and horizon-to-horizon outback full of dusty cowboys and strange lizards. Oh, and the small matter of 3,800km of coastline. Surfers won’t be bored. Of course, trying to find time to see all these things might be tricky, as arts-mad Adelaide seems to be putting on a festival just about every week of the year. But, hey, we know your diary probably isn’t too crammed right now, so put the goon to one side for a moment, resist simply following the crowds for a bit and get cracking with our top 23 reasons for visiting the Festival State.

Photos: SATC, John Sones, Peter Fisher, Calypso Star Charters

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wilpena pound

birdsville track

You can’t come to SA and not visit the spectacular Flinders Ranges. And you certainly can’t come to the ranges without stopping off at majestic Wilpena Pound for a spot of bushwalking and wildlife spotting.

A fair dinkum outback roadtrip experience. The 520km track takes you through some of the harshest, driest land in the world, so be a good boy scout and be prepared.

keep it rail Sit back and enjoy the outback scenery between Alice Springs and Adelaide on iconic train The Ghan. Or, head to Perth or Sydney on the Indian Pacific.

going underground If you’ve ever wanted to know what life would be like as a Womble, stay overnight in Coober Pedy, where around half the population live underground to avoid the extreme summer heat. The other half must have very big fans.

shark! If you’re brave (or foolish) enough to want to jump into a cage and pull faces at great whites, Port Lincoln is the place to visit. It’s where they filmed the real sharks in the original Jaws movie.

kangaroo island Like a zoo with no fences. It’s unlikely you’ll see as much wildlife in one place anywhere else in Oz. Plus some gorgeous beaches and the Remarkables (rocks).

under the stars Up, up and away: the leg burning Little Sahara climb before sandboarding on Kangaroo Island 48

Grab a swag, head out of town and spend an outback night with the Milky Way.

womadelaide This extravaganza of world music is held in Adelaide every March. Enjoy music, food, and people from around the globe.

the dogfence Stretching several thousand kilometres, from WA to Queensland, the easiest place to get a snap of this great north/south divide is at Coober Pedy.

visit iron knob There’s nothing particularly special about this little town – the name just makes us giggle like schoolgirls.

taste a pie floater An official icon of the state, a floater is a meat pie covered in ketchup and left to fend for itself in a sea of thick pea soup. No comment. While you’re at it, though, make sure you wash it down with top Aussie tipple, and local brew, Coopers Ale.

deserted beaches Head south from Adelaide towards the Fleurieu Peninsula. Interspaced between the popular holiday beaches are glorious stretches of golden sand all for you.

Photos: SATC, WOMADelaide, Matt Netthiem

Radelaide: get your fill of world music at WOMADelaide

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salt lakes

adelaide fringe festival

spit or swallow

These massive expanses of blinding white salt are a real outback icon. Lake Eyre is the biggest and most impressive, but its little brother Lake Hart is conveniently situated next to the Stuart Highway.

Second only to Edinburgh in the world of fringe festivals, Adelaide’s February event celebrates all innovation in the arts, and if that’s your bag, this is an event not to be missed.

This place has got winegrowing regions around every corner; the Barossa Valley, the Clare Valley and McLaren Vale are only three of the most famous. Plus wine in the Adelaide pubs is as cheap as chips. Gerrin.

tuna tossing

whale watching

The world championships of this noble, yet misunderstood, sport are held every January in Port Lincoln as part of the Tunarama festival. One that has to be seen to be believed. While there, try out the tuna swimming as well – one of the strangest animal/adrenalin experiences Down Under.

Southern rights plough the waters of the Great Australian Bight every winter, and are a truly majestic sight. As is the Bight itself, all 60ft limestone cliffs running adjacent to the Nullarbor.

go on the opal Playtime: meeting the Eyre Peninsula’s friendly sea lions

The Nullarbor Plain conceals some spectacular underground action, but unless you’re a cave diver they’re pretty much offlimits. More accessible are the World Heritagelisted Narcoorte Caves.

be stunned by the blue lake A volcanic crater in Mt Gambier filled with the bluest water you could possible imagine (in summer anyway, it gets a bit grey in winter).

aboriginal culture

cruise the murray Take a leisurely cruise on a Mississippi-style paddle steamer and soak up the laidback atmosphere.

Ballooning over the Barossa

Last year’s south australia winners... Best hostel: Shakespeare Backpackers, Adelaide Best tour/activity: Groovy Grape, Barossa Valley 50

The majority of the world’s opals are mined around Coober Pedy and Andamooka, so they’re the best places to find bargain gems. If you’re feeling lucky you could have a quick noodle yourself – just make sure it’s in one of the designated areas.

Best backpacker night: Backpack Oz, Adelaide

There are plenty of places around the state to absorb the culture of Australia’s native people, especially in the Flinders Ranges and the outback. But for easy accessibility, try the South Australia Museum or the cultural institute, Tandanya, which has galleries and arts and crafts workshops.

swim with dolphins It must be tough being a dolphin – everyone wants a piece. In Adelaide you can get your Flipper action on a cruise from Port Adelaide or swim with them at Glenelg.

Photos: SATC, Caroline Fisher, Cameron Bloom

cave exploring

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Now the name may include GIN but a Gin Mill may also be known as a saloon or bar and that is precisely what we are. Having opened our doors in early August we have been bringing Martinis to the masses, the Chamaretto Sour to Chapel and the Manhattan to Melbourne. Djs on weekends and a $6 slider and soft shell taco menu, so get on down.

Bring this flyer with you and receive a champagne cocktail & slider!

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Centre stage: (clockwise) outback biking; Aboriginal dance; a barn owl; bush tucker; one very friendly camel

Alice Springs Northern territory

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Alice’s outback wonderland Thought Alice Springs was just a gateway to the rock stars of the Red Centre? It’s time to think again Words stephanie williams

Touching down on the red dirt of central Australia, I feel a world away from the foggy morning haze that surrounded me just three hours ago in Sydney. It feels like I’ve arrived in the real Australia. And, immediately, I love it. Before white settlement, the area was inhabited by the Arrernte Aboriginal people. Known as Mparntwe (m-barn-tway), their creation story tells of how the area was formed by the caterpillar beings Ayepe-arenye, Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye. “Where were they getting their mushrooms from?” might be your first response to that, at least until you spy the MacDonnell Ranges with your own eyes, when suddenly the caterpillar link becomes obvious. Meanwhile Alice Springs, at least as we know it today, sprung up in 1862 when explorer John McDouall Stuart (of the Stuart Highway fame) made his final expedition through the Red Centre. The area was largely opened up thanks to Afghan cameleers, who provided transport links, albeit slow ones, to central Australia in the form of camel trains.

Photos: Tourism NT, Tourism Australia, Autumn Mooney, Peter Eve, Thinkstock

The name game Until the 1930s the town was called Stuart, while it was the local waterhole which bore the name Alice Springs, after the superintendent’s wife Alice Todd. And so it was only in 1933, after much confusion, that the latter won out and Alice Springs officially became the town’s name. My first stop is to learn about local Aboriginal art at Muk Muk Fine Art (mukmuk.com). Even if you’re unable to splash any cash on a giant canvas, it’s a great place to pick an expert’s brain on the origins and hallmarks of Aboriginal and contemporary Australian art. There are even artists working in the studio space, meaning you can watch the art come to life. Gallery owner Sharon Mitchell takes me through the finer points of the artwork, from emerging and established names, such as Margaret Loy Pula, Walala Tjapaltjarri and Minnie Pwerle. With Aboriginal people, I’m told, their history is learned through song, dance and storytelling rather than the Western way through reading and going to school. Traditionally, much of the storytelling was done in the sand

and on the body for ceremony. The iconography that was painted on the body, however, is now painted onto canvas. It began in the Sixties when an art teacher was invited to Papunya, a community outside Alice Springs. He saw men drawing in the sand but it would blow away, so he invited them to paint a mural at his school and they enjoyed it so

“

Outback people love nothing more than to take the piss

”

much they started painting on anything – car bonnets, car doors, bits of board. It migrated to canvases and the world stage, to a point where now the best Aboriginal artwork commands the big bucks – the current record is $2.4m, paid at auction for a piece by artist Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri. ››

Just do it: learning the didgeridoo tntdownunder.com

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Going for gold: an Alice Springs sunset On the blower The most iconic sound, which is playing around Alice this morning, is the didgeridoo. You can learn to play at Sounds Of Starlight in the Todd Mall, so I take a seat at their free workshop. It comes with a warning though – if a woman plays the didge, they are said to either wind up in jail or pregnant. I throw caution to the wind and have a blow anyway. It’s harder than I thought, but amazing to hear about different techniques and instruments from internationally acclaimed player Andrew Langford. There are a few blowouts in class, and it all ends with a great performance from Andrew, who shows what the didge can really do. The camels, however, are calling, so my next stop is to get the hump with Marcus, aka ‘The Camel Man’. He’s been a camel wrangler for over 30 years, and his rugged, outback look befits his profession. Before I know it, I’m on my camel, Saleh, ready for the heave up. And so, with our lumpy carriages in procession, we head out through the iron bark and mulga trees into an expanse of red dirt, with views to the beautiful West MacDonnell Ranges.

High riders The camel sways so gently I can see why the early pioneers of the outback used them to go long distances. Well, the fact they only need a bucket of water to drink every 10 days or so may have come into it as well! My stomach is now yelling for some real food. I’d heard about a wonderful local initiative, called IAD, the Institute for Aboriginal Development, where local Aboriginal youth train to be chefs and the general public can stop in for coffee, breakfast and lunch. Sitting out on the deck, overlooking the sandy riverbed, I enjoy a great turkey salad sandwich, while my friends tuck into tom yum soup and a divine smelling chicken curry. To really see what a town has to offer, I always love to get on a bike. Therefore I head over to the YHA, where there’s an afternoon mountain biking tour due to leave. I’m greeted 56

by Clarke, today’s guide, who also happens to moonlight as a geophysicist. The value of this soon becomes clear as we are hurtling over the rocky track and he’s stopping to point out incredible rock formations before explaining why they look the way they do. It’s fascinating. Two and half hours of challenging mountain biking later, we arrive at the Telegraph Station, the original site for the bush telegraph system, which provided communications to Darwin and beyond. Clarke takes us out to the middle of the dry riverbed and starts digging. A group of five curious little locals are looking on in anticipation. We also start to wonder if the sun has got to Clarke, but he starts to explain how the riverbed isn’t as dry as it looks. And indeed, sure enough, about half a metre down, he hits water. Heading back to town, we leave the kids to play in their new desert pool.

What a drag I‘m back just in time to scoot to the top of Anzac Hill and catch the last remnants of a bright pink and orange sunset. Heaps of people are watching on – backpackers, grey nomads, people enjoying a drink or two – and it’s a great way to put the town into perspective with 360° views. ››

Chopper time: flying over the West MacDonnells

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d s a o l e r ad to t l l A he outback

Welcome to Central Australia – the heart, the soul and the centre of Australia. Alice Springs is the perfect base to explore Central Australia’s beautiful landscapes, rugged terrains, ancient cultures and history. There is an adventure awaiting every visitor – whether you’re a thrill seeker or looking for a laidback holiday – Alice Springs can fulfil your trip’s desires. You can go bush walking through the beautiful and spectacular East and West MacDonnell Ranges; take a scenic helicopter ride, hot air balloon as the sun rises over the horizon or take a relaxing camel ride as you take in the natural beauty of the outback landscape. There are many cultural attractions in Alice Springs – The Royal Flying Doctor Service, Alice Springs Reptile Centre, National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame, Alice Springs Desert Park and Alice Springs School of the Air, just to name a few. If you’re an art lover, there is an abundant of galleries displaying contemporary art, original Aboriginal artwork, baskets and sculptures. If you’re exploring the Central Australian region and heading up north – Tennant Creek is definitely worth a visit. The town is rich in history, culture and spectacular sites such as the famous Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles). Once in Tennant Creek, make sure you visit the Battery Hill Mining Centre, Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre and Lake Mary Ann.

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If you are heading south a breathtaking experience that awaits you is the rim walk at Watarrka National Park. You can see for yourself just how amazing the rugged landscape is and while you’re there visit the Garden of Eden to see the majestic sandstone walls up close. Uluru and Kata Tjuta are world famous Australian cultural icons. You can discover the spectacular Uluru with a helicopter ride or simply by walking or driving around the National Park. At Kata Tjuta, enjoy the Valley of the Winds walk and get up close and personal with the magnificent domes. There is so much to see and do in Central Australia – a stop at the Visitor Centre is a must! Come down to the Visitor Information Centre in Todd Mall, speak to our friendly and knowledgeable staff and we can help make this visit one that you’ll remember for the rest of your days. We can provide information on the region, places to visit as well as book tours and accommodation for Alice Springs, Uluru, Kings Canyon and the Barkly region.

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

1800 645 199 Corner of Todd Mall and Parsons Street Alice Springs

Open: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday 9.30am-4pm Weekends & Public Holidays discovercentralaustralia.com.au

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Gorge-ous: admiring Ormiston Gorge

spring into action alice’s oddball events

Too remote and small to feature on most tour lists or sports leagues, even the biggest of outback towns has to get creative when it comes to entertainment. Henley on Todd Regatta (August): If there’s one thing people in the outback love above all else, it’s the art of taking the piss, especially when the subject of their derision is something English and posh, such as the Henley Regatta. Alice’s homage to the iconic meeting is the annual Henley On Todd Regatta. Most race categories are taken straight from traditional regatta events, with the subtle difference being they involve people sprinting along the dry river bed while holding up bottomless boats. henleyontodd.com.au Camel Cup (July): Camel racing is a popular fixture throughout outback towns in the winter, and arguably the biggest is Alice’s Camel Cup. The real stars are of the four-legged variety – unpredictable, bad-tempered and often showing little interest in what their riders want them to do. The races are generally anarchic and hilarious. camelcup.com.au

But Alice Springs isn’t only fun during the day. Word on the street is that eclectic Monte’s is the place to be on Thursday night for their legendary parmigiana and trivia night. It doesn’t disappoint. Also worth a visit, I discover, is The Juicy Rump, at Lasseters Casino. Film buffs should make it a part of their pilgrimage as it’s where parts of The Adventures Of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert were filmed. For a night out, meanwhile, locals start at the Rock Bar, with live music, move on to Bojangles or Monte’s, then kick on ‘til the wee hours at Lasseters, where they have a live DJ from Thursday to Saturday.

Grubs up I’m up early the next morning, partly to see the spectacular sunrise, and partly because I’m excited to be heading into the nearby West MacDonnell Ranges. Our guide Clive greets me outside the hotel and is full of jokes from the start. First stop is Simpson’s Gap, an important spiritual site for local Aboriginal people plus a place to spot cute black-footed rock wallabies. The towering red cliffs are impressive as the wind whistles through the gap. Next is Standley Chasm, where I learn about namesake Ida Stanley, who was the ››

High and dry: the annual Henley on Todd Regatta

Beanie Festival (June): While beanies might not seem overly essential under the scorching outback sun, this community-based event has grown into one of Australia’s most unique festivals. Started in 1997 to help sell the beanies crocheted by Aboriginal women, the festival has evolved into a celebration of culture, art and women’s roles in society. beaniefest.org

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first European female school teacher in the area. Surging flood waters over thousands of years have cut through the tough quartzite to form a picturesque natural alleyway and the sheer walls that rise up around us are truly beautiful. Heading to our next stop, Clive shares his knowledge of everything from buffel grass (from Zimbabwe like Clive; great for cattle but bad for our native flora, burning at an incredible 300°C), to Pine Gap (a secretive US and Australian air base near Alice Springs where most employees tell you they are either a cleaner or an electrician, then swiftly end the conversation – nudge, nudge, wink, wink) through to kangaroo tails (they are high in fat and sold frozen in the local IGA ... fact!) and witchetty grubs (eat them headfirst so they can’t crawl out, eww). Our next stop is the ochre pits, which is where Aboriginal men get the paint to apply to their bodies for spiritual ceremonies. The ochre is crushed and mixed with water. The site is so sacred that it’s protected, with a hefty $5000 fine for those who swipe pieces of the arty ochre. After lunch we take the rocky track to the top of the Ormiston Gorge lookout, which has breathtaking views over the landscape, the waterhole and the West Macs.

Now we are in for a shot of adrenalin, thanks to one small, doorless helicopter. Helicopters, I must admit, aren’t my favourite thing, but in the interests of a good story, dear readers, I’m getting up there.

Mac attack “This is our ace pilot,” introduces Clive before we take off. “Did you say the eighth pilot?!” asks one terrified passenger. Clearly everyone is a bit nervy. The chopper is tiny, with open sides and nothing to hang on to – it’s a game of trust. As the chopper takes off, there’s a whole lot of “faaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrr out” going on, but it’s worth it. The views are incredible. Our quick loop takes in views of Mount Sonder in the distance and puts into perspective the true majesty of the outback. It’s a quirky place this Alice Springs, but she definitely pulls it off. ❚ Details: TNT travelled as a guest of Tourism Central Australia discovercentralaustralia.com; Pyndan Camel Tracks tour from $50pp cameltracks.com; Emu Run West MacDonnell Ranges tour from $120pp emurun.com.au; Outback Cycling tours from $64pp outbackcycling.com; Alice Springs Helicopters scenic flights from $245pp alicespringshelicopters.com.au

a beginners’ guide to aboriginal art the lessons behind the art created by the world’s oldest continuous culture It’s not easy imagining what it must have been like to walk this planet more than 50,000 years ago. Ice ages have come and gone, inland seas have transformed into deserts and great cultures have risen and fallen. But Australia’s Aboriginal people have lived through it all. People often joke that Australia has no culture, but the opposite is true – Australia boasts the world’s oldest continuous culture. Due to the lack of a written Aboriginal history, rock art has played a hugely important role in carrying on the traditions and beliefs of this truly ancient culture. The depictions of animals, people and spirits tell stories and teach lessons that are still handed down from one generation to the next. Rock art galleries can be found all across Australia, but the NT is hard to beat, plus both Darwin and Alice Springs are teeming with genuine Aboriginal art shops. And in case you’re thinking rock art doesn’t look all that impressive, remember that being aesthetically pleasing is not its purpose. The art acts as a vessel for passing on stories, culture and information, even as a way to communicate with the spirit world. Most rock art galleries are ancient classrooms. Many of the oldest and most important pieces are simple 60

On the dot: Aboriginal art’s modern incarnation handprints, which signify the passing of an initiation or learning of a lesson. Often the act of the painting itself, accompanied by a traditional ceremony, is deemed far more important than the end result, which explains why rock art is quite regularly painted over. Generally the lessons would be split into men’s business and women’s business, with each gender being forbidden from seeing the lessons of the other. Equally, lessons would progress with age, as boys and girls would be taught more about hunting, cooking or marrying as they grow older and pass more initiations. It is for this reason that tourists,

or indeed any uninitiated people, are only ever allowed to see the most simple rock art and are effectively considered tribal toddlers as a result. The existence of modern-day dot art is the result of Aboriginal communities increasingly seeing art as a potential source of income, after gaining exposure when the adoption of western materials like acrylic paints attracted widespread attention. When looking to buy art such as this, it’s important to purchase pieces from indigenousowned shops or associations if you want Aboriginal people to benefit. aboriginalaustralia.com

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

Cairns Do Attitude This is Cairns in 48 hours Words Tash levy

DAY 1: Understandably one of the most visited destinations in Australia, Cairns is arguably the Down Under capital of adventure and partying. The nightlife will have you begging for mercy at least until the sun begins setting once again. It’s also the main entry point to the Great Barrier Reef, meaning competition for your diving dollars is fierce. It’s an easy place to lose track of time, but if the clock is ticking, here’s how to make the most of it in just 48 hours. 07:30 Competitive accommodation rates during peak season (November–May) make Cairns the ideal east coast start/finish stop-off. Take your pick of very affordable backpacker resorts, one of the most central being the Reef Backpackers Cairns Hostel (reefbackpackers.com.au). With free pizza at the woolshed night, a free breakfast every day and weekly BBQ, it offers a great opportunity to meet other travellers or book on a trip with your buddies. 09:00 A quick half-hour drive north will set you in the middle of dense tropical rainforest, mountains and waterfalls. Amid all of this tranquillity, it’s time to climb 196 stairs to the highest viewing point in Cairns – AJ Hackett’s Bungy (ajhackett.com). The sadistic bungy masters will have you looking out onto the Great Barrier Reef as they edge you towards the end of the platform and let you jump into what promises to be a very memorable experience. 11:00 Back on the road now, and with adrenalin pumping

through your body, it’s time to let the real adventure begin back in Cairns. Pull up at the Marlin Marina and climb aboard for an epic cruise over the stunning reef. 12:30 Back on land, but not for long, because there’s nothing like the high life. You get to enjoy the epic views of the reef from a different angle – on your very own helicopter ride (downunderheli.com). This is your own mission impossible and you’ll be flying over the Coral Sea and Green Island. 13:00 From up above to down below, take a dip in the ocean waters. Snorkle, dive and sail your way across the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef with tourism award winner Passions of Paradise (passions.com). They’ll take you out to the exclusive Paradise Reef, where you can dive and snorkel with turtles, colourful fish and a beautiful variety of amazingly diverse coral. 18:00 Arrive back on shore at dinner time, freshen up, get the sea water out of your hair, and knock back a few jugs of beer. We recommend Gilligan’s (thegspotcairns.com) for a good night out. DAY 2: 10:30 Battle through the hangover, it’s time to explore. Drive toward Port Douglas following a coastal road along Cairns’ northern beaches. Tease your Facebook friends with endless selfies in the sunny, tropical scenery. Pulling up near the port there are a number of local cafés and fast-food

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joints that’ll finally put your Gilligan’s gut to rest. 13:00 Continuing north of Port Douglas you’ll land in Mossman Gorge (mossmangorge.com). At Daintree National Park, the gorge is a must-see. Once you’ve trekked along the path you’ll be able to give your feet a rest and admire the crystal-clear Mossman River cascading over the dramatic granite boulders. 15:00 Heading back to the car and continuing north, you’ll find yourself at Cape Tribulation. Check out Ferntree Rainforest Lodge (ferntreerainforestlodge.com). Classic wooden huts and bar give the place a great rustic feel. They serve scrumptious meals night and day. After eating it’s time to enjoy the delights of the Cape with a Croc Cruise (daintreerivercruises.com), a one-hour wildlife experience that lets you spot wild animals in their natural habitat. Be warned: don’t walk too close to any mangroves, you might get an unwanted snap. 19:00 After all that excitement, head straight into Cairns city centre where there’s a wide array of restaurants for you to pick from along the main strip. 21:00 It wouldn’t be a true Cairns experience without dancing the night away at The Woolshed (thewoolshed.com). With themes every night, try your luck in the wet T-shirt competition or see how you fare in Mexican drinking games. Either way you’ll end your trip on a (somewhat groggy) high.

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Board meeting: preparing for the Tutukaka surf

Northland

Our Jahn, looking very relaxed 64

On the ropes: test your nerve with a high wire challenge

Photos: Tourism New Zealand; Thinkstock; Jahn Vannisselroy

New zealand

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Action stations Fancy skateboarding through the sky, kayaking to a remote beach or handfeeding a cheetah? Then Northland is for you Words jahn vannisselroy

I’m not the biggest fan of heights. And yet here I am, in New Zealand’s Northland region, dangling from a wire rope 10m above the stunning native ferns. It’s all about perspective, they say, and I’m certainly getting a different one here. Most adrenalin experiences (think rollercoasters, bungy jumps) only offer you another view for a few seconds, if that, but here I can meander along all day, with not a care in the world except for making sure my footing is in the right place. Admittedly, however, that’s a fairly big care right now. I’m at the Northland Adventure Forest and I’ve just discovered the loss of caution can be humbling – getting too complacent can definitely have embarrassing side effects. While completely safe, I push my luck on a rope bridge, its instability causing me to slip and rely on my reflexes to grab hold of the thin grey wire responsible for my safety. It’s a rude wake-up call. At the same time, however, pushing and finding your limits is what this is all about. Seven circuits, 24 flying foxes (some travelling at 10m a second) and more than 60 activities up to 12m high make for a great day out. The first course (Discovery) is easy enough, but the second (Challenge), third (Adventure) and fourth (Adrenalin) – which collectively include a huge spider web, Tarzan jump, ‘wooblie brudges’, massive slide and a high-rise skateboard – get progressively more testing. Navigating the course requires the skill of a simian and the nerve of a trapeze artist. Upon completion, every muscle in my body feels as if it’s been in action. And then I realise, apart from the sound of my own voice either giving into doubt or pushing me along and the satisfied whoop of those who have already made it, the only noise I’ve heard all day is the constant buzzing of the cicadas. This, truly, is the best way to get high. adventureforest.co.nz

Paddle power Being a country of islands, lakes and rivers means it’s no surprise that New Zealand has plenty of kickass kayaking opportunities, and some of the best are to be found in Northland. The area’s main kayaking man is Mark Garry, a long-time local who knows the waters of the province

like the back of his hand. I meet him at Ngunguru, a small community 26km to Whangarei’s south west. It’s name, which seems fitting, means ‘rumbling tides’. Heading off from Ngunguru shore, we make our way through the harbour, our paddles soon cutting a swathe though the glassy waters. Out of the calm and into the rougher elements we go, and I can see the rumbling tide in the distance, hammering the mouth of the estuary. A lone female kayaker paddles by, no life jacket. Mark shakes his head in disbelief. He’s an educator when he’s not on the water and has given me the best safety briefing I’ve ever had. He’s aware of all the dangers (potential and actual) and has made sure I am too. As we approach the breakers, Mark has everything under control, leading the way. My stroke is quickly in sync with my use of the rudder and we plow on, heading wide to avoid the waves that pound the harbour mouth. In no time we’re beyond the breakers and in cruise control, whirring atop the water, me valiantly trying to mirror Mark’s fluid, consistent strokes. I keep up, so I must be doing okay. However, out of the corner of my eye I spot a huge shifting mass of water. Mark’s already seen it and senses my hesitation. “Don’t worry, they won’t break on us.” And he’s right. “The water gets a bit shallower here, that’s why they come up,” he explains as I roll over the top of the swell. As we head near Goat Island, Mark introduces me to what he calls ‘threading the needle’, navigating our way to a gap between the island and a rocky outcrop to continue onto the pure golden sands of Whakarewa Bay. It’s seems as if the waves will break on top of me, but I take heart in Mark’s laidback confidence and he guides us through safely. On the beach, it’s soon apparent Goat Island is an unsullied slice of paradise. If you’ve seen The Blue Lagoon or perhaps Danny Boyle’s The Beach, you’ll have an idea of what I’m amongst. The type of surroundings that people come to New Zealand for: near deserted golden beaches, native trees and (apart from a family camping on a hill 50m from shore) splendid isolation. Mark brews up a strong coffee and we look out towards the sandspit that was once threatened by development ›› tntdownunder.com

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but saved thanks to a spirited campaign by the locals. Good for them, I think, as we paddle back to Ngunguru. This place wouldn’t be the same with man’s pawprint all over it. Mark leads me through the waves again, and we surf back into the calm. nzseakayaking.co.nz

Back to nature: (clockwise) kayaking to remote beaches; meeting New Zealand’s famous kiwis; and less famous cheetahs

Back to school Further on, past Ngururu and through Tutukaka, is the beautiful Sandy Bay, where people of all abilities arrive from across the world to learn to surf with Simon Egginton and his team of top-notch instructors from Tutukaka Surf Experience. Sandy Bay offers a beach break, working best in an east nor’east swell, with waves peeling to the right. Because water temperatures are up in the 20s during summer, it means surfers can head out in a springsuit, or – better still – just a pair of boardies. My coach for my ‘progression session’ is Paco Divers, a former NZ junior champion and one of the most relaxed people you’re likely to meet. I don’t get to the beach as often as I’d like, so I’m frothing at the opportunity to get out there. We head straight out and from my first wave, the eagle-eyed Paco has spotted a much-needed adjustment to my technique. My pop-up is good and I’ve got the balance, but my turns are nowhere near up to scratch. “Get your arm out, look over your shoulder and point to where you want to turn. Your board will follow.” Sure enough, on the next wave, I’m speeding along the face, trying to remember all the advice as Paco surfs beside, gently chiding me to stay low and remember my arm.

It works like a dream. Satisfied, Paco paddles with me out the back, to where the big ones are. It’s too hard to duck dive the big foamies, but the old eskimo roll makes sure I’m not too nailed. In between sets, Paco explains line-up etiquette, not snaking other surfers and respecting the locals while also getting a wave for yourself. I catch wave after wave, getting progressively braver – but as a big onshore lump arrives and I try to ride it, I hear the whoops from those watching on the beach turn to ‘ooohs’ as I go over the falls and am hammered into the surface. “You alright?” Paco asks when I surface. I want to reply, but I just simply nod. I’m too busy paddling out the back to get more waves. Paco has taught me well. tutukakasurf.co.nz

Cute birds

Once you pop... spending some time in the green room

It’s been a good while since I’ve been acquainted with New Zealand’s native bird, but I soon come across the perfect spot. Kiwi North is home to Whangarei’s Museum, Kiwi House & Heritage Park. It is situated on a 25-hectare historic farm in Maunu, the hilly outer suburbs of Whangarei overlooking the harbour. I could spend hours watching the two resident kiwis, Manuiti and Kura, as they fossick around in their $1.2m climate-controlled enclosure that almost perfectly mimics the birds’ natural habitat. They’re a funny old pair, snuffling blindly for grubs, as their other mate Ruru, a morepork, flutters above them. If you’ve never seen a kiwi before, this is the place to come. However, it’s not all about the birds here. There’s a range of geckos – the Auckland and Northland green and the Forest – and the tuatara, the last living relative of the dinosaur. I also get the chance to see how people used

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to live when the site’s original owner, Dr Alexander Clarke, and his family arrived from England in the 1850s and built a kauri homestead. The home has been preserved as it once was, even down to the wallpaper and the old man’s wheelchair. There’s also the Orauaiti Chapel, believed to be the smallest octagonal chapel in New Zealand. It’s made from a single kauri log and still plays host to weddings. It’s such a special spot that couples have come here one year and then returned the next to tie the knot. And speaking of the old ball and chain, there’s also the chance to sit in the former Whangarei Women’s jail and imagine what life on the other side of the law was like in early 1900. You can even get locked in if you like. But jail’s got nothing on the Kiwi North medical museum, a collection of hundreds of surgical implements scavenged together since the Seventies by specialist anaesthetist John Swinney. I shudder at the thought of how bodies were invaded by these primitive instruments, including paddles for shock therapy, forceps and the torture implements employed by the dentists of yesteryear. kiwinorth.co.nz

To Zion There’s a tension in the air at the Kingdom of Zion in Kamo. It’s feeding time and the 33 big cats are hungry. There’s a tension, too, inside the cheetah cage. It’s emanating from me, a cocktail of fear and adrenalin, as I traipse gingerly behind keeper Graham, eyeing up Kenya and Thabo, the park’s two fastest residents. “Whatever you do, don’t run,” Graham warned. He leads us in a line far away for the door, the sound of it shutting still rattling around my ear canal. The cage’s two occupants

trot alongside, as tall as alsatians but far more wiry, a blend of perfect sinew and spots. Graham feeds Kenya first, the male’s feeding spot atop a rock the ideal place for me to stroke him as he hungrily wolfs down his share of cow. Then it’s time to get a bit more involved. I head over to the fence where Thabo is being fed and dip into the bucket. Graham tells me I’m doing it wrong when I simply drop the piece into the hungry cat’s mouth and she hisses her displeasure. They like to be fed one way and that’s to delicately take it from your hand. There’s another hiss of annoyance at something and it’s then I take a mental note of how long it would take me to scramble to the top of the 3m-high wire fence which contains these two. Could cheetahs really jump that high? There’s a group of Danish tourists on the other side, murmuring their approval at my bravery, but the clicking of their cameras scarcely registers as I constantly move my eyes from Kenya to Thabo and back again. There’s no posing in the cheetah cage. “Make sure you save us enough meat to get out of here,” I suggest to Graham, but the cats’ bellies are starting to bulge and they have a satisfied aura. It’s not until I’ve heard the door safely click behind me (after a final, hesitant pat), that I begin to calm down. Only on the outside am I able to reflect on what is one of the most memorable experiences of my lifetime. It’s not everyday you come face to face with a wild animal and survive. This is a tale I’ll tell my grandchildren. kingdomofzion.co.nz ❚ Details: TNT was hosted by Destination Northland northlandnz.com; Mighty Campers from NZ$318 for five days mightycampers.co.nz; Tutukaka Holiday Park from NZ$18pn tutukaka-holidaypark.co.nz; Whangarei Top 10 Holiday Park from NZ$19pn whangareitop10.co.nz

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ozLISTINGS travel agents Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com Backpackers World Travel 1800 997 325 backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 669 424, peterpans.com.au Travellers Contact Point 1800 647 640, travellers.com.au Tribal Adventure Travel 1800 984 484, tribaltravel.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

Mighty Cars and Campers (Formerly Backpacker Campervan Rentals) 1800 809 944 mightycampers.com.au

Oz Experience Hop on-hop off Australia-wide tours 1300 300 028, ozexperience.com

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au

Surfcamp Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 888 732, surfcamp.com.au

Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

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

Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo. 02 9358 5000, carmarket.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

Heading Bush Adelaide to Alice Springs outback tours 1800 639 933, headingbush.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rental firms Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com

Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

@tnt_downunder

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

jetstar.com.au

Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast. 13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline. 13 17 13, rex.com.au Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com

Tiger Airways Airline. 03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com

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

Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

Virgin Australia Airline. 13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

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like us on

NSWLISTINGS

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sydney stay

CHECK IN

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

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

Byron Beach resort 25 Childe Street, Belongil Beach. Beds from $19 The old Belongil Beach House has a new look and new management. Cheap, clean, comfortable and seconds from the beach. All you need.

Byron Bay

byronbeachresort.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

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

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, four hours south of Sydney near the Snowy Mountains and overlooking Lake Jindabyne, is an adventure junkie’s delight. It is most well known for its accessibility to ski resorts in Kosciuszko National Park including Thredbo and Perisher. Pricey ski holidays are made more affordable by staying in the budget group lodging that Jindabyne has to offer and then 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’s also 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

brisbane do

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Castaway Backpackers

Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, bunkbrisbane.com.au The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm. 04 3377 7061 Tinbilly Travellers Cnr George & Herschel Sts. 1800 446 646 tinbilly.com

207 Sheridan St, Cairns. Beds from $24 A small family-run hostel with over 15 years of experience in Cairns â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Castaway offers cheap rooms and a relaxed atmosphere. Great spot!

Cairns, Nth Qld

castawaysbackpackers.com.au

Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com 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

Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb. com.au XXXX Brewery Tours & Ale House Brewery tours. Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton. 07 3361 7597, xxxbrewerytours.com. au

gold coast Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise. 1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au

@tnt_downunder 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 Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise. 1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers. 1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers. com.au Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise. 07 5571 1776, yha.com.au

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730 PDF section listings.indd 71

Hervey Bay Fraser Island

BRISBANE

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.

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

Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) Mackay

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QLDLISTINGS 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

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

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

Palace Adventures 184 Torquay St, Hervey Bay, 1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay yha.com.au

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

Cool Dingo’s Rainbow Beach 20 Spectrum St dingosresort.com

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

sunshine cst

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

Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba. 1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com

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

Nomads Noosa 44 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com

07 4120 1600, eurong.com.au

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

seaworld.com.au

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

fraser island Eurong Beach Resort

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

fraserislandco.com.au

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 Federal Backpackers 221 Bourbong St. 07 4153 3711 federalbackpackers.com.au Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166 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

Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

mission beach Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 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

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

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

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

Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au

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

JJ’s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com

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

NJoy Backpackers Hostel Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au

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

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

airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119

bowen

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 worst 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.

magnetic isl

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

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

surfing the gold coast

@tnt_downunder

Adrenalin Dive. 07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com.au Yongala Dive Yongala diving. 07 4783 1519, yongaladive.com.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

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

AdventureGoldCoast.com 730 PDF section listings.indd 73

facebook.com/AdventureGoldCoast twitter.com/AdventureGoldCoast 5/09/13 10:15 PM

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

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

Noosa Backpackers Resort 9-13 William St noosabackpackers.com

gulf savannah

Ride On Mary Budget Bush Retreat imbilkayakandbike.com

Emu Creek Cattle Station 07 4094 8313

daintree Koala Beach Resort Cape Kimberly Rd. 1800 466 444

MOOLOOLABA

INNISFAIL IInnisfail Budget Backpackers Worker’s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 78337 Walkabout Motel & ackpackers 07 4061 2311 walkaboutbackpackers.com.au

Mooloolaba Backpackers VIP 75 Brisbane Road mooloolababackpackers.com

MORETON ISLAND Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

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

port douglas

NOOSA

@tnt_downunder

NOOSA inland

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

Adventurers Backpackers 79 Palmer St

adventurersresort.com Civic Guest House Backpackers Hostel 262 Walker St civicguesthousetownsville.

com.au Foreign Exchange

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

Accommodation - Beachside 19 Eyre St, North Ward

foreignx.com.au

MACKAY Gecko’s Rest 34 Sydney St

geckosrest.com.au

STRADBROKE is

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Dolphins Beach House 14 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach dolphinsbeachhouse.com.au

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

Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr NOOSA inland nomadsworld.com

Innisfail Budget Backpackers 125 Edith St jobsforbackpackers.com.au

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

SUNSHINE COAST Cotton Tree Beachouse 15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com

TOWNSVILLE

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd

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

bungalowbay.com.au

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

Globetrotters International 154/156 Lake St, Cairns. Dorms from $24 Globetrotters International backpackers hostel for international travellers looking for a home away from home. Not being a bar or pub this hostel can focus exclusively on your needs as a backpacker – getting around, activities and seeing the best of Cairns.

Cairns

globetrottersinternational.com.au

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VICLISTINGS MELBOURNE STAY All Nations Backpackers Hotel & Bar 2 Spencer St. 1800 222 238, allnations.com.au Base Melbourne 17 Carlisle St, St. Kilda. 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com Central Melbourne Accommodation 21 Bromham Place, Richmond. 03 9427 9826, centralaccommodation.net Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697, exfordhotel.com.au Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane. 1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au Home at the Mansion 66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 4212 homemansion.com.au Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda. 1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au

Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au Nomads Melbourne 198 Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

Coffee Palace Backpackers 24 Grey St coffeepalacebackpackers.com.au

Lords Lodge Backpackers 167 Franklin St lordslodge.com

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

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

Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au

Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com

$22 $

Melbourne Metro YHA 78 Howard St yha.com.au Melbourne Oasis YHA 76 Chapman St yha.com.au

St Arnaud 99 Park St, South Yarra, starnaudguesthouse.com.au

Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor nomadshostels.com

The Spencer City Central BP 475 Spencer St spencerbackpackers.com.au

College Lawn Hotel 36 Greville St, Prahran collegelawnhotel.com.au

The Nunnery 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy nunnery.com.au

Claremont Guesthouse 189 Toorak Rd, South Yarra hotelclaremont.com

Urban Central 334 City Road, Southbank urbancentral.com.au

City Centre Budget Hotel 22-30 Little Collins St citycentrebudgethotel.com

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

Elephant Backpackers 250 Flinders St elephantbackpacker.com.au

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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

Tourism Victoria Backpacking ideas. backpackmelbourne.com

Wildlife Tours Australia Specialising in Victorian tours +61 3 9314 2225 wildlifetours.com.au

GREAT OCEAN RD

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

Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea. 03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. 03 5237 7899, yha.com.au Great Ocean Road Backpackers YHA 10 Erskine Av, Lorne. 03 5289 2508, yha.com.au

MaximumMelbourne 4 bed withHostel linen and towel Port Campbell Museumdormitories

ST KILDA

18 Tregea St, Port Campbell. 03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au

National Gallery of Victoria

Gambier St, Apollo Bay.

FREE all 13you can eat breakfast (cereal, toast and j 11 02 Surfsidetea Backpackers melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au weekly meal, rice and pasta, and coffee Cnr Great Ocean Rd &

Elizabeth Hostel 490 Elizabeth St elizabethhostel.com.au

Back of Chapel Backpackers 50 Green St backofchapel.com

King St Backpackers 160 King Street kingstreetbackpackers.com.au

Base St Kilda 17 Carlisle St stayatbase.com

Federation Square. 1800 357 263,with personal FREE in room oversized locker ngv.vic.gov.au surfsidebackpacker.com power point

5 minute walk to city

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

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THE HIGH COUNTRY

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Book1800 Now 180 Book Now 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 tips of the Great Dividing Range, transform into a dream for bush-walkers, horse-riders, 4WD enthusiasts and campers.

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

5/09/13 6/08/13 10:16 9:10 PM PM

VICLISTINGS

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

LORNE The Great Ocean Road passes through many beautiful seaside towns, none lovelier than Lorne. Just a two-hour drive south of Melbourne, there awaits a Mediterranean café culture with shops, boutiques and galleries, with the main strip of Mountjoy Parade overlooking the wide sands of Louttit Bay. Lorne is also home to the Pier to Pub; a 1.2km open water swimming race run by the local Surf Lifesaving Club each January. It is also the birthplace of the famous Falls Festival, a cracking multi-day music festival held over New Year’s Eve which has now multipled into events in Tassie and Byron Bay as well. Headlined by Vampire Weekend, this year’s Lorne shindig has already sold out, so keep your eyes peeled for last-minuute resells.

The Spencer Everything you want in a hostel! Friendly and affordable

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

• • • • • • • •

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

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

DANDENONG Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

MURRAY RIVER Echuca Gardens YHA 103 Av, Mitchell St, Echuca. 03 5480 6522, yha.com.au Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Ave, Mildura. 03 5022 7922, milduracitybackpackers.com.au Oasis Backpackers 230 Deakin Av, Mildura. 04 0734 4251, milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

GIPPSLAND Prom Country Backpackers 03 5682 2614 Cambrai Hostel Maffra 117 Johnson St, Maffra. 1800 101 113 maffra.net.au/hostel

PHILLIP ISLAND Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes. 03 5952 3620, yha.com.au The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road. 03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com.au

GRAMPIANS Grampians YHA Eco Hostel Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4543, yha.com.au Tim’s Place 44 Grampians Road, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4288, timsplace.com.au

MILDURA Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Avenue milduracitybackpackers.com.au

STRATHMERTON Riviera Backpackers YHA 669 Esplanade yha.com.au

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SALISTINGS

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

eyre peninsula

CHECK IN

Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

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

08 8687 0411

coodliepark.com Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience

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

Sea lion and dolphin swims. 08 8626 5017

bairdbay.com

Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg. 1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

adelaide do Adelaide Oval Home to the Donald Bradman collection. War Memorial Drive. 08 8300 3800 cricketsa.com.au

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

Shakespeare Hostel

sharkcagediving.com.au

123 Waymouth Street. Rooms from $25 The reigning champion of South Australia hostels, after being voted the state’s best at last year’s Golden Backpack Awards, top spot Shakeys has a huge amount of beds and a huge amount of features too.

Adelaide

Nullarbor Traveller Tours across to Perth.

shakeys.com.au

1800 816 858

the-traveller.com.au Adelaide Zoo Frome Rd. 08 8267 3255, zoossa.com.au Haigh’s Chocolates Factory tours. 153 Greenhill Rd, Parkside 1800 819 757, haighschocolates.com.au Temptation Sailing Dolphin swimming, Glenelg. 04 1281 1838 dolphinboat.com.au

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

coober pedy Opal Cave Coober Pedy Hutchinson St. 08 8672 5028, opalcavecooberpedy.com.au Radeka Down Under 1 Oliver St. 1800 633 891, radekadownunder.com.au Riba’s Underground 1811 William Creek Rd. 08 8672 5614, camp-underground.com.au

kangaroo is Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw. 08 8553 1344 yha.com.au Vivonne Bay Lodge 66 Knofel Drive, Vivonne Bay 13 13 01 seaink.com.au

riverland

Port Lincoln Tourist Park

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

11 Hindmarsh St.

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

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions

08 8621 4444,

portlincolntouristpark.com.au

Great white shark cage diving. 08 8363 1788

Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray. 1800 665 166, nomadsworld.com

rodneyfox.com.au

flinders ranges

Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

Angorichina Tourist Village 08 8648 4842,

angorichinavillage.com.au

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

Wilpena Pound Resort Wilpena Rd. 08 8648 0004,

wilpenapound.com.au

Photo: SATC

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

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 CHECK IN

NetRel N i w os

H 2 Bestwa 201 iN

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

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

ly weekials spec

Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge. 08 9227 6000, perthbrittania.com Emperorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe. 08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. 1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au Easy Perth Backpackers 4 Francis Street, Northbridge

easyperthbackpackers.com.au Grand Central Hotel Backpackers 379 Wellington St (08) 9421 1123 Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com 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

Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au

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

The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com

Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge. 08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au The Witchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, Witchs-hat.com

Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com

The Shiralee Hostel 107 Brisbane St, Northbridge planetinn.com.au Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, shiralee.com.au Wickham Retreat Backpackers 25-27 Wickham St East Perth (08) 9325 6398

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

YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au

Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au

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

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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

albany

CHECK IN

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

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

Western Beach Lodge 6 Westborough St, Perth. Dorms from $32 Located walking distance from Scarborough Beach, shops, restaurants and nightlife, is the Western Beach Lodge. Clean, secure and friendly.

Perth Zoo 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth. 08 9474 3551, perthzoo.wa.gov.au

perth music Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Mojo’s Bar

mojosbar.com.au

The Bakery

nowbaking.com.au

The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

freo stay Backpackers Inn Freo 11 Pakenham St. 08 9431 7065, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

Perth

westernbeach.com

Old Firestation Backpackers 18 Phillimore St. 08 9430 5454, fremantleprison.com.au Sundancer Backpackers Resort 80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com.au

freo do

rottnest isl Rottnest Island YHA Kingstown Barracks. 08 9372 9780, yha.com.au Rottnest Express 1 Emma Place North Fremantle 1300 Go Rotto rottnestexpress.com.au

margaret river

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

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broome stay Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road. 1800 655 011,

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

kimberleyklub.com

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

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St

ningalooclub.com

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

Fremantle Markets Henderson Street Fremantle 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au

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

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

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

Surfpoint 12 Riedle Drive Prevally 08 9757 1777 surfpoint.com.au

Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth. 08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

ESPERANCE Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd,

yha.com.au

EXMOUTH Pete’s Exmouth Backpackers YHA Cnr Truscott Cres & Murat Rd

yha.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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launceston do

hobart stay

CHECK IN

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

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

Hobart Hostel 41 Barrack St. 1300 252 192, hobarthostel.com Montgomery’s YHA 9 Argyle St. 03 6231 2660, yha.com.au

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

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

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

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

devonport

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

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.

hobart do 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 few 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. It’s also one of the top Aussie camping sports you could hope to find, thanks to a basic site, right by the beach, which is free. Score!

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

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

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

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

Windley Station, Tennant Creek. Beds from $27 A chance to experience the true outback in comfort. Tourist’s Rest is one of the only hostels in Tenant’s Creek, making it one of the best.

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

Tenant Creek

darwin do Crocosaurus Cove Crocodile park and cage of death. 58 Mitchell St. 08 8981 7522, crocosauruscove.com Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront. 08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

kicentralbackpackers.com

Fannie Bay Gaol Heritage prison. East Point Road, Fannie Bay. 08 8941 2260, nt.gov.au

Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf. 1300 135 595, ozjetboating.com.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

Tourist rest VIP

Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise Adelaide River. 08 8978 9077, jumpingcrocodile.com.au Wave Lagoon Waterfront Precinct. waterfront.nt.gov.au

Bo’s saloon

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

Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides. 1800 809 790, outbackballooning.com.au Royal Flying Doctor Service Base Museum and operations room. Stuart Terrace. 08 8952 1129, flyingdoctor.net

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

Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive. 1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au Toddy’s Resort 41 Gap Rd. 1800 027 027, toddys.com.au

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

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

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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

a territory icon

............................ BOJANGLES SALOON The outback theme is created with unique and imaginative decor, featuring Australian woods, cowhide seats and hundreds of original and unusual historic artifacts. We have items from the natural environment such as “Reggie” the Wedge Tailed Eagle and “Karl” the Croc (sixteen foot skin and skull).

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.

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

Make Bo’s top of your ‘to do’ list during your visit to Alice Springs and you won’t be disappointed!

Sounds of Starlight Theatre

Vote for us!

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Established in 1996 by internationally recognised didgeridoo master Andrew Langford, the Sounds of Starlight Theatre has become a hot destination spot for thousands of Alice Springs visitors each wanting their free didge lesson. 25/07/13 3:24 PM

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NTLISTINGS

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.

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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 Oaklands Lodge (BBH) St. +64 5A Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9638 6545, oaklands.co.nz Queen Street Backpackers (VIP) 4 Fort St. +64 9373 3471, enquiries@qsb.co.nz Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. +64 9363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz YHA Auckland City Cnr City Rd & Liverpool St. yha.co.nz +64 9309 2802, YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. +64 9302 8200, yha.co.nz

wellington

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 Rosemere Backpackers (BBH) 6 McDonald Cres. +64 4384 3041, backpackerswellington.co.nz Rowena’s Backpackers (VIP) 115 Brougham St. 0800 80 1414 YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

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

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

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Jailhouse Accommodation (BBH) 338 Lincoln Rd. 0800 524 546, stay@kiwibasecamp.com

Hippo Lodge (BBH) 4 Anderson Hts. +64 3442 5785, hippolodge.co.nz

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

Nomads Queenstown 5-11 Church St. +64 3441 3922, nomadshostels.com

Backpacker Campervan & Car Rentals +800 200 80 801, backpackercampervans.com

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

Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au

Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.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

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 Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com

rental firms Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.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 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.

With 45+ New Zealand hostels, you can skydive 134 metres in 8 seconds or plummet screaming on a bungy and still sleep soundly! YHA have got your accommodation sorted. Easy as.

r for yous n o i t a ture mod accom aland adven e New Z 191 ow: Book n ne 1800 242 o h Free p .nz yha.co book@ .nz .co or yha

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LIFESTYLECAREERS

@tnt_downunder

Underwater love If earning cash while diving sounds like your dream job, read on. Words carol driver

So you’ve taken to the water like a fish to, er, water and fancy having the beach as an office. Well, who wouldn’t? Australia is famed for its exceptional diving, especially along the east coast of Queensland thanks to the Great Barrier Reef. What’s on offer Down Under is a far cry from what you’ll find in the murky waters surrounding the UK – think shopping trolleys, burnt-out cars. You wouldn’t be the first person to think getting paid to dive is a dream job, so expect fierce competition. In fact, divemasters often volunteer their time in exchange for free dives and sometimes accommodation – so don’t expect to get rich quick. Many workers fall into their jobs with the same shop 88

(school) they learn to scuba with. To become a divemaster – which is the first rung on the PADI professional ladder – you’ll start with the open water and advanced levels before doing first aid training and taking the rescue diver course. You’re then ready to start the divemaster training – providing you’ve got 40 dives under your belt. All in all, it’ll take between two-three months and cost about £3000. What’s more, if you train through a reputable school such as PADI, it’s a universally recognised qualification which will open up diving opportunities around the world. Plus it’ll mean your next step is the instructor course, which is where the money is at. As a divemaster, you’ll be organising

equipment and supervising dives for customers who already have their Open Water – so there’s a lot of responsibility. You’ll be expected to have top communication skills and the ability to manage people. Here, TNT chats to a couple of people who trained to be a divemaster in Australia.

Mungo Finlayson It took Mungo seven months to train as a divemaster – starting off in Cairns in 2008, and then finishing his training in Thailand. “While I was training in Australia I assisted with Discover Scuba Diving customers,” Mungo, from Scotland, says. “The boat I was training on was mainly a snorkelling boat so

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Make a splash: dive in Oz

LIFESTYLECAREERS How to... make

work pals

So you’ve started your new job, but everyone’s in a clique and it’s hard to make friends. Here’s how to break into the group…

• Make sure you make a cup of tea at the same time as one of them and start a conversation – if you become friendly with one, the rest will follow.

• Ask where the best places are to hang out at lunch

near to the office – one may get the hint and invite you to join them.

• Speak up in meetings. If you come across as too timid people won’t bother with you.

• Don’t try too hard: be yourself. Remember, people are generally nice (apart from the office bitch), so they’ll want to get to know you.

there weren’t many courses apart from try dives. The tasks involved were setting up equipment, filling tanks and washing equipment. For the snorkelling elements we’d give talks about the equipment/ how to snorkel and give guided tours around the reef.” Mungo got paid around $50 on a boat day and loved diving so much – his top underwater experience was seeing a whale shark – he went on to set up dive travel company Scuba Duba Dive (scubadubadive.com). “Being a divemaster is an amazing job due to the fact you get to meet a huge range of interesting people who’ve always got lots to chat about as you’ve got the same thing in common – diving. “You also get to travel the world and dive daily which is amazing, no dive is ever the same! I’d highly recommend becoming a divemaster.”

• But be nice: don’t be labelled the office grump as soon as you start.

tntdownunder.com/jobs

Andy Robinson It took Brit Andy four months to do his divemaster on the Barrier Reef, “mainly because I had heaps of time on my hands”. He adds: “I was on a year’s working holiday so I was in no rush!” Andy, who’s the author of It’s NOT A Holiday!, had already notched up more than 80 dives after doing the rescue dive level in Fiji the previous year. He opted for Fitzroy Island so he could work as well as training. “I got paid in free dives, free accommodation and free beers, which suited me fine. It’s not a job you do for the money. It’s a lifestyle job – and if you love the water and helping other people learn new things, then it’s perfect.” Although Andy says the sealife wasn’t as good as South Africa’s, he says: “I have fond memories of chasing baby Port Jackson sharks in the dark on night dives!” And in terms of advice for those looking to follow in his fins, Andy adds: “I would say patience and understanding people and situations were the key things that I took away which helped me greatly in the overlanding world.” Check out these sites for more info scubaboard.com jobs4divers.com padi.com flyingfishonline.com

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totallytrivial

@tnt_downunder

who to blame

and their essential backpacking item

Acting Editor

andrew westbrook (duct tape/dental floss)

Deputy Ed

Hugh Radojev (toothbrush)

Tash Levy (lemon zester)

aussie Australia South rules football Quiz a) 1901 c) 1790

Intern

Rory Platt (wok)

a) Three million c) One million

georgina pengelly (my special blanky)

Moved into a lovely new apartment – easy crawl to work too, which is a plus Tipped back a bucket or two at our Scubar Full Moon Party. Hangovers never seem to get any easier... toasted the joys of south australia on board a boat with tourism types

5. South Australia is also known as the “...“ state?

sudoku puzzle

what we did this Fortnight

5 2 1

b) Aussie rules d) Lawn bowls

Q 9. What is the state’s main floral emblem? a) Sturt’s desert pea c) Slater’s sunflower d) Southern daisy

b) Magnolia

“drongo”

8 5

a) Cricket c) Rugby league

aussie-ism

b) 1802 d) 1902

is the most popular sport in Q 8.theWhat state?

Adelaide Hills are best known for producing what? a) Wine b) Salt c) Dairy d) Bogans

b) Happy State d) Chutney State

6. The northern part of the state is almost entirely made up of? a) Lakes b) Desert c) Farmland d) Forest

a) 1654 c) 1892

Q 4. The Barossa Valley and

Justin Steinlauf (French baguette)

a) Festival State c) Hairy State

The South Australian coastline Q 7.was first mapped in?

a) Adelaide b) Port Lincoln c) Whyalla d) Capital City

Tom Wheeler (camera)

marketing + events executive

b) 500,000 d) Five million

What’s the capital of Q 3.South Australia?

Business development

account manager

b) 1834 d) 1965

is the approximate population Q 2.of What the state, as of 2012?

Design & production Lisa Ferron (Irishman)

What year was South Australia Q 1.founded as a state?

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

Intern

An idiotic, foolish or stupid person. Said to originate from a 1920s racehorse that failed to win a single race in its entire career: “Could you stop carrying on like a bloody drongo, mate?!”

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GE A K C A E P T A M I ULT

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+ + all areas

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Byron Bay 87 Jonson Street 02 6685 6100

Cairns 9-13 Shields Street P: 07 4041 6222

Mission Beach Wongaling Shopping Center P: 07 4068 8699

Noosa 13 Noosa Drive P: 07 5447 3845

Sydney City 790 George Street P: 02 9212 4444

Sydney Kings Cross 191 William Street P: 02 9380 2155

Rainbow Beach 12 Rainbow Beach Road P: 07 5486 3380

Melbourne Southbank 334 City Road P: 03 9693 3704

www.adventuretravelbugs.com

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best way to see the great barrier reef

3 Day 2 Night Adventure Sailing Trips offers guests looking for a smaller group size the opportunity to experience the Whitsundays. This tour will visit Whitehaven Beach, along with two or three snorkeling experiences on the fringing coral reefs which extend right from the edge of the islands and we have the best prices!

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Travel Tips

All our staff are international traveler and speak various languages

It’s always safer to book with a local Whitsundays government accredited operator. Our license is 3001478 and we have been proudly caring for our visitors for almost 20 years. Head to our facebook page (airliebeach.com) for a chance to WIN A TRIP FOR 2 to Whitehaven Beach aboard the sensational Camira.

Kayak over the fringing coral reefs and explore tropical islands. For beginners to experienced we provide all snorkel gear including fruit and cheese platter.

FREE internet with all bookings - FREE bag storage - FREE upgrades to private double cabins on some boats For more recommendations and discount prices of overnight sailing adventures www.sailingwhitsundays.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd, Top end of main street in Airlie, next door to Hog’s Breath Cafe

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