CBX November 2010 by Cairns Backpacker Xpress

welcome

Once a sugarcane town with a small population around 25,000, Cairns has come a long way for people like me. I was born and bred here and the days of riding motocross through the cane fields have long past. Now a vibrant township full of festivals, buskers, restaurants and shopping centres, Cairns has a lot to offer backpackers. Iʼm always asked who you guys are, and the answer is always different, because you guys keep changing. Youʼre getting younger, more European and fortunately have a bit more money to spend here. Remember you guys are on holidays, but the people who provide a bed for you, a meal, an adventure, well, our living is dependent upon you coming week after week. Throw in a wet season, a few crocodile sightings and our world can change over night. My message to you is that Cairns does have a wet season and does have some wild creatures, but thatʼs also what makes us special and the wet season in the tropics is something to treasure and enjoy. Enjoy yourself and tell a friend to come visit us and say hi, whatever time of year .

Contact:

Shop 7, 84 Lake Street • Telephone: 07 4041 6981 art@cbxmagazine.com.au • www.cbxmagazine.com.au © Cairns Backpacker Xpress Pty Ltd 2010

caf´e discovery

Jana with two freshly baked strudels at The Gingerbread House and Bakery

The Gingerbread House and Bakery is one of the newest additions to the Cair ns café scene, only opening this March, but already, it has been a huge success with locals and visitors. Perhaps the secret is in their award winning gingerbread, shortbread, cakes and strudels? Or their locally sourced produce and artificial free food? Along with good coffee, The Gingerbread House and Bakery serves soups, quiches, sandwiches, burgers as well as having a tantalising br eakfast menu. Try the 3 Egg Omelette cooked in a rustic pan, the Eggs Benedict, or the sweet or savoury French crepes. Toppings include fresh mango, mixed berries or sugar and cinnamon (sweet) or Tuscan Breakfast, Bavarian Lunch or Eve’s Garden (savoury). Located at city place (90 Lake Str eet) and open 8:30am – 5pm Tuesday to Friday, and 8am – 4:30pm Saturday. www.gingerbreadhousebakery

Many locals and barista’s agree – Bang Espresso is the leader for Cair ns coffee. It’s not difficult to see why! W ith exceptional coffee and fast service, they r eally are a recipe for success. Located on Spence street, the main focus is the beans, the grind, the tamp, the extraction, the finishing touches and the taste. For European readers looking for an espresso to match Italy’s standards, try Bang and you will feel like you’ve been transported home again. However, it’s doesn’t stop there… Bang also has a gr eat, affordable menu including rolls, wraps, cakes, slices and more. Breakfast runs all day for those that like to sleep in, with prices starting at $6.90, and they also of fer light options. They also serve All Day Lunch starting fr om $12.90. Bang Espresso, like many new coffee shops in Cair ns, use local produce and the best ingredients, what sets them apart however, is the quality of the cof fee. Go in and judge for yourself! Open Monday to Friday 6:30am – 5pm, Saturday 7am – 4pm and Sunday 8am – 3pm. www.bangespresso.com.au

Toby, Sarah, Erol and Anna at Bang Espresso

tour of the city Cairns has a wide variety of places for tasty meals and snacks from a range of styles! Opened eighteen months ago, Caffiend is a little coffee shop tucked down an alleyway on Grafton street, which serves excellent food and great coffee. Owned and run by Atherton local Oliver, this is a great place for breakfast, lunch or simply a coffee. Breakfasts start from $7.90 for a bacon and egg muf fin with lunches starting from $9.90 for a toasted sandwich. They also have soups, salads and pizzas. If drinking coffee isn’t as much of an experience, then ask about their monthly Coffee Appreciation or Intensive Barista Courses. What makes Caffiend stand out form the rest is the free range eggs and range of gluten free and vegetarian options. What makes Caffiend different from the rest is their home-made relishes, sauces and jams. Go in and try their popular Chilli Eggs (12.90) today! Open 8am – 4pm, Monday to Saturday. 5/78 Grafton Street, 4051 5522.

Sandra at Café Amour

The awesome crew at Caffiend. Hi Ollie

Whilst wandering down the esplanade, don’ t forget to stop by Cocoa Amour, a funky, chic café offering free wi-fi for guests. They ar e open from 7am until 10pm and serve a selection of salad, pasta, grilled and seafood dishes. Lunch and dinner prices start fr om $9.90 and also include wraps, bagettes and quiches. You can get the usual cof fee favourites, tea, fresh juices, soft drinks as well as a selection of beer, wine and spirits. As you walk in you are confronted with a gleaming cabinet full of beautifully crafted and delicious cakes (some with little pieces of edible gold on top). Each individual cake is baked everyday by the Cairns based company Cocoa Amour. The best thing is that the main target for this store (as opposed to the other Cair ns locations) is backpackers, so prices ar e kept down and they serve the food you’r e after. Pay them a visit and see for yourself: 91 Esplanade, 4041 1802.

cafe Tour around town...

Rodney Meldrum at Meldrumʼs Pies

One of Australia’s most loved foods is the meat pie, with plain old tomato sauce. Her e in Cairns we are lucky enough to have Meldrums Pies, and you cannot leave Cair ns without paying these guys a visit. The father and son duo bake every single pie fr esh each morning – go in and watch them putting in and pulling out the perfectly baked pies fr om the enormous ovens! There is something for everyone ranging from the basic steak pie to steak, cheese and bacon and chicken curry. Vegetarians do not fear, as there are a range of yummy pies and pasties with delicious ingredients to choose from. You can also get extras like potato ($1), peas ($1) and gravy (50c). And what would you expect to pay for these award winning, freshly baked pies? Prices start from $2.50 and the most expensive pie on the menu is only $5.50! Good food, and cheap… and that’s something you don’t see everyday. They also serve salads, hot and cold drinks and have a selection of sandwiches and rolls. It’s worth a visit, just even to stand in awe at the wall of 30 bronze, silver and gold awards for their pies! Located at 97 Grafton Str eet, 4051 8333.

If you’ve read your Lonely Planet then you will have hear d of Perotta’s, but what you may not know is that it has been a favourite with locals for fourteen years. W ith a winning combination of great food, great coffee and great service, it’s not difficult to see why this café is somewhat of an icon for Cairns. Perotta’s is anything you want it to be – a café for a coffee or lunch, a restaurant for an evening meal, and also a wine bar, for those cool sunset or evening drinks. For backpackers the prices are a little steeper than other cafes, however, lunch and dinner prices start at a r easonable $10, which is still budget friendly. Perotta’s serve up great salads, pasta and grilled dishes as well as paninis and desserts, and these delicious meals are all made fresh on site. Breakfast starts from $6 and they serve an array of drinks fr om coffee, tea, freshly made juices and smoothies… and it’s a known fact that the coffee is good. Pop in just to say you’ve been or pair it with a trip to the Regional Gallery next door! Open 6:30am – 10pm, located 38 Abbott Str eet.

caf´e

Georgina and Thabo at Perottaʼs

If you’d like something a little dif ferent then head down Lake street to Pho N Thai, a little r estaurant serving Vietnamese, Thai and other Asian cuisine. Enjoy the classics such as Spring Rolls, Vietnamese Pho Bo, Tom Yum, Phad Thai, Malaysian Laksa, Singapore noodles or Thai Beef Red Curry. Or be a little more adventurous and order the triple chilli Spicy Seafood Soup, Topoki, or Bibimbab (Korean speciality). Prices start at $6.50 and don’ t go above $15.95, great for making your money str etch that little bit further. They also do take-away if you’r e in a rush! Tasty food at low cost… what more could you want? Shop 2, Lake Str eet, 4031 6001.

Chloe and Alice from Pho n Thai

Josh at Twelve Bar Cafe

Underneath the Cairns Museum is Twelve Bar Café, a great place to go if you’re craving a coffee, but your friend wants a beer – being a licensed café it satisfies all needs. T welve Bar Café has an extensive breakfast menu with prices ranging fr om $4 (a steal!) up to $14. Their lunch menu includes a range of salads including a Thai Beef Salad and Gr eek Salad (with chicken or salmon), as well as paninis, sandwiches and burgers. Drinks include coffee, hot drinks, organic tea, milkshakes, thick shakes and freshly made juices as well as organic soft drink and flavoured mineral water, beer and wine. Come by on a Thursday or Friday evening for live music. Located on the cor ner of Lake and Shields street (City Place).

Soraya at Dolci and Gelati

If you are just after a cool r efreshment to dampen the heat and humidity then swing by Dolci + Gelati on Shields street for a scoop or two of icy-cold gelato. A small cup/cone (1scoop) costs $4.80, medium cup/cone (2 scoops) $5.30, and large (3 scoops) is $6.00. All 28 ever-changing flavours are made fresh on site using local tropical fruit and produce (they also do shakes for $5.50!). They are open Monday to Wednesday from 11am – 10pm and Thursday – Sunday fr om 11am – 10:30pm.

caf´e discovery tour

Hue, Beth and Dinka at Avenue A On the corner of Shields and Abbott str eet is Avenue A, growing bigger by the day. They now serve breakfast on the go from $4.50, or stay in and enjoy 2 poached eggs with fried bacon, tomato and toasted bread for only $7.50. If you get ther e after breakfast has finished at 10:30am, then try the lunch and dinner options of fr eshly baked pizzas on hand-spun dough (from $12.90) or pasta ($13.90). For lighter options, A venue A also serves salads fr om $9 and appetizers like garlic knots and Buf falo Chicken Wings from $6. Both tap and bottled beer are served along with spirits, soft drinks and other cold drinks. Open fr om 7am – 10pm weeknights and 7am – 11pm Friday and Satur day nights, Avenue A are open later than most to serve you quick, tasty and cheap meals and snacks.

If you’re staying at Gilligans (or close by), you have a stinking hangover, and can’t bear the thought of wandering around town to find food and other sobering substances, then look no further than Gossip, just outside the Gilligans front entrance. Serving wraps, breakfast, sandwiches, muffins and slices, you can grab a cof fee and slowly recover from the night before. They also serve tea, milkshakes and for your convenience also cigarettes, sunscreen, paracetamol, washing powder and other useful items for backpackers. Open from 6am – 2pm and then again serving yummy pizzas from 6pm – 3am… yes, the same pizza you ate last night leaving Gilligans in a drunken mess.

Chris at Gossip

The last stop on our Food Tour is The Coffee Bean, located at the Pier. This is probably one of the best places to go to escape the heat and humidity due to the frosty air-conditioning that awaits you inside. If that’s not enough to cool you down then try one of the Cool Blends, Smoothies or cold drinks. As well as cold drinks, they serve all the cof fee originals with a few coffee inventions as well as premium teas and platinum teas. The Coffee Bean, with is golden r eflective ceiling and the warm woodwork throughout is a great place to just relax with a coffee looking up at the mountains and catching up with your travel diary or meeting up with friends. They serve breakfast starting from $9.00, burgers from $10.75, foccacia from $10.75, sandwiches from $10.95 as well as light meals, snacks, cakes and slices. If you’re prepared to brave the heat you can r elax outside on the decking underneath the fans and if in the right seat, look out over the sea (tide permitting). Open from 7am – 7pm.

Cassidy and Aaron at the Coffee Bean 11

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a w eek

E F A S

, f: the wildlife o ry a w e b t us. have to ce to protec n y things you n ra a u s m in o l s e v re and tra king sure , there a first aid kits , simply ma , re travelling le s a k p u c m o lo a y x e n e s e r a h W purch , like fo t their s… and we yourself safe to say abou g d a in h p e rs e e k k thieves, con f c o backpa easier ways r what these a e H But are their ? e n lo alk home a e. you donʼt w s and advic it b a h d a b , experiences

Sarah from Ireland

Curtis and Tyler from the USA

Scary experiences:

Walking home late at night alone and being approached by people.

Advice:

Try not to travel on your own. Do not go off on your own at night. Stay in contact regularly with youʼre family so they can keep track of you. Wear Sunscreen!!!

Bad habits:

I still walk home on my own sometimes late at night. If I loose my friends, you just think “Iʼll just walk home on my own instead of paying a taxi”, nobody thinks of the dangers… you think youʼre fine when youʼre drunk!

Scary experiences:

No bad experiences yet, weʼve mainly been staying in campervan parks and itʼs been pretty friendly the whole time.

Advice:

Donʼt leave important things in the open unattended, youʼre just inviting people to steal it Keep a lock on your personal items Get roadside assistance if youʼre renting a van, especially if youʼre driving through the outback.

Bad habits:

We left our car unlocked a whole bunch if we are just going for a shower or to just jump in the pool. 16

AVEL ADVICE Jess from Yorkshire, UK

Andrew from Australia, Bjornar from Norway and Julius from the UK

Advice:

Donʼt wander off on your own. Donʼt bring expensive stuff with you and make it obvious you have it.

Bad habits:

Iʼm not the safest person myself really if Iʼm honest! I always walk home with other people though, itʼ s my first ever backpacking experience.

Anders & Anders, Denmark

Scary experiences:

(J) Not a single one! Iʼm quite tall so people tend not to want to mess with me. (B) No, none that I can recall, perhaps I was too wasted. (A) Nah, not really.

Advice:

Scary experiences:

We did experience a tsunami drill when we were on Koh Phi Phi, and we didnʼt know it was a test, we thought it was real so we headed for the mountains.

Advice:

Split your cards up and have an extra credit card. Keep your passport with you, instead of in your room. Keep contact with friends when out. Lock your things in a locker.

Get travel insurance. Avoid dodgy places. If youʼre doing activities with companies, especially in South East Asia, make sure theyʼre not gonna end up stealing your bags while youʼre on the bus. If youʼre not with friends donʼt drink too much. Try and stay with friends when out. Safe sex! Donʼt keep too much cash on you.

Bad habits:

(J) I walk home alone but itʼ s in a safe area. (B) I walk home alone but I donʼt walk alone in sketchy areas. (A) I donʼt lock up my bag in my room.

Rent or Buy- Gr eat way to see A ustralia

WHAT’S ON

WHAT’SON The Regional Gallery this month is packed with great exhibitions… and all for just $5! As well as buying art, you can view the latest

Regional Gallery

exhibition to appear on the walls: “Pressed Ink”. Using processes such as etching, lino, screen-printing, engraving and more, the artists convey their images in a dif ferent format to conventional paint and canvas. The exhibition aims to show how important printmaking is as a form of art and medium … especially with its renewed popularity and affordability. Available to view throughout the month of November

Starting on the 5th is the “Salon: The 2010 Postcard Show”, the annual fundraising exhibition for the Gallery. The artwork comes in postcard size canvases, and are up for sale through a silent auction. This is a great way to get your hands on a truly unique piece of art at low cost – and it will be able to fit in your backpack too! The auction date is Friday the 19th November at 6pm.

Pressed Ink The “Trilemma” exhibition is also a FREE exhibition running at the Tanks from the 5th to 20th of November. Itʼs available to view from 9:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Saturday, with Mono Printmaking Workshops every Saturday. The exhibition aims to capture the audience through interactions with the work and activities planned, rather than the art itself.

Salon: 2010 Postcard Show Trilemma 26

N ART

by Chelsea Denny

At the UMI Arts Gallery this month, is the exhibition by artist Teho Ropeyarn: “Exploring Two Worlds”. This exhibition explores Tehoʼs journey as an emerging artists through the medium of paint, lino cut prints and ceramics. Teho concentrates on Aboriginal and Torres Strait designs and patterns using skills taught in his community, as well as techniques learnt during his study in Sydney. The exhibition runs until the 19th of November and can be viewed Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm. For more information visit www.umiarts.com.au.

Continuing events at the Regional gallery include the TAFE studentʼs exhibition through the whole of November, which showcases the great talent we have up north. Over at the Tanks Art Centre you can catch the last of “Looking North” and “Watershed” which both end on the 9th of November. Both are FREE events so take a look if you can.

Watershed

Looking North

Did you know that Cairns has seven sister cities: Lae (Papua New Guinea), Minami and Oyama (Japan), Riga (Latvia), Scottsdale (USA), Sidney (Canada) and Zhanjiang (China). The latest exhibition at the Tanks: Fibres of Life, celebrates this diversity and partnership and features 100 works from the cities listed above, through the medium of textiles.

Looking NorthFibres of Life

WHAT’S ON

WHAT’SON DJ Papa Stanley

DJ Papa Stanley is busy this month, with an array of gigs at dif ferent drinking holes around Cairns. Catch him for “Good Vibes” at the Blue Sky Brewery at 5pm every Thursday whilst you sample the local brew. Alternatively, head to the Lounge (underneath the Woolshed) later in the evening on the Thursday and Friday at 10pm to listen his funk/house/jazz set. ).

Also every Friday this month you can catch FLT (The Funky Love Tank) at the LILO Wet Bar. “FLT does LILO” starts at 7:30pm. If you love your dance music and DJʼ s do not miss this! International, Brighton based DJ, Krafty Kuts is making his long awaited return to Cairns at VIBE Bar on the 7th. Krafty Kuts is internationally recognised and collaborated with many famous DJʼ s around the globe and is now touring Australia. Come and check out his hiphop/funk music to see what all the fuss is about! Tickets cost $22.50 (presale) or $25 on the door and can be purchased through VIBE bar or TicketLINK. Doors open at 8pm. Also at VIBE this month you can catch DJ Zacstar the following night on the 6th and every Saturday for “Twilight Saturdays”. And to top off your VIBE W eekend, check out “Soul On Sundayʼs” on Sundays at 7pm.

If you prefer a more interactive Sunday night event then head to the Green Ant Cantina for great food deals and Open Mic night. Arrive before 8pm for a few drinks to get the adrenaline pumping before you hit the stage.

N music

The highlight this month on the music scene has to be alternative rock band: Grinspoon, who bring their alternative/rock set to the Brother 始s Leagues Club at 8:30pm on the 26th of November . Doors open at 8pm and tickets cost $37 (pre-sale) and $42 (on the door). To purchase tickets and for more information visit: www.brotherscairns.com.au.

Kicking off November is The Catholics, a jazz/dance group consisting of some of the best musicians from all around Australia. They play their eclectic set at the Tanks Art Centre (Tank 5) on the 5th, the gig starting at 7:30pm but doors opening at 6:30pm. Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased through TIcketLINK or on the door.

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON

music

Later on in the month, the Salthouse will again host The Far Northern Soul Collective. Relax on the edge of the marina whilst the funky songs make the icy cold beer (or cocktail) that much more enjoyable. The music kicks off at 9pm, but get there early to enjoy a few drinks in the lovely , Balinese inspired bar and restaurant.

On the 26th is “Unplugged” at the Tanks Art Centre with Belinda Butler and The Good Things, plus The Far Northern Soul Collective. In a mixture of country , folk, soul and funk by the eclectic mix of artists, itʼ s set to be an entertaining night. Cost is $10 and will be sold on at the doors, which open at 6:30pm, the show starting at 7:30pm.

Salt House A band frequenting many local hot spots this month are Vikarious Trio with their collection of music spanning contemporary songs to old favourites. They will also be appearing at Salt House at 9pm on the 27th of November.

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a w eek

WHAT’S ON

events Needing a little meditation or a chance to chill out and calm your mind? Perhaps a Gong Bath is the answer? Keep your clothes on and stay dry as the sound of the gong washes over you and helps you feel more revitalised, with the Ishtar Soul Healing. They happen every Tuesday at Bently Park at 7pm and cost $20 (including refreshments). Call Lisa on 4045 5502 / 040136 6850 or visit www.ishtarsoulhealing.com to book and for more information.

Want to do fitness classes for FREE? Yep, the Cairns Regional Council has free classes for the public to enjoy! On a Monday they have Active Hearts and BoxinFun. Every Tuesday get up at the crack of dawn and join the 6am Yoga class, or, join the FREE Zumba class that evening at 5pm. On W ednesdays choose between Bootcamp and Beach Volleyball (both starting at 5:30pm). Thursdays you are spoilt for choice with Pilates at 6am, Learn to Run at 6pm and Aqua Aerobics at 6:15pm. Fridays see the repeat Bootcamp at 6:15am, Aqua Aerobics at 7am, and Zumba that evening at 5:30pm. Finally , Saturday (if youʼre not too hung over), you can join the Meditation class at 7am, the BoxinFun at 8am or Aqua Aerobics at 8:30am. Zumba and Active Hearts are at the Fogarty Park Sound Shell (opposite the Bushfire restaurant on the Esplanade), Beach Volleyball is held at Cairns Indoor Sports (Mayer Street), with all other classes meeting at the Lagoon Café. For more information visit: http://www.cairnsesplanade.com.au/FunFreeFitness.

If you始d prefer a little theatre instead, then make a date for Measure for Measure, by Tropical Arts at the Tanks Art Centre. This is an exceptional Shakespearean play about power and corruption and explores many issues including mercy, justice, truth, pride and humility. There is conflict between its classification, the best description being Black Humour. Shows start at 7:30pm on the 3rd of November, 11am and 7:30pm on the 4th, and 7:30pm on the 5th and 6th. T ickets cost $25 and can be purchased through TicketLINK or on the door.

A.J. Hacket

Out at AJ Hackett on the 7th (and every Sunday) is Sol Sundays Sunday session starting at 1pm. Hosting live local music and a BBQ lunch, it始s the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Have a few drinks at the Gravity bar or why not do a bungy jump or try the Minjin swing! AJ Hackett also has FREE transport in and out of Cairns, so that you can kick back even more! For more information visit: cairns.ajhackett.com.

Additional cool FREE events in Cairns include Salsa Classes at Casa De Meze restaurant and bar every Friday and Saturday night through the month of November. The classes start at 9:30pm until 10:30pm, but get there early for a few confidenceboosting cocktails or even earlier for some great Mediterranean cuisine. Friday night is also Ladies Night (with great giveaways). Ring 4051 5550 for more information. 41

WHAT’S ON

Cair ns Enter tainment- Open 7 nights a week 46

TREET

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P.J. OʼBr ienʼs SHIE LDS

TREET This Trad itional Iris h p absolute ub is loca centre of ted in the town, and it’s the he come nig art of the ht time city. Live includes entertainm Coyote U ent gly nights and Satu (Wednes rday), wit d h ay girls danc bar top, a ing live o wild night n the out. If yo fun, Pole u are up Idol comp for some etitions a anyone c re held w an enter. eekly and Locals te the early nd to mee evening, t there in and with Plasma’s a large nu it’s a grea mber of t place to sporting e watch ma vents. jor We all lov e the Irish , and this welcome venue off that only ers a the Irish c an extend . Every nig ht Great prizes & Promos

Party Gilligans GRAFTON STREET well as Travellers, Popular with the Locals as ty stamina all week long. Gilligan's has non-stop par in the pool for a 'Dive in Whether you want to lounge lly Wrestling' or do your movie', get messy with 'Je ss Nation' or summon the cro country proud with 'Babe ely init def will n’s ht', Gilliga dresser within on 'Flirt Nig . you have something for l the back deck by the poo From Thursday to Sunday popular live bands and is home to some of Cairns check out their Summer DJ’s. We recommend you Hackett’s Fox – the only Lovin Sunday Sesh with AJ ia, it’s crazy! flying fox in a bar in Austral y have done it all; Friday And just when you think the heat up with dress ups and and Saturday Nights really balls, fire shows and live dance parties, masquerade e of the world’s favourite acts brought to you by som Hoods, Bliss and Eso, gigs including The Hilltop erclub, Timmy Trumpet Ministry of Sound, RnB Sup weekend at Gilligan’s is and the list goes on. Every something different, all upcoming events! check their Facebook for

Be treated like a

local...

From the street Vib e looks like a tre ndy small cocktail bar, howe ver once you wa lk through the venue you will be amazed at how big Vibe is, with many rooms to en joy your favourite co cktail or beer, whilst surrounde d by amazing art work. Vibe is highly rec ommended with good quality affordable food. They specialise in gourmet Wagu beef burgers, sa te chicken burge rs, and duck & bacon burgers. They also have a range of seafood on the menu such as Grilled Atlantic Salmon with steamed rice and garden salad for $15, or the famous NZ beer battered whiting fillets with chips and salad for $1 2.50 (Thursdays ho use special is fish and chips for $7.50). Between 4pm – 7pm every night you ca n enjoy a glass of complimentary glass of wine or pot of beer with yo ur burger, plus a free serve of chips , for only $12.50. Most importantly, enjoy the friendly service, sit at the bar and chat during the day, or enjoy the atmosphere at co cktail hour. Feel like part of the Cairns family. vibebar@optusne t.com.au

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PULL OUT

CITYMAP 4

Jucy this way

Shiva Moon

2 Van Rental

3 Coffee Shop

4 Happy Herbs

CITY MAP

5 Massage

6 Cairns Tattoo

10 DIVE GEAR

18 15

7 8

28 11 Extreme Stuff 13 n

50 9 13 T-Fashion

14 FASHION & Swimwear

7 iShop Apple

9 Beauty

8 Waxing

Cultural Entertainment

17 5

Funky Fashion

15 Sushi

17 Bottleshop

18 Great Kebabs

19 Everything Music

20 PIZZA

21 Tattooist

22 Medical Centre

25 Juice bar

27 Cars & Campers

23 Live Music/Restaurant

24 Pasta

$ 20

29 Quality cafe

30 Massage

32 Pool Tables

34 City Location Accommodation

34 33

3 36 Adult Entertainment

31 Self Drive Campervans

33 Study English

Fashion Swimwear

30 37 Skateboarding

38 Tattoo Nation

Entertainment Venue

39 Lawyers

40 Tax

41 Ugg Boots Specialists

$ Money Exchange

TAX Advice

Backpackers Tax Tips

HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR TAX REFUND! Doing your tax return online can seem very easy, but unfortunately most online returns miss important information that can greatly increase your refund. This is because they ar e national or overseas companies with very little local knowledge or expertise with working holiday taxpayers. TAX RESIDENCY Even though you may be a non-r esident, probably the most critical area is to try to be taxed as a "resident for tax purposes". Most Australians don't pay any tax until after they reach $15,000, and then the rate is just 15% until income of $35,000. Compar e this to your non-resident flat 30% tax, criminal! However your tax residency status can be changed, and regardless of what your Tax File Number currently records. The criteria to be a tax resident is framed in legal jar gon and is quite complex. However, to dumb it down, the key factors are; 1. You have been in based in the one geographic location over 6 months, or 2. You arrived recently, but your intention is the one geographic location for the next 6 months, or 3. Your intention changed during the year, or since arrival, and 1 or 2 then applied. Your address should also appear permanent, rather than just temporary accommodation.

MEDICARE If a tax resident, you may be clocked for the Medicare Levy of 1.5% if your income is over $18,800. This is so even if you ar e not entitled to Medicare benefits. To get an exemption, an application must be sent to a separate government department for an exemption certificate, along with certified copies of all your passport pages. A complete pain, but worthwhile.

REMOTE ZONE OFFSET Interstate Tax Agents often forget the zone offset, or don't calculate it pr operly. Cairns residents get $57 pro-rata over a 6 month period. If you lived in a mor e remote area, the offset can be as much as $1,173 ! Even if you lived in Cairns for 6 months during which you had a 2 week holiday in say, Cooktown, your zone offset would increase to $143.

SPOUSE OFFSETS Another possible offset is if you are supporting a low or nil income partner and living her e in a defacto relationship, you can claim a spouse offset, worth up to a possible $2,243 . The definition is a couple living in a genuine domestic relationship. A Spouse offset will also dramatically increase your zone offset above.

TAX DEDUCTIONS Deductions reduce your taxable income and increase your refund. There are too many to

discuss here, but the basic principal is any cost incurred in relation to your income ear ning activity, or tax affairs, that is not of a personal nature. Receipts are only required if these exceed $300 in total, and some items ar e allowed a reasonable estimation. Common deductions for Working Holiday returns; - tax agent fees; paid within that financial year - work equipment or tools; even if pur chased in a prior year or overseas - telephone; if on call, or working in the field - clothing & laundry; if a uniform with logo, or protective in nature - travel; between different sites during work - safety; steel capped boots, hats or sunglasses if working outside It is important that you get a full analysis of your situation to take advantage of the lar ge number of tax offsets and deductions, many more not mentioned above. Local tax agents can assess these for you quite quickly, and give advice about future tax matters, usually at less cost than many online tax pr eparation companies.

Information provided by the Express Tax Office from BC Accountants. These and tax estimates & returns are also online in 5 languages at www.eto.net.au.

The Grea

Reef

at Barrier

100% of backpackers that come to Cairns, came to see the The Great Barrier Reef and here始s why:The Great Barrier Reef is the most extensive structure ever built by living creatures and the only life form on Earth visible from the moon. One of the natural wonders of the world, the W orld Heritage Great Barrier Reef holds a fascination for overseas visitors and Australians alike. It is the largest coral reef in the world, made up of 2500 separate reefs, it stretches over 2000 km from the northern tip of the continental shelf near Papua New Guinea, to Bundaberg in the south. The 540 islands of the Great Barrier Reef are of two distinct types, continental and coral cay. With a landmass which can contain nearly five Japans, seven Britains and is half the size of Texas - there certainly is a lot to see! Its ecosystem supports the greatest concentration of life on this planet with its resident marine life including 1,500 species of fish, 350 different kinds of coral, 4000 species of molluscs and 10,000 species of sponges. It also provides breeding areas for humpback whales, sea turtles dugong and seabirds. Hundreds of species of algae, including seaweeds, also live on the reef as a vital part of the reef system. In 1975 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) was established. In recognition of its universal value, the Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the W orld Heritage list in October 1981 and is now a Marine Park managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. GBRMPA's aim is to increase people's understanding of the reef and ensure that it is used in the most enjoyable and least harmful fashion under the auspices of a marine park permit system. As well as its natural and ecological importance, the Great Barrier Reef is also of cultural and historical significance with human involvement with the reef beginning thousands of years ago and extending through to the first visits to Australian by European explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries, and on to W orld War II and more recent times. As well as being the most significant drawcard for visitors to North Queensland, it also represents the foundations for local commercial and recreational fishing industries.

The Great Bar rier Reef

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I really lucked out by choosing to go for my open water dive certificate with Deep Sea Divers Den. I purely chose it because I love sleeping under the stars out at sea, and I thought a night dive would be awesome, considering more sharks come out at night; and a course that incorporated this was hands down the winner. Little did I know what I was really in for! Deep Sea Divers Den is a highly recognized five and a half star PADI dive course company and most importantly my dive instructor, Oli, was ace at his job! He was very safety conscious and unlike some other dive instructors or masters, he gave us a lot of bottom time (duration underwater). DAY 1: I was required to do my dive medical to see if I was physically capable of diving. The entire class passed their dive medical and then the theory kicked off. We all needed to purchase a thick text book, which gave me the impression of no fun, at least for a few days. But I was wrong! Everything important in text was explained in a dive video that we watched in class. At the end of every chapter Oli went over the text book questions and elaborately explained the answers so we could all completely understand. The most important thing to remember is to never hold your breath! Next was pool school. We had to tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 metres. It felt like forever. After proving we could swim, we were introduced to the diving gear: - BCD (Buoyancy Control Device, jacket) - Tank (air supply) - Regulator First Stage (reduces cylinder pressure to intermediate pressure) -Second stage/Regulators (sourse of air)- Computer (depth gauge and timer, calculates a safe ascent rate to avoid getting decompression sickness)- Wet suit (avoids loosing body heat, helps buoyancy, feels sausage like)- Weights, snorkel and mask. We were taught how to assemble and arrange all of the dive equipment. When we had all our gear together, we put it on, did buddy checks, deflated our BCDs, sunk into the water and practiced breathing. Oli demonstrated how to get water out of our masks. He did this by filling his mask with water, tilting his head up to the surface, pressing his fingers against the top of his mask and blowing air out of his nose. One by one, underwater he came around and filled our masks so we all had a go at getting the water out. Next we learnt how to continue breathing out little bubbles after taking our regulators out from our mouth, dropping it, finding it and then putting it back in. After that I learnt how to signal underwater that I was out of air. Followed by asking my dive buddy if they could share their air, and all the directions after the ʻokayʼ. A lot for something so simple! This was a bit scary, at the time.

ed! But like everything else, it was fun! My last dive lesson for the day was decending (going down) and ascending(going up) with my buddy at arms length by deflating and inflating my BCD respectively. DAY 2: we went straight into setting up our dive gear. Put on our dive attire and then learnt how to step into the water. It was really simple. Later on we took turns tugging our buddies to the other end of the pool, etc. My favourite part was practicing our buoyancy, watching each other hover under water like genies. Lastly in the pool we learnt an emergency ascent, for when you run out of air and need to get to the surface fast. Pool school was over and then we watched more of the dive video. There was one more quiz and then we sat our final exam! I was a little nervous but all was good. Super relieved and pleased that I passed. Next day we were sent out to sea.

That night I picked up a digital camera from Wet Rez. Located on the esplanade opposite McDonalds and the Lagoon. They are $35 a day, which is a lot cheaper than what most of the dive boats charge per dive! I始m so glad I got the digital underwater camera because I was able to take as many photos and videos as I liked. The flash captured the colour of the coral better than our naked eyes could see it! The deeper the depth of water the more significant loss of colour and contrast is visible when you are scuba diving. Due to the water absorbing the wavelengths of sunlight you lose the colours red and orange, so everything appears to be more of a blue-green colour. Using flash paints in any of the missing colours when close to the subject. Gotta have one! There isn始t a better way to show the amazing experience of being underwater than visually expressing it. Camera, check. Then it was research time.. Reef Teach is a very unique, entertaining and inspiring marine life class that goes for only two hours. 6:30 to 8:30 every night from Tuesday to Saturday. Located upstairs

the Mainstreet Arcade, between Grafton and Lake street. It costs $15 for adults and it includes a few freebies. DAY 3: Eagar and excited we all boarded onto SeaQuest, a two story boat. When we were done with our dive gear we all shifted upstairs onto the sun deck and were split into two groups for our underwater at Clipper Norman Reef. I saw a huge turtle meters below me when I hopped in to do some snorkeling. The visibility was fantastic and I was so pleased that it didn始t take long at all for me to see something delightful and exciting. All the students headed back to the boat to get ready for some scuba diving with our dive instructor. Before we stepped into the sea to head under to 12 metres, Oli told us what we were required to demonstrate everything we had learnt in the pool. Underwater revision so to speak. Back on board, I soaked up some sun and the boat started moving to another part of the reef to give us more variety and again we went for another dive! When we got back to the boat, our boat SeaQuest joined sides with the three level liveaboard catamaran, OceanQuest! we all transfered onto the boat for the next two nights. It was incredible fun! Day 4: Everyone on the boat had the option of doing a 6:30 morning snorkel. The shallow reef at sunrise was glorious! I had a really rad dive at Tropos Norman Reef. The coral surroundings were enticing and huge. We spotted and avoided a Titan Triger fish. The type of fish that can be very aggressive in reproduction season, so we avoided swimming directly above it. I also came across a giant clam, leopard skin sea cucumber and a great barrier aneome fish. I felt so amazed at the end of the dive and to top it off it was our last dive as open water students! We got together on the top deck, filled out our dive log books and high fived for being certified. Day 5: Use your imagination!

Muchas gracias to all the staf f and fellow divers that made my experience enjoyable.

The Great Bar rier Reef

The number 1 way to see the reef!

View From Above If there is one thing about the destination of Cairns, the scenery stands out as simply magnificent. Whatʼs more, the sheer size of the Rainforests sweeping down to the Coral Sea, when viewed from above, will take your breath away. In fact, there is no better way to ʻvisitʼ the Great Barrier Reef than to actually view it from the sky. This is why you will notice the postcards of the area

are nearly always featured from above. If you were ever going to take a ride of you life, then by all means, Cairns is a first class area to try a helicopter ride. The thrill of the ride alone is an adventure, however, the views will give you picturesque memories forever. Heli Charters are available for a quick tour around the city area (10 minutes), to complete visits to the outer barrier reef. A 20 minute rainforest tour, takes

you up the Barron River to the spectacular falls then returns you along the coastline, or you can have your helicopter lift you over the reefs and join Osprey V for lunch and diving or snorkelling. This is by far a ʻcompleteʼ way to really see why The Great Barrier Reef is recognized as the eighth wonder of the world - from above and from under the water. Highly recommended.

CONTENTS

The Great Bar rier Reef

Learn to dive worldwide A short dive course will not only give you the chance discover the Great Barrier Reef during your holiday, but will give you a licence to Dive around the World Forever… Thereʼs the Learn To Dive course, which is a qualifying course that will give you certification as a recreational scuba diver. On completion of the course (which takes an average of 5 days total) you are given a license that is usually valid for life and is recognized around the world. The course usually includes a few days completing pool dives and knowledge development sessions and finish with making four open water dives on The Great Barrier Reef. There are also “Referral Learn To Dive” programs, which give you a chance to get your open water license in two parts theory at home and practice here on the Great barrier Reef!. Once you have all the beginner stuff out of the way, Advanced Open Water courses are the important first step in continuing your dive education. It is designed to give the newly certified or not so experienced diver added confidence and enjoyment in their diving through additional skills and training.

70 70

Further training The Rescue Diver course is where the diver moves beyond recreational diving. By expanding their knowledge of the "science" aspects of diving and rescue/emergency techniques, the diver is now equipped to appreciate and understand the importance of training relevant to diver safety and incident management. On to the “serious stuff” a Divemaster course is the first level of the "Professional" ratings. On successful completion of this program you will be qualified to supervise recreational diving activities, either boat or land based. It also allows you to act as an Instructional Assistant, and is the minimum rating required for employment in the diving industry. And for those of you who love dicing so much you decide to make a career of it: The Instructor Development Course is a two-week program combining a mixture of training in the pool and classroom academic modules presented by yourself, the course director & fellow candidates. So whether you want to take up a new hobby, or carve out an entire career, these courses are designed to take you there. SSI is a worldwide certification program that have a global network of dive operators for all diving activities. For more information: www.ssidiving.com. To book a diving course or enquire about SSI International Scuba Schools, call 02 49664877

The Great Bar rier Reef

Day cr uise with Down Under Dive

Friendly faces greeted us, although we were the last to board after running down the wharf because we were late for our day cruise. I was introduced individually to all the charismatic crewmembers that were on deck, and then sorted with flippers and a mask. Everything was smooth and well organized, down to the g neat racks where you stashed your divin inside went then We gear. eling or snork for our dive briefing whilst the boat started and headed out to sea. Mitsy, the dive instructor easily engaged all of our attention by including a bit of seamanly satire in his dive briefing. Time zoomed by and before we knew it we were at the brink of the reef, probably because Mitsy was making us laugh by warning us not to worry if a woman is overboard; of the people we shouldn’t punch on the boat is and for us to not hand signal something wrong underwater and then point at another diver as the problem - also we were on one of the fastest day trip vessels, Osprey V. Before we got into our dive gear we slip, slop, slapped on some sunscreen and sat in the sun on the front d of the boat. I had three dives. The secon dive was incredible, pretty close to my favourite dive so far! We saw a green turtle swimming against the current

beside a high wall of different coral, a huge school of spotted sweet lip fish, clams and a lot of bi-colour parrotfish. It was so rad! I really regret not hiring an underwater camera for the day, especially because the visibility was unreal. The crew happily helped with our dive equipment while we were hopping out and while we were out of the water. Following our second dive was a hearty lunch buffet of steaks, sausages, fish, prawns, salami, pasta, salads and complementary wine. The variety was good! After lunch we relaxed on the boat in for forty minutes, said hello to the capta to red prepa got then and in the cockpit jump back in for another guided dive. Getting a guided dive is the best way to find all the fascinating creatures of the sea. The dive masters generally have a lot more experience on the reef and obviously know where the good spots are. Mitsy, our friendly dive instructor accumulated 600 dives at the Great Barrier Reef, so we swam along with him! He lead us to the ‘castle’ (a castle shaped bombie) getting us there a lot faster by cutting corners. We passed around sea cucumbers, touched the smooth and soft edges of the insides of large clams and held crazy coloured

nudibranchs/sea slugs. The guided dives were only an extra $10 and were definitely worth it. Once our dives were over, my beautiful buddy and I went snorkeling. It was really refreshing to swim around freely without all the gear strapped to us. The reef is a never-ending splendor, beside the beautifully coloured and contoured coral, we spotted a Potato Cod Fish (a large stretched looking spotted fish) and many species of angelfish. Lastly we took turns trying to hold our breath in attempt of getting deeper and closer to a beautiful purple clam. We swam back to the boat and then snacked on some crackers and cheese while we filled in our dive logbooks. Referring to the reef teach marine life charts was a handy way of learning and remembering what kind of ray or fish we saw in our dives. I had fun hanging about the boat and talking to some of the crew. When the cruise was over, out of courtesy I volunteered to help out and clean the boat a little bit, because I had such a beautiful day. Overall the whole day was lovely, relaxing and fun. Osprey V is an unbelievably speedy vessel! It reached the reef quicker than all the other boats which meant we had more time in the water!

WAXING while Travelling The Wax Pot and Tanning Studio is a relaxed beauty salon located in the heart of the City, and also at Earlville. It of fers the visitor and locals alike, a unique salon experience by offering a wide range of treatments and services in an upbeat, funky atmosphere. It is a place where people meet and catch up with friends whilst attending to all their beauty needs. To set the scene for you, imagine painted concrete floors, corrugated iron, distressed timber work, bold colours, funky music and crazy, vibrant staff to pull it all together; and you have 驶The Wax Pot始. One of our most popular treatments we offer are our Henna Tattoo始s. You can choose from a wide range of Henna Designs or alternatively, design your own. The Tattoo last on average, two weeks and is applied by piping a Henna mix onto the skin in your chosen design. This product is all natural, made on site by our dedicated staff.

cinema Like your sequels? Good, because some of your favourites are back this month at Birch, Carroll and Coyle Cinemas! Far all Harry Potter fans, the wait for the final instalment is over (almost!). Part one of the two part cinematic adaptation of the final book in the series – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – premieres in Cairns cinemas on the 18th of November. Follow Harry, Hermione and Ron on their journey to the final end of the climactic and popular series, to defeat the stronger and more powerful Dark Lord.

Finally, on the 11th of November comes Skyline, the apocalyptic epic that explores aliens answering a call made by NASA many years ago. The alien force threatens to destroy the entire Earthʼ s population and we are faced with the few options to save ourselves. Prices for adults are $16 and 3D films have a $4 surcharge. But… to make your dollars go a little further, make use of Cheap Tuesdays (Adults $9.50) and $8 Student Mondays (registration required). For more information and movie times, visit www.birch.com.au Fell like a classic? Why not check out The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Botanic Gardens on the 17th November. Gates open at 6pm with BYO drinks and food, with the film starting at 7:30pm.

If bungy jumping, diving and white water rafting isnʼt enough of a thrill, get into cinemas on November the 4th for the latest Jackass film. It gets even better this time as itʼ s in 3D, making you feel the pain, excitement and sheer stupidity even more!

Cairns will also be lucky enough to host The Sydney Travelling film Festival from the 19th to the 21st of November at Birch, Carroll and Coyle City Cinemas. Tickets for the festival cost $13 for adults, $11 for concession, or, you can buy a FlexiPass or full subscription. For more information about films and times visit the website www.sydneyfilmfestival.org or contact the City Cinemas directly on 07 4031 1077.

Also, the much-awaited Due Date is released on the 4th of Nov. It comes from the same producers as The Hangover so itʼs going to be good! The story follows Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jnr.) a soon to be father, racing against the clock to be at his wifeʼs side before the due date of their first child. With only 5 days, he and Ethan Tremblay (The Hangoverʼs Zach Galifanakis) must take the ultimate road trip from Atlanta.

Food around town

FOOD

In Cairns, you will never go hungry. From hostels meals, to al la carte seafood, this tropical city is teaming with restaurants and pubs serving quality food. And with the many ‘meal deals” available, each venue has realised they need to keep the quality up if they are to satisfy the backpackers. Look at These!

PJ’s New $10 Meal Deal PJ OʼBrienʼs have launched a brand new $10 meal deal which includes a Beer, wine or spirit. The menu is great and PJʼ s street-side dining area is right in the middle of the City Centre where Shield and Lake Streets meet. Itʼ s a meeting hub frequented by divers, rafters and skydivers and a great sports venue too (big screen TV). Backpackers luv the place, and the new menu is a real winner! BULL BAR The Steaks are Flaming Wonderful, accompanied by some of the best seafood on offer. On Tues & Wed before 7pm. you can try your luck at scoring a free meal if you order the ONE KILO steak and finish your plate within 20 minutes. Great Atmosphere for backpackers and located right in town on Lake Street, just past the pedestrian centre. Blue Sky “we love beer so much we put it in our food!” Want some real food with your microbrew beer? Blue Sky restaurant has new chefs and a fresh new menu and its CHEAP! Light Lunch meals from $12.50 that arenʼt mass produced. All your favourites, fish and chips battered in our

very own Cairns gold beer batter, Beef potted pie marinated in our True blue Stout and gourmet Pizzas with, you guessed it, beer infused pizzas bases made with our very own Blue Sky Pilsner. Eating Beer never tasted so good! Our Beer Buddies snack menu runs all day for quick bites on the go, or stay and enjoy a Tully taster beer sampler paddle! Try 9 different internationally awarded boutique beers brewed onsite while you finish your succulent rib eye fillet on the bone and watch your favourite sports on one of the 5 huge screens. 34-42 Lake St Spectacular Ochre Local seafood and native ingredients have top billing at this elegant spot that specializes in bush dining. Try the Australian antipasto platter of emu pâté, crocodile wontons, and smoked salmon for starters, followed by kangaroo sirloin with quandong-chili glaze. Some dishes have a Pacific Rim flavor , like the tea-smoked duck with mango or the twice-cooked pork. Red Ochre's signature dessert, wattle seed Pavlova with Davidson plum sorbet, makes a fine finish; or you can linger and sip a glass of Australian wine while nestled into a violet velvet booth.

FOOD

Green Ant The Green Ant is Cairnsʼ longest running Mexican restaurant, loved by locals for its fresh flavours. This funky bar / restaurant is covered in amazing artwork by local artists and has a tropical beer garden where you can eat, drink and relax. On Sundays and Mondays itʼs 241 meals for international backpackers. On Thursdays its $19 kangaroo burger, chips and a jug of beer and you can get a $5 meal every night of the week! If you prefer cheap and cheerful over cheap and nasty, the Green Ant Cantina is the place to eat in Cairns. Located directly behind Cairns Central on Bunda St.

Gilligan’s for Dinner!! Where else can you relax by the pool, indulge yourself in live music and enjoy our backpacker meals... Sample our NEW MEAL DEAL menu for $10! Join us for our Cancun Sundaze with our FREE BBQ from 3pm and live music on the deck ! Gilligan’s: 57-89 Grafton Street

Woolshed Famous Meal Deal Renowned backpacker Chargrill and Saloon Bar, the Wooly holds bragging rights for maintaining an incomparable level of consistency in food quality. Prime cuts of meats, pizza, pasta, Indian, Thai curries and vegetarian options are on offer at 6pm every night of the week. Just ask any staf f at your hostel desk for your meal deal voucher and their stamp of approval for the famous meal deal that every backpacker comes to Cairns to eat. At the one and only Woolshed (City Mall) La Porchetta Cairnsʼs number one pre-movie eatery, la Porchetta is a superb café-style, Italian Pizza and Pasta Parlour, and located right next to the movie theatre on Grafton Street. Perfect for the ʻfirst dateʼ meal and even more perfect for

large groups, La Porchetta prides itself on using fresh ingredients and boasts a huge menu. Prices are cheap, so you will find this an easy choice for a good quality meal at a budget price. Fasta Pasta This is Cairnsʼ Locals favourite pasta restaurant. Simple, Real Italian food served quickly - this is the ONL Y restaurant I go to if I am on a tight schedule as their service is second to none and always reliable. Specials are always pleasing, prices are just right and the ambience is casual and fresh. They also do take-away. Simply choose your dish and pick up 10-20 minutes later located centrally on the corner of Shields and Sheridan Street. Call 4041 0388. VIBE Restraurant and Bar Vibe is a funky Melbourne style bar , with art filled walls and lots of lounges and comfortable areas to relax and enjoy your glass of New Zealand or Australian premium wine and beer. Vibe is highly recommended with good quality affordable food. They specialise in gourmet Wagu beef burgers, sate chicken burgers, and duck & bacon burgers. They also have a range of seafood on the menu such as Grilled Atlantic Salmon with steamed rice and garden salad for $15, or the famous NZ beer battered whiting fillets with chips and salad for $12.50 (Thursdays house special is fish and chips for $7.50). Between 4pm – 7pm every night you can enjoy a glass of complimentary glass of wine or pot of beer with your burger, plus a free serve of chips, for only $12.50. Just mention the Backpacker Xpress Meal Deal when ordering. Vibe is open 7 days a week, the dance floor commences at 9pm each night, and they are open till 5am Fri and Sat nights (free entry). So if you are looking for a place to enjoy a cocktail, a delicious dinner , or a place to kick your night off, Vibe is the place to be. 39-Lake Street Cairns PH 40 521 494

LOCAL

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Cairns, Port Douglas, Yungaburra- They all have...

Local attractions- Markets

Every week there are markets in and within reach of the Cairns city. Here are a number of them, where you can find them and what you’re in for. The Pier shopping centre on the marina holds the environmentally friendly Farmgate every Saturday from 7:30am to 2:00pm. Sourced from local farmers Farmgate Market offers locally grown and made seasonal organic & non-organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, breads, cakes, wines, liqueurs, cof fees, teas, chocolates, dried fruits, bio-dynamic dairy nuts, muf fins, honey, native conserves & pickles, potted orchids & chillis, sulphur free seafood, organic beef, dips & spreads, spring water, coconut and sugar cane juice. Cairns City Markets in the city centre between the sound shell and the bus terminal. Open every week day 9:00 to 4:30pm. Selling mostly beaded, bones and shell jewelry perfect for gifts and souvenirs. Rusty's Mar ket is beneath Gilligans backpacker Hotel & Resort (between Sheridan and Grafton street). Stalls are covered in lush fruits and vegetables, organic and locally grown

produce, asian cuisine, flowers, delicatessen and bric-a-brac. Open: Friday – 5am to 6pm;Saturday – 6am to 3pm; Sunday – 6am to 2pm A forty-five minute scenic drive amongst the beautiful rocks and beaches out of Cairns on a Sunday leads you to the Port Douglas Mar kets. Every Sunday 8am to 2pm the market place is held between the Dickson Inlet and Wharf Street on Anzac park. The Port Douglas markets is an excellent place to pick up a painting by a local artist, some organic food, jewellery and other products. Kuranda Mar kets are a popular attraction for locals and visitors tucked in the trees beyond a bendy half hour drive. Sculpture, pottery, hand made clothing, flora styled crafts, hand painted plates, art work, oils, gemstones, organic coffee, locally grown cof fee, home made tropical fruit ice cream, aboriginal artifacts, toys and handcrafts are only a number of the things you will find. There are two markets in Kuranda - the Kuranda Heritage Markets and the Original Rainforest Markets (est 1978). Both markets are open 7 days a week from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The Original Rainforest Markets host predominently

kets handmade or handcrafted goods and most artisans are available to discuss their wares with shoppers. The Original Rainforest Markets are located adjacent to the Honey House - the first tourist attraction in Kuranda and celebrating 51 years of operation this year . The Honey House of fers free honey tasting and a live bee display . In the market complex there is also a gemstone museum and replica dinosaurs; as well as specialty shops such as Leatherman, Boongar Aboriginal Art and Craft; Ezy Rider Harley merchandise stockists; fantastic food; jewellers creating in their workshops; hemp clothing designer and lots of other interesting stalls. Kuranda Homemade Icecream is actually located in the Original Marker complex. Yungabarra Markets is an hour and eight minute drive out of Cairns passing Gordanvale. This market has been running for twenty two years and has over 250 stalls including local made wines, clothing, flowers, home made crafts and more than you could imagine. On the 4th Saturday of each month. Running hours are 7:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Interview with Verena by Christina Roberts

SOLO TRAVELING

Travelling alone avails you to meet people easily. It also give you an opportunity to be creative and practice your acting skills... that is if you’r e bored of r epeating your brief summarised life story . Seeing as you’r e surrounded by people who have no idea about you or your past you can pr etend to be anyone you want to be! Just be car eful you don’ t meet an expert in your field. That could be tricky! Resear ch your component before you divulge. Here is an insights of Verena’s travels.

Verena: When I first started traveling I went to Uganda in Africa. I went with a friend i met in highschool in Germany. We travelled through Uganda together for three weeks and we had an amazing time. It was so much fun! Then we also went to Thailand together . I really enjoyed travelling with her, it was a lot of fun, but actually after seven weeks of travelling together I was kind of getting excited about just being by myself going to Australia - all by myself and not knowing anyone. I think when I got on the plane I was feeling a bit lonely and I didn’t really know what to expect, didn’ t really know what was going to happen when I arrived in Australia.. but then I arrived in Sydney and I stayed at the Wooduck hostel. I actually met so many people, just after I arrived I already knew ten people and I just started hanging out with all these new people. It was really easy. I was actually suprised by how easy it is to meet people. Christina: After traveling on your own how do you feel about traveling again with someone else? Verena: I think it is always good when you meet new people and just travel with them for about two weeks. That’ s really good, but I r eally like traveling by myself and just meeting people on the way , stay with them for a couple of days and then just leave again. When you’r e with someone you don’ t necessarily have to meet people because you already have a friend. It’s just safer and easier. There is just always someone you can talk to and if you don’t feel good there is always someone you can trust. When you’re by yourself you have to meet people cause otherwise you’r e going to be lonely. You do meet a lot of people.

hostel

spotlight

The Northern Greenhouse, located in Cairns, is a famous backpacker resort catering for budget travellers looking for a tropical getaway. Sister hostel of the award-winning Greenhouse Backpacker in Melbourne, the Northern Greenhouse also boasts a plethora of tourism awards. Awarded ʻBest Backpacker Accommodationʼ in 2008 and 2009 by Tropical North Queensland and winner of the Hostel Bookersʼ ʻBest Atmosphere Awardʼ, this hostel is one to note on your travel itinerary . Described by the Lonely Planet as ʻa cut above the other backpackersʼ, the Northern Greenhouse prides itself on its world-class facilities and activities. Modern terrace apartments overlook a central swimming pool and abut a large wooden entertainment deck littered with cosy couches, internet stations and a pool table – a social hub to meet likeminded travellers and reminisce about your favourite travel destinations. Embrace the free WIFI throughout the premises, enjoy the spotless kitchen facilities fit enough for Gordon Ramsay, get stuck into the beer on tap at the 6-Links bar , stuff your face with popcorn at the weekly movie screening, start your day with a complimentary breakfast, wake to the aroma of fluffy golden pancakes on Saturdays, tuck into an Aussie BBQ fit for a King on Sunday evenings and start planning your fancy dress costume for the regular in-house parties. Room options comprise of spacious six-bed dorms (single and mixed gender), king/twin self-contained apartments, and family friendly four-share apartments. All of which include a private ensuite, hairdryer , storage, air-conditioning and a balcony or garden terrace. Prices start from $22 per night and you may book online at www.northerngreenhouse.com.au or free call 1800 000 541.

Eagle

COUCH SURFING?

Eagle: Couch surfing to me is part of my life. Meeting new people from all over the world, it’s like traveling without having to leave your house. It’s just a way to meet such a diverse range of people, be inspired by other cultures and share my current and future city with people from all over the world. Giving people a bit more of a view of wher e they are traveling to than backpackers and tours can provide for them. That’s what I can provide for them but I also take a lot fr om what they give to me. Meeting people and having fun, it has just been a rollercoaster. C: For someone who has never heard of couch surfing how would you describe what it is? Eagle: Basically you have a pr ofile like facebook, a little bit different but sort of similar. People can search you or find your profile on the couch surfing website and then they can request to stay on your couch for free. Or just meet up for cof fee, a drink, a hike or whatever. It is just a way of networking for travelers basically. C: How many people have you met or hosted? Eagle: I’ve been on couch surfing since 2005, so in Cair ns probably over a hundred. Couch surfing in general probably close to two hundred people. I have only hosted about fifty people in two years.

C: Cool. Have you got any favourite memories you want to share?

Eagle: Favourite memories.. Man, I’ve had couch surfers stay for one night to over a month. I think it’s the ones that have stayed for over a month that have r eally stood out because they came as complete strangers, we didn’t know anything about each other, they just came and knocked on my door and I of fered them a couch – and they left as some of the best friends that I now have on this planet. I keep in contact with them regularly. I think fancy dress is fun. I take all my couch surfers dumpster diving and a lot of them don’t know what dumpster diving is so we go down to the local convenience stores and get all the food and bread for free. A lot of them ar e quite amazed at that. We also go around to a lot of resorts in Cairns and we’re always dressing up in crazy things. W e’ve done aboriginal painting night. We completely covered our bodies in paint and walked around Trinity Beach with didgeridoos and boomerangs. All the food fr om all around the world I have experienced! C: Have you had any unpleasant experiences? Eagle: To tell you the truth over the five years I have not had an unpleasant experience. A lot of people won’ t do couch surfing, they think it is a cool idea but they are scared of strangers coming to their house, stealing or br eaking their stuff – and yeah couch surfers have come over and broken my stuff but that’s cool. Generally I’ve had nothing stolen. I’ve given heaps of stuff and they have given me heaps of stuff for example a car, a

didgeridoo, fridges full of food, love and good times. Not once a bad experience. C: Wow. A car?! What was your first experience like on couch surfing? Eagle: I joined CS when I was living in South Korea because I was an English teacher there and everyone was traveling. They were all teachers as well, so I met my first couch surfer who was staying at my friends house. I was inspir ed and joined up the next day. As a host my last couch surfer was from San Diego. That’s another great thing about couch surfing because I’m going to go work at San Diego zoo so I now know possibly mor e people in San Diego than I do in Cair ns via couch surfing. My last couch surfer was a Taiwanese guy who grew up in San Diego, he told me a lot about his cultur e which I knew absolutely nothing about. He left inspired by some of the conversations that we had. Apparently he had a revelation while staying at my house (laughs). That’s the other cool thing. People seem to leave moved and inspired. C: Where to from here? Eagle: As a host I just moved out of my place so currently not hosting here in Cairns. Probably be surfing in New Zealand meeting couch surfers but not staying with them cause I have heaps of friends there. I’ll be couch surfing my way through South America and in Califor nia I will be surfing with the people I have hosted here in Cairns. So they will be paying me the favor back.

Mild to Wild- Things to do around Cair ns

to th rill se ek ing Ca irn s is a Dis ne yla nd wh en it co me s sur d no t an d ad re na lin ad ve nt ure , all in ec o- ro un ds an a tra shy ro lle r co ast er in sig ht . Where else can you raft the rapids amid glorious rainforest? Our Tully River has some hard core rapids and is a wet and wild adventure that will have your heart racing and some serious laughs in between!

Have you ever taken a BMX bike of f the roof of a purpose built bungy tower, glimpsing the coral sea on the horizon as you go? Here in Cairns our Bungy site has devised 16 dif ferent ways to bungy including the minjin swing and traditional swan dive, plummeting 164 feet with elastic strapped to your legs! How about taking the controls of a helicopter under the instruction of a professional pilot? Quad biking around dirt tracks in the Kuranda Rainforest, or horse riding over creeks

and through the forest? Or take the ultimate adrenalin rush when you freefall from an airplane, and then sweep to the ground under the safety of your parachute? Our own cable ski park is owned and operated by professional wake-boarders and you can try knee-boarding to get you started, or fly over the professional ramps if you are more experienced. Cairns also offers mountain biking, go-karting, hand gliding, absailing, kite surfing, and sea kayaking! Often referred to as an Eco-tourism haven, Cairns is one place you can get together with nature and test your nerves doing activities in a unique environment that will become lasting memories of your holiday in Australia.

Jump

s ett Cairn k c yourself! a H J A s the plunge fos rfro ld r o w m 1pme h t l Sunday features pose built So to visit if e tim e th is 6pm r u p ck ba t d firs wer, you waoontn.aWlaiith live local o t p m u tern Bungy J d in the af ping usic and a free jum m le t s y not ne wh s, kid e enty castle for th w t eir t th s at ch e lun r a se rainfo m purcssha o r could u f Yo s Q. BB e ie t Au minu y. even climb the tower and it C s n ir a C Before try a jump or two. y Itʼs the only bung planet that operation on the rent jump fe dif en te offers six ditional styles from the tra off the ing rid swan dive to So e. bik X BM roof on a time st fir a e uʼr yo er weth y to just jumper and happ a or ge ed e get off th er ek se rill th ed on seas p style jum e thereʼs a uniqu vered. co u yo ve ha that will ng bu y Watch out for a in jungle inj m jumper or a uld take co u yo or swinger

lf off into throwing yourse the time ke ta open space, ful scenic er nd wo e to see th n you ca view. Where else rldʼs wo e th see a view of er rri Ba t ea Gr famous Reef? s: AJ Operating hour is open s irn Ca t et ck Ha for ar ye 364 days a d se lo (c n io operat from y) Da as tm ris Ch pm 10:00am – 5:00

AJ Hackett Bungy Jum Ruby

Gravity challenge

Jolene

Christina Ruby

hugging Pelita

C r in oco he di re le

e w s s le n u y it v ti c a n a t â&#x20AC;&#x153;we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sugges

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illing experience of Sharing the spine thr mate was wicked! bungy jumping with a

KETT C A H J A THANKSa great rush for

e tried it out first!” ternoon in Cairns. Exotic escapade, an af e to get to the trees on the other es Did you know saltwater crocodil up to can survive many month, even a year without eating? They can r soak up the suns rays for theie saltenergy. A four metre estuarin on water crocodile, a spotted pythof the and a cuddly koala are a few animals we encountered in our forest afternoon in cairns. In the Rain I Dome, of course! Jolene and to ventured up the Casino elevator the beautiful man made jungle habitat. The zoo was filled with sizes. birds of different colours and top One of which flew close to the of my head. There were nas and kookaburras, cockatoos, igua fresh water crocodiles too. The layout of trees, vines, rocks and forting water fountains created a com illusion of a natural habitat. rent Following the veranda to diffes of heights gave us different viewals. I the jungly dome and its anim of an sat on a bench taking photos when it iguana and got so frightened started to lurch towards me. I laughed at myself not long g afterwards for quickly scurryin so away. Pelita, the cute koala was a small inquisitive crawling through

Ruby, it with a friend of mine, For my first jump I did g vin Ha . nce erie exp g inin and it was a really enterta le. rab mo me re de the day mo mates there with me ma ane ins s wa h hig ters me fifty Leaping off the platform te to any normal human and the complete opposi jump so t the only one in on the beingʼs instinct. I wasnʼ felt I e. like a piece of cak it surprisingly seemed excited! both high-spirited and re we we and invincible the en wh actually kicked in The feeling of fear only , began er, tow the of top at the guys handling the ropes or id ano er. Ruby being par tying up our legs togeth sure re we y the if ed s up ask either just stirring the guy re tight we s leg our und aro e that the towel and rop into the have our torso dipped enough. We wanted to ve our abo ds han our put to us water so they directed before st che our on d down head and our chin presse of us two the e tim s wa it we hit the water. When s platform, peering our toe scuffled to the end of the n at the dow ds hea ked sto our over the edge and facing there ind us counted to three, water. When the man beh to push ng goi t snʼ wa he d lize rea was a pause when we her ! Ruby wrapped both of us over. Then we jumped annoying an ed eam scr h bot arms around me and we s jawfalling with someone wa amount. The feeling of sa wa It r! ulia pec so s wa k dropping and the pull bac we ter wa the r our dip into different level of fun! Afte live bait hanging off the like und aro ing irm squ were heads was unbearable. our to od blo rope. The rush of . He J hael and his rescue raft Thank goodness for Mic dle pad his of d we grabbed a hol paddled out to us and t. boa his ed onto so we could be loosen r bungy se of achievement afte The adrenalin and sen ther ano for nt us pretty impatie jumping left the both of r, we hai our of out ter wa king the jump! Smiling and sha was ich wh ly, jumped individual went again! Except, we er tow the off hop to f sel g my more frightening! Pushin ped off to get it lea ckly qui I but der on my own was har on my ed swinging to and fro over and done with. I lov be rescued. It to h rus a in t snʼ wa I own. This time round water pretty bar lady gave us was so good. Erica, the eaming. The scr the from ats thro which helped heal our chable and good-natured employees were approa re to be in. asu making the scene a ple

spac side and crawling towards new who unfamiliar faces. The people came worked in the wildlife dome hug into her space to check on and her. She was so adorable and affectionate. We sat through afilled ‘Reptile Rap’ by Karina who us to us in on the facts and allowedand pat the fresh water crocodile she spotted python. After her show ted generously let me hold the spots got python, Darth Vadar. My palm an sweaty from fear but it was such zing! exotic experience. It was ama dome The humidity of the rainforestng cold left us quenching for somethi ured and refreshing. Thus, we vent some down to the esplanade to have m lemon and lime sorbet ice crea mery from the New Zealand ice-crea fix! in the night markets. Perfect k Jolene wanted to pick up a boo an from the Cairns city library on so we Australian artist Brett Whitely walked to the library. It was a pleasant change into a quiet and there calm atmosphere. When we gotbooks she rounded up a great pile of and we just relaxed writing and ing. reading in the silent air condition

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High Energy Activities

! i k S e l b a C n Anyone can do it. Everyo

Only a 15 minutes drive from Cairns is the cable ski facility where you can try kneeboarding, wakeboarding or waterskiing. Operated by professionals you get a good introduction at the beginning what makes the whole start easier. Also, if you have experience the staff can always provide you with more knowledge on how you can achieve a better technique for gliding over the rails or for the different turns and jumps. It was my first time on a kneeboard and wakeboard this week and I have to say, If I can do it, everyone

wakeboard. So if you have some can do it! :-) surfing, kite surfing or For beginners, it takes a few snowboarding experience; better laps on the kneeboard to get to and easier for you. The cable know how fast it goes and how machine is not too fast so it's you have to handle the board perfect to try some 180's, 360's under you to guide it in the or other tricks. One thing: after direction you want. After a your first hour of cable skiing be couple laps I switched to a prepared for aching arm wakeboard. First attempt: I muscles! Take the next failed! Second Attempt: opportunity and go for a ride on Yeeeaaaah, I was wakeboarding! the water at Cable Ski Cairns, So cool, the feeling to glide on you will have lots of fun! The the water and to lie into the turns park is open 7 days a week from is just amazing. My friend who 10AM until 6PM. went with me can do kite surfing lem prob and for him it wasnʼt a to go from the start on the

S Y A D S R U H T R E K iing BACKSEPSSAIOC r and 2 hours of sk ne in D Q B B es ud cl N, in

hours of Skiing for ht which gives you 2 nig er ck pa ck ba ial ec sp BBQ dinner Thursday nights is the cker Special night a pa ck Ba on us Pl 0. Just $39.0 Free of Charge the price of one hour. u will be picked up Yo p. ea ch e ar ks e drin at 9.00 PM. Book is included and th 6.30 PM and ends at ts ar st It ) rn tu from your hostel (re Ski Cairns directly: ception or call Cable now at your hostel re

NIGHT TIME

Tel: (07) 4038 1304.

e is doing it!

HOW TO GE T T H E R (Read this, be Eed cause you ne

directions) Cable Ski is up the Cap located just 10 minut es tain Cook H ighway. Buses arrive ou ts id e Tj leaves you apukai whi ch w car park to ith a walk through th e find the ca ble ski park Alternativel . y bus which you can catch a Sun is means you a “hail and ride”. Th is ca at the cable n ask to be dropped off ski slip road across the , and walk grass. CABLE SK I PICK UP Gather 4/5 fr Cable Ski w iends or more, and ill How easy is come and pick you up ! th to arrange a at! Just call 4038 1304 time.

Tell the bus driver, and he’ll stop right outside!!! 96

Discovering Cape Tribulation 98

CapeTrib

Cape Tribulation: ancient forests, curious and fascinating wildlife, cool watering holes sprinkled with waterfalls, all sitting pretty on a stretch of pristine, white sand beaches and blue/green ocean that houses The Great Barrier Reef. This is what travellers dream of, and is where those lovely picture books of Australia get those wonderful images that entice you to ʻparadiseʼ .

The Daintree has some spectacular attractions and excellent accommodation choices making this W orld Heritage Listed Rainforest far more accessible than its competitor - The Amazon. For this reason, backpackers have always included a trip to Cape Tribulation in their Cairns itinerary staying at popular backpacker resorts. Self-drivers love the trip up to Cape Trib (approx 2 ½ hours) with the impressive coastal road throwing a photographers dream of endless landscape shots (transfers are also available with PKʼs). Eco-tourism is high on the agenda in Cape Tribulation, and it has won many awards for sustainable tourism to protect the ancient rainforest that has more than 3000 plant species and is home to about a third of Australiaʼs mammal species. As 13 of these species are found nowhere else in the world, you

should try one of the many wildlife spotting adventures on offer in the region. Getting high in the Rainforest is also popular… with Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours. 6 high platforms and 5 flying fox runs – THIS is the most exciting way to see the Rainforest from a distinctly dif ferent view! Another way of seeing the WILD side of the Daintree is to jump on an Ocean Safari adventure where you can be whisked to the Reef super fast. Beach Horse Riding, Fruit Tasting, 4 WD Driving, Night time Wildlife Spotting W alks, and Sea Kayaking are also popular pastimes, and itʼ s a great beach location with miles and miles of sandy coves. Cape Trib is a quiet and relaxing environment, but you can still party with the Paradise Parties at PKʼs Jungle Village.

Some History: In 1770 Captain Cook was sailing the Endeavour up the east coast, and making a chart of the coastline. He struck a reef about 40 kilometres north east of Cape Tribulation, now called the Endeavour Reef, and he named the point he had charted earlier in the day “Cape T ribulation because here began all our troubles.” There are great views of Cape Tribulation and the fringing reef as you descend into the Cape Tribulation Valley from the Noah range. This road follows the Aboriginal walking trails. There were once 200–300 Kuku Yalanji people living in the region, who had an abundant food supply from the rainforest and the reef. The Mason family was the part of the first group of Europeans to settle at Cape Tribulation in 1931 and they progressively tried to earn a living from fruit and vegetables, timber cutting and cattle. Produce for the Cairns market was transported by boat to Cairns on a weekly basis. It was not until 1962 that a real road reached Cape Tribulation, and it initially ended at the southern end of Coconut Beach, meaning that to get to Cape Trib, cars had to

Discovering Cape Tribulation

It’s a Jungle out There! drive along the beach! Mt Sorrow looms over the Cape Tribulation valley at 850m high, and is responsible for Cape Tribulation having one of the few tropical climates in Australia, with high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall occurring throughout the year. This climate provides the right conditions for rare tropical fruit trees which are normally only found near the Equator, which is why two commercial fruit orchards are located here. Don't miss the opportunity to sample some rare tropical fruits from farms, cafés and roadside stalls in the area. Cape Tribulation became famous amongst young travellers and backpackers in the early 1980s, on the trail from Goa, Katmandu and Bali and is now one of the most recognizable tourist icons of the world. There are many things to do at Cape Tribulation, including diving and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef; exploring the rainforest with guided walking tours, on horse back or independently. To appreciate the wonderful view of the coastline and see where the rainforest meets the reef, paddle the coast in a sea kayak, and to learn more about the area visit The Bat House and eyeball a bat. If you just want to relax and enjoy the surroundings you can wander the deserted beaches which stretch for miles, meditate in the rainforest, or book a massage or spa therapy, and join yoga on the beach in the early morning. Cape Tribulation has a range of dif ferent types of accommodation to suit every visitor , all in superb natural settings — four star , three star and budget resorts, backpacker hostels, bed and breakfasts, holiday houses, and camping grounds. There is a small cluster of shops at Cape Tribulation which includes a pharmacy, two small supermarkets, an interpretive centre,a cinema and four restaurants within walking distance.

“Rainforest wilderness like nowhere e lse i n t he W orld- w ith all the amenities tucked neatly in the jungle- A ccommodation, convenience s tore, A TM, p arty bar, tours and loads more. Give it a go!!” 100

Lance (publisher)

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it's not just a bus ticket! Greyhound Travel Base Packages make holidays a breeze Travellers can now jump from one beautiful city to another thanks to Greyhound Australia’s new Travel Base Packages, which include hop on, hop off luxury coach travel and accommodation in selected hostels along the way. Greyhound Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Thomas said these unique packages were the result of a partnership between Greyhound and Base Hostels stemming from discussions at the Australian Tourism Exchange expo in June 2010. “Greyhound Australia is proud to be working with Base Hostels to present four new exciting travel and accommodation packages to travellers,” Mr Thomas said. “Base Hostels are located throughout Australia and New Zealand and are specially designed for the modern day travellers. They boast state of the art facilities, superior comfort and friendly services.” “The Travel Base Packages are great value for money for backpackers travelling on a shoestring budget with prices starting from as low as $660.” “Passengers can choose from the Sydney to Cairns and Melbourne to Cairns packages and take in some of the most picturesque and scenic views along the coastlines, with the added option of starting their holiday from any of those cities. “The package also includes 10 nights accommodation in any one of the Base Hostels located along the East Coast including Brisbane Central, Magnetic Island and many more..”

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“Our 3,000 and 10,000km packages give travellers more flexibility and the opportunity to travel anywhere on the Greyhound Australia network within 365 days. And when the Kilometre Pass is combined with Base accommodation option, it creates an ultimate flexible travelling pass.” “In addition they can exchange kilometres for any of the 250+ Greyhound Adventures tours and experiences available.” “The activity options such as camping on Fraser Island, sailing on the Great Barrier Reef or surf camps in Byron Bay will

definitely deliver unforgettable holiday moments.” Mr Thomas said as well as being an economical choice, travelling on Greyhound’s luxury coaches was ideal for those looking for greener travel options. “Greyhound is one of the most environmentally efficient travel operators in Australia,” he said. “One Greyhound coach produces five times fewer CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre than a jet aircraft and is equivalent to 16 fewer cars on the road.”

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Heading South...

When you’re headi ng down South ...

Airlie beach Despite being a small and slightly bohemian café precinct on the beach, Airlie is equivalent to the massive Bondi Beach in popularity – especially for backpackers. Itʼs tight-knit, fun loving and carefree community marries with itʼs stunning beach – the gateway to The Whitsundays – and has become the “Must Stay” spot when travelling South from Cairns or North up the East Coast of Australia.

Whichever way you are going, Airlie will no doubt become part of your itinerary and you will take some magic memories from there. People relax in Airlie… itʼs got the “Manjana feel”, and as a result, people are themselves in Airlie, which consequently means you will meet some great people! Thereʼs plenty of partying, yet in a laid-back style, if you can possible imagine how those two contradictories nestle together! Diving is fantastic, with the Whitsundays within 3 hours sailing from the Airlie, lots of activities and really cool and welcoming bars too. The appeal of Airlie is no doubt the fact that it is the epitome of a beach town , and embraces everyone who visits, sometimes enamouring stop-over tourists so much that they stay for many weeks! With the sand streaming through your toes, youʼll love everything about Airlie. Plus you may get to stay at Magnums, the worldʼs best backpackers! Sometimes we wonder whether people flock to Airlie to see Airlie – or to stay at Magnums! Itʼs located right over the road from the main meeting hub – The Lagoon, - and has a famous “Party Boardwalk” as well as itʼ s entertainment-stacked Bar. Dorms, private rooms and even tent sites are all available and from eighteen bucks too.

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Heading South

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Natural wonders

or f n io t c e ir d t r ig h e h t in u o y t W e p o in

t & c e f r e the p ools Beaches p k c o r Freshwater rockpools and creeks: Crystal Cascades

33 minutes by car. Head north of sheridan street to Freshwater, then Redlynch until you reach the large brown Crystal Cascades sign. Stunning water holes and refreshing icy cold water cascading down huge, smoth boulders into shallow pools. When you reach crystal cascades, instead of following the footpath on the right, you can venture to the left and find a dirt track to Fairy Falls. A small secluded fresh water waterfall and pool.

Stoney Creek

24 minutes by car, via Captain Cook highway, take your first exist at the last roundabout across from Tjapukai onto Brinsmead Kamerunga road. Follow the road through caravonica till you meet a right turn down Stoney creek road.

Lake Placid

24 minutes by car from the city. This rainforest lake is the home of a multitude of birds and wildlife. Feed ducks, swim in the lake and hire a canoe. With live music at Jungle Jackʼs Boathouse on specific times of the week.

Sandy Beaches: Stretched over 26km of beautiful coastline, Cairns has seven stretches of beaches to choose from. Itʼ s easy to get to the northern beaches via bus or car. Simply follow captain cook highway up north and keep an eye

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out for the road signs directing you to the beach you desire.

Machans Beach is the

first beach out of Cairns city. Followed by Holloways beach, Yorkeyʼs Knob, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach and Palm Cove. If you decide to continue driving you will find yourself cruising along one of the most scenic drives in Far North Queensland heading to Ellis Beach, Pretty beach and Port Douglas.

Machans Beach

15 minutes away, just a few kilometers out of Cairns, Kewarra is easily the closest beach to the city, However, it is the most eroded beach out of the seven.

Holloways Beach

18 minutes from Cairns with coconut palm trees overhanging the beachfront. With BBQ facilities and the closest beachfront accommodation in Cairns.

Yorkeyʼs Knob

23 minutes from the city with beachfront parks, a beautiful marina and boat ramp. BBQ facilities and amentities.

Trinity Beach

26 minutes away from the city, Trinity Beach is one of the most popular beaches. Including bars and variety of restaurants along the esplanade.

Including free BBQ facilities, amenities, and water sports equipment for hire.

Kewarra Beach

28 minutes from the city, Kewarra is more of a private and idyllic beach with picnic tables with very little room for tourism development.

Clifton Beach

30 minutes from the city and one minute from Cairns Tropical Zoo. Untouched by tourist development it retains a very laid-back atmosphere.

Palm Cove

35 minutes from the city, this popular destination has small beachfront cafes, 3 of the top 200 restaurants in Australia, nearby shopping centre and a camping ground a short stroll away from the jetty. Sugarworldʼs man made water park of slippery water slides is located in Edmonton, 23 minutes south of Cairns. Admission price for adults is $12.00