TNT Downunder 694

August 13-19 2012 Issue 694 tntdownunder.com

IHNAPPY W AP

A SN NORTHERN TERRITORY ADVENTURE

BEER O’CLOCK Gearing up for Oktoberfest in Munich

SPLITTING AYERS The sights and sounds of Uluru

Y A L P F O E T STA

W ce you to NS u d o tr in e w , pies orth coast hip n to s ie p p u r city y From harbou + NEWS & SPORT WHAT’S ON FILM REVIEWS TRAVELLERS’ TIPS

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ALEX HARMON EDITOR editor@tntdownunder.com

EDITOR’S LETTER Sydney is the first port of call for most of you and it’s easy to get settled in the city that pretends to be the nation’s capital (it’s Canberra, by the way). But step outside because there’s so much more to discover – from the red dirt plains of the west, to the peaceful communes up north. See pg6 to discover more. We also put on our beer goggles for Oktoberfest, and head to the red centre. Happy travels!

THIS WEEK OZ DIARY

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CHATROOM

12

FILM

14

TRAVEL

20

COMPETITION

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NEWS

38

OPINION

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SPORT

42

LISTINGS NSW

47

LISTINGS QUEENSLAND

48

LISTINGS VICTORIA

53

LISTINGS NT

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LISTINGS WA

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LISTINGS TASMANIA

58

LISTINGS SA

59

LISTINGS NEW ZEALAND

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WORK

64

TRIVIAL PURSUITS

66

6

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FEATURES FIRST IN LINE

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Everything you’ll ever need to know about the first state, New South Wales

SUGAR AND SPICE

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We discuss the new doco Waiting for Sugar Man with its star, Sixto Rodriguez

ROCK STARS

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The stunning good looks and sweaty delight found at Uluru and beyond

BEER + LOATHING

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Counting down to the adult’s Disneyland that is Oktoberfest in Munich

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OZDIARY EDITORIAL Editor Alex Harmon Contributors Leigh Livingstone, Alasdair Morton, Emma Salkild, Jahn Vannisselroy Interns James Besanvalle, Priyal Dadhania, Caitlin Stanway

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No one can accuse the Cairns lifeguards of being scantily clad

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

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

MAIN EVENT CAIRNS FESTIVAL CAIRNS + SURROUNDS

Get out of the Woolshed and into this 17-day festival that encompasses over 100 unique events, including the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Tropical Pride Festival, One Fire Concert and more. You’ll explore the Far North’s sense of place and their connections to the Pacific Rim. Of course there’ll be live entertainment daily, as well as fireworks, a dog show, gourmet food, a lesbian choir and if that doesn’t cover all bases, there’s even a reggae festival.

August 17- September 2 Various, Cairns, Queensland

ciaf.com.au

SALES ENQUIRIES

02 8332 7511 EMAIL tom@tntdownunder.com PHONE

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TOBOGGAN DAY: LAKE MOUNTAIN

CANADIAN FILM FESTIVAL

VARIETY BASH GAMES FESTIVAL

Hopeless at skiing and snowboarding?

Well the annual toboggan day is for you. Happening this Saturday at Lake Mountain Resort in Victoria.

With a carnival atmosphere, there’s music, food and a snow sculpting competition.

And little chance of injury!

The seventh annual maple-syrup loving festival of film drips into Sydney this week. Opening night film is the acclaimed Monsieur Lazhar. It was even nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Daily sessions at Newtown and Circular Quay cinemas.

Beginning, as tradition states, in a town starting with B, this years Variety bash will see 103 pre-1974 vehicles, with all the bizarre boot-dressings travel from Balmain (in Sydney) to Bamaga (in far north Queensland). Raising money for a kid’s charity.

Aug 18 Lake Mountain Resort, VIC lakemountainresort.com.au

Aug 13-19 Sydney, NSW possibleworlds.net.au

Aug 19 Kicking off in Balmain, NSW variety.org.au

$40

TNT Magazine is printed on paper from sustainable forests.

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

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The founding state From Bondi to Byron, from white sands to whales, and from the outback to big bananas, you’ll never get bored in New South Wales WORDS JAMES BESANVALLE

As the premier state, New South Wales offers everything you’ll need for an all round Australian experience. From the iconic landmarks of Sydney to the dusty terrains of Broken Hill, the vibrant places and people along the way are a paradise for your perusing pleasure.

If you’ve got the time to spare and a bit of money in your pocket, NSW has the sights and sounds sorted. The lively Sydney metropolis and the relaxed country landscapes provide the perfect opportunities for any budding traveller.

The vibrant state offers a smorgasbord of colour and climate, with the average temperature in summer at a perfect 25 degrees. Walk along the breezy beaches of Bondi and grab a bite to eat at the local pubs and cafes. Or stroll around Sydney Harbour 6

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and see the attractions amongst sparkling seas and bustling bars.

The east coast of NSW offers private seaside getaways as well as thriving regions of beautiful and unique Australian flora and fauna.

For something a bit cooler (no pun intended) head south to Mt Kosciuszko and climb Australia’s highest mountain.

And visit Thredbo’s snow-capped mountains while you’re in the area to ski up a storm.

For explorers, head out west to the beautiful Blue Mountains and breathe in the brisk mountain air. Spend a few days sampling tasty treats in art deco cafes then walk off the cake on one of the many remote trails the mountains have to offer.

Want to experience the great, vast outback that you’ve heard Queen

of American TV Oprah talk so much about? No need to leave NSW, just head further west towards Bathurst, Dubbo and then Broken Hill. Don’t let the seemingly endless, dusty tracks overwhelm you – the greater west of NSW will reward any weary traveller with traditional rural culture and a thriving Aboriginal arts scene.

And although we tend to forget about it, we’ve included the nation’s capital, Canberra. It’s hidden down between NSW and Victoria but shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you’re into art, politics or history.

So, there’s more to NSW than meets the eye, yes, we’re looking at you Sydney with your dazzling harbour.

So check out our guide with 34 more reasons why you should put a big red circle around this great state...

BONDI-COOGEE WALK

PARLIAMENT HOUSE

The walk from Bondi to Coogee, along plunging cliff tops, above crashing waves and onto cute uncrowded beaches, is arguably the Sydney experience.

It’s hard to miss Parliament House in Canberra with its huge tripod flagpole thingy flying atop, but when you’re done taking your snaps, take a peek inside.

HUNTER VALLEY

JENOLAN CAVES

Nestled among the rolling hills and lush Hunter Valley curves are dozens of wineries. Sip, slurp and (if you’re a real pro/stupid) spit your way around..

This cave system, in the Blue Mountains, has numerous caverns to explore. The guided tours take you past stalagmites and stalagtites, underground pools and all kinds of weirdness. You can also watch a surreal underground concert.

BONDI BEAUTIES It’s one of the world’s most famous stretches of sand, but if it’s a bit nippy for a sunbake, join the surfers on a wave, enjoy breakfast at one of the trendy cafés or wander around the Sunday market.

WHALE WATCHING Between June and October, go whale-watching from numerous coastal spots.

During the rest of the year, head out in search of the resident dolphin population.

JERVIS BAY

THREE SISTERS The most famous sight in the Blue Mountains, this rock formation is a breathtaking sight, especially when lit up at night.

PALM BEACH “Flamin’ galah!” Yes, everybody’s favourite Aussie, Alf “fair dinkum” Stewart, has a tendency to hang out on Palm Beach, on the city’s northern beaches, where they film Home and Away.

CLIMB THE COAT HANGER

There are many things that make this small south coast town so special – national parks, rampant wildlife, etc – but only one reason has got it into the record books.

The sand is the whitest in the world. Ask Mr Guinness if you don’t believe us.

You won’t get a more quintessential Sydney photo than standing at the very top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The views aren’t half bad either. Too expensive?

You can still clamber up to the Pylon Lookout for $11.

GO TO NIMBIN

SURF AT MANLY

We know why. You know why. We all know why.

At least, we think we can remember why.

Surfing is as Aussie as Vegemite, “meat” pies and Manly is the perfect place to give it a try.

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COFFS HARBOUR

KINGS CROSS

This resort town, midway between Sydney and Brisbane, is well worth a few days of your time. There are some great beaches, and masses of adrenalin activities on offer. Oh, and a big banana as well.

Shops selling goods of an “adult” nature jostle with trendy wine bars, and you can’t walk down the road without spruikers trying to get you to part with your cash to watch young ladies take their clothes off..

FEEL THE POWDER

BROKEN HILL

Over the winter months the appropriately-named Snowy Mountains are heaving with the white stuff. The most popular resorts are Thredbo and Perisher, and from June-September they are a playground for skiiers and boarders.

An intriguing oasis in a harsh but spectacular environment, way out west. Pop down a mine, see sunset from the Sculpture Symposium and nip to nearby Silverton, a ghost town with a very famous pub.

JUMP OUT OF A PLANE

You know you’ve arrived at the Sydney Fish Markets in Pyrmont by the accumulated smell of several thousand tonnes of fish. Grab a plate of freshly cooked fish ‘n’ chips, an ale and sit at one of the outside tables.

FEELING FISHY?

Get a natural hairdryer treatment, hear your cheeks flapping and your other cheeks squeaking, while you get the adrenalin buzz of your life, by skydiving.

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MUNGO NATIONAL PARK

CRAWL THE ROCKS

Stuffed full of history and natural beauty, don’t miss the shimmering white dunes known as the Walls of China.

Some of the city’s best pubs can be found lurking near the Harbour Bridge. Try the homebrew at the Lord Nelson, take in a tune at the Hero of Waterloo and sip a Guinness at the Mercantile. And that’s just before lunch. .

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

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PORT MAC’S KOALAS

BYRON BAY

CLIMB MT KOSCIUSZKO

This is the place to befriend a koala. You can cuddle up to one in the Billabong Koala Park or coo over the convalescing traffic victims in the Koala Hospital. Then check some of the adrenalin thrills; from go-karting to wakeboarding.

Beautiful beaches, tranquil hinterland and a relaxed vibe (perhaps helped by nearby Nimbin) means it’s easy to come here for three days and end up staying ‘til the immigration men come a-knockin’.

KU-RING-GAI CHASE This national park, in northern Sydney, is a fantastic combination of coastline and bushland, but best of all it has some ancient Aboriginal rock engravings, which can be found along the Resolute Track.

THE PUB WITH NO BEER Slim Dusty was a true blue Aussie legend, mate. His most famous song, The Pub with No Beer, was based on the Taylors Arm Hotel, just west of Nambucca Heads.

The amber nectar flows there these days, so stop in and have a schooner on Slim.

FINDING NEMO

BELLINGEN This alternative, laidback town in the hinterland behind Coffs Harbour is a great place to take some time out. There are dozens of beautiful spots in the surrounding area, like the World Heritage-listed Dorrigo National Park.

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

ROYAL NATIONAL PARK This coastal national park, an hour south of Sydney, is the world’s second oldest. There are spectacular beaches and wonderful scenery, best accessed on a bushwalk. Try the two-day coastal track.

If it lives in the waterways of Australia, you’ll find it at the fascinating Sydney Aquarium. Better still get out and dive in Sydney or along the NSW coast. Much underrated underwater experiences. You can also jump in the tank and dive with sharks at Oceanworld Manly.

WAR MEMORIAL

ART GALLERIES

TARONGA ZOO Built right on the harbour, some enclosures, especially the giraffes, are backed by spectacular city panoramas.

Fortunately the extensively feathered, furred and flippered population are just as worthy of your attention.

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Art attack? The Art Gallery of NSW is home to works from around the world as well as an extensive display of Aboriginal works, while the Museum of Contemporary Art has all the modern genres covered. Those really dedicated should head to the daddy – Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia.

Entry is free for all three.

This huge Canberra landmark contains all kinds of relics, pictures and exhibitions documenting Australia’s military history and the human cost of it’s involvement. It’s particularly poignant in the current unstable world environment.

ROO-TIFUL PEBBLY BEACH Want to get back to nature?

We can’t think of a better spot than lovely Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park. Believe us, you’ll be fighting the roos off.

NEWCASTLE A one-time industrial powerhouse that has transformed into a laidback and sophisticated surf hotspot that boasts more artists per capita than anywhere else in Oz. Lonely Planet even named it as one of the world’s top cities!

CHATROOM

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The samba ninja Tom Harding, AKA ‘Tom the Pom,’ is leading a samba revolution in Sydney and under his guidance you too can go from beginner to Rio Carnivale – or maybe even find a wife INTERVIEW ALEX HARMON

How did a Pom get into Brazilian music?

Well, I love all music, but how I got into samba was through a community workshop in Cambridge. I was walking past it, heard it and I thought, I have gotta find out what this is. I went in and within the hour I pretty much planned out my career for the rest of my days. The teacher was really good but she didn’t explain things in a way that I could get my head around. A lot of people were baffled by what she was saying.

So, she would give instructions and I ended up explaining it to other people who were baffled.

Before you know it, I call myself a teacher.

“You wouldn’t tell Brazilians that they can’t play drum and bass” Who are the Samba Ninjas?

We’re a community band based in Sydney but auditions are always open and anyone can tryout at any given point. In samba you can have as many players as you like, you can have people doubling up parts and you can take parts out, put them back in.

So how do you define samba?

The term samba is a little bit like the term rock and roll. If I was to say to you, “rock and roll,” you might be thinking Buddy Holly and I might be thinking Cradle of Filth. They’re both rock and roll bands. And to an extent you’ve got that in samba. There are a lot of different genres, you’ve got bossa nova and bascada and enredo, and so on. You get plenty of people saying that what I do isn’t samba, to which I reply, well it’s evolving, its changing.

You wouldn’t tell Brazilians that they can’t play drum and bass. I am from where drum and bass comes from, but I wouldn’t say, “no – you’re not doing it right.”

You also run samba experience...

They’re both my babies. I am the band-leader of the ninjas and also the boss. Actually the other day I was called a “benevolent leader”. So I run workshops, we do beginner’s samba like samba

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101. People have come to the workshops, loved it, progressed and ended up joining the band.

Actually somebody came to the workshop, loved it, progressed, and married me.

I’m tone deaf, can I still join?

Well, it takes a certain amount of skill, you don’t need any knowledge but you need to come to practices and you need to be able to learn.

You can’t show up saying, “I’m a great bongo player.” For starters, we don’t play bongos.

What instruments do you play?

In the band I play surdos, tamborim (not tambourine). And I also play the guitar and ukulele professionally. Back in the UK I was a professional didgeridoo player. I used to do workshops and corporate events when they needed someone to pretend to be Australian.

Yep, I used to be that person.

Can you do an Aussie accent?

No, I kept my mouth shut.

So how did you end up in Sydney?

Boy meets girl, boy gets visa. Tom wins. Genius.

I met someone in a workshop and it turned out we had friends in common, so I got myself a wife and a visa. Tom one – England nil.

Is it a full time job?

I do a number of things, I do the samba experience, I’m involved in highschools and I do music with little ones. The preschool music show is great fun. I teach tiny little kids and we do things like “Old MacDonald had a Farm” in sign language. I also do a drum circle workshop where I take out the African drums. And I teach a workshop which is held on the last Saturday of every month in Camperdown.

You sound incredibly busy...

I am, but it’s really good. There are a couple of different ways you can look at music – you can find out exactly what you want to do and focus on that, or you can keep busy and say yes to everything. “Yes I want to do preschool music,” and so on. There’s plenty of work if you’ve got a broad skill base. And there’s plenty of work if you choose to teach effectively. If you want to be a rock star, then no, there’s not enough work.

The ultimate samba ninja gig would be?

Well it would have to be in Rio Carnivale, wouldn’t it?

That would be pretty awesome...

Yes, but then again, it would also be terrible because we’d be shown up and you’d see how bad we really are.

To learn more about the Samba Experience and how to join the movement, head to: thesambaexperience.com.au

FILMREVIEW

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“Drop the campaign Alan... or else the monkey gets it”

THE CAMPAIGN FILM review by Emma Salkild STARRING: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Dan Aykrod, John Lithgow / MA / 85mins

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS FILM preview by Priyal Dadhania STARRING: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest | PG | 105mins

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s first ever collaboration from 1990 is set to grace our screens again. It’s the classic story of an outsider accepted by a suburban housewife only to be rejected when he falls in the love with her daughter.

Accused of crimes he didn’t commit, the man with scissors for hands tells his story. If you didn’t see it on the big screen in the 90s, now’s your chance.

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Smarmy and unscrupulous congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is the ideal pawn for bigwig CEOs the Motch brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow), to use in their plans to sell out North Carolina to the Chinese.

Well, that is until one outrageous scandal sees Brady slipping in the polls, forcing them to draft the loveable town dag Monty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis) to be the next frontrunner. What follows is an onslaught of mudslinging and dirty tricks that would put the most despicable of pollies to shame.

Eventually something’s gotta give and in this case, the one-upmanship gags start to feel a bit repetitive. However, even with the recurring jokes and predictable moments, this political satire is good, rollicking fun.

Ferrell is an old hat when it comes to portraying dodgy and daft politicians and there’s definitely a bit of his Saturday Night Live George Bush impersonation shining through his Brady. And after the Hangover films, it’s refreshing to see Galifianakis play victimised instead of victimiser.

The film delivers funny, fairly well-rounded characters, a slew of great cameos and hilarious I-feel-naughty-for-laughing-at-that jokes while also making an almost poignant point about modern-day politics in the US. Democrat or Republican – in the end it comes down to who’s got the money.

GOOD FOR: Adding joy to your hangover Sunday through politically incorrect jokes

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Sweet taste of success A new doco about singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez shows you don’t have to sacrifice ethics to find fans, but you may have to wait WORDS ALASDAIR MORTON

Rock ‘n’ roll is littered with stories of hedonism and idealism, success counterbalanced by dismal failure. Stories you couldn’t dream up if you were to get a room full of Hollywood screenwriters and task them with fashioning the most far-fetched idea they could muster. Were you to do this, though, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a tale as astounding as that of Sixto Rodriguez, the focus of an engaging and inspiring new documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, a hit at the recent Sydney Film Festival.

“I spent six months travelling round Africa and South America looking for good stories,” filmmaker Malik explains of what caught his eye initially about Rodriguez’s tale. “I was speechless, I hadn’t heard such a good story in my life.”

Singer-songwriter Rodriguez was going to be the next Bob Dylan, a street poet prowling Detroit’s sidewalks with a guitar and tales of social conscience. After recording two albums, Cold Fact and Coming From Reality, to little US success, he returned to labouring jobs, convinced his musical career was not to be. Unbeknownst to him, though, his records found favour outside his homeland, in Australia and, especially, South Africa, where his anti-establishment songs and championing of the plight of the working class caught the attention of the anti-Apartheid movement, and subsequently went platinum. “I did random vox pops in the streets of Cape Town and every second person knew of Rodriguez, no matter their age or sex,” Malik says of his initial investigations into the musician.

Despite this southern hemisphere success, no royalties or even news of his popularity made it across the Atlantic, and little was known in SA of the musician so many adored, his albums revealing little more than a solitary name. It was in Rodriguez’s lyrics, though, that two musical detectives, Craig Bartholemew and record shop owner Stephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman delved to find out who their hero was.

Myths had flourished in the absence of fact, chiefly that Rodriguez was dead, either by a drug overdose or, strangely, a bizarre onstage suicide, but the duo’s investigation led them to Michigan, where they discovered Rodriguez was alive and well. Before long, he was stepping off a plane in Cape Town in 1998, and playing sold out shows to 20,000

clamouring fans. He had found success, finally, and it had been on his own terms.

Rather than being a radio hit in South Africa, it was Rodriguez’s music, lyrics and inspirational world view that had won him his fanbase. He had fervent fans who would go to the length of having his album covers tattooed on their arms, in some instances, in allegiance to his steadfast ethics and refusal to bow to the easier route, musically or in any facet of his life. In fact, his records were not widely played on South African radio because they were then censored by the powers that be.

“

I hadn't heard such a good story in my life

”

“After the [Cape Town] shows I went out and met the audience,” Rodriguez tells us when we meet him in his hotel as part of the documentary’s world tour. “There were a lot of soldiers and they told me how they were in service, they had conscription there, and they’d trade cassettes and that was how it circulated, in part, at that time.”

To hear of his anti-establishment ideals and how they connected with people, you’d expect the man himself – dressed in rockstar black when we sit down for our chat – to be full of polemic, yet he is nothing of the sort. The man we meet, who ran for Detroit mayor twice, driven by his social idealism, is softly spoken and quiet, exuding the sort of inner peace that comes from enjoying and being at one with the world and his place in it. Most tellingly, it was not the discovery of a revenue stream in ‘98 that most pleased Rodriguez, but the knowledge that his music had found the people, his people, for whom it was intended. Far from pocketing long overdue pay cheques, he took the money from his Cape Town shows and gave it away.

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Sixto chats with a TNT writer in his hotel room

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a new lease of life for the material, as well. The young blood should invest in the recordings.”

Further success beckons and Sixto could very well be on the cusp of that mainstream acclaim many foresaw at the

“

Anyway, you can't take your money with you when you go

”

end of the Sixties. An appearance on The David Letterman Show is booked for late August, with global film fest appearances, and accompanying gigs, as well. The duo have been to the Czech Republic and Moscow recently, with Malik picking up the Special Jury Prize and Audience Award for Best International Doc at Sundance, too, meaning it’s not just the tall, dark musician whose life has changed.

There are new shows on the horizon as well, including a return to Australia next year and new dates in South Africa after the documentary tour is done and dusted.

If you were to stop someone on the street in his native Detroit in a few months time, perhaps, it is highly likely you’d find half the people you spoke with would know of Rodriguez and his incorruptible ways, too. And it’s not before time. ❚

Photos: Getty Imgaes

“The music industry is a fast-paced business, but it is not all about the money,” he explains. “That’s not the reason you do things, there is more beyond that, another kind of reward – self-expression. Anyway, you can’t take money with you when you go.”

When piecing the doco together, Malik went back and spoke to many involved in the recording of the albums in the Seventies, notably Coming From Reality producer Steve Rowland and Cold Fact‘s Dennis Coffey.

“They had been waiting for this phone call for years,” Malik enthuses of the producers who’d worked with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Marvin Gaye, but counted their work with the “prophet” Rodriguez as their most valued.

“They wanted to talk about being part of something pretty amazing in the Seventies, and they didn’t know the story [of Rodriguez’s South African success], either.”

Rodriguez himself was sceptical, and was only convinced to provide Malik with a new interview for the film – conducted at his home – when the Swedish-based filmmaker made the sojourn to Detroit. “It’s a place you want to see in July when it is hot, or in February when it is very cold,” Rodriguez recalls of Malik’s courting of him. “He came in February and filmed these shots of me walking through the city and that was when I thought: ‘Are you going to make this work or not?’ So then I agreed.”

Sugar Man heralds the start of a new chapter in Rodriguez’s life and career. “As a result of technology I’m almost a new act,” he relishes of the opportunity for him to connect with a new audience. “Although the material is old-century, I do consider myself contemporary and there is

Fed up of carrying around heavy guidebooks?

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

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

FIJI W ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA NE

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

T THE INDEPENDEN

UIDE TRAVELLERS' G JI

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

2012

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

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER THE DARK SIDE: Vivian, 24, Taiwan VIVIAN SAYS: “I took this photo at Sydney Harbour” WE SAY: “It’s great to see a different perspective of Sydney Harbour.

Not just the angle of the bridge but also the colour. So many people take postcard worthy shots these days. It’s nice to see a sinister looking bridge.

And let’s face it, it’s rarely sunny in Sydney these days!”

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

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

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WIN

HOT TIPS: Black + white THE POWER WITHIN As we can see from the image on this page, black and white photos can be very powerful.

Opt or a dark image with lots of contrasts where the blacks have no detail or the lighter, softer approach. Like most elements of photography, light plays a huge part. Black and white imagery is very forgiving so bear in mind that if you under or overexpose a shot, because the light is not quite right then it can be masked.

Grain works better with black and white photos and gives them more texture, so don’t be afraid to push a little harder in low light situations.

HUGE SCREENS FOR ALL THE BEST LIVE SPORT!!!

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TRAVELTIPS

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To climb or not to climb?

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ON THE ROAD WITH TRAVEL

TALK ALEXANDER SCHIMMER 19, GERMANY WHERE HAVE YOU TRAVELLED SO FAR?

YOU ASKED FOR IT...

WE ANSWER YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

After I worked in Sydney I travelled for almost two-and-a-half months.

I have been on the road with the Greyhound bus and did a roadtrip with two friends of mine down south and went to Tasmania.

YOUR MOST MEMORABLE DAY IN OZ?

Q

I’m going to Uluru – is it true that it’s offensive to climb? Sarah Walsh, UK

Q

What are Queensland’s best islands?

Aurelie Blanc, France

you’ve travelled large distances to see A So an oversized red rock, and when you get

Sunshine State has an embarrassment A The of riches when it comes to island loving.

there you want to climb it. That’s fine, however, before you set off there are some issues you should be aware of. Uluru is sacred to its Aboriginal owners (the Anangu), who don’t want people climb it. The climbing route is of huge cultural significance, being a pathway of their spiritual ancestors and undertaken by Aboriginal men only on certain ceremonial occasions. Also, some people have died while doing the climb (mostly heart attacks), and as these people are essentially guests, the Anangu feel responsible.

Many people don’t do the climb, but until a majority of tourists refuse to do so, the Aussie government will not close the route, regardless of local protests. Put simply, don’t do it if you want to respect the local Aboriginal people.

There’s not space to mention all the great ones, so here are some of our favourites... Fraser Island is a given: plunging freshwater lakes, subtropical rainforest and driving up the beach make it a must-do. The other classic is clearly the Whitsundays. Okay, there’s 74 of them, but sailing through their turquoise waters and strolling along one of the world’s most beautiful beaches (Whitehaven) is as good as it gets. But if you want somewhere truly unspoilt and quiet, then give Hinchinbrook a go. It’s home to the famed Thorsborne walking trail. If you prefer a party then Magnetic or Great Keppel might be better options. Diving enthusiasts should explore Lizard or Lady Elliot which are some of the best places for spotting turtles.

After picking you up in a limo, you can enjoy the pool, TV area and free pool table, or relax in your shared apartment. Every night the staff put on some form of entertainment too.

OVERVIEW

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FAVOURITE SPOT IN OZ?

Fraser Island because there’s a lot of amazing stuff to see and also the people I met were pretty cool.

WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

Of course my friends and family, but I also miss basketball because Aussies aren’t really into basketball.

ANY RUN-INS WITH WILDLIFE?

On our dive we saw a lot of grey nurse sharks, 2-3 metres long. And in the jungle there were lots of leeches on my whole body.

ADVICE FOR OTHER TRAVELLERS?

Never travel alone. It’s more fun to have people around you.

You’ll enjoy your time together.

CHECKING IN SLEEPING INN SURFERS

I did a night dive on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had.

Shared dorms in an apartment with private kitchen and bathrooms. Dorms are very small but the apartment style makes up for it.

BILL PLEASE Dorms start from $28/ night for an eight-share.

ROOMS

26 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise sleepinginn.com.au

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS AUSTRALIA EXPERIENCE

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TRAVELLERSTALE

THE LOST WORLD

N

Teapot-shaped PAUL FRANKLIN journeyed to the centre of the Earth, abseiling into the dark Waitomo caves.

If you fancy a change from New Zealand’s usual adrenalin activities, you should try the Waitomo caves.

Meaning ‘water passing through a hole’, Waitomo is just a village with a pub, campsite and a peculiar motel.

In the 1800s, a bunch of waistcoatwearing chaps went to investigate the land’s suitability for a railroad, and almost fell down a bloody great hole.

This sinkhole is about 100m deep, and is where my brother and I commenced our “Lost World Epic”.

We were clad in rubber wetsuits that, if condoms, would be the opposite of fetherlite, latched to a slender cable and dropped into a mossy abyss. I’ve abseiled before, but it’s different when you aren’t leaning against a sturdy wall. You’re just dangling, easing out the rope, trying to find the balance between “too slow” and “fuck, stop!”.

The Lost World hole is aptly named, since (a) you can see how someone might lose it, and (b) it’s very Jurassic Park-like, with its prehistoric age and verdant rainforest feel.

This was the beginning, the literal scratch on the surface, of a 45km stretch of limestone caves that concede the volume of a double-decker bus

each year to acid erosion.

Once at the bottom, we scrambled up some hefty boulders and stopped to make amusing silhouettes against the backlit scene of the entrance behind.

My “I’m a Little Teapot” one went done well; my brother’s “Karate Kid” had been done before.

Venturing on, we saw the route we would’ve taken had it not recently rained. “Gushing” is the word. Plan B seemed preferable to drowning.

We side-stepped that via some glowworms (larvae with glow-in-thedark poop) and braved a big ladder.

After a surprisingly arduous climb that made my forearms ache like whipping a meringue for too long, we ducked and dived and occasionally crawled until we reached a rope and a hole. We clipped on, turned around, and abseiled down a drop of unknown height whilst a gush of cold water coursed over us. You know those ‘invigorating’ shower gel adverts?

Similar, minus the minty aroma.

After I’d hit the bottom, fallen on to my arse and stood up again, I got my bearings (“I’m somewhere in a dark wet hole”) and splodged to one side. Once we were all down, grinning like soggy hyenas, the guides led us through more tricky channels and to another waterfall. We were made

to tuck our limbs in and turn out our headlights... then we dropped into darkness. Screaming like we were on a log flume... without the log.

Further on, past ancient whalebones and oyster fossils, we met another waterfall. But this one we were going up. We had the option of using a ladder to the side, or climb it. I did the latter, fishing for footholds through the icy spray.

The first few metres were easy enough, but near the top was an overhang, and a narrow cleft to wriggle through. The guide at the top urged me on, but I found I was hindered not only by my belt buckle snagging in the tight gap, but my right boot, filled with water, which was surprisingly heavy to lift. With one big push and a tennis player grunt, I made it. Then I crawled through a few more passages into yet another cave, flicked off my light and enjoyed a chocolate bar in total blackness.

Eventually, after a relatively gentle ascent but still flanked by some vertiginous drops, we emerged, blinking, through a small leafy hole into the daylight. My immediate thoughts were, “I could do that all over again, right now”. But, next on the agenda was a hot shower, which I happily settled for.

Once changed, we hopped back in the van to base, the sinkhole-filled field soon seeming like just any other New Zealand farm – grassy and full of sheep, with no hint as to the awesome fun that lay ‘Lost’ beneath.

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

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WIN

HOW TO ENTER

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

UNLEASH THE ADVENTURE! WIN A KAKADU OR ULURU TRIP FOR TWO To celebrate our special Northern Territory month in which we will be exploring the various attractions of this stunning section of Australia, we’re giving our readers the chance to win a couple of epic tours.

TNT has teamed up with Adventure Tours Australia and Mulgas Adventures to offer you a Northern Territory prize of a lifetime. Kakadu and Uluru are both boxes you need to tick off on your NT wish list. And with these tours you’ll be able to get snap happy while experienced guides make sure the NT’s (rather snap-happy residents themselves) are kept at bay.

So if you’ve burnt a hole in your wallet (and your liver) in Darwin’s pubs and you’re looking for some adventure

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that isn’t on Mitchell Street, we’re here to rescue you.

We’re offering two lucky readers and a friend the following prize: GRAND PRIZE WIN a 3 day 4wd Kakadu and Litchfield trip for 2 from Adventure Tours. This prize includes: Three day touring with an experienced guide. Two nights bush camping. Cruise the Mary River, r discover ancient rock art at Ubirr, take a relaxing swim at Maguk (Barramundi Gorge), see the famous Twin and Jim Jim falls, and visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre.Accommodation transfers. Quality meals.Crocodile wrestling is optional!. Total value $1,175.

RUNNER UP PRIZE WIN a 3 day Mulgas adventure Uluru Tour for 2, plus 2 nights dorm accommodation at Annie’s place.

This prize includes: Visit to Kings Canyon for one of the most stunning walks along the North & South walls. Swim in the majestic Garden of Eden. Overnight bush camp cook up feast Curtain Springs. Hiking through the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta. Uluru base walk and a visit to the cultural centre. Total value $780.

Terms & conditions apply. Visit tntdownunder.com for all entry details.

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Uluru NORTHERN TERRITORY

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Some like it hot The serene sights and dazzling lights of Uluru should be seen from all angles, just don’t let the droves of flies ruin your view WORDS LEIGH LIVINGSTONE

Photos: Tourism NT, Ole-Kristian Bergene

The pilots like to put on a show as they Uluru and other local attractions. The area is fly towards Connellan Airport. We’ve all completely isolated, which is the theme of the WHAT TO DO: Adventure been staring blankly out over the dusty outback, but there is accommodation to suit all Tours do 3 day tours of Uluru, nothingness for some time now and budgets, from a fancy hotel with a swimming Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon. while it’s a novelty at first, it starts to pool to a backpackers with a communal shower See: adventuretours.com.au get a bit repetitive. All of a sudden the block. Of course, we are rocking out at the latter, WHERE TO STAY: Captain announces that everyone should the Outback Pioneer Lodge.

A bed in a dorm room at take a look out of the window if we want Outback Pioneer Lodge will Everything in Yulara is serviced by a shuttle to see something cool. Now I’m awake bus but I’m told the main square is within cost you $38/night. Camping again, I know what’s coming and I can’t walking distance across a large bushy plain from $15.50/night. Or treat help but feel a bubble of excitement start yourself to a room with views towards the other side of the town. The best to churn around in my stomach. way to explore any new place is by walking, of the rock for $480/night.

As the wing dips slightly, we all see it. (ayersrockresort.com.au). Annie’s so off we go. As we kick our way through the You can’t miss it: Ayers Rock, or Uluru, ankle-deep dry, spiky brush, it dawns on me Place Backpackers will offer the proper Aboriginal name. Rising up that snakes are probably pretty common here – you a bed from $20/night. See out of the ground, like, a giant, er, rock. suddenly we decide to speed up the exploration anniesplacebackpackers.com Let’s be honest, that’s what it is. Although SEE: tourismnt.com.au expedition. seeing it from this angle is something There is a post office, small grocery store and else entirely. There is nothing even remotely close to it for restaurants surrounding a water feature, and even though kilometres on either side, and even though we are thousands reason tells me there are probably thousands of visitors here of feet in the air, it is impressively enormous.

The plane lands on a strip of runway in front of a tinshed-looking building that can only be the airport. I hope.

As we trail off and across the tarmac behind the other passengers I realise it must be, since we are all heading in that direction, trailed by more flies than I have ever seen in my life. Luckily, I have been forewarned about this, so I am armed with an industrial can of insect repellent meant for use in tropical zones. I am Australian and hardcore.

After collecting the baggage and identifying which bus we should be on, I begin dousing myself with the Aeroguard.

I look up to see the portly bus driver loading our bags and chuckling, “that isn’t going to help you – the flies around here eat Aeroguard for breakfast.”

I smile politely, surely he is exaggerating?

Way outback A 20-minute bus ride later and we arrive in Yulara, a selfsufficient mini-town made specifically for tourists visiting

Shoot first, talk later Follow the red dirt road

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at any one time, it all seems eerily quiet.

“I bet the action is back at the Outback Lodge in the evenings,” pipes up my travel buddy. We can only hope.

At the crack of dawn we are getting up to watch the

“

We grab a seat to watch nature put on a show for the crowd that’s gathered

and deep red colours that appear as the sun begins to set are amazing. They reflect off the ground and shine through the bare, jagged branches of the nearby trees. Even though the temperature is more comfortable now, residual heat makes a low shimmer on the ground. I take a swig from my cold brew and stretch out on a bench to take in the view.

Shadows are forming on the big rock in the distance and its earthy red colour transforms through all the colours of the sunset until it’s almost entirely shrouded in darkness, and then suddenly it’s night.

So long Skippy

My mate wasn’t kidding about the action being back at the Lodge. Dinner is a group affair involving shared barbeques, a salad buffet and long wooden picnic benches. The choice at the “butcher” station is kangaroo, emu or boring old beef.

I’m feeling adventurous and whisper “sorry Skippy” as he sunrise at Uluru, so we grab some breakfast snacks from the hisses back at me from the hot metal. It’s a bit odd eating supermarket and a large stick to bash our way back through one of the stars on Australia’s coat of arms, but I power the brush to the safety of the Outback Lodge. through – it doesn’t taste bad actually. A little bit tough, and Apparently there is a killer view from a lookout that’s a no, not at all like chicken. short walk behind where we are staying. Taking a freshly Soon enough live music starts and after a few more local cracked NT Draught beer and a cardigan just in case, I trudge beers, everyone is feeling loose. Skippy is barely digested up a small sandy hill to check it out. There it is again: Uluru. before the one-man entertainment gets everyone up for Well and truly commanding the landscape from whichever a rendition of “Give Me A Home Among The Gum Trees,” angle you look at it. including hand actions. After a few rounds everyone has the We grab a seat to watch nature put on a show for the hang of it, they’re even getting creative with their hips for crowd that’s gathered. A slight breeze is blowing but the “the old rocking chair” bit. We’re all friends here and if we heat coming off the land is still scorching. The bright gold aren’t, then we will be by the end of this song.

”

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www.adventuretours.com.au *Offer available until 31 October 2012 for travel before 31 March 2013. Price shown is per passenger. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park fee of $25 is payable upon departure. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Offer only available on 3 Day Rock the Centre (RTC3) normally $375+$25 National Park Fee.

It’s a bit painful to wake up in the pitch black after a night on the tiles. I roll out of bed into the cold air and drag myself out to a waiting bus. There is a tiny bit of comfort looking around at all the bleary-eyed, yawning people joining me this morning.

Luckily when we arrive at the big rock our driver offers hot tea, and I dig out my pre-made cheese sandwich from the depths of my backpack to scoff while we wait for a photo opportunity.

Uluru is looming over us, and from this angle the sun will appear from behind the waiting crowd.

As it begins to rise, Uluru starts to change again, this time dusty cool colours appear on its deep ridges. It may be just one rock but Uluru has so many faces to show off.

The sun is barely above eye level before that familiar heat starts to creep in.

“We had better get going if we want to make it around before midday,” chirps my fellow explorer. Ah, yes, I’d almost forgotten that I agreed to circumnavigate this thing. Once upon a time it was common to climb to the top of Uluru and maybe take a rock as a souvenir. Now visitors are encouraged to skip that since it has deep spiritual significance to the traditional owners of the land. The Northern Territory postal service regularly receives rocks returned from all over the world by superstitious tourists. Most of the time it isn’t open to climb anyway due to heat, rain or high winds.

Lord of the Flies Just as we are about to begin our nine kilometre trek, someone begins yelling behind us. A man is shouting, “get down” over and over again. About halfway up Uluru a tiny speck is racing

towards the top, clearly ignoring the fuming park ranger yelling at him from the bottom. As amusing as this is to watch, he won’t be coming down for a while, so off we go.

The base walk around Uluru is an interesting way to learn about the Aboriginal culture and history of the land. Even though it looks somewhat symmetrical from a distance, no two angles are the same up-close.

The dirt path curves around the massive base, sometimes diverting in towards a uniquely shaped nook or cranny used for native ceremonies. There are certain places that are sacred and it is clearly marked when pictures are not allowed.

As the morning wears on, it gets ridiculously hot and thankfully my backpack consists of three one-litre bottles of water. It seems extreme, but I’m already one down and we haven’t even made it halfway.

The killer flies have returned and are trying to invade every hole on my face, they are as desperate for water as I am.

I remember some comical hats I saw with full-face netting at the gift shop near The Outback Lodge. It isn’t so funny now.

I curse myself for not buying one as I wrap my travel-mate’s smelly T-shirt around my face.

By the time we pass the halfway mark, I am having visions of falling to the ground, my airways blocked by flies, scrambling across the red dust before the vultures circling overhead swoop down on me. Those vultures are actually just normal birds but I could still use some shade and a rest.

We trudge on and reach the pickup point in almost three hours. I run Rocky Balboa-style to the finish line and pump my fist in the air. I made it. ❚

There’s green if you can find it

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ng

HANGING WITH OLGA THE OLGAS + KINGS CANYON ARE JUST AS INSPIRING, WRITES DAMIAN HALL ...

o

of p I

The Olgas, or Kata Tjuta, as those of you familiar with local Aboriginal dialect will no doubt know, means “many heads”. Indeed, from a distance the rocks resemble the heads of giants, frozen midmeeting by some Tolkien-esque wizard. The local Aboriginal people, the Anangu, believe the rocks were home to the all-powerful Wanambi snake during Dreamtime (the world’s creation) and the humungous domes are thought to be 600 million years old.

The highest, Mt Olga, out-reaches Uluru and the formation is more sacred than its more famous neighbour.

Our absurdly knowledgeable guide and former geologist, explains how the rocks host “men’s business”. The details of men’s business are kept secret, but you imagine they’re something more edifying than the beer drinking, talking footy and scratching of nads that constitutes men’s business for most whitefellas nowadays. It felt magical to stand amongst the sacred domes as the sun flooded oranges and pinks across them. Passing them the next day Steve pointed out how similar they look to Homer Simpson lying down.

Watarrka National Park (or Kings Canyon) is awe-inspiring too and shouldn’t be forgotten either.

We arrived at dawn, again. And after a knackering 20-minute scramble up the side, marvelled at another magical sunrise. We checked out the Garden Of Eden – a gorgeous rock pool hidden away like a secret oasis – and the Lost City. The longer you stare, the more the domes flitter between being giant beehives, big piles of pancakes, or even large cow pats.

Nights were spent round the campfire, supping coldies, exchanging stories and bad jokes (sorry) with a host of different nationalities. We then slept in bush camps, usually after a long wondrous gawp at the stars. Night skies in the outback are like nothing I’ve seen before. The stars are so much brighter and more plentiful. Some nights we heard dingos howling in the distance, while one midnight toilet trip was interrupted by a visit from a horde of wild horses.

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Oktoberfest MUNICH, GERMANY

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Grin and beer it It’s almost time for the world’s most-loved beer festival to pitch up and start pouring. Here’s your essential guide to Bavaria’s best WORDS LAURA CHUBB

Oktoberfest is the stuff of legend. The WHEN TO GO: This year Beer is served from 9am on weekends and 202-year-old tradition – beginning on Oktoberfest is on from September 10am on weekdays. It’s a tad earlier than I September 22 and chugging on blearily 22 until October 7. normally crack open my first drink of the day, until October 7 this year – is a do-beforeCURRENCY: $1 = 0.85Euro but I’m caught up in the raucous atmosphere you-die essential and the world’s most ACCOMMODATION: of the festival, this ‘Disneyland for drinkers’. notorious piss-up.

Room prices skyrocket over The 16-day event began innocently enough But while glugging down the good stuff – when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Oktoberfest, so you’ll be lucky to is undoubtedly a fundamental part of the Therese of Bavaria on October 12,1810, the get a bed in a dorm for $29pn. festival, it’s also a brilliant chance to soak people of Munich thought it only appropriate It is possible, however, to do just up some traditional Bavarian hospitality to party. that at clean and friendly and enjoy mixing with the locals.

A festival has run annually since, morphing Jugendherberge Possenhofen.

And steins aside, it would be a crime from a stint as an agricultural show to a superpossenhofen.jugendherberge.de to visit Munich and not see anything sized celebration of Bavarian beer.

Probably your best bet to save of the city. From river surfing to naked Today, the world’s biggest fair has more on accommodation is to book an sunbathing, it’s easily one of Germany’s than seven million litres of beer guzzled, organised tour, on which hostel or most exciting metropolises, and deserves to 90,000 litres of wine consumed and nearly camping accommodation is more be explored.

120,000 pork sausages eaten. often than not included.

Here, we give you everything you The party officially kicks off at noon on the oktoberfest.de/en need to make your Oktoberfest a (at least festival’s first day, when Munich’s lord mayor partially) memorable one. Read on for what taps a keg of beer and cries: “O’ zapft is”, or, to expect in the beer tent, essential sights to see in Munich, “It’s tapped”. Only then can visitors quench their thirst. and our top tips for making it through an entire boozeEach tent has its own character, from the funky celebrityfuelled day.

Bring on the beer, by Inger Smith

Sing along: oompah bands abound

A minor scuffle breaks out as a line of excited beer lovers senses the brew is near. Such a scene is commonplace in any pub any night of the week, but it’s only 8am in Munich.

Already, the masses are congregating outside Oktoberfest’s Löwenbräu tent, ready for another day of solid drinking.

Inside, getting your bum on one of the sought-after wooden benches is the most essential step of procuring a stein – if you don’t, you won’t be served. Once you’ve found a seat, though, you’re sorted for the rest of the day and can focus on downing, singing and dancing.

Seated, my friends and I – dressed in traditional lederhosen and dirndls – are waited upon by buxom Bavarian barmaids.

These ladies shuttle staggering amounts of beer-filled steins all day (the Guinness world record is 19). In comparison, my hands ache from grasping just my one-litre mug.

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Because beer and spinning around is always a good mix

packed Hippodrom and the youthful Löwenbräu, to the displays of yodelling in the Braeurosl and traditional roasting oxen in the Ochsenbraterei.

We opt for the Löwenbräu and, by noon, my husband is slumped against a table. Well, he did knock back the beers a little faster than everyone else. What he should have known is this is marathon drinking, not a sprint.

After a powernap, he catches a second wind and knocks back another four steins, the equivalent of what I drink in one day. Although we attempt to explore all of this

“

Put on your drinking boots along with a pair of lederhosen or a dirndl and let the fun begin

”

mammoth festival – aiming to visit each of the 14 beer ` halls, festival houses and Schnapps stalls – the absence of a Bavarian-standard liver means we fail miserably.

However, it’s not only the amber brew tempting today’s Oktoberfest visitors. The tents are surrounded by a large fairground with rides – rollercoasters, bumper cars, carousels and games means there’s plenty of entertainment.

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In fact, not only will you be entertained, this will most likely be the biggest – and best – party you’ll ever attend.

So put on your drinking boots (along with a pair of lederhosen or a dirndl), and let the fun begin. Prost!

There’s more to Munich The capital of the state of Bavaria and Germany’s third-largest city, Munich has battled more than its fair share of adversity to become the fun-loving locale it is today. The city suffered heavy bombing during World War II, with widespread damage wreaked by 71 air raids during just six years; postwar, tragedy at the 1972 Munich Olympics added yet more trauma to the city’s history.

Today, the only major structures to survive the Allied bombing are the Glockenspiel and the twin domed towers of Munich’s famous cathedral. However, despite many of the city’s buildings clocking in at less than 60 years old, many have retained pre-war architecture: the Nazis took steps to record the streetscapes and facades of the city, knowing it would be a target for aerial assaults.

As well as retaining its looks, the city has held on to the Bavarian tradition of having a damned good time. Here’s our pick of the best of Munich. Take it in on a beer break.

• RIVER SURFING: Packs of wetsuit-clad dudes toting boards may seem a strange sight in a land-locked metropolis.

However, Munich is home to one of Europe’s most notorious surf spots, more specifically a gnarly wave on a manmade river in the city’s Englischer Garten (or English Garden). The Eisbach – German for ‘ice brook’ – has attracted river surfers

since the early Seventies, but riding the 1m-high wave only became legal in 2010. It’s not for novices, though; signs warn the wave is for skilled surfers only – people have drowned while swimming in the river, courtesy of its forceful current. If you’re not quite ready to queue up with the pros (the spot is always a busy one and you’ll often see lines of surfers waiting their turn), you’ll enjoy some great spectating. The English Garden is also worth a visit in its own right – the grassy sprawl is bigger than both Hyde and Central parks, and makes a particularly pleasant place to picnic to the sound of street musicians. Keep an eye out for the fields of naked sunbathers.

• OLYMPIC PARK: The Munich Olympics in 1972 are forever synonymous with the so-called ‘Munich Massacre’, when athletes from the Israeli Olympic team were abducted from the Olympic village, held hostage and subsequently murdered by members of Palestinian terror group Black September Organisation. Today, the Olympic Park has transcended its dark past to become a popular public venue, hosting major concerts and sporting events. Perhaps its most impressive feature is the 290m-high Olympic Tower, the top of which you can reach via a lift. Here, soak up a panorama of Munich, and a series of signs guides you to the finer points of the city’s skyline. If that’s not quite thrilling enough, why not take a stroll on the Olympic Stadium’s roof? An impressive ‘tented’ cover, constructed from steel and plexiglass, allows you to roam over the top while hooked up to a steel cable. It’ll give you a whole different perspective, but is best avoided by the vertigo-prone. From about $44.

• SIGHTSEEING: Most people might spend their time in Munich inside a beer hall, but there are plenty of sights to stumble around if you care for fresh air. One of the most popular is the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, essentially a giant cuckoo-clock on the town hall that enacts stories from Munich’s 16th-century history, with the help of 43 bells and 32 life-size figures.

The Frauenkirche – or Cathedral of Our Dear Lady – is Munich’s spiritual masterpiece, an imposing church said to house the devil’s footprint. There are a few versions of the legend that attends it; either it marks where the devil stood as he ridiculed the church, or the builder duped the devil into funding construction of the cathedral, leading the hoofed and horny one into a foot-stamping rage when he discovered he had been hoodwinked. Take a peek at the footprint and make your own mind up about its authenticity.

Leopoldstrasse is the place to head for people watching.

This once-bohemian area has now gentrified into a catwalk for Munich’s most glamorous residents. Take a beer at an outside table and watch this wonderful world go by – just try not to drool.

The world’s largest museum dedicated to technology and science, the Deutsches Museum, on a small island in the Isar river, displays an intimidating 28,000 items for your perusal.

There are few inventions that have escaped the halls of this comprehensive collection. Especially awesome-in-a-geekyway attractions include mini models and a demonstration in which a volunteer is zapped with a bolt of lightning.

Who said science was boring? ❚

Finding skunk fish

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

Caffeine high This is Melbourne in 48 hours WORDS LEIGH LIVINGSTONE

DAY 1: xMelbourne is a classy city, with a reputation as the multicultural heart of Australia and the place to get a great coffee. Every one of its precincts has a distinct character and each of those contrasting vibes fits together perfectly like puzzle pieces to make one vibrant city full of fun things to see and do. So, what are you waiting for?

8:00: Start the morning by picking up some freshly baked breakfast goods from Queen Victoria Market (qvm. com.au). Open every day of the week and bustling with merchants selling their various wares in the charming old buildings with high vaulted ceilings. The open air section is a great place to sit in the morning sun and enjoy peoplewatching with your breakfast and espresso.

10:00: Continue the shopping spree by hitting up Bourke Street Mall (visitvictoria.com) nearby. Walk along the pedestrian-only area but watch out for the trams clinking along the same stretch as you drop into every big name store you can think of and some cute, one-of-a-kind shops that shouldn't be missed.

13:00: Give the feet a rest and take a drive out to the Yarra Valley (visityarravalley.com.au) for the afternoon. It's only one hour east of Melbourne and the home of some of Victoria's most famous wines. Taste test your way through the finest grapes of Rochford, Five Oaks and Yarra Ranges estates and grab a late lunch at Yering Station (yering. com). You'll get amazing views of the valley as well as a good feed before continuing your wine education.

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18:00: Back in Melbourne, Lygon Street (lygonstreetcarlton.com.au) is the place to go for a dinner you won't forget. Famous for being lined by a wide variety of Italian cafes, trattorias and gelato specialty shops, it almost doesn't matter where you go because the chances are high that the food (and coffee) will be great.

20:00: The famous Crown Casino Complex (crownmelbourne.com.au) is the perfect place to get a party started. There is a large selection of bars and nightclubs to boogie the night away at, but begin by visiting Lagerfield Bar and Beer Garden. Sip on a local beer while listening to live music, then, the night is young, make the most of what the complex has to offer.

23:00: Grab some shut eye at Nomads Melbourne Backpackers (nomadshostels.com) on A'Beckett Street in the heart of the city. That's where the action is, so you might as well stay there, they have all the mod-cons like wifi and even a cinema lounge.

DAY 2: 9:00: Nurse the hangover of a good night with some more of that amazing coffee (noticing a trend?) and cake in St Kilda. Monarch Cakes (monarchcakes.com.au) on Acland Street is enough to make even a savoury savant drool. If you want to be a grown up about it and get some proper breakfast, Acland Street is the place to find a range of Melbourne's best cafe culture hotspots, all in the one place.

11:00: St Kilda is also the home of the big mouthed attraction known as Luna Park (lunapark.com.au). A fun

Mind the trams

fair full of rides and a seaside carnival atmosphere. Release your inner kid with a few rounds on the rollercoaster that has views over Port Phillip Bay and win a giant stuffed animal souvenir from one of the games of skill.

14:00: No trip to Melbourne would be complete without taking in an AFL match. Melbournians are mad about their footy and most of the teams in the league are from there.

Etihad Stadium (etihadstadium.com.au) down at the Docklands precinct, is home ground to five of these teams, so you are bound to catch an exciting home game.

17:00: Take an evening cruise along the Yarra river to experience the bright lights of Melbourne at a slightly slower pace. Melbourne River Cruises (melbcruises.com.au) do daily sightseeing jaunts alongside Melbourne's waterside attractions with informative commentary from the Captain.

19:00: While you're in the area, the Docklands precinct (docklands.com) has a large selection of restaurants and bars to check out along the waterfront promenade. Outback Jacks (outbackjacks.com.au) claims Australia's largest range of mouth-watering steaks, so why not put them to the test? Their menu gives suggestions of ideal wines to pair with the choices, so you can use your newly learned talents as a connosieur to pick the best of the Yarra. Then, why not have a dessert mocha before heading on to The Woolshed Pub (woolshedpub.com), which is designed as a nod to early Australiana heritage. They have live music and sometimes spectacular fireworks to farewell Melbourne by.

Cafe culture at its finest

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NEWSWEIRD

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PAPER UNDER FIRE FOR ‘FOOLISH’ GAG

NAUGHTY NORTH KOREA North Korea has responded to Aussie newspaper mX after it labelled the country ‘Naughty Korea’ in a tonguein-cheek London 2012 medals table.

The regime issued a missive to mX – which called democratic South Korea ‘Nice Korea’ – calling the joke “foolish”.

A statement accused mX of “insulting the Olympic spirit of solidarity, friendship and progress and politicising sports”.

The paper’s editors said: “North Korea’s political leadership is no stranger to global criticism and it would be difficult for anyone to fail to see the comment was aimed directly at that record.”

However, the Korean Central News Agency then took a bizarre turn, writing: “The Australian paper cooked up the way of moneymaking, challenging the authority of the dignified sovereign state. The paper deserves a trifle sum of dirty money.”

OLYMPIC SUPERFAN DIES AT LONDON 2012 UNITED KINGDOM

A sportsfan who attended every day of the Games died of a heart attack while watching cycling at the velodrome.

Conrad Readman, 49, from Essex, spent months scouring websites for tickets and had taken two weeks off work to see the events. But Readman became ill as he watched Victoria Pendleton win gold.

The chartered accountant was discovered in the venue’s toilets and is believed to have died from a heart attack.

Readman had seen 16 different sports

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Thumb and thumber: Two gen-y kids battle it out during the Sixth Annual National Texting Championships in New York City. The winner (the guy on the left) took home $50,000 in prize money, which will come in handy once early-onset arthritis sets in

and the Opening Ceremony before he died. His mother said he had died doing oing something he loved.

THAT’S SIR OU SPIDERMAN TO YOU AUSTRALIA

A new spider species discovered in Australia has been named after Sir David Attenborough.

The spider – Prethopalpus attenboroughi – is a little over a millimetre long and found only on Horn Island off northern Queensland.

Attenborough said he was honoured to have the arachnid bearr his name.

In an acceptance speech in Perth, h,

Western Australia, Sir David take it that it is said: “I tak careful in its judgment, merciless, certainly beautiful and I will treasure it.

I tthank you very much indeed for m this. t “Naming a species is the biggest of compliments that you could ask from any scientific community and I truly thank you very much indeed for this t one.”

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS Time, in seconds, it took for Beatle Paul McCartney to sell 38,000 seats at the London 02 arena

1 Happy days: Rummel, second from left

Number of people who broke the world record for skydiving. It took them 15 times to get the snowflake pattern right

RUMMEL EXCITED ABOUT BRONZE WIN UNITED KINGDOM

Winning a medal is no doubt exciting, but was Henrik Rummel a bit too excited after scooping bronze?

In a video posted on YouTube, the Men’s Four rower shifts awkwardly on the podium, bearing a suspicious bulge below the belt. “The Boner should have gotten The Gold Medal!”said one commenter.

Shortly afterwards, the rower took to Reddit under the username Rummelator, saying: “This is me and I swear it’s not erect! I don’t know why it ended up in that position, but there you go.”

The 24-year-old had just won a bronze medal in the coxless race with his teammates for the US, coming third after Australia scooped silver and Team GB gold.

But, we shouldn’t be too hard on this guy, he is an Olympic champion, after all!

HOOKERS CAN RENT

BY THE HOUR

Photos: Getty Images

AUSTRALIA

Hotels that prevent sex workers from renting their rooms for business are being discriminatory, according to a ruling by a Queensland tribunal.

The case arose when a prostitute, identified only as G.K., was refused a room in Moranbah, a mining town in Queensland. She had stayed there 17 times before the hotel figured out what she was up to in 2010 and banned her.

“Not everyone would choose to do the job I do, but it’s not right that they can treat me like as second-class citizen,” G.K told an Australian newspaper.

Prostitution is legal in Queensland, so long as you are working alone or with a brothel.

2,549

138

Number of medals Team USA has won in the Olympic Games since 1896. Australia has a total of 441

Miles the Mars rover Curiosity travelled to reach its destination, it was dubbed “the mission of the decade”

352,000,000

Phelps holding it in

OLYMPIC SWIMMERS ADMIT POOL PISSING UNITED KINGDOM

Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have admitted to urinating in the pool during London 2012 warm-up sessions.

Phelps spoke out after his Olympic wins to support Lochte, who caused an outcry when he said he admitted to pissing in the pool at the Aquatics Centre.

Phelps, 27, said we should all relax about the issue. “Everybody pees in the pool. It’s kind of a normal thing to do for swimmers. When we’re in the water for two hours, we don’t really get out to pee.

Chlorine kills it so it’s not bad,” he said.

Lochte, 28, who has won five Olympic golds, and recently claimed that the Olympic village is one big sex party, said: “I think there’s just something about getting into chlorine water that you just automatically go.”

So did Lochte piss in the pool during the London 2012 Games? “Not during the races, but I sure did before in warm-up.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK You walk on stage feeling like Mary Poppins but really you’ve just been dry-heaving over the trash can Perhaps you need another spoonful of sugar, Katy Perry?

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OUR VIEW COMMENT: ALEX HARMON Email: alex@tntdownunder.com

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All’s fair in Olympic war unless New Zealand are winning A Sydney newspaper finds a loophole to Australia’s Olympic deficiencies

» Agree or disagree? Were the Aussies right to claim Kiwi medals? alex@tntdownunder.com

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BARR-BARR, THE U.S BLACK SHEEP Ah America, where an ex-sitcom star and advocate for the legalisation of weed can run for Prez. Introducing the latest celebrity to throw a hat into the presidential race ring: Rosanne Barr.

Rosie is serious too. She thinks America has been “bamboozled and hoodwinked.”

Her solution to the nation’s problems is simple: “Vote for me. I’m not a liar. I’m not a thief. I’m not a whore.”

In America, where everyone walks around with a pocket full of dreams, politics is a natural progression after

is natural “afterPolitics TMZ stardom ” TMZ stardom. Arnie, Willie Nelson, even Wyclef Jean thought he could stop the earthquakes and become Haiti’s president.

Barr’s party is called Peace and Freedom and even though she’s actually put some effort into it, she has as much chance of winning as the time Kim Kardashian had a crack at running for Mayor of a town she’d never even stepped foot in.

Photos: Getty Images

It’s not the first time Australia has claimed a piece of New Zealand victory for itself. Phar Lap, Crowded House, even Russell Crowe post-Gladiator (but preweight gain and anger issues). Now the Aussies are claiming Kiwi Olympic gold medals as their own. Anyone ever heard of Team Oceania? Yeah, didn’t think so.

Last week the Aussies were trailing behind their smaller trans-Tasman cousins on the Games medal table. But not according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The paper happily embraced New Zealand’s three gold medals. On the back page of the newspaper “Aus Zealand” sat proudly at ninth place on their medal table, with four gold, 12 silver, and 11 bronze medals. Of those, only one of the gold medals was actually Australia’s. Brilliant.

The newspaper’s chief sport reporter wrote that while Australia wasn’t doing so well, “Team Oceania” was having a great games. Does this team include medal-less Fiji too?

It’s no secret that the Aussies are hugely competitive, and seeing their pasty British ancestors soar isn’t helping. Neither is Team Borat looking down on them in the tally. But to make up a super-team to which the Kiwi’s haven’t even consented to, well it’s childish.

It’s not the first time either, when Australia was smashed 4-0 by Germany at the 2010 Football World Cup and New Zealand claimed a historic draw with Slovakia, the same newspaper printed the headline: “Australasia 1 - Slovakia 1”.

Australia are faring better now thanks to the female runners and two little known sailors. (Last week they were nobodies who had to pay their own way to the Games.) Go Aus-Zealand, you cheer? Au contraire – only when Australia are behind the Kiwis.

In other news, Kiwi House at the Olympic village burnt down during a BBQ. Which suggests the Kiwi athletes are really embracing Team Oceania’s spirit. Where else would a celebratory BBQ get out of hand but in Australia?

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SPORTNEWS

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ADAMS PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT GAMES EXIT SHOT PUT

NZ’s Valerie Adams says she holds no grudges against the administrator whose mistake almost led to her being barred from Olympics competition.

Adams embraced Raelene Bates, who forgot to tick boxes on forms relating to Adams’ availability, after winning silver in the shot put. Only a last-minute appeal by NZOC secured her right to compete.

However, Adams says she is more concerned officials higher up the chain didn’t spot the error and fix it.

“It caused a bit of stress – that’s the sort of shit you don’t need to deal with,” she said. “But my manager will deal with it.”

GET A LIFE, CARNEY TELLS STIRRERS RUGBY LEAGUE

Sharks star Todd Carney has told rumour-mongers trying to damage his NRL career to think of something better to do, after revealing the torment behind false speculation of a failed drug test.

Carney, who has successfully rebuilt his reputation after being axed by Sydney Roosters last year for a series of off-field incidents, said he was shocked at how an internet rumour gathered pace via Twitter.

Carney, who was also sacked by Canberra in 2009, but played Origin for NSW this year, said he had no idea who started the rumours, but said it would not destabilise him or the club.

“They’re getting their little bit of fame out of it and the person who started it is probably sitting back and laughing about it,” he said. “But they are going to have think of something better than that – at least come up with facts.”

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Oh snap! Lazaro Borges of Cuba’s pole snaps as he competes in the Men’s Pole Vault Qualifications on Day 12 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Luckily the only damage suffered was to his ego. His pole vault fail is now a YouTube sensation

TOMIC CONTINUES DOWNWARD SPIRAL TENNIS

Australian tennis prodigy Bernard Tomic is in danger of dipping outside the ATP’s top 50 after a straight-sets loss to world number two Novac Djokovic in the second round of the Toronto Masters.

In just eight weeks, the 19-year-old has slipped from a career-high world number 27 in June to 49th in the rankings.

Unless he does performs spectacularly at this week’s Cincinnati Masters, the 2011 Wimbledon quarter-finalist will be at the mercy of the draw at the US Open starting on August 27, with no protection against the top 32 seeds in the first two rounds at Flushing Meadows.

BIG WEEK FOR ...

Young Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan remains hopeful of landing a deal with an English Premier League club, heading to West Brom and then Wigan, after enjoying time at Spurs last week. Named A-League keeper of the season for 2011-12, Ryan was drafted into the Australian squad for the first time in February, when the Socceroos met Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualifier, and is considered one of Australia’s brightest prospects.

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK I re really e hope this win im iimp improves my pulling power with women, if I’m honest! That’s about it Gold medal-winning Team GB showjumper Scott Brash hopes he can cash in on his Olympic success

Rooney will again be crucial for United

PREVIEW English Premier League It’s back. Another eight months of wall-to-wall football coverage begins this weekend. No matter where you go in London, you’ll be expected to have a chat about the EPL, so pick a team, brush up on the players and book a seat at the pub each weekend afternoon.

Manchester City start their title defence at home against Southampton, with the Saints, the EPL’s new boys on the block, undergoing a baptism of fire.

Wigan host European champions Chelsea and will get a first taste of the skills

of the Blue’s new signing, Eden Hazard.

Chelsea have predicted more trophies this season and will be out to make a statement.

And up north, Wayne Rooney returns to Everton, where it all began for him. United will remember, and be keen to avenge, the Toffee’s remarkable fightback to draw 4-4 in April, a match that helped City take the title.

Of the London clubs, Fulham host Norwich, QPR welcome Swansea, West Ham face Villa, Arsenal welcome Sunderland and Spurs are away at Newcastle.

Saturday Aug 18, Fox Sports

THE CHAT | The Paralympics I’m taking a real interest in the Paralympics Q this year. What’s the history and who should I be looking out for?

Photos: Getty Images

event, which kicks off on August 29, was started in A The 1948 by British soldiers returning from WW2, although the name wasn’t adopted until Seoul 1988. It’s now one of the world’s largest sporting events. Australians should keep an eye out for Kurt Fearnley (right), who is seeking a third consecutive gold in the wheelchair marathon. When he’s not racing, Fearnley doesn’t relax, instead preferring to crawl the Kokoda Trail and sail the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race. He’s a legend. Kiwis should be aware of swimmers Rebecca Duber and Beijing gold medallist Cameron Leslie, who’s also a handy wheelchair rugby player.

Rio Ri o Ferdinand has ttwe w tweeted me and says he will hook me up for g a trial so I am looking forward to that Usain Bolt is dead keen to trial for Manchester United. We all know he can run, but can he score?

Iw will definitely have wi a chat to him as I don’t think he should say things like that Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is concerned by captain Jean de Villiers public criticism of his leadership

TV HIGHLIGHTS AUSTRALIAN RULES Collingwood vs North Melbourne Catch all the action at Etihad Stadium Saturday 7:30pm, Fox Footy

CRICKET England v South Africa Day one, third test Thursday, 8.30pm, Fox Sports

RUGBY UNION Australia v New Zealand See the Bledisloe Cup rivals in action Sunday 7.30pm. Fox Sports

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Field of dreams We look ahead to a season set to define the next decade WORDS OLI JONES

Right, now all that other ‘sport’ is nearly over, we can get back to the real deal: Premier League football. This summer’s transfer market has been quieter than a gnat’s fart so far, but things are sure to pick up as deadline day approaches.

However, it seems unlikely that’ll we see the same kind of frenetic final day action of previous years.

Most clubs have assembled the core of their team for the coming season, and with that in mind, we’ve decided to preview each team’s chances for the coming season.

Arsenal: Arsene Wenger’s attitude to Robert van Persie is something akin to a Texan’s to his shotgun ie you’ll have to pry him from his cold dead hands. Whether RVP leaves or not, only a fool would dismiss Arsenal. Expect a slow start, but with Lukas Podolski incoming, Theo Walcott, Keiran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsay maturing and Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen fit, they’ll return to the title race.

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert taking the helm has cloaked a disappointing summer for Villa, who desperately needed transfers to strengthen. Lambert has inherited a team which, despite some young talent, has struggled to be anything more than an also-ran in recent years. They could well be surprise relegation candidates.

Chelsea: A repeat of last season’s success would be nigh-on a miracle. With departed striker Didier Drogba’s long shadow hanging over the still-struggling Fernando Torres, Chelsea may struggle for goals at the start of the season. There’s no reason Lampard and Torres couldn’t forge a Gerrard-Torres-esque relationship. If not, they could be looking at fifth. Keeping Ramires and keeping him fit is key.

Everton: David Moyes’ Manchester United management

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internship will undoubtedly continue with another season of massive overachievement. Nika Jelavic looks like a striker with the whole package, and Marouane Fellaini is one of the league’s strongest midfielders, but Everton’s success is down the club’s core of consistent and hardworking players who work as a unit. As ever, they’ll be in the fight for Europe.

Fulham: Martin Jol has made some shrewd investments over the summer, assembling a powerful, experienced team sprinkled with enough dynamic players to make Fulham tough opposition. As long as Jol can hang on to Clint Dempsey and Brede Hangeland, expect Fulham to claim top four scalps and challenge for a European spot.

Liverpool: Brendan Rogers will find a receptive audience for his methods at Liverpool, a team whose recent playing style belies its natural talent. Rogers may need time to achieve his vision, but Liverpool fans, whose patience with managers has surprised, might need another dose of it this season. However, given it, the rewards could be great.

Manchester City: How Roberto Mancini marshalls his resources on so many fronts will decide City’s fate.

Managing the egos of a team (and bench and reserve team) of superstars will be his biggest challenge. They’ve got the strength and depth, but have their stars got the togetherness? If so, 2012-13 could mark the start of a period of domination for Manchester’s blue half.

Manchester United: An uninspiring pre-season has left fans of the Red Devils worried. The arrival of Shinji Kagawa has done little to sate the desires of United fans starved of big-name transfers. Alex Ferguson is confident, but his young guns need to come good. The gap between them and City might not appear vast, but they can’t afford to let it grow.

That said, never underestimate United’s winning mentality.

Arsene Wenger: looks dead, knows football

Lolo Jones

A bit too worthy? Brendan Rogers

He. Wore. Shin pads: Chelsea captain, John Terry Norwich City: For all Grant Holt’s heroics and history with the club, the striker wants away. Holt’s transfer won’t be as catastrophic as some might think; Steve Morison and Anthony Wilkinson are both underrated strikers and could certainly up their tallies this season. The Canaries will be in the relegation mix, but should scrape through.

Sunderland: Top four aside, Sunderland have probably got the Premier League’s most effective manager in Martin O’Neil. O’Neil builds his teams on a solid back four, and he’s still two players shy of that. They finished strongly last season and often play above themselves. Midtable would be a successful season.

Queens Park Rangers: Last season’s escape artists face a mammoth challenge to survive. The ray of light comes in the shape of Mark Hughes. The problem is, though, he tends to be linked with almost every vacant manager’s job – whether he’s employed or not. Hughes has signed some quality with Park Ji Sung and Fabio, adding of steel and attacking danger.

Swansea City: The exit of Brendan Rogers from the Liberty Stadium was a massive blow for the Swans, and while the appointment of Michael Laudrup appears something of a gamble, it suggests a commendable commitment to building on the style of football that made them such a great addition to the Premier League last season. For the sake of football, we hope they stay up.

Reading: No one really missed Reading when they were relegated, but the team that finished top of the Championship will prove a tough for many this season.

Centrebacks across the country will cower at the sight of the mountainous Pavel Pogrebnyak, who proved his Premier League mettle with Fulham in the second half of last season.

Photos: Getty Images

Southamptom: Ricky Lambert and Adam Lallana were bright lights in the Championship, and courted attention from the EPL’s biggest names. They play attractive football, but don’t expect the Saints to do a Swansea; instead expect some one-sided scorelines early on. Their fans should remember the words ‘parachute payments’ and repeat them like a mantra every time they see themselves in the bottom three.

Stoke City: Stoke are the Frank Bruno of the Premier League, loveable and effective, but ultimately limited, and have been going backwards in recent seasons. If they can get Crouch firing, there’s no reason they couldn’t challenge for a top half finish. They could do with some creativity in midfield, but their back four are formidable.

Tottenham Hotspurs: AVB’s done well to repel advances for Luka Modric, and to tie Gareth Bale to White Hart Lane for the foreseeable future. Boas’s downfall at Chelsea came about because he couldn’t manage a team of big egos. Spurs’ squad is equally self-regarding. Most fans want to see Spurs kick on, but 2012-13 could well be a backward step if AVB can’t bring in a couple of players.

West Bromwich Albion: The Baggies have managed to covertly assemble an extremely effective team. However, they’ll struggle to match their 10th place finish last season.

Despite his experience with big four sides, West Brom’s new manager, Steve Clark, is something of an unknown quantity.

West Ham: Their brand of tough, effective football, may secure some early wins, but look for them to falter in the new year, as teams begin to work them out. West Ham’s results against the bottom half of the table will define their season. Only the most creative thinkers could see them doing anything other than returning to the relegation ruckus.

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Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

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

Oz Experience Hop on-hop off Australia-wide tours 1300 300 028, ozexperience.com Surfcamp Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 888 732, surfcamp.com.au The Rock Tour Red centre tours 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Backpacker Campervan Rentals 1800 767 010, backpackercampervans.com.au Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au Explore More Rentals 1800 708 309, exploremore.com.au Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo.

02 9358 5000, carmarket.com.au Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

@tnt_downunder

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

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

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

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

13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline.

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

03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline.

03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com

Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania.

03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au

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

Virgin Australia Airline.

13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

With great fares HYHU\ GD\ . . . why not travel PREMIER class!

Climate control air-conditioning • Experienced Coach Captains • Panoramic glare free windows • Comfy reclining seats Onboard video entertainment • Washroom • State of the art safety features • Seat belts

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• FLEXIBLE TRAVEL on na budget to suit you • One, three and six month PASSES available ilable e • DAILY SERVICES from m Melbourne to Cairns ns

MELBOURNE • SYDNEY • BYRON BAY • GOLD COAST BRISBANE • AIRLIE BEACH • MISSION BEACH • CAIRNS

www.premierms.com.au or phone 13 13 34 34 10 10 www.premierms.com.au or ph 46

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SYDNEY STAY Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD. 02 9267 7718 stayatbase.com Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9267 7718 bighostel.com Bounce Budget Hotel 28 Chalmers St. CBD. 02 9281 2222 bouncehotel.com.au Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333 cityresort.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks.

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

NSWLISTINGS

facebook/tntdownunder 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 9261 1111 Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach.

02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street. Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com Lochnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guesthouse 8 Gowrae Ave. Bondi.

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

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

sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee.

02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au

BOOK NOW

Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road. Glebe. 02 9692 8418, yha.com.au Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly. 02 9977 3411 boardrider.com.au The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly. 1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly. 02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney. 02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com Wake Up! 509 Pitt St, CBD. 02 9288 7888, wakeup.com.au

SYDNEY DO Manly Surf School Manly Beach.

02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au My Sydney Detour Unique city

PEATS RIDGE FESTIVAL Glenworth Valley. 29Dec-1 Jan. From $110 Pitch your tent, stoke up the campfire and wind up the year bringing in the bells with Gossling, John Buttler Trio, Goldfields and more.

Glenworth Valley

peatsridgefestival.com.au

tours. mysydneydetour.com

skydivethebeach.com

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

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

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

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

Skydive the Beach Wollongong.

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

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QLDLISTINGS

follow us on Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise.

1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au

@tnt_downunder

DON’T MISS

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

07 5536 76442, yha.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com. au

DON’T MISS BLUE JUICE Red Room. 23 Aug. From $23 Hopefully the only broken leg will be onstage as the duo pump out their latest sensation The Recession (Winter of Our Discotheque)

University of Queensland

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

07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com Base Brisbane Embassy 214 Elizabeth St. 07 3166 8000, stayatbase.com Base Brisbane Central 308 Edward St. 07 3211 2433, stayatbase.com Brisbane Backpackers Resort 110 Vulture St, West End. 1800 626 452, brisbanebackpackers.com.au Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, bunkbrisbane.com.au The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm.

04 3377 7061

bigtix.com.au Tinbilly Travellers Cnr George and Herschel Sts. 1800 446 646, tinbilly.com

BRISBANE DO Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah. 07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Gallery of Modern Art 07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au

Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise.

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

1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers. 1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers.com.au Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise.

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

GC DO

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

07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au

Dreamworld Theme park. dreamworld.com.au

Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point.

1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au

Seaworld seaworld.com.au

XXXX Ale House Brewery tours.

Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.

07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com.au

GOLD COAST Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise.

1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au

KATCHAFIRE The Hifi. 31 Aug. $39.50 The legendary Aotearoa roots rockers are touring Oz and all eight of them promise to turn it on real good for you, bro!

West End, Brisbane

75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba.

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

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

RAINBOW BEACH Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111 126, dingosresort.com Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com

Get Wet Surf School 07 5532 9907

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

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

HERVEY BAY

Warener Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au

Aussie Woolshed

Zorb 07 5547 6300

181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677

SUNSHINE CST Mooloolaba Backpackers

moshtix.com.au

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

nextbackpackers.com.au Nomads Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade.

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

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

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

07 4131 2999 bundabergrum.com.au

WORKERS WANTED

WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED

WORKERS WANTED

AYR NORTH QUEENSLAND

FOR FARM IN INNISFAIL.

AYR BACKPACKERS stay at Wilmington House

Free accommodation and food provided. Offers very good working and living conditions.

s /PEN AND AIRY 1UEENSLAND STYLE FOUR AND SIX BEDROOMS s )NTERNET #AFÏ s 0OOL ""1S AND TROPICAL GARDENS s 4ABLE TENNIS AND &2%% POOL TABLE s ,OCKERS s #LEAN COMFORTABLE QUIET AND FRIENDLY s 4RANSPORT PROVIDED TO WORK s &IVE MINUTE WALK TO MAIN STREET SHOPPING AND FAST FOOD STORE s &REE PICK UP FROM !YR BUS TERMINAL AND RAILWAY STATION s 6IDEO AND 46 ROOMS s &IVE FULL KITCHEN FACILITIES

PHONE 0437 692 002

WORKERS WANTED

Working Hostel of the Burdekin District

Call Mick & Daphne 07 4783 5837

WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED

48

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

AdventureGoldCoast.com

facebook.com/AdventureGoldCoast twitter.com/AdventureGoldCoast

QLDLISTINGS

follow us on

TOWN OF 1770

BOOK NOW

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

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

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

Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Scottyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au

Pro Dive 07 4031 5255 prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting.

07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au

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

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

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

Melbourne St, South Bank

TOWNSVILLE Adventurers Resort 79 Palmer St. 1800 211 522, adventurersresort.com Adrenalin Dive Yongala diving.

07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com. au Yongala Dive Yongala diving.

07 4783 1519, yongaladive.com.au

Skydive Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

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

Queensland Performing Arts Centre. 13-15 Sep. $119 What do you get when Rufus Wainwright gets Mark Ronson to produce his new album? A tour youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be mad to miss, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what!

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

ticketek.com.au

MAGNETIC ISL Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd. 1800 24 22 73, stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshoe Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay. com.au Hotel Arcadia 7 Marine Pde,

CAIRNS DO AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com

CAIRNS STAY

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

BOWEN

1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com

MISSION BEACH

1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

Base Airlie Beach Resort 336 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com Magnums Whitsunday Village Resort 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 624 634 magnums.com.au

Arcadia Bay. 07 4778 5177 magnetic-island.com/arc-rsrt.htm Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

@tnt_downunder

JJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com NJoy Backpackers Hostel Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au Nomads Beach House 239 Sheridan St.

CAPE TRIB Crocodylus Village Lot 5, Buchanan Creek Rd, Cow Bay. 07 4098 9166, crocodyluscapetrib.com PKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jungle Village Cnr Avalon & Cape Trib Rd. 1800 232 333, pksjunglevillage.com.au

INNISFAIL Innisfail Budget Backpackers Workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 7833

7/2+%23 7!.4%$ &RUIT AND 6EGETABLE PICKING JOBS AVAILABLE

s 4RANSPORT TO FROM WORK s &2%% COURTESY BUS PICK UP s ,AUNDRY FACILITIES s )NTERNET FACILITIES s 0LEASANT AND FRIENDLY STAFF s "ISTRO AVAILABLE AT "ANJO S TAVERN NEXT DOOR

6!2)%49 /& 7/2+ !6!),!",% 9%!2 2/5.$

"REEZY 4ROPICAL VERANDAHS CLEAN FRIENDLY #LOSE TO SHOPS BANKS OLYMPIC POOL

&EDERAL "ACKPACKERS "OURBONG 3T "UNDABERG 1LD

0HONE WWW FEDERALBACKPACKERS COM AU FEDERALBACKPACKERS HOTMAIL COM #OMPLIES WITH ALL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS QUANTITY DEPENDS ON SEASON

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GREAT BARR IER REEF MAR INE PARK IF YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE LOOKING FOR SUMMER FUN THERE IS NO PLACE BETTER THAN THE BRISSIE SUN!

heart of the reef Airlie Beach

<H;; Xh[Wa\Wi [l[ho j m[[aZWo

QUEENSLAND T HE WHI TSUNDAY IS L ANDS

are one of the world s most spectacular aquatic playgrounds ndss & encompass 74 tropical islands rising from pristine turquoise oise oi ssee waters, hosting lots of incredible marine and wild life.

W H I T E H AVE N B E AC H C AMIR A S AILING ADVEN T URE

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A M?J E HM D

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Swimming, snorkelling, beautiful beaches and bays, a stuff-yourself-stupid BBQ lunch with unlimited drinks plus luss exhilarating sailing aboard Camira one of the world s fastest est s sailing catamarans â&#x20AC;&#x2019; an awesome day out on the water!r! $145*pp SAVE $30

GRE AT BARRIE R R E E F ADVE N T UR ES ES

The Great Barrier Reef is truly one of the great wonderss off the natural world. Cruise aboard Seaflight to Queensland annd s and most innovative reef pontoon featuring a giant waterslide lide and underwater viewing chamber. Explore the underwater waater te wonderland with diving, snorkelling, semi-sub or glasss bottom boat rides. Includes morning / afternoon tea and nd an all you can eat buffet lunch. $145*pp SAVE $65

8H?I87D;Ă&#x160;I CEIJ FEFKB7H 879AF79A;HI ;JC G:A6M:9 6IBDHE=:G: ;G>:C9AN 6JHH>: HI6;; <G:6I >CC:G 8>IN AD86I>DC 9>G:8IAN DEEDH>I: I=: IG6CH>I 8:CIG: ;G:: 77F BDC L:9 6I DJG ;6BDJH 76G

<G>AA EG>K6I: GDDBH 9DGBH 6AA L>I= :CHJ>I: 6>G"8DC ?D7H ;DG IG6K:AA:GH ') =DJG G:8:EI>DC L>";> 8>C:B6 GDDB IDJGH IG6K:A 9:H@ Ă&#x2C6;9:AJM: 9>K6Ă&#x2030;H 9DGBĂ&#x2030; ?JHI ;DG I=: A69>:H####DD= A6A6 AD69H BDG:

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

Start your holiday with a choice of either a Whitehaven vveen Beach Camira Sailing Adventure, or a Great Barrier Reef Adventures. Overnight at Long Island. When you ou dream of an Island experience this is what you dream of! Spend the day enjoying the facilities at Long Island Resort or find your own secluded bay and nd take in the great outdoors. Great snorkelling. Ferry/ bus buu departures back to Airlie available at a variety of times. e. es You may just be tempted to stay another night!

From $215*pp (Dorm accommodation)

plus heaps of other great packages 3-6 days

7Zhi 6XXdbbdYVi^dc 7Zhi EVgin C^\]i

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

TNT675-677 AAO3374

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

*,, =[eh][ Ijh[[j" 8h_iXWd[ effei_j[ j^[ JhWdi_j 9[djh[

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The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane.

1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au

DON’T MISS

BOOK NOW

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

1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com

GAME MASTERS ACMI. Daily until 28 Oct. From $11 Do your thumb stretches as 125 playable video games make this interactive art exhibition a gamers’ paradise.

Federation Sq, Flinders St

MELBOURNE STAY All Nations Backpackers Hotel & Bar 2 Spencer St. 1800 222 238, allnations.com.au Base Melbourne 17 Carlisle St, St. Kilda. 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com

acmi.net.au Accommodation 21 Bromham Place, Richmond. 03 9427 9826, centralaccommodation.net Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697, exfordhotel.com.au Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au

Central Melbourne

Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au Nomads Melbourne 198 A’beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com Space Hotel 380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, hotelspencer.com

TRIPLE J’S HOUSE PARTY Prince Band Room. 30 Aug. From $15 There’s nothing like a house party, and with the likes of Nina Las Vegas and Flume captaining the decks JJJ’s won’t disappoint.

Fitzroy St, St Kilda Moving Image Federation Square.

03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the

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

princebandroom.com.au Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. 13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228,

Stay. Play.

Melbourne.

$20

Accommodation from $20 a night (subject to availability)

Maximum 4 bed dormitories with linen and towel FREE all you can eat breakfast (cereal, toast and juice), weekly meal, rice and pasta, tea and coffee FREE in room oversized locker with personal power point 5 minute walk to city Large bar with big screen (all major sporting events shown) Drink specials at the bar Public transport on doorstep

UC103

Unique value tour packages

Book Now 1800

631 288 urbancentral.com.au

334 CITY ROAD SOUTHBANK MELBOURNE VIC 3006 AUSTRALIA

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oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie.

03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au

Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au

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

Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com

Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento.

03 5984 4323, yha.com.au

MELB MUSIC Cherry Bar myspace.com/cherrybarmelbourne

Tortoise Head Lodge French Island.

03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

Corner Hotel cornerhotel.com East Brunswick Club eastbrunswickclub.com

BOOK NOW

Esplanade Hotel espy.com.au

HOMEBOUND 2012

Northcote Social Club northcotesocialclub.com

Corner Hotel. 6 Sept. $33 Melbourne boys Dream on Dreamer are home to headline the inaugural festival along with local and international acts.

Palace Theatre palace.com.au

Swan St, Richmond

The Hi-Fi thehifi.com.au The Tote thetotehotel.com

GREAT OCEAN RD Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea.

03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St.

03 5237 7899, yha.com.au Great Ocean Road Backpackers YHA 10 Erskine Av, Lorne.

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

03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au

DANDENONG Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

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

MORNINGTON

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

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

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

04 0734 4251,

@tnt_downunder

milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

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

03 5165 3439, rawsoncaravanpark.com.au

PHILLIP ISLAND Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 3620, yha.com.au The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road.

03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com.au

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

TORQUAY Pronounced Tor-key (for the North Americans out there), you may not have heard of this place, despite its positioning by one of the planet’s most scenic drives. Marking the start of the Great Ocean Road, Torquay is also a legendary surf spot, thanks in part to its close proximity to the world famous Bells Beach (think Keanu and Patrick pretending to be there in the final scene of Point Break). It is also where several of the world’s leading surf brands, like Rip Curl and Quiksilver, call home, making it a great place to pick up a bargain. Make sure you do the Surf Coast Walk while you’re there too. It’s pretty spectacular. It’s about a 90-minute drive south-west of Melbourne.

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

KATHERINE STAY

DON’T MISS

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road.

1800 501 984, big4.com.au

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

KATHERINE DO

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

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

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

08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

ALICE DO Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive.

08 8951 8788, alicespringsdesertpark.com.au

Airborne Solutions Scenic helicopter flights.

08 8972 2345 airbornesolutions.com.au

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

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

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

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

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

Alice Springs Reptile Centre Meet and hold lizards.

9 Stuart Terrace.

08 8952 8900, reptilecentre.com.au

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

WORLD BEER TOUR Darwin Ski Club. 2 Sep. From $28 Fear not parched Darwinites, The World Beer tour is kicking off to quench that thirst and liven up the weekend with loads of beery entertainment

Conacher St, Fannie Bay 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

oztix.com.au Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf.

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

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

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

ALICE SPRINGS Alice Springs YHA Cnr Parsons St & Leichhardt Tce. 08 8952 8855, yha.com.au

WORD FROM THE STREET

Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides.

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

Stuart Terrace. 08 8952 1129, flyingdoctor.net

Alice Lodge 4 Mueller St. 08 8953 1975, alicelodge.com.au

Annie’s Place 4 Traeger Ave. 1800 359 089, anniesplace.com.au

Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive.

1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au

School of the Air Long-distance schooling museum.

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

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

GO WILD

Lee Foster, UK WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN IN OZ? Queensland, Hunter Valley, Kangaroo Valley, Canberra, Snowy Mountains, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Now living in Sydney with my Ausie girlfriend FAVOURITE PLACE? Port Douglas is a beautiful town. So many wonderful restaurants, the Great Barrier Reef a boat ride away and the scenery is amazing BIGGEST SURPRISE? The landscape. I thought it would be flat, but after driving around Kangaroo Valley I realise I couldn’t be more wrong

KAYAKING KATHERINE GORGE Sure, you can empty your wallet for a scenic helicopter flight, or you can join the masses of silver nomads on a boat cruise (especially when the Ghan train is in town), but the best way to really get a croc’s eye feel for the spectacular gorges of Nitmiluk National Park is to jump in a kayak and go for a paddle. It’s also the cheapest way to see them. Double score! Just be careful where you swim.

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55

WALISTINGS

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One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge.

1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge.

08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au

DON’T MISS GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! Fly By Night Musicians Club. 7pm 8 Sep. From $43.50 Australia’s answer to Dita Von Tease, Dolores Daiquiri is back to tempt and tantalize in this 60’s themed night of burlesque.

Parry St, Freemantle

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

08 9227 6000, perthbrittania.com

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

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

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

08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au

BOOK NOW PATRICK WOLF Fly By Night Musicians Club. 14 Sep. From $47.50 Grand piano? Check. Celtic harp? Check. Dulcimer?...What the hell is a dulcimer? Find out on this night of acoustic magic.

Parry St, Freemantle

PERTH MUSIC Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au

Perth Mint 310 Hay St. 08 9421 7223, perthmint.com.au

Astor liveattheastor.com.au

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

The Bakery nowbaking.com.au

Mojo’s Bar mojosbar.com.au

The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

flybynight.org

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

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

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

08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

ROTTNEST ISL

122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruizeinn.com

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

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

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

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

Rottnest Express 1300 Go Rotto rottnestexpress.com.au

Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth.

08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

MARGARET RIV Margaret River Lodge YHA 220 Railway Tce. 08 9757 9532, yha.com.au Surfpoint 12 Riedle Drive Prevally 08 9757 1777 surfpoint.com.au

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

BROOME STAY Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road.

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

FREO DO Fremantle Markets 08 9335 2515,

BROOME

7 ,Ê -/Ê "-/ Ê Ê7 ÊÓääÇ -/ÊÓäänÊEÊÓää

Broome is a hot but chilled-out travellers’ mecca located at the southern-most tip of the Kimberley region in the far north of WA. The must-do list in Broome includes the amazing 22km Cable Beach with its brilliant white sand and sparkling turquoise waters. Jump on a camel’s back and ride into the sunset to see the Staircase to the Moon – for three days after the full moon from March to October, reflections stretch out across shiny mudflats, creating the illusion of a long silver staircase.

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

LAUNCESTON DO

BOOK NOW

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEVONPORT

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

CLARE BOWDITCH Theatre Royal. 12 Sep. $65 The raven haired songstress has ditched her signature melancholy and embraced the pursuit of happiness with her new tour.

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

Campbell St, Hobart

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

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

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

@tnt_downunder

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

LIGHT MY FIRE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WORD FROM THE STREET

Photo: Tourism Tasmania

Rita Pizzini, Italy

58

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

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WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN IN OZ? The west coast, from Perth to Darwin. Then took the Ghan to Adelaide, then Melbourne, Tasmania and Sydney FAVE SPOT? Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park in WA MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE Waking up under heavy snow at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. I never knew it snowed in Australia!

DONE ANYTHING UNUSUAL? Three days without a shower, in the wild west of Tasmania. But the Aussie lifestyle is so relaxed YOU WISH YOU HAD? A 4WD fully equipped to go remote!

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ADELAIDE STAY

DON’T MISS

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

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

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

KANGAROO IS

Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg. 1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

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

08 8300 3800 cricketsa.com.au

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

SOUNDS OF SUBURBIA The Governor Hindmarsh. 25 Aug. $20 Celebrate local talent with two stages serenading you through an afternoon session and into a night of stunning acoustics.

Port Rd, Hindmarsh

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

04 1281 1838 dolphinboat.com.au

thegov.com.au

BAROSSA VAL Barossa Backpackers 9 Basedow Road Tanunda.

08 8563 0198, barossabackpackers.com.au

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

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

EYRE PENINSULA Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

08 8687 0411 coodliepark.com

Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw.

08 8553 1344 yha.com.au

Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims.

08 8626 5017 bairdbay.com

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

Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au

RIVERLAND Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri.

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

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

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

FLEURIEU PENIN

Nullarbor Traveller Tours across to Perth.

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

08 8363 1788 rodneyfox.com.au

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

IN FOCUS

PORT LINCOLN

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Photo: SATC

Named by British explorer Matthew Flinders after his home town, Port Lincoln almost pipped Adelaide to the title of South Australian capital, only losing out to due to a lack of fresh water. It’s now an attractive and bustling harbour town worth a stop. However, to many, the area is known for one reason only – cage diving with great white sharks. Dangerous Reef, 30km from shore, is the best place in Oz to come face-to-face with the toothy giants. So much so that the area was used when filming the genuine shark scenes in the original Jaws. Found about 280km directly west from Adelaide (but about 650km when travelling by road), it’s also the place to try the surreally fun swimming with tuna. Indeed, it’s thanks to the area’s high grade tuna, most of which ships straight out to Japan’s sashimi markets, that the town boasts the most millionaires per capita in Australia.

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FIJILISTINGS NADI & WEST

SURF’S UP

Aquarius Pacific Hotel +679 672 6000 Beach Escape Villas +679 672 4442, beachscape@ connect.com.fj Cathay Hotel +679 666 0566, fiji4less.com Horizon Backpackers +679 672 2832, horizonbeachfiji.com Nadi Bay Resort Hotel +679 672 3599, fijinadibayhotel.com Nadi Down Town Backpackers Inn +679 670 0600, pacvalley@connect.com.fj Nadi Hotel +679 670 0000, ndht@connect.com.fj Nomads Skylodge Hotel +679 672 2200 Saweni Beach Apartment Hotel +679 666 1777, fiji4less.com Smugglers Cove +679 672 6578, smugglers beachfiji.com Travellers Beach Resort +679 672 3322, beachvilla@connect.com.fj

YASAWA ISLANDS

Seashell Cove Resort +679 670 6100, seashellresort.com Tabukula Beach Bungalows +679 650 0097, fiji4less.com The Uprising Beach Resort +679 345 2200, uprisingbeachresort.com Tsulu Luxury Backpackers & Apartments +679 345 0065, tsulu.com Vakaviti Motel & Dorm +679 650 0526, bulavakaviti@connect.com.fj Vilisite Place +679 650 1030

SUVA Colonial Lodge +679 92 75248, sailevukaga@yahoo.co.nz

Leleuvia Island Resort +679 331 9567, eleen@leleuvia.com

Korovou Eco Tour Resort +679 666 6644 korovoultk@connect.com.fj

Raintree Lodge +679 332 0562, raintreelodge.com

Kuata Resort +679 666 6644

Royal Hotel +679 344 0024 royal@connect.com.fj

Long Beach Backpackers Resort +679 666 6644

South Seas Private Hotel +679 331 2296, fiji4less.com

Manta Ray Island +679 672 6351 mantarayisland@connect.com.fj

Tailevu Hotel +679 343 0028

Sunrise Lagoon Resort +679 666 6644 Wayalailai Island Resort +679 672 1377 wayalailai@connect.com.fj White Sandy Beach Dive Resort +679 666 4066

MAMANUCA ISL Beachcomber Island Resort +679 666 1500, beachcomberfiji.com Bounty Island Resort +679 666 6999, fiji-bounty.com

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Robinson Crusoe +679 629 1999, robinsoncrusoeislandfiji.com

Coconut Bay Resort +679 666 6644 coconutbay_fiji2002@yahoo.com

Octopus Resort +679 666 6337 reservations@octopusresort.com

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Rendezvous Dive Resort +679 628 4427, surfdivefiji.com

Lami Lodge Backpackers +679 336 2240, volau@connect.com.fj

Oarsmans Bay Lodge +679 672 2921, nacula@hotmail.com

Fiji is rightly world-famous for having some of the best surf found on the planet. This used to be frustrating, the reason being that you could only actually get to it as a tourist by staying at a fancy resort. However, last year that all changed and a new law now means that budget boarders can also get to spend some quality time in the blue room. Cloudbreak, a reef break a mile off the island of Tavarua, is the stuff of legend, but there’s plenty of others worthy of your time. The Coral Coast’s Frigate Passage, on Vitu Levu’s south-west corner, is a fun wave, while the Sigatoka Rivermouth, south of Nadi, is Fiji’s only beach break. Note the peak surfing months are from May to October, during the dry season, but there are great waves all year round. For beginners waves, head north of Nadi to a little break called Swimming Pools (pictured). The soft right-handers will make a pro out of anyone in no time.

Pacific Safaris Club +679 345 0498, safariclub@connect.com.fj

Awesome Adventures Fiji +679 675 0499, awesomefiji.com

Nabua Lodge +679 666 9173 nabualodge@connect.com.fj

SURFING

Mango Bay Resort +679 653 00690, mangobayresortfiji.com

Rau Kini’s Hostel +679 672 1959, rtkinihostel@connect.com.fj The Funky Fish Beach Resort +679 628 2333, funkyfishresort.com The Resort Walu Beach +679 665 1777, walubeach.com

CORAL COAST Beachouse +679 653 0500, fijibeachouse.com

NORTH VITI LEVU Bethams Cottage +679 669 4132, bethams.com.fj Macdonalds Beach Cottages +679 669 4633 Morrison’s Beach Cottagess +679 669 4516, tipple@connect.com.fj Safari Lodge Fijis +679 669 3333 safarilodge.com.fj Volivoli Beach Resort +679 669 4511, volivoli.com

VANUA LEVU Bayside Backpacker Cottage +679 885 3154, tripntour@connect.com.fj Hidden Paradise Guest House +678 885 0106 Naveria Heights Lodge +679 851 0157, justnaveria@connect.com.fj Savusavu Hot Springs +679 885 0195, hotspringshotel@connect.com.fjj

TAVEUNI Albert’s Sunrise +679 333 7555 Matava Resort +679 330 5222, matava.com

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BUS TOURS Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.co.nz Nakedbus.com 0900 62533, nakedbus.com NZ Travelpass 0800 339 966, travelpass.co.nz Stray +64 9309 8772, straytravel.com

RENTAL FIRMS Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz Backpacker Campervan & Car Rentals +800 200 80 801, backpackercampervans.com Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.nz

Rent-A-Dent 0800 736 823, rentadent.co.nz Rental Car Village +64 9376 9935, hire-vehicles.co.nz Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv Standby Cars 1300 789 059, standbycars.com.au Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

AUCKLAND Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International Backpackers (BBH) 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584,

Darn Cheap Rentals 0800 447 363, exploremore.co.nz

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

Econo Campers +64 9275 9919, econocampers.co.nz

Bamber House (BBH) 22 View Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9623 4267, hostelbackpacker.com

Escape Rentals 1800 456 272, escaperentals.co.nz Explore More 1800 800 327, dcrentals.com.nz Jucy Rentals 0800 399 736, jucy.com.nz

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

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

Base Discovery Lodge St. +64 Queenstown 49 Shotover St. +64 3441 1185, stayatbase.com

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

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

Bungi Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 15 Sydney St. 0800 728 286, bungibackpackers.co.nz

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

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

Cardrona Alpine Resort Between Queenstown and Wanaka. +64 3443 7341, cardrona.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

CHRISTCHURCH

Flaming Kiwi Backpackers (BBH) 39 Robins Rd. +64 3442 5494, flamingkiwi@xtra.co.nz

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

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

Foley Towers (BBH) 208 Kilmore St. +64 3366 9720, backpack.co.nz/foley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUEENSTOWN

YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street. +64 3442 7400, yha.co.nz YHA Queenstown Lakefront 8890 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413, yha.co.nz

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61

Welcome to your Australian Adventure, Guys and Girls!

We are a company that was started by backpackers for backpackers 17 years ago and have given literally thousands of backpackers their dream travelling jobs while they are here.

We know that you need your job to provide...

Lots of money Lots of travelling around Australia A very sociable environment where you can meet lots of people Visa sponsorship opportunities if you want to stay Overseas transfer opportunities /RWV RI ﾃ？[LELOLW\ IRU \RX WR WDNH WLPH RII WR explore Lots of fun and a good challenge Your dream job awaits if you have excellent English, drive, determination and a sense of adventure.

Call Sally today on 1800 64 64 78 and we will give you an interview tomorrow.

Good Luck, The Ministry of Paintball Team www.ministryofpaintball.com

Looking for

work?

tntdownunder.com/jobs 62

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We are looking for volunteers who are 18-60 years of age to take part in a study to investigate a new antibiotic for those infections that are currently resistant.

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

The study will last for approximately 8-10 weeks.

You will have a free medical screening to assess your suitability.

You need to be a non smoker and generally of good health.

Those successfully enrolled in the study receive $3290 for completion.

For more info call 1800 475 475

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

GSK_689.indd 1

6/07/12 9:47 AM

OZWORK

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Ticket to reside Whether you’re on a working holiday, student, or even tourist visa, there’s plenty of ways to extend your travels Down Under...

The problem with travelling is that the more places you see, the more places you want to see. Every time you tick a destination or experience off the wishlist, you find yourself hearing about and adding three more in the process.

The result of this is that whatever visa you’re on, you increasingly notice the tick tock at the back of your head as your Aussie visa edges towards its expiry date. But this need not be a problem, as extending your visa isn’t as hard or costly as you might think it is.

If you arrived in Australia on a three-month tourist visa, it’s relatively easy to get another three months as a tourist.

You can lodge the 676 visa within Australia, but remember it’s illegal to work on a tourist visa.

Likewise, if you’re on a student visa and your course is nearing its end, you can apply for a tourist visa, a working holiday visa or sign up to another course and get another student visa. Being a student in Australia is one of the quickest routes to gaining permanent residency, skipping the sponsorship stage, under the Skilled Migration Scheme.

There are several options for students hoping to gain residency (notably the 885 and 886 visas), but take note that generally you need to have completed two years of study in Australia and you must be qualified to do a job that is on the government’s Skilled Occupation List. The list, which basically covers all the professions for which Australia has a shortage of workers, includes a wide range of roles, from accountant

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to carpenter, social worker to teacher.

The vast majority of travellers Down Under, however, arrive on a working holiday visa. This can be extended for a second year by completing 88 days of “specified work” in a “regional area”. Most commonly this is fruit-picking or volunteer work but can also include some construction and mining roles. Make sure you look at the government’s immigration website to check that the post code of where you’re planning to work is classified as “regional”.

If you’re hoping to extend your Aussie stay by a much longer period, then thing get more complicated, but are still far from difficult. The easiest and most common route is to find a company to sponsor you. Due to only being able to work with one firm for six months on a working holiday visa, this will mean acting fairly fast once you get a job you like.

The most common sponsorship visa is an employernominated 457 visa. To qualify, you must be in a job that pays at least $49,330 (excluding superannuation) and is on the government skills list. Sponsorship will let you stay in Australia for up to four years, but only if you stay in that job.

If you quit, you’ll have just 28 days to leave the country or find another employer willing to sponsor you.

Beyond sponsorship, the next step is permanent residency, which means you can stay in Oz for the rest of your life (unless you leave for an extended period) and can do any job, or none at all.

B Confidential is Brisbane longest running gentlemen club with restaurant.

Its Unique approach to entertainment sets itself apart within this industry.

To be one our club dancers, you will need to be sexy, sociable and fun.

In return you get paid cash each day, a flexible roster so you still have time to travel and work in a safe fun environment.

Full training is provided from a management team with over 30 years experience, you will be made feel welcome by all the girls and staff.

We are looking for: Bright pleasant personality Team players Excellence in customer service Well spoken Willingness to learn Glamorous appearance desirable Why work for us?

Female owned and operated Safe and clean No cost to you to work here Low percentage of walk by traffic which means high targeted clientele (not many time wasters) Friendly staff with trained hostesses that help book you dancers Ongoing dance training and NLP tips for better sales Family owned and operated Job perks!

Discounted drinks on the job Cheap meals Second day pay days Free NLP sales training that will give you the tools for moving outside the industry Stage Tips are 100% yours Full makeover and photo shoot for free Flexible hours Discounted food shopping for staff Discounted shoes and clothing You are your own boss and can run it as a business Staff Christmas party

Available shifts : Tuesday - Thursday 12 noon-7pm & 6pm-1am Friday 12 noon -7pm & 6pm-3am Saturday 6pm-3am Apply in person during opening hours at 445 Upper Edward st Spring Hill (just up from central station) e: admin@confidentialclub.com.au www.confidentialclub.com.au/recruitment

MASSEUSES WANTED

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Try us just once and you will not be disappointed!

Call us now on

02 9212 1195 www.tiffanysgirls.com.au

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

Work with us:

Unlimited earning potential Shifts to suit Full training provided Quality accommodation provided 99 Albion Street, Surry Hills, NSW

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TOTALLYTRIVIAL

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MYTHBUSTERS FAIR PLAY?

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

NEW SOUTH WALES

What is the name of the highest Q 2.mountain in NSW? a) Mt. Kosciuszko c) Mt. Gillard

b) Mt. Abbott d) Mt. Thredbo

b) Surfies d) All of the above

Which part of the face do you walk Q 8.through when entering Luna Park? a) Mouth b) Nose c) Ear d) Eye

Q 4. What is the name of the mountain

ranges west of Sydney? a) Red Mountains b) Blue Mountains c) Green Mountains d) Aqua Mountains

Q 5. What is the capital of NSW?

b) Christchurch d) Sydney

stage for New Years Eve fireworks? a) Opera House b) Harbour Bridge c) The Star Casino d) The Sydney Eye

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

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TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Is it true that women aren’t allowed to play didgeridoos?

This is a fairly controversial subject, with many believing that it is the ultimate taboo for women to play, or even touch, the wind instrument.

However, in northern Oz, where didges are believed to have originated, there appears to be little truth behind this myth. Aboriginal men certainly have no problem with tourists who want to have a go. Traditionally only men will play the instrument in a ceremony, but women can happily have a blow informally. Although in some communities, especially in south-east Oz, it is believed to cause infertility.

Q 9. Which Sydney landmark is the main

SUDOKU PUZZLE 7

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6. What did Oprah rename the Opera House when she visited Sydney? a) O! House b) Oprah House c) Oh My! House d) Winfrey House

a) Life guards c) Posers

d) Metallica

a) Canberra c) Brisbane

WEEK

What are you likely to see when you Q 7.visit Bondi Beach?

is the Premier of NSW? Q 3.a)Who Barry O’Farrell b) Hugh Jackman c) Nicole Kidman

Q

OF THE

This is a term to describe a lady’s hair downstairs. So called because of Tasmania’s shape when you look at it on a map. Aussie’s swear it has nothing to do with Tassie’s wild, overgrown bushland...

ANAGRAM-ARAMA

THIS WEEK IT’S...

CROSS-DRESSING COSTUME IDEAS 1. QUA GENDER 2. FUDGE LIAR 3. I LIKE GUY ON ME 4. UNREAL AID GANG ANSWERS: 1. Drag Queen 2. Lifeguard 3. Kylie Minogue 4. Guardian angel

Q

1. What is the colour of the NSW State of Origin rugby league team? a) Yellow b) Magenta c) Blue d) Pink

MYTH

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

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