BNE Magazine Issue 29

FR EE YO M UR AG AZ IN E

ESCAPE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

WIN AIRFARES TO VANCOUVER

5

great tours for long layovers

WHAT’S ON FOR CHRISTMAS BILL MURRAY wants to talk to you

Wild night at the zoo Best of Guangzhou in three days Go outback to see the real ’Straya

JON BON JOVI

ROCKS ON

We’re getting runway ready Brisbane’s new runway will take you more places and make us better connected than ever before.

Stay up to date: bne.com.au/newrunway

Welcome to your free BNE magazine, brought to you by Brisbane Airport

CONTENTS

W

e love a holiday. It doesn’t even have to be a long one to have the right effect, recharging the body and stimulating the soul. Imagine, for example, going to Antarctica in just one day (see page 25), falling asleep to a lion’s roar without going to Africa (page 20) or spending three days discovering what life is really like on a sheep station in Queensland’s north west (page 12). There are some who would say we don’t have enough holiday time, but we say you don’t need to waste a minute of what you’ve got. Even time between connections can be a better experience, just by hooking up to a transit tour like one of our favourites on page 22, or enjoy the festive spirit by joining in the Christmas events right here at home (page 34).

Happy holidays...

26

4

Brisbane Airport News

8

Brisbane Insider

9

New routes; more flights; lost property auction; new runway update and more

Design past and present – an iconic fashion retrospective and emerging artists go to market

I QUEENSLAND 26 John ‘Roothy’ Rooth

Outback adventurer, author

TASTE 30 High spirits

Why gin, whiskey, rum and vodka are the new craft drinks of choice

Jon Bon Jovi rocks on

He was our first cover star five years ago and he’s coming back to rock Brisbane

STYLE 10 Cool by the pool

WHAT’S ON 32 Bill Murray wants to talk to you

Swimwear for the holiday season

The Hollywood actor will show a different side on stage in Brisbane; Hedda’s Gold Coast makeover; school holiday highlights and more

ESCAPE 12 A gander at the real ’Straya

34

16

35 Events calendar

19 20 22 24 42

Get to the heart of Australia on a farm stay in Queensland’s north west

Local’s guide to Guangzhou

How to make the most of a 72-hour visa-free stopover

WIN tickets to Vancouver

Enter our competition for a chance to win airfares to Canada’s harbour city

A night at the zoo

No need to go to Africa to fall asleep to a lion’s roar

5 of the best tours in transit

Fill those hours between connections with these great city tours

Escape Extra

Coral reef restoration; Antarctica flights; Airstream ‘camping’ at Yosemite and more

10 reasons why we like Fraser Island

Prince Harry and Meghan had a whirlwind trip but you can linger longer at these stunning locations

What’s on at Christmas

Events not to miss; plus gypsy jazz; Asia Pacific art showcase and more

Find out what’s happening around the city

GALLERY 37 Day in the life

People in transit at Brisbane Airport

NEED TO KNOW 38 Helpful information for

visitors to Brisbane Airport

40 43 30

Destination map Brisbane region map

20 BNE magazine is published bi-monthly

by Brisbane Airport Corporation.

Brisbane Airport Corporation Corporate Communications and Media Manager: Leonie Vandeven Managing Editor: Heather McWhinnie (editor@bnemagazine.com.au) Advertising sales: advertising@bnemagazine.com.au Designers: Mhari Hughes and Leanne Thompson, PrintPublish Intern: Aneira Pretorius Cover photography: Jon Bon Jovi photographed by Guy Prives/Getty Images ©2018 Brisbane Airport Corporation The contents of this publication are not for reproduction, redistribution or reuse by any means whatsoever or in any form whatsoever without express permission of the publisher. Advertising: all advertisements in BNE magazine are the responsibility of advertisers. Advertising is accepted on the understanding that it does not contravene the Trade Practices Act. Responsibility is not accepted by BNE magazine for statements made or the failure of any product or service to give satisfaction. The publication of any material or editorial does not necessarily constitute endorsement of views or opinions expressed. While every effort is made to avoid errors, some information contained in the publication may be superceded.

BNE November/December 2018 | 3

BRISBANE AIRPORT NEWS You were previously a senior executive at Brisbane Airport and lived here for five years until 2012. How has the city changed since then?

The cityscape and the skyline has definitely changed with a few more high buildings and a few more good hotels and restaurants, but what has changed the most I think is the feeling of the people in the city. It’s very energetic, there’s a lot of confidence in what’s being done here.

A lot of infrastructure has been built – we have magnificent tunnels that make it easier to get from one side of the city to the other. We (Brisbane Airport Corporation) are contributing to that ourselves by building the new runway which will double capacity at the airport. With a growing population you need to develop the transport infrastructure to maintain the liveability of the city. That’s what we’re doing very well in Brisbane.

Why did you come back?

Before I left Brisbane I was heavily involved in the planning and approval processes and community engagement related to the new runway so it is very exciting to be here to open it.

I’ve been involved in airport management almost 25 years and to open a runway is very unique. There are not many runways being built worldwide.

The new runway is due to open in 2020. Where’s it up to?

This is a runway that has been a long time in the making. Talk started in the 1970s about location and where it should go and in the early 2000s about designing and planning. Construction started in 2012 but we are in the last stage now which is very exciting. We recently started putting the first pavement in place so you can really see the area transforming from a lot of sand into the runway. By the end of 2019 we should be ready to start testing it.

How did you begin your career in aviation?

MEET BRISBANE AIRPORT’S NEW CEO Why Gert-Jan de Graaff is excited to be back in Brisbane Where are you from?

Originally I’m from The Hague in the Netherlands which is very different to Brisbane. It’s a very small country so everything is close; it’s very flat (the highest mountain is about 300 metres) and the city is much older so it’s very different in look and feel; and the weather is much worse – there’s nothing tropical in the Netherlands, it’s a lot of dark days with rain.

What do you like about Brisbane?

It’s a fantastic city to work and live in, mainly because of the people who are very happy, very outgoing and very social. It’s easy to connect to people and very easy to work with people. Besides that, I think Brisbane has got everything in terms of what you’re looking for in Australia. There are good hotels and great restaurants, a very positive vibe and a great culture and arts precinct in South Bank. Within two hours’ drive of the city there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and rainforest – and there’s 350 days of great weather.

4 | BNE November/December 2018

I started at Schiphol (Amsterdam International Airport) in 1995 for a one year contract but, like many people in aviation, it soon gets in your blood because it’s a very exciting environment and I was there for nine years. I went on to work at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm in commercial operations, then five years with BAC and before returning to Brisbane I was President and CEO for four years at Terminal 4 at JFK in New York.

There are six terminals there and they are all owned by different entities.

What makes airports so exciting?

On the one hand it’s very strategic and long-term; if you are building a runway you will need it for 100 years so you better get it right. On the other hand it’s very operational and you have to prove your capabilities to passengers every day. If the baggage system doesn’t work it’s all hands on deck to make it work because otherwise everything stops.

We have contracts with airlines and shops, and we’re involved in property development, we are also responsible for security and public safety, so it’s like managing a small city. There are about 24,000 people working at Brisbane Airport. That means that one in 100 people living in Brisbane actually works at the airport, which is amazing; of 5 million people living in Queensland one in 200 works at Brisbane Airport.

Terminal 4 at JFK has similar numbers of passengers and airlines operating there as BNE. What did you learn from your experience at JFK? The lesson I learned very well there is that if you don’t do proper planning you end up with a sub-optimal airport. That’s what we have done very well here in Brisbane. A plan was developed for the airport more than 20 years ago and we’ve stuck to that plan and, with the support of the city and the developers around the airport, we’ve done it very well so we are very efficient as an airport.

What else sets Brisbane Airport apart?

Brisbane Airport Corporation has always been an early adopter of technology not only in operations but also to make sure the airport experience is a positive, efficient and memorable one for travellers. We were one of the first airports to implement self-serve kiosks and bag drops and we’re looking at all kinds of other technologies to make sure BNE is an even better airport than it is today.

Facial recognition is already being used at passport control and there will be more applications in the future so that in theory you should only use your passport once between check-in and boarding the plane.

Environmental sustainability is also something that is very close to our hearts. In the last decade we have implemented many initiatives and are looking at how we can make our processes more energy-efficient. For example, when we have completed installation of solar panels on the roofs of the car parks the sun will be powering more than 15 per cent of our electricity.

And, of course, the friendliness of the staff at the airport.

We have an awesome team, including volunteers, who work together to ensure people travelling to and from BNE have a very positive experience.

New runway reaches

final stage

Brisbane Airport has won many awards for its service and facilities. What’s next?

One of our priorities is to significantly improve the operational processes and the facilities of the Domestic Terminal, including providing a retail, food and beverage environment that you can’t find anywhere else in a domestic terminal in Australia. That work has started already and will continue in 2019.

What else are you looking forward to?

I love the Australian sports culture. I love all sports but I grew up with soccer and I have always played, and still play in a weekly game with mates at Ashgrove. I’ve been following Brisbane Roar since I was here before. My wife and I like to explore greater Brisbane and beyond, driving, hiking, sightseeing. We like the walk from Broadbeach to Burleigh on the Gold Coast, Mt Tamborine, the national park at Noosa, Maleny and Montville in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, the Glass House Mountains – there is so much.

BAC 2640_BNE Magazine Ad_approved.indd 1

By the numbers Brisbane Airport’s new runway (BNR) is on track to open for service in 2020 and the first portions of the critical link taxiways that will connect the new runway system with the existing system and terminals has been completed. But that’s the tip of the iceberg for what is to come in the next few months, according to Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff. “The focus now is on the physical runway and broader taxiway systems which are starting to take shape,” he says. You can follow the progress of construction at www.bne.com.au/newrunway

• Brisbane’s new runway site is 360 hectares (2.5 times the size of the Brisbane City CBD) • The runway is 3.3km long and 60m wide • The taxiway system will be made up of 12km of taxiways (25m wide) • 7,800 jobs generated by the new runway by 2035

BNE November/December 2018 | 5 31/8/18 2:51 pm

BRISBANE AIRPORT NEWS

HOME CENTRE OPENS AT AIRPORT

AIRPORT’S HIDDEN SECRET

Brisbane Airport’s new Home & Life Centre is now open and shoppers will be able to join the official celebrations on 10 November when local radio station Hit 105’s Street Team will be on site with a host of giveaways, including free coffees, ice cream and discount shopping vouchers, entertainment and games. The $18 million development adds to the extensive shopping precinct at Skygate, which is already home to DFO and more than 160 retail and café outlets. The new stores at Home & Life Centre include Nick Scali, Pillow Talk, James Lane and Sleeping Giant, Lighting Illusions, Deco Rug, Early Settler and TK Maxx. For centre opening hours see www.skygate.com.au

Behind locked doors at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic and International Terminals are treasure troves overflowing with thousands of unclaimed items waiting to be rehomed. As more than 23 million passengers travel through BNE every year – over 65,000 a day – many valuable and unusual items are left behind, from inflatable pools, surfboards, tyres and rice cookers to laptops, cameras, jewellery and mobile phones. While all efforts are made to return some 9,000 or more lost items to their rightful owners, a whopping two-thirds still remain unclaimed every year. So after a successful fundraising auction of unclaimed goods last year Brisbane Airport will repeat it’s online Lost Property Auction from 26 November to 5 December with all proceeds going to The Courier Mail Children’s Foundation. A viewing day will be held on 1 December. For details see www.pickles.com.au

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

W

hen Steve Wallace (left) says he would fly to the moon and back to save a life, he isn’t joking. He and his dedicated team at the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) fly the equivalent of 34 round trips to the moon every year, providing vital health care and 24-hour emergency services to people in rural and remote Australia. And with a waiting room of 7.69 million square kilometres, Steve’s daily commute isn’t for the travel weary. Steve, from North Lakes, pilots one of 69 aircraft that make up the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world.

Meanwhile Rohan Bicknell of Acacia Ridge, founder of fresh produce purveyor Produce Art, flies 35 tonnes of Aussie produce out of BNE every week to all corners of the globe. His biggest export is Queensland mangoes, flying more than 200 tonnes of the golden, juicy gems as far afield as Canada over the four-month season.

That’s just a taste of the BNE stories about our community that we’re sharing online at www.bne.com.au and we are collecting more so if you have a connection to Brisbane Airport, either as a frequent traveller, or you work at one of the 400 plus businesses across Brisbane Airport, or perhaps your business relies on the airport in some way, and you’d like to share your story, please connect with us at www.bne.com.au/stories

Travellers’ spare change has been quite a money spinner at Brisbane Airport, generating tens of thousands of dollars in donations for charities. ‘Giving Globes’ are located in Domestic and International Terminals for travellers to drop in their spare change in any currency – or make a donation – and this year the proceeds will be used to help Queensland farmers crippled by years of drought.

Program partner Travelex collects and converts the funds for free and every cent goes towards supporting ‘Buy a Bale’, a fundraising campaign run by Rural Aid that focusses on supplying fodder and other essential items requested by farmers in need. To kick things off this year, Brisbane Airport Corporation has already donated $10,000 to the Queensland Drought Appeal. The aim is to raise even more than the $40,000 total of last year to help struggling farmers.

6 | BNE November/December 2018

Images: Samoa Airways and hay bales/Shutterstock.com

AID FOR FARMERS

new flights

MORE AIRLINE NEWS...

Qantas launches a new Boeing 786-9 Dreamliner service between Brisbane and Hong Kong from 19 December. It already operates Dreamliner services between Brisbane and Los Angeles daily.

See www.qantas.com.au

TO SAMOA

Aircalin increases its services to four times weekly between Brisbane and Noumea, New Caledonia from 4 December. See www.aircalin.com.au Emirates has resumed A380 services daily between Brisbane and Dubai. For flights see www.emirates.com

Samoa Airways is the newest airline to partner with Brisbane Airport, launching a direct service twice weekly between Brisbane and Apia from 13 November. The service will operate on Tuesdays and Sundays aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. For flight details see www.samoaairways.com

Fly Corporate launches new direct flights between Wollongong Illawarra Regional Airport and Brisbane from 12 November, departing four days weekly. See www.flycorporate.com.au

Brisban

lands in Brisbane

Following the hugely successful Routes Asia Forum held in Brisbane earlier this year, aviation industry decision makers are set to descend on Brisbane again in 2019 for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Slot Conference from 12 to 15 November.

More than 1200 delegates representing more than 230 airlines around the world are expected to attend the bi-annual conference which is one of IATA’s largest events and important for travellers too because it brings airlines and airports together to negotiate the best possible airline schedules for their passengers.

For Brisbane it’s an opportunity to showcase the airport’s new runway (due for completion in 2020) and facilities, the city and the region to key decision-makers in a very competitive marketplace to secure future flight routes. Hosting the conference is considered quite a coup in the industry for Brisbane, placing it at the centre of discussions about more direct flight routes and growing tourism for the state.

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WIN AIRFARES TO VANCOUVER

5

great tours for long layovers

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ROCKS ON

WHY H E STILL ROCKS

WE ARE

Five years ago we launched BNE magazine to inspire you with stories about great destinations, interesting people and fun things to do. Proving that Brisbane is a world class city we have featured international visitors, from our very first cover star Jon Bon Jovi (when he last toured Australia and who returns to Brisbane for the first time since then in December, see his story page 9), to Taylor Swift, Oprah and local heroes including Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Horn and expats we still call our own such as Kylie Minogue and Keith Urban. Thanks to your support we now print more copies more often and we continue to look forward to your company with each issue. Look for BNE magazine on shelves in both Domestic and International Terminals and at Skygate, it’s free, but if you miss a copy you can find it on www.bne.com.au

BNE Maps + More Download the Brisbane Airport app to access important flight information, terminal maps and parking, shopping and dining options at the airport. Add your itinerary and more. Available free for iPhone and Android at Google play and App Store

Follow Brisbane Airport

BNE November/December 2018 | 7

BRISBANE INSIDER

C

lose friends and fashion designers Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson (pictured right) love to travel and hours spent browsing flea markets from Mumbai to Paris inspired the bright and brave designs that became a signature of the Easton Pearson brand for almost 30 years. The label helped put Brisbane on the international fashion map, with a brave and experimental flair for bespoke textiles, bold prints and eclectic embellishments (ranging from champagne bottle tops, copper chain, felt and feathers to raffia, silver thread, sequins and beads of almost every variety) which attracted the attention of some of the world’s most influential stores in London, New York and Hong Kong.

The collections were not only cutting edge but Easton and Pearson were also at the forefront of slow fashion and ethical manufacture, working closely with artists and artisans across India and Vietnam, ensuring good conditions, fair pay and respectful collaborations.

“We formed many personal relationships in India that allowed us access to the most superb craftmanship and traditional knowledge of techniques, which we harnessed in our designs. These artisanal skills are simply not available on a commercial scale in the western world,” says Lydia Pearson.

By the time Easton Pearson closed its doors in 2016 the designers had amassed an extraordinary archive of more than 3000 garments and 5000 additional items which has provided a treasure trove of pieces for a new major exhibition opening in November at the Museum of Brisbane, City Hall. The Designers’ Guide: Easton Pearson Archive will showcase more than 200 garments, plus sketches, look books, samples, photographs, as well as interviews and anecdotes from the designers.

Museum of Brisbane has been preparing the exhibition for more than a year. “Due to the richness of the resources we have in the archive, the exhibition will allow visitors to truly appreciate the intersection of art, fashion and culture and the techniques, some thousands of years old, that were adapted and explored by Easton Pearson,” says museum director Renai Grace. The exhibition is showing from 22 November 2018 to 22 April 2019. Tickets $12 (adults). For details see www.museumofbrisbane.com.au

Exhibition opens door TO FASHION ARCHIVE

New market is a showcase for Indigenous talent Chaboo designs

8 | BNE November/December 2018

A

s a graphic designer Casey Coolwell (pictured below left with partner Roy Fisher) just couldn’t help adding her own unique touches to basic homewares, inspired by the stories of her Quandamooka heritage. Her work soon caught the eye of friends and family and before she knew it she was gifting her new designs to an eager audience.

For Coolwell, it was a great satisfaction to see others take the pieces and be able to use them in their own homes, each one a unique reminder of the story behind the design. When she set up a website to share her work with a wider audience, more as a way to showcase her own and Fisher’s Indigenous culture than as a retail operation, Coolwell still wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming response it received.

Since taking their homewares to the first Meeanjin Markets in Reddacliff Place in Brisbane’s CBD earlier this year Coolwell has left her day job and devotes herself full-time to fulfilling orders for the couple’s new business Chaboo (named after their two dogs Chanchi and Boomer).

Coolwell focuses on design while Fisher (a Wakka Wakka man from Cherbourg) is in charge of product supply and quality control – and they have enlisted the help of emerging artists Kyra Mancktelow (Coolwell’s sister) and Dylan Mooney to help keep up with orders.

Chaboo will be at the second Meeanjin Markets showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, craft, performance and culture on 7 and 8 December, at Reddacliff Place and featuring highlights such as work by Minjerribah artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins.

Find out more about Chaboo at www.chaboo.com.au and the markets at Image: Marc Grimwade www.meeanjinmarkets.com.au

I

COVER STORY

JON BON JOVI

t’s a happy coincidence that it’s been five years since Jon Bon Jovi last did a world tour that brought him to Brisbane – and that our very first cover star should return just as we celebrate five years of publishing BNE magazine. The last time he rocked Brisbane it was yet another record-breaker, the fourth time in six years the band had been the top-grossing tour in the world, earning close to a whopping $260 million.

When the band arrives in town in December, a whistlestop supporting their two-year-old album called This House is Not For Sale, they will have another accolade to share. After more than three decades making music together Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year – fitting recognition for a band that has sold more than 130 million albums and entertained more than 35 million fans at close to 3000 concerts in 50 countries over their career, amassing well over $1 billion in ticket sales.

Today, Jon says they have learned to pace themselves and the days of jamming 200 or more shows on a tour are over. The current tour includes 69 shows but they have been spaced out over almost two years. And that’s not the only thing that has changed since we saw them last. The band cut ties with long-time lead guitarist Richie Sambora who had been AWOL for most of the tour, and Jon took a year off before he started writing again. Then in quick succession the band also quit their record label of 32 years and Jon faced a personal backlash when he tried to buy a beloved football team in the US, with locals declaring their city a Bon Jovi Free Zone.

ROCKS ON

We’re at a stage in our careers where we don’t have anything to prove

Jon Bon Jovi rocks Suncorp Stadium on 6 December. Tickets from $92.30 at www.premier.ticketek.com.au

Image: Lisa Lake/Getty Images

“A lot happened. I had a lot to write about,” Jon said in one interview describing the new album. “It was really about going back to the beginning and about our integrity. Integrity matters and we’re at a stage in our career where we don’t have anything to prove.”

It all fell into place when Jon saw the black and white image that became the album cover, a derelict mansion standing on the sturdy roots of a tree.

According to Jon the picture told the story of where they were at. “We had been through a lot in the last three years and that emotional roller coaster that I was on – well, pain brings out great songs. It really just sets up who we are and where we’re at in our careers.”

Indeed, fans may hear a more introspective Jon Bon Jovi reflected in the songs on the playlist this time around in such songs as ‘Roller Coaster’ about the ups and downs of life or ‘We Don’t Run’ about standing strong in the face of adversity, a reference to the record company situation that Jon went through.

But devotees need not fret, ever popular standards such as Livin’ on a Prayer, It’s My Life and others are still on the concert set list.

The concert in Brisbane will also be an introduction to fans, officially, of new band members, Phil X on lead guitar and Hugh McDonald on bass.

In the meantime, it seems Jon has found his balance once again and in between tour dates has been able to detour to other projects, including launching a family brand of wine with his son Jesse. The wine, a rosé called Hampton Water, named for their family home in the Hamptons, is a collaboration with top French winemaker Gerard Bertrand.

“Creating this wine with Gerard was just as creative as collaborating with another songwriter. Gerard uses his talents and wine knowledge just like a gifted musician and working with my son on this has been an amazing experience,” he said at the launch.

In fact, it turns out Jon is quite the Francophile and sings the praises of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, where the grapes for the wine were grown. “It’s a storybook area with castles and ruins and rolling hills, and I really loved the architecture. You’re not going to find any chain restaurants there. It was a pleasure to discover. Growing up in New Jersey, I’ve been preaching my whole life that you have to get out to find the beautiful places in this world.”

A lot has rocked Bon Jovi’s world since he was in Brisbane five years ago, laid bare in the songs on his latest album which are at the core of his latest concert tour

BNE November/December 2018 | 9

STYLE

Cool BY THE

Pool

Berry hi-pant $99 and ruched crop top $99; Eden scalloped-edge one-piece $219

B

ecky Morton grew up surrounded by surf, sand and sunshine on the Gold Coast and remembers well a childhood where she spent nine months of the year in her swimmers.

However, it took a taste of the corporate life in criminal law to help her finally make the decision that fashion was her real passion and she set about creating her own brand of swimwear – first selling at local markets and now supplying a list of stores around Australia from her headquarters not far from the rolling surf and sand of Burleigh Heads.

While the surf still provides plenty of practical inspiration for Morton’s Peony label (and her three swimming and surfing sisters provide an in-house test market), her newest collection is more Palm Springs than Palm Beach – with a subtle nod to the poolside silhouettes of a golden era.

Morton describes the collection as “a celebration of natural beauty and the female form” with attention to details such as ruching, sash belting, tortoiseshell buckles and fine cotton scalloping in luxury fabrics.

In ‘Bathe’ Morton introduces a knitted floral jacquard to her collection for the first time, and ‘Eden’, ‘Melon’ and ‘Freckle’ styles are made with Italian Lycra created from recycled materials such as discarded fishing nets recovered from the ocean. The high-tech fabric is not only a sustainable solution to helping keep oceans cleaner it is stronger and more durable, helping swimwear keep its shape longer through summers of cool pool (and beach) play.

Designer, Becky Morton

10 | BNE November/December 2018

Bathe belted one-piece $249

Freckle ruched one-piece $189; Melon soft balconette top $99 and vacation pant $89

Bathe crop top $119 and hi-pant $129; Freckle knotted crop $89 and staple pant $89

Poolside one-piece $189; Berry panel bandeau top $99 and staple pant $89

All swimwear by Peony, prices recommended retail only. For stockists see www.peonyswimwear.com BNE November/December 2018 | 11

ESCAPE

A gander at 12 | BNE November/December 2018

the Real ‘Straya

Jarrod Meakins shakes off his urban fatigue on a short stay at a Queensland sheep station

Lane and Deon Stent-Smith

T

he red, ochre, brown and orange tones flash by below, intersected by arrow-straight roads as we come in to land at Barcaldine Airport in Outback Queensland – just over 1000 kilometres from Brisbane – but we’re not at our final destination yet. As soon as we’re on the ground our first stop is something of an outback tradition in these parts, a cheeky schooner at Barcaldine’s Commercial Hotel and a takeaway from the Shakespeare Hotel – a taste of two of the five pubs that service the local population of 1422 (that’s my kind of pub-per-person ratio).

It’s here we meet Deon Stent-Smith, who runs the familyowned property Shandonvale Station – a ‘tiny’ parcel of land of more than 6000 hectares 80km north of Barcaldine – that will be our home for the next 48 hours. The property is a working sheep station which Deon manages with his wife Lane but, due partly to the continual impact of drought, they have opened the gates to tourism and have been welcoming overnight guests since 2017.

A room in the shearer’s quarters

DAY ONE The station is everything city-folk like myself romanticise about the outback – a paddock full of stock to my left, kangaroos bounding away to the right, a flock of galahs sitting on the fence as we drive in and a grand homestead with its wrap-around veranda taking centre-stage.

As soon as we arrive we realise this is going to be no ordinary long weekend as we’re handed the keys to an allterrain vehicle (ATV) for getting around, and off we go to our rooms at the shearer’s quarters.

The 100-year-old building may have been renovated to add some modern comforts but it has kept its outback

The Bath House

We want to give others the opportunity to experience our way of life and bridge the gap between city and country charm with an outside bath house complete with claw-foot bath and wash station, and a 19th century wood-fired oven in the kitchen, complemented by a touch of class in 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton linen, outback-chic barn door bedheads and daily breakfast hampers filled with seasonal produce delivered from the homestead. That typically includes fresh organic milk and butter from the house cow Milly, home-smoked bacon, grass-fed dorper lamb, bore goat chops, camel sausages or pork cutlets, eggs from the station’s laying hens, a loaf of home-baked bread and home-made jams and relish.

Dinner is served at the homestead (cooked by Deon) where we tuck into roast goat (delicious!), curry, fresh vegetables from the garden, matched wines and plenty of yarns shared by Deon and Lane. Both are born and bred Queensland country folk and clearly have a passion for the land which they are keen to share with others.

Sunset at the Boatshed BNE November/December 2018 | 13

ESCAPE

DON’T MISS • Barcaldine, the nearest town to Shandonvale Station and famous for the Tree of Knowledge, the founding site of the Australian Labor party during the Great Shearer’s Strike of 1891. The original tree was poisoned and replaced with an 18-metre wooden monument that represents the famous ghost-gum.

• Besides the monument, be sure to visit at least one of the town’s five pubs, the Barcaldine and District Historical Museum and the Australian Worker’s Heritage Centre.

For more things to do see www.outbackqueensland.com.au 14 | BNE November/December 2018

“We want to give others the opportunity to experience our way of life, that in many ways we take for granted, and bridge the gap between city and country,” says Deon who also offers up some staggering statistics, including that just 1.5 per cent of Australia’s population produces food for approximately 60 million people around the world. “We want to share our part of the paddock-to-plate journey along with a first-hand taste of the challenges and joys of living in rural Australia,” he says.

DAY TWO As day two dawns, the sun cracks the clouds, cockatoos fly overhead and I’m standing on the veranda of the shearer’s quarters – cuppa in hand – trying very hard not to say, “how’s the serenity?” But I can’t marvel at the scenery forever as it’s a working station, after all, and guests are invited to chip in with chores. First on the list is helping Lane feed her pets – Coco the baby

camel and Peep the three-day-old lamb – with bottles of milk, then Moo the pet emu who was rescued from the side of the road, and a group of cows and sheep with names ranging from Tinkerbell to Holly.

Next we jump in the ATV to scout around the paddocks, passing scores of kangaroos while learning from Deon how every animal plays its part on the property. From the guardian donkeys that protect sheep from foxes to the camels that rid the land of prickly acacia (a nuisance of a thorny small tree that encourages erosion and interferes with stock movement) it’s quickly evident that life on the land is more than my idle (but blissful) early morning cuppas.

Our final chore for the morning is to check the crab pots in the dam for crayfish. They’re full so that’s lunch taken care of! Wandering outside, post barbecued crays, it’s hard to miss the Robinson R22 helicopter parked on the front lawn and, just minutes later, guided by local

Clockwise from top, far left: Into the ATV for travel on site; it’s a long way to town; barbecuing fresh crays for lunch; a breakfast hamper of farm-fresh produce; the shearer’s quarters; mustering sheep from the air; fishing on Amarac Creek; feeding the animals

mustering pilot Danny (who has a handshake that tests the strength of your shoulder joint) I’m on board the doorless chopper, metres above the camels as we steer them through a paddock. One has the audacity to try to bite the landing skids just to prove how extremely close we are.

Our attention turns to a flock of sheep, and some wild pigs that shouldn’t be where they are, before a final sweep down the river and a lunging turn back towards the homestead. It’s an exhilarating end to our day’s work and the reward is a relaxing soak in the Great Artesian Basin-fed spa overlooking Aramac Creek with a cheese board and a ‘sundowner’.

There’s plenty written about paddock-to-plate dining these days but the journey doesn’t get much closer than at Shandonvale Station. Walking around the garden with Lane before dinner we chat about the herbs and produce that’s growing and what needs to be prepared for the next seasonal change. Fresh cut meat is in the cold room, cows are milked daily, butter is churned on site and bread is made every morning. Nothing from the land is wasted – that’s what I call paddock-to-plate.

Polishing off a sirloin steak with freshly picked vegetables and a good scoop of home-made chutney is a fine way to end the day. Or so I thought. Once again we head out on the ATV to sit around a fire and enjoy the magic of star-gazing

with no light-pollution in the sky above us and a final nightcap in hand.

DAY THREE On our last morning, just when I thought all surprises were over, I see the helicopter on the lawn has been upgraded to a four-seater R44 and we’re off again, flying towards Lake Galilee, one of the largest salt lakes in Australia, over the semi-arid and seemingly unending landscape. In this moment, eyes peeled wide looking out the helicopter window, I saw the real Outback Queensland – rough and rugged, desolate, yet a feast for the eyes, the heart of Australia, and seeing it this way in its raw state was enchanting and made me feel more connected to the country I call home.

After our final farewells to Deon, Lane and the much-loved Coco the Camel, heading for Longreach Airport to fly back to Brisbane, I have another realisation – I’m absolutely humming with energy, recalling highlights from the past 48 hours and already cooking up plans for my next adventure off the beaten path.

NEED TO KNOW • Shandonvale Station is 45 minutes drive from Barcaldine and 90 minutes drive from Longreach.

• Breakfast and dinner are included in the tariff as well as champagne, wine and beer.

• Yes it’s the outback but don’t forget your swimmers for the spa.

• Accommodation from $190 per person, per night (two night minimum) twin-share.

• The shearer’s quarters are booked to only one group at a time.

• One-hour heli-mustering is $899.

See www.shandonvalestation.com.au

GETTING THERE QantasLink flies direct from Brisbane to Barcaldine three times weekly and direct between Brisbane and Longreach daily.

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ESCAPE

Local’s guide to

Ranked by Forbes as China’s best city for business from 2013 to 2016, by the United Nations as China’s most liveable city, and by Knight Frank’s Prime Global Cities Index for being the world’s hottest luxury housing market, it’s no surprise that Guangzhou is making its mark on the world map. Covering a hefty 7433 square kilometres in land area, and with a reputation as the birthplace of Chinese food, there is much to be discovered and visitors travelling on an Australian passport can take advantage of a 72-hour, visa-free stopover in Guangzhou to start exploring – and eating – their way around the city following this action-packed itinerary.

GUANGZHOU

Follow Lena Gidwani’s tips to make the most of a whirlwind stopover in her home city

Images (except Park Hyatt): Shutterstock.com

DAY 1 – THE NEW STAY: W Guangzhou (www.marriott.com) is fashionably situated in the thick of the action. From just three five-star hotels in the city 15 years ago to more than 60 now, a swish stay is assured.

LUNCH: Walk to Xingsheng Lu and Doors, a locally-established Turkish steakhouse that is now expanding to culinary capitals such as Dubai and London. If owner Kemal (think Salt Bae, but resembling Steve Jobs) is around, expect to be treated to a knife show.

EXPLORE: Cross the street to Huacheng Square and witness Guangzhou’s architectural transformation at its finest, home to Zaha Hadid’s world-class Opera House (www.gzdjy.org), a treasure chest that is the Guangdong Museum (www.gdmuseum.com) and a state-of-the-art Library (www.gzlib.gov.cn).

Canton Tower (www.cantontower.com), designed to resemble a twisting female form, is minutes away by metro or taxi. Standing more than 600 metres high, we dare you to experience the sky drop, the highest heart-stopping (or perhaps stomach-churning) vertical free fall in the world. More relaxing is the Bubble Tram that circles the tower 455 metres up for awe-inspiring views of the city.

DINNER: For unfussy fare, Social & Co. (www.socialandco.com) is more than just Western-style comfort grub and good wine. New Zealander Aaron Mackenzie caters to educated Guangzhou millennials and expats and realised that he was on to something after seeing his signature banofee pie changing lives forever.

NIGHTCAPS: Right next door is Morgan’s Public House run by expat owners Johnny, Chris and Bilal, known for its scrumptious roasts and the most legendary all-you-can-drink parties in town.

Looking for city views from the clouds instead of sports on the big screen? Guangzhou finally has a skyline we can be proud of, and Park Hyatt’s Roof Bar (www.guangzhou.park.hyatt.com) on the 70th floor, pays true homage to it.

Opposite: Canton Tower. This page from top: Guangzhou Opera House; Sky-high views from the Roof Bar of the Park Hyatt; the Bubble Tram on Canton Tower BNE November/December 2018 | 17

ESCAPE DAY 2 – THE OLD BREAKFAST: Gobble up some hearty fare at W’s Kitchen Table, as an exciting, inexpensive day of old Guangzhou awaits.

EXPLORE: Head to Yuexiu Park (about 20 minutes away) for a mid-morning ramble to Zhenhai Tower (circa 1380AD) and the Statue of Five Rams, an emblem of the city’s foundation.

Once done with the obligatory selfies, sprint across the road for a King Tut-like experience at the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King (www.gznywmuseum.org). Buried with living eunuchs and concubines, the king’s remains were found almost intact in a silk-jade burial suit made of 2,291 pieces of jade.

Walk down the street, past canvas bags of dried seafood, to the 130-year-old Sacred Heart Cathedral, regarded as the ‘Notre Dame of East Asia’.

Huaisheng Mosque is up next. The Muslim butchers flanking the minaret have plenty of stories to tell about this 1300-year-old jewel, so grab a lamb dish and ask away but save some space for Liwan district, rich in Xiguan culture and local food.

NEED TO KNOW • Visitors travelling on Australian passports can qualify for 72-hour visafree entry to Guangzhou subject to conditions.

Confirm your eligibility with the local Chinese embassy/consulate before departure.

Cost is about $35.

• Authorities recently announced that the visa exemption for Australian passport holders arriving in Guangzhou will soon be extended to 144 hours, so look out for updates.

• This is not the city to skip meals. Guangzhou is considered to be the birthplace of Chinese food and has the country’s highest number of restaurants per capita.

LUNCH: In Liwan, a bygone era is frozen in time.

Lanes such as Liwan’s Enning Lu are filled with memorial halls, Bruce Lee’s ancestral home (No13, Lane 1, Yongping Fang) and, a personal favorite, the Liwan Museum, once the mansion of a wealthy banking family.

Now, for some homegrown grub. A stone’s throw away at 160-1 Wenming Lu is Da Yang YuanWei DunPin, serving up hundreds of double boiled soups in hollowed coconuts filled with chicken and goji berries. Yum, and enough said. Close by is Xiguan Popo Mian (212 Wenchang Bei Lu), a hole-in-thewall serving the most traditional (and cheap) wonton noodles handmade by some of Popo’s descendants, who are always hands-on. Thankfully, nothing has changed much since the old days.

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STROLL: Full? Taxi it over to the former European enclave, Shamian Island for a fun game of ‘Spot a Colonial Building’ and ‘Photobomb a Wedding Picture’. It’s not hard to play as you find your way around the bronze statues.

Nearby, the Qingping Medicine Market sells an array of traditional remedies for all manner of ailments.

DINNER: Head to the old-school district of Dongshankou where East meets West at Wilber’s (www.wilber.com.cn). Housed in the exquisite atmosphere of an original 1930s colonial styled mansion, their gourmet meals are worth splurging on.

NIGHTCAPS: In the same district, Andrew Ho and Bastien Ciocca, two lads with a penchant for artisanal mixology and jazz, opened an alluring speakeasy named Hope and Sesame three years ago (www.hopeandsesamegz.com). Reflecting the city’s changing palates, these boys now travel the globe for sell-out bartending collaborations at hotspots like Melbourne’s Loch & Key Bar and Sydney’s The Roosevelt and Grain Bar, putting Guangzhou (and their craft) truly on the map. But at home in Guangzhou, the first challenge for visitors is to find the entrance to Hope and Sesame.

DAY 3 – THE IN-BETWEEN BREAKFAST: Coffee will suffice. Save your tummy for brunch.

BRUNCH: Dim sum. Need we say more? In a modern mansion just down the street from the W (168 Tianhe E Road) is Bingsheng Pinwei (www.bingsheng.com), recently crowned with a Michelin star for its commitment to traditional Cantonese fare. We recommend tucking into tea and some pork belly, marinated overnight and grilled until crispy. The best part? It’s reasonably priced and the quality is top-notch.

EXPLORE: History, art or nature? Try a bit of each at ancient urban villages such as Shawan in Panyu District or Xiaozhou with its canals and local art galleries; the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is a grand performance space built to honour the country’s first president; see contemporary art at Times Museum (www.timesmuseum.org) or the Redtory Art & Design Factory, previously a canned food facility; and wander the meditative Baomo Garden with its giant koi and stone bridges.

SAIL: Be at Chuanshou Pier (East Gate, Haixinsha Stadium) before 7pm for the Red Boat Cruise (tickets from www.ctrip.com) which sails off at 7.30pm. The 1920s Cantonese opera performance, complete with costumes and acrobatics, is a must. There are 360-degree views from the patio deck, a reverent nod to its illustrious past as the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

DINNER: Stroll over to the gorgeous K11 Art Mall for a meal at Mercato (www.mercato-international.com), mouth-watering Italian from celebrated Michelin two-star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Worth a visit, too, for picturesque patio views and window shopping on the mall’s lower floors.

NIGHTCAPS: Party at Party Pier. Converted from an unused brewery, clubs, bars and eateries come alive from dusk until dawn in this precinct, fringed by unparalleled views of the majestic Canton Tower. Drop in to Revolucion, Suns, Code Red or Zapatas then head back to the W and the very chic Fei for a final fling where big-name DJs and a sensational live band lead the playlist.

GETTING THERE Clockwise from far left: explore the historic urban area of Shawan Town; dim sum is a must; stroll the canal-side laneways of Liwan; the tranquil Baomo Garden has many stone bridges over ponds full of koi

China Southern Airlines flies direct between Brisbane and Guangzhou, China, daily. See www.csair.com/en/

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ESCAPE

A NIGHTat the Zoo Fiona Harper goes wild for a night but who’s watching who at this zoo?

S Jungle bungalow 20 | BNE November/December 2018

urrounded by wildlife and artefacts more at home in Kruger than Canberra, sleeping with the wildlife is all part of the fun at Jamala Wildlife Lodge. A plush take on traditional African lodges, tucked away in Canberra’s National Zoo & Aquarium, accommodation is provided in ‘Jungle’ bungalows and ‘Giraffe’ treehouses secluded in the zoo grounds or in the self-contained uShaka Lodge with its own pool and spa.

The seven-room uShaka Lodge was formerly the private residence of the zoo’s owners Richard and Maureen Tindale and their six children.

The much-travelled, environmentally-focused Tindale’s were sizing up options to run a big-cat breeding program when the rundown aquarium and native wildlife park came on the market. Since 1998 they’ve taken in rescued animals from circuses and private collections

Published under license from Well Travelled Media

uShaka Lodge

around the world, giving neglected animals a leisurely retirement home. Three generations of the family now work with international zoos and breeding programs in an effort to conserve and protect endangered species.

Jamala is named after a beloved king cheetah that Richard forged a strong bond with before it died and the Tindales make no secret of the fact their luxury lodge accommodation and ‘zooventures’ offered to visitors are a way to bolster funds to help protect the future of the animal kingdom.

Animal encounters are integral to the overnight experience at Jamala. After checking in mid-afternoon, with tea and cupcakes demolished in the lounge of uShaka Lodge, we set off on an escorted tour to meet the inhabitants while learning about the zoo’s breeding and conservation programs such as Free the Bears.

I’m booked into a Giraffe Treehouse in the middle of the zoo overlooking the banks of the Molonglo River. Elegantly appointed with African artefacts, polished hardwood floor and exposed timber beams, a king bed draped with fine muslin dominates the room. In case I forget who’s keeping me company, the walk-in shower is adorned with a floor to ceiling giraffe mosaic.

At the front door a beguiling herd of deer and alpacas roam freely. Out the back, resident giraffe Hummer awaits.

He’s well-drilled in the process of new arrivals who have booked a feed and photo opportunity on the balcony of a Giraffe Treehouse. We’re standing eyeball to eyeball as Hummer’s enormous head looms over my balcony, his long-lashed eyes dark and inquisitive. His cheek is so close I could reach out and stroke it, were I not reminded of strict instructions to resist such urges. I am, however, permitted to hold out a carrot for him.

Hummer’s black tongue snakes around the carrot, slobbering on my hand as he whips it deftly from my grasp. Within moments it’s disappeared down his throat and he’s looking for another. I hold out another, then another, which disappear down Hummer’s throat with lightning speed. After our brief yet oddly emotional

NEED TO KNOW

encounter I feel like a jilted lover when his keeper moves him on to the next treehouse.

But there is little time to reflect on rejection as dusk is settling over the zoo and it’s time for pre-dinner drinks and canapés at uShaka Lodge.

I’ve also got a scheduled meeting with white lion brother and sister duo Jake and Mishka.

Over chilled champagne on the veranda the guttural roar of lions, known as the Brat Pack, ensure we don’t forget our surroundings. On cue Jake and Mishka appear, preening and posing magnificently for our cameras. Then, as we move into the Rainforest Cave for a five-course African-influenced degustation dinner they settle down metres from my chair. A sheet of floor-to-ceiling glass is the only thing preventing the diners from becoming dinner.

Long shared tables ensure that dinner is a jovial affair. We share stories about our accommodation, or more particularly, ‘our animal’. One couple has a Malayan Sun Bear to ogle, a grandmother and granddaughter are sleeping with a tiger.

Returning to my Giraffe Treehouse I pour a glass of wine and observe Hummer from a distance, wondering if he’s resting as he quietly patrols the enclosure beyond the glassframed balcony.

What goes on in a giraffe’s head? Protected from predators I half hope he will curl up on the dirt and get comfortable for the night, as I’m about to do in my treehouse. I fall asleep to the deep roar of lions, idly wondering if my dinner companions bedding down in bungalows fronting the lion enclosure will get any sleep.

With Hummer the star of the show and in such close proximity, I feel as though sleeping is cheating. Like a scene from Sleepless in Seattle I toss and turn, getting up throughout the night to check on him. It’s the same each time.

Standing motionless, his elegant neck catches the moonlight. I hope he’s sleeping.

• The National Zoo & Aquarium is 10 minutes from Canberra city centre and about 15 minutes from Canberra Airport.

• Rates at Jamala Wildlife Lodge include breakfast, dinner and dinner beverages, and guided zoo tours.

• There are 18 rooms and suites that accommodate from two to six people each.

• Take afternoon tea in the lounge area at uShaka Lodge while viewing sharks in the five-metre deep aquarium.

• Zooventures, including being a zookeeper for a day and feeding the animals, can be booked at extra cost.

• Yes, there are white lions, tigers, cheetahs, meerkats, rhinos, zebras and giraffes, but look out for the more unusual tree kangaroo, red panda, Malayan Sun Bear, eland, lemur, marmoset, elk and many more.

See www.jamalawildlifelodge.com.au

Dinner in Rai

nforest Cav e

uShaka Lodg e lounge

GETTING THERE Qantas and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Canberra several times daily BNE November/December 2018 | 21

5

ESCAPE EXTRA

OF THE BEST TOURS IN TRANSIT

You’ll want to make time between connections when flying overseas for these mini stopover tours, writes Aneira Pretorius

HIGHLIGHTS OF

SINGAPORE

Changi is recognised as the World’s Best Airport by global review site Skytrax so it’s worth having a longer layover just to have time to explore the gardens (there are about 10), artworks and architecture which are on the itineraries of three different, free, guided hour-long tours in the terminals. Travellers with about five hours to spare between connections can choose from a daytime Heritage Tour visiting cultural districts such as Little India and Kampong Glam or an evening City Sights tour which includes stops at Merlion Park and the giant Avatar-like supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. See www.changiairport.com

HEART OF SEOUL Seoul’s Incheon International Airport offers nine different free transit tours daily ranging from two to five hours long, from Terminals 1 and 2.

English speaking volunteers host the tours which include traditional palaces and temples, the historic Songdo Hanok Village, Insa-dong (the popular neighbourhood known for its shops and folk-art galleries), markets, parks and beaches. Visitors will need to go through immigration and have relevant visas if required to join a tour. Search transit tours at www.airport.kr Korean Air flies direct between Brisbane and Seoul five times weekly

TRADITIONAL TOKYO You can get a taste of Japan’s food, culture and history without staying overnight, just by taking one of the tours available as part of Tokyo’s Narita International Airport Transit & Stay program. You will need to exit immigration and customs to join a tour and be back inside the airport at least two hours before your next flight departure but a guided walk along the historic Omotesando Street to browse its craft shops, inns and restaurants on the way to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple provides a snapshot of traditional Japan.

Get more interactive at a traditional tea ceremony, taste unagi (freshwater eel) cuisine, be dressed in a kimono for great instagram photos, watch a fire ritual or practise the meditative art of shakyo or sutra copying available at extra cost ranging from 500-5000 yen (about AUD$6.50 to $65) per person. Nine different tours are available, each about three hours long. See www.narita-transit-program.jp Qantas flies between Brisbane and Tokyo daily

Singapore Airlines flies direct between Brisbane and Singapore four times daily

IN TAIPEI

Savvy travellers can time their international connections to fit in a free half-day tour from Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport and soak up the city’s history. Two tours depart each day – one morning, one afternoon – visiting sites from the modern, including the towering Taipei 101, to the traditional such as the Qingshui Zushi Temple built in 1769, Sanxia Old Street lined with renovated red-brick buildings dating back to the late Qing Dynasty, and Yingge Ceramics Old Street which is the pottery capital of Taiwan and home to more than 800 resident artists and 100 outlets selling different ceramics. See www.taiwanholidays.com.au/ free-half-day-tours-for-transit-pax EVA Air flies direct between Brisbane and Taipei four times weekly

KUALA LUMPUR Kuala Lumpur has been ranked the world’s fourth best shopping destination and has three major sale festivals per year making it a great stopover for shopaholics to bag a bargain while in transit. From the international airport there’s a free shuttle every 20 minutes to Mitsui Outlet Park. International brands such as Versace, Bally, Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Under Armour are just a few that have stores in the centre, which also has flight check-in kiosks, online check-in access and free baggage storage. Allow two to three hours to explore and shop with a tourist privilege pass (available at the centre) that provides discounts to many stores.

See www.mitsuioutletparkklia.com.my Malaysia Airlines flies direct between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur four times weekly

Images: Taipei 101 and Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul/Shutterstock.com

Temples AND towers

SHOP A BARGAIN IN

R E I N V E N T I O N O F T I M E L E S S L U X U RY Book your experience at brisbanemarriott.com

ESCAPE EXTRA

Coral RESTORATION ON THE

reef Australia’s first corals to be grown in an ocean-based nursery have been planted successfully on the Great Barrier Reef in a bid to help reefs recover from cyclone and bleaching events. The ‘reeforestation’ process mimics nature and accelerates growth to enable reefs to recover from damage more quickly – many of the ‘farmed’ corals grew two and a half times their original size in just six months.

The Reef Restoration Foundation is working with scientists at James Cook University to establish the coral nursery at Fitzroy Island, about 30km south of Cairns, and a Coral Crusaders program has been launched to help the Foundation fulfil its goal of planting 25,000 new corals by 2021. To find out how to contribute see www.reefrestorationfoundation.org

Qantas, Jetstar, Tigerair and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Cairns several times daily

GIDDY UP

NEW

P

eter Gould has coached Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in their horse-riding skills for the film Australia so you’re in good hands on a trail ride at Cowboy Up, the family business he runs with wife Gill from their working cattle property ‘Lilyvale’ at Emu Creek, two hours west of Brisbane. Chances are you’ll be riding a film star too as their horses are also in demand for movies and TV commercials. Trails meander through picturesque countryside where wallabies and wild deer roam and native birds provide the soundtrack.

Rides from one hour to a half-day cattle muster, from $70 per person. See www.cowboyup.com.au

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craft beer and wine trail in WA Margaret River and the Swan Valley in Western Australia are well-known for their wines but a new map takes visitors off the beaten track to explore the beer and wine delights of the Peel Region just an hour’s drive south of Perth. The Peel Craft Beer and Wine Trail leads to seven boutique breweries and wineries from Oldbury, less than 40 minutes drive from Perth, to Mandurah and further south to Yarloop travelling through a spectacular landscape along the way. The trail guide includes some special deals at venues, food recommendations at towns such as Pinjarra and Waroona and more information about the region. Download the guide at www.visitpeel.com.au Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Perth several times daily

ANTARCTICA from the air Hobart joins the departure points for the first time on the world’s only Antarctica flight-seeing tour on 25 November (detouring via Melbourne) but Brisbanites may want to hold out for the direct flight from their home city now booking for 10 November 2019. The round trip is about 12 hours, with about three of those spent over the icy continent. Antarctic expeditioners offer expert commentary as the Qantas Boeing 747 cruises as low as 10,000 feet above icebergs and ice floes, mountains, glaciers and plateaus while complimentary refreshments are served. Prices start from $1199 per person but opt for a rotating seat (where passengers change positions mid-flight to share the view) from $1999. There’s also a New Year’s Eve flight departing Melbourne on 31 December. See www.antarcticaflights.com.au

Into the wild in style

Qantas and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Los Angeles daily

TRAVELLO UPGRADES

S

North America’s hottest new eco-camp is not even open yet but some dates for the northern summer (next August) are already booked out. AutoCamp in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is just a shuttle ride from Yosemite National Park and is expected to open early next year with luxury tents and cabin suites, but it’s the 80 deluxe custom Airstream trailers (pictured left) that have intrepid travellers flocking to this insta-worthy ‘camping’ experience.

City folk need not be afraid, there will be a clubhouse with super viewing deck, indoor/outdoor lounge areas, pool, hot tub and a curated marketplace offering artisanal food and beverages on the doorstep. There’s a ‘pond’ for kayaking and hiking trails nearby. AutoCamp is about 270km east of San Francisco and 450km north of Los Angeles. Bookings are open for dates from February 2019 with prices ranging from about $190 to $450 per night.

See www.autocamp.com

Travello, the social networking app started three years ago by footy mates Mark Cantoni and Ryan Hanly from northern Queensland, is already used by more than 350,000 travellers to connect in 180 countries but a boost from new investors will help it grow even further. While enhanced features and more resources in key markets are on the cards Hanly says the investment will also help it add to its BlueTee platform for travel businesses to connect with customers in-destination. Download the app from Apple store and Google play or see www.travelloapp.com

TASTE OF LUXE

ala Samui Chaweng Beach Resort is one of Thailand’s newest luxury resorts which opened in January at Koh Samui, but even if you’re not staying in one of the stunning balcony pool suites with ocean views (pictured right) you can get a taste of luxe at the Sunday Social brunch – a lingering affair from noon to 4pm each week in The Tent beachfront restaurant and bar. It’s an all-you-can-eat selection of tapas and fresh seafood from about $65 per person (alcohol not included) with live jazz on the side. You will want to get a room after this. Trust us! See www.salahospitality.com Thai Airways flies direct between Brisbane and Bangkok, Thailand, for onward connections to Koh Samui BNE November/December 2018 | 25

I

QUEENSLAND John Rooth has spent more than 50 years traversing the country, on motorbikes and in his trusty 4WD, Milo. He’s been prospecting for gold and opals, a tour guide and a motoring journalist. One day he followed his heart to Queensland and it changed his life. He’s since earned a reputation as Australia’s favourite bush mechanic and his new book Out of Range is a snapshot of some of the epic journeys he’s taken, shared with some tips for exploring the country offroad. Here, we find out more about his travels …

John ‘Roothy’ Rooth

26 | BNE November/December 2018

OUTBACK ADVENTURER, AUTHOR

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live with my wife Karen and our kids Holly, Tom and Joe on a couple of acres of old pineapple farm near Wynnum. We’ve been around here since we married 25 years ago.

YOU’VE LIVED IN FIVE STATES … WHY DID YOU MAKE YOUR HOME IN QUEENSLAND? I used to ride my motorcycle up from Armidale in country NSW to visit a girlfriend here in the 1970s. We’d take her car and camp out on Bribie Island, just surf, sun, shorts and thongs. Then we’d go bush up the Sunshine Coast hinterland or down into the Border Ranges. Queensland’s got everything I want and I’ve still got that bike too.

WHERE AND WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST? I was about to say “anywhere except the city” but then I thought about the Brisbane Jazz Club at Kangaroo Point, the annual Riverfire fireworks, the markets and food stalls at South Bank, and all the fantastic restaurants with food from all over the world.

It’s a tough question, but sitting on the veranda of the Walkabout Creek Hotel in McKinlay (about 1600km north west of Brisbane via Longreach and the Landsborough Highway), yarning with Frank the publican and a couple of old bushies who remembered droving cattle for Kidman is hard to beat. If you live in Queensland, you’ve got no excuse not to be happy!

YOU GREW UP IN THE BUSH BUT NOW LIVE CLOSE TO THE CITY. WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK TO THE BUSH? For me the bush is all about solitude, about self-reliance, about common sense, about being in touch with country. Out there, whether it’s outback or beach, that’s my church. I need my bush big time and nowhere on earth has as much bush with so few people as Australia.

HOW MANY KILOMETRES HAVE YOU HAVE TRAVELLED? Milo’s got more than a million kilometres on four speedos and three motors. I did nearly 800,000 of those in the last 20 years. But my old Harley ‘Ruby’ has done 760,000km since 1984 too. It’s a big country out there!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S BUSH TRACKS?

Main Beach image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Clockwise from opposite: John Rooth and Milo; the ‘road’ to the campsite – Main Beach on North Stradbroke Island; the view from the ‘road’ at Cape York; Cape York Peninsula

In the outback when your feet could touch the pedals you were taught to drive. That’s bush survival, but all my kids learnt early too. I remember getting bogged in a riverbed at age 7 and getting my little Aboriginal mates to push me out. Later one of the stockmen showed me how to bung the Jeep in four wheel drive.

My first job was working on bridges all over country NSW. People forget that even in the 1970s most roads outside the towns were dirt.

Then my brother Nick and I prospected everywhere from the High Country to Quilpie, Lightning Ridge to Coober Pedy. I worked as a tour guide with trail bikes and ‘fourbies’, even my photo/journalism work always meant travelling the bush. Maybe 56 years now? Ouch, you reckon a bloke’d find a real job one day...

HOW OFTEN DO YOU DRIVE OUT BUSH NOW? Last weekend we were down Main Beach on Straddy (North Stradbroke Island/ Minjerribah) just for a quiet camp. Next week I’m off to the High Country to help keep some tracks open. Next month Nick and I are going prospecting again in the hills behind Gympie. My problem is staying home long enough to get the grass mowed.

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I

QUEENSLAND

YOUR NEW BOOK OUT OF RANGE IS A GUIDE TO SEVEN OF THE MOST ICONIC 4WD ROAD TRIPS IN AUSTRALIA. HOW DID YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO JUST SEVEN? Because my publisher figured I needed some focus or I’d rabbit on forever.

YOUR FIRST BIG TRIP IN QUEENSLAND WAS TO CAPE YORK. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? In 1975 a girlfriend moved to Cairns so a few weeks later I chucked in working on bridges and followed her up there. Turned out she had another fella so with no job and nothing else to do I decided to ride to the top of Australia. The map showed lines and dots that looked like roads and towns but the reality was a track winding through the bush and cattle stations.

My old BMW R60 was a road bike but it handled the dirt OK and being handy on the spanners meant I wound up working at a few of the stations and workshops along the way. These days I still meet people from the communities at Lockhart and Bamaga who remember the bearded hippy on the old black motorbike. It was almost five months before I got back to NSW. That trip changed my life though. I decided to get an education after that, and decided I had to live in Queensland one day too.

CAPE YORK GETS ITS OWN CHAPTER IN THE BOOK. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN UP THERE AND WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING BACK?

QUEENSLAND’S SAND ISLANDS GET A MENTION IN THE BOOK TOO. WHAT’S YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ISLAND DRIVE? They’re all good. We’re the luckiest people on earth to have these tropical paradises so close. But not much beats driving the beach at Fraser on an early morning low tide when the whales are on the move.

That’s when you know you’re alive.

There were 15 years between my first Cape trip and the next as a tour guide with a party of US Marines on trail bikes. There’s probably been 60 or more working trips as a guide or 4WD presenter since then but we’ve had two family holidays up there and they’ve been the best.

I spend so much of my travelling time thinking ‘I wish the kids could see this’ so actually taking them, and to see the sheer bliss of being surrounded by all that wild bush on their faces, yep, that was the best bit.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVE WITH THE FAMILY?

WHAT’S THE MUST-DO PART OF A CAPE YORK 4WD TRIP?

WHAT’S A DRIVE THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO PASSIONATE BUT LESS EXPERIENCED 4WDRIVERS?

It’s got to be the old Telegraph ‘Telly’ Track, even now. Bubbling creeks, rivers with waterfalls, miles and miles of bush tracks and always the knowledge that a handful of blokes on camels punched a wire on poles through here that connected Australia to the world. A lot of people do it now and that’s great but the thing about our Cape is it’s so big, there’s always somewhere new to explore.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN QUEENSLAND? The last DVD filming trip we did in Milo was through the old mining towns between Cloncurry and Mount Isa that were booming in the early part of last century. There’s not much left there now, just dirt tracks that are fading fast, a few bricks, pottery, bottles and bits of tin marking places that were once thriving towns like Ballara and Bulonga.

Sometimes we followed tracks near the old railway lines that connected those mines to the world. It’s the first work trip I’d taken Karen on because the kids were finally old enough to look after themselves and we were standing next to a lonely little graveyard reading the headstones when it all suddenly made sense. It was World War I, they were desperate for copper, zinc and lead to make bullets and shells. And here in one of the loneliest places on earth other men were dying down mines so that soldiers could kill each other in the trenches. I couldn’t help crying at the senselessness of it all. Some of that trip’s covered in the book.

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If favourite means most often it’s probably North Stradbroke. It still blows me away that a couple of hours from home you can drive down a beach and camp on the dunes. It’s got better since the Quandamooka people started looking after it, too.

Not many people know about Kroombit Tops, south of Gladstone, about 400km north of Brisbane. It’s an amazing place, sort of a plateau that sticks up above the surrounding country that’s so special it’s even got its own unique species of frogs and marsupials.

There’s some great bush camping and one of the four wheel driving loops takes you past ‘Beautiful Betsy’, a US Air Force Liberator that crashed in a storm in 1945. The country’s so dense that the wreckage wasn’t found until 1994. You can still see it, the engines, radios, everything, scattered around the bush.

ANY OTHER MUST-DO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DRIVES IN QUEENSLAND? Winton. If you haven’t spent some time driving the country around Winton you’ve missed out. Old Bladenburg Station is now a national park and you can drive around it, exploring places like Skull Hole and Scrammy Gorge. Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda at a waterhole near Winton. This district is as Aussie as it gets.

YOU’VE BEEN DRIVING THE SAME VEHICLE ‘MILO’ FOR 20 YEARS. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT? Tools and parts, usually for the last thing I fixed. That’s the golden rule of bush mechanics, the last thing you fixed is the first thing that’ll break down. I’ve always got water and food for a few days and there’s a cask of red wine stuffed under the seat too. If nothing else it makes my cooking taste OK ...

YOU HAVE STOOD FOR THE SENATE IN PAST ELECTIONS, WHY? The biggest issue in the bush is that people are leaving. Farming’s all about machines now and the machines are getting bigger. Pretty soon they’ll be self-drive, steered by GPS from a distance. If you drive through the country you’ll see lots of abandoned farms and then one where the sheds are bigger, the lawns still mowed, the farm that swallowed the others because ‘big’ makes money these days. Less people working the land means towns shrink as the shops can’t do business, the schools close, post offices and pubs shut down. Yet as the cities get bigger more people want to holiday in the bush.

If we can encourage people to head bush, to spend their money in country shops, to patronise bowling clubs and pubs along the way then that’ll be good for all Australia. Most politicians never think beyond the boundaries of their electorate. That’s not good enough.

HAVE YOU FOUND OTHER WAYS TO GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS? Yep, Out Of Range! I’m hoping my book will get people thinking that if that bloke can go to these amazing places in an old $500 truck, we can too! Rob ‘the Duck’ Smith and I have a radio show on the Macquarie Media network that goes out to 215 regional stations now and there’s more than 30,000 subscribers on the Roothy YouTube channel too.

We’re always working on the message!

YOU ALSO STARTED A CAMPAIGN CALLED GET OUT THERE. WHAT’S THAT ABOUT?

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

As the cities get bigger and life gets busier, there’s so much stress on people that families suffer. ‘Get Out There’ is all about going bush, taking the family camping, spending some quality time away from this world of digital distractions. It’s a pretty easy formula and this is the best country on earth to do it but a lot of people don’t even realise it’s possible.

ANY QUEENSLAND DESTINATIONS STILL ON YOUR BUCKET LIST FOR DRIVING? I want to spend more time around the Scenic Rim, that wonderland of old volcanoes and beautiful valleys just south of Brisbane. We used to have day drives around there when the kids were little but there’s so much more to see in those hills.

DO YOU EVER HAVE A HOLIDAY WHEN YOU’RE NOT DRIVING OFF-ROAD? Maybe I spend too much time away from home but my favourite onroad destination is the waterfront here in Wynnum-Manly. Actually I’m taking Karen down for lunch at the Seafood Café today. When you’re a Queenslander home is as good as a holiday gets!

Out of Range by John Rooth is out now, published by Michael Joseph

Clockwise from top left: Out of Range does include journeys outside Queensland, including the Kimberleys in Western Australia; it’s not always easy driving; Eliot Falls in Jardine River National Park, Cape York Peninsula

TASTE

HIGH SPIRITS Craft beer is so last year. There’s a thirst for small batch spirits now and Queensland distilleries are making their mark, as Tonya Turner discovers

Wayne Stewart at Beenleigh Artisan Distillery

C

raft spirits are taking Australia by storm and Queensland distilleries are up there producing some of the best. Although the odd bartender might still tell you that good whiskey must come from a cold climate and good rum from a hot climate, industry leaders and those in the know have well and truly been convinced otherwise.

Alasdair Malloch, founder of Whipper Snapper Distillery in WA and spokesperson for the Australian Distillers Association, says climate is just another influencer of flavour. “Queensland has great distilleries. I would say Queensland makes such great products because of the great ingredients and the skill and craftsmanship of the distillers. These are what are putting Australia on the global map as a great spirit producing country,” he says.

It was 1901 when small pot stills were banned in Australia, putting a handful of large operators in control of the market. It wasn’t until the law was changed in 1992, led by Bill Lark of Lark Distillery in Tasmania who became the first person in the country to receive a small batch distilling licence, that the door opened for artisan distilleries across the country.

More recently the industry has grown at a rapid pace from just 10 distilleries nationwide a few years ago to more than 120 distilleries now, with about a dozen based in Queensland.

A growing interest in provenance has helped drive the change. “People want great products made locally from premium Australian produce,” Malloch says. As for the distillers, it’s the chance to be part of an age-old tradition on their own terms.

While vodka sales are slowing, the popularity of whiskey, rum and gin is on the rise and predicted to change Australia’s drinking culture for the long-term. “These spirits really allow Australian distillers to showcase great local produce such as grains, sugar cane and botanicals. It also has a

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lot to do with the concept of ‘premiumisation’. We live in a society where once people taste and can afford better quality they don’t go backwards,” Malloch says.

BEENLEIGH ARTISAN DISTILLERY

It may not be the biggest but Beenleigh Artisan Distillery is Australia’s oldest distillery still in operation. Located about 40 minutes drive south of Brisbane’s CBD, the distillery first opened in 1884 and still operates from its iconic original red building on the banks of the Albert River at Eagleby.

Master distiller Wayne Stewart, 55, has worked at the distillery for 38 years and seen five changes in ownership.

The biggest change, however, happened about 15 years ago when the distillery moved from high quantity continuous stills to small batch pot stills. “We went back to making Beenleigh Rum the old-fashioned way with a bit more time and care. Nowadays with a pot still you can make a more premium style product which everyone is wanting,” he says.

Although modern machinery has helped streamline the production process, there is an art to distilling that comes down to skill and instinct. “You need a good nose for smells and a good memory for those smells. It’s all about attention to detail now. You still need the old-fashioned skills but technology has made it more consistent,” Stewart says. The molasses is exclusively sourced from a familyowned sugar mill based in Queensland at Rocky Point just north of Port Douglas and the rum aged in handmade oak brandy barrels helping to deliver a smooth finish.

A modern visitor centre has been added to the site and Wayne is proud to have worked at the historic business all these years. “Being the oldest working distillery in Australia is a nice feather in our cap,” he says.

KALKI MOON First there was Bundaberg Rum. Now there’s Bundaberg gin and it’s known as Kalki Moon. Owner Rick Prosser, 43, was a master distiller at the world famous North Queensland rum factory where he worked for 13 years before deciding to go out on his own. He opened Kalki Moon in early 2017, naming it after the suburb he lives in (without the “e” on the end “to get the locals talking”) and late nights after a few too many drinks on the back deck watching the full moon rising.

“We’ve had one producer of alcohol in the town for 130 years now so to launch with gin and vodka was very exciting and new,” he says. It’s early days, but business couldn’t be better. “In Queensland we’ve got great local botanicals we can use like locally grown lemon and cinnamon myrtle, ginger and native finger lime. It’s fantastic.

It’s the first business I’ve ever owned and I’ve focussed on affordable pricing,” he says.

Rick has managed to maintain a great working relationship with his former employer as well as Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, best known for their ginger beer. Along with fresh muddled lime and mint, he mixes it with his already award-winning gin to create the Gin Gin Mule. Kalki Moon is also hoping to release its first small batch rum late next year.

Rick Prosser of Kalki Moon

MT UNCLE DISTILLERY On a banana plantation in Far North Queensland, Mark Watkins, 37, is having the time of his life defying critics who say you can’t make whiskey in the tropics. As the director and head distiller of Mt Uncle Distillery in Walkamin where he grew up an hour’s drive west of Cairns, he produced the highly awarded single cask, single malt whiskey that received a gold medal at the revered World Whiskeys Awards in London this year.

The Big Black Cock (featuring a dark feathered chook on the bottle) was first released in 2014. It uses Queensland barley grown on his cousin’s farm in Dalby and is aged for five years in hybrid American/French oak barrels. Rather than trying to replicate a Scottish or American whiskey, Mark says he wanted to create something uniquely Australian.

“We don’t have to age it as long as you do in a cool climate. It’s a chemistry thing. All chemical reactions happen faster with heat and we get bigger barrel permeation,” he says.

After almost being expelled from school six times, Mark went on to study environmental science at university before deciding to start the distillery on his parents’ property in 2001. He also makes

gin, rum, vodka and liqueurs and was named Australian Whiskey Distillery of the Year at the Melbourne International Spirits Competition this year.

“We grow most of our stuff here and all the botanicals for the gin are grown on site,” he says. Their signature Botanic Australis Gin, which Mark spent three years perfecting before releasing it in 2010, was based on a 300-year-old London dry gin recipe with the original ingredients substituted for Australian natives.

“Australian botanicals are notoriously very bold and brash to deal with,” he says. “Instead of using lemon to mimic lemon peel we used lemon scented gum, lemon myrtle and native lemongrass so that’s where I drew upon my wasted youth in botany,” he says.

Upcoming releases include a pineapple gin using fruit grown on a local farm and a spiced rum that has been in the works for four years. Mark says running a distillery takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices but he wouldn’t trade it for anything. “I enjoy doing tastings and when people love the products and their faces light up, that’s what it’s all about for me. Ruffling the feathers of the traditional whiskey fraternity is also pretty fun,” he says.

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WHAT’S ON

ECCENTRIC JOURNEY TO A

Hollywood actor Bill Murray is a master of surprise. His starring roles are divergent enough – from Ghostbusters and Charlie’s Angels to his award-nominated roles in Lost in Translation and St Vincent – but browse through the shared experiences at www.billmurraystory.com and you’ll see how he has caught his legion of fans unawares – photobombing engagement photos, crashing the parties of strangers (and washing the dishes afterwards), riding a kid’s bike through a department store – in full fireman regalia. He’s been snapped cleaning the air conditioner in a favourite bar and grill and sneaking chips off a fan’s plate while chatting at the airport.

He’s one star who marches to the beat of his own and, most often, very different drum so we shouldn’t be surprised that another chance encounter has led to an unexpected new world tour for Bill Murray.

Similarly to many of his other encounters he struck up a conversation on a transatlantic flight with renowned cellist Jan Vogler. They became friends but even more than that, after sharing a poetry walk in New York, the two hatched a plan to collaborate and the New Worlds Tour was born.

Murray calls it a collision of two worlds, partly reflected by the backgrounds of his new group – each of the four members, including Vogler’s wife, are from different continents. Murray provides the vocals in song and prose while the music comes from Vogler on cello, his wife Mira Wang on violin and pianist Vanessa Perez in a mash-up of classics from the literary – Twain, Whitman, Hemingway – to the note-worthy, including Bach, Bernstein and Gershwin as well as Tom Waits and Van Morrison.

According to Murray the blend of American and European classics demonstrates the bridges that artists have built between worlds, bringing them closer together. “These are some of the strongest voices that influenced generations and gave people a picture of the energy and creative force of the ‘New Worlds’.” Equally this is a uniquely creative project and a side of Bill Murray not seen before.

Brad Heaton

HOT TIX

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new world

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and Friends perform at Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane, on 16 November. Tickets from $99.90 plus fees. See www.qpac.com.au

Paul Kelly

Twenty One Pilots

Hot on the heels of the launch of his new album Nature featuring poems from literary greats such as Dylan Thomas and Sylvia Plath, as well as his own original compositions, Paul Kelly will perform on 21 December at Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens with special guests Angus and Julia Stone. Tickets $99 plus fees. See www.ticketmaster.com.au

The Grammy Award-winning duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, whose song ‘Heathens’ was the lead single on the Suicide Squad soundtrack, will perform their hot hits and tunes from their latest album Trench at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall on 18 December. Tickets from $101.75 plus fees.

See www.premier.ticketek.com.au

LATIN FEVER Brazilian zouk champions Michael Boy and Aline Borges (right) will get temperatures rising at the Brisbane Latin Dance Festival, a red hot program of dance shows, competition, workshops and social dance parties at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, 22-25 November.

Spectator tickets from $20. See www.brisbanelatindancefestival.com

hits

School Holiday The Cat in the Hat

The book revitalised reading for first graders and has sold millions of copies since it was first published more than 60 years ago. Not a word is changed in this lively adaptation by Katie Mitchell brought to the stage by Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, city from 17 November to 19 January 2019. Tickets $20 per person at www.artstheatre.com.au

We are Aliens Is Earth the only planet with life? Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley from the Harry Potter films) narrates an epic ride in the hunt for evidence of alien life in this show at Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-tha, until 11 December. Suitable for children aged 6 and up. A three-show pass costs $37 (adult) or $22.50 (child aged 3-14) or family tickets are $44. See www.brisbane.qld.gov.au (search facilities and recreation).

Ibsen’s modern makeover Logie Award-winning actor Danielle Cormack (below), director Paige Rattray and writer Melissa Bubnic are reunited in Queensland Theatre’s production of Hedda – now with a distinctly local flavour thanks to Bubnic’s sharp-tongued adaptation. The trio last worked together on an original work of Bubnic’s called Boys will be Boys, a biting satire set in the world of high finance, which received glowing reviews. This time Ibsen’s classic feels Bubnic’s barbs as she sets it, too, in a contemporary world – a glitzy Gold Coast, specifically – where Hedda is a “vastly different character with a different drive and different ambition to the Hedda of Ibsen,” Cormack spilled at Queensland Theatre’s program launch. Jimi Bani, Bridie Carter and Jason Klarwein also star.

Hedda is on from 10 November to 8 December at Bille Brown Theatre, South Brisbane. Tickets from $49 (adult). See www. queenslandtheatre.com.au

Free outdoor movies Enjoy family movies under the stars at free monthly screenings including Christmas favourite The Polar Express showing from 7pm at Little Bayside Park, The Esplanade, Manly on 1 December (Mr Bean’s Holiday is coming on 5 January) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 is the final free movie screening for the year at the grassy amphitheatre at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Fig Tree Pocket, from 6.30pm. BYO blankets and cushions. Food available on site.

The Wiggles Pop! Big Show Time to practise the Propeller, the Hot Potato and more Wiggles moves before taking little ones to this arena show with special guests Santa Claus and dancing reindeers.

Three shows at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall on 15 and 16 December.

Tickets from $36.75 plus fees at www.premier.ticketek.com.au

The Grates

The Wombats

Thundamentals

Patience Hodgson and partner John Patterson have spent more time behind the bar at their Southside Tea Room in Morningside than on stage in recent years but fans can rejoice that they are reuniting with original drummer Alana Skyring for a show at The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley on 15 December. Tickets from $39.90 plus fees. See www.thetivoli.com.au

They’re festival favourites and they love it here so much we’re ready to make them honorary Australians – our ‘furry’ friends from Liverpool are back with songs from their latest album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life and more on 30 November at Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens. Tickets $89.90 plus fees at www.ticketmaster.com.au

Hip hop trio Tuka, Jeswon and DJ Morgs mark a decade of the ‘Thundakat’ and a departure from their usual political commentary to share a message of love from their new album I Love Songs at The Tivoli on 23 November. Jeswon describes it as the most “true to us” project they’ve ever released. Tickets from $59.90 plus fees at www.thetivoli.com.au BNE November/December 2018 | 33

WHAT’S ON

s a m t s i r Ch Cheer

DON’T MISS

Lighting of the Christmas Tree 30 November 6.30pm King George Square City Hall Lights 7-24 December from 7.30pmmidnight (every 15 minutes) King George Square The Enchanted Garden 7-19 December 6.30-10pm Roma Street Parkland The Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols 8 December, gates open 4pm Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens Christmas Parade 14-23 December from 7pm Queen Street Mall to King George Square Christmas in South Bank 14-23 December 3-10pm South Bank Parklands Christmas Cinema 15-23 December at 8pm River Quay, South Bank Parklands Christmas Carols 15-23 December 6pm and 7.15pm River Quay Green, South Bank Parklands Christmas Fireworks 20-23 December from 7.45pm Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank Parklands

A CHRISTMAS CAROL PETER COMBE’S

Christmas Album LIVE IN CONCERT

He’s known as ‘King of the Kids’ for songs such as ‘Wash Your Face in Orange Juice’ (Mr Clicketty Cane), ‘Newspaper Mama’ and ‘Toffee Apple’, all hits on his first Christmas album released nearly 30 years ago. It’s been a favourite ever since, prompting Combe to give in to his fans’ requests and take the music on tour, landing at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm on 2 December. Prepare to sing along just don’t expect to hear ‘Jingle Bells’. Tickets from $45 (adult) or from $156 (group of four) plus fees. See www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

Gypsy Jazz It will be a rare opportunity to hear brothers Ian and Nigel Date (pictured) perform together at Oz Manouche, the annual festival of gypsy jazz hosted by Brisbane Jazz Club. Inspired by the work of Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt – his standard ‘Minor Swing’ is perhaps best known from the film Chocolat – the Date Brothers have a repertoire that ranges from gypsy campfire and the lowdown bluesy sounds of New Orleans to South American street party and sophisticated inner city salon, showing just how versatile contemporary gypsy jazz can be. As well as a stellar cast on the playlist there will be skill-based workshops during the festival. From 29 November to 2 December at Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point. Tickets from $26 per person, festival passes from $140. See www.brisbanejazzclub.com.au 34 | BNE November/December 2018

Multi-award winning actor Eugene Gilfedder and multi-instrumentalist Salliana Campbell bring their gifted talents to shake & stir’s world premiere production of A Christmas Carol, the timeless classic adapted specially for Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). Campbell has composed a new work for the production which also includes yule-tide carolling, lavish costumes and snow. At Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane 7-16 December. Tickets from $49 (adult), $39 (child) or from $47.25 for a family.

See www.qpac.com.au

Spirit of Christmas Christmas carols are an annual tradition at QPAC, sung in concert with the backing of a full orchestra.

At Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane, on 21 and 22 December. Tickets from $59 plus fees.

See www.qpac.com.au

ART FROM THE ASIA PACIFIC

From a distance Aisha Khalid’s massive tapestry may look like an elaborate embroidery but close-up it is clear the design is made from millions – literally – of tiny gold-plate and steel dressmaker pins. Khalid’s work, entitled Your way begins on the other side, was commissioned by the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada and is on loan to QAGOMA as part of APT9 which boasts a showcase of works, textiles included, by more than 80 artists from more than 30 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Khalid, from Pakistan, was inspired by the quote from a Rumi poem to create her work based on a theme of the garden – look closely and you will see a pond, flowers and animals – that also carries a political message about predators and prey, strong versus weak, where the garden becomes a jungle.

About her inspiration she says, “the poem is very meditative, but also very appropriate for everyday life”. Khalid will speak about her work as part of the opening celebrations for APT9 at QAGOMA on 24 and 25 November.

The exhibition, including a kids program and special events, is free and runs until 28 April 2019. For details see www.qagoma.qld.gov.au

DANCE

WHEN WHAT NOVEMBER 3-4

Dog Lover’s Show

3

Markiplier, YouTuber

3 Children’s Festival From 4 Sunday Social on the Green weekly 6 Taylor Swift 6

AND L R E D N WO

magic

Josh Norbido (pictured) is a master of ‘mingle magic’, an illusionist whose work is best observed close-up so when he performs at Wonderland Festival at Brisbane Powerhouse only 30 seats will be available at each show. Such fearless performances are the hallmark of the festival which presents more than 25 shows over 11 nights in an end-of-year carnival of comedy, burlesque, circus, music, magic and more. The program includes four world premieres, including Two Man Tarantino – an hilarious hour of comic chaos as Emily Vascotto and Stephen Hirst re-enact the entire Quentin Tarantino filmography from Reservoir Dogs to Hateful Eight.

Wonderland Festival, from 22 November to 2 December at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm. For tickets see www.wonderlandbrisbane.com.au

Def Leppard

9 9-17 9

The Betoota Advocate Roadshow, comedy The Rubens Bespoke, Queensland Ballet Dionne Warwick

9-11

Supanova

8

Italy’s Teatro alla Scala is the latest world-renowned ballet company to make its debut in Brisbane as part of the exclusive International Series hosted by QPAC. As well as Teatro alla Scala’s own star dancers, the double bill program of Don Quixote and Giselle will feature guest artists from American and European companies in lead roles. Don Quixote also will be simulcast free at 10 regional cities in Queensland, from Bundaberg to Hinchinbrook, on 10 November. Performances 7-18 November at Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets from $79 plus fees. See www.qpac.com.au

WHERE

11 Armistice, theatre, free 10-22 Avenue Q 10-11

Sam Smith

14

Tali, My Country exhibition

16

Drawing the Body, art class

16

RnB Fridays Live

17

Tali, My Country Curator’s Talk

17 18

Mandy Patinkin Whose Line Is It Anyway?

20

John Young, exhibition

20-21 21 22 From 22

The Catherine Tate Show An Evening with The Church Love/Hate Actually Zoe Young, The Sea is the Key the Ocean is the Potion, exhibition

24

Gang of Youths

Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane Robelle Domain Park, Springfield River Quay, South Bank The Gabba, Woolloongabba Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm The Star, Broadbeach, Gold Coast Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Brisbane Arts Theatre, Petrie Terrace Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall Mitchell Fine Art Gallery, Fortitude Valley Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City Hall Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills Mitchell Fine Art Gallery, Fortitude Valley Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Philip Bacon Galleries, Fortitude Valley Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm Edwina Corlette Gallery, New Farm Brisbane Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

From North by Northwest 27

Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane

29

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Asia Pacific Screen Awards

From Moonlight Cinema 29 30 Jeff Horn v Anthony Mundine

Roma Street Parkland, city Suncorp Stadium, Milton

DECEMBER Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee Alive HOTA, Surfers Paradise QSO Star Wars V: The Empire Brisbane Convention and Exhibition 1 Strikes Back in concert Centre, South Brisbane Brisbane Convention and Exhibition 2 2Cellos Centre, South Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 5-6 Shania Twain Boondall 7 Irish Christmas The Star, Broadbeach, Gold Coast Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 9 Kevin Hart, comedy Boondall 9 Good Things Music Festival Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills Brisbane Convention and Exhibition 10 Steve Irwin Gala Dinner Centre, South Brisbane 20 Living Colour The Triffid, Fortitude Valley Logan Entertainment Centre, 22 Mosaic: The Musical Logan Central From Redlands Performing Arts Centre, Polish Cultural Festival 27 Cleveland From Queensland Tennis Centre, Brisbane International Tennis 30 Tennyson 31 The Abba Show The Star, Broadbeach, Gold Coast Queensland Pops Orchestra New 31 QPAC, Concert Hall, South Brisbane Year’s Eve Gala

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Image: Hugh Stewart

BOOKS

5 MINUTES

WITH MARKUS ZUSAK ….

It’s been 13 years since Marcus Zusak wrote The Book Thief, which has seen his worldwide fame soar, but the idea for his latest book, an Australian family saga called Bridge of Clay, has been much longer in the making What is the book about?

The Dunbar brothers bring each other up in a house run by their own rules – their mother is dead, their father has fled – and Clay, the quiet one, decides to build a bridge as his one chance at making one beautiful, perfect thing.

Where is it set?

It’s set in Sydney, in a fictional racing quarter, which is important because Clay and his brothers own several pets, including a mule. It’s also set on a property Clay travels to, outside a town called Silver, where he builds the bridge with his father.

When did you get the idea for Bridge of Clay?

I actually had the idea when I was 20 years old, and I don’t think I was quite ready at the time to write it. I tried, though, but knew at least enough at that age to understand that what I’d written wasn’t quite what I was looking for … so, 23 years later, it’s finally done, with five other books written before it.

What was the most difficult thing about getting started on a new book after the huge success of The Book Thief ?

It was an unexpected success, and a lot of great things come through the door, but doubts and fears come through as well when the door opens so widely. That said, I always felt that the core idea of Bridge of Clay – of a boy building his whole life into a bridge – was my best idea, so a lot of the pressure was also created from within, regardless of The Book Thief.

Have any books influenced your writing?

The Iliad and The Odyssey were really important to Bridge of Clay, and actually run through the novel. Penny (Clay’s mother) arrives in Australia with those two books, and I was always drawn to the epic nature of those stories, the nicknames of their heroes (the fast running Achilles; Hector, tamer of horses; laughter-loving Aphrodite), and I loved the thought of bringing that kind of feeling to the story of a family in an Australian suburb.

When and where do you most like to read?

My mind is freshest in the morning, so I prefer to read then, most often at the kitchen table. I find that the kitchen is where a lot gets done, and a lot of life gets lived, so adding reading to the mix only makes it better.

Markus Zusak talks about his new book Bridge of Clay (Picador Australia) on 20 November at The Greek Club, Edmonstone Street, South Brisbane (bookings at www.avidreader.com.au) and on 21 November at Lourdes Hill College, Hawthorne (bookings at www.riverbendbooks.com.au).

36 | BNE November/December 2018

More good reads …

It’s no surprise that Christmas features in plots at this time of year and for best-selling author Karen Swan it’s a specialty – her latest book, The Christmas Lights (Macmillan), is her seventh themed around the season and exposes another relationship on the rocks, this time in the snowy landscape of Norway; meanwhile Cecily Gayford has compiled a collection of stories by some of the best classic crime writers, including Patricia Highsmith, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Rendell, Adrian Conan Doyle and more in A Very Murderous Christmas (Profile Books).

More haunting is A House of Ghosts by W.C Ryan (Zaffre); or readers who find espionage and crime more thrilling than spirits will be looking out for Courtney’s War by Wilbur Smith (Zaffre), Ambush by James Patterson (Century), Jack Reacher’s return in Past Tense by Lee Child (Bantam Press), the second outing for PI Daniel Hawthorne in Anthony Horowitz’s latest The Sentence is Death (Century), Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer or David Baldacci’s new protagonist FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine in Long Road to Mercy (both Macmillan).

The season brings plenty of new biographies and memoirs written by some of Australia’s best journalists, from The Price of Fortune (HarperCollins), James Packer’s first biography by The Australian’s Damon Kitney and broadcaster Kerry Obrien’s self-titled memoir (Allen and Unwin) to Andrew Rule’s portrait of world champion racehorse Winx (Allen and Unwin).

On the other hand, One Ordinary Day (Hamish Hamilton) by TV presenter Leigh Sales is not a biography or memoir but it does give a candid insight to her vulnerability during a very bad year in her life just as she asks many others tough questions about harrowing times in their own lives.

However, if you’re looking for hints towards your own self-improvement you may want to turn to PR queen and social media juggernaut Roxy Jacenko’s Little Book of Tips and Tricks (Allen and Unwin) to build your ‘brand’ and succeed in business, coming in December; or when you’re on that long haul to the other side of the world you might welcome Dusty Sandman’s 101 Things To Do When You Can’t Get To Sleep (Faber) also out in December. Although John Lloyd’s 2,024 QI Facts To Stop You In Your Tracks (Faber) might have the same effect but if you find you can’t remember too many of them when you wake up then you might benefit from reading cryptic crossword guru David Astle’s Rewording the Brain (Allen and Unwin) on how to boost memory and brain power. There are some sample crosswords included to start training your brain as you go. And just when you thought there is nothing you’d want to learn from that crazy species called politicians adman Rob Sears has found some creative ways Vladimir Putin: Life Coach (Canongate) might inspire your own approach to the daily grind, and unleash a few chuckles from within at the same time.

Find more good reads at Watermark Books & Café, Newslink, Aero and News Travels, Domestic Terminal Level 2 and at News Travels, International Terminal Levels 2, 3, 4.

Matthew Reilly will talk about his new book The Three Secret Cities on 5 December at Bulimba State School (bookings required at www. riverbendbooks.com.au) and will sign his books at QBD, Chermside (6 December), Dymocks Indooroopilly, Queen Street Mall and Carindale 6-8 December (see www.dymocks.com.au)

DAY IN THE LIFE Ata and Ephraim Fesolai from New Zealand in transit to the Gold Coast

Alexandra Reilly on her way to Adelaide

Helen Taimana welcomes sister Maile home from the Philippines

BRISBANE AIRPORT is the gateway to 83 CITIES across Australia and overseas, opening up a WORLD of adventure for more than 23 MILLION passengers every year. These are just a few snapped on their journey...

Monique Bathis on her way to Utah, USA

Students Jessica Aura and Javana Johnson on their way home for holidays to Indonesia and PNG David Rodrigues farewells Merit Hein on her way home to Estonia

Photography by Marc Grimwade

Zoe, Noah and Adam Kurat on their way to Mackay

Kim and Greg Ryan welcome home daughter Chelsea from Disneyland, Paris

Sevilay Keser and Nelson Ball on their way to Bali

BNE November/December 2018 | 37

BNE NEED TO KNOW

Enviro-friendly BUSES

A new fleet of electric buses is now being used to transport passengers between Brisbane Airport terminals and Skygate retail precinct or the long-stay AIRPARK. The new buses are quieter and better for the environment, reducing carbon emissions equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road each year. Interiors, too, have been designed with travellers in mind, with plenty of luggage racks, three full-sized double doors for easy entry and exit and GPS next-stop announcements.

Brisbane Airport is the first Australian airport to introduce a fleet of 11 electric buses for passengers and services operating between the Domestic and International Terminals from 4am to 11pm daily; between the terminals and Skygate from 6.30am (weekdays, and from 8.30am weekends) to 6pm; and 24/7 between terminals and AIRPARK. Terminal Transfer Bus services are free. For timetables see www.bne.com.au/passenger/to-and-from/terminal-transfers

TRANSPORT OPTIONS AT BRISBANE AIRPORT PASSENGER PICK-UP ZONES

TERMINAL TRANSFERS Passengers transferring between the terminals can travel via the free Transfer Bus which departs at regular intervals from Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal. See the BNE app for timetables.

38 | BNE November/December 2018

BNE PARKING Convenient, secure and undercover short and long-term parking is available within walking distance to both terminals. For more information about special offers and full product offering including valet, car washing, AIRPARK and more see www.bne.com.au

RIDE SHARE PICK-UP ZONES Look for the signs indicating Pre-Booked Express and Ride Booking (Ride Share) zones outside each terminal.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TransLink is the local bus, ferry and train public transport network stretching north to Gympie, south to Coolangatta and west to Helidon. For information and timetables see www.translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

TRANSPORT BOOKINGS Image: Uber

Domestic Terminal: A dedicated pick-up waiting area provides free parking for the first 30 minutes for drivers arriving to collect passengers from Domestic Terminal, located beside the P2 long term car park and accessed from Dryandra Road. Passengers can contact the driver when they are ready for collection and the driver can proceed to the pick-up location. For easy how to use instructions see www.bne.com.au/ International Terminal: The dedicated passenger pick-up area for international arrivals is located at ground level at the northern end of the International Terminal. It is accessible only to drivers collecting passengers who are ready and waiting at the kerb.

Alternatively, waiting areas with longer parking options can be found at the pick-up waiting area accessible from Dryandra Road (up to 30 minutes), Skygate shopping and dining precinct or Kingsford Smith Memorial (both up to two hours), all just minutes from International Terminal.

Drivers collecting passengers with a disability or mobility limitation from International Terminal can stop in accessible waiting bays on the Level 4 ‘Departures’ Road.

Domestic Terminal: On the central road between the taxi pick-up and passenger drop-off on either side of the Skywalk.

International Terminal: Outside the terminal at the southern end on ground level.

A Brisbane Airport access fee of $3.90 applies to all pick-ups from the Ride Booking zones, which will be added to your booking by your ride sharing service. For location maps see www.bne.com.au/to-from-brisbane-airport/ transport-options

Coach, rail, limousine and corporate car bookings can be made at the Visitor Information Centre, Level 2 International Terminal or Level 1 Domestic Terminal.

TAXIS AND AIRTRAIN Taxi ranks International Terminal Level 2, kerbside Domestic Terminal Level 1, kerbside Airtrain provides regular rail links between Brisbane Airport, Brisbane city, Gold Coast and TransLink network as well as terminal transfers. Tickets available in the terminal or at the station.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES For information about accommodation, tours, transfer tickets and general enquiries, Visitor Information Centres are located on Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal Central Area.

LOCAL AMENITIES

CURRENCY EXCHANGE Travelex currency exchange and transfer facilities are on Levels 2, 3 and 4 International Terminal and Level 2 Domestic Terminal near Gate 23.

Skygate is Brisbane Airport’s retail and dining precinct, a short free ride on the Transfer Bus from the terminals. There are more than 160 stores, including brand-name factory outlets, a 24/7 supermarket, hairdresser, gym, restaurants, chemist, medical clinic, hotel, beauty services, barber, tavern and golf leisure centre.

BAGGAGE LOCKERS

AIRPORT ambassadors Welcoming volunteers are available to answer questions and offer directions to visitors within Brisbane Airport’s Domestic and International Terminals. Look for ambassadors wearing bright blue shirts if you need assistance and our team of Chinese-speaking ambassadors wear red shirts.

TAX REFUND SCHEME (TRS) The TRS enables international travellers to claim a refund, subject to certain conditions, of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) that you pay on goods bought in Australia. For details see passenger information at www.bne.com.au If your purchase is part of your carry-on luggage: The TRS office is located past security and passport control, just to the right of the JR/Duty Free entrance.

If your purchase is packed in luggage you intend to check: Before you check-in your luggage make your way to the Australian Border Force Client Services Office, located on Level 1 International Terminal. For further information call 1300 363 263 or see www.customs.gov.au

TOUR BRISBANE AIRPORT Do you have a question about the new runway?

Would you like to go ‘behind-the-scenes’ of airport operations? Brisbane Airport hosts free tours for community groups. Find out more at www.bne.com.au/tours

ROTARY CLUB OF BRISBANE AIRPORT The club is a vibrant group of professionals with a shared passion to support the local community who meet weekly and new members are always welcome.

For details see www.bneairportrotary.com

Find small, medium and large lockers for short and long-term hire at the terminal entrance to the public car park at International Terminal, at either end of Domestic Terminal, or next to the bus stop at Skygate.

DISABILITY ACCESS Airlines are responsible for assisting passengers with disabilities within terminals.

Passengers should refer to their airline’s policies prior to booking their ticket.

A dedicated Changing Places bathroom facility for the use of travellers with special needs is located on the central ground floor area of Domestic Terminal (near Qantas baggage carousel 3).

Facilities for assistance dogs are available at International Terminal Level 3 Departures and Domestic Terminal Level 2 Central Area.

POLICE For assistance at Brisbane Airport telephone 13 12 37.

LOST PROPERTY International Terminal Visitor Information Centre, Level 2; call (07) 3406 3190 or email international@sqt.com.au

Domestic Terminal Enquiries first to airlines –

Qantas (gates 1-25) call +61 7 3867 3264 Virgin Australia (gates 38-50) call +61 7 3114 8150 Jetstar (gates 26-36) call + 61 7 3336 1752 Tigerair email ttbne.ops@aerocare.com.au before contacting Visitor Information Centre, Level 1; call (07) 3068 6698 or email domestic@sqt.com.au

Car parks and buses

Contact Visitor Information Centre as above.

WiFi access

Brisbane Airport has the fastest uncapped free WiFi in Australia available at International Terminal and Domestic Terminal Central Area.

BNE IT ALL BEGINS HERE

Seoul

Beijing

South Korea

China

Tokyo (Narita) Japan

Shanghai (Pudong)

Guangzhou

China

China

Shenzhen China

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

Bangkok

Abu Dhabi

Hong Kong

Taipei Taiwan

China

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

Manila

Philippines

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Singapore Singapore

Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

Denpasar Indonesia

BRISBANE

BRISBANE

to the world

To 83 destinations direct from Brisbane and beyond

Air China

Air Canada

Air Niugini

Air New Zealand

40 | BNE November/December 2018

Aircalin

Air Vanuatu

Cathay Pacific

Alliance Airlines

China Eastern Airlines China Airlines

Emirates China Southern Airlines

Eva Air

Etihad

Fly Corporate

Fiji Airlines

Vancouver

Canada

Los Angeles USA

Honolulu

USA

Darwin

Nauru Nauru

Cairns

Apia

Munda Honiara

Cloncurry

Samoa

Solomon Islands

Mt Isa

Port Hedland

Espiritu Santo

Longreach

Vanuatu

Alice Springs

Port Vila Vanuatu Nadi

Uluru

Fiji

Noumea

New Caledonia

Auckland

Perth

New Zealand

Moranbah Barcaldine

Blackall

Emerald

Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) Hamilton Island Mackay Rockhampton Gladstone

Biloela Bundaberg Windorah Charleville Fraser Coast (Hervey Bay) Birdsville Roma Miles Quilpie BRISBANE BRISBANE St George Toowoomba Thargomindah Cunnamulla Norfolk Island Moree Inverell Narrabri Coffs Harbour Tamworth Armidale Dubbo Port Macquarie

New Zealand

Queenstown

Townsville

Newcastle Orange Sydney Lord Howe Island Wollongong Canberra

Adelaide

Wellington New Zealand

Christchurch New Zealand

Melbourne

Dunedin

New Zealand

Launceston Hobart

Map not to scale. Please note airlines and destinations are current at time of print.

Hawaiian Airlines Hainan Airlines

Korean Air Jetstar

Malindo Air

Malaysia Airlines

Philippine Airlines Nauru Airlines

Rex

Qantas/ QantasLink

Singapore Airlines Samoa Airways

Thai Airways

Solomon Airlines

Virgin Australia

Tigerair

BNE November/December 2018 | 41

10

ESCAPE EXTRA

reasons we like

FRASER ISLAND

1. The vanishing lake

6. Jewel in the crown

Green-coloured freshwater Lake Wabby is the deepest lake on Fraser Island but is slowly being swallowed by the colossal sand dune Hammerstone Sandblow with reports that it may completely overtake the lake sometime in the next century. Lake Wabby is home to several species of native fish and turtles and makes a great picnic spot, but be prepared for a 45-minute walk from the One Tree Rocks car park to get there.

Lake McKenzie is Fraser Island’s most popular lake with pure silica sand that is not only dazzling white, it is also perfect for cleaning jewellery. Could Meghan’s royal rings have left here with some extra sparkle? For a quieter swim in the clear waters away from the crowds, head to the hidden beach just around the corner on the west side.

2. Butterfly Lake from the air The only way to see the twin wings of Butterfly Lake is from above on a scenic flight with Air Fraser Island, taking off and landing on 75 Mile Beach. Joy flights from $100 per person. See www.airfraserisland.com.au

3. Free water ride Up to four million litres of fresh water flow out from Eli Creek to the beach every hour and the current creates a natural water ride. Bring a spare tyre tube, blow-up pink flamingo or your floaty of choice and drift downstream to the beach. There’s a boardwalk alongside the creek to the starting point.

The world’s largest sand island, called K’gari by the Indigenous Butchulla people, has long been a playground for the adventurous, which now includes Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and his Duchess Meghan who visited last month during their first official Australian tour. Here are the things not to miss on a visit to the island

5. Military trail Prince Harry’s interest in everything military is well documented, so he was likely fascinated by the top secret, high-level training missions conducted on the western side of Fraser Island during World War II. The 900 men in the Z Special Unit trained in the island’s bush, sub-tropical rainforests and on its beaches and formed part of Australia’s first Special Forces. Known only to the Prime Minister and High Command, this unit completed more than 260 operations behind enemy lines during the war.

Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a three-hour guided tour of the Z Commando School site and monument.

For a truly memorable sunset view it is hard to find a better spot on the island than the jetty at Kingfisher Bay Resort. It is one of the island’s gateways and a favourite fishing spot too. Grab a glass of wine from the jetty bar and settle in for a dramatic red sunset across the calm western bay. This also is an excellent place to see the island’s wild dingoes at sunset or sunrise.

8. Bubbly dip Fraser Island’s eastern beaches are pounded by surf and strong currents and not recommended for swimming, so the only safe spot for an ocean dip is at Champagne Pools between Waddy Point and Indian Head at the northern end of 75 Mile Beach. The volcanic ‘coffee rock’ formation creates natural pools fed by the crashing waves for some frothy fun.

4. Silent creek Winding through a rainforest valley filled with tall trees and palms, Wanggoolba Creek is a little bit different to streams you’re likely to encounter elsewhere. When you get there it sounds eerily quiet as the clear water flows across white sands – with no rocks in the creek beds there’s no noise of flowing water making this one of Fraser’s ‘silent creeks’.

7. Best sunset view

9. Under Queen’s canopy Clockwise from top left: Champagne Pools; Butterfly Lake; Pile Valley

Like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, be awed by the majestic Fraser Island satinay trees (that can grow to be 1000 years old) on a stroll through the Pile Valley.

The trees once were used in the construction of the Suez Canal and London docks but logging has long been prohibited and the forests of Fraser Island have been designated part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative, officially commemorated by Prince Harry and Meghan on their recent tour.

10. Dine on bush tucker Nibble on native berries bursting with flavour, relish in the refreshing citrus of lemon myrtle and discover how these and other locally sourced ingredients can be used in cooking as part of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Tastes of Australia program, guided by their chef.

See www.kingfisherbay.com

– Kerry Heaney

For more information see www.fraserisland.net 42 | BNE November/December 2018

BRISBANE REGION MAP

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which Brisbane Airport stands and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging. *The general locations of larger Indigenous language groups of South East Queensland on this map are indicative only, based on the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia published by Aboriginal Studies Press

Map illustration by Eun-Young Lim. Map is not to scale or exact and an indication only.

BNE November/December 2018 | 43

SPOILT FOR CHOICE AT BRISBANE AIRPORT

Relax and unwind at your choice of three quality accommodation options within the Brisbane Airport precinct. Perfectly positioned as the closest hotels to Brisbane Airport, the Pullman, Novotel and ibis Brisbane Airport Hotels are sure to entice even the most seasoned travellers.

LANDING NOW www.bneahg.com.au | 07 3139 8114