BNE Magazine Issue 25

FR EE YO M UR AG AZ IN E

ISSUE #25 MARCH/APRIL 2018

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

WHAT’S ON BEST TOURS, FOOD FESTIVITIES ADRENALINE ADVENTURES + MORE

WOW

SUPERNATURAL encounter in Tasmania Roads less travelled in

INDIA

WOMEN CHANGING THE WORLD

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SUSIE O’NEILL

The Madame Butterfly Effect

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

CONTENTS

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4 Brisbane Airport News

International passenger numbers surge; mega wall art for new concourse in International Terminal, and more

6 Women changing the world

Women of the World gather in Brisbane for a festival of ideas, arts and solidarity

8 The Madame Butterfly effect

More people than ever are listening to what swimming sensation Susie O’Neill has to say

ESCAPE 10 Roads less travelled in India Escape the city crowds on dizzyingly high mountain routes for a truly authentic experience

13 Win $5000 to travel

Enter our competition to win a travel voucher worth $5000

24 The haunting

A supernatural encounter in Tasmania

26 Escape extra

Surf expeditions; new walking trail in Tasmania; the river cruise that comes around once a year, and more

20 Adrenaline

adventures

Challenge your inner athlete with these thrilling activities

TASTE 28 Feast of festivals

Eat, stay, play at these festivals to indulge your taste buds

31 Flavours of the world

Get a taste of Italy, Asia, America and more without leaving the airport terminal

WHAT’S ON 32 The rise of Dami Im

The pop star gets intimate with her audience; festivalmania, and more

34 It takes a village

Refugees tell their stories; exhibition for the selfie generation, and more

35 Events calendar

Find out what’s happening around the city

GC2018 14 Let the Games begin

I QUEENSLAND 36 Taliqua Clancy

16 Take a detour

GALLERY 39 Day in the life

The eyes of the world are on the Gold Coast but the legacy will last long after the Commonwealth Games

Explore the Gold Coast beyond the sports events on these short tours

17 Eats to beat

Food is also centre stage and the Gold Coast has plenty of top contenders

18 Best of the Festival for free

There are more than 1000 arts events to enjoy during GC2018 and most of them are free

28

he eyes of the world will be on the Gold Coast when thousands of athletes and visitors arrive for the Commonwealth Games from 4 to 15 April and the city is ready – but it’s not only the sporting venues that will be in the spotlight as a multitude of performers, cafés, bars, restaurants and tour operators are also ready to show off the best the city has to offer … And that’s plenty, from a new wave of foodie hotspots to innovative performance on the streets, in the water and on the beach. Brisbane is your gateway to the Gold Coast (and it has some celebrations of its own going on) … read all about it here

Beach volleyball star

People in transit at Brisbane Airport

NEED TO KNOW 38 Helpful information for

visitors to Brisbane Airport

14 BNE magazine is published bi-monthly by Brisbane Airport Corporation Brisbane Airport Corporation Corporate Communications and Media Manager: Leonie Vandeven Managing Editor: Heather McWhinnie email: editor@bnemagazine.com.au Advertising sales: advertising@bnemagazine.com.au Designers: Mhari Hughes and Leanne Thompson, PrintPublish Cover photography: Susie O’Neill by Tim Hunter/ Newspix ©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.

40 Destination map 43 Brisbane region map BNE March/April 2018 | 3

BRISBANE AIRPORT NEWS

WALL ART DOMINATES

T Major events including the Rugby League World Cup, the Battle of Brisbane bout between Jeff Horn and Manny Pacquiao, a world class Brisbane Festival, concerts and more brought a surge of international passengers through Brisbane Airport in 2017.

New flights, airlines and more direct destinations also added to the biggest growth spike in international passengers the airport has seen in a decade.

More than 23 million passengers travelled through the airport’s International and Domestic Terminals during the year as airlines launched new routes between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur (Malindo Air), Shenzhen (Hainan Airlines) and Beijing (Air China), while others increased services on key routes including Singapore (Singapore Airlines), Dubai (Emirates) and Taipei (China Airlines).

Regional airlines also opened up new routes direct from Brisbane to cities including Wollongong and Wagga Wagga (Jetgo), Inverell and Orange (Fly Corporate).

Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO and managing director Julieanne Alroe says the airport’s proactive approach to increase its connectivity is making it easier for international travellers to choose Brisbane as their gateway to Australia and for locals to travel direct to more destinations within and outside the country.

With more major events on the calendar this year, from the international Routes Asia aviation industry forum in Brisbane in March to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April and more big ticket sports events, Alroe says Brisbane Airport is looking forward to more strong growth this year, boosted by more new carriers – Solomon Airlines will add a service direct to Munda in April and Malaysia Airlines resumes flights between BNE and Kuala Lumpur in June – and services such as Qantas’ new Dreamliner flights to Los Angeles from September.

BNE’s reputation as a world leader has also been recognised with a swag of awards, including Best Airport and Best Airport Staff in Australia/Pacific Region in the global Skytrax awards, Best Airport Oceania Region (Travel Experience Asia Awards), it is ranked in the top five Best Airports in the World (servicing 20-30 million passengers) and has been rated top Australian airport for quality of service for 13 years in a row.

PAY WITH CRYPTOCURRENCY

Travellers can now use digital currency or ‘cryptocurrency’ to pay for purchases at Brisbane Airport, from dining to gift shopping.

Brisbane Airport has partnered with local start-up TravelBit to be the first airport in the world to accept cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Dash, Ethereum and others, at a number of retailers across both terminals. Botanist, Spoon, Windmill & Co, Forte Espresso, nine awpl stores including Australian Way, Merino Collection, Carry On, Dreamtime Journey and multiple News Travels accept digital currency payments which keep the user’s personal identity private and cut transaction fees, exchange rates and transfer time.

4 | BNE March/April 2018

NEW FLIGHTS TO KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia Airlines resumes direct flights between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur from 6 June, operating four services a week and opening up a network of destinations in India (see our travel story on p10) and South East Asia.

Images: Kuala Lumpur by Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com; Sasha Cooper by Eric Wang

Surge in travellers to BNE

he new $73 million expansion of the northern concourse at Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal has been completed giving the departure level more boarding and dwell zones, four new aerobridges and four new walk-out gates, but it’s most dramatic feature is a new artwork that spans the full length of the 90-metre long concourse wall.

The mural, called Make the World A Lighter Place, is the work of Queensland College of Art (QCA) Master of Visual Arts student Michael Phillips who won the commission, worth $20,000, from 100 entries received in submissions exploring the concepts of adventure, discovery, connection and flight.

Phillips created the artwork in the QCA workshops at South Bank, making a series of wood block prints that were blown up and digitally printed on to more than 80 giant panels, each more than a metre wide. He says his work was inspired by the idea of the airport as a melting pot of different cultures and languages.

“Airports are really vibrant places,” he says. “You get this incredible mix of people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

The work I created uses large scale shapes that echo human forms, and I also wanted it to look a little like its own language – a kind of indecipherable graffiti.”

Brisbane Airport is home to one of Australia’s largest collections of public art valued at more than $10 million and the commission of Michael’s work adds to the display of other significant works including the 750-metre long Sensory Hug by the late Mrs Sally Gabori and Keep the Sunshine by Sebastian Moody, also at the International Terminal.

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NEW CONCOURSE

Above: Michael Phillips in the studio.

Left: Detail of his mega artwork Make the World A Lighter Place at Brisbane Airport

Sasha Steps Out BNE is the Official Airport for the Commonwealth Games coming to the Gold Coast in April and Sasha Cooper (pictured left), administration officer at Brisbane Airport Corporation and grandmother of 11, will enjoy her 15 minutes of fame when she joins the final stage of the Queen’s Baton Relay as a Batonbearer.

By the time Cooper gets to carry the Queen’s Baton on the Gold Coast, it will have been carried by a long list of celebrities including our cover star and Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winner Susie O’Neill (see p10) and pop star Dami Im (see p32). In total, 3800 Australians will have carried the Baton 40,000km over 100 days to reach its destination, passing through 83 communities in Queensland alone. The Queen’s Baton arrives at the Gold Coast on 1 April.

Take the plunge into Festival 2018 Gold Coast – 12 action-packed days of free culture celebrating the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Experience music, theatre, circus, dance, ideas, visual arts and film from our corner and across the globe.

gc2018.com/festival2018 BNE March/April 2018 | 5

ART53 BNE Press Ad.indd 1

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FEATURE

WOMEN changing the world ONE STEP AT A TIME More than 100 guest speakers and artists come together at WOW Festival in Brisbane to showcase the achievements and challenges of women in Commonwealth nations with panel discussions, workshops, speed mentoring and more. Here is a sample of their stories …

The power of music

I

t’s hard to believe that singer/songwriter Emily Wurramara’s first love wasn’t music. As a child on remote Groote Eylandt, off the coast of Northern Territory, she was surrounded by it – uncles and cousins playing in island bands, her mother singing to her and telling her stories of dreams and dolphins. She showed talent early – teaching herself piano at age 10 and writing her own music almost immediately.

But as a teenager growing up in Brisbane it was more fun distraction than dedicated passion. Then a family trip back to her childhood home on Groote Eylandt for a funeral had a profound and lasting effect.

“Men were lighting small fires on the side of the road as the coffin went past on the way to the burial ground and when I asked what they were doing they said they were smoking the person’s soul back to the Dreamtime. The men surrounding the car started singing in (Aboriginal) language and I found that the way they sang, the notes they used and the different harmonies gave those words more feeling.”

Wurramara was deeply moved by the language and was inspired by it.

“It made me feel at home so I started writing in my language,” she says, and it propelled her to pursue a career in music.

She admits it wasn’t an easy choice. In an interview with website The Pin she said, “It can be very difficult, especially where I come from where we still have a male hierarchy system. Me being a woman and living in the city, following my dreams, can sometimes be frowned upon because it’s not my ‘role’. I refuse to let that hold me back. I’ve stepped out of the boundaries and shaken things up. That to me is what it means to be a modern day Indigenous woman.”

Wurramara credits some very influential mentors who have helped her on the journey. Her manager Jo Pratt who was the first to encourage her to write in her language and share it on the public stage; Bernard Fanning who helped her create her first EP with award-winning producer David Bridie; internationally successful Indigenous singer/songwriters Sue Rae and Shellie Morris who offered their advice and support. All of them people Wurramara met by chance at workshops and early gigs.

Rae and Morris were two of her idols. “To meet such strong and like-minded women when I was so young, who gave me advice and would let me talk to them about anything, was motivation for me to keep pushing forward.”

Wurramara also started writing about things she is passionate about – nature and the environment at the top of her list. Her new single, launched just weeks ago and sung in her first language Anindilyakwa, is called ‘Ngardegujenama’ which means ‘I’m hurting’.

The song was written in response to mining on Groote Eylandt and in particular the battle fought by the community which resulted in a total ban on seabed mining around Groote Eylandt. “The song is a reminder to care for this beautiful country,” she says.

There are four songs in language on her debut album ‘Milyakburra’, due for release later this year (also produced by David Bridie), which Wurramara describes as a celebration of her childhood home on Groote Eylandt, community, culture, friends and family.

“It doesn’t matter what language you speak, music is a universal language and as long as people can understand it and feel it in their own way it can help and it can heal. I want to pass on my language to the next generation and music is a beautiful way to do it.”

Emily Wurramara appears at the WOW Songs That Made Me concert, 8 April, Concert Hall, QPAC; on 13 April at the Paddock Stage, NightQuarter, Helensvale as part of Festival 2018 Gold Coast; and on 7 April with Kev Carmody as part of Bleach* Festival 6 | BNE March/April 2018

Designing a better future Millicent Barty (right) followed her passion to study design and it was while she was researching a project for her university degree that she discovered that less than 20 per cent of adults in the Solomon Islands could read and write. So what began as a project to show how design could be used to preserve traditional stories from Solomon Islands culture soon had a greater mission to translate new and important information using traditional storytelling structures.

At first she sold greeting cards to help fund her start in business but within six months she had her first big break, winning the tender to design the communications materials for the general elections in 2014. Using her ‘Kastom Stori Taem’ model, provincial surveys showed a 64 per cent comprehension, a record for the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission.

“With more than 80 different dialects across 900 islands in the archipelago, communication is a major barrier for us. I believe that knowledge and information is key and we cannot limit an individual from acquiring knowledge or information because of their literacy level. Through infographics, we can overcome many of the limitations imposed by illiteracy,” she says.

Barty’s achievements were recognised last year with a Queen’s Young Leader Award and she carried the Queen’s Baton in her homeland on its journey to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April. However, she admits she has faced challenges on her path to success as a female in a patriarchal society.

“I’ve found it hard to be taken seriously, lost out on important contracts and faced cultural barriers. It’s a hard lesson to realise that not everyone shares your passion,” she says. But it has not slowed Barty. Her latest project is FlowerPAOA, a social media and radio platform to celebrate young girls doing great things in their communities. “There are so many girls doing great things I would like to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem for females and to provide a space where we can talk freely about the issues we face.”

Building the ‘Femeconomy’ Alanna Bastin Byrne and Jade Collins (pictured below) started website Femeconomy to use the spending power of women to accelerate gender equality in business, and with the value of that spend estimated to be in excess of $818 billion in Australia alone, it’s a powerful tool.

Femeconomy is not a shopping site, instead it lists businesses on the basis of its criteria to have women in leadership positions – if women make up at least 30 per cent of board members or 50 per cent ownership then the company gets a tick of approval; if not, no tick. Although 2000 businesses are listed in key categories of household shopping, from petrol and groceries to cars and cosmetics, initially only about a third had a tick of approval. However, soon after its launch the website influenced change.

For example, department store David Jones was listed with approval next to Myer which wasn’t. Within months Myer resubmitted their credentials to show they met the criteria for female board members. Similarly, one of the big four banks was on the approved list at launch and since then two more have been given a tick of approval, alongside several smaller banks.

Within 12 months an additional 150 companies had been given the tick of approval, and the list continues to grow.

“We’re not asking people to protest. It’s something everyone can do every day. Women are changing their purchasing behaviour based on our information, based on the female leader profiles we do and on their own learning. It’s growing,” says Bastin Byrne.

It’s a win-win for women and business says Jade Collins. “We think that if women start channelling their collective purchasing power towards brands that have women in leadership it will impact the business bottom lines. Not only will it advance gender equality, research shows that a company going from no women in corporate leadership to a 30 per cent female share is associated with a 15 per cent increase in profitability for a typical firm,” she says.

But the fastest growing spin-off from the consumer site is the growth in business-to-business referrals. According to Collins, more business women visiting the site are looking to Femeconomy to guide them to other businesses with female leadership for professional services.

“Our goal was to change consumer behaviour. We want women to shop for brands with female leaders to close the gender gap,” she says, but it’s also becoming a blueprint for social change. Their next goal is to launch Femeconomy in the US and UK to help create a movement that will have footprints in key world markets. “It will gain a momentum that will be bigger than us. We are a tool on the journey,” she says.

WOW Festival is on 6-8 April at Brisbane Powerhouse, tickets from $100 plus fees for one day pass. See www.brisbanepowerhouse.org BNE March/April 2018 | 7

COVER STORY

THE Madame Butterfly EFFECT It’s been nearly 20 years since Susie O’Neill stood on a medal podium but more people are listening to what she has to say than ever before.

Story by Tonya Turner

Susie O’Neill, above, photographed by Tim Hunter/Newspix; opposite page, with her 200m freestyle gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, photography by David Madison/Getty Images; and swimming in the 200m butterfly semi-final at the same Olympic Games, photography

by Michael Steele/Allsport 8 | BNE March/April 2018

I

t’s a weekday morning and Susie O’Neill has just come off the air from her number one breakfast radio show on Nova 106.9. The early morning starts are a no-brainer for one of Australia’s greatest swimming champions who won eight Olympic medals, including two gold, and holds the record for the most Commonwealth Games medals of any Australian female swimmer including 10 gold and five silver. It has been 18 years since she retired after competing at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and although early morning training sessions are a thing of the past, she is still up by 4.45am each day.

Soon she’ll be heading to a spin class with two of her co-hosts, Ash and Luttsy, her buddies on air and in life. Cycling is the preferred sport of the 44-year-old mother of two sporty kids, daughter Alix, 13, and son William, 12, these days, but she still hits the pool two or three times a week, returning to the place that taught her some of life’s biggest lessons.

Born in Mackay, Susie moved to Brisbane with her family as a baby and took up swimming when she was nine years old. It was 1982, the same year the Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane and the impact on Susie couldn’t have been more powerful. Just eight years later,

aged 16, Susie was competing at her first Commonwealth Games in Auckland. On the team were names that would go down in Australian sporting history including Lisa Curry, Hayley Lewis and Kieran Perkins. Susie won medals in both of her two events, including silver for the 100m butterfly and gold for the 4x100m freestyle relay.

“It was everything I dreamt of when I was a nine-year-old watching the Brisbane Games. I just couldn’t believe I was at a Commonwealth Games and had won a gold and silver medal. I remember my thought process at the time, thinking I was way out of my depth,” she says.

Over the next decade, Susie never failed to win a medal at an international competition and earned the nickname Madame Butterfly for what would become her pet event. In 1992, at her first Olympic Games in Barcelona, she won bronze in the 200m butterfly. With the full support of the nation behind her, she won three gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada including the 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay. Making history at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Susie was the first Australian female swimmer ever to win gold in the 200m butterfly and the first Australian female Olympic gold medallist in 16 years.

Focussed, driven and determined, the medals just kept on coming. But her final games before retiring were bitter sweet and the results still haunt her. Although she unexpectedly won gold in the 200m freestyle, making her the first Australian woman to win gold in successive Olympics since Dawn Fraser in 1960, in a major upset she was beaten in the 200m butterfly by American Misty Hyman.

“Even now if I have a nightmare it’s always about I’ve got to swim a 200m butterfly and I’m not ready for it, I haven’t done enough preparation, I’m going to miss my race or my starting block falls over.

I was starting to get scared of competing, I just wasn’t enjoying it as much. I was really done after the Sydney Olympics, really done,” she says.

Despite all the medals, the things Susie remembers most fondly are the friendships she made and the team camaraderie. “A lot of the time I was just so nervous and I had so many self doubts,” she says. “My first Commonwealth Games was my first multi-country event staying in a village. It was amazing. It’s still one of my favourite competitions I’ve ever been to. It’s hard to put into words but it just blew me away and the camaraderie we had in our team was amazing. I remember sitting down on the pool deck cheering and doing chicken dances and just having a lot of fun … At the time you don’t realise what such a good lifestyle it is but looking back it’s just amazing. I kind of wish I didn’t wish it away so quickly,” she says.

Although she doesn’t regret retiring from swimming after her decadelong career, on reflection she wishes she’d been able to enjoy it more.

Like so many athletes, Susie struggled to find a new purpose in the years following her retirement, even tearing up records and throwing out medals in an attempt to reclaim her identity.

“The first two years were amazing, it just felt like a holiday and I really enjoyed it, but then after two years I started to wonder, ‘what’s your next big goal?’ I had big goals from when I was 10 years old. There was always

something I was aiming for, so to not have that was the hardest thing, and not having a structure and not knowing what to do.”

Throwing her support behind charities and joining the Nova 106.9 breakfast radio show with Ash, Kip and Luttsy have been life-changing.

“I’m really enjoying the show. I love the challenge of it, I love the fact that it’s live, it gives you a buzz, a bit like competing,” she says.

Nova 106.9 Brisbane general manager Jay Walkerden says it is Susie’s no filter approach that resonates so strongly with listeners. “The overwhelming feedback from our audience is ‘wow, she’s so honest and really down-to-earth and says what I’m thinking,’ and I think that runs the gamut of both men and women,” Walkerden says.

This year Susie was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to swimming at an elite level, as a mentor and role model, and to the community through support for charitable organisations. With both her father and her husband Cliff Fairley working as eye doctors, she supports the Fred Hollows Foundation which treats and prevents blindness around the world. She is also an ambassador for the KIDS Foundation teaching children about injury prevention and recovery.

Enjoying the journey is a lesson Susie has tried to impart to upcoming athletes through her involvement with Swimming Australia over the years and one she will relay again at a ceremony for the Australian swim team in the lead up to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Although somewhat uncomfortable with her role model status, Susie’s disarming modesty, self-deprecating humour and down-to-earth attitude is what makes her message so powerful.

“I’ll feel awkward at the time, but the point I always like to get across is I’m just a normal person. When you’re younger you think people who succeed in your chosen field are different to you, or they’re freaks, or they’re more special than you, or have something more than you have.

But you realise when you reach that level that they don’t, they’re just the same as normal everyday people,” she says.

Swim coach Michael Bohl has known Susie since her teens and remembers her being technically beautiful to watch, a great racer and a fierce competitor. He now heads up the Griffith University swim club, training rising stars of the pool including Emma McKeon, David McKeon, Madeline Groves and Matt Wilson. Over the years he has often called on Susie to help put his young swimmers at ease and motivate them ahead of competitions, knowing she’d never let them down.

“I think she’s one of the best role models we’ve ever had in swimming,” Bohl says. “There are some people who do well at sport but don’t give the time of day to the kids who are on the way up and Susie is one of those ones who always gives back. She’s just such a pleasant lady and she’s very humble and very courteous and very giving of her time as well as being one of the greatest swimmers Australia’s ever produced. She’s one of the best ever butterfliers the world has seen. She’s really balanced and they’re the type of people you want your swimmers aspiring to be like.”

As a Batonbearer for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Susie will carry it with pride around the suburbs near her home in Yeronga, remembering her achievements and where her story began.

As the official radio partner for the games, Susie and the rest of the Nova 106.9 breakfast crew will be broadcasting live from the 12 day action-packed event from 4 to 15 April.

BNE March/April 2018 | 9

ESCAPE

R O A D S L E S S T R AV E L L E D I N

INDIA A

Maria Visconti takes the high road from Delhi and finds serenity in the Spiti Valley, far from the madding crowd

10 | BNE March/April 2018

n eerie low note floats above the river far below, followed by the clanging of metal plates and cups and the pitterpatter of young boys rushing upstairs. We are at Key Monastery, watching this scene unfold below us as 80 children (little would-be monks), summoned by the blowing of a conch, sit in orderly lines on an open terrace. Soon huge cauldrons of rice and dhal appear followed by mountains of flat breads which are distributed around and they eat.

The Key Buddhist Monastery sits on top of its own mountain more than 4000 metres above the Spiti River in Himachal Pradesh, India. While my photographer partner sets off up the hill to capture the beauty of this place in the evening glow, I dive into the warm kitchen where guests eat dinner and by chance I meet Hema, a fellow traveller and the face of the new India: she is 34 and single. Hema has just quit her corporate job to travel around for a year by public transport (yes, it is possible to get to this remote area by a daily bus service).

Key Monastery offers basic accommodation for travellers in mainly dorm rooms for a very modest price of about $10 per night – no bookings, just turn up. Guests’ donations can improve the quality of the children’s rice, says Nima Lama, the senior monk in charge in the kitchen.

We travelled more than 700km to get here from Delhi on a Royal Enfield Bullet – the legendary cruising motorcycle made in India since 1955 – leaving behind the big urban conurbations of 26 million people, the cacophonic sounds and heady smells of the city to cruise the sixlane highway to Chandigarh and the scenic road to Shimla. After that, it is a mix of tarmac and a few dirt roads, ascending higher every day through alpine forests fragrant with the scent of connifers and little traffic on the road.

Leaving the greenery behind, we entered the astonishing world of high altitude rock deserts. Magnificent vistas opened up after negotiating tight turns on a narrow road carved out of the mountainside

Opposite page from top: Key Monastery sits high above the Spiti Valley (Shutterstock); the author at the side of the road on a snack break (Vikas Panghal) This page: The landscape varies from green slopes to high altitude rock deserts (Shutterstock)

Chitkul, in the Kinnaur region, is a slight deviation from our route but definitely worth the detour. This ancient village, so very close to the Tibetan border, was once a bustling stop for Silk Road traders, including Marco Polo, and has exquisite architecture – centuries old granaries with woodcarvings decorating their façades. An ancient fort tower (made of wood) overlooks the entire village and there’s an eating place just hanging over the river where you can sit to eat and people watch as locals carry huge loads of hay from across the river for animal fodder and go about many other activities.

Even here there are two modern hotels and restaurants but we preferred something more authentic and stayed at Raj Guesthouse on top of the hill overlooking the village, and owned by a Hindu priest who also channels spirits …

In the evening, when it started gently snowing, we chose to eat dinner out on the veranda of the guesthouse, in spite of the chill, to watch snowflakes swirling in the night sky. Early in the morning the light dusting of snow made Chitkul a picture-perfect fairyland, especially the main Hindu temple that, with its pitched slate roofs and curved finials, is a reminder of its Far East connections.

Leaving the greenery behind, we entered the astonishing world of high altitude rock deserts. Magnificent vistas opened up after negotiating tight turns on a narrow road carved out of the mountainside. In some stretches, there are curtains of rock hanging overhead, their pleats so neat you can imagine them poised for a moment before fluttering in the wind.

This is one of the many unique things about motorcycle riding rather than driving in a car where things are framed. On a motorcycle you feel very much part of the landscape you are cruising through and looking up and around, imbibe your surrounds instead of seeing them only through the frame of the window … And the Spiti Valley puts on the most fascinating rock show. Every kind of geological formation is present, ever-

changing as we progress through the valley. Colours range from black to grey to sand and hues of copper. The road follows the river but far above it, so there is always a dizzying drop on one side and the silence is palpable.

The journey is full of surprises. Some villages, such as Tabo, nestle amongst apple orchards protected by a ring of high peaks and are a welcome green sight in this hard rock amphitheatre. Tabo’s Buddhist Monastery, founded in the late 10th century, has a very different architectural style from all the others in the region, lying low and inconspicuous due to its unusual earth colour.

Like Key Monastery, but on a much larger scale, Tabo also operates a school for about 300 children between the ages of five and 14, helping to support poorer students with free room and board in hostel-style accommodation. As the school population continues to increase they rely more and more on donations to maintain and upgrade facilities that are shared by students, monks and the local community.

The monastery also provides accommodation for visitors but we chose to stay at Namsay Guesthouse where we met its owner Dr Surej, an Ayurvedic doctor who looks after the health of residents in a few villages in the district. He is a keen conservationist and heritage-building BNE March/April 2018 | 11

ESCAPE

preservationist and the guesthouse is his traditional mud brick home, a historical asset he is proud to maintain in its original shape. He is also an entertaining conversationalist. While the cost to stay here varies depending on the season, we spent the night for about $20, and it is possible to book ahead for this one, see www.spitiaura.com Tabo village also has good eateries. Our favourite is Amit Dhaba run by a group of cheerful Nepali women offering a combination of Indian, Tibetan and Nepali dishes. The food is nutritious and devoid of any unnecessary sophistication: rice, dalh, momos, noodles, thukpa (the traditional local dish) and veggie mixes. It costs about $5 each for a hearty meal, about the average we paid anywhere in the region.

At every stop we found that chance encounters with local people enriched us with the kindness of strangers. For example, on a day trip from Key Monastery to explore the awesome rockscapes, we landed in Chicham and were in need of a restoring cup of tea, but in November there were no tea stalls open in the tiny village. A local lady passing by noticed our dismay and offered to cook for us. Although we insisted we would be happy with just a cup of tea, moments later we were sitting by her stove eating biscuits, drinking sweet, milky tea and learning about her life. She would take no money for it at all.

Meeting other foreign travellers along the route also enriched our experience. A French couple, also riding a Royal Enfield, told us they came to the Indian Himalayas to escape an overcrowded Europe. A Canadian woman – travelling by public transport – was testing her new artificial hip on a hiking holiday, with great success, she said. A young English man and his French girlfriend were travelling by a combination of local bus and hitchhiking.

This page from top: A view of the Spiti River (photography, Vikas Panghal); preparing Tibetan dishes in a local café (Greir/Shutterstock); Chitkul Temple (Vikas Panghal); parts of the road are carved through rock, often with dizzying drops over the side (Shutterstock) Opposite page: Dhankar Lake (Vikas Panghal)

12 | BNE March/April 2018

From Key, our journey takes us on to Dhankar (4000m), topping all expectations. Just getting there is a dream. The road is new, well kept and empty. Zigzagging all the way up to the village – perched on a horseshoe formation over an incredible void – is exhilarating. We are so engrossed in our ‘rocky mountain high’ moment we miss the unmarked, inconspicuous, dirt-road turn, but we don’t mind retracing our steps. It is a glorious, joyful ride and that evening the full moon spreads a silver mantle over this incredible place and we know we are blessed.

It’s no surprise that adventure motorcycle touring is on the increase in India and local tour operator Vikas Panghal, a veteran rider with more than 100,000km experience, confirms it, saying that it is becoming more popular with both foreign and local riders, including women.

One group of women is even using their passion for motorcycle riding as a way to raise awareness about local social issues. We witnessed this ourselves on a previous ride in Ladakh when we spotted a winding, pink ribbon unfurling down the mountainside. Soon, 30 Indian women riders wearing pink helmets and shirts came into sight. We discovered that they were the Biking Queens, a group formed by practising clinical psychologist Dr Sarika Mehta, who were spreading the word about the education of girls in rural areas and empowering women, a journey that covered some 10,000km across India in 45 days.

We covered about 2500km on our much more leisurely journey from Delhi to Dhankar and back, riding about four to five hours a day and covering about 100km with plenty of stops on the way. It took us to the heart of the Indian Himalayas, an area of boundless beauty and magic that is unforgettable.

Getting there: Our itinerary included Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Narkanda, Chitkul, Pooh, Tabo, Key, Kibber and Chicham (as day trips from Key), Mudh, Dhankar and back to Delhi.

The Spiti Valley is so close to the border with Tibet that permits are required for foreign travellers. They can be obtained at the District Collectorate office at Shimla or at Reckong Peo, on the way to Tabo.

Experienced riders can hire Royal Enfield motorbikes in Delhi or Manali. Or book a guided tour. For example, Vikas Panghal operates a tour to Ladakh see www.littlefrog.in

Malaysia Airlines resumes direct flights between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur from 6 June, with onward connections to Delhi

BNE March/April 2018 | 13

GC2018

LET THE

Games BEGIN

The eyes of the world will be on Queensland as the Gold Coast hosts the Commonwealth Games, and the city is ready to celebrate

14 | BNE March/April 2018

The Parklands precinct is expected to become a health and knowledge hub between Gold Coast Hospital and Griffith University, within easy access to both Brisbane and Surfers Paradise via the light rail link which extends south to Broadbeach and Pacific Fair shopping centre.

Since it completed its own $670 million redevelopment in 2016 Pacific Fair shopping centre has welcomed luxury retailers including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Michael Kors, Salvatore Ferragamo, Furla, Bulgari, Prada, Christian Louboutin and more to the complex. Now shoppers can rest at The Resort, a green space with water features and daybeds, and dine out at restaurants and bars late into the evening.

Across the road the former Jupiters hotel and casino has had a makeover to become The Star Grand as part of a $345 million expansion which includes the new six star tower called The Darling. And that’s just the beginning of Star Entertainment’s $850 million plan to build more towers post-Games.

BIG NUMBERS Economic boost to Queensland, more than

$2 billion

Global broadcast audience

1.5 billion

Private sector investment

$1.3 billion

Visitors expected during Games, more than

670,000

Athletes and officials, more than

6,600

Volunteers, more than

15,000

Tourism expenditure by visitors

$320 million

Post Games development

$1 billion

For information about the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games see www.gc2018.com For information about the Gold Coast see www.destinationgoldcoast.com

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

W

hen the Commonwealth Games begin on the Gold Coast from 4 April it will be the largest sporting event Australia will see this decade and the biggest sporting spectacular the Gold Coast has ever seen. More than 6,600 athletes and officials from 70 Commonwealth nations will descend on the city to take part in 18 sports and seven para sports over an action-packed 11 days.

As well as the sports events Festival 2018 has a program of more than 1000 arts, food and entertainment events taking place on the beach, on the streets and at special outdoor stages from Helensvale to Currumbin, at the Festival Hub at South Bank in Brisbane, in Cairns and Townsville, and most of them are free.

Queensland has invested $2 billion to host the Games, building three new world-class venues, including the Anna Meares Velodrome at Chandler in Brisbane and upgrading seven more to be competition-ready.

However, some interesting locations also have been called in to service including Village Roadshow’s studios at Oxenford (Movie World) – usually the site of production for major motion pictures, it will be the stage for table tennis, squash and boxing competition and Coolangatta beach, where the world’s best surfers are often catching a wave, will host the first ever Commonwealth Games beach volleyball tournament.

Some of the new venues already have been put to good use by locals and competitors alike, including the redeveloped Gold Coast Aquatic Centre at Broadwater Parklands which hosted the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, the new Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre which hosted World Cup Badminton last year and is a state-of-the-art tennis and golf academy with driving range, fitness centre and family-friendly facilities for all levels of players, and the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre where gymnastics competition and netball finals will be held during the Games.

Along with the sports venues, other key developments will benefit locals and visitors to the Gold Coast long after the Games have ended. The G-Link light rail line has been extended to Helensvale to connect with the main train line to Brisbane and direct access to Brisbane Airport via Airtrain, $160 million has funded road upgrades on the Gold Coast and the $264 million Commonwealth Games Village at Parklands will become a new residential and commercial community with more than 1200 residences available to rent after the Games.

GC2018

TAKE A

DETOUR There’s a different side to the Gold Coast just waiting to be discovered Swim with turtles

From top: Swim with turtles just south of Coolangatta; join a localyokl photographer to shoot beautiful scenes such as Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park; take a wine tour into the hinterland; or explore parts of the Gold Coast you wouldn’t otherwise see on a jetski safari.

Images: top, Destination Tweed Coast; below, Destination Gold Coast

You don’t need to go to north Queensland to swim with turtles, just head south from Coolangatta and one of snorkelling’s best kept secrets lies just off the coast (and over the border) at Fingal Head, barely 15 minutes’ drive away. Cook Island, a small volcanic outcrop 600 metres offshore, is a surprisingly pristine and protected aquatic reserve. It’s a permanent home for green and loggerhead turtles, a wide variety of fish, rays and octopus, even some types of sharks and wobbegongs, depending on the time of year. Three-hour tour including safety briefing and equipment $99 at Kirra Dive, see www.kirradive.com

Ride nature trails Yowgurrabah is a working cattle property spanning more than 1000 hectares in the beautiful Numinbah Valley about 45 minutes from Surfers Paradise on the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road. Sitting between Springbrook and Lamington National Parks on the Nerang River, there are plenty of nature trails to explore and owners David and Kimberley Lyons are happy to share, running fully-escorted horse-riding tours.

Our pick is the three-hour adventure trail ride with time for tea and damper, a yarn while the billy boils and a swim in the freshwater rock pools en route. Riding $135 per person, pick-ups from Surfers Paradise can be arranged, $25. See www.numinbahtrails.com

Go with a local Meet a localyokl who wants to share what they love about the place they live – hiking to the top of Mount Warning to view the sunrise (it’s a local tradition), surfing the best breaks on the Gold Coast or finding the best live music, they will take you there. Choose the experience you want from a range of more than 180 – from a photography expedition into the hinterland and editing your pics with Brett back at one of his fave cafés to river fishing with Brad and Clint, who know the local waterways so well they guarantee a catch of the day, or a full day fit and well tour with Sarnia which includes yoga, paddleboarding, bush exploration and healthy food finds. Prices vary. Connect with a local at www.localyokl.com

Wine time You might be surprised to learn that there are several wineries within coo’ee of the Gold Coast and the best way to find them is in a chauffeur-driven, air-conditioned 4WD Landcruiser so all you have to do is sit back, enjoy the scenery and the wine tastings. For example, the full-day Classy Wine Tour visits up to four wineries, includes a picnic lunch in the Botanical Gardens, a stroll along the arty Gallery Walk at Tamborine Mountain, craft beer and cheese tasting. There are also some top stops at lookouts along the way to admire the views to the coast. Day tour $130 per person, pick-ups from accommodation on the Gold Coast arranged. For details see www.coasttobushtours.info

Waterways safari There’s water, water everywhere on the Gold Coast – beautiful beaches, a river running through it, canals weaving their way through the suburbs and crystal clear rock pools in the hinterland – so one of the most interesting ways to view it is from the water. On a jetski safari you also learn to drive the jetski, so it’s an adventure and sightseeing all in one. Tours range from 30 minutes (a 15km cruise up the Broadwater along the shores of South Stradbroke Island and back) to the big bazinga – two and a half hours into the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park through wild mangroves, past islands you’d never get to see any other way and a pit stop at the isolated McLaren’s Landing Beach Bar on the 80km round trip. No matter which tour you choose there’s a 60-minute safety prep and practice run before you take off. Tours from $60 per person, see www.jetskisafaris.com.au For more touring ideas see www.destinationgoldcoast.com 16 | BNE March/April 2018

Eats to beat

Food is also centre stage during the Commonwealth Games. Begin your foodie adventure here…

Science in the kitchen

Physicist and science communicator Dr Joel Gilmore also loves food and applies his background in physics to show the rest of us just how science is helping us to cook better. If you have been in awe of super chef Heston Blumenthal and his flair for molecular gastronomy then you’ll be captivated by Dr Gilmore’s insights to the cutting edge science research, multi-sensory food experiences and flavour chemistry shaping the food of tomorrow, from ‘lab-grown meat’ to fruit spaghetti. On 7 and 8 April at NightQuarter, Helensvale.

Entry $3. For details see www.gc2018.com

POWER OF NATIVE FOODS

S

ince launching his food truck business ‘Clinto’s Kupmurri’ last year Clinton Shultz (above) has become so in demand for corporate and special events that it will be a rare opportunity for the public to taste his signature ‘kupmurri’ feast and learn about the benefits of Australian native foods at NightQuarter’s food festival during the Commonwealth Games.

Shultz replicates the traditional method of ceremonial ‘kupmurri’ cooking from the Torres Strait in a special oven using paperbark to smoke the meat and seasoning from native herbs and spices. The feast features organic pork and beef, baked damper and salad with samphire, saltbush and emu egg mayonnaise, while marinaded and barbecued kangaroo, emu and crocodile are also on his menu.

With a background in psychology and working in drug and rehabilitation Shultz’s philosophy continues to focus on wellbeing and the integration of healthy food and lifestyle. “Australian native foods are underutilised and still misunderstood. We have the strongest superfoods available than any throughout the world and we want to raise awareness about them. What people don’t realise is that a large proportion of our native plants are edible in some shape or form – the ingredients may not be in mainstream supermarkets but they are out there and there are heaps of published recipes available,” he says.

Shultz will demonstrate an easily prepared nutritious meal using native ingredients at Jimbelung Space, NightQuarter, Helensvale, on 13 April, from 4pm. Clinto’s Kupmurri food truck will be at NightQuarter from 4 to 15 April, 12noon to 9pm daily. Entry $3.

See the program of food festival events at NightQuarter at www.gc2018.com

FAB

Even before Margot Robbie had her hen’s party making pastries and sipping on Tumbulgum gin cocktails in the kitchen and Masterchef’s Matt Preston called in to pick up a few of his favourite things at Bam Bam Bakehouse it had a cult following.

While the menu is full of savoury delights – Violet Avocado or Turkish Eggs, for example – the custom tarts and croissants (left) are to die for.

Open seven days at 2519 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach.

See www.bambambakehouse.com

FUN

Follow the link

I

n recent years the ‘Glitter Strip’ has transformed into a gourmet trail of eateries serving up conscious food – fresh, healthy, creative and delicious. Karen Inglis-Turner shares her passion for the local food scene with a program of tours to favourite haunts in Burleigh, Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise as well as big days out to Tamborine Mountain and the epic five hour progressive dinner ‘Gastronomy on the G’ which stops at four venues on the G-Link (light rail) route, starting with pre-dinner canapés, followed by a private cooking demonstration and chef’s tour of the rooftop kitchen garden between tapas and a five-star main course, then dessert and cocktails.

Cost $189 per person. For the full program of tours see www.goldcoastfoodandwinetours.com.au

The Crazy Cat Café is home for a dozen different cats happily cavorting together in the cat lounge. Visitors can enter the lounge to cuddle and play with the kitties but bookings are recommended as numbers in the lounge are limited. However, anyone can sit in the adjoining café (separated by glass) and watch while snacking and sipping on coffee, or one of the range of special teas. At 63 Centre Arcade, 3131 Surfers Boulevard, Surfers Paradise. Open seven days.

See www.crazycat.cafe

FLASH

Queensland Coral Trout, Swordfish, Yellowfin tuna, prawns and Moreton Bay Bugs are just a taste of the seafood on the menu at The Fishhouse, fine dining at the busy end of Burleigh beach under the direction of head chef Damien Styles. You’ll also find exotics such as caviar and Patagonian Toothfish here. Book well ahead if you want a table by the window for best views to the beach and people watching. Open seven days at 50 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads.

See www.thefishhouse.com.au BNE March/April 2018 | 17

GC2018

Best of the Fest T

FOR FREE

he Gold Coast will be alive with more than the thrill of elite sport competition from 4 to 15 April. Festival 2018 Gold Coast has a program bursting with more than 1000 events, from music and theatre to food and ideas, playing out from Helensvale to Broadbeach – and most of them are free. Look no further than the beach, the streets and some special outdoor stages for a multicultural feast of entertainment.

Y

ou won’t be able to take your eyes off performers in the life-size aquarium that is the performance space for Lars Jan’s Early Morning Opera in Holoscenes, making its Australian debut on the Gold Coast. Performers must adapt to the rapid rise and fall of water in the tank as they continue to carry out everyday tasks – making a bed, getting dressed, reading a newspaper. Each lone performer stays in the tank for 45 minutes and each performance cycle lasts five hours. Set to a haunting soundtrack, Holoscenes is a lyrical interpretation of our relationship with the rising seas, connecting the everyday actions of individuals to global climate change. From 5 to 15 April, 2-7pm at Surfers Paradise Beach.

LIFE IN

water world LISTEN ... to award-winning documentary theatre maker Roslyn Oades’ Sea Stories, a collection of first-person stories from Gold Coast locals that connect with the everchanging seascape from 5 to 15 April, 5.30am to 6.30am daily at Chelsea Avenue, Broadbeach.

PLAY … in Fitter. Faster. Better where adults are paired with a personal trainer aged between nine and 12 from St Martins Youth Arts Centre for a workout designed to reclaim play.

From 12 to 15 April, various times, at Surfers Paradise Beach.

DANCE … with performance collective Everybody Now (below) in a fun community project Yes, We Dance on 12 to 14 April from 6pm at Roundabout Stage, corner of Surf Parade and Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach.

Urban circus

Mallakhamb is an ancient sporting art form that is rarely seen outside India but Mumbai-based group Mallakhambindia is at the forefront of the resurgence of this centuriesold mix of wrestling, gymnastics and aerial yoga. Practitioners use a large, wooden, vertical pole to perform feats of physical artistry that appear to defy gravity in this show, directed

by Australian artist Benjamin Knapton.

From 9 to 11 April, various times at the Roundabout Stage, corner of Surf Parade and Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach.

A BMX Flatlander, basketball freestyler, Roue Cyr artist (acrobatic wheel), breakdancers, and a beatboxer are the motley crew that make up the 360 Allstars, a group of multinational champion athletes, world class dancers and musicians – four of them Australian – that has reinvented circus for an urban setting in an exhilarating show. From 5 to 8 April, various times at the Roundabout Stage, corner of Surf Parade and Victoria Avenue, Broadbeach.

Surfing spirit in music

K

yle Slabb’s family grew up on stories of Churaki, a Goodjingburra man honoured as the Gold Coast’s first surf lifesaver in 1911, and now Slabb is collaborating with legendary musician Brian Ritchie (co-founder of Violent Femmes and curator of MONA’s MoFo in Tasmania), artist Vernon Ah Kee and a bunch of guest musicians for an epic musical production inspired by his story.

The Spirit of Churaki brings together elements of traditional ceremony, the ancient sounds of Aboriginal language and compelling music theatre with a climactic performance by surf rockers The Break, featuring legendary musicians Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, Martin Rotsey (Midnight Oil), Jack Howard (Hunters & Collectors) and Ritchie. On 12 April from 7pm, Main Stage, The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise.

Find the complete program at www.gc2018.com/festival2018 18 | BNE March/April 2018

PUSHING PHYSICAL LIMITS

5

GC2018

1

ADRENALINE A DV E N T U R E S ON THE GOLD COAST

Unleash your own adrenaline rush and try the many adventurous pursuits on the Gold Coast. Here are five of the best 1. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

2. MOUNTAIN GLIDE

3

Hang gliders are a common sight soaring off the hillside at Main Western Road on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland, and while it looks like it’s for experts only, novices can hitch a ride on a tandem flight with Ken Hill or one of his team from South East Queensland Hang Gliding and soar like an eagle down the mountain with amazing views.

The flight takes about 15-20 minutes but the journey is about two hours by the time you’re brought back up the mountain after touchdown. See www.hangglidequeensland.com.au

3. JET POWER

4 20 | BNE March/April 2018

Look Mum, no hands! The Flyboard is a challenge for thrillseekers, powering the rider up to 10 metres high above the water. Be prepared for a dunking as you get used to the ride, particularly in the first 10 minutes, but the instructor offers tips by radio communication through the helmet and before you know it they will be guiding you through some cool moves above the surface. GoPro

5

footage is part of the take-home package. See www.jetpackadventures.com.au

4. FLYING FREE Feel the sensation of freefalling without hurling out of a plane. Winds of up to 280km are generated inside the glass chamber at IFly Gold Coast, in central Surfers Paradise, and soaring into the air is as simple as suiting up, getting a professional ‘flyer’s briefing’ then stepping into the air current to fly, guided by a professional instructor. The flight is equivalent to a freefall skydive from more than 4000 metres (14,000 feet) and first timers get two flights in an experience that lasts 90 minutes.

See www.downunder.iflyworld.com

5. FOREST CHALLENGE It’s the theme park you probably haven’t heard of but Thunderbird Park at Tamborine Mountain is a rollercoaster of thrills, powered under your own steam. It takes almost four hours to complete the Treetop Challenge – and it’s almost all climbing – over a number of graded courses (from beginner to ‘black’) and more than 100 challenges to complete, including ziplines, rope ladders and a Skyfall drop from a treetop platform.

The Canyon Flyer Zipline Tour alone is an adrenaline charge, 60 metres above ground in the tree canopy and reaching speeds of up to 70km/h as you zig zag the canyon by way of seven different ziplines. It takes three hours to complete. C’mon, kids can do it! A shuttle bus departs from central Surfers Paradise daily. See www.thunderbirdpark.com

Hang-gliding photography by Brent Randall

2

It’s the best view of the Gold Coast you can get – even higher than a drone is allowed to fly – at 270 metres above ground and outside the Q1 Observation Deck on Level 77. The ear-popping lift ride takes just 43 seconds then it’s out the door to climb the stairway almost to heaven, about 300 steps of jawdropping 360-degree views from the beach to the hinterland and straight down to the street below.

The guide also offers some fascinating insights to the detail in view, pointing out ‘the birthday cake’, ‘the peanut’, the Gold Coast’s first ‘skyscraper’, now heritage-listed and just 11 levels high, and there’s time for some insta-worthy pics at the highest point, leaning out as far as you’re prepared to put your faith in the reach of your harness, if you dare! See www.skypoint.com.au

GOLD COAST REGION MAP

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

BNE March/April 2018 | 21

QUEENSLAND NATIONAL PARKS DAISY HILL CONSERVATION PARK

D’AGUILAR NATIONAL PARK

©Visible Focus

Paul Giggle©TEQ

BURLEIGH HEAD NATIONAL PARK

Maxime Coquard©Qld Govt

EXPLORE

GOLDEN EXPERIENCES: Hit the waves on a surfboard at the world-renowned Burleigh Heads surf break, or simply salute the surfers at sunrise from the headland in Burleigh Head National Park. A quiet place to replenish your soul or take a stroll. Ocean to rainforest or rainforest to ocean, the choice is yours. Follow the Oceanview Walk that hugs the coastline around the rocky headland and return along the Rainforest Circuit. Golden sandy beaches fringe the crystal clear ocean where, between the waves, you may spot the fins of friendly dolphins or the majestic forms of humpback whales as they travel through the waters between May and November.

KOALA SPOTTING: This popular bushland retreat is nestled in open eucalypt forest, just a stone’s throw from the city. The park is an important refuge for koalas and other wildlife. Picnic, ride a mountain bike or walk through the park, keeping an eye on the canopy for dozing koalas. Explore the stroller- and wheelchair-friendly Paperbark Trail, a boardwalk through wetlands, and learn about the forest on the Tree Discovery Trail. The Daisy Hill Koala Centre (pictured), re-opening April 1, will satisfy your yearning for all things ‘koala’ with new interactive displays. Get up close and personal to these furry marsupials and learn from park rangers about their ecological importance.

FAMILY ADVENTURE: Within minutes escape from the city to remote gorges and subtropical rainforest, expanses of eucalypt woodland and spectacular views — all on Brisbane’s doorstep. Reconnect with nature as you enjoy the simple pleasures of a walk, bike ride, swim, paddle or picnic. Set out on a scenic drive up the mountain range, stopping to enjoy long lunches in peaceful picnic areas, nature-filled walks and lookouts offering stunning views. Take in the sunrise from Jollys Lookout (pictured) and a magical rainforest walk from Boombana. Drop into Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre to come face-to-face with incredible wildlife and watch ranger-led feeding presentations.

Where: 15km from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

Where: 25km from Brisbane city via the Pacific Motorway www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

Where: 10km from Brisbane city on Mt Nebo Road www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

MAGNETIC ISLAND NATIONAL PARK

Holiday Travel TV©Qld Govt

BARRON GORGE NATIONAL PARK

Maxime Coquard©Qld Govt

Maxime Coquard©TEQ

NOOSA NATIONAL PARK

BEACH AND BEYOND: One of Queensland’s most beautiful combinations of beach and forest is yours to be explored.

Wind your way along the Noosa Headland and escape to a sheltered cove. Spot dolphins frolicking in the ocean at Boiling Pot and Dolphin Point. Take in the incredible view of Alexandria Bay from Hell’s Gates (pictured) as thunderous waves crash onto the rocks below — it’s a life affirming moment. Find respite from the summer heat in the rainforest on the Palm Grove Circuit or indulge in a picnic overlooking beautiful Laguna Bay with its sweeping views from Noosa to Cooloola. Look for sleepy koalas on branches and black-cockatoos overhead.

NATURE AND HISTORY: Lose yourself for a day or a week on this truly distinctive island. Rocky granite headlands fuse with sheltered bays and beaches to create a dramatic coastline. The island is home to northern Australia’s largest colony of wild koalas, and tropical marine life flourishes in the surrounding Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Explore the network of walking tracks to hidden beaches and discover a rich World War II history, admiring the spectacular 360 degree views from the top of wartime fortifications and lookouts (pictured). Take time to leisurely navigate the many scenic bays such as Arcadia, Florence and Radical bays with a snorkel or a kayak.

FOLLOW THE RIVER: The impressive Barron River and Wet Tropics World Heritage Area are waiting for you. Travel to the park via the Barron River Gorge — jump aboard the historic scenic railway and wind past picturesque ravines and tumbling waterfalls, or experience the thrill of travelling in a gondola over the lush rainforest canopy.

Stroll out to the Din Din Barron Falls lookout (pictured) and marvel at the power of nature, as the Barron River spills 250 metres into the narrow gorge below. Discover the history of the Djabugandji Aboriginal people and follow their historic trails on a variety of short- and long-distance rainforest walks through this popular park.

Where: 160km from Brisbane, on the Sunshine Coast www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

Where: 8km offshore from Townsville, Tropical North Queensland www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

Where: 27km from Cairns, Tropical North Queensland www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

22 | BNE March/April 2018

A BNE magazine special promotion DAVID FLEAY WILDLIFE PARK A living legacy

Steve Browne©Qld Govt

Murray Waite and Assoc©TEQ

SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK Feel the glow

Peaceful beauty envelopes Natural Bridge where the famous glowworms attract visitors from around the world. Water continuously carves out an arched cave deep within Gondwana rainforest and at night the cave is illuminated by thousands of tiny green lights. Join a guided night tour to learn more about these fascinating creatures.

During the day, take a walk and enjoy breathtaking views, and marvel at the cascading creeks and tumbling waterfalls of Purling Brook and Twin Falls at Springbrook Plateau while surrounded by ancient rainforests (pictured) and abundant birdlife. Listen for the impressive mimicking sounds of the Albert’s lyrebird — an elusive natural icon in this World Heritage-listed environment. View Mount Warning from the intriguingly-named Best of All lookout track as you walk through Antarctic beech forest.

Encounter some of Australia’s most iconic animals in their natural habitats, in this unique wildlife park. Established in 1951, the park is the legacy of renowned naturalist Dr David Fleay who inspired many to embrace the diversity and protection of our natural environment.

Discover fascinating Australian wildlife such as koalas, crocodiles, kangaroos, wombats and tree-kangaroos. Peek on some of our most elusive and unusual animals, such as platypus, bilbies, gliders and dunnarts in the nocturnal house. Join our park rangers for daily wildlife encounters and shows such as Fleay’s in Flight (pictured) and Creatures of the Night. For a limited time only, discover the Gold Coast’s most fascinating night life by joining the team at Fleay’s for a unique twilight experience. For more infomation contact us at friendsoffleays@yahoo.com.au.

Where: 46km from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

Where: 15km from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK Ancient connections

Maxime Coquard©Qld Govt

Immerse yourself in the grandeur of denselyforested ranges and valleys concealing the area’s ancient volcanic origins. Nestled in the Gold Coast hinterland, and lying within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, this is one of Queensland’s best-loved national parks and a bushwalking ‘Mecca’. Enjoy early morning bird watching of some of Australia’s most iconic species, take a challenging full-day hike through the spectacular McPherson Range, or experience the wonder of a nocturnal wildlife encounter in this mysterious rainforest environment. Towards evening, enjoy the magical atmosphere amongst ancient forest giants as songbirds call in the twilight. As you explore the park, pay homage to the earliest inhabitants — the Yugambeh Aboriginal kinship group. They know this area as Woonoongoora and the mountains are sacred and spiritual — places to be nurtured and respected.

Where: 46km from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast www.qld.gov.au/nationalparks

BNE March/April 2018 | 23

ESCAPE

THE HAUNTING

W

hether you’re a believer in the supernatural or not, you cannot deny some historical places and buildings in the world radiate a certain ‘energy’. What this energy is we don’t know, but stories of unexpected reactions to this invisible force field are experienced daily the world over.

As I run my fingers slowly across the hand-made clay brick remains of once imposing structures built on the blood, sweat and tears of convicts at the notorious Port Arthur historical site, I feel this energy, a deep melancholy and unexplained sadness. The unease contradicts the view I’m drinking in. The day is warm and peaceful with the leaves of broad ancient oaks and gum trees chattering in the breeze. Bumble bees hover over colourful flowerbeds and cherry and apple trees are bursting with fruit.

Port Arthur is serenely beautiful and I cannot explain the goosebumps rising on my neck. Involuntarily I whisper, “I feel you”, acknowledging someone, something, nothing? I don’t know.

It’s been more than 140 years since the Port Arthur penal colony shut after 44 years of brutal slavery and punishment of the ‘worst of the worst’ sent from the motherland, some as young as 10 years old. Most were hardened criminals, others insane or just unlucky. Some made it out.

Hundreds did not.

Isle of the Dead 24 | BNE March/April 2018

Perhaps my melancholy can, in part, be attributed to my knowledge of the history of Port Arthur, both recent and past. This was not a happy place for many and as an adult I’m empathetic to events and situations I’ve not personally experienced. However, what I did not account for was the intense reaction my seven-year-old son had during our visit.

Not yet of the age at which I thought it necessary to provide a detailed history of Port Arthur, as far as he was aware we were just looking at a bunch of old buildings. At first he was inquisitive, happy to skip beside us as we explored the old Church, Government Cottage and gardens, but his mood changed dramatically when he refused to cross the threshold of The Parsonage, reputably one of the most haunted buildings in Australia.

Over the next 30 minutes my son’s emotions intensified as he became teary and extremely difficult, clenching his fists by his side as he moved unwillingly from site to site, refusing to enter any structures. He was unable to articulate what his problem was other than saying, “I’m just angry” over and over again. Thinking this was a rare and, by his usual standards, a particularly odd tantrum, we persisted with our visit.

We could not, however, ignore him when he began pacing in a circle near the chilling Separate Prison, intermittently growling under his breath.

The prison had been built for the physical, mental and sensory isolation of

The Parsonage

Images, bottom: Tourism Tasmania/ Kathryn Leahy and Hype TV

Leonie Vandeven and her son experience a close encounter of an unexpected kind on a family holiday to Port Arthur in Tasmania

Separate Prison

The Penitentiary. Photography by Megan Rizzo, Studio Fascino

unruly convicts, truly hell on earth for those unlucky enough to wind up there.

By this time my son was attracting the attention of others with his distressed growling and pacing. I bundled him in my arms imploring him to tell me what was wrong but his response was forced and stilted.

“I. Am... Trying. To. Keep...The. MAD. In.” That was enough for us to finish our visit and head for the exit at the newly opened, state-of-the-art Port Arthur Visitor Centre, our little boy seemingly wracked with grief, holding back tears and growling all the way.

Rather exasperated our day had been cut short by what I thought must have been a tired, hungry or bored child, I certainly was not expecting and cannot explain what happened next. The moment we stepped through the doors into the newly built centre I immediately felt my son’s vice-like grip release in my hand as he halted, closed his eyes and let out a huge sigh that made him slump forward. Bent over with hands on his knees, he took a few more deep breaths then looked up and said, “I feel better now. All the mad has gone away”. And that was it. In a blink my gentle, happy and amicable child was back.

If his sudden recovery had occurred anywhere else I may not have made any connection to a possible emotional haunting, but my fears were confirmed when a Port Arthur staff member mentioned accounts of similar reactions from visitors, along with visual, physical and sensory encounters.

It rocked us to the core when we also discovered the area our son was anxiously pacing around was the very spot of a brutal solitary confinement cell once used to house the worst of the worst tortured souls in convict days. Spirits of broken men whose legacies remain in the physical ruins and the unsettling energy cloaking the otherwise exquisite setting that is Port Arthur ... We feel you.

Comfortable rooms and honest, authentic service are just the start - Jen Fast, free Wi-Fi throughout the Hotel Be at the airport in 25 minutes with direct access to the AirTrain Start the day right with Espresso coffee machines in every room In the heart of the CBD, just 5 minutes from Queen Street Mall Always the best rates on offer, visit hoteljen.com to book now

Port Arthur is about 100km south east of Hobart. Find out more about the historical site at www.portarthur.org.au

Jetstar and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Hobart daily

Hotel Jen Brisbane, 159 Roma Street, Brisbane, 4000 hjbb@hoteljen.com | www.hoteljen.com | 3238 2222 BNE March/April 2018 | 25

ESCAPE EXTRA

SURF STYLE TRAVELS Oh how we wish we had one of these nifty Neo/Preen pouches on our last kayaking weekend in Noosa instead of stashing our phone in a not-so-waterproof spray jacket pocket. The phone might have survived, we wouldn’t have lost all our beautiful nature shots and wasted half a day out of the water getting a replacement.

Former Vogue staffer and avid traveller Sal Morgan knows what a girl wants when she’s looking for adventure and wants to keep her must-have valuables stashed away from sweat, sand and sea spray – her handy Neo/Preen accessories sold out at David Jones, James Street, Fortitude Valley, within a few hours.

The neoprene pouches also do double duty as a makeup bag or a clutch purse while travelling. Two sizes: mini, $59, to fit a phone, keys, cash and large, $79, is big enough to fit a tablet. Buy at David Jones and selected retailers in Queensland or see www.neo-preen.com

Follow in the footsteps O F T H E PA L AWA “Takara waranta” or “walk with us” is an invitation from the palawa people to join their new fully-guided and catered walking tour from Launceston. The wukalina walk is a new trail open across the larapuna/Bay of Fires area (through wukalina/Mt William National Park) to explore the landscape, culture and history of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, owned and operated by the palawa and following in the footsteps of their ancestors. On the tour, two nights are spent in architecturally designed, culturally inspired huts and one night in the restored Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage at larapuna. Walks range from three to six hours each day (5km to 17km) and guests have ample time to talk with local community Elders and craftspeople. Cost from $2495 per person twin share.

For details see www.wukalinawalk.com.au

Jetstar and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Launceston 26 | BNE March/April 2018

ANNUAL

Murray River cruise She may be called a princess but this traditional paddlewheeler (pictured above) is really ‘Queen’ of the mighty Murray River, cruising the outback waterway year round on three, four and seven day journeys. But it’s the cruise that comes around only once a year that everyone’s waiting for.

This year the Murray Princess will make the historic voyage between Mannum and Loxton in South Australia from 23 to 30 November and Loxton to Mannum from 30 November to 7 December travelling the 339km in the wake of the great 19th century pioneers. The route passes through three locks and includes onshore excursions to Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve – one of Australia’s most significant archaeological sites – historic townships, museums, a wine trail and more.

Along the way there’s an abundance of nocturnal wildlife such as kangaroos and hairy-nosed wombats, birdlife and dramatic scenery in towering limestone cliffs, picturesque gorges and submerged forests.

Early booking saver fares start from $2057 per person twin share for the seven night cruise including coach transfers from Adelaide.

See www.murrayprincess.com.au Jetstar, Qantas/QantasLink, Tigerair and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Adelaide

Spiritual adventure

The Byron Spirit Festival will present more than 50 workshops and panels on yoga, music, dance, healing, creative arts, sustainability and various cultural ceremonies from 20 to 22 April between Byron Bay’s new events complex, the Cavanbah Centre, and the luxurious surrounds of Elements of Byron (pictured below), where new two bedroom, two bathroom rainforest villas have just opened (see www.elementsofbyron.com.au). For festival program and tickets see www.spiritfestival.com.au

SWELL EXPEDITIONS World Wave Expeditions is a specialist surf travel company, launched in January, which aims to introduce customers to one-of-a-kind surf adventures from the wild black sand peaks of New Zealand to the ever-consistent barrels of Indonesia – and some secret destinations that you won’t know even until you book. However, one we can identify is the new Six Senses Fiji on Malolo Island due to officially open on 14 April with introductory offers to ‘Stay 5, Pay 4’ or ‘Stay 7, Pay 5’ depending on the time of year you visit. This is surfing in luxury near the best waves in Fiji, including Cloudbreak, and accommodation in poolside villas or multi-bedroom residences, with great dining on local produce, spa and a host of other water sport activities.

Access by speedboat from Nadi International Airport.

For details see www.worldwaveexpeditions.com

Fiji Airways and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Nadi, Fiji

Fuel up your weekend for some big city fun.

Up Fuel

Overnight accommodation in a deluxe city view room, a $25 fuel card and complimentary valet parking. brisbanemarriott.com / 07 3303 8000 T’s and C’s apply. Valid to 31 May 2018. Promo Code TRS. 515 Queen Street, Brisbane Qld 4000

BNE March/April 2018 | 27

TASTE Meet the Wine Bluffs Theatre of ideas Armed with a shovel, some soil and seeds, Ron Finley (pictured left) has come to be known as the ‘Gangsta Gardener’ in Los Angeles. Frustrated by his community’s lack of access to fresh, organic food, Finley inadvertently started a revolution when he turned the kerbside strip in front of his South Central home in LA into an edible garden and now he teaches people the power of growing their own food. Finley joins a list of thinkers, innovators, movers and shakers from around the world in conversation with food critic and writer Jill Dupleix in Federation Square in Melbourne on 17 March as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Stay at the House of Food and Wine which hosts a series of dinners with guest chefs, offers exclusive access to a festival concierge and special events in the neighbouring laneways. What began as a handful of events 25 years ago is now a mega menu of more than 200 events from 16 to 25 March that spill out from the city into rural Victoria. Find the program at www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

It might be famous for its country music festival which is the largest in Australia but the new buzz in Tamworth is all about food (and a bevvy or two). Just an hour’s flight time from Brisbane is one of the most fertile food bowls in the country and Taste Tamworth celebrates that from 6 to 15 April with events that showcase local talent, from the kitchen of the Pig & Tinder Box (below) to the craft beer menu at the Welder’s Dog. There’s a street party with food stalls, farm gate trails and a long lunch in the city’s park, but they’re not about to take themselves too seriously and Wine Bluffs is sure to be a hit of the bill. Comedians and self-styled sommeliers Damian Callinan and Paul Calleja hit the Tamworth Town Hall with their own tips on wine matching (with chiko rolls), the trends that should have been (champagne spider anyone?) and how to spot a wine wanker at 20 paces – a masterclass not to miss. Find the program at www.destinationtamworth.com.au/tastetamworth

Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Melbourne daily

FOOD worth travelling for Vintage Orange There are almost 40 vineyards surrounding Orange in NSW so it’s no surprise that tasting trails, walks among the vines, pop-up wine bars, picnics, long table lunches and more show off their best vintages at Orange Food Week from 6 to 15 April. Orange also punches above its weight for good eateries with more than 40 cafés around town and several finedining restaurants, including the hatted Lolli Redini (left), Tonic and Racine. Meet the producers, attend workshops, feast on banquets, vegetarian included, and kick your heels up at the Strawhouse Shindig.

Find the program at www.orangefoodweek.com.au

Jetgo flies direct between Brisbane and Tamworth

Heaven in a day Adelaide’s Tasting Australia is so popular it has been extended to 10 days in 2018, from 13 to 22 April. The program takes visitors on a culinary journey from the centre of the city to the Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley, the Riverland and the Fleurieu Peninsula but a highlight is the Tasting Australia Airlines special events – each about an hour’s plane ride from Adelaide Airport for a day in foodie heaven. Choose an itinerary from slurping fresh-shucked oysters on the shore of Coffin Bay (below) near Port Lincoln or savouring a lunch served

by Michelin-starred chefs on Kangaroo Island, to learning the secrets of producing full-flavoured wagyu at the award-winning Mayura Station near Mt Gambier. Find the program at www.tastingaustralia.com.au

Fly Corporate flies direct between Brisbane and Orange Jetstar, Qantas/QantasLink, Tigerair and Virgin Australia fly direct between Brisbane and Adelaide daily

By the seaside Noosa’s Peter Kuruvita is just one of the local star chefs to tempt the taste buds at Noosa Food and Wine from 17 to 20 May. Kuruvita is a master of seafood at his restaurant Noosa Beach House and shows his class at a long lunch featuring the best seafood from nearby Moreton Bay, including freshshucked Moreton Bay Rock Oysters and Moreton Bay Bugs in three signature styles. The Noosa event is also an opportunity to taste the best of top notch chefs from down south, including Colin Fassnidge from Sydney, Victor Liong from Melbourne, Emma McCaskell from Adelaide and Analise Gregory from Tasmania. Find the program at www.noosafoodandwine.com.au 28 | BNE March/April 2018

MORE THAN

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TASTE

Flavours OF THE WORLD There’s a world of food for the tasting at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal and here are five favourites of foodie blogger Kerry Heaney

AMERICA Carl’s Jr (opposite Gate 40) may be famous for its American style burgers but go beyond the fire-grilled double western bacon cheeseburger and jalapeno thickburger and wrap your lips around a hand-scooped chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich. Some call this a chipwich, but whatever you call this delicious indulgence you won’t regret giving it a try. Although ice cream sandwiches were created in New York in 1899, it wasn’t until 1979 that someone thought of using choc chip cookies. Legend says that 25,000 chipwiches were sold from New York street carts just on the first day and you’ll need to try one to find out why.

ITALY A slice of pizza and a good coffee is enough to make you think you’re in Italy at Bar Roma (opposite Gate 23/24) and while the pizza follows the traditional style popular in Rome – authentic thin and crispy wood-fired crust – the local version has a modern twist topped with produce including pumpkin and goat’s cheese in a serving size that’s generous for one and a savoury snack for two.

Pizzas are just one of the Italian-themed menu choices which include lasagne and cannelloni.

JAPAN

VIETNAM Roll’d Vietnamese (Food Court, near Gate 22) serves rice paper rolls just like you’ll find on every street corner of Hanoi, freshly made by hand and filled with vibrant greens, vermicelli, herbs and a choice of proteins. Team it with hoisin or nuoc mam (fish) sauce for an authentic flavour but do be tempted by the Aussie twists of tofu, barramundi and the poached chicken breast and avocado combo. The top roller at Roll’d can produce a record 167 tasty parcels in an hour, but the average kitchen hand’s output is still an impressive 100 rolls every 60 minutes.

There are few things more Japanese than the precision, presentation and umami flavour factor of the bento box, a tradition that dates from the days when farmers, hunters and warriors took packed lunches to work in the fields. These days, some Japanese mums spend up to 45 minutes creating a bento box lunch for their child. For them, the boxes have transformed from a simple lunch to a social status marker and a Japanese art form. Fortunately you won’t have to wait that long for bento boxes at Sushi Sushi (opposite Gate 40) which include a selection of sashimi, nigiri and salmon tobiko along with Japanese salads, wasabi and Asian ginger.

AUSTRALIA What could be more Aussie than a bucket of prawns and at Graze Grill & Bar (near Gates 16-21) they are sweet and firm from Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, served with lemon, chilli aioli and grilled bread, and a finger bowl with lemon slice for clean hands before departing. Graze amps up the Aussie flavours in its most popular dish, the reef and beef burger where Mooloolaba prawns collide with premium marble count 7+ wagyu beef on a brioche bun made fresh daily

by Brisbane’s Brasserie Bread.

Find out more about dining at Brisbane Airport at www.bne.com.au Follow Kerry Heaney at www.eatdrinkandbekerry.com.au BNE March/April 2018 | 31

WHAT’S ON

DAMIIM

The rise of

Dami Im is in a whirlwind. Already this year she has headlined a celebration event for the Queen’s Baton Relay in Sydney and when the Baton reaches her home town of Daisy Hill, south of Brisbane, she will carry it on part of its final journey to the Commonwealth Games on Easter Sunday 1 April.

Indeed, the only time Dami Im sits still is when she’s behind a piano – or so it would seem to anyone following her rapid rise to pop stardom in the last five years. The singer-songwriter walked off The X Factor stage in 2013 victorious and strode, without delay, into the top spot on the ARIA charts with her platinum self-titled album Dami Im. Since then she has released two more studio albums, represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in 2016 – where she placed second in the world with her power ballad and international smash, ‘Sound of Silence’ – and boosted her Instagram audience to almost 170,000 followers with her cutting-edge fashion style.

Which is why her next album is offering up something different. I Hear a Song is Im taking a deep breath and going back to a time before we knew her. “I was a pianist long before I began to sing. When I auditioned to study jazz voice at the Conservatorium (at Griffith University) I sang and accompanied myself on the

piano because I felt more comfortable that way. I decided that it was time to record an album that presented my sound in the most authentic way.”

The piano is the anchor of I Hear a Song, which weaves jazz classics and pared-back pop hits around her original material. “Some of the songs on this album are standards that I used to sing in my restaurant gigging days, while others are pop songs that I just love. A couple of them are my brand new original songs.”

She laughs as she reflects on her time singing these standards in her restaurant gigging days. “I used to always get into trouble for making the amp too loud,” she recalls. “You have to be in the background; I didn’t like that.”

This time, she is truly front and centre, but beautifully measured. And yes, she wants your feet to move as well. Now she’s bringing that sound to her fans on an up-close and personal tour where she can interact with the audience. “I think it’ll be good for me to show them the sound I feel most comfortable with when I’m at the piano, and just talking to them.”

Dami Im’s new album I Hear a Song is out from 23 March. She will appear at The Star Grand, Gold Coast on 5 April, tickets $82 plus fees at www.star.com.au/goldcoast and at Brisbane Powerhouse on 4 and 5 May, tickets from $69.95 plus fees at www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

to movies

Swinging Safari

Not all the focus is on the movie screenings during the Gold Coast Film Festival. The local Movie Locations Tour was so popular during last year’s festival that it’s back this year with a new route, more stops and extra tours over two weekends. Buckle-up for a bus tour over more than three hours to the filming locations of more than 20 movies, as well as some of the hotspots where the celebrities hang out. Tours on 21, 22, 28 and 29 April.

Tickets $55. See www.gcfilmfestival.com 32 | BNE March/April 2018

Sheppard WAY OUT WEST Hot off a tour of the US, supporting Robbie Williams in Australia and new single ‘Coming Home’ going gold Sheppard is one good reason to make the 1355km trek to Winton’s Way Out West Fest in April. With their second studio album due out in May festival fans will be among the first to get a preview of new material from the Brisbane-based indie pop band on a bill that also includes the legendary Black Sorrows, Jessica Mauboy and Busby Marou. Sheppard performs 20 April at Way Out West Fest from 19 to 22 April. Tickets from $100, not including camping or travel. See www.wintonswayoutwestfest.com.au

Oceans

EYE ON

EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL CONCERT No matter what you think of UFOs, the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind has been deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” so if you want to see why you can take the extra-terrestrial journey accompanied by an 84-piece orchestra and 80-voice choir performing the John Williams score live and in sync with the film. The world premiere event is part of World Science Festival on 24 March at Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets from $65 plus fees at www.qpac.com.au

Big, bold and colourful murals inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and created by as many as 20 local, national and international artists will transform the walls, streets and alleyways of Cairns in Australia’s first Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans festival from 27 April to 6 May. The festival is part of a global movement to communicate the importance of ocean conservation and in the last three years events have been held in more than 12 countries. Hueman from California, the Low Bros duo from Berlin and locals Daniel Wallwork, Ricky Beresford and Bronte Naylor (her work pictured right) are among the artists who will volunteer their time to work on walls around town and community events include an exhibition, film night and panel discussion.

You might also like ... the Ocean Film Festival, a program of short films about the beauty and power of the ocean, the divers, surfers, swimmers and oceanographers who live for the adventure of it, viewed from above and below the surface. At Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm, 16-18 April. Tickets from $37 plus fees. See www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

Go with the flow at LEUNIG LIVE SOUTH BANK Flowstate is South Bank’s new open-air event space which will be host to a year-long multi-arts program spanning circus, dance, theatre, music and visual installation. First up is Aura by physical performance troupe Circa (6-25 March), a mix of their signature acrobatics with an immersive soundscape heard through headphones. Join a workshop and learn the basics of their art on 10, 17 and 24 March.

Dead Puppet Society follows with a roving installation of ancient giants lost in the concrete jungle, called Megafauna (4-8 April). Discover the techniques they use to bring their creatures to life at workshops on 4, 7 and 8 April. While the events are free registration is essential, open eight weeks prior to each performance at www.flowstate.southbankcorporation.com.au

NEW WAVE SOUND FOR ORCHESTRA The Kite String Tangle is a name that Danny Harley (pictured right) gave to a music project some time back and, although the music has long since changed, the name has stuck and is now a firm favourite among lovers of electronic sound. That includes Queensland Symphony Orchestra which invited Harley to work with them on a special collaboration. For Harley, it’s another milestone to tick off his bucket list after touring the US, UK and

It’s a rare opportunity to see cartoonist, philosopher and cultural commentator Michael Leunig create several works in real time on stage in 1000 Stories, animated by evocative music and banter from Tenzin Choegyal and friends.

The music and art is a feast for the senses and the soul, reflective of the theme ‘Nurturing the Earth’, as part of the Festival of Tibet from 26 to 29 April at Brisbane Powerhouse. Leunig appears on 28 April. Tickets $40 plus fees at www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

Japan, appearing at two of the world’s biggest festivals and launching his debut album last year.

“It’s a bit of a milestone for any artist I think; to get to play their music backed by an orchestra ... what a dream,” he says. Harley is teaming up again with The Cat Empire’s Ross Irwin, who worked with him on his album, to create some special arrangements and all new material for his first ever orchestral show. The Kite String Tangle performs with Queensland Symphony Orchestra as part of Wave Festival for two shows on 21 April at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm. Tickets $49 plus fees at www.brisbanepowerhouse.org BNE March/April 2018 | 33

WHAT’S ON

KEEPING IT REAL La Boite Theatre Company joined with refugee resettlement agency MDA Ltd last year to create The Village, a production that brings the audience intimately in touch with real stories of refugees and people seeking asylum who have made Australia their Arwin Arwin home. When it premiered last year it was a sell-out success so it is back for two weeks at La Boite and some special dates at the Festival Hub, South Bank, during the Commonwealth Games.

The Village belongs to the new genre of ‘verbatim’ theatre Lili Sanchez as people like Cieavash Arean tell their stories. Arean escaped from Iran with the help of people smugglers, crossing the border to Pakistan where he was later granted a refugee visa to Australia. Joyce Taylor travelled with her mother and two brothers from Liberia to a Guinean refugee camp where she lived for five years before she came to Australia. And Ngoc Phan was the first Vietnamese baby to be born in Alice Springs after her mother, father and older sister fled Vietnam by boat in the 1970s and stayed in a refugee camp in Malaysia before they were approved to come to Australia.

Each of the ‘cast’ members has a very different experience and demonstrates the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children that make up the cultural diversity that is Australia today. In this show with a difference, the audience moves around while the storytellers stay in position.

Free event at the Festival Hub, Cultural Forecourt, South Bank 11-15 April. At La Boite Studio, Kelvin Grove, from 23 April to 5 May. Tickets from $25 plus fees see www.laboite.com.au

Lavish new ballet

La Bayadère is revered in the classical ballet repertoire and Queensland Ballet choreographer Greg Horsman displays it in all the sumptuous glory of the 19th century British Raj in a new production. Horsman admits it’s a favourite.

“There is just so much to love about La Bayadère with many moments for our dancers to shine: all the solos for Nikiya (the love interest of doomed main character Solor), and the entrance of the Shades is one of the most beautiful moments ever choreographed for a ballet. Often people talk of the Kingdom of the Shades scene in the ballet as being a highlight but, as much as I love that scene, I hope that, in this production, the highlight for audiences will be the finale pas de deux between Edith and Solor.” La Bayadère is at Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane, 16-31 March. Tickets from $100 plus fees. See www.qpac.com.au 34 | BNE March/April 2018

Cieavash Arean

BRISBANE DEBUT FOR

Ngoc Phan

Joyce Taylor

Silva Asal

Yarrenyty Arltere

ARTISTS

New Farm art gallery owner Edwina Corlette is bringing the work of the Yarrenyty Arltere Artists from Alice Springs to Brisbane for their first exhibition in the city. What began as an arts training project to address chronic social issues in the town camp in Alice Springs has become a highly successful enterprise that benefits the whole community and creates artworks that are achieving widespread recognition, with representation as far afield as Singapore and London. Soft sculptures (pictured) are a specialty. Figures such as animals and mythical creatures are made out of found materials, bright in colour and wit. The Yarrenyty Arltere Artists have been working on a special collection to show at Edwina Corlette Gallery, 10-28 April, at 2/555 Brunswick Street, New Farm.

See www.edwinacorlette.com

WHEN WHAT

WHERE

MARCH

EM UNLEASHES HER

evil queen

Em Rusciano is the first to admit she’s no princess. The one-time Australian Idol contestant and now popular comedian, radio presenter and author isn’t afraid to give people a hard time as listeners of the 2DayFM breakfast show know. She’s become “the poster girl for telling it like it is”. Rusciano says that when she was growing up it was the villainesses, not the princesses, that captured her attention and now she unleashes her evil queen on a five-city tour that lands in Brisbane on 20 and 21 April. The show has been described as “partconfession, part-cabaret, part-singalong, part-storytelling” and a whole lot of fun. At Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets from $49.90 plus fees, see www.qpac.com.au

All about the self There’s no doubt that technology has changed the way we see ourselves and Me, Myselfie and I is an exhibition that explores the many representations of self in works from the GOMA collections.

Selected artists have also created activities based on their work for the Children’s Art Centre that encourage young visitors to consider self portraits differently, by creating composites, exploring image and identity through interchangeable costume and the distortion of mirrors, even mixing a soundtrack to suit their mood.

Free exhibition at GOMA, South Brisbane, until 22 April. See www.qagoma.qld.gov.au

4-21

Disobedient Daughters, exhibition

6

International Women’s Day Breakfast Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Metro Arts Gallery, city

6+7

Dita von Teese – The Art of the Teese Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

From 7 Open Mic Night, comedy, weekly

Pig ‘N’ Whistle, Indooroopilly

7-10

Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane

The Coal Miner’s Daughter, tribute to Loretta Lynn

10

Elvis – The King in concert

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

10

CarnAustralia, Brazilian Festival

Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills

10-17

Converge, Expressions Dance Company

Queensland Conservatorium Theatre, South Brisbane

11

The Brisbane Big Band dance night

Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

13

Gilbert O’Sullivan

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

14

Grizzly Bear

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

14-24

The Eisteddfod

Sue Benner Theatre, Metro Arts, city

15

Estampa

Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point

16-18

The Essential Baby & Toddler Show

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

16-18

4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo

Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills

17

St Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival

City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane

From 17 ANZAC: Photographs of Laurence

Ipswich Art Gallery

22

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Aberhart

Generation You Millennials Careers Expo

22

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

23

Queensland Brides Expo

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

From 24 Patricia Piccinini – Curious Affection, GOMA, South Brisbane

exhibition

25

RepX – Brisbane Reptile Expo

Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills

28

Good Charlotte

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

29

Lana Del Ray

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

APRIL 1

Jackson Browne

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

1

Young Designers Market

Little Stanley Street, South Bank

4-6

Ross Noble – El Hablador

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

8

Songs that Made Me, WOW Festival Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

9-14

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

13

Dynamic Duo – Alondra de la Parra and Sergio Tempio

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane

13-21

Green Day’s American Idiot

14

Kate Miller Heidke, GC2018 Festival Queensland Music Stage, Broadbeach, Gold Coast

Until 15

Every Day I Wait, Anne Scott Wilson Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City Hall

18

New Jersey Nights

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

20

Harlem Globetrotters, basketball

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall

21

The Script

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall

21

Kip Moore and Lee Brice

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

22

Simple Plan

Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill

25

Anzac Day service and parade

Anzac Square and Brisbane city

26-29 Festival of Tibet

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

27

The Killers

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall

27

Halsey

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

From Twelfth Night, Queensland Theatre 28

Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane

30

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Camerata - Souvenir

BNE March/April 2018 | 35

I

QUEENSLAND

Taliqua Clancy BEACH VOLLEYBALL STAR

A

t 1.84 metres (6’) Taliqua Clancy (pictured right) stands tall on the beach volleyball court but it’s more than her height that helps her blitz the competition on the world circuit. Since partnering with Mariafe Artach del Solar last spring (and at time of BNE magazine going to press) the pair had won six straight major events together. In just three months they established themselves as Australia’s most successful women’s team on the beach volleyball world tour in a decade and the first to win an international event on home soil since Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst famously won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. So it goes without saying that high hopes are with them for the Commonwealth Games – the first time the sport has been on the program.

It’s a long way from the country town of Kingaroy where Clancy grew up, more than 200km from the nearest beach. She was a sporty kid from the start and had a go at almost everything – soccer, swimming, cross country, netball, little athletics, touch footy – and then in high school she tried indoor volleyball. By the time she was 15 she had been scouted for a scholarship at Queensland Academy of Sport in Brisbane and by 17 she was invited to join the Australian Volleyball program.

At 25, she already has her first Olympic Games behind her, the first Indigenous Australian to compete in Olympic beach volleyball, where she reached the quarter finals with her previous partner Louise Bawden. And while this will be Clancy’s first Commonwealth Games, she’s no stranger to Surfers Paradise which, she says, is one of the best events on the national calendar.

What do you like about competing in Surfers Paradise?

Where we play* is right in front of the steps of the main beach, so it’s nice to see people walking past and stop when they see us. It’s great just to be part of the active lifestyle there; it’s part of being a Queenslander – everyone’s down at the beach bright and early.

How do you spend your time away from the beach?

I have family on the Gold Coast so we catch up at the cafés near the beach and I love sitting there and people watching. The first thing I look for when I arrive is somewhere to have breakfast or brunch. I love shopping, Pacific Fair is incredible.

Beach or country?

I’m more of a country girl than a beach girl. People think we spend all our time at the beach but when we compete overseas sometimes we aren’t anywhere near a beach. I love going home to the green fields and a peacefulness you can’t get anywhere else. I miss the camaraderie of the town and the fresh air which I really appreciate when I go home. I feel more at home in the bush.

You grew up in Kingaroy. What would you recommend for visitors to do there?

Drive to the Bunya Mountains and find a spot for a picnic, go bushwalking. It’s beautiful. Or visit Crane Wines. They make both red and white wines and it’s really nice to sit outside on the veranda with a gourmet platter and a great view over the vineyards.

Any favourite holiday spots when you were growing up?

Yeppoon on the coast near Rockhampton. I remember going out to Keppel Island for the day on a ferry boat. We went paddleboarding and kayaking. It’s a really fun and beautiful part of Queensland. I like water sports, particularly paddleboarding because it’s so peaceful. There’s also a great spot to do that on the Gold Coast at Tallebudgera and in Surfers Paradise on the river at Budds Beach.

You travel a lot. Any packing tips?

I’m a very diligent packer. I start about two weeks before I travel, I write a list, I lay everything out on the floor, I use travel-size bottles. Again, people think that because it’s beach volleyball we’re always competing in warm weather, but we’re not. In Europe it’s not as warm as competing back home. We have winter gear and we have to be very organised and prepared for the best and the worst case scenarios. *Beach volleyball will be played on the sand at Coolangatta during GC2018 Commonwealth Games

36 | BNE March/April 2018

From top: Taliqua Clancy competing in the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Clancy (right) with teammate Mariafe Artach del Solar in Qinzhou, China; the Bunya Mountains offers plenty of cool hiking trails; enjoy the view from the cellar door veranda at Crane Wines; Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, is an idyllic coastal getaway Images, main: Quinn Rooney/Getty; destinations, Tourism and Events Queensland

BOOKS

Spy game you need to know John Grisham, Lee Child, J.P Delaney, Patricia Cornwell and a growing list of well-established authors have given high praise to the debut novel of former CIA analyst Karen Cleveland. Cornwell calls her an exciting new voice in thrillers, Grisham and Child agree that Need to Know is a can’t-put-it-down read Karen Cleveland and Delaney says it’s heart-poundingly suspenseful. No surprise, then, that a movie version is already touted with Charlize Theron in the lead role. Cleveland’s specialty at the CIA was counterterrorism, so you can be assured she brings expert insight to her fictional plot about a CIA analyst who discovers a secret dossier of deep-cover Russian agents living in plain sight in the US. If you’ve been watching the Cold War series The Americans on TV, you’ll like Need to Know (Bantam Press).

M O R E D EB U T N OVEL S N OT TO M ISS Kali Napier

5 MINUTES WITH KALI NAPIER

The Brisbane-based author’s debut novel is winning five-star reviews The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge was inspired by … two newspaper articles I uncovered about my great-grandfather during some family history research, a journal article about the Great Emu War, and my friend Kate who said there should be a love scene in a bath.

The book’s main character Ernie is … based on my great-grandfather who settled briefly in Dongara in Western Australia during the Depression.

The heart of the story is … a family trying to start over in a new place during the Depression but their secrets cannot be left behind.

The best part of writing The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge was … going on a road trip to Dongara as a 40th birthday present to myself. I interviewed local historians and older residents about life in the 1930s, but found myself reconnecting with a part of my own family history as well as my love for the WA coast.

Before I was an author I was … an anthropologist in Bangladesh and Western Australia. A couple of children and a variety of roles later, I took on a job as a researcher of Aboriginal family history that indirectly led me to writing this book.

I started writing because … when I was young, I lived overseas without television and read all my Enid Blyton series and Trixie Beldens 10 times over. Writing was an extension of my voracious reading. I stopped writing at 17 and only started again 21 years later when I was made redundant.

Tensions between brothers – guilt, resentment, fear, need – drive the plot of Fallow, Daniel Shand’s award-winning psychological thriller which has earned rave reviews (Picador Australia); uncovering the mystery of a missing sister 30 years after the fact is the mission for Anna Flores in The Missing Girl by Jenny Quintana (Mantle); and there’s plenty of family intrigue and deep sea drama in The Pearler’s Wife which looks back to the early days of the pearling trade in Western Australia.

Roxane Dhand’s debut novel is an historical fiction based on true stories from the time and told through the eyes of heroine Maisie Porter (Bantam Press).

Tim Winton talks lost boys and toxic masculinity on the journey to adulthood, accompanied by a specially commissioned soundscape and photographic images, to launch his new book The Shepherd’s Hut on 19 March at Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm.

Tickets from $50 plus fees, see www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

The book that changed my life was … Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. I use it as a blueprint for living. As a teenager I craved a bohemian lifestyle, then travelled aimlessly before being sidetracked by a range of bad decisions. Now I’m looking forward to a simple life of home and family by the sea.

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.

Hank Kordas

The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge by Kali Napier, published by Hachette Australia

BNE March/April 2018 | 37

NEED TO KNOW

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 Chinesespeaking ambassadors wear red shirts.

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

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 and travels via Skygate.

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

TAXIS AND AIRTRAIN Taxi ranks are located kerbside Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal. 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.

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.

38 | BNE March/April 2018

RIDE SHARE PICK UP ZONES Brisbane Airport now has dedicated Ride Booking (Ride Share) pick-up zones at both the Domestic and International Terminals.

Look for the signs indicating Pre-Booked Express and Ride Booking outside each terminal. At Domestic Terminal, the Ride Booking Pick-up Zone is on the central road between the taxi pick-up and passenger drop-off on either side of the Skywalk. At International Terminal, the Ride Booking Pick-up Zone can be accessed by heading outside the terminal at the southern end, turning left and taking the ramp to ground level. A Brisbane Airport access fee of $3.50 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/tofrom-brisbane-airport/transport-options

Image: Uber

Airport ambassadors

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

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.

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

Tax Refund Scheme (TRS) The TRS enables you 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. Call 1300 363 263 or see www.customs.gov.au Lost property International: enquiries to Visitor Information Centre, Level 2; call (07) 3406 3190 or email international@sqt.com.au. Domestic: enquiries first to your airline. Qantas call (07) 3867 3264, Virgin Australia (07) 3114 8150, Jetstar (07) 3336 1752 or email Tigerair at ttbne.ops@ aerocare.com.au before contacting the Visitor Information Centre on Level 1; call (07) 3068 6698 or send emails to domestic@sqt.com.au Disability Access Lifts, travelators, ramps, aerobridges, rest points, accessible parking spaces and toilet facilities are in place for passengers with limited mobility or disabilities. Airlines are responsible for assisting

passengers with disabilities within terminals.

Passengers should refer to their airline’s policies prior to booking their ticket. There is no porter service or any form of direct assistance provided at Brisbane Airport other than any assistance that may be provided by the passenger’s airline.

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.

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

Local amenities 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.

Prayer Room A multi-denominational prayer room is located at International Terminal Level 4.

Police For assistance at Brisbane Airport telephone 13 12 37.

Tour Brisbane Airport Have a question about the new runway? Want to know more about Brisbane Airport? Join a free community bus tour. For information and to book see www.bne.com.au/tours

DAY IN THE LIFE

MORETON DRIVE

DRYANDRA ROAD

PUBLIC WAITING AREA

P2

Perri Cronin plays hide and seek from her parents while waiting to depart for Mackay

P1

AIRPORT DRIVE

Sherri Power departing for Melbourne

Photography (Domestic Terminal) by Eric Wang and (International Terminal) Marc Grimwade

Madind Akuei arriving from Melbourne

SKYWALK

Lily Staib arrives from Magnetic Island, north Queensland, on her way to Noosa

More than 23 million people travel through l Brisbane AirportDoeach mestic Termina year. These are just a few snapped on their journey...

Adina Leu arriving from Canberra

Manjit Kaur departing for Vancouver, Canada

Christie Bavage departing for Townsville

Johno Johnson departing for Perth

Kazin Avvas farewells fellow student Chelsea Li who is departing for China

Photographer Alysha Cantwell waiting to depart for Melbourne

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

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

Taiwan

China

Manila

Philippines

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Singapore Singapore

Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

Denpasar Indonesia

BRISBANE

BRISBANE

to the world

To 84 destinations direct from Brisbane and beyond

Air China

Air Canada

Air Niugini

Air New Zealand

40 | BNE March/April 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

Solomon Islands

Mt Isa

Port Hedland

Espiritu Santo

Longreach

Vanuatu

Fiji

New Caledonia

Auckland

Perth

New Zealand

Queenstown

New Zealand

Rockhampton Gladstone

Emerald

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

Port Vila Vanuatu Nadi

Noumea

Moranbah Barcaldine

Blackall

Alice Springs

Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) Hamilton Island Mackay

Townsville

Cloncurry

Samoa

Adelaide

Wellington New Zealand

Christchurch

Newcastle Orange Sydney Lord Howe Wollongong Island Wagga Wagga Canberra Albury

New Zealand

Melbourne

Dunedin

New Zealand

Launceston Hobart

*Starts 14 April. Map not to scale. Please note airlines and destinations are current at time of print.

Hawaiian Airlines Hainan Airlines

Jetstar Jetgo

Malaysia Airlines Korean Air

Nauru Airlines Malindo Air

Qantas/ QantasLink Philippine Airlines

Singapore Airlines Rex

Thai Airways

Solomon Airlines

Virgin Australia

Tigerair

BNE March/April 2018 | 41

2017

2017

QUEENSLAND

QUEENSLAND Awards for Excellence

Awards for Excellence M

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WINNER

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RP

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