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April 2015 Issue 752

INET!S? W K REGR

IN WIN A $300 TATTOO REMOVAL VOUCHER

AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH To keep these explorers from getting to success

INDUSTRY CONFESSIONS From porn to propositions, what really goes on at work

!

P I R T D A O R O EUR

rope time u E r u o T n a V summer, it’s r fo th r o n te er and migra Grab a camp + ALICE SPRINGS TOP 5 WA BEACHES TOP 10 CITY BREAKS QUEENSTOWN

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

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T N T E R O M T WAN team! ourite travel v fa r u o y m r fro hat’s on offe w f o te s ta a Here’s

TRAVEL FEATURES & STORIES...

+ NEWS & REVIEWS

NZdiary Trip TRAVEL FEATURES & STORIES...NZ

JOBS, JOBS & MORE JOBS...

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EDITORIAL Editor Caroline Garnar caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com Contributors Mariah Mathews DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Sales manager Jaqui Ward jaqui.ward@tntmagazine.com

FROM THE EDITOR

STARTRACK MEDIA LTD CEO Kevin Ellis Chairman Ken Hurst PUBLISHER Startrack Media Ltd PRINTED BY Spotpress PICTURES Getty Images | iStock | TNT Images | Supplied TNT Magazine online tntdownunder.com

WHERE TO GET TNT

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

Let’s face it, we’re all just adult-sized children. We still love going on adventures and trying to fly by eating Angel Cake and jumping from the top of the stairs. Hello broken arm.

On page 28 we talk to Jon Durand who relies on his Red Bull wings to help him fly, rather than Angel Cake. As he’s the world’s No.1 hang-glider, I guess his aid is more successful than mine was.

If you were the kind of kid who constantly came home with scraped knees and covered in mud, then you should turn to page 18 where we speak to four people who have gone from climbing trees to mountains, from catching spiders to crocs, and from squeezing through next door’s fence to exploring remote territories around the world.

They certainly don’t have your average day job... but then, who does? Over on page 24 we discover that even bus drivers, journalists and nannies have their fair share of adventures, as we get them and others to spill the beans on their professions.

Of course the great thing about being an adult is we can drive and drink booze (not at the same time, unless you are a very silly adult). Make the most of these two awesome facts by joining the Euro Van Trip (p82). As winter rolls in here, Europe is in bloom, and this epic road trip takes in the hottest festivals, starting at Pamplona and ending in Oktoberfest. You’d be a fool to miss it.

Elsewhere we play on West Australia’s beaches (p34), feel child sized next to the giant Urulu, Kings Canyon and The Olgas in Alice Springs (38), explore dizzying heights in Oz and NZ’s top 10 cities (p44), and jump off various ledges in New Zealand’s Queenstown (p64).

No matter what you do, let out your inner child. It’s cruel to keep them locked up.

caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

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.

TNT Magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions – material is sent at the owner’s risk. TNT Magazine accepts advertising material and other contributions in good faith, and takes no responsibility for claims, errors or omissions. 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.

Top five skydives

Cairns stopover

Franz Josef Glacier

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THIS MONTH DIARY 6 FOOD & DRINK 10 GIGS 12 PUBS

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06

INSPIRATIONAL EXPLORERS 18 INDUSTRY CONFESSIONS

24

CHATROOM

28

TRAVEL TRAVEL BITES 32 TOP 5: WA BEACHES 34 OZ: ALICE SPRINGS

38

TOP 10: CITY BREAKS 44 HOTSHOTS 62 NZ: QUEENSTOWN

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64

BIG TRIP: EURO VAN TOUR 82 AUSTRALIA LISTINGS

48

NEW ZEALAND LISTINGS

70

ON THE COVER AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH

18

CAREERS 88

To keep these explorers from success

90

INDUSTRY CONFESSIONS 24

DESPERATELY SEEKING

From porn to propositions...

TOP 5 WA BEACHES

34

Cross country for sandy stretches

ALICE SPRINGS

38

See red at this quirky desert town

TOP 10 CITY BREAKS

44

From high-rises to bustling beaches

QUEENSTOWN 64 Don’t look down, it’s Queenstown!

EURO ROAD TRIP!

11 4

Grab a camper and migrate for summer, it’s Van Tour Europe time

82

06

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64

38

34

44

82 TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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OZDIARY

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OUR TOP PICKS GOLD COAST FILM FESTIVAL

FASHION WEEK AUSTRALIA 2015

Celebrating film culture with feature films, workshops, special events, seminars and special guests, this festival aims to entertain its audiences and inspire the next generation of Australian filmmakers, and that it does.

Grab a sneak peek of the funky and fabulous outfits you’ll be wearing next season. A pedestal for local designers as well as the internationally renowned, this is the year’s biggest celebration of fashion in Australia.

7pm The Gold Coast Arts Centre, 135 Bundall Road, Gold Coast gcfilmfestival.com

Various times Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh 2015, Sydney mbfashionweek.com/australia

April 9-19, Gold Coast FREE+

April 12-16, Sydney FREE+

MUST DO ANZAC DAY April 25

ANZAC Day is a poignant and celebratory day, honouring the Aussie and Kiwi men who sacrificed their lives in World War I in the Gallipoli Campaign. Join the nation to commemorate 100 years of rememberence with a dawn service, festivals, parades, presentations and exhibitions held all over Australia and New Zealand.

FREE

Across Oz and NZ

BEN & JERRY’S FREE CONE DAY

REPCO RACE TO THE SKY

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL

April 18-19, Wanaka

April 20-May 17, Sydney

Decades on, Ben and Jerry’s have kept up the tradition of giving back to their customers with an annual free cone day. Wherever you are in the world, grab a cup or a cone and speak the universal language of ice cream.

Brought back after its last run in 2007, Race to the Sky is the world’s longest gravel hill climb.

Ascend 1,500m in cars, quads, bikes or buggies, or take a seat on the sidelines and enjoy the market stalls and festival vibe.

Following Melb’s International Comedy Festival, Sydney is showing up to the party dressed in its best comedy stylings. Don’t miss acts such as Ross Noble, Stephen K Amos, and Noel Fielding, as well as live music.

This year’s line-up includes Wolfmother, Sticky Fingers, Ball Park Music, Flight Facilities, and Hot Dub Time Machine. Chill out and prepare yourself for never-ending cow puns as you head for greener pastures to enjoy this udderly unmissable moosic festival.

12-8pm Worldwide benjerry.com

9am Cardrona Valley, Wanaka racetothesky.co.nz/

Various times Various venues in Sydney sydneycomedyfest.com.au

11am-11pm National (6 towns) gtm.net.au

April 14, Worldwide FREE

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anzaccentenary.gov.au

$50+

FREE+

GROOVIN THE MOO April 25-May 10, Nationwide $100

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ILLUMI RUN May 16, Brisbane $55+ Run through glow water, get splashed with glow paint, and whether you run, walk, or dance your way there, get yourself to the party at the end of the finish line for an illuminating night, and raise money while you’re at it!

5pm Brisbane Showground illumirun.com/au/

WA CIDER AND PORK FESTIVAL

THE CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SHOW

April 26, Swan Valley, WA

May 2-3, Auckland

This inaugural regional festival showcases the best ciders from Australia and across the globe. Watch cider demonstrations, learn from brewers, and line your stomach with every kind of pork dish imaginable.

A celebration of two of the most wonderful things in this world, chocolate and coffee. See displays and demonstrations, learn from pros, and indulge in as much cocoa and caffeine as physically possible.

12-8pm

9am

$29+

$15+

Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley

The Cloud, Auckland

ciderandporkfestival.com.au

chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz

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South: Get down and dirty at Miss Muddy

East: Ironman Australia sorts the men from the boys

West: Catch a break watching surfers catching breaks at Margaret River Pro

NORTH

WEST

SOUTH

SOUNDS OF MUSIC QUIZ NIGHT APRIL 13 / 6.30-10.30PM / $15 A musical quiz night held by a local music shop to raise cash for the Leukaemia Foundation.

SETS IN THE CITY APRIL 11 / 4-11PM / $45+ A pop-up club on the river that oozes a cool quirkiness. Dance and drink while taking in sights of the city skyline and Swan River.

YOU, US, AND A BUS APRIL 18 / 9AM-1.30PM / $38 Meet fellow shoppers for some bargain hunting and morning tea. Visit multiple stores and receive tour discounts and specials.

Tracy Village Social & Sports Club, 28 Tambling Tce, Lyons, Darwin Facebook: 2015 Sounds of Music Quiz Night

City of Perth parking. Between Supreme Court Gardens and Langley Park

Meet at Salvos, Morphett Street, Adelaide youusandabus.com

setsinthecity.dance

WIDE OPEN SPACE MAY 1-3 / $45+ Art, workshops, and music plus a spectacular show from the wide open space itself. Watch the landscape transform from sunrise to sunset.

Ross River Resort, Alice Springs NT wideopenspace.net.au

PERTH FOOD TRUCK RUMBLE APRIL 12 / 11AM-8PM / FREE From churros to cupcakes, pizza to dumplings, sample the best street foods Perth has to offer.

A treat for every taste and budget.

Perth Cultural Centre

BAROSSA VINTAGE FESTIVAL APRIL 15-19 / FREE+ Get your fill of art, culture and heritage before you overfill on the delicious range of food and wine over five days of festival.

Barossa Valley, SA barossavintagefestival.com.au

foodtruckrumble.com.au

BASSINTHEGRASS MAY 23 / 11AM / $70 Performances from Hilltop Hoods, Birds of Tokyo, Flight Facilities, Illy, as well as local artists and school bands.

George Darwin Botanic Gardens Amphitheatre, Gardens Road, Darwin bassinthegrass.com.au

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MARGARET RIVER PRO APRIL 15-APRIL 26 / FROM 7AM / FREE Be one of the thousands of spectators that flock to Surfer’s Point to watch the world’s best surfer’s take on the Margaret River Mainbreak.

MISS MUDDY MAY 17 / $76+ Join your friends, sisters, mothers and grandmothers on a 5km obstacle course where you will encounter foam, colour canons, and a whole lot of mud on this messy girls day out.

Surfer’s Point, Prevelly, Margaret River,

Oakbank Racing Track, SA

worldsurfleague.com

missmuddy.com.au

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EAST

NEW ZEALAND

REMEMBERING GALLIPOLI UNTIL APRIL 30 / FREE In honour of the 100th ANZAC Day, this photographic exhibit explores the ANZAC and Turkish soldiers who fought in Gallipoli, with their descendents exhibiting photographs of their ancestors who fought in the war.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN APRIL 14-26 / $69+ Ushering us into the wintery months, be sure to see this classic favourite as it pours into theatres this April for a two-week run. After Wellington, the show continues its tour into May in Auckland.

Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW 2000 sydneycustomshouse.com.au/whatsOn/

BOWLS WORLD CUP APRIL 15-23 / FREE This week-long lawn bowls tournament brings together lawn bowlers from all over the world to compete in the world’s most underrated sport.

Hold on to your seat as you watch ball after ball being tossed to hit balls that are near a smaller ball. Thrilling stuff.

Jason Avenue, Barrack Heights, NSW 2528 warillabowls.com.au

St James Theatre, 77-87 Courtenay Place, Wellington singin.co.nz/

WELLINGTON ANZAC WEEK COMMEMORATIONS APRIL 18-25 / FREE The ANZAC’s contribution to the First World War is commemorated in New Zealand’s Capital with a week of celebrations. Join in the dawn services, exhibitions, galleries, and ceremonies, and stay for the most anticipated street parade on the 24th.

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, 41 Buckle St, Mt Cook, Wellington

GANGSTER’S SPEAK EASY APRIL 18 / 7.30PM / $80 Travel back to the 1920s in your finest tweed jackets and feather boas. Pour yourself a cocktail and enjoy the live jazz bands, gambling tables, circus entertainment, cabaret and burlesque, while swing dancing late into the night.

Spirit Station Pier, 6 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne 3168 trybooking.com/Booking/ BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=117433

mch.govt.nz

TEDX QUEENSTOWN APRIL 19 / 12-8PM / $119 Watch the acclaimed Tedx speakers impart their contributions of innovative ideas worth sharing with the rest of the world. See it in Queenstown, or if you can’t make that, there’s also an event in Auckland in May. Queenstown Memorial Centre, 1 Memorial Drive, Queenstown tedxqueenstown.com

MUDUP DAY APRIL 18 / 11AM-4PM / $30+ Spend your day outside in the fresh air, sunshine, and mud on Mudup Day, a fun obstacle course that’s raising money for the charity TLC For Kids.

Get down and dirty for the kids why don’t ya.

Peninsula Obstacle Racing, Morningtown, Melbourne

Photos: iStock and Wikicommons

mudupday.com.au/

IRONMAN AUSTRALIA MAY 3 / $775 Considered as being one of the most challenging triathlons in the world, IronMan is an extreme display of fitness and endurance. With cash prizes and potentially earning a place in the championships in Hawaii, IronMan is on the bucketlist of any athlete looking for a challenge.

Watch and learn.

Clarence Street, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444 ironmanaustralia.com

WATCH THIS

FESTIVAL OF COLOUR APRIL 21-27 / FREE+ / 10AM A celebration of the arts that spans over seven days and nights. Watch performances and exhibitions set to the backdrop of New Zealand’s beautiful Southern Lakes.

Wanaka festivalofcolour.co.nz

DEMOLITION DERBY APRIL 25 / 2PM / FREE+ Watch your favourite classes racing as the speedway season comes to an end, and drivers total their shit-heap cars in the effort to take home $1500. In honour of ANZAC day celebrations, stick around for the heart-stopping geriatrics race.

Central Motor Speedway, Sandflat Rd, Cromwell, queenstown centralmotorspeedway.co.nz

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Making a man with blond hair and a tan has kept him busy, but finally Dr Frank is back in Oz on a tour of Sydney and Melbourne. Reprising his role as the dazzling, make-youquestion-your-sexuality Dr Frank N Furter, Craig McLachlan returns to the stage, bringing with him the fabulous Bert Newton as The Narrator. With all the glitter, corsets, gold briefs, and time-warping that we’ve come to expect, let the show you’ve fallen in lust with tease and delight you. For you Rocky virgins, do yourself a favour and buy a seat for a three-hour lesson in discovering your sexuality, transexuality, and the mechanisms of pelvic thrusting to the ‘Time Warp’.

While your initial reaction might involve walking out of the theatre with a semi you can’t quite explain, and thinking to yourself “what did I just watch...”, rest assured you’ll go home, buy the movie, and watch it again and again, then pride yourself on being able to sing all the words to ‘Sweet Transvestite’.

April 10-May 24, $70+ rockyhorror.com.au

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TOP THREE... ... Easter specials BELLA EGGS AT BALLA Easter dining at The Star’s Italian restaurant, Balla, lets you enjoy a three-course meal of smoked buffalo mozzarella, roasted onions and Sicilian caper berries. Follow with herb-stuffed lamb leg with greens and pancetta, and finally end with a dolce dark chocolate Easter egg filled with chocolate mousse and crumbled almonds. Drool.

Three courses for $69. star.com.au

SYDNEY EASTER FESTIVAL Once you’ve licked your chocolate wrappers clean and waited for your food baby to digest, spend the rest of your Easter at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for some carnival fun. Enjoy the entertainment, local shopping, and find some real chickens and bunnies to play with.

And of course, enjoy the many edible delights the show has on offer. On until April 8, tickets $24+. eastershow.com.au

Photos: Supplied and Facebook

CHOCOLATE TOUR

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What better way to celebrate Easter than sampling chocolates from some of the best chocolatiers in the country? Foodi’s Chocolate Walking Tour takes you around Sydney’s CBD where you can learn about chocolate production, variety and, most importantly, sample a great range from all over the city. Walk off those chocolate calories before you put them right back on again.

April 4, 11, 18, tickets $39. foodi.com.au/sydney/

BOY & BIRD Chicken kitchen, Auckland THE SCENE Nestled among Ponsonby’s hipster haven of chicken-lover restaurants

sits Michael Van de Elzen’s Boy & Bird. Famed for his cookbooks, television show and The Food Truck, Elzen teamed up with renowned front-of-house star Marie Colosimo to create a dining experience to leave you feeling warm, fuzzy and full.

Styled simply with pop art decor, red and white tea towels draped over the backs of the chairs and brick-meets-wood facades, you’re sure to feel as comfortable here as you would at home.

THE GRUB The staple on the menu is, of course, chicken, but Boy & Bird also offers a range of alternative proteins, under the aptly named ‘Don’t Want Chicken’ section. There are even vegetarian options too, with all meals made using fresh, seasonal, organic produce. Start with the asparagus tart with onion jam, feta and homemade beetroot hummus. Then, choose your chick. Sizes range from whole, half or quarter. But be warned; they are large and they are meaty. Couple the finger lickin’ chicken with chunky potatoes, ’slaw and gravy and you have a feast on your hands. Also for an added adventure and cost, try the unique peanut seeded crust. If you still have room for dessert, the dutch apple doughnuts with salted caramel are sure to hit the sweet spot.

BEHIND THE BAR As well as reasonably priced spirits, wine and craft beer, there is a selection of freshly squeezed juices and sodas made with homemade syrups.

Simple but delicious summery cocktails are on offer too starting from $10.

BILL PLEASE: Approx $80 for two people, two courses and a drink each.

VERDICT: Value for money, tasty, wholesome food with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Go hungry and leave stuffed. Kelly Bowen 222 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland

boyandbird.co.nz

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COTTESLOE BEACH CLUB Sophisticated beachside dining, Perth

It’s early autumn, the sun is high up in the sky and beachgoers are milling around Cottesloe Beach in swimsuits, thongs and sunnies. It is the epitome of Perth, with a typical sandgroper vibe. But step inside the Cottesloe Beach Club, one street back from the foreshore, and it’s a different feel altogether. This venue is far from the usual Australian beach pub with a prevalence of sandy feet and rowdy patrons – the dress code puts paid to that (no singlets or swimwear, people). Clever and contemporary, the vast space weaves city chic with coastal relaxation, with fairy lights twinkling above.

THE GRUB With woodfired pizza ovens and rotisseries boasting succulent meat over two fire pits in the kitchen, it’s hard to make a quick choice from the menu, but we lucked out with our selections, and with locally sourced ingredients, it’d be hard not to. For starters, we try the vegetarian kale, carrot and raisin salad – a surprisingly tasty dish despite – or probably because of – the unusual combination of ingredients. The warm autumn air creates a hunger for seafood, so we order the squid. Wrapped in a paper cone, the fried squid is lightly battered and seasoned with Turkish pepper, the cool tangy aioli and green chilli dip the perfect companion.

BEHIND THE BAR Take advantage of the delicious local offerings of Sandalford wines from Margaret River and Matsos beer from Broome.

BILL PLEASE Starters around $8; mains around $18.

VERDICT The perfect place to spend a Sunday Session. Brooke Hunter THE SCENE

104 Marine Parade, Cottesloe, WA 6011

3 OF THE BEST CHOC TREATS

cottesloebeachhotel.com.au

I DO D’ECLAIR

I’M FONDUE YOU

HOT FOR CHOC

Surprise your love with a trip to Paris this Easter and take them to Chez Dre in south Melbourne. The closest patisserie to Paris you’ll find (not geographically, of course), grab an eclair or three, from the choice of chocolate, hazelnut, and salted caramel.

At Max Brenner, if you lack the patience to dip your bananas, strawberries, marshmallows and banana bread into the pots of thick chocolate fondue, sit back and pour it shamelessly into your mouth. No one’s judging. Don’t leave without some hand-crafted choc eggs.

As Easter ushers in the colder months, treat yourself to a decadent hot chocolate at Chokolait. For the quickest pick-me-up, grab a hot chokolait shot, with either drinkable chocolate, or thicker chocolate to eat with a spoon. Sod it, it’s Easter – order both.

chezdre.com.au

maxbrenner.com.au

chokolait.com.au

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GIGLISTINGS

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FRI APR 24 The Script & Tinie Tempah Perth Arena, Perth $91 frontiertouring.com

SAT APR 25 Ricky Martin 1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville $102+ Premiere.ticketek.com.au Groovin The Moo Oakbank Racecourse, Oakbank SA $100 moshtix.com.au

SUN APR 26 Groovin The Moo Hay Park, Bunbury WA $100 Moshtix.com.au Sam Smith Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Brisbane $69 Ticketmaster.com.au

MON APR 27 The Script & Tinie Tempah Entertainment Centre, Adelaide $86 frontiertouring.com Sam Smith Hordern Pavilion, Sydney $68 Premier.ticketek.com.au

TUE APR 28 Ricky Martin Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane $102+ Premier.ticketek.com.au Sam Smith Hordern Pavilion, Sydney $68 Premier.ticketek.com.au

WED APR 29 Josh Pyke Sydney Opera House $39+ Sydneyoperahouse.com The Script & Tinie Tempah Laver Arena, Melbourne $85 frontiertouring.com

THU APR 30 Josh Pyke Sydney Opera House $39+ Sydneyoperahouse.com

Photo: Wikicommons

SAM SMITH He stormed the Brits and the Grammys, winning awards for Song and Record of the Year, among others. His unique vocals are just as superb live, so be sure to catch him when he tours Australia during April and May. Visit Ticketmaster.com.au

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FRI MAY 1 The Script & Tinie Tempah Allphones Arena, Sydney $88 frontiertouring.com Thirsty Merc Forbes Inn, Forbes NSW $33 Eventopia.co Sam Smith Adelaide Entertainment Complex, Adelaide $70 Ticketek.com.au

SAT MAY 2 Ricky Martin Rod laver Arena, Melbourne $102+ Premier.ticketek.com.au The Script & Tinie Tempah Redcliffe Entertainment Centre, Brisbane $88 frontiertouring.com Groovin The Moo Prince of Wales Showground, Bendigo VIC $100 moshtix.com.au Thirsty Merc Waves, Wollongong NSW $30 Moshtix.com.au

SUN MAY 3 Groovin The Moo University of Canberra, Canberra $100 moshtix.com.au Thirsty Merc Heathecote Hotel, Heathcote NSW $28 Eventopia.co Opeth Enmore Theatre, Sydney $81+ Premier.ticketek.com.au

MON MAY 4 Sam Smith HBF Stadium, Perth $67 Ticketmaster.com.au Opeth The Gov, Adelaide $78+ Tickets.metropolistouring.com

TUE MAY 5

Ricky Martin Allphones Arena, Sydney $102+ Premiere.ticketek.com.au

Ricky Martin Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide $104+ Premier.ticketek.com.au

Sam Smith Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne $69 Premier.ticketek.com.au

Paloma Faith Palais Theatre, Melbourne $102 Ticketmaster.com.au

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BOOK NOW!

Photo: Bilbao BBK Live

ALT-J Don’t miss your chance to see how this eccentric band of lads from Leeds have honed their talent and finessed into a rich folktronic sound.

Visit Ticketmaster.com.au

WED MAY 6 Opeth Eatons Hill, Brisbane $78+ Tickets.metropolistouring.com

THU MAY 7 Opeth The Forum, Melbourne $82+ Ticketmaster.com.au

FRI MAY 8 Alt-J Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Brisbane $85 Ticketmaster.com.au Ricky Martin Perth Arena, Perth $104+ Premier.ticketek.com.au

Groovin The Moo Murray Sports Complex, Townsville QLD $100 moshtix.com.au Paloma Faith Opera House, Sydney $100 Sydneyoperahouse.com

TUE MAY 12 Paloma Faith State Theatre, Sydney $102 Ticketmaster.com.au

WED MAY 13 Alt-J Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide $86 Ticketek.com.au

THU MAY 14

Paloma Faith QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane $103 Qpac.com.au

Hot Dub Time Machine Metro Theatre, Sydney $51 Premier.ticketek.com.au

Opeth The Astor Theatre, Perth $78 Heatseeker.com.au

Paloma Faith Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide $82 Premier.ticketek.com.au

SAT MAY 9 Alt-J Quantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney $88 Ticketek.com.au Groovin The Moo Maitland Showground, Maitland NSW $100 moshtix.com.au

SUN MAY 10 Alt-J Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne $85 Ticketek.com.au

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FRI MAY 15 Alt-J HBF Stadium, Perth $84 Ticketmaster.com.au Hot Dub Time Machine Metro Theatre, Sydney $51 Premier.ticketek.com.au

SAT MAY 16 Paloma Faith Concert Hall, Perth $91 Premier.ticketek.com.au

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OZPUBS SYDNEY Anchor Bar 8 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach anchorbarbondi.com Bar Century 1/640, George St, CBD barcentury.com.au Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au Candy’s Apartment 22 Bayswater Road, Potts Point candys.com.au Coogee Palace Hotel 169 Dolphin St, Coogee beachpalacehotel.com.au DOME Bar 589 Crown Street, Surry Hills domefunctions.com Donny’s Bar 7 Market Ln, Manly donnys.com.au Flinders Hotel 63-65 Flinders St, Surry Hills theflindershotel.com.au Hotel Bondi 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.com.au Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly steynehotel.com.au In Situ 1/18 Sydney Rd, Manly insitumanly.com.au Kinselas Hotel 383 Bourke St, Darlinghurst kinselas.com.au

Photo: Facebook

Marlborough Hotel 145 King St, Newtown marlboroughhotel.com.au

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Mount Batten Hotel 701 George Street, CBD sydneycityhostels.com.au New Brighton Hotel 71 The Corso, Manly newbrightonhotel.com.au Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst oxfordartfactory.com Ryan’s Paragon Hotel Loftus St, CBD hotelparagon.com.au Scary Canary 469 Kent St, CBD scarycanarybar.com Scubar 4 Rawson Place, CBD scubar.com.au Side Bar 509 Pitt St, CBD wakeup.com.au/sidebar The Beresford 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills merivale.com.au/ theberesfordhotel The Palace Hotel George St, CBD palacehotelsydney.com.au The Vanguard 42 King St, Newtown thevanguard.com.au The White Horse 381 Crown St, Surry Hills thewhitehorsesurryhills.com.au Trinity Bar 505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au 3 Wise Monkeys 555 George St, CBD 3wisemonkeys.com.au 4 Pines 29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly 4pinesbeer.com.au

MELBOURNE Asian Beer Cafe Level 3 Melbourne Central, CBD asianbeercafe.com.au Bar Humbug 586 Little Bourke St, CBD barhumbug.com.au Brutale 18 Corrs Lane, CBD brutale.com.au Black Pearl 304 Brunswick St, Fitzroy blackpearlbar.com.au Cherry Bar 103 Flinders Lane, CBD cherrybar.com.au

The Night Owl 35 Elizabeth Street, CBD facebook.com

The Windsor 112 Mill Point Rd, thewindsorsouthperth.com.au

The Night Cat 137-141 Johnston St, Fitzroy thenightcat.com.au

Voodoo Lounge 174 James St, Northbridge thevoodoolounge.com.au

The Penny Black 420 Sydney Road, Brunswick thepennyblack.com.au The Tote 67-71 Johnston Street, Coll. thetotehotel.com Turf Bar 131 Queen St, CBD turfbar.com.au

ADELAIDE

Corner Hotel 57 Swan Street, Richmond cornerhotel.com

The Apple Bar 5-9 Synagogue Pl, CBD theapplebar.com.au

Eden Bar and Nightclub 1/163 Russell Street, CBD edenbar.com.au

Earl of Leicester Hotel 85 Leicester Street, Parkside earl.com.au

Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au

Electric Circus 17 Crippen Place, CBD crippenplace.com

Northcote Social Club 301 High Street, Northcote northcotesocialclub.com

Grace Emily Hotel 232 Waymouth St, CBD yourbars.com.au

Palace Theatre 20-30 Bourke St, CBD palace.com.au

The Promethean 116 Grote St, CBD theprom.com.au

Shamiana 420 Lonsdale St, CBD shamiana.com.au Star Bar 160 Clarendon Street starbarhotel.com.au The Gin Mill 173 High St, Prahran theginmillprahran.com The Hi-Fi 125 Swanston Street, CBD thehifi.com.au

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PERTH The Clink 14-16 South Terrace, Fremantle theclink.com.au

BRISBANE Canvas Club 16b Logan St, Woolloongabba canvasclub.com.au GPO Hotel 740 Anne St, Fortitude Valley gpohotel.com.au Hotel LA 68 Petrie Terrace, CBD hotella.com.au Iceworks 157 Given Terrace, Paddington iceworks.com.au Pig ‘N’ Whistle Riverside 123 Eagle Street, CBD pignwhistle.com.au The Exchange Hotel 131 Edward St, CBD theexchange.com.au The Fringe Bar Cnr Ann St & Constance St, Fortitude Valley fringebar.com.au The Met Nightclub 56a/256 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley themet.com.au

Subiaco Hotel 465 Hay Street, Subiaco subiacohotel.com.au

Toro Bar 416 Milton Rd, Auchenflower facebook.com

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

Super Whatnot 48 Burnett Lane superwhatnot.com

BEACH ROAD HOTEL This is where the gorgeous girls and guys are, and the cool music too, with a band room inviting the likes of Luke Million, Adam Bozetto, D Cup and Little Bastard to play.

8 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au

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Sat 23 MaY 3–9pm

Get five beer samples and match them with two 6” pizzas of your choice for $16.

Cnr Chapel St & High St Windsor 01_752p 88pp.indd 15

10/04/2015 6:24 pm

OZPUBS GOLD COAST Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa benowatavern.com.au Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hotel Griffith St, Coolangatta coolangattasandshotel.com.au Shooters Superclub Shop 46 The Mark, Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise shooterssuperclub.com

CAIRNS Ba8 Lounge Bar Shangri-La Hotel, The Pier at the Marina, Pier Point shangri-la.com Dunwoody’s Tavern 317 Sheridan St, North Cairns dunwoodys.com.au Salt House 6/2 Pier Point Rd, CBD salthouse.com.au

follow us on The Woolshed 24 Shields Street, CBD thewoolshed.com.au

5 King St, CBD barpetite.com.au

Lass O’Gowrie 14 Railway St, Wickham lassogowriehotel.com.au

Vibe Bar and Lounge 39-49 Lake St. CBD vibebarcairns.com pub

Burwood Inn Hotel 77 Berner Street, Merewether theburwood.com.au

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

HOBART

Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, CBD yourcambridge.com

Oriental Hotel 53 Bull St, Cooks Hill facebook.com/theorihotel

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

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

Bar Celona 23 Salamanca Sq, CBD barcelonahobart.com Raincheck Lounge 392 Elizabeth St, North Hobart rainchecklounge.com.au Republic Bar & Cafe 299 Elizabeth St, North Hobart republicbar.com Shipwrights Arms 29 Trumpeter St, Battery Point shipwrightarms.com.au The Duke 192 Macquarie Street CBD theduke.com.au

NEWCASTLE Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au Bar Petite

Hamilton Hotel 442 Kingsford Smith Dve, Ham hamiltonhotel.com.au Hamilton Station Hotel 2-6 Beaumont St, Islington hamiltonstation.com.au

Royal Inn Hotel Waratah 61/69 Station St, Waratah truelocal.com.au Silo Restaurant and Lounge 18/1 Honeysuckle Dr, CBD silolounge.com.au

Castros 5 Victoria Street facebook.com/castros Glasshouse Nightclub 90 Crown Street facebook.com/ sucasawollongong Grand Hotel 234 Keira Street wollongongnightlife.com.au Harp Hotel 124 Corrimal Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

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

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

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

OneFiveOne 150 Keira Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

King Street Hotel 15 Steel St, Newcastle West kingstreethotel.com.au

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

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

Every now and then you’ve just got to treat yourself, and one of those moments should be spent at Salt House. On Marina Point, you have sweeping views of the yacht-filled harbour, so watch the sun set from the outdoor cocktail bar before tucking into a fresh international menu of seafood, curries and steaks. 6/2 Pier Point Rd, CBD salthouse.com.au

BYRON BAY

Ivory Nightclub 77 Crown Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

DARWIN

Beach Hotel Bay St beachhotel.com.au

Ducks Nuts 76 Mitchell St, CBD ducksnuts.com.au

Byron Bay Brewery 1 Skinners Shoot Road byronbaybrewery.com.au

Squires Tavern 3 Edmunds St, CBD squirestavern.com.au

Cheeky Monkey’s 115 Jonson St cheekymonkeys.com.au

Shenannigans 69 Mitchell St, CBD shenannigans.com.au

La La Land Level 1/6 Lawson St lalalandbyronbay.com.au The Northern 35-43 Jonson St thenorthern.com.au Treehouse on Belongil 25 Childe St treehouseonbelongil.com Woody’s Surf Shack 90-96 Jonson St woodysbyronbay.com

CANBERRA Academy Club 15 Bunda St academyclub.com.au Cube Nightclub 33 Petrie Plaza cubenightclub.com.au ICBM Bar 50 Northbourne Ave icbmbar.com Mooseheads 105 London Circuit mooseheads.com.au Photo: Salt House

WOLLONGONG Alibi 76 Crown Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

Hotel Delany 134 Darby St, CBD hoteldelany.com

SALT HOUSE, CAIRNS

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The Deck Bar 22 Mitchell St, CBD thedeckbar.com.au The Tap Bar 58 Mitchell St, CBD thetap.com.au

ALICE SPRINGS Bojangles Saloon 80 Todd St yourbars.com.au Chifley Alice Springs Resort 34 Stott Tce chifleyhotels.com.au Firkin & Hound 21 Hartely St yourbars.com.au Monte’s Lounge Corner of Todd St & Stott Tce montes.net.au The Juicy Rump @ Lasseters 93 Barret Dr, Desert Springs lasseters.com.au

PJ O’Reilly’s 52 Alinga St pjoreillys.com.au

The Rock Bar 78 Todd St therockbar.com.au

Transit Bar 7 Akuna St transitbar.com.au

Todd Tavern 1 Todd St toddtavern.com.au

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AUCKLAND Albion Hotel 119 Hobson St albionhotel.co.nz Brew on Quay 102 Quay St brewonquay.co.nz Bluestone Room 9-11 Durham Lan thebluestoneroom.co.za Cassette 9 9 Vulcan Ln cassettenine.com Cavalier Tavern 68 College Hill thecavalier.co.nz Currach Irish Pub 78 Blackwell Dr currachirishpub.co.nz De Fontein 77 Tamaki Dr, Mission Bay defontein.co.nz Doolan Brothers 414 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket doolanbrothers.co.nz Father Ted’s 1 Wellesley St W fatherteds.co.nz Fort Street Union 16 Fort St fortstreetunion.co.nz Gables Speights Ale House 248 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay gablesspeightsalehouse.co.nz Galbraith’s Alehouse 2 Mt Eden Rd, Grafton alehouse.co.nz Garrison Public House 61/286 Mt Wellington Hwy, Mt Wellington South garrisonpub.co.nz La Zeppa Kitchen 33 Drake St, Freemans Bay lazeppa.co.nz The Lumsden 444/448 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket thelumsden.co.nz

BACK IN BLACK

Malt Bar 442 Richmond Rd maltbar.co.nz

Normanby Hotel 37 Normandy Rd, Mt Eden thenormanbyhotel.co.nz Parnell Bar & Grill 196 Parnell Rd, Parnell parnellbarandgrill.co.nz Queens Ferry Hotel 12 Vulcan Ln queensferryhotel.co.nz Shakespeare Brewery 61 Albert St shakespearehotel.co.nz Spitting Feathers 16 Wyndham St spittingfeathers.co.nz Sprig & Fern 2 Drake St, Freemans Bay sprigandferntaverns.co.nz

Tainui Tavern 33 Morrin Rd menumania.co.nz The Fox 85/87 Customs St W thefox.co.nz

The Welsh Dragon Bar 10/12 Cambridge Terrace, Mt Victoria welshdragonbar.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH

The Zookeeper’s Son 715 Mt Albert Rd zookeepersson.co.nz

Bealey’s Speight’s Ale House 263 Bealey Ave bealeysalehouse.co.nz

Three Lamps 1-3 St Marys Rd, St Marys Bay threelamps.co.nz

Bailies Bar 1066 Colombo St, St Albans bailiesbar.co.nz

4.20 bar 373 Karangahape Rd 420.co.nz

Becks Southern Alehouse 155 Colombo St beckssouthernalehouse.co.nz

WELLINGTON Arbitrageur Wine Room 125 Featherston St arbitrageur.co.nz Bangalore Polo Club 63 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro bangalorepoloclub.co.nz Bodega 101 Ghuznee St bodega.co.nz

The Brewers Arms 177 Papanui Rd, Merivale thebrewersarms.co.nz Burgers & Beers Inc 355 Colombo St, Sydenham burgersandbeersinc.co.nz Calendar Girls 196 Hereford St calendargirls.co.nz Darkroom 336 St Asaph St darkroombar.co.nz

Four Kings Sports Bar 7-11 Dixon St fourkings.co.nz

Empire Hotel Lyttelton 9 London St, Lyttelton empirelyttelton.co.nz

Havana Coffee Works 163 Tory St, Te Aro havana..co.nz

Fox & Ferret Palms Palms Shopping Centre, 1 New Brighton Rd, Shirley foxpalms.co.nz

Hawthorn Lounge 82 Tory St, Te Aro hawthornlounge.co.nz J J Murphy & Co 119 Cuba St, Te Aro jjmurphy.co.nz Mac’s Brewbar 4 Taranaki St thebrewerybar.co.nz Matterhorn 106 Cuba St, Te Aro matterhorn.co.nz MIghty Mighty 104 Cuba St, Te Aro mightymighty.co.nz Molly Malones 134 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro mollymalones.co.nz San Francisco Bath House 171 Cuba St, Te Aro sfbh.co.nz Southern Cross Garden Bar 39 Abel Smith St, Te Aro thecross.co.nz Sprig & Fern 342 Tinakori Rd sprigandferntaverns.co.nz

Garden Hotel Bar 110 Marshland Rd, Shirley

gardenhotel.co.nz Pegasus Arms 14 Oxford Terrace pegasus-arms.com Tequila Mockingbird 98 Victoria St tequilamockingbird.co.nz The Brewery 3 Garlands Rd, Woolston casselsbrewery.co.nz The Twisted Hop Pub 616 Ferry Rd thetwistedhop.co.nz Monteiths Brewery Bar 53 Merrin St mbbmerrinst.co.nz No. 4 Bar 4 Mansfield Ave, St Albans no4bar.co.nz

HAMILTON Axces Bar 28 Alexandra St yellow.co.nz

Foundation Bar Maahanga Dr, Te Awa foundationbar.co.nz The Bank Bar & Brasserie Cnr Victoria St & Hood St thebank.co.nz The Cook 7 Cook St, Hamilton East thecook.net.nz Speights Ale House 30 Liverpool St speights-hamilton.co.nz Wonder Horse 236 Victoria St wonderhorse.co.nz

WHANGAREI Dickens Inn 71 Cameron St, Vinetown dickensinn.co.nz Killer Prawn 26-28 Bank St killerprawn.co.nz McCool’s 14 Rust Ave mccools.co.nz pub McMorrisseys Irish Pub 7 Vine St, Vinetown mcmorrisseys.co.nz Parua Bay Tavern 1034 Whangarei Heads Rd, Parua Bay paruabaytavern.co.nz Split Bar Rathbone St splitrestaurant.co.nz s The Old Stone Butter Factory 8 Butter Factory Lane butterfactory.co.nz

DUNEDIN Angus Restaurant & Bar 7 St Andrew St angusdunedin.co.nz Alibi Bar 1 Princes St alibibar.co.nz Captain Cook Tavern 354 Great King St, N Dunedin thecaptaincook.co.nz Luna Bar 314 Highgate Roslyn lunaroslyn.co.nz Manny’s Level 1/91 St Andrew St mannysbar.co.nz Stilettos Revue Bar 319 Princes St stilettos.co.nz

The Apartment 25 Allen St, Te Aro theapartment.co.nz

Bar 101 118 Victoria St bar101.co.nz

The Establishment Cnr of Courtenay Pl and Blair St theestablishment.co.nz

Cock & Bull 1 Cnr Maui & Church St, Pukete cockandbull.co.nz

The Green Man 25 Victoria St thegreenmanpub.co.nz

CBD Corner Pub 26 Hood St cbdpub.co.nz

Lonestar Restaurant & Bar 60 The Esplanade, Inner Kaiti lonestar.co.nz

The Malt House 48 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro themalthouse.co.nz

Easy Tiger Cocktail Bar 186 Victoria St easytigerbar.co.nz

Soho 2 Crawford Rd, Inner Kaiti sohobar.co.nz

GISBORNE Aladdin Bar/First Light Aikido 63 Peel St firstlighttaikido.net

The Poverty Bay Club 57/65 Customhouse St thepovertybayclub.co.nz The Jolly Stockman 3 Saleyards Rd yellow.co.nz Verve Cafe & Bar 121 Gladstone Rd facebook.com

NAPIER Guffle Bar 29A Hastings St, Napier South guffle.co.nz The Bank Sports Lounge 106 Hastings St facebook.com The Dutch at The Bluewater 10 W Quay, Ahuriri thedutch.co.nz The Gintrap Restaurant & Bar 64 W Quay, Ahuriri gintrap.co.nz The Rose Irish Pub 64 Hastings St masonic.co.nz The Thirsty Whale 62 W Quay, Ahuriri thethirstywhale.co.nz

PLYMOUTH Crowded House Bar 93-99 Devon St E crowdedhouse.co.nz Gusto Restaurant, Cafe & Bar Ocean View Parade gustotaranaki.conz Peggy Gordon’s Celtic Bar 58 Egmont St peggygordons.com The Mayfair 69 Devon St W themayfair.co.nz West Bar & Cafe 41 Tukapa St, Westown westbar.co.nz

TAURANGA Imbibe Bar & Restaurant 19 Girven Rd facebook.com Inbargo Bar & Bistro 4 Palmer Pl, Te Puke inbargobarandbistro.co.nz Major Toms Bar 297 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui majortomsbar.com

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If you weren’t already inspired to explore the big wide world, these four professional globetrotters will have you digging out your passport. We talk drinking tea in Kenya, getting lost in the desert and itch cream with four of adventure’s finest…

WORDS: CAMILLA DAVIES

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OZTRIP

Legendary explorer Sir Ranulph was the first person to visit both the North and South Poles by surface means and the first to completely cross Antarctica on foot. Oh, and he climbed the summit of Mt Everest aged 65.

Have you ever underestimated a challenge?

Yes. Forty per cent of our expeditions have actually failed over the 40 years, but bearing in mind that we’re always going for world records, that’s not surprising. Included in our ‘failures’ we’ve actually broken existing world records but not always gotten to the final goal.

What’s your most treasured piece of kit?

I wouldn’t go anywhere without anti-itch cream. I’ve been using it for 30 years. On big polar expeditions when you don’t wash at all for three months, it gets itchy, so you put that stuff on and it’s a relief. And you get psoriasis, you get skin allergies and so on with dirty clothes. In hot climates too, with deserts or jungles with nettles and bites; it’s very good stuff.

What’s been the toughest challenge you have ever undertaken?

They’re different – finding the lost city of Ubar took eight major expeditions into the desert. Each expedition had separate sponsors, separate permits, so it was very difficult in that manner.

The Transglobe Expedition had 1,900 sponsors and it took seven years to organise – seven years when we were paid nothing.

Then crossing the Antarctic continent with Mike Stroud. There was nothing that we didn’t carry from day one for 1,800 miles – that was physically very difficult with gangrene and frostbite.

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The director of Secret Compass, a pioneering extreme travel company, Bodkin has taken teams on remote expeditions across Afghanistan, Madagascar and Sierra Leone.

Were you an adventurous child?

Yes, I’d be playing in the woods, building dens, running around getting into trouble, coming back covered in mud and getting told off by my mum.

I left home at 18 and travelled around the world by myself and always looked to get off the beaten track.

How did you spend that first adventure?

I flew out to Malawi then hitch hiked through Southern Africa for a couple of months, then climbed a mountain in Malawi by myself. I then went to New Zealand and did a trail that is closed in the winter but did it anyway by myself, in the middle of nowhere, far from civilisation with no potential for help if anything went wrong.

What’s your essential survival tip?

To develop a really good relationship with the local people you’re working with. If you do that you can normally sort yourself out in any situation.

A travel luxury you can’t do without?

I always take an empty pillow case: you can stuff that with clothes, a towel, fold it over and you’ve a pillow to sleep on too.

Any great mementoes you’ve taken home?

I found a reindeer skull with huge antlers in northern Finland. We managed to bring it home, with the antlers wrapped in bubble wrap!

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The face of Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve, Places That Don’t Exist and Indian Ocean, travel presenter Simon Reeve and his film crew have opened our eyes to cultures across the world.

You’ve travelled the globe on the job. Where’s the most fascinating place you’ve been?

Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, is spectacular and beautiful and upsetting and ticks your fascinating boxes. There’s lots of extraordinary things to see there, and the people are amazing – they’ve got lots of really wonderful and bizarre traditions that are great to explore and discover. I’d also go for Somaliland, in the Horn of Africa, which I’ve been to a good few times and which actually is not recognised as a country.

What mementos have you taken home?

I’ve been banned from bringing back much else by my wife. I’ve got an interesting collection of knives that have been given to me by soldiers in various parts of the world. I’ve collected a lot of stamps on my passport, and I’ve picked up a lot of bugs along the way.

You’ve spent a lot of time in Africa...

I’ve had the privilege to visit between 25 and 30 countries in Africa. They’re the sorts of places you miss when you’re not there, and for all the reasons that people talk about: the people, the wildlife, the sheer joy of sitting out on the great plains in Kenya having a cup of tea with ladies of the Masai tribe and gossiping about the world and their families. It just brings a smile to my face.

Any terrible travel experiences?

I’ve had Malaria and I’ve been held up at gunpoint. I’ve been stuck in the desert with no food and not enough water with a broken down car, thinking, ‘What the hell are we gonna do?’

What’s your most rewarding travel experience?

A moment that only travel can give you is when you’re completely out of your world and your culture and you have a little taste of somebody else’s. And they welcome you and there’s no pretension, no attempt to go, ‘Look how unlucky I am compared to you’; just a warm welcome. I always thought when I was growing up that the world is a big and scary place. But it really isn’t. Almost everyone can be incredibly welcoming, although lots of people in the media get off on saying how scary it is out there – it’s actually amazing.

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The wildlife presenter has spent his career befriending deadly animals and exploring cliffs, jungles and forests in the name of nature.

How much of the year do you spend travelling?

Last year four months, and in 2013 it was 10 months.

Would you describe yourself as a thrill seeker?

I would describe myself as a joy seeker or as someone who tries to get the absolute most out of life. I wouldn’t say I’m an adrenaline junkie; I’m not someone who thrives on fear and on danger – I get just as much wonder out of putting a moth trap out in the garden and finding species I haven’t seen before.

Any creature left to tick off your bucket list?

Absolutely scores of them. The thing about working in wildlife is that it’s an infinite subject, there are probably two million described species in the world, there could easily be 20 million or even more. I know people who have spent their entire life focusing the fleas that live on bats and they still don’t know everything about them. There is more than you could ever know or see in a thousand lifetimes. I’ve gotten very close to the snow leopard but never seen one with my own eyes in the wild, so that I’d really love to do. And there are countless invertebrates I’d still really like to see.

What’s the most treasured stamp in your passport?

Probably Cambodia circa 1995 when I’m pretty sure I was the only non-UN foreigner in the country. It was a time when there was still a lot of conflict. The country closed to international travellers but I kind of got in on a technicality thanks to the help of someone in the UN, and I got out on the back of a motorbike across the border thanks to a couple of hundred dollars slipped in my passport and given to the passport official…

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Photos: iStock and supplied

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Industry From having sex in the boardroom to fending off ‘chuckle fuckers’ – these workers fess up about what really goes on behind the scenes at their job... WORDS ANNA TSEKOURAS

Liz Brett: Consultant from Sydney, Australia “There is something about that kind of power, influence and money. And admittedly, it can get the better of us.”

“Working in the energy sector means I am used to being the only woman in the room who isn’t a secretary or someone taking notes. The older the men, the more they treat you like an idiot, a child or a play thing.

“My last project was worth nearly $5 billion. After we had finished, I went for a drink with an old boss – a mentor and a really lovely family man. We were actually talking about his wife when he placed his hand high up on my thigh and suggested I go up to his hotel room so he could show me the view and maybe we could ‘do something naughty’. I jumped up, said I needed to get the last tube, and ran out.

“There is something about that kind of power, influence and money. And admittedly, it can get the better of us. After our last project got approved, our boss opened up a bottle of illegal, 70 over-proof bootlegged Irish ‘spirit’ and everyone did shots out of a skull glass. And I admit there was one time I had sex with a co-worker in the boardroom…”

Jan Flac: PR from London, UK “I’ve met a range of celebs from 50 Cent, Far East Movement, Ed Sheeran, P Diddy and countless TV personalities, football players and athletes.”

“I work for various high-profile London clubs in the West End and Chelsea. Discretion is key. Girls often try to flirt with me to meet celebrities, get into the most exclusive clubs and party with table spenders.

“Meeting celebrities is just part of the job. I usually engage in some light banter and maybe take a picture together. I’ve met a range of celebs from 50 Cent, Far East Movement, Ed

Sheeran, P Diddy and countless TV personalities, football players and athletes.

“Lindsey Lohan rented a separate room in the club for a couple of her friends to practice her DJ skills. The club’s staff gave her some instructions and she invited a couple of us to join in and dance with her, which was very sweet.

“Of course, there are times when you can catch a celebrity on a bad day. I asked one particular celebrity to take a picture together for some of my friends and I was shocked at how harshly I was rejected. Later on, I realised that person might’ve been under influence of some weird substances…

“The strangest part of my job is that I need to sell alcohol as a part of the entertainment – even though I don’t drink myself. When Far East Movement came to one of the club nights, they let me hang out with them, which was amazing!

But at one point one of the band members poured a lot of vodka into my glass. I was so embarrassed when I was forced to politely explain that I don’t drink and excuse myself. The whole crew just stared at me aghast.”

Alex Lewis: London bus driver from London, UK “We see it all. Passengers get up to all kinds of things on the top deck.”

“I’ve been driving buses for five years. And no, we are not all grumpy. Put yourself in our shoes. With an average of 86 passengers board, only six will make eye contact, say thank you or even just say hello! In fact, most people look at the bus driver like we’re some sort of autonomous android.

“I’ll never forget the passenger who gave me a bottle of champagne and £500 just for getting him to Waterloo five minutes early.

“Being a bus driver is highly skilled – not everyone can do it. My company receives more than 500 applications every year and from that, only 30 will make it.

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INDUSTRYCONFESSIONS Fending off chuckle fuckers is all in a day’s work for Marcus Ryan

“Some people just fancy a change in life. I have a physics degree and was stuck in the finance industry, making money but I was unhappy. We have ex-police, military, teachers, part-time mothers and students driving buses. Some of us sit as Magistrates in the Courts around London – so don’t think that we are all uneducated morons.

“We see it all. Passengers get up to all kinds of things on the top deck. Especially on New Year’s Eve, when people can’t keep their hands off each other. When we have fights on board, women are much more violent than men and really go all out to hurt each other. Also, you’d be surprised to know how many parents leave their kids on board!”

Marcus Ryan: Comedian from Victoria, Australia “The very first thing I do when I get off stage is immediately have sex with one of my back-up dancers.”

“I get the same response from people when I tell them what I do. ‘Say something funny’, or, ‘You haven’t made me laugh yet’. It can get tedious, so I tend not to tell anyone anymore. Instead, I’ll try to practice new material by sneaking it into conversation, but most of my material is from random conversations I have.

“We call the comedian groupies ‘chuckle-fuckers’. I have been stalked by fans before. One girl blatantly propositioned me and waited outside Edinburgh’s The Stand Comedy Club for hours after closing. My friends and I literally had to make a run for it.

“The very first thing I do when I get off stage is immediately have sex with one of my back-up dancers.

Actually, that was only when I was in Riverdance. Now, I usually just switch off my recording device, tick off the gags that didn’t work in my notebook and write down any new notes that popped up in the show.

“I have the same backstage performance ritual before going on stage. I write out the set-list in a pocketbook. Even if I already know my routine by heart, I carry it in my back pocket – sort of like a safety blanket. Then I’ll finally get on 26

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Des Burkinshaw mingles with the rich and famous as a journalist

stage and do something completely different when I get to the mic!

“Sometimes I’ll push a joke too far and just know that the audience isn’t ready for it. But I don’t get nervous anymore, so silence or a joke that bombs or hecklers don’t bother me like they used to.”

Danielle Morley: Nanny from Wagga, Australia “He told me to come and sit on his lap and we could talk about the first thing that pops up!”

“I’ve been a live-out nanny with for five-and-a-half years.

The worst part is not finishing on time! If your boss is home late, you can’t just leave. The best part of the job is the kids. Once, after a trip to the park, we saw a homeless man asleep in the doorway. One of the children crept up to him, leaned into his face and screamed, “Raaahh!” The poor man got such a fright! I had to work overtime to suppress my laughter as I tried to scold them.

“Another time, I was standing on a train platform. One of the kids said: “I like it between my legs, it keeps me nice and warm.” It took me a few seconds to realise she was referring to her school bag!

“People often think I just get to sit around all day and watch daytime TV. But we work 10-12 hour days and rarely get a moment ourselves. The worst type of bosses are those who treat me like I am just ‘the help’.

“On my first nanny job, the dad had a few glasses of wine.

He told me to come and sit on his lap and we could talk about the first thing that pops up! And no, I did not sit on his lap!”

Benjamin Victor: Theatre usher from London, UK “There have been so many times where I have been blamed personally for patrons not liking the show.”

“We are not all failed or depressed actors. I’m actually a very happy actor! As an usher, you are privy to some people’s best and worst behavior. There have been so many

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INDUSTRYCONFESSIONS

times where I have been blamed personally for patrons not liking the show, or arriving late and not being allowed in.

“Patrons get upset with me if they’ve mistakenly booked the wrong seats or have a bad view. One couple recently refused to sit down at all during the play because they were so incensed. They stood directly in front of a fire exit and I had to ask them to leave.

“But then there are those unforgettable moments. On my first shift as an usher, after the bustling crowds had left I ended up at the cast party with the artistic director, the remaining cast and a handful of rather inebriated ushers, dancing and singing the night away – Year Six disco style – with the leading man on the DJ decks!”

Songwriter Danielle Senior has witnessed fights in the studio

Des Burkinshaw: Journalist from Luton, UK “Nothing can ever top the day I spent jamming with Paul McCartney at his studio in Rye.” “I come from a council estate, but I worked my way through the ranks of the media industry for 26 years – as a journalist for the BBC, The Times and producer of the ITV Chart Show and Glastonbury. The biggest perk of my job is the people I’ve met – but nothing can ever top the day I spent jamming with Paul McCartney at his studio in Rye. That was my schoolboy dream come true.

“There are moments when you can get caught up and feel like a celebrity yourself. I’ll never forget when a hotel receptionist at the Beverly Hills Hotel called my suite in the middle of a filming session for the BBC to say: “Hi, is Miss Nancy Sinatra there? I’ve got a Miss Mia Farrow on the line for her.” I couldn’t relay the message because Miss Sinatra was in the bathroom, so I got told off by Mia Farrow. But when she found out I was from the BBC she became much more playful. I then had the opportunity to deliver a pretty good showbiz line myself, holding out the phone and announcing: “Nancy? I’ve got Mia Farrow on the line for you.”

Danielle Senior: Songwriter, vocalist, and vocal producer from Devon, UK

Photos: iStock and supplied *These names have been changed

“Full on fights have erupted in the studio with artists I’ve worked with.”

“I’ve been a professional songwriter for five years. The music industry is akin to a playground where the big kids decide who is cool and who’s not. Full on fights have erupted in the studio with artists I’ve worked with. Tensions can mount when you’re put under pressure to write a hit.

“Sometimes the kind of persistence people show is not far from stalking. I’ve heard stories of A&R (Artists and Repertoire – in charge of scouting talent and overseeing the artistic development of artists and songwriters) literally ducking underneath their desks when they see a particularly ‘persistent’ producer or songwriter walk through the door.

“Rock producer, Chris Tsangarides once told me that Linda Perry of the 4 Non Blondes called him day and night to try to get him to work with her. Now Linda Perry is one of the most successful producers in the world. It goes to show what people will do to make it in the industry.”

Chris Harries*: Lawyer from Melbourne, Australia “As lawyers, we’re under huge pressure to know the answers – although I’ve seen my own bosses make it up as they go.”

“I never tell anyone I’m a lawyer. That means I’ll be stuck buying the drinks. If anyone says they’re happy earning minimum wage while living in London, then they’re lying.

“I love what I do. Not just because of the money and prestige, but because I came from a small Australian town and now I’m working on international billion-dollar cases in London. I’ve come a long way from working my first $500 car crash case.

“As lawyers, we’re under huge pressure to win cases, to know the answers – although I’ve seen my own bosses make it up as they go – to work 16-hour days and bill clients every possible minute of the day. We buy gifts for our wives and girlfriends to keep them happy while we put in long hours. No wonder we’re exhausted, irritable and why some people accuse us of having big egos.”

Maria Kelley*: Market researcher from Canada “Little did I know I would gain confessions about watching porn on the bus!”

“I’ve been in market research for 12 years. The biggest perk is we often get to keep the products that are tested in the focus groups. This often means dozens of boxes of biscuits, ice cream cones, coffee pods and baked goods.

Some people are just looking to make some quick cash and will cheat the system by lying on the qualifying questions. Other times, people are too honest! I once did a focus group with 16-17-year-old males about using the internet on their mobiles. I worked really hard to come across as someone cool that they could be open with – little did I know I would gain confessions about watching porn on the bus and having naked video chats with their girlfriends!”

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CHATROOM

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Jon Durand

We talk to national champion, international event-winner, world record holder and the world’s #1 hang glider about flying at 14, angry eagles, and morning glory...

INTERVIEW CAROLINE GARNAR

Photo: Supplied by Red Bull

At speeds in excess of 100km/h, Aussie Jon Durand has flown above great white sharks, risked a massive ocean swell and powerful winds, tackled the unforgiving cliffs of the Great Australian Bite and glided over a rare morning glory cloud formation (a long, horizontal, tube-shaped cloud, in case you were wondering).

Now officially the world’s #1 hang glider, you can see Durand in action on Red Bull TV as part of its Focus Series 2. We grab him for a Q&A while he’s on terra firma – hence why it’s a quick one!

When did you do your first ever hangglide, and where?

My first flight was from Mt Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland. I was only 14 years old when I jumped off the 2,000fthigh mountain. It was the most amazing feeling, and from then on I was hooked.

What is your most memorable hanggliding experience?

I think one of the most memorable experiences would have to be flying the morning glory cloud in 2009.

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Describe the feeling while you’re up there in the clouds...

It is one of the most peaceful places to be; you are as free as a bird. My hang glider feels like a natural extension of my arms and I could just fly around all day long.

Have you ever been scared for your life?

There are always moments when you get scared, but I think that only keeps you safe.

We hear you battle in the sky with eagles – tell us more about this...!

I wouldn’t say that – we only dream to fly as good as one. But sometimes if we get low over their nest in mating season they will attack us.

You are grand champion of real-life Angry Birds – how is catapulting wingless birds at pigs translated into real life?

Good question. Although I have never played that game [on a smartphone] so it is hard for me to answer.

You want to be the first person to fly across Australia in a hang glider. Are you getting closer to that goal? Have you set yourself a deadline?

No deadline. It is a huge project and at this stage there is no deadline to achieve it.

Where is your favourite place to fly?

I have many favourite places around the world. Brazil, USA and Australia have some of the best flying places.

What do you do with your time when it’s not glider weather? How else do you get your kicks?

I spend about nine months a year competing so when I’m free I like to hang out with friends and family.

If you didn’t have the Red Bull glider, what would you adorn your wings with?

Red Bull gives me wings, so if I didn’t have them maybe I would be working in an office job.

Jon Durand stars in FOCUS Series 2 available now on Red Bull TV (redbull.tv)

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TRAVEL NEWS | TOP 5 | OZ TRIP | TOP 10 | LISTINGS

WORK THOSE QUADS / 41 ‘Red dust flying out behind me, I was pushing the accelerator as far as it would go. I was seriously considering a change of career – quadbiking was clearly my calling in life, no one had ever flown across the desert with such skill and speed before... and then I was overtaken. By a 60-year-old man.’

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TRAVELBITES Air China takes off for Melbourne Air China will start a BeijingMelbourne four-times weekly nonstop service from June 1.

At the same time, the carrier will continue its Shanghai-Melbourne nonstop service.

The four-times weekly flights to the Garden State’s capital will be offered on Monday/Wednesday/ Friday/Sunday. The service is slated to increase to daily from October 25. The outbound flight departs from Beijing at 02:00 and arrives in Melbourne at 15:30 local time; the return flight departs from Melbourne at 20:40 local time and arrives in Beijing at 06:30.

The flights will be operated with Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Waxing lyrical about Australia’s second city, Air China says, “Melbourne used to be the capital of Australia. Now, time-honoured classic buildings of Victorian style are everywhere. With its lush vegetation, which covers 40% of the urban area, the city has been repeatedly voted the ‘Most Livable City’. With a lot to see and do, Melbourne is an ideal destination for leisure travellers.”

The airline said the start of nonstop flights between Beijing and Melbourne “will further promote the trade ties between, and the healthy development of, the two countries”.

The new route will increase Air China’s capacity on China-Australia routes by 60%.

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TIGERAIR CUTS FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE Tigerair Aus has announced it intends to put a stop to jam packed overhead locker space by reducing its free carry-on baggage allowance from 10k to 7kg.

It says the new restrictions, which come into force on April 17, bring the airline “in line with the rest of the industry”.

The change, says the budget carrier, will “help manage overcrowding of overhead locker space, assist with passenger safety and comfort and enable efficiencies during checkin to enhance the airline’s on time performance”.

The new carry-on guidelines allow customers to carry a maximum of two free bags provided they do not exceed 54cm X 38cm X 23cm or a total combined weight of 7kg per person.

Passengers who want to bring on board extra luggage will have to purchase additional carry-on baggage

allowance – to be known as Cabin+ – of up to a total of 12kg.

This new Cabin+ product (which costs $18 for shorter flights and $23 for longer flights, or at check-in for $36 for shorter flights and $46 for longer flights) will enable passengers to have two carry-on items with a maximum combined weight of 12kg per passenger in total, provided they do not exceed 54cm X 38cm X 23cm.

The new baggage allowance limits will apply for all domestic flights booked from 17 March 2015 for travel from 17 April 2015. For all flight bookings made prior to 17 March 2015 or for travel prior to 17 April 2015, the 10kg baggage allowance is still applicable.

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THE SAFE WATERS OF LAKE LANGANO We take a swim in Ethiopia’s only safe lake, and explore five more of Africa’s watery spots.

By Adam Corre

Lake Victoria

FIVE GREAT LAKES TO EXPLORE IN AFRICA ›› Lake

Lake Langano The sand is not golden yellow. It’s light brown and features small, crystalline stones which glisten in the sun. In front of me is a cloudy brown lake.

I’m assured the water cleanses the skin. There is an Ethiopian family, the father playing with giggly children. Elsewhere, in a charming scene, a trio of men are pretending to save one another from drowning, taking turns to be lifeguard and damsel in distress. Why all the fuss over Lake Langano? Quite simply this is the only lake without bilharzia in Ethiopia, making it a safe bet for water enthusiasts.

The journey Our journey to Langano had been a culture shock. From the relative comfort of our van it was like looking at a flickering old film. Blink and you missed it. The locals seemed bamboozled by the unfamiliar white faces.

Some stared. Others waved.

A few laughed. The pace of life was slow despite the streets brimming with the chattering masses selling all manner of items. As I look out of the window, hundreds of Orthodox Christians dressed in long white garments make their stately way to church for Sunday services.

Settled waters At Lake Langano, the waters’ edge is all but still.

Opportunities for bathing in Ethiopia are rare and visitors are mainly wealthy families from Addis Ababa.

This is one of the most fashionable places to go for the middle classes escaping city life. There’s a light ripple on the lake from the faintly audible breaths of wind, which disguises the intense heat.

There is enough free space on the beach to switch easily between shade and sunlight, heat and cool air.

I revel in the remoteness, the isolation.

Water ventures I take a motor boat tour across the waters and glided along the shoreline.

Only the pelicans with their poky pink and red beaks stand out in the vast swathes of emptiness.

We approach the birds in a sly ploy to capture a shot of them flying into the distance. On the third occasion it works. Later, I go fishing for the first time. In my naive pre-conceptions, I had assumed it would be easy. Like a caveman hunting for food to feed his family, I thought I’d find an abundance of tilapia fish to hand to the resort’s restaurant for grilling.

How wrong I was. On one occasion I was convinced I’d caught something. The hook sunk into the foot of a perplexed, but not upset, five-year-old girl who ventured too close.

To visit Lake Langano is a rare adventure, and while it may not be pretty, it keeps you in touch with nature.

Bunyoni, Uganda Its name means ‘place of many little birds’ and it is Uganda’s most popular lake.

The lake encircles 29 islands.

Visitors can grab a canoe and discover the surrounding exotic wildlife. ›› Lake Malawi, Malawi This long lake has a steamer chugging up and down it. With everything from kayaking to scuba diving available to visitors, there are plenty of water sports to keep you occupied. ›› Lake Victoria This is the largest lake in Africa and second biggest in the world. Archipelagos are contained within the waters as are numerous reefs. Bordering Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, the area has more than 200 species of fish, most of which are of the tasty tilapia variety. ›› Lake Tanganyika This is the second largest lake in East Africa and the longest freshwater lake in Africa. Spectacularly large rivers discharge here including Kalambo, which has one of the highest waterfalls in the world at more than 700 feet. ›› Lake Albert Not normally on the tourist route, this lake is on the far northern tip of the Rift Valley bordering Congo and Uganda.

Located at the lowest and hottest part of Uganda, hippos, crocodiles and elephants enrich the wildlife.

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TOPFIVE

WEST AUSTRALIA BEACHES

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Western Australia... the state that people didn’t necessarily forget but probably can’t afford to visit.

Hosting the most expensive city in the southern hemisphere and being far enough away from the rest of Australia that trips to Indonesia can come at a cheaper price, there are a few reasons one might shy away from Australia’s gentle, giant state.

However, maybe the fact that less people visit the west coast should be the very reason that you do, as it’s one of the reasons its beaches stay pristine and preserved. Unlike the bustling beaches of Bondi and the Gold Coast, Western Australia’s beaches are relatively deserted. Take a walk down the coastline of even the busiest beach and you’ll find a strip of sand and sea just for you. Here are a few of our top WA beaches...

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TURQUOISE BAY This strip of beach is the postcard perfect representation of the pristine coastline that Australia proudly boasts.

Outside the town of Exmouth, in the Cape Range National Park, its clear, calm, turquoise waters are what make this aptly named beach so perfect for relaxing in both the sand and the sea.

This spot is a sanctuary in the Ningaloo Marine Park and is a popular spot for diving and snorkelling. If you’re entering from the south end of the beach, try your hand at drift snorkelling and let the current slowly take you from south to north over the corals and reefs. Ningaloo Reef’s main barrier is about 100m off the shore, so there’s a huge range in what marine life you might spot, including more than 500 species of fish and, if you’re lucky, turtles and reef sharks.

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Opening in April 2015, Fremantle Prison YHA provides exceptional accommodation for travellers desiring a unique hostel experience! Originally the women’s division of the World Heritage-listed Fremantle Prison, YHA WA has converted the nineteenth century property into a 200-bed hostel for the adventurous travellers.

Through a heritage-sensitive renovation, historic charm is combined with purpose built facilities, while retaining the original fabric of the prison. Its history is interpreted and displayed throughout the building, and guests can even sleep in original cells and prison warders’ cottages, as well as brand new purpose-built private rooms or dormitory-style accommodation.

Fremantle Prison YHA offers all the facilities that budget travellers need, including a self-catering kitchen, large common areas, TV rooms, a laundry and luggage storage. The 24 hour reception offers travel and tour bookings, and there is ample parking, lockers, a pool table, ping pong and computers/ Wi-Fi. Groups are catered for with dedicated facilities, including a conference room. Plans also include a giant chess set, giant jenga, volleyball and an outdoor movie screen.

The history of the site dates back to 1829 when the area, dubbed the Swan River Colony, was designated for freesettlers. However, the settlement’s fledgling agricultural industry soon floundered, and with the colony’s future looking bleak, convict labour was introduced and Fremantle Prison was created for the newly constituted penal settlement. Built in the 1850s, with convicts and local lawbreakers occupying the site from 1855 until 1991, Fremantle Prison was a place where hangings, floggings, escapes and riots were etched in history.

When Perth Prison closed, female inmates were moved to Fremantle Prison in 1889. The laundry, bakehouse and cookhouse division of the prison was sectioned off and extended to accommodate the women, forming Female Division - a prison within a prison – and now a YHA! Just a few minutes’ walk from the hostel is the vibrant port city centre of Fremantle with its untouched nineteenth century streetscape, colourful markets, bohemian cafes, buzzing nightlife and remarkable local attractions.

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TOPFIVE

WEST AUSTRALIA BEACHES

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CABLE BEACH

COTTESLOE BEACH

A short drive outside of Broome, Cable beach is a 22km pallet of white sand, red ochre cliffs, and turquoise water, set against the backdrop of explosive pink and orange sunsets. The waves roll onto the sand as lazily as you’ll drag yourself into the water to bob about before slinking back onto shore and taking a nap in the sun. As beautiful as it is to travel the beach by foot, it’s a unique experience to see it from the back of a camel. Further along the south end of the beach, at Gautheaume Point, when the tide is low you can see 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints.

Cottesloe is one of the most popular beaches in Perth and, from budgies to budgie smugglers, is a great place to take in the natural sights of the West. There are plenty of opportunities for shopping and dining by the water, as well as water sports and surfing. Rarely can you find a hostel right on the beach with ocean views, but here if you stay at the cheap and cheerful Ocean Beach Backpackers (oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au), you can roll from your bed to the sea bed in minutes from just $29 per night. Swim, bathe, drink, sleep and repeat.

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GREENS POOL AND ELEPHANT COVE

MONKEY MIA

Greens Pool is a pristine, natural swimming pool where off-shore granite boulders encircle the bay. This provides complete shelter from wind and waves, making the water perfectly tranquil and calm. A scenic five-minute walk from Greens Pool is Elephant Cove, a rectangular shaped bay cut deep into the land, which gets its name from the granite boulders dotted throughout the water that look like, you guessed it, elephants. A short drive outside the town of Denmark, whether you’re swimming between the shadows of the awe-inspiring elephants, or jumping from rocks into the middle of Greens pool, these twin beaches are the perfect swimming spots.

Some 24km from the town of Denham is Monkey Mia, a place that offers a little something more than your typical Aussie beach. Monkey Mia is one of the most reliable places for dolphin interaction in the world, and the only place in Australia where dolphins visit daily rather than seasonally.

It’s a marine reserve with an area of the beach having been sectioned off for interaction, though a small fee must be paid to enter the reserve. At the discretion of the guides, select visitors are able to feed the dolphins when they come to shore. Monkey Mia offers plenty of recreational facilities beyond dolphin-spotting that make it a getaway rather than a day trip to one of WA’s most interesting beaches.

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Rocking out in Alice Springs Don’t be deterred by the effort involved in reaching Alice Springs.

The pay off – Aboriginal culture and alluring landscapes – is worth any effort involved. TNT shows you the way to go...

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Where is the ‘real Australia’? Is it the many different cultures which live together in harmony, for the most part, in the suburb of Sydney? Or is it found in the red earth in Central Australia’s beating heart?

The TNT team would argue that it’s the latter. Alice Springs – made famous by Nevil Shute’s novel A Town Like Alice – has much to offer visitors, as the capital of Aboriginal culture in Australia.

One of the best ways to acquaint yourself with the rich history of the native people of this land, or to deepen your understanding, is to visit the Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre (aboriginialart.com.au). Run by respected members of the local Aboriginal community, this is a great place to become immersed in 40,000 years of human culture told through Aboriginal art, music and storytelling. They also conduct four hour bush tucker and walking tours, in case you’ve ever wanted to eat a witchetty grub.

OZTRIP

The Alice – as Oz’s most famous outback town is affectionately known – is also home to the legendary regional medical service, The Royal Flying Doctor Service (flyingdoctor.net). Do make the effort to take a tour of the premises where they’ll show you some of the aircraft. Who knows, you could even meet a cute doctor or two…

After an exciting day in Alice, you’re probably feeling a little bit peckish by now. You may well be surprised to know that the Alice is home to an award-winning restaurant in Ristorante Puccini’s which makes delicious Italian food. While the locals will probably tell you this place is really expensive, considering the quality of the food available here, it isn’t really. However if it does prove a bit pricey, there’s a cheaper bistro on the premises.

But tempting as it is to linger a while in this laid-back town to soak up its history and heritage, it would be criminal to journey to the Red Centre without ticking off the big

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OZTRIP

three: Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Uluru. The latter is the big blockbuster sight but not necessarily the best. Uluru is the Paul McCartney of the group if you like – the most famous – but it won’t necessarily be your favourite.

Out of the aforementioned, the outrageously beautiful natural treasure that is Kings Canyon is likely to be your first port of call. It’s a place that has fascinated and enchanted human beings for thousands of years. The canyon is located about halfway between Alice and Uluru and is, in its own way, as beautiful as anything else to be found in the territory. While Kings Canyon is definitely a tough part of the world to get to, it’s worth the three hour trek to the top for the spectacular view: think red rocks as far as the eye can see, deep caverns and remnants of waterfalls.

Chances are Kata Tjuta, which is an indigenous word meaning ‘many heads’, will be next up on your red centre itinerary. Located within the same national park as Uluru, Kata Tjuta (known colloquially as ‘The Olgas’) is in many ways more impressive than the more famous rock itself. The highest point of the big, red dome shaped formations stand over 1,000m above sea level, and there are 36 individual rocks that make up the whole formation. The Valley of the Winds walk is another three-hour-walk (think of all the calories you’re burning) and along the way you’ll learn more about the era when indigenous people roamed the land.

Finally it’s time to see the Uluru in the flesh – but first you

should visit the Cultural Centre and learn about the history and cultural significance of Uluru. Here you can look at indigenous art and watch video footage of the traditional owners of Uluru, the Anangu people, talking about what it means to them and why visitors should refrain from climbing the rock.

One of the most interesting things at the centre is the ’Sorry Book’ – aka a book of letters by people who have taken rocks from the Uluru and, in their opinion, received bad luck because of it. One woman blames her husband’s cancer on the photos she took while they were on their honeymoon. Astonishingly, another takes credit for the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami because of the rock she took from Uluru three days earlier. Some people simply say sorry for climbing the rock and wished they had known better. It is truly poignant, powerful stuff to read.

It’s understandable that, after travelling crazy distances to get there, tourists are gagging to climb Uluru. But – as the exhibits at the Visitors Centre make clear – you shouldn’t.

World Heritage-listed Uluru is sacred to its Aboriginal owners, the Anangu. They ask visitors not to climb it because the walking route itself is believed to be a Dreamtime track of huge significance, a pathway used by their spiritual ancestors. Indeed, the route is so sacred the owners would prefer you don’t even photograph it, let alone climb it.

For the time being, it’s not against Australian law, but it is against the Anangu law, which is why they don’t climb

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MICHAELA PIEHL KICKED UP ALICE SPRINGS’ DUST ON A QUAD-BIKING ADVENTURE Alice Springs is cattle country. And what are cattle stations made for? Yep, quad biking.

So I was excited to spend a couple of hours whizzing around on a quadbike, with over 3000sq km of seemingly unending desert plain and tracks zigzagging through the sand just waiting for me.

When I’d told my friends that I was going quadbiking, however, they almost wet themselves.

Allegedly, balance is not my strong point and neither is listening to directions. Ha, I’ll show them.

After a safety briefing by our guide (falling off the bike is not encouraged, avoid collisions with wire fences, that kind of thing) and a demonstration (accelerator and brake on the same handlebar, easy, wait what was that last thing he just said? Er, I’m sure it’s not that important), we did a few practice loops to get a feel for the bikes.

I pushed down on the accelerator, and I was off.

Red dust flying out behind me. I was pushing the accelerator as far as it would go and I was seriously considering a change of career – quadbiking was clearly my calling in life, no one had ever flown across the desert with

such skill and speed before... and then I was overtaken.

By a 60-year-old man. Oh well, helmet hair isn’t a good look for me anyway.

As I came to a stop I realised that the raised resting spot where my right foot had made itself comfy was in fact the foot brake. Damn, I knew I should have paid more attention.

So the strained noise my bike had been making was not from the insane speed I was hurtling through the desert at, but the fact that I was accelerating and braking simultaneously.

With my cheeks burning, we set off into the desert with our guide leading the way through a mix of well-worn tracks, deep sand, sharp turns and even a couple of slopes.

This may be desert, but it’s semi-arid desert which means a surprising amount of bright green shrubs and trees dotting the landscape.

Two hours of quadbiking later, my face was still red, but by now it was just from all the red dust and the exhilaration. I may not change my career any time soon, but I’ll sure as hell do this again – and next time may even listen to the instructions.

Quadbiking with Outback Quad Adventures from $138, outbackquadadventures.com.au

›› TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Photos: Tourism NT, iStock and Outback Quad Adventures

BE A QUAD BIKING COWBOY

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OZTRIP HAPPINESS IS A JOURNEY…

it themselves. And it’s not against federal law because the Aussie government effectively screwed over the traditional owners to cash in on valuable tourist dollars.

Once you have finished at the Visitors Centre, make your way to the base of the rock where you’ll learn even more about why you shouldn’t climb. One reason is safety: the number of deaths attributed to Uluru is staggering.

Apparently there are many more fatalities than you’d think but because they didn’t happen literally on the rock, but later in hospital, and so the government believes Uluru shouldn’t be held responsible...

At dusk, head to Sunset Point to join the bus loads of tourists who are there to watch the many changing colours of the rock. It’s a packed scrum of different demographics – backpackers, high-end tour groups and Chinese students – but everyone is there to watch Uluru go from dusty orange to pink to bright orange, and then dark as the sun goes down completely. The pink clouds above are truly a sight to behold.

The next day, awake early and make your way back to the sunset spot – this time to see the sun rise over Uluru.

It’s then that you’ll have almost the whole area to yourself and, although there aren’t as many colours at sunrise, the view is still spectacular.

So you’ve seen Uluru at sunset and at sunrise. Now it’s time to get up close and personal. If the former experiences are like two magical dates, doing the base walk around Uluru is like getting to know the real rock.

And trust TNT when we say: Uluru ain’t as pretty close up, as she is from distance.

The two-hour, 10km walk around Uluru shows just how big the rock is. Up close you can truly appreciate her scale, but also her detail. No one tells you how weathered Uluru is, or how eroded – it almost looks like coral. No one tells you about the black water marks, which look like the stains in an old bathroom. But this is what makes it so great, the real Uluru: the most brilliant sight to be found anywhere in Australia. Enjoy it, because it is unlike anything you’ll ever experience.

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When you think of a train journey, you don’t normally think luxury, right? Well, forget the cramped and smelly trains of the CBD and indulge yourself on the classiest most sought-after train expedition in Australia, the Ghan Train. It’s an all-inclusive trip with booze and a tasty dining menu with flexible times for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Ghan is the perfect example of a great train journey. Named in honour of the Afghan camel drivers who criss-crossed Australia’s unforgiving Outback over a century ago, the train cuts the country in half. Twice a week The Ghan travels between Adelaide and Darwin and allows you to see the traditional Red Centre, Flinders Ranges and the tropics of the Top End. In Alice Springs and The Katherine, there are also tour stops ‘Off Train’. Ride a camel, meet a saltwater croc, see the birds soar at the Desert Park and learn about Aboriginal culture and rich Australian history.

For those wanting to broaden their food horizons, there is also the choice of cooking up some Kangaroo tail and damper.

Considering flying, accommodation, food and normal tours are quite expensive when you add them up, this works out cheaper and you get to relax and take in the sights as you go. Having a personal cabin steward to take care of your needs is also much more convenient than fighting for a flight attendants’ attention while listening to screaming babies. greatsouthernrail.com.au/trains/the_ghan/

This is an article from the TNT archives, updated by Kaye Holland

The Ghan train stops off in Alice Springs on its route between Darwin and Adelaide, so we say make your journey part of the adventure...

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For the last 30 years TNT Magazine has brought travel advice and news to a growing audience of travellers.

18 to 35 year olds from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have been using TNT as their guide to living and working in overseas. With a growing audience comes growing demand and over quarter of a million users are now demanding travel offers and information for tours across the globe.

Here at TNT we have listened to the demands of our readers and we’re excited to have launched TNT Tour Search. Whether you’re looking for a weekend in away, a group tour across North Africa, or a ten day epic adventure in South America, the TNT Tour Search facility is here to meet your travel wishes.

With tours being added on a daily basis and reviews to give you peace of mind, TNT Tour Search will become your primary destination when looking to travel anywhere around the globe and you know the process will be as good as you can get anywhere else, if not better.

tnttoursearch.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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TOPTEN

QUEENSLAND TOP 10 CITY BREAKS

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Images: iStock. Words: Mariah Mathews

1

SYDNEY

Taking a trip Down Under (and a little off to the side) isn’t always the cheapest destination, but you can bet that it’s on every traveller’s bucket list.

Being so isolated from the rest of the world, Australia and New Zealand have developed their own cultural and geographical identities that you’d struggle to compare to anywhere else.

Australia is a land known internationally as home to animals that want to kill you, 44

and a population of people who are super laidback despite that fact. New Zealand contrasts Australia’s red dirt and arid beauty with overwhelming green, aweinspiring mountains, and the Lord of the Rings, of course. From white sands to red dirt, rainforests to bushland, bustling cities to deserted deserts, there is something to suit any and every travelling taste if you know where to look. Here are a few of our unmissable cities....

Sydney...the capital of Australia in every way other than constitution. The two most iconic sights in Sydney, and arguably all of Australia, are the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. Take a climb of the bridge for city panoramas, though this can set you back a few hundred dollars. For a cheaper and higher alternative, visit Sydney’s Observation Tower where you’ll have views from the tallest building in the city. Afterwards, have a few drinks at the Opera Bar before watching a performance in the Sydney Opera House. Take a day or two out of the city to visit the Blue Mountains to see Katoomba and The Three Sisters pinnacles, and learn about the aboriginal legends of how they were formed. In the CBD and surrounds, Sydney is rich in nature, culture, and nightlife, and ought to be everyone’s first stop Down Under.

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XXXXXX TOP 10 CITY BREAKS

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MELBOURNE Arguably the trendiest city in Australia, Melbourne has an active nightlife and arts scene that keeps the city constantly buzzing. From lane-way boutiques to shopping complexes, and cafes to 5-star dining, the shopping scene in Melbourne is renowned among Australian capitals. Grab a pizza at 400 Gradi on Lygon street, stroll along the Yarra River, or road trip along the Great Ocean Road, one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world, and be sure to visit the 12 Apostles and the Grampians National Park.

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QUEENSTOWN

ALICE SPRINGS

Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand, combines the country’s most awe-inspiring natural landscapes, and our inclination to hurl ourselves at the mercy of them. Head out of the city to try one of the countless adventure sports, like throwing yourself off a bridge that’s set against the most beautiful mountainous backdrops you’ll ever see upside down. A visit to Fiordland National Park is a must to remind yourself why New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

One of the smaller major towns in Australia, a visit Down Under isn’t complete without visiting the red centre. Take a day trip out of town to marvel at Uluru and learn about the aboriginal heritage that surrounds this mysterious rock. As the sun dips from blue skies to red dirt, watch an explosive sunset bring a sense of magic and wonder to this haunting rock. Visit in July and stay for the Camel Cup where you can watch these unpredictable animals spit, snarl, and occasionally run in the right direction.

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Enjoying your time in Australia and don’t want the adventure to end?

CAIRNS While not Australia’s most cosmopolitan city, the biggest reason travellers head to Cairns is for its accessibility to The Great Barrier Reef, and a stop-over for visiting the Whitsundays. In the tropical north of Queensland, Cairns has a different climate to the other capitals, and is a place where shorts and thongs could be considered formal-wear. Drive through the Great Dividing Range, submerse yourself in tropical rainforests, or head to the ocean for swimming, sailing, and one of the most memorable diving experiences nature can gift you.

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Queensland is looking for skilled workers to fill a range of occupations from social workers to farmers, midwives to tradespeople.

Apply for State Nominated permanent residency and regional visas at www.migration.qld.gov.au

HAMILTON ISLAND In the heart of the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland, Hamilton Island is more built up than others, making it more akin to a small town than an island getaway. There’s accommodation to suit any budget and every possibility for windsurfing, parasailing and jet skiing, to name a few. Cruise around the islands, visit Daydream Island and Whitehaven Beach, and follow the walking trail to Passage Peak. Don’t forget, you’re only a stonefish’s throw away from snorkelling and diving The Great Barrier reef.

Fast

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Direct

Online

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7 BACKPACKERS WELLINGTON - NZ Arts, Events and Culture Capital Trek Global is in the heart of Wellington city. Dorms from just $22 per night & private rooms from $59 per night.

WELLINGTON

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Wellington is the capital of New Zealand in both constitution and culture. As in most capital cities, there’s plenty of dining, shopping, museums, galleries, and things to be seen around the city, yet Wellington’s city sites are set against mountain and hillside backdrops Take a trip up the cable car to visit the botanical gardens while taking in beautiful panoramas of the city and surrounds. For the film buffs, take a day trip out of the city on a Lord of the Rings themed tour.

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HOBART

AUCKLAND

PERTH

With a population of 250,000, Hobart is quite small when compared to Australia’s other capitals, with quite an intimate population where everyone seems to know everyone *wink wink*.

Admire the 1830’s architecture and markets in Salamanca Place before heading up Mount Wellington by foot, bicycle, or reach the summit by car, for panoramic views. Head out of the city for a trip to the Tasman Peninsula, Tasman National Park, and the Port Author Historic Site to experience Tasmania’s rich nature and heritage.

And all that without an overt incest joke. Ish.

Auckland is built upon 50 volcanoes, not all of which are inactive. About 100km below the earth’s surface is a magma reservoir, essentially making New Zealand’s most populated city one giant death trap. Forget stories about surviving Australia’s sharks, snakes and spiders, and tell your friends about the time you visited Auckland and danced upon the gateways to the core of the earth. Visit the Waitomo caves or climb the Harbour Bridge where, in keeping with New Zealand pastimes, you can bungee off it.

Being Australia’s most expensive and isolated city, Perth might not be first, or even tenth, on many people’s first draft of travel destinations. Though while growing in the wake of Melbourne and Sydney, this laid-back big city has developed, and continues to develop, its own unique, independent character from the East. Enjoy a BBQ by the Swan River, hold koalas at Yanchep National Park, or ride your bike among the quokkas on Rottnest Island to appreciate the underrated sights this young city has to offer.

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OZLISTINGS TOUR FIRMS Adventure Tours Australia-wide tours 1800 068 886, adventuretours.com.au Airliebeach.com Whitsundays packages 1800 677 119, airliebeach.com Autopia Tours Tours around Victoria 03 9391 0261, autopiatours.com.au Awesome Adventures Oz Whitsundays packages 1800 293 7663, awesomeoz.com Tours in Tasmania Tours around Tasmania 1800 777 103, tourstascom.au Bunyip Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 286 947, bunyiptours.com

linking Adelaide, Alice Springs & Melbourne 1800 661 177, groovygrape.com.au

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kangaroo Island Adventure Tours Adelaide to KI tours 08 8202 8678, kiadventuretours.com.au

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

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

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

Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Whitsundays sailing 07 4940 2007 WhitsundaysSailingAdventures. com.au

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com Groovy Grape Getaways Tours

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

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Mighty Cars and Campers (Formerly Backpacker Campervan Rentals) 1800 809 944 mightycampers.com.au Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangrentacar.net Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

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

Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

Western Xposure WA tours 08 9414 8423, westernxposure.com.au Wilderness 4WD Adventures Top end tours 1800 808 288, wildernessadventures.com.au Wildlife Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 661 730, wildlifetours.com.au

Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo.

02 9358 5000, carmarket.com.au

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com Travellers Auto Barn 1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.com.au Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

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TRANSPORT Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia.

13 20 30, greyhound.com.au Jetstar Airline.

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

13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline.

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

03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline.

03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, tasredline.com.au Virgin Australia Airline.

13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

With great fares every day! . . . why not travel PREMIER class!

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SYDNEY STAY Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD.

SYDNEY MUSIC

STAY HERE

Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com

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

Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

Bounce Budget Hotel 28 Chalmers St. CBD.

The Annandale annandalehotel.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. Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. 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 Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills.

02 9318 0902 Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach.

02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au Bondi Shores Level 1. 283 Bondi Road, Bondi bondishores.com.au Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street.

Tamarama. yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi.

02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com

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

34 Harrington St The Rocks, Sydney. Beds from $26 Most hostels don’t boast a terrace like this, but this is just one reason Bounce won Best Hostel in Australia and Most Popular Hostel in Sydney bouncehostel.com.au at the 2014 HostelWorld.com Hoscars.

Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road.

Glebe. yha.com.au

Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au

Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly.

02 9977 6077 boardrider.com.au

Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly.

1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au

Taronga Zoo Mosman. taronga.org.au

Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly.

02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney.

02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com

Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal. 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

The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane.

Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

COFFS HARB Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 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

Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee.

04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee.

02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au

CENTRAL COAST Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle. yha.com.au

Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net

Manly Surf School Manly Beach. 02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee.

02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au

Blue Mountains YHA 207 Katoomba St, Katoomba. yha.com.au

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

Wake Up! 509 Pitt St, CBD.

Lochner’s Guesthouse 27 Paul St. Bondi.

02 9389 5421

Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee.

02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com

BLUE MTNS

BOUNCE SYDNEY

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

Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sopa.nsw.gov.au Sydney Tower and Skywalk 100 Market St, CBD. sydneytowereye.com.au Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

SYDNEY TOWER & SKYWALK Take in sweeping views of the city from the Sydney Tower’s 360-degree observation deck. If that’s not thrilling enough for you, go for the Skywalk. Shuffle around the al-fresco edge of the tower 268m above the ground, and feel your legs turn to jelly as you look down through the glass floor. sydneytowereye.com.au

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TASLISTINGS PORT ARTHUR

HOBART STAY Backpackers Imperial Hobart 138 Collins St. 03 6229 5215, centralbackpackers.com.au

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

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

LAUNCESTON

Montgomery’s YHA 9 Argyle St. Narrara Backpackers 88 Goulburn St. 03 6234 8801, narrarabackpackers.com Pickled Frog 281 Liverpool St. 03 6234 7977, thepickledfrog.com Transit Backpackers 251 Liverpool St. 03 6231 2400, transitbackpackers.com

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

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

BICHENO

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

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

Launceston Backpackers 103 Canning St. 03 6334 2327, launcestonbackpackers.com.au

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

Lloyds Hotel 23 George St. 03 6331 9906, backpackersaccommodation.com.au

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

Salamanca Markets Every Saturday, Salamanca Place. salamanca.com.au

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

Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 5 Argyle St. tmag.tas.gov.au

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

CRADLE MTN

Big 4 Iluka Reserve Rd. Freycinet National Park Brewery, Wineglass Bay camping. 03 6256 7000 wineglassbay.com

STRAHAN, Strahan YHA 43 Harvey St.

STRAHAN DO Wild Rivers Jet Jet Boat Cruises.

0364717396 wildriversjet.com.au

Discovery Holiday Parks Cradle Mountain Rd. 1800 068 574 discoveryholidayparks.com. au/TAS

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

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

MELBOURNE STAY

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

FREYCINET

All Nations Nomads 2 Spencer St. Base Melbourne 17 Carlisle St, St. Kilda.

Central Melbourne Accommodation 21 Bromham Place, Richmond.

03 9427 9826, centralaccommodation.net Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697,

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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, homehostels.com.au Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 03 9329 7525 discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. Nomads Melbourne 198 A’beckett St. Space Hotel 380 Russell St.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

BROADBEACH Broadbeach is a stylish Gold Coast suburb that perfectly complements and contrasts the adjacent loud and brash Surfer’s Paradise, just a few kilometers north. Generally regarded as the more laidback and stylish of the two, Broadbeach has one of the biggest shopping malls in the southern hemisphere, the famous Jupiters Casino and scores of well-regarded restaurants and cafes.

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1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au

DON’T MISS

The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, spencerbackpackers.com.au Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor College Lawn Hotel 36 Greville St, Prahran collegelawnhotel.com.au Claremont Guesthouse 189 Toorak Rd, South Yarra hotelclaremont.com City Centre Budget Hotel 22-30 Little Collins St citycentrebudgethotel.com Elephant Backpackers 250 Flinders St elephantbackpacker.com.au Elizabeth Hostel 490 Elizabeth St elizabethhostel.com.au King St Backpackers 160 King Street kingstreetbackpackers.com.au Hotel Discovery 167 Franklin St hoteldiscovery.com.au Lords Lodge Backpackers 204 Punt Rd lordslodge.com.au Melbourne International Backpackers 450 Elizabeth St mibp.com.au Melbourne Metro YHA 78 Howard St Melbourne Oasis YHA 76 Chapman St St Arnaud 99 Park St, South Yarra, starnaudguesthouse.com The Spencer City Central BP 475 Spencer St spencerbackpackers.com.au The Nunnery 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy nunnery.com.au Victoria Hotel Backpackers Victoria Hotel, 380 Victoria St vichotelbrunswick.com.au

ST KILDA

THE GRAMPIANS

There’s far more to Victoria than Melbourne and some Apostles. Like these here mountains, perhaps the most dramatic in Oz. Head to Hall’s Gap, about 250km from Melbourne, and get bushwalking. visitvictoria.com 109 Barkly St ritzbackpackers.com St Kilda Beach House 169B Fitzroy St stkildabeachhouse.com.au

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square.

03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au

Back of Chapel Backpackers 50 Green St backofchapel.com

National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au

Base St Kilda 17 Carlisle St

Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Coffee Palace Backpackers 24 Grey St coffeepalacebackpackers.com. au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Rd, thehabitathq.com.au Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au The Ritz for Backpackers

Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com Tourism Victoria Backpacking ideas. backpackmelbourne.com

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

GREAT OCEAN RD Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea.

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

03 5289 1070, greatoceanroadcottages.com Port Campbell Hostel 18 Tregea St, Port Campbell.

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

MORNINGTON Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie.

03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento.

Tortoise Head Lodge French Island.

03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

03 5674 1447, inverlochholidaypark.com.au

DANDENONG Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park 24 Old Bridge Dr, Newhaven.

03 5956 7227, phillipislandcpk.com.au

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

Cowes Caravan Park 164 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 2211, cowescaravan.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 Coast YHA Backpackers 0427 875 735 Cambrai Hostel Maffra 117 Johnson St, Maffra.

1800 101 113 maffra.net.au/hostel

PHILLIP ISLAND Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes.

Anchor Belle Holiday Park 272 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 2258, anchorbelle.com.au Avenue Apartments 204 Thompson Avenue, Cowes.

03 5952 6718, visitphillipisland.com Beach Park Tourist Caravan Park 2 McKenzie Rd, Cowes.

03 5952 22113, beachpark.com.au BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park 2 Cuttriss St, Inverloch.

Koala Park Resort 1825 Phillip Island Rd, Cowes.

03 5952 2176, koalaparkresort.com.au The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road. 03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com. au San Remo Holiday Park 4 Mary Grove, San Remo.

03 5678 5024 visitphillipisland.com

GRAMPIANS Grampians YHA Eco Hostel Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds, Halls Gap. 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

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY If you’re not much of a daredevil but still like the idea of seeing a rainforest from above, you can smoothly glide over the rainforest and gorges from Caravonica Lakes to Kurand in a glass-bottomed cable car or one of the brand new four-person open-air gondolas. You can pop out at Skyrail’s two mid-stations, where you can explore the rainforest from ground level, on boardwalks and from scenic look-outs, and learn a bit more about the ‘science bits’ at the interpretation centre.

A one-way trip costs from $47. skyrail.com.au

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

07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com Brisbane Backpackers Resort 110 Vulture St, West End. 1800 626 452, brisbanebackpackers.com.au Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, katarzyna.com.au The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm.

04 3270 6666

Photos: Tourism Queensland/Darren Jew

Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com

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Tin Billy Travellers 462 George St tinbilly.com

BRISBANE DO Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah.

07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Gallery of Modern Art Australian and international paintings, sculptures and decorative art.

07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing.

Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point.

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

1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb. com.au XXXX Brewery Tours & Ale House Brewery tours.

Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.

07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com. au

Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St The Elephant Hotel 230 Wickham St elephanthotel.com.au Somewhere to Stay Cnr Brighton Rd & Franklin St somewheretostay.com.au The Palace Backpackers Cnr Anne & Edward St backpackbrisbane.com

GOLD COAST Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise.

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

1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au

Coolangatta YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga.

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

Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers.

1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au

Warner Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au

Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers.

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

1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au

Zorb 07 5547 6300

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

1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com

RAINBOW BEACH

Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers.

1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers. com.au

Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111126, dingosresort.com

Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise.

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

Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport.

07 5591 5616, trekkersbackpackers.com.au

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

Nomads Islander Resort 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surf & Sun Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd surfnsun-goldcoast.com

GC DO Dreamworld Theme park. dreamworld.com.au Get Wet Surf School 1800 438 938 Seaworld

seaworld.com.au

HERVEY BAY Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com.au Next at Hervey Bay 10 Bideford St. 1800 102 989, nextbackpackers.com Palace Backpackers 184 Torquay, 1800 063 168, palaceadventures.com.au

FRASER ISLAND Eurong Beach Resort 07 4120 1600, eurong.com.au Palace Adventures 184 Torquay St, Hervey Bay, 1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay Cool Dingo’s Rainbow Beach 20 Spectrum St dingosresort.com Dropbear Adventures Williams Ave, Fraser Island.

QLD 61 487 333 606 dropbearadventures.com.au Frasers On Rainbow Beach 195 Torquay Terrace, Torquay, flashpackersherveybay.com Kingfisher Bay Resort River Heads Road, Fraser Island kingfisherbay.com Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park 21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness, Hervey Bay frasercoasttouristpark.com.au Fraser Island Backpackers Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island fraserislandco.com.au Fraser’s on Rainbow 18 Spectrum Av, Rainbow Beach frasersonrainbow.com The Friendly Hostel 182 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay friendlyhostel.com.au

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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.au

AIRLIE BEACH airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119 Airlie Beach YHA 394 Shute Harbour Rd. Backpackers by the Bay 12 Hermitage Dr. 1800 646 994, backpackersbythebay.com Base Airlie Beach Resort 336 Shute Harbour Rd

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

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!

LIAʼS N TO DIVE WITH AUSTRA TAKE THE PLUNGE, LEAR VE PROFESSIONALS GREAT BARRIER REEF DI

Mission Beach Retreat 49 Porters Promenade missionbeachretreat.com.au

CAIRNS STAY Bohemia Central Cairns 100 Sheridan St. 1800 558 589, bhacentral.com.au Bohemia Resort Cairns 231 McLeod St. 1800 155 353 bohemiaresort.com.au Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au JJ’s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com NJoy Backpackers Hostel

141 Sheridan St. and fast food joints to help with yourHarbour Gilligan's hangover.

1800 807 055, Magnums Whitsunday Village Resort 13:00: Continuing north of Port Douglas you’ll land in njoy.net.au 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800Gorge 624 634 (mossmangorge.com.au). At Daintree Mossman Nomads Beach House magnums.com.au Sheridan St. National Park the gorge is a must-see.239 Once you’ve trekked along the path you’ll be able to give your feet a rest and Northern Greenhouse BOWEN 117that Grafton Street. admire the crystal clear Mossman River cascades over Bowen Backpackers 1800 229 228, Beach end of Herbert St. granite boulders. northerngreenhouse.com.au 07 4786 3433 15:00: Heading back to the car and continuing north bowenbackpackers.net CAIRNS DO you’ll find yourself at Cape Tribulation. Check out Ferntree AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon Rainforest Lodge (ferntreerainforestlodge.com.au) TOWNSVILLE swinging. 1800 622 888 Adventurers Resort with a bar and wooden which has classic huts tables. They cairns.ajhackett.com 79 Palmer St. serve scrumptious After eating 1800 211 522, meals night and day.

Go Wild Jungle Tours it’s adventurersresort.com tours a to Croc Daintreecruise Rainforest. time to enjoy the delights of the CapeDaywith 07 4041 9440, Adrenalin Dive (daintreerivercruises.com.au) A onejungletours.com.au hour wildlife cruise 07 4724 0600, that lets you spot wild animals in their habitat. Be adrenalindive.com.au Pronatural Dive 07 4031 5255 warned: Yongala don’t Dive walk too close to any mangroves, you might prodivecairns.com Yongala diving. get an unwanted snap.

07 4783 1519, Raging Thunder Adventures 19:00: Withyongaladive.com.au all that excitement it’s time to head back Whitewater rafting.

07 head 4030 7990, towards Cairns. As the evening settles, straight into the ragingthunder.com.au city centre where there is wide MAGNETIC IS array of restaurants for you Skydive Cairns to pick from along Island the main strip.

Base Magnetic POBOX 105N Cairns 1 Nelly Bay Rd. 4052 1822, 19:00: And it wouldn't be true Cairns 07 experience without skydivecairns.com.au Bungalow Bay Backpackers dancing the night away at The Woolshed (thewoolshed.

Horseshow Bay. com.au).1800 With themed nights on every night, try your luck 285 577, CAPE TRIB in the wet bungalowbay.com.au T-shirt competitions or seeCrocodylus how you fare in their Village Arcadia games. Either way you'll Lot 5, Buchanan Creek Cairns Rd, Mexican Hotel drinking end your 7 Marine Parade, Arcadia Bay. Cow Bay. trip on a07high.

4778 5177, 07 4098 9166,

hotelaracadia.com.au

. . .

E R E H Y L L A IN F E ’R YOU

crocodyluscapetrib.com

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

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

www.prodivecairns.com SHOP: Cnr Shields & Grafton Sts, Cairns FREECALL: 1800 353 213 PHONE: +617 4031 5255 RES: info@prodivecairns.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM53 55 tntdownunder.com

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

pksjunglevillage.com.au

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

PORT DOUGLAS Parrotfish Backpackers Resort 37 Warner St, Kuranda.

07 4099 5011, parrotfishlodge.com

GULF SAVANNAH Emu Creek Cattle Station 08 9943 0534

DAINTREE Koala Beach Resort Lake St, 07 4051 4933

MORETON ISLAND Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

NOOSA STAY Flashpackers Noosa 102 Pacific Avenue, Sunshine Beach flashpackersnoosa.com Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr Noosa Inland Noosa Backpackers 9-13 William St, Noosaville noosabackpackers.com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa.

1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au Dolphins Beach House Noosa 14 – 16 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach dolphinsbeachhouse.com

NOOSA DO

follow us on Noosa Learn to Surf Noosa Main Beach, Noosa Heads learntosurf.com.au

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

INNISFAIL

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

ROCKHAMPTON Emu Park Resort 92 Patterson St, Emu Park emusbeachresort.com Rockhampton Backpackers YHA 60 Macfarlane St Childers Eco-Lodge Off the Princess Highway childersecolodge.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST

@tnt_downunder Cotton Tree Beachouse 15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com The Duporth 6 Wharf St, Maroochydore theduporth.com.au

TOWNSVILLE Adventurers Backpackers 79 Palmer St adventurersresort.com Civic Guest House Backpackers Hostel 262 Walker St civicguesthousetownsville. com.au Foreign Exchange Accommodation Beachside 19 Eyre St, North Ward foreignx.com.au

Australia Zoo 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Sunshine Coast australiazoo.com

Codge Lodge 63 Rankin St codgelodge.com

The Discovery Group Noosa Everglades thediscoverygroup.com.au

Crown Hostel 25 Ernest St 07 4061 2266

Drop Bear Adventures Fraser Island from Noosa dropbearadventures.com.au

Backpackers Shack 7 Ernest St fbackpakershack.com

Bli Bli House B&B 600 David Low Way, Pacific Paradise. buderimmotorinn.com

Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd

Kanu Kapers Australia Noosa Everglades kanukapersaustralia.com

Farm work, Innisfail farmwork.tv/farmwork/innisfail

Beach Front Towers 4 Aerodrome Rd, Marochydore beachfronttowers.com.au

Bungalow Bay Koala Village 40 Horseshoe Bay Rd bungalowbay.com.au

Amore on Buderim 27 Earlybird Dr, Buderim amoreonbuderim.com.au Buderim Motor Inn 45 King St, Buderim buderimmotorinn.com

MACKAY Gecko’s Rest 34 Sydney St geckosrest.com.au

MAGNETIC IS

SAY HELLO!

Photos: iStock

MAGNETIC ISLAND

56

When Captain Cook rocked up on Magnetic Island in 1700 he noticed that his compasses went a bit mental. He was so convinced the island had a magnetic force that interfered with his navigation, he quickly named the island after his assumption. Although it turned out the Cookie Monster was wrong about the compass thing, over the years Magnetic Island has developed a powerful magnetic force over backpackers. And it’s easy to see why backpackers love “Maggie”, as the locals affectionately know her. The luscious, tropical playground is a convenient 20-minute ferry ride from Townsville and home to the largest population of koalas in northern Australia. magnetic-island.com.au

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Australia’s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

AdventureGoldCoast.com 752 OZ LISTINGS.indd 57

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DARWIN STAY

MUST SEE

Banyan View Lodge Darwin 119 Mitchell St. 08 8981 8644, banyanviewlodge.com.au Darwin YHA 97 Mitchell St.

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

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

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

CROCOSAURUS COVE Saltwater crocs are the most famous of the NT’s creatures, and if the idea of being face-to-face with one is appealing to you then you should visit Crocosaurus Cove park in Darwin. The ‘Cage of Death’ (reassuring) costs $160 for a single cage. crocosauruscove.com

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

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

08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road.

1800 501 984, big4.com.au Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Third St. 08 8972 2722

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

DARWIN DO

KATHERINE STAY

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

08 8999 8264, magnt.nt.gov.au

Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf.

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

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

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

ALICE SPRINGS Alice Lodge 4 Mueller St. 08 8953 1975, alicelodge.com.au Alice Springs YHA Cnr Parsons St & Leichhardt Tce. Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive.

1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au

@tnt_downunder

Toddy’s Backpackers 41 Gap Rd. ONLINE Rock & Dorm SPECIALS FREECALL 1800 027027 toddys.com.au

ALICE DO Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive.

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

9 Stuart Terrace.

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

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

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

80 Head St. 08 8951 6834, assoa.nt.edu.au The Rock Tour 74 Todd St “3day Uluru only $350” FREECALL 1800 246345 therocktour.com.au

FLY JETSTAR TO ULURU AIRPORT FROM $99 BOOK YOUR TOUR TODAY! 58

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PERTH STAY Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, www.billabongresort.com.au

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

STAY HERE

One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge.

1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. The Old Swan Barracks 2-8 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com

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

Grand Central Hotel Backpackers 379 Wellington St 08 9421 1123

Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge.

1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au

Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe.

08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, undergroundbackpackers. com.au

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

Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge.

08 9227 6000, perthbritannia.com

Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au

Northbridge shiralee.com.au

YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au

Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com

COOLIBAH LODGE 194 Brisbane Stt, Northbridge, WA. Rooms from $29 Northbridge is a historical and exciting area of Perth and this hostel is close enough to party the night away and still get a good night’s sleep.

Perth

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

Hotel Bambu Backpackers 75 - 77 Aberdeen St, Northbridge bambu.net.au

coolibahlodge.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge.

08 9228 3755, underground backpackers.com.au

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

The Witch’s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, Witchs-hat.com

Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com

Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au

PERTH DO

Mountway Holiday Apartments 36 Mount St mountwayapartments.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottesloe oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au Perth Beach YHA 256 West Coast Hwy, Scarbrough Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au The Shiralee Hostel 107 Brisbane St,

Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys.

08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth Cultural Centre/Roe St, Perth.

08 9492 6600, artgallery.wa.gov.au Aviation Heritage Museum Bull Creek Drive, Air Force Memorial Estate, Perth.

08 9311 4470, raafawa.org.au

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Crown Perth Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood. 08 9362 7777, crownperth.com.au Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au Moonlight Cinema Synergy Parklan, Kings Park, Perth. moonlight.com.au Perth Mint 310 Hay St. 08 9421 7223, perthmint.com.au Perth Zoo 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth. 08 9474 3551, perthzoo.wa.gov.au Penguin Island 153 Arcadia Drive (corner of Penguin Road), Shoalwater, Perth.

08 9591 1333, penguinisland.com.au Perth Concert Hall 5 St George’s Terr., Perth. 08 9231 9900, perthconcerthall.com.au St Mary’s Cathedral 17 Victoria Square,, Perth.

08 9223 1350, perthcatholic.org.au

THE AQUARIUM OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Explore 12,000km of coastline in just one day. From the icy waters of the Southern Ocean to the tropical wonderland of coral reefs in the far north, go on an underwater journey to discover incredible and unique marine life.

aqwa.com.au

St George’s Cathedral 38 St George’s Terrace, Perth. 08 9325 5766, perthcathedral.org The Perth Mint 310 Hay Street, Perth. 08 9421 7376,

CHECK OUT!

KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK Western Australia’s second biggest national park is crammed full of gorges, waterfalls and rock pools, all within a dusty outback setting. Centred on the Hamersley Range, try not to miss Weano Gorge and Dales Gorge, as well as the Oxer Lookout. karijini.com

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perthmint.com.au The WACA Nelson Crescent, East Perth.

08 9265 7222,, waca.com.au Western Australian Museum James St, 08 9212 3700, museum.wa.gov.au

PERTH MUSIC Amplifier Capital amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Belgian Beer Cafe belgianbeer.com.au Perth Arena pertharena.com.au Metro Cityl metroconcertclub.com The Bakery nowbaking.com.au The Ellington Jazz Club ellingtonjazz.com.au The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au The Newport Hotel thenewport.com The Beat Megaclub thebeatmegaclub.com.au Universial Bar universalbar.com.au Ya-Ya’s ya-yas.com.au

FREO STAY

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre 1-9 Short St. 08 9335 5044, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

ROTTNEST ISL Rottnest Island YHA Kingstown Barracks.

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

MARGARET RIVER Margaret River Lodge YHA 220 Railway Tce. Harmony Forest 248 Sebbes Rd. 08 9757 7055, harmonyforest.com.au Surfpoint 12 Riedle Drive Prevally 08 9757 1777 surfpoint.com.au

ALBANY Albany Bayview Backpackers YHA 49 Duke St Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruise-inn.com

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

NINGALOO REEF

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

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

Old Firestation Backpackers 18 Phillimore St. 08 9430 5454, oldfirestation.com.au

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

Sundancer Backpackers Resort 80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com Pirates Backpackers Resort 11 Essex St. 08 9335 6653, piratesbackpackers.com.au

FREO DO Fremantle Markets Henderson Street Fremantle 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace.

08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth.

BROOME STAY Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road.

1800 655 011, cablebeachbackpackers.com Kimberley Club 62 Fredrick St 08 9192 3233, kimberleyklub.com

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St ningalooclub.com

ESPERANCE

The Shipwreck Galleries Cliff St, 08 9212 3700, museum.wa.gov.au

Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd,

Fremantle Arts Centre 1 Finnerty Street.

08 9432 9555, fac.org.au

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

EXMOUTH

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SALISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WILPENA POUND Think South Australia’s dull? Think again. It’s actually home to some of the country’s coolest, strangest and downright stunning spots. Exhibit A, Wilpena Pound.

ADELAIDE STAY

adelaideoval.com.au

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

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

Adelaide Central YHA 135 Waymouth St.

Haigh’s Chocolates Factory tours.

153 Greenhill Rd, Parkside 1800 819 757, haighschocolates.com.au

Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au

Temptation Sailing Dolphin swimming, Glenelg.

04 1281 1838 dolphinboat.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

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.

KANGAROO IS Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw.

Vivonne Bay Lodge 66 Knofel Drive, Vivonne Bay 13 13 01 sealink.com.a

RIVERLAND

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

Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri.

08 8582 3144, berribackpackers.com.au

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

Harvest Trail Lodge Loxton.

08 8584 5646, harvesttrail.com.au

DON’T MISS

Photos:iStock

FLEURIEU PEN Port Elliot Beach House YHA 13 The Strand, Port Elliot.

EYRE PENINSULA Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

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

08 8626 5017 bairdbay.com

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions Great white shark cage diving.

08 8363 1788 rodneyfox.com.au

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

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Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

Port Lincoln Tourist Park 11 Hindmarsh St. 08 8621 4444, portlincolntouristpark.com.au

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

ADELAIDE DO

Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray.

Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au

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

Adelaide Oval Home to the Donald Bradman collection.

War Memorial Drive.

08 8300 3800

frc.sa.gov.au

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

BAROSSA VALLEY About 70km from Adelaide, this picturesque patchwork of vineyards and German townships is arguably Australia’s best wine region, so get on a tasting daytrip. groovygrape.com.au

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

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NZ TRAVEL NZ TRIP | NORTH & SOUTH ISLAND LISTINGS

BLAST IT IN QUEENSTOWN / 64 ‘As we crash up and down against the water, dodging rocks and skimming over shallow water, my stomach flutters in response, and the grin on my face refuses to budge. When we spin and do 180 ‘handbreak turns’, I’m laughing so hard it’s hard to tell if my wet lap is from the water spray or from something somewhat more embarrassing... ’

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Jumping from the Kawarau Suspension Bridge

Photos: AJ Hackett Bungy, Shotover Canyon Swing, Shotover Jet and iStock.

Canyon Swing

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Shotover Jet

Ziptrek Eco-tour

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Royal flush Queenstown will have the blood rushing to your head and make you free-fall in love with it. Get ready for the rush of your life...

Queenstown is the temptress your parents warned you about.

She’s dangerous, seductive, beautiful and if you’re not careful, she’ll have you spinning out of control.

The town, which is built around the deep blue Lake Wakatipu, is famous for its adventure activities: mountain biking, jet boating, whitewater rafting and, of course, bungy jumping. You’ll spot the tourists easily: bungy protocol means you must have your weight brandished on your hand in red marker. The truly brave are marked like livestock cattle.

Arguably the three most adrenalin-pumping activities are skydiving, bungee jumping and the canyon swing. Over the years we have tortured many-a writer by forcing them to jump from silly heights all in the name of their job. Having all survived to tell the tale (so what were they worried about? The pussies), read on for their experiences…

Canyon Swing Canyon swinging is not an activity for the faint-hearted, but it is loads of fun. There are numerous ways to jump, and the tomfoolery comes from picking which way is right for you.

Each style of jump is marked on a ‘pants’ scale of one to five pants, so there are options available for both the nanas and the thrill-seekers. You can even have the instructor customise your very own jump – but be warned, they take no prisoners.

On my arrival at the canyon I was pretty sure it was the baby jump for me, but being the last person to swing I realised I couldn’t digress back to where we had all started. So the five-pants pin jump it was. Harnessed up (and pretending to be cool) I approached the rather attractive instructors. Note to girls: they aren’t adverse to the occasional cuddle so get in as many as possible. They may be your last.

The ‘pin drop’ requires grasping your hands together behind your back, crouching down, looking directly at where you were about to fall and jumping sideways into the canyon. Simple.

After freaking myself out to a ridiculous level, I counted down from three... and jumped. All I can say is that the feeling of freefall is an out-of-world experience. Despite my pleas to let me stay down there all day I was regretfully hoisted back up to solid ground, and so I rewarded myself with another one of those hugs… $215 (extra jumps for $35), canyonswing.co.nz

Skydiving There is perhaps no better place in the world than Queenstown to risk your life on the cord of a parachute.

Skydive with NZone The mountainous scenery is phenomenal and would inspire even the most worried jumper.

Tandem skydiving (attached to a dude or possibly a dudette) is great because you really have to do very little. I thought there would be a long drawn-out, I-want-to-slit-my-wrists-style training course. But no.

You watch a short video, take an advised wee trip, get kitted up and told to bend like a banana (head up, waist forward, legs back). That’s it...

So how was it? Surprisingly – and I really was surprised – I felt no fear.

I usually get a bit funny on a plane. But this was the one time that I knew if there was a problem I had a tough man with a parachute strapped on my back.

So instead of feeling queasy I was raring to go. I spent the 10-minute journey up to 12,000 feet enjoying the buzz and watching others freak out. But I just figured, if I am going to die, this is how to do it.

People say it is easier to go first because you don’t have to watch the others bowl out before you. But I loved the thought that I was about to follow them through the clouds. The best moment was tumbling out of the plane feeling completely befuddled... Not knowing up from down is priceless.

At 12,000 feet you get a 45-second freefall which was ›› TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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A SHORT HISTORY OF QUEENSTOWN’S SHOTOVER JET.

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In Un br Ar Yo to op Ga 19 ex th ca ha Qu ad

SHOTOVER JET QUEENSTOWN P: 0800 802 804 E: reservations@shotoverjet.co.nz www.shotoverjet.com

without doubt the shortest 45 seconds of my whole life (shoulda gone for the 60 seconds in hindsight). The rush that you get is difficult to explain. It is tough to breathe and extremely hard not to think “When will my bloody parachute open?”

That was the scary part. You are face to face with spectacular scenery, but the thought of plummeting to your doom keeps getting in the way of enjoying it.

Boomchh!! What was that? It was the glorious sound of the parachute opening and us slowing to the point where I can now hear and breathe and, more importantly, absorb the view.

Gliding down to the ground, with instructor and parachute in tow, is as close to flying I will ever get in this lifetime. I’d done it. I now officially rock. $299 from 9,000ft, $339 from 12,000ft, $439 from 15,000ft, nzone.biz

Bungy jumping As we drove up a makeshift road towards the Nevis, my palms were sweating, the maniac driver cackling, and whispers spread through the cabin under baited breath: “I hear they throw you off a platform to your death...”

On the other side of the mountain, as if hovering in mid-air, a white pod was suspended over a ravine. Those shiny things lining the river’s edge, are they human skulls? Is that a vulture circling high over head?

Get a grip, man!

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A gondola ferried us to the pod. Inside, thumping techno played on the stereo. I assume it was meant to psyche me up – it didn’t help the nerves.

The first victim stepped up, looked out over the barren landscape in the Jesus Christ pose and took the leap of faith.

The fall seemed to go forever.

The bungy cord went taut and snapped him back upwards.

Everyone, staring through the glass bottom of the pod, gasped, seeing the ridiculous look on his face; half fear, half euphoria.

I stepped up, put my arms out wide and looked out to the mountain in the distance... three, two, one, BUNGYYYYYYYYYY! Momentarily flying forward until gravity kicked in, then down I went. I had lived a full 27 years and I was comfortable to call it quits.

The ground rush you get from a bungy is something you don’t get from skydiving, accelerating towards nature at a pace only matched by your heart-rate. I was like Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye – just without the composure as my arms flailed about and irrational thoughts raced through my mind. But saving my life, my freefall slowed as the cord became taut and sprung back upwards for the second part of my ride.

Back on the platform, everyone was staring, waiting for the familiar expression of terrified enjoyment. I acted cool, naturally, just like 007. But they must have had Q’s X-ray

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1965 – 1970’s

1980 – 1990

2000 – 2015

In 1965 soon after the invention of the Jet Unit by kiwi Bill Hamilton, the Melhop brothers started Shotover Jet services from Arthurs Point to raise money for Christian Youth Camps. The company was then sold to jet boat driver Herm Palmer who operated it for 4 years. In 1970 Trevor Gamble purchased the company and by 1972 had changed the trip to a ‘thrill experience’. With ‘Jet 53’ wooden boats that carried 5 passengers Shotover Jet carried 6,500 customers in that year and has never looked back. So began one of Queenstown’s legends that helped pioneer adventure tourism in New Zealand.

Primarily for safety reasons, in 1987 the Shotover River Empowering Act granted Shotover Jet sole operating concession for the river’s canyon section, meaning Shotover Jet has exclusive rights and is the only company permitted to operate in the spectacular Shotover River Canyons.

Shotover Jet has carried over 3 million passengers and from humble beginnings has developed as a world leader in commercial jet boating with iconic status as one of New Zealand’s foremost tourism operators. If you only do one thing in Queenstown – this is it.

TM

om

glasses because they could see right through me.

The Nevis bungy costs $275 (inc. T-shirt and transport). bungy.co.nz

I hadn’t seen nothin’ yet. Going 85kph might be a regular occurrence on the motorway, but when you’re in an open-air jet boat, the engines roaring, the wind screaming past your ears and salty water spraying you directly in the face at any And if you don’t do heights... do the Shotover Jet opportunity, I feel like I’m travelling faster than I ever have before – and I love it.

There are some things in life I know I will just never do.

As we crash up and down against the water, dodging rocks Nearly all of them involve jumping/falling/being pushed from and skimming over shallow water, my stomach flutters in a great height to almost certain death. A few of the others response, and the grin on my face refuses to budge. When involve cheese, but I won’t get into that now. we spin and do 180 ‘handbreak turns’, I’m laughing so hard So when in Queenstown, the King, or rather Queen, of all things that plummet you towards earth at a great speed, how it’s hard to tell if my wet lap is from the water spray or from something somewhat more embarrassing... I wonder if Kate was I to get my adrenalin kicks?

Well, luckily for me, synonymous with Queensland’s River had a similar problem?

It’s like the best rollercoaster I have ever been on, and even Shotover is the word ‘jet.’ The fast and frantic Shotover better, it lasted for 25 minutes rather than two, and I didn’t Jet tour through the canyons of the 75km long river is have to queue for hours for the ride. pure exhilaration, combining the two personality facets of As we pulled back into the dock and my jelly legs made Queenstown – beauty and excitement. hard work of clambering back on to shore, I was almost as The big red boats seat around 40 people, and shoot up thrilled about the ride as I was at actually having a counterand down at a pace of up to 85kph over sparkling, clear story to all those jumpers back at the hostel with their stories water as shallow as 10cm deep. Eek. of bravery.

Kate and Wills had a go when they visited New Zealand They may have jumped off a cliff or out of a plane, but I last year, and so if it’s good enough for royalty, it’s good had spent the day tearing around in a jet boat. And I may enough for me. or may not have wet myself on the seat that the Duchess of Taking a seat in the boat powered by a V8 engine, I Cambridge may or may not have sat on. Yeah. Take that. was already excited with anticipation. As the boat revved out of the dock, I was already gripping to the bars, and From $108pp shotoverjet.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Snow Have I mentioned that it’s a ski town? Come June the mountains are coated in POW so white you’ll wonder why they don’t try to put photos of them on the front of Christmas cards. Cue the arrival of striped beanies and fluorescent ski jackets unnecessarily worn indoors.

ZIptrek Eco-tours Suspended high above the ancient forests and jagged mountain peaks, a ZipTrek eco-tour is simply a must-do activity. With two separate tours: the four-line Moa and the six-line Kea ZipTrek offer you a ropes-course experience like no other.

Queenstown Rafting The rolling rivers of Queenstown are ripe for white water rafting. Whether you’re new to rafting or a seasoned paddler, Queenstown Rafting (queenstownrafting.co.nz) has a tour to suit you, with experts ready to give you white knuckles to match the waters.

Drink at Cowboys At this bar you’ll find beers the size of your head and a rodeo bull controlled by a girl who customises each ride depending on whether she’s taken an instant or gradual dislike to you. What better way is there to start the night? (Even if you do end up chinning the back of the bull’s head.)

WHAT ELSE? There’s lots of other awesomeness to lure you to Queenstown. Here are just a few more reasons to visit this activity-packed spot…

Words: Katherine Bannon

Frisbee Golf Not content with one activity at a time, the Kiwis jammed two together decades ago. It’s basically golf, but with a frisbee. No, you don’t hit the frisbee with a golf club, you throw it into baskets. You’d be hard pushed to find any other ‘sport’ that can create a range of emotions – or a score above par – quite like it. And if your mates are doing a fair bit better than you, there’s always the opportunity to aim for their head and make it look like an accident. Or, maybe aim away from their head and cross your fingers if you’re still struggling.

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Luging Snap on your GoPro and you’re ready to roll.

Literally, because unlike go-karts these don’t require engines – just a steep enough track. A hell of a lot of fun and fucking brilliant when someone stacks it.

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Eat at Fergburger They aren’t just hamburgers, they’re a religion.

Going to Queenstown and failing to try half the menu is like taking a trip to Sydney and not seeing the Opera House. Except, instead of a decent Facebook cover photo, you get at least half a pound of meat, cheese, salad, lashings of sauce and your hangover satisfied for at least an hour or two. I suppose you could make it a cover photo too. Personal favourites include Cockadoodle Oink (that’s chicken and bacon), The Codfather (fish) and Sweet Bambi (venison)...

Arrowtown is only a 20 minute drive away And you know what that means? Pies! A staple breakfast offering across the whole of New Zealand you’ll probably lose count of the amount of times you’re told Bakery X/Y/Z’s are the best in the country. Really it’s only the offerings at Arrowtown Bakery that are deserving of this title, rendering all future pastry treats as worthless as a paper umbrella under a waterfall. Fillings include steak and cheese, bacon, Thai and butter chicken.

Why the latter hasn’t yet reached the UK is beyond me. (Probably because it requires containing actual meat.)

TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

Our beds fill up early and clever guests book ahead to secure the best beds and rooms.

Those clever guests also know our beds are cheaper as a member. So join YHA now from only NZ$25 and get 10% off accommodation, free WiFi and other great benefits too

www.yha.co.nz

BOOK YOUR BED AHEAD AND START SAVING NOW!

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NORTHISLAND AUCKLAND In Maori language the city’s name is Tamaki Makau Rau, which translates as “the city of 100 lovers”. Auckland is admired for its cosmopolitan flavour, its sunny harbour for the fact that it makes every other city in NZ feel like a small town.

follow us on experience necessary.

09 359 5987, explorenz.co.nz

SAY HELLO!

Auckland Museum See the world’s finest collection of Maori and Pacific Island artefacts. Explore New Zealand’s natural history, discover the largest bird that ever lived and experience a Maori cultural show.

09 309 0443, aucklandmuseum.com

i-SITE Auckland Atrium, skycity, Cnr Federal & Victoria Sts Backpackers World Travel 16-20 Fort St, 09 300 9999, backpackersworld.com i-SITE Visitor Information 287 Queen St, 09 979 2333, aucklandnz.com Ferry Tickets Online (For inter-island ferry services) 39 Beach Rd, 0800 500 660, ferrytickets.co.nz Department of Conservation Auckland Details on tramping, camping grounds, the Gulf Islands and exploring the regional parks.

137 Quay St Cnr, Princes Wharf, open Mon-Fri (9am-5am); SatSun (10am-4pm), 09 379 6476 Airport Transport The airport is 21km from the city and shuttle buses run every half an hour.

Airbus Airport is every 20 mins.

0800 247 287, airbus.co.nz City buses Tickets and timetables are available from the 10 central city Star Mart stores.

09 366 6400, maxx.co.nz Auckland InterCity Travel Centre Buses around Auckland and the rest of New Zealand leave from here. Located beside the casino, Hobson St, 09 583 5780, intercity.co.nz Train Intercity trains arrive and depart from Britomart, 12 Queen St, Auckland.

09 366 6400, transdev.co.nz

AUCKLAND STAY Auckland Airport Kiwi Hotel 150 McKenzie Road, Mangere.

09 256 0046, kiwiairporthotel.co.nz Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere.

09 275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International Backpackers 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584, aucklandinternationalbp.com

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Auckland Zoo See kiwi birds in the nocturnal house and over 900 animals.

09 360 3800, aucklandzoo.co.nz

WAITAKERE RANGES The regional parks in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges make it easy to explore vast areas of native bush, ahem, and you’re only 45km from New Zealand’s biggest city. A great place to begin your walking adventure is the Arataki visitor centre, which has informative displays about native trees, plants, birds and reptiles.

BK Hostel (BBH) 3 Mercury Ln, Central.

09 307 0052 bkhostel.co.nz

Queen Street Backpackers 4 Fort St. 09 373 3471, qsb.co.nz

Borders Beyond 8 Nixon St, Grey Lynn.

09 360 9880, bordersbeyond.co.nz

Uenuku Lodge (BBH) 217 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

09 378 8990, uenukulodge.co.nz

City Garden Lodge (BBH) 25 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell.

09 302 0880 citygardenlodge.co.nz

Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. 09 363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz

The Fat Camel (Nomads) 38 Fort St. 09 307 0181, nomadsworld.com

Brown Kiwi (BBH) 7 Prosford St, Ponsonby.

09 378 0191, brownkiwi.co.nz

Freemans Backpackers (BBH) 65 Wellington Street.

09 376 5046 freemanbackpackers.co.nz Freinz Backpackers (BBH) 27-31 Vitoria St. East.

09 307 6437 frienz.com Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. 09 300 9999, nomadshostels.com Jandal Palace (BBH) 38 Glenesk Rd, RD2.

09 812 8381, pihabeachstay.co.nz JJ House (BBH) 4 MacMurray Road.

09 214 9791 jjhouse.co.nz

KR City Travellers (BBH) 146 Karangahape Rd. 09 377 6027, kroadcitytravellers.co.nz Verandahs (BBH) 6 Hopetown St. 09 360 4180, verandahs.co.nz YHA Auckland City 18 Liverpool St. 09 309 2802, yha.co.nz YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. 09 302 8200, yha.co.nz

AUCKLAND DO

Kiwi International Hotel 411 Queen St. 0800 100 411, kiwihotel.co.nz

Explorer Bus Sightseeing around Auckland, 0800 439 756 explorerbus.co.nz

Lantana Lodge (BBH) 60 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell.

09 373 4546, lantanalodge.co.nz

Sealink Ferries can take you all over the harbour. Info about timetables and destinations are available online on the Sealink website.

0800 732 546, sealink.co.nz

Oaklands Lodge (BBH) 5a Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden.

09 638 6545, oaklands.co.nz

Base Backpackers Auckland 229 Queen St. 09 358 4877, stayatbase.com

Ponsonby Backpackers 2 Franklin Rd, Ponsonby.

09 360 1311, ponsonby-backpackers.co.nz

Bamber House (BBH) 22 View Rd, Mt Eden.

09 623 4267, bamberhouse.co.nz

Princeton Backpackers 30 Symonds St. 09 963 8300, princeton.net.nz

America’s Cup Sailing Experience A unique opportunity to participate as crew on an actual America’s Cup yacht. Take the helm, exert energy on the grinders or simply sit back and enjoy the action as you sail the beautiful Waitemata Harbour.

The two hour sails departs daily from the Auckland Viaduct. No

Coast to Coast Walkway A walk between Waitemata Harbour and Manukau Harbour.

It takes about four hours and takes in Albert Park, Auckland Uni, Auckland Domain, Mt Eden, and One Tree Hill.

Devonport A 15-minute ferry or bus ride across the harbour on the north shore, Devonport is an idyllic setting for a picnic or a stroll along the beach.

Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World A seawater aquarium with a moving walkway through a transparent underwater cavern.

Antarctic Encounter is a recreation of an Antarctic environment where you jump on a snow mobile and tour a penguin colony, get attacked by an orca whale.

Orakei Wharf, Tamaki Drive.

0800 80 50 50, kellytarltons.co.nz Mt Eden The highest point in the city, 4km south of the city centre with spectacular views. Get there by bus.

NZ National Maritime Museum The museum celebrates NZ’s maritime heritage.

09 373 0800, nzmaritimemuseum.co.nz Ponsonby West of the city, explore Victorian architecture and narrow streets with cafés, bars, clothes shops, art galleries and some lively nightlife.

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cruises to Hauraki Gulf islands, with all-day passes and hop-on, hop-off options. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Pride of Auckland The Pride of Auckland operates an impressive fleet of large, purpose-built yachts on the sheltered waters of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and is world famous for its sailing and dining cruises. Join them for a coffee, lunch, dinner, Waiheke sailing experience cruise or a full-day sailing adventure and experience the “City of Sails” for what it is known for.

0800 397 567, exploregroup.net Auckland Bridge Climb Up and over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Westhaven Reserve, Curran St, Herne Bay. 09 360 7748, bungy.co.nz Auckland Harbour Bridge Jump NZ’s only ocean touch bungy, 40m high. Westhaven Reserve, Curran St, Herne Bay. 09 360 7748, bungy.co.nz Canyonz Ltd Explore subtropical canyons and abseil down crashing waterfalls.

0800 422 696, canyonz.co.nz New Zealand Surf Tours Learn to surf on uncrowded, beautiful beaches.

09 828 0426, newzealandsurftours.com Sky Jump Fall from the top of the 192m Sky Tower, 0800 759 586, skyjump.co.nz Sky Walk Walk around the external 1.2m wide platform, 192m up.

0800 759925, skywalk.co.nz Fullers Bay of Islands Tours One, two and three-day tours from Auckland. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Awesome Adventures Three-day Bay of Islands tours.

0800 658 058, awesomenz.com

Beaches Auckland is surrounded by great beaches, including Judges Queen Street Bay, Kohimarama, Okahu Bay, Auckland’s main boulevard with St Heliers Bay and popular shops, cafés and restaurants.

Mission Bay. Whale & Dolphin Safari Aotea Square Markets See whales and dolphins from Every Friday and Saturday at Auckland’s doorstep. The Aotea Square, Queen St. NZ Hauraki Gulf is considered one fashion labels, retro gear, foods, of the most biologically and Pacific-style crafts, jewellery geographically diverse marine and furniture, 09 309 2677, parks in the world. See the-edge.co.nz dolphins, whales, sea birds and/ or even penguins. Dolphins are Victoria Park Market viewed on over 90% and whales 3km from the CBD, an outdoor on 75% of trips. Departs daily market with fruit, veggies, from the Auckland Viaduct. books, clothes and handicrafts.

Dolphin viewing guaranteed.

09 357 6032, exploregroup.co.nz GREAT BARRIER Fullers Cruises This unique island destination is Inner harbour cruises and longer dominated by a native forest a

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NORTHISLAND

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network of criss-crossing tracks. thebarrier.co.nz Orama Oasis Karaka Bay Rd, 09 429 0063, orama.org.nz Stray Possum Lodge (VIP) Stray Possum Lodge is situated on the beautiful Hauraki Gulf 09 429 0109, straypossum.co.nz

BARRIER DO Fullers Cruises Depart from the Ferry Building. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Great Barrier Airlines Fly out of Auckland Airport or Auckland Shore Airfield.

09 275 6612, greatbarrierairlines.co.nz Fullers Great Barrier Explorers Cruise and tours, summer only (October-April).

09 367 9111, fullers.co.nz

WAIHEKE ISLAND A 35-minute ferry ride from Auckland. It is popular for its long sweeping beaches and craft shops.

WHANGAREI Whangarei I-SITE Visitor Centre 92 Otaika Rd, 09 438 1079 whangareinz.com

WHANGAREI STAY Bunkdown Lodge (BBH) 23 Otaika Road, 09 438 8886, bunkdownlodge.co.nz Coastal Cow Backpackers (BBH) 299 Molesworth Drive, Mangawai Heads 09 431 5246, mangawhaibackpackers.com Little Earth Lodge (BBH) 85 Abbey Caves Road, 09 430 6562, littleearthlodge.co.nz Whangarei Falls Backpacker (BBH) 12 Ngunguru Rd, Whareora, 09 437 0609, whangareifalls.co.nz YHA Whangarei Manaakitanga 52 Punga Grove Ave, 09 438 8954, yha.co.nz

WHANGAREI DO

Hekerua Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 11 Hekerua Rd, Oneroa, 09 372 8990, hekerualodge.co.nz

Dive! Tutukaka Poor Knights Islands dives, plus tours with kayaking, cave explorations, snorkelling, swimming, sea mammalspotting.

Kina Backpackers 421 Seaview Road, Onetangi, 09 372 8971, kinabackpackers.co.nz

PAIHIA

HELENSVILLE The hot springs here have indoor and outdoor thermal pools and waterslides.

Malolo House 110 Commercial Rd, 09 420 7262, malolohouse.co.nz

HENDERSON BAY North Wind Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 88 Otaipango Road, RD4, 09 409 8515 northwind.co.nz

HIBISCUS COAST Orewa Beach Hillary Square, Orewa 09 426 2638, orewabeach.co.nz Pillows Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 412 Hibiscus Coast Highway, 0800 426 6338, pillows.co.nz

SAIL ROCK

Paihia is one of the most beautiful towns on the North Island with equal parts love for adventure, nature and a raucous nightlife.

AwesomeNZ Tours include Maori mythology, dolphin swimming and fast boats. Maritime Building, on the waterfront, 09 402 7421, awesomenz.com Bay of Islands i-Site The Wharf, Marsden Rd, 09 402 7345, paihia.co.nz

PAIHIA STAY Base Backpackers Bay of Islands 18 Kings Rd 09 402 7111, stayatbase.com Cap’n Bob’s Beach House (BBH) 44 Davis Crescent, 09 402 8668, capnbobs.co.nz Centabay Lodge (BBH) 27 Selwyn Rd, 09 402 7466, centabay.co.nz

Hen & Chickens Island and Sail Rock These offshore areas offer great sailing and diving. Boat trips leave from the area daily.

Admirals View Motel 2 MacMurray Rd, 09 402 6236, admiralviewlodge.co.nz

Waipu Wanderer (BBH) 25 St Marys Rd, 09 432 0532 waipu-hostel.co.nz

Mousetrap (BBH) 11 Kings Rd, 09 402 8182, mousetrap.co.nz

Peppertree Lodge 15 Kings Rd, 09 402 6122, peppertree.co.nz Pickled Parrot Backpackers (BBH) Grey’s Lane, 09 402 6222, pickledparrot.co.nz Saltwater Lodge (BBH) 14 Kings Rd, 09 402 7075, saltwaterlodge.co.nz Seabeds (BBH) 46 Davis Cres, 09 402-5567 seabeds.co.nz

PAIHIA DO Haruru Falls Picturesque falls offering swimming, camping and kayaking opportunities – and a pub!

Opua Forest The DOC provides a leaflet of forest walks, which features a small stand of Kauri trees. Drive into the forest via Oromahoe Rd or walk from School Rd. Te Rawhiti Cape Brett Walkway Guided tours include experienced local Maori guides, all meals, hut accommodation, transport by boat to hut taking in the famous Hole in the Rock, Maori culture, myths and legends and hangi, capebrettwalks.co.nz Waitangi Treaty Grounds The site where the historic Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Also see carvings that represent all Maori tribes in NZ and one of the largest ceremonial waka (canoe) in the world, launched every Waitangi Day (Feb 6).

09 402 7437, waitangi.net.nz Boat cruises & dolphin watching Cape Brett “Hole in the Rock” Cruise Four-hour cruises, dolphincruises.co.nz Dolphin Discoveries With the warmest water and friendliest dolphins (bottlenoses), this is a great place for swimming with the dolphins (conditions permitting).

The high-speed luxury catamaran offers easy access to the water and hot showers. Or do a “Hole in the Rock and Dolphin Viewing Experience” and see dolphins, whales, birds and other wildlife.

Visit Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island during your island stop and explore this amazing place.

0800 000 784, exploregroup.co.nz Dune Rider Unique Adventure Tour Make your way up to Cape Reinga while traveling to the Gumdiggers Park and drive along the famous Ninety Mile Beach.

Climb huge sand dunes and boogie board back down on the way and stop at the world famous Mangonui Fish Shop for fish and chips. Departing daily from Paihia. exploregroup.co.nz Sale Lion New Zealand: “The Ultimate Day Sail in the Bay”

Join Lion New Zealand, NZ’s legendary maxi yacht. The friendly crew will show you the ropes and share the stories of the Bay and Legend of Sir Peter Blake.

0800 000 784, exploregroup.co.nz

pa on the headland at Matauri Bay. Travellers come here to dive the ship’s wreck.

WHANGAROA This area was once well known for its Kauri forests, but these days it’s more about game fishing. The scenery is ruggedly spectacular and sailing cruises are popular.

Awesome Cape Reinga Via Ninety Mile Beach – learn Maori myths and legends, navigate the quicksand stream, ride the dunes, visit a thousand year old forest.

0800 653 339, awesomenz.com

Tourist info centre Boyd Gallery, 09 405 0230, whangaroa.co.nz

RUSSELL Catch a ferry to Russell, originally a sprawling fortified Maori settlement.

Information Centre End of the Pier, Russell 09 403 8020, exploregroup.co.nz

Sunseeker Lodge (BBH) 12 Old Hospital Rd, 09 405 0496, sunseekerlodge.co.nz

KARIKARI PENIN The Rusty Anchor 1 Tokerau Beach Rd, 09 406 7141, rustyanchor.hostel.com

RUSSELL STAY

KAITAIA

Wainui Lodge (BBH) 92D Te Wahapu Rd, 09 403 8278, wainuilodge-russell-nz.com

The ideal starting point for Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach.

Pukenui Lodge Hotel (BBH) Cnr SH1 & Pukenui Wharf Rd 09 409 8837, pukenuilodge.co.nz

Ferry Landing (BBH) 395 Aucks Rd, Okiato Point 09 403 7985, ferrylandingrussell.co.nz

Mainstreet Lodge (BBH) 235 Commerce St, 09 408 1275 mainstreetlodge.co.nz

Pipi Patch Backpackers 18 Kings Road, 09 403 7111.

KERIKERI

KAITAIA DO

A highlight of the sparsely populated town is the wonderful Maori village. There is also an historic Maori pa (fortress) and the Kerikeri Mission Station. kerikeri.co.nz

Ancient Kauri Kingdom Giant kauri tree stumps are fashioned into furniture and other trinkets.

KERIKERI STAY Kerikeri Top 10 Holiday Park & Aranga Backpackers Aranga Drive off Kerikeri Rd, 0800 272 642, kerikeritop10.co.nz

Far North Regional Museum Featuring all kinds of goodies, like the skeleton of a giant moa bird and salvages from local shipwrecks.

Pack or Paddle Thoms Landing, 09 4098 445, packorpaddle@hotmail.com

AHIPARA

Hideaway Lodge Wiroa Rd, 0800 562 746 kerikeri.co.nz

Kahoe Farms Hostel (BBH) 1266 State Highway 10, 09 405 1804, kahoefarms.co.nz

Hone Heke Lodge (BBH) 65 Hone Heke Rd, 09 407 8170, honeheke.co.nz

Endless Summer Lodge (BBH) 245 Foreshore Rd, 09 409 4181, endlesssummer.co.nz

Relax a Lodge (BBH) 1574 Springbank Rd (SH10) 09 407 6989 relaxalodge.co.nz

AHIPARA DO

MATAURI BAY A very well-kept tourist secret, Matauri Bay is Maori land, home to the Ngati Kura people, and has beautiful, quiet beaches.

The Welcome Swallow Backpackers 249 Hikuru Rd, Off Matauri Bay Rd, 09 405 1019, welcomeswallow.com

Tuatua Tours Guided quad tours of Ninety Mile Beach sand dunes. 3 Main Road, 0800 494 288, tuatuatours.co.nz

HOKIANGA

The Rainbow Warrior A monument to the noble but doomed Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, sits on the site of a Maori

Heading south, you’ll hit Hokianga Harbour and the quiet twin towns of Omapere and Opononi. The Koutu Boulders are worth a look.

Hokianga Information 09 405 8869, hokianga.co.nz

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HOKIANGA STAY Okopako Lodge (BBH) – Farm Hostel 140 Mountain Rd, Whirinaki, 09 405 8815, homepages.paradise.net. nz/njandlv/

follow us on Te Awamutu District Museum 135 Roche St. 07 872 0085 tamuseum.org.nz

DON’T MISS!

KAWHIA The main attraction of this peaceful port town, 55km south of Raglan, is the Maketu Marae where you can experience the rich cultural tapestry of NZ’s indigenous history.

Globetrekkers Lodge (BBH) 281 State Highway 12, Omapere, 09 405 8183, globetrekkerslodge.com The Tree House Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 168 West Coast Rd, Motukaraka 09 405 5855, treehouse.co.nz

OTOROHANGA

DARGAVILLE On the road from Hokianga, the famous “Big Trees”, the native kauri trees of Waipoua Kauri Forest. Once in Dargaville, attractions include the masts from the ill-fated Rainbow Warrior and the fascinating bird sanctuary nearby.

Dargaville Info Centre 4 Murdoch St, 09 439 4975, dargaville.co.nz

DARGAVILLE STAY Dargaville Holiday Park 10 Onslow St, 09 439 8296, kauriparks.co.nz

You don’t have to be an enthusiast to enjoy the Hobbiton movie set.

Stroll around this movie-perfect land and check out the Hobbit holes – it’s easy to imagine a hairy-footed fellow walking through the front door at any moment. hobbitontours.com

Otorohanga Visitor Info Centre 27 Turongo St, 07 873 8951, otorohanga.co.nz

DOC Office 73, Rostrevor St. 07 858 1000

HAMILTON STAY Backpackers Central 846 Victoria Street, 07 839 1928, backpackerscentral.co.nz

Kaihu Farm 334 State Highway 12, Kaihu, 09 439 4004.

Central Green (BBH) 846 Victoria St, 07 839 1928, backpackerscentral.co.nz

Greenhouse Backpackers (BBH) 15 Gordon St, 09 439 6342, bbh.co.nz

Eagle’s Nest Backpackers 937 Victoria St, 07 838 2704, eaglesbackpackers.co.nz

MATAKOHE Travellers Lodge (BBH) 64 Jellicoe Rd, Ruawai, 09 439 2283, bbh.co.nz Matakohe House B&B Hotel 24 Church Rd, RD1, 0800 492 452, matakohehouse.co.nz

WAIKATO Waikato District Info Centre 160 Great South Rd, Huntly, 07 828 6406, info@waikatodistrict.govt.nz, waikatodistrict.govt.nz Shekinah Farm (BBH) 122 Pungapunga Rd, Pukekawa, 09 233 4464, shekinahbackpackers.co.nz Raglan Kopua Holiday Park Marine Parade, Raglan, 07 825 8283, stay@raglanholidaypark.co.nz, raglanholidaypark.co.nz

Microtel YHA 140 Ulster St, 07 957 1848, microtel.co.nz YWCA Hostel Cnr Clarence & Pembroke St, 07 838 2219, hamilton.ywca.org.nz

HAMILTON DO Waikato Museum of Art & History Cnr Victoria and Grantham Sts. More than 3,000 items, with a permanent Maori War canoe.

Gold coin donations welcomed.

MATAMATA Rural town famous for being turned into Hobbiton in those films – some of the set still stands.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours 501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera, 07 888 1505, office@hobbitontours.com

CAMBRIDGE

HAMILTON NZ’s largest inland city and is known for its parks and gardens.

Hamilton Visitor Centre Corner Caro and Alexandra St, Hamilton, 07 839 3580 visithamilton.co.nz

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Just 59km south of Hamilton, many travellers use this small farming community as a base for visiting the Waitomo Caves.

This very Olde English town with its town square and abundance of trees is in the heart of Waikato.

The region is famous for its horses and jetboating.

Cambridge Info Centre Cnr Queen and Victoria Sts,

07 823 3456 cambridge.co.nz

RAGLAN One of New Zealand’s best-known surfing beaches, Raglan is situated 48km west of Hamilton.

Raglan Information Centre 2 Wainui Rd, 07 825 7076, ragland.org.nz

RAGLAN STAY Solscape Eco Retreat Backpackers (BBH) 611 Wainui Rd, 07 825 8268, solscape.co.nz Raglan Backpackers & Waterfront Lodge (BBH) 6 Wi Neera St, 07 825 0515, raglanbackpackers.co.nz Karioi Backpacker Lodge (VIP) & Raglan Surfing School 5 Whaanga Rd, Whale Bay, 07 825 7873, karioilodge.co.nz Dream View Farmstays 430 Te Hutewai Rd, 07 825 8186 dreamview.co.nz Raglan Kopua Holiday Park 61 Marine Parade, 07 825 8283, raglanholidaypark.co.nz Raglan Farmhouse and Flashpackers 61 Marine Parade, 07 825 8747, raglanfarmstay.com

TE AWAMUTU Given that it calls itself the “Rose Town of New Zealand”, it’s not surprising the 2,000-strong Rose Garden is the town’s major attraction.

Te Awamutu Info Centre 1 Gorst Ave, 07 871 3259, teawamutuinfo.com

Otorohanga kiwi House & Native Bird Park 20 Alex Telfer Drive, 07 873 7391, kiwihouse.org.nz

WAITOMO Definitely one of the best adventure spots in New Zealand. There are a range of caving adventures here.

Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre 21 Waitomo Caves Rd, 0800 474 839, waitomocaves.com

WAITOMO STAY Juno Hall (BBH) 600 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 878 7649 junowaitomo.co.nz Kiwi Paka Hotel Caves 256, Access Rd, 07 878 3395 waitomokiwipaka.co.nz Kiwi Cave Rafting (BBH) 95 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 873 9149, caveraft.com

WAITOMO DO Dundle Hill Walk A two-day walk through native bush; limestone outcrops includes overnight with spectacular views at Kays Cabin.

07 878 7640 dundlehillwalk.com Marakopa Falls, Managapohue Natural Bridge, Piri Piri Cave, 30 minutes drive from Waitomo.

Rap Raft ‘n’ Rock Blackwater adventures combining abseiling, rafting, glowworms, caving and rockclimbing all in one five-hour adventure. 0800 228 372, caveraft.com The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co Cave tubing in the blackness of the Ruakuri Cave river. 585 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 878 6219, waitomo.com

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TE KUITI Te Kuiti Information Centre Rora St, 07 878 8077.

Dept of Conservation 78 Taupiri Street, 07 878 1080.

Tiffany’s Cafe, 241 Rora St, 07 878 7640

TE KUITI STAY Casara Mesa Backpackers (BBH) Mangarino Rd, 07 878 6697, bbh.co.nz Coromandel Top 10 Holiday Park 636-732 Rings Rd, 07 866 8830, coromandeltop10.co.nz

OTOROHANGA Just 59km south of Hamilton, many travellers use this small farming community as a base for visiting the Waitomo Caves.

Otorohanga Visitor Info Centre 27 Turongo St, otorohanga.co.nz

COROMANDEL PEN A series of towns loop around the peninsula, broken by rolling green hills. Highlights include Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove and the cosy little Coromandel township.

THAMES A great canyoning spot, with loads of natural pools and waterslides.

Information Thames 206 Poland St, 07 868 7284 thamesinfo.co.nz DOC Office Pahau St, 07 867 9180 doc.govt.nz

THAMES STAY Dickson Holiday Park 115 Victoria St, 07 868 7308, Gateway Backpackers (BBH) 209 Mackay St, 07 868 6339, bbh.co.nz Sunkist International Backpackers 506 Brown St, 07 868 8808, sunkistbackpackers.co.nz Te Aroha YHA Hostel Miro Street, Te Aroha (south of Thames), 07 884 8739, yha.co.nz

COROMANDEL Some 55km north of Thames is the town of Coromandel, home to the popular Driving Creek Railway.

Coromandel Information Centre 335 Kapanga Rd, 07 866 8598, coromandeltown.co.nz

CORO STAY Anchor Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 448 Wharf Rd,

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NORTHISLAND

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07 866 7992, anchorlodgecoromandel.co.nz Black Jack Backpackers Kuaotunu, 07 866 2988, black-jack.co.nz

Fernbird (BBH) 24 Harsant Ave, Hahei, 07 866 3080, bbh.co.nz

Colville Farm (BBH) 2140 Colville Road, Colville, 07 866 6820

On the Beach Backpackers Lodge (BBH, YHA) 46 Buffalo Beach Rd, 07 866 5380, onthebeachbackpackers.co.nz

Mahamudra Retreat Colville Rd, 07 866 6851 mahamudra.org.nz

Seabreeze Holiday Park (BBH) 1043 SH25 Tairua-Whitianga Rd, 07 866 3050

The Pinnacles Backpackers (BBH) 305 Main Road (SH25), 07 864 8448, pinnaclesbakpak.co.nz

Tatahi Lodge (BBH) 9 Grange Rd, Hahei, 07 866 3992, tatahilodge.co.nz

Lions Den (BBH) 126 Te Tiki St, 07 866 8157 ionsdenhostel.co.nz Tui Lodge (BBH) 60 Whangapoua Rd, 07 866 8237, coromandeltuilodge.co.nz Tairua Backpackers (BBH) 200 Main Road, 07 864 8345, tairuabackpackers.com

OPOUTERE This is a good place to go to just chill out. The beach here is glorious and generally empty. Skinny dip anyone?

YHA Opoutere 389 Opoutere Rd, 07 865 9072, yha.co.nz

WHANGAMATA A real surfie town, Whangamata has one of the best surf beaches in New Zealand and a laidback atmosphere to match.

Whangamata Info Centre 616 Port Rd, 07 865 8340

TAURANGA One of the fastest growing places in NZ, Tauranga combines a young population with a harbourside atmosphere. Enjoy diving, sailing, fishing and surfing.

Tauranga i-site 95 Willow St, 07 578 8103 bayofplenty.co.nz Department of Conservation 253 Chadwick Rd West, 07 578 7677

TAURANGA STAY Apple Tree Backpackers (BBH) 47 Maxwell Rd, 07 576 4001 appletreebackpackers.co.nz Harbourside City Backpackers 105 The Strand, 07 579 4066, backpacktauranga.co.nz Bell Lodge (BBH) 39 Bell St, Judea, 07 578 6344, bell-lodge.co.nz

Southpacific Accommodation 245 Port Rd, 07 865 9580, thesouthpacific.co.nz

Just The Ducks Nuts Backpackers 6 Vale St, 07 576 1366, justtheducksnuts.co.nz

NZ Surf n Stay (BBH) 227 Beverley Tce, 07 865 8323 whangamata-backpackers.co.nz

Kingfisher Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 122b Word Road,

WHITIANGA Whitianga, perched on pretty Mercury Bay, is the most popular stop-off point for travellers on the Coromandel. You can learn to make your very own bone carving, dive and surf to your heart’s content.

Whitianga Information Centre 118 Oceanview Rd, 09 372 1234 whitianga.co.nz Baywatch Backpackers (VIP) 22 The Esplanade, 07 866 5481, whitianga.co.nz/baywatch Cathedral Cove Lodge 41 Harsant Ave, Hahei Beach, 07 866 3889, cathedralcove.co.nz Cat’s Pyjamas Backpackers (BBH) 12 Albert St, 07 866 4663, cats-pyjamas.co.nz

07 552 0388, kingfisher-backpack.co.nz Loft 109 (BBH) 8/109 Devonport Rd, 07 579 5638, loft109.co.nz Seagulls Guesthouse (BBH) 12 Hinau Street, 07 574 2099, seagullsguesthouse.co.nz Tauranga Central Backpackers 64 Willow St, 07 571 6222, tgabackpack.co.nz YHA Tauranga 171 Elizabeth St, 07 578 5064, yha.co.nz

TAURANGA DO Butler’s Swim With Dolphins 101 Te Awanui Dr, 0508 288 537

Waimarino Adventure Park 07 576 4233, waimarino.com Coyote Bar and Restaurant 107 The Strand, 07 578 8968.

TE PUKE Te Puke Information Centre 130 Jellicoe St, 07 573 9172 tepuke.co.nz

TE PUKE STAY Hairy Berry Backpacker Hostel 2 No One Rd, Te Puke, 07 573 8015, work@hairyberrynz.com Kiwi Corral Backpackers 26 Young Road, 07 573 4530, kiwicorral.co.nz Blue Tide Beachfront Retreat 7 Te Awhe Rd, Maketu Beach, 07 533 2033, bluetides.co.nz

TE PUKE DO Kiwifruit Country Young Rd, 07 573 6340, kiwifruitcountry.co.nz Gotcha Paintball, 720 State Highway 33, Paengaroa, 022 649 1158

WHAKATANE For a very different adventure, visit White Island, an active volcano where sulphur-lipped fumeroles and roaring steam vents create a stark wonderland. whakatane.com Karibu Backpackers (BBH) 13 Landing Rd, 07 307 8276 Otapawa Farmstay (BBH) 255 Haunui Road, 06 376 7250 otapawafarmstay.co.nz/ backpackers

ROTORUA Rotorua is a must for three reasons: the abundance of accessible Maori culture, the steaming volcanic scenery and adrenalin thrills.

Tourism Rotorua & Visitor Info Centre 1167 Fenton St, 07 348 5179 rotoruanz.com

ROTORUA STAY Astray Motel & Backpackers (BBH) 1202 Pukuatua St, 07 348 1200, astray.co.nz Base Backpackers Rotorua 1286 Arawa St, 07 348 8636, stayatbase.com Blarney’s Rock Backpackers 1210 Tutanekai St, 07 343 7904, blarneysrock.com Cactus Jack Backpackers 1210 Haupapa St, 0800 122 228 cactusjackbackpackers.com Crash Palace Backpackers 1271 Hinemaru St, 07 348 842, crashpalace.co.nz Funky Green Voyager (BBH) 4 Union St, 07 346-1754, funkygreenvoyager.co.nz Kiwipaka 60 Tarewa Rd, 07 347 0931, kiwipaka.co.nz Planet Nomad Backpackers 1080 Eruera St, 07 350 2550, rotoruaplanetbackpackers.co.nz Oasis Hostel/Backpackers 33A Tarewa Rd, 07 343 6563, oasishostel.co.nz

Whakatane Hotel 79 The Strand, 07 307 1670

Rotorua Central Backpackers (BBH) 1076 Pukuatua St, 07 349 3285, rotoruacentralbackpackers.co.nz

The Windsor 10 Merritt St, Whakatane, 07 308 8040, windsorlodge-backpackers.co.nz

Rotorua Downtown Backpackers (BBH) 1193 Fenton St, 07 347 1170, rotorua-backpackers.co.nz

WHAKATANE DO Dive White 168 The Strand, 0800 348 394, divewhite.co.nz White Island Tours Departs Whakatane daily.

15 The Strand.

07 308 9588 whiteisland.co.nz

Kaitiaki Adventures Extreme whitewater activities.

Sledging and rafting trips on the Kaituna and Rangitaiki Rivers, 0800 338 736, kaitiaki.co.nz Off Road NZ Sprint car racing, Monster 4X4, 4WD Bush Safari and more, 07 332 5748, offroadnz.co.nz Polynesian Spa Historical hot mineral water bathing spa on the edge of Lake Rotorua, 07 348 1328, polynesianspa.co.nz Raftabout Whitewater rafting and sledging, 0800 723 822, raftabout.co.nz Skyline Skyrides Spectacular Get the best views and luge down 5km of tracks, or take the 150ft skyswing, 07 347 0027, skylineskyrides.co.nz Waikite Hot Pools Natural hot spring water bathing. Provides private spas, BBQ area and campground facilities, 20 minutes south of Rotorua. hotpools.co.nz Waimangu Volcanic Valley The location of the Pink and White Terraces which were destroyed in the 1886 volcanic eruption. waimangu.co.nz Wet ‘n’ Wild Rafting Guided rafting options on five different rivers – the Wairoa, Rangitaiki, Kaituna, Motu and Mohaka, 0800 462 7238, wetnwildrafting.co.nz Zorb Rotorua Get harnessed inside the perspex Zorb before rolling head-over-heels downhill, 07 357 5100, zorb.com

MAORI CULTURE

Spa Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 1221 Amohau Street, 07 348 3486, spalodge.co.nz

While you’re here, take the opportunity to see how the Maori lived before European settlment.

The Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Whakarewarewa is a good place to begin . nzmaori.co.nz.

YHA Rotorua 1278 Haupapa St, 07 349 4088, yha.co.nz

NZ Maori Arts & Crafts Institute 07 348 9047 tepuia.com

Roquette Restaurant & Bar 23/29 Quay St. 07 307 0722

Agroventures Five adrenalin activities in one adventure park, including bungy jumping, sprint boats and a wind tunnel. 1335 Paradise Valley Rd. 07 357 4747, agroventures.co.nz

Tamaki Maori Village New Zealand’s Most Awarded Cultural Experience!

Experience an evening of ceremonial ritual, powerful cultural performance, storytelling & hangi feasting.

Hinemaru St, 07 349 2099 tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

Wallys on the Wharf 2 The Strand, 07 307 0722, wallysonthewharf.co.nz

Hell’s Gate Mud baths to heal and stimulate your body hellsgate.co.nz

Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Maori village set amidst a landscape of geothermal

The Wharf Shed Restaurant 2/2 The Strand E. 07 308 5698

ROTORUA DO

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NORTHISLAND wonders. Take a guided tour, see a cultural performance, check out Maori art.

07 349 3463, whakarewarewa.com

LAKE TAUPO Taupo Visitor Centre 30 Tongariro St, 07 376 0027, greatlaketaupo.com

TAUPO STAY Berkenhoff Lodge 75 Scannell St, 07 378 4909, berkenhofflodge.co.nz Blackcurrant Backpackers (BBH) 20 Taniwha St, 07 378 9292, blackcurrantbp.co.nz Rainbow Lodge 99 Titiraupenga St, 07 378 5754, rainbowlodge.co.nz Finns Global Backpackers 8 Tuwharetoa St, 07 377 0044, finnsglobal.co.nz Wairakei Lodge State Highway, 0800 737 678, budgetaccommodation taupo.co.nz Sportsman Lodge Backpackers Retreat 15 Taupahi Rd, 0800 366 208, sportsmanslodge.co.nz Base Taupo 7 Tuwharetoa St, 07 377 4464, stayatbase.com Taupo Urban Retreat 65 Heu Heu St, 0800 872 261, tur.co.nz Tiki Lodge 104 Tuwharetoa St, 0800 845 456, tikilodge.co.nz YHA Taupo 56 Kaimanawa St, 07 378 3311, yha.co.nz Silver Fern Lodge 118 Tamamutu St, 07 377 4929, silverfernlodge.co.nz Lake Maraetai Lodge 5 Totara Terrace, 07 882 8940, lake-maraetai-lodge.co.nz

TAUPO DO Craters of the Moon One of the most geothermally active areas in the region, full of boiling mud and steaming craters. Wairakei Park. cratersofthemoon.co.nz Huka Falls Take a relaxing walk up to Huka Falls where the water pours over the 35ft drop at up to 62,000 gallons per second.

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Hukafalls Jet Jetboating by the falls, 0800 485 2538, hukafallsjet.com

Adventure Lodge & Motel (VIP) Carroll Street, National Park, 07 892 2991, adventurenationalpark.co.nz

Rock ‘n’ Ropes Ropes Courses including the trapeze and Giant Swing. At Crazy Catz on Highway 5. 0800 244 508, rocknropes.co.nz

The Crossing Backpackers Erua Rd East, 07 892 2894, thecrossingbackpackers.co.nz

Taupo Bungy Bungy from a platform 47m above the Waikato River. 202 Spa Rd. 0800 888 408, taupobungy.com Tongariro Crossing Transport and National Park Links From Taupo and Turangi during summer months (NovMay).

07 377 0435, thetongarirocrossing.co.nz Taupo Tandem Skydiving Skydive from up to 15,000 feet (over one minute freefall). Free shuttle, DVD and digital photos.

Yellow Hangar, Taupo Airport.

0800 275 934, taupotandemskydiving.com

TURANGI On the southern shores of Lake Taupo, Turangi is known as the trout fishing capital of the world. It offers heaps of outdoor adventure activities and is a good base for venturing into the Tongariro National Park.

Turangi Visitor Centre Tongariro St, 07 376 0027, turangi.co.nz

TURANGI STAY A Plus Samurai Lodge (BBH) 41 Iwiheke Place, 07 386 8979, tongariro-hostel.co.nz Asure Parklands Motorlodge Cnr Arahori St & State Hwy 1, 07 386 7515, parklandsmotorlodge.co.nz Extreme Backpackers (BBH) 26 Ngawaka Place, 07 386 8949, extremebackpackers.co.nz Judges Pool Motel 92 Taupahi Rd, 07 386 7892, judgepoolmotel.co.nz The Lazy Dog (BBH) 3 Rangipoia Place, 07 386 0317, lazydogbackpackers.co.nz Riverstone Backpackers (BBH) 222 Tautahanga Rd, 07 386 7004, riverstonebackpackers.com Settlers Motel 24 Arahori St, 07 386 7745, settlersmotelturangi.co.nz Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park 13 Te Reiti Tamara Grove, 07 386 8754, turangiholidaypark.co.nz

daKune Lodge (BBH) 42 Park Ave, Ohakune 06 385 8448, dakunelodge.co.nz Howards Mountain Lodge (BBH) 43 Carroll St, National Park, 07 892 2827, howardslodge.co.nz Skotel Alpine Resort Whakapapa Village, 07 892 3715, skotel.co.nz National Park Backpackers YHA (BBH) 4 Findlay St. The hostel runs transport to the Tongariro Crossing, 07 892 2870, npbp.co.nz

follow us on swing and bungy jump.

0800 802 864 River Valley Rafting and horse trekking.

06 388 1444, thelodge@rivervalley.co.nz

OPOTIKI Opotiki Information Centre Cnr St John and Elliot Sts, 07 315 3031 opotikinz.com Central Oasis Backpackers 30 King St, 07 315 5165, centraloasis@hotmail.com Fruit Forest Studio 197 Omarumutu Rd, 07 315 8143, fruitforest.co.nz Opotiki Beach House (BBH) 7 Appleton Road, 07 315 5117 opotikibeachhouse.co.nz

EAST CAPE

Pipers Lodge 18 Millar St, National Park Village, 07 8922 777, piperslodge.co.nz

As you head around the Cape the towns get tinier and the scenery more dramatic. At Te Araroa, you can thead around to the East Cape Lighthouse.

Plateau Lodge 17 Caroll St, National Park Village, 07 8922 993, plateaulodge.co.nz

Maraehako Bay Retreat SH35, Whanarua Bay, 07 325 2648. maraehako.co.nz

Ski Haus (BBH) Carroll St, McKenzie St, 07 892 2854, skihaus.co.nz

Stranded in Paradise (BBH) 21 Potae Street, 06 864 5870, stranded-in-paradise.net

Station Lodge (BBH) 60 Thames Street, The Junction, Ohakune, 06 385 8797, stationlodge.co.nz

MT RUAPEHU

Wainui Beach Motel 34 Wairere Rd, 06 868 5882, wainuibeachmotel.co.nz

GISBORNE

The park’s showcase is Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano towering at 2,796m.

Flying Nun Backpackers (BBH) 147 Roebuck Rd, 06 868 0461, flynun.co.nz

Ruapehu Visitors’ Centre 54 Clyde St, 06 385 8427 visitruapehu.com

YHA Gisborne 32 Harris St, 06 867 3269, yha.co.nz

Whakapapa Visitor Centre SH 48, Whakapapa Village, 07 892 3729 visitruapehudc.govt.nz

RANGITIKEI The Rangitikei District is a top destination for adventure sports.

Amongst stunning scenery, you can navigate grade five whitewater and take the leap of elasticated faith from an 80m bungy.

Rangitikei Farmstay 422 Makuhou Rd, 06 327 4495, rangitikeifarmstay.govt.nz River Valley Dorms Makuhou Rd 06 388 1444, rivervalley.co.nz

RANGITIKEI DO Mokai Gravity Canyon Extreme flying fox, bridge

WAIROA Wairoa Visitor Information Centre Queen St, 06 838 7440 Haere Mai Cottage (BBH) 49 Mitchell Rd, 06 838 6817 DOC office for hut bookings Lake Waikaremoana, 06 837 3900

NAPIER Napier is a beautiful, surprising city.

Its “pleasing to the eye” status is actually the result of an enormous earthquake which meant the entire town had to be rebuilt.

@tnt_downunder 53 Nelson Cres, 06 835 4523, bbh.co.nz Archie’s Bunker (BBH) 15 Herschell Street, 06 833 7990, archiesbunker.co.nz The Art House (BBH) 259 Marine Parade, 06 835 5575, arthousenapier.co.nz Blue Water Lodge (BBH) 471 Marine Parade, 06 835 8593, arthousenapier.co.nz Criterion Art Deco Backpackers (VIP, Roamfree) - (BBH) 60 Whangapoua Rd, 07 866 8237, coromandeltuilodge.co.nz 48 Emerson St, 06 835 2059, criterionartdeco.co.nz Stable Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 370 Hastings Street, 06 835 6242, bluewaterlodge.co.nz Toad Hall Backpackers (BBH) 11 Shakespeare Road, 06 835 5555, toadhall.co.nz Waterfront Lodge & Backpackers 217 Marine Pd, 06 835 3429, napierbackpackers.co.nz YHA Napier 277 Marine Parade, 06 835 7039, yha.co.nz

HASTINGS Hastings is 20km south of Napier and most notable for its fertile plains, which have given birth to a multitude of beautiful parks, gardens and farms.

A1 Backpackers (BBH) 122 Stortford St, 06 873 4285, a1backpackers.co.nz Glenross Lodge (BBH) Route 52, Rakaunui, 06 376 7288, tararua.net/glenross Lochlea Farmstay 344 Lake Rd, Wanstead, +6468554816 The Rotten Apple Backpackers (BBH) 114 Heretaunga St, 06 878 4363, rottenapple.co.nz AJ’s Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 405 Southland Rd, 06 878 2302, ajs.backpackerslodge.co.nz

TARANAKI Best known for its snow-capped mountain, Mt Taranaki. Peaceful and impressive, Taranaki has skifields, excellent surf beaches, great walking and climbing.

Visitor Info Centre 100 Marine Parade, 06 834 1911

MOKAU

Depart of Conservation Office Marine Parade, 06 834 3111

Palm House Backpackers taranaki-bakpak.co.nz

NAPIER STAY Aqua Lodge (BBH)

NEW PLYMOUTH Taranaki’s major town is New

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people, New Zealand’s most interesting city.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WELLY DO Cable car Walk down Lambton Quay and you will see a sign for the cable car which departs every 10 minutes past Kelburn Park to the Botanic Gardens, 04 472 2199

Wellington Visitor Info Centre Corner of Victoria & Wakefield Sts, 04 802 4860, wellingtonnz.com DOC Information Centre 18 Manners St, 04 384 7770 Ferry to the South Island Boats to Picton on the South Island. Ferries can be booked up well in advance in holiday periods.

Ferry Tickets Online 186 Victoria St, 0800 500 660, ferrytickets.co.nz

Zealandia Many of New Zealand’s rarest birds, reptiles and insects are living freely in this awardwinning conservation safe haven. Look for kiwis on a guided tour by torchlight. Times vary and bookings are essential.

Waiapu Rd, Karori. 04 920 9200, visitzealandia.com

WELLY STAY Barnacles Seaside Inn (BBH) 3 Marine Parade.

04 902 5856 seasideyha.co.nz

FRANK KITTS LAGOON The Frank Kitts Lagoon on Wellington’s waterfront is a place to watch the world go by. It’s an easy stroll from the CBD and there’s always something to catch your eye, from dragon boats and rowers to outdoor sculpture. There’s also a waka house, where you can view Te Hononga, a traditional Maori war canoe. Oh, and make sure you buy a scoop of gelato.

Plymouth. One of NZ’s finest art galleries is here (the GovettBrewster Art Gallery). It hosts a great café.

Department of Conservation 55A Rimu Street, 06 759 0350 New Plymouth Info Centre Puke Ariki, 65 St Aubyn Street, 06 759 0897, visitnewplymouth.co.nz

PLYMOUTH STAY EcoInn (BBH) 671 Kent Rd, between Egmont Village and New Plymouth on SH3. 06 752 2765 ecoinnovation. co.nz/t-Accommodation.aspx Egmont Lodge (BBH, YHA) 12 Clawton St, 06 753 5720, yha.co.nz bbh.co.nz Seaspray House (BBH) 13 Weymouth St, 06 759 8934, seasprayhouse.co.nz Ducks & Drakes Backpackers (BBH) 48 Lemon St, 06 758 0404 ducksanddrakes.co.nz Sunflower Lodge (BBH) 33 Timandra St, 06 758, 2842 sunflowerlodge.co.nz

PLYMOUTH DO Brooklands Zoo Brooklands, New Plymouth, 06 759 6060, info@npdc.govt.nz

MT TARANAKI Stratford Heritage Lodge 103 Miranda St, 06 765 7482,

eastern-taranaki.co.nz Taranaki Accommodation Lodge (BBH) 7 Romeo St, Stratford, 06 765 5444, info@mttaranakilodge.co.nz

TARANAKI DO Climbing Mount Taranaki It is possible to climb it and return to civilisation in one day, however the weather is notoriously volatile and you must always notify the DOC.

STRATFORD Stratford Information Centre Broadway Stratford (State Hwy 3), 06 765 6708, stratford.govt.nz Department of Conservation Pembroke Rd, 06 765 5144

SOUTH TARANAKI Information South Taranaki 55 High St, Hawera, 0800 111 323, southtaranaki.com Wheatly Downs Farmstay Backpackers (BBH) 484 Ararata Rd, Hawera, 06 278 6523, mttaranaki.co.nz/retreat/ wheatly_downs_farmstay/

WHANGANUI College House 42b Campbell Street, 021 852 100 42b.co.nz Hikurangi Stay Place

1 Mount View Road, 06 343 333 stayplace.co.nz YHA Whanganui 2 Plymouth St, 06 348 2301, yha.co.nz Tamara Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 24 Somme Pde, 06 347 6300, tamaralodge.com Whanganui National Park The major attraction is the Whanganui River, snaking through picturesque scenery.

Explore with a kayak or riverboat tour.

Base Wellington 21-23 Cambridge Tce. 04 801 5666 stayatbase.com

Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers (BBH) 1 Bunny St. 04 473 8482 hotelwaterloo.co.nz

Moana Lodge (BBH) 49 Moana Road.

04 233 2010 lmoana-lodge-accommodation. co.nz Wellywood Backpackers 58 Tory St, 04 381 3899, wellywoodbackpackers.co.nz

Department of Conservation Office 74 Ingestre St, 06 348 8475

Rosemere Backpackers (BBH) 6 MacDonald Crescent.

04 384 3041, backpackerswellington.co.nz

PALMERSTON NTH

Rowena’s Lodge 115 Brougham St. 04 385 7872, wellingtonbackpackers.co.nz

Department of Conservation Office 717 Tremaine Ave, 06 350 9700 Grandma’s Place (BBH) 146 Grey St, 06 358 6928, grandmas-place.com Pepper Tree Hostel (BBH) 121 Grey St, 06 355 4054, peppertreehostel.co.nz

WELLINGTON The nation’s capital is to many

Museum of Wellington City & Sea Queens Wharf, 04 472 8904

Lodge in the City (BBH) 152 Taranaki St. 04 385 8560 lodgeinthecity.co.nz

Nomads Capital 118/120 Wakefield St. 0508 666 237, nomadscapital.com

Palmerston North Visitor Centre The Square, 06 350 1922, manawatunz.co.nz

Mount Victoria The views are breathtaking. It’s damn windy so make sure you’re wearing heavy shoes. Walk, drive or bus it.

Cambridge Hotel (BBH) 28 Cambridge Tce. 04 385 8829, cambridgehotel.co.nz

Wanganui Information Centre 31 Taupo Quay, Whanganui, 06 349 0508, wanganui.com

Worldwide Backpackers (BBH) 291 The Terrace.

04 802 5590, worldwidenz.co.nz YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. 04 801 7280 yha.co.nz

Parliament House Free tours. Visit the Beehive, a uniquely designed centre of government with a distinct style of architecture, 04 471 9503 Te Papa – The National Museum Experience the earthquake simulation room, find out what the early settlers went through and visit Te Marae, Te Papa’s living modern marae.

Free entry, Cable St, 04 381 7000, tepapa.govt.nz Wellington Zoo Located in Newtown and home to a wide variety of weird and wonderful animal and bird life, 04 381 6755 Harbour cruises The harbour is a handsome thing and the best way to fully appreciate its beauty is by boat.

The Setup (BBH) Level 3/15, Dixon Street, Te Aro 04 802 4779 setupdixon.co.nz Wild Zebra Backpackers (BBH) 58 Tory Street. wellingtonbackpacker.com

Cosmic Corner Funk Store The funkiest store in the universe. Check out the legal highs and chat to the staff, who will happily point you in the right direction for parties, events and scenic spots.

215 Cuba St, 04 801 6970, cosmiccorner.co.nz

Wellington Rover Tours Small group day tours exploring Wellington, its stunning rugged coastline and the Lord of the Rings locations. 021 426 211, wellingtonrover.co.nz Beaches Wellington’s waterfront has cafés, restaurants and parks.

Oriental Bay is good for a dip, but the water is cold and not always clean. It’s also good for a walk along the foreshore. If you are desperate for a swim, Scorching Bay is good or head up the coast towards Otaki where the best beaches in the region are found.

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SOUTHISLAND ABEL TASMAN The Abel Tasman National Park has great tramping with 56,000 acres to explore. The Coastal Track is one of the most popular walks in New Zealand, especially in summer when you can cool down at the stunning beaches. Nelson, Motueka and Marahau are all good bases for visiting the park. Sea kayaking is excellent here too.

ABEL DO Wilsons Abel Tasman Sea kayaking, water taxis and lodge accommodation.

03 528 2027, abeltasman.co.nz Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz

NELSON Nelson is seen as the “sunshine capital” of NZ. Home to a string of attractive beaches, Nelson is only a short drive away from the famous Abel Tasman National Park. The town boasts great cafés and a strong artistic subculture. Nelson’s great climate is conducive to fruit growing and travellers can find plenty of work in the area.

Nelson Visitor Centre Cnr Trafalgar & Halifax St, 03 548 2304, nelsonnz.com Airport Shuttle supershuttles.co.nz Nelson City Taxis 03 548 8225

NELSON STAY Abba Lodge (BBH) 11 Awaroa Bay, 03 528 8758, abbalodge.co.nz Amber House B&B 46 Weka St, 021 202 4961, amberhouse.co.nz Accents on the Park (BBH/VIP) 335 Trafalgar Square.

03 548 4335, accentsonthepark.com Almond House (BBH) 63 Grove St. 03 545 6455, almondbackpackers.co.nz Alpine Lodge St Arnaud.

03 521 1869, alpinelodge.co.nz Aurora Backpackers (BBH) 161-163 Trafalger Square.

03 929 5553, aurorabackpackers.co.nz Beach Hostel (BBH) 25 Muritai St. 03 548 6817, nelsonbeachhostel.50megs.com The Bug (BBH) 226 Vanguard St. 03 539 4227 thebug.co.nz Villa by the Sea (BBH) 252 Haven Rd. 03 545 8365, villabythesea.co.nz Footprints by the Sea 31 Beach Rd, Tahuna Beach.

03 546 5441,

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footprints.co.nz Tramways Hotel Nelson 66 Trafalgar St, 03 548 7049, tramwayshotel.co.nz Honey Suckle House (BBH) 125 Tasman St. 03 548 7576 honeysucklehouse. weebly.com/ Hu Ha Bikerpackers (BBH) State Highway 6, Glenhope.

03 548 2707, bbh.co.nz The Palace Backpackers (BBH) 114 Rutherford St. 03 548 4691, thepalace.co.nz Paradiso (BBH) 42 Weka St. 0800 269 667, backpackernelson.co.nz The Prince Albert Backpackers (BBH) 113 Nile St. 03 548 8477 theprincealbert.co.nz Courtesy Court Motel 26/30 Gold Rd, 03 548 5114, courtesycourt.co.nz The Honesy Lawyer Country Pub 1 Point Rd, Monaco, 03 547 4070, honestlawyer.co.nz Shortbread Cottage (BBH) 33 Trafalgar St. 03 546 6681 shortbreadcottage.co.nz Tasman Bay Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 10 Weka St. 03 548 7950, tasmanbaybackpackers.co.nz Trampers Rest (BBH) 31 Alton St. 03 545 7477 Idesia B&B 14 Idesia Grove, Richmond, 03 544 0409 YHA Nelson 59 Rutherford St, 03 545 9988, yha.co.nz

NELSON DO Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz Happy Valley 4x4 Motorbike Adventures Tours around spectacular private farm on chunky fourwheel motorbikes.

03 545 0304, happyvalleyadventures.co.nz Kaiteriteri kayaks Transport from Nelson.

03 527 8383, seakayak.co.nz Skydive Abel Tasman Tandem jumps from 13,000ft over Abel Tasman.

0800 422 899, skydive.co.nz

NELSON LAKES Located 118km south-west of Nelson, the park comprises Lake Rotoroa and Lake Rotoiti, and is surrounded by forests and mountains. Apart from tramping and skiing at Rainbow Valley and Mt Robert in winter, the lakes offer fishing and other water activities.

BOOK NOW! MOTUEKA This is an alternative hang-out for creative types and those seeking to veer off life’s fast lane. Most people use Motueka as a base to launch an assault on Abel Tasman National Park, but if you take the time to look around your efforts will be well rewarded. Try Marahau Beach and Cobb Valley.

Motueka i-SITE Visitors Centre 20 Wallace St, 03 528 6543, motuekaisite.co.nz

MOTUEKA STAY Happy Apple 500 High St, 03 528 8652, happyapplebackpackers.co.nz Avalon Manor Motels 314/316 High St, 0800 282 566 avalonmotels.co.nz Eden’s Edge Backpackers (BBH) 137 Lodder Lane, Riwaka.

03 528 4242, edensedge.co.nz Motueka Garden Motel 71 King Edward St, 0800 101 911, motmotel.co.nz Hat Trick Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 25 Wallace St. 03 528 5353, hattricklodge.co.nz Laughing Kiwi (BBH) 310 High St. 03 528 9229, laughingkiwi.co.nz Old Macdonald’s Farm Holiday Park 03 527 8288, oldmacs.co.nz The White Elephant (BBH) 55 Whakarewa St. 03 528 6208, whiteelephant.co.nz Equestrian Lodge Motel 2 Avalon Ct, 03 528 9369

MOTUEKA DO Wilsons Abel Tasman 265 High St, 03 528 2027, abeltasman.co.nz Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz

TAKAKA Known as the “Heart of the Parks”, the much underrated Golden Bay region is a place of considerable natural beauty. If you venture slightly out of Takaka you will see the Te Waikoropupu (Pupu Springs), one of the largest freshwater springs in the world.

Information Centre Willow St, 03 525 9136 Dept of Conservation Office 62 Commercial St, 03 525 8026

TAKAKA STAY Annie’s Nirvana Lodge (BBH, YHA) 25 Motupipi St. 03 525 8766, nirvanalodge.co.nz

follow us on Aquapackers Anchorage Bay, Marahau, Abel Tasman National Park. 0800 430 744, aquapackers.co.nz Golden Bay Barefoot Backpackers (BBH) 114 Commercial St. 03 525 7005, bare-foot.co.nz Kiwiana (BBH) 73 Motuipipi St. 03 525 7676 kiwianabackpackers.co.nz Kanuka Ridge (BBH) 21 Moss Rd, Marahau, Abel Tasman National Park. 03 527 8435, abeltasmanbackpackers.co.nz The Rocks chalets 2086 Takaka Valley Hwy, 03 525 8096, travelbug.co.nz River Inn Golden Bay. 03 525 9425 riverinn.co.nz Shambhala (BBH) 1234 Takaka-Collingwood Highway. 03 525 8463, shambhala.co.nz

KAHURANGI NP The second-largest national park in NZ, Kahurangi includes the Heaphy Track. There are more than 100 bird species and an impressive cave system to be seen here. For info see the Nelson DOC office.

COLLINGWOOD North-west of Takaka is the tiny community of Collingwood (the people aren’t particularly small, their numbers are), a good base for expeditions to Farewell Spit.

@tnt_downunder portage.co.nz Watson Way Backpackers (BBH) 56 High Street 03 572 8228 watsonswaylodge.com

PICTON This pretty town is the opening to the South Island, where the North Island ferry comes in, a centre for the many activities in Queen Charlotte Sound.

Airport shuttle bus 03 573 7125

PICTON STAY Atlantis Backpackers (BBH) 42 London Quay, 03 573 7390, atlantishostel.co.nz The Buccaneer Lodge 314 Waikawa Rd, 03 573 5002, buccaneerlodge.co.nz The Jugglers Rest (BBH) 8 Canterbury St. 03 573 5570, jugglersrest.com Fat Cod Backpackers (BBH) 9 Auckland St, 03 573 7788, fatcodbackpackers.co.nz Sequoia Lodge (BBH, VIP) 3 Nelson Sq. 03 573 8399, sequoialodge.co.nz Atlantis Backpackers 42 London Quay, 03 573 7390, atlantisbackpackers.co.nz The Villa (BBH) 34 Auckland St. 03 573 6598, thevilla.co.nz

The Innlet (BBH) 839 Pakawau Main Rd, 03 524 8040, theinnlet.co.nz

Tombstone Backpackers (BBH) 16 Gravesend Place. 03 573 7116, tombstonebp.co.nz

Somerset House (BBH) 10 Gibbs Rd. 03 524 8624, backpackerscollingwood.co.nz

Parklands Marina Holiday Park 10 Beach Rd, 03 573 6343, parktostay.co.nz

FAREWELL SPIT Arching east from the top of Golden Bay, this is a sand bar of epic proportions, home to some of the largest sanddunes in the world and some amazing birdlife.

Golden Bay Visitor Centre 03 524 8454

MARLBOROUGH The Marlborough Sounds are a beautiful labyrinth of islands and bays, serving as an impressive gateway to the South Island. Hire a kayak to paddle the coves in style, or go swimming with the dolphins.

Anakiwa 401 (BBH) 401 Anakiwa Rd. 03 574 1388, anakiwabackpackers.co.nz Copperbeech (BBH) 73 Maxwell Rd. 03 579 2246, copperbeechbackpackers@hotmail. com Hopewell (BBH) Kenepuru Rd. 03 573 4341, hopewell.co.nz The Partage Resort Hotel Kenepuru Sound. 0800 275 373,

PICTON DO Dolphin Watch Encounters Picton Foreshore, 03 573 8040, naturetours.co.nz Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company 03 573 6078, malboroughsounds.co.nz Southern Wilderness NZ Guided walk, wine trek and sea kayaking specialists.

0800 666 044, southernwilderness.com EcoWorld Aquaium Discover the animals that make NZ unique.

03 573 6030 ecoworldnz.com

QUEEN CHARLOTTE On the road-free outer Queen Charlotte Sound, everyone and everything travels by boat. The Queen Charlotte Track covers 71km and passes through magnificent forest, at times allowing spectacular views over the Marlborough Sounds. The whole track can be walked in four days, though you can also ride it by mountain bike.

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Endeavour Express Water Taxi Day-trips, round-trips and luggage transfers.

03 573 5456

HAVELOCK Nestled at the head of Pelorus Sound, Havelock is the best place from which to explore the Marlborough Sounds. For trampers and mountain bikers there’s the beautiful Nydia Track.

DOC Office Mahakipawa Rd, 03 574 2019 Explore Pelorus Sea Kayaks 03 576 5251

HAVELOCK STAY Bluemoon Lodge (BBH) 48 Main Rd. 03 574 2212, bluemoonhavelock.co.nz Linkwater Motel 1594 Queen Charlotte Dr, 03 574 2600 linkwatermotel.co.nz Okiwa Bay Lodge 169 Anakiwa Rd, 03 574 2527, okiwabaylodge.co.nz

PELORUS SOUND The largest waterway within the Marlborough Sounds, it can be accessed from Havelock, Linkwater or Rai Valley.

BLENHEIM The largest town in Marlborough, and considered (ahem, also) the“sunshine capital of New Zealand”. Whitewater rafting on the Buller and Gowan Rivers is great fun.

Blenheim I-Site 8 Sinclair Street Railway Station 03 577 8080 Koanui Lodge & Backpackers (BBH) 33 Main St. 03 578 7487, koanui.co.nz The Grapevine (BBH) 29 Park Terrace, 03 578 6062, thegrapevine.co.nz Arrow Backpackers (BBH) 107 Budge St, 03 577 9857, bbh.co.nz Leeways Backpackers (BBH) 33 Lansdowne St, 03 579 2213, leeways.byethost22.com

KAIKOURA Kaikoura is famous for its large sperm whale population and picturesque mountain range. You can also snorkel with dolphins or swim with the inquisitive NZ fur seals (Sept-May).

Kaikoura Visitor Info Centre, West End, 03 319 5641

KAIKOURA STAY Albatross Backpacker Inn (BBH) 1 Torquay St. 03 319 6090,

albatross-kaikoura.co.nz Bad Jelly Backpackers (BBH) 11 Churchill St. 03 319 5538, bbh.co.nz Dolphin Lodge (BBH) 15 Deal St. 03 319 5842, dolphinlodge.co.nz Dusky Lodge (BBH) 67 Beach Rd. 03 319 5959 duskylodge.co.nz The Lazy Shag (BBH) 37 Beach St. 03 319 6662 lazy-shag.co.nz Lyell Creek Lodge (BBH) 193 Beach Rd. 03 319 6277, lyellcreeklodge.co.nz Sunrise Lodge (BBH) 74 Beach Rd, 03 319 7444, bbh.co.nz The Fairways at Ocean Ridge 1 Kersage Drive, 03 319 3055 YHA Kaikoura 270 Esplanade. 03 319 5931, yha.co.nz

KAIKOURA DO Kaikoura is famous for its large sperm whale population and picturesque mountain r Albatross Encounter Enjoy the sight of the magnificent albatross so close to the boat you can almost touch them. 96 Esplanade, 0800 733 365 albatrossencounter.co.nz Dolphin Encounter Swim with the acrobatic dusky dolphins or if you prefer, join the tour to view them from the boat. 96 Esplanade, 0800 733 365, dolphin.co.nz Fyffe House 62 Avoca St, Kaikoura’s oldest building, 03 319 5835.

Kaikoura Kayaks Paddle with the playful fur seals, dusky dolphins and marine life of Kaikoura. Seal kayaking, kayak school, hire, retail and kayak fishing.

19 Killarney St, 0800 452 456, kaikourakayaks.co.nz Seal Swim Kaikoura Swim with wild NZ Fur Seals. 58 West End, 0800 732 579, sealswimkaikoura.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch is the South Island’s major city and a lively, pretty base with a distinctly English feel to it.

Throw in Mount Cook and Mount Hutt with their skifields (early June to late October) and the Canterbury area is well worth spending some time discovering.

Christchurch & Canterbury i-Site Visitor Centre Rolleston Avenue (Next to the Canterbury Museum) Christchurch 8011. 03 379 9629 christchurchnz.com

Department of Conservation 7 Rolleston Ave, 09 526 9743

C’CHURCH STAY

This surf beach is also a great place to chill for a while. If you’re feeling adventurous, mountain biking, paragliding and surfing are just some of the activities you can try.

LEWIS PASS

Around the World Backpackers 314 Barbadoes Street. 03 365 4363 aroundtheworld.co.nz

Christchurch Backpackers Haka Lodge 518 Linwood Av, Woolston,. 03 980 4252, hakalodge.co.nz

At The Right Place (BBH) 85 Bealey Street.

03 366 1633 atrp.co.nz

BANKS PENINSULA

Avon City Backpackers Worcester Street. 03 389 6876, avoncitybackpackers.com Dorset House (BBH) 1 Dorset St, 03 366 8268, dorset.co.nz Celtic Backpackers (BBH) 12 Dublin St, 03 377 4417, celticbackpackers.co.nz Chester Street Backpackers (BBH) 148 Chester St East.

03 377 1897, chesterst.co.nz Foley Towers (BBH) 208 Kilmore St. 03 366 9720, backpack.co.nz/foley Haka Lodge 518 Linwood Ave. 03 980 4252 hakalodge.com Jailhouse Accommodation (BBH) 338 Lincoln Rd. 0800 524 546 jail.co.nz Kiwi Basecamp (BBH) 69 Bealey Ave. 03 366 6770 kiwibasecamp.com Kiwi House 3 Devon St, Hanmer Springs. 03 315 5111, kiwihouse.co.nz Point Break Backpackers 6 Union Street.

03 388 2050 pointbreakbackpackers.co.nz The Old Countryhouse (BBH) 437 Gloucester St. 03 381 5504 oldcountryhousenz.com Tranquil Lodge 440 Manchester St. 03 366 6500 tranquil-lodge.co.nz Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 70 Bealey Ave. 03 377 7931, rucksacker.com Vagabond Backpackers (BBH) 232 Worcester St. 03 379 9677 vagabondhostel.com

C’CHURCH DO

Banks Peninsula is a beautiful region with a stunning coastline chock full of mountains and wildlife.

The two harbours of Akaroa and Lyttelton are craters of a once majestic volcano.

LYTTELTON

About 200km north of Christchurch, the Lewis Pass connects the west and east coasts on the SH7, with stunning surrounding scenery.

HANMER SPRINGS Hanmer Springs boasts the Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve, where the water can reach 40°C (03 315 7511, hotfun.co.nz). Mt Lyford offers good winter skiing and is a cheaper option to the South Island resorts.

Department of Conservation 115 Ludstone Rd, Kaikoura 03 319 5714

Lyttelton is a quaint township with a beautiful scenic harbour and historic buildings. The harbour is a great place for boating, while the surrounding hills are good for mountain biking and walking.

The Hanmer Connection Christchurch to Hanmer Springs buses. hanmerconnection.co.nz

Lyttelton Information Centre 20 Oxford St, 03 328 9093

HANMER STAY

AKAROA Swim with dolphins, horse-ride and paraglide. If your tastes are a little more sedate, the foreshore is lined with cafes, galleries and boutiques.

Hanmer Backpackers 41 Conical Hill Rd. 03 315 7196, www.hanmerbackpackers.co.nz Jack in the Green (BBH) 3 Devon St. 03 315 5111, jackinthegreen.co.nz

Akaroa Information Centre 80 Rue Lavaud, 03 304 8600

Kakapo Lodge (YHA) 14 Amuri Avenue. 03 315 7472, kakapolodge.co.nz

Akaroa Shuttle Christchurch to Akaroa buses.

0800 500 929

Waipara Sleepers (BBH) 12 Glenmark Dr, Waipara.

03 314 6003, waiparasleepers.co.nz

Akaroa French Connection Tours and shuttle bus, 0800 800 575

AKAROA STAY Bon Accord Backpackers (BBH) 57 Rue Lavaud.

03 304 7782, bon-accord.co.nz Chez La Mer (BBH) 50 Rue Lavaud. 03 304 7024, chezlamer.co.nz Double Dutch (BBH) 32 Chorlton Road, Okains Bay. 03 304 7229, doubledutch.co.nz Halfmoon Cottage (BBH) SH25 Barrys Bay. 03 304 5050, halfmoon.co.nz

Black Cat Cruises Wildlife Cruises on Lyttelton Harbour. Free shuttle bus from Christchurch, 03 328 9078. blackcat.co.nz

Onuku Farm Hostel (BBH) 03 304 7066, onuku.co.nz

Skydivingnz.com Skydiving and training courses, 0800 697 593 skydivingnz.com

Akaroa Museum 71 Rue Lavard, 03 304 1013

Aoraki Balloon Safaris Hot air ballooning, 03 302 8172, nzballooning.com

Black Cat Cruises Offer a number of cruises in Akaroa. See Akaroa Harbour or swim with dolphins. blackcat.co.nz

SUMNER

Swim with dolphins in Akaroa Harbour. 61 Beach Rd, 0508 365 744, dolphinsakaroa.co.nz

AKAROA DO

Dolphin Experience

CASTLE HILL Gateway to the Craigieburn Range.

Chill Adventures Multi-mountain snow passes. chillout.co.nz Springfield Hotel State Highway 73, Springfield. 03 318 4812, springfieldhotel.co.nz

ARTHUR’S PASS This township is the HQ for the magnificent national park which offers tramping expeditions to skiing.

National Park Visitor Centre 03 318 9211 Mountain House (BBH) Main Road, Arthur’s Pass National Park. 03 318 9258 trampers.co.nz Rata Lodge Backpackers (BBH) State Highway 73, Otira Arthur’s Pass National Park, 03 738 2822 rata-lodge.co.nz The Sanctuary (BBH) 126 Main Road, Arther’s Pass National Park 03 942 2230, thesanctuary.co.nz Smylies Accommodation (YHA) 03 318 9258, yha.co.nz

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SOUTHISLAND METHVEN

LAKE TEKAPO

Methven is a small, friendly town popular with fishermen, hunters and backpackers. The area provides a variety of adrenalin thrills, including hot air ballooning, bungy jumping and skydiving. Mt Hutt also has the longest ski run in Australasia.

A stunning turquoise-coloured lake, 100km west of Timaru. The tiny Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1935, frames the view beautifully.

Activities include walking, watersports, fishing and skiing.

Methven i-SITE Visitor Centre 160 Main St, Methven, 03 302 8955, NZ Ski.com Info on Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Mt Hutt. nzski.com

METHVEN STAY Brinkley Resort 43 Barkers Rd, Mt Hutt, 03 302 8885, brinkleyresort.co.nz Big Tree Lodge 25 S Belt, 03 302 9575, bigtreelodge.co.nz Mt Hutt Bunkhouse (BBH) 8 Lampard St. 03 302 8894, mthuttbunkhouse.co.nz Pinedale Backpacker Lodge 11 Alford St. 0800 638 483, pinedalelodge.co.nz Redwood Lodge (BBH) 3 Wayne Place. 03 302 8964, snowboardnz.com Skiwi House 30 Chapman St. 03 302 8772, skiwihouse.com Breckenridge Lodge 49 S Belt, 03 302 8902, breckenridgelodge.co.nz

TIMARU Despite being industrial, it’s picturesque with views of the Southern Alps, plains and sea.

1873 Wanderer Backpackers (BBH) 24 Evans St. 03 688 8795 Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park 154A Selwyn St, Waimataitai 0800 242 121 Anchor Motel 44 Evans St, 03 684 5067 anchormotel.co.nz

GERALDINE As well as a wonderful old movie theatre and whitewater rafting on the Rangitata River, visiting the mighty Emily Falls is recommended.

Geraldine Information Centre Talbot Street, 03 693 1006

YHA Lake Tekapo 3 Simpson Lane. 03 680 6857, yha.co.nz

MT COOK Mt Cook National Park is part of a World Heritage area that forms one of the most amazing sights in NZ. The showcase is Mt Cook (Aoraki).

NZ’s greatest climber Sir Edmund Hillary used it for practice before conquering Mt Everest, but Mt Cook has claimed the lives of more than 160 people. Discuss climbing plans with rangers before you go.

Department of Conservation Visitor Information Centre Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Village, 03 435 1819 The Cook Connection Day trips to Mt Cook from Tekapo.

Ph: 021 583 211, cookconnect.co.nz

MT COOK STAY YHA Franz Josef Glacier 2 Cron St, Franz Josef, 03 752 0754, mt.chalets@xtra.co.nz YHA Mt Cook Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. 03 435 1820, yha.co.nz

biking on the Matakitaki.

Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park 03 523 9809, bullergorge.co.nz The Lazy Cow Accommodation (BBH) 37 Waller St. 03 523 9451, thelazycownz.wordpress.com

REEFTON The centrepiece of the town is Victoria Forest Park, the largest forest park in New Zealand.

Beaconstone Eco Lodge Birds Ferry Road Charleston 027 431 0491 beconstoneecolodge.co.nz The Old Slaughterhouse (BBH) Dean Creek, RD1, Highway 67, Hector 03 782 8333 oldslaughterhouse.co.nz TripInn (BBH) 72 Queen St. 03 789 7367 tripinn.co.nz

PAPAROA NP

Karamea Information Centre 106 Bridge St, 03 782 6652.

Rongo Backpackers 03 782 6667, rongobackpackers.com

Rangitata Rafts Peel Forest, 0800 251 251 rafts.co.nz

With crazy terrain skewed by mining and earthquakes, one of the major attractions of Murchison is its proximity to Buller Gorge, a wonderfully scenic cluster of cliffs and trees. Activities include rafting on the Gowan River and mountain

MURCHISON

The tiny beach settlement of Okarito, near Franz Josef Glacier, sits at the mouth of New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland – the Okarito Lagoon. Hike up to the Okarito Trig for excellent views.

Noahs Ark Backpackers (BBH) 16 Chapel St, 03 768 4868, noahs.co.nz

Bazil’s Hostel (VIP) – (BBH) 54/56 Russell St. 03 789 6410, bazils.co.nz

Visitor Information Punakaiki 03 731 1895 punakaiki.co.nz Barrytown Knife Making 2662 Coast Road, Barrytown, 03 731 1053, barrytownknifemaking.com

PAPAROA STAY Punakaiki Beach Hostel (BBH) 4 Webb St. 03 731 1852, punakaikibeachhostel.co.nz Te Nikau Retreat (BBH, YHA) 03 731 1111, tenikauretreat.co.nz Punakaiki Beach Camp Owen Street, 03 731 1894, punakaiki.co.nz

GREYMOUTH The west coast’s largest town is dominated by the Grey River.

Highlights include the Monteith’s

WHATAROA

GREYMOUTH STAY

The Old Nurses Home 104 Shiel St, 03 789 8881

WESTPORT

right, it can’t look as good as that in real life. Hokitika Gorge is one of those places. hokitika.org

About 35km south of Harihari and one of the South Island’s prime fishing spots. Also the magnificent white heron (Kotuku) colony which thrillseekers can reach by jet boat.

Global Village (BBH) 42-54 Cowper St, 03 768 7272, globalvillagebackpackers.co.nz

Visitor Information Westport 1 Brougham St, 03 789 6658

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TranzAlpine Scenic railway from Christchurch to Greymouth, travelling through Canterbury Plains and the Alps. Departs 9am every morning. 0800 872 467 tranzscenic.co.nz

Reefton Old Bread Shop 155 Buller Rd, 03 732 8420, reeftonbackpackers.co.nz

This park is home to the amazing Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. These are a series of eroded limestone rocks moulded into what appears to be a giant stack of pancakes.

KARAMEA

Visitor Information Herbert and Mackay Sts, 03 768 5101

Duke Hostel (BBH) 27 Guiness St. 03 768 9470 duke.co.nz

WEST COAST

Karamea contains pleasant walks, interesting caves and the Oparara River, a great trout fishing spot.

Walk along the wonderful Fernian Track or, try the more challenging hike up Mt Stormy.

brewery tour, as well as aquatic activities like rafting and canyoning.

Reefton Visitor Centre 67 Broadway, 03 732 8391

Rugged is the word often used when it comes to the South Island’s west coast. It’s quite an amazing place, sparsely inhabited, untouched in many areas and studded with geographical wonders. Don’t miss the two mighty glaciers, Fox and Franz Josef, or the Pancake Rocks.

Peel Forest Horse Trekking Wilderness adventures trekking through some gorgeous country, 03 696 3703, peelforesthorsetrekking.co.nz

Rawhiti House (BBH) 27 Hewlings St. 03 693 8252 rawhitibackpackers.co.nz

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Tailor-Made-Tekapo Backpackers (BBH) 10/11 Aorangi Cres.

03 680 6700 tailor-made-backpackers.co.nz

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Greymouth KIWI Holiday Park & Motel 318 Main South Rd, 03 762 6768, southbeach.co.nz Kainga-RA YHA 15 Alexander St, Ph: (03) 768 4951, yha.co.nz

HOKITIKA Greenstone, a form of practically indestructible rock that was used by the Maori to make weapons and ornaments, is the main attraction here. There’s also the Westland Water World for all things wet, the Glowworm Dell and some excellent whitewater rafting.

Hokitika Visitor Info Centre Carnegie Building, corner of Hamilton & Tancred Street, 03 755 6166

HOKITIKA STAY Hokitika Holiday Park 242 Strafford St, 03 755 8172 Birdsong (BBH) 124 SH6, 03 755 7179 birdsong.co.nz Drifting Sands Backpackers (BBH) 197 Revell St, driftingsands.kiwi Mountain Jade Backpackers (BBH) 41 Weld St, 03 755 5185, mountainjadebackpackers.co.nz Riverview Cottage & Cabins (BBH) 154 Kaniere Rd, 03 755 7440 riverviewcottageandcabins.co.nz Stumpers Accommodation 2 Weld St, 03 755 6154, stumpers.co.nz

HOKITIKA DO Whitewater Kayaking hokitika.org Hokitika Gorge Sometimes you see photos of a tourist spot and think yeah

OKARITO

Okarito Nature Tours 03 753 4014, okarito.co.nz Okarito Beach House Close to Franz Josef Glacier, 03 753 4080 okaritohostel.com

FRANZ JOSEF The glacier is about 12km long and offers a wide variety of challenging activities. To get the ultimate perspective on the magnitude of Franz Josef, head for Sentinel Rock, which gives a sweeping view over both the Waiho Valley and the mighty glacier.

DOC Visitors Information Centre Westland National Park, Hwy 6, 03 752 0796

FRANZ STAY Chateau Franz: Sir Cendrics (VIP, BBH) 8-10 Cron St, 0800 728 372, sircedrics.co.nz Glow Worm Cottages (BBH) 27 Cron St, 0800 151 027, glowwormcottages@xtra.co.nz Montrose Lodge (BBH) 9 Cron St, 03 752 0188, montroselodge.co.nz Rainforest Retreat (VIP) Cron St, 0800 873 346 rainforestretreat.co.nz YHA Franz Josef 2-4 Cron St, 03 752 0754, yha.co.nz

FRANZ DO Alpine Adventure Centre Footage on a helimax screen, 03 752 0793 scenic-flights.co.nz Franz Josef Glacier Guides Guided walks and heli-hikes on the Franz Josef Glacier 0800 484 337, franzjosefglacier.com Glacier Country Kayaks Explore the glaciers from the water 03 752 0230, glacierkayaks.com Skydive Franz At 18,000ft, they currently offer NZ’s highest skydive.

0800 458 677,

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SOUTHISLAND

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FOX GLACIER Similiar activities to Franz Josef only with fewer crowds. The best walk is up to the Welcome Flat Hot Springs.

For stunning views, head up the wonderfully scenic Chalet Lookout Walk. Look out for the beautiful kea (grey-green mountain parrot).

Nearby is Lake Matheson, with its stunning twin mountain reflection.

DOC Visitor Centre State Hwy 6, 03 752 0796

FOX STAY Fox Glacier Inn (BBH) 03 751 0088 foxglacierinn.co.nz Ivory Towers (BBH) 03 751 0838, ivorytowerslodge.co.nz

FOX DO Fox Glacier Guiding Guided walks and heli-hikes on the FoxGlacier. 0800 111 600, foxguides.co.nz Glacier Country Kayaks 20 Cron St, 0800 423 262, glacierkayaks.com Skydive NZ: Fox Glacier 0800 751 0080, skydivingnz.co.nz

HAAST PASS Running through Mt Aspiring National Park, this stretch of road is among the most scenic that you’ll come across in New Zealand, showing off pristine lakes, magnificent forests and waterfalls.

DOC Centre Cnr SH 6 and Jackson Bay Rd, 03 750 0809 Wilderness Backpackers (BBH) Marks Rd, 03 750 029, wildernessaccommodation.co.nz

SOUTHLAND The top of your chest will quickly get sore as the South Island’s jaw-dropping scenery becomes more prevalent. From the adrenalin thrills of Queenstown to the achingly beautiful Milford Sound, there’s never a dull moment down south. Stop frequently, take deep breaths and enjoy one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Mt Aspiring National Park Visitor Info Centre Mt Earnslaw, 03 443 7660

LAKE WANAKA The cosy town and its crystal-clear waters which reflect the dramatic landscape is the gateway to Mount Aspiring Park. The World Heritage area has magnificent tramping and mountaineering. Lake Wanaka boasts almost as many adrenalintastic activities as neighbouring Queenstown, such as mountain

biking, jet-boating, canyoning, and whitewater sledging. It’s a favourite with snowboarders in winter, and has lively nightlife year-round.

Boasting the most sceneray from those films with wizards and hairyfooted hobbits, there are great Lord of the Rings tours, too.

Lake Wanaka Visitors Centre The Log Cabin, Lakefront, 100 Ardmore Street.

03 4431 1233

WANAKA STAY Holly’s Backpackers (BBH) 71 Upton St, 03 443 8187, hollys-backpacker.co.nz LHH (BBH) 1 Capell Ave, 03 443 1224, lakehawea.co.nz Mountain View Backpackers (BBH) 7 Russell St, 0800 112 201, wanakabackpackers.co.nz Matterhorn South (BBH) 56 Brownston St, 03 443 1119, matterhornsouth.co.nz The Purple Cow (BBH) 94 Brownston St, 03 443 1880, purplecow.co.nz Wanaka Bakpaka (BBH) 117 Lakeside Rd, 03 443 7837, wanakabakpaka.co.nz YHA Wanaka 181 Upton St, 03 443 7405, yha.co.nz

WANAKA DO Adventure Consultants Mountaineering instruction courses and guided ascents, 03 443 8711, adventure.co.nz Aspiring Guides Guided mountain climbing and ice climbing instruction courses, 03 443 9422, aspiringguides.com Classic Flights Vintage Tiger Moth flights over Lake Wanaka. 03 443 4043, classicflights.co.nz Deep Canyon Canyoning in the Matukituki Valley.

Adventure Wanaka, 23 Dunmore St, Wanaka. 03 443 7922, deepcanyon.co.nz Frogz Have More Fun Sledge down either the Clutha, Hawea or Kawarau Rivers.

0800 437 649, frogz.co.nz

Wanaka Rock Climbing One, three and five-day rock climbing courses for everyone.

03 443 6411, wanakarock.co.nz Wanaka Flightseeing Milford Sound flight and cruise from Wanaka, 03 443-8787, flightseeing.co.nz Wanaka Sightseeing Includes Lord of the Rings tours, 2 Anderson Rd, 03 338 0982, wanakasightseeing.co.nz

LAKE HAWEA Thirty-five kilometres long and more than 400m deep, Lake Hawea is a great source of salmon and rainbow trout.

QUEENSTOWN Paradise for the energetic traveller, Queenstown is one of the world’s most action-packed towns. The town, which is surprisingly small compared to its big reputation, is located on Lake Wakatipu and rises up to the peaks of the aptly-named Remarkables (which you can ski in winter). In winter, the town is a centre for nearby skifields and in summer adventure activities and tramping take over. There’s also a hectic social scene which extends well into the wee small hours.

Info & Track Guided Walks 37 Shotover St, 03 442 9708 Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au Queenstown Travel & Visitor Centre Corner of Shotover & Camp Sts, 03 442 4100

Q’TOWN STAY Alpine Lodge (BBH) 13 Gorge Rd. 03 442 7220, alpinelodgebackpackers.co.nz Aspen Lodge (BBH) 11 Gorge Rd. 03 442 9671, aspenlodge.co.nz Base Discovery Lodge Queenstown 49 Shotover St. 03 441 1185, stayatbase.com Black Sheep Lodge (VIP) 13 Frankton Rd. 03 442 7289, blacksheepbackpackers.co.nz Bungi Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 15 Sydney St. 0800 728 286, bungibackpackers.co.nz Butterfli Lodge (BBH) 62 Thompson St. 03 442 6367, butterfli.co.nz

The Silver Demon Aerobatic flights.

03 443 4043, silverdemon.co.nz

Cardrona Alpine Resort Between Queenstown and Wanaka.

03 443 7341, cardrona.com

Skydive Lake Wanaka Freefall from 12,000 or 15,000ft with views of NZ’s highest mountains. 0800 786 877, skydivenz.com

Deco Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 52 Man St. 03 442 7384, decobackpackers.co.nz

Treble Cone Ski Field 03 443 7443, treblecone.co.nz

Flaming Kiwi Backpackers (BBH) 39 Robins Rd. 03 442 5494, flamingkiwi.co.nz Hippo Lodge (BBH)

4 Anderson Hts. 03 442 5785, hippolodge.co.nz

0800 467 325, tandemparagliding.com

The Last Resort Queenstown (BBH) 6 Memorial St. 03 442 4320, tlrqtn.com

Haka Adventure Snow Tours 03 980 4250, hakatours.com Mad Dog River Boarding River sledging & other actionpacked water activities, 03 442 7797, riverboarding.co.nz

Nomads Queenstown 5-11 Church St. 03 441 3922, nomadshostels.com Pinewood Lodge (VIP) Queenstown’s best value accommodation. We offer an excellent variety of accommodation, everything from deluxe en-suite rooms with private bathroom amenities, inexpensive double and twin rooms, dorm beds and selfcontained family cabins. 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 746 396, 03 442 8273, pinewood.co.nz Southern Laughter: Sir Cedrics (BBH, VIP) 4 Isle St. 0800 441 8828, sircedrics.co.nz

Milford Sound Flightseeing Scenic flights to Milford Sound, 0800 65 65 01, realjourneys.co.nz NZONE Skydive Skydive from 15,000ft. 35 Shotover St, 03 442 5867, nzone.biz NZ Ski.com Info on Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Mt Hutt, nzski.com Queenstown Rafting Raft the Shotover, Kawarau and Landsborough rivers. 35 Shotover St. 03 442 9792 rafting.co.nz

Scallywags Travellers’ Guesthouse (BBH) 27 Lomond Crescent.

03 442 7083, bbh.co.nz

Real Journeys Visitor Centre Doubtful Sound & Milford Sound daytime and overnight cruises.

Te Anau glow-worm cave excursions. TSS Earnslaw vintage steamship cruises and Walter Peak High Country Farm.

0800 65 65 01, realjourneys.co.nz

YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street.

03 442 7400, yha.co.nz YHA Queenstown Lakefront 88-90 Lake Esplanade.

03 442 8413, yha.co.nz

Q’TOWN DO There are hundreds of activities to keep you occupied in Queenstown.

Bungy, jetboating and rafting are all experiences not to be missed, and in winter, skiing the Remarkables is a must. To really appreciate the beauty of the region, take a scenic flight, or even jump out the plane.

AJ Hackett Bungy Queenstown Jump off one or all of New Zealand’s most well-known sites. Nevis Highwire Bungy, the highest in New Zealand – 134m above the Nevis River. The Kawarau Bridge, the world’s first bungy – 43m above the Kawarau River. The 47m Ledge, 400m above the town which you can jump day or night. Access is

by Skyline Gondola.

0800 286 4958 bungy.co.nz

Shotover Canyon Swing Jump or be released 109m off the world’s highest cliff jump.

0800 279 464, canyonswing.co.nz Shotover Jet Jetboat ride. 0800 746 868 shotoverjet.com Sky Trek Hang Gliding 03 442 9551, skytrek.co.nz Vertigo Mountain Biking Heli-bike and gondola downhill.

0800 837 8446, vertigobikes.co.nz

GLENORCHY Just out of Queenstown is Glenorchy (or “Isengard”) which has some of the best walks in the area, including the Greenstone and Caples tracks.

Department of Conservation Beech St, 03 442 7933

Awesome Foursome Bungy (Nevis – 134m), jetboat, helicopter, whitewater rafting, combos.co.nz

Glenorchy Backpackers Retreat (VIP) Cnr Mull and Argyle Streets, Glenorchy, glenorchynz.com

Dart River Safaris Jetboating wilderness tours, 0800 327 8538, dartriver.co.nz

Kinloch Lodge 862 Kinloch Rd, 03 442 4900, kinlochlodge.co.nz

Fat Tyre Adventure Mountain biking/heli biking, 0800 328 897, fat-tyre.co.nz Fergburger Best burgers in NZ. Shotover St, fergburger.com Flight Park Tandem Paragliding Operates from Coronet Peak

ARROWTOWN Poplar Lodge 4 Merioneth St, 03 442 1466, poplarlodge.co.nz Arrowtown Holiday Park 12 Centennial Ave, 03 442 1876

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SOUTHISLAND TE ANAU Home to the second largest lake in NZ, Te Anau is a beautiful little town, a good jumping off point for the World Heritage Fiordland National Park. The park is the largest in New Zealand and offers some spectacular sightseeing. The Milford Track is one of the most famous in the world, but often booked out. The Routeburn, ReesDart and Kepler are ace alternatives. doc.govt.nz Fiordland I-site Visitor Centre Lakefront Drive, Te Anau, 03 249 8900 Department of Conservation 03 249 8514 Te Anau Glowworm Caves realjourneys.co.nz Air Fiordland Flights to Queenstown, Milford and Mt Cook, 03 249 7505, airfiordland.co.nz Real Journeys Coaches to Milford Sound, 0800 656 503 realjourneys.co.nz Scenic Shuttle Daily between Te Anau and Invercargill in summer months, twice weekly in winter. Connects with the Catlins Coaster from Invercargill to Dunedin 0800 277 483 Top Line Tours Coach to and from Te Anau and Queenstown, 03 249 8059

TE ANAU STAY Barnyard Backpackers (BBH) 80 Mt York Rd, Rainbow Downs, 03 249 8006, barnyard.moonfruit.com Bob & Maxine’s (BBH) 20 Paton Place, 03 931 3161, bbh.co.za Rosie’s Backpacker Homestay (BBH) 23 Tom Plato Drive, Lake Te Anau, 03 249 8431, rosiesbackpackers.co.nz Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers (BBH) 48/50 Lakefront Dr, 03 249 7713, teanaubackpackers.co.za Steamers Beach Backpackers (BBH) 77 Manapouri- Te Anau Hwy, 03 249 7737, smarturl.it/steamersbeach YHA Te Anau 29 Mokonui St, 03 249 7847, yha.co.nz

TE ANAU DO Adventure Fiordland 72 Town Centre, 03 249 8500 fiordlandaventure.co.nz High Ride Adventures Quad riding and scenic horse trekking. 03 249 8591, highride.co.nz Luxmore Jet Jetboating on the Waiau River, 0800 253 826,

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luxmorejet.co.nz Real Journeys Doubtful Sound daytime wilderness, small boat and overnight cruises. Milford Sound daytime, overnight scenic, nature and small boat cruises.

0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz Milford Track Day Walk Lake cruise and guided walk, 0800 656 501 milfordlodge.co.nz Rosco’s Milford Sound Sea Kayaks 0800 476 726, roscosmilfordkayaks.com Skydive Fiordland Dive 44 Caswell Rd, Te Anau, 0800 829254, tawakidive.co.nz

ANAU TO MILFORD The distance between Te Anau and Milford Sound may be 119km but the breathtaking scenery along the way makes the journey extremely enjoyable. Along the road watch out for the Mirror Lakes and the disappearing mountain. Another highlight is the 1.2km rough-hewn Homer Tunnel. It’s pitch black, having no lighting plus it’s pretty darn steep – a thrilling experience for those afraid of the dark.

MILFORD SOUND Green, wet and breathtakingly beautiful, Milford Sound is one of the most picturesque sights in the world. Much of the action in the Milford Sound takes place on the water and the best way to appreciate the beauty on show is on a cruise or kayak. Bottlenose dolphins, New Zealand fur seals and Fiordland crested penguins all hang out there.

MILFORD DO Real Journeys 0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz Great Sights On and under the water, 03 442 9445 greatsights.co.nz Milford Sound Underwater Observatory Discover a coral reef beneath Milford Sound, 03 249 9442 Milford Sound Cruise & Observatory Visit 0800 656 501

BOOK NOW! realjourneys.co.nz Wanaka Flightseeing Milford Sound flight and cruise, 0800 105 105, flightseeing.co.nz 

MANAPOURI Manapouri is the proud owner of arguably New Zealand’s most beautiful stretch of water. This is where the boat trip on Doubtful Sound leaves from – most start the trip in Queenstown or Te Anau. From the boat you may see seals and possibly dolphins and penguins.

Adventure Charters and Hires fiordlandadventure.co.nz Real Journeys 03 249 6602 realjourneys.co.nz

MANAPOURI STAY Freestone Backpackers (BBH) 270 Hillside Rd, 03 249 6893, freestone.co.nz Manapouri Lakeview Motor Inn 68 Cathedral Drive, 03 249 6652, manapouri.co.nz Possum Lodge 13 Murrel Ave, 03 249 6623, possumlodge.co.nz

DOUBT SOUND If you’re not one for crowds, an alternative Fiordland option is Doubtful Sound – the deepest of the fiords, made up of 100km of waterways. Where Milford is all pointy peaks and endless cascading falls, Doubtful is rounded mountains – a serene sanctuary, inhabited by loads of interesting critters.

Real Journeys Daytime wilderness, small boat and overnight cruises.

0800 656 502 realjourneys.co.nz Fiordland Navigator Pearl Harbour, Manapouri 03 249 6602, doubtfulsound.co.nz Deep Cove Hostel Doubtful Sound, 03 249 7713, deepcovehostel.co.nz

INVERCARGILL

Milford Wanderer Cruises Day and overnight options with kayaking, etc. Coach connections, 0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz

The southernmost city in New Zealand, Invercargill is a farmingorientated community with a pleasant collection of parks and museums to keep you busy.

Tawaki Dive See Fiordland’s unique marine life on a day-trip with two guided dives in Milford Sound.

Rental gear available, max four divers. 0800 829254, tawakidive.co.nz

Invercargill I-site Visitors Centre 108 Gala St, 03 214 6243

TSS Earnslaw & Walter Peak Farm tours, barbecue lunches, horse treks and cycling.

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wildlife encounters. Farmstay options are available, 0800 304333, catlinscoaster.co.nz

STEWART ISLAND Stewart Island Flights Flights to Stewart Island, 03 218 9129, stewartislandflights.co.nz Bunkers Backpackers (BBH) 13 Argyle St, Halfmoon Bay, Stweart Island, 027 738 1796 bunkersbackpackers.co.nz

INVERCARG STAY

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CATLINS STAY Wrights Mill Lodge 865 Tahakopa Valley, 03 204 8424 Lazy Dolphin 529 Curio Bay Rd, 03 246 8579. lazydolphinlodge.co.nz Cedar Tree Lodge (BBH) 36 Hosptial Road, 027 611 7932. goldbox.catering@gmail.com Happy Inn Backpackers (BBH) 11 Shakespeare St, 03 417 4161. happyinn@clear.net.nz

Southern Comfort (BBH) 30 Thompson St, 03 218 3838 bbh.co.nz

Fernlea Backpackers (VIP) Moana St, Kaka Point, 03 412 8834

Tuatara Backpacker Lodge 30 Dee St, 03 214 0956, tuataralodge.co.nz

The Split Level (BBH) 9 Waikawa Rd, Owaka, 03 415 8304, thesplitlevel.co.nz

SOUTH SCENIC The beautiful road west of Invercargill towards Fiordland is known as the Southern Scenic Route.

Surat Bay Lodge (BBH) Surat Bay Rd, New Haven, 03 415 8099, suratbay.co.nz

Pepper Tree Hostel 121 Grey St, Palmerston, 06 335 4054, peppertreehostel.co.nz

Penguin Paradise Holiday Lodge (BBH) 612 Waikawa-Niagara Rd, Waikawa Village South Catlins, 03 2468 552, catlins-surf.co.nz/736.html

Grandma’s Place 146 Grey St, Palmerston North, 06 358 6928, grandmas-place.co.nz

Thomas Catlins Lodge & Holiday Park, 8 Clark St, Owaka 03 415 8333, thomascatlins.co.nz

The Globe Backpackers (VIP) 144 Palmerston St, Riverton, 03 234 8527, globebackpackers@xtra.co.nz

Wright’s Mill Lodge 865 Tahakopa Valley Rd, 03 204 8424 catlinsaccommodation.co.nz

Harbison Backpackers 5 Harbison St, Otautau, 03 225 8715, michdale@xtra.co.nz Shooters Backpackers (BBH) 73 Main St, Tuatapere, 03 226 6250

GORE Gore spans the Mataura river and boasts some lovely scenery in the Hokonui Hills and the Country and Western festival each June.

Oakleight Motels 70 Hokonui Dr, 03 208 4863, oakleighmotel.co.za

THE CATLINS The beautiful Catlins is a sprawling mass of bush, forest and rivers, stretching all the way from Waipapa Point in Southland to Nugget Point in Otago. The best bit about the Catlins is the abundance of wildlife.

Dept of Conservation Office Don St, 03 214 4589

Catlins Community Info Centre 3 Main Rd, Owaka, South Otago, 03 415 8371, catlins.org.nz

Catlins Coaster Invercargill to Dunedin via the Catlins with many stops to the main natural attractions and

Elm Lodge Wildlife Tours Two-day camping trips, 0800 356 563, elmwildlifetours.co.nz

DUNEDIN Dunedin is Celtic for “Edinburgh” and many Scottish principles endure here. One thing the locals do much better than their Scots ancestors is play rugby, so if there’s a game on at Carisbrook (the “House of Pain”) while you’re in town, beg, borrow or steal to get yourself there.

Dunedin Visitor Centre 48 The Octagon, 03 474 3300 Dept of Conservation Office 77 Stuart St, 03 477 0677 Penguin Patch 9 the Octagon, 03 471 8571, Email: penguinpatch@xtra.co.nz

DUNEDIN STAY Chalet Backpackers (BBH) 296 High St, 03 479 2075 chaletbackpackers.co.nz Dunedin Central Backpackers (BBH) 243 Moray Pl, 03 477 9985, centralbackpackers.co.nz Pavlova Palace (BBH) 74 Elm Row, 03 477 34728 pavlovapalace.co.nz Hogwartz (BBH)

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277 Rattray St, 03 474 1487, hogwartz.co.nz Kiwis Nest (BBH) 597 George St, 03 471 9540, kiwisnest.co.nz Leviathan Hotel 27 Queens Gardens, 0800 773 773, dunedinhotel.co.nz Manor House 28 Manor Place, 03 477 0484, manorhousebackpackers.co.nz On Top Backpackers (BBH) 12 Filleul St, cnr Moray Pl, 03 477 6121, ontopbackpackers.co.nz Pennys Backpackers (BBH) 6 Stafford St, 03 477 6027, pennys.co.nz Next Stop Backpackers 2 View St, 03 477 0477, nextstop.co.nz YHA Dunedin, Stafford Gables 71 Stafford St, 03 474 1919, yha.co.nz

DUNEDIN DO Baldwin Street In the Guinness Book of Records as the steepest street in the world.

Cadbury World 280 Cumberland St, 0800 223 2879, cadbury.co.nz Cosmic Corner Funk Store Check out the legal highs and chat to the staff about where to go for parties, events and the beautiful parts of New Zealand.

355 George St, 03 479 2949 Dunedin Public Art Gallery 30 The Octagon, 03 474 3240, dpagmail@dcc.govt.nz Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony View blue penguins just metres away every evening at dusk.

Waterfront Rd, 1-1/2 hrs north of Dunedin, 03 433 1195, penguins.co.nz Parachute Experience Skydiving from a great height 03 489 4113, dropzone.com Sinclair Wetlands and Educational Centre Freedom or conducted walks over 5km of walkways.

Backpacker and camping facilities. Rapid no 854 Clarendon/Berwick Rd

(signposted on SH1 30km south of Dunedin), 03 486 2654 Speights Brewery Heritage Tours 03 477 7697 speights.co.nz Royal Albatross Centre 03 478 0499, albatross.org.nz

OTAGO PENINSULA The Otago Peninsula is a beautiful stretch of rugged coast, home to a fascinating collection of rare and native birds such as the albatross and yellow-eyed penguin.

Billy Browns (BBH) 423 Aramoana Rd, Port Chalmers, 03 472 8323, billybrowns.co.nz McFarmers Backpackers 774 Portobello Rd, Portobello, 02 5206 0640, mcfarmers@xtra.co.nz Pinot Lodge (BBH) 102 Barry Avenue, Cromwell, Fiordland 03 445 1260, pinotlodgenz.com

OTAGO DO Historic Fort Taiaroa An underground complex built

in the 1880s, this fortified stronghold has been inhabited since earliest Maori settlement of the area. Tours available at the Visitor Centre. Fletcher House, Broad Bay, 03 478 0180

ROXBURGH Villa Rose Backpackers 79 Scotland St, 03 446 8761, villarose.co.nz

Larnach Castle Australasia’s only castle. The architecture is amazing and the intricate details (including a foyer ceiling that took nearly seven years to build) are breathtaking.

NZ Marine Studies Centre and Aquarium Run by the University of Otago, the Portobello Aquarium and Marine Biology Centre (near Quarantine Point) is a refuge for a diverse collection of fish and reptile life. 03 479 5826 Elm Wildlife Tours 0800 356 563, elmwildlifetours.co.nz

ALEXANDRA Alexandra and Roxburgh are the two main towns for fruit-picking work in the Central Otago region.

Grasshopper Rock One of the world’s southernmost vineyards, situated on the Earnscleugh Rd. grasshopperrock.co.nz

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

OAMARU A charming little place noted for both its interesting collection of white granular limestone buildings and its large penguin population.

Visitor Information Centre Thames St, 03 434 1656 Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony View blue penguins at dusk.

Waterfront Rd, 03 433 1195, penguins.co.nz Ahuriri Backpackers (BBH) 5 Clay Cliffs Lane 03 438 9451 ahuririmotels.co.nz Chillawhile Backpackers (BBH) & Art Gallery 1 Frome St, Roberts Park, 03 437 0168, chillawhile.co.nz Coastal Backpackers (BBH) The Hall, Waianakarua Rd, All Day Bay, 03 439 5411, coastalbackpackers.co.nz Buscot Station (BBH) 732 Omarama, 03 438 9646, buscotstn@xtra.co.nz Empire Hotel (BBH) 13 Thames St, 03 434 3446, empirehotel@hotmail.com Old Bones Lodge (BBH) 468 Beach Rd, 03 434 8115, oldbones.co.nz YHA Oamaru, Red Kettle Seasonal (open September/ October to May/June only).

Corner of Reed and Cross Sts, 03 434 5008, yha.co.nz Swaggers Backpackers (BBH) 25 Wansbeck St, 03 434 9999, swaggersbackpackers.co.nz

Photo: Penguin Place/NZ Tourism

MOERAKI Just 30km south of Oamaru lies a remarkable collection of eerie giant boulders.

HEAD SOUTH FOR PENGUINS The yellow-eyed penguin (Hoiho in the Maori language) is probably the world’s rarest penguin. It lives along the wild south-east coast of the South Island and is best observed from a viewing hut. Around dawn the penguins leave their nests to enter the sea for a day’s fishing, returning during the last two hours of daylight where you can spot them from viewing huts on the Otago coast. penguinplace.co.nz

Riverside Haven (BBH) 2328 SH1, Waianakarua, 03 439 5830, olivebranch.co.nz The Dubliner 105 Tiverton St, Palmerston, 03 465 8123

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Europe in summertime rocks, and we don’t want to miss it, so we’ll be joining Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas on the Van Tour Europe... fancy it?

WORDS: CAROLINE GARNAR

› › B U L C 0 0 1 › › S O G A L › › N I M R SAN FE 82

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T S E F R E B UB ›› OKTO

Van Tour Europe is the Antipodean expat’s rite of passage.

But we say, why let them have all the fun? If you want to head back north for the summer, join the Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas on the road across the continent.

Even though it’s called a ‘tour’, there are no guides and no itinerary. It’s effectively one huge convoy of campers making their way from one side of Europe to the other. Many go via different routes, meaning you can make it up as you go along; met a hottie in Lisbon? Follow them to Seville by all means – just don’t get stalker-y, that’s weird. Loving the surf in Lisbon? Stay there for a few extra days and skip on Venice (you can’t surf on canals, after all).

The rules are, as the cool folk in Grease say, there are no rules. Just chat with your fellow vanners and see what their plan is. This is also useful for finding out where the best camp sites are for Euro Tourers – you don’t want to end up pulling into a site full of families, as their children will likely cry just at the sight of you.

On these here pages you will discover the main stops to make, the festivals to hit, and an idea for an itinerary, along with tips for renting a van. For starters, rent with Spaceships Campervan Hire (spaceshipsrentals.co.uk) or Wicked Campers (wickedcampers.co.uk) and you can’t go far wrong.

The most important thing at this stage, though, is to call your mates up, hand in a lengthy holiday form at work, and start detoxing your liver – it’s going to need it…

The main stops offs There are four main stop offs, which is as ‘official’ as this tour gets. The first campervan congregation occurs July 7-14 at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, made famous by the running of the bulls. The next spot where the majority of vanners meet again is in Lagos, Portugal, and then you converge for the big finale, the 100 Club party, which is held in Munich the day before Oktoberfest (September 19-October 4); funnily enough, everyone hangs around for this 15-day beer festival too.

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Running with the bulls

Living the life in Lagos

Running of the Bulls, July 7-14

Oktoberfest, September 19-October 4

This crazy tradition started for practical reasons – to get the bulls from outside the city into the bull ring. Now it has become a huge tourist attraction where brave/crazy people try to outrun the bulls. Animal activists hope such people get a horn in an uncomfortable place as they believe it is cruel, but whether you say bully for them or bullshit, it is here that you first meet your fellow vanners, and there’s still plenty to do beyond the bulls (see our feature on p54 for more).

They might make you wear lederhosen, eat weird-sounding things like wiener schnitzel, and dance like your dad to a brass band, but the Germans serve beers by the stein, which can hold a litre, so all is forgiven. Plus, girls look surprisingly hot in lederhosen. This 15-day festival of beer glorious beer is lots of raucous fun, and the perfect way to bid auf Wiedersehen to your fellow vanners.

Lagos, Portugal, end of July

These festivals also take place during or just before the tour, so check out which ones you want to go to and make sure you incorporate them into your trip.

This is where the majority of vanners head for after the chaos of Pamplona. Here, you can chill out on the sand and surf in the waves – but don’t go getting too relaxed. You’ll be back on it again come nightfall, when the camper crowd hit the cheap and lively bars and clubs of this Portuguese tourist town.

100 Club, September 18 This pre-party party is – and you’ll find this hard to believe after what your liver’s already been through – the biggest of them all. The vanners reconvene in Munich to drink, vomit, piss and get naked – usually all at the same time. Based around a game where you have to do a shot of beer every minute with other rules thrown in, like you can only drink with your left hand and so on, anyone who breaks a rule gets punished. This involves drinking from a beer bong that has everyone’s leftover food in it – from sardines to spaghetti to gone-off meat. If you throw up, you may even be forced to drink that too. Your prize if you win? Sweet revenge on the judges…

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OTHER FESTIVALS TO HIT

SONAR BARCELONA, SPAIN, JUNE 18-20 Sonar prides itself on its selection of ‘advanced’ new music and hosts the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking artists out there, irrespective of their musical genre. The Chemical Brothers, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Evian Christ are among the acts to be announced so far. sonar.es/en LA BATALLA DEL VINO LA RIOJA, SPAIN, JUNE 29 Start early by heading to this wine festival in La Rioja (recognise the name?). Far from being a sophisticated affair, there’s no wine sniffing, swilling and sipping here; more like snorting, throwing and glugging. Crowds use buckets, water pistols and jet packs to soak each other with red vino, drinking plenty of it along the way.

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Beer it up at Oktoberfest

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SPACESHIPS CAMPERVAN RENTALS has the following insider tips for renting a van: ›› Make

sure you budget for fuel. Renting a vehicle with great fuel efficiency will leave you with plenty of cash for fun stuff! ›› Have

more than one insured driver. Whilst you may have one person who wants to do most of the driving, it’s always good to have a backup. ›› All

rental companies should provide you with European insurance cover and a roadside emergency kit, which is compulsory in some European countries. ›› Take

a GPS with you, but don’t rely on it all the time.

You’ll usually find the most interesting places when you’re lost!

If you’re planning a one-way trip, say, Rome to Barcelona, it’s worth checking the price in the opposite direction – starting in Barcelona and going the other way – as it may be cheaper.

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SUPER BOCK SUPER ROCK LISBON, PORTUGAL, JULY 17-19 As one of the longest-running festivals in Europe, this regularly attracts big names – one of which is the legendary Sting this year, joined by Florence and the Machine, Little Dragon, Kindness, Modernos and more. The beach-side back drop is an added bonus. Superbocksuperrock.pt BILBAO BBK LIVE BILBA, SPAIN, JULY 9-11 We’re even more excited about one of our favourite festivals this year, as not only is it celebrating its 10th anniversary, but Aussie bands The Cat Empire and Sheppard are performing.

Always amazing at getting a crowd going, Mumford and Sons, Muse, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Ben Harper will also be singing as the sun sinks behind the city and you watch from a blissful spot atop a mountain. With acts only playing in the evenings, you’ve got the days free to explore Bilbao and its beaches. Definitely worth a stopover. bilbaobbklive.com/2015/en

››

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FIB BENICÀSSIM, SPAIN, JULY 16-19 Festival-goers love Beni, with its hot weather and even hotter tunes. Its line-up offers a nice mix of cool rock and quirky pop for those who prefer their music a bit more mainstream. fiberfib.com

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TRY THIS ITINERARY FOR SIZE… As we said, there are four main meet-ups on this tour.

In between that it’s up to you wherever the hell you go.

Leave it to the roll of a dice for all we care. But if you are the plan-ahead type, here’s what we suggest…

Starting in the UK, head to Pamplona through France, getting the ferry to Calais, spending time in Paris and driving towards Bordeaux. This takes you into Spain, where you should stop by the cool San Sebastian and La Batalla del Vino festival before meeting everyone else at the running of the bulls in Pamplona. From here, join the convoy and head to Lisbon and Lagos, and then head back into Spain to Seville and then up to Madrid.

From the capital go east to the coast and see Valencia and then up the coast to Barcelona, if you didn’t already hit this for Sonar festival.

Keep up the coast (taking in Girona and Sant Quirze de Colera) and head into France, eventually reaching Marseille. This historic French city is great to explore and is steeped in history. If you’re more of a beach bum, we’d recommend those between La Pointe Rouge harbour and La Madrague.

From Marseille, some would suggest going inland to put in a stop in Lyon, which has a network of

underground passages – traboules – and a great clubbing scene. Alternatively you could head up the coast to Cannes (beaches) and Nice (more beaches) before crossing the border to Italy.

Here, some head straight for Venice, but it’s a fair drag (about 350 miles), so you should probably stop off and where better than Milan, or maybe even Genoa, or both?

You can also work in Florence and perhaps even Pisa if have the time and inclination.

Once you’ve enjoyed Italy, cross into Austria and, when in Innsbruck, wander its medieval lanes and sip sundowners while admiring the surrounding Alps. It’s about 100 miles from Innsbruck to Munich, which is the last big festival stop, and you should arrive just in time for Oktoberfest.

Once the hangovers pass, take time to explore Germany (we recommend driving to Cologne) before heading to Holland and taking on Amsterdam. You could head back to the UK from there but why not go down to Belgium (via Rotterdam), see Antwerp or Bruges. Then make the short journey to Calais and jump on the ferry home again. Epic, right?

Vantoureurope.com

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OZCAREERS

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Money talks Been blessed with the gift of the gab? If so, you’re the perfect candidate for a job in marketing and promotions

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are often the most accessible for travellers.

So how much money are we talking? “You may be paid on a commission-only structure or hourly.

Hourly rates usually start from $17 per hour,” says Wagener. But if the cash isn’t tempting enough, one hefty bonus is that many of the door-to-door sales jobs often include team road trips around the state, even the country, with travel and accommodation included.

If you don’t like the sound of living off commission, then promotions might be more your bag. Handing out anything from chocolate to shaving products could easily earn you $24 per hour. And with a million and one agencies touting work, it’s generally not too tricky finding shifts, although the hours can be fairly unreliable.

Oh, and one last thing. Save the

bullshitting until you’re on the job. “Honesty is definitely a key factor I look at when talking with candidates,” says Wagener. “People that are up front and honest get a big tick from me.”

Visit taw.com.au for job postings QUICK Q&A: CHARITY FUNDRAISER How did you get your job? When I stopped travelling I needed a job and found it on the internet.

How does working here compare to back home? It’s so much better.

Everyone is so much friendlier.

Is sponsorship a possibility? Yes it is. I’m on a sponsorship.

Any tips for travellers considering your job in Australia? Try it out.

If you have the right attitude and you’re a happy, bright person then this it is the right job for you.

This article is from tne TNT Archives. Words by Joanna Tilley. Photo: iStock

It’s bloody difficult to find a sociable, fun job where you can also make some money. But a job in the marketing and promotions sector could just about help you achieve this goal.

What’s more, if you’re any good at it, the long-term prospects are great.

But are there any jobs available? Bec Wagener, of Travellers at Work, says yes. “Industries are turning more and more to travellers to help fill their staff shortages. The marketing sector is definitely one of these sectors.”

Travellers looking to enter the world of marketing at anything but the most junior level would need a degree in marketing or a businessrelated discipline, but there’s still plenty on offer to those without any qualifications, as most companies provide on-the-job training.

There’s also a big variety of roles to choose from. However, sales jobs TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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WANT TO STAY LONGER? • Are you looking to come and work in a regional area, to satisfy the requirements of your 2nd Working Holiday Visa?

• Are you looking for 457, employer based sponsorship?

• Do you currently have a working holiday visa and want to find out workable options for you?

• Do you have experience in the Building or Hospitality sectors?

If you want to find out more about this and more exiting opportunities, please call our offices during office hours or visit our website.

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ARE YOU JOB HUNTING?

Visit tntdownunder.com/jobs for vacant positions in all industries across Australia and New Zealand.

At tntdownunder.com/jobs you’ll find out how to land your perfect job, an A-Z list of employers, job alerts, career news and information, visa advice and details of recruiters.

JOBS www.tntdownunder.com/jobs

Solving your recruitment problems

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Are you desperately seeking someone or something? Email caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com with your message

SAY WHAT?!

THINGS TONY ABBOTT SHOULD DO, JUST BECAUSE...

we were about to bang, and then she farted in my face and peed the bed. i still did her, but it ruined the mood a bit.

‘do you have a peanut stuck in your belly button?’ *tries to pick it out* ‘err, no – i have an outie.’

‘the storm is either getting closer... or moving further away.’ ‘helpful.’

you know how people can burp the alphabet? well this girl can fart it.

so we had a meeting with our big client last night, and my colleague stuck her tongue in the guy’s ear. and we didn’t even get the account.

the english language is fucked up man. lolz.

there are a lot of people wearing crocs here. it’s really weird. thought i’d warn you as i know you have a fear.

it’s not cool to be excited about a new kettle is it? and yet i am...

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Go skydiving – God forbid if his parachute shouldn’t open...

Hairy Potter: You looked like Harry Potter but with facial hair. I’d love to play with your wand. I look like Dumbledore – hope that’s cool.

Meet me at the steps of Sydney Opera House for a magical time.

Snuggle buddy: I’m a single Brit in Melbourne and now the sun is fading I’d really like to meet a nice lady for snuggles on the sofa, hot chocolates by a roaring fire and someone to keep me warm at night. I haven’t been here for a winter yet, so preparing for the worst. Who will wooly up with me?

Got beef: Can someone tell me what beef curtains are? I heard two guys talking about them on the bus. One said ‘Her beef curtains were minging.’ Well they would be if you hung them by the window, wouldn’t they? It just doesn’t seem practical. Is it an Aussie thing?

Hot chocolate: I gave up sex for lent. To be fair, I didn’t get much of it beforehand anyway so it’s been pretty easy. But if anyone does want to volunteer their services to me come Easter let me know.

Willing to do it in chocolate.

Meet you in O’Malleys: If you like Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain; If you’re not into yoga, if you have half a brain; If you like making love at midnight in the dunes on the cape; I’m the love that you’ve looked for, write to me and escape.

Geordie sore: I met this really hot guy from Newcastle (the UK one) – tan, tattoo sleeve, coiff and everything. He had the biggest cock I have ever seen and let’s just say I didn’t just look at it. I haven’t been able to sit down properly since.

He wants to see me again but I’m scared. What should I do??

Ginger nuts: I love gingers. I love their freckles, their invisible eyebrows and eyelashes. But most of all I love their carroty-shaded hair. I’m talking girls or guys, as long as they’re ginger. Please contact me for ‘red’-hot sexy times.

Cock o’clock: I get really horny every day at 4pm. It’s a really awkward time because I’m at work so usually end up jerking off in the

toilet. People have started to notice that I disappear at 4pm and resurface with a sweat on and red face.

They’re now taking it in turns to come into the toilets to put me off. Can I report this as bullying?

Taste the rainbow: I’m bi-curious and want a hot girl who is willing to experiment with me. I prefer brunettes (I think), curvy, and giggly. I have blue hair, a tongue piercing and slim build. Get in touch if you fit the bill and fancy trying something – and someone – new. Sarah Turned a korma: I bumped into as I was walking out of an Indian restaurant and thought you were gorgeous. I was too tongue-tied to say anything, then, but I’d love to take you out for dinner – curry?

April showers: I like to get peed on. I’m not sure why it turns me on – I don’t like being dominated or degraded in any other way. Anyway I always feel too embarrassed to ask whomever’s in my bed at the time, so thought I’d try this. Will pay $20 per piss...

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