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Australia’s most famous natural landmark
om Away fr the Rain
n i r e m m Su a
i l a r t s u A
24 hours in Newcastle
Australia’s second-oldest city has shrugged off its dreary image Expat stories, Migration news, Expert advice, Travel deals of the month
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EDITORIAL Editor – Ian Armitage Sub editors – Jahn Vannisselroy Janine Kelso Tom Sturrock Writers – Colin Chinery Jane Bordenave Chris Farnell BUSINESS Advertising Sales Manager – Sean Brett Researchers – Nicholas Davies Stuart Shirra Sales administrators – Katherine Ellis Daniel George ACCOUNTS Financial Controller: Suzanne Welsh PRODUCTION & DESIGN Magazine Design: Optic Juice Production Manager: Jon Cooke Pictures: Getty News: AAP, SAPA, NZPA DIGITAL & IT Head of digital marketing and development : Syed Ahmad TNT PUBLISHING CEO: Kevin Ellis Chairman: Ken Hurst Publisher: TNT Multimedia Limited TNT Multimedia Limited, 10 Greycoat Place, London, SW1P 1SB tntmagazine.com tntmagazine.com ENQUIRIES Telephone: 0044 1603 343267 Fax: 0044 1603 283602 Email: ian.armitage@tntmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Call: 0044 1603 343267 Email: subscriptions@anzoutlook.com
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All Blacks
on top of the world New Zealand’s 24-year wait to win the Rugby World Cup has come to an end. The All Blacks beat France 8-7 in the final in Auckland. It was excruciating, a rugby rollercoaster that carried everyone watching along with it. The All Blacks have held the number one ranking for longer than every other nation combined. In World Cups they have scored 610 more points than anyone else and 93 more tries, won 37 matches (five more than the next most successful team) and are the only team to finish first in their pool at every single tournament. The win was overdue. Well done! Enjoy the magazine! Ian Armitage Editor AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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CONTENTS
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06 News 10 Migration Update
u r u l U 14 24 hours in newcastle
Australia’s second oldest city has shrugged off its dreary image and has a new lease of life
18 Ask the expert
Our experts from taxback. com, answer your questions
22 expat profile Stuart’s story
26 Uluru (cover): Australia's most famous landmark Uluru is one of Australia’s most iconic places in Australia
30 travel deals of the month
Some hot deals Down Under!
famous Australia’s most natural landmark
from Away ain the R
er in Summ ia
ral
Aust
Newcastlecity has 24 hours insecon d-oldest
Australia’s drear y image shrugged off its , s, Migration news h PLUS Expat storie l deals of the mont Trave e, advic rt Expe
32 what's on
Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month
34 Away from the rain: Summer in Australia
Freezing cold? Tired? Sick of the dark nights? Why not get away...
38 Next month
What to expect within these pages next month
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NEWS All Blacks win Rugby World Cup New Zealand have been crowned world champions for the first time in 24 years after beating an inspired France team by a single point. Tony Woodcock’s early try and a penalty from fourth-choice fly-half Stephen Donald were enough to see the All Blacks home in an extraordinary match that defied all pre-match predictions. The All Blacks have held the number one ranking for longer than every other nation combined. In World Cups they have scored 610 more points than anyone else and 93 more tries, won 37 matches (five more than the next most successful team) and are the only team to finish first in their pool at every single tournament. The final whistle triggered scenes of wild jubilation at Eden Park as a nation celebrated a repeat of the outcome from the very first World Cup final in 1987.
Govt 'will resolve' Qantas dispute if needed The federal government says it will intervene in the ongoing dispute between Qantas management and unions if it gets to a point where the national economic interest is threatened. Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese has called on both sides to resolve the ongoing conflict over wages and job security. “I think both sides in the dispute need to apply a bit of commonsense, need to be
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flexible, and need to get this agreement done,” he said. He added that he had had more discussions with Qantas and the unions in the past few weeks “than I have had in the previous year”. If the conflict is not resolved, the government will step in, he stressed. An estimated 60,000 Qantas passengers have been affected by a series of rolling strikes by engineers and ground crews.
ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
S B U L C D N A L R N T A N I REMA HEADS R E G G O L The NRL and clubs remain at loggerheads after several meetings in Sydney failed to resolve the clubs’ stand-off over demands for extra funding.
ubs are The 16 NRL cl tional A$8 seeking an addi r (A$500,000 pe million dollars a and also want club) next year vance payment A$1.6 million ad ch rights deal whi on the next TV tiated. is yet to be nego tings were A series of mee ey in a bid to held across Sydn sse, starting with resolve the impa ting, followed by a NSWRL mee RL officials and a gathering of A NRL partnership ending with an ting comprising committee mee d the NRL. News Limited an chairman The ARL backed
John Chalk’s RL assertion that N for ds clubs’ deman g in increased fund . are reasonable at th id sa Chalk ew vi his personal ubs’ was the NRL cl request for an 00,000 additional A$5 an d represente se for the stainable increa su d an e bl da or “aff 2012 season”. t, saying: Chalk’s statemen d te or pp su L R et The A ugby League m the Australian R s ub cl “The Board of L NR to support the 16 ed lv so re d an y toda application.” in their funding ittee which rtnership comm However the pa game and who ncial arm of the controls the fina ion loan, still out an A$8 mill ng ki ta ed ct je re ced. remain unconvin s would reports NRL club Despite earlier ee meeting all ership committ boycott the partn esented. clubs were repr News ere described by The meetings w while no d an s as “productive” Limited source ve ha agreed to ached the parties outcome was re . meet again soon
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NEWS Australia welcomes the Queen as 11-day tour starts The Queen has started an 11-day tour of Australia in Canberra. It is her 16th visit to the country in the nearly 60 years she has occupied the throne and comes five years after her last visit.
Queen Elizabeth II is Australia’s sovereign - she is Queen of Australia and head of state. Some are suggesting that it may be her last visit to the country. She is 85 and will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee next year.
Australia seems to be more at ease with the monarchy than it has for a number of years. A recent opinion poll showed 55 percent were in favour of the monarchy, with 34 percent favouring a republic.
Kelsey Grammer Petrol sniffing blamed for remote deaths defends angry exchange Petrol sniffing has been blamed for a small Aboriginal community in Western Australia’s far north having a suicide rate 100 times greater than the general population. WA Coroner Alistair Hope handed down his findings following an investigation into the deaths of five young Aboriginal males, including a 13-year-old boy, in the remote Kimberley community of Balgo. Four of the young men, including the 13-year-old, were found to have committed suicide within the space of 12 months. The fifth death, of petrol-sniffer Liam Tchooga, 18, was ruled most likely to have been an accident linked to solvent abuse. The coroner said in his findings that although the suicide rate among Kimberley indigenes was 6.25 times higher than that of the general WA population, it was 100 times higher in Balgo.
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Actor Kelsey Grammer has defended his angry exchange with a Seven Network producer and vowed never to appear on its Sunrise morning show again. The Frasier star allegedly tore into producer Mark Beirne in the wake of a televised interview on 13 October, which reportedly delved too far into his private life. Grammer was unhappy that old footage of him kissing his ex-wife during the American TV reality show Real Housewives was broadcast while his new wife watched in the studio. Describing the interview with David Koch and Natalie Barr as an “unfortunate incident”, Grammer said his response was justified. “I won’t be doing them again, my outburst was deserved,” he said. Seven has banned Grammer from future appearances.
ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Davis quits Collingwood, Taylor says Collingwood’s 2011 All-Australian defender Leon Davis is set to quit the club and return home to Western Australia. Close friend and media commentator Brian Taylor said that Davis was leaving because he was unhappy with the AFL club’s offer. Taylor said Davis, 30, would probably head to Perth or Adelaide. “Sad news Leon Davis departs CFC, the offer he was made way to low, will
play WAFL or SANFL,” Taylor said on Twitter. “Can’t believe they could not find $$ to keep him. “Leon wanted to stay at Pies, but not comfortable with the deal.” Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said the Magpies felt the major stumbling block was the 225game veteran’s homesickness for WA. “We’ve got an offer in front of Leon at the moment,” Walsh told AAP. “I don’t think it’s a contract dispute. It’s a genuine strong lure he has to go back.”
OIL SPILL D ‘NEW ZEAL ECLARED AND’S W
The oil spill from the con tainer ship Rena, w hich struck a reef in New Zealan d’s Bay of P le nty, has been declare d the countr y’s worst maritime en vironmental disaster. Officials urge d peop
ORST’
New Zealand ’s Environmen t Minister Nic Smith said th k e oil spill was in evitable and the clean-up could take w eeks. “I want to ac knowledge th at this event has co le to avoid th me to a scal area, warning e e w h er e it is N ew Zealand’s that the water most signifi off Tauranga city had beco ca n t maritime en me “highly to vironmental xic”. Fist-sized tarb maritime d is as te alls first washe r,” he said. d ashore on 10 October “The advice , five days af I’m receiving ter the 236m Liberian-flag is that the amount of oi ged containe l is r five-fold wha sh ip ra n aground Astro t was released in earlier peri labe Reef, 12 ods. nautical miles off the coast. “This operatio n is going to be a marathon, no t a sprint.” AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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migration update WA population to double in 40 years Western Australia’s population will double over the next 40 years on the back of a continuing resources boom, Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls says. He said WA’s current mining, oil and gas boom was not unlike the gold rush of the 1890s. “WA’s supercharged resources sector is fuelling the fastest population growth in the nation,” the minister said addressing the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) business forum in Perth. “Over the next 40 years, two million extra people will move into WA on the predicted population growth, with 25 percent going to regional WA. “That’s an extra 500,000 people - so we are talking about a doubling of the population in regional cities and towns.” Grylls said there were predictions WA’s resources boom would last another “30-80 years”, noting the state would need to meet the constant demand for workers.
“We need to avoid a repeat of what happened in the north of this state just a few years ago at the time of the first resources ‘boom’,” Grylls said. “The unprecedented upturn in resource activity led to heavy demand for a skilled and unskilled workforce. “Towns were ill-equipped to cope, infrastructure and services inadequate for the unexpected surge, and pressure for housing resulted in soaring prices.” He said A$1 billion would be spent developing northwest cities in the Pilbara region - where most of the mining activity was - boosting the populations of Port Hedland and Karratha from 15,000 to more than 50,000. Meanwhile, nine “supertowns” had been identified in the southwest and would each receive A$85.5 million to help with infrastructure and rapidly growing populations. The nine tows are: Katanning, Collie, Esperance, Northam, Jurien Bay, Morawa, Boddington, Manjimup and Margaret River.
Australia slips in ease of business ranks Australia remains among the top 20 of the world’s easiest places to do business but has slipped in the rankings from a year ago. The Doing Business 2012 report, prepared by the International Finance 10
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Corporation and the World Bank, placed Australia 15th out of 183 economies around the world on a measure of whether regulations make doing business easier or harder. Australia placed 11th in the 2011 report but slipped
as it was passed by South Korea, Iceland, Finland and Canada in the latest rankings. The top five nations, unchanged from 2011, were Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the United States and Denmark.
Keep track of the latest news and developments on moving Down Under
Australia's jobless rate declines Australia’s jobless rate has declined. The rate fell for the first time since March as employers added double the workers economists forecast, boosting bond yields and sending the local currency to a three-week high. The number of people employed rose by 20,400, from a revised 10,500 fall in August, the statistics bureau said. Economists, who had expected the jobless rate to stay at the August level of 5.3 percent,
say the result lessens the need for an interest rate cut when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) holds its Melbourne Cup Day board meeting. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said around 750,000 jobs had been created since Labor came to office in 2007. “Having a robust economy that can create jobs isn’t a matter of accident,” Ms Gillard told parliament. The number of full-time workers rose by 10,800 in September, while part-timers increased by 9600 to a record high.
Air NZ passenger numbers up in August New Zealand’s national carrier Air New Zealand said it carried 1,005,000 passengers in August, up from 978,000 in August 2010. The results showed an increase in volumes on domestic and transTasman routes, which made up for a decline on long-haul routes. The airline said the passenger load factor -- a measure of capacity utilisation -- was unchanged at 81.9 percent, adding in a statement that revenue passenger kilometres -- a measure of demand -- fell 2.8 percent. Demand fell most markedly on Asia/ Japan/UK routes, and the airline said the Christchurch and Japanese
earthquakes earlier in the year continue to “significantly affect passenger numbers on the Japan routes”. Revenue passenger kilometres on domestic routes climbed 4.9 percent and total short-haul rose 5.8 percent. The airline carried 889,000 passengers on short-haul routes in August, up 4.7 percent from last year.
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migration update Resources sector gets boost with rail line A new Illawarra rail line will support New South Wale’s expanding resources sector by providing direct access to Port Kembla, says Australian prime minister Julia Gillard. The PM recently announced an additional A$25.5 million to advance the Maldon to Dombarton Rail Link project. The new line would also ‘free up capacity’ along the existing Illawarra network for additional passenger services, she said. “This is a project that has been talked about for many, many long years,” Ms Gillard said.
“After more than 20 years ... what we need to do now to make this project shovel ready is very detailed design work - civil, structural, geotechnical and track work.” Ms Gillard said the government was still working on “a realistic timetable”. The project involves laying 35km of standard gauge track connecting the Main North South Line directly to Port Kembla via Dombarton.
Skills crisis could kill Aus resource projects A skills shortage could suffocate new resource projects across Australia, the Australian Mines and Metals Association has warned. Association director Minna Knight said all levels of government must dramatically ramp up training and other workforce initiatives to address the worsening skills crisis.
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Research by workforce specialists Pitcrew Consultants shows demand for resource construction jobs alone will hit 40,000 workers in the second half of this year, and 60,000 by 2013. Ms Knight said resource projects worth A$236 billion were currently underway across Australia, with a further A$191 billion awaiting final approval. She warned some projects would not reach
fruition unless the labour crisis was addressed. “Government policymakers can no longer take the economic gains arising from Australia’s resources projects for granted,” she told the Queensland government’s mining and gas jobs expo on the Gold Coast. “Without immediate intervention, some of these projects will simply run out of workers.”
TRAVELLER'S GUIDE
Newcastle 24 hours in
Photography courtesy of Newcastle Tourism
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NEWCASTLE TOURISM
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By Leah McLennan, AAP
O
nce referred to as a “hellhole” by convicts working in the coal mines, Newcastle now has a new lease of life. With some classy inner-city suburbs, terrific restaurants and a flourishing arts scene, Australia’s second-oldest city has shrugged off its dreary image. Despite “Newie” having re-created itself, its natural attractions (eight beaches in close proximity to the city centre) remain pristine and are a drawcard for tourists. If you’re looking for quick break, here are some `must-dos’ in the thriving city of Newcastle.
2pm: Check-in at hotel
Crowne Plaza, Cnr Merewether St and Wharf Rd How many places in Australia can you lie back on the bed and watch a 300-metre freighter cruise past the window? The Crown Plaza Newcastle sits on the edge of the harbour - a busy waterway serving a city that is the biggest exporter of coal in the world. Newcastle’s harbour area has recently been re-developed and renamed the Honeysuckle precinct. It’s jam-packed with funky bars and restaurants. www.crowneplaza.com/newcastle AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE 3pm: Shopping Darby St
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NEWCASTLE TOURISM
Within walking distance of the harbour you find Darby Street, which is a buzzing little spot full of boutique shops and restaurants. Don’t miss: Coco Monde (a chocolate cafe that serves 11 varieties of hot chocolate); Carla Swimwear (a Novocastrian fixture of 80 years that believes it may have sold the first ever bikini in Australia); Three Monkeys (a cafe that serves what could be the widest variety of milkshakes in Australia); and Guanabana (a unique clothing shop owned by Norwegian designer Linda Bergskas).
7pm: Dinner Restaurant Deux, 8 Bolton St The delicious food at Deux is created by chef Lesley Taylor, the only female chef in the region to be awarded the coveted Chef’s Hat. Deux provides hungry locals and visitors with a culinary destination surrounded by lush, leafy streets. From your white linencovered table you can look into the open kitchen and watch the chefs preparing the French-inspired fare. Reservations are a must: www.restaurantdeux.com
10pm: Drinks Honeysuckle Hotel, Lee Wharf C, Honeysuckle Dr This harbour-side bar has an extensive cocktail list, as well as good pub food and a great atmosphere. The friendly bartenders will have you tasting a Peachy Keen or a Honey Blossom before you have time to ask what’s in it. www.honeysucklehotel.com.au
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9am: Exercise Coastal walk If you didn’t drink too much the night before then wake up relatively early for a coastal walk. Newcastle has several distinctly different sandy beaches, and they’re interlinked by one great coastal walk called Bathers Way. The total walking time from Nobbys in the north to Merewether in the south is three hours at a medium pace. You can walk back, get a taxi or check the bus timetable to get back to the city centre.
Noon: Pamper GETTING THERE Sugar Suite, 2/Suite 2 Honeysuckle Dr By car - pull off the Pacific Highway 160km This is a salon with a difference and one worth checking out. It’s nestled amongst the chic restaurants and cocktail bars of the Honeysuckle precinct and offers clients massages, facials and hair-dos, as well as little extras, such as valet parking, an onsite cafe and a gallery of unique products. While you’re having a head massage you can munch on cake, sip champagne and buy some beauty products. www.sugarsuite.net.au
2pm: Lunch Fernwood High Tea, 16 Ravenshaw St, The Junction This place offers a high-tea experience like no other. All the treats are homemade by Maria and her team and served on porcelain cups with linen napkins. You can munch on classic Devonshire scones, delicate pastries, fruit tarts and shortbreads while surrounded by a beautifully manicured garden. Reservations are a must: www.fernwoodhightea.com.au
north of Sydney. By train - Newcastle is part of the CityRail network and there are frequent return services daily to Sydney. CountryLink trains connect Newcastle to Sydney, Brisbane and other country centres. By air - Newcastle Airport is a major regional airport and is located 30 minutes from the city centre. Jetstar, QantasLink and Virgin Australia operate a range of direct flights to Newcastle from Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and the Gold Coast. Sydney Seaplanes (www.seaplanes. com.au) operates eight flights a day between Sydney and Newcastle.
MORE INFORMATION: www.visitnewcastle.com.au The writer was a guest of Visit Newcastle, AAP
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ASK THE EXPERT Expert advice on all things visas, migration and more
Q
I’m moving to Ne w Zealand in a fe w weeks for about 6 month s, maybe a year an d will be renting my ho use out while I’m away. A friend suggested joining the Non-Re Landlords’ (NRL sident ) scheme. Could yo u tell me what is whether it is wort it, h it and what the tax benefits are? Lee, London
A
he NRL scheme is The targeted at UK property landlords whose normal place of abode is outside es, it is the UK. Based on your circumstanc sed as borderline whether you will be clas the ide outs de having a usual place of abo UK. HMRC’s guidance states: having a “individuals are not regarded as UK if they usual place of abode outside the porarily tem only are living outside the UK (say, for six months or less)” not that If you think it more probable than it may be you will stay longer than 6 months, me. sche L NR the worthwhile signing up to the , Where a NRL lets UK property tting default position is that the tenant/le from rate c basi the at tax agent must deduct r ove tax this pay the rental payments and
Q
A
form What is the R105 me? t fi ne potentially be
Form R105 is an application for nonordinarily resident taxpayers to receive interest without having UK tax taken off. Building societies, banks and other deposit takers in the United Kingdom
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L scheme to HMRC. Signing up to the NR s. gros allows these rents to be paid gross Although the rents may be paid they are however, this does NOT mean that criteria exempt from UK tax. One of the L scheme NR the er for getting approval und UK tax a is that you confirm you will file tax due return annually and pay any UK ally actu are Ls NR y (if applicable – man NRL the of t efi ben due refunds). The main a but t efi scheme is therefore not a tax ben cash flow one. be One other point to note: as you will is it od peri rt sho out of the UK for such a ce. den resi unlikely that you will break UK lare to dec As such, you will probably need Tax r you on me inco your worldwide foreign Returns and claim a credit for any (non UK) tax paid.
and how could it Jon, London
(UK) deduct tax at the basic rate from interest paid or credited to your account. But if you’re not ordinarily resident then the Form R105 allows them to pay the interest gross. Not all building societies, banks and deposit-takers offer this facility however.
Q
r? What is a P45/P60/CIS vouche Mark, London
A
In the UK you can work as a PAYE employee and/or be self-employed. If you are an employee, your employer should give you documents which show your earnings and any tax deducted from your wages. Form P45 is issued when you have finished employment during the tax year. It is usually issued after the leaving date. A P45 has four parts - Part 1, Part 1A, Part 2 and Part 3. Your employer sends Part 1 to HMRC and gives you the other three. When you start a new job, or claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, you give Part 2 and Part 3 to your new employer or to the Job centre. You keep the remaining one, Part 1A, for your own records. Form P60 is issued by your employer at the end of each tax year for your own record.
Both documents show: your tax code and PAYE (Pay As You Earn) reference number your National Insurance number your earnings in the tax year how much Income Tax and National Insurance contributions were deducted from your earnings Your employer should automatically issue you with a P45 when your employment ends and you should be issued a P60 after the end of the tax year, which is on April 5th. If you are self-employed and your main activities are construction work, you should register with the HMRC’s Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).
Under CIS, there are two ways in which you, as a subcontractor, can be paid; gross or under deduction. Every contractor should provide you with CIS voucher that shows: the name of the contractor, his address, tax reference number the payment period your UTR and verification number if you are registered under CIS gross payment if CIS deduction for tax due is made Any other deduction as agreed with the contractor.
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ASK THE EXPERT
Q
My friend told me that when I leave the UK I may still be UK re sident. How do I m ake sure I am treated as no n UK resident afte r I leave? John, Edinburgh there is currently no Residence is a very tricky area as ce. As a result it is necessary to rely statutory interpretation of residen covering residence was HMRC v on Case Law. The most recent case of that residence is not just a matter Gaines Cooper which confirmed ors like family ties, UK; it also takes into account fact how many days one spends in the the UK etc. in the UK or business interests in whether you maintain a property with the UK k UK residence, a “clean” break In order to be certain that you brea to each taxpayer’s “clean” break entails is specific is recommended. What exactly a circumstances however. ce will be il 2012, a statutory test for residen Do note however that from 6 Apr It will still be possible to whole area of residence clearer. introduced which will make the ther this is the case. e but it will be much clearer whe leav you n whe t den resi UK ain rem
A
Q
stoms M Revenue & Cu Do I have to tell H ve the UK? (HMRC) when I lea Scott, London
A
It is recommended that when you leave the UK you complete form P85. This will advise HMRC that you have left the UK and also it allows them to calculate any
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refund you may be due. Of course this does not help you claim tax deductible expenses against your employment income but the taxback.com service encompasses all these different elements for a very affordable fee.
Zdravka Zlateva, These questions were answered by , Nick Petrov, Senior Tax Advisor at taxback.com UK Tax Filing eva, Galya Bosolova, and Mila Slan ils: Freephone Team at taxback.com. Contact deta com, or visit 0808 2381 611, email uk@taxback. www.taxback.com/anzoutlook
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Expat PROFILE
Stuart’s By Chris Farnell
T
his month we’ll be getting the perspective of a true newcomer to Australia, TNT’s very own Stuart Shirra. We had a chat with him two weeks after he arrived down under. Stuart jokes that his reason for going to Australia was “a mid-life crisis”. He tells us “As I don’t drive, a sports car was out of the question. So Australia it was!”
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Stuart says, “I was a few weeks away from turning 30 and I guess you address things at these milestones in your life. What I had decided was that I really wanted to see more of the world, experience new things, meet new people and be the guy who ‘tried something new’ instead of being happy with a stagnant lifestyle.” Fortunately Stuart was in a position to do just that. “I was lucky enough to be
Story working in a job that would give me work whilst here. I have come over on a 12 month working holiday visa which was incredibly easy to obtain. As I was new to the process of applying for visas I went through an agent that smoothed the process for me (whilst taking more money, of course) and around ten days later I was officially allowed to enter and work Down Under!” So it is that Stuart has come to live in
Sydney, and he seems to be loving every minute of it. “I think it’s where most people start off as it is an amazing city!” Stuart enthuses. “While it has the money, status, diversity of places like London, it has a completely different feel to it. For a start there is the weather, I think everyone finds it much easier to wake up with a smile on their face when the morning sunshine is what wakes
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Expat PROFILE you up in the morning instead of the rain/ frost/snow/wind (delete depending on the current view from your window) that you have in the UK.” As well as enjoying the city, Stuart also loves the attitude of the locals, saying “Everyone seems to be a lot more relaxed, the average person on the street never seems to be in a rush to get anywhere. They’re normally patiently waiting for the lights to change at a pedestrian crossing with a smile on their face and an iced coffee in their hand,” although having said that, he admits “Maybe the drivers aren’t
as relaxed as the roads seem at times to be more like chariots in a colosseum than an actual transport infrastructure!” However, even with the Spartacus like traffic Stuart describes his life in Sydney as “very easy and challenge free”. “Finding your way around is very easy as soon as you put away the map and ‘learn by doing’,” he explains. “The public transport system here is also very efficient and simple and about one of the only things that is sensibly priced.” Once he started exploring, Stuart found the country is full of surprises.
Sydney really in one big melting pot of cultures and I love this as it means I have ready access to some amazing places to eat
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“My biggest surprise in moving to Australia is the amount of Asian influence there is here. Sydney really in one big melting pot of cultures and I love this as it means I have ready access to some amazing places to eat. If you can think of it - you can find it to eat, and with it often turning out cheaper to eat out than cook at home you get a lot of opportunity to tantalise your taste buds!”
English it is very easy to get along with everyone.” All in all it seems like the move to Australia has been a good one for Stuart, as well as helping him take a new look at his life. Asked if there was anything he knew now that he wished he’d known before the move Stuart’s answer is pretty reflective. “What do I know now that I wish I had known before I moved?” he wonders.
Normally for our expat profiles we like to ask our interviewees what it is they miss about the UK. Everyone usually has a favourite food, product or aspect of British culture they miss. Some even miss the weather! This doesn’t seem to be the case with Stuart however. “Currently I’m not missing anything about Britain,” he says. It helps that you don’t have go far in Sydney to find other expats. “There are enough of us here to make sure you get your ‘Brit Fix’ and as the main language is
“Simple- that I didn’t need all that clutter in my life. When I came over here I had condensed my entire life into 20Kg, everything else is gone! I think I have come to the conclusion that the more possessions you have, the more trapped you feel. Sure life’s little luxuries are nice, but they are just that- luxuries. They aren’t your life and in a very commercial world it really is nice to change your way of thinking so that life is more about experiences than belongings.” AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE
Uluru More Than A Big Rock By Chris Farnell
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luru, or Ayers Rock, is one of the most iconic places in Australia. Alongside the Sydney Opera House you’re sure to find it in any Australians tourism video. A cynical person might wonder what the point in visiting a big rock would be. That cynical personal would be very, very wrong. As you’ll soon see, there is a whole lot more to Uluru than simply a “big rock”. A World Heritage site, Ayer’s Rock is surrounded by amazing natural beauty with plenty of springs and waterholes to explore, as well as rock caves and ancient paintings by the native Anangu people. The rock itself stands 348 metres tall and has a circumference of 9.4km, and that’s not even the start of it. Like an iceberg, most of Uluru is hidden beneath the surface. The Anangu people believe it and the nearby Kata Tjuta are sacred, and to truly understand the secrets and stories of Uluru these are the people you need to talk to.
Anangu Tours Fortunately they give half-day tours that will show you the very best Uluru has to offer. These tours, which cost $139 per adult, $93 per child, start off early in the morning, because if you’re going to go to Ayer’s Rock you need to see it at sunrise. If you’re not normally much an early starter however, don’t worry. You get tea and or coffee and a continental breakfast to get you started. The walk itself is about five hours long over around two kilometres, so it won’t be too exhausting. AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE Perhaps the best thing about being shown around Uluru by an Anangu guide is the stories you’ll hear- stories such as that of Liru the poisonous snake, or Lungkata, the blue-tongued lizard man who they say still lies at the base of the rock. These are Tjukuritja , or creator beings that used to travel across the land when it was empty and featureless, bringing the world into existence. Alongside the legends there is also a great deal of history, as you will be retracing the path the Liru Ancestors took through the bushland around Uluru. Your guide will also demonstrate age old bush survival skills such as traditional fire making techniques, the method for making kiti or bush glue and making wooden tools with nothing but a sharpened stone. You’ll even get a chance to practice piti carrying and have a go at throwing a spear.
AAnother Birdseye View great way to see Uluru is by air, with flights varying from $95 per person for a 20 minute flight around the rock itself, to $695 per person for a seven hour air tour by plane and helicopter that takes
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in Uluru, the nearby Kata Tjutu formation followed by a flight over the breathtaking Kings Canyon and the George Gill ranges. The air tour will also take you over Gosses Bluff, an immense crater created when an asteroid or comet crashed into the area while dinosaurs still roamed the Earth (although it has to be said that the dinosaurs survived this particular impact). The Western Arrernte believe the site, which they call Tnorala, is a sacred place. According to their legends the crater was formed when a group of celestial women were dancing through the Milky Way during the Dreaming. One woman, tired from dancing, placed her baby in a basket, which fell to Earth, creating the crater. They say the parents of the child, the evening and morning star, are still searching for the baby today. At Gosses Bluff you will also find Lake Amadeus, featured in the air tour. This vast salt lake that contains over 600 million tonnes of salt.
Staying at Ayers Rock After your tour, the popular Ayer’s Rock Resort will offer you accommodation that can suit all tastes and budgets. If you’ve a taste for the extravagant as little as $309 per person per night can get you the Sails in the Desert hotel has a gallery of Aboriginal art and many pieces focusing on the areas aboriginal heritage can be found all over the hotel. Food at the hotel includes the Winkiku Restaurant, that serves lively buffet style food, the Rockpool which serves up tapas or the jewel in the Sails in the Desert’s crown, its award winning Kuniya Restaurant. A little less pricey with prices starting at $279 per person per night, the Voyages Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge offers you a choice of 3 ½ star Hotel or 2 star Lodge accommodation that is simple, but comfortable. However, many people who’ve come out
to see the Australian Outback feel like they want to spend their nights in the Australian Outback, and with pitches as cheap as $45 the Ayer’s Rock Resort offers a great camp site with lush green grass, desert oaks and a choice of powered or unpowered sites, including air conditioned cabins if you can’t stand the heat. Where ever you stay, you can be sure that when you return there at the end of the day you will be more than ready to sleep, and dream about the incredible things you saw during the day.
Anangu Tours: www.ananguwaai.com.au/anangu_tours/ Ayer’s Rock Resort: www.ayersrockresort.com.au Helicopter Tours: www.helicoptergroup.com
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Travel
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s l a dofethe month
Some hot deals,
DOWN UNDER By Ian Armitage
PORT MACQUARIE, NSW Save over 50 percent when you stay overnight at the 4.5-star Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel. Priced from A$140 (ÂŁ92.50) per night, the deal includes accommodation for two in a modern self-contained one-bedroom apartment featuring a queen bed, fully-equipped kitchen with stainless steel appliances, open-plan living area and balcony. The deal is valid for travel until December 19, 2011, subject to availability. Details: www.lastminute.com.au
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CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND Stay four nights at The Sebel Cairns and save 25 percent. Priced from A$126 (£83) per night, stay in a Harbour View Room with private balcony while enjoying the amazing pool area in your free time or try out Cairns best seafood buffet. The deal is valid for travel from November 5, 2011. Details: www.travel.com.au or 1300 130 483.
SYDNEY, NSW Spoil yourself with two cocktails on arrival, full buffet breakfast and discounted car parking when staying at Radisson Hotel and Suites. The Spring Sensations Package is from A$258 (£170) per night for two people - that’s a saving of more than 40 percent. The deal is available to book now and stay until November 30, 2011, or until sold out. All deals are subject to availability and change. Details: www.wotif. com/hotelW13 or 1300 88 7979
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What’s on... Cup Carnival th Melbourne 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington, Victoria, 3031
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The Melbourne Cup Carnival is a weeklong celebration of racing, food and wine, fashion and entertainment. It’s when fabulous Flemington becomes the corporate, social and sporting epicentre of Australia. The event not only captures the imagination of Melburnian’s but attracts visitors nationwide and from all points of globe. The Melbourne Cup Carnival is comprised over four unique racedays: AAMI Victoria Derby Day; Emirates Melbourne Cup Day; Crown Oaks Day; and Emirates Stakes Day. www.melbournecup.com
KITES OVER CANTERBURY FESTIVAL Lake Hood, Ashburton District, Canterbury, NZ
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Kites Over Canterbury salutes the kite in its many forms and also has hot air balloons, a market, music and fun for all. This inaugural Kites Over Canterbury festival promises to be a fantastic day out for the whole family; where you’ll be able to enjoy kites of all shapes and sizes, plus demonstrations of kite powered vehicles. www.nzfoodinnovationshowcase.co.nz
th Australian Open Golf
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Championship
Royal Sydney Golf Club, Sydney, NSW This November, the eyes of the golf world will be on Sydney as The Lakes Golf Club plays host to the prestigious golf championship, the Emirates Australian Open. Witness Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and a host of other leading local and international players compete for Australia’s most prestigious golf prize, the Stonehaven Cup. www.ticketek.com.au www.anzoutlook.com
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Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month
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The Presidents Cup 2011 Black Rock, Victoria The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers, is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between US and international venues, excluding Europe. The US Team has won six of the eight previous Presidents Cups, which was developed to give the world’s best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition. The 2011 Presidents Cup tournament will be played at Royal Melbourne Golf Course from November 17 to 20. www.presidentscup.com
Rylstone StreetFeast Louee Street, Rylstone, NSW
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Rylstone StreetFeast is the Rylstone district’s premier annual event allowing guests to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Rylstone-Kandos district and sample its diverse range of regional foods, produce, wines, olive oils and olive products. www.rylstonestreetfeast.com.au
BMW NZ Open hosted by Christchurch
Clearwater Golf Club, Christchurch, NZ The BMW NZ Open will be held at the Clearwater Golf Club between 1 to 4 December 2011. It forms part of the major professional tournaments in Australasia, following on from the Australian Open in Sydney, President’s Cup in Melbourne and the Australian PGA in Queensland. www.golf.co.nz/Events/NZOpen.aspx AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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Summer in Australia Away from the Rain
Summer in A By Chris Farnell
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ow’s it going? No, tell you what. Let me guess. You have to start turning lights on at four o’clock in the afternoon because it’s too dingy outside to see. You’ve started wearing your hoodie with the hood up because your ears are too cold for you to worry about looking like you mug grannies. Coffee is no longer necessary to stay awake in the morning, it’s also there to prevent your blood actually freezing on the way into work, which you see through the swipe of windscreen wipers if
Australia you drive, or while trying to defeat your own umbrella in hand to hand combat if you go in on foot. In short, it’s wet, it’s cold, it’s dark, and you can’t help but wish there was some sort of magical dimension that started to really warm up around November. Well, it just so happens you’re in luck. Yes, in Australia the weather is gradually shifting from merely “really nice all the time” to blazing, glorious sunshine every single day. You could be forgiven for wanting to sneak off there right now. If you do, here’s a few places worth checking out.
Bondi Beach, Sydney It’s obvious we were going to start with a beach, isn’t it? During the summer Sydneyites waste no time getting down to the beach, and Bondi is one of the most impressive beaches on a continent famous for beaches. It’s a golden kilometre of sand where people from everyone walk of life in Sydney come out to mingle and enjoy the sun. Here you can learn to surf, or take a more relaxing dip down at the rock pool. If you fancy a bit of a trek you can even enjoy a walk along clifftop trail from Bondi to Bronte beach, which will treat you to some spectacular views.
Alternatively, you can just laze about on the sand, getting a bite to eat from Campbell Parade or enjoy the cornucopia of off-beach dining available down Hall Street. There’s also some great boutique shopping to be found in the backstreets around here, as well as the option of watching people take a tumble on the waterslide or kids pulling off acrobatic tips down at Bondi Skate Park. Among backpackers this is the place to come for Christmas day, and the surreal sight of people partying in Santa hats and swimming costumes is an annual spectacle here. The new year’s eve beach party is a thing to behold as well.
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Summer in Australia Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne
Of course the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne is legendary, so mentioning one without the other here would probably get us some complaints. Fortunately the Mornington Peninsula an hour’s drive from Melbourne is another great place to relax during the summer months. A bit more chilled out than Bondi, Mornington Peninsula is home to idyllic seaside villages, golf courses and day spas. While surfing down here is an option, at this time of year snapper season is just starting up so you might prefer to charter a boat (or just sit out on the pier) and do a bit of fishing. To get a bit closer to fish, check out Port Philip Heads, a marine park where you can go scuba diving, exploring coral
reefs or even submerged First World War submarines. Alternatively, you can go and swim with dolphins, or enjoy the cosmopolitan cafes of Portsea. There’s also plenty in the way of scenic walking. You can stroll through Mornington Peninsula National Park, with staggering cliff-top views of the coast, or follow the Bushrangers Pay Trail all the way to Cape Schanck Lighthouse, with plenty of thriving rockpools along the way. Alternatively explore the Fort Nepean Walk, which will take you to the labyrinthine tunnels that guard Port Philip Bay. The summer sees the Mornington Peninsula, relaxed as it is, become a hive of activity, with a series of boat racing events all taking place here, and the Briars Park Jazz Festival and Coolart Jazz Festival giving you plenty to do in the evenings.
Swan Valley, Perth If there’s one thing Australia is famous for that isn’t beaches or poisonous insects, it’s its wine. In Western Australia, that winemaking began in Swan Valley, when Italian and Croation immigrants came here in the 1920s. If you come down here yourself there’s good odds you could end up talking to their grandchildren. This land is rife with over 40 wineries many of them run by families, and offering alfresco vineyard restaurants, as well as some really great park land for picnics. The colonial village of Guildford offers a great pace to explore, with an impressive market in antiques and art, as well as heritagelisted accommodation where you can sleep it all off. 36
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Of course booze isn’t everything. There’s chocolate as well, as the local chocolate factor is a great place to stock up on hand-made truffles!
Tasmanian Taste Festival, Hobart
I know what you think, and you’re right- that all started to make me feel a bit hungry too. Well to really spoil your palate, the place to go is the island of Tasmania, where every new year hundred of thousands of visitors turn up for a week of truly, properly stuffing themselves silly. Hobart’s annual food and drink festival plays host to over 70 different food and beverage stalls, as well art exhibitions and performances, so you can have some entertainments while you eat.
First and foremost, the Tasmanian Taste Festival is about the local produce. The Bruny Island cheese and berries from Bicheno and of course, the fish- so much fish. Tasmanian seafood includes salmon, great west coast crabs, scallops, blue fin tuna and oysters. Then wash it down with cool-climate wine, local champagne, peatdistilled malt whiskeys and a range of local beers. Then there are passed stuffed with organic veg, and all sorts of locally made jams, relishes and pickles.
Something for Everyone Whatever your tastes, summer in Australia probably has something for you. Or, you know, you could stay home. Good luck on the way home- don’t forget your umbrella! AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND
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28 N On sal ovem e ber 2 011
Australia's 10 must see landmarks The Sydney Opera House is probably Australia’s most instantly recognisable landmark… but there’s much, much more to see
Guide to the sunshine coast Sunshine Coast weather is possibly the best in Australia or even the world
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PLUS Expat stories Migration news Expert advice
Do you still call Australia home? Opportunities for experienced professionals include: s Project and Program Managers s Change Managers s Enterprise Architects/Solution Architects s Applications Developers (.Net, Java/J2EE, Sharepoint) s Data Warehouse / Business Intelligence Consultants. s L&D Consultants (Instructional Designers, Trainers, Multimedia Developers) s OBIEE Consultants s Siebel Consultants (BA’s, Technical Consultants, PM’s, UCM, On Demand) s Junior and Senior Business Analysts and Business Process Specialists s Data Modellers and Database Developers s Data Management / Data Quality Consultants s Agile Consultants s Customer Experience BA’s s Systems Integration Specialists (TIBCO, Websphere, Calypso)
Homesick? Missing sand between your toes? SMS Management & Technology (SMS) is Australia’s premier home-grown IT management consulting company employing over 1600 technology and business professionals across Australia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. SMS will pay your fare home (partners and children included) to join any one of its Australian offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney if you meet our requirements. SMS works across a wide range of industries, most notably financial services, government, telecommunications, health, defence, utilities, airlines and mining. Candidates from any of these industries are of particular interest, as are those with management and technical consulting experience. Would you like to join us in 2011? We’ll be conducting interviews in Manchester and London over two weeks commencing 19 March. Applications should be forwarded through the SMS website at www.smsmt.com with a detailed letter providing additional relevant information. Applicants will be advised soon after their application has been received if an interview is to be arranged. If you would like to meet us at the ‘Working In’ Australian Recruiting Expo in Manchester 19/20 March or London 26/27 March, contact us for a complimentary visitor’s pass.
SMS Management & Technology Head Office: Level 41, 140 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
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