Abode Hotels - A+ Magazine Autumn/Winter 2017

AUTUMN + WINTER 2017 10 REASONS TO LOVE NO. 10 RESTAURANT + BAR TOUR OF A NATIONAL TREASURE: THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL TAKE A HIKE: NAMADGI NATIONAL PARK

CONTENTS

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TOUR OF A NATIONAL TREASURE: THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

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PLAN TO SUCCEED: TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS CONFERENCE

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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

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FIT CHALLENGE

TAKE A HIKE: NAMADGI NATIONAL PARK

AUTUMN + WINTER TRAVEL TIPS

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10 REASONS TO LOVE NO. 10 RESTAURANT + BAR

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WHAT'S ON

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A WEEK'S WORTH OF FUN FOR THE KIDS

MEET THE MAKERS

COOL CAPITAL DRIVE

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A SWEET TREAT FROM NO. 10 TO MAKE AT HOME

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FIND US: MAPS AROUND EACH ABODE

Creative Direction Shannon Noud + Amanda Summons Art Direction, Design + Photography Amanda Summons Words Shannon Noud Advertising Enquiries Sean Smith sean.smith@abodehotels.com.au

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AN AUTUMN + WINTER ADVENTURE

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MELTED MARVELS: TREATS IN YOUR ROOM

LIVE AND LOCAL

TRAINED FOR THE TRUFFLE HUNT

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A HOLE IN ONE

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

ENJOY!

PUBLISHED BY:

10 REASONS TO LOVE NO. 10 RESTAURANT + BAR

Photograph by Martin Ollman

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Woden’s newest destination is proving that the best dining experiences aren’t always where you’d expect.

Since opening five months ago, No. 10 Restaurant + Bar (owned by yours truly) has already set tongues wagging – literally.

Named one of the top new restaurants in Canberra for 2017 by Canberra Times Good Food, No. 10 has put Woden on the map with a fresh and diverse menu, relaxed atmosphere and vibrant design that fares against the city’s best. Here are 10 reasons to love No. 10.

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Chicken and waffles: Head chef Duncan Winter wanted to create a menu that was contemporary and smart, but also a little playful. Chicken and waffles (on the front cover) exemplifies that vision. “It’s an unusual combination, but the flavours and textures balance each other out,” he said. “It just works.” Chicken and waffles is certainly turning out to be a crowd favourite, named one of HerCanberra’s best dishes of 2016.

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An outdoor deck to impress: The outdoor deck is the perfect place to sit back and relax with a beer or glass of wine and enjoy a light meal from the all-day snack menu.

Timber and black features continue the restaurant's modern feel, while the roof encourages outdoor dining in all seasons.

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Fun, fresh and flavoursome food: “Since the beginning, No. 10 was always intended to be casual, relaxed, smart and fresh,” said Food & Beverage Manager Joe Wagland.

The menu has been created to showcase the very best and freshest Australian produce, beer and wine. “We let the ingredients do the talking.”

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Convenience: No. 10 is open six days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and for breakfast on Sundays, which means you don’t have to leave Woden to find somewhere to eat. It is particularly convenient for hotel guests at Abode Woden who need only go downstairs for a city-worthy dining experience.

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ore than just a restaurant: No. 10’s menu M is available for conferencing, with packages starting at $67 per person. As well as catering for corporate functions, No. 10 has hosted canapé events on the terrace.

“It’s not just about food, but the entire experience,” Joe said.

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Proud to be local: No. 10 is a locally owned company that employs local people and uses fresh ingredients sourced from around the region. As part of the GEOCON group, whose vision is to build Canberra, No. 10 always aims to support local people and businesses where possible.

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'In and Out’ lunches: Here on a business trip? No. 10 has a unique market due to its proximity to the Woden office district.

To cater for working professionals, No. 10 offers a quick ‘in and out’ lunch service for just $15 with steak, a roast pumpkin salad or fish and chips.

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Contemporary design: Subway tiles, wood panel feature walls, striking wallpaper and leather bench seats are just some of the features of the dining room. The interior is contemporary and sleek, but not over the top. Different seating arrangements and contrasting materials help play on the restaurant’s relaxed vibe.

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ervice that smiles: The No. 10 team is S passionate about what they do and is committed to giving customers the best experience possible. Customers are always greeted with a smile. Together, No. 10’s employees bring a wealth of experience in hospitality and customer service to the table, led by Joe Wagland, who alone has more than 25 years under his belt.

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Delightful desserts: Our warm, raspberry sugar-coated doughnuts are the perfect dessert or on-the-go snack. End your meal on a sweet note or grab a bag for afternoon tea with your takeaway coffee. Another one of No. 10's popular desserts is the espresso crème brûlée, which you can learn to make yourself on page 48.

Photograph by Martin Ollman

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10 MINUTES WITH JOE WAGLAND GROUP FOOD & BEVERAGE OPERATIONS MANAGER AT ABODE HOTELS Did you grow up in Canberra?

My father was in the Army so we moved around a bit when I was young. We settled in Canberra when I was 12 after he took a position at Russell Offices to roll out a major computer network.

Was hospitality what you always wanted to do?

How long have you worked in hospitality?

Like many young people, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I always enjoyed customer service and loved working in a structured environment, so I didn’t really have another plan, I just worked hard at what I did.

I’ve worked in restaurants since I was 16, starting out at KFC while I was in school.

What are your career highlights and achievements?

Tell us about your career in the industry.

Chef’s hat at Ottoman, Chairman & Yip and Anise.

When I finished college I worked as a manager at KFC for a few years, learning a lot about procedure and process and the basics of customer service and food handling. In 1995 I moved to the Hyatt Hotel Canberra, which was my first real restaurant experience. After a year or so I moved on to Ottoman Cuisine in Manuka (where Public is now located). At the time, Ottoman was the best restaurant in Canberra and was awarded as one of the best in Australia. I met my wife there who was a chef at the time. After Ottoman, I worked at Chairman & Yip in the city, which was my first stint in management roles and where I really caught the food, wine and service bug.

After Chairman, I managed a brand new restaurant called Anise for five years, which quickly gained the reputation as one of the best in Canberra. We won multiple wine list awards, a Chef’s Hat and I really enjoyed my time there.

After Anise, I moved to Poachers Pantry. The restaurant had been open for only a year and my wife was the head chef there. I transformed the quiet restaurant to a busy weekend destination, was lucky enough to be highly involved in their wine production and wine label “Wily Trout” and introduced weddings and large scale functions to their repertoire.

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Looking for the next challenge, I moved to Rydges Lakeside Canberra in 2012 in the Food & Beverage Manager role, which was during the time the brand was transitioning to QT Canberra. My last role before joining Abode Hotels was with Avenue Hotel Canberra as Food & Beverage Manager.

Outside of work, what do you like to do?

I have two young sons (three and six years) who keep me busy. I love spending time with them and my wife. Otherwise snowboarding and surfing are it.

Do you consider yourself a bit of a chef? (laughs) No. I know a lot about food and about cooking food, but I’m not great. I follow a recipe well and do often cook for friends. My signature dishes would be my pizzas (make the dough from scratch) and I do an amazing Thai style salmon salad with caramelised onion and chilli dressing.

Where to now for No. 10?

We just launched a new menu and recently appointed a new restaurant manager, Ashleigh Wood. Our focus will be continuing to produce fresh, tasty and casual food, while filling in some of the gaps, such as bar snacks, more entrees and new desserts.

What’s your next big challenge?

Converting the space in Abode Tuggeranong. Plans are still conceptual, but an early idea is a coffee outlet that could transform into a restaurant.

Watch this space.

For more information, visit number10restaurantandbar.com

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AN AUTUMN + WINTER ADVENTURE Canberra truly is the best place in Australia to be able to find wonderful wineries, the snow, beautiful lakes, breathtaking bush walks and incredible food – all right on your doorstep. In autumn, our city is awash with a kaleidescope of autumn colours. While in winter, you can just as easily spend a day bushwalking as you can visiting the many museums and art galleries.

Canberra really is one good thing after another so we have put together a little plan for you on how you can best spend a day in the nation's capital.

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Good morning sunshine!

Take a moment to relax because today is going to be a wonderful day in the nation’s capital. Even in winter, Canberra is one of the sunniest capital cities in Australia so enjoy your cosy room before setting off for the day.

All good days start with a delicious breakfast and the Banana Porridge at No. 10 Restaurant + Bar in Woden is just that (page 2). The sticky date banana porridge, with nutmeg, caramel yoghurt and stewed rhubarb is the perfect autumn and winter warmer. For those who love eggs, there is the eggs benedict and for those who like simple dishes, there is a twist on a classic with the crushed avocado. Don’t forget to get a refreshing juice or coffee to start your day off right.

Now that you are awake, head off for a drive to Namadgi National Park to see the beautiful cascading Gibraltar Falls. The drive is about an hour from Canberra and allows you to see the stunning landscapes of the ACT. Once you reach the falls carpark, it is just a short walk down the stairs to take in the beauty of the falls.

The Namadgi National Park is full of great trails (page 46) and this is an excellent one for people of all fitness levels.

Brodburger is a Canberra institution.

Originally starting out in an old red gypsy caravan with lengthy queues, they are now based on the Kingston Foreshore at the Canberra Glassworks.

They offer a wide range of tasty burgers, culminating in the almighty Brodburger Deluxe. Are you game enough to try a burger as big as your head?

Take an afternoon break with a drive up Mount Ainslie to see all of Canberra in front of you.

You can see right along Anzac Parade, then across the lake to Old Parliament House and finally Parliament House, with a flag the size of a double-decker bus!

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After filling the first half of the day with wonderful food and outdoor adventures, the time has come to visit another Canberra institution. Head down from Mount Ainslie and you will find yourself at the Australian War Memorial (page 8).

This is the place to learn more about our history and to have a moment of reflection on the sacrifices made. After you take in the heartbreaking exhibitions and place your poppy on the Roll of Honour, make sure you stay until 4.55 pm when the Memorial farewells its visitors with their moving Last Post Ceremony.

After walking down along Anzac Parade to see the memorials to our soldiers, go for a stroll around Lake Burley Griffin and take in a beautiful sunset. Canberra is famous for its sunsets, especially with the lake in the foreground and Telstra Tower in the background. A walk around the lake going ‘bridge-to-bridge’ is the best way to feel like a local and is a wonderful way to see Canberra’s vivid autumn hues.

For something a little different, how about dinner and a board game? Head along to The Guild in the city – come for the pizza and stay for the games.

They have a wonderful traffic light system of recommending games.

Green for easy, yellow for medium and red for those really daring to take home the prize.

Games cost $3 per person and you can play as many games as you’d like over the evening.

Before you head home, walk over to Shorty’s for a warming drink and their deep fried Golden Gaytime. The Golden Gaytime is a classic Australian ice cream and this intense version served with caramel and fresh honeycomb gives it a new twist.

After a fun-filled day, it is time to head home to your Abode. We hope you have loved Canberra and look forward to your return.

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TOUR OF A NATIONAL TREASURE: THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

Nestled at the foot of Mount Ainslie – seemingly protected within her shadow – is one of Australia’s most significant monuments.

For more than 75 years, The Australian War Memorial has been a symbol of patriotism, pride and respect, erected to commemorate and honour Australian servicemen and women (past and pre-sent) who have proudly served their country.

Opened in 1941, the mission of the Memorial is “…to assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society.”

One of the many ways the Memorial achieves this is through a dedicated and passionate team of voluntary guides, like Sonya Davidson.

Through these guided tours, we can delve deeper into the real stories of war to better understand the true experiences of those who fought, the loved ones who lost and other tales that we otherwise might not uncover. Ultimately, it’s a richer experience.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE AS A TOUR GUIDE On the morning of a tour, Sonya starts the day early to check if any exhibitions have changed and if she has to alter parts of the tour. Then after checking in with the front desk, it is time to greet the tour members.

“We always ask people what they like to see so we can tailor the tour to suit them if necessary,” Sonya said.

“For example, one of the names I’ve picked before was Keith 'Bluey' Truscott, an ace fighter pilot who was an Aussie Rules player at the Melbourne Football Club.

“Bluey joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940 and despite difficulty with depth perception, he became the second highest Australian Second World War fighter ace.

Sadly, he was killed during a training flight in WA, possibly due to his depth issues.

The 90-minute tours take visitors on a journey through the history of the wars as they happened, beginning in the Commemorative area. It is here, amidst the Eternal Flame and Pool of Reflection that visitors take a moment to contemplate the sacrifices made by our service men and women. Surrounding the courtyard is the Roll of Honour, where the names of virtually every Australian who has died in war since 1885 – more than 102,000 people – are cast in bronze panels. It is here that Sonya begins her story.

“Bluey’s name comes up twice in the museum, so I get to mention him three times during the course of my tour. This creates a story that the visitors can connect with.”

“What I like to do is pick a name from the Roll of Honour that I can refer to throughout the tour,” she explains.

“At the time, there was a lot of debate about whether it should be built in Sydney or Melbourne because Canberra wasn’t

After a moment of reflection in the Commemorative Area, Sonya always starts the tour with a brief introduction into the history of the museum itself.

She often tells the story of how Charles Bean, the man who came up with the idea of a national memorial, had to fight hard to have it built in Canberra.

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Sonya Davidson, tour guide

FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL •

The Memorial was only intended to commemorate the Great War, but by the time it opened in 1941, the Second World War had already been raging for over two years.

Charles Bean had to amend the initial scope to be inclusive of all wars and conflicts.

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The Memorial attracts approximately one million visitors annually.

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The Memorial has been voted the number one Landmark in Australia on TripAdvisor in 2014 and 2016

really established until the 1920s. However, as it was a national monument it made sense for it to be in the nation’s capital,” she said.

“We get to develop our own tours, so I am always researching new ideas and spend time wandering the museum looking for interesting things to talk about.

“What’s also interesting is that this particular location was chosen because it is in direct line of sight with Parliament House. It was so those sitting in Parliament wouldn’t make decisions that impact the country without looking at the Memorial as a constant reminder of the past.”

“One story I like to tell is that of a boy called Jimmy Martin, who against his parent’s wishes, enlisted into the army during the First World War when he was just 14 years old.

The tour then continues into the First and Second World War galleries, the Hall of Valour and Air-craft Hall, with a large collection of records, photographs, videos and artefacts – such as weapons, vehicles, clothing and personal items – that show war from different perspectives; bravery, tragedy, horror, love, companionship and duty. Sonya’s job is to unlock the stories behind these items.

“Typically, I will tell up to 20 different stories on any tour, with another 10 up my sleeve in case there are last minute detours or changes,” she said.

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“The age limit to enlist during the First World War was 18, but they were so desperate for people that he was never reprehended. Jimmy served at Gallipoli where he contracted enteritis and later died of heart failure. He is one of only 60 people on the Roll of Honour that were under the age of 16.

“It is stories like Jimmy's that visitors to the Memorial want to hear.”

The last leg of Sonya's tour is Anzac Hall, which showcases some of the Memorial’s larger objects using vivid sound and lighting shows, one of which was developed

by Peter Jackson – Director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

(ranked No. 2 in 2015 behind the Opera House) •

Around 50,000 people attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Memorial each year. The 2015 Dawn Service marking the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli landings saw 127,000 people in attendance

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The stained-glass windows and mosaic in the Hall of Memory were designed and executed by Napier Waller, a Victorian artist who lost his right arm during the First World War. Waller was originally right handed, so had to teach himself how to draw and work with his left hand.

In the future, Sonya is looking forward to conducting tours through the post1945 Conflicts galleries, which focus on conflicts in areas like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

“This has really become an obsession for me – it’s a constant learning experience,” she said.

“Since retiring I have worked in various volunteer roles with organisations like Barnados, but this is something I’ve always wanted to do for myself. My father was in the British military and I am a bit of a history buff, so volunteering for the Memorial was a perfect fit.

“The Memorial tells the Australian experience of war. I’m anti-war, but it’s about honouring those who served and died for our country.”

You can find the Memorial at Treloar Crescent, Campbell ACT and it is open 10am – 5pm daily, including the shop (closed Christmas Day). There is a gold coin donation upon entry.

For more information, visit awm.gov.au 9

WHAT'S ON

ENLIGHTEN 3 – 12 MARCH 2017 See Canberra in a new light this autumn as Canberra’s iconic national attractions are illuminated by architectural projections.

Immerse yourself in the festival atmosphere and experience Canberra’s culture through exclusive events and surprising experiences.

This year’s program is bursting with free and ticketed events which offer unique ways to explore the nation’s capital. Over 10 illuminated nights, the whole family can enjoy everything from blockbuster exhibitions, exclusive dining experiences and rare films, all set to the backdrop of architectural projections.

The parliamentary triangle will be transformed into a vibrant arts precinct with free entertainment by talented performers from across the country. Adding to the atmosphere, some of Australia’s most talented musicians will take to the main stage, providing fresh live music and bold beats. Visitors will also be able to explore national attractions after dark as several institutions keep their doors open later.

Indulge in delicious food, relax to captivating music, marvel at awesome acts and make a night of it at Enlighten 2017.

For more information, visit enlightencanberra.com.au

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Photograph by EventsACT

BLACK OPAL STAKES 5 MARCH 2017 One of Canberra’s premier racing events returns in 2017 for its 45th year – the Mercedes-Benz Canberra Black Opal Stakes and tab.com.au Canberra Cup Race Day. An exhilarating eight-race program will take centre stage on the day. Entertainment in between races includes live music, a food alley, face painting, jumping castle and the

hotly contested Myer fashions on the field, with prizes awarded to the best dressed in the Classic Ladies Racewear, Classic Men’s Racewear and the Millinery Award categories. A new offering this year is the Wolf Blass Deck Marquee where you can celebrate with cocktails and canapes.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online through Ticketek. Gates open from 11.30am with the first race kicking off at 1pm.

For more information, visit thoroughbredpark.com.au A+

THE LIVING END 8 MARCH 2017 One of Australia’s most iconic rock bands will be heading to ANU Bar in Canberra this March!

As part of their Staring Down The Highway Tour, The Living End will hit the stage in regional towns across the country. Since the early 1990s, The Living End has been a major influencer of punk rock music and culture, both in Australia

and around the world. After a five-year break, The Living End returned in May 2016 with the release of Shift – their seventh studio album.

Now the multi award-winning band is back on the tour circuit and will be supported by hit Triple J rockers, The Bennies.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased from Moshtix. This is an 18+ event.

For more information, visit anuunion.com.au/the-anu-bar

SYMPHONY IN THE PARK 12 MARCH 2017 This is not your standard symphony experience.

Framed by the tree-lined landscape of the iconic Commonwealth Park, sit back and relax as the Canberra Symphony Orchestra brings the work of a well-known band to life.

The natural amphitheatre provides the perfect backdrop for what is a magical experience. Watch the sun set to a beautiful soundtrack at this quintessential outdoor event. Bring a picnic and blanket or enjoy a bite to eat from the traders.

Held on Stage 88, this free event will entertain the whole family. The Canberra Symphony Orchestra has outdone themselves this year, perfecting a new interpretation on music we all know and love.

For more information, visit events.act.gov.au

Photograph by EventsACT

LIGHTS! CANBERRA! ACTION! 10 MARCH 2017 A piece of Hollywood returns to Canberra with the 14th year of Lights! Canberra!

Action! short film festival.

This festival represents a new wave of storytelling, introducing emerging filmmakers to the scene. Unique to the festival, each film made specifically for

DAMI IM 11 MARCH 2017 Dami Im has come a long way since winning The X Factor Australia in 2013.

Her first single ‘Alive’ debuted at number one on the ARIA charts, as did Dami’s first self-titled studio album.

The singer-songwriter has continued to top the charts with hits like ‘Super Love’, ‘Gladiator’ and ‘Sound of Silence’, which Dami performed live at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in front of more than 200 million people around the world.

Lights! Canberra! Action! must include and feature 10 special items, which are provided to the filmmakers at the commencement of filming. The filmmakers then have only ten days to shoot, edit and produce a sevenminute masterpiece. What these talented filmmakers produce will astound you.

Bring a bean bag, blanket and popcorn, and settle in for a great night of viewing the top 12 finalists at the majestic Senate Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House with winners announced after.

For more information, visit events.act.gov.au

Photograph by EventsACT

Dami’s incredible performance and powerful vocals captivated audiences and judges, finishing in second place behind Ukraine’s Jamala. This is the highest ranking any Australian contestant has ever achieved in the competition.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see Dami perform some of her biggest hits and covers as part of the Yesterday Once More Encore Tour at Canberra Theatre. Tickets are $80 and can be purchased online.

For more information, visit canberratheatrecentre.com.au Dami Im

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WHAT'S ON

CANBERRA DAY 13 MARCH 2017 Canberra is turning 104 this year!

Photograph by EventsACT

CANBERRA BALLOON SPECTACULAR 11 – 19 MARCH 2017 Wake up to the view of hot air balloons floating across Canberra. This mesmerising view is best appreciated from the lawns of Old Parliament House.

Held over nine days more than 30 hot air balloons from across the globe are expected to take to our skies this autumn. Remember to keep an eye out for the special balloons, such as those in the shape of animals and movie characters, and of course don’t forget the Abode Hotels balloon.

Each day from 6:15am between Saturday 11 March and Sunday 19 March, pilots will begin inflating their balloons on the lawns of Old Parliament House before ascending into the sky and creating a picturesque backdrop for Canberra’s national attractions.

Passengers can experience the thrill of hot air ballooning over Canberra at sunrise while spectators on the ground are treated to an experience of the senses.

Flurries of colour, sound and movement complemented by live music and a delicious hot breakfast available for purchase from the Belconnen Lions Club will make your morning one to remember.

For more information, visit balloonspectacular.com.au

ICONIC AUSTRALIAN HOUSES: AN EXHIBITION

BY KAREN MCCARTNEY RUNNING UNTIL 13 MARCH Journey through some of Australia’s most iconic and visionary homes in this travelling exhibition curated by Karen McCartney.

The Lobster Bay House, architect Ian McKay. Photograph by Michael Wee

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In partnership with Architecture Foundation Australia, McCartney opens the door to 30 of the most important Australian homes of the past 60 years.

Celebrations will kick off bright and early at the Canberra Balloon Spectacular. Watch hot air balloons take to the sky as the sun rises.

Indulge in a delicious breakfast on the lawns of Old Parliament House as the balloons soar above.

Later in the day, join us to celebrate all things Canberra with a program bursting at the seams with live music. Canberra’s best musicians will take to the stage to entertain young and old. The show will be framed by one of Canberra’s most iconic locations, providing the perfect backdrop for these birthday celebrations. Grab a bite to eat and settle in for a night of free entertainment.

For more information, visit events.act.gov.au

Striking photography, illustrations, 3D models and filmed interviews allow us to delve deeper into each house to understand the aesthetic and the inspiration behind it, its influence on Australian architecture and design and of course into the lives of the people who built them and lived in them. It’s not just about the physical characteristics of these houses, but the opportunities and lifestyle they present.

Some of the houses featured include the Gottlieb House (Wood Marsh), Audette House (Peter Muller) and the Butterfly House (Peter McIntyre).

The exhibition is on show at the National Archives of Australia.

For more information, visit naa.gov.au A+

ABODE HOTELS BALLOON PACKAGE Hot air ballooning is without a doubt one of the best ways to take in the stunning landscape of Canberra.

In celebration of the Abode Hotel balloon landing we are proud to present you our balloon package.

Feel the magic of soaring over a changing landscape at sunrise, suspended in a basket under a glorious hot air balloon.

Take in the panoramic view below; from the lush greenery of Lake Burley Griffin and its famed landmarks to the rugged Australian landscape over the Arboretum, Canberra’s numerous tourist attractions are available for soaring over!

Prices start from $630 per night in a Premium Studio or $660 per night in an Executive Studio for 2 adults and includes flights for 2.

Call 1300 1 ABODE (22633) today to check availability and take the flight of your life. *Bookings must be made minimum 7 days in advance. If the flight is cancelled it can be either rebooked or refunded. All flights include champagne and fruit juice. Offer only available at Abode Woden.

BOOK DIRECT AND SAVE! BE SMART,

BOOK DIRECT.

1300 1 ABODE abodehotels.com.au

WHAT'S ON

The Stevenson Experience at Canberra Comedy Festival

CANBERRA COMEDY FESTIVAL 20 – 26 MARCH 2017 Some of the biggest names in comedy from Australia and around the world are bringing a week of fun, laughter and inappropriateness to Canberra in March.

Dave Hughes, Jimeoin, Hannah Gadsby, Becky Lucas (all pictured opposite) are some of the comedic stalwarts set to perform at the 2017 Canberra Comedy Festival, which will be held across Canberra’s premier theatre destinations from Monday 20 March to Sunday 26 March.

The inaugural Canberra Comedy Festival was held in 2013 as part of the city’s 100th birthday celebrations and has continued to grow each year.

This year’s festival is shaping up to be one of the best yet, with a jam-packed program featuring more than 50 shows, starting with the opening night gala at Canberra Theatre.

While the opening night show is sold out, a second show has been added to run concurrently with the first.

Tickets are selling fast, so get in quick to ensure you don’t miss your favourite acts.

DOING CANBERRA PROUD One of the home-grown talents included in this year’s line-up is The Stevenson Experience. Here’s what James and Benjamin had to say about their life in comedy.

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You hail from Canberra – were you born here or are you just living here now?

Benjamin: We were born and bred here and are Canberra boys through and through, but are now based in Sydney.

How long have you been doing comedy?

James: 2017 will be our 11th year performing together.

Is this your first time performing at the Canberra Comedy Festival?

Benjamin: Not at all, we’ve done every festival since the first one (The 2017 festival will be the fifth) and it’s one of our favourite festivals on the calendar.

What got you interested in stand-up?

James: The Melbourne Comedy Festival, which is one of the biggest festivals in the world, runs a school based competition and an open mic competition for new acts called RAW Comedy. We got to the finals of the RAW competition in 2009 and we were just hooked with the rush of being on stage.

What comedians, if any, have influenced your career? Do you have a favourite comedian you look up to?

Benjamin: We do musical comedy so we have strong influences from Tripod, Tim Minchin and Sammy J & Randy who were acts that we grew up with and just loved.

James: Yeah – I think Tripod is the big one for me. And even now, I think a lot of standups can influence you a lot, some of the sharpest and funniest writers are people like Luke Heggie and Becky Lucas, and I just love shows that are full of energy and production

such as Bo Burnham or Aunty Donna.

What has been your career highlight?

James: We just got back from performing at the Falls Festival in these massive 6000 seat tents, and I’d say the Lorne leg of that tour was easily my favourite gig.

Benjamin: Yep for me too – we were even listed as one of the top five acts from the whole festival, alongside over 100 international rock-bands and musical superstars such as Childish Gambino, Violent Soho and London Grammar – so that was pretty special.

Is there an event or comedy festival you would particularly like to perform at?

James: I’m really looking forward to the big overseas festivals, I’d love to play at Just For Laughs in Montreal.

Benjamin: We perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival every year – but I’d particularly like to perform at the Gala one year.

When you’re not performing, what do you do?

James: I think we are pretty much always performing or sitting on a plane to get to the next gig.

Benjamin: Yeah, that’s pretty much our lives! Generally in downtime we write things and just drive each other mad.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit canberracomedyfestival.com.au A+

AUTO ITALIA CANBERRA 2 APRIL 2017 Check out the best of Italian automotive design at Auto Italia Canberra 2017.

Becky Lucas at Canberra Comedy Festival

People from all over the country converge on the Lawns of Old Parliament House each year to share their passion for quality Italian cars, motorbikes and scooters.

Presented by the Italian Cars Association of ACT, the event kicks off with the Auto Italia dinner on Saturday 1 April at the City Hellenic Club. Tickets are $58 and can be purchased by calling 02 6162 6777.

The following day is the judging event, which opens to the public at 10.00am. Entry is free for spectators, but competition registrations are $15 for cars and $10 for bikes.

For more information, visit autoitaliacanberra.com

Hannah Gadsby at Canberra Comedy Festival

Auto Italia Canberra, photograph by Marisa Gangemi

CANBERRA CRAFT BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL 18 MARCH 2017 Love beer? Then the Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival at the Mercure should be on your calendar.

Dave Hughes at Canberra Comedy Festival

Select from a tasting menu of more than 80 beers and ciders produced by the best brewers from across the country.

Some of this year’s exhibitors include

CANBERRA CLAYCOURT INTERNATIONAL 11 – 26 MARCH 2017 Canberra Tennis Centre will host two ACT Claycourt International men’s tournaments: the first from 11 March to 19 March and the second from 18 March to 26 March.

Jimeoin at Canberra Comedy Festival

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Witness some of the best young and emerging tennis players from around the world compete for a $25,000 prize pool

the Sydney Brewery, Thatchers, Little Creatures, Dad and Dave’s Brewing, Stone Dog Meadery, Yenda, Hope Estate Beer Co and many more.

This isn’t just a beer drinking festival but an appreciation of the craft itself. Learn about the best beer and cider food pairings and meet the brewers, while enjoying the live music and entertainment.

Please drink responsibly and ensure you have a designated driver.

For more information, visit canberrabeerfest.com.au

and the chance to improve their ranking.

The ITF (International Tennis Federation) men’s circuit offers more than 600 entry level professional tournaments across more than 70 countries that allow players to progress to the higher-level tournaments on the ATP World Tour.

Entry to the Canberra Tennis Centre is free for all Australian Pro Tour 2016/2017 events, with a gold coin donation requested upon entry on the finals days.

For more information and schedules, visit tennis.com.au 15

WHAT'S ON

Canberra District Wine Week

CANBERRA DISTRICT WINE WEEK 31 MARCH – 9 APRIL 2017 The annual Canberra District Wine week marks the beginning of the region’s cool climate harvest.

Over the course of 10 days, local wineries across Canberra, Murrumbateman, Yass, Hall, Bungendore and Gundaroo will open their doors to the public to host a series of guided wine tours, tastings, food and wine pairings, art events, movie and sparkling nights for the girls and music and entertainment.

Take the opportunity to learn more about the operations of a vineyard, speak to the makers and sample some of the Canberra District's nationally and internationally recognised wines.

The program culminates in the annual Harvest Festival on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 April at local venues around the region. Join in with the music, food, grape stomping and a celebration of everything wine. It is a great event to bring friends and family along to.

For more information, visit canberrawines.com.au 16

Australian Running Festival

AUSTRALIAN RUNNING FESTIVAL 8 – 9 APRIL 2017 Thousands of runners from across the country are expected to take part in Canberra’s premier running event – the Australian Running Festival.

This year marks the 42nd anniversary of the annual event, which remains one of the best marathons in the country.

Held over two days, the festival includes

five courses to suit different ages and abilities – kicking off with the 10km and 5km courses on Saturday 8 April from 7.00am and 9.00am respectively.

The half marathon, 50km ultra marathon and the flagship Canberra Times Canberra Marathon are held the following morning.

Every year the festival aims to raise money for charity, and this year is no different with a goal of reaching $125,000 for more than 250 charities.

For more information, to register or to donate, visit runningfestival.com.au

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JESSICA MAUBOY

KATE MILLER HEIDKE

8 APRIL 2017 At just 27 years old, Jessica Mauboy has already achieved a lot in the last 10 years since her rise to fame on Australian Idol.

7 APRIL 2017 For one night only, award-winning singer-songwriter Kate MillerHeidke will perform at Canberra Theatre alongside the National Pops Orchestra.

This special concert aligns with the release of Kate’s new album, The Best Of Kate Miller-Heidke: Act One, a collection of some of her most career-defining songs, including ‘The Last Day on Earth’.

Kate Miller-Heidke

The classically trained pop singer is celebrated for her incredible vocal range and versatility, which has lent to her success not only as a singer, but also as a composer and theatrical performer. Receiving a lot of praise for her performance in The Rabbits, Kate recently achieved her fourth Helpmann Award win.

Despite finishing in second place, Mauboy has gone on to become one of Australia’s most successful female entertainers, with a long list of achievements that include 17 Aria Award nominations and two Aria Award wins, platinum and gold accreditations and countless number one hits. She has represented Australia at Eurovision, performed at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and collaborated with some of the world’s biggest artists.

Mauboy has toured with the likes of Beyoncé and Chris Brown and has performed for Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey. If that wasn’t enough, the talented singer-songwriter is also now an esteemed actress, earning praise for her roles in The Sapphires, Bran Nue Day and The Secret Daughter.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see Kate perform her biggest songs amidst a stunning backdrop of the very talented 38-piece orchestra, with visuals from multi-award winning Australian director, Amy Gebhardt.

As part of her national All The Hits Live – The Australian Tour, Mauboy will perform some of her biggest chart-topping hits from the last 10 years. This includes music from The Sapphires and The Secret Daughter, where Mauboy has brought classics like ‘It Must Have Been Love’, ‘Flame Trees’ and ‘Better Be Home Soon’ back to life.

For more information, visit canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Tickets are available through Ticketek but are nearly sold out.

Jessica Mauboy

THE SELL: AUSTRALIAN ADVERTISING 1970S TO 1990S OPEN UNTIL 25 APRIL 2017 Who could ever forget the catchy Aeroplane Jelly song or the ‘Life. Be in it’ poster?

These are just some of the most influential and memorable advertisements from Australia’s

NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL 13 – 17 APRIL 2017 Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of the award-winning National Folk Festival, which will be held over the Easter holidays.

Located at Exhibition Park, the festival brings more than 46,000 people together every year to embrace and celebrate all things folk.

This year’s program includes more than

For more information, visit nccc.com.au

past that will be displayed in this free exhibition at the Australian National Library.

Take a journey through the world of Australian advertising between the 1970s and 1990s and experience a sense of nostalgia as you relive some of Australia’s most iconic and memorable ads, from wanted posters to ads for underwear and chocolates, Vegemite and Minties.

See the different tactics used to influence and inspire audiences over time.

For more information, visit nla.gov.au

1200 performers, from poets, roving entertainers and circus performers to dancers and singers representing folk music styles from around the world, such as acoustic, blues, roots, bluegrass, world, Celtic, traditional, gypsy and country.

In between acts, stay refreshed at one of the festival’s themed bars, browse through the 118 food and markets stalls, or get involved in the fun with yoga and Zumba classes, dancing and art workshops and KidzFest for the little ones.

For more information, visit folkfestival.org.au The Sell

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WHAT'S ON

Latona and her children, 1668-70 installed in the Versailles: Treasures from the Palace exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

VERSAILLES: TREASURES FROM THE PALACE OPEN UNTIL 17 APRIL 2017 For the first time in history, treasures from the Versailles Palace have travelled outside of France for an exclusive exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA).

Versailles: Treasures from the Palace draws back the curtain to reveal a world of power, passion and opulence that represents one of the most important periods in French history. Senior Curator Lucina Ward explains why this exhibition is simply unmissable.

The exhibition opened in December, how has it been received?

We have had an exceptionally positive response to the exhibition, both from locals and interstate visitors.

What sort of items are on display?

The Palace of Versailles has an extraordinarily wide-ranging collection and we wanted to give our audiences a really experiential exhibition of life at the Palace under Louis XIV, XV and XVI. We have paintings, prints and drawings, sculptures, furniture and other object d'art owned by the kings and queens of France, such as porcelain, musical instruments and even wall panels from Versailles apartments.

There is something there for everyone.

Tell us about one of the items that has an interesting story behind it: The full-length portrait of Marie-Antoinette in court dress is a powerful painting, which was painted as a gift for the French queen’s mother, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

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Marie-Antoinette didn’t like any of the portrait artists who were normally used for such a commission but finally found the perfect artist in a woman, very unusual for the period! Elisabeth Louis Vigée Le Brun became the queen’s favourite artist and a close friend after a copy of this painting was made and sent to Austria. The artist went on to paint the queen 30 times in a range of styles.

Out of all the places in the world, this exhibition has come to Canberra. How did the NGA manage to secure such an opportunity?

The National Gallery of Australia is a worldclass institution and we have extraordinary strong connections to other leading galleries and museums around the world.

We entered into negotiations with the Palace directly after our Director saw an exhibition organised by them in France.

Versailles had never before lent a whole exhibition overseas before so for them this was a new experience. We also have a very strong track record of bringing important art exhibitions to Canberra. There was no bidding process, this was a collaborative project between the curators and directors at the Palace and our team here in Canberra.

As well as the artefacts on display, are there any other activities?

We have a wonderful programme of events organised by our public program department, which include talks, concerts and performances. All the details can be found on our website.

Why do you think Versailles is worth seeing?

Versailles: Treasures from the Palace is an extraordinary exhibition which transports audiences to the grandeur and opulence of 17th- and 18th-century France. The is an opportunity for Australian audiences to see spectacular works of art which rarely, if ever, are shown in Australia.

Versailles: Treasures from the Palace is running at the NGA until April 17. Tickets are available through Ticketek.

For more information, visit nga.gov.au

What was the process in getting everything from France to Canberra?

All the works of art were brought out in variously timed shipments by plane. Our Loans Registrar worked closely with the team at Versailles to organise the timing and contents of these. With French collections, each piece has to be registered with the French Department of Culture and receive permission to leave the country. It's like a passport for each work of art. Then at our end, each crate is checked carefully by quarantine agents for any foreign bugs!

Installation view of the Versailles: Treasures from the Palace exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia

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ANZAC DAY AT THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL 25 APRIL 2017 In cooperation with the Returned and Services League of Australia ACT, The Australian War Memorial will host the following Anzac Day services for the public to come and pay their respects to Anzac troops: •

Dawn Service: 5.30am to 6.00am, Parade Grounds, followed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony

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The National Ceremony: 10.30am to 12.30pm, Parade Grounds

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The Last Post Ceremony: 4.45pm.

The Last Post Ceremony is expected to draw a large crowd, so additional viewing screens will be placed outside the Memorial entrance for people to watch the proceedings, while the ceremony will also be broadcast live via on the Memorial’s website.

Anzac Day

For more information, visit awm.gov.au

ARTISTS OF THE GREAT WAR OPEN NOW UNTIL JUNE 2017 Experience the Great War through the eyes of artists that accompanied Australia’s troops into battle.

In this free exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia, sketches, paintings, watercolours and posters were some of the ways that Australia’s war artists captured the realism of war and the stories of courage, tragedy, mateship and hope.

Australia’s first Official War Artist was Will Dyson who travelled to France from December 1916 to May 1917. He was one of 16 male artists selected to document the Great War. Dyson’s work not only conveyed the tragedy of war on the front line, but the day-to-day physical and psychological devastation endured by the Australian soldiers.

A number of female artists also accompanied soldiers to the war.

Not able to work from the front line, many of them worked as nurses or volunteers in soldiers’ canteens, allowing them to capture more personal experiences. One such artist was Iso Rae who was able to document conditions in the camp, from hospitals and horses to the German prisoners of war.

For more information, visit nga.gov.au

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Eternal waiting 1917, charcoal, pencil and wash on paper, Australian War Memorial, Canberra

CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 27 APRIL – 7 MAY 2017 Get set to embark on an incredible journey through the world of music, across both time and borders, with the 2017 Canberra International Music Festival.

More than 20 curated concerts will be held at various venues across the capital, featuring performances from talented artists around the world, including

Canadian Brass, Canberra Youth Orchestra and Indigenous artists and composers, like Robert Davidson.

The Festival Pass is the best option if you want to experience it all, while a Five Concert Pass lets you create your own experience. You can also purchase tickets to individual concerts.

The 11-day program kicks off with the Festival Gala Dinner at Pialligo Estate. It is one of the many culinary adventures to accompany the music to deliver a whole sensory experience.

For more information, visit cimf.org.au 19

WHAT'S ON

Last year’s winner – Life Dancers, Digital print 2015 by Liz Looker

NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRIZE 1 APRIL – 18 JUNE 2017 49 of the best photographs from aspiring and emerging photographers around Australia have been hand-picked as finalists in the National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP).

AMB 100 MOUNTAIN BIKE MARATHON 23 APRIL 2017 Put your fitness and endurance to the test at the 2017 Australian Mountain Bike (AMB) 100 Marathon, which will be held at the world-class Stromlo Forest Park.

This single-track lap-based event covers most of the Stromlo trails, making it one of the most challenging mountain biking

events on the national AMB calendar.

Tackling the course’s rocky terrain and steep descents is made more enjoyable by the park’s incredible views of the surrounding countryside.

Race categories include the 100km marathon, five-lap 100-miler, 66km, 33km and kids races for children under the age of 12.

Spectator entry is free and camping is allowed on Saturday night at no cost.

For more information or to register, visit rockytrailentertainment.com

A showcase of these works will be exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery until June 2017, after which it will travel to a range of venues around Australia.

Judges were tasked with the difficult job of scouring through nearly 3000 unique entries to pick the 49 finalists.

The overall winner will receive $25,000 while prizes are also awarded to the winners of the Highly Commended, Art Handlers' and the People's Choice Award categories.

Entries for next year's National Photographic Portrait Prize will open in October.

For more information, visit portrait.gov.au

AMB 100

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The Whitlams

THE WHITLAMS ANNIVERSARY TOUR 5 MAY 2017 Following collaborations with the state symphony orchestras around the country, The Whitlams have teamed up with the National Pops Orchestra for a special onenight only show at Canberra Theatre.

The Whitlams launched onto the Australian music scene in 1992, earning a place in history as one of the country’s most influential indie-rock bands. Throughout

their career, the Whitlams produced seven albums, of which many reached platinum status and won several ARIA awards, including best song in 1998 for ‘Aphrodisiac’. The album Eternal Nightcap was also recently voted No. 17 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time.

To commemorate 25 years in music, you can relive some of the band’s biggest hits with a special full orchestral treatment.

Tickets start at $80 and can be purchased from the Canberra Theatre website.

For more information, visit canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Canberra and Region Heritage Festival

CANBERRA AND REGION HERITAGE FESTIVAL 18 APRIL – 7 MAY 2017 In 1967, the outcome of a constitutional referendum would be one of the most important events in Australia’s history.

In that referendum, Indigenous Australians were finally included in the census, and thus were recognised as Australian citizens.

Aligning with the 50th anniversary of this historic event, the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival has aptly chosen ‘Questions and Change’ as this year’s theme.

Montaigne at Groovin The Moo

GROOVIN THE MOO 7 MAY 2017 Australia’s biggest regional music festival returns to the nation’s capital on Sunday May 7.

Since the launch of Groovin The Moo (GTM) in 2005, Cattleyard Promotions has managed to secure some of the best national and international acts each year – and they have pulled it off again in 2017.

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This year’s line-up is: Against Me, Amy Shark, Architects, The Darkness, Dillon Francis, The Jungle Giants, The Wombats, Violent Soho, Tash Sultana, Thundamentals, Snakehips, The Smith Street Band, Montaigne and Milky Chance – among many more! As is tradition, in between sets a bunch of 'Marshalls' will provide tunes and these include basketballer/DJ Liz Cambage.

GTM is an all-ages event held at University of Canberra with tickets sold by Moshtix.

Each year a new theme is chosen to commemorate a different aspect of Canberra’s heritage. In 2015, it was conflict and passion, while last year was discovery and rediscoveries.

‘Questions and Change’ recognises how far we have come over the last 50 years when it comes to the inclusion and recognition of excluded groups, but also the challenges that may still lie ahead of us. Heritage provides us with a ‘sense of place’ that helps us to understand where we have come from. This, in turn, defines our identity.

The festival incorporates more than 100 events spread across the local region, from tours, open days and dances to talks, dinners and markets.

For more information, visit environment.act.gov.au

For more information, visit gtm.net.au 21

WHAT'S ON

A Pooch Affair

A POOCH AFFAIR 17 JUNE 2017 Staying true to Canberra’s reputation as being one of Australia’s most dogfriendly cities, you and your furry friends are invited to join in a day of fun-filled activities at A Pooch Affair.

Located at Exhibition Park from 10am to 4pm, A Pooch Affair is an event for dog lovers who consider their dog more than just a pet, but a part of the family. We have birthdays, Christmas, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day – and now our dogs have their own day too!

Sniff out the latest pet products and treats at the Doggie Mall, enjoy a high tea with your four-legged friends or spoil them with a pamper session at the doggy day spa.

There are stage shows, competitions, demonstrations, general play time and a complimentary 'Paws and Pose' Mad Hatter's photo booth to capture some memories from one of your dog’s happiest days.

For more information, visit apoochaffair.com.au

Don’t forget, Abode Hotels has a number of pet-friendly rooms available! Visit our website for more information.

ATHOL SHMITH: FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS RUNNING UNTIL 16 JULY 2017 Athol Shmith was one of Australia’s most iconic fashion, portrait and advertising photographers, with a career spanning six decades.

Starting out in photography only as a hobby, Shmith’s big break was being commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Commission to take portraits of visiting celebrities. Some of his more memorable work, however, was in fashion, where Shmith championed a modern style of photography that embodied elegance and simplicity with a hint of Hollywood glamour.

In his later years, Shmith left a legacy behind through his contribution to photography education. He became an honorary life member of the Institute of Australian Photographers, helped establish a photography department at the National Gallery of Victoria and then took on the role as head of the Photography Department at Prahran College of Advanced Education.

In 1979, Shmith donated a large collection of his prints, negatives and transparencies to the National Library of Australia, a few of which are in this exhibit.

For more information, visit nla.gov.au

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Athol Shmith (1914–1990), Jackie wearing a mini skirt with double bass 1960s, gelatin silver photograph, National Library of Australia, nla.cat-vn7130313, © The Estate of Athol Shmith, Courtesy Kalli Rolfe Contemporary Art

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FRANK STELLA: THE KENNETH TYLER PRINT COLLECTION OPEN UNTIL JULY 2017 A collection of works from American abstract artist Frank Stella’s collaboration with printmaker Kenneth Tyler is on exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia.

The duo first began working together in the mid-1960s and have produced a series of dramatic and colourful prints

that capture the imagination.

“Frank Stella was an unstoppable risk-taker, a constant adventurer and highwire act,” said curator Jane Kinsman.

“His constant search for new ways to give life to the art of abstraction is explored in this new exhibition featuring his significant body of work with Kenneth Tyler—himself a renegade.”

Both renowned for their audacity in their creative pursuits, the collaboration between Stella and Tyler has played a significant role in the development of 20th Century American printmaking.

For more information, visit nga.gov.au

CANBERRA WRITERS FESTIVAL 25 – 27 AUGUST 2017 Delve deep into themes of power, politics and passion at the inaugural Canberra Writers Festival.

The three-day festival will showcase local, national and international writers; coming from political, media and creative backgrounds.

Sarah Wilson at the Canberra Writers Festival

KANGA CUP 2-7 JULY 2017 This July, thousands of young football players from around the world will unite in Canberra for the annual Kanga Cup. Kanga Cup is a week-long festival that brings the youth of the world together through football, celebrating the joy, friendship and teamwork that the sport fosters.

Over the last 25 years the Kanga Cup has grown into the largest International Youth Football Tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.

The very first Kanga Cup was held in Sydney in 1991 with just 35 participating teams, and it eventually moved to Canberra in 1993. The event continues to grow every year, with 378 teams participating in 2016 and a goal to reach 400 this year.

A spokeswoman for Kanga Cup said the tournament was established to

A series of events will be held across different venues around Canberra, including the National Museum of Australia, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, National Portrait Gallery, National Press Club and Australian National University.

Frank Stella, Dubiaxo 1996, from the 'Imaginary places II' series 1996, colour lithograph, screenprint, etching, aquatint, relief, stamping, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Purchased with the assistance of the Orde Poynton Fund 2002

Special events include the Paul West Literary Dinner at the National Portrait Gallery, Climbing Mountains/Writing Stories: A Talk by Yann Martel – the International Best Selling Author of Life of Pi, a morning tea with Rosalie Ham and Marion Halligan and a high tea with New York Times bestselling author Sarah Wilson.

You can also participate in creative workshops, such as the three-hour seminar with Daniel Lloyd for screenwriters, novelists and other writers needing help planning the structure of any story. Held on Sunday 29 August from 9.30am, Story Spine: The Power of the Hero’s Journey aims to provide a roadmap that will guide writers through the processes of plotting their works.

For more information, visit canberrawritersfestival.com.au

encourage participation, having fun with mates and simply enjoying football.

“We invite teams from around the world to participate, providing teams the opportunity to compete against players they may have never had the chance to face,” she said.

“Most teams that participate are from Australia, but we’ve had teams from every part of the globe attend. For 2017 we’ve already had interest from teams in New Zealand, South Korea, Indonesia, Ghana, Malaysia, Singapore and India.”

The tournament is open to grassroots and aspirational clubs, as well as school representative teams between under 9s and under 18s age groups, which are then split into three divisions based on their skills and playing abilities.

“This event allows for a range of age groups and skill levels, making it an inclusive event for all children,” the spokeswoman said.

For more information, visit kangacup.com Kanga Cup

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MELTED MARVELS: TREATS IN YOUR ROOM

Chocolate strawberries

Almost everyone loves chocolate and it certainly is a family favourite at Easter time.

While there are many amazing chocolate shops around Canberra, like Ricardo’s Cafe and Patisserie in Macquarie, Bruno’s Truffels Mawson and a little further afield is Robyn Rowe’s Chocolate d’Or in Murrumbateman, (which is very much worth the drive), it is always fun to make your own chocolate creations. While chocolate is perfect for Easter, any of these recipes can be made during your stay at Abode throughout autumn and winter as melted chocolate is perfect in the cooler months.

To make any of these treats, the main thing you need to learn is how to melt chocolate.

There are two main ways of melting chocolate in your Abode room – microwave and on the stove top. Both are easy for any 26

level of experience but no matter how you choose to do it, remember never to let a drop of water touch the chocolate as that can cause the chocolate to seize up and become a mess!

For all the recipes, start with good quality cooking chocolate or chocolate melts. If using a chocolate block, make sure to break it up into small pieces before melting – this will speed up the process and prevent you from over-cooking.

MICROWAVE This is the quickest way to melt chocolate in your room. Grab a small bowl from the cupboard and place in the broken-up bits of chocolate. Heat it on medium high for about one minute to start with. Remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat heating at shorter intervals, 15 to 20 seconds, stirring in

between, until the chocolate is completely melted and has a smooth consistency.

STOVE TOP An alternative method is using the saucepan from the cupboard on the stove top. Place your broken-up chocolate in the saucepan and turn on very low heat. You will need to stir constantly until the chocolate begins to melt. Once it does, immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir the chocolate until it is smooth. To prevent burning the chocolate, place a heatproof bowl over the saucepan. If you dont have one handy, we recommend using the microwave.

To upgrade your chocolate flavour, for any of these recipes, you can mix in butterscotch chips!

Once you have your melted chocolate, it is time to make creative concoctions!

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CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRIES These are always a crowd favourite and look super fancy. They are a fun treat to bring to a dinner party when you have been told ‘not to bring a thing!’ For this recipe, in addition to chocolate, you will need to buy as many punnets of strawberries you want and tinfoil. To prepare, rinse the strawberries and pat dry. Then cover a plate from the cupboard in tinfoil. Once you have your melted chocolate and have let your rinsed strawberries dry completely, hold the strawberries by the stems and dip them into the chocolate until three quarters covered. Place the plate straight into the fridge to set. They will be ready to eat in 1015 minutes. To take them to the next level, melt some white chocolate as well and then drizzle it across the chocolate strawberries.

Chocolate fondue

All the tools you need are in your Abode room – microwave and stove top

CHOCOLATE BARK

Chocolate bark

Another quick treat is to make chocolate bark. For this, it is easier to make with a Tupperware container that is shallow and wide, which you can pick up at the supermarket, and is worth it because the presentation makes this simple recipe look extra impressive. Once you have your melted chocolate, pour it into your tinfoil lined Tupperware tray and spread it out evenly with a knife. Then top with anything you like!

Classic toppings are dried fruits and nuts but it is fun to add salted caramel pieces, peppermint, marshmallows, toffee, nut brittle, peanut butter chips, 100s and 1000s or pretzels. You can also melt two types of chocolate and swirl them together. This also works with peanut butter. Place the tray in the fridge for about an hour, and when ready, break it up into big shards and enjoy.

BIRDS NESTS

Birds nests

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The perfect idea for Easter is creating chocolate birds nests to fill with chocolate eggs. These are best made with chow mien noodles for that crunch and branch-like look. You will need to buy the noodles, cupcake wrappers, small chocolate eggs and of course your chocolate to melt. Mix the noodles with the melted chocolate and drop the mixture by the spoonful in to the

wrappers, moulding them in nest shapes with an indent in the middle. Fit as many wrappers next to each other as you can on a plate and place them in the fridge to speed up the setting process. Once they have cooled, you can either leave them in the wrappers or peel them out. Either way, place little chocolate eggs in them for the kids!

FONDUE If you still haven’t gotten your fill of chocolate, it is time to set up a chocolate fondue! Basically, grab anything you want to dip into the chocolate and lots of toothpicks. To make it extra decadent, mix in thickened cream with your chocolate – 80ml cream to 250g chocolate. For dipping ideas, go crazy with fresh fruit – especially banana, orange, mandarin, all berries, fig, pear and apple – or even dried fruit like apricot and pineapple. For an extra sweet dip, use marshmallows or shortbread biscuits and for something a bit savoury, use pretzels – you can even skip the toothpicks if you use pretzel sticks!

The kids and chocolate-loving adults will have a lot of fun dunking their favourite foods into the chocolate!

Melted chocolate is fun for everyone and great way to enjoy a wintery evening in your Abode room.

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PLAN TO SUCCEED: TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS CONFERENCE

Big innovations always start as ideas – and these ideas are often born out of meetings.

It doesn’t matter how big or small a business is, meetings are essential to keep the team on track, re-define or reestablish goals and priorities and provide a supportive environment to collaborate, express thoughts and share feedback.

But it is important to get the balance right; too few opportunities to meet and plan can create disorganisation, while too many can be disruptive to your employees. Is there a specific point to the meeting or is the agenda simply about building morale? Here is a quick check list of things to do in preparation for your next conference or meeting.

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Identify a purpose: What is the purpose of the meeting? Is there an event coming up to plan for or do you want to casually catch up with your team to discuss progress? You should consider whether the purpose is a priority and if you have time for this meeting or if other competing deadlines should be the focus.

Set clear goals and objectives: What do you want to get out of this meeting?

Is it a brainstorming session, focus group or general team meeting? Set goals based on the type of outcome that can be evaluated upon completion.

Form an agenda: Outline the items to be discussed to ensure the meeting runs smoothly and on time.

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Invite participants: Work out who needs to attend the meeting and assign roles.

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Book the right space: How many people are coming? What presentation aids do you require? This will determine whether you need a small or large room and if conferencing facilities are required.

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Organise catering: If it’s a long meeting, you should provide refreshments to keep participants engaged.

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Test equipment: Be prepared and test equipment to ensure the meeting isn’t delayed or interrupted by technical issues.

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Prepare documentation: Do you have hand-outs or notes to give everyone at the meeting? Ensure you print out enough copies prior to the event.

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Send event reminder: You can be the most organised person in the world but still manage to forget about a meeting or event last minute. It is worth sending out a reminder a week prior to the event, a day prior and again the morning of, to ensure it is fresh in participant’s minds.

10. Get feedback: How did the event go? Did you achieve your goals and objectives? This is particularly relevant if planning for an event and you want to evaluate the process or if you held a focus group and want to find out what people thought.

CONFERENCING IN THE CAPITAL Looking for somewhere to host your next workplace conference or event? Here’s a few reasons why you should consider bringing your team to Canberra.

•

Meet in the middle: As the capital of Australia, Canberra can be a great central meeting place for your employees working across the country.

•

Change of scenery: Tired of the concrete jungle, the crowds and the endless traffic delays? Canberra isn’t like other cities. The roads are quieter and the spectacular scenery will leave your team feeling refreshed and inspired.

•

Travel as a team: Improve morale among your employees with a team building excursion in Canberra. Stay at Abode, host your meeting or event in our conference facilities at Abode Woden, dine at No. 10 Restaurant + Bar and then explore the many wonders of our city. Check out some of the events in the ‘What’s On’ section for ideas on activities that your employees could participate in as a group.

Need a space for your next event or meeting?

Abode Woden has three spaces to cater for different types and sizes of meetings; the Ainslie Room, Stromlo Room and Majura Room. The rooms include tea and coffee facilities, AV equipment and catering options and can be configured to fit between 22 and 90 people, depending on the room selected and style of event. For example, the Ainslie Room can fit 22 people in a U-shape, 24 people in a classroom setup or 90 people for a cocktail event.

Packages are also available from $35 per person (half day) and include free Wi-Fi, data projector and 102” screen, ceiling speakers and amplifier, note pads and pens, polycom conference phone, white board and markers, flip chart and markers, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, room hire, tea and coffee.

For more information or to get a quote for a conference package, visit abodehotels.com.au/meetings

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BE SMART,

BOOK DIRECT.

Enter ‘BookSmart’ when booking direct for the best deal

1

Search dates of stay at abodehotels.com.au

2

Enter ‘BookSmart’ in the promo code section

3

Receive the best deal

BOOK DIRECT AND SAVE! BE SMART, A+

BOOK DIRECT.

1300 1 ABODE abodehotels.com.au

29

A WEEK'S WORTH OF FUN FOR THE KIDS

Canberra is the place to be during the school holidays. You can spend the morning learning about democracy but then go skiing in the afternoon. From dinosaur museums to a giant slide in the forest, there are plenty of family-friendly activities around Canberra.

Below are our ideas for what to do for fun these school holidays over a week, with entertainment for everyone!

Cockington Green

Cockington Green

DAY 1

Choo-choo. On the way into Canberra, make a pit stop at the whimsical village of miniatures at Cockington Green, where a ride on the miniature stream train will delight even the tiniest choo-choo fanatic. The attention to detail here is so remarkable that you will walk away in awe.

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Corin Forest

DAY 2

Slide in autumn, ski in winter. Corin Forest is the perfect destination for kids during both autumn and winter. It is just a 45-minute drive from Canberra, winding through the Namadgi National Park. In autumn, take a lift up and then slip down the one kilometre slide through the Mountain Ash forest. In winter, Corin Forest is the place to learn how to ski and build a snowman.

Don't forget to try your hand at tobogganing! If you are loving the National Park, flip to page 46 for ideas on hikes.

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Kspace, National Museum of Australia, photograph by Adam McGrath, HCreations

DAY 3

Travel back in time. Kspace is the best place to take kids who are eager to learn about Australia’s history in a new way at the National Museum of Australia. It is an interactive adventure game played in small teams in which the kids design a time-travelling robot that is sent back with them in time to a mystery location in Australia’s past. After playing the game, kids have a chance to send a themed postcard!

The Dinosaur Museum

DAY 5

Roar! When you drive into Canberra, the kids may have excitedly spotted the giant dinosaur models outside the Dinosaur Museum. Luckily, it deserves this level of hype because you can actually touch dinosaur bones and fossils!

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Museum of Australian Democracy, photograph by VisitCanberra

DAY 4

Democracy made fun. Wandering through the hallways of Old Parliament House (OPH) and seeing what it feels like to sit in the House of Representatives are highlights for all ages but the best part of OPH's Museum of Australian Democracy for kids is the Play Up! room. In here, they can dress up as the Speaker of the House and feel encouraged to be hands-on with their learning about government by playing games.

Royal Australian Mint, photograph by VisitCanberra

DAY 6

Make your own money. While the kids will definitely learn more about the value of money at the Royal Australian Mint and enjoy watching the factory in motion, the highlight is always watching your $1 coin get stamped with your choice of design.

AIS, photograph by VisitCanberra

DAY 7

Make your sporting dreams come true. Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is where Australia’s sporting champions grow and your kids can test their skills by trying out wheelchair basketball, virtual downhill skiing and football penalty shootouts.

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LIVE AND LOCAL

Hippo Co

Keen to indulge in some live music? Well you’ve come to the right place, because Canberra’s music scene is bursting at the seams with local, national and international talent.

themselves – a bit of a creative outlet.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best live music venues around the capital, catering for everything from jazz to pop and rock.

Over the years, Hippo Co’s jazz night has hosted some of the best jazz musicians from Canberra and around Australia.

JAZZ, WHISKY AND A HINT OF AMERICAN SPICE – HIPPO CO

“We often get musicians from the school of music next door and student ensembles.

A lot of touring ensembles travelling between Sydney and Melbourne will often stop in to Canberra on the way to play here,” Mr Kain said.

For more than 16 years, Hippo Co has been spicing up the local music scene with its Wednesday night jazz repertoire.

The bar, which is located in Canberra city, opened in 2001 by Laurence Kain, Tom Hertel and Sasha Trpkovski. Sharing a strong connection to jazz music, the trio wanted to create a platform to celebrate the genre while supporting local musicians.

“The jazz night has been running from the very beginning” Mr Kain said.

“Our vision was to create a space where local musicians could play and just be 32

“It is one of the only venues in Canberra where you can listen to high level jazz music on a regular basis and I think is one of the longest running jazz nights in Australia."

“What’s special is that every night is a surprise. Sometimes there will be a set group of bands. Other times members of the jazz community will just show up and a three-piece band will turn into a 12 piece.

You never know exactly who will arrive to accompany the band booked for the night but the music is always amazing!”

In 2013, Hippo Co underwent a major transformation to create the ski-lodge style interior that you see today.

“The interior draws inspiration from different bars that we visited in the United States,” Mr Kain said.

“We loved the Yosemite lounges and ski lodges and felt this style would work in Canberra because of the cooler weather.

“The bar features a lot of recycled timber and unique antique pieces, such as the animal heads. We scoured countless second hand shops to find the perfect final touches.”

Hippo Co is also renowned for its extensive whisky collection and cocktails. Combine the whisky, the jazz, the mood lighting and décor and you have all the makings of a traditional American jazz bar.

“We got into the business because we want to create a really awesome experience for locals, but also for people visiting Canberra,” Mr Kain explained.

Check it out yourself every Wednesday night at Garema Place. Doors open at 5.00pm with jazz starting at 8.30pm.

For more information, visit hippoco.com.au A+

TAKING CANBERRA’S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SCENE TO NEW LEVELS – THE BASEMENT When Lance Fox purchased The Basement two and a half years ago, his vision was to create a purpose-built live music venue for Canberra.

To make that happen, The Basement – a pub in Belconnen that has been operating for more than 40 years – underwent a complete renovation, building a second stage to open the space up. This then created two joined rooms that can be spilt up for smaller events or opened for one large venue space They also added a new high-end PA and lighting system and installed new furniture.

According to Mr Fox, The Basement was – and still is – renowned as being Canberra’s premier heavy metal venue thanks to its acoustic set up.

But the venue is also highly regarded as an entertainment venue that caters to all genres, from metal to acoustic and anything in between.

“Basically, we’ll show it all,” he said.

“We have had acts from all over the world perform at The Basement, representing all kinds of genres. More recently The Black Sorrows and Jeff Martin have played here and we have the Screaming Jets coming up, which will be a sell-out.

“Our goal was to push The Basement as a dynamic and eclectic entertainment venue that is inclusive to all genres. We host up to seven shows each week, many of which can have three or four bands in each.

“We’re all about diversity and accessibility, so one night you might see metal, the next you’ll see acoustic and then the night after could be ballroom dancing. What we love is that our patrons never know what to expect.”

For more information, visit thebasementcanberra.com.au

“There is only one thing better than music – live music” Jacek Andrzej Bukowski

A MUSIC VENUE WITH A TWIST – SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE In 2015, Smith’s Alternative reopened under a new owner, Nigel McRae, with a focus on more original music and less covers.

The venue hosts around 10 live gigs a week representing all genres, but is particularly popular among folk bands.

“We have hosted world-class folk musicians from around Australia, America, United Kingdom and Ireland,” Mr McRae said.

While Smith's is a small and intimate venue with a capacity of 70, Mr McRae said they have already had several sell-out events this year.

“Our main point of difference is our level of presentation and quality of production,” he said.

“We have an excellent audio engineer who is totally committed to showcasing the music and letting the artists shine.”

A sample of their gigs include Little Georgia on Friday 10 March, Black Heart Breakers with Thee Evil Twin on Saturday 18 March and Sarah Carroll and the Left Wing on Saturday 8 April.

As well as the weekly gigs, the Smith's Sunday Session is open to anyone wanting to come out and have a jam, no matter what age, what instrument you play or your level of ability.

For more information, visit smithsalternative.com A+

Hippo Co

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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

Chris Garcia from Skydive Oz

Thought about ticking sky diving off your bucket list? Chris Garcia, a tandem skydive instructor and coach from Skydive Oz Canberra, knows a thing or two about the mixture of nerves and excitement you experience before jumping out of a plane.

He’s only done it 8,000 times and by the sounds of it, hasn’t got any intention of slowing down!

What was it like when you first skydived?

To be perfectly honest, I was equal parts scared and nervous – I didn’t know what to expect when the door opened, but once outside into freefall my nerves calmed and I was completely in the moment. It's something you have to experience for yourself to understand.

Can you describe the feeling of sky diving?

It's a mixture of being scared, nervous and excited (just like my love life). Whether it is your first or your 8000th time, your nerves are still there when you hop in the plane but after your first jump you know what’s ahead and that's what keeps me going back up for more.

What are the best reactions you have had from people when jumping with them?

The funniest reactions are hugs, kisses, people kissing the ground and a few funny comments (that unfortunately can’t be published)!

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What is your best pep-talk for getting someone to make the jump out of the plane?

Pep-talks really aren't usually needed. If someone is generally nervous about the skydive, I reassure them that all of our instructors have done this thousands of times before and safety is our main focus.

Why is Canberra incredible for skydiving?

It's the only place in the world where you can skydive over the Parliament House. Also, the views of the snowy mountains, Lake George and the captial city are amazing.

Favourite place to skydive in the world (besides Canberra of course)?

I think anywhere you jump will have its own beauty, but if I had to put it down to one place I would have to say landing on the beach at Moruya at sunset is hard to beat, especially when the crew brings some beers to finish the day.

If you had to sum up the experience of skydiving in three words, what would you say? (laughs) It’s a bit hard to put it into three words but I’ll give it a go: Unique.

Challenging. Rewarding.

come off during freefall - so I flew over and grabbed it before it blew away. We continued the jump as planned and when I got to the ground he said "I've lost my shoe" and was quite surprised when I handed it back to him!

List a few fun facts about and benefits of skydiving: •

It's always sunny above the clouds

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Skydivers can reach extreme speeds of up to almost 600km/h

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The biggest formation skydive record is 400 people linked together

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Meeting people from all-walks of life

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The adrenaline, excitement and challenges

Anything else you’d like to talk about?

Skydiving is one of those things that really challenges people mentally – it's not natural to jump out of a plane and that's why it's epic to see 12-year-old kids skydive tandem as well as people over 90-years young.

Can you share a funny story you have experienced at Skydive Oz?

Skydive Oz Canberra offers three different jumps; the 10,000ft dive with a 35-second freefall, a 14,000ft jump with a 60-second freefall or a 15,000ft jump with a 70-second freefall.

Recently, we had one of our students on a training jump who's shoe started to

For more information, visit skydiveoz.com.au/skydive-canberra A+

ABODE HOTELS SKYDIVING PACKAGE At just $449*, Abode Woden and Skydive Oz are offering one night of accommodation in a Premium Studio and an exhilarating 14,000ft jump.

During your next stay with Abode Hotels take the leap with your very own skydiving experience.

Enjoy the exhilarating freefall, then take in the stunning sights of the capital as you glide over Canberra’s most iconic attractions with Skydive Oz. The Skydive Oz Canberra base is a short 5-minute drive from Abode Woden. Once you have arrived you will be rigged up in the required equipment and harness, and briefed before your Skydive. Shortly after you will be enjoying your plane ride over the meeting place of the nation, and before you know it you will be freefalling with your instructor, then smoothly gliding down to the designated grass landing area.

After your jump, what better way to relive the experience than with your friends over dinner and drinks at No. 10 Restaurant + Bar. Call 1300 1 ABODE (22633) today to check availability and have the experience of a lifetime.

Want to stay longer?

Any additional nights will receive 10% off the best available rate at the time of booking.

Want to bring a friend?

Skydive Oz are offering an additional jump at the outstanding price of $308. *WEEKENDS ONLY, bookings must be made minimum 7 days in advance and all bookings are subject to availability.

No cancellations.

BOOK DIRECT AND SAVE! BE SMART, A+

BOOK DIRECT.

1300 1 ABODE abodehotels.com.au

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MEET THE MAKERS

Handmade Market

Nine years ago, Julie Nichols and Rachael Evagelou set out to launch a new market that catered to handmade designers.

Their goal was to support independent, small and creative businesses by providing a platform for them to sell their goods – a shopfront that puts them in touch with customers that share an appreciation for handmade and unique crafts.

In 2008 Handmade Canberra was born.

It began with just 35 local designers and attracted a few thousand shoppers. But the event quickly gained traction among the creativity community.

Today, the market is brimming with talent, as there are more than 250 designers running stalls to showcase jewellery, art, clothing, ceramics and more. These are adored by more than tens of thousands of shoppers stopping by in search of something unique to wear, to decorate their home or to give as a gift.

Handmade Market

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We spoke with two regulars at Handmade Canberra to find out what lights the spark to their creativity.

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CrankyBot

Honey & Glow

RUTH ELLISON, CRANKYBOT How do you juggle your day job and design?

I'm a design researcher by day and jewellery maker by night. I LOVE my day job – it involves understanding how and why people interact with services and products, so we can design better services. Juggling both is always challenging, particularly when my day job is super interesting and very intense. My husband, Alastair (and the other half of CrankyBot) and I have to be fairly disciplined with our time – we tend to schedule time into our shared calendars for designing and making CrankyBot goodies.

Does this bring a twist to your designs?

We see ourselves as a design label, rather than a business, aimed primarily at science communication. We're also really big geeks so our style and our designs tend to reflect science and geek themes. We have a list of things that we'd love to design – but it really comes down to prioritisation of time and designs and what piques our interest.

What do you love about the markets?

CrankyBot

I love the high quality and the amazing range of designers at every market. I also love how it's indoors, so it doesn't matter what the weather is like outside. And I love how lovely each stall looks too! You know that when you come to Handmade Market, you're sure to find a high-quality hand crafted item that you'll love.

of years ago for his visualisation of temperature data. These pieces show minimum and maximum temperatures over about a 100 years for key cities and towns.

ERIN GILBERT, HONEY & GLOW Why do you love being a maker in Canberra?

The makers scene in Canberra is amazingly supportive. Everyone knows everyone and new comers (like us!) are welcomed with open arms and lots of great advice from the veterans. The Handmade Markets are a culmination of the best Canberra (and increasingly, Australia) has to offer. It's a market that has a great vibe and everyone is super positive across the whole weekend.

It's professionally run, which makes our lives so much easier.

Why should someone stop past your stall?

I get a lot of comments that people have never seen beeswax candles done in a modern way before, and to taste the honey of course! I also LOVE repeat customers and getting feedback on the products is really helpful as well.

What attracted you to bees? Where did Honey & Glow come from?

We started with a vegetable garden and one bee hive. The first thing I made with beeswax was a candle, as I was fed up with getting headaches every time I burned a scented candle.

What is your favourite product?

What is the favourite product you make?

I particularly love our data visualisation pieces. Alastair won an award a number

The lip balm. It's a staple in my pocket (and every bag that I own).

Visit the Handmade Markets on the following dates in 2017: •

March 18-19

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June 10-11

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September 16-17

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December 9-10

The markets are held at EPIC Exhibition Park Canberra from 10am-4pm.

For more information, visit handmadecanberra.com.au Handmade Market

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Honey & Glow

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TRAINED FOR THE TRUFFLE HUNT

Truffle Festival

Life works in mysterious ways and Barbara Hill – part of the husband and wife team who run Macenmist Black Truffles and Wines in Bredbo – knows this all too well.

Growing up in New Zealand, Barbara started training her next-door neighbour’s dog, a boxer named Marcus who was aggressive toward other dogs. Word got around and before you know it Barbara was teaching obedience classes.

After immigrating to Australia, Barbara continued training dogs, initially in obedience and then later moving into agility. In 1995 one of her border collies finished first in the novice division of a national competition.

A few years later when Barbara and her husband Richard purchased a property in Bredbo to start a truffle farm, her skills would come in handy once again as the sole trainer of the lagotto truffle dogs.

Those who know a little bit about truffle farming would know that dogs are integral to the harvesting process. In winter, when the French black truffles are at their ripest, dogs are specially trained to detect their scent in the ground.

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The training regime is quite rigorous and often takes upwards of two years before a dog is fully trained.

“We begin by dipping cotton wool in truffle oil, putting it in a box and then scattering the boxes everywhere. The boxes are all above ground first because we need to teach them the aroma they are looking for,” she said.

“Then when they find the box with the truffle they are always rewarded. The next step is putting the lid on the boxes, so they have no visual of the inside box and are relying solely on their nose.

“After that, we progress to the first real truffle.

Once you change from synthetic to the real thing there is no going back as it is a slightly different scent. Then we follow the same regime, just using the real truffle instead.

“When they’re ready to progress, we start hiding truffles in the ground. The last phase of training is getting them to indicate where the truffle is without digging. Here I use a different command to get them to show me again where the truffle is and then wait patiently for me to dig it out.”

Macenmist currently has four dogs, two aged Border Collies and two Lagotto

Romagnolo truffle dogs, of which one is about half way through training.

Each year as part of the Canberra Truffle Festival, Macenmist hosts various truffle hunts where people can come and join in the experience.

“People are absolutely fascinated by the hunts and the skill of the dogs,” Barbara said.

“They really appreciate the whole paddock to plate experience.”

This year, Macenmist is hosting a number of hunts during the Truffle Festival, which is held between 21 June and 31 August.

There are traditional hunts, hunts with a three-course luncheon and an all-day event.

The all-day event includes a hunt, luncheon and cooking demonstrations where a chef will teach the group simple dishes using truffle that they can cook in their own homes.

This year’s lunch menu starts with soup with truffle foam, followed by twice cooked beef croquette with truffle perigueux sauce and to finish a chocolate and truffle extravaganza.

Every dish features truffle in some way.

To find out more about these events or to book a spot, visit macenmist.com A+

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Every winter, truffle growers, wineries and restaurants around the region come together to celebrate the region’s truffle industry.

Event manager Julia Brown said the idea for the festival came about in 2009, when a local grower and foodie wanted to showcase the region’s truffles in some way.

“It became more of collaborative effort – an event that brings the region’s hospitality industry together to showcase the many great products of winter, from truffles to local wine,” she said.

“Nine years later, the Truffle Festival is one of Canberra’s most popular events. Under the festival umbrella, participating venues host their own events, from free truffle hunts to degustations at $250 a head. The festival really caters to different ages, interests and budgets.”

Ms Brown added the truffle hunts are particularly fascinating to watch.

“When the dogs detect the scent of the truffles, they are also trained to step back and let the growers take over to carefully dig them out,” she said.

“It’s quite remarkable to watch and people can actually join in the hunting experience.”

Barbara and Fahren digging truffle

Approximately 10,000 people take part in the different festival activities each year across participating venues, like The Truffle Farm Canberra, who are hosting truffle hunts, sparkling breakfasts, lunches and degustations.

Truffle Festival

This year, two tasting events will be held at Westfield; one in Woden and one in Belconnen. Taste fresh truffles, wine and produce at the market stalls and then watch live cooking demonstrations where local chefs will show different ways to use truffles at home.

“What these demonstrations teach you is that you only need a little bit of truffle to make an impact in a dish. Often chefs infuse truffle into foods like rice that soak up the flavour,” Ms Brown said.

“At the end, people get to taste the dishes and take home their favourite recipes. It’s a chance to experience truffles for free and is a good introduction to truffle for people who don’t know much about them or have never tried them.”

For more information, visit trufflefestival.com.au Tawdiffu and Fahren

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Watching the hunt (Macenmist)

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FIT CHALLENGE

Sticking to your fitness regime is certainly more challenging during the cooler months, when all you really want to do is hibernate until the sun comes out.

The good thing is you don’t have to leave your room to achieve a good workout (and you don’t have to spend hours doing it either).

WORKOUT 1 Interval training Start with an easy five-minute warm-up to get your heart rate going and get your legs moving, then speed up the intensity for a series of intervals. This workout is great for burning fat and takes less than 30 minutes to complete.

Stay motivated this winter with these killer bike workouts that you can do at the gym or in the comfort of your fit room at Abode Woden.

No excuses!

Don’t forget to stretch before and after your workout, drink plenty of water and consult with your doctor before starting a new intense fitness regime, particularly if you have an existing health condition.

WORKOUT 2 HIIT (high intensity interval training) This style of workout can really be tailored to your own fitness level and allows you to push yourself as hard as you like. RPE refers to your level of intensity, which can be changed by increasing your speed and/ or resistance. HIIT workouts are about short bursts of high intensity that are great for building up your cardiovascular fitness.

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Abode Woden

Stage

Intensity

Time x Sets

Warm-up

Easy

5 minutes x 1

Interval 1 Rest Interval 2 Rest Interval 3 Rest

Hard Moderate Easy Hard Moderate Easy Hard Moderate Easy

30 seconds x 4 1 minute x 1 30 seconds x 4 1 minute x 1 30 seconds x 4 1 minute x 1

As hard as you can go Final interval

Moderate

1 minute x 2

Easy Cool down

Easy

2 minutes x 1

Stage

RPE intensity

Time x Sets

Warm-up

3-4

10 minutes x 1

5-6

30 seconds x 5

Interval 1 Rest Interval 2

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7-8

20 seconds x 5

9-10

10 seconds x 5

3-4

2 minutes x 1

Repeat the sets from Interval 1 x 5

Rest

3-4

2 minutes x 1

Cool down

3-4

5 minutes x 5

Abode Woden

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COOL CAPITAL DRIVE

Old Parliament House

Canberra is quick becoming the host to some of Australia’s coolest buildings.

NORTHSIDE

While there are the old classics such as the Shine Dome and Old Parliament House, Canberra has become the darling of the architectural world through structures like the National Arboretum.

The perfect place to start this drive around Canberra is the National Arboretum, with its sweeping views back to the city over the hills. The Arboretum was built in the wake of the devastating bush fires in 2003 as a way of conserving threatened species and fostering education and research.

The heart of the Arboretum is the Village Centre, which was designed by Peter Tonkin of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects and won the Institute of Architects Award for ‘Best Public Building in the ACT’ in 2013.

Its design features a high arching roof with wooden pillars, low stone-clad walls and huge windows offering panoramic views over Canberra.

We’ve planned a driving route around Canberra to take in some of the best architectural sights, where you can see how structure, form and design principles have evolved over time.

Locals split Canberra into northside and southside depending on which side of the lake you are on. It is often joked that you don’t cross the lake unless it is for brunch!

When it comes to architecture, however, both sides give each other a run for their money.

Our cool capital drive will cover both sides of the capital so you can see all the incredible buildings Canberra has to offer.

We’ve started northside, but feel free to flip the route depending on which Abode you are staying in.

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Stop N1: The National Arboretum – 2013

Stop N2: Shine Dome – 1959 Previously known as Becker House, the Shine Dome is a well-known Canberra landmark, notable for its unusual structure.

Designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds, the Shine Dome is a feature of the Australian Academy of Science building. Colloquially

referred to as 'The Martian Embassy', the Dome was designed to reflect the inquiring and innovative nature of science. Since being constructed, the Shine Dome has won numerous awards, was nominated to the World Register of Significant Twentieth Century Architecture and was the first Canberra building to be added to the National Heritage List.

Stop N3: Australian War Memorial – 1941 It’s hard to miss the Australian War Memorial, not just because Anzac Parade creates a vector that leads directly toward the elevated structure, but because of its unique shape. The Memorial is designed in the shape of a Byzantine cross.

Every aspect of the Memorial has been designed to promote respect and remembrance. The Pool of Reflection leads to the Hall of Memory, which features stained-glass windows designed

by Napier Waller and a high dome embellished with a six-million-piece mosaic. For more information on the Memorial go to page 8.

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National Gallery of Australia

High Commission of Papua New Guinea

consultant. He proposed a spiral progression of galleries to allow more flexibility in the arrangement. Galleries are located on three levels, with the primary floor used to display the Indigenous Australian and International collections, such as Versailles: Treasures from the Place (see page 18).

Stop S3: National Library – 1968

Shine Dome

N3

N2

Stop S4: Old Parliament House – 1927

N1

S3 S4

S6

S1

N4

S2

S5 Canberra

Stop N4: The Carillon – 1970 Located on Aspen Island, the National Carillon was a gift to Australia from the British Government to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the capital.

The Carillon, which was designed by Western Australian Architects Cameron, Chisholm and Nicol, stands 50 metres high and has 55 bells that chime every quarterhour and on the hour. At night, the tower is illuminated, which adds to its beauty.

SOUTHSIDE Continue your journey across the lake into southside territory, where some of Canberra’s most iconic national buildings are grouped together in the Parliamentary Triangle.

Stop S1: National Portrait Gallery – 2008 The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) stands out as one of the more contemporary designs within the Parliamentary Triangle.

Richard Johnson, principal architect of the NPG from Johnson Pilton Walker, designed the building to ensure each gallery was A+

As you approach the National Library, it’s easy to tell that the building was inspired by the Pantheon in Greece, yet a more refined version. The style of the Library building is known as stripped classical, which is like classical, but without the ornamental details and motifs. The use of columns, symmetry and proportion are cornerstones of this style, which has been popular among buildings of significance – like educational and legal institutions – that act as a symbol of power, strength, knowledge and perseverance.

drenched in natural light through skylights and translucent glazed clerestory windows, while reflectors and blinds help control the light for optimal viewing.

The structure takes inspiration from rural Australian buildings, such as a shearing shed and uses a mix of manufactured and natural materials to highlight the diversity of Australia’s natural resources.

Stop S2: National Gallery of Australia – 1967 The National Gallery of Australia precinct, which also included the High Court of Australia, is a heritage listed complex designed by Colin Madigan.

His concept for the design was to base the geometry on an equilateral triangle, so that the building could be changed without detracting from its overall principles. It is evident in the angular ceiling grids that continue throughout the building’s interior.

This approach was based on a recommendation from James Sweeney, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, who was employed as a

Like the National Library, Old Parliament House (OPH) was built within the stripped classical style. Designed by John Smith Murdoch, OPH was to be a ‘provisional’ building intended to serve as a parliament for 50 years. Many influential decisions and debates took place within this building; a modest and functional design that wasn’t what a lot of people expected at the time.

Today OPH is home to the Museum of Australian Democracy and is popular in summer for casual drinks in the courtyard.

Stop S5: New Parliament House – 1988 New York-based architectural firm Mitchell/ Giurgola & Thorp won a competition to design Parliament House, with a vision of creating a building that symbolically rose out of the landscape. Capital Hill was an ideal location for this vision. The central zone was built into the hill and enveloped by two curved walls that help the overall structure blend into the surrounding environment.

Stop S6: Embassy Drive Explore different architectural styles from around the world without even getting on a plane. Canberra is home to nearly 80 embassies and high commissions, of which most are located in Yarralumla.

Foreign nations were encouraged to build their embassies in their own national architectural style, from the Georgian influenced United States embassy to the long-house style of the High Commission of Papua New Guinea. Embassy drive is worth a separate tour in its own right and a self-guided driving tour is available to be downloaded at nationalcapital.gov.au.

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A HOLE IN ONE

Federal Golf Club, Red Hill, photograph by VisitCanberra

Golf can be one of those really frustrating games. One day you can’t miss and the next you might spend half your game trying to get out of the sand. It’s really all about your technique.

Every player has their strengths and weaknesses, but one of the areas of the game that often proves a challenge is putting. Remember Adam Sandler’s character in Happy Gilmore and how he struggled to putt in the early stages of the tournament? Granted he was using a hockey stick, but it rings true that you can have the best long game in the world and still fall short with a bad putting game.

Jason Pavese is a professional golf coach at the Federal Golf Club in Woden. He has been coaching for more than 19 years, working with golfers of all ages and skill levels – from young children to pro players.

He knows what to do to perfect your putting game and has generously offered to share some of his best tips.

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1. Setting up for better putting: Golf is a game where you can sometimes do ‘anything’ and the ball can go in the right direction. The same goes with putting. That said, the first place to start in order to putt better is to have a better setup.

Knees should be unlocked but not bent too much and you should bend over from your waist, arms hanging. The straight line from your elbow down to the putter is crucial.

Eyes don’t have to be over the ball, a little inside the line is okay.

You’ll see this in almost every good putter on any pro tournament; the ball position is forward of middle, the left shoulder is higher than the right (for right-handers), the putter shaft is slightly forward of his belly button and you should always maintain your wrist angles.

This advice is what every golfer should begin with. You’ll be surprised how fixing these things will help without necessarily changing your stroke.

2. Looking at the hole on short putts: The tough thing when trying to improve is to make things feel natural. The reality is it is something that will need constant work and attention. This is not a bad thing.

Work on getting the geometry of the body right and then you can work on making things instinctive.

When putting from less than two metres away, set up your putt then simply look at the hole as you make your stroke. This is similar to what Jordan Spieth does at times.

This does many things but the main one is it pre-sets your head and upper body in the direction your arms and putter move.

The other thing is it stops you worrying about how long your backstroke is. After a few putts trying this you’ll naturally recalibrate and adjust.

Those of us who grew up looking down and keeping our heads down invariably would tilt and move the wrong way. Start by doing it in practice and see what happens.

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3. Practice with your 3 Wood: This drill may sound silly, but try practicing your putting with your 3 Wood. Address the ball as normal and line up to a one metre putt. The trick here is to keep the sole of the club on the ground as you putt. It will scrape along the ground and will arc around a bit. Why do this?

There are a couple of reasons: • Instead of stooping over the ball with your head buried in your chest, get things up and out in front so your arms and putter can move better.

• Most people lift the putter in the air too much. This will help you cover the ground with your putter.

4. Right-handed putting (for righthanders): Get rid of your left arm and try some right-handed putting. Ensure the putter shaft is towards your front leg.

Federal Golf Club, Red Hill, photograph by VisitCanberra

Now hit some one-handed short putts keeping the angle in that right wrist. If you maintain your body and wrist angle that will keep the putter face in the right spot.

The wrist angle shouldn’t change. Try this on the putting green working hard to keep the angle in that right wrist, then do it again with both hands.

5. Speed control: Far too many golfers obsess over the line they wish to putt the ball on. This is most evident in team events where you spot the entire group crouching down looking at each other’s putt. People often putt the ball differently, imparting their own type of spin and roll on the ball.

Sometimes it’s better not to watch!

Whilst line is important, one quick tip to help with putting is to focus on hitting putts the right speed. Invariably, most of the putts we miss anyway are because we’ve hit the ball too soft or too hard.

The ball either dies in front of the hole or cannons through the break.

From now on try this – aim to hit every putt 20-35cm past the hole. Start with the practice putting green; place a tee 35cm behind the hole and from all distances work on the speed and distance the ball rolls past the hole. Once your speed control improves the lines you select to hit the ball on will simplify. Then take it to the course!

6. Use the right putter: Don’t use a putter that’s too short! We’ve been told for years to use a shorter putter and get our eyes over the ball. The risk with this is our eyes end up ‘outside the ball.’ This is a big no no!

When your eyes are outside the ball, the putter can loop in odd directions. Don’t be afraid to try a longer putter shaft and have the ball more out in front of you. With a better posture; you’ll be taller, arms will sit under your shoulders and close to your body, with your eyes slightly inside the line.

7. Check your arm alignment: It is important when checking your alignment to not overlook a vital area – your arms.

Players may get the feet and chest aligned properly but the arms sometimes get overlooked.

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Jason Pavese, golf pro

When the right arm is too high, players will consistently hit the ball left without knowing why. Wherever possible, the arms should be level or have the left a touch higher than the right.

What will this do for you? You’ll have a lot more chance to keep the putter on the right path. The putter head can move freely and will be less likely to loop or move off line.

8. Getting the right wrist-angles: If I can be of any help to golfers I will always try and fix the way we stand to a putt. Put it this way, most of our problems come from when the set up isn’t right.

Go to any putting green at any club and you’ll see this more often than not: inverted wrist angles where the hands are too far back.

Not only will the putter have the wrong loft, it will be difficult to aim it where you want the ball to go and finally, you won’t hit too many putts in the middle of the face.

A good position is with the ball forward in the stance, the grip just forward of the belly button and most importantly, the angle in the right wrist. Maintain these wrist angles and see more putts go in.

If you would like some more tips check out jasonpavese.com or contact Jason for a private coaching session. You can also watch some tutorials on the Federal Golf Club YouTube channel.

PLANNING A GOLFING WEEKEND AWAY WITH FRIENDS? There are many excellent golf courses across the capital, four of which are located near our hotels: Narrabundah: 500m from Capitol Public Golf Course Gungahlin: 2km from Gungahlin Lakes Club Woden: 6km from Federal Golf Club (one of the top courses in Australia) Tuggeranong: 7km from Murrumbidgee Country Club SPECIAL OFFER Jason is offering Abode guests a 20 per cent discount off the hourly coaching rate, which is normally $100/hour. Until 31 August 2017, guests can receive coaching assistance for just $80/hour. Simply quote JP2017 when booking your session and show your Abode swipe card on the day.

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TAKE A HIKE: NAMADGI NATIONAL PARK

Namadgi National Park, photograph by VisitCanberra

Take a break from technology, refresh your mind and get in touch with nature.

Just 45 minutes south of Canberra, a stunning oasis awaits you at the Namadgi National Park.

Set in the northern end of the Australian Alps, Namadgi is a protected park of largely untouched land spanning more than 106,000 hectares.

Its natural environments vary from mountain ranges and rocky escarpments to bushland and waterfalls that are home to an abundance of native wildlife and show remnants of Namadgi’s rich Aboriginal and European heritage.

These diverse landscapes have also become a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering everything from hiking and mountain biking to abseiling and skiing. Each season brings new adventures, new beauty and with it, new reasons to visit Namadgi.

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EXPLORING NAMADGI Whether you climb, walk, hike, ride, drive, slide, ski or abseil, Namadgi has something for everyone.

No matter what season, the best way to explore the Namadgi terrain is on foot.

There are more than 160kms of walking trails throughout the park, like the popular Booroombra Rocks Trail that offers spectacular views of the Alps from the top of the summit.

Other popular trails include Gibraltar Falls, Square Rock, Orroral Valley, the Yankee Hat rock art site in Gudgenby Valley and the Yerrabi Walking Track. You can find important information about these trails in the Namadgi Map and Guide, which is available at the Visitor Centre shop and the Canberra Regional Visitor Centre for $4.50.

Alternatively, you can take a guided tour with a Namadgi ranger.

Mountain biking is also a popular activity

with more than 400 kilometres of bike trails available to cyclists in the Namadgi National Park, Brindabella National Park and Bimberi Nature Reserve.

If four-wheels is more your style, several 4WD roads are available in the northern end of the park, but keep in mind these roads may be closed during winter or when there is a high fire danger.

Horseriding is permitted along the National Bicentennial Horse Trail or on the fire trails east of the Old Boboyan Road. For a bigger thrill try the Corin Forest alpine slide and descend through 1.2km of picture mountainside in the Tidbinbilla Range, or scale the huge cliff face of Booroombra Rocks. K7 Adventures offer rock climbing and abseiling tours to the Booroombra Rocks, beginning with a walk through the eucalyptus forests near Honeysuckle Creek. The Gibraltar Rocks tour is popular during winter as it gets warmer the higher you ascend!

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Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, photograph by VisitCanberra

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Artificial fly and lure fishing is allowed in most streams (classified as trout waters) throughout the year, except for the closed period between the long weekend in June to the beginning of the long weekend in October. More information about fishing restrictions can be found in the Fishing in the ACT brochure, available from the Visitor Centre.

Truly a place to visit all seasons, snow often falls on the Bimberi and Brindabella Ranges, which can be suitable for snow play and cross country skiing.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Booroomba Rocks, photograph by VisitCanberra

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Namadgi is particularly rich in Aboriginal history, with archaeological sites showing evidence of Aboriginal inhabitance for at least 21,000 years. You can explore some of these historic sites, such as the rock paintings via the Yankee Hat Walking Track, the old campsites of the Ngunnawal people

from the last Ice Age, the ancient quarry sites where they gathered stone for tool making or the ceremonial stone arrangements in the peaks of Mount Namadgi.

Other walking trails take you passed some of the huts and homesteads that were built in the 1830s when pastoralists settled near the Cotter, Gudgenby, Orroral, Naas and Tidbinbilla rivers.

Since becoming a national park in 1984, Namadgi has helped preserve this heritage, while also pro-tecting the region’s biodiversity. Today, around 700 species of plants and more than 230 species of animals thrive within Namadgi’s diverse habitats, while the local catchments supply 85 per cent of Canberra’s and Queanbeyan’s water.

For more information, visit environment.act.gov.au or pop in to the Visitor Centre, which is located two kilometres south of Tharwa on Naas Road 47

A SWEET TREAT FROM NO. 10 TO MAKE AT HOME

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Duncan Winter

ESPRESSO CREME BRULEE WITH NO. 10 RESTAURANT + BAR'S HEAD CHEF, DUNCAN WINTER Returning to Australia after seven years in the Netherlands as the embassy chef in the Hague, Duncan Winters' burning passion for cooking made him the perfect fit as Head Chef for No. 10 Restaurant + Bar. His many years of experience have brought him to deliver a menu that is exciting, challenging, and homely all at once. One of the newest dishes on the menu is this espresso crème brûlée. With a big hit of coffee, this dessert will keep the buzz of a dinner party going.

If you love crème brûlée as much as we do, why not make this one at home next time you are entertaining – it is a surprisingly easy treat to create. Take your A+ Magazine home with you so you can really wow your guests!

WHAT TO DO 1. Set oven to 100 degrees Celsius 2. Heat cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling, Use a small, sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream and then add the vanilla bean pod and espresso beans to the cream mixture. Let steep for 30 minutes 3. Whisk together sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until pale in colour 4. Pour infused cream over the egg yolks and sugar while whisking 5. In a clean saucepan, return the brûlée mix to the heat on medium and stir continuously until it coats the back of the spoon 6. Strain the mix to remove the espresso beans

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INGREDIENTS • 1L cream • 12 egg yolks • 80g espresso beans • 220g castor sugar • 1 vanilla bean TOOLS • Oven, saucepan, stove top, Brûlée gun or grill • Small, sharp knife; whisk • Several small oven-proof dishes

7. Prepare an oven safe dish or tray with the chosen dishes you want to serve the brûlée in and fill the tray half way up the dishes with hot water 8. Pour brûlée mix into the prepared dishes and cover with aluminium foil to keep the steam in for cooking and then place into the oven 9. Cook for 40-60 minutes or until the brûlée is set with a slight wobble in the centre 10. Allow the dishes to cool out of the oven until at room temperature before refrigerating. Once the brûlée is cold, they are ready to use 11. To serve, sprinkle extra castor sugar or raw sugar over the top of the brûlée and torch with a brûlée gun.

Otherwise, use the top grill or your oven and watch carefully until the sugar is caramelised

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TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

11. Who designed Parliament House?

Have you been paying attention? All of the answers can be found within the magazine!

12. C anberra’s iconic national attractions will be illuminated by architectural projections at which festival?

1. When did the No. 10 Restaurant + Bar open?

13. T he Handmade Markets are held at which Canberra venue?

3. Hippo Co is famous for what kind of music?

4. T his year, what event celebrates its 50th anniversary?

5. V ersailles: Treasures of the Palace is featuring at what Canberra attraction?

6. T he Corin Forest Alpine Slide takes you on a thrilling ride down the mountainside. How long is the slide?

7. Dami Im and Jessica Mauboy are set to perform at what Canberra entertainment venue?

8. W hich Abode Hotel features in-room exercise bikes?

9. M urrumbidgee Country Club is closest to which of our hotels?

14. T he AMB 100 Marathon is a challenging mountain bike tournament held at the ______________ park?

15. E verything is scaled down in the miniature village at _______________ 16. No. 10’s famous dish is____________ 17. Canberra Day turns how old in 2017?

18. T he Stevenson Experience are performing at which Canberra event in March?

19. T he Arboretum was built in response to which catastrophic event in Canberra?

20. K7 Adventures offer abseiling and rock climbing tours to which locations in the Namadgi National Park?

ANSWERS

2. B arbara Hill works at which truffle farm?

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10. What kind of truffle is celebrated during the annual Canberra Truffle Festival?

1. September 2016. 2. Macenmist.

3. Jazz. 4. National Folk Festival.

5. National Gallery of Australia.

6. 1.2km 7. Canberra Theatre Centre.

8. Woden. 9. Tuggeranong.

10. French black truffles. 11. Mitchell Giurgola and Thorpe. 12. Enlighten.

13. EPIC. 14. Stromlo Forest.

15. Cockington Green. 16. Chicken and waffles. 17. 104. 18. Canberra Comedy Festival. 19. The 2003 bush fires. 20. Booroombra Rocks and Gibraltar Rocks.

Whether you’re stuck inside on a rainy day or just looking for a fun activity to involve the kids, we’ve put together a series of trivia questions to test your knowledge about Canberra.

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DID YOU KNOW? You can create delicious meals in your room with the help of the Abode Pantry at reception, providing for your needs throughout your stay including food, beverages and other essentials.

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AUTUMN + WINTER TRAVEL TIPS

Here’s a range of tips and information to help you on your travels in the capital.

The Canberra and Region Visitors Centre is located at Regatta Point on Lake Burley Griffin and has all the information on attractions, transport, restaurants and more!

Here are some fun facts about Canberra, in case you ever attend a trivia night that has a sole focus on the capital’s minute details: •

Canberra’s population is currently sitting at 390,700 people

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It is surrounded by New South Wales, the city is 150km inland and 571m above the Pacific Ocean and is 281km from Sydney and 660km from Melbourne

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Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and over 70 per cent is open space The famous architect of the city is American Walter Burley Griffin (after whom the lake is named) but while he took all the credit for designing the city, it was actually his wife Marion that did all the drawings presented to the assessors

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The Captain Cook Memorial Jet on Lake Burley Griffin can send water up to 147m into the air

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The New York Times described Canberra as a city with “big-sky beauty, breezy civic pride, a decidedly hipster underbelly and Instagramworthy sunsets"

CLIMATE The average temperature throughout the autumn and winter months can range from cold to mild and can be found in the table below to help you plan how many layers to wear.

AUTUMN March

April

May

Average maximum

24.7 (76)

20.1 (68)

15.8 (60)

Average minimum

11.5 (53)

7 (45)

4.2 (40

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WINTER June

July

August

Average maximum

12.3 (54)

11.5 (53)

13.5 (56)

Average minimum

1.4 (35)

0 (32)

13 (55)

* Degrees Celsius (Degrees Fahrenheit in brackets) Data collected from Australia Tourism.

ARRIVING The Canberra International Airport is approximately 8km from the city, 8km from Abode Narrabundah, 14km from Abode Woden, 19km from Abode Gungahlin and 23km from Abode Tuggeranong.

There is also an airport shuttle that goes to the city centre if that’s where you need to be before heading to your hotel.

GETTING AROUND Canberra has several taxi companies at your disposal including Silver Service Taxis, Canberra Cabs and Canberra Elite.

Uber is super easy to use and quite a convenient new addition to the capital’s transport system. Abode Hotels has teamed up with Uber to give guests a free ride up to the value of $25 (for first-time users only).

To redeem the promotion, simply download the app on your phone and create an account. When booking your Uber, enter the promo code ‘ABODECBR’ when prompted.

Buses can take a little bit longer as they have more ground to cover on their travels.

Bus timetables can be found on the ACTION

CANBERRA 2017 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS • • • •

Canberra Day: Monday 13 March Good Friday: Friday 14 April Easter Saturday: Saturday 15 April Easter Monday: Monday 17 April

Bus website, at newsagents and the Visitors Centre. Be advised that these times change on weekends and public holidays.

Driving your own car is relatively easy because Canberra’s roads are wide and plentiful so make sure you grab a map from the visitor centre, your Abode or even use the maps at the back of this magazine. We also recommend using a navigation system in your car to prevent you from getting lost especially with all of our roundabouts! Peak times are the same as anywhere; early morning before work and on the way home after work. Parking is also relatively easy, just make sure to always keep spare change on you for buying parking tickets. There are now a number of parking apps you can use if you look at the ticket machine in each parking area.

There are cycling paths on just about every major Canberra road. If there are no cycling paths on the road, you can ride on the footpath in Canberra as well. There are several places you can hire a bike from that will even deliver the bike for free to your hotel. These include Cycle Canberra and Capital Bicycle Hire.

Canberra is getting a light rail! Construction started last year on the Gungahlin to city corridor and is expected to be opened in 2018. This is a very exciting development for Canberra and will make the capital more accesible in the future for tourists.

Those are the basics! To find out more about what to do when you get here and how to make your visit to the capital the best it can be, visit yourabode.abodehotels.com.au.

• Anzac Day: Tuesday 25 April • Queen’s Birthday: Monday 12 June • Family and Community Day: Monday 25 September • Labour Day: Monday 2 October • Christmas Day: Monday 25 December • Boxing Day: Tuesday 26 December

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TUGGERANONG SQUARE ST N RI E E SH

ST

1

Tuggeranong Lakeside Leisure Centre

2

Club Lime & Aquatic Centre

3

Vikings Club

4

Southern Cross Basketball Stadium

5

Canberra Southern Cross Club

6

AMF Tuggeranong

7

Tuggeranong Family Medical Practice

8

Action Bus interchange

9

Chalisa Indian Restaurant

10

Abode g Tuggeranon Map

E11N

D

K OA

5 Senses Gourmet Cafe ST Asian Noodle House

12

Little Istanbul

13

Brewbar Cafe

14

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant

15

Limelight cinemas

16

Woolworths

17

Hyperdome Pharmacy

18

Soul Pattinson Chemists

19

Fernwood fitness

20 Aldi *Maps not to scale.

21

Tuggeranong Square Medical Practice

22

Ace High Eatery & Bar

RIVE

LL

D AR W SO

AY W

RD D

KEFO

20

TE

E

IV

DR Our carpark entrance is on Cowlishaw Street

NO ST

KE

ED

H RT

AN

ON LL Our Hotel Reception is on Anketell Street

14

RE

19

13

16

TUGGERANONG HYPERDOME SHOPPING CENTRE

H AT

3

15

DRA

18

17

SP OE RI N

PHILLIP GARDENS

G

ST

1

ING

ST

LAUNCE STON ST

IRV

2

PHILLIP OVAL

3

LA UN

ST ER

STO N

ST

FU

RZ

EDDISON PARK

6

PENRHYN HOUSE

SCARBOROUGH HOUSE

M ST

AVIATION HOUSE

Abode Woden Map

DA ST

MATIL ES BOW

NO. 10 RESTAURANT + BAR

ST

ALEXANDER BUILDING

EASTY

JULIANA HOUSE

ST

R ST

E FURZ

CORINA ST

ABODE WODEN

SIRIUS BUILDING

T TY S EAS

N ST

GA WOR

COLEBROOK ST

YARRALUMLA CREEK

CE

CALLA

MELROSE DRIVE

MELROSE DRIVE

5

4

PUBLIC LIBRARY ALBEMARLE BUILDING

7 8

CHILDCARE CENTRE

P

M ST

WESTFIELD WODEN SHOPPING CENTRE

10

11

12

Belluci’s Restaurant

3

Asian Noodle House

BONNER HOUSE

4

Canberra College

5

Tradies Club

6

Hellenic Club

BRAD

Woden bus interchange

9

Medical centre

10

Restaurant precinct

AM

CANBERRA HOSPITAL

16

HINDMARSH DRIVE AMBULANCE STATION

FIRE STATION

• • • • • • •

ST

RIVE

15 14

HINDMARSH DRIVE

*Maps not to scale.

Taxi rank (ph. 132 227)

LL

BALL ST

RIVE

SH D

7 8

CA

T LEY S

IVE

E DR CORINA ST

SH D

MAR

Ice skating rink

2

13

ROS MEL

HIND

MAR

1

NEPTU

NE ST

HIND

AROUND ABODE WODEN

CALLA

A ST

CORIN

LEY ST

BRAD

9

Grill’d Flavours of India Thai Spice Chinese Kitchen Nando’s Turkish Pide House Cafe Gaudi

11

Restaurant precinct

12

Coles/Woolworths

13

Hoyts cinema

14

Hogsbreath Cafe

15

Southern Cross Club

16

Anytime Fitness

P

Post Office

• McDonald's • Calibre Cafe and Bar • Babar Cafe

BOOK DIRECT AND SAVE! BE SMART,

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