TNT Magazine Australia 720 by TNT MAGAZINE

22 April - 5 May 2013 Issue 720 tntdownunder.com

IN W unch of

ab northern territory s adventure

It’s a scream

Get your heart racing in New Zealand

king gong

A weekend in the NSW south coast

ck o r e h t o t ng i roll

e al Red Centr u it ir p s ’s a li stra e explore Au w , n o y n a C to Kings + news & sport what’s on From Uluru

film reviews travellers’ tIPS

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Alex Harmon EDITOR editor@tntdownunder.com

EDITOR’S LETTER Been to the Northern Territory yet? Why not? Put down that schooner of low-carb beer, finish your weekly CityRail pass and make tracks up north. The NT is one of the most beautiful and unique areas in Australia, where you can hear some of the world’s oldest languages and see history on every corner. We have just begun a month of celebrating this special place. If you’re not convinced I’ll eat my fedora hat.

THIS WEEK oz Diary

Food + drink

Gigs

Pub

Chatroom

Film

Lifestyle

News 26 Opinion

Sport 30 Travel 32 Travel News

win

weekender 60 listings Australia 68 listings new zealand 84 work 87 trivial pursuits

Features Cardigan Jezabels

We follow the much loved Sydney band on their European adventures

Adrenaland

Our top 10 list of the adrenalin activities to get your heart started in New Zealand

ROck ‘n’ Stroll

We get a little spiritual in the Uluru-kata Tjuta national park... So many rocks

I got Seoul We hit South Korea’s vibrant capital city... Ignore the travel warnings!

64 tntdownunder.com

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ozDIARY

Editorial Editor Alex Harmon Staff writer Hugh Radojev Contributors Benedict Cooper, Jessica Riley, Lisa Robinson, Debbie Ward Interns Rosemarie Marino, Rory Platt, Adele Rogers

@tnt_downunder

Tracy Morgan promises to expose himself on stage

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

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

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

main event Sydney comedy festival Various venues, Sydney

One of the biggest annual events on the Australian stand-up comedy scene, the Sydney Comedy Festival is back again and if the first announcements are anything to go by, it’s going to be one of the best ever. Tracy Morgan, award winning comic and actor from hit shows like 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live will be performing in Australia for the first time ever. Controversial Aussie comedian Jim Jefferies will also be making his debut at the festival. Some old favourites will be returning too, so make sure you grab your tickets. 22th April – 17th May. Sydney, New South Wales

Gold Coast film festival

Mindil sunset markets

Swisse Color run

Sunny Queensland’s answer to Cannes or Sundance, the Gold Coast FIlm Festival is back for another year. Featuring a huge variety of film genres and styles from all around the world, this is the perfect festival for movie fanatics and casuals alike.

Enjoy the tropical evening air at Darwin’s Mindil Beach Sunset Markets every Thursday and Sunday evening from May-October. The markets have loads of stalls offering international cuisine, arts, crafts and entertainment. A must-visit!

Five of the craziest, most colourful kilometres you’ll ever experience. The Swisse Color Run continues to tour around Australia, this time taking Newcastle by storm. Sign up with a team or by yourself and join in the ultimate fun-run.

April 18 – 28 Pacific Fair, Broadbeach gcfilmfestival.com.au

May 2 – Oct 31 Mindil Beach, Darwin mindil.com.au

May 5 Jockey Club, Newcastle thecolorrun.com

$11

Free

$55

Image: Sydney Comedy Festival

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.

comedy.com.au

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Sydney eats + drinks the Cut Bar and grill

@tnt_downunder

[Caption]

Pub review by Hugh Radojev

From the minute you come down the stairs and slide past the plush, burgundy curtain that separates the interior of The Cut from the bright neon hubbub of Argyle Street outside you know you are in for a serious meal. The wait-staff are all immaculately dressed in black waistcoats and white shirts. The surface of the bar in the corner is polished bronze, while the sandstone brick walls and thick wooden beams in the ceiling stand testament to the long history of the building, and The Rocks as a whole. In short it’s very chic and quite beautiful in a solemn, tasteful kind of way. The grub This isn’t merely ‘grub’, no simple food for fuel. This is all the comfort of a Sunday family roast transmogrified into art. I had the pan roasted quail [$26] to start, the sweetness of the bird offset by a beautifully sharp salad of cabbage and harissa. My friend had scallops and black pudding [$19] which were also delightful. But The Cut is about the steak. The 400g slow cooked Wagyu beef steak [$56] with prosciutto kipfler potatoes and garlic peas was simply staggering. Behind the bar Wonderful collection of cocktails; the Sailor’s Landing being the pick at $20. A tap beer (Paulaner Pils) was $9. Wines run between $18-$26 by the glass. Bill please If you were to push the envelope of acceptable gluttony like I did, you’d be looking at $150+ a head with food and wine/cocktails. verdict It’s expensive – no two ways about it – but absolutely worth every cent! THE SCENE

16 Argyle St, The Rocks

cutbarandgrill.com

3 of the best spots to get a bloody mary 6

Panama House

Bottleneck bar

The Norfolk

A chic little bar/eatery tucked halfway between Bondi Junction and the beach, Panama House is the perfect Sunday destination. Sit at the bar and rip into a $17 Panama Mary (similar to your average Bloody Mary but with white rum instead of Vodka). You can get a can of beer with that for $20. That’ll sort your hangover out!

Hidden away out the back of that oh-so-jazzy Eau de Vie, is this little gem of a bar that serves up great finger food and a different, delicious Mary each and every week. For example, try a Bloody Maria (think normal Bloody Maria but with blue agave tequila used instead of rum) and a plate of hand made meatballs. Delicious!

Ratty, retro Americana on the walls, an amazing beer garden out the back and Bloody Mary’s served in baked bean or mackerel cans, this place is the real deal. The staff serve up four different types of Bloody Mary including an Asian inspired one infused with wasabi and an Italian one with balsamic vinaigrette.

panamahouse.com.au

eaudevie.com.au

thenorfolk.com

tntdownunder.com

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melbourne bars

BITE SIZE

MON–FRI 11.30AM–4PM ............... MON–THUR 7PM–11PM ............... FRI & SAT 7PM–9PM ............... SUN 12PM–11PM

Hall of a mess There’s an old saying that goes something like ‘you can’t please everyone’. It speaks to the subtle differences in each of us as humans – the indelible little snowflakes that we all are. It’s also a big load of shit! Brunswick Mess Hall in north Melbourne proves that you can cater to just about every taste without being a total sell-out and/or ineffectually wishy-washy. Their beer and cider list runs 50 deep, they make mean jugs of cocktails and sangrias for large groups, and serve some of the best purpose-made drinking snacks anywhere in Melbourne. Go forth and get messy! thebrunswickmesshall.com.au

The devil you know The Spaniards have perfected finger food down to a fine art. Tapas in Spain is cheap and delicious but in Australia most tapas places are hatefully expensive and the food is usually pretty average. I say most though, Fitzroy’s Naked for Satan bucks that trend handsomely. Cheap and delicious $2 pintxos (Basque tapas) and more vodka cocktails than Beelzebub himself would know what to do with. And, what a great name! nakedforsatan.com.au

Passing fad FAD Gallery is a kind of art gallery meets nightclub via

live music venue in Melbourne. All those elements come together mightily though, particularly on Thursday nights.

OPEN 7 DAYS TILL 3AM KITCHEN TILL 2.30AM ............................... DJS & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVERY NIGHT! ............................... LUCKYCOQ.COM.AU FACEBOOK.COM/LUCKYCOQ

CNR CHAPEL ST & HIGH ST WINDSOR MELBOURNE 9525 1288

fadgallery.com.au

tntdownunder.com

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gigLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

The Pigs Free Blacktown RSL, Sydney eventfinder.com.au

friday 26 The Reubens $35.65 The Tivoli, Brisbane premier.ticketek.com.au The Drones $39.80 The Forum, Melbourne oztix.com.au

DON’T MISS! Groovin’ the Moo Various. April 27 – May 11. $99.90 The music festival that brings good music to the places it’s needed most: the country! Get out of the cap cities and into the bush.

Various rural locales

monday 22 Silverstein and Issues $35.70 Amplifier & Capitol Bar, Perth oztix.com.au The Beegles Free The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy theevelyn.com.au

tuesday 23 Josh Groban From $132.50 Opera House, Sydney ticketmaster.com.au Glenn Hughes $60 The Tempo Hotel, Brisbane glennhughes2013.com Pete Murray $31.65 Racehorse Hotel, Brisbane oztix.com.au

wednesday 24 The Temper Trap $58.30 Festival Hall, West Melbourne festivalhall.com.au

gtm.com Evermore $25 Karova Lounge, Ballarat oztix.com.au Grinspoon $36.75 The Yarra Hotel, Melbourne oztix.com.au

thursday 25 Black Sabbath $149.90 Entertainment Centre, Brisbane ticketek.com.au The Black Seeds $35 The Gov, Adelaide moshtix.com.au They Might Be Giants $64.90 Upstairs Beresford, Sydney oztix.com.au The Rubens $28.60 Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast oztix.com.au Sticky Fingers $21 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne ticketscout.com.au

Tegan and Sara From $44 Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com.au The Black Seeds $40 Selinas, Coogee moshtix.com

saturday 27 Matt McHugh $25 The Standard, Sydney wearethestandard.com Black Sabbath From $149.90 Allphones Arena, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au Movement $99.90 Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melb ticketmaster.com.au Bryan Adams From $100.10 Brisbane Entertainment Centre premier.ticketek.com.au Bob Evans $30.90 Fowlers Live, Adelaide moshtix.com

sunday 28 Aerosmith From $135 ANZ Stadium, Sydney showbiz.com.au Pete Murray TBA Twin Towers, Coffs Harbour oztix.com

DON’T MISS! Martha Wainwright National Tour. May 31 – June 16. Price depends on show The wonderfully talented American songstress returns to Australia for a national tour. Make sure to check her out somewhere near you!

Various, Australia

marthawainwright.com

wednesday 1 Maters At Work $40 Civic Hotel, Sydney housesolution.net Carb on Carb $8.00 The Public Bar, Melbourne thepublicbar.com.au

thursday 2 Spit Syndicate $23.50 Discovery Nightclub, Darwin oztix.com.au Tame Impala $59.90 Hordern Pavillion, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au

friday 3 The Kooks $66 Palais Theatre, St Kilda ticketmaster.com.au Tool $135.85

Allphones , Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au

saturday 4 Owl Eyes $29.40 The Gov, Adelaide oztix.com.au Aerosmith From $135 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne showbiz.com.au Evermore $31.95 The Dalrymple, Townsville premier.ticketek.com.au Diafrix $18.40 The Waratah, Hobart oztix.com.au

sunday 5 Happy Mondays $79.60 Palace Theatre, Melbourne premier.ticketek.com.au

BOOK NOW!

Baauer On the Door Plantinum, Gold Coast platinumclub.com.au

BOOK NOW!

monday 29 Flume $49.90 Hordern Pavillion, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au Sunset Blush $5.00 The Old Bar, Melbourne theoldbar.com.au

Whitsunday calling festival Sugarloaf Mountain, Queensland. October 4 – 5. $170 A good, old fashioned Rock ‘n’ Roll festival in the beautiful natural surrounds of the Whitsundays. Hmmm tasty! Sugarloaf, Queensland

whitsundaycalling.com

tuesday 30 Yacht $46.10 Oxford Art Factory, Sydney moshtix.com.au

spice ft NINA KRAVIZ The Grounds. May 4. $150 (includes transport + entry to after party) This pop-up event sponsored by Red Bull Music Academy, presents an intimate affair the international superstar DJ Nina Kraviz. Alexandria, Sydney

thespicecellar.com.au

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NO HAT NO PLAY Prizes to the

UGLIEST, BIGGEST AND

SEXIEST

ALL DRINKS $5

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INS BEST HAT W d 2 Greyhoun Cairns Sydney to ller mini trave th passes, wor $350 each

DJ till late

ZZ A S TI LL M ID N IG H T PI & S IT IR SP S, R EE IN C LU D IN G TA P B AW SO N PL SY D N EY R & ST E G A LL D R IN K S A R E $5 R EO G R B A R .C O M .A U | C N +6 1 2 92 12 42 44 SC U SCUBAR PROMOTES THE

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FREE ENTRY 17/4/13 8:44:13 PM

pUBLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

HAPPY HOUR

Bar Century Lvl 4 640, George St Sydney barcentury.com.au 3 Wise Monkeys 555 George St, Sydney 3wisemonkeys.com.au Candy’s Apartment 22 Bayswater Road, Potts Point candys.com.au World Bar 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point theworldbar.com.au

HAPPY HOUR! Movie mondays at soda factory Soda Factory, Sydney. 5pm – Midnight, Monday nights. Retro movie nights every Monday with free popcorn, $5 Tiger beer/ house wine and $5 for all meals, including their famous hot dogs. Soda Factory, City

sodafactory.com

sydney pubs Trinity Bar 505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au DOME Bar Level 1 589 Crown Street, Surry Hills domebar.com.au

Tea Garden’s 2-4 Bronte Rd, Bondi Junction teagardenshotel.com.au Scary Canary 469 Kent St, Sydney scarycanarybar.com.au Side Bar 509 Pitt St, Sydney wakeup.com.au/side-bar

Ryan’s Paragon Hotel Cnr Loftus & Alfred St, Sydney hotelparagon.com.au The Beresford 345 Bourke St, Surry Hills merivale.com.au/theberesfordhotel Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst oxfordartfactory.com White Revolver Cnr Curlewis + Campbell Parade Bondi Beach whiterevolver.com Pontoon Cockle Bay Wharf 201, Darling Harbour pontoonbar.com

Cheap Drinks wednesday Somewhere Bar, Melbourne South. Wednesdays. $6 basic spirits and $12 Carlton jugs are one of the best ways to get over the fact that it’s another hump day.

Prahran, South Melbourne Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly hotelsteyne.com.au

Shamiana 420 Lonsdale St, Melbourne shamiana.com.au

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

Star Bar Hotel Melbourne 160 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne starbarhotel.com.au

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

Accommodation Ensuite rooms $80 per night. Share facility rooms $60 per night. Todd Tavern established in 1959 is the only traditional Hotel in Alice Springs. The Hotel has 4 bars, Maxims bar caters for those wishing to have a ﬂutter on the TAB, play Keno, watch sport, play pool, or kick back and listen to tunes on the jukebox. Bar opens at 10.30 daily until late. Aunty’s bar is where the local jam session happen every Monday night from 7.30pm. Whether you can play an instrument, sing or just want to get up and read poetry - every one is welcome.

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

East Brunswick Club The Imperial 35 Erskineville Road, Erskineville 280 Lygon St Brunswick East theimperialhotel.co eastbrunswickclub.com m.au The Norfolk 305 Cleveland St, Redfern thenorfolk.co The Vanguard 42 King St, Newtown thevanguard.com.au Coogee Palace 169 Dolphin St, Coogee beachpalacehotel.com.au Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au

DJ’s Bistro opens at 12noon daily serving meals through to 9pm. With $10 daily lunch specials and the cheapest drinks in town there is no other place to be. Saturday Beer & Burger special $10 available from 12noon - 6pm. Sunday ﬁsh & chip lunch for just $10 and Roast carvery for dinner.

The Bondi Hotel 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.com.au

There is something for everyone at the Todd Tavern, with our Thirsty Camel bottle shop open 7 days a week for your convience. Monday - Friday 2 -9 pm Saturday 10 - 9pm and Sunday 12 - 9pm.

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

TODD TAVERN TODD MALL ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870 www.toddtavern.com.au 08 8952 1255

somewherebar.com.au

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

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

melbournepubs Central Lion Hotel 3/221 La Trobe St, Melbourne acemelbourne.com.au/mclion/

Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au Northcote Social Club 301 High Street Northcote northcotesocialclub.com Palace Theatre palace.com.au The Hi-Fi 125 Swanston Street Melbourne thehifi.com.au The Tote 67-71 Johnston Street, Collingwood thetotehotel.com Eden Bar and Nightclub 163 Russell Street, Melbourne edenbar.com.au Turf Bar 131 Queen St Melbourne turfbar.com.au Fluid Oz Bar 450 Elizabeth Street Melbourne yelp.com.au Bar Humbug 586 Little Bourke St Melbourne barhumbug.com.au Eurotrash Bar 18 Corrs Lane Melbourne eurotrashbar.com.au

tntdownunder.com

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

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

perth pubs The Subiaco Hotel 465 Hay Street, Subiaco subiacohotel.com.au Voodoo Lounge 174 James St, Northbridge voodoolounge.com.au The Shed 69-71 Aberdeen St Northbridge, the-shed.com.au Mint Nightclub Cnr Lake and James St, Northbridge mintnightclub.com Leederville Hotel 742 Newcastle St, Leederville East Perth leedervillehotel.com.au

brisbane pubs Hotel LA 68 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane hotella.com.au GPO Hotel 740 Anne St, Fort Valley gpohotel.com.au Canvas Club 16b Logan St, Woolloongabba canvasclub.com.au The Fringe Bar Cnr Ann and Constance St fringebar.com.au Pig ‘N’ Whistle Riverside 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane pignwhistle.com.au Sky Room 2/234 Wickham St, Fort Valley skyroom.com.au Bravo Bar Brunswick Central, 455 Brunswick St Fortitude Valley hotelbravo.com.au The Met Nightclub 256 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley themet.com.au The Exchange Hotel 131 Edward St, Brisbane theexchange.com.au

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

Surfers pubs Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa surfersbeergarden.com Shooters Superclub Shop 46 The Mark Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise shooterssuperclub.com

cairns pubs

Prince of Wales Hotel 1 Morgan St, Mereweather princeofwales.com.au

Wests Mayfield 32 Industrial Dr, Mayfield westnewcastle.com.au Lemon Grove Hotel 112 Nelson St, Wallsend tab.com.au The Shaft Tavern 145 Croudance Rd, Elermore Vale theshafttavern.com.au Sunyside Tavern 20 Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow sunnysidetavern.com.au Premier Hotel 1 Brunker Rd, Broadmeadow hotelpremier.com.au

Fabric Cnr Shields and Esplanade St cairnsevents.com pubs

Isobar 1 Honeysuckle Drive Newcastle thelanding.com

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

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

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

HAPPY HOUR!

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

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

Rattle N Hum 65-67 Esplanade rattlenhumbar.com

@tnt_downunder

Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, Newcastle yourcambridge.com Lass O’Gowrie Hotel 14 Railway St, Wickham lassogowriehotel.com.au Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au Hamilton Hotel 71 Tudor St, Hamilton hamiltonhotel.com.au Beaumont Exchange Hotel Cnr Beaumont and Denison Street, Hamilton theexchangehotel.com.com.au Wickham Park Hotel 61 Maitland Rd, Islington thewicko.com.au Cricketers Arms 61 Bruce St, Cooks Hill tab.com.au Oriental Hotel 53 Bull St, Cooks Hill wotif.com.au

$10 Cocktails till late Robin Hood Hotel, Adelaide. Tuesday Nights. One of the best places to go in the capital for some cheap drinks and the best selection of DJs you will find in the area on a Thursday. 315 Portrush Rd, Norwood

Lala Land Level 1 / 6 Lawson Street, Byron Bay lalalandbyronbay.com.au The Aztec Montezuma 32 Lawson St, Byron Bay aztecmontezuma.com.au The Balcony Bar 7/3 Lawson St, Byron Bay balcony.com.au Treehouse on Belongil 25 Childe St, Byron Bay treehouseonbelongil.com Bangalow Hotel 1 Byron St, Bangalow bangalowhotel.com.au Ocean Shores Tavern 84 Rajah Rd, Ocean Shores osartexpo.com

canberra pubs Transit Bar 7 Akuna St, Canberra transitbar.com.au Cube Nightclub 33 Petrie Plaza, City cubenightclub.com.au

robinhoodhotel.net.au

Academy Club 15 Bunda St, Canberra academyclub.com.au

Wollongong pubs OneFiveOne 150 Keira Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Grand Hotel 124 Keira Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Glasshouse + Su Casa 90 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Ivory 77 – 79 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Alibi 76 Crown Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au Harp Hotel 234 Corrimal Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

ICBM 50 Northbourne Ave, Canberra icbmbar.com

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

Mooseheads 105 London Circuit, Canberra mooseheads.com.au

Castros 5 Victoria Street Wollongong wollongongnightlife.com.au

HAPPY HOUR

Royal Inn Hotel Waratah 61/69 Station St, Waratah truelocal.com.au

byron bay pubs

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

Cheeky Monkey’s 115 Jonson St, Byron Bay cheekymonkeys.com.au

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

The Northern 35-43 Jonson St, Byron Bay thenorthern.com.au

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

The Owl & The Pussycat 85 Jonson St, Byron Bay opcbyron.com.au

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

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

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

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

red cup thursdays OneFiveOne, Wollongong. Thursdays. $4 spirits, beers, shots – even vodka Red Bulls are $4 at this uber-cool nightclub in the ‘Gong! And to cap it off, it’s free entry. Keira St, Wollongong

wollongongnightlife.com.au

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Diverse: gothic spires to goth-pop in Barcelona

Earnest: singer Hayley Mary in the moment; (above) Barcelona at night

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On tour with The Jezabels Ever wondered what it would be like to hit the road with one of your favourite bands? We live the dream and do just that Words benedict cooper

The Jezabels don’t know it, but I’ve travelled with them before. Their debut album, Prisoner, and earlier EPs were the soundtrack to my summer, the haunting, gothic poprock thundering through my headphones on practically every journey I took. I was completely hooked. So when the chance came to join them on the last leg of their world tour last year, travelling through Portugal and Spain’s coolest cities and watching The Jezabels perform in Europe’s top music venues to a new, rock ‘n’ roll-hungry crowd each night – well, I couldn’t have packed my bags much quicker. The Aussie four-piece have been on quite a journey of their own since they banded together at Sydney University in 2007. They’ve been developing the unique sound they describe as “intensindie” ever since, and this year have toured the world, a trip that culminates in these European dates, supporting the legendary Skunk Anansie. I took them with me on my journeys. Here’s what happened when they took me on theirs.

“

Whatever you do, do NOT shit on the bus

”

this isn’t a dream. When we all pile backstage after a phenomenal set, there’s bottes of champagne waiting for the band: a ‘Welcome to the tour’ present from the headliners, Skunk Anansie. Now that, I think to myself, is rock ‘n’ roll.

Day 2: Porto Waking up on a tour bus with a band you love sleeping

Day 1: Lisbon I’ll admit it, I have a case of butterflies as I navigate my way through the winding streets of Lisbon, to the Coliseu dos Recreios – to meet The Jezabels for the first time. This is a very feisty city: as I hurry through the lively streets I notice drug dealers loitering among the stunning, 16th-century architecture, offering their wares to any passer-by. I’m eager to meet the band, though, so rather than exploring further, I wander past and soon find myself backstage. I’m walking through deserted corridors looking for the dressing rooms when I bump into the band’s keyboardist, Heather Shannon, and guitarist, Sam Lockwood, peering expectantly into the majestic, historic auditorium of the Coliseu – a stage they’re due to storm a few hours later. About an hour later, I find myself just a few feet away from the band as they launch into their first song – they’re captivating to watch. Out there in the auditorium the crowd is going wild – everybody is loving it. I pinch myself to check

Thumbs up: champagne from band Skunk Anansie tntdownunder.com

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peacefully around you is one of the stranger ways to start a day, but even 24 hours in, I’m already in the swing of things, unfazed by Skunk Anansie’s lead singer Skin walking by with a cup of green tea. I’ve seen The Jezabels’ drummer Nik Kaloper demonstrate his uncanny ability to catch snacks in his mouth countless times. And I’ve been told in no uncertain terms, “do NOT shit on the bus”. I spend some time chatting to lead singer Hayley Mary in between soundchecks and ask her how she feels about all the travelling. “It’s a bit of a non-reality, but it’s the fans that keep us grounded” she says. “In some ways you get more in touch with the world, but in others you’re less in touch, because you don’t have a home and it’s having a home that gives you your sense of culture. Sometimes I’ve had a strange feeling, like the opposite of homesick, where you have no idea where you are or what you’re doing, but it’s very exciting – the fluidity of it.” We arrive in Porto, an industrial-looking city that at first glance seems full of concrete and unromantic architecture. But the part of town around the grand old Coliseu do Porto, where The Jezabels have a gig later that night, turns out to have real character. It’s another energetic set, and though supporting Skunk Anansie means impressing a new breed of fans, this crowd is definitely won over.

Day 3: Madrid Parts of Madrid, with its winding back alleys and steep cobbled streets, makes me feel as though I’m in a small hill town, as I wander about on another lethargic afternoon – the band are almost always too tired to see the cities themselves. As Sam tells me: “We’ve been to Paris three times and never seen the Eiffel Tower.” Turns out to be a good job they’ve saved their energy, as La Riviera is a much more intimate venue than they’ve played so far. After the show there’s a huge buzz as the band pose for pictures and shake hands. A couple of die-hard Jezabels fans – Tane and Anneka – take us out to a trendy local watering hole, Bar Mostro, and they are clearly on cloud nine to be out with their favourite band. We carry on the party back on the bus, and I eventually crawl into my bunk in the early hours of the morning full of the roadie’s whisky and lulled by the gentle hum of the vehicle.

Day 4: Barcelona Barcelona is known for having a raucous music scene, and The Jezabels are playing the city’s famous Razzmatazz venue, which is a very big deal – The Stone Roses and Blur have played here in the past. I’m feeling the burn from last night, but that melts away as the band rocks the stage again. All it takes is a few notes from Heather’s keyboard at the beginning of Hurt Me and the shiver down my spine gets the adrenaline going again. I savour the song, knowing it’s the last time I’ll hear Nik’s powerful drumming, Heather’s mesmerising notes, Hayley’s soaring vocals and Sam’s unmistakable chords in quite this way again. Together they fill Razzmatazz with a dark, formidable charisma, sealing the tour as having been a resounding success. Later, Hayley says: “We’re somewhere in between innocence and success now, a transition phase. I think we’ll look back at these days as being some of our best.” ❚ 16

The Greatest Tours in Rock ‘n’ roll’s History

U2’s 360˚ Tour was a world beater Four days in Europe is just a drop in the ocean compared to some rock tours. From the insanely big to the just plain insane, musicians have done it all on the road. These are some of greatest tours in music history. 1. Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue, Bark at the Moon Tour, 1984 Ozzy was going solo that year after a tumultuous tour with Black Sabbath, but he certainly didn’t keep a low profile. One tale from the road goes that when the legendary wild-child of metal asked for a line of cocaine from Motley Crue bass player Nikki Sixx, only to find out there wasn’t any left, he improvised by getting down on his hands and knees with a plastic straw and snorting a line of ants marching down the pavement. Later Sixx said: “From that moment on we knew there was always someone who was sicker and more disgusting than we were.” 2. The Who Tour 1967 Stories had gone around for a while about Keith Moon’s love of destruction, and by the time The Who reached the US, there wasn’t a hotel room safe from Moon’s own signature demolition technique – a lit stick of dynamite shoved into a toilet. But it was the band’s stay in Flint, Michigan, at the Holiday Inn, that sealed his almost god-like reputation for mayhem. He celebrated his 21st birthday with the usual (dynamite-induced) bang, driving a Lincoln Continental – or a Cadillac depending on who’s telling the story – into the hotel swimming pool to a stunned crowd of partygoers. 3. U2 360° Tour, 2009-2011 The Irish mega-band racked up the biggest tour in the history of music between 2009 and 2011. Over the two-year period, U2 played 110 sold-out shows worldwide. More than 7million fans came to see them play, paying more than US$700m (£435m) for the privilege, a record gross income for a music tour by any band.

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CHATROOM

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Frightened Rabbit

Scotsman Grant Hutchinson discusses their new album, major labels and finally getting back to Oz.. INTERVIEW hugh radojev

“We had fans who wouldn’t put up with us becoming a bunch of major label dickheads”

A lot was made of you guys signing to a major label. Was that warranted? I’m not sure it was warranted. I think people make a bigger deal out of it than they should, for sure. It was an easy decision for us, if I’m being honest. A lot of people place too much emphasis on what label bands are signed to.

Photos: Getty Images

Did you feel liberated by it? Oh, absolutely. I mean we had some concerns to begin with. We were kind of expecting to have to put up a fight with the label, for freedom and independence but that wasn’t the case. They didn’t meddle in the process of the album at all. They [Atlantic Records] knew we had fans who wouldn’t put up with us becoming a bunch of major label dickheads.

What was the writing process for Pedestrian Verse like? We made a conscious decision as a band to be more collaborative on this album, it wasn’t just something we fell into. Previously, Scott [lead singer] would write the songs and melodies

and bring them to us, the rest of the band. It was difficult at first, we all had to find our feet in the song writing process. It was a far better experience but it took us a while to get going. Work together on the lyrics too? No, lyrics were still Scott’s kind of thing. At no point did anybody bring that up. We still want to make Frightened Rabbit records and one of the main things people related to before were the lyrics. To change that would have been a mistake. What was it like working with Leo Abrahams? It was great. Because of the way Leo had us recording it we were all in the process from beginning from start to finish, everyone was as important as everyone else. He’s very calming personality, as a person he worked very well with everyone. Subtle too, with the changes he made. Happy to be coming back to Australia? Yeah, because for awhile it looked like we might never be cioming back. We couldn’t get

back there. Our promoter over there just kept coming back saying ‘you’ve not been there for three years, you don’t have the profile you used to have.’ Then all of a sudden you get a song on the radio and then they’re like ‘Oh, are you available?’ But yeah, we just fucking love coming to Australia. Keen for Groovin’ the Moo? We’ve got no idea what to expect, really. All these inland places we’re going to we’ve not really heard of, but that makes it so much more exciting! These are the kind of places we wouldn’t get a chance to play normally. We’re all of us from the country too, from the Highlands in Scotland, so it’ll be great! What can Aussie audiences expect from your live show? Something similar to what they might have seen from us before – but better. Catch Frightened Rabbit at Groovin’ the Moo Festival (April 27 – May 11) gtm.com.au. Pedestrian Verse is out now on Atlantic Records.

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CHATROOM

Blackchords A quick five with guitarist Damian Cazaly from the band INTERVIEW Hugh Radojev

Why the four year gap between your debut album and follow up? The creative process isn’t really nine to five, you know? So yeah, we did a lot of touring for the first album and came back to do a lot of writing in Melbourne. Finding and making time for the music was hard. What was it like working with a Grammy winner in David Odlum? It was incredible. He was kind of like this alchemist for our sound, picked out these little pieces and bought them all together. He pushed us in a really positive way. It was incredible to work with someone so experienced. What was the writing process for A Thin Line like? It’s definitely a more collaborative process now. The first album was more Nick bringing creations to us and us polishing them, but now it’s very collaborative. You guys recently toured the US and Canada and played at SXSW in Austin. What was that experience like? It was like spilled sugar over an ant hill. Just tens of thousands of people descending on Austin. It was crazy, some of the best buskers and bands I’ve seen. What was the highlight of the whole tour? Probably when Nick [lead singer] split his head open at a gig in New York. He was just getting into it and smashed his head on the ceiling, then he poured water on his head and there was watery, red blood everywhere. It was hilarious! Catch Blackchords during their A Thin Line tour. They’re playing Sydney (April 26) at Brighton Up Bar. blackchords.com.au

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filmreview

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A terror attack on the U.S. Good timing, Gerard Butler

olympus has fallen FILM review by Adele Rogers. Out now Starring: Gerald Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Rhada Mitchell | MA | 120mins

the company you keep Review by James Besanvalle Robert Redford, Shia LeBeouf, Susan Sarandon | M | 125mins

This political action thriller follows the tale of a small-town journalist who uncovers the true identities of ex-radical US activists. A brilliant opening montage establishes the backstory, as we’re introduced to a string of secrets and hidden identities. Sarandon steals the show and if you don’t mind seeing a few seconds of Robert Redford’s wrinkled and freckled chest, this is a must-see. 22

Back in 1988 John McClane defeated German terrorist Hans Gruber and his motley crew at the Nakatomi Plaza. Not since Bruce Willis played this repeated role in the Die Hard series had there been another John McClane – until now. Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) plays the new ‘one-man versus hard-nut terrorists’ in this action-thriller flick. The former presidential guard is reassigned to the Treasury Office following a freak accident where Banning saves the President (Aaron Eckhart) but not the First Lady. Down the track, during a meeting with the South Korean President, the White House comes under brutal attack by an angry pack of North Koreans. Banning races to the scene and manages to make his way inside the White House where terrorists are holding the President hostage in the bunker. In a violent blood bath where Banning is the only good-guy left standing, he must work with acting President (Freeman) and National Security to save the day. Producers could never have predicted the real-life issues with North Korea to align the release of this film so seamlessly. Washington and Olympus (the secret service name for the White House) are in a hell of a state following the attack eerily reminiscent of 9/11. Somehow amongst the brutality they successfully manage to throw in a few laughs. Even the Americanisation of the film, in itself, is a bit of a giggle. If you enjoy lengthy violent sequences with no restrain on ruthlessness, and a good old-fashioned hero, this film won’t disappoint. Good for: Bullets, explosions and wham-bam Hollywood action

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Investing: I’m no Gordon Gecko or anything but why not invest? Low risk government bonds anyone?

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They see me low rolling Top five occasions to place a cheeky bet Words hugh radojev

Real Estate: Tired of paying a fortune for crappy hostel rooms? It’s a buyers’ market out there...

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Children: Won’t somebody please think of the children... They are the future after all

I didn’t learn a lot at university. The four years I spent there have all kind of melded together in a funky haze of cheap scotch and 7 Eleven chiko rolls. The only thing I really remember is how much my lecturers hated ANZAC Day. They all seemed to think it was a misogynistic, xenophobic celebration of bellicose, imperialistic jingoism. One of them even called it a “shameless, diogenesian discourse,” which is a soufflé of a sentence, really. I personally have no time for war, but my grandfather fought in one and I’ve got no problems with him. Besides, ANZAC Day gives us all yet another day off work and a chance to engage in a uniquely Australian event on this one day of the year. Two-up! I played once, years ago, in a bar I was supposed to be working in at the time. I lost a lot of money and my job as well. But I had a good time. So, in the spirit of having a punt, let’s take a look at a few special ways and days when you can place a wager. That big horse race They call it the ‘race that stops the nation’ and for whatever reason, people seem to

Two-Up, ANZAC Day love the Melbourne Cup (November 5). I’ve been to the races once or twice in my life and the best part of it was the fact I got to wear a suit. I don’t really trust horses, much in the same way I don’t trust anything that wears shoes but can’t put them on itself. Plus, I was thrown by a horse four times in one day when I was a child. The horse’s name was Nugget and I will curse that equine rogue until the day I die. Anyway, the cheapest way to get amongst the Melbourne Cup is to enter an office sweepstakes. That way, if your horse wins, all the losers chip in and shower you with cash, or buy you a Creme Egg if you work for the government. If you’re after a little flutter on the races though, you can try and elbow your way to the front of the TAB at your local pub. Ignore the pelicans in cheap off-the-rack polyester suits and their girlfriends in ostentatious fascinators. They look ridiculous anyway! melbournecup.com/

5 card studs Is there anything sadder than a Monday night pub poker tournament? That depressing mix of emphysemic, liver spotted ancients on their last legs and rat haired,

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Tranny Bingo, The Sugarmill

Crab racing, Scubar

baggy pant wearing kids barely old enough to order an alcoholic beverage. Keeping that in mind, I’d have to say no. I’ve watched enough of these poker nights polishing glasses in yeasty local pubs and dingy watering holes to know that the sun never shines on these sorts of folks. My bitterness probably stems from the fact that I’ve never actually played poker. Alas, pretty much every pub has a poker night once a week, there’s even a national league you can join. So, for a relatively cheap buy-in you stand to make a bit of money – if you’ve got the patience. npl.com.au/

Photos: TNT Images, Thinkstock

Running of the crabs As long as things have moved at varying speeds human beings have bet on them. I’m pretty sure the first Homosapiens placed bets on mammoths crossing the frozen tundra of pre-historic Earth. The Greeks had the Olympics, the Romans the Amphitheatre and we present day men, well we have such a disgustingly dizzying array of shit to bet on that it’s enough to make me man sick. If I see one more ad with Tom Waterhouse in it I’ll actually cry. That’s why I askew the mainstream gambling scene and place my hard earned coppers on the odd crab race. Notorious backpacker bar, Scubar, host this very event every Monday night. There’s no need for manicured grass racetracks and multi-million dollar grandstands, all you need for a proper battle is a bucket full of crabs, a little sand and a few numbered cards. The little hermits don’t exactly explode out of the blocks when you take the bucket off them, but whichever crab eventually crawls out of the circle wins. And, of course, you can win a bunch of travel prizes and drinks. scubar.com.au

Bunch of bloody tossers Two-up originated in the late 18th century with the convicts and became popular with miners on the Victorian colonial goldfields in the 1850s. Nowadays Two-up is only allowed to be played on April 25th, nominally as some kind of symbolic sharing of experience with our long lost Diggers. It can be played with two or even three coins and involves a ring, a kind of flat board used to flip the coins and somebody yelling out things. Check it out this ANZAC Day, but I can’t stress enough how careful you have to be with your money. If Lady Luck isn’t on your side you can lose a lot of dough – and extremely fast. anzacday.org.au

Hairy legs 11 Bingo is pretty boring. That’s why it’s the preferred pastime of dementia-riddled geriatrics and low-income earning cruise ship passengers. That’s not to say stamping numbers with an oversized marker pen isn’t an easy way to win a few bucks. All it needed was a shake up. That’s where infamous Sydney Transvestites ‘Penny Tration’ and ‘Tora Hymen’ come in. Every Thursday night at the Sugarmill in Kings Cross they rattle their balls in a cage for tables of bingo players vying for drinks, meals and cash prizes. With quippy calls like “Number 81: a fat tranny in a tight belt standing next to an anorexic slut” and “Number 5: one lonely drag queen in a wheelchair stuck in the sand,” at Tranny Bingo you’re also getting a free comedy show. sugarmill.com.au tntdownunder.com

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WORLDVIEW

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Buzzing: the huge wasp nest

sting in the tail for nz’s largest nest

Tenerife

A seven-metre-long wasp nest found in an abandoned building in Tenerife could steal the world’s largest nest title from New Zealand. The current record, at 3.5 metres, was found on a farmstead in Waimauku near Auckland in 1963. It was so heavy that it fell from the tree where it had been built and broke in two. The new contender, created out of bark, could be nearly double the size of the incumbent champion. Experts reported loads of the stinging insects inside an abandoned hut on the Canary Island. They’re now working out how to safely measure the nest before removing it.

angry elephant overturns car

Photos: Getty Images

south africa

An angry elephant overturned a car as a couple drove through South Africa’s Kruger National Park. The tourists were left injured when the beast wrecked their vehicle in the two-millionhectare park. Spokesman William Mabasa warned other visitors not to get too close to the animals

Why so wooden, Nicole?: Madame Tussauds’ celebrates the first birthday of its Sydney exhibition by taking some of the best works – including Nicole Kidman – to the harbour when driving around. “It is not yet clear why the elephant turned aggressive,” he said, adding that the male driver was airlifted to hospital. In a no-shit-Sherlock statement, he told tourists to look out for “huge animals and try not to get too close whenever they see one approaching on the road”. In November last year, a German tourist who was among a group of travellers was badly injured when a white rhino charged at her while taking a guided walk inside the world-famous park.

avoid incest? there’s an app for that iceland

It’s perhaps something you’ve never really thought about before, but now there’s an app to make sure you don’t unwittingly date a family member. Islendingabók let’s you and your potential partner find out how closely you’re related by bumping phones. The Android software, with the tagline “bump the app before you bump in bed” was developed in Iceland and includes the details of 720,000 people born in the country since the Vikings settled it. It came too late for one person who left a message on the app’s website, declaring: “If I’d had this earlier, maybe I would not go home with my aunt.”

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS 50

Amount, in thousands of pounds, the UK Arts Council spent on making a spiral of steam that never materialised

Bobby on the beat: dancing cop

DAncing police officer goes viral

7.5

australia

A policewoman in Sydney has been dubbed the “coolest in Australia” after a video of her dancing on the city streets went viral. The uniformed female constable was keeping watch at a youth event in Martin Place when an older man who was already dancing approached and encouraged her to have a boogie. With no hesitation she stepped into the middle of the small, approving crowd and showed off some flamboyant moves to a pulsating dance track. Footage of the dance has been posted and shared across a number of websites, with one user calling the officer the coolest Down Under.

sold-out beer is shit ... literally

Japan

A beer utilising the droppings of elephants, made by a brewery in Japan, has sold out in minutes The beverage is brewed using coffee beans that have passed through the animals, before being collected as waste and cleaned. Whether the idea disgusts you or intrigues you doesn’t really matter as it’s proved incredibly popular. Apparently since elephant dung coffee somehow became a thing last year and begun selling at over $100 a kilo, something of a fad has grown up around the stuff, particularly in Japan.

Per cent of Australians aged between 18-34 who would choose Superman to lead their fantasy AFL team

500

Amount of time, in years, musicians are likely to die earlier than those in other successful careers, Aussie research says

Number, in people, that Australia’s population is set to reach on April 23 at 9.57pm, increasing by 1048 a day

23,000,000

QUOTE OF THE WEEK I‘m up for crass and nonpolitically correct, but this was just disgusting and man tries to pay for not at all funny sex with fast food

One man described the beer as “mellow”, although he added: “It was a familiar aroma that accompanied me through the entire beer.”

new mexico

A man has been arrested in New Mexico for allegedly trying to pay for sexual favours with McDonald’s. Donald Jones, 58, was being followed by police as he bought some burgers at a drive-through. He then drove into a park where officers pounced on his truck before he could get amongst his quarter pounder. They found a half-naked woman who confessed she had agreed to have sex with Jones accepting the food in lieu of cash. To make matters worse, police also allegedly found drugs. D’oh.

Aussie journo Megan Miller slams comedian Tracy Morgan after punters walked out of his Melbourne show

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ourview Boston bombing: We came, we saw, we bought the T-shirt

COMMENT: hugh radojev Email: hugh@tntdownunder.com

All’s fair in blood and gore – it doesn’t matter how big your weapon is Was the Boston Marathon bombing an act of terrorism or war?

» Do you think the Boston Bombing was an act of war or terrorism? hugh@tntdownunder.com

With so much hate, pain, suffering and bloodshed in the world, it’s nice to get a little good news every now and then. Our little and often much maligned island neighbour, New Zealand, has become only the 13th country in the world (and the first in the Asia-Pacific) to legalise gay marriage! Well played, Kiwis! Well played. Lawmakers voted 77 to 44 in favour of the bill on its third and final reading inside the parliament. After the bill passed, people who had

“

Well played, Kiwis! Well played

”

gathered in the gallery to watch and some of the lawmakers behind the bill broke into spontaneous song, singing a love song ‘Pokarekare Ana’ in Maori. Australia is so backwards! We can’t even get a gay marriage bill together, let alone pass it. And the idea of Julia Gillard singing in an indigenous language is laughable, sadly.

Photos: Getty Images

Let me just start by saying that the attack on the Boston Marathon was grievous and terribly sad. The fact that three people are dead and hundreds have been terribly wounded is shocking, so too is the damage to the psyche of those involved, and the country as a whole. The mental scars of this event will be felt long after the wounds have been staunched and the poor dead are laid to rest. But let us think for a moment. For a start, it isn’t even clear yet just who or what was behind the attack. Naturally right wing conservatives have begun calling for the expulsion of all Arabic speakers from US soil, pointing to an unsubstantiated story in the New York Post claiming a young, Saudi man was being held under police guard. You’d think America has had enough homegrown, white, Christian terrorists in its recent history to not jump to such conclusions – but apparently not. So, keeping that firmly in mind, let us just say hypothetically that the person, or group behind the Boston Marathon bombing does, in fact, turn out to be Muslim or from Arabic speaking countries. No doubt the patriots out there will rant about how Islam is an inherently violent, evil religion and point to attacks like 9/11. Yes, but this is the war that you people all wanted, right? If an American fighter bomber drops a bomb on a village and kills a family of 20, they call it an ‘accident’. Only a few months ago, Australian SAS soldiers (supposedly some of the best trained in the world) shot dead two young boys on an operation. Somebody in a suit in Washington or Canberra then says “sorry” and we move on and forget about it. It’s all in the name of freedom after all! It is human to make mistakes! ‘Terrorists’ don’t have billions of dollars to spend on jets and next generation weapon systems like the United States but it’s easy for them to get a few nails and some explosive materials on the internet. These are the only means they have and the weapons they use. It doesn’t make it right, but maybe it makes it just. It’s a war we’re fighting after all.

Nz’s Rainbow warriors

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This week in football Welsh and Brains go together After many years of trying, Cardiff City have finally reached the Premier League. Achieving this on the same night as their rivals Bristol City suffered relegation will no doubt result in plenty of Brains Bitter being consumed in South Wales in coming months. Their feat also means the explosive South Wales rivalry between Cardiff and Swansea will receive a global platform next season. For the first time ever there will be three Welsh teams in English football’s top flight. …. Swansea City, Cardiff City and…. Gareth Bale!

Unbridled Optimism Ex-Spurs defender Ledley King recently said his old club has a good chance of winning the league in the next few years. Few can deny Andre Villa Boas is doing an impressive job at White Hart Lane but has Tottenham’s good season left King feeling a bit, well, excitable? If so, he can be forgiven. In the ruthless cut and thrust world of modern football, unbridled optimism is a rare virtue. Perhaps on the night Spurs win the league, Ledley King will celebrate by nailing jelly to the ceiling!

Tartan traumas Recently, the future of the Scottish League has yet again been a subject for debate. Attempts to change the format were scuppered when the proposals failed to get the 11 votes required to succeed. The current four division set up was to be replaced by three divisions…two leagues of 12 and one league of 18 teams. St Mirren and Ross County voted against the proposals. Another regurgitated issue is the possibility of the old firm playing in the English Premier League. This old chestnut returns with monotonous regularity. If the Old Firm clubs ever do manage to join the Premier league, perhaps they will celebrate Ledley King style by nailing jelly to the ceiling! By Joe Byatt, Football Fans Downunder (ffdu.com.au) 30

New Zealand freestyle motocross rider Levi Sherwood turns his back on gravity as he competes in the Dubai stage of the 2013 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour last week. He lost the final to series leader Dany Torres. Sherwood’s ranked third in the series now ahead

road to wembley: spain or germany? News that Lionel Messi was back training for Barcelona on Thursday and is a chance to play at Bayern Munich in the first leg of Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday (7.45pm, ITV) wouldn’t bring the Germans joy. “The big novelty of this training session was Leo Messi,” Barcelona’s website said as the world’s best player nurses a hamstring injury to be right for the game. Bayern are 20 points clear in the Bundesliga and coasting while Barca are well on track for another La Liga title. This game is really tough to call! In the other tie to get to the final at Wembley on May 25, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid will meet.

BIG WEEK FOR ... Aussie playmaker Matt Giteau may have saved his career best form for last with the former Wallaby on fire at French club Toulon, who take on Saracens in the Heineken Cup semi-final on Sunday in London (see preview, right). The centre’s coach at the Top 14 leaders, Bernard Laporte, can’t sing his praises highly enough, calling him “a great rugby player, a great attacking player, very explosive with good vision of the game.” He’s been key for the reds alongside another international legend who can’t get a look in for his country, Englishman Jonny Wilkinson.

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19/4/13 9:32:07 AM

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QUOTEs OF THE WEEK Obviously, I still want to play Origin this year. I’ve got a few games left to prove myself to Queensland selectors Not that obvious, Ben Barba, who started the NRL year on the sideline dealing with personal issues and with the Bulldogs struggling, but good news for league fans

Cool head: Saffa legend John Smit

PREVIEW SARRIES A FRENCH KISS-OFF FROM GLORY HEINEKEN CUP: SARACENS V TOULON sUN, 3PM, SKY SPORTS 2

Photos:Getty

A packed Twickenham Stadium greets Saracens and Toulon, playing each other for the first time for a berth in the Heineken Cup final in Dublin. With every player offering their own potential fairytale, none come greater than John Smit, the 111-Test South African legend who will leave Sarries at the end of the season, making this the 35-year-old’s last chance at European glory. There’s nothing to suggest Saracens

don’t have every chance of overcoming the big dollars Toulon have pumped into their squad. They have flair to burn, with wingers Chris Ashton and David Strettle finding form at the right time and Owen Farrell a potential X-factor to counter Toulon’s star power. But it’ll be cool old heads such as world cup winning hooker Smit, alongside Scotland skipper Kelly Brown and Schalk Brits, who could prove the difference when it matters. Tournament favourites Clermont play Munster on Saturday at 5pm (also on Sky Sports 1) in the other semi-final.

I wanted to get a medal for Scotland. I didn’t think I could so wanted someone else to take my place Britain’s greatest Olympian Sir Chris Hoy on his decision to retire from the track and not contest the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year

I think Australia are a bit better than people give them credit for at the moment Former England skipper Andrew Strauss says talk of the death of Australia in the Ashes has been slightly exaggerated

TV HIGHLIGHTS

THE CHAT | How good was Black Caviar?

football

the dust just settled after the not-so shock Q With retirement of Black Caviar, looking past the sentimental stuff, how good was she really? Whoa Nelly. That’s what trainer Peter Moody and connections said A last week, reverting from the fancy fish name to her stable moniker as he called an end to her 25-race career, with 25 wins (15 at group 1 level, beating Kingston Town’s record). Royal Ascot last year, when she pulled a horse hammy and still won, was the closest she’s been to tested. One betting website says if you put a £1 bet on her to win her first race, and rolled the winnings into her next 24 wins, you would have won just £337. She was that dominant. She won AU$7,953,936, at AU$318,253 per race. So the answer: really good.

A vital chance at survival for both clubs Sun 10:30pm, Fox Sports 1

Reading v QPR

AFL GWS v Gold Coast The AFL season heats up in Sydney Sat 1:30pm, Fox Footy

rugby union Force v Reds Black beauty

A key clash in the Australian conference May 4, 7:40, Fox Sports 3 tntdownunder.com

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TRAVEL HOTSHOTS | travel news | Travel deals | Travel stories |

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

backpacking barbie Barbie winds up her tour of Australia by scaling the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb. Where is her safety rope?

INSIDE

Heart Starter

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Some of the best places and activities to get your adrenalin pumping. Be warned, people with a fear of heights need not apply 32

Sacred sights /56

Seoul surviving

We head into the centre of our wide, brown land to check out some of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic and sacred attractions

Seoul is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and also one of the most exhilarating. We hope you like garlic

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travellerstale At my whit’s end

American JUSTIN STEINLAUF discovered a skill for sailing and a new hashtag during his trip to the Whitsundays in far north Queensland. Having heard countless awesome stories from my mates that have visited the beautiful Whitsunday Islands, I thought it was about time that I took advantage of the cheap flights on offer from Tiger Airways and get myself up to the crystal blue waters of the Whitsundays. With only three days to experience as much as I could, I went straight from the runway to Abel Point Marina at Airlie Beach for a four hour jetski adventure! Luckily for me, I had the privilege to share a 50 kilometer adventurous jetski trek with “happy days” Ange. Moving from Brisbane to Airlie Beach a year ago, Ange lives in paradise working at the travel desk at Airliebeach.com. After a short safety introduction from Steve the owner of Jetski Tours, it was time to get suited up and hop on the Seadoo, forming a single line out of

the harbour and into the open waters. Nearly full throttle following the jetskis ahead of us we zoomed around Daydream Island, South, Mid and North Mole Islands which are part of the 74 Whitsunday Islands. We took a picturesque pit stop at Daydream Island for lunch and after holding a shark, petting a stingray and cuddling a sea slug it was time to switch drivers and hang on for dear life. Not long after, we both ended up flying off the jetski straight into the ocean. Did I mention it was stinger season? After surviving the unreal experience of jetting around the offshore islands we end our day with a cold beverage and a steak at the popular backpacker haunt, Beaches. Waking up slightly hungover I headed back to the marina to board a 52-foot, former Sydney to Hobart racing boat called Iceberg. Welcoming us with open arms and great knowledge of the sea was our entertaining Skipper Jesse. Without ever being on a proper sailing boat I

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was able to assist Sophia the deckhand to set sail. With no more than 12 passengers on board, you really get the space to take it all in and be part of the sailing experience and relax. The awesome thing about a two full day tour is that you fit a lot in and get to snorkel three of the best island reefs and explore the postcard Whitehaven Beach, including Blue Pearl Bay and the famous local humpheaded Maori Wrasse called Elvis. Man, this guy was massive! After a tasty lunch we checked out a long beach lying in the water during low tide, appropriately called Long Reef. Everywhere I turned, I couldn’t stop taking pictures, the weather gods really turned it on for me. It’s not everyday that you don’t have to add a filter to your Instagram photo to make it look better, but no, not here, not at the stunning Whitehaven Beach. This is the ‘must see’ place I imagined. Although there were heaps of other boat tours, we got lucky and got to walk on the softest and whitest sand and swim with the stingrays in the clearest clear water all to ourselves. To top it off, our Skipper suggested we hike up the Hill Inlet Lookout to check out the sand formations resulting from the outgoing tide. The pictures I took there where so amazing that I even started using a new hashtag called #nofilter because of this. Nothing beats being out on the sea, beer in hand, meeting new and interesting fellow travellers. But before my short holiday ends, I had to check out the so-called ultimate Sunday Session at the World Nomads Bar in Airlie, and man it was pumping! Do I really have to fly back home now? Justin travelled with iSail Whitsundays (1 night /2 day tour starting at $379). Daydream Extreme do jetski tours from $190. For more info see airliebeach.com.au For airport pickup/drop off see: whitsundays2everywhere.com.au Stay at World Nomads Airlie Beach nomadsworld.com

write for TNT! Send us your scary, funny or embarrassing travel tale (preferably about Australia or New Zealand) and we might publish your story! Email your tales (700 words max), to editor@tntdownunder.com

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Iraq: going green? According to a one of the world’s most prestigious environmental prizes, Iraq’s southern marshes could be the next big thing in eco-tourism. Azzam Alwash believes the rejuvenation of the marshes will soon enable tourists to regularly visit and stay in the area. “It is a truly magical place,” he said. “My dream is for the marshes to become a major stop for eco-tourists, with floating hotels and the Marsh Arabs giving guided tours. No self-respecting birder can complete their life’s checklist until they’ve visited the marshes.”

Photos: Thinkstock

Banned on the run

From December 2015 travelling circuses in England will be banned from using wild animals. Introducing a draft bill in parliament, junior environment minister Robert Ponsonby said circus operators had until then to adapt and find homes for their animals. “This legislation will end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in this country. It will also help ensure that our international reputation as a leading protector of animals continues into a new global era,” he said. Good, anyone who has ever seen an elephant in a tutu will forever wish they hadn’t!

Changi on top Singapore’s Changi Airport has been voted the World’s Best Airport at the 2013 World Airport Awards held in Geneva earlier this month. It’s the fourth time the airport has captured this rather prestigious prize, last tasting victory in 2010. The award is given based on votes of global travellers, with 12.1 million votes being tallied this year across 395 airports. Changi has 330 retail outlets and 120 food and beverage options. They also won the Best Airport for Leisure Amenities. Pity it shares its name with an infamous Japanese POW camp from World War II.

MTV SYdney The NSW government is hoping MTV online will boost Sydney tourism by partnering with the youth music channel. MTV’s online tourism arm is promoting the harbour city as one of only five destinations to be showcased on its mtvtravelco. com site. The tie-up will feature Sydney as the only city in Australia on the site for the next two years. The others cities are London, New York, Los Angeles and Berlin. Tourism minister George Souris said it’s intended to attract a new crop of tourists“I am delighted that Sydney will be showcased to a new generation of travellers on MTV’s website.”

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18/4/13 3:32:24 PM

Rail Explorer Pass

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Visit greatsouthernrail.com.au/backpackers or book with your licensed travel agent. Terms and conditions apply. Package fares based on low season prices and per person based on Red Day/Nighter Seat. Airfares not included in package price. For the Rail Explorer Pass a fuel surcharge is payable at time of booking a journey and is only available to bona fide overseas visitors to Australia. All Backpacker fares are based on Red Service Day/Nighter Seat Service and are available to members of recognised backpacker organisations for bookings made from 1 April 2013 for travel until 31 March 2014. All prices are subject to change without notice. For full terms and conditions visit greatsouthernrail.com.au Travel Agent License No.TTA164190. GSR3066B 03_720p_32-67 Travel.indd 37

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

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Details During May we’re offering Bloody Great Deals on the Great Ocean Road! The Port Campbell Hostel and Ocean House Backpackers have teamed up with local traders to provide unbeatable value for those things you love and need... like cheap beer, food and fuel! To unlock the bargains, all ya’ need to do is contact either of the featured hostels and mention TNT. Destination Port Campbell Vic. Dates Bookings made throughout the month of May Price Dorm rooms start from $30 per night/per person web www.portcampbellhostel.com.au & www.oceanhousebackpackers.com

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

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Across the ditch The Kiwis come into their own during this time of year, boasting a stack of activities to keep you busy during your winter visit Words alex harmon

Australians are very rude about New Zealanders and it’s probably a bit unfair, really. The Kiwis, after all, despite all the unpleasant jokes about their fondness for sheep, aren’t so different from Aussies – they’re basically more low-key, less obnoxious cousins. And, while Aussies hibernate during the winter months, New Zealand comes into its own as a destination where there’s still plenty going on. Everyone knows that New Zealand is a world-class spot for skiing and snowboarding and, certainly, any holiday across the Tasman in the next few months is likely to involve a trip to the slopes. But there are other activities on offer as well, many of which are

within a short journey from the country’s fabled snowfields. If you start in the north, you can get your fill of powder on Mt Ruepehu – just cross your fingers that this active volcano doesn’t decide to blow its lid during your visit. And, once again, it’s not just skiing and snowboarding on offer – if you’re in that neck of the woods, make sure you explore the Tongariro National Park. You’ll want to check out Auckland as well – the rest of the country gives Aucklanders a hard time for thinking they’re too cool for school, referring to them as Jafas: ‘just another expletive Aucklander’. But that’s harsh, as Auckland is a delightful city – it’s pretty low-key and you’re unlikely to get

swept away by the pace of it, but it’s very pretty and you’ll find enough to keep you busy while your crazy mates do the Skywalk – that, in case you didn’t know, involves dangling off the edge of the city’s tallest building. You’ll likely wend your way south at some stage – quite a few of New Zealand’s big-ticket items are down there. Make you go bungy jumping in Queenstown and clambering over glaciers in Westland. If you keep yourself occupied, maybe you’ll be able to avoid getting drawn into a conversation about rugby – let’s face it, in New Zealand, that can never end well for visiting supporters. So what are you waiting for? Get over there already.

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mountain biking queenstown by rory platt Queenstown might be better known for it’s ski resorts, but that is set to change as it gains a reputation as the free ride mountain bike mecca of New Zealand. Mountain biking is a tough enough sport without having to worry about driving yourself home at the end of a hard slog through mud and down slopes. A much easier option is to let Kiwi Discovery take care of that while you take a snooze in the back seat. They offer packages from five days that include everything (except food). Their itineraries are adjustable too, depending on what kind of a mountain biking trip you’re looking for. Whether it’s free ride or cross-country mountain biking, Kiwi Discovery has the perfect trip for you. Tip: try and go before those lush green slopes are covered with slippery snow.

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blackwater rafting waitomo You may have experienced whitewater rafting before, bouncing down a rocky current in the great outdoors. But, in Waitomo’s caves, which draw tourists from the world over, you’ll have the chance to ride through echoing, underground caverns, putting a whole new spin on a familiar adventure sport. You’ll abseil down a sheer rockface into Waitomo’s netherworld before the surreal experience of floating through these vast catacombs in a rubber tyre tube. Deeper into the caves, you’ll encounter the resident glow worms, which light up the darkness like a Christmas tree. The caves were first explored more than 120 years ago, by an English surveyor and a Maori guide, who built a raft and floated into the network. So, in reality, you’ll be doing much the same, admittedly with more reliable lighting. waitomo.com/black-water-rafting.aspx

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skywalk auckland

hot springs hanmer

It’s all well and good to be out and about in New Zealand’s gorgeous countryside but there’s also plenty on offer for city slickers. And Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city – not the capital, though, as that honour falls to Wellington. It’s got a delightful harbour and laidback vibe but thrill-seeking tourists flock to the city’s Sky Tower, where they are then strapped into little harnesses and connected to a handrail that runs along the perimeter of the building’s top storey. It creates the unnatural sensation of being able to lean out over the edge, teetering on the bring of the 192m drop, while remaining completely safe. If that’s too vanilla for you, you can take the plunge with the Sky Jump at the same location, where you’ll fall down to the plaza below.

Going to New Zealand and making a special stop to take a fancy bath might seem like a bit of a soft option but if you’ve never gone to a hot springs before, you’ll be amazed by how enjoyable it is. Hanmer Springs is a touch over 100km north of Christchurch and a short drive from a lush conservation park. Inside, you’ll find heated pools and natural, thermally heated baths, their temperatures ranging from 28 to 42 degrees. You can get a private bath if you want to relax in seclusion or you can float away in one of the three sulphur pools. If you’re tired and sore from travelling or feeling a bit under the weather after a big night on the tiles, you’ll be astounded by the restorative qualities of these all-natural hot tubs.

skywalk.co.nz

zorbing rotorua

bungy jumping queenstown

You’ve probably seen this crazy pastime on TV – basically, you hop inside a big plastic ball and go careering down a hill, rolling head-over-heels until stopping safely at the bottom of the slope. If it doesn’t sound like it would make you a bit ill, you should head to Rotorua to join in the madcap fun of zorbing. On the North Island, Rotorua is the birthplace of this roly-poly adventure and proudly brandishes its credentials as the best place in the world to take a protracted tumble. And they’re not letting the grass grow under them – already, there are a bunch of different routes you can take: you can go zig-zagging down one or end up splashing through water on another. Be warned, though – it’s pretty hard to take a photo during your ride.

Whatever possesses people to jump from dizzying heights, with only a flimsy little cord preventing them from plummeting to a sticky end, Queenstown is the place to do it. It’s become something of a rite of passage for those who come to the area – you haven’t properly done Queenstown unless you’ve gone hurtling downward at very high speeds. It’s a gorgeous place to give yourself the fright of a lifetime, which is at least some consolation, the scenery providing a welcome distraction from the gut-churning effect of bungy jumping. You can take your pick from three different styles; you can go disco – i.e the original – the Kawarau Bridge Bungy, the versatile Ledge Bungy, or the most gnarly of them all, the 134 metre Nevis Bungy. It’s a scream.

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when you book online

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fox glacier westland

skydive north + south island

You’ll find Fox Glacier, named after former prime minister Sir William Fox, is New Zealand’s largest commercially accessibly glacier and can be found on the west coast of the South Island. It’s an unreal landscape, which can be explored over the course of a day’s guide hike or, if that sounds like too much hard work, you can limit your expedition to a half-day. It’s probably worth taking the helicopter tour as well, to take in the big picture. foxguides.co.nz

Skydiving is about the most fun you can have with your clothes on, and New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to take this leap of faith. In Taupo you have the choice of a 12,000ft or 15,000ft jump out of a perfectly good plane where you’ll take in views of snow-capped mountains, the volcanic peaks of Tongariro and the stunning deep blue Lake Taupo. While in the South Island the place to take the 200km/hour jump is Lake Wanaka. You’ll receive uninterrupted views of Wanaka’s turquoise waterways, lakes and the highest mountains in the country. Or why not try them both. If skydiving is on your bucket list, hop over the ditch and book it now! skydivewanaka.com (South Island) + taupotandemskydiving.com (North Island)

Travel tip Emirates offers daily Economy Class return airfares from Sydney to Auckland from $525 and to Christchurch from Sydney from $478 See: emirates.com/au

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shotover canyon swing queenstown by rory platt

Big night out queenstown by rory platt

You might think the Canyon Swing is something like a bungy jump, and if you have the stones to do one of those then surely the Canyon Swing would be a breeze. Wrong. Jump off a bridge with a bungy cord attached to your legs and you might fall far, but not long into your fall the elastic will begin to slow you down. The Shotover Canyon Swing has no elastic, so you experience true free fall for 60m followed by a 200m arc across the canyon. Remember that trust game, where you fall backwards and the person behind will catch you? Now imagine playing that game over a 60m drop and you already have an idea of what the real experience of the Shotover Canyon Swing is. Unlucky for you, the jumpmaster’s, who will lead you to the edge of a platform and help you jump off in absolute safety, love to take advantage of your vulnerable position. Expect to spend the last moments before your jump with your heart in your mouth and two guys laughing at the fear in your eyes. There’s over 70 ways to jump off the platform: backwards, forwards, front-flip, back-flip or even the legendary ‘Indian Rope Trick’. This last one will hopefully be the closest you ever come to dangling off an extremely high place, relying on your own strength to keep you from falling.

So you’ve just arrived in Queenstown and you want to get a taste of the nightlife, but you have no clue where to start. Don’t fret, as Queenstown hosts the Big Night Out pub crawl where you’ll no doubt discover your favourite drinking destinations. Five is the magic number for the Big Night Out. Five different bars, five free drinks, five nights a week for NZ$25. Any night from Tuesday to Saturday you’ll be immersed in a huge pub crawl that, along with the drinks, also has free food and a bunch of prizes (including bungy jumps) up for grabs. The crawl is so good it took out the 2012 Golden Backpack Award for Best Backpacker Night in New Zealand. Unfortunately a pub crawl is likely to result in a few memory lapses, but Big Night Out has you covered with photographers in charge of documenting every awesome and embarrassing act you might get up to on the night. After the photos are uploaded to Facebook you can then tag or (ahem) untag yourself. Let Big Night Out do the ice breaking for you, make some new friends and have a great night out. Worst-case scenario is you end up drinking excessive amounts and embarrass yourself in front of a group of strangers, in which case you can leave town and head up to Auckland for their own Big Night Out and start fresh.

Photos: AJ Hackett Bungy, Fox Glacier Guiding, Waitomo Caves, Skydive Wanaka, Taupo Tandem Skydiving

canyonswing.co.nz

bignightout.net.nz

rafting queenstown by rory platt Queenstown is perfect for those that have never rocketed down a river in a rubber boat. The Kawarau River, graded 2-3, is ideal if you’re just as keen to raft as you are to look at the amazing scenery surrounding Queenstown. You’ll still experience the longest commercially rafted rapid without worrying about taking a dunk in the beautiful water. If you’re a little more experienced you might consider the Shotover River, graded 3-5, which will see you hurtling through Skippers Canyon. For the most adventurous out there, the logical choice is the longest trip offered by Queenstown Rafting down Landsborough River. The threeday trip will take you past glaciers, bushland and mountains, by both boat and helicopter. queenstownrafting.co.nz

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Northern exposure From jumping crocs to one of the oldest cultures in the world, the Northern Territory will delight as much as it will terrify Words alex harmon

First things first, the Northern Territory is wild, from the croc-infested waters to the eagles over-head. But for all its massive expanse, a mere 230,000 people live up there. But because so much goes on in that part of Australia, we have decided to dedicate a whole month to exploring the Northern Territory. From the bright lights and watering holes in Darwin to the natural beauty found in Litchfield’s swimming holes. Darwin, the NT’s capital, is a multicultural city with a taste of Asia, as Indonesia is on its back door. The city has a reputation as a hard drinking town, and although this is a little out of date – you won’t see anyone drinking the famously massive “Darwin Stubbies” – that’s not to say the locals don’t like their brew. There’s no doubt 46

the heat makes you crave a cold beer like nothing else. In the NT you can expect to hear some of the oldest languages in the world as some residents still speak in their native tongue. English could be their third or fourth language. Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge, Arnhem Land, and of course, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Red centre all deserve photographing. Just remember to be patient as there are scores of tourists vying for the same dazzling Facebook photos. On the crossroads of the south, north, east and west, Katherine is your last stop before venturing into the great red unknown that links Darwin and Alice Springs. Crossing from Broome and the Kimberly you’ll hit Katherine. The main reason to visit

this place is Katherine Gorge. This is one of the NT’s “Big Three” along with Kakadu and Uluru. Speaking of Uluru, it’s probably the NT’s most iconic landmark. You’ve seen it on a thousand postcards, tea towels and profile pictures. But guess what, you haven’t seen it until you’ve seen it in the (rocky) flesh. At sunset, The Rock changes from a series of deep, dark reds through to an unusual grey. Many people don’t realise this spectacle is just as amazing in reverse at sunrise. Trust us, it’s worth getting up early to view. And even though most backpackers will say “you had me at Uluru,” you should turn the page for 34 more reasons why you shouldn’t leave Australia without visiting the pictureperfect Northern Territory.

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Wycliffe Well

Ballooning

Arnhem Land

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

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

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

Deserted roads

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

Outback pubs

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

Devil’s Marbles

Crocs

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

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

Head to Kakadu and see them on their terms. Get even closer by watching the jumping crocs on the Adelaide River, or by entering Darwin’s Cage of Death..

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

Gosse Bluff crater Alice Springs Desert Park

Aboriginal legends

The Barkly Highway

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

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

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

The ‘Green’ season

Ghost gums

Palm Valley

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

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

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

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

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

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Katherine Gorge

Kings Canyon

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

The highlight of Wattarka NP, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a spectacular, 300m deep crack in the land. Check out the Lost City, a formation of hundreds of domed rocks, like a Star Wars-style settlement.

Bushcamping rules

Kata Tjuta

You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have seen stars like it. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out in the bush there are rules to follow, but the best advice is: the more you eat, the more room in the esky for beer.

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

Eating kangaroo tail

Uluru

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

The big red rock star is the reason to get yourself to the middle. No amount of photos can prepare you for the sheer mystery and majesty of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest icon.

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Ellery Creek Big Hole

Aboriginal communities

No matter how much you want to cool off from the sweltering heat, the water here is ice cold (due to the heavy tri-quartzite rock). We defy you to stay in longer than a minute.

The NT is dotted with Aboriginal communities, which you can visit on your travels. Hermannsburg is home to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-known Aboriginal artist, Albert Namatjira.

Wild camels

Alice Springs Desert Park

Adelaide River Roadhouse A friendly, welcome break, south of Darwin. This pub is home to a real Hollywood superstar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Charlie the buffalo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who Crocodile Dundee put to sleep by the side of an outback road.

There are thousands of wild camels roaming free in the Territory. Slow the car to get a pic, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get too close â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they might get the hump. Arf.

Not much point in visiting a nature park in the middle of the bush? Wrong. This park helps describe and interpret the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plants and wildlife in fascinating detail.

Kakadu National Park Arguably Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most spectacular national park, with billion-year-old rock formations, stunning waterfalls, scary crocs, and ancient Aboriginal art...

Rednecks

Tennant Creek

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

A settlement that began when a cart carrying beer to workers broke down, nowadays itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a major town on the Stuart Highway, and a good place to stop for a true flavour of the Outback.

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Alice Springs. Vibrant, beautiful, unforgettable and just under 3 hours away. Australia’s most famous outback town, set against the dramatic MacDonnell ranges, is the gateway to our rich desert landscape and the adventures awaiting you. Be a tourist in your own backyard and take an unforgettable holiday to the centre.

“TIGER RAW” FARE CONDITIONS: The “Tiger Raw” fare is the lowest available single price fare from Tiger Airways Australia – fully inclusive of all taxes and charges. “Tiger Raw” fares must be purchased on line using a Mastercard debit card issued by an Australian financial institution. The “Tiger Raw” fare does not incur the $8.50 booking fee for credit card purchases (per flight, per sector). Fare is for travel one-way with hand luggage only. Seats are limited and may not be available during peak periods or on all flights, public holidays or certain blackout periods or once sold out. Bookings are non-refundable and nontransferable, except as provided in the Conditions of Carriage. Promotions may be modified or cancelled without prior notice. Refer to www.tigerairways.com for more information. Tiger AirwaysAustralia Pty Limited ABN 52 124 369 006.

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Vadering in Kings Canyon

The Red Centre northern territory

Uluru in the distance

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)

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Journey to the Red Centre Bus trippin’ to the Northern Territory, we tackle three of the country’s greats: Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon Words Hugh Radojev

The 36 sandstone domes that make up Kata Tjuta bubble suddenly out of the deep red sands of the Northern Territory outback as the bus swings out of our campsite in Yulara onto the Lasseter Highway. From a distance they look strange, alien even, in the way they seem to have been dolloped on the horizon, growing larger and larger in the bus windscreen. All 23 of us in the tour group find ourselves turning and twisting in our seats, struggling to decide whether to focus solely on the lofty peak of Mt Olga and Kata Tjuta growing steadily in front of us, or the hulking, sandstone monolith of Uluru disappearing into the distance behind. This is my first time in the Northern Territory and we have only been in the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park for a few hours, but already I am in awe of the landscape around me. There is surely no place on Earth quite like it, certainly not anywhere I’ve ever been to before anyway. Each armed with a water bottle, hat, enclosed walking shoes and a camera we clamber off the bus and stand at the entrance to the Valley of the Winds walk, a fairly gentle 7.2km hike taking in a few beautiful lookouts surrounded on all sides by the magnificent rising domes of Kata Tjuta. We follow one of our guides, Doc, into the valley, picking our way slowly down the ancient rocky trail. On this terrain one quickly learns not to try and take photographs while walking at the same time. The loose shale of the hiking track is dotted with hundreds of rocks and stones buried in the ground, all of which seem perfectly designed for catching a trailing foot. Once in the valley proper I am amazed at how green it is. There are trees, scrubby bushes and a few patches of greenish, tussocky looking grass jutting out of the red desert sands. There is even a body of slowly moving water that warrants fording via a bridge. Desert finches are in full voice as the morning sun climbs high in the sky and the temperature as we walk is warm without being too hot. In short, it is perfect hiking weather. In a stretched out column we move through the thin trail, periodically stopping to take photos of particularly distinct

“

I am amazed at how green it is

”

formations in the sacred rocks including one that looks remarkably like an elephant’s head. None of us are quite prepared for what is awaiting at the top of the final look out though. Framed on either side by two giant rocky shapes, one bathed in sunlight the other in dark shadow, a reddish green carpet of scrub grass and stunted desert pines stretch luxuriously out in front of us towards a further outlying crop of Kata Tjuta, with more red-rock sandstone domes standing proudly in the distance. ››

Kata Tjuta framed by giants

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Uluru at sunset

It is beautiful in a rugged, hard, sort of way and we are all loathed to get back on the bus, even with the promise of champagne and an Uluru sunset ahead of us. Uluru sunset: base walk around the rock

Photos: Hugh Radojev, Tourism NT, Adventure Tours Australia

After the beauty of Kata Tjuta, Doc and our other tour guide, Clark, whisk us back on to the bus and we begin the drive back to the Uluru sunset viewing area to try and beat the tourist rush. Doc assures us that he knows of a special spot, his particular favourite and promises us that nobody else will be there. Sure enough, as the sun begins to dip, we arrive at the viewing area. The number of buses already parked about the place looks to be quite alarming. Trestle tables covered in white sheets and champagne glasses have sprouted up everywhere and the whir of closing camera shutters and the chatter of hundreds of people from half the countries in the world fill the air. We follow Doc and Clark up a sandy path carrying an Esky full of sparkling wine, boxes of nibbles (an assorted variety of Shapes) and some plastic tubs of dip and take up residence on a bit of high ground. It is relatively tourist-free, and to the right, the red rock is darkening in front of us. It is a unique experience watching Uluru’s hue change in the setting sun, turning from the usual, famous rust-red colour most people associate the place with, through to darker shades of vermillion, brown and finally a deep purple as the last light fails. It is quite a haunting moment and even those in the group who have seen the same spectacle before fall silent as we watch intently. Back at camp we learn that it is one of the girls in the groups’ birthday (why she didn’t mention it earlier, I’ll never know) and so we cap the night off with a few (too many) beers. Tired as I was and with a 5am wake up call ahead, I spend quite some time lying in my swag after everyone has gone to bed staring up at the thousands of stars, so many tiny pinpricks of light in a sky black as ink. The next morning, we are woken with stars still in the sky and after a bracing cup of coffee, drive to the start of the

10km Uluru base walk in the morning gloom. Even in the half-light of dawn the immensity of the rock is breathtaking, a hulking shadow looming over us the closer we get to it, dark against the crimson desert horizon. Having only seen Uluru from a distance the day before, I am struck by how large it is up close and as I climb off the bus and gaze up at a section of it in the twilight I can almost feel the immenseness of the ancient stone pushing down on me like a weight. We all set off in the gloom, Clark leading us at a leisurely pace around the rock, pausing every now and then to tell us snippets of creation stories from the local Anangu people and facts about the local fauna, flora and the composition of the mighty rock itself. The rock is very sacred to the Anangu, and in many parts, photography is forbidden. In Anangu culture, men and women could not visit or even look upon some sacred sites without being punished. While the rock itself is beautiful up close, it’s the stories and history of the people who used to live in its shadow that

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It·s never been cheaper to fLy to Alice Springs and the Outback! 1) Book your CHEAP Tiger flights from Sydney or Melbourne into Alice Spring s (Tue/Wed/Thur/Sat) - flights are currently advertised on the Tiger website as low as $59.95 each way (May/June) www.tigerair ways.com 2) Book the 3 day Rock Tour (Departs DAILY from Alice Springs at 6am) on FREECALL 1800 246 345 or at www.therocktour.com.au 3) After the tour visit the awesome The Rock Bar - Voted best backpacker night in the NT with TNT Magazine 2011 + 2012

Alice Springs The red Centre’s City Named for an explorer’s wife who never visited and a constant source of water that never existed, Alice Springs is quite unlike any other town in Australia. Nestled into the foothills of the Western MacDonnell Ranges about 1500km south of Darwin by the confluence of a bunch of dried out river beds, Alice has about 30,000 residents. CLAIM TO FAME The ancient bed of the almost perennially dry Todd River plays host to the only annual dry river regatta anywhere in the world – the Henleyon-Todd Regatta. The regatta also has the unique distinction of being the only boat race ever to be cancelled because the river course actually had some running water in it. NIGHTLIFE Uncles Tavern (119 -122 Cnr Hartley St & Gregory Tce). An outback pub, with a few flat screens, a suitably large beer fridge and a bunch of pool tables. Rock Bar, (2/78 Todd St). This has more of a night club feel to it than Uncles, with a DJ (of sorts) and dim lighting. Just don’t go about giving people piggy-back rides, the bouncers take a dim view of that, apparently. Lasseters Casino, (93 Barrett Drive). Ah yes, the Casino. When everything else is shutting down in Alice, Lasseters is just getting started. As for the interior I can’t really remember, I couldn’t believe they even let me in... WHERE TO STAY? YHA Alice Springs (yha.com.au) is a spacious hostel set in the ground of an old movie theatre. Affordable, comfortable dorms and great staff, what more do you need?

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make Uluru one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been. Even though the Anangu have only disclosed a fraction of their creation stories concerning Uluru, they are still fascinating and represent something unique to Australian indigenous culture. Each story represents tens of thousands of years worth of living history, passed down from person to person over the millennia. It is stunning to think that anything at all managed to live and flourish in such a stark, desolate and hard environment as this, let alone a society as ancient as this one. We finish our day at Uluru with a guided tour of some of the most ancient and sacred sites around the area with an Anangu guide, Sarah, and her interpreter, John. Speaking in the local Pitjantjatjara language she explains to us the story of the ancient Mala people who had once called Uluru their home. It is a wonderful experience and one I cannot recommend highly enough.

Warm your toes by the fire

Kings Canyon After all the excitement of the previous two days and another beautiful night spent under the stars listening to the dingoes howling at the new moon, the prospect of a second 5am wake up call in a row and another long hike isn’t exactly appealing. Doc and Clark keep repeating over and over that if we don’t have a minimum of a litre and a half of water on us for the next trek we might die, which does little to ease my tired mind and weary legs. Thankfully though, my reservations are quickly dispelled when we arrive at the start of the beautiful Kings Canyon circle walk. It would seem that the way Clark and Doc had

Small group touring across the top Great hiking and awesome waterfalls Private charters for special itineries Designed for the ﬁt and active a small locally owned company BOOKINGS: 1300 115 922 (within Australia) Ph+ 61 8898 83222 info@territoryexpeditions.com.au www.territoryexpeditions.com.au

staggered the trip meant that they had saved the very best place until last. There is no other word to describe Kings Canyon other than staggering. Sure it’s nowhere near as cavernous or famous as the Grand Canyon, but like everywhere else in the Northern Territory, it is completely unique. Millions of years ago it was a giant seabed and the stone of the canyon’s walls appear cut sheer and flat along the sides as they fall away into the heavily foliaged floor. On the walking trails, however, the surface is anything but smooth with angular crags and ziggurat like domes erupting out of the living rock like the remnants of some ancient, abandoned city. Clark occasionally stops to point out the fossilised remains of ancient trilobites (prehistoric crustaceans) who had pulled themselves across the ground when it had been the bottom of an ancient waterway aeons ago. Today they are forever preserved in the living rock. After a few kilometers of walking we come to the ‘Garden of Eden’, a kind of oasis in the canyon proper, where there is constantly shade and water (a great rarity in the semi-arid country around us). We stop briefly there by a great pool of water and listen to the call of the birds and the splashing of a touring group of school kids swimming around in the murkylooking water. The walk through the Canyon is easily my favourite part of the whole trip, a place of rare and terrible beauty all of its own. The 7km trek is challenging in parts (the very start of the walk is a steep stone stairway cut into the rock that Doc colourfully refers to as “Heart Attack Hill”) but it isn’t so hard that you have to be a seasoned nature hiker or phenomenally fit to enjoy it, and the vistas are absolutely incredible to behold. After a quick lunch we find ourselves back on the bus heading towards Alice Springs and I can’t help but feel sad at the trip’s imminent end. The Red Centre is a diverse, harsh and beautiful place, unlike anywhere I’ve ever been, and my visit was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. If you’ve never been – you should go there immediately! Damage and details: Adventure Tours Australia (adventuretours.com) run three day guided tours of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon starting from $595.

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Offer 1

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Details $695 per person (SAVE $100) for 6 Day Rock 2 Water Alice Springs to Adelaide Tour departing in April, May and June 2013. Not valid with any other Groovy special or Package Deal offer. Destination ALICE SPRINGS TO ADELAIDE via Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon, Coober Pedy and the Southern Flinders Ranges. Dates Departures from April until the end of June 2013 Price & how to book $695 per person. Bookings on Freecall: 1800 66 11 77 or email: getaways@ groovygrape.com.au WEBSITE www.groovygrape.com.au

Details 10% off ‘Red Centre Experience’ and ‘Kakadu Adventure’ Destination Red Centre Experience - Alice Springs, Uluru, Kings Canyon. Kakadu Adventure - Darwin, Litchfield National Park, Kakadu National Park Dates Red Centre Experience - 7 & 21 June; 5, 19 & 26 July 2013. Kakadu Adventure - 29 May; 12 & 26 June; 24 & 31 July 2013 Price & how to book Red Centre Experience - was $399, now $360; Kakadu Adventure - was $549, now $495. Book online using promo code TNTAus, or call 1300 796 618 WEBSITE www.gadventures.com.au

Territory Expeditions

The Rock Tour

Offer 3

Details Take a friend… Book 1, get 1 Free*+ Please refer to www.tntdownunder.com/travel/ travel-deals for T & C’s Destination Northern Territory Dates Offer valid on bookings made between 22nd April 2013 and May 31st 2013, for travel between 22nd April 2013 and March 31st 2014. Price & how to book Valid for online bookings only. WEBSITE www.adventuretours.com.au

Melaleuca on Mitchell Darwin

OFF 20%

Offer 4

Details 2 for 1, 3 day Kakadu/ Litchfield 4WD camping tour Destination Kakadu/Litchfield NT Dates Bookings made prior to 2 June 2013 and travel within 6 months of booking. Price & how to book $445 and only valid if quoting promo code TEXTNT3KL WEBSITE www. territoryexpeditions.com.au

AL!

Offer 5

Details Free Lunch at the Rock Bar & 2 hours internet Destination Alice Springs Northern Territory Dates Valid to 2nd of June 2013 how to book Mention the secret password “Clarence the cross eyed Lion” WEBSITE www.therocktour.com.au

Offer 6

Details Stay 2 nights at Melaleuca on Mitchell and receive 20% off entry to Crocosaurus Cove Destination Darwin Dates 22 April - 31 July 2013. Blackout dates 15-18 June 2013. Price & how to book From $30/night. Enquiries & bookings to reservations@momdarwin.com quote TNTCC20% at the time of booking. WEBSITE www.momdarwin.com

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TRAVELWEEKENDER

The deep south This is the NSW South Coast in 48 hours Words Alex harmon

DAY 1: The best scenic drives are the ones that take you on a journey of self discovery. And the winding scenic route from the Royal National Park, just 45 minutes south of Sydney's CBD, to the idyllic Shoalhaven region is one of the country's best. So make like Jack Kerouac, put on your best fedora hat and driving gloves and make tracks out of Sydney. Failing that, a cheap train fare from central station will take you there in around an hour! 8:00: Heading south on the Grand Pacific Drive (grandpacificdrive.com) you'll start your South Coast roadtrip with a scenic cruise through the Royal National Park. The 'Nasho' or just 'the Royal' is the world's second-oldest national park, established in 1879. 10:00: Just when you think there is no end to the dense bush, you’ll emerge atop Bald Hill. Below you'll see Stanwell Park Beach which is where you'll be landing with Warren Windsports (warrenwindsports.com.au). You're about to take a leap of faith and jump off the hill attached to a hang glider. Nothing says self-discovery like jumping off a cliff with nothing but nylon to keep you afloat. 11:00 Landing on the sandy shores after flying like a bird, it's time to get picked up and soar like an eagle on the back of a Harley Davidson. Just Cruisin' Motorcycle Tours (justcruisintours.com.au) will take you along the Grand Pacific Drive and over the magnificent Sea Cliff Bridge, a 665 metre over-the-ocean bridge completed in 2005. If you can pull yourself off the bike, stop here for a photo op.

13:00 Arriving in Wollongong, the south coasts’s largest city, make your way to The Illawara Brewery (thebrewery.net.au) for a much needed feed. Try a range of handcrafted beers brewed in the area. The Koelsch cleaned up at the Australian International Beer Awards last year and goes down mighty fine with a plate of sliders. Kick back here for a few hours trying some of their brews while taking in views of City Beach. 16:00: Keep your spirits merry and meander over to The Little Prince (thelittleprince.com.au). This small bar in the heart of the Gong has happy hour from 4-7pm (Wed-Sat) where you can enjoy a Mojito for $10. If you're feeling peckish, choose a few dishes from their Tapas menu. 19:00: Before you skip off to dinner, unpack your bags at the Chifley Wollongong (chifleywollongong.com.au), your accommodation for the night. This spacious and ultra-modern hotel is a stone's throw from Wollongong’s foreshore and offers sweeping views of the ocean. 20:00: Stroll along Flagstaff Hill and take in the historical fort and lighthouse before heading to Bombora Seafood (bomboraseafood.com.au) for a seafood dinner. Located on the water of Wollongong Harbour, the seafood is caught daily and is reasonably priced. Tip: order the caramelised garlic bread. It is simply amazing. DAY 2: 9:00: Wake up feeling fresh and hit the buffet at the Chifley. Try not to eat too much because you have a dizzying day ahead. Pick up your wheels, stopping off for a decent coffee. Hidden in North Wollongong is the little gem

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Get bitten by the Funnel Web

Flying high above Stanwell Park Beach

Visit the scenic NSW South Coast & stay with Ka-Fe. The baristas will make you a freshly roasted cup that will get you buzzing for your next level of self discovery. 10:00: Arriving at Southern Biplane Adventures (southernbiplanes.com) you're about to hop into a sexy red Biplane, the Lilly Warra (try saying that 10 times when you're nervous). You're heading up into the sky for an aerobatic joy flight. Experience G forces of up to +6g and -5g as you twist, turn and tumble through the skies above the Illawarra escarpment and coastline. I hope you have a strong stomach. 12:00: With the Tasman Sea to the east and Lake Illawara to the west, Shellharbour is a mecca for nature enthusiasts. After your time hurtling through the sky, this area is perfect for unwinding. If you're a keen diver, Bushrangers Bay is good for spotting Moray eels, cuttlefish and big schools of fish. 13:00: You're no doubt feeling hungry again so settle in at Relish on Addison (relishonaddison.com.au). On the balcony you'll receive beautiful views of the village and sea. 14:00 Don't get too relaxed because action is just around the corner at Jambaroo Action Park (jamberoo.net). After driving through the stunning green mountains, you'll arrive at the biggest theme park in the state. There are many thrills to be had including the new 'Funnel Web', the longest and gnarliest slide in the southern hemisphere. It will make your stomach turn just looking at it. A fitting end to a wild couple of days testing your abilities and reaching new heights. Well done. As Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, "Do one thing every day that scares you." The NSW south coast has you covered.

CHI F L E Y WOL LONG ONG

Chifley Wollongong, located on the scenic NSW South Coast, is situated on Wollongongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreshore, adjacent to WIN Sports and Entertainment Centre and a short walk to Wollongong City Beach, vibrant restaurants and cafes, championship golf course, plus great shopping at Wollongong Central and Crown St Mall. Chifley Wollongong enables leisure travellers to stay in a superior quality hotel that offers stylish accommodation with a good range of facilities including: 24 hour reception, C Grill Restaurant & Bar, heated 20 metre lap pool, gymnasium, secure onsite parking and lobby lounge. BOOK NOW! Call 02 4201 2111 or book online www.chifleywollongong.com /chifleywollongong 60-62 Harbour Street, Wollongong NSW 2500

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TRAVELWEEKENDER Wade welcomes Lisa to his office

Skydive the beach by lisa robinson

Xxxxxxx This is [place] in 48 hours Words [name]

DAY 1: 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx DAY 2: 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx 00:00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx

Unsure about skydiving? We say man up! Skydiving is an incredible experience that leaves you wanting more. I had considered going skydiving for about 10 years but had always found an excuse not to do it: “Oh, I can’t afford it right now,” or “I’ve got bingo arms, they’ll look bad in the photos”. So when I finally booked it, I found the best coping mechanism was to ignore the fact that this would potentially be my last month on earth. D-Day arrives. I turn up at North Wollongong beach in a blissfully ignorant state. I check in at the office, step into a pair of oversized marching band pants, get my harness fitted and go through the safety instructions – all I can remember is that I must position my body to look like a banana. At the airport my tandem instructor Wade double-checks everything before we pile into the tiny blue plane. As we ascend I forget that I’m sitting on a strange man’s lap and am about to jump out of a plane; I actually enjoy the fantastic view over Wollongong. It’s at the five minute pre-jump warning that I start to pack shit. We reach 14,000 feet where it’s nothing but cloud. The plane’s side door opens and the first tandem skydivers quickly disappear. With only 10 seconds between jumps there’s no time to decide whether I want to go through with this. Wade and I, harnessed together for better or worse, slide our legs out the door and take a selfie. I’m so focused on perfecting the banana move that I forget to smile. Wade counts down, then we’re out the door, free-falling through cloud at over 200 kilometres per hour. I try to calmly breathe but I can’t stop screaming and my thoughts excitedly race everywhere. It’s such an intense rush that I struggle to process it as being real; I couldn’t have imagined skydiving would be so thrilling. After 60 seconds of free-fall the parachute opens up just as we emerge from the clouds. We are then treated to stunning views of Wollongong, from Mount Keira to the beach. “Welcome to my office,” says Wade. We float around for five minutes, upright like Mary Poppins, with every twist and turn of the parachute giving different views of the impressive Australian coastline. For the rest of the day I’m clapping in excitement and nothing can wipe the smile off my face.

Packages start from $269. See: skydivethebeach.com.au 62

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Seoul south korea

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bigTRIP

Seoul searching We ignore the travel warnings and go from ancient spiritual ceremonies to potent cocktails exploring South Korea’s capital city Words debbie ward

As invitations to dinner go, it is spectacular. elders and being sincere. The massed ranks of men and women before To get a feel for the heritage side of When to go: Autumn, me are dressed in purple and crimson robes Seoul, at least one palace should be among between September and and are drumming, chiming large bells and first-timers’ sightseeing missions. November, is the best time to go performing complex sequences of bows. I choose the 15th-century as the weather is usually sunny But then, it isn’t me they are welcoming Changdeokgung (entry about $5), which and the monsoon season over. to their feast, it is the ghosts of their royal is famous for its ‘secret’ garden, built for Temperatures range from 15-20°C. ancestors. scholarly reflection. Currency: AUD$1 = 1187 The Jongmyo Daeje ceremony at Jongmyo It’s the roofs that impress me most, KRW (South Korean won) Shrine in Seoul has been performed this same however, with wooden eaves painted in reds stay: Get a taste of South way for 500 years, every May, earning it a Korean tradition in Tea Guesthouse, and greens and tiles topped with gargoyles. Unesco listing. The unearthly visitors anticipated here are where overnight guests can sleep The hundreds of brightly robed royal less benevolent than the ones at Jongmyo the traditional way, on a mattress descendants in the shrine’s courtyard switch – giant water jars are placed around the on a heated wooden floor, from to performing slow, solemn dances in lines to $61 per night. They’ll even throw in complex to protect the wooden buildings the sound of chanting. from fire spirits. free Korean tea and a dressing up Via the English commentary on my The idea is not to quench the mythical session in traditional robes for you. headset, I learn that the officials behind the evil-doers’ thirst but to hope they are scared See: visitseoul.net performers are symbolically burning animal off when they see their own reflections. blood mixed with millet and pouring wine Between Changdeokgung and the down a hole to the spirit chamber. They then set out the other key royal palace of Gyeongbokgung sits the Bukchon feast itself on rows of golden tableware. heritage district. This is a residential area filled with the According to Confucianism, if suitably pleased with the traditional Hanok-style houses. spread, the spirits will grant blessings in return. I pick up a map at the visitor centre and go for a wander. My guide Min tells me her family honours its own Entering no man’s land ancestors with simpler ceremonial meals at home. “Some of the dwellings date back to the 19th century and a Spirits at the dinner table few have been turned into craft shops and cafes. “But what happens to the food?” I ask. “We believe they eat The National Museum (admission is free) is another it,” she says. My bemusement must show on my face because heritage must-see with exhibits including bronze Buddhas she adds: “We eat the meal after them; the spirits don’t and beautiful calligraphy. exactly have teeth.” My own favourite is a delicate gold crown ornamented When the Jongmyo ceremony ends, the participants with droplets of jade. Perhaps South Korea’s most famous retrieve mobile phones from the folds of their robes, relax historical attraction is the Demilitarized Zone, known by the and pose for pictures with peace-sign-flashing tourists. much more snappy DMZ. This mix of ancient and modern typifies Seoul. Hugely This wide strip of no-man’s-land on the ‘38th parallel’ rebuilt after the Korean War, the capital now has skyscrapers about 80 miles from Seoul has separated North and South and mega-malls cheek-by-jowl with ancient palaces. Korea since the Korean War ended in 1953. The same young Seoulites dancing to K-pop likely follow In spite of its reassuring name, it’s actually the most time-honoured Confucian principles, such as respecting their heavily militarised border in the world.

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Clockwise: Spicy kimichi; Downtown in busy Seoul; South Korean women in national dress

I’ve heard that visitors tie prayers for unification to a barbed-wire-topped fence and that at festival time some bring meals here to feel closer to loved ones on the other side of the divide. But in spite of the gestures of civilians, North and South Korean soldiers eyeball one another across the strip, fingers on triggers, tensions running high. This is serious stuff, right? So it seems more than a little incongruous to find out that a visit here is not only considered a relaxing day out (tourdmz.com; from around $65), but it’s actually so touristy that you can pick up a box of DMZ souvenir chocolates and pose for photos with grinning South Korean soldiers. At a row of coin-operated telescopes I peep across land towards the notoriously sensitive, secretive neighbours. The atmosphere is one of gentle curiosity, until someone steps over the clearly painted line where signs insist ‘No cameras’. Ignoring the warnings, he prepares to take a snap of the North and, like lightning, the atmosphere changes. A heavily armed soldier hurls a volley of furious Korean in his direction and, suddenly terrified, the tourist scuttles off, tail between his legs. 66

Perhaps it’s not that relaxed after all... A highlight of the DMZ is the Third Tunnel of Aggression, one of a series of channels through which North Korea is believed to have tried to breach its neighbour’s border. I don a hard hat and head down into the dark on what feels like the world’s most sedate ghost train. I’m glad of my helmet as I bang my head on the low roof. The tunnel looks like a mine shaft and guides are quick to point out the scrape marks that indicate the direction from which it was dug (North Korea denies the handiwork). It is now filled in after a few metres, the only breach made by water, which bubbles up from an underground spring. It’s clean enough to drink, so I crouch and grab a cold handful, thinking that’s probably the only taste of North Korea I’ll ever get. Painting the town raspberry Later that night I move onto something a little stronger when my city guide Young offers to take me out for a night on the lash – Seoul-style. We head to Itaewon, which is the city’s nightlife district. The streets here are lined with a mix of bars, clubs and

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restaurants which get packed in the evenings with an international crowd: tourists, expats and South Koreans all come here to party. We start off our session with a couple of glasses of Bokbunja ju, which is a raspberry wine. “It’s good for sexual stamina,” Young tells me with a wink. Hmm. Sweet, fruity and dangerously potent, it’s actually so easy to drink, I think it’s more likely to leave your date slumped in front of their kimchi than raring to go. There are strict etiquette rules, Young says, on how to

“

Hanging out in the trendy Gangnam district

It’s the South Korean take on a Jägerbomb

”

drink in South Korea: “Fill your companion’s glass for them using two hands, or one hand with the arm held at the elbow,” she tells me. She demonstrates. I drink. She demonstrates again. I knock it back again. As the room starts to go a little fuzzy, Young starts telling me about the South Korean take on the Jägerbomb – with the local vodka-like soju sunk into a glass of lager (“The boys like it”). I realise this ‘drink when your mates make you’ culture could get really messy ... Following the neon lights

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, South Korea Tourism Board

As I slide out into the night in a raspberry haze I see a young crowd hanging out at the Cheonggyecheon Stream, a sunken, canal-like waterway lit by neon which bisects the capital. Several malls and markets also stay open well into the night in this area, should you get the urge for some late night shopping or karaoke. I’m definitely too far gone for either of these activities, so I take myself off to a show instead. There are some great non-dialogue performances popular with tourists in Seoul. Cookin’ Nanta is one, a surreal but hilarious show that mixes dance with traditional cookery, which became so successful it was even exported to New York a few years ago for a run on Broadway. There’s also Jump, an energetic offering mixing martial arts with acrobatics and comedy. Tonight, however, I choose a more conventional performance. The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts puts on a constantly changing programme that includes court dances, folk songs and flute music. I’m thoroughly enjoying myself as a traditional love story is told, but the seat is comfy, the air warm and the Bokbunja ju is taking effect – inevitably I doze off. Next thing I know, I’m jolted awake by a booming noise. A hundred large drums have been wheeled onto the stage during my snooze and the musicians are pounding them like there’s no tomorrow. One thing’s for sure – in Seoul, things definitely never stay quiet for very long. ❚ tntdownunder.com

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ozLISTINGS travel agents Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com Backpackers World Travel 1800 997 325 backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 669 424, peterpans.com.au Travellers Contact Point 1800 647 640, travellers.com.au Tribal Adventure Travel 1800 984 484, tribaltravel.com.au YHA Travel 02 9261 111,

yha.com.au

tour firms

Bottom Bits Bus Tours around Tasmania 1800 777 103, bottombits.com.au Bunyip Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 286 947, bunyiptours.com Cool Dingos Fraser Island Tours 1800 072 555, cooldingotour.com Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.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

Maxi Ragamuffin Whitsundays sailing 1800 454 777 maxiaction.com.au Mojosurf Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 113 044, mojosurf.com Nullarbor Traveller Tours from Adelaide and Perth 1800 816 858, the-traveller.com.au

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

rental firms Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

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

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

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au

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

Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

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

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

@tnt_downunder

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

jetstar.com.au

Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast. 13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline. 13 17 13, rex.com.au

Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com

Tiger Airways Airline. 03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com

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

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

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

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

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

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

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

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

Virgin Australia Airline. 13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Wild life sydney zoo If you thought that Australian wildlife was limited to kangaroos and koalas, think again. A zoo dedicated exclusively to Australian animals might initially sound like a bit of a short attraction, but for tourists unable to get out of the city to experience the colourful wildlife of Australia, this is a must-see. Some of the most obscure animals in Australia are represented here, such as the cassowary, rock wallabies and wombats. Set in Darling Harbour, the central location of Wild Life Sydney Zoo is a perfect visit during a day out in the city. Passes are available combining a variety of other attractions in and around Sydney, so do your homework if you intend to see more than just Wild Life Sydney Zoo. Prices are $25 for an adult if bought online or $36 at the entrance. See: wildlifesydney.com.au

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

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

CHECK IN

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

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

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

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

Eva’s Backpackers 6-8 Orwell Street Kings Cross 02 9358 2185, evasbackpackers.com.au

Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks. 02 9261 1111

665 South Dowling Street, Surry Hills. Dorms from $30 This hostel has a bustling social atmosphere and regular parties, pub crawls, boat trips and other activities organised by the hostel staff.

Sydney

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

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

Kangaroo Bak pak

kangaroobakpak.com.au

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

Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au

Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross. 02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

sydney do

Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee. 02 9315 7888,

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

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NSWLISTINGS My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

blue mtns

CHECK IN

Blue Mountains YHA 207 Katoomba St, Katoomba. 02 4782 1416, yha.com.au

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

central coast

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle. 02 4925 3544, yha.com.au

Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com

Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal. 02 4384 1919, yha.com.au

Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au Sydney Tower and Skytour 100 Market St, CBD. sydneyskytour.com.au

Byron Beach resort

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

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

Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Byron Bay

byronbeachresort.com.au

sydneymusic Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

The Annandale

annandalehotel.com The Enmore

enmoretheatre.com.au The Metro

metrotheatre.com.au

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

BYron bay Backpackers Holiday Village 116 Jonson St 1800 350 388, byronbaybackpackers.com.au Backpackers Inn 29 Shirley St 1800 817 696 backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au

@tnt_downunder Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. 02 6685 7709, nomadshostels.com Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. 1800 678 195 yha.com.au Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

coffs harb Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 02 6652 6462, yha.com.au Harbour City Holiday Park 123 Pacific Highway coffsholidaypark.com.au Hoey Moey Backpackers 80 Ocean Pde hoeymoey.com.au Plantation Backpackers 88 Grafton Street plantationhotel.com.au

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

tinbilly.com

Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St yha.com.au Nomads Prince Consort Backpackers 230 Wickham St princeconsort.com.au Somewhere to Stay Cnr Brighton Rd & Franklin St somewheretostay.com.au The Palace Backpackers Cnr Anne & Edward St backpackbrisbane.com Tin Billy Travellers 462 George St tinbilly.com

brisbane do Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah. 07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Gallery of Modern Art 07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing. Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point. 07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au XXXX Ale House Brewery tours. Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com.au

gold coast Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise. 1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise. 1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au

Coolangatta Kirra Beach YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga. 07 5536 76442, yha.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise. 1800 074 393, islander.com.au Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise. 1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers. 1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers.com.au Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise. 07 5571 1776, yha.com.au Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport. 1800 100 004, trekkersbackpackers.com.au Nomads Islander Resort 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, nomadsworld.com Surf & Sun Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd surfnsun-goldcoast.com

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

seaworld.com.au

Wet â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wild Water World wetnwild.myfun.com.au Warner Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au Zorb 07 5547 6300

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

Cairns

Great Barrier Reef Townsville Prosperine

Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) Mackay Yeppoon Rockhampton

Gladstone Bundaberg Maryborough

Hervey Bay Fraser Island

BRISBANE

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

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. . . E R E H Y L L A IN F QLDLISTINGS E YOU’R

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!

rainbow beach Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111126, dingosresort.com Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

hervey bay

DA9 K F LG <AN= OAL@ 9MKLJ9 L9C= L@= HDMF?=$ D=9J LS NA SIO VE PROFES GREAT BARRIER REEF DI

Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com

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

e se e ht

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

Kingfisher Bay Resort River Heads Road, Fraser Island kingfisherbay.com Koalas Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade, Hervey Bay koalaadventures.com Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park 21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness, Hervey Bay frasercoasttouristpark.com.au

d. ck eir ns

Fraser Island Backpackers Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island fraserislandco.com.au

www.prodivecairns.com

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

SHOP: Cnr Shields & Grafton Sts, Cairns FREECALL: 1800 353 213 PHONE: +617 4031 5255 RES: info@prodivecairns.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM 72

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

Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay yha.com.au

Frasers On Rainbow Beach 195 Torquay Terrace, Torquay, flashpackersherveybay.com

the ou

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

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

Dropbear Adventures Williams Ave, Fraser Island. QLD +61 487 333 606 dropbearadventures.com

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

Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au

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

town of 1770

1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

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

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

Nomads Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com

fraser island

ee ed

Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166

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

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

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

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

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

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

Woolshed Backpackers 181 Torquay Road woolshedbackpackers.com.au

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

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

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

magnetic isl Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd. 1800 24 22 73, stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshow Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay.com.au

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

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

mission beach Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Beach Shack 86 Porters Promenade missionbeachshack.com

Jackaroo Hostel Mission Beach Frizelle Rd, Bingil Bay jackaroohostel.com Mission Beach Retreat 49 Porters Promenade missionbeachretreat.com.au

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

Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au 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. 1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com

Scottyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au

cairns stay

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

Northern Greenhouse 117 Grafton Street. 1800 229 228, northerngreenhouse.com.au

cairns do AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com Pro Dive 07 4031 5255 prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting.

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

Skydive Cairns POBOX 105N Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

Emu Creek Cattle Station 07 4094 8313

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

PORT DOUGLAS

daintree

Global Port Douglas 38 Macrossan St globalbackpackerscairns.com. au/port-douglas

MOOLOOLABA Mooloolaba Backpackers VIP 75 Brisbane Road mooloolababackpackers.com

innisfail IInnisfail Budget Backpackers Workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 78337

MORETON ISLAND

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

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

Ride On Mary Budget Bush Retreat imbilkayakandbike.com

Dougies Backpackers Resort 111 Davidson St dougies.com.au

Koala Beach Resort Cape Kimberly Rd. 1800 466 444

PKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jungle Village Cnr Avalon & Cape Trib Rd. 1800 232 333, pksjunglevillage.com.au

Noosa Backpackers Resort 9-13 William St noosabackpackers.com

NOOSA inland

gulf savannah

cape trib

@tnt_downunder

Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

Parrot Fish Lodge 37 Warner St parrotfishlodge.com Port Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Call YHA 7 Craven Close portocall.com.au

INNISFAIL

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

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

Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr NOOSA inland nomadsworld.com

Innisfail Budget Backpackers 125 Edith St jobsforbackpackers.com.au

7/2+%23 7!.4%$ &RUIT AND 6EGETABLE PICKING JOBS AVAILABLE THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!

s 4RANSPORT TO FROM WORK s &2%% COURTESY BUS PICK UP s ,AUNDRY FACILITIES s )NTERNET FACILITIES s 0LEASANT AND FRIENDLY STAFF

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WHITSUNDAYS 3 DAYS IN ONE... Whitehaven Beach, top snorkel destinations & island bushwalks. P: 07 4946 6848 www.oceanrafting.com.au

CAPE TRIBULATION Ask about our 2 trip special deal with our sister company OCEAN SAFARI - www.oceansafari.com.au

Great Barrier Reef - Half Day Snorkel Tour

6!2)%49 /& 7/2+ !6!),!",% 9%!2 2/5.$ "REEZY 4ROPICAL VERANDAHS CLEAN FRIENDLY #LOSE TO SHOPS BANKS OLYMPIC POOL

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QLD’S BEST BACKPACKERS

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QUEENSLAND’S BEST BACKPACKERS

ACCOMMODATION IN 2009 & 2010!! bunkbrisbane.com.au 11-21 Gipps Street, Fortitude Valley Postal: PO Box 261, Fortitude Valley Qld 4006 P.1800 682 865 or +61 7 3257 3644

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GOING FOR GOLD

GREAT SENSE OF REEF

RAFTING MISSION

The Gold Coast boasts loads. So if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a rollercoaster junkie,agnes youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re inwater heaven. Gold Coast/Surferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paradise is also 1770 Beachside Backpacker 12 Captain Cook Drive famed for its... letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say independentbackpackers.com â&#x20AC;&#x153;livelyâ&#x20AC;?... nightlife.

When heading up or down the east coast youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be subjected to some of the most beautiful crystal clear water youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen. Oh and a World Heritage-listed reef. So take TOWNSVILLE advantage of both by learning to dive. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re further south, Adventurers Backpackers you can easily find a scuba school in Sydney but if you want 79 Palmer St some Great Barrier action youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to wait till adventurersresort.com you get to Queensland. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2,000km of it so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, Civic Guest House Backpackers Hostel youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re notSt going to miss it. A great variation on reef diving 262 Walker is checking out the Yongala wreck off of Townsville. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rated civicguesthousetownsville.com.au as the best wreck dive in Australia and people say you will Foreign Exchange Accommodation see more marine life in one dive here than you would in Beachside 12 further north. 19 Eyre St, North Ward

Whitewater rafting is a knuckle-whitening ride thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all for real. The Tully River, accessed from Mission Beach and Cairns, is the most popular place to get wet. Mission Beach itself is another underrated gem, a great place to detox after (or before) Cairns, with snorkelling, diving, skydiving and rainforest walks all available.

VICLISTINGS

QLDLISTINGS

1770 Southern Cross Backpackers 2694 Round Hill Rd 1770southerncross.com

ROCKHAMPTON Emu Park Resort 92 Patterson St, Emu Park emusbeachresort.com

foreignx.com.au

Rockhampton Backpackers YHA 60 Macfarlane Street, Rockhampton yha.com.au

CAIRNSMACKAY IS KING Geckoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rest

$22 $

Talking of party towns, this 34 Sydney St place is king. If there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t geckosrest.com.au enough going on with the rainforests, reef and more MAGNETIC IS in touching distance, it seems this Base Magnetic Island small city wants to celebrate 1 Nelly Bay Rd its stayatbase.com wonderful location by getting bladdered every night. Bungalow Bay Koala Village YHA Please check your dignity in 40 Horseshoe Bay Rd at the door...

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

SUNSHINE COAST Cotton Tree Beachouse 15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com

bungalowbay.com.au

melbourne stay

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

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

Claremont Guesthouse 189 Toorak Rd, South Yarra hotelclaremont.com City Centre Budget Hotel 22-30 Little Collins St citycentrebudgethotel.com

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

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

Elephant Backpackers 250 Flinders St elephantbackpacker.com.au Elizabeth Hostel 490 Elizabeth St elizabethhostel.com.au

Maximum 4 bed dormitories with linen and towel Exford Hotel

King St Backpackers 160 King Street

199 Russell St.

03 9663 2697, (cereal, toast and j FREE all you can eat breakfast kingstreetbackpackers.com.au exfordhotel.com.au AAAAH-DRENALIN Discovery tea and coffee Flinders Stationmeal, Hotel weekly rice andHotel pasta, 167 Franklin St 35 Elizabeth St. 03 The 9620 5100, AJ Hackett

skydiving 1800 249 207,

/Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;v>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;ÂŤĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;ÂŤĂ&#x160;ÂŁĂ¤Ă&#x160;`Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â?`Â°Â°Â°

Habitat shit HQ out

Home at theaMansion down hill inside

yha.com.au

Home Travellers Motel Public on doorstep St Arnaud 32 Carlisle St, transport St Kilda.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM tntdownunder.com

99 Park St, South Yarra, weekly meal, starnaudguesthouse.com.au

Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com

FREE The Spencer City Central BP in room 475 Spencer St power point spencerbackpackers.com.au

Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au

UC103

FREE all you can eat brea rice and pas

1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au

Unique value tour packages

Nomads Melbourne 198 Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com

Book Now 1800 Space Hotel

Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;vÂ&#x153;JĂ&#x17E;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;}>Â?>`Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iÂ°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â°>Ă&#x2022; Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x153;Â°Ă&#x17E;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;}>Â?>`Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iÂ°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â°>Ă&#x2022;

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Maximum 4 bed dormitor

380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au

oversized l

5 minute walk to city The Nunnery ;OfW[c[ " PSR 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy Large big screen bar with nunnery.com.au 4@33 P`SOYTOab eSSYZg [SOZ `WQS (all sporting events major Urban Central 4@33 W\ `]][ ]d 334 City Road, Southbank at the bar ^]eS` ^]W\b urbancentral.com.auDrink specials

4@33 W\P]c\R b` Victoria Hotel Backpackers Public transport on doors # [W\cbS eOZY b] Victoria Hotel, 380 Victoria St Unique value tour packag :O`US PO` eWbV P vichotelbrunswick.com.au OZZ [OX]` a^]`bW\

631 288 urbancentra

>cPZWQ b`O\a^]`b

ST KILDA

The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, hotelspencer.com

Back of Chapel Backpackers 50 Green St backofchapel.com

Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor nomadshostels.com

Base St Kilda 17 Carlisle St stayatbase.com

C\W_cS dOZcS b]c

Book Now 1800 C1 !

10 76

a big ball.

Melbourne Oasis YHA 66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 at the bar Drink specials 76 Chapman St 4212, homemansion.com.au

*Â&#x2026;\Ă&#x160;Ă¤Ă&#x2021;Ă&#x160;{Ă&#x2021;nĂ&#x17D;Ă&#x160;ÂŁxÂŁÂ&#x2122;

ZEST

mibp.com.au of you and offers incredible views in the process.

333 St Kilda Road, bar with big screen Large Melbourne Metro YHAsurreal? to like? Want something a bit more St Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kilda. 1800not 202 500, Howard St habitathq.com.au Try major zorbing onsporting the Gold Coast â&#x20AC;&#x201C;78youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re basically thrown (all events shown) yha.com.au

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Melbourne International Backpackers greenhousebackpacker.com.au 5 the minute walk toyou city east coast, it makes feel204 invincible, scares the living Punt Rd, Prahran

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14/12/12 9:43 PM AM 17/4/13 7:51:04

VICLISTINGS Coffee Palace Backpackers 24 Grey St

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

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

Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au The Ritz for Backpackers 109 Barkly St stkildabeachhouse.com.au St Kilda Beach House 169B Fitzroy St ritzbackpackers.com

melbourne do Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square. 03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au

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

great ocean rd Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea. 03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. 03 5237 7899, yha.com.au

Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

dandenong Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

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

mornington Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie. 03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento. 03 5984 4323, yha.com.au Tortoise Head Lodge French Island. 03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

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

Oasis Backpackers 230 Deakin Av, Mildura. 04 0734 4251, milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

gippsland Prom Country Backpackers 03 5682 2614

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

mildura

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

Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Avenue milduracitybackpackers.com.au

phillip island

The Spencer

The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road. 03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com. au

grampians

Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Ave, Mildura. 03 5022 7922, milduracitybackpackers.com.au

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

@tnt_downunder

STRATHMERTON Riviera Backpackers YHA 669 Esplanade yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Everything you want in a hostel! Friendly and affordable

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

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

Free call: 1800 638 108

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

portland Like many small ported cities, Portland possesses the similar laidback, industrial, artistic vibes that have become synonymous with the Oregon equivalent, albeit on a much smaller scale. The oldest city in Victoria and formerly the main whaling hub in the region, Portland is rife with history. If that’s not your cup of tea, the nearby Bridgewater Bay has fantastic beginner surfing. Fortunately, no matter how packed it gets there always seems to be room to carve out your own personal space. Around the coast between Cape Bridgewater and Cape Nelson are a myriad of caves, blowholes and freshwater lakes, all easily accessible without busting out the hiking boots.

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SALISTINGS

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

fleurieu penin

CHECK IN

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

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

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

Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au

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

Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au

Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth Street. Rooms from $25 Winner of the 2011 best hostel in South Australia award at the Golden Backpacks, Shakespeare Hostel has a huge amount of beds and a huge amount of features too! Get thee to Shakers!

Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au

Adelaide

shakeys.com.au

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

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

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

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

My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

riverland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: SATC

port lincoln 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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WALISTINGS

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

CHECK IN

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

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

Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe. 08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. 1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St.

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge. 08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au

the witch’s hat 148 Palmerston St. Beds from $36 This is one of Perth’s most popular international backpacker destinations. Relaxed, clean and modern facilities!

Perth

Witchs-hat.com

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

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

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

Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au

Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au

Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com

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

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, shiralee.com.au

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

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

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

YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au

Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com

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

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

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WALISTINGS perth do Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys. 08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au

The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

freo do Fremantle Markets Henderson Street Fremantle 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace. 08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

The Bakery nowbaking.com.au

rottnest isl

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

margaret river

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

ningaloo reef

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

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

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

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

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

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

broome stay Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road. 1800 655 011, cablebeachbackpackers.com Kimberley Club

@tnt_downunder 62 Fredrick St 08 9192 3233,

kimberleyklub.com

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St

ningalooclub.com

ESPERANCE Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd,

yha.com.au

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

yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

albany While Perth may be the most isolated city in the world, when you drive four and a half hours south you’ll wonder why Albany isn’t a serious contender. Truly a year round destination for Western Australia, every season has something unique to offer tourists, and in this laid back location you’ll want to experience each one. Snorkel and kayak the bays in summer or get up close to migrating humpback and southern right whales in winter. For the more energetic, surfing is arguably a year round activity, and those that are content with staying dry the ocean is equally enjoyable from any of the areas coastal walks.

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NTLISTINGS

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

kings canyon Only a two hour detour for the drive between Uluru and Alice Springs is the often missed and awe-inspiring Kings Canyon. The main activity is the 3-4 hour hike around the rim of the canyon, or the shorter Kings Creek walk which follows the bottom of the gorge. The scenery at Kings Canyon is close to indescribable and the only fitting description is that of a majestic canyon sheltering a lush green oasis. The walk is tough, but worth it. The aptly named ‘Heart Attack Hill’ might be off-putting, but soldier on and you will be well rewarded. Bring sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water and prepare to be blown away by some of the most spectacular views in the Northern Territory.

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

katherine stay

CHECK IN

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

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

youth shack

69 Mitchell Street, Darwin. Dorms from $28 One of the most colourful, interesting and fun hostels’ in Darwin the Youth Shack is also located right in the party hub of Mitchell Street.

Darwin

youthshack.com.au

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

Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf. 1300 135 595, ozjetboating.com.au Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise Adelaide River. 08 8978 9077, jumpingcrocodile.com.au Wave Lagoon Waterfront Precinct. waterfront.nt.gov.au

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

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

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

Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive. 1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au

School of the Air Long-distance schooling museum. 80 Head St. 08 8951 6834, assoa.nt.edu.au The Rock Tour Uluru tours. 78 Todd St. 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

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

launceston do

CHECK IN

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

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

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

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

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

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

devonport

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

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

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

Hobart

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

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

thepickledfrog.com.au

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

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

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

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

cradle mtn Discovery Holiday Parks Cradle Mountain Rd. 1800 068 574 discoveryholidayparks.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ship Stern Bluff The fabled monster wave of Tasmania is found off the Tasman Peninsula between Cape Raoul and Tunnel Bay. Even if you have no intention of getting in the water you should make a point of witnessing the behemoth. Weather conditions have to be just right for the wave to even appear so if your visit coincides with this bi-monthly event, don’t miss it. Asking the locals in the area is the best way to find it, not only that, but they’ll also tell you if the conditions are even right. It’s a four-hour hike there and back, so make sure you pack a lunch. The wave itself is not recommended for beginner or even intermediate surfers, so don’t even think about getting in the water unless you know what you’re doing, as you’re likely to hurt yourself and possibly others.

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NZLISTINGS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Dunedin New Zealand’s oldest city Dunedin, located in the South Island’s south-east, has strong connections to Scotland, thanks to early settlers turning up in the area after finding the Australian climate too humid for their liking. The cooler coastal weather reminded them of home and even today this town is full of shops and reminders of the Scots culture. Even the name ‘Dunedin’ comes from the Gaelic word for Edinburgh. A gold rush in the 1850s provided a jump in population and Dunedin has been thriving ever since. These days the city is a big student town and has an abundance of fresh seafood and local wildlife, with sea lions, fur seals and penguins all being easily spotted along the Otago coastline. It is also home to one of New Zealand’s most famous beers – Speights, which is an icon of the South Island. Visitors can tour the brewery – which is still standing on the original 1876 site – and enjoy one (or many) of the award-winning varieties of beers being produced. Record fans might want to head to Baldwin Street in the suburbs, which is widely considered the steepest road in the world.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

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

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

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

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

queenstown Base Discovery Lodge Queenstown 49 Shotover St. +64 3441 1185, stayatbase.com Bungi Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 15 Sydney St. 0800 728 286, bungibackpackers.co.nz Cardrona Alpine Resort Between Queenstown and Wanaka. +64 3443 7341, cardrona.com Flaming Kiwi Backpackers (BBH) 39 Robins Rd. +64 3442 5494, flamingkiwi@xtra.co.nz Hippo Lodge (BBH)

4 Anderson Hts. +64 3442 5785, hippolodge.co.nz Nomads Queenstown 5-11 Church St. +64 3441 3922, nomadshostels.com Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au Pinewood Lodge (VIP) 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 7463 9663, rgrieg@xtra.co.nz Southern Laughter (BBH, VIP) 4 Isle St. 0800 728 448, southernlaughter.co.nz YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street. +64 3442 7400, yha.co.nz YHA Queenstown Lakefront 88- 90 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413 yha.co.nz bus tours

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

Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com

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

Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.co.nz

Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv

Nakedbus.com 0900 62533, nakedbus.com

Standby Cars 1300 789 059, standbycars.com.au

NZ Travelpass 0800 339 966, travelpass.co.nz

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

CMY

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Lending a hand An Irish backpacker shares her experience volunteering with Blazeaid on the clean-up after the 2013 Gippsland Bushfires

Photos: Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Words jessica riley

The time had come, that moment every backpacker travelling Australia dreads. The moment you realise, it’s time to start your regional. Why you ask? This isn’t a choice, it’s compulsory. In order to stay in this beautiful country an extra year, backpackers have to complete 88 days agricultural work. Easier said than done. Having done my research on the best areas to do my regional, and with the help of reading other peoples in put about where to avoid, I chose to come to Maffra in Gippsland Victoria. My timing was wrong, around the time I was setting of to start my regional in Victoria, backpackers were fleeing the floods which took place in Brisbane and Queensland. Seven months previous to this I was living it up in Perth as a flashpacker (spending a ridiculous amount of money) and thought I’d have no problem getting regional work, I’m sure there are hundreds of paid jobs in Victoria. I came to Maffra with quit a bit of money and under the illusion I’d get a job straight away. This wasn’t the case and a month in the realisation of my situation had set in. I have no money,

no job, I’m running out of time and no one to rely on but myself. What am I going to do? While reading The Gippsland Times I read about an organisation called BlazeAid set up in 2009, by Kilmore East farmers Kevin and Ronda Butler after the 2009 Victorian bushfires. Their fences where burnt and needing to quickly secure their 1,500 sheep, they sought assistance from family, friends and volunteers to help rebuild. Within a week, their fences were complete – a task that would have taken them months to do on their own. Grateful for the help, Kevin and Ronda decided to help others with their fencing and set up BlazeAid. BlazeAid, made up of Grey Nomads and backpackers from all over the world has since spread to several locations throughout Australia. I decided to join BlazeAid’s Maffra camp in cleaning-up and rebuilding after the Gippsland Aberfeldy bushfire. This bushfire destroyed roughly 74,000 hectares of land, killing one man and wrecking 21 homes. My first day helping with BlazeAid was not what I expected, I wasn’t sure what to expect really. It was 7am, and tntdownunder.com

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The devastating destruction of this year’s Victorian bushfires

I was to be honest not too happy that I was awake so early. Knowing I was volunteering and not getting paid, left me unmotivated. I knew why I was there or more I thought I knew. Feeling nervous and questioning whether I should just leave and give up, I was snapped out of my self-pity trance by a voice greeting me. It was Angus and he was pointing towards the breakfast buffet and telling me to help myself. All you can eat fry, that’s a change from Coco Pops, things are looking up. Angus Guild is the Maffra base camp coordinator and a retired bank manager. Angus has dedicated his time to helping those in need, “I don’t know why I decided to help. The volunteers are just like family to me, on average we have around 35-50 volunteers and we’ve several basecamps around Australia. I’m very motivated about the whole thing. The farmers are lovely people and very grateful for the help. There are several BlazeAid camps around Australia and more opening up soon, we work every day including bank holidays, if the farmers will let us”. BlazeAid hire camping accommodation for up to 50 people. Rent office space, telephone lines and any equipment needed to help people rebuild their lives. They rely on donations from other organisations and hold fundraisers. At the time I couldn’t understand why Angus would go 88

from working in a high earning position, to the stress of organising something he doesn’t get paid for. Is it worth the stress? After breakfast everyone was put into groups of between 5 and 6 people. We packed up the equipment we’d need for the day and off we went to our given destination. Driving up towards the farm located in Seaton, it was eerie and dark, nothing I’ve witnessed before. You could smell the burnt essence of scorched land coming through the car vent. Black dead trees went on for miles and it was at that point I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started feeling sorry for the people who lost property destroyed by the fires. When we arrived we were welcomed by a farmer whom I remember thinking was cheerful considering he has just lost 60acres of land, his home and reptile collection. Laurie McGregor is his name and he told me, “I lost a lot of things I’ll never be able to replace but they’re only materialistic things, as long as I got out with my life. I’m very lucky. I sold off the cattle in September, so I had no livestock except my horse who I found wondering the roads the next day”. I admired this man, even after everything he is staying positive and he was so grateful that we were there to lend a hand, I found my motivation. We got to work, tearing down fences and rebuilding

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Jessica in action

Photos: BlazeAid, Jessica Riley

Looking for work? them. The work was physically demanding and you left the farm covered in debris. Knowing we were making a difference and helping a community rebuild what they’d lost, made it worthwhile. It was starting to heat up, and I thought I was going to die of dehydration (slight exaggeration) so we decided to have lunch and work for another hour, then finish up. What touched me even more was that people from all over Australia, all over the world come to help. People, who have retired and decided to buy a camper van, carry out this selfless act of helping someone rebuild their life. Backpackers like me come into this wanting to get their days but coming out of it with respect for what the volunteers do. They camp at BlazeAid grounds for week’s even months. BlazeAid provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with washing people’s clothes, and the use of showers and toilets. With so much disillusion with people today it’s good to know humanity isn’t a lost cause and there are people out there willing to help you pick up the pieces. One thing I never felt in Australia in the time I’ve been here is a sense of community, having spent a week in Maffra and seeing how BlazeAid is run, gave me that perceptive. To learn more, head to blazeaid.com

Tired of eating one minute noodles on a goon hangover? Look no further, TNT has jobs just for backpackers - ranging from fruit picking to bar work!

FRUIT PICKING SALES HOSPITALITY LAW NURSING ADULT SERVICES SKILLED LABOUR

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totallytrivial

@tnt_downunder

who to blame

and their favourite thing about the nt Editor

Alex Harmon

(Darwin)

Staff writer Hugh Radojev

(Kings Canyon)

adele rogers

(Alice Springs)

aussie rules football booze quiz a) Cointreau b) Pernod c) Benedictine d) Kahlua

Design & production Lisa Ferron

(The night sky)

Justin Steinlauf

distilled from? a) Potatoes b) Cactus c) Grain d) Agave

Trish Bailey

what we did this week

sudoku puzzle 4

had a meal at mejico in sydney, with over 160 tequilas on the shelves we might make it a tnt mission to try them all

8 3

roadtripped from adelaide to alice springs. caught lots of spiritual sites in between drinking lots of goon sangria headed up to brisbane for a night on the lash. what happens in brisvegas stays...

1 2

4 8

for the distilling of gin? a) Aniseed b) Juniper Berry c) Wormwood d) Botanicals

aussie-ism

5 8

a) Piccolo b) Magnum c) Melchior d) Melchizedek

“pash”

3 7

What is the largest sized Champagne Q 8.bottle officially called?

Q 9. What is the key ingredient necessary

Q 5. What plant or vegetable is Tequila

Financial controller (Katherine)

a) Speyside b) Highland c) Islay d) Lowland

3. Alcohol is classified as a: a) Stimulate b) Depressant c) Hallucinogen d) Narcotic

France, its country of origin? a) 1900 b) Never c) 1914 d) 1956

georgina pengelly

6. In which German city did the Kolsch style of beer originate? a) Hamburg b) Cologne c) Berlin d) Munich

Which Scotch Whiskey region Q 7.produces Whiskeys with peat smoke?

Q 4. In what year was Absinthe banned in

marketing + events executive (Uluru)

a) Tequila b) Gin c) Vermouth d) Vodka

account manager

(Rex the snake charmer)

What alcoholic spirit goes into a Q 2.Margarita?

Business development Tom Wheeler (Crocs)

The people of Burnley drink 1/3 of Q 1.global consumption of which liqueur?

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

Intern

An abbreviated term for a passionate kiss on a night out. Adding the word ‘dash’ makes it a term used when one leaves the scene after a pash and does not take things further physically.

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