TNT Magazine: Australia by TNT MAGAZINE

Dec 19-25 2011 Issue 660 tntdownunder.com

I,5N00! W A $2

RED SYDNEY TO AIN CENTRE TR PACKAGE

EASTERN FEAST Sydney to Cairns: What not to miss

SPRING BREAK Getting hot under the collar in Alice

Y X E S STILL

YE n Under for N w o D s it u ts eir ca ut bringing th o b a s u ll te kers CSS Brazilian roc

CAIRNS AIRLIE BEACH RAINBOW BEACH NOOSA BRISBANE SURFERS PARADISE BYRON BAY SYDNEY BONDI MELBOURNE ST KILDA ADELAIDE PERTH

PRE BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED TRAVEL PACKAGES ONLINE

peterpans.com.au

www.facebook.com/peterpansrocks

FREECALL IN AUSTRALIA

1800 669 424

WINNER 2010 BEST LARGE TRAVEL AGENT

BEST LARGE TRAVEL AGENT

CAIRNS AIRLIE BEACH RAINBOW BEACH NOOSA BRISBANE SURFERS PARADISE BYRON BAY SYDNEY BONDI MELBOURNE ST KILDA ADELAIDE PERTH

Travel Licenses: NSW: 2TA5499 QLD: 3005270 VIC: 32593 WA: 9TA1383 SA: TTA182441

ADVENTURE TRAVEL AGENT OF THE YEAR!

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

ANDREW WESTBROOK EDITOR editor@tntdownunder.com

EDITOR’S LETTER Some things are simply inevitable in the life of a backpacker. A goon hangover for example. And for good reason. It’s cheap, it’s... no, it’s just cheap. Another inevitability is the east coast. But this time round it ain’t just the price tag that makes it so sweet. The coast is filled with enough parties, beaches and thrills to last a lifetime. Which is why we’ve listed the top 15 things not to miss on p8. Happy travels!

THIS WEEK OZ DIARY

MUSIC & FILM

14-15

COMPETITION

CELEB NEWS

18-19

NEWS

SPORT

TRAVEL

30-43

LISTINGS NSW

LISTINGS QUEENSLAND

LISTINGS VIC

LISTINGS WA

LISTINGS TASMANIA

LISTINGS NT

LISTINGS SA

LISTINGS FIJI

LISTINGS NEW ZEALAND

WORK

63-65

TRIVIAL PURSUITS

FEATURES EAST ENDERS

From Sydney to Cape York, we give you the best of Australia’s east coast

DRESSED FOR CSS

The Brazilian party-starters chat to us about their upcoming Oz tour

INDIAN CHRISTMAS

All aboard the iconic Indian Pacific train as it travels the Christmas route

ALICE’S WONDERLAND Getting hot under the collar for the Red Centre’s sexy Alice Springs

34 TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

OZDIARY EDITORIAL Editor Andrew Westbrook Staff writer Alex Harmon Intern Leigh Livingstone Contributors Marie Barbieri | Sarah Aitken

like us on

facebook/tntdownunder

Dreaming of a bright Christmas...

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Sales manager Tom Wheeler Account manager Justin Steinlauf Sales executive Gareth Maguire MARKETING & EVENTS Associate publisher Denise Jinks Marketing assistant Lea Pahne DISTRIBUTION Lee Sutherland

02 8332 7511 tom@tntdownunder.com

PHONE EMAIL

WHERE TO GET TNT

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

THE MAIN EVENT CHRISTMAS [EVERYWHERE]

On December 25 the world wakes up to presents from the jolly fat man. But whether you’ve been naughty or nice, take a leaf out of the Aussies’ book and spend the day having a barbie and chilling by the beach. Just try not to get too drunk and end up on Bondi Rescue! If you’re looking for a party, jingle your bells to The Sunburnt Christmas Festival by Bondi Beach for stacks of music and food. Tickets start from $49 (sunburntchristmas.com.au). In case you can’t wait for the big day itself, get the drinking started a night early by jumping aboard the OzParty Ultimate Christmas Eve cruise on Sydney Harbour. Tickets are $85, but include three hours of unlimited drink, food and music (ozpartybus.com). FREE

LEGO: ON THE LOOSE [SYDNEY]

SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE

BOXING DAY TEST [MELBOURNE]

One of the more random exhibitions to have visited Sydney in a while opens this week – LEGO: On the Loose. Starting Thursday, Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World are both being taken over by giant LEGO models of things like great white sharks and Moby Dick.

This iconic yacht race sails into the nation’s interest on Boxing Day. Get to the harbour early to grab a good spot and cheer on the 90 international vessels as they set off for Tassie, while munching on some Chrissy leftovers. Hobart then comes alive as the boats arrive just before NYE.

Always one of the biggest days in the Aussie sporting calendar, the start of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this year kicks off the Test series against India. If you can’t afford the stadium, head to Federation Square to watch it on the big screen for free.

December 26 Darling Harbour, Sydney sydneyaquarium.com.au

December 26 Sydney Harbour rolexsydneyhobart.com

December 26 MCG, Melbourne ticketek.com.au

$18

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.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

FREE

$36

s #AMPERS FROM PER DAY !53 s #AMPERS FROM PER DAY .:

#!-0%26!. #!2 FROM

A DAY

-!$.%33 ! $!9 !,, / /6%2 !5342!,)! !.$ .: Most with Fuel allowance or free ferry crossings included. Go to www.standbyrelocs.com to view deals each day. Or call us to go on a waiting list - NEW DEALS EVERYDAY!

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM TNTDOW W NU NUN N U UN N DER DE D E ER R .CO CO C OM

standbywrkfile standbywrkfile_658.indd 652 indd 1

19/10/11 1/12/11 9:08:41 2:05:12 AM PM

Golden days on the Gold Coast

East coast delights If you only have time for one side of the pie, devour the east coast of Oz. It’s a trail full of adventure, beauty and (goon-o’) fortune... Hitting the east coast of Australia is quintessential to your backpacking adventure in Oz. If you don’t have a lot of time while you’re here, we recommend following the weathered trail, it’s a tried and tested journey, kind of like the yellow brick road for travellers. You know, because it’s all about the journey and the people you meet along the way, and yes, the places aren’t bad either. The easiest way is to get yourself a hop-on, hop-off pass and make your way up from Sydney (or you can choose Melbourne, even Adelaide). That way you have some flexibility and freedom, just in case you get stuck in say, Byron Bay, and have no concept of time because you’ve thrown caution (and calendars) to the wind. Most passes are valid for 12 months, just so you know. Some of them include surf lessons, sugarcane farm trips and more. It’s all about catering it to your own desires, needs and budget. You’re going to make a lot of new friends on your adventure, well I hope you do because you’re going to 8

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

spend a lot of time on the road with them, crammed into a bus or van or 4WD. These are the relationships that last a lifetime, because nothing says friendship like watching out for snakes while your new mate takes a dump in the bush. Or the bonding experience of entering a wet T-shirt competition in Cairns. You’re also going to make another friend, and that friend’s name is Goon. This mate is your cheap whorish friend who will get you shit-faced every night and also provide you with an inflatable pillow for you to pass out on. You’ll most likely be having a love-hate relationship with the cheap boxed wine. The hate comes in the morning, but you’ll soon forgive this lovable whore by the afternoon. If you do have more time, then it’s worth taking your time and stopping in the little coastal towns you find along the way. The people you’ll meet in the small towns are generally friendlier and more typically ‘Aussie’ (in the Crocodile Dundee sense) because Sydney locals think crocs are a type of

shoe they wouldn’t be caught dead in. And the price of beers in the small country pubs are circa 1985. Perhaps you’ll get the hang of surfing and experience your own Endless Summer by following the sun north. Maybe you’ll feel at one with the peaceful lifestyle of Rainbow Beach and start selling seashells by the sea shore. We recommend having a backup day job or trust fund if this is the case. Or maybe you’ll just get stuck in Nimbin. You don’t need to tell us why. But the east coast of Australia isn’t just endless white beaches and games of Goon-O-Fortune (a must-do drinking game), it can be as varied as the accents on your bus. From seeing the world from above by skydiving onto Mission Beach or discovering the history of the Town of 1770 where Captain Cook landed in the year... yep, 1770. That piece of history is for free. The rest you have to discover yourself. But just so you have some background, in no particular order, here’s our favourite 15 things about the east coast...

BYRON BAY

ISLAND HOPPING

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

There are simply too many stunning blobs of land off the coast to list here. But our favourites include: Hinchinbrook is the wilderness walkers’ paradise; Fitzroy is great for partying; Magnetic is the sunniest; Moreton is sand-tastic, Great Keppel... One thing’s for sure, isle be back (sorry).

PARTY ZONE You can quite easily party your way up the entire east coast. Sometimes it feels like Australia’s right side invented decadence – every backpacker-friendly town has wild parties every night of the week. It hurts, but we keep going back for more. Airlie Beach is one place not to miss.

FRASER ISLAND

LIFE’S A BEACH. SURF IT The east coast is packed with incredible, irresistible, insanely gorgeous beaches – they’re everywhere. The most famous being Whitehaven in the Whitsundays, which is so unbelievably picture-perfect you’ll find yourself yearning for a Bounty bar, even if you hate coconuts. Southern Queensland is, in more ways than one, Surfers Paradise. The reef puts a stop to the waves at Bundaberg, but until then, learning to surf is the most fun you can have with (some of) your clothes on. In Sydney, Manly is the perfect place to give it a try.

A perennial fave, nothing quite beats the world’s largest sand island in a 4WD. The inland lakes are also some of the best swimming spots you’re likely to find in Oz. Driving up the beach and through the subtropical rainforest is an unforgettable experience. Another little secret for you. A base for Fraser Island sure, but there’s a fair bit to see and do in Rainbow Beach too. Bizarre multi-coloured cliffs, friendly locals, spectacular coastal scenery, Great Sandy National Park, lovely beaches... A wonderful little escape from the east coast carousel and worth a few days.

‘AIN’T NO PLACE LIKE SYDNEY Where do we start with Sydney? There’s a fair chance you arrived or will leave from here but make sure you allow yourself a few days to make the most of it. The walk from Bondi to Coogee, along plunging cliff tops, above crashing waves and onto cute uncrowded beaches, is arguably the Sydney experience. For the happy snaps of world famous monuments, take a stroll round to Mrs Macquarie’s Point for the best views. After that, jump on a ferry to Manly before heading back to hit “The Cross”.

Photos: Tourism NSW/Tourism Queensland

CAPE TRIBULATION Cape Tribulation is situated at the northern end of the Daintree with pristine rainforests and beaches. It’s gobsmackingly beautiful. Backpacker accommodation is available on the beach or in the forest, whichever you prefer. Look into the possibility of hiring a mountain bike once you’re there. This is also an ideal area to go horse riding on the beach or in the rainforest.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

GOING FOR GOLD

GREAT SENSE OF REEF

RAFTING MISSION

The Gold Coast boasts loads. So if you’re a rollercoaster junkie, you’re in heaven. Gold Coast/Surfer’s Paradise is also famed for its... let’s just say “lively”... nightlife.

When heading up or down the east coast you’re going to be subjected to some of the most beautiful crystal clear water you’ve ever seen. Oh and a World Heritage-listed reef. So take advantage of both by learning to dive. If you’re further south, you can easily find a scuba school in Sydney but if you want some Great Barrier action you’re going to have to wait till you get to Queensland. There’s 2,000km of it so don’t worry, you’re not going to miss it. A great variation on reef diving is checking out the Yongala wreck off of Townsville. It’s rated as the best wreck dive in Australia and people say you will see more marine life in one dive here than you would in 12 further north.

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

CAIRNS IS KING Talking of party towns, this place is king. If there wasn’t enough going on with the rainforests, reef and more in touching distance, it seems this small city wants to celebrate its wonderful location by getting bladdered every night. Please check your dignity in at the door...

AAAAH-DRENALIN

/U T

OF ! YR n ' IA R E A T " A R R I E R 2 E E F n ! U ST R A L

/ iÊv>ÃÌiÃÌÊÌÀ «ÊÌ Ê iÊ vÊÌ iÊ Ì «Ê£äÊ` ÛiÃÊ ÊÌ iÊÜ À `°°°

ÕÃÌÀ> >½ÃÊ ÃÌÊ ÌÀ }Õ }Ê >À Ì iÊ ÞÃÌiÀÞ]Ê £ääÊÞi>ÀÃÊ vÊ ÃÌ ÀÞÊÜ> Ì }ÊÌ ÊLiÊiÝ« Ài`°Ê " ÞÊÎäÊ ÕÌiÃÊLÞÊL >ÌÊt / iÊ` ÛiÀÃ ÌÞ]Ê>LÕ `> ViÊ> `ÊÃ iiÀÊÃ âiÊ vÊ >À iÊ viÊÜ Ê> >âiÊÞ ÕÊ ÊÌ iÊ` ÛiÊ vÊ>Ê viÌ it UÊ > ÞÊ`i«>ÀÌÕÀiÃÊ UÊ- > Ê}À Õ«ÃÊUÊ À i ` ÞÊÃÌ>vvÊ UÊ{7 ÊÌ ÊLi>V ÊUÊ ÕÃÃ iÊ +Ê Õ V " Ã ÌiÊ ÛiÀ½ÃÊ `}iÊ>Û> >L iÊ Õ ÊÀ> }iÊ vÊ ÛiÊ ÕÀÃiÃ

ÞÃÌiÀÞ]Ê ÃÌ ÀÞÊEÊÜ ` viÊ ` ÃV ÛiÀÊ ÌÊv ÀÊÞ ÕÀÃi v°°°Ê

* \ÊäÇÊ{ÇnÎÊ£x£ ZEST

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

v JÞ }> >` Ûi°V °>Õ ÜÜÜ°Þ }> >` Ûi°V °>Õ

The AJ Hackett site near Cairns is one of the only places in Oz where you can bungy. It’s also very pretty. If you don’t fancy being attached to a rubber chord then perhaps skydiving is your thing. Offered at all the main hubs along the east coast, it makes you feel invincible, scares the living shit out of you and offers incredible views in the process. What’s not to like? Want something a bit more surreal? Try zorbing on the Gold Coast – you’re basically thrown down a hill inside a big ball.

CAPE YORK ROADTRIP Beyond Cooktown lies the remote Cape York Peninsula, at the northernmost tip of Australia (only 150km from Papua New Guinea). It is still one of the wildest and least populated parts of Oz. Unsealed roads, river crossings and crocs make the adventure one of the best roadtrips Down Under. Just don’t even think about it without a 4WD. If you’re not too sure about your skills, jump on a tour from Cairns.

TOWN OF 1770

WHITSUNDAY BEST

Until recently the thoroughly lovely twin coastal towns of Agnes Water and Town of 1770 were off the beaten track, a wonderful secret for those in the know. But the cat’s been let out of the bag. Surrounded by inviting national park, the area offers delightful beaches, turtle watching and access to reef islands. The area is also a great spot to learn to dive and/or surf – the last bit of surf heading north – or even for motorbike tours around town. And the towns are bathed in that infectious laidback feel – a taste of old skool Queensland.

Thought we’d forgotten them? Along with the reef and Fraser, these are a member of Queensland’s Big Three. They’re as beautiful as all those postcards. Just go there...

NEXT WEEK Hot dollar: How to enjoy Sydney on a tight budget

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

SOCIALSCENE

@tnt_downunder

TOWER HEIST FILM review by Alex Harmon STARRING: Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck | CERT: MA | 104mins | Out Dec 26

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN FILM review by Alison Grinter STARRING: Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller | MA | 112mins

This is one of those rare films which is actually better than the source novel which inspired it. It’s exactly what watching a film about the genesis of a serial killer should feel like. Tilda Swinton is supremely sympathetic as the guilt-ridden mother, Eva, living in a tatty, cashstrapped purgatory of her own making after her sociopathic son Kevin (chillingly played by Ezra Miller) goes on a Columbine-style shooting. It overdoes the red leitmotif and John C Reilly is miscast as Kevin’s father, but all in all, a fine film. 14

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

When four hard-working men have their pensions and savings swindled by an evil businessman’s scheme, they band together to stage a heist that will result in revenge and riches. And when you need to stage a robbery, who you gonna call? The black guy (Eddie Murphy) you went to preschool with, of course. All you have to do is bail him out of jail. And, yes, he’s in there for robbery. Convenient. Some might have a problem with the implausible plot line or the fact that it’s riddled with clichés, but if you put this aside, the film is quite enjoyable. Ben Stiller plays it straight, letting all of the other actors have the best lines. This actually adds to the sadness in his character as an aging man with a selfless service job. Casey Affleck is excellent as the mumbling, pussy-whipped husband, and the Puerto Rican Mohican (Michael Peña) plays the lovable ‘dumb’ character perfectly. Disappointing is the romance between Ben Stiller and Téa Leoni, which is flirted with, but never played out. And Gabourey Sidibe (who played the title role in Precious) as a Jamaican immigrant cleaner who has the worst Caribbean accent I’ve heard in a long time. It wouldn’t be so bad, but her lines are delivered with a pause that you know the director has left for audience laughter. No one laughed. Nice to see Eddie Murphy finally making a comeback as the street-smart thief. His wise-ass lines are reminiscent of his classic ‘crim films’ like Trading Places. GOOD FOR: Eddie Murphy’s return. And the sexual innuendo involved in opening a safe

like us on

SOCIALSCENE

facebook/tntdownunder

NOW SHOWING: NEW YEAR’S EVE

BOOK IT

NOW!

FILM

I don’t know what it is with films that have an all-star cast of around 15 names. It takes up the whole poster, and how can they afford all of these hot young actors if not by cutting back on the writers? The premise is simple, a bunch of people are planning their New Year’s Eve and at some point their lives intertwine. This film sounds as disappointing as the night itself. Romantic Comedy newyearsevemovie.warnerbros.com

CAROLS BY THE TREE

A VERY WOGANESE CHRISTMAS

CAROLS

COMEDY

Can’t get enough of the Christmas feeling? Head down to Darling Harbour for carolling beneath the epic neon Christmas tree, every weekend during December leading up to old J.C’s birthday bash. Local a cappella groups Sway, Heartbeat, Sorelle, Blues Point and the Hollys will be leading the way and keeping the crowds in tune. So brush up on your carols and soak up that spirit.

It’s going to be a very multicultural Christmas in Melbourne as these celebrated “wogs” of comedy (don’t worry, wog can be a very positive word in Aussie slang) spread their cheer. Hung Le, Gabriel Rossi, Jason Chong and George Kapiniaris are comics who each have a different spin on the Australian Christmas. It promises to be a laugh for people of all backgrounds.

Until Dec 24, Darling Harbour. Free. darlingharbour.com

The Comics Lounge, From Dec 19, from $15 thecomicslounge.com.au

BIG DAY OUT The clue’s in the name. When it comes to Aussie festivals, this is the big one as far as most of the locals are concerned. Indeed, a first trip to the BDO is basically a rite of passage for teenage Aussies. As always, the lineup is impressive. Heading the bill (but not playing all cities) is Kanye West. Also joining the tour (which visits Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland) will be Noel Gallagher, Kasabian, My Chemical Romance and many more. January 20 – February 5. From $175.80 bigdayout.com

TRINITY BAR SYDNEY

RECORDERS AT THE MCA

BAR

ART

This little Irish pub in Sydney’s inner-city Surry Hills suburb is a winner for its cheap steak nights and good coverage of sport. On Monday you can grab a steak for $10 or Thursdays a giant schnitzel. Their bangers ’n’ mash is also worth a try. Food is available from midday to 10pm with the bar open till midnight everyday but Sunday.

Sydney’s MCA want you to become part of its art when interactive artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer comes to town. The content is entirely collected from visitors, using technologies such as heart rate sensors, motion detectors, fingerprint scanners, microphones and face recognition software which brings the art to life.

505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au

Museum Contemporary Art. Until Feb 12. mca.com.au

SPACE IBIZA NYD TIX

WIN

Don’t want the party to end when the clock strikes midnight this New Year’s Eve? Well then, you need to get yourself to Sydney’s Space Ibiza on New Year’s Day. The event will feature some of the biggest names in house and techno, like ‘Evil’ Eddie Richards, Seth Troxler and Radioslave. To win a double pass, head to tntdownunder.com/ competitions.html TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

facebook/tntdownunder

like us on

WIN

HOW TO ENTER

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

WIN A STUNNING SYDNEY TO RED CENTRE TRAIN PACKAGE In case you’ve been living in a goon bubble since arriving Down Under and hadn’t noticed, it’s fair to say that Australia is a bloody massive country. Unless you’re willing to spend a load of cash on flights (and miss half the fun in the process), it takes some serious time to get anywhere in the land of Oz. Which is why it should come as no surprise that Australia is home to a couple of the world’s great train journeys – the Indian Pacific and The Ghan. Not only is watching the world go by from the comfort of a train a brilliantly old-fashioned way to travel, but it also means you get to visit the must-see Red Centre, as well as a few brilliantly random spots like Coober Pedy. Therefore TNT T has got together with Great Southern Rail, plus a few buddies in Adelaide and Alice Springs, to offer this fantastic prize for two lucky readers.

@tntdownunder

worth over

$2,500

THE PRIZE, FOR YOU AND A FRIEND, INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INDIAN PACIFIC: One night in a Red Day/ Nighter Seat from Sydney to Adelaide. NOMADS: Three nights in a four-bed dorm at Nomads Adelaide Travellers. BAROSSA VALLEY: One-day Barossa Valley tour. THE GHAN: One night in a Red Day/Nighter Seat from Adelaide to Alice Springs. NOMADS: Two nights in a four-bed dorm at Nomads Toddy’s Backpackers. THE ROCK TOUR: Three-day tour exploring Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon with The Rock Tour. Competition closes midnight AEST Sunday 15th January, 2012. Log on to tntdownunder.com for further details and to enter.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

NEW er ck Backpail fares a Read<y> rADL $49 MEL $125 ADL > < D SY $165 LICE A > < L AD $165 DAR > < E ALIC $219 R E P > < ADL $299 PER SYD <>

The most relaxed way to see the vast Australian Outback is by train. â&#x20AC;˘ Stretch your legs in your spacious recliner seat

Alice Springs

â&#x20AC;˘ Chill out in the lounge* â&#x20AC;˘ Make friends, have a snack or dinner in the licensed cafe/bar â&#x20AC;˘ Freshen up with on-board shower facilities*

Darwin

ULURU

Perth

Adelaide

Sydney

Melbourne

Visit greatsouthernrail.com.au/backpackers or book with your licensed travel agent. Terms and conditions apply. All Backpacker ReadyRail 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 2011 for travel until 31 March 2012. All fares are as stated and only available online, also available in opposite direction. All fares include a fuel price surcharge. Prices are subject to change without notice, available for instant purchase. Non-refundable. *Shower and lounge facilities not available on The Overland, Melbourne <> Adelaide. An additional lounge access charge of $10 for 1-sector, $15 for 2-sector or $25 for 3-sector is required and payable onboard. Travel Agent License No.TTA164190. GSR16545/TNT/einstein

*65 717 %

$G ÂŚ L GG

CELEBGOSSIP

@tnt_downunder

Hair today, gamble tomorrow

DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE BLACK OR RED

[USA]

Michael Jackson said it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, but in the game of roulette, colour is king. Where am I going with this? No, it’s not Dangerous re-released for Christmas. Although it kind of is: a clump of MJ’s hair is being turned into a roulette ball. That’s right, a US casino purchased the hair in an online auction for $10,871 and plan to immortalise MJ as a tiny black ball. It’s what he would have wanted. In a press release they said: “Together, we can ensure Michael Jackson continues to rock and ‘ROLL’ forever.” Which is priceless, really. And in case you’re wondering, the hair was plucked from his silky smooth days, because making a ball out of an afro wouldn’t have been as easy as A-B-C.

GAGA’S BIRDS AND BEES, UNPLUGGED

[USA]

Speaking of coughing up proverbial hair-balls, Lady Gaga has opened up about listening to her parents having sex as a child. She said: “My parents’ room and the one I shared with my sister were on the top floor. There are no doors on the bedrooms. My parents could hear everything me and my sister said growing up. And I heard them too!” She explains that this is why she doesn’t like having a home (probably because of her fear of doors) and lives between her friends and parent’s houses. Okay Gaga we get it, you grew up poor with no doors and your parents passed on their ‘European’ sexual mores to you. We’re not that shocked. Now, if you liked it, that’s a whole other kettle of (rotting) fish. 18

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

May the ‘fourth’ be with you: And the winner of the trashiest Vegas wedding award (a highly competitive category) goes to tatty Sinead O’Conner who walked down the aisle for the fourth time. She wed her boyfriend Barry Herridge at a Vegas wedding chapel and drove off in a pink Cadillac. It also happened to be her 45th birthday. Stay classy Sinead!

KE$HA LOVES DECEM-BEARD ALL YEAR [USA]

So Ke$ha is a girl who knows what she wants. And what she wants is a beard in her mouth. Seriously, after this, no more hairrelated stories. But in all seriousness, if it can be said in that tone, Ke$ha has created a website dedicated to her love of beards. Check it out at putyourbeardinmymouth. tumblir. She asks dudes with “bangin beards” to send in

photos and she’s even written a song about her love of munching on impressive face rugs. She said on her website: “Goodnight beards, I’ll dream of you all in my mouth.” Now she’s never been the cleanliest of girls and I imagine her downstairs beard to look like the Amazon jungle, but this is just too weird. I hope that it’s just a phase dedicated to the month of Decembeard. God, Movember must have been like foreplay to Ke$h as she waited for those beards to bloom.

like us on

CELEBGOSSIP

facebook/tntdownunder

TWEETS OF THE WEEK @Ladygaga “And... my video is now leaking like an old tampon. Watch MarryTheNightOnE.” @NickyMinaj “OH MY f’ingggg Gahhhh!!!!! MADONNA jus kissed me!!!!! On the lips!!!!!!! It felt sooooo good. Soooo soft!!!! *passes out* aaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!”

X-Factor makes my heart hurt

@RyanSeacrest “Happy birthday @ britneyspears... 7 years and so many frosted tips later, we’re both finally 30!”

X MARKS THE ALBUM FLOP

[UK]

Chris Martin appeared on The X-Factor and now he feels like he’s sold his soul to the devil. Which is pretty accurate as far as analogies go. You could say it’s more obvious than Simon Cowell’s male cleavage, but his people liken it to the devil, so we’ll go with that. Check out the roadie’s blog where Coldplay’s management discuss their hesitance to go on the show (which was most likely shreaded to bits by Gwyneth and her powerful lady bits). The blog read: “For some, The X Factor is the devil. It is regularly painted as the source of all evil in the current music industry. Indeed, as an angry young man back in my own student days, I’d have ranted at length against it.” Meanwhile in unrelated news, Gwyneth hasn’t appeared on Glee this season. And in related news, I still hate her.

MILEY’S INFLATED BOOBS TO MATCH EGO

Photos: Getty Images

[USA]

Queen of denial, young Miley Cyrus has hit back at the so-called experts who say that her boobs are faker than a Twinkie with a spray tan. Turning an insult into a positive, in the only way that the smug little twat can, she tweeted: “Thank you for the compliment but these babies are all mine.” Sorry Miley, we didn’t realise plastic was fantastic again. What have you been smoking this week? She then followed this up with: “I wish they’d realise you don’t have to be fake to be beautiful!” Again Miley, I know you’re going through a difficult stage in your life, bridging the gap between tween-star and future slag, but put them away. We don’t want to see “your babies”.

@KanyeWest “Boyfriends are like rush hour traffic... ALWAYS IN THE FUCKING WAY!”

@BonIver “a musicians ‘art is compromised’ if he/she desires a grammy ..but endor$ing a product with proven devastating health risks is ok?” @MCHammer “oh yea and I’m a proud @justinbieber fan. Any grown man got a problem with that don’t tweet me, meet me and lets do it bully.” @MarkHoppus “DAMMIT, WHY WON’T ANYONE MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT A HORSE IN WORLD WAR ONE?!!!”

You be the judge

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

PEACHES EATING HERSELF BRAINDEAD [UK]

Another example of why celebrities should be castrated (no offence Bob Gedolf, that was more or less aimed at Billy Ray Cyrus). Sorry, the example I’m getting at is Peaches Gedolf, as dumb as a bag of bruised fruit. She has revealed to the future generation of girls with eating disorders how she sheds the pounds. It’s called the “juice diet”, which is exactly as it sounds, living on juice for a month. She follows this up by “going mental for the chips”. Naturally this has made nutritionists furious. A spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association told the The Sun: “Peaches joins a long line of celebs who are braindead when it comes to nutrition.” Braindead! Someone had their Weetabix this morning – I couldn’t have said it better.

You’re not handsome, you’re not cool. You’re just a regular guy that looks a bit nuts The Notebook director’s first impression of a young Ryan Gosling

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

MUSICFOCUS

facebook/tntdownunder

Party starters The super-cool electro rockers are back with a third album and some Aussie gigs next week, so we got ourselves a Brazilian... WORDS ANDREW WESTBROOK

I can vividly remember the first time I heard CSS. It was 2006 and I was living in London. I was driving home late one night, trying not to fall asleep at the wheel, when suddenly the track "Alala" came on the radio. It was infectious, sublimely subversive and filled with crazy accents and even crazier lyrics. I loved it so much I had to stop the car and write down their name in case I forgot it before I got home. It turns out I needn't have bothered. Soon enough this unassuming five-piece hailing from Säo Paulo were the darlings of the music press, adorning magazine covers wherever I looked. While that year's self-titled debut album from Cansei de Ser Sexy (which loosely translates, incidentally, as "I've grown tired of being sexy"), didn't quite set the charts on fire, several indie magazines named it one of the records of the year, while singer Lovefoxxx made it to a podium place on the NME's annual cool list. The years aren't always kind to bands of the moment, however, especially ones like CSS that toured so relentlessly, and their follow-up album, 2008's Donkey, was widely slammed. Luckily, whether it was due to exhaustion from the road or a desire for a return to form, the band took some time out to chill in Brazil for a year, recording third album La Liberación in the process. The resulting record, out earlier this year, is proof that it was a good call. "Being back in Brazil was important," CSS's guitarist Ana Rezende told TNT on a scratchy phone between gigs on a month-long European tour. "It was really good because we were touring really a lot. We just had to stop and rest." But thankfully, now that they're fully rested, and with fresh tunes under their belts, they're getting back to doing what they do best, playing live. "It's not really hard getting motivated for shows," says Ana, "because it's like an hour and 20 minutes in a day. In every 24 hours we spend our time getting to a show, doing soundchecks and whatever. Everything revolves around that show, so for us it's the best hour of the day. I think maybe that's why people like to see our shows." Indeed it's clear that CSS, initially a side project for a bunch of mates earning their keep through graphic design, art and film, are still loving the ride. "Getting into music was kind of an accident," explains Ana in her bubbly and amused but rapid-fire Portuguese English. "We were in Brazil

for starters. Carol and Luiza went to art school, I went to film school, stuff like that. So we had those jobs and plans and then on the side we just thought, 'let’s have a band'

“

Our goal was to go out and have free beers. Now we get a whole lot of free beers

”

and in Brazil that just means you have a band, it doesn’t go anywhere. So that’s what we did and it didn’t go anywhere. But then suddenly it did and became this and we live out of this so it’s pretty cool. But it was all an accident, a big happy accident. It was just like, let’s have a retarded band with a stupid name and play a show!" So is she fed up yet of having a bizarre band name taken from a reported Beyoncé quote? "Ha," replies Ana. "It was just really the stupidest name we could ever get. We weren’t trying to be serious. Actually our goal was to go out at night and have free beers, that was the main thing. It worked out because now we get a whole lot of free beers!" And free beers is something they're likely to be seeing a bit more of in the near future, as CSS arrive Down Under next week. "We’re really looking forward to Falls Festival," enthuses Ana. "There’s a lot of cool bands we really like that are playing, like Fleet Foxes and Metronomy, plus we actually have a lot of friends in Australia so we’re looking forward to spending New Year's Eve with them." But more importantly, will Lovefoxxx have a new catsuit to wow Aussie crowds with from her legendary wardrobe? "Ah, she's actually just stopped that now, but she has a whole crazy new thing which you’ll see in our shows." CSS are playing Falls Festival in Tasmania and Victoria (Dec 29-Jan 1), plus gigs in Sydney (Jan 3) and Melbourne (Jan 5). frontiertouring.com/CSS

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

$40

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

CHATROOM

@tnt_downunder

Radio Slave Radio Slave, aka Matt Edwards, is one of the world’s greatest remixers. He talks about globe trotting, living in Berlin and heading Down Under for New Year’s. INTERVIEW LEIGH LIVINGSTONE

Do you prefer “Radio” or “Mr Slave”? I’m a slave to music. The radio part comes from doing edits of pop tracks. I guess I’m more “Mr Slave” than “Radio”. Why did you move to Germany? I just wanted a break from the UK and it just seemed like the best place to move to. I have been here [Berlin] nearly five years and love it. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Do you have any NYE plans? I am DJing in Adelaide on New Year’s Eve.

That’s Mr Slave to you...

What is coming up for you in 2012? With the label we are working with Nina Kraviz and really excited about releasing her album.

Then we have loads of other projects, working with young artists and doing lots of parties. Trying to sell records. Personally, hopefully I am going to release a couple of new albums in 2012, so I need to stop travelling so much and spend more time in the studio. What is the one thing you never travel without? My toothbrush and my records. I do this every weekend, so I travel really, really light. I don’t even check luggage in. Radio Slave plays Space Ibiza at The Greenwood in North Sydney (Jan 1). Win a double pass at tntdownunder.com spaceibizafestival.com.au

BREAKING NEWS

TNT DOWN UNDER IS LOOKING FOR A NEW ADVERTISING+EVENTS SALES REP TO JOIN ITS YOUNG AND VIBRANT TEAM IS THIS YOU? UÊ-> iÃÊiÝ«iÀ i ViÊ«ÀiviÀ>L ÞÊ Ê«ÕL Ã }®Ê UÊ7 À }Ê `>ÞÊ6 Ã>Ê ÀÊÀiÃ `i VÞÊ UÊ Ê«>ÃÃ Êv ÀÊÌÀ>Ûi Ê³Ê/ /tÊ UÊ >À`ÊÜ À }Ê> `ÊÃi vÊ Ì Û>Ìi`Ê UÊ ii Ê> `Êi Ì ÕÃ >ÃÌ VÊ UÊ `Ê}À>Ã«Ê vÊÌ iÊ } Ã Ê > }Õ>}i DAILY ACTIVITIES: UÊ > }Ê iÜÊLÕÃ iÃÃÊV i ÌÃÊ UÊ VV Õ ÌÊ > >}i i ÌÊ UÊ Ûi ÌÃÊÃ> iÃÊ> `Ê À}> Ã>Ì

SALES TEAM ASSEMBLE! BASIC SALARY + COMMS + SUPER

covering letter stating why Contact Tom with your CV and tdownunder.com @tn we should take you on! Tom TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

WORLDNEWS

@tnt_downunder

MISTAKEN DISCHARGE

Photos: Getty Images

USA

A police officer accidently fired a gun into his face after it was left in a carry on bag at a US airport. Upon security inspection the magnum revolver was discovered and went off, grazing the man on the side of the face. The police report stated that he initially intended to put the gun in his checked luggage but decided to remove it because he was afraid it would cause that bag to exceed his airline’s weight limit.

iMemorial: Steve Jobs will be remembered in Hungary by the creation of a 7ft tall bronze statue. It will feature his trademark jeans, turtleneck and sneakers. His memorial plaque will be in the shape of an iPad.

SHONKY SCHNAPPS GERMANY

A man dressed as Santa is wanted in connection with handing out poisoned schnapps in Berlin. A reward of 1,000 Euro ($1,300) has been offered by the head of Alexanderplatz

U.F. OH NEVER MIND RUSSIA Christmas market, Charles Blume, to anyone that captures the suspected spiker. Blume is quoted in Bild newspaper as saying, “whoever catches him, gets the money from me immediately”. Ten people have fallen ill after being asked to toast a new baby with schnapps.

About 25,000 pro-democracy protesters in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square were interrupted by a suspected UFO. The object with reflecting lights was spotted hovering above the crowd and some participants even climbed trees to try and get a better look. Witnesses could not identify the object, so they returned to their demonstration.

BOOK NOW!

$419 ZEPHYR

www.kiwiexperience.com Terms and conditions: Discount valid for bookings on the Zephyr pass only. Discounted rates apply to standard brochured rates on speciﬁed passes only. Bookings must be made between 8 Dec 2011-11 Jan 2012. Standard 12 month travel validity applies. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer excluding the Day Trip 5% discount. Kiwi Experience reserves the right to withdraw this offer at anytime and without notice. Prices are in Australian dollars. Standard Kiwi Experience travel and booking terms and conditions apply. KX968-12/11-TNTAUD

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

facebook/tntdownunder

SPORTNEWS

KISSING HAND OF GOD Former England midfielder Peter Reid has finally forgiven Maradona for his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hand of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goal which knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup. Reid met Diego Maradona in Dubai and was filmed grabbing and kissing his left hand and calling him a â&#x20AC;&#x153;gentlemanâ&#x20AC;?. Many England fans have branded Reid a â&#x20AC;&#x153;disgraceâ&#x20AC;? for his actions.

TORRES SPOKEN FOR Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists Fernando Torres is not for sale. It was rumoured Torres was available for ÂŁ20 million in the January transfer window. But the Blues boss said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not true, he is not available at any price.â&#x20AC;?

Bacon action: Shane Warne was given the all clear to play in the Big Bash Twenty20 after he burnt his bowling hand whilst frying bacon. Warne tweeted the good news: â&#x20AC;&#x153;All clear with hand specialist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so playing tomorrow night if selected. Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming to the G? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fill the G and support the melb starsâ&#x20AC;?.

-( (($ )!(' & " (+ /","- PPP F:@B<;NL <H GS

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

HOTSHOTS

@tnt_downunder

WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER

HOT TIPS: Tone

IT’S A BUNGLE OUT THERE: Helen Chester, 35, UK

HELEN SAYS: “Not discovered until 1983, the Bungle Bungle, in WA’s northern Kimberley region, offer up a spectacular landscape. To understand the scale of the national park, taking a helicopter flight is a must.”

THE MONTHLY WINNER GETS THREE DAYS CAR HIRE FROM TRAVELLERS AUTOBARN Photos are judged by ROUGH GUIDES senior photo editor Mark Thomas each month. Send high-res (300 dpi) jpegs with name, age, nationality and a description, to: travel@tntdownunder.com Weekly winner Helen wins a free night’s stay at the award-winning Sydney Central YHA (yha.com.au). The monthly winner gets three days car hire from Travellers Auto Barn. The runner-up wins a Rough Guides book of their choice sent to an Oz or NZ address. roughguides.com

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

TONES AND CONTRAST

WIN

Tone is one of the most important elements in photography. Even when shooting in black and white, you must be aware of tones and contrast, as these are the cement that glues all the pieces together. Contrast is perhaps even more important when shooting black and white as the grey is doing all the work that colour would normally achieve. Remember to vary your tones, as this will help with texture. Visually, your eye will be drawn to the lightest tone first. Tonal range refers to the scope of tones between the lightest and darkest areas and this varies in each image depending on contrast – for example, on a grey day, the contrast is low and can become dull, whereas if it’s sunny, it will have high contrast.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

TRAVELTIPS

like us on

Rock stars...

facebook/tntdownunder

ON THE ROAD WITH TRAVEL

TALK SUZIE GARDINER 28, UK

YOU ASKED FOR IT... WE ANSWER YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONS

it worth going to Coober Pedy? Q IsPaula Francesca, France

is the best time to visit the High Q When Country in Victoria? Yuri Kader, India

from the outback pretty much A Rising halfway between Adelaide and Alice

the season, this dramatic alpine A Whatever landscape is packed full of snow fields,

Springs, there’s no denying that Coober really is in the middle of nowhere and, unless you’re heading north or south, you’re unlikely to see it. But if you’re taking the Stuart Highway, it makes for a very surreal and interesting stop. While much of the town, which mines most of the world’s opals, is in fact above ground, about half of the buildings, including bars, hostels and even churches, are dug down into the red earth to avoid the desert heat. It’s a strange place, no doubt, and well worth having a look around, stopping by Crocodile Harry’s, which was made famous by Mad Max 3. It’s rightly renowned for being multinational and very wild. This is a place where fortunes are still won and lost on a regular basis. Don’t leave town without a quick fossick yourself (as in digging for opals)... just be careful of the thousands of mine shafts that dot the area.

waterways and gold rush towns. In winter, the snow (mid-June onwards) brings skiers to the downhill runs, which are some of the best the state has to offer. In summer (from December) the same peaks, the southern tip of the Great Dividing Range, transform into a dream for bush walkers, horse-riders, 4WD enthusiasts and campers. A few hours drive north-east from Melbourne, it’s a great spot to spend a few nights escaping the hustle and bustle of the summer months. And keen fishermen take note – this area is home to the largest trout in Australia so be sure to pack your fishing rod. If flowers are more your thing, then head here in spring to witness the amazing wildflowers in bloom. And no matter what the season, if you’re interested in seeing the place where Ned Kelly killed three policemen – the crime for which he was later hanged – check out Mansfield.

This cosy hostel in Western Australia stands out for its colourful murals on the walls and warm, friendly service inside. If you’re not sold by the water views and BBQ area, then the OVERVIEW

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AWAY? New Zealand for eight months and Oz for exactly two months – too long for my mum! WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE? Needing to take advantage of a working holiday visa before I’m 30. MOST OVERRATED PLACE? I have to say Bondi Beach! Sorry but there are so many more beautiful beaches in Sydney. MET ANY WEIRDOS? Whilst volunteering in New Zealand I met an old soldier who bought apples from me everyday and insisted on telling me the same story about being posted in Singapore. Less weird, more endearing. WHERE WOULD YOU REVISIT? Melbourne to check out the music scene and to see more penguins. YOU WISH YOU’D BROUGHT... Apart from friends and family, a year’s supply of proper Cadbury’s chocolate.

CHECKING IN ALBANY BACKPACKERS

WHAT DID YOU DO TODAY? Met up with an old school friend, it’s amazing who you bump into in Oz.

free coffee and cake everyday might sweeten the deal. ROOMS There are 8-bed mixed dorms, singles and doubles with share bathrooms. BILL PLEASE A bed in a mixed dorm from $24/night. Cnr Sterling Tce & Spencer St, Albany WA

albanybackpackers.com.au

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS AUSTRALIA EXPERIENCE

WIN

Each month our fave interview WINS a four-day Conservation Volunteers Australia experience. Email: travel@tntdownunder.com.

XXXXXX TOP FIVE TRAVELLERSTALE

GOING SOLO

Even 50ºC heat and ball-biting creatures couldn’t stop Louis-Philippe Loncke from trekking in the outback... I woke up with the harsh Northern Territory sun shining on my face. It was mid-October and I was about to enter the Nitmiluk National Park, near Katherine. I went to the visitor’s centre to register for the Jatbula Trail – a 66km track from the stunning Katherine Gorge to Edith Falls. I had already completed a number of bushwalking tracks in Australia so I thought I could do this one in two days, but the receptionist told me the hike takes a minimum of four days because it’s remote, dangerous, and the temperature can rise to 50ºC in the shade. She told me to go to the ranger’s office. The ranger was a big, tall Germaniclooking woman who I will call “Greta”. Greta started arguing with me immediately: “People have died on this track,” she said. “It’s the warmest period of the year, and you tell us you want to do the track in two days when people usually complete it in four days?

now this

Are you mad? You can do it in three days and two nights, or you don’t go at all. Now on the track there are ECDs – Emergency Control Devices. We want you to call us each time you reach one.” “Okay, I‘ll grab another can of spaghetti.” I started the walk at 9am and indeed, I had never felt so hot in my entire life. It was 50ºC in the shade in the early afternoon. Hundreds of flies buzzed around me. I couldn’t escape from them, even after I ran for 200 metres they were soon back. Each step meant a drop of salty sweat and I was drinking around 12 litres of water per day. Around noon I found the first campsite and ECD. I did my job properly and the ranger told me to go and stop for the day at the next ECD located at a river stream. There I pitched my tent in the shade, waiting for the temperature to drop. On the second day I woke up at 6am and left camp at 6.30am. I soon reached the highlight of the track, an Aboriginal art site known as The Amphitheater and took a small break.

I reached the third ECD at noon and the ranger told me to stop for the day, which made me angry as I would have to deal with the heat and the flies. The only way to escape was to dip myself into the dirty pond. The water was warm and full of little fish biting on my legs. Suddenly a bigger fish bit me quite painfully – it felt like removing hair with tweezers. It took me an hour to get them off: they weren’t fish, they were little shrimps biting me in the legs, arms and some managed to enter my underwear and bite my balls. I got out of this hell at 7pm when the sun went down. But then I had to fight with the ants that were carrying the cheese out of my backpack. The next morning I woke up early and finished the walk at 11am. By that stage I hadn’t seen any people for 50 hours, so when I saw some tourists I shouted: “Humans!” They looked at me like I was crazy. I still had to reach my car by hitching out of Edith Falls. It took me an hour, then my friend Jason picked me up. He invited me for supper after I told him my adventures. He said that the outback is full strange characters. I guess I had become one of them.

WRITE TO TNT AND

WIN

Send us your scary, funny or embarrassing travel tale (preferably about Australia or New Zealand) and if published you’ll win a $300 travel voucher redeemable on Oz Experience passes (ozexperience.com), ATA NT camping trips (adventuretours.com.au) and with Wayward Bus (waywardbus.com. au). Email your stories (700 words max), to travel@tntdownunder.com

iS a WhITE CHRiSTMAS ! tures.ccom.aau awesomeaddvenntures.com.a awesomeadve

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

The Indian Pacific SYDNEY TO PERTH

[Caption] 34

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

BIGTRIP

facebook/tntdownunder

Ticket to ride From Aussie singing sensations to isolated outback stations, the iconic Indian Pacific train does Christmas a little differently WORDS MARIE BARBIERI

When Neil Diamond sang the line, “Like the clickety-clack of a train on a track… it’s a beautiful noise,” I wondered if he’d ever travelled on the Indian Pacific. Indeed, it’s a romantic song line and a romantic train line, but the rumbles, clanks and other ominous things that went bump last night delayed my snoozing. That’s until my own not-so-beautiful noise (you know, that blunt throat snore that we all deny we do) woke me up at cock-shout, to a dusky pink swirl of sunrise. Its pastels flashed along the silver trims of the window, where I got to live that Poirot moment: waking up in a sleeper-cabin, thankfully with no corpses stashed behind the upper bunk. But let me derail for a moment (I know, I know) back to the start of this Indian Pacific outback Christmas trip. Before a screaming audience (author included), the 2006 Australian Idol runner-up, Jessica Mauboy, unleashed a voice more powerful than the Indian Pacific’s locomotive. The trip’s aim was to spread Christmas cheer to outback hamlets spanning this sunburnt continent. So we left Sydney with the cheers from the crowded platform fading. After winding through the haze of the Blue Mountains (or was it the haze of the bar’s Boags?), the 22-year-old Aboriginal singing diva kicked off another heaving concert at Bathurst station. I wondered if I’d develop throat polyps that night! FOOD TALK Wheels again in motion, we continued crossing the 4,352km of kaleidoscopic terrain. I could have got used to my sleeps-on-wheels travelling bed making its way through, one minute, suburban NSW, the next, a panorama of desert oaks. Mingling in the Outback Explorer Lounge, it was clear that fellow passengers were already in vino mode, as the conversation had turned to the convenient rhythm of rail travel… in bed. We were still chortling when the seductive vegetable and lemon myrtle pastries were served. Waiters are handsome on trains. While feasting on the scrumptious food, fellow trainee (apologies), Andy, said: “In its early days, The Ghan (the Adelaide-to-Darwin train) got stranded by flood. Apparently, the menu became any kangaroo that came within a bounce of the rifle.” After polite, nervous laughter, we all glanced at the beef on our plates and didn’t ask where it was sourced. A wildlife show of five emus, a buffalo and a gang of

goats (alive ones) passed by, before I crashed for the night, watching the shadows of inner NSW dance beneath a clear sky scrambled with stars. HIGH FLYERS Delays overnight meant having to skip the concert at the silver city of Broken Hill. But Jessica hopped off the train for hugs and photos with tearful fans. After peeling her from the feverish crowd, we assembled in the lounge to meet Captain Matthew Cosier of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, who was on-board to raise awareness about their vital work. The RFDS began in 1928 with the aim of reaching rural communities with limited access to medical facilities. We found out that Reverend John Flynn, who pioneered this aerial medical service, would buy you a six-pack (his face is on the $20 note). Matthew gripped us with fascinating tales. “When there is no official runway, communities plant plough discs in the ground,” he said, “lined with diesel-dowsed toilet rolls. Ignited, they act as flares to navigate us in.” At the Adelaide station concert, one emotional and grateful dad introduced Jessica Mauboy’s gig. On the day that a donor liver became available for his sick son, all

“

In vino mode, the conversation turned to the convenient rhythm of rail travel... in bed

”

scheduled flights had been booked. Reverend Flynn’s heroes picked them up and saved the boy’s life in the nick of time. So the flying doctors’ miracles come in many guises. Choo-chooing through South Australia, the landscape turned to yellow fields and rusty tin huts. Grey nomads towed their worlds behind them, and a van stuffed to the gills with backpackers, towels flapping and tinsel whipping from the window, followed. Happy days. At Watson (little more than a sign in the dust of the TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

of railway, measuring 487km (I had a ruler). Its hypnotic, Groundhog Day-like effect had me wondering if trees were hopping or kangaroos were growing from the mallee scrub. BEST BEHAVIOUR Arriving at Cook, the ghost city at the centre of the Nullarbor, we rolled into a skeleton of a town where four souls permanently reside. I would have gone for a quick swim, only the pool was a little busy growing weeds. Two corrugated iron gaol cells stood nearby, and I didn’t want to adjust the train’s headcount later. So when the gift shop’s signboard politely warned: “Any arsehole that steals from this camp will be gut-shot and left for the eagles to feed on,” I tried to pay twice for my stubby holder (just to be safe), but was reassured by the lovely shopkeeper that it really wasn’t necessary. Leaving Cook, neighbour to nowhere, Jessica Mauboy visited our lounge and shared her childhood story growing up in the remote Northern Territory. Inspired by country icons such as Alan Jackson and Patsy Cline, she won her first prize at the age of 11, before winning an ARIA award. “Seeing hope, trust and happiness on these kids’ faces,” she said, “it gets me deep inside!” IT’S RAINING MEN

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

GOING FOR GOLD At Western Australia’s Kalgoorlie Station, Jessica and a group of painted local Aboriginal children performed beneath the balmy night sky, before a bunch of us headed off for a whistle-stop tour of the Golden Mile. Our coach loitered through Hannan Street, eyeballing grandiose colonial palaces, government buildings and heaving heritage pubs. We then diverted off to see where all this grandeur stemmed from: the Super Pit (no, not Brad). Its Uluru-sized

Photos: Getty Images, Tourism WA, Marie Barbieri

Nullarbor Plain), we tumbled off the train to a mob of several hundred Aboriginal kids, parents and elders from isolated outback communities, eager to meet their idol, and of course, the man in red. A class from Oak Valley Aboriginal School made their annual pilgrimage from around 250km away. Shy at first, their eyes lit with expectation as Jessica kicked off, unplugged, cross-legged on the ground. Throngs spilled out of their tents and utes and tentatively gathered around. Then a young girl, overwhelmed by the spectacle, came forward, bursting into tears. The parched desert air absorbed the wetness from my own cheeks. For much of the next seven hours crossing the Nullarbor Plain, just ruby bush and saltbush painted the passing canvas as we hit the world’s longest dead-straight section

Halting at remote Rawlinna, a lime-mining outpost, we were showered upon by a strapping bunch of jackaroos (was I in heaven?). They’d stepped out of their 2.5 millionacre sheep station (that’s half the size of Wales by the way), yet I couldn’t hear an Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Although they weren’t quite sure what to make of our young, funky diva, we soon spotted that inside the steel-caps of these hardy Stetson-bedecked men, toes were tapping. Jessica bravely headed over for a post-performance mingle, and all manner of animated banter erupted. Within minutes, she’d been stetsoned… not that I was jealous of course.

cavity is named appropriately: at over 400 metres deep it’s the richest gold reserve in the world. It later became clear where some of that wealth ends up. Heading back to the train, the coach curb-crawled alongside several working brothels, intrigued eyes hanging out on stalks. Incidentally, the law bans brothels from operating on the same street as the police station, yet here they all stood, erect, on one. The loophole? The council changed the brothel end of the street’s name. Classic. Down at Matilda Café in the Red Service section of the train (the backpacker’s haunt), I befriended Irish travellers Kieran and Berni. “The experiences you come across on a train,” cackled Berni, “you’d never get on a plane. Early this morning, we all awoke to a bloke doing yoga at the front of the carriage. Some joined in, but it was hilarious, as none of us had a clue about chanting. And this guy was in full ‘Ommmmm’ mode – at 4am!” My unforgettable Christmas journey terminated in Perth. To a thronging crowd, the finale was Jessica’s rendition of Mariah Carey’s, “All I want for Christmas is you”. And this really was a most beautiful noise! ❚

NEXT WEEK From Russia with love: Exploring the European giant

UP TO 47% OFF

TO HOP-ON AND HOP-OFF IN THAILAND AND LAOS! AU$160

SAVE UP TO WHEN YOU BUY A STRAY ASIA PASS! + Buy a Stray Asia Full Moon pass and get FREE return transport via coach and boat to Koh Phangan beach - the home of the Full Moon Party! (worth AU$90!)

For more info or to book visit:

www.straytravel.com Terms and conditions apply.

+ FREE FULL MOON PARTY!

Tubing, Vang Vieng TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Alice Springs NORTHERN TERRITORY

[Caption] 38

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

OZTRIP

facebook/tntdownunder

Outback wonderland Rich in Aboriginal culture and alluring landscapes, Alice Springs is far more than just a gateway to the Red Centre’s rock stars WORDS SARAH AITKEN

To understand the utter vastness of the Australian continent, come to the very middle. The flight from Sydney to Alice is roughly as long as a flight from London to Bucharest. On the European trip you’d cover about eight countries in the time it takes you to cross half of this one. Out here, there is space to stretch. The landscape is ancient, stark and beautiful, while the wildlife is plentiful, fascinating and – because this is the Australian outback – sometimes deadly!

THE LAND You’ve heard of Uluru, but did you know there are stunning rock formations and ancient mountains much closer to Alice? Towards the end of the flight, drive or train trip, the flat-as-a-pancake horizon changes. The MacDonnell Ranges (pictured left) are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, rising from the sand to dominate the landscape. The 223km world class Larapinta Trail winds through them. There’s a real sense of isolation and quiet out bush, and camping under the silence of a million stars is the perfect way to round out the day. Watch the sunset on the panoramic rock formation at Rainbow Valley, take in Ormiston Pound from a helicopter, sit under ancient trees at Palm Valley or by big red cliffs at Trephina Gorge. If you need to cool down, jump in Ellery Creek Big Hole, a dark waterhole so deep it’s always cold. However, beware. On average there are 17 days over 40°C each year in Alice, so bushwalking is not recommended in summer. Even in winter you should carry plenty of water and wear sun protection. Tell someone your plans and always check conditions with local authorities before you go.

most venomous slippery guys. According to Alice Springs Reptile Centre owner Rex Neindorf: “If you’re going to die from a snake bite in Australia, you’re going to die from a brown’s bite.” Excellent. It’s snake season right now and a few too many have been spotted around town lately. They’re generally shy, but you never know – one lady found one in her oven recently. For an up close, personal and safe look at them, and other creepy crawlies, go to one of the daily talks at the Reptile Centre. For guaranteed sightings of big red kangaroos and other native cuties, head to the Desert Park – a kind of open plain zoo in the shadow of the red ranges. The daily bird show is a highlight. Don’t be alarmed if you see a camel or two on your trip through the Centre as well. They were brought here during colonisation because they were so well suited to the environment. They now outnumber humans and are being culled. Unfortunately there is no culling programme for the flies.

“

The wildlife is plentiful, fascinating and sometimes deadly

”

THE WILDLIFE

THE HISTORY

You will see plenty of birds and lizards around town but if you get just a bit out of town you could see kangaroos, wallabies, eagles, falcons and, of course, snakes too. The Red Centre has more than its fair share of creepy crawlies, both dangerous and benign. One to keep an eye out for is the western brown snake – one of the most world’s

Nearly 20 per cent of Alice’s population are indigenous. If you want to learn more about the Arrernte and other local groups’ long history check out the Museum of Central Australia and the Albert Namatjira Gallery at the Araluen Cultural Precinct, the Mbantua Museum and Gallery in Todd Mall, and look into doing a cultural tour. Catch a glimpse of TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

an Aboriginal community and learn about the missionary history at Hermannsburg, an hour and a half’s drive away. Colonial history is best seen at the Telegraph Station Historical Reserve just north of town. It was the original site of the town, chosen for its usefulness during the construction of the telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin in 1872. It became a school for Aboriginal children and is now an excellent museum in a lovely setting. It’s a short walk or ride from town, along the river. The Aboriginal art scene has its roots in the Western Desert communities north-west of Alice. The gorgeous Papunya Tula gallery descends from this movement and is entirely owned and directed by Aboriginal people. For something a little more budget, try your luck with the ladies on the grass opposite the gallery – they are registered to sell their own artwork to you at a fraction of the cost of the top galleries. Whether you’re interested in the indigenous, pastoral, transport or other history of the region, see the visitor information centre in the middle of town for directions to other museums.

THE NIGHTLIFE After a parched day on your feet there’s not much better than a cool beer in a cool bar. Luckily Alice has its fair share of drinking holes. Always busy with the post-Uluru tour crowd is The Rock Bar, which was voted the NT’s best backpacker bar by TNT readers this year. Then there’s Annie’s (also a hostel), where you’ll also find other backpackers already perched on the

ON YOUR MARKS TWO OF THE OUTBACK’S ODDEST EVENTS For a taste of the desert at its kookiest, visit during ‘racing’ season. The Camel Cup: Held each July, the Camel Cup is just like a horse race only... with camels. The main difference being that the camels are utterly unpredictable: they often run in the wrong direction, buck their riders off, or just sit down and refuse to run. Henley on Todd Regatta: Held every August. This is a boat race with a difference – it takes place in the dry Todd River bed. Competitors try to outdo each other with their wacky ‘boats’ made of everything from old bath tubs to life-size replica boats built over cars, and run/driven down the sandy river, trying to stay upright enough to cross the finish line. It’s probably the only boat race in the world that one year had to be cancelled because there was actually water in the river.

Photos: Tourism Northern Territory/Getty Images/Sarah Aitken

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

benches or cooling off in the pool. Down the road, Monte’s offers a more sophisticated tipple as well as a giant rocking horse and other kooky decorations. Then there’s Bojangles Saloon, a mock western bar in the main street complete with swinging saloon doors. Your mates can log onto the Bojangles website, watch you dance via webcam and even shout you drinks over the net. If you’re not ready to stop when Bo’s does, catch a taxi to the Juicy Rump (yes, it is really called that), the Casino’s nightclub. I’m told there’s a double sided mirror in the men’s loo, so you can wee while keeping track of the dance floor action. Weird.

THE LAW The government has imposed strict drinking restrictions in Alice Springs in an effort to curb alcoholism and related crime. You cannot drink in public places, including parks, the riverbed or streets. You can only buy alcohol during certain hours, and you must show your ID – even if you’re clearly over 18. If you are lucky enough to be able to visit an Aboriginal community in or around Alice do not take alcohol (or drugs) with you. Not only is it disrespectful, it could be illegal. Take note that there is a clear divide between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations of Alice Springs. This is most keenly felt in rates of health, education and employment. Racism is an issue, and alcohol abuse is devastating and obvious. Tourists have been assaulted in Alice Springs but, as with many places in the world, this is the exception

Rex and his buddy Frank, the Spencer’s goanna

rather than the norm and you just need to keep your wits about you. Avoid walking anywhere alone after dark, stick to well-lit areas and avoid the river at night. ❚

NEXT WEEK Hit the road: Your guide to buying a car Down Under

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

S S O R C KINGS RKET A CAR M NT BUY, SELL & RE WE ARE HERE s "59).' 3%,,).' 2%.4).'. Good selection of Cars, Wagons, Vans & Campervans. 7$ 30%#)!,)343. Over 50 vehicles in stock with up to 50% BUY BACK. All with camping gear. s All vehicles for sale have a Government approved Roadworthy Certiﬁcate (Pink Slip) issued by ).$%0%.$%.4 -%#(!.)#3, not company employees like most car dealers. s &2%% information with tips for buying, selling and travelling. Transfer & Registration forms for all States. s &2%% Advice on Registrations, Transfers, which States are cheapest/easiest to Transfer and Register. s &2%% 12 Months Australia Wide Warranty (guaranteee) with (2 2/!$3)$% !33)34!.#% available on most vehicles.* NOT a 5000km warranty which gets you about 25% of your way around Australia. *Conditions apply

INSURANCE CE FREECALL: LL 1800 808 188 We sell the only known ‘No Excess’ 3rd Party Property Insurance available to travellers from $230* For 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12 months. Insurance available even if you buy a car from another place and without you having to tell lies to get it.

NOW IN OUR 20TH YEAR OF

PUTTING TRAVELLERS ON THE ROAD

#534/-%23 #!. 4 "% 72/.'

NOT COMING TO SYDNEY? THEN BUY AND SELL ONLINE @ www.carmarket.com.au OR CALL 02 9358 5000

LOW COST, QUALITY CAMPERS AND CARS BREEZER HIRE per day*

$77 3 days*

$231

ECONOMY MY CAR per day from*

$54

*Van price based on Breezer Campervan, 3+ day rate, for travel 15/01/2012 – 25/01/2012. Car price based on Economy Car, 1-6 day rate for travel January 2012. Prices correct at time of print, rates change weekly so contact our Reservations team for the best daily rate. Minimum hire applies, offer subject to availability and liability reduction cover is additional. For full terms and conditions contact Backpacker Rentals.

Like us on facebook.com/backpackercampervans Follow us on twitter.com/BackpackerVans

BOOK

NOW

With our local 24/7 reservations centre on:1800 600 503 Or book online with real-time quotes and conﬁrmations at:

backpackercampervans.com.au

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

NSWLISTINGS OZLISTINGS

facebook/tntdownunder

TRAVEL AGENTS Adventure Travel Bugs 02 9212 4444, adventuretravelbugs.com Backpackers World Travel 1800 676 67 63, backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 188 799, peterpans.com 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

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

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

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

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

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com

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

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Adventures South Australia 1800 786 386, surfandsun.com.au Surfcamp Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 888 732, surfcamp.com.au The Rock Tour Red centre tours 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com

1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.com.au Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickercampers.com

TRANSPORT CO

Backpacker Campervan Rentals 1800 767 010, backpackercampervans.com.au

Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia. 13 20 30, greyhound.com.au

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangcars.com.au

Jetstar Airline. 131 538, jetstar.com.au

Explore More Rentals 1800 708 309, exploremore.com.au Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo. 02 9358 5000, carmarket.com.au Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com Travellers Auto Barn

Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast. 13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline. 13 17 13, rex.com.au Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline. 03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, redlinecoaches.com.au Virgin Australia Airline. 13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

NSWLISTINGS

SYDNEY STAY

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

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

Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com

Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9267 7718, bighostel.com

Sydney Observatory The Rocks. sydneyobservatory.com.au

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

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

Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au

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

City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333, cityresort.com.au

BOOK NOW!

The Furnished Property Group 02 8669 3678, furnishedproperty.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 www.yha.com.au Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks. 02 9261 1111, yha.com.au Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. 1800 013 186 nomadshostels.com Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross. 02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills. 02 9261 1111 Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach. 02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street. Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

SLIPKNOT

Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au

Sydney Entertainment Centre. Mon, Feb 27. From $88.40. On the 10th year anniversary of their breakthrough album Iowa, the boys are unleashing their fury on Sydney with this Soundwave sideshow.

Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

Harbour St

ticketekmaster.com.au

Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com Lochner’s Guesthouse 8 Gowrae Ave. Bondi. 02 9387 2162, Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee. 04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee. 02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road. Glebe. 02 9692 8418, yha.com.au

Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly. 02 9977 3411 boardrider.com.au The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly. 1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly. 02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney. 02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com

SYDNEY DO Manly Surf School Manly Beach. 02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

@tnt_downunder

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

CENTRAL COAST Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle. 02 4925 3544, yha.com.au Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal. 02 4384 1919, yha.com.au

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

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

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

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net

SYDNEY MUSIC Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com The Annandale annandalehotel.com The Basement thebasement.com.au The Enmore enmoretheatre.com.au The Gaelic Hotel thegaelic.com The Metro metrotheatre.com.au

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

SOUTH COAST Great Southern Backpackers 13 Chandos St, Eden. 02 6496 1515, greatsoutherninn.com.au

COFFS HARB Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 02 6652 6462, yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MOUNT WARNING Want to be the first on mainland Australia to see the sun rising on New Year’s Day? Well then you need to get to the top of Mount Warning in northern NSW. Once the beating heart of a now extinct volcano, the mountain (1,156m) was originally called Wollumbin, meaning “fighting chief of the mountains”. It was renamed by Captain Cook in 1770 due to its role in warning sailors of approaching land. Allow a good four or five hours for the round-trip walk through ancient forests to heath shrubland until the spectacular 360° views at the summit.

Inland from Murwillumbah, New South Wales

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

F*CK SYDNEY! NYE 2011

I’M GOING TO

VEGAS! $249 fors igc h18 t- 24 14 en en De Betw

to Birdees +Free entry days , Family Fri XMAS Party travaganza xing day Ex + Bunk Bo

QLD’S #1 HOSTEL

COMPARE THE COST!

QLDLISTINGS

BRISBANE STAY Aussie Way Backpackers 34 Cricket St. 07 3369 0711, aussiewaybackpackers.com

BOOK NOW!

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

Brisbane City Apartments 1800 110 443, brisbanecityapartments.com Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com

44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise. 1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers. com.au

Gallery of Modern Art Stanley Pl, South Bank. 07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au

Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise. 1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au

Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au

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

Lone Pine Koala Santuary 708 Jesmond Rd, Fig Tree Pocket. 07 3378 1366, koala.net

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

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

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

ROD STEWART Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Wed, Feb 22. From $130. Love him or hate him, you’ve gotta hand it to the man with 62 hit singles under his belt. Catch him as he tours Oz with Aussie singer Diesel.

Brisbane

ticketek.com.au

Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St 07 3236 1947, yha.com.au

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

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

Chill Backpackers 328 Upper Roma St. 1800 851 875, chillbackpackers.com

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

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

BRISBANE DO

@tnt_downunder

BRISBANE MUSIC The Hi-Fi thehifi.com.au The Tivoli thetivoli.net.au The Zoo thezoo.com.au X and Y Bar xandybar.com.au

GOLD COAST Aquarius Backpackers

Cheers International Backpackers 8 Pine Av, Surfers Paradise. 1800 636 539, cheersbackpackers.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 Paradise. 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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

TOWNSVILLE Halfway up the Great Barrier Reef and with great access to it, Townsville is the largest city in Tropical Queensland. It’s surrounded by both rainforest and outback, being one of those rare places where the dusty interior meets the Coral Sea, and is known as the “sunshine capital of Australia” because it hardly ever rains. Great diving to be had too. Most travellers come here to pay a visit to Magnetic Island, or “Maggie” as it’s known, a laidback tropical paradise just a ferry ride away. Also nearby is the SS Yongala, widely considered Australia’s best wreck dive.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

QLDLISTINGS Surf â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sun Beachside Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise. 1800 678 194, surfnsun-goldcoast.com Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise. 07 5571 1776, yha.com.au Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport. 1800 100 004, trekkersbackpackers.com.au

GC DO 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 Warener Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au Zorb Adrenalin rolling. 07 5547 6300

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

HERVEY BAY Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Road. 07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive. 07 4125 1844, yha.com.au Fraser Roving 412 The Esplanade. 1800 989 811, fraserroving.com.au Halse Lodge YHA 408 The Esplanade. 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au Next at Hervey Bay 10 Bideford St. 1800 102 989, nextbackpackers.com.au Nomads Hervey Bay 408 The Esplanade. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Palace Backpackers 184 Torquay, 1800 063 168, palaceadventures.com.au

SUNSHINE CST Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba. 1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com Dolphins Beach House 14-16 Duke Street, Noosa 1800 454 456, dolphinsbeachhouse.com Nomads Noosa 44 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa. 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au

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

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

BUNDABERG Federal Backpackers 221 Bourbong St. 07 4153 3711 federalbackpackers.com.au Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166 Bundaberg Bondstore Distillery tours. 07 4131 2999 bundabergrum.com.au

ROCKHAMPTON Emus Beach Resort 88 of Patterson St, Emu Park. 07 4939 6111, emusbeachresort.com Myella Farmstay Baralaba. 07 4998 1290, myella.com

Magnums 7 Marine Pde, Arcadia Bay. 1800 663 666, magnetic-island.com/arc-rsrt.htm Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

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

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

INNISFAIL

Airlie Waterfront Backpackers 6 The Esplanade. 1800 089 000, airliewaterfront.com

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

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

Walkabout Motel & Backpackers 07 4061 2311

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

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

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

Gilligans Backpackers and Hotel Resort 57-89 Grafton St. 1800 556 995, gilligans.com.au

TOWNSVILLE

JJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com

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

NJOY Travellers Resort Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au

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

MAGNETIC ISL

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

Dreamtime Travellers Rest 189 Bunda St. 1800 058 440, dreamtimehostel.com

BOWEN

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

CAIRNS STAY

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

Nomads Airlie Beach 354 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 666 237 nomadshostels.com

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

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

Nomads Beach House 239 Sheridan St. 1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com

@tnt_downunder Northern Greenhouse 117 Grafton St. 1800 000 541, northerngreenhouse.com.au

CAIRNS DO AJ Hackett Bungy jumping canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com Cairns Dive Centre 1800 642 591, cairnsdive.com.au Pro Dive 07 4031 5255, prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting. 07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au Skydive Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au Skydive Cairns 07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au Skyrail Rainforest Cableway 07 4038 1555, skyrail.com.au

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

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

GULF SAVANNAH Emu Creek Cattle Station 07 4094 8313

DAINTREE Koala Beach Resort Cape Kimberly Rd. 1800 466 444

CAPE TRIB

Nomads Cairns 341 Lake St. 1800 737 736, nomadshostels.com

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

Nomads Esplanade 93 The Esplanade. 1800 175 716, nomadshostels.com

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

WORKERS WANTED

WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED

AYR NORTH QUEENSLAND

s .EW &ARM &ORTITUDE 6ALLEY s 7ORKING 4RAVELLERS !CCOMMODATION s "RAND .EW INNER SPRING BEDS s !LL BEDROOMS HAVE 46 AND &RIDGES s $BL ROOMS 3INGLE ROOMS AVAILABLE s & F STUDIO OWN KITCHEN AND BATHROOM n WEEK MINIMUM STAY s 0RICES FROM AS LOW AS A NIGHT AND THAT S YOUR OWN PRIVATE F F ROOM s 4RANSPORT GALORE WITH WALKING DISTANCE TO #"$ &ORTITUDE 6ALLEY

Working Hostel of the Burdekin District

ÂŁÂŁĂ&#x2021;Ă&#x160; , "1,/Ă&#x160;-/, /]Ă&#x160; 7Ă&#x160; , ]Ă&#x160;+ ]Ă&#x160;{Ă¤Ă¤x

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

%-!), 4(%?$%#+ ,)6% #/- !5 /2 #!,, &/2 ! 6)%7).'

WORKERS WANTED

9/5 7/. 4 &).$ !.94().' %,3% ,)+% 4()3 !4 4(%3% 02)#%3

AYR BACKPACKERS stay at Wilmington House

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Call Mick & Daphne 07 4783 5837

WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED WORKERS WANTED

7/2+%23 7!.4%$

SNORKEL OR DIVE WITH

&RUIT AND 6EGETABLE PICKING JOBS AVAILABLE s 4RANSPORT TO FROM WORK s &2%% COURTESY BUS PICK UP s ,AUNDRY FACILITIES s )NTERNET FACILITIES s 0LEASANT AND FRIENDLY STAFF s "ISTRO AVAILABLE AT "ANJO S TAVERN NEXT DOOR

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

&EDERAL "ACKPACKERS

The Only way to see the

Great Barrier Reef

LEARN TO DIVE

LIVEABOARD TRIPS

"OURBONG 3T "UNDABERG 1LD

0HONE WWW FEDERALBACKPACKERS COM AU FEDERALBACKPACKERS HOTMAIL COM

DAY TRIPS

#OMPLIES WITH ALL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS QUANTITY DEPENDS ON SEASON

9Ă&#x160;* Ă&#x160;/"Ă&#x160; t / Ă&#x160;"

7", ,-Ă&#x160; "-/

FRUIT PICKERS WANTED ./7 'UYS GIRLS s 3ITUATED IN TOWN CENTRE NEXT DOOR TO TOWN SWIMMING POOL s %ACH ROOM HAS OWN ENSUITE 46 BAR FRIDGE AIR CON s !LL 4RANSPORT PROVIDED

0HONE

WORKERS WANTED FOR FARM IN INNISFAIL. Free accommodation and food provided. Offers very good working and living conditions.

PHONE 0437 692 002

SNORKELLING OR DIVING IN

CAIRNS? Specialising in Day, 2 & 3 Day Liveaboard Snorkel & Dive Trips and Dive Courses

121 Abbott St, Cairns 4870 Australia

Tel 07 4051 0294 www.cairnsdive.com.au Email info@cairnsdive.com.au TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

VICLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au

BOOK NOW!

The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane. 1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au

BOOK NOW!

Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au Home at the Mansion 66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 4212, homemansion.com.au Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda. 1800 008 718, hometravellersmotel.com.au Hotel Bakpak Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 1800 645 200, hotelbakpak.com

SYSTEM OF A DOWN Rod Laver Arena. Wed, Feb 29. From $87. The headliners for the Soundwave Festival will also make time to play some stadiums throughout the country. Get in quick for tickets.

Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne

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

ticketek.com.au

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

Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. 03 9621 2523, yha.com.au Nomads Melbourne 198 Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com Space Hotel 380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, hotelspencer.com Urban Central 334 City Rd, Southbank. 1800 631 288, urbancentral.com.au

BEIRUT The Hi-Fi. Mon, Jan 9. $60.50. Catch the gifted musicians from the US performing from their 3rd LP release. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also here for the Falls and Southbound festivals.

Swanston St, Melbourne

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

moshtix.com.au Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. 13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au

AbOg >ZOg

/QQ][[]RObW]\ T`][ & O \WUVb acPXSQb b] OdOWZOPWZWbg

>@3A3<B B67A /2 4=@ ! =44 G=C@ 47@AB <756B

;Of " PSR R]`[Wb]`WSa eWbV Q`Wa^ T`SaV ZW\S\ O\R b]eSZ 4S[OZS ]\Zg R]`[Wb]`WSa eWbV ZOÙS Z]\U [W``]à 3\acWbS R]`[Wb]`WSa eWbV PObV O\R PObV a]O^ 4@33 P`SOYTOab QS`SOZ b]Oab O\R XcWQS 4@33 ^Sà]\OZ ]dSàWhSR Z]QYS` eWbV ^]eS` ^]W\b :OÙS PO` eWbV PWU aQ`SS\ OZZ QVO\\SZa OdOWZOPZS # [W\cbS eOZY b] QWbg >cPZWQ bÒ\a^]`b ]\ R]]àbS^

C1 0

=\ aWbS b`OdSZ Q][^O\g

0]]Y <]e & $!

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

&& c`PO\QS\b`OZ Q][ Oc !!" 17BG @=/2 A=CB60/<9 ;3:0=C@<3 D71 ! $ /CAB@/:7/

VICLISTINGS

MORNINGTON

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

BOOK NOW!

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

Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie. 03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy, Sorrento. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au

MELB MUSIC

Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento. 03 5984 4323, yha.com.au

Cherry Bar myspace.com/cherrybarmelbourne Corner Hotel cornerhotel.com

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

East Brunswick Club eastbrunswickclub.com

Prom Country Backpackers 03 5682 2614 Rawsom Caravan Park Depot Rd, Rawson. 03 5165 3439, rawsoncaravanpark.com.au

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

GRAMPIANS

DANDENONG

Esplanade Hotel espy.com.au

Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

THE DRUMS AND CULTS

Northcote Social Club northcotesocialclub.com

Palace Theatre. Fri, Feb 3. $59.50. Two of the most talked about bands of the past 12 months join forces for a night of seriously awesome indie pop.

Palace Theatre palace.com.au

Bourke St, Melbourne

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

@tnt_downunder

Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. 03 5237 7899, yha.com.au

GREAT OCEAN RD

Great Ocean Road Backpackers YHA 10 Erskine Av, Lorne. 03 5289 2508, yha.com.au

Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea. 03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au

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

ticketek.com.au Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park 35 Bell St, Torquay. 1300 736 533, torquaycaravanpark.com.au

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

GIPPSLAND

Brambuck Backpackers 330 Grampians Road, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4250, brambuck.com.au Fleece Inn YHA 139 Charleston Rd, Bendigo. 03 5443 3086, yha.com.au Grampians YHA Eco Hostel Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4543, yha.com.au Old Crown Hotel 238 Hargreaves St, Bendigo. 03 5441 6888 Timâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place 44 Grampians Road, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4288, timsplace.com.au

Homely, Friendly, Clean & Comfortable 53 Jackson Street, St Kilda VIC 3182 Australia Tel: (03) 9534 1877 jacksonsmanor@optusnet.com.au www.jacksonsmanor.com.au

FREE SECURE OFF-STREET CAR PARKING s $OUBLES TWINS DORMS s &ULLY EQUIPPED KITCHEN s !LL ROOMS CENTRALLY HEATED s #ABLE 46 $6$ 6IDEO s &REE FRESH LINEN s ,AUNDRY

s HOUR STAFF SECURITY s %MPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE s ""1 AND SUNNY COURTYARD s !IRCONDITIONED LOUNGE AND DINING ROOMS

GREAT ATMOSPHERE, GREAT RATES BEST RATES IN MELBOURNE IN A VERY CLEAN HOSTEL 52

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

NSWLISTINGS WALISTINGS BOOK NOW!

@tnt_downunder

BOOK NOW!

Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. 08 9287 3333, yha.com.au The Old Swan Barracks 6 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge. 08 9228 3755, undergroundbackpackers.com.au The Witch’s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, witchshat.com

PERTH DO IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE Villa Nightclub. Sat, 14 Jan. $59.50. The underground hip-hop lyricist and Occupy Wall Street activist is heading Down Under on his first Australian tour. Catch him in Perth.

Sterling St, Perth

moshtix.com.au

PERTH STAY Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, billabongresort.com.au Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge. 08 9227 6000, perthbrittania.com Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553,

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

emperorscrown.com.au

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

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

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

Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe. 08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au One World Backpackers 162

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

PERTH MUSIC Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au

VENGABOYS Metropolis Fremantle. Fri 20 Jan. $49.80. Yes, they’re still around! The Vengabus is coming and you have no excuse to miss it. They’ve just announced a second show in Fremantle.

South Terrace, Fremantle Astor Theatre liveattheastor.com.au Mojo’s Bar mojosbar.com.au The Bakery nowbaking.com.au The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

moshtix.com.au

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

like us on

facebook/tntdownunder

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WAVE ROCK Rising 15m into the air, this bizarre rock formation, created and shaped by the powers of erosion, offers an intriguing breather on the largely featureless drive inland from Perth. Dark streaks of algae add to the affect that the wave of granite is actually pounding surf about to smash down on top of you. You’ll find it about 350km south-east of Perth.

80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com.au

FREO DO Fremantle Markets 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace. 08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

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

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

ALBANY Albany Bayview Backpackers YHA 49 Duke St. 08 9842 3388, yha.com.au Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruizeinn.com Metro Inn Albany 270 Albany Hwy. 1800 004 321, metrohotels.com.au

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

NINGALOO REEF Blue Reef Backpackers 3 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth 1800 621 101, aspenparks.com.au Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth. 08 9949 1200, yha.com.au

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

BROOME DO

7 ,Ê -/Ê "-/ Ê Ê7 ÊÓääÇ -/ÊÓäänÊEÊÓää

Sun Pictures Carnarvon St. 08 9192 1077, broomemovies.com.au

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

TASLISTINGS

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

BOOK NOW!

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

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

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

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

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

Pickled Frog 281 Liverpool St. 03 6234 7977, thepickledfrog.com Transit Backpackers 251 Liverpool St. 03 6231 2400, transitbackpackers.com

HOBART INTERNATIONAL Domain Tennis Centre. Jan 6-14. From $9.90. Wrapping up the Australian Open Series, this is where some of the best female tennis players battle it out for tennis glory.

HOBART DO

Davies Ave, Hobart

Cascade Brewery 140 Cascade Rd. 03 6224 1117 cascadebreweryco.com.au Mt Wellington Descent Bike tours. 03 6274 1880 mtwellingtondescent.com.au Salamanca Markets Every Saturday, Salamanca Place. salamanca.com.au Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 5 Argyle St. tmag.com.au

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

ticketek.com.au

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

LAUNCESTON DO Cataract Gorge

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

CRADLE MTN Discovery Holiday Parks Cradle Mountain Rd. 1800 068 574, discoveryholidayparks.com.au Mt Roland Budget Backpacker Rooms 1447 Claude Rd, Gowrie Park.

@tnt_downunder

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 Wild Rivers Jet Jet boating. 03 6471 7396, wildriversjet.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

KING ISLAND If you’re into diving, you can get off the ‘beaten track’ at the former sealer station King Island, where over 70 shipwrecks fill the surrounding waters. The Tassie waters maybe chillier, but that just means there’s different stuff to see, like towering kelp forests, sea dragons and plenty of seals. The other thing worth checking out in King Island is their famous cheese – in particular their brie Nearby, you can explore some of Australia’s quietest, cheapest and most rewarding dive sites, they litter Tassie’s east coast, like Flinders Island and Rocky Cape in the north.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

NSWLISTINGS NTLISTINGS

facebook/tntdownunder

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

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

DON’T MISS!

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

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

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

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

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

DARWIN DO

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

KATHERINE DO

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

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

ALICE DO

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

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

Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides. 1800 809 790, outbackballooning.com.au

TENNANT CREEK IMPARJA CRICKET CUP CARNIVAL Fannie Bay. 5-11 Feb. Free for spectators. Watch all-Indigenous teams take part in the hotly-contested Imparja Cup. Teams representing all states and territories in Australia.

Keith Lane

ntcricket.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

KATHERINE STAY

Tourist Rest Leichardt St. 08 8962 2719, touristrest.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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

DIVING OFF DARWIN Darwin’s tragic history of destruction by war and cyclone has left a legacy of warship and fishing trawler wrecks in its harbour that are now the Top End’s biggest diving attractions. Over the years these coral-encrusted artificial reefs have become a safe haven for fish and a myriad other sea life. The best sites include USAT Miegs, where numerous trucks and guns darwindivecentre.com.au lie scattered on the seabed, or the coral barge Kelat, now haunted by schools of wobbegong sharks.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

SALISTINGS

ADELAIDE STAY

COOBER PEDY

Adelaide Oval Home to the Adelaide Backpackers Inn 112 Carrington St. 1800 24 77 25, adpi.com.au

BOOK NOW!

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

Adelaide Central YHA 135 Waymouth St. 08 8414 3010, yha.com.au Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au

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

Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au

KANGAROO IS

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

Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw. 08 8553 1344, yha.com.au

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

TIM MINCHIN Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Feb 14-15. From $129. Tim Minchin versus The Orchestras is back after a sell-out tour in March this year. Mixing pop with orchestration, it’s a one-of-a-kind show.

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

Port Rd

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

ticketek.com.au

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

Donald Bradman collection. War Memorial Drive. 08 8300 3800, cricketsa.com.au

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

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

BAROSSA VAL

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

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

ADELAIDE DO Adelaide Oval Home to the

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

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

RIVERLAND Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri. 08 8582 3144, berribackpackers.com.au Harvest Trail Lodge Loxton.08 8584 5646, harvesttrail.com.au

@tnt_downunder

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

EYRE PENINSULA Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny. 08 8687 0411, coodliepark.com Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims. 08 8626 5017, bairdbay.com 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

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

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

Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

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

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

FLEURIEU PENINSULA Rammed with sweet surf spots and chilled out beaches, the peninsula (which was named by a French explorer in case you were wondering) is one of the easiest places to escape to from Adelaide. It’s also the area you’ll have to pass through if you’re planning a trip to Kangaroo Island. Get dizzy trying the local wines, strain your eyes for whales passing on the horizon, or get sweaty climbing up Mt Magnificent for views which are, er, not bad. You can even see a little penguin parade on Granite Island, just off Victor Harbour (pictured).

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

FIJILISTINGS Beach Escape Villas +679 672 4442, beachscape@connect.com.fj Cathay Hotel +679 666 0566, fiji4less.com Horizon Beach Resort +679 672 2832, horizonbeachfiji.com Nadi Bay Resort Hotel +679 672 3599, fijinadibayhotel.com Nadi Down Town Backpackers Inn +679 670 0600, pacvalley@connect.com.fj

CORAL COAST Beachouse +679 653 0500, fijibeachouse.com Mango Bay Resort +679 653 00690, mangobayresortfiji.com Pacific Safaris Club +679 345 0498, safariclub@connect.com.fj Rendezvous Dive Resort +679 628 4427, surfdivefiji.com Robinson Crusoe +679 629 1999, robinsoncrusoeislandfiji.com Seashell Cove Resort +679 670 6100, seashellresort.com

Nadi Hotel +679 670 0000, ndht@connect.com.fj

Tabukula Beach Bungalows +679 650 0097, fiji4less.com

Nomads Skylodge Hotel +679 672 2200

The Uprising Beach Resort +679 345 2200, uprisingbeachresort.com

Saweni Beach Apartment Hotel +679 666 1777, fiji4less.com

Tsulu Luxury Backpackers & Apartments +679 345 0065, tsulu.com

Smugglers Cove Beach Resort +679 672 6578, smugglers beachfiji.com smugglers beachfiji.com Smugglers Cove Beach Resort +679 672 6578, smugglers beachfiji.com Travellers Beach Resort +679 672 672 3322, beachvilla@connect.com.fj

YASAWA ISLANDS Awesome Adventures Fiji +679 675 0499, awesomefiji.com Coconut Bay Resort +679 666 6644, coconutbay_fiji2002@yahoo.com Korovou Eco Tour Resort +679 666 6644 korovoultk@connect.com.fj Kuata Resort +679 666 6644 Long Beach Backpackers Resort +679 666 6644 Manta Ray Island +679 672 6351 mantarayisland@connect.com.fj Nabua Lodge +679 666 9173 nabualodge@connect.com.fj Oarsmans Bay Lodge +679 672 2921 nacula@hotmail.com Octopus Resort +679 666 6337 reservations@octopusresort.com Sunrise Lagoon Resort +679 666 6644 Wayalailai Island Resort +679 672 1377 wayalailai@connect.com.fj White Sandy Beach Dive Resort +679 666 4066

MAMANUCA ISL Beachcomber Island Resort +679 666 1500, beachcomberfiji.com Bounty Island Resort +679 666 6999, fiji-bounty.com Rau Kini’s Hostel +679 672 1959, rtkinihostel@connect.com.fj The Funky Fish Beach Resort +679 628 2333, funkyfishresort.com The Resort Walu Beach +679 665 1777, walubeach.com

Vakaviti Motel & Dorm +679 650 0526, bulavakaviti@connect.com.fj Vilisite Place +679 650 1030

SUVA Colonial Lodge +679 92 75248, sailevukaga@yahoo.co.nz Lami Lodge Backpackers +679 336 2240, volau@connect.com.fj Leleuvia Island Resort +679 331 9567, eleen@leleuvia.com Raintree Lodge +679 332 0562, raintreelodge.com Royal Hotel +679 344 0024 royal@connect.com.fj

NORTH VITI LEVU Bethams Cottage +679 669 4132, bethams.com.fj Macdonalds Beach Cottages +679 669 4633

mote Visit the re ds Fiji. there. re - it s all lan Yasawa Is l dive, kayak , explo e Chill, snork

ventures

d Awesome A

for backpacketravellers tive and alterna nce the o experie

who want t

‘real Fiji’

ISLAND HOPPING PASSES ISLA C Complete Co freedom to explore the Yasawa Islands, including Beachcomber. Choose from m a 7, 14 or 21 day pass. Passes from $321

EASY FLEXIBLE PACKAGES Explore the real Fiji. From 4 to 11 nights. Includes vessel transfers, accommodation, meals and activities. Packages from $410

ISLAND STAYPUTS A bit like survivor but a lot more fun! Strand d yourself yourse elf on one island for 3 days and 2 nights. If you can stand and the pain of coral lagoons and nd coconut palms then stay longer. Packages from $197 97

Morrison’s Beach Cottagess +679 669 4516, tipple@connect.com.fj Safari Lodge Fijis +679 669 3333 safarilodge.com.fj Volivoli Beach Resort +679 669 4511, volivoli.com

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

DIVE, DIVE, DIVEE A 5 day/4 night PADI or SSI open water course. Where better to learn to dive than in the crystal clear, warm waters of Fiji! Abundant fish life and encounters with sea turtles are common. Packages from $738 Plus heaps of other options. Daily departure departuress for f all l pa packages and passes from Denarau Marina

Savusavu Hot Springs +679 885 0195, hotspringshotel@connect.com.fjj

TAVEUNI

For info and bookings see your travel centre or contact us: phone 1800 007 129 or SKYPE awesomeﬁji

Albert’s Sunrise +679 333 7555 Matava Resort +679 330 5222, matava.com Reece’s Place +679 362 6319 Waisalima Beach Resort +679 738 9236, waisalima.com

info@awesomefiji.com

www.awesomefiji.com

Prices are ex Denarau, Fiji, in Australian dollars and valid for travel to 31 March 2012.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

TNT622- AAF2746

NADI & WEST Aquarius Pacific Hotel +679 672 6000

TRAVELLING ON TO FIJI?

NZLISTINGS

BUS TOURS

wickedcampers.com

Flexi-Pass Combines InterCity and Newmans. 0800 222 146, flexipass.co.nz

BOOK NOW!

Flying Kiwi Wilderness Expeditions 1800 143 515, flyingkiwi.com

Albert Park Backpackers (VIP) 27-31 Victoria St East. +64 9309 0336, bakpak@albertpark.co.nz

Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.co.nz

Auckland International Backpackers (BBH) 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584,

NZ Travelpass 0800 339 966, travelpass.co.nz

THE CRANBERRIES

Stray +64 9309 8772, straytravel.com

Trusts Stadium Arena, Auckland. Thurs, Mar 15. From NZ$79. After taking some time off, the Irish chart-toppers will perform a oneoff concert in Auckland with tracks from their forthcoming album.

RENTAL FIRMS Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz

AUCKLAND Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz

Central Park Drive

ticketdirect.co.nz

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

Escape Rentals 1800 456 272, escaperentals.co.nz

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

Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.com.nz

Explore More 1800 800 327, dcrentals.com.nz

Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv

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

Jucy Rentals 0800 399 736, jucy.com.nz

Standby Cars 1300 789 059, standbycars.com.au

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

Rent-A-Dent 0800 736 823, rentadent.co.nz

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

Wicked Campers 1800 246 869,

@tnt_downunder

38 Fort St. +64 9307 0181, nomadshostels.com Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. +64 9300 9999, nomadshostels.com Oaklands Lodge (BBH) St. +64 5A Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9638 6545, oaklands.co.nz Pentlands (BBH) 22 Pentland Ave, Mt Eden. +64 9638 7031 Queen Street Backpackers (VIP) 4 Fort St. +64 9373 3471, enquiries@qsb.co.nz

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

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

Bamber House (BBH) 2 2 View Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9623 4267, hostelbackpacker.com

The Brown Kiwi (BBH) 7 Prosford St, Ponsonby. +64 9378 0191, brownkiwi.co.nz

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

YHA Auckland City Cnr City Rd & Liverpool St. +64 9309 2802, yha.co.nz

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

YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. +64 9302 8200, yha.co.nz

Kiwi International Queen St Hotel and Hostel 411 Queen St. 0800 100 411, kiwihotel.co.nz The Fat Camel (Nomads)

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

WHEN YOU JOIN YHA

yha.co.nz

Less clicking and more member savings on the new, faster yha.co.nz.

Backpacking just got easy as.

NZLISTINGS Cambridge Hotel (BBH) 28 Cambridge Tce. +64 4385 8829 cambridgehotel.co.nz

DON’T MISS!

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

QUEENSTOWN

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

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

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

Vector Arena, Auckland. Mon, May 28. NZ$89. The flame-haired beauty is igniting stages once again. Get in quick because this stadium show in Auckland is sure to sell out.

Wellywood Backpackers 58 Tory St. 0508 00 58 58

CHRISTCHURCH Around the World Backpackers 314 Barbadoes Street. +64 3365 4363, aroundtheworld.co.nz

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

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

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

YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

butterfli.co.nz

Point Break Backpackers (BBH) 99 Seaview Road. +64 3388 2050, pointbreakbackpackers.co.nz

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

Maple Lodge (BBH) 52 Ellice St. +64 4385 3771

Worldwide Backpackers (BBH) 291 The Terrace. +64 4802 5590, worldwidenz.co.nz

themarine.co.nz

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

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

Mahuhu Crescent

ticketmaster.co.nz

Alpine Lodge (BBH) 13 Gorge Rd. +64 3442 7220, alpinelodge@xtra.co.nz Aspen Lodge (BBH) 11 Gorge 11 Gorge Rd. +64 3442 9671, aspenlodge.co.nz Base Discovery Lodge St. +64 Queenstown 49 Shotover St. +64 3441 1185, stayatbase.com

At The Right Place 85 Bealey St. +64 3366 1633, atrp.co.nz

208 Kilmore St. +64 3366 9720, backpack.co.nz/foley

Avon City Backpackers Worcester Street. +64 3389 6876, avoncitybackpackers.com

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

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

Kiwi House 373 Gloucester St. +64 3381 6645, kiwihouse.co.nz

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

Marine Backpackers 26 Nayland St. +64 3326 6609,

Butterfli Lodge (BBH) 62 Thompson St. +64 3442 6367,

Foley Towers (BBH)

@tnt_downunder

Black Sheep Lodge (BBH/VIP) 13 Frankton Rd. +64 3442 7289, blacksheepbackpackers.co.nz

Deco Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 52 Man St. +64 3442 7384, decobackpackers.co.nz 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 Pinewood Lodge (VIP) 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 7463 9663, rgrieg@xtra.co.nz Queenstown Lodge Sainsbury Rd, Fernhill. 0800 756 343, queenstownlodge.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 8890 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413, yha.co.nz

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

WELLINGTON New Zealand’s capital city is probably the most interesting and appealing urban spot in the country – especially if you hit it on a good day when the sun dances on the harbour and the city comes alive with Wellingtonians lunching and jogging along the waterfront. Much smaller than Auckland, the city is set on steep hillsides that surround a magnificent harbour. Some people liken the landscape to that of San Francisco, albeit on a smaller scale. Wellington’s sheer vibrancy and colourful character make it the country’s centre for culture and the arts. The city’s nightlife, food and café culture is world-class, young and cool and the city prides itself on the fact that it has more cafés per head than New York.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

like us on

facebook/tntdownunder

OZWORK

Law abiding citizen If good wages, sponsorship and great long-term career prospects sound good to you, then working for a law firm could be for you... So you’ve travelled the big red land and now you’re back in the city looking for permanent work where you can earn some serious coin. You’re even hoping that this work could get you on the way to sponsorship. If this is the case then you’d probably struggle to do better than working in the legal sector – especially if you’ve already got some relevant experience or qualifications. There is a surprisingly wide variety of jobs on offer, from lawyers, legal secretaries and paralegals all the way down to mail room clerks, receptionists and even catering staff, so there’s plenty of opportunities to go around. “Legal secretaries mostly need some work experience within the legal industry, but this is not always the case,” explains Sally Higham from Legal Personnel. “Paralegals generally need some academic qualifications, but not necessarily the experience.”

Most firms offer in-house training so not being an expert on the ins and outs of Aussie law is by no means essential – as long as you have a general understanding of the different areas of law. “The rest is easy to pick up,” says Higham. She adds that what is important is a willingness to work. “We look for someone who has a keen desire to work, being enthusiastic and willing to work is more important than the qualifications and experience.” And once you’ve got your foot in the door, you should be away, getting a decent amount of cash in your pocket and the possibility of that all-important visa extension if you can’t yet bear the thought of heading home. Higham explains, “legal secretaries and paralegals can earn anything from $24 to $32 per hour depending on experience. It’s more for solicitor roles.” So start brushing up that CV and get yourself to court.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

OZWORK

like us on

facebook/tntdownunder

HOW TO... IMPROVE YOUR CV

ON THE JOB

• Target your CV specifically to the job and company. Generic CVs do not stand out.

ANNA MCGRATH CAREER Legal temp AGE 28 FROM England What is it you do? I’m a temp with Law Staff. I’m currently on my second placement with a mid-tier firm in Sydney. So, why Australia? I really wanted to get a broad overview of the law and legal practice over here. I practised law in England and wanted to get an idea of the differences between here and there.

Compare to home? For a start, working in Sydney is amazing. It’s such a vibrant city and I love it. The work is obviously very different and varied. Day to day office life is quite similar though. The transition hasn’t been difficult at all. It’s also extremely nice to actually see sunshine in your lunch hour!

• Tailor your skills to what the job ad asks for. • Be concise – avoid waffling, it puts the reader off. • Check presentation – spelling and grammatical errors make a bad first impression.

Is sponsorship an option? Potentially, yes. One of my current colleagues has been sponsored following a temporary contract, so we’ll have to wait and see.

tntjobs.com.au B Confidential T: 07 38321023 M: 0430 146886 www.confidentialclub.com.au BConfidential is Brisbane’s premier gentlemens club bar and restaurant located close to central station in brisbane, female owned and operated providing a fun and safe work environment .

JOB OF THE WEEK: Dancers Location: Spring Hill Brisbane QLD Salary: Contractor $1000-$3000 per week Dancers for day and night shifts,very ﬂexible rosters plenty of hours available and next day cash payments.We prefer to train our staff experience is not essential, good fun attitudes and a drive for success is required. Lisa Boorer | 0430146886 | admin@confidentialclub.com.au

T: 02 8332 7501 www.tntdownunder.com

JOB OF THE WEEK: EDITORIAL RESEARCHERS Location: Sydney Salary: $30,000 - $35,000 (OTE $50K plus beneﬁts)

TNT Publishing is a well-respected and long established publishing house. We are growing our Sydney ofﬁce by recruiting editorial researchers to work on our existing titles.

Duties will include speaking to Companies to organise guides, supplements and features within the magazines. You need to be experienced on the telephone and be self-motivated to achieve targets. Ideally having knowledge of feature based articles would be advantageous.

TNT Publishing

Stuart Shirra | stuart@tntdownunder.com

TNT Publishing T: 02 8332 7501 www.tntdownunder.com TNT Publishing is a well-respected and long established London& Sydney publishing house. We are growing our Sydney ofﬁce by recruiting sales people to work on our existing titles which include the renowned TNT magazine The SA Times, South Africa Magazine and Australia & New Zealand Outlook.

JOB OF THE WEEK: Telesales Executive – B2B Location: Sydney Salary: $30,000 - $35,000 (OTE $50K plus beneﬁts) Hard working sales people that enjoy working in a dynamic sales environment, hungry to earn money and develop their career. You need to have a proven telephone sales record and be self-motivated to achieve targets. Ideally having knowledge of feature based articles would be advantageous. Sean Brett | seanb@tntdownunder.com

Looking for your next job? NEW JOBS ONLINE EVERY DAY

JOBS

BEHIND EACH SUCCESSFUL WOMEN - IS HERSELF!!!

GOOD GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN!! BAD GIRLS GO EVERYWHERE!!!

FEMALE MASSEURS REQUIRED

$115 p/hr

$115 p/hr Full training provided Immediate Start Flexible shifts Fun & friendly team

Full training provided Immediate Start Flexible shifts Fun & friendly team

(02) 9357 6145 AT MICHELLES

(02) 96990055 NIRVANA

400 Cleveland St, Surry Hills www.nirvanasydney.com

135 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay www.atmichells.com

CASH PAID DAILY • Lingerie masseuses (training provided) • Outgoing attractive reliable girls required • Drug-free safe environment • 2 Sydney Locations • 20 mins from the CBD

Call 0450 758865 Awesome $$$ Phone now!

Paramour of Collins Street

SETTING A WORLD-CLASS STANDARD IN AUSTRALIA. RALIA Melbourne’s most exclusive escorts, models, dinner dates and travelling companions. Paramour is a Melbourne’s leading Escort Agency with over 40 beautiful women. Paramour provides the most outstanding outcall adult entertainment in Melbourne. Since the 1980s, we have been providing high class escorts in all Melbourne suburbs. Paramour is the only escort service agency located in the city area of Melbourne. Paramour girls are very highly paid, beautiful women for international executives. Our ladies are the elite of Australia and are treated as princesses. Our girls come from many different countries and speak many languages. We understand that the best clients deserve the very best, most feminine ladies and we are continually interviewing to keep our standards high - Paramour Girls are the pinnacle.

www.paramour.com.au

03 9654 6011 PCA 113E

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

TOTALLYTRIVIAL

@tnt_downunder

MYTHBUSTERS FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

AUSSIE CHRISTMAS Q 5. Where might you possibly find a white Christmas in Australia? a) Mt Kosciuszko b) Hobart c) The Grampians d) Uluru

a) AFL season b) Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race c) Football World Cup d) The Melbourne Cup in July’ Q 2.‘Christmas started where? a) Tasmania b) Melbourne c) Blue Mountains d) Snowy Mountains

What has become a traditional Q 6.Christmas lunch in Australia? a) Seafood b) Kangaroo steaks c) Chinese food d) Witchetty grubs Which natural disaster ruined Xmas Q 7.1974 for many people in Darwin?

3. Which beach hosts the famous Sunburnt Christmas party? a) Byron Bay b) Airlie Beach c) Bondi Beach d) Monkey Mia

a) Earthquake c) Tsunami

SUDOKU PUZZLE 3

4 7

AUSSIE-ISM “THONGS”

4 7

instead of the one horse open sleigh? a) An old bush horse b) A rusty Holden ute c) A one ‘roo open sleigh d) A beat up old truck

In the Aussie version of “Jingle Q 8.Bells”, what vehicle does Santa ride in,

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

ANAGRAM-ARAMA

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

Q 4. What would one lucky person find in an Australian plum pudding? a) $10 bill b) Santa ornament c) A tooth d) Gold nugget

b) Bush Fires d) Cyclone

Not the tasteful “bum floss” you may believe a “thong” to be but the most common footwear worn in Straya. Many Aussies wear “thongs” pretty much everywhere, the beach, the pub, the shops...

THIS WEEK IT’S... CHRISTMAS IN OZ 1. BIN CHIC PACE 2. A LOAD OF PEDARAST 3. ON RIGID INACTION 4. UGLY STEALTHIEST SPARKLE ANSWERS: 1. Beach picnic 2. Seafood platter 3. Air conditioning 4. Paul Kelly’s Greatest Hits

What major sporting event Q 1.starts on Boxing Day each year?

MYTH

OF THE Why does Australia have WEEK so many bushfires? Bushfires are as Australian as Bondi Beach. Every year hundreds of thousands of square kilometres are reduced to cinders by raging storms of flame. Almost all of Australia’s vegetation types are fire-prone – think of the eucalypts, literally infused with natural oils which become extremely concentrated and highly flammable in dry conditions. Aboriginals understood this – they used fire extensively to “clean up the country” for thousands of years. But when white men came along they put a stop to this bush-burning. So these days they’re harder to control.

Oz Experience’s range of passes are the perfect way to discover the best destinations Australia has to offer. Passes bundle coach travel, tours, experiences and accommodation in one place making it even easier to plan your trip!

Bruce Cobber SYDNEY<>CAIRNS

NIGHT FREE 2 ISLAND NTIC MAGE STAY!! rs

nge r passe ONLY fo outh Bound g S travellin s on a Bruce irn a C from Pass. Cobber

Includes: • Hop on, hop off bus travel • Stay and Surf at Spot X with most meals included • Nimbin Day Tour • Farm Stay at Kroombit Try our fantastic East Coast Passes which include

travel, activities, some accommodation & meals! Pass Price Local Payment Total $545 $105 $650 We’ve got all your travel needs sorted!

Bruce Cobber Sydney

Strewth

Includes: • Hop on, hop off coach travel between Sydney <> Cairns BYRON BAY <> CAIRNS • Surf and Stay at Spot X with Includes: most meals included • Nimbin Day Tour • Hop on, hop off bus travel • Farm Stay at Kroombit • Nimbin Day tour

• Farm Stay at Kroombit Pass Price Local Payment Total $450 $50 $500 Pass Price Local Payment Total $545 up to $190 up to $735

Whipper Strewth ByronSnapper SYDNEY<> DARWIN Includes: • Stay and Surf at Spot X • Nimbin Day Tour • Farmstay at Kroombit Park • 3 day, 2 night Rock Tour • 1 night stopover at Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk Tent Village • 3 day, 2 night Litchfield and Kakadu 4WD Safari Pass Price Local Payment Total $1,646 $175 $1,820

---- Own Arrangements

NOTE: These options are NOT included in the pass price

T&C’s: Prices are subject to change without notice. Local payments are to be paid to the tour operator directly. For full terms and conditions visit www.ozexperience.com. Greyhound_660.indd 1

Full pg ad Dec 2011 OZ EX.indd 1

VISIT OZEXPERIENCE.COM OR CALL 1300 300 028 13/12/11 5:04:27 PM

12/13/2011 3:07:20 PM

You’d have to be crazy not to book your Overnight Sailing Adventures with AirlieBeach.com, the Whitsundays Central Reservations Centre. Their local knowledge, friendly advice and honest recommendations are legendary. They will beat any genuine quote and don’t forget to ask about the free accommodation package.

More importantly, they are right there in Airlie Beach upon your return to ensure that the trip met with your expectations. We all know it is safer and can be much cheaper to book your trip in Airlie. Drop in to meet their friendly staff at the travel and internet centre next door to the Hog’s Breath Cafe, top end of the main street.

“Amazing time, Great people, great laugh just what we wanted.”

2 DAYS/2 NIGHTS TO 6 DAYS/6 NIGHTS

AirlieBeach.com

The Whitsundays Central Reservations Centre

NO OUT OF TOWN RIP OFFS! Remember

when book with a Whitsundayyou local we stand by our trips and are HERE to talk to you upo your return to ensure the n met with your satisfactiotrip n

FREE FREE FREE

UNT DISCO R TOU E CENTR

des to s Upgraouble cabin d e ts* privant some boa o s ooking h all b t i w t e Intern orage Bag s t

t at, excellen ip, crew gre tr e th e th ed y ed “Enjo ws, lov tacular vie , the grub, spec aven Beach .” eh it h W , g n fu li good n snorkel l water, all fu ti u ea b most

2PHUH :PSLU[ 5PNO[ >HS[aPUN 4H[PSKH := >OP[LOH]LU (SL_HUKLY :[L^HY[ :\TTLY[PTL +LY^LU[ /\U[LY LY^LU[ /\U[LY 7HJPÄJ :\UYPZL .L[H^H` .L[H^H`` >OP[Z\UKH` )S\L L 7V^LY 7SH` >PUNZ Z ,TWLYVYZ >PUNZ

3 DAY 2 NIGHT ADVENTURE SAILING TRIPS VMMLY N\LZ[Z SVVRPUN

SEAKAYAKING SEA

:WHUR 4L 7HJPÄJ :[HY (]H[HY -YLPNO[ ;YHPU 4H[HKVY 4HUKYHRL

Kayak over the fringing coral reefs & explore tropical islands. For beginners to experienced we provide all snorkell gear inc fruit & cheese platter.

WINGS DIVING ADVERTURES

FANTASEA CRUISES

Fastest overnight sail & dive catamarans Wings 2 & 3 Emperors Wings Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef.

Fantasea Cruises tour daily to Reefworld, the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy a huge range of activities including underwater observatory, semi-submersable tours, snorkelling & diving.

WINNER TALK TALK TO TO US US

MVY H ZTHSSLY NYV\W ZPaL [OL VWWVY[\UP[` [V L_WLYPLUJL [OL >OP[Z\UKH`Z ;OPZ [V\Y ^PSS ]PZP[ >OP[LOH]LU )LHJO HSVUN ^P[O [^V VY [OYLL ZUVYRLSSPUN L_WLYPLUJLZ VU [OL MYPUNPUN JVYHS YLLMZ ^OPJO L_[LUK YPNO[ MYVT [OL LKNL VM [OL PZSHUKZ (UK ^L OH]L [OL ILZ[ WYPJLZ

2 DAYS/2 NIGHTS TO 3 DAYS/3 NIGHTS

Best Small Travel Agent in Australia 2011

VENUS

3 days sailing, Whitehaven Beach, free scuba dive, & 2 nights at Hook Is Beach Resort equals 3 days and 2 nights of outstand outstanding ndingg value.

5 HOURS FREE INTERNET

^OLU IVVRPUN HU V]LYUPNO[ ZHPSPUN [YPW PRESENT THIS ADVERT

TO WIN A FREE

WHITSUNDAYS SAILING (+=,5;<9, -69 (0930,),(*/ *64

Central Reservation Centre Freecall 1800 677 119 www.airliebeach.com TALK TO US ABOUT OUR VERY SPECIAL FREE ACCOMMODATION DEAL WHEN BOOKING AN OVERNIGHT SAILING TRIP - CLEAN QUALITY DORM STYLE - MAX 4 PER RAINFOREST CABIN