TNT Australia 736 by TNT MAGAZINE

Dec 2-15 2013 Issue 736 tntdownunder.com

N I W NZ BUNGY PACKAGE WORTH $1100

OPEN SEASON Mad for movies under the stars

BEST WESTERN

GOING FOR GOLD Keeping busy in Paradise

Festival fever in Port Hedland

N A M D N A S R E ENT

Down Under s a tm s ri h C ting uide to celebra g r u o y : s rn u hes and b Barbies, beac + THE BEARDS ASHES LATEST

MEET BUNDABERG’S TURTLES JOB TIPS

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SYDNEY<>CAIRNS PACKAGES SYDNEY<>CAIRNS PACKAGES

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

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

BRUCE COBBER BRUCE COBBER GOOD

INCLUSIONS:

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

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

$859

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

$519 $519

BEST

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INCLUSIONS:

GOOD

INCLUSIONS:

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

$1299

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

ANDREW WESTBROOK ACTING EDITOR andrew.westbrook@tntmagazine.com

EDITOR’S LETTER Wow, is it that time already? That’s the thing about Oz, you see. Without the desperate need to cling onto something positive through the dark wintry months, Christmas really does creep up. But fear not, we’ve got you covered. Check out our Chrimbo guide on p38, while hopefully some of our experiences on the road will give you some summer inspiration. Happy travels!

THIS ISSUE OZ DIARY

FOOD + DRINK

GIGS

PUBS

SPOTTED

FILM 22 NEWS 24 SPORT

ASHES LATEST

TRAVEL

COMPETITION

LISTINGS AUSTRALIA 60 LISTINGS NEW ZEALAND 78 WORK 80 TRIVIAL PURSUITS

FEATURES CINEMA UNDER THE STARS 14

Where to go, and what’s on, during Australia’s outdoor movies season

FESTIVE FROLICS

Your guide to celebrating Christmas away from home in the land Down Under

HEAVEN IN A HALF-SHELL 46 Diving with turtles and guzzling rum while on Queensland’s Bundaberg coast

COAST WITH THE MOST

The Gold Coast’s beaches, theme parks, adrenalin thrills and national parks

GO WEST

Discovering WA’s wild Karijini region and rocking out at the North West Festival

38 TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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OZDIARY EDITORIAL Acting editor Andrew Westbrook Deputy editor Hugh Radojev Contributors Alasdair Morton | Caroline Garnar Caitlin Stanway Interns Rory Platt | Tash Levy | Regina Neumeyer

@tnt_downunder

Just don’t think about spiders...

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Account manager Toby Llewellyn Marketing and events executive Georgina Pengelly MARKETING & EVENTS Business development manager Tom Wheeler DISTRIBUTION Lee Sutherland ACCOUNTS Emma Overton

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

MAIN EVENT MOONLIGHT CINEMA

SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, BRISBANE, PERTH & ADELAIDE You know summer is truly here when Moonlight Cinema makes a welcome return, and that’s exactly what it’s doing this month. Having already got underway in Adelaide, the outdoor cinema festival is now due to arrive in Melbourne (Dec 5), Perth (Dec 11), Brisbane (Dec 12) and Sydney (Dec 12). Located at scenic spots in each city, the event shows a mix of new releases, like Gravity, and classics, such as Dirty Dancing, under the stars almost every night of the summer. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 on Thursdays, or free if you’re one of our competition winners – see p14 for info on how to enter, plus details on Australia’s other outdoor cinema events. Now – March 30

moonlight.com.au

SALES ENQUIRIES PHONE 02 8332 7511 EMAIL tom@tntdownunder.com WHERE TO GET TNT

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

THE ASHES – 2ND & 3RD TESTS

FESTIVAL OF THE SUN (FOTSUN)

PAGEANT OF LIGHTS

The crucial second and third Tests of the 2013/14 Ashes series will be played at the Adelaide Oval and Perth’s Waca ground respectively. Expect plenty of runs in Adelaide, birthplace of the Barmy Army, and for the quicks to have the final say in Perth.

Celebrate summer tunes at Port Macquarie’s beautiful Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park. This year’s lineup includes Aussie faves The Rubens, Kingswood, Stonefield and many others. It’s sold out, so check the usual places. More on p20.

Discover the Christmas spirit at Bundaberg’s Pageant of Lights. There are market stalls, a street parade and, of course, the turning on of the Christmas lights which is always a massive occasion. There will also be live entertainment all evening.

Dec 5-9 and Dec 13-17 Adelaide and Perth cricket.com.au

December 13-14 Port Macquarie, NSW fotsun.com

December 5 Bundaberg, Queensland. bundabergregion.org

TBA

FREE

Image: Supplied

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.

$167

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Campervans $1 a DAY from

Darwin • • Cairns

Broome •

• Townsville • Airlie Beach • Mackay Coast Brisbane •••Sunshine Gold Coast • Ballina

• Alice Springs • Ayers Rock

Perth •

• Adelaide

• Williamtown • Sydney • Canberra

Mebourne • • Launceston • Hobart

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EATS + DRINKS

THE CHIPPENDALE HOTEL

@tnt_downunder

[Caption]

Restaurant review by Hugh Radojev

Halfway between Redfern and Railway Square, on Abercrombie Street, The Chippendale Hotel is under new ownership and it definitely shows. The interior and lovely outdoor seating areas now follow a uniform theme – with dark washed walls and stained timber replacing the somewhat haphazard, seemingly grafitti inspired ambience that went before it. THE GRUB With new owners come a new chef and a renewed vigour and sense of purpose to the menu. The mission statement of the Chippendale’s new kitchen, for the moment anyway, isn’t so much to reinvent the wheel as it is to take pub food staples like burgers, schnitzels and salads and to make them as fresh, tasty and interesting as possible. My friend and I were craving burgers and burgers were what we got. A trio of sliders to start ($14) – one a wagyu beef, one a pulled pork [pictured] and the other a beautiful haloumi with sun-ripened capsicum and zucchini. We then had the ($15) Moroccan style chicken burger all served with the Chippo’s signature handcut lemon thyme chips – properly delicious! BEHIND THE BAR A nice selection of local(ish) brewed craft ales; Balmain, Stone & Wood, Monteiths – for the more discerning beer drinkers among you – as well as your staple drops. Grab a couple of $10 jugs and you won’t go too far wrong. VERDICT If you’re looking for top Inner West pub grub then the Chippo’s the place to go – great for a Friday afternoon lunch. THE SCENE

87-91 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale

3 OF THE BEST CHRISTMAS DINNERS 6

TURF BAR

PJ O’BRIEN’S

THE BUCKET LIST

If you’re in Melbourne over Christmas and don’t fancy two-minute noodles and goon for your festive lunch, then pop down to Turf Bar. You can get a delicious three course meal as well as wine and beer for just $50 a head. When you consider all the food and grog you’re going to get that works out to be damned good value.

The Irish love Christmas – there is lots of drinking involved – so, where better to celebrate the big day than at one of Sydney’s best Irish pubs? It’ll be just like being back in the home country, except it won’t be snowing sideways. Enjoy a traditional Irish Christmas feast as well as all the festive cheer you might be missing from home.

We all know that if you’re going to be spending your Christmas in Australia, you may as well be in Sydney (honest). Once there get yourself down to Bondi Beach. Go for a dip in the sea, grab a couple of rays and, then, pop into The Bucket List and rip into their delicious Christmas menu. On December 1.

turfbar.com.au

pjobriens.com.au

thebucketlistbondi.com

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m Live

usic venue wit courtyard

BITE SIZE

BARREL OF LOX Pastrami, the most sensual of all the cured meats (if George Costanza from Seinfeld is to be believed) is synonymous with New York City delis. Good stuff is hard to find in Sydney though. Well, it was. Lox, Stock and Barrel in Bondi is bringing the NYC deli to the Harbour City in a big way. Bagels, challah and rye breads are all baked fresh in house. You can get a pastrami and pickle sandwich with Russian coleslaw and an espresso for $20. loxstockandbarrel.com.au

TOUCHSCREEN TAPAS Only a few months in Newtown and already Wagaya feels like a part of the furniture in the Inner West. The chain styles itself as ‘Japanese Tapas’ which under normal circumstances would be perplexing but they pull it off. The SUSHIan Roulette (think The Deer Hunter but sushi and wasabi instead of revolver and bullets) is fun and you order all your food using an iPad, which is novel. wagaya.com.au

d 0 an e time 2 $ ndereer all th u s Mainnated b nu omi e n m 5 w $ d ne n a t men e g a man w e N more

y+ d e m s, co J D , usic m e Liv arty p / n o ncti u f t nex r u o y Book

TONKA TRUCKS Tonka Bar has replaced the old Ruby Rabbit (a TNT

favourite) on Oxford Street. It takes up all three levels now as well, with food and cocktails bottom and top, nightclub in the middle. Très magnifique! tonkabar.com.au

www.thechippendalehotel.com.au www.facebook.com/thechippendalehotel

(02) 9310 5133 Email: info@thechippendalehotel.com.au

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GIGLISTINGS

@tnt_downunder

FRIDAY 6 Monster Cat FREE Noise Bar, Melbourne monstercat.net Steel Panther $75 Brisbane River Stage, Brisbane ticketmaster.com.au

BLOOD SUCKER

Passenger $52.50 The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane ticketek.com.au

VAMPIRE WEEKEND East coast mini-tour. Jan 6-9. $87.10. American indie boppers Vampire Weekend will be touring Down Under at the start of 2014 – they’ve got a couple of side shows.

Sydney and Melbourne

MONDAY 2 Leonard Cohen $197 Sydney Opera House, Sydney ticketmaster.com.au Motown Mondays FREE The White Horse, Sydney thewhitehorse.com.au

TUESDAY 3 Belinda Carlisle $63 The Venue, Townsville ticketek.com.au Boy out of the Country $20 fortfivedownstairs, Melbourne fortyfivedownstairs.com Simple Plan $69.90 Chalenge Stadium, Perth, ticketmaster.com.au

WEDNESDAY 4 Muse from $69.90 Entertainment Centre, Adelaide ticketek.com.au

ticketek.com.au Taylor Swift $85 Allianz Stadium, Sydney ticketek.com Passenger $52.50 Palais Theatre, Melbourne ticketmaster.com.au

THURSDAY 5 David Guetta $86 Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart ticketmaster.com.au Cave $39 The Annandale Hotel, Sydney tickets.lifeisnoise.com Animaux $11 Northcote Social Club, Melbourne northcotesocialclub.com Davey Lane TBA Beach Road Hotel, Sydey moshtix.com.au The Bamboos $45.30 Amplifier and Capitol Bar, Perth oztix.com.au

The Bamboos TBA The Gov, Adelaide oztix.com.au

SATURDAY 7 Taylor Swift $85 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane ticketek.com.au Mutiny $15 Northcote Social Club, Melbourne northcotesocialclub.com Dustin Tebbutt $15.85 The Small Bllroom, Newcastle oztix.com.au

MEGA BILLING NIN AND QOTSA TOUR Nationwide. 6-19 March. $105. Two of industrial rocks biggest names are combining forces to sweep through Australia and New Zealand in 2014.

Capital cities

ticketek.com.au

WEDNESDAY 11 Bon Jovi From $125 AAMI Stadium, Adelaide ticketmaster.com.au

The Dames TBA Red Rattler, Sydney redrattler.org

SATURDAY 14

Birds of Tokyo $56.10 Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast oztix.com.au

THURSDAY 12

Bjorn Again $69.50 The Palms at Crown, Melbourne ticketek.com.au

Passenger $52.50 The Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane ticketek.com.au

Peter Murphy $67 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne tombowler.com.au

Bon Jovi from $35 ANZ Stadium, Sydney ticketek.com.au

Leonard Cohen TBA The Hill Winery, Geelong armidaleservices.com.au

The Screaming Jets TBA Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle thescreamingjets.com.au

Charlie Horse TBA Ric’s Bar, Brisbane ricsbar.com.au

SUNDAY 8 The Spheres $10 Northcote Social Club, Melbourne northcotesocialclub.com Kylesa $35 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne cornerhotel.com

SUNDAY 15

FRIDAY 13 Shaun Kirk $15 Joe’s Waterhole Hotel, Sunshine Coast joeswaterholecom

MattyTWall $30 Rosemount Hotel, Perth scorcherfest.com.au

ALL GOULD

Steel Panther $74.95 Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne ticketmaster.com.au

MONDAY 9 Motown Mondays FREE The White Horse, Sydney thewhitehorse.com.au

GET STONED ROLLING STONES The Adelaide Oval. March 22. TBA. Mick Jagger and one of the biggest bands ever is heading down for a one off show in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Adelaide, SA

mushroompromotions.com

Metric TBA The Forum, Melbourne livenation.com.au

TUESDAY 10 City & Colour TBA Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide ticketmaster.com.au

ELLIE GOULDING TOUR National tour. 18 Nov – 1 Dec. $71.90. Ellie Goulding is bringing her unique brand of indie-electronica back to Australia for a nationwide tour. Get involved.

Several cities

ticketmaster.com.au

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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PUBLISTINGS

like us on

Side Bar 509 Pitt St, CBD wakeup.com.au/side-bar

SEDUCING

facebook/tntdownunder

GET BARMY

The Beresford 345 Bourke St, Surry Hills merivale.com.au/ theberesfordhotel The Bondi Hotel 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.com.au The Mountbatten Hotel 701 George Street, CBD sydneycityhostels.com.au The Palace Hotel Cnr of George and Hay St, CBD palacehotelsydney.com.au

PURE LOVE SATURDAYS Love Nightlife. Saturday, 8pm-late. One of the hottest nights on the Gold Coast happens every Saturday night at Love Nightlife. A night of visual and interactive seduction. Level 3, Melbourne Central

SYDNEY

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

Bar Century Lvl 4 640, George St, CBD barcentury.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

Coogee Palace Hotel 169 Dolphin St, Coogee beachpalacehotel.com.au

The Vanguard 42 King St, Newtown thevanguard.com.au Three Wise Monkeys 555 George St, CBD 3wisemonkeys.com.au Trinity Bar 505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au White Horse Hotel 381 Crown St, Surry Hills thewhitehorse.com.au White Revolver Cnr Curlewis & Campbell Parade Bondi Beach whiterevolver.com World Bar 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point theworldbar.com.au

MELBOURNE

Dome Bar Level 1, 589 Crown Street, Surry Hills domebar.com.au

Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst oxfordartfactory.com

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

Ryan’s Paragon Hotel Cnr Loftus & Alfred St, CBD hotelparagon.com.au

Four Pines 29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly 4pines.com.au

Scary Canary 469 Kent St, CBD scarycanarybar.com.au

Cherry Bar 103 Flinders Lane, CBD myspace.com/ cherrybarmelbourne

Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly hotelsteyne.com.au

Scubar 4/11-23 Rawson Place, CBD scubar.com.au

Corner Hotel 57 Swan Street, Richmond cornerhotel.com

Asian Beer Cafe 211 La Trobe St, CBD asianbeercafe.com.au Bar Humbug 586 Little Bourke St, CBD barhumbug.com.au

BARMY ARMY HQ PJ O’Brien’s. Dec 4, 11am-late. PJ’s in Adelaide will be dedicating itself to England cricket fans and would-be Barmy Army soldiers. Cold beer and warm welcomes. 14 East Terrace, Adelaide

The Gin Mill 173 High St, Prahran theginmillprahran.com

Crown and Sceptre Hotel 308 King William Street, CBD sceptre.com.au

The Hi-Fi 125 Swanston Street, CBD thehifi.com.au

Electric Circus 17 Crippen Place, CBD electriccircus.com.au

The Night Owl 35 Elizabeth Street, CBD nightowl.com.au

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

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

The Promethean 116 Grote St, CBD theprom.com

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

ADELAIDE Club 58 58 Hindley St, CBD club58.com.au

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

SHUFFLIN’

pjobriens.com.au/adelaide

PERTH The Clink Nightclub 14-16 South Terrace, Fremantle theclink.com.au The East End Bar and Grill 189 High Street, Fremantle theeastendbar.com.au The Shed 69-71 Aberdeen St, Northbr. the-shed.com.au The Subiaco Hotel 465 Hay Street, Subiaco subiacohotel.com.au

BREW ON YOU

Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au Eurotrash Bar 18 Corrs Lane, CBD eurotrashbar.com.au Fluid Oz Bar 450 Elizabeth Street, CBD yelp.com.au Northcote Social Club 301 High Street, Northcote northcotesocialclub.com Palace Theatre palace.com.au

SHUFFLE NIGHTCLUB Platinum. Weekends, 10pm-late. One of the hottest and most intimate venues on the Surfers Paradise ‘Glitter Strip’ – Shuffle plays host to local and international DJs. 26 Orchid Ave, Surfers

platinumnightclub.com.au

Shamiana 420 Lonsdale St, CBD shamiana.com.au Star Bar Hotel Melbourne 160 Clarendon Street starbarhotel.com.au

BREWHOUSE HAPPY HOUR King Street Brewhouse. Mon-Fri, 4pm-7pm. A brand new happy hour – pints of beer, house wine and spirits and bubbles all for $5. Get involved and have a laugh.

King Street Wharf

kingstbrewhouse.com.au

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

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

GOLD COAST Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa surfersbeergarden.com Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hotel 3 Griffith St, Coolangatta coolangattasandshotel.com.au Shooters Superclub Shop 46 The Mark Orchid Avenue Surfers Paradise shooterssuperclub.com

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

NEWCASTLE Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au Bar Petite 5 King St, CBD barpetite.com.au Beaumont Exchange Hotel Cnr Beaumont and Denison Street, Hamilton theexchangehotel.com.com.au Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, CBD yourcambridge.com Cricketers Arms 61 Bruce St, Cooks Hill tab.com.au Hamilton Hotel 71 Tudor St, Hamilton hamiltonhotel.com.au Hamilton Station Hotel 2-6 Beaumont St, Islington hamiltonstation.com.au Hotel Delany 134 Darby St, CBD hoteldelany.com.au Isobar 1 Honeysuckle Drive CBD thelanding.com Kent Hotel 59-61 Beaumont St, Hamilton thekenthotel.com.au

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

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

BYRON BAY Beach Hotel Bay Lane beachhotel.com.au Buddha Bar 1 Skinners Shoot Road byronbaybrewery.com.au Cheeky Monkey’s 115 Jonson St cheekymonkeys.com.au

$4 SCHOONERS AND $5 OYSTERS The Palace Hotel. Fridays, 4-7pm. $4 schooners of James Squire beers as well as delicious oysters for just $5 on Friday evenings. $5 oysters? Sounds good to us. George St, Sydney

palacehotelsydney.com.au

Ivory 77-79 Crown Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

The Northern 35-43 Jonson St thenorthern.com.au

OneFiveOne 150 Keira Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

The Owl & The Pussycat 85 Jonson St opcbyron.com.au

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

Treehouse on Belongil 25 Childe St treehouseonbelongil.com Woody’s Surf Shack 90-96 Jonson St woodysbyronbay.com

CANBERRA

DARWIN Ducks Nuts 76 Mitchell St, CBD ducksnuts.com.au Squires Tavern 3 Edmunds St, CBD squirestavern.com.au

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

Shenannigans 69 Mitchell St, CBD shenannigans.com.au

Cube Nightclub 33 Petrie Plaza, CBD cubenightclub.com.au

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

ICBM 50 Northbourne Ave, CBD icbmbar.com

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

Mooseheads 105 London Circuit, CBD mooseheads.com.au

ALICE SPRINGS Bojangles Saloon 80 Todd St yourbars.com.au Firkin n Hound 21 Hartely St (08) 8953 3033 Monte’s Corner of Todd St & Stott Tce montes.net.au The Barra Bar 34 Stott Tce chifleyhotels.com.au The Juicy Rump Lasseters Hotel Casino juicyrump.com.au The Rock Bar 2/78 Todd St therockbar.com.au Todd Tavern Todd Mall toddtavern.com.au

GO FOR PIZZA!

Transit Bar 7 Akuna St, CBD transitbar.com.au

WOLLONGONG

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

Castros 5 Victoria Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

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

Glasshouse & Su Casa 90 Crown Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

Rattle N Hum 65-67 Esplanade rattlenhumbar.com

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

Grand Hotel 124 Keira Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

Salt House 6/2 Pier Point Rd, CBD salthouse.com.au

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

Harp Hotel 234 Corrimal Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

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

THAT’S CHEAP

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

Alibi 76 Crown Street, CBD wollongongnightlife.com.au

CAIRNS

@tnt_downunder

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

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

Fabric Cnr Shields and Esplanade St cairnsevents.com pubs

The Woolshed 24 Shields Street, CBD thewoolshed.com.au

START SATURDAYS

Tongue and Groove. Saturdays, 8-10pm. Visit one of Canberra’s hottest nightlife venues and enjoy a wood-fired pizza for $12 together with some tasty house spirits for only $8. CRN Genge & Bunda St, Canberra

tandg.com.au

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Lucky Coq

All day and night Tue 31st Dec NYE

Free entry, Free pool table, Free BBQ, No superstar DJs, No inflated prices, No hassle 01_736p3-13 upfront.indd 13

28/11/13 7:53 PM

Hungry for more? Katniss is back in the Games this summer, in Catching Fire

Old and new: see Top Gun, Ben Stiller fantasy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, plus F1 speedfest Rush 14

The audience kicks back with the fruit bats at Moonlight Cinema in Sydney

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736 FOCUS.indd 14

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FILMFOCUS

Let's take this outside Summer is here at last, which means it's time for Australia's brilliant open air cinema season WORDS ANDREW WESTBROOK & HUGH RADOJEV Yes, people across the land are looking happier and clothes are getting skimpier (any connection?) – the Aussie summer is well and truly here. It's the time when suddenly, whatever you're doing, it's better to do it outside – and the joy of spending a chilled night watching a film is no exception. Indeed, "As the days grow longer and the nights become warmer, there's no better way to watch a movie than outdoors on a summer evening," explains Ian Sutherland. He's general manager of Moonlight Cinema, the daddy of the Aussie outdoor film scene which is back for its 18th season this year, and we couldn't agree more. The long, hot Aussie summer is ideal for the world of outdoor cinemas, which perhaps explains why you won't struggle too hard to find one. Moonlight is the biggest of the bunch, but whatever you're after, whether it be classics, previews, to drink or also see bands, there's bound to be an event that caters to your tastes. Here are our favourites.

Maltesers Moonlight Cinema WHAT: The day the Moonlight Cinema schedule is released is always a joyous occasion – it means summer is here. With sites set in scenic spots in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, films are shown almost every night from about now to March. The programme includes a mix of classics, such as Top Gun and Life of Brian, Aussie favourites, like The Castle, and stacks of new releases, such as Anchorman 2 and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. They've got 3D films and special sing-a-long nights too. It's definitely worth hiring a bean bed for $9 (unless you can face bringing your own rug/cushions. Food and drink is available, but isn't cheap, so take full advantage of the relaxed BYO setup by going with a picnic and booze. WHERE: Adelaide's Botanic Park (Now-Feb 15), Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens (Dec 5-Mar 30, Perth (Dec 11-Mar 30), Brisbane's New Farm Park (Dec 12-Feb 23), Sydney's Centennial Park (Dec 12-Mar 23). HOW MUCH: Tickets are $18 (+bf), or $12 on Thursdays. Cough up $32 for a prime position Golden Grass ticket. MORE INFO: moonlight.com.au COMPETITION: We've got 10 double passes to give away for films at any of the Moonlight Cinema sites. Just head to tntdownunder.com for your chance to win.

Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinemas WHAT: This touring event has a couple of extra tricks up its sleeve – live music and, unsurprisingly, a slight obsession with all things ice cream. Now in its 10th year but visiting more cities than ever before, Openair's tagline is "music by day, movies by night", and for good reason – top Aussie bands take to the stage on the Saturday nights, with local DJs keeping it going throughout the week. Then, once the sun has dipped below the horizon, the screens kick into action. The event has already finished this year's Brisbane dates, but it's still to hit Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Perth. Films range from classics like Crocodile Dundee, Labyrinth and Point Break to newbies such as The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and upcoming Ben Stiller flick The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. WHERE: Adelaide's Glenelg Beach (now-Dec 22), St Kilda's South Beach Reserve in Melbourne (now-Dec 22), Sydney's Bondi Beach (Jan 24-Mar 2), Canberra's Commonwealth Park (Feb 14-Mar 8) and Perth (TBA). HOW MUCH: Tickets cost from $17+bf. MORE INFO: openaircinemas.com.au ››

Pitt, Fassbender, Ridley Scott, Cormac McCarthy, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Javier Bardem. You'll want to see The Counselor TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Martin Freeman returns as The Hobbit. Right: Oprah and Forest Whitaker hope The Academy is watching The Butler, classic tunes in The Blues Brothers and the St George's Sydney site St George OpenAir Cinema WHAT: You'd be hard-pushed to find a cinema screen with a more spectacular backdrop anywhere in Australia, if not the world. Set right in the heart of Sydney Harbour, the screen emerges from the water, offering views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House to the side, if the film isn't quite holding your attention. Less is more they say, and that's the case with this event. It's a short season, with high prices. But it sells out fast and is worth the experience, even if the movie isn't your first choice. This year's list of 33 films is to be released on December 13. WHERE: Mrs Macquaries Point, Sydney (Jan 10-Feb 15). HOW MUCH: $33+bf. Tickets go on sale Tuesday December 17 – they normally sell out very fast. A limited number are sold on the door each night. MORE INFO: stgeorgeopenair.com.au

Camelot Outdoor Cinema WHAT: Set within a limestone walled garden in the heart of Perth’s Mosman Park, this outdoor screen fest is one of the best in the west. Run by Luna Palace Cinemas, it features a selection of top views, including The Counselor, Rush, Oscar bait The Butler and stacks more, starting with a screening of Woody Allen’s latest, the highly-rated Blue Jasmine. WHERE: 16 Lochee Street, Mosman Park. (Dec 5-Jan 30). HOW MUCH: $17.50. MORE INFO: lunapalace.com.au

Rooftop Cinema Melbourne WHAT: A definite contender for winning the cool stakes. Set bang in the heart of Melbourne, this is a rooftop bar and restaurant which is transformed into an open air cinema during the summer (except Fridays). An extra bonus is that it stays open until 1am, so there's no reason to rush for the exit as soon as the credits start rolling. The season starts with the 16

Sydney-filmed The Great Gatsby, includes the more unusual, such as Sharknado, plus upcomers like Outback murder flick Mystery Road. This one, however, concentrates on the classics – The Goonies, Pulp Fiction, Shaun of the Dead, Dazed and Confused and The Blues Brothers are some of the top picks. WHERE: Top of Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne (Dec 5-April). HOW MUCH: $22+bf. MORE INFO: rooftopcinema.com.au

Tropfest WHAT: The world’s largest short film festival returns for its 22nd year this Sunday, taking place pre-Christmas and in Centennnial Park for the first time. The free, star-studded event, that always draws crowds of thousands, features screenings of the 16 short films chosen as this year's finalists, all incorporating this season's theme of 'change'. There will also be an open Q&A called Tropfest Roughcut, held the day before, which will feature industry insiders giving presentations on everything from direction and producing to writing and acting. WHERE: Centennial Park, Sydney (Sunday, Dec 8). HOW MUCH: Free. MORE INFO: tropfest.com

Flickerfest WHAT: Bondi’s very own international short film festival is into its 23rd year and will take over the Bondi Pavilion for 10 days in January, with each session lasting around 100 minutes. This year’s festival is the first to have been given accreditation by The Academy (the people behind the Oscars), meaning more entries from across the globe. WHERE: Bondi Pavillion, Sydney (Jan 10-19). HOW MUCH: $17.50. MORE INFO: flickerfest.com.au ❚

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CHATROOM

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The Beards

The Adelaide comedy folk band’s whiskered frontman Johann Beardraven (second from left) talks about his favourite subject. In case you were wondering, that’s beards. INTERVIEW HUGH RADOJEV

When did you realise how important beards were to you? It was a gradual process as my own beard became more weighty. I like to think there was a time when I first reached out as a child and touched my father’s beard – for he has had a beard his entire adult life. I’m sure that would have made an impression on me. Ever written a song not about beards? I’m ashamed to say when we started out we were a separate band that didn’t sing about beards. It was a dark time in all of our lives. Eventually the four of us realised that beards and things relating only to beards were the only way to go. We’ve never looked back. How did it start? It was fate. I think it was the beard that drew us together and we didn’t even know what was happening. There was some higher power, a power that we don’t even pretend to understand. The beard itself really created this opportunity. It was destiny, I suppose. We were destined to become the prophets of beard that we have now become. Why are bearded men better? Beards just make everything better. Bearded men are more agile, they’re smarter, they’re stronger than non-bearded men. We’re just better at doing everything. Growing a beard included. You’re due a new album, aren’t you? Yes. We’re looking at probably the first half of next year. We’ll be hitting the studio in early December to start that process. The song writing has been happening in process. Our beards have grown a little longer since the last album so the next release is going to be even better. Only bearded people on the album? Yes, every person involved in every aspect of the album has to be bearded. It makes it really expensive, to be honest. We’ve even found a company in the depths of Croatia who only employ bearded people to help print the CDs. All this beardy-ness will hopefully come through. It has made everything much more expensive, for sure, but it’s obviously well worth it. 20

Beards at play Where’s best in Oz for beards? When we started the situation looked bleak, but the numbers of beards has, I’m happy to report, definitely increased. The situation in Brisbane and Queensland in general is good. Tasmania has always been on it, right from the get-go. There’s some great beards in Tassie. Melbourne too has a strong history of hipster beards – they lack in the length department perhaps, but any beard is a good beard. And globally? The World Beard and Moustache Competition was certainly the best collection of bearded people we’ve ever seen. But, to be fair, they had come from all corners of the globe to compete. I would say the best single country would probably be Canada. The wintery, snowy climate and constant cold is obviously conducive to the growing of beards. Scotland has some really good beards going as well. Would you ever shave for a woman? No, I would never shave my beard off for a woman or any other reason. You’d have to kill me before I would shave off my beard. Look, we do have a lot of women wanting to have sex with us but, the problem with women is they just can’t compare to beards. We see beards as being superior to everything.

What about Movember? It’s hard for us. We feel Movember is just growing facial hair as a bit of a goof, a bit of a short-term money-raising thing. For us, facial hair should be taken more seriously than that. A beard is a commitment for life, not just a chance to get a photo up on Facebook with a shittylooking moustache. We would support something like a ‘Beardcember’ but, again, we wouldn’t want people to then shave them off at the end of the month. What’s your thoughts on beard transplants? Would you ever donate yours to science? If I saw a guy walking down the street with a luscious beard and I subsequently found out it was a transplant I would still congratulate him. That, if anything shows an even greater commitment to having a beard – to have one medically inserted into your face. As for beard donations well, I probably would after my death but only if I knew for sure that its new owner would continue my good work in relation to all beard issues. My beard is exceptionally powerful. It could be terrifying in the wrong hands. The Beards play Festival of the Sun, at Sundowner Breakwall Tourist Park, Port Macquarie (Dec 13-14). fotsun.com

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FILMREVIEW

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KILL YOUR DARLINGS FILM review by Hugh Radojev STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Michael C Hall | 103mins | MA15+ | Out Dec 5

ENDER’S GAME FILM preview STARRING: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley | CTC | 114mins

They say all publicity is good publicity, but that was put to the test when author Orson Scott Card, upon whose novel Gavin Hood’s mega-budget sci-fi flick is adapted, spoke out against gay marriage. Hmm. The movie, about Earth’s battles with alien race the Formics, looks an above average belter. Out December 5

The ‘mostly’ true story of the birth of the Beat Generation and the shady murder that nearly tore them apart. A young Allen Ginsberg goes to Columbia University in the mid-1940s, where he finds friendship, drugs and a way of thinking about writing that would profoundly influence his life. ‘Based on a true story’ – here we go again. I hate it when you’re settling in for a film and that’s the first thing that you see. Because, really, who cares? Every day of my life is more or less based on a true story and it’s super boring. Which is not to say that this is a boring film, but that’s probably because – much like the work of the writers it depicts – the ‘truth’ is never allowed to get in the way of a good story. Kill Your Darlings is the directorial debut for American John Krokidas and casts Daniel Radcliffe (everyone’s favourite teenaged wizard) as a young, pre-beard and buddhism Allen Ginsberg – who goes to Columbia University to escape the shadow of his poet father and a mother struggling with mental illness. At Columbia he then meets the charismatic zeitgeist Lucien Carr (played by an excellent Dane DeHaan) and they bond over a shared love of literature and abstract poetry. Throw a few other historically signifigant recreations of Beat era writers into the mix – a fairly spot on Mid-Western montone William S Burroughs, anyone? – an interesting sountrack which nimbly juxtaposes 1940s jazz standards with modern day bands like Bloc Party and TV On The Radio and some fairly sumptious period costume and you’ve got a pretty good biopic on your hands. GOOD FOR: Showing fans of Beat Generation writers how Ginsey got his ‘Howl’.

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WORLDVIEW

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Big old serve of Christmas cheer

HO, HO, HO-LY CRAP, MY ELECTRICITY BILL!

AUSTRALIA

An Australian family has set the world record by installing more than half a million Christmas lights around their house in suburban Canberra. The Richards family had previously held the record, having won it back in 2001 with 331,038 lights. The Richards were surpassed last year, however, by a family in New York, who beat their record by 1,500 measly lights. This was something the Australians simply couldn’t take and so they decided to ignore their next quarterly electricity bill and decorate their home with a whopping 502,165 bulbs. That’s too many. Hopefully Santa has got a couple of grand to stuff in the Richards’ stockings this year. Or at least a few lumps of coal.

EAR YE, EAR YE, MIKE IS MAKING AMENDS

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock

USA

Several top sporting celebrities have shown they’re not lacking a sense of humour after taking part in what’s being billed as one of the best sports ads of all time – a new Footlocker commercial that suggests all is now right in the world. Part of the commercial shows ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson turning up at the luxury mansion of one-time rival Evander Holyfield. Tyson proceeds to apologise for biting Holyfield’s ear during the pair’s infamous 1997 title bout, before handing the ear back in a gift box, explaining he’d kept if for him in formaldehyde. They then

A whole heap of fluff: Meet Bertie, he’s a cat. A photographer captured this snap of Bertie luxuriating in his cage (if you can call this elegant space, festooned with expensive velvet, a ‘cage’), before being judged in the 2013 Supreme Cat competition currently underway in Birmingham, England.

share a serious man hug. The advert also features the eternally odd former NBA star Dennis Rodman booking a flight to his regular haunt North Korea. His announces he only wants a oneway trip, sparking wild celebrations among staff and customers at the airport. Also happy to self-mock is former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, uncharacteristically turning down a pie, and US TV sports host Craig Sager burning his horrific suits.

OH, SO THAT’S WHY THE ‘LONG FACE’ FRANCE

French horse owners have taken their animals to the Paris streets to protest a proposed tax they feel will put

riding centres out to stud. Anger at taxation, rising unemployment and a failing economy has driven thousands of French men and women into the streets in recent months. Until now however, French horses have keep their noses out of it. Thousands of horses and their owners flocked the streets of the nation’s capital. The protesters claim a proposed tax would make 6,000 people redundant and force the slaughter of 80,000 horses.

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS 6

The number of wickets England’s cricket team lost for just nine runs in the 1st Ashes Test, played in Brisbane.

The amount, in American dollars, that Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, gets paid annually. Not bad at all.

Murder on the dancefloor, Gangnam Style

GANGNAM-LAND SHOOTING

A Yemeni wedding ended tragically after two people were killed by gunshots while they were dancing to Psy’s Gangnam Style. Police sources in the city of Taiz explained one guest lost control of his AK47 while dancing to the South Korean hit. Firing celebratory gunshots is an old, albeit illegal, tradition at Yemeni weddings. Two other people are believed to have also received injuries. Footage thought to be the incident, filmed on a mobile phone, has made it onto the internet. It shows a group of men dancing to the song before the gunfire starts when the tune reaches its climax. The camera pans up, and then down to the bodies in pools of blood, followed by the music stopping and people shouting.

IT’S JUST SO HOT RIGHT NOW

HONG KONG

A man has claimed his Samsung smartphone exploded and burst into flames, causing his Hong Kong apartment to burn down. Mr Du has alleged he was simply playing Love Machine on his Galaxy S4 when it suddenly caught fire in his hands. The unfortunate gamer then flung his phone away, only for it to land on his

The number, in years, that Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan claims to have been an Israeli operative in the 1960s.

Number, in dollars, that a US couple were fined for engaging in oral sex while on a plane on their way to Las Vegas.

YEMEN

Too hot to handle highly flammable sofa. Before they kew what was happening, Mr Du and his wife were then forced to escape as their entire flat caught fire. The pair insist the phone, and its charger, were legitimate Samsung products. Samsung Hong Kong, meanwhile, has stated it will analyse chemicals from the scene to check.

MADCHESTER DEALS: ONE NIGHT IN PARIS UK

A British teenager has woken up in a Paris public toilet after going out for a few drinks in Manchester. Luke Harding, a 19-year-old sheet metal worker, had been on his way home, at 4am, when an ad on his phone for a cheap flight caught his eye. With his passport already in his pocket for ID, he jumped straight in a cab and caught the 6am Paris flight. His memories then go hazy. That is until, hours later, he woke in the toilet at Charles De Gaulle Airport.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK Emphasis was placed on the urgency of the need to bring an end to the violence Pope Francis claiming that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin got down to the nub of the issues going on in Syria. Russia playing peacekeeper? God help us all...

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SPORTNEWS

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Mario the mercenary

BAYERN EFFICIENTLY DISPATCH DORTMUND

FOOTBALL

Bayern Munich won the ‘Klassiker’ in the German Bundesliga, dismissing their rivals 3-0 in the rematch of last year’s Champions League final. The biggest match in Germany’s top flight Bundesliga took place at Signal Iduna Park and it was fairly well neck and neck for the first hour or so. Both teams had to cope with several injuries and there was no hot favourite going into the clash, but 10 minutes after Bayern boss Pep Guardiola introduced Mario Goetze, the 21-year-old scored against his former club in their home stadium. After Goetze lofted the ball over a helpless Roman Weidenfeller to make it 2-0 in the 85th minute, Dutch winger Arjen Robben (the man who downed Dortmund in the Champions League) cropped up with a third goal late on to kill the game off.

VETTEL EQUALS HISTORIC RECORD FORMULA 1

After winning his forth straight Formula 1 title, 26-year-old German Sebastian Vettel celebrated his ninth straight victory of the season in the Brazilian Grand Prix, on a rain soaked track in Sao Paulo. His ninth straight Formula 1 race win equals the feat set by Alberto Ascari who set the same record over 50 years ago. It was also Vettel’s 13th win of the season, which equals compatriot Michael Schumacher’s efforts from the 2004 F1 season. Despite it being Red Bull teammate Mark Webber’s last career race, Vettel didn’t slow down to allow him a win – quelle surprise – but powered home to equal the records. 26

Wang Shixian of China in action at the Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open Badminton Championship Women’s Final (try saying that with a mouthfull of marbles). Good picture – terrible sport. What is a ‘shuttlecock’ anyway?

About Webber, who finished second, Vettel said: “We didn’t have the best of relationships, but we always had respect for each other.”

PHILLIPS CONTINUES NRL HORROR RUN RUGBY LEAGUE

Canterbury Bulldogs youngster Tyrone Phillips has become the third NRL player in as many days to be dragged in front of a judge after getting into a brawl. Phillips was charged with affray after a November 3 brawl outside a bar in the Sydney suburb of Beverly Hills. “Today we are dealing with another unacceptable and unnecessary situation,” said Bulldogs’ Raelene Castle said. Reni Matua and Richie Fa’aoso are the other two players charged.

BIG WEEK FOR ... Graeme Swann. England’s off spinner copped an absolute pasting in the 1st Ashes Test at the Gabba – he finished with match figures of 2/215 – and if the English stand any chance of coming back at the Aussies in Adelaide, Swann will need to get his act together. The Adelaide Oval is known as a very batsman-friendly surface but has always had something in it for spin bowlers. England will likely bring in Monty Panesar as a second spin option for the Test, which might take some pressure off Swanny. Still, it’s make or break for Graeme Swann.

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK I thought Mirallas should have been sent off, it would have been interesting if it had been Luis who had made the challenge Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has his say on Kevin Mirallas’ derby challenge

David Moyes needs his United side to start finding its feet and soon

PREVIEW DAVID MOYES TO FACE HIS FORMER SIDE MAN UTD VS EVERTON THURSDAY, DEC 5, FOX SPORTS ONE David Moyes spent 11 happy and fairly productive years as manager of Everton. His era came to an end when he was hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson to replace him at Manchester United and the rest, they say, is history. It’s fair to say the start of Moyes’ reign at United has been patchy. There was always going to be some issues for the man, having to step into the shadow of one of the greatest figures in modern

football in Ferguson but, for the fans at least, this teething period is over and they expect nothing less than trophies. Everton meanwhile have started brightly under Roberto Martinez and, despite some concerns over the fragility of their defence, play with an aesthetic swagger and freedom that was seldom (if ever) seen during Moyes’ tenure. Romelu Lukaku continues to plunder goals seemingly for fun and the emergence of young attacking midfielder Ross Barkley continues apace – the Merseyside born youngster has been an absolute revelation this season.

THE CHAT | The point we’re trying to make

Photos:Getty

England captain Michael Vaughan has told Q Former Michael Clarke to cut out his habit of pointing at opposition players. Is he right or wrong? In the wake of the highly charged end to the 1st Ashes Test at the A Gabba, Michael Vaughan made the observation that Michael Clarke was setting a bad example as Australian captain by physically pointing at opposition batsman like he did with Jimmy Anderson. Thousands of Aussie kids grow up idolising the captain of the Australian cricket team and Vaughan does raise an interesting point – pun intended – about the effect this might have on sportsmanship. Pack it in, Michael and just play the game!

The one thing I want changed in the game, I hate it when I see captains point the finger at players, and that’s what Clarke does... That’s the example that kids are looking for Former England captain Michael Vaughan has a go at Michael Clarke for his use of the finger. Oh, the irony – Michael Vaughan pointing the finger at Michael Clarke for pointing the finger

TV HIGHLIGHTS CRICKET Australia vs England First day of the 2nd Ashes Test Thur, Dec 5, 10.30am. Channel 9

BASKETBALL Heat v Pacers Live NBA action from the USA Thur, Dec 12, 11am. One HD

FOOTBALL Man City v Arsenal Point guard?

Clash of the Premier League titans Sat, Dec 14, 11:45pm. Fox Sports 1

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Welcome to the 'Gabbatoir' The horror, the horror. England were given a stunning wake-up call in Brisbane, but there's still a lot of cricket to be played WORDS HUGH RADOJEV

For an Australian sporting public so long deprived of the sweet taste of success against the old foe, the 1st Ashes Test at the Gabba was a moment of pure, uninhibited ecstasy. You could smell the blood in the water from a mile away and the Aussies circled (the players around the bat, the fans around the bar), like ravenous sharks. Mitchell Johnson looked reborn: his ridiculous handlebar moustache bristling fearsomely as he charged in from the boundary and delivered a barrage of short-pitched, lightning bolts at the chests, heads and arms of England’s hapless batsman. It was carnage. If Alastair Cook didn’t realise it before, this Ashes series looks a very different kettle of fish than the last few they’ve cantered through. Still, one Test match doesn’t a series make. England remain a better side on paper, but this time it seems Clarke’s men are angrier and hungrier than before and, more importantly, seem willing to do whatever it takes to win.

Short, but a long way from sweet At the height of the carnage during England’s first innings, where six wickets fell for just nine runs, one dissenting voice stood out amongst the vociferous praise. Jonathan Agnew – the English cricketer turned pundit currently covering the series with the ABC Grandstand team – asked a fairly poignant question that fell, mostly, on deaf ears. 28

“Isn’t there more to cricket than just ‘winning-at-all costs’, or am I just showing my old age?” he said. Agnew was referring to the Australian attack’s sustained and brutal bouncing of England’s tail-enders. It had certainly proven to be a successful tactic, but was it really in keeping with cricket’s image as a gentleman’s sport? Almost certainly not, but it was fun to watch.

Papering over the cracks Australia’s batting lineup, particularly its top order, still needs a lot of work. Of Australia’s top six batsmen, only David Warner made scores in both innings (49 and 124) and were it not for Michael Clarke’s second innings century, the match would have been far tighter. Chris Rogers was, at best, stodgy at the top of the innings, while Shane Watson did what he seems to do best – get himself set, then get out playing a ridiculous shot. Test debutant George Bailey, meanwhile, looked all at sea in both innings. It remains unclear whether he’s the long-term solution to Australia’s woes in the number six position. And Steve Smith? When you consider the sort of players who have batted at number five for Australia in the last 10 years – Steve Waugh, Damien Martyn, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke – well, the current Aussie side seems a long way from a golden age. The bowlers won the first Test, but it won’t be so easy down the track. Adelaide is a batting pitch, so too is the MCG and, to a slightly lesser extent, the SCG. Failing to score 300-plus in the first innings won’t be punished so lightly.

Photos: Getty

Ouch, 381 runs. That hurt. Revenge it seems, despite the popular adage, is a dish best served in the broiling heat and high humidity of a Queensland summer’s day (or four, as the case may be).

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In your face Cooky! Australia celebrates a dominant 1st Test display, thanks in large part to a resurgent Mitchell Johnson Swann in a spin A lot of England’s recent successes can be put at Graeme Swann’s door. The off-spinner has had the happy knack of being able to pick up a wicket or five when his side has needed them the most. But Swanny went missing in action in Brisbane and England suffered because of it – the Aussies went on the offensive, basically bludgeoning him out of the attack. Barmy Army fans will point to the Gabba being historically unkind to all finger spinners and, yet, Australia’s own tweaker, Nathan Lyon, was able to pick up four key wickets for his side – two in each innings – that kept the momentum going. Swann will bounce back from the Gabba – he’s too good a bowler not to – but it will certainly have affected him mentally and physically.

Bantergate Despite the protestations of some uninformed Aussie cricket fans, the stump microphone is not a listening device planted by Channel 9 to spy on what the players are saying out in the middle – it’s predominantly there to help the umpires hear thin edges and nicks. The fact it picks up the ‘banter’ (or full-blown sledging) between the opposition is merely a happy byproduct. Sure, if you wandered up to someone in the street and told them to “get ready for a broken fucking arm” (as Michael Clarke did to Alastair Cook at the Gabba), you’d probably find yourself in a spot of bother with the local constabulary. But all’s fair in love and Ashes cricket, right? ❚

Trott is now back recovering at home

TROTT QUITS ASHES MENTAL ILLNESS IN CRICKET England batsman Jonathan Trott became the latest high profile cricketer to admit suffering a “stressrelated illness”, when he quit the Ashes Tour and returned to England last week. The move is remiscent of former England batsman Marcus Trescothick, who left tours of India and Australia in 2006 and 2007 citing a “stress-related illness”, later revealed to be depression. The admission has reignited the debate around why there is an abnormally high suicide rate among first class cricketers – many believe the sport’s macho attitudes, a lack of support and the long periods of time spent away from home are largely to blame. TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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SPORTVIEW TNT puts the world to rights COMMENT: HUGH RADOJEV hugh@tntdownunder.com

Hex factor – in this writer’s totally unbiased opinion, Suarez is basically the beez knees...

The view from almost half way – it’s wide open, innit? The wheat is definitely rising from the chaff in the top flight

This season’s English Premier League is 12 games old (as TNT goes to press) – no longer an infant, but not yet a full grown adult either, and, so far anyway, it has proven to be as unpredictable as the most hormonal of teens. As things currently stand, Arsene Wenger’s much maligned Arsenal side sit top of the league and have looked in imperious, ominous form since their opening day hammering at the hands of Aston Villa. Liverpool sit second, despite many questioning their ability to even finish in the top four. Money bags Chelsea and Manchester City are both in the top four as well, but have both shown severe inconsistencies this season, dropping points against teams they should’ve beaten. Below the top four it gets even more interesting – this season’s surprise package Southampton sit fifth and, despite their recent loss to Arsenal, still look like a very good team. Tottenham Hotspur – who lost Bale but spent 100 million quid in the summer – started strongly, but have recently found goals extremely hard to come by from open play and were severely chastised by Man City last time out. In the red half of Manchester, meanwhile, David Moyes’ quiet revolution hasn’t quite clicked into top gear and, with his only major summer signing Marouane Fellaini looking out of his depth, the Red Devils will likely be waiting for January with baited breath. Don’t count out Roberto Martinez’s swaggering Everton outfit either. They score goals for fun. The gap between the top eight and the rest has also become remarkably pronounced with a number of sides who, on paper at least, seemed destined for comfortable seasons (such as Norwich City, Fulham and Swansea) all struggling for consistency at the moment in the lower half of the table. It’s harder to pick than a broken nose, this one! Who do you think will be in the top four come May? Tweet us @tnt_downunder

WALLABIES NEED A SPRING CLEANING When Ewen McKenzie was announced as the new Wallabies coach, everyone rejoiced. Yet, he’s not exactly been the Messiah so far, has he? What place does a Kiwi have coaching the Aussie national team? The Deans witch-hunt has all but airbrushed the Canterbury born and raised coach out of Wallabies history. The name ‘Deans’ has become a dirty word amongst Australian rugby insiders – in much the same way that other terms like ‘professionalism’,

“

‘Deans’ has become a dirty word in Aussie rugby

”

‘ability’ and ‘winning’ have as well. Yet, at least Deans’ men occasionally played well, even in defeat. I’ve yet to see a McKenzie side play well, ever! Bill Pulver, head of the ARU, said McKenzie’s first season had been ‘mediocre’. That’s one word for it. I’d probably have gone with ‘shit’.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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HORSING AROUND

Photos: Tourism Queensland, Tourism Western Australia, Getty

The world’s largest equine sculptures, 30m tall, have been unveiled in Falkirk, Scotland. The pair of ‘Kelpies’, made from 600 tonnes of steel, cost £5m.

INSIDE

GAGA FOR THE LADY

/46

Reef and rum aren’t two things you’d normally associate together, but Bundaberg happily specialises in both. 32

GOING FOR GOLD /50

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The Gold Coast is so much more than parties, theme parks and beaches, as we discover in a crazy 72-hour visit.

We send an east coast snob to WA’s mining heartland, where she falls for Karijini and Port Hedland’s North West Festival.

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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HOTSHOTS

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WINNER

WEEKLY WINNER SUNRISE SAILING: Sandra Linhardt, 24, Germany SANDRA SAYS: “This is a shot I took of New Zealand’s beautiful Lake Taupo at sunrise.” WE SAY: “We generally try and keep our Australian and New Zealand Hot Shots separate, but sometimes a photo comes along that demands publishing, whatever the subject matter. Lake Taupo is a very beautiful part of the world and you’ve done a great job of photographing it, Sandra! We particularly love the play of sunlight off of the water and the shadows it casts on the beached catamaran in the foreground.”

HOT TIPS: Practice, practice Like anything, the more you do, the better you are going to get. I often tell people learning photography that it is similar to learning to play an instrument – you don’t get better by not playing it! So pick up your camera every day, take it with you wherever you go. Read the instructions on how to use it, jump on YouTube and watch a few tutorials, but most of all take lots of photographs. All this adds up to time spent with the camera which will result in better photographs. Tips by ocean photographer, Joel Coleman. See saltmotion.com

WIN

THE MONTHLY WINNER GETS THREE DAYS CAMPERVAN HIRE FROM MIGHTY CAMPERS

Send high-res (300 dpi) jpegs with name, age, nationality and a description to: hugh@tntdownunder.com. Photos are judged by the TNT team at their own discretion. Photos will also be placed on TNT’s Facebook page. For terms and conditions, see tntdownunder.com. Weekly winner Sandra wins a free night’s stay at the award-winning Sydney Central YHA (yha.com.au). The monthly winner gets three days’ campervan hire from Mighty Campers Australia (mightycampers.com.au)

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13/6/13 28/11/13 1:03:53 6:43 AM AM

TRAVELNEWS

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ART ATTACK Justin Bieber has been ordered to clean up graffiti he left on the outside wall of a hotel on the Gold Coast during his current Australian tour. The hotel, QT Gold Coast, said on its Facebook page that it was “stoked to have Justin Bieber’s artwork” on their walls, adding that it had given him permission, but Gold Coast City Council said the Canadian pop star must remove the cartoon faces. A spokesman said: “The city has a zero tolerance approach to graffiti. If Justin Bieber does not want to use the free graffiti removal kit left with him, then the hotel is expected to use it.” Bieber was charged with defacing a Brazilian building last month.

Photo: Getty

VIRGINITY SALE ‘SCAM’

A Brazilian student who last year sold her virginity in an online auction has claimed she was exploited and remains a virgin. Catarina Migliorini, 21, sold her V plates for $780,000 to a Japanese man named ‘Natsu’. However, the physical education student says she was a victim of Australian filmmaker Justin Sisely, who organised the ‘sale’ for a documentary called Virgins Wanted. Migliorini, who said she would use most of the cash to build homes for poor families, insisted she’d received no money. Mr Sisely has denied her claims. .

CLOWNING AROUND It seems like a story straight out of an Alan Partridge episode, but Norfolk police have urged people to stay calm in the face of what has been called a ‘clown epidemic’. “We know there is a lot of gossip about this on social media channels,” said Superintendent Carl Edwards, “but it is important to gain a perspective.” There have been a spate of reports, in the King’s Lynn area, or people dressed in full “Halloweentype” clown masks, sometimes chasing people down the street. Police added the clowns would be offered “strong words of advice” if found. .

END OF THE ROAD? Despite surviving for over 2,000 years so far, it has been revealed that nearly two-thirds of the Great Wall of China has been damaged or destroyed. The main culprit, according to the China Great Wall Society’s Li Lin, is not tourists, as many might suspect, but local farmers, who steal sections of the world’s largest man-made structure as a source of free materials to patch up their own homes, buildings and roads. Regulations to protect the landmark, built during the Ming Dynasty, have been in place since 2006, but have proved nearly impossible to enforce. .

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Time to make your mates at home sick. Fully sick

Santa in the sun Forget freezing your balls off and knitted woolly jumpers, it’s Christmas Down Under, and yes, everyone’s invited WORDS HUGH RADOJEV & REGINA NEUMEYER

Who doesn’t love Christmas? It’s a magical time when friends and family come together, exchange presents, eat way too much and drink heavily. It’s a time synonymous with the pitter-patter of reindeer hooves, of a warm crackling fire and snow swirling outside… Wait, what? Let’s get one thing straight – Christmas in Australia is a little bit different. The only thing for sure is that you’ll never forget your first one. For starters, the land Down Under is mercifully modest when it comes to pre-Big Day hype. Forget the Christmas adverts, TV specials and novelty songs that usually dominate life for months. And don’t even think about getting a white Christmas – if you’re desperate to get blinded by the brightness, just check out some of the fresh flesh likely to be on display across Bondi Beach come the festive period. Of course, if you really do miss that Northern Hemisphere atmosphere, 38

make sure you head to the Blue Mountains in winter for Christmas in July, but for now, the Christmas period is the height of summer across Australia (and the school summer holidays – beware!), so expect the country to be hitting the beach, cranking up the barbies and keeping their Eskys well stocked. With that in mind, enjoy the chance to be spontaneous and make up the rules, knowing you’ve none of the usual family obligations, other than a couple of quick calls before posting some sickening photos of yourself wearing a santa hat on the beach. One top tip is to get your phone calls home out of the way in the morning, when it’s still Christmas Eve in most of the world. That way you can boast about the weather and not sound like a drunken tramp... at least until they ring back 12 hours later. It also gets harder to connect calls the later you leave it, as the masses start to

jam the networks. Also make sure you stock up on booze as most bottle shops will be shut on Christmas and Boxing Day. You don’t want to run out or spend hours queuing up in overpriced petrol stations. Likewise, buy as much ice as you can carry/store, and don’t forget the food bit of your barbie as well. Finally, it’s really not worth ignoring the local laws. In Sydney, for example, the council is very strict on enforcing alcohol bans on Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches. You really don’t want to spend the festive period in the slammer, no matter how desperate you are to be the drunken bloke dragged to safety on the next Bondi Rescue Christmas Special. In fact, try to remember that swimming generally, especially in the ocean, becomes a bit trickier when absolutely smashed! Okay, that’s the ‘mum bit’ sorted. Now then, here’s some top Crimbo events to get your antlers around... ››

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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CAROLS ON THE BEACH WHAT: Take a picnic blanket and enjoy an evening of singing with an all-Aussie lineup including Frankie J Holden, The Drifters and stars of The Voice, Simon Meli and Caterina Torres. WHEN: Sunday, Dec 22. WHERE: Surfers Paradise. COST: Free. INFO: surfersparadise.com

CHRISTMAS ON THE GREEN WHAT: Enjoy the festivities while cruising Sydney Harbour and feasting on a specially prepared Christmas buffet including roast turkey and Christmas pud. WHEN: Christmas Day. WHERE: King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour, Sydney. COST: From $140pp. INFO: magisticcruises.com.au

SANTA RUN WHAT: Join hundreds of Santas “running for a good clause” in these 5km charity runs across Tasmania. WHERE: Launceston (Dec 1), Ulverstone (Dec 8) and Kingston (Dec 14). COST: $35 (fee includes a free santa suit). INFO: santarun.com.au

CAROLS IN THE DOMAIN WHAT: There’s no shortage of carol singing gettogethers across Australia, but this is the biggest of the bunch. It’s on telly and generally gets proper big names – recent years have included Hugh Jackman, Delta Goodrem and, er, David Hasselhoff. WHEN: Saturday, Dec 21. WHERE: The Domain, Sydney. COST: Free. INFO: carolsinthedomain.com

Think you burnt the turkey...

No reindeer needed Down Under

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

SANTA FEST WHAT: Celebrate at Darling Harbour throughout the festive period with a Water Spectacular, Santa Fun Run, Carols by the Tee of Light and huge Harbourside Christmas Fireworks that will light up Sydney’s skies every Saturday in December. WHEN: Now – Christmas Eve. WHERE: Darling Harbour, Sydney. COST: Free. INFO: darlingharbour.com

CAROLS IN THE CAVES WHAT: Join in singing traditional carols with the pros among the brilliantly atmospheric setting of the stalagmites and stalactites. It’s a venue you’re unlikely to forget. WHEN: Saturday, Dec 14. WHERE: Jenolan Caves, Blue Mountains, NSW. COST: From $38.50. INFO: jenolancaves.org.au

You’ll probably cope with missing Eastenders TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Limbering up for Sydney’s Santa Run

OZ PARTY CHRISTMAS EVE CRUISE

MELBOURNE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

WHAT: Join 600 people from across the world coming together to share in the festive cheer (and the free drinks). Things will get naughty before they get nice. WHEN: Christmas Eve. WHERE: Sydney Harbour. COST: $89 (includes free drinks and light buffet). INFO: ozpartyevents.com

WHAT: The heart of Melbourne has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland so get out and explore. Town Hall has been giftwrapped and guarded by 3m Nutcracker soldiers and a maze has been set up in City Square for starters. WHEN: Now – Christmas Eve. WHERE: Across Melbourne. COST: Free. INFO: melbourne. vic.gov.au/christmas

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE

Christmas on the beach Facebook photo? Tick

WHAT: The awardwinning pastry chefs at Epicure’s Culinary Centre present a gingerbread village that will include popular landmarks such as Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Luna Park, all made out of gingerbread. WHEN: Now – Christmas Eve. WHERE: Melbourne Town Hall. COST: Free. INFO: visitmelbourne.com

CROWN PERTH CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA

Crowds gather at Watsons Bay for the start of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 40

WHAT: A sumptuous set menu of Christmas food, live entertainment provided by bands, comedians and DJs and maybe a flutter or two at the end of it all. Dress smart. WHEN: Friday, Dec 6. WHERE: Crown Ballroom, Burswood Perth. COST: $170, including food and entertainment. INFO: crownperth.com.au

CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH AT MELBOURNE ZOO WHAT: Celebrate in a truly unique setting at Melbourne Zoo. The day will include food, drinks and zoo admission, as well as some unusual Christmas Day buddies. WHEN: Christmas Day. WHERE: Melbourne Zoo, Elliot Avenue, Parkville. COST: TBC. INFO: zoo.org.au

CAROLS IN ALL NATIONS WHAT: Carols, picnic blankets and a big lineup of local Darebin musical talent. Bring something soft to lie on, a bottle or two of wine and sing along to all your favourite carols. WHEN: Saturday, Dec 14. WHERE: All Nations Park, Northcote, Melbourne. COST: Free. INFO: darebin.vic.gov.au

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off

FOR TNT READERS

04_736p_32-59 Travel.indd 41

28/11/13 7:36 PM

INFINITE CHOIR

CHINESE LAUNDRY’S XMAS GARDEN PARTY

WHAT: Visit Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall and take part in an interactive Christmas choir where a walkway of light sculptures and choral sounds are triggered by your presence. WHEN: Now – Christmas Day. WHERE: Pitt Street Mall. COST: Free. INFO: sydneychristmas. com.au

NEUTRAL BAY CHRISTMAS MARKETS WHAT: Browse the stalls and find that perfect gift. On Saturday you can decorate your own gingerbread man or build a Reindeer Cup, while you can sing along at the Christmas Carols from 4pm on Sunday. WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, Dec 14-15. WHERE: Neutral Bay, Sydney. COST: Free. INFO: facebook.com/ neutralbay communitymarkets

CHRISTMAS PROJECTIONS WHAT: Soak up the atmosphere as the walls of Sydney Town Hall are illuminated. Watch in wonder as every evening the George Street facade springs to life with spectacular light projections. WHEN: Now – Christmas Day, 8.30pm-1am. WHERE: Town Hall and Sydney Square, Sydney. COST: Free. INFO: sydneychristmas. com.au

WHAT: Celebrate the days before Christmas when Chinese Laundry takes over Ivy with a lineup including DJ Snake, Alex Metric, Martin Horger, Midnight Juggernauts, Kilter and Lancelot. WHEN: Saturday, Dec 21. WHERE: Chinese Laundry, Sydney. COST: From $44.50. INFO: chineselaundryclub. com.au

Bad Santa in the house

CHRISTMAS DAY MOVIE MARATHON

CHRISTMAS SANTA SUNSET CRUISE

WHAT: For those who find themselves orphaned on Christmas Day, there will be a festive-themed movie marathon in Melbourne’s Federal Square. Bring your own picnic basket and find a spot among the installation of more than 100 Christmas trees. WHEN: Christmas Day. WHERE: Melbourne. COST: Free. INFO: fedsquare.com/events

WHAT: Enjoy a 1.5 hour sunset cruise with views of all the essential Gold Coast highlights including the Surfers Paradise skyline, Sea World and Palazzo Versace, all while singing Christmas Carols with the man himself on board. WHEN: Sunday, Dec 22. WHERE: Starts and ends at Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast. COST: $35. INFO: wyndhamcruises. com.au

INTERNATIONAL DAY AT THE RACES WHAT: Get straight back on it and win back your festive spending (or not...) with a day at Sydney’s top horse racing track. WHEN: Boxing Day. WHERE: Royal Randwick, Sydney. COST: Free (with a nonAussie passport). INFO: australianturfclub. com.au

SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE WHAT: Join the masses on Sydney’s shores to see the harbour fill with boats to mark the start of the iconic annual boat race. WHEN: Boxing Day. WHERE: Sydney Harbour. COST: Free. INFO: rolexsydneyhobart.com

CAROLS IN THE CITY WHAT: Come along to see performers such as Debra Byrne, Colin Buchanan, Mirusia, Mark Lowndes and Ian Stenlake belting out classic traditional carols, modern takes on old favourites and maybe even something new. WHEN: Saturday, Dec 14. WHERE: Riverstage, Brisbane. COST: Free. INFO: carolsinthecity.com.au

BOXING DAY TEST WHAT: It’s one of the biggest days on Australia’s sporting calendar (especially during an Ashes year) – the first day of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Tickets will sell out, but head to any pub or the big screens in Federation Square to catch the action. WHEN: Boxing Day. WHERE: Federation Square, Melbourne. COST: Free. INFO: fedsquare.com

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WIN

@tnt_downunder

HOW TO ENTER

Go to tntdownunder.com/competitions. See webpage for terms and conditions. Winners will be selected at random.

WIN THE ULTIMATE

AJ HACKETT NZ BUNGY PRIZE You might have noticed that here at TNT, we’re strong believers that a trip to New Zealand should feature some sort of death-defying adrenalin feat that, well, makes you feel just a little bit sick to think about if we’re honest. And when it comes to those sorts of extreme activites, there’s no denying the AJ Hackett crew are the kings. We love them we do. And so, being the good buddies that we are, we’ve joined forces to offer one of you lucky readers the chance to take on the ultimate adrenalin challenge – doing not just one of Hackett’s Kiwi experiences, but eight of them. Gulp. THE PRIZE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: KAWARAU BRIDGE BUNGY: The 43m jump that was the world’s first. NEVIS BUNGY: With a 134m drop, it’s NZ’s

highest bungy. NEVIS SWING: Starting 160m up, it’s the world’s biggest swing. LEDGE BUNGY: Take the plunge, freestyle, from 400m above Queenstown. LEDGE SWING: Take control and swing out over the lake. AUCKLAND BRIDGE BUNGY: Jump 40m off the Harbour Bridge for a dip in the ocean. AUCKLAND BRIDGE CLIMB: Clamber on top for incredible city views. KAWARAU ZIPRIDE: Ride along the river with up to five others.

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Competition closes at midnight, on Friday, February 28, 2014. Log on to tntdownunder.com/competitions for further details, terms and conditions, and to enter. www.bungy.co.nz

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736 COMPETITION.indd 45

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Diversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; paradise: (clockwise) a Lady Elliot turtle; and manta ray; sunrise over the lagoon; the island from above

Bundaberg

Photos: Thinkstock, Tourism and Events Queensland, Eddie Safarik, Peter Lik, Darren Jew, Ezra Patchett, Mike Hillburger

QUEENSLAND

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Going gaga for the Lady Reef and rum aren’t two things you’d normally associate together, but Bundaberg happens to specialise in both WORDS ANDREW WESTBROOK

Today was a first for me. Never before had I given pleasure to a turtle. Hang on, that came out wrong. It was all consensual I promise. Don’t go calling the bestiality police. I’m diving off Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay that lies 80km off the coast of Bundaberg. It’s a tiny island, the Great Barrier Reef’s most southerly, and is home to little more than an eco-resort and some of the best diving found Down Under, thanks in large part to being just about the most likely place in Queensland to spot turtles and manta rays. I’d arrived on Lady Elliot earlier that day, my cosy 13-seater plane skidding to a halt on the grassy runway after the 25-minute flight from the mainland, to be greeted by the island’s waving staff. With the Queensland sun beaming down on what is the Great Barrier Reef’s most isolated resort, I’d headed straight for what I had come for – the dive shop.

Half-shell heaven Lady Elliot is renowned for its spectacular diving for many reasons. For starters, there’s no stingers at any time of year. Plus, the proximity of the continental shelf means cold currents bring plenty of plankton to the area. They in turn draw in turtles to the region to feed, mate and then nest on the beaches (November to February), before hatching and scurrying back into the sea (January to April). While Mon Repos, by Bundaberg, boasts the Southern Hemisphere’s largest nesting population of loggerhead turtles, Lady Elliot also enjoys an active season, with green and hawksbill turtles in abundance. Plus, the island’s surrounding reef, which you can paddle to straight from the beach, enjoys a large manta ray population, which swells from a standard 50 or so around the year, to several hundred during the winter mating season. Lady Elliot’s underwater world lives up to the hype with ease. The fish on display are breathtaking. Flashes of colour spark left and right as if beams of sunlight are creating underwater rainbows. The real treasures, however, are among the numerous bummies which rise from the sand at sporadic intervals. In one

we spy a majestic lionfish. It looks like a peacock preening its feathers as it sways in the current.

“

You can paddle to the reef, with its mantas, straight from the beach

”

On top of another, a small hawksbill turtle is feeding, rolling over and under in the currents like a toddler in a playpen. A few minutes later, after passing a couple of green turtles swimming by on their daily commute, we come across a real treat – a large green turtle, almost 1.5m long, is relaxing on the seabed. Not wanting to disturb it from its slumber, we’re stand-offish at first, until a few encouraging nods of its head beckon us closer. ››

No need for dive boats here

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Within moments I move nearer and give him a scratch on the back, as if I’m a cleaner fish removing the algae. He lolls his head in pleasure (I think?), and so I carry on. See, all very innocent. Popping back up to the surface, it’s hard to disagree with my enthusiastic dive instructor Chris, who has been on Lady Elliot for three years having dived all along the reef. “I just love diving and here is the best I’ve ever known,” he says, “so this is the place for me.”

“

The giants float below me like something from another planet

Ray of light

”

I spend the rest of my day doing the leisurely 45-minute stroll around the entire island and enjoying the divine sunset, which sends the lagoon a vivid lilac, perfectly silhouetting two distant walkers. It’s then just back to the bar, which basks in the sky full of stars and the sound of the sea roaring over the reef. Days are quickly filled with wandering the island tracks, packed with birds and butterflies, plus snorkelling in the natural lagoon. And eating. Lots of eating. Sometimes you just need to get away from it all, even if you’re sort of already doing that by being in Australia, and it’s hard to imagine a place more perfect for achieving that. Like

Turtle power: admiring a large green turtle on its daily commute

the turtles on the seabed, island life slows the urgency and soon the only deadlines that matter are whether you want to join the morning or afternoon dive (I discover too late that morning is better for mantas). And of course the sumptuous meals, you really don’t want to miss them. There are so many fish on display it’s hard to keep track. Ornate butterfly fish, emperor angel fish and brass-striped barracuda are just the ones that I remember. One, however, I will never forget is the final box I had to tick. A box that forces me back into the water just before my plane was due to leave – manta rays. Tense at the prospect of leaving without seeing them (especially considering everyone else on the island seems to have had more success than me), I paddle out to the reef. And bingo, there they are! Two giants floating and flapping playfully beneath me like something from another planet. It’s an incredible sight and I can do little more than gawp. A reef shark even siddles past like the added cherry on top. This time, the pleasure is all mine.

Who bears wins

Postcard moment: pausing to enjoy the Bargara sunset

Back on the mainland, there’s plenty of accommodation options in Bundaberg’s wide and gracious main streets for any backpackers hunting down the region’s plentiful fruitpicking work (see boxout, right), but I head out to laidback beach village Bagara, about 15km through the sugar cane fields from town.

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Feeling fruity?

Pick of the bunch Thinking of doing harvest work to extend your Working Holiday visa? Bundaberg could be the answer.

Full of restaurants, hotels, a chilled-out esplanade and plenty more highly-regarded dive sites, it’s another great place to recharge the batteries. But I just have time to soak up one more site – Bundaberg’s main attraction (when the turtles are out of season) – the rum distillery. It’s fair to say that Bundaberg Rum is about as Australian a drink as you can get. While most Aussies are fiercely regional about their beers, they unite as one when it comes to their Bundy and its iconic polar bear. So much so in fact that the launch of a new white rum when I’m in town has had people camping out for 10 days. Forget iPad geeks, Bundy boys know the meaning of dedication. Distilled on the outskirts of town since 1888, when a certain Frederic William Buss decided to start using the local surplus of molasses, a byproduct of sugar production, the Bondstore now boasts a staggering 22m litres of rum on site at any one time. A tour of the distillery is a great way to spend a few hours full of rich sugary smells, tales of towering infernos from when the distillery burnt down and the chance to admire giant barrels, each holding $6m worth of rum. Not enough? Well, how often do you get to have your photo taken with a rum-drinking Queensland polar bear? ❚ Details: Beds at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort cost from $147 per night, including food, snorkel gear and tours ladyelliot.com.au. Bundaberg Distillery tours cost from $15 bundabergrum.com.au

Bundaberg is one of Australia’s most prolific farming areas, being responsible for about 90 per cent of Australia’s sweet potatoes, as well as most of the world’s macadamias, on top of plentiful supplies of tomatoes, avocados, water melons and more. As such, generally speaking, there’s harvest work available for backpackers all year round to help you on your way to that second year Working Holiday visa. Vegetable work is available throughout the year, while mangoes, melons and tomatoes are also being harvested at the moment. Other local seasons involve strawberries (June to September), avocados (April to August) and citrus (March to July). Visit jobsearch.gov. au/harvesttrail for more information. There are a dozen or so hostels around the town which also organise work, with many laying on free minibuses to farms. Reputations vary wildly year on year and depending who you ask, so make sure you call ahead, shop around and do some research. Bundaberg Workers and Divers (64 Barolin Street, ph: 07 4151 6097) Cellblock Backpackers (46 Quay Street, ph: 1800 837 773) City Centre Backpackers (216 Bourbong Street, ph: 07 4151 3501) Dingo Blue Backpackers (11 Burrum Street, ph: 1300 782 385) East Bundy Backpackers (22 Princess Street, ph: 07 4154 3700) Federal Backpackers (221 Bourbong Street, ph: 07 4153 3711) Feeding Grounds Backpacker (4 Hinkler Avenue, ph: 07 4152 3659) Northside Backpackers (12 Queen Street, ph: 07 4154 1166) The Grand Mid Point Hostel (89 Bourbon Street, ph: 07 4151 0003) TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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All that glitters This is the Gold Coast in 72 hours WORDS HUGH RADOJEV & REGINA NEUMEYER

DAY 1: Love it or loathe it, the Gold Coast is difficult to ignore. The area's transition from a cluster of sleepy 1960s surfing towns to today's urbanised, skyscraper-dominated mega tourist attraction has happened relatively quickly and now propels over two million people a year to the coast's beaches, theme parks, bars and restaurants. It's rapidly become one of the destinations for holidaying Aussies, whether on schoolies or a family break, as well as a party capital for east coast backpackers. But don't just judge the GC by its northern hub Surfers Paradise. Head south and you'll find super-chilled surf communities, while inland lay World Heritage-listed national parks. Indeed, there are few parts of Oz that cram so much into a space so small. 8:00 Arrive and drop off your stuff at the Islander Backpacker Hostel (islander.com.au), located less than 1km from the main drag. The hostel has all the usual features like a pool, big dorms, a BBQ area and, perhaps most importantly, an on-site bottle shop. 10:00 Chances are that once in Surfers Paradise, it won't take you long to spot the Q1 Tower. It's one of the tallest residential towers in the world and is home to the Skypoint Walk (skypoint.com.au), one of the highest vantage points in the region. Offering beautiful 360째 vistas of the coastline and rugged hinterland, it's a beautiful spot. 12:00 It's time to start getting a little inverted with Tiger Moth Scenic Flights (tigermothjoyrides.com.au). This company offer a huge array of flights, ranging from low

level doddles up to Stradbroke Island to high flying acrobatic adrenalin flights where the only thing higher than your blood pressure will be the amount of G-force your internal organs will be absorbing. 15:00 After some lunch (if you can face it) we're going to turn it down a notch. Brad Holmes Surf Coaching (bradholmessurfcoaching.com.au), is one of Australia's only SUP (stand-up paddle boarding) teachers who has also combined the discipline with Thai Chi. It's a real experience. 20:00 Dinner time should be spent at Malone's, which serves cold beers and grilled meat. Grab a few travellers from your on-site bottle-o, put on your dancing shoes and hit the strip. Grab a few brews at the Americana-style saloon Melbas, then wind the night out at Cocktails and Dreams where there are always plenty of backpackers. DAY 2: 10:00 Blow out the cobwebs with a quick swim, choke down a little toast and jump on the Paradise Jet Boating (paradisejetboating.com.au) super shuttle bus which will take you to your Jet Boat. Oh yes! These boats have 660 rampaging horses under their bonnets and love to spin around at high speeds in shallow water. 12:00 It's theme park time. There are good multi-park deals that get you into the big three theme parks, but we've only got time for one, so, feeling the heat, head for Wet 'n' Wild (wetnwild.com.au). This place is heaving with pools, rides and water slides. Try the Kamikaze or the Constrictor rides, or if you can't face speed anymore, just sit in the sun.

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Take to the skies in a stomach-churning Tiger Moth

Finding somewhere to dance the night away in Surfers ain't difficult

Photos: Tourism Queensland, Mark Toia

15:30 Keep on trucking to Currumbin WIldlife Sanctuary (cws.org.au) and tackle the Green Challenge Ropes Course. It's challenging, but plenty of fun. 17:00 Head down the coast to Coolangatta and check into the Coolangatta Sands Hostel (coolangattasands. com.au), which is where you'll also be eating and drinking tonight. After the hustle and bustle of Surfers,it's time to kick back with a steak, a few beers and watch the sunset. 19:00 Did you know Coolangatta has the best club on the Gold Coast? Hit Komune if you don't believe us. There's a hostel upstairs (hello) and a swimming pool. Awesome, right? And, there's a guy who's the manager or something that wears an eyepatch. We're not even joking. DAY 3: 10:00 Wait, where are we? Think back, you were at Komune last night, right? Coolangatta is it? Okay, that’s good. Walk it off, solider! We’ve only got one more diem so we’ve got to carpe the shit out of it, right? 11:00 A short car trip (or coach ride, if you’ve organised yourself a tour) away from Coolangatta is the Gold Coast’s rugged, untamed and decidedly beautiful hinterland. This exquisite part of the world is criss-crossed with national parks that have made the place a haven for hikers. You could spend weeks here if you wanted to, as there are so many different trails, hikes and beautiful spots worth seeing. Some of the best include Witches Falls National Park, Cedar Creek Falls and Macrozamia Grove. Strap on your walking boots, pack a water bottle and get involved.

You'll discover more theme parks on the Gold Coast than anywhere else in Oz

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Photos: Tourism Queensland, Mark Toia, Darren Jew

Enjoying spectacular views of the McPherson Range

Getting wet. Going wild. Can you guess where it is yet?

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Surfers Paradise GOLD COAST Hanging out in the blue room, off Main Beach

THE MOST CENTRAL HOSTEL IN SURFERS PARADISE - Located right in the centre of town - Only one block to the beach, shops & nightlife - Next door to the Bus Transit Centre - 4 - 6 bed dorms & twin/double rooms - FREE use of resort facilities - pool, spa, steam room, tennis & squash - Other facilities include BBQs, car parking, tour desk, internet cafes Check out our awesome 2, 3 & 4 Night Packages! Inclusive of accommodation and access to some of the Coasts top tourist attractions and activities! Receive a BACKPACKERS DISCOUNT CARD valued at over $40

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13:30 One of the highlights is Tamborine Mountain, a 600m high plateau jutting out of the McPherson Range, which runs along the Queensland/New South Wales border. There are a few rugged little hamlets dotted around this area as well, including North Tamborine and Eagle Heights which, aside from being achingly pretty, also serve much of the Gold Coast with delicious Devonshire teas, plus arts and crafts. 15:00 Back in the wheels, head north for a couple fo hours to one of Queensland’s lesser-known hotspots – Stradbroke Island. North and South Straddie (as the locals call them) are basically between the Gold Coast and Brisbane and have all the sorts of lovely, relaxed, islandy activities that you’d expect from Queensland. Snorkel, surf, swim or just chill in a hammock, you can do all that and more here. The area's also rated as one of the best places to surf in Australia. 19:00 Check-in and zone out at YHA Stradbroke Island (yha.com.au) and stash your gear. Head to the Stradbroke Hotel or one of the slightly more upmarket bars/restaurants at the nearby Beach Resort (stradbrokehotel.com.au) or simply chill by the pool and sleep. It’s all good, friend, you’ve earned the right to do whatever the hell you want. ❚

The best way to view the Gold Coast. The highest thrill ride on the Gold Coast. Gentle scenic flights or thrilling aerobatic flights. Like us on

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Western exposure: (clockwise) seeing double in Karijiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gorges; Bernard Fanning at North West Festival; a giant mining truck in the Pilbara; cooling off in the national park; a bungarra lizard

Port Hedland & Karijini

Photos: Tourism Western Australia, North West Festival

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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Coastal king – is west best? We send an east coast snob to WA’s mining heartland, where she falls in love with the scenery, the people and the music scene WORDS CAITLIN STANWAY

North-west Australia. Even as a born, bred and welltravelled Aussie, it takes me a minute to imagine exactly what might be lying in store for me. Massive iron ore mines perhaps? Red dirt and mullets? And what about the main reason for my mission – Port Hedland’s North West Festival. Could this far-flung corner of the globe, let alone the country, really blow me away with a music festival? I’m prepared, it’s fair to say, for serious bush bashing and bogan wrangling. Oh, how wrong I was.

Feeling jumpy We first meet our Karijini host, West Oz Active’s Pete West, in Pilbara mining town Tom Price. Launching head first into an uncanny impersonation of mockumentary survival expert Russell Coight, West relays an incident involving an airborne West Oz bus, dutifully named the Pilbara Lady, and a now deceased cow. After a few beers and a seriously entertaining dinner we bundle into the slightly worse for wear Pilbara Lady and set off for our home for the night, the Karijini Eco Retreat camp ground. If you’re yet to experience the phenomenon of ‘glamping’ (that’s extra comfortable ‘glamour camping’ to the uninitiated), let me put your mind at rest. Sure, I stumble into the open-air en-suite to find some very jumpy frogs in the toilet, but apart from the friendly amphibians (well, okay, and the canvas roof and walls), you’d never know you were in a tent. And so, when heading to the restaurant the following morning to fuel up for our upcoming nine-hour adventure, it’s fair to say I’m feeling more refreshed than I have for months. I wouldn’t call myself athletic, but I’m not afraid of some hard work and getting a little wet. So it is with equal levels of terror and excitement I sit with our group and listen to the plan for the day’s activities. “The gorges aren’t easy ya know,” starts Pete. “They need respect. They need caution and they need your bloody attention. People do die in there, but if you do what we ask and follow instructions, you’ll be fine. Grandmas can do it.” Scared? Well yeah, a little.

Simply gorge-ous With those comforting words we sign our waivers and head over to base camp where Pete’s off-sider, Brenton Boothey, gears us up with wetsuits, harnesses and all the other intimidating gadgets necessary to get lowered over boulders, abseil down cliffs and climb up waterfalls. It’s not long before we are making our way down Knox Gorge, heading into the Class 6 restricted areas of the Karijini – accessible only to those with the right qualifications. Or gung-ho guides. The first hour is more or less spent in a steep decline, sweating buckets in full-length wetsuits until we come to the start of the fun (read: shit yourself) bits. From here it is a constant wave of cursing from fear, and being rendered mute in awe. Emerging into Red Gorge is an experience hard to describe. With West rattling off all sorts of statistics about the age of the rock (it’s the oldest exposed rock in the world), it’s a struggle to comprehend how privileged we are to be having this king of gems in our backyard. It’s rare that I’m lost for words, but floating into Junction Pool after around 1.5km of paddling I’m momentarily stumped. There is a circle of crystal clear aqua water framing a submerged paper bark tree that’s glowing such an intense level of glittering silver it look’s as if it’s from the set of Stargate. The effect of the pure spring water reflecting off the tree and surrounding rock is so surreal that we’re all speechless. The moment soon passes, however, and I’m suddenly on my stomach, sliding rapidly back down a rock face having narrowly missed West’s outstretched hand – I’m taunted by his sly earlier remark – “the Karijini, she doesn’t give her beauty up easily”. No shit.

People power If the near miss of a natural mastectomy wasn’t enough to make that sink in, then the remainder of the trek out of the gorges certainly does. Despite the physical and mental exhaustion (a fear of heights and some fairly acute claustrophobia make the journey very interesting at times), we arrive at the finish line high fiving, joking and a little ›› TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Photos: Tourism Western Australia

Taking a breather in Karijini’s Handrail Pool, and (right) admiring the wildflowers near Mount Bruce and taking the 4WD for a Karijini spin

disappointed the day is over. It’s not until a couple of hours and a few beers later, when we are sitting with our host, fighting for speaking time and topping each other’s stories, that the day sinks in. Our dinner companion, the region’s tourism bigwig Glen Chidlow, looks chuffed as we rave about his backyard. Indeed, the way we go on about Pete and Brenton you’d be forgiven for thinking they’d put on a guide’s search and rescue pantomime. It’s often the people that make the experience, and this was certainly the case this time around. The Karijini is beautiful yet dangerous and it’s not until the following day, during a tour of the park (this time from the top, thank God) that Pete gets serious. Flash flooding, extreme conditions and, in Pete’s words, “idiot wizzbangers” – the term he uses for backpackers in vans – can make for a fatal combination. He explains, “We’ve all got a responsibility. Sure we can talk about how beautiful this place is, but we’ve always got to talk about how dangerous she can be.” Luckily for us, the danger is now over. With our legs enjoying a well-earned rest, we savour a mellow sightseeing tour of wildflowers and Mt Bruce that ends our time in the Karijini and sends us on our way to Port Hedland, just in time to recharge and head to the North West Festival.

Port of cool? From fields of wildflowers straight into a mining port – the contrast between the Karijini and Port Hedland couldn’t be be more extreme. As we roll into the red town, the scale of the mining industry becomes very clear, very quickly. The scope of the industrialisation, especially in comparison to the purity of 56

Hamersley Gorge, Karijini National Park

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the Karijini, is overwhelming to say the least. However, we’ve little time to dwell, as after settling into our digs at the Cooke Point Holiday Park, we’re off to the Port Hedland Yacht Club. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but it sure wasn’t what we get. The Yacht Club is packed with young families lapping up the Friday fish and chips special, and the vibe is electric.

“

There’s so much glittering silver it’s as if we’re in Stargate

”

After a night cap at the Esplanade Hotel, a saloon-inspired refurbished hotel that as if it belongs in inner-city Sydney, I hit the hay thinking maybe Port Hedland isn’t that bad after all. Of the things I expected to find in Port Hedland, a gold mine of arts and culture was not on the list. However, when we decide to kill some time before the festival with a visit to the Courthouse Art Gallery, I’m quickly thinking I’ll be eating my words sooner rather than later.

Crowd pleasers Fast forward a couple of hours and I’m sitting on my own among picnicking festival-goers, soaking up the sun and listening to the crooning sounds of Vance Joy, while wondering where all the mullets, wife-beaters and footy

››

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Photos: North West Festival

North West is best: Blue Juice get the crowd going and, right, campers chill out between sets, while Grinspoon get rocking

shorts are. The crowd is as diverse as any other, with just about every possible demographic on display. The Vance crowd starts sparse, but soon the punters are filtering in. Indeed, by the time he and follow-up Abbey May have departed and Blue Juice have taken the stage, the crowd is on its feet and getting into the groove – thanks in part no doubt to Blue Juice frontman Jake Stone spending much of the gig climbing up the stage’s rigs, taking his manager out with a wayward mic and making the more ‘family’ elements of the crowd cringe with frank stories of a lesbian ex.

“

I make a mental note to give my snobby wrists a much-needed slap later

”

The energy grows exponentially so that by the time reggae outfit Black Seeds and Aussie icons Grinspoon have done their thing, hip-hop favourite 360 enters the stage to a pulsing sea of amped-up, sunburnt, beaming faces. While I’ll never shy away from hip-hop, to call me a fan would have been a stretch. Yet standing sidestage, physically reeling from the waves of energy rolling off the moshpit, I’m truly converted. Things mellow as 360 vacates and Bernard Fanning’s crooning takes over. The crowd takes the chance to spread out, fuel up and get a little restless. I get chatting to Emily, a 24-year-old who moved to the area a couple of years ago when her partner joined the mines. Probing her thoughts 58

on Port Hedland I’m, yet again, surprised to learn the Melbourne native gives a glowing report. Expecting an eye roll and variation of ‘it’s a shit-hole’, Emily is upfront. “I thought I’d hate it here, and I burst into tears when we first arrived. But you have to make the best of it. If you resist the town, all you’ll see is the dust and high-vis. It’s not about that. It’s about the people, they’re incredible. We have an amazing, young community, beautiful beaches and there are always new people around town.” I make a mental note to give my snobby wrists a much-needed slap later. With a growing appreciation for the town and its people I wander back into the crowd for Paul Kelly’s headlining set. If you’ve never seen Paul Kelly, shame on you. He recoups the energy and takes the festival out with a bang thanks to one hell of a closing acapella. Leaving the festival with a manic grin, I get to thinking, expectations are a funny thing. I thought we’d find a hidden tribe of bogans in a red sand pit. Instead we got a town full of hidden gems, spectacular beaches, palm trees, art and some of the friendliest locals you could hope to find. Before I’d wondered why anyone would travel so far to experience somewhere so remote and yet still in Australia. Now I just want to keep it for myself. ❚

Details: North West Festival will be back in August 2014 northwestfestival.com.au; Unpowered sites at Karijini Eco Retreat cost from $35pn karijiniecoretreat.com.au; day Karijini tours with West Oz Active cost from $245 westozactive.com.au; sites at Port Hedland’s Cooke Point Holiday Park cost from $42pn big4.com.au; Day Karijini tours with West Oz Active cost from $245 westozactive.com.au

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

? T N T E R O M T N WA travel team! te ri u o v fa r u om yo t’s on offer fr a h w f o te s Here’s a ta

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OZLISTINGS TRAVEL AGENTS Adventure Travel Bugs 07 3236 3266, adventuretravelbugs.com

Bottom Bits Bus Tours around Tasmania 1800 777 103, bottombitsbus.com.au Bunyip Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 286 947, bunyiptours.com

Backpackers World Travel 1800 997 325 backpackersworld.com Peter Pans Adventure Travel 1800 669 424, peterpans.com.au Travellers Contact Point 1800 647 640, travellers.com.au Tribal Adventure Travel 1800 984 484, tribaltravel.com.au

Cool Dingos Fraser Island Tours 1800 072 555, cooldingotour.com Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com Groovy Grape Getaways Tours linking Adelaide, Alice Springs & Melbourne 1800 661 177, groovygrape.com.au

YHA Travel 02 9261 111, yha.com.au

follow us on Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Whitsundays sailing 07 4940 2007 WhitsundaysSailingAdventures. com.au Mojosurf Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 113 044, mojosurf.com Nullarbor Traveller Tours from Adelaide and Perth 1800 816 858, the-traveller.com.au Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com Oz Experience Hop on-hop off Australia-wide tours 1300 300 028, ozexperience.com

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

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

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

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

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

Kakadu Dream Kakadu tours 1800 813 266, urlm.co.uk/kakadudreams.com. au

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

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

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

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

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

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

Under Down Under Tours Tours around Tasmania 1800 064 726, underdownunder.com.au Western Xposure WA tours 08 9414 8423, westernxposure.com.au Wilderness 4WD Adventures

Top end tours 1800 808 288, wildernessadventures.com.au Wildlife Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 661 730, wildlifetours.com.au

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Mighty Cars and Campers (Formerly Backpacker Campervan Rentals) 1800 809 944 mightycampers.com.au

@tnt_downunder Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

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

jetstar.com.au

Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast. 13 34 10, premierms.com.au

Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangrentacar.com.au

Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au

Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

Regional Express Airline. 13 17 13, rex.com.au

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 1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.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

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

Taronga Zoo Mosman. zoo.nsw.gov.au

CHECK IN

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

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

SYDNEYMUSIC Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com

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

Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au Eva’s Backpackers 6-8 Orwell Street Kings Cross 02 9358 2185, evasbackpackers.com.au City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333 cityresort.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. 02 9218 9000 Sydney Harbour YHA 110 Cumberland Street. The Rocks. 02 9261 1111 yha.com.au Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. 1800 013 186 nomadshostels.com Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross. 02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross. 1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au

The Annandale annandalehotel.com

WAKE UP! 509 Pitt St, Sydney. Dorms from $34. Modern, clean, spacious and with a sense of fun at all times. You only need to visit their bar downstairs any night of the week to know why.

Sydney

wakeup.com.au

Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee. 02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee. 02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee. 02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road. Glebe. 02 9692 8418,yha.com.au Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly. 02 9977 3411 boardrider.com.au The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly. 1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street. Tamarama. 02 9365 2088, yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi. 02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com

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

BLUE MTNS

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au Sydney Tower and Skytour 100 Market St, CBD. sydneytowereye.com.au Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

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

CENTRAL COAST Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle. 02 4925 3544, yha.com.au Terrigal Beach YHA 9 Ocean View Dr, Terrigal. 02 4384 1919, yha.com.au The Entrance Backpackers 2/56 The Entrance Road, The Entrance, 2261 02 4334 5005 theentrancebackpackers.com Skydive Central Coast Warnervale. skydivethecentralcoast.com.au

BYRON BAY Backpackers Holiday Village 116 Jonson St 1800 350 388, byronbaybackpackers.com.au Backpackers Inn 29 Shirley St 1800 817 696 backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. 02 6685 7709, nomadshostels.com Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane. 1800 666 237, nomadshostels.com Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. 1800 678 195 yha.com.au Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

COFFS HARB Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. 02 6652 6462, yha.com.au Harbour City Holiday Park 123 Pacific Highway coffsholidaypark.com.au Hoey Moey Backpackers 80 Ocean Pde hoeymoey.com.au Solitary Islands Marine Resort North St, Wooli NSW 1462 1800 003 031 solitaryislandsresort.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

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

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

My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

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

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

GLEBE A Sydney inner western suburb, Glebe is very cool with something of a ‘crusty’ edge – think organic cafes and feminist bookshops, thanks in large part to being where the majority of the city’s students are based. It’s also a backpacker centre, with lots of cheap eats and plenty of cafes and pubs. Not only that, but it boasts the grungie, more alternative of the markets in town (Saturdays in the schoolyard on Glebe Point Road).

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

CHECK IN

Tin Billy Travellers 462 George St tinbilly.com

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

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

Base Brisbane Embassy 214 Elizabeth St. 07 3166 8000, stayatbase.com Base Brisbane Central 308 Edward St. 07 3211 2433, stayatbase.com

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

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

COOLANGATTA SANDS HOSTEL Cnr McLean St &, Griffith St, Coolangatta. Dorms from $29. Escape the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise at this chilled out, friendly hostel just minutes from the beach. Free surfboard hire too.

Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, katarzyna.com.au

Coolangatta 1800 24 2273

The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm. 04 3377 7061 Base Uptown Cnr George & Herschel Sts.

coolangattasandshostel.com.au

stayatbase.com

Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St yha.com.au

The Elephant Arms 230 Wickham St elephantarms.com.au Somewhere to Stay Cnr Brighton Rd & Franklin St somewheretostay.com.au The Palace Backpackers

Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing. Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point. 07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb. com.au XXXX Brewery Tours & Ale House Brewery tours. Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton. 07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com. au

GOLD COAST

@tnt_downunder Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise. 1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise. 1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au Coolangatta Kirra Beach YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga. 07 5536 76442, yha.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hostel Cnr Griffiths & McLean Sts, Coolangatta. 07 5536 7472, coolangattasandshostel.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers. 1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers Paradise. 1800 074 393, islander.com.au Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise. 1800 817 832, sleepinginn.com.au Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers. 1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers. com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!

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

Photo: Tourism Queensland

CAPE TRIBULATION

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

Great Barrier Reef - Half Day Snorkel Tour

FRASER ISLAND

Known as a backpacker hotspot, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest sand island is also awesome for 4WD-ing, camping, dingo spotting and snorkelling. And building sand castles of course. Get yourself on a self-drive tour for the real Fraser experience. You and up to eight new friends are assigned to a vehicle that gets you around and carries the camp gear usually for three days/two nights.

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er.

. E R E H Y L L A IN F E ’R U O Y

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736 SECTIONS.indd 63

Hervey Bay Fraser Island

BRISBANE

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

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

Airlie Beach (Whitsundays) Mackay

18/03/13 10:13 PM

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29/11/13 2:43 AM

QLDLISTINGS Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise. 07 5571 1776, yha.com.au Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport. 1800 100 004, trekkersbackpackers.com.au Nomads Islander Resort 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, nomadsworld.com Surf & Sun Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd surfnsun-goldcoast.com

GC DO Dreamworld Theme park. dreamworld.com.au Get Wet Surf School 07 5532 9907 Seaworld

seaworld.com.au

Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World wetnwild.myfun.com.au Warner Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au

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

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

1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au

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

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

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

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

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

Zorb 07 5547 6300

SUNSHINE CST

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

Dropbear Adventures Williams Ave, Fraser Island. QLD +61 487 333 606 dropbearadventures.com.au Frasers On Rainbow Beach 195 Torquay Terrace, Torquay, flashpackersherveybay.com Kingfisher Bay Resort River Heads Road, Fraser Island kingfisherbay.com Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park 21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness, Hervey Bay frasercoasttouristpark.com.au Fraser Island Backpackers Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island fraserislandco.com.au Fraser’s on Rainbow 18 Spectrum Av, Rainbow Beach

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

frasersonrainbow.com The Friendly Hostel 182 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay friendlyhostel.com.au Woolshed Backpackers 181 Torquay Road woolshedbackpackers.com.au

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

TOWN OF 1770 1770 Backpackers 6 Captain Cook Dr. 1800 121 770, the1770backpackers.com 1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com

AIRLIE BEACH airliebeach.com 259 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 677 119 Airlie Beach YHA 394 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 247 251, yha.com.au Backpackers by the Bay 12 Hermitage Dr. 1800 646 994, backpackersbythebay.com Base Airlie Beach Resort 336 Shute Harbour Rd 1800 242 273, stayatbase.com Magnums Whitsunday Village Resort 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 624 634 magnums.com.au

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

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

Photo: Tourism Queensland

Adrenalin Dive. 07 4724 0600, adrenalindive.com.au

MISSION BEACH Where the rainforest meets the reef. Mission is a special place wih a real village feel to it. Once an Aboriginal mission and a hippie hangout, it’s now home to budget accommodation. Enjoy 14km of secluded beaches and pretty rainforest areas. It’s also developed a reputation for its love of adrenalin. Mission is one of the best places to do a skydive, admiring the reef before landing on the sand, while the area is also good for less crowded dive sites and day-tripping to the Tully rafting.

Yongala Dive Yongala diving. 07 4783 1519, yongaladive.com.au

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island

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1 Nelly Bay Rd. 1800 24 22 73, stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshow Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay.com.au Hotel Arcadia 7 Marine Parade, Arcadia Bay. 07 4778 5177, hotelaracadia.com.au Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

MISSION BEACH Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road. 07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Beach Shack 86 Porters Promenade missionbeachshack.com Scotty’s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au Jackaroo Hostel Mission Beach Frizelle Rd, Bingil Bay jackaroohostel.com Mission Beach Retreat 49 Porters Promenade missionbeachretreat.com.au

CAIRNS STAY Bohemia Central Cairns 100 Sheridan St. 1800 558 589, bhacentral.com.au Bohemia Resort Cairns 231 McLeod St. 1800 155 353 bohemiaresort.com.au Calypso Backpackers 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, calypsobackpackers.com.au JJ’s Backpackers Hostel 11 Charles St. 07 4051 7642, jjsbackpackers.com NJoy Backpackers Hostel Harbour 141 Sheridan St. 1800 807 055, njoy.net.au Nomads Beach House 239 Sheridan St. 1800 229 228, nomadshostels.com Northern Greenhouse 117 Grafton Street. 1800 229 228, northerngreenhouse.com.au

CAIRNS DO AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon swinging. 1800 622 888 cairns.ajhackett.com Pro Dive 07 4031 5255 prodivecairns.com Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting. 07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au Skydive Cairns POBOX 105N Cairns

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Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Gold Coast

Famous for fun

AdventureGoldCoast.com 736 SECTIONS.indd 65

facebook.com/AdventureGoldCoast twitter.com/AdventureGoldCoast 29/11/13 2:44 AM

QLDLISTINGS 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

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

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

MORETON ISLAND Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

NOOSA STAY Flashpackers Noosa 102 Pacific Avenue, Sunshine Beach flashpackersnoosa.com Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr Noosa Inland nomadsworld.com Noosa Backpackers 9-13 William St, Noosaville noosabackpackers.com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa. 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au Dolphins Beach House Noosa 14 – 16 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach dolphinsbeachhouse.com

NOOSA DO Australia Zoo 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Sunshine Coast

australiazoo.com The Discovery Group Noosa Everglades thediscoverygroup.com.au Drop Bear Adventures Fraser Island from Noosa dropbearadventures.com.au Kanu Kapers Australia Noosa Everglades kanukapersaustralia.com Noosa Learn to Surf Noosa Main Beach, Noosa Heads learntosurf.com.au

PORT DOUGLAS Dougies Backpackers Resort 111 Davidson St dougies.com.au

codgelodge.com Crown Hostel 25 Ernest St (07) 4061 2266 Innisfail Budget Backpackers 125 Edith St facebook.com/Innisfail-BudgetBackpackers-Hostel Farm work, Innisfail 0437 692 002

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

ROCKHAMPTON

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

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

Parrot Fish Lodge 37 Warner St parrotfishlodge.com

Rockhampton Backpackers YHA 60 Macfarlane St yha.com.au

Port O’Call YHA 7 Craven Close portocall.com.au

Childers Eco-Lodge Off the Princess Highway childersecolodge.com.au

INNISFAIL Codge Lodge 63 Rankin St

SUNSHINE COAST Cotton Tree Beachouse

@tnt_downunder

15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com

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

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

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd stayatbase.com Bungalow Bay Koala Village YHA 40 Horseshoe Bay Rd bungalowbay.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

P WHITEHAVEN ISLAND The largest of 74 islands in the Whitsundays is a must-see if you spend any time in Queensland. With its long white beaches and the turquoise, shallow waters, Whitehaven is like a trip to paradise. One way to get there is from Hamilton Island, either by a 30-minute speedboat or a helicopter flight that takes you to the 7km of sand made from 98 per cent silica. Alternatively join one of the many, many boat trips on offer in Airlie Beach. It’s no surprise that Whitehaven Beach is regularly voted one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

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

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VICLISTINGS

like us on

MELBOURNE STAY

CHECK IN

All Nations Nomads 2 Spencer St. 03 9620 1022, nomadsworld.com.au

Lords Lodge Backpackers 167 Franklin St lordslodge.com

199 Russell St. Dorms from $27. This 80-bed facility in dorm-style rooms offers twin and double rooms with lockers under every bed located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.

Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au

Melbourne

exfordhotel.com.au

66 Victoria Parade. 03 9663 4212 homemansion.com.au

Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 03 9329 7525 discovery melbourne.com

Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda. 1800 008 718, homethostels.com.au

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

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

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

EXFORD HOTEL

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

$22 $ Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor nomadshostels.com

Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697, exfordhotel.com.au

Home at the Mansion

Hotel Discovery 167 Franklin St hoteldiscovery.com.au

The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, spencerbackpackers.com.au

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

Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au

Nomads Melbourne 198 A’beckett St. 1800 447 762, nomadshostels.com Space Hotel 380 Russell St. 1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au

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

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

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

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

King St Backpackers 160 King Street kingstreetbackpackers.com.au

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

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

The Nunnery 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy nunnery.com.au Urban Central 334 City Road, Southbank urbancentral.com.au

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

Maximum 4 bed dormitories with linen and towel

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THE HIGH COUNTRY Although it peaks at about 2,000 metres, so never actually gets that ‘high’, this dramatic alpine landscape is packed full of snow fields, waterways and gold rush towns. In winter, the snow (mid-June) brings skier to the downhill runs, which are some of the best the state has to offer. In summer the same peaks, the southern tip of the Great Dividing Range, transform into a dream for bush walkers, bike riders and campers.

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29/11/13 6/08/13 9:10 2:45 PM AM

VICLISTINGS ST KILDA Back of Chapel Backpackers 50 Green St backofchapel.com Base St Kilda 17 Carlisle St stayatbase.com Coffee Palace Backpackers 24 Grey St coffeepalacebackpackers.com.au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Rd, thehabitathq.com.au Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au The Ritz for Backpackers 109 Barkly St ritzbackpackers.com St Kilda Beach House 169B Fitzroy St stkildabeachhouse.com.au

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square. 03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au

Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au

Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton. 13 11 02

melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. 03 9629 5866, neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com Tourism Victoria Backpacking ideas. backpackmelbourne.com Wildlife Tours Australia Specialising in Victorian tours +61 3 9314 2225 wildlifetours.com.au

GREAT OCEAN RD Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea. 03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. 03 5237 7899, yha.com.au Great Ocean Road Backpackers YHA 10 Erskine Av, Lorne. 03 5289 2508, yha.com.au Port Campbell Hostel 18 Tregea St, Port Campbell. 03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com

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

3 Miranda St, Sorrento. 03 5984 4323, yha.com.au Tortoise Head Lodge French Island. 03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

DANDENONG Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

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

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

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

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

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

STRATHMERTON Riviera Backpackers YHA 669 Esplanade yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

DAYLESFORD Set among the scenic hills, forests and lakes of the Central Highlands, Daylesford is the perfect ‘spa weekend’ getaway for any time of the year. If you’re not interested in a spa treatment from the area’s natural mineral springs, then there are walks to discover, great food and wine to be tasted and an interesting blend of hippies to befriend.

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ADELAIDE STAY

EYRE PENINSULA

CHECK IN

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

Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

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

08 8687 0411

coodliepark.com Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience

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

Sea lion and dolphin swims. 08 8626 5017

bairdbay.com

Annie’s Place 239 Franklin St. 1800 818 011, anniesplace.com.au Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au

Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

ADELAIDE DO Adelaide Oval Home to the Donald Bradman collection. War Memorial Drive. 08 8300 3800 adelaideoval.com.au

sharkcagediving.com.au

144 Wakefield St, Adelaide. Beds from $26. This is a stylish, modern sleek new budget accommodation option for slightly well-to-do backpackers in Adelaide. Many of the rooms each have their own specific artistic theme from local Adelaide artists.

Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg. 1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au

08 8682 3939,

MINIMA HOTEL

146 Melbourne St, North Adelaide

Nullarbor Traveller Tours across to Perth.

majestichotels.com.au

1800 816 858

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

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

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

KANGAROO IS Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw. 08 8553 1344 yha.com.au Vivonne Bay Lodge 66 Knofel Drive, Vivonne Bay 13 13 01 sealink.com.au

RIVERLAND

Port Lincoln Tourist Park

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

11 Hindmarsh St.

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

Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions

08 8621 4444,

portlincolntouristpark.com.au

Great white shark cage diving. 08 8363 1788

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

rodneyfox.com.au

FLINDERS RANGES

Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

Angorichina Tourist Village 08 8648 4842,

angorichinavillage.com.au

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

Wilpena Pound Resort Wilpena Rd. 08 8648 0004,

wilpenapound.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

THE LIMESTONE COAST The locals joke that this section of South Australia was 26 million years in the making. In fact, the Limestone Coast was formed over millions of years by tonnes of marine life falling to the sea floor. The Limestone Coast is book-ended by rivers – the Murray River and the Glenelg River. The mysterious Blue Lake in Mount Gambier forms part of the Volcanic Discovery Trail and is the water aquifier system that sustains the region’s outstanding food and wine production.

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WALISTINGS

PERTH STAY

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, billabongresort.com.au Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge. 08 9227 6000, perthbritannia.com Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge. 1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe. 08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. 1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au

The Shiralee Hostel 107 Brisbane St, Northbridge shiralee.com.au Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, undergroundbackpackers.com.au Wickham Retreat Backpackers 25-27 Wickham St East Perth (08) 9325 6398 YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

PERTH DO

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

Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au

Backpack City and Surf 41-43 Money St backpacker.com.au Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au Easy Perth Backpackers 4 Francis Street, Northbridge

easyperthbackpackers.com.au Grand Central Hotel Backpackers 379 Wellington St (08) 9421 1123 Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com Hotel Bambu Backpackers 75 - 77 Aberdeen St, Northbridge bambu.net.au

Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au

Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys. 08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au

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

“Rotto” to the locals is a sandy island with pristine waters and secluded beaches. Just 19km off the coast of Fremantle, it got its name, “Rats nest”, because of the king-size rat-like “quokkas” who inhabit the island (they’re actually very cute). You might be lucky enough to see these catsized critters on your travels.

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

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

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

ROTTNEST ISLAND

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Mountway Holiday Apartments 36 Mount St mountwayapartments.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottesloe woceanbeachbackpackers.com

Perth Mint 310 Hay St. 08 9421 7223, perthmint.com.au Perth Zoo 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth. 08 9474 3551, perthzoo.wa.gov.au

PERTH MUSIC Amplifier amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Mojo’s Bar mojosbar.com.au The Bakery nowbaking.com.au The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au

FREO STAY Backpackers Inn Freo 11 Pakenham St. 08 9431 7065, backpackersinnfreo.com.au Old Firestation Backpackers 18 Phillimore St. 08 9430 5454, oldfirestation.com.au Sundancer Backpackers Resort 80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com

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

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

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

CHECK IN

MONKEY MIA

ROTTNEST ISL

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

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

MARGARET RIVER

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

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

Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com

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

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

ALBANY

Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd.

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St

ningalooclub.com

NINGALOO REEF

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

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

@tnt_downunder

BROOME STAY PIRATES BACKPACKERS 11 Essex Street, Fremantle. Dorms from $24. A family owned and small, lively hostel in the heart of Freo. Outdoor fire pit and spa for chilly nights and plenty of activities year round.

Fremantle

piratesbackpackers.com.au

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

ESPERANCE Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd,

yha.com.au

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

yha.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

CABLE BEACH The perfect turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean meet 22km of powdery white sand, underneath some of the most magnificent sunsets you could ever hope to see. It’s not surprising many consider Cable Beach, named after the underwater telegraph cable that linked Australia with Java in 1899, as on of the world’s best. Few things are more romantic than a spectacular sunset, especially if enjoyed from the back of a camel.

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LAUNCESTON DO

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

CHECK IN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEVONPORT BATMAN FAWKNER INN 39 Cameron Street, Launceston. Dorms from $30 Located in the heart of Launceston city, 15 minutes walk from Tasmania’s magnificent Cataract Gorge.

Launceston

batmanfawknerinn.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STRAHAN DO Wild Rivers Jet Jet Boat Cruises. 0364717396 wildriversjet.com.au Water by Nature Extreme multiday whitewater rafting. 1800 111 142, franklinrivertasmania.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

GORDON DAM Daredevils can test their nerve by abseiling the 140m (as in 6m higher than the Sydney Harbour Bridge) sheer face of the giant Gordon Dam, in Tasmania’s west. The operator claims it’s the world’s highest commercial abseil, no less. The full day trip costs $210. While in the area, you can also go whitewater rafting, caving and kayaking.

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

KATHERINE STAY

CHECK IN

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

Darwin YHA 97 Mitchell St. 08 8981 5385, yha.com.au Elkes Backpackers 112 Mitchell St. 1800 808 365, elkesbackpackers.com.au

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

Gecko Lodge 146 Mitchell St. 1800 811 250, geckolodge.com.au 52 Mitchell Street, Darwin. Dorms from $25. Located on Mitchell Street in the heart of the city allowing for easy access to the best things Darwin has to offer. Multi award-winning too.

DARWIN DO

Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront. 08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

Darwin

momdarwin.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

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

MELALEUCA ON MITCHELL

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

Crocosaurus Cove Crocodile park and cage of death. 58 Mitchell St. 08 8981 7522, crocosauruscove.com

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

KATHERINE DO

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

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

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

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

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

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

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Giles St. 1800 626 722

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

@tnt_downunder

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

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

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK There are lots of swimming opportunities in the park’s many natural waterfalls and plunge pools, without the threat of crocs. Wangi Falls is the most impressive, but keep in mind it’s only open for swimming during the Dry Season (May to September). Once you’ve cooled off, check out the Lost City, a haunting cluster of sandstone rock formations that resemble a long-forgotten civilisation which many say is akin to the Inca ruins. It’s also one of the best places to check out some magnetic termite mounds.

Fly to Alice Springs from SYD/MELB from

$89.95

one way with Tiger Air TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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NZLISTINGS AUCKLAND Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere. +64 9275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International The Fat Camel (Nomads) 38 Fort St. +64 9307 0181, nomadshostels.com Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. +64 9300 9999, nomadshostels.com Oaklands Lodge (BBH) St. +64 5A Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden. +64 9638 6545, oaklands.co.nz Queen Street Backpackers (VIP) 4 Fort St. +64 9373 3471, enquiries@qsb.co.nz Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. +64 9363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz YHA Auckland City Cnr City Rd & Liverpool St. yha.co.nz +64 9309 2802, YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. +64 9302 8200, yha.co.nz

WELLINGTON

Downtown Wellington Backpackers (BBH) 1 Bunny St. +64 4473 8482 db@downtownbackpackers.co.nz Lodge in the City (VIP) 152 Taranaki St. +64 4385 8560 lodgeinthecity.co.nz Nomads Capital 118 Wakefield St. 0508 666 237, nomadscapital.com Rosemere Backpackers (BBH) 6 McDonald Cres. +64 4384 3041, backpackerswellington.co.nz Rowena’s Backpackers (VIP) 115 Brougham St. 0800 80 1414 YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. +64 4801 7280

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

Foley Towers (BBH) 208 Kilmore St. Base Wellington 21-23 TNT-OZ-halfpage.pdf 2 25/09/2013 1:17:06 p.m. +64 3366 9720, Cambridge Tce. +64 4801 5666 stayatbase.com backpack.co.nz/foley

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

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

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

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

Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au Pinewood Lodge (VIP) 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 7463 9663, rgrieg@xtra.co.nz

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

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

QUEENSTOWN

YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street. +64 3442 7400, yha.co.nz

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

YHA Queenstown Lakefront 88- 90 Lake Esplanade. +64 3442 8413 yha.co.nz bus tours

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

Kiwi Experience +64 9366 9830 kiwiexperience.com

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

Magic Travellers Network +64 9358 5600, magicbus.co.nz Nakedbus.com 0900 62533, nakedbus.com

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

NZ Travelpass 0800 339 966, travelpass.co.nz

This card is

@tnt_downunder

RENTAL FIRMS Ace Rental Cars 1800 140 026, acerentalcars.com.nz Bargain Rental Cars 0800 001 122, bargainrentals.co.nz Darn Cheap Rentals 0800 447 363, dcrentals.co.nz Econo Campers +64 9275 9919, econocampers.co.nz Escape Rentals 1800 456 272 escaperentals.co.nz Mighty Campers +64 9 255 3985 mightycampers.co.nz Jucy Rentals 0800 399 736, jucy.com.nz Rent-A-Dent 0800 736 823, rentadent.co.nz Rental Car Village +64 9376 9935, hire-vehicles.co.nz Spaceships 1300 139 091, spaceships.tv Standby Cars 1300 789 059, standbycars.com.au Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

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NZLISTINGS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MILFORD SOUND One of the most beautiful places in New Zealand (and there’s some serious competition!), Milford Sound is definitely worth the mission to the country’s south-west. Indeed the drive is as spectacular as the destination – all winding roads, gaping drops, dense woodland and crashing waterfalls. Once there, head out onto the water and keep your eyes peeled for seals and penguins.

With 45+ New Zealand hostels, you can tackle spectacular trails or pedal round town on a vintage bike and still hang up your helmet at a hostel. YHA have got your accommodation sorted. Easy as.

r for yous n o i t a ture mod accom aland adven e New Z ess acc irect to Book d r savings: e memb 2 191 4 1800 2 ha.co.nz y @ k o bo .co.nz or yha

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@tnt_downunder

Happy campers Escape the dreary nine to five and spend your days tearing around the great outdoors at a summer camp in Canada WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

Don’t worry. Less wholesome people are also accepted. Sometimes...

So, you’ve been here a while and grown accustomed to the laidback lifestyle. Maybe your visa is reaching its final straight but you’re not quite ready to head home and face the real world yet. Well, how about the next adventure then? One that will also pay you and look nifty on your CV? Summer camps are a great option, giving you the chance to travel, get active outdoors, and earn money for the privilege. And we’re not just talking about the usual Camp America. TNT checks out their friendly neighbours for something a little bit different.

Why Canada? As well as being seriously stunning, the Canadian landscape is a giant playground for adventure-seekers, with activities such as horse riding, canoeing, climbing and trekking on offer. “Canada has a huge amount of untouched wilderness that you get to explore,” says Jonathan Nyquist, founder of NYQuest, which helps place applicants in 55 camps across North America. “Our participants get a chance to travel before and/or after their work experience and there is no shortage of amazing places to visit.” 80

What are the camps like? It depends what experience you want – NYQuest matches your preferences with the camps it has on its books, so it’s worth filling out your application form with the camp you want in mind. Some examples are Camp Summit in British Columbia, which is the rock climbing capital of Canada; or you can sleep in tipis at Alberta’s Camp Chief Hector; while Camp Timberlane in Ontario has tennis, hockey and baseball, and Camp White Pine has drama and a ‘School of Rock’. Or, for a really rewarding experience, there are camps such as the Tim Horton Children’s Ranch in Alberta. Belinda Brand, an Aussie who spent three months there tells us: “There is now a time in my life that I refer to as ‘BC’ – before camp. Before camp, I had never been to Canada. Before camp, I’d never interacted with children who have nothing, and I’d never been able to be an agent for change in those same children’s lives. Before camp, I was a different person.”

What jobs are there? Counsellors are the most hands-on of the staff: they work directly with the campers, take them on trips and join in

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with all the activities. Then there are specialists, who will have a particular activity skill, and so they will regularly host that activity session for all of the camp’s groups. Support staff do the hard graft, such as kitchen duties and general maintenance. If you have a skill that you think could be useful, it’s always worth getting in touch. While many Canadian summer camps start their recruitment drives between eight and nine months prior to the season, there’s often need for “top-up” staff. Still, to be in with the best chance, you want to be making your applications as early as the previous September.

What’s the pay? You do this for the experience, not the money, as camp counsellors earn up to CAD$1,600 (AUD$1,635) for an eight to 10-week summer placement, while support staff earn up to CAD$1,700 (AUD$1,760). On the plus side, your accommodation and meals are all covered, plus health insurance, transport, phone and internet. The costs you have to cover include your return flight, application fee, programme fee, Canadian work permit fee and background and medical check fees. With NYQuest, your application fee and programme fee totals CAD$600 (AUD$620), although if you return to the same camp the following year, the programme fee for that season is waived. The company also offers a flight assist programme, where it pays for your flight upfront and then deducts it from your camp salary.

HOW TO... DRESS

THE PART

Send the right message with these wardrobe tips…

• Know your audience. What’s appropriate for a

banking job won’t work in a creative industry. Look to supervisors for cues. If in doubt, start too smart rather than too casual.

• Go designer. High Street shopping is fine, but the

occasional statement piece can help you stand out. That being said, skintness is no excuse for not looking the part (you’ve got to speculate to accumulate and all that). Hit the charity shops for some retro bargains.

• Make it fit. Tight clothes may make you come off as slutty or a poser, while a baggy wardrobe can seem dowdy and dated. Neither are reputations you want in the workplace. Professionalism demands a happy medium.

tntdownunder.com/jobs

How do I apply? Sign up at go-nyquest.com so that you receive an email alert about opportunities. It’s also worth getting in touch with the camp you want, just in case they are looking for someone with your skill set. ❚

“Now go out there and crush them”

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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TOTALLYTRIVIAL

@tnt_downunder

WHO TO BLAME

AND WHAT PRESSIE THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

ACTING EDITOR

ANDREW WESTBROOK (koala onesie)

DEPUTY EDITOR HUGH RADOJEV (pair of socks)

REGINA NEUMEYER (snow)

AUSSIE ANIMALS RULES FOOTBALL QUIZ a) Kangaroo b) Dingo c) Emu d) Echidna

INTERN

RORY PLATT (Tamagochi)

Australian coin features Q 2.theWhich platypus?

ACCOUNT MANAGER

TOBY LLEWELLYN (motorbike)

WHAT WE DID THIS FORTNIGHT THE DEP ED GOT HIS CAR FIXED THEN CRASHED IT AGAIN THREE DAYS LATER... IDIOT! WELCOMED A NEW MEMBER INTO THE BOSOM OF THE TNT DOWN UNDER FAMILY – JACQUI, FROM TNT IN THE UK. HOWDY JAX! TRIED TO DECIDE WHETHER WE’D BEEN NAUGHTY OR NICE THIS YEAR. TOUGH CALL

a) Dog c) Unicorn

b) Lyrebird d) Kylie

Australian coat of arms? a) Kangaroo & koala b) Koala & platypus c) Emu & koala d) Kangaroo & emu

SUDOKU PUZZLE 3

4 5

5 4

6 6

6 8

does a koala sleep? a) 10 b) 20 c) 15 d) 18

AUSSIE-ISM “CHEERS, BOSS”

2 3

2 6

b) Cat d) Rabbit

Q 9. How many hours a day on average

Q 5. Which two animals are on the

DESIGN & PRODUCTION LISA FERRON (moonstones)

Which animal is the dingo closely Q 8.related to?

Q 4. Which Aussie bird is famous

MARKETING & EVENTS EXECUTIVE

GEORGINA PENGELLY (a pony)

a) A native land mammal b) An egg-laying mammal c) An animal that can fly d) An animal with a pouch

3. Which does not have a pouch? a) Kangaroo b) Koala c) Wombat d) Platypus

for its ‘laugh’? a) Kookaburra c) Cockatoo

6.Why are the two animals from question five on the coat of arms? a) They taste mighty fine b) They’re easy to draw c) They only walk forwards d) Why not?

exactly is a monotreme when Q 7.it’sWhat at home?

a) 5 cent b) 10 cent c) 20 cent d) 50 cent

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TOM WHEELER (Xbox One)

Australian animal can Q 1.runWhich the fastest?

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

INTERN

1 7

If any of you have ever worked pulling beers at a pub or sports bar you’ll almost certainly have heard this before. Usually said by men, to other men as a way of saying thanks: “Ah, cheers boss!”

TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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