OUTthere Airnorth April 2015

Issue 130 • April 2015

+RegionalBusinessReview

Charity Veterans fighting stress with sport

GOURMET GETAWAY Wandering down Tassie’s characteristic whisky trail

Swamp

Thing We go wild at the Wilderness Lodge

ESCAPE Magnetic Island CULTURE KINGS Top events PACKING MUSTS Best buys

T H E U LT I M AT E WINTE R E SC AP E YOUR WINTER “BERKELE Y-STYLE”

PACKAGES INCLUDE THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME PLUS: Accommodation in a luxury ocean-view villa All gourmet meals and beverages* Return transfer flights Activities including fishing, stunning river cruises, 4WD bush and coastal tours, guided treks and so much more!

• • • •

TRANSFERS NOW AVAILABLE DEPARTING KUNUNURR A & DARWIN

BOOK NOW!

WWW.BERKELEYRIVER .COM. AU

P: 08 9169 1330

E: STAY @ BERKELEYRIVER .COM. AU *Excludes reserve wine list. Photos by Tony Hewitt

welcome

Welcome aboard!

This month’s issue takes you coast to coast showcasing some of northern Australia’s first class events being held over the next few months.

Since 2010 the Cable Beach Polo tournament has been hosted in Broome each May and is possibly the most remote beach polo competition in the world. If you haven’t experienced this fantastic event, I highly recommend putting it on your calendar this year. It is a weekend packed with great entertainment and some of the most skilled horsemanship to be seen on the west coast.

Also in May, Kununurra welcomes visitors to enjoy the delights of the Ord Valley Muster. The ten-day festival features around 30 events celebrating the Kimberley region including celebrity chefs, stand-up comedy and even a diamond dig. It concludes with a live concert under the stars at the Kimberley Moon Experience.

From the west coast we stop over in the Top End to give you an extraordinary wetlands safari experience at the Wildman Wilderness Lodge in the Mary River Wetlands area, halfway between Darwin and Kakadu National Park.

Heading east, Townsville turns up the volume with a range of events cementing its position as the entertainment hub of North Queensland. For the motor enthusiasts the Townsville 400 V8 Supercars will see three days of fun-filled excitement. If pushing yourself to the limit is more your game then consider the Paluma Push mountain bike adventure. Live music fans have the choice of getting their groove on at Groovin the Moo or can enjoy the refined sounds of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.

From here we head to Far North Queensland on an angler’s adventure of a lifetime. For those looking for a new frontier with more than a touch of luxury, we take you sports fishing off the coast of Port Douglas.

Now sit back, relax with our inflight service and enjoy the issue.

Michael Bridge Chief Executive Officer

Favourite destination

Destination: Magnetic Island. Closest Airnorth port: Townsville.

AIRNORTH RESERVATIONS: 1800 627 474 or AIRNORTH.COM.AU 1

safetyinfo

EMBRAER E170 Engines Two jet Wingspan 26m Length 29.9m Height 9.95m Maximum take-off weight 37,200kg Maximum cruise altitude 41,000ft/12,535m Maximum cruise speed 450kns/820km/h Passenger seats 76 Crew 2 pilots, 2 cabin attendants Passenger facilities 2 galleys, 2 lavatories, pressurised and air conditioned

EMBRAER E120 BRASILIA Engines Two turboprop Wingspan 19.78m Length 20.0m Height 6.35m Maximum take-off weight 11,990kg Maximum cruise altitude 32,000ft/9,754m Maximum cruise speed 300kns/555km/h Passenger seats 30 Crew 2 pilots, 1 cabin attendant Passenger facilities Lavatory, cabin ground heating/cooling system

METROLINER 23 Engines Two turboprop Wingspan 17.70m Length 18.10m Height 5.10m Maximum take-off weight 7,485kg Maximum cruise altitude 25,000ft/7,620m Maximum cruise speed 265kns/490km/h Passenger seats 19 Crew 2 pilots

2

safetyinfo

Your safety and comfort are our priority BELOW ARE SOME GUIDELINES TO ENSURE YOUR FLIGHT WITH US IS MORE ENJOYABLE

SAFETY BRIEFING ON TIME EVERY TIME To assist in maintaining on-time departures, check-in time is 45 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and 90 minutes prior to departure for international flights. Airnorth check-in counters close 30 minutes prior to domestic scheduled departures and 45 minutes prior to international scheduled departures.

FREQUENT FLYERS Airnorth is a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. Members can earn and redeem their Frequent Flyer points on selected Airnorth scheduled services.

FLYING WITH CHILDREN Infant safety belts are available on Airnorth aircraft and are distributed prior to take-off.

CHILDREN FLYING ALONE If you have children between the ages of five and 11 (inclusive) travelling alone, we ensure they enjoy the attention of our staff on the ground and in flight.

AIRNORTH SERVICES On our services, you can expect a snack accompanied by a selection of tea and coffee or cold refreshments.

On selected afternoon services, alcoholic beverages are also available. Refer to our website for more details. airnorth.com.au

SPECIAL NEEDS Passengers with special needs and/or disabilities, please contact our Reservations Department.

Please listen carefully to the Safety Briefing and take the time to read through the Safety on Board card prior to take-off. This will help you familiarise yourself with the emergency exits, brace position and the location of your life jacket.

SEATBELTS Seatbelts must be fastened firmly for take-off, landing and while the seatbelt sign is illuminated. We recommend that your seatbelt be fastened at all times while you are seated in case of unexpected turbulence.

CARRY-ON LUGGAGE If you have carry-on luggage, please stow it in the overhead locker or under the seat in front of you. Hand luggage that is not correctly stowed may cause injury in the event of unexpected turbulence.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES Portable electronic devices can cause electromagnetic interference to the aircraft systems. The interference can cause aircraft systems to malfunction.

To provide adequate protection for the aircraft, please note that mobile phones must not be used at any time on board the aircraft. Other devices, such as MP3 players, iPods, CD players, portable palmtop and laptop computers, cassette players, personal electronic organisers and personal DVD and video games may be used during cruise only, NOT when the aircraft is taking off or landing.

TRAY TABLES/ SEAT BACKS Please ensure that your tray table and your seat back are in their upright positions for take-off and landing.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT) It has been reported that some airline passengers have developed clots in deep blood vessels, often in the lower legs, as a result of sitting for extended periods without exercise or movement.

This condition is known medically as deep vein thrombosis or DVT. If bloodclot fragments break off and lodge in other areas of the body, such as the lungs, they may cause a potentially fatal pulmonary thrombosis when the person starts walking after being immobile for a lengthy period of time.

Risk factors for DVT include varicose veins, recent surgery or injury to the lower legs, malignant diseases, past history of DVT, obesity, pregnancy and recent childbirth. Anyone with any of these risk factors is advised to consult a medical practitioner prior to flying to find out how to minimise the risk of DVT. During the flight, we recommend that you take the following precautions: • Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and minimise your intake of alcohol. • Exercise on board the aircraft by moving and stretching your toes, rotating your ankles, raising and lowering each leg and massaging your calves gently. In addition, we suggest that you avoid crossing your legs during the flight.

SMOKING Government regulations strictly prohibit smoking on all domestic flights. Special smoke detectors have been fitted to the toilets on board all of our aircraft. Smoking is also prohibited on the tarmac and throughout airport terminal buildings.

3

CORROBOREE UNDER THE STARS THURSDAY MAY 21 A favourite of the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster, the annual Waringarri Aboriginal Arts corroboree features traditional Indigenous music and dance performances still practiced within the Miriwoong community today.

Includes ground cooked beef and damper supper!

Meet the Artists - artist floor talks in the gallery

TICKETS

$25 per adult $60 family pass $10 – children 5-15yrs Free – children under 5 GATES OPEN 5:30pm PERFORMANCE STARTS 6:00pm WARINGARRI ABORIGINAL ARTS 16 SPEARGRASS RD, KUNUNURRA (opposite Kelly’s Knob) 08 9168 2212 SALES@WARINGARRIARTS.COM.AU

contents

13

22

14

Issue 130 • April

Issue 131 • May

09 airnorthevents

closeup

closeup

The heroes on horseback return to Cable Beach for Broome’s annual polo tournament; Townville’s impressive events calendar has something for everyone; Airnorth is putting on extra flights to get people to this year’s Ord Valley Muster series of events.

Homegrown hunk Ryan Kwanten tells how he managed to stay grounded as his career took off.

Multi award-winning country music star Troy Cassar-Daley tells Riley Palmer about his latest projects and more.

kitchenconfidential

kitchenconfidential

Leanne Tomkins is delighted to find fine dining Italian-style in the outer suburbs of Sydney.

Faye James speaks to healthy chef Michael Moore about his unique philosophy.

14 getaway

food&wine

food&wine

We take a tour of Tasmania’s whisky distilleries, meet some interesting characters and sample some very fine spirits.

We head to Noosa to discover the best places to eat, stay and play during the famous and fabulous food and wine festival.

weekender

weekender

Faye James heads to Palm Beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and holidays the way the stars do it.

Faye James visits Lady Elliot Island and uncovers the Great Barrier Reef’s special secret and unique delights.

Mark Chipperfield takes a luxury charter from Port Douglas for some hardcore fishing followed by a spot of evening indulgence.

22 regionalstopover Michelle Hespe finds thrills and action aplenty when she ventures into the Northern Territory wilderness.

New ! section

+

RegionalBusinessReview Specialist section with the latest news & views from around Australia, featuring: • Inside Mining • Investment

• Agribusiness • News & Reviews 5

editor’sletter

From the editor...

GROUP EDITOR Faye James faye.james@edgecustom.com.au DEPUTY EDITOR Simone Henderson-Smart ASSISTANT EDITOR Riley Palmer INTERN Melissa Peterkin SUB-EDITOR Jane McKie, Jael Livingston PRINTER SOS Print & Media SENIOR DESIGNER Guy Pendlebury DESIGNER Steve Wright PRODUCTION MANAGER Brian Ventour CONTRIBUTORS Mark Chipperfield, Michelle Hespe, Paul Ewart ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Scott Hunt scott.hunt@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Peter Anderson peter.anderson@edgecustom.com.au NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Robert Desgouttes robert.desgouttes@edgecustom.com.au WA, SA and NT SALES REP Helen Glasson, Hogan Media Phone: 08 9381 3991 helen@hoganmedia.com.au PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Geoff Campbell MANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard Parker

OUTthere is published by Edge 51 Whistler Street, Manly NSW 2095 Phone: 02 8962 2600, www.edgecustom.com.au OUTthere is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge, under license to MGI Publishing Pty Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. OUTthere cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Some images used in OUTthere are from Thinkstock and Getty Images.

Hello, fellow travellers!

Do you have a bucket list? These days everyone seems to have one. And every time we tick something off, we’re first to shout about it on Facebook or quickly upload a pic to Instagram. I guess there’s something secretly satifying about creating one and finally making your way to your dream destination. My bucket list has to feature a number of weird and wonderful visits including camping under the Northern Lights, rafting through the Grand Canyon and swimming in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon.

The presenters of travel show Places We Go, Jennifer Adams and Clint Bizzell, got so excited about their bucket list they published the book The Ultimate Bucket List: Australia’s Top 100 Places To Go. In fact, if you write in and tell us your own personal bucket list, you stand to win one of 10 fabulous copies of the book. On your marks, set, go! Drop us a line at: inflight@edgecustom.com.au Remember you can also follow daily updates on Facebook and Twitter, and if you want to view our issues online just go to: issuu.com/edgeinflight

Faye James and the OUTthere team

facebook.com/OUTthereMagazineAustralia @OUTthereMagAus

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN email in and tell us your own personal bucket list to be in the running to win one of 10 copies of the new book by Jennifer Adams & Clint Bizzell. Entries close April 30. inflight@edgecustom.com.au

7

airnorthevents

Heroes on horseback Glitz and glamour come to town for this year’s Cable Beach Polo in Broome. conic Cable Beach is set to once again play host to the best beach party in Australia – the spectacular Cable Beach Polo tournament.

This unique sporting event, from May 30–31, will see bikinis and bare feet coming together with the who’s who of world polo for two days of frenetic activity and fun on Broome’s famous stretch of sand. The glamour and entertainment of Cable Beach Polo attracts a broad mix of spectators – from the corporate high fliers who arrive in their private jets, to the Broome locals who turn up with their deck chairs and sun umbrellas to watch the tournament for free from the sidelines.

The remote location is part of the experience for visitors – after all, where else in the world can you have a swim between the chukkas?

For those wanting an added touch of luxe, the VIP marquee on the Saturday or Sunday is the way to go. And if you’re really

indulgent, enjoy entry on both days with a VIP Beach Polo Passport. Premium beverages flow generously throughout the day, while food platters pass through the marquee continuously, ensuring that guests fully experience the world-class catering. If you are unfamiliar with beach polo, this tournament takes you up close and personal to the sport.

Played on a small field one-fifth the size of a standard grass polo arena, the audience is so close to the game that you can hear the horses breathing and feel the vibration of their hooves on the sand as they race past the field barriers towards the goal posts.

Cable Beach Polo attracts some of the world’s top polo players from countries as far afield as Colombia, India and New Zealand and is gaining a reputation for having the best sand conditions for beach polo anywhere in the world. The massive Kimberley tides that wash the shore twice a day compact the sand as the tide goes out, leaving a firm playing field ideal for the sport.

While beneficial for the playing surface, the tides create real challenges for the production team who have to ‘break’ the field at the end of each day and re-erect it the next morning so that the tournament can continue. The field has to be measured so exactly that it is not uncommon for spectators on the seaward side to have the tide tickling their ankles towards the end of a match.

This year’s feature match on the Saturday is the Airnorth Kimberley Challenge, starring up-and-coming players such as Indigenous Kimberley stockmen Ian Long and Carl Manfong, who’ve been training for several months under the Cable Beach Polo scholarship. This will be the third year that Ian has taken part in the event and the second year that Carl has participated.

Beach polo requires a horse that is very nimble and not just fast. They have to turn in tight conditions and on a softer surface than a grass arena, requiring great stamina and responsiveness from horse and rider. It is a great display of horsemanship, and the relationship between horse and rider is very obvious in these matches.

After a day of excitement, guests will relax at Dinner Under The Stars on the Saturday night. Guest (hatted) chef Hamish Ingham, from the award-winning Bar H in Sydney, will prepare a feast that features regional seafood produce and reflects the mixed cultural heritage of Broome. The Cable Beach Polo tournament plays an important role on the Broome calendar of events and brings a distinctive sporting spectacle to the Kimberley, attracting travellers from far and wide.

For more information about the Cable Beach Polo weekend, visit cablebeachpolo.com.au Airnorth flies to Broome daily from Darwin and Kununurra.

To book great internet fares, visit airnorth.com.au

9

airnorthevents

5

TOWNSVILLE TOP Townsville’s impressive events calendar offers the perfect excuse for a tropical getaway that’s sure to inspire and delight.

GROOVIN THE MOO MAY 10 If you love music festivals, Groovin the Moo will not disappoint. Twelve hours of non-stop music across every genre, international artists, three stages and 15,000 revellers make for one enjoyable day at Australia’s largest regional touring festival.

Pair with: A day trip to Magnetic Island or the Great Barrier Reef.

AUSTRALIAN FESTIVAL OF CHAMBER MUSIC JULY 31–AUGUST 8 Every year, Townsville hosts the greatest international chamber music event in the southern hemisphere – the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. The natural beauty of the region in winter provides a unique backdrop for the festival's many concerts and events, which feature worldrecognised chamber musicians from Australia and overseas.

Pair with: A luxurious night or two at Orpheus Island Resort.

10

airnorthevents

TOWNSVILLE 400 V8 SUPERCARS JULY 10–12 Get trackside and be part of one of Queensland’s biggest sporting events as the challenging Townsville circuit roars into action in July. Watch motorsport heroes push their cars to the limit over three days of entertainment – on and off the track.

Pair with: A Texas meets the Australian Outback experience at Texas Longhorn Wagon Tours & Safaris in Charters Towers.

PALUMA PUSH JULY 19

WORLD OF WEARABLEART

More than just a race, the Paluma Push is a mountain bike adventure between the Paluma Village and Hidden Valley. Participants race through World Heritage-listed rainforest, encountering lots of downhills, winding bends and beautiful scenery.

Pair with: A visit to Australia’s largest single drop waterfall, Wallaman Falls, in Girringun National Park.

MAY 29–JULY 12 This major international touring exhibition presents the very best of the World of WearableArt permanent collection – one of New Zealand’s cultural success stories. The exhibition will include exciting presentations and a workroom where visitors can delve more deeply into the story behind the collection and try their hand at some wearable art design.

Pair with: A visit to the Museum of Tropical Queensland and Reef HQ Aquarium.

For information on these events and many more, visit townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au/events. Airnorth flies nonstop from Darwin to Townsville every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. To book great internet airfares, visit airnorth.com.au

11

Welcome to Kununurra’s premier resort

Ask us about our Corporate Accommodation, Functions, Weddings and Conference Facilities.

The Kimberley Grande, 20 Victoria Highway, Kununurra WA 6743 T (08) 9166 5688 • E: info@thekimberleygrande.com.au

thekimberleygrande.com.au

airnorthevents

Dan Sultan

Kununurra

gets ready to party howcasing its extraordinary cultural diversity, stunning primeval landscape, friendly folk and warm country hospitality, the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster is an all-embracing community celebration of the prodigious talent to be found in the East Kimberley region, running from May 15–24, 2015.

If your passion is art, culture, landscape, food, sport or entertainment – the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster will not disappoint. Featuring well over 35 varied and brilliant events across 10 exciting days, key events include the vibrant community Moon Fair on May 17, the hilarious Melbourne International Comedy Festival on May 18 and 19, the tantalising Kimberley Kitchen with celebrity chef Matt Moran on May 20, the intimate Durack Dinner and the award-winning Kimberley Moon Experience featuring The Living End, Dan Sultan, The Whitlams and Megan Washington.

One of Australia’s top rock bands, The Living End rose to fame in 1997 and has since been nominated for 27 ARIA music awards, winning five of them. Three times ARIA

award-winner Dan Sultan has had a massive 12 months. His critically acclaimed third album Blackbird has just hit gold, with sold-out shows all over Australia and in the UK. The award-winning Whitlams have become a staple of the Australian music scene while indie singer/songwriter Megan Washington has just released her ’80s inspired second album There There.

Airnorth fly to Kununurra daily via Darwin and Broome and will be operating non-stop services for the Kimberley Moon Experience from Perth to Kununurra on May 21, returning Kununurra to Perth on May 24. Don’t miss out as seats are selling fast. Book now at airnorth.com.au

The Living End

Megan Washington

For the full list of Ord Valley Muster events including the Kimberley Kitchen with Matt Moran visit ordvalleymuster.com.au.

The Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster will not disappoint.

The Whitlams

getaway

FNSF’s mothership, Blue Martini.

14

getaway

Fishing for

LUXURY A slick new charter company in Port Douglas offers anglers the chance to hone their skills in one of the world’s most remote locations, while enjoying five-star indulgence.

Mark Chipperfield explores the tropical waters.

15

RZR 1000 KEY FEATURES • Exclusive 29” Maxxis Bighorn Tyres • 999cc EFI Engine with Polaris Variable Transmission • 123 km/h Top Speed • Quick Acceleration - 0 to 80 km/h in 5.3 Seconds • 2” Front & 2.5” Rear Walker Evans Anti-Bottoming Needle Shocks • Dual Rate / Dual Springs with 16-Position Adjustable Clickers • High Performance On Demand True All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System • Factory Fitted Doors, Adjustable Driver & Passenger Seats and Adjustable Steering Wheel

CODY CROCKER

POLARIS RACING TEAM DRIVER DISC BRAKES FRONT & REAR

ADJUSTABLE DUAL SPRINGS WITH WALKER EVANS NEEDLE SHOCKS

HIGH PERFORMANCE ON DEMAND TRUE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE (AWD)

4 time Asia Pacific Rally Champion – Subaru WRX 2 time ARC SXS Challenge Winner – Polaris RZR XP 900

0 - 80 KM/H IN 5.3 SECONDS

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING

999CC EFI - 107 HP

For your nearest dealer call 1300 654 142 or visit www.polarisindustries.com.au

getaway

Port Douglas

“ANYONE FEEL like a glass of bubbly?” asks pilot Nigel Thomas as he banks the sleek Bell Jetranger helicopter to get a better view of Undine Cay, a speck of land 60 kilometres from the Queensland coast. “This looks like a pretty good place to land.”

Five minutes later we’re standing on a slither of crushed white coral surrounded by an ocean of intense, almost luminous blue.

A gaggle of noisy seabirds reluctantly vacate their low-lying island.

Nigel opens a hatch on the tail fin and grabs a chilled bottle of wine and some champagne flutes as we explore our Lilliputian domain; morning tea has never been so good. “Welcome to my world,” says Nigel, raising a glass of orange juice.

For an introduction to the Great Barrier Reef, it’s hard to imagine anything more gobsmackingly indulgent than chinking glasses on a remote coral cay with your own helicopter on standby.

On a more practical level, the flight from

Port Douglas to the inner-reef, and our rendezvous with the team from Far North Sports Fishing (FNSF), has saved us a fivehour boat journey.

We soon get our first glimpse of Blue Martini, the shiny-hulled 70-foot FNSF mothership, which will be our home for the next two days. The newly refurbished ship accommodates eight passengers in airconditioned luxury and is fully staffed by a resident chef, a hostess and a team of fishing guides led by James “Jimbo” Bladin.

Nigel expertly lands the Jetranger on a small pontoon from where we transfer to Blue Martini. There’s just time to meet the crew, stow our luggage downstairs and enjoy a chilled drink before boarding Black Magic, a custom-built game boat and the newest addition to the FNSF fleet.

“We want to set a new benchmark for sports fishing on the Barrier Reef,” says Tony Fyfe, who runs FNSF with fellow businessman and fishing nut Craig Parsell.

It’s hard to imagine anything more indulgent than chinking glasses on a remote coral cay with your own helicopter on standby.

17

Your connection to the World ANL has been the trusted name in shipping for nearly 60 years. As part of the CMA CGM group, the 3rd largest container line in the world, Perkins ANL offers shipments to/from Dili and all major ports with a seamless connection in Singapore to ANL’s fast and frequent services around the world. All this with the added simplicity of direct vessel discharge onto the Dili wharf with a through Bill of Lading and surety that ANL will be handling the cargo from end to end.

Global connections to over 400 ports Frequent sailings scheduled every 10 days Breakbulk cargo Project and heavy lift cargo Logistics and container hire & purchase Modern flexible vessels New larger tonnage has arrived!

See www.ANL.com.au for up to the minute schedules

Please Contact:

Australia ANL Darwin Import/Export: (+61) 08 8944 7600 Email: gossd@anl.com.au Mob: +61 448330133 Contact: David Goss

Singapore Perkins ANL Singapore Tel: (+65) 6589 3288 Contacts: Angie Ong angieong@anlsingapore.com Pink Wong sij.pwong@anlsingapore.com

Dili Toll TL (ANL Agent) Tel: (+670) 331 0162 Email: dili@anl.com.au Contact: Lenor Castulo

Need containers, offshore equipment or portable accommodation?? www.ANLcontainers.com.au Need logistic services in Dili or around the world?? www.ANLlogistics.com.au

getaway

FACTS FAST m in large

i erel swcan stretch k c a M .

• ls that ength schoo 0 miles in l rvive 2 up to can also su in e • Th y to 25 years up ld . the wi

“Our clients enjoy fine cuisine, premium wines, top-end tackle and the best guides.

There are no hidden costs. If you lose a lure, we’re not going to charge you for it.”

While none of our four-strong party could be classed as a hardcore sports angler, the sight of Black Magic and its array of heavy-duty rods soon has our adrenaline pumping. Casey, our deckhand, prepares two rods for our expected haul of giant trevally, barramundi, mackerel and possibly the mighty black marlin, the greatest prize of all.

“Bit early in the season for the black marlin,” says Jimbo. “But you never know your luck. We might hook a juvenile. Out here anything is possible.”

Given that black marlin can grow to over 400 kilograms and swim at 80 kilometres per hour, the prospect of trying to haul one onto the deck of Black Magic fills me with trepidation – such tussles can last many hours or more.

Casey hands me a modest 30-pound rod and, within minutes, I feel a sharp tug on the line. “You’re on, Mark,” shouts Jimbo. “That’s okay, just let it run.”

Pivoting the rod in a holster around my hips, I start to haul in my fish, an aggressive Spanish mackerel, cranking the reel

I start to haul in my fish, an aggressive Spanish mackerel, cranking the reel...

This image: Jill Robinson prepares for takeoff; Above: Tony Fyfe flashes his mackerel.

19

getaway

This image: The Great Barrier Reef is a snorkeller’s paradise; Left: Jimbo lands a red emperor; Above left: Chef Matthew Wild’s perfectly prepared tuna.

frantically as I first drop and then raise the head of the rod.

“There it is,” I shout as the mackerel races to the surface, its blue and black livery clearly visible. Casey stands ready with a gaff hook to lift the fish over the side and into my photo opportunity.

Suddenly, the line goes slack. The fish has gone, hook and all. And I’m left angry and dejected.

“Bad luck,” shouts Jimbo. “Nice looking fish.”

While our trip was based around Endeavour Reef, the company also plans a number of remote fishing adventures to Princess Charlotte Bay, Lizard Island and possibly Papua New Guinea.

With entry-level prices starting around $1,400 a day, these adventure sports packages are clearly aimed at experienced anglers looking for a new fishing frontier, but even novices will find much to enjoy. All skill levels can delight in chef Matthew Wild’s fragrant dishes, snorkelling on remote coral reefs and the

chance to drop anchor where few people have ventured since Lieutenant James Cook in 1770.

Despite my own setbacks, my fellow guests land an impressive haul of Spanish mackerel and red emperor – most are returned to the ocean, but the crew keep a couple for our dinner table.

While Melbourne photographer Nic Walker proved the most determined of our fishing party, Jill Robinson, from California, proved that patience and good rod technique are more important than brawn. “Did I just catch that?” she says, as Casey expertly manhandles a monster red emperor aboard.

By the time we sit down for dinner that evening, the ones that got away have naturally tripled in size. Or more. A couple of glasses from the ship’s ample wine cellar help ease the storyteller’s pain.

But the sweetest revenge is surely tucking into expertly cut sashimi, fresh from the ocean. I doubt that anything will ever taste quite as perfect.

Despite my own setbacks, my fellow guests land an impressive haul of Spanish mackerel and red emperor.

20

Round-up GET THERE

Port Douglas is a one hour drive north of Cairns. GBR Helicopters do transfers from Port Douglas out to the reef. gbrhelicopters.com.au

STAY

Far North Sports Fishing expeditions start at $1,450 per night, and include all meals, accommodation and fishing gear. farnorthsportsfishing.com

MORE INFO

visitportdouglasdaintree.com.au

YOUR HOME OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN THE TOP END • New & Used Bike Sales • Parts & Accessories • Merchandise • Finance & Insurance • Service Centre • Fuel Café

HIDDEN VALLEY 637 Stuart Highway, Berrimah, NT 08 8939 0390 www.ntmotorcyclecentre.com.au LMVD385

farflung

22

farflung

Swamp thing Crocs, barra, buffalo and as many boys’ toys as you can cram into a colossal tin shed. Michelle Hespe explores the Northern Territory wilderness.

23

farflung

Man v Croc The speedboat cuts through the still waters of Home Billabong in the Mary River National Park, a steady spray of wake catching the sun as it sinks over the floodplains. A halfsubmerged buffalo raises its head from the murky water, its enormous horns casting pointed shadows. A pied heron has landed on its back to watch us passing, and the buffalo snorts loudly.

Rowan, a guide from Wildman Wilderness Lodge, slows the boat and glides smoothly into a quiet corner of the billabong. It’s a spot he keeps to himself for when he’s hankering

for barramundi. “This place is teeming with them,” he grins, “but you gotta get used to the fact that sometimes the crocs get lazy and want your catch just as much as you.

“Last week I lost a barra and my rod to a big old croc right here. New rod, too.”

Snagging a barra is high on most visitors’ Top End bucket lists. The fishing trip is one of Wildman’s tours. If you’re around here at the right time, when the wet season has come and gone, the waters recede and what’s left is a goldmine of fat barramundi.

Fellow traveller Jeff and I settle into the seat at the end of the boat. Our rods are at

FAST FACT Modern crocodiles have been around for about 100 million years, while their ancestors first appeared about 240 million years ago.

“This place is teeming with crocs, sometimes they get lazy though.”

24

DOING MORE WITH LESS Awarded Australian 2014 Contract Miner of the Year, PYBAR’s success is based on safe, rapid underground infrastructure development and consistent reliable production.

As Australia’s third largest underground mining contractor, PYBAR has the agility and resources to provide scalable, market leading services nationally.

With a focus on efficiencies and safety without compromise, one of our guiding principles is to do more with less for our clients.

Website: www.pybar.com.au Email: pybar@pybar.com.au Phone: 02 6361 4499

DELIVERING COMMERCIAL VALUE NATIONALLY • • • • •

Underground mine development Production mining Cablebolting and production drilling Raiseboring Shotcreting.

farflung

BE CROCWISE • Always obey warning signs – they are there for your protection.

• Only swim in safe, designated areas – if there is no safe swimming sign, do not swim.

It’s not long before Jeff yelps a surprisingly girlish cry.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge

26

the ready. With the motor now silent, it’s like time has stopped. Then the sounds of the wild appear – first, the weirdly warbling whistling-ducks begin to sing, and then, gradually, the rest of the wildlife magically finds its voice.

“There’s a croc over there – he knows we’re fishin’,” says Rowan casually, nodding towards the bank. Sure enough, a reptilian snout with a 98 million year old patent breaks the surface. Its piercing green-yellow eyes flash brightly against the deepening sunset.

It’s looking straight at my rod.

It’s not long before Jeff yelps a surprisingly girlish cry and seizes up his rod. “I’m on!” he squeals, and a tug-o-war begins. While the water boils with the barra’s struggle, there’s a stealthy swish further afield, and the croc zeroes in. Rowan chuckles. The croc is quick. Within a few seconds of laughing and shouting, the croc appears right next to our boat – but it’s not the reptile’s day, either. The barra escapes both jaws and hook, and Jeff’s left with nothing but a dead straight rod.

Rowan slaps his back.

“Next time, huh? There’s always tomorrow and there’s always more barra.”

We head back to the lodge, which is a long row of cabins (called ‘Habitats’) safely propped up on steel legs above the wetlands.

They’re flanked by the main buildings, housing a reception, restaurant, bar and outdoor pool with a classic Aussie wooden deck. All peer out over the panoramic Mary River Wetlands, which is a mélange of iconic Australian outback bush, with spinifex, pandanus and gum trees in abundance.

The bar and pool area sit squarely on a red dirt airstrip, beyond which are two rows of safari-style ‘tents’. They’re more like outback apartments with their floorboards, en-suites and roomy decks; the sort of flashpacker ‘glamping’ retreats an old school bushie would mock in company then crash in if no one was looking. The runway is for guests who arrive by small plane, and it’s also handy for those wanting to head out on a small plane or chopper adventure.

KUNUNURRA – THE KIMBERLEY IN THE AIR, ON THE WATER AND UNDER THE STARS

Experience an unforgettable Kimberley helicopter adventure

HELISPIRIT.COM.AU | CALL 1800 1800 85

Cruise the gorges and wetlands of the mighty Ord River

TRIPLEJTOURS.COM.AU | CALL 08 9168 2682

Relax in stylish, award winning accommodation set amongst tropical gardens

FRESHWATERAPARTMENTS.NET.AU | CALL 1300 729 267

A UNIQUE WATERFRONT RESORT

We are ... Kununurra with a view

Recently refurbished King Rooms with lake views

FIFO accommodation/meal packages available

Huge Resort Pool

Sails Bar & Bistro

Free WIFI, Bistro Speciality Nights, Complimentary Airport Transfers and Continental Breakfasts.

Australian owned.

Call or email for best prices in town.

Kununurra Lakeside Resort EMAIL bookings@lakeside.com.au www.lakeside.com.au 50 Casuarina Way, Kununurra PH 08 9169 1092

Groote Eylandt

Sports Fishing Adventures

Groote Eylandt, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, features some grounds in the world.

Adventures commence in 2015 Register for a brochure at Call toll free 1800 877 077

farflung

Wildman Wilderness Lodge is a showcase of sustainable tourism – in an astonishingly literal way. The lodge itself was recycled from materials that once made up a resort 300 kilometres west of Cairns called Wrotham Park. When Wrotham shut up shop in 2009, it was disassembled, packed onto 18 triple road trains and driven 2,800 kilometres across the Top End. After a three-course dinner seated before floor-to-ceiling glass windows – the Milky Way like a spray of diamonds on felt – falling asleep in your ‘Habitat’ is a cinch. A mish-mash of bird calls, a rhythmic croaking of frogs and the steady strum of crickets chirping drifts across the plains like an outback lullaby.

Upping the Ante The next day’s highway drive is a 170 kilometre run to Darwin. Wildman left behind, adrenalin and adventure is the order of the day. And there is one man in these parts whose life is a mishmash of Crocodile Dundee and the late Steve Irwin.

Crocodile handler Matt Wright is known to many as the star of Nat Geo Wild’s pay TV series The Outback Wrangler. Wright grew up in a Papua New Guinean beach shack before making his way to the Territory. He’s also a chopper pilot, a wild animal relocator

and a professional crocodile egg collector who was playing with snakes when most of us were discovering Lego.

Wright set up Outback Floatplane Adventures a year ago. And for those who like their big boy’s toys, crocs and getting out into real bush, then Matt’s half- and full-day tours are like nothing else in Oz. A typical day kicks off with a 40-minute floatplane flight from Darwin to his property. It’s out in the Litchfield National Park, beyond the main tourist areas, and completely off the beaten track. The only guest access is by air.

The plane lands on Sweets Lagoon – which was previously home to the notorious saltwater crocodile called Sweetheart – an icon of the Territory.

Five-metres long, Sweetheart is now stuffed and on display in The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, but beginning in 1974 he launched a series of attacks on aluminium dinghies at a popular Darwin fishing spot. In 1979 he was caught and anaesthetised, but as his trappers struggled to haul him ashore, Sweetheart became snagged on a sunken log and drowned. Not that his throne has been empty since.

Wright’s part of the world teems with big salties. Since crocodile culling was banned in the Territory in the 1970s, the croc population has boomed.

Since crocodile culling was banned in the Territory ... the croc population has boomed.

Matt Wright at the controls.

29

* Plus site works

Specialising in Metering, Hydrostatic Testing, Fuel Terminal Maintenance & Repair services throughout Australia & the Pacific as well as incorporating a fully NATA accredited lab for torque, pressure, weighing and measurement testing, our clients know they are able to trust us with the accuracy of their equipment to meet all quality system requirements.

ALL CERTIFICATES SUPPLIED IMMEDIATELY ON COMPLETION OF WORK

2/21 College Rd Berrimah, NT 0828

Ph: 08 8947 4700

Fax: 08 8947 4711

Email: info@fcsnt.com.au

www.fcsnt.com.au

farflung

Everyone in the airboat is frozen as Otis lunges at lightning speed.

There are now up to 200,000 saltwater crocodiles in the Top End, and last year there were four recorded human fatalities from attacks. After a BBQ lunch on the 13 metre custom-built luxury cruise vessel (with a heli-pad, naturally), guests are taken for a spin through the swampland channels in an Everglades-style fan-driven airboat. Wright’s is a custom-built vessel, driven by a 500 horsepower turbo diesel V8. And the local alpha predators are thick on the banks.

Meeting a saltwater crocodile in an enclosed park is one thing, but being able to get up close and personal with a 4.5 metre dinosaur – alongside a guide – is another thing entirely.

“Otis! C’mon buddy, get out here and say hello!” says Wright, who is crouched down on the riverbank. He slaps his cap on the sand and Otis’ huge head breaks the water, his eyes directly focused on the Outback Wrangler. Everyone in the airboat is frozen as Otis lunges at lightning speed, a prehistoric missile of teeth and potential handbags. Wright is armed – with a flimsy-looking stick – and he explains some of Otis’ habits.

The saltie sits beside him, every minute or so having another go at moving in on Wright.

“Eh, eh, mate,” Matt chides him, tapping his snout with the stick. “You’re alright mate, they just wanna get a look at ya.”

The cruise continues so that guests

can meet Lumpy – a saltie with a deformation in his back. “I think he might’ve got that lump on his back while still in the egg,” explains Matt.

Heat and other factors can deform the baby crocodiles, and while all but indestructible when grown, baby crocodiles only have about a one per cent chance of reaching adulthood. Female crocs lay their eggs and flood levels rise and wash away them away.

Its been hectic, but our day of croc pestering isn’t over. Guests take turns at climbing atop the barge to the heli-pad, from which Wright takes them for a spin above the outback. From the air, the region really reveals itself: plains dotted with termite mounds; winding creeks and rivers; swathes of swampland and marsh. The wetland goes on forever below skies that stretch over an ancient tableau.

It’s a paradise so beautiful you feel you could eat it up. Swim too long in its waterways, lounge ill-advisedly on its banks or capsize your tinnie on a barrarun and it’ll eat you right back.

Round-up STAY

Wildman Wilderness Lodge 07 5527 6860 Rydges Darwin Airport Resort 08 8920 3333

DO

Outback Floatplane Adventures outbackfloatplanes.com.au 08 8981 4881

Boatman Rowan, barra whisperer.

31

LIFE CHANGING. LITERALLY.

Available in 200mL and travel-friendly 50mL varieties, every Thankyou sanitiser contributes to one person receiving access to hygiene and sanitation programs.

Available in

www.thankyou.co

planner

Planner

APR

18

Our top pick of events coming up around the country...

EVE THE MNT OF ONTH

Sydney: Top Gear Festival, Eastern Creek APRIL 18–19 Top Gear’s very own Jeremy Clarkson, James May and – in his first Sydney appearance – Richard Hammond, are revving up for their trademark tomfoolery and adrenalinefuelled antics. This live event is all about high-energy stunts, races, challenges and competitive one-upmanships. Held for the third consecutive year at Sydney’s Motorsport Park in Eastern Creek, the event’s motoring mayhem has a history of captivating fans of all ages. Add to the action the Top Gear trio and you can understand why this event is not to be missed. topgearfestivalsydney.com.au

APR

APR

9

17

APRIL 9–12

APRIL 17–19

APR

APR

17

29

APRIL 17–19

The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival, Corryong, Victoria

Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival, Queensland

Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, Perth

Inspired by Banjo Paterson’s famous bush poem, this annual festival is a celebration of Aussie history and culture at its best.

Among the favourite events are the famed Riley’s Ride and the search for the Modern Man from Snowy River. bushfestival.com.au

From professional to amateur athletes, Julia Creek welcomes the annual throng of visitors who converge on the small north-west Queensland town to take part in one of our nation’s toughest and harshest triathlons. There’s also bull riding and nightly concerts. dirtndust.com

Watch in awe as the history of the world – from the splitting of the earth’s continents to the extinction of dinosaurs – is enacted with ferocious realism. Featuring 10 species, this spectacle is a display of animatronics at its absolute finest for all ages. pertharena.com.au

look

ahead

MAY 4–9 Beef Australia, Rockhampton Celebrate our national beef industry with cattle comps, concerts and trade stalls. beefaustralia.com.au

MAY 29–JUNE 7 Melbourne International Jazz Festival Get jazzy at various city venues – the largest festival of its kind. melbournejazz.com

else

where

APRIL 3–4 Draggins Rod & Custom Car Club Car Show, Canada From hot rods to antiques and everything in between. draggins.radishnetworks.com

APRIL 29–MAY 3

2015 Federation of International Touch (FIT) World Cup, Coffs Harbour

Excitement is mounting as Coffs Harbour prepares to host the world’s best touch footballers in the 2015 FIT World Cup. With more than 30 nations expected to participate, the 2015 title is sure to be a hotly contested affair. touchworldcup.com

APRIL 19–MAY 11 Feria Nacional de San Marcos, Mexico Rodeos, mariachi folk music and mucho más. feriadesanmarcos.gob.mx

1

THE KEY TO WORKPLACE SAFETY

Implementing a lockout/tagout system does not have to be daunting and time consuming. The SafeSite Program by Mayo Hardware delivers industry leading lockout/tagout solutions with ease and efficiency.

www.safesite.com.au

1300 360 211

entertainment

Entertainment The latest and greatest things to hear, see and read.

listen

download

ED SHEERAN: X WORLD TOUR

Gate Guru

First gaining worldwide popularity in 2012 as a guest on superstar Taylor Swift’s album Red, Ed Sheeran is now headlining his own world tour, with sold-out shows across the globe. Sheeran’s most recent album, after which this tour is named, was nominated for Album of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards. His iTunes chart-topping single ‘Thinking Out Loud’ currently has over 193 million views on YouTube and sits at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

For tickets visit ticketmaster.com.au

(App Store, free/ Google Play, free) Don’t find yourself wasting time wandering aimlessly around the airport during your next trip!

An essential for travellers, Gate Guru allows you to find the best airport food, view the status of your flight and anticipate any possible travel delays.

Mar 24–26 / Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney Mar 28–30 / Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Apr 1–2 / Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Apr 4–5 / Perth Arena, Perth

Pushbullet

watch TRUE STORY 100min

Drama/Mystery/Thriller

staff pick

New York Times reporter Michael Finkel forms an unexpected bond with FBI Most Wanted murderer Christian Longo, who for years has been living under Finkel’s name. As Longo reveals the details of his alleged crimes, Finkel slowly pieces together the true story. A tale of “murder, love, deceit and redemption,” True Story stars Academy Award nominees Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street) and James Franco (127 Hours).

In cinemas April 10, 2015. foxsearchlight.com/truestory

YAWA

read GIRL IN THE DARK Anna Lyndsey (Bloomsbury, $27.99) In this incredible memoir, Anna Lyndsey shares the inspirational story of how she overcame a sudden and extreme allergy to light.

(App Store, free/ Google Play, free) Tired of having to juggle your phone and computer? With Pushbullet, the constant glances at your phone while you’re working on your computer are no longer necessary. This helpful app connects your devices and allows you to instantly view and dismiss phone notifications from your Mac desktop or laptop. You can also copy/paste and share files between devices.

THE PATRON SAINT OF LOST DOGS Nick Trout (Allen & Unwin, $29.99) This feel-good novel tells the story of Dr. Cyrus Mills’ journey as he tries to save his deceased father’s Vermont veterinary practice.

THE FAMILY PROJECT Harriet Green and John-Paul Flintoff (Faber, $22.99) The perfect read for anyone who is interested in discovering their family history but isn’t sure where to begin.

(App Store, $3.79) Wondering where the closest WiFi hotspot is?

Just hop on YAWA, the app that allows you to locate, rate and map WiFi hotspots. A rating system of happy, meh and sad smiley faces indicates the quality of each hotspot.

Simply tap the hotspot icon on the map for venue info and directions, all powered

by FourSquare.

3

what to pack

what to pack Our top faves for the month.

Ambit3 Sport watch, RRP: $449.99, Sunnto: 1800 651 872

Murphy & Daughters’ Shave Cream, RRP: $34.95, murphyanddaughters.com.au Trail Freak Kids, RRP: $89.95, theatheletesfoot.com.au 4

what to pack

Iridium Matt Black, RRP: $159.95, bluereefvision.com.au

Julie Sandlau Mermaid Ring, RRP: $450, juliesandlau.com Gigi Charlibird Silk Scarf, RRP: $69.95, charlibird.com.au Grand Tour Blue 65L, RRP: $249.99, blackwolf.com.au

staff pick

S’well bottle, RRP: $49.95, until.com.au

Russell tights, RRP: $69.99, russellathletic.com.au

5

closeup

closeup

Wanting

Kwanten After seven years playing heart-throb Jason Stackhouse on smash hit HBO show True Blood, Ryan Kwanten has left his alter ego well and truly behind. Paul Ewart speaks to the homegrown success story.

AS A JOURNALIST who has spent umpteen hours over the years interviewing an A to Z of Hollywood’s finest, encountering a celebrity who is able to remember individual interviewers from the whirlwind of media they participate in on a yearly basis is definitely something of a rarity. In fact, it’s nigh on unheard of. So, it was with some surprise that when I caught up with Ryan Kwanten for our interview, the actor promptly looked me up and down and casually said, “I wondered when our paths would cross again”. Who would have thought that our brief 10-minute chat almost five years earlier (in Sydney Airport after a red-eye flight from LA, no less) was so memorable? But, as I come to learn, it’s this thoughtfulness, consideration and outright niceness that make Sydney-born Ryan stand out. Despite the fact that his star has risen higher than he could ever have imagined, he remains a grounded Aussie bloke. “[American essayist] Emerson said that ‘one of the greatest achievements in this world is to maintain who you are in a world that’s constantly trying to change you’. And I think the older that

I get, the more I realise the true sort of value of that quote. For the most part, I’m a professional pretender, so it’s important for me to maintain my integrity outside of that. When I’m spending my life on camera deceiving people, I want to make sure that Ryan Kwanten remains real.”

Tanned, toned and with a glint in his eyes that definitely errs on the side of cheeky, his boyish good looks belie his 38 years. An accomplished athlete, Ryan takes fitness very seriously. He’s a qualified yoga instructor, skilled surfer and regular biathlon winner. Indeed, his buff physique is undoubtedly a big part of his sex symbol status, also helped by copious amounts of nude screen time as the seductive Jason Stackhouse in True Blood.

During its first season in 2008, the series (also starring New Zealander Anna Paquin) overtook The Sopranos, becoming HBO’s most successful show, notching up an Emmy and a Golden Globe and turning Ryan into a bona fide celebrity. After seven seasons as part of this small screen behemoth, the final episode aired in August last year.

7

closeup

“The fans are the ones that made me.

I couldn’t be more grateful. Believe me.”

“It was one of those rare working experiences where I was given this enormous amount of creative play and surrounded by such an eclectic bunch of actors and crew,” says Ryan. “I just felt like it was an incredible mix that turned into a beautiful, mad show.”

And he confesses that he’s going to miss the character of Jason. “As much as I felt like Jason had finally evolved into a man, I felt that there was a part of me [when the series ended] that died with him too.”

While Jason Stackhouse thrust him onto the worldwide stage, it was as lifeguard Vinnie Patterson on Home and Away that Ryan got his first taste of fame. After five years on the show, he trod the well-worn path to LA, settling there in 2001. And while he may have well and truly left Summer Bay behind him, the actor has no qualms about being recognised from the show that kickstarted his path to stardom. “It’s the show that started it all and the fans are the ones that made me. So I couldn’t be more grateful, believe me,” he says.

With two roles in long-running TV success stories under his belt, Ryan is turning his attention to the big screen. Though he’s already dabbled in several indie flicks, the prospect of having more freedom, now that he’s no longer tied to a long-running series, is appealing. “It’s a pretty clean slate ... I really get the opportunity to pick and choose the kind of projects that inspire me now,” he says.

And he’s wasted no time in getting started.

The actor is already set to hit screens across the world in several releases this year, including Kidnapping Freddy Heineken, alongside cinematic legend Sir Anthony Hopkins.

“You can’t help but feel the level of excitement on the days prior to Anthony working on set,”

8

says a clearly starstruck Ryan. “You hope that your heroes and the industry icons are going to live up to your expectations, and quite often they don’t. But in his case, they did – and then some.”

From working with big international names to local actors, this year Ryan is leading a cast of Aussie national treasures – including Barry Humphries and Toni Collette – in the big screen reboot of iconic cartoon Blinky Bill.

“I must admit I was a little nervous at first when the offer [to voice Blinky Bill] came through,” he admits. “But then I read the script and it’s utterly hilarious. And then as more and more of these huge Australian actors started signing on, I started sort of thinking, well, this is going to be kind of sensational. I don’t think I’m as excited for any film to come out this year as I am for that one.”

After being based in Los Angeles for almost 15 years, Ryan is relishing the opportunity to be back on home soil. He’s clearly very proud of his roots, and there’s no doubt that he still calls Australia home even though the nature of his work means spending a lot of time in the US. “Obviously my immediate future is in the film business and a lot of the things I want to do are based in the US,” he says. “Having said that, I’ve always made a point of returning to Australia and trying to give back to the industry that started my career. And I’ll continue to do that.”

Above: Ryan in his compelling role as Jason Stackhouse in True Blood.

Season 7 of True Blood is available on DVD and Blu-Ray now.

Blinky Bill will be released nationally in cinemas later this year.

T S L I H W S N UR T E R D I L ?

O Y S A L R T O U F O G L LOOKIN NG YOUR CAPITA PRESERVI This industry has continued to grow for the past 20 years, repeatedly outperforming all other major asset classes.

TOBIAS MOROS. www.academia.edu

Own Your Own Shipping Container & benefit from secure container leasing options Earn from 12% return per annum Now you can Own Your Own Shipping Container and earn a return from leasing the container to various companies with returns from 12% pa*.

Container leasing either provides a fixed return on your initial outlay of 12% or you can opt for the aggressive lease where, based on actual previous performance over the past 2 years, returns in excess of 20%.

Once the containers are purchased, they are leased to various companies creating a safe and lucrative return outperforming all other asset classes.

The Benefits

SUMMARY OF RISK-RETURN TRADE-OFF BETWEEN ASSET CLASSES

• Purchase from as little as $4,100 USD. Discounts available for quantity purchases

INVESTMENT

• Returns starting from 12% per annum

Shipping Containers

• No ongoing fees after the initial purchase

RETURN*

NO. OF YEARS

26%

20

Value-priced stocks

14.62%

33

• The containers belong to you, allowing you to claim depreciation

Growth stocks

11.96%

33

• Sell your containers back for full price anytime after 3 years**

Stocks (S&P 500)

8.97%

136

• You have a legally binding agreement with the leasing agents

Corporate bills

8.00%

150

Commodities (CRB index)

5.53%

93

Treasury bills

5.10%

172

Municipal bonds

4.24%

150

• A brilliant way to invest while increasing your serviceability • Start up costs relatively low in comparison to other business operations * Return continues for the life of the containers. ** A containers serviceable lifespan is up to 15 years.

Source: Global Financial Data, 2012

Average annual return over the stated time period

Disclaimer: Information provided is not intended to be Tax, Financial or Accounting advice. We recommend you obtain independent advice from your own Tax, Financial or Accounting Professionals as individual tax or financial positions may vary.

Contact us to receive further information:

www.oyosc.com.au Corr Piccone Ph: 0409 455 604

Helene Thomas Ph: 0402 059 909

www.oyosc.com.au

kitchenconfidential

SUCCESSO ITALIANO Candelori’s chef and owner, Christian Candelori, talks with Leanne Tomkins about the secret to the restaurant’s success.

Discovering a premium Italian dining experience in Smithfield, in Sydney’s west, is an unexpected and delicious delight. Family-run restaurant Candelori’s has been an icon of western Sydney’s fine dining scene for the past 15 years, and chef and owner Christian Candelori says the secret to its longevity can be found in the love that the family has for the restaurant business.

“Food and wine are our passion,” he says. “It’s obviously a hard industry with long hours, but we always say that if you’re doing something you love then it’s not really work, so that’s the method behind the madness.”

To ensure its continued success, Candelori’s recently undertook major renovations that have totally transformed the restaurant. Imposing entrance doors now open onto large, open, welcoming spaces with stylish touches of grandeur.

The most dramatic change can be seen in the marble-clad kitchen with its long, sleek counter, over which guests can observe chefs hard at work slicing swordfish carpaccio, preparing squid-ink-infused tagliolini and cooking pizza quattro otto in the wood-fired oven.

“It’s the kitchen that’s a bit of a shock to most people,” says Christian. “People see our chefs cooking, see them smiling, and can come up to counter and say thank you very much.

There’s a better connection now.”

The menu has also been revamped to reflect the new environment. It now features a greater variety of sharing entrées, such as fig, prosciutto and rocket bruschetta, and a selection of modern Italian mains to complement Candelori’s extensive range of traditional meals and pastas.

“Our rosemary baby goat hot pot is a favourite of many people,” says Christian. “It’s rare to see baby goat on a menu, so it’s the kind of meal we want to offer, but it’s also a traditional dish and native to our home region of Abruzzo in native Italy.”

Candelori’s is well known for its impressively long list of fine Italian wines. “We wanted to offer wines that are unique to our dining experience,” explains Christian. “Our Sardinian range is excellent, as are our Barolos from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. They’re the kind of wines that people aren’t as exposed to, but they complement our food.”

The authentic nature of Candelori’s menu is what keeps people coming back for more. That, and the fact that the specials are reworked every day.

“You can eat here for a month and have something different every day, which is rare,” says Christian. “It’s probably the secret to our success.” candeloris.com.au

“You can eat at Candelori’s for a month and have something different every day.”

10

kitchenconfidential

STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

This beautiful Italian recipe demonstrates the simplicity of flavour for which Candelori’s is renowned. Serve on an antipasto plate with chilled wine or an icecold beer.

Method

pipe filling until ¾ full, then twist the tip of the flower to seal and keep filling within.

4. Prepare in another bowl a light tempura mix of flour, sea salt, sparkling mineral water and ice cubes and mix lightly. (Tip: try not to over-mix batter.)

5. In a deep frying pan, add extra virgin olive oil and cottonseed oil. The oil mix must be ½ of each.

Bring temperature to high.

6. While waiting for the oil to heat, place zucchini flowers in the bowl of tempura batter one at a time and ensure the whole zucchini flower is covered evenly with batter. Place into frypan of very hot oil and gently turn the flowers to get an even colour all round. Within 4–5 minutes, remove the zucchini flower and place on absorbent paper.

1. Trim the end of the stems, gently open the flowers and remove the pollen stem.

2. In a deep bowl, add ricotta, baby spinach and nutmeg.

Season with sea salt and cracked pepper to taste. Mix well and scoop into a piping bag.

3. Gently open the flower and

Serving tip: Mix wild rocket salad and treviso lettuce in a bowl with goodquality extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.

Season and place on the antipasto plate and top with the zucchini flowers.

Ingredients  4 zucchini flowers with stem attached 350g fresh ricotta 1kg baby spinach 1 tsp nutmeg  Sea salt  Cracked pepper  500g plain flour 1lt sparkling mineral water, chilled 1 handful ice cubes  Extra virgin olive oil and cottonseed oil for frying

11

The School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS) at the University of New England is one of the largest and most respected centres for agriculture and environmental science in Australia.

The degrees on offer within ERS provide a deep understanding of the science behind agriculture

Please check our website for more information on our research, degrees, partnerships, and updates: une.edu.au/ers

and food production, ecosystem sustainability, geology, genetics, zoology, evolutionary biology, and environmental engineering.

ERS has a number of partnerships with industry, as well as three industry-funded Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs), and long-term collaborations with

Find us on facebook ERS UNE @ERS_UNE

many Australian and international companies. This interaction means the graduates will be job-ready and highly sought after in a range of industries across Australia and beyond.

School of Environmental and Rural Science

cultureclub

CULTURE CLUB GOT A THING FOR THEATRE? LOVE LIVE MUSIC? ENJOY GREAT GALLERIES? READ ON FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH...

NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL, CANBERRA

st picaff k

APRIL 2–6

Not so long ago, lovers of folk music were huddled in dark corners whispering of their musical love through their unfashionable beards.

Not so today. Beards are proudly seen on every corner, and folk music has been embraced by a whole new generation of bare-footed, fiddle loving festivalgoers. This year’s line-up has over 200 local and international acts, so best head online for all the details. folkfestival.org.au

A DAY ON THE GREEN, ALL SAINTS ESTATE, RUTHERGLEN, VIC

APRIL 11

This genius concept takes the lush lawn of a winery and fills it with happy picnickers, enjoying gourmet treats and great wines while listening to world-class tunes. This time it’s back to the 90s, with Oz rock stars The Angels fronting a line-up that includes Baby Animals and Boom Crash Opera. BYO biker jacket. adayonthegreen.com.au

BYRON BAY

BLUESFEST

April 2–6

The normally blissed-out town of Byron Bay get its annual dose of the Blues this Easter when some of the biggest names in music roll into town for five days of fun and mayhem.

Headliners this year include Lenny Kravitz, the guitar-toting Gipsy Kings and our favourite dynamic duo, The Black Keys.

Tickets and details of the always-extraordinary line-up are at bluesfest.com.au 13

MAHINDRA, BUILT TOUGH! 5035 4WD Synchro Shuttle Tractor with Loader

ew All N

• Tractor weight 2100kgs • 41.6 Litres p/m hydraulic flow • Easy access flat platform

With FREE 4 in1 ‡ Bucket

eMax 22 Tractor Only

• 22HP Tier IV Eco-friendly engine • Full 3 point linkage and tractor drawbar • Optional drive over 60in steel fabricated Mower - $2,500

$

From

33,990

(RLP in GST)

$

From12,990

(RLP in GST)

4025 4WD Tractor with Loader

Tonne lift on Linkage & great loader capacity ew •• 1.6 N l l Comfortable suspension seat with armrests A • 4WD and Diff Lock standard $ • 41HP Tier IV Eco-friendly engine

From

24,990

(RLP in GST)

2015 Summer/Autumn Catalogue OUT NOW www.mahindra.com.au/ag *Prices are Ex Brisbane/Ex Perth and excludes spark arrestor (where applicable), excludes freight & pre-delivery charges. Promotional pricing ends 30th April 2015 or while stocks last. #Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd is the No.1 Tractor company in the world by volume.

Photographs may show overseas models or illustrate non-standard equipment. Please read your Mahindra Tractor manual carefully prior to operation. ‡Free 4in1 Bucket Subject to Tractor & Loader Purchase. ^3 Year Engine & Powertrain warranty. DMM3105.

PARTICIPATING MAHINDRA DEALERS QLD ATHERTON – (07) 4091 4777

AVONDALE – (07) 4156 1508 AYR – (07) 4783 2792 BOONAH KALBAR – (07) 5463 5957 DALBY - 1300 783 379 GOONDIWINDI – (07) 4671 1088 INNISFAIL – 0417 746846 KINGAROY – (07) 4162 2300 PROSERPINE – (07) 4945 9111 ROCKHAMPTON – (07) 4933 4500 ROMA – 1300 783 379 TOOWOOMBA – 1300 783 379 TOWNSVILLE - (07) 4729 5299 YANDINA – 0428 711 792

NSW BATHURST – (02) 6334 4999

BELLINGEN – (02) 6655 0231 BOOROWA - (02) 6227 2290 DUBBO - (02) 6884 2767 GLOUCESTER - (02) 6558 1510 HAWKESBURY – (02) 4576 5555 INVERELL– (02) 6722 2630 KYOGLE– (02) 6632 3288 LISMORE – (02) 6622 2842 MINTO– (02) 9603 8935 NARRABRI – (02) 6792 1816 ORANGE – (02) 6362 9939 RUTHERFORD KP & DC MACHINERY – (02) 4932 6988 TAMWORTH – (02) 6765 5552 TAREE – (02) 6552 2477 WAUCHOPE – (02) 6585 3608

VIC BALLARAT – (03) 5339 8436 CASTERTON – (03) 5581 1255

COLAC – (03) 5231 6322 ECHUCA – (03) 5480 1234 EUROA – (03) 5795 2691 MANSFIELD – 0409 319 614 PAKENHAM – (03) 5943 2460 RIDDELLS CREEK – 0433 679 060 SHEPPARTON – (03) 5821 9811 WANGARATTA – (03) 5721 4428 WARRNAMBOOL – (03) 5561 1733

WA BUSSELTON – (08) 9752 1522 DONNYBROOK – (08) 9731 1005 GERALDTON – (08) 9964 7822 MUCHEA – (08) 9571 4117 SA MACCLESFIELD – (08) 8388 9231

cultureclub

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL

April 20–May 17 Sixteen venues around Sydney will be conspiring to put bums on seats, smiles on faces and tears of laughter on sleeves when this year’s comedy festival comes to town. The British and bedraggled Ross Noble is a Tangentleman, local heroes The Axis of Awesome are Homecoming Kings and Akmal is Lost among a thigh-slapping line-up of locals and internationals.

Details and ticket info at

April 22–May 2 LE NOIR, ADELAIDE FESTIVAL THEATRE The talented troupe at Cirque de Soleil completely reinvented the circus wheel when they launched their brand of breathtaking, heart-stopping, theatrical genius. This new show promises the same level of spectacle, but dims the lights and brings the raunch with an intimate and far more adult version. Ooh la la.

Tickets from bass.net.au

sydneycomedyfest.com.au

JOSH PYKE AND THE SSO, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

April 29 Josh Pyke is no stranger to the Opera House stage, having shared it with Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson, The Living End’s Chris Cheney and You Am I’s enigmatic frontman Tim Rogers when they paid tribute to the Beatles in The White Album show that left audiences around the country buzzing. This time Josh takes it down a few notches and teams up with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, singing his own mellow tunes and replacing the buzz with bliss. sydneyoperahouse.com

15

cultureclub

Exhibitionists  Revealed: Emerging

Indigenous artists from Western Australia, at the Gallery Central in Perth’s Central Institute of Technology from April 18–May 9. So much more than just an exhibition, this five-part project comprises a symposium, a marketplace, a professional development and arts-worker program as well as an exhibition that draws from over 25 regional Aboriginal art centres to showcase the works of over 200 emerging artists from around the state.

The market, held on Saturday April 18 at the Perth Cultural Centre, provides the opportunity for artists to meet and greet and sell their work directly to the public.  The Dandenong Ranges, just out of Melbourne, is home to over 30 painters, sculptors, makers and designers and on the weekend of April 18–19 they will open

Above: The art market attached to the Revealed exhibition offers the opportunity to meet, and buy from, the artists.

their doors to the public. This is a rare chance to meet the artists, see their creative workspaces and view their art in situ rather than in a gallery.  Direct from the vaults of Beijing’s Forbidden City, A Golden Age of China is an

Above: The National Gallery of Victoria is hosting an impressive display of artefacts direct from the Palace Museum of Beijing.

ON TOUR

HUMAN NATURE APRIL 23–MAY 9

16

Tickets and tour dates available online now.

SAM SMITH APRIL 25–MAY 4

ACE FREHLEY APRIL 29–MAY 7

exhibition of art and artefacts containing paintings, jewellery, treasures and artworks collected by China’s foremost art collector, Qianlong Emperor way back in the mid 1700’s. These pieces are so highly valued that they are usually kept locked away in the Palace Museum in Beijing and are rarely on display. Lucky for us, they’ll be at the National Gallery of Victoria until June 21.  Survivors showing at the Western Plains Cultural Centre until May 10. Since 2009, Asher Milgate has been documenting the stories of the Indigenous community in Wellington, New South Wales. This exhibition is a collection of his photography and audio grabs in which the elders tell of their time living on the Nanima Mission.

Asher hopes that being non-Indigenous, and having such intimate access to these elders, will make this exhibition an important and strong step towards emerging reconciliation.

SMOOTHER FLIGHTS START AT

BECOME A MEMBER AND SAVE UP TO

20% OFF YOUR AIRPORT PARKING

FREE courtesy shuttle to and from your terminal 24 hour undercover or outdoor security parking

BRISBANE

Car detailing and servicing available ADELAIDE

Be rewarded with FREE car washes BRISBANE

(07) 3268 4222

MELBOURNE

ADELAIDE

(08) 8340 5200

MELBOURNE

(03) 9334 5777

For further information, please visit our website www.andrewsairportpark.com.au or contact your local branch

food&wine

Spirited Away It’s got peat bogs, pure water, barley fields and snow-capped highlands. No wonder Tasmania is home to a thriving whisky industry. Simone Henderson-Smart visits the Scotland of the south.

18

food&wine

19

food&wine

This image: The bar at the Lark Distillery. Below: Indulge in a whisky tasting at Tarraleah Lodge.

Family guy Bill McHenry.

Tasmania itting in the lounge at Tarraleah Lodge by a crackling fire, looking out at the mist-shrouded mountains of Tassie’s central highlands, it’s easy to imagine yourself in Scotland. Of course the dram in your hand poured from one of over 155 bottles of single malt that line the walls certainly helps the illusion. Originally built in the late 1930’s as part of a hydroelectric development, Tarraleah Lodge is now whisky lovers’ heaven on a hilltop.

There are currently ten distilleries dotted all over Tasmania, but if you are short on time just head straight for Tarraleah where you can sample most of the island’s whiskies in the one spot. If you do have more time, then visits to the various distilleries will be rewarded with lovely characters, great stories and some of the finest whisky in the world.

The Grand Daddy He wasn’t at Tarraleah Lodge, but Bill Lark was in the same Tassie highlands trout fishing when the thought first struck him how odd it was, given the similarities with Scotland, that no one was distilling whisky in Tasmania. Sure there was some archaic law passed in 1839 forbidding it, but that proved no obstacle for 20

a determined Bill who promptly got the law overturned. That was back in 1992, when Bill Lark became Tasmania’s first licensed distiller.

Today the Lark distillery is an international award-winner, with a gorgeous heritage sandstone cellar door down by Constitution Dock in Hobart.

His whisky: Made from local barley malted at the Cascade brewery, Lark whisky is aged in smaller custom 100-litre barrels crafted from old Port and Sherry casks. Each whisky is from a single cask, which means the flavours will be slightly different barrel to barrel, giving a unique drinking experience each time. Around half the malt is peated, giving a slightly smoky flavour, but nowhere near as in your face as the Islay whiskies from Scotland that are sometimes akin to sucking on a lump of coal. larkdistillery.com.au

The Family Man Bill McHenry, of William McHenry and Sons, set up his distillery down near Port Arthur as a gift to his children.

“I was at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide looking at the photos of those big names in Australian wine who were there at the beginning and are still there now,” Bill explains. “You know, the Penfolds, the Henschkes, the Taylors. And I realised that we have the opportunity to do that in Tasmania with whisky; to be a part of the renaissance and create something that can become part of my family history.”

Bill looked at 50 properties before purchasing his tree-clad hillside patch to build on, a decision made easy when he discovered a precious natural spring running through the property like a vein of gold.

A LITTLE LESS EMAILS A LITTLE MORE EXERCISE What will you do a little less & a little more?

Tell us at littlelesslittlemore.com.au

food&wine

View of the valley at William McHenry and Sons .

The Renegade

Peter Bignell from Belgrove.

“I wanted a property with water security, and Port Arthur gets around 1,200 millimetres of rain, plus there was a natural spring. Perfect.”

In keeping with Bill’s love of legacy, his whisky is aged using the European solera method, where after 12 months half the barrel is tipped out and topped up with something a year younger. The idea being that even after 20 years, there will still be a trace of the original barrel of whisky – even if it’s only a couple of molecules.

His whisky: Sadly this is a new operation, and the spirit can’t be officially termed whisky until it’s been in a barrel for at least two years. However his gin is incredible.

Spicy and complex, with no need for tonic, there’s also a sloe version made from wild berries foraged from the side of the road in northern Tasmania. No doubt his whisky will be well worth the wait and his kids, though still quite young, will thank him some day. mchenrydistillery.com.au 22

Peter Bignell is a moonshine renaissance man and definitely doing things his own way. For starters, he makes Australia’s only rye whisky – a silky smooth, slightly smoky affair that goes by the name of Belgrove. The whisky is made in a copper pot still that he built from scratch in his shed, from rye corn that he grows on his farm, and the whole operation is run on biodiesel that he makes from waste cooking oil from the roadhouse next door. To top it off, when he’s not making whisky, he travels the world competing in sand and ice sculpting competitions. So eccentric is an understatement, really.

If you want to pay Peter a visit, you’ll need to make an appointment (just in case he’s carving 10-metre high swans in some coolroom in Tokyo) but he’s more than happy to show you around.

His whisky: Very different from malt whisky. There’s a lot of clove and cinnamon spiciness with a hint of smoke that’s more paraffin than peat. Still, it’s silky smooth and very sippable. belgrovedistillery.com.au

The World Beater The Sullivans Cove story is more about the product than the place or the people. The business has changed owners twice, and although it used to call the lovely heritage gasworks building down by the Hobart waterfront home, it now lives in a huge shed

in an industrial park. Although to be fair, they have built a gorgeous little tasting area, complete with velvet lounges and Persian rugs and you could do a lot worse than spending an hour there downing a few drams and forgetting your troubles. But the real star of the Sullivans Cove show is the whisky. Made by hand from wash that they get from brewers Cascade and Moo Brew, the philosophy here is that a good craft business has to produce quality that matches the price of the product.

It’s something that a lot of Tassie distillers have to grapple with. Most labels charge around $100 a bottle, and that’s a whole lot of quality to live up to. Sullivan’s Cove nailed it, and their French Oak Port Cask Single Malt was crowned ‘The World’s Best Single Malt’ at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards. That’s right, the best in the world. For an industry that’s only been around for 20 years, it’s quite an achievement to beat the Scots at their own game. They’ve had over 200 years of practice.

The whisky: It’s all about the barrels. The top drop was aged in French Oak that had previously held Port, imparting toffee and molasses flavours and a deep caramel colour.

Good luck getting your hands on it though.

Demand is high and supply is short, and even though they’re ramping up production, they won’t bottle in under 10 years. Happily their other release, aged in American Oak bourbon casks, is just as impressive. sullivanscovewhisky.com

It’s all about the barrels. The top drop was aged in French Oak that had previously held Port, imparting toffee and molasses flavours and a deep caramel colour.

food&wine

There’s only one other place on Earth that makes whisky like this and it’s in Scotland.

This image: Copper pot still and barrels at Sullivans Cove. Right: The hop kiln at Redlands Estate where the barrels are left to age. Bottom left: Historic Redlands Estate.

Round-up STAY

Tarraleah Lodge tarraleahlodge.com.au Salamanca Inn Behind Salamanca Place, Hobart salamancainn.com.au

EAT & DRINK

The Purist Following Redlands distiller Dean Jackson around the heritage property, it’s hard not to be consumed by his passion for whisky.

You get the feeling that if you spied on him, you’d catch him lovingly stroking the still and whispering sweet nothings at the spirit as it trickles out. It’s not surprising he’s so intimate with his whisky; he makes it from scratch with barley grown on the property. He then malts the barley himself with nothing but a shovel and a cold hard floor, hand turning a tonne of the stuff three times a day for a week.

The water he uses in what he labels his ‘dirt to dram’ enterprise comes from the Plenty 24

River that runs through the property after beginning its journey in the mountains 20 kilometres away. There’s only one other place on Earth that makes whisky like this and it’s in Scotland. But why travel all the way there, when there’s so much lovely whisky to be had at home?

His whisky: Another youngster on the scene, Redlands’ first release is due in July this year. It will only be the regulation two years old, but Dean has had old Pinot barrels from big name Tassie wineries (think Stefano Lubiana) remade into smaller 20-litre casks for maximum exposure to the oak. redlandsestate.com.au

Port Arthur Lavender portarthurlavender.com.au Foodies shouldn’t miss one of Mary McNeill’s Gourmania walking food and wine tours of her favourite Hobart haunts. gourmaniafoodtours.com.au

EXPLORE

The best way to explore the distilleries is to take a tour and let someone else do the driving, and the best tours on the island are run by Brett Steel from Tasmanian Whisky Tours. Book online at tasmanianwhiskytours.com.au

Programs for every field of dreams.

James Dyer - 2003 Graduate Farm Manager, Pleasant Hills Pastoral

Stephanie Turnbull - 2009 Graduate Business Analyst, Macquarie Agricultural Funds Management

Andrew Hill - 2009 Graduate Director, National Land Lease

Marcus graduates are professionally prepared and ready for business.

It is our dual-faced approach and comprehensive consultation with industry partners, program alumni and ‘real world’ experiences that enables our graduates to launch new ventures and business practices.

Whatever the field of endeavour, Marcus Oldham offers a number of pathways. There’s an exciting choice of 1 year diplomas, degrees, or postgraduate courses in Agriculture, Agribusiness and Equine Management. The Postgraduate program includes an opportunity to complete a Master of Agribusiness.

SCHOLARSHIPS THAT REWARD POTENTIAL AND AMBITION

All deliver practical action-orientated programs that ensure students graduate with the knowledge, business skills and confidence to excel as the next generation of industry leaders.

THE MARCUS EXPERIENCE Unlike other independent tertiary institutions that deliver theory en masse, Marcus delivers relevant, innovative and market-leading entrepreneurship from theoretical and applied perspectives.

THE COURSES BACHELOR OF BUSINESS (AGRICULTURE) BACHELOR OF BUSINESS (AGRIBUSINESS) DIPLOMA OF EQUINE MANAGEMENT

Agriculture | Agribusiness | Equine Management Free call: 1800 623 500 Email: courses@marcusoldham.vic.edu.au www.marcusoldham.vic.edu.au

For students that are passionate about a career in the agricultural or equine industries, Marcus Oldham offers a number of rewarding Scholarships that bring dreams to reality.

THE OPPORTUNITIES The agribusiness industry forms a large part of the Australian business landscape, with bright employment prospects in a number of areas, including farm and agribusiness management, export and trade, rural and global business development, banking, marketing, commodity trading, property management and agri-politics.

weekender

HOLIDAY LIKE A

ROCK STAR

Ever wondered how stars holiday when they visit Sydney? Forget public hotels, spas and restaurants. Faye James discovers how to holiday in luxe style at celebrity paradise, Palm Beach.

Above: The Dreaming boasts uninterrupted views of Palm Beach and an infinity pool.

26

weekender

WHAT DO CELEBRITIES look for when they holiday? Luxury? Tick.

Exclusivity? Tick. Discretion? Tick. Hotels?

No. No. No. Apparently the rich and famous don’t do hotels; they do rentals. After all, who wants pesky guests in reception eyeballing you? And when they do Sydney, they do Palm Beach. Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman, Rachel Griffiths and Elle Macpherson have all reportedly spent a fine sum renting some of the most luxe retreats at this northern beachside hotspot.

What is it about Palm Beach that lures the rich and famous? For starters, there’s the plush surrounds, peace and serenity.

Then there’s the all-important ‘exclusivity’ factor. The beaches are mainly empty year-round, and with its verdant hills, grand properties and smattering of yachts,

you could almost be in Portofino. In fact, according to local celeb spotters, it’s not uncommon to see an A-lister ducking into a Palm Beach coffee shop for a takeaway croissant and latte before heading back to their luxury beachside rental to peruse the daily papers by the pool.

One such rental is award-winning property The Dreaming, designed by the same architects who fashioned six-star Hamilton Island resort Qualia.

Perched above the coastline, this is a place that, fittingly, looks like something out of a movie. As soon as you walk in, you are treated to large awe-inspiring rooms with natural tones of timber, stone and glass. The custom-made floor-to-ceiling windows open up the whole space to almost 360 degrees of spectacular coast and ocean views. And guess what? There’s even a retractable roof,

so guests can take advantage of additional solar angles. And if trekking down to the beach seems a bit too commonplace, there’s always the saltwater infinity pool and private sundeck. With four huge bedrooms, three bathrooms (one with a sauna) and heaps of relaxing living spaces, the house comfortably accommodates eight.

So now you have your super luxe home, where does a celebrity eat around Palm Beach? Back to the whole hotel thing, celebs like privacy, and public eating places, well, just draw attention. While staying at The Dreaming, we had a visit from Scottish actor Gerard Butler’s favourite chef, Clancy Atkinson. Trained by former Versace executive chef Russell Armstrong, Clancy is frequently hired by the rich and famous to visit their rentals and personally cook for them. After all, if money is no object, why 27

weekender Left and below right: Clancy Atkinson has cooked for the likes of Gerard Butler while Renata Kubina brings the spa to the celebs.

visit a restaurant when you can bring the restaurant to you?

His style is very much super fresh, light, healthy and incredibly tasty, and while we tuck into a slice of freshly baked ricotta tart for lunch, he tells me about his favourite celebrity experience. “When I met Elle Macpherson, I was literally blown away.

There she stood in simple cut-off jeans, no make-up and flats and was so down-toearth and nice, she took my breath away.

And she ate. She ate like a true trooper.

Who said models don’t eat?” says Clancy, beaming a warm friendly smile.

I ask him what it’s been like working with Gerard Butler and he reveals that poor Gerard hardly has time to eat. “He works really odd hours, due to hefty filming schedules. Sometimes, I’ll get a call late in the day and Gerard is craving steak all of a sudden and I’ve got to move fast!”

After our very pleasant lunch, we take a walk up to the Barrenjoey lighthouse to soak up the stunning views of Palm Beach and its surrounds. The trek is pretty steep and challenging and when we return to the princess pad, my legs and back are demanding I do what most celebs do in these circumstances – indulge in some much-needed spa time.

Like Clancy, Renata Kubina also visits properties such as The Dreaming to offer massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and whatever your celebrity heart desires. One 28

“At ciis sit, omnist, volores ciatiur, sint explacc atus dan ihilit restrum qui auta dipit es astra altiora”

Round-up GET THERE

of her key signature treatments is a massage using Hawaiian Kahuna elements. “From my vantage point, the expression on their faces after this treatment is testament to their feeling of complete reconnection with themselves,” says Renata. “They tell me they have never experienced such a deep calm. Many celebs go from manic magnates to being able to switch off, then reboot and operate with higher energy levels, a clear mind and fresh perspectives. It’s what highflyers need these days – with a big career, comes a lot of stress, so I’m here to make their holidays that bit more relaxing and enjoyable.”

Relaxing indeed. I could get used to this rich and famous lifestyle. If only all holidays were this lush. Homeward bound in my little old dusty Mitsubishi, I bid farewell to the vacation that truly was like a dream.

PALM BEACH is about a 50-minute drive north from Sydney Airport.

STAY

THE DREAMING luxehouses.com.au

EAT & DRINK

Book private chef CLANCY ATKINSON to come and cook daily meals for you. clancyatkinson.com

DO

SPA Bring the spa to you, courtesy of massage and beauty therapist Renata Kubina. spatoyou.com.au YACHT Do as Brad and Angelina did and hire out luxury yacht Ghost and cruise the harbour or open seas luxehouses.com.au/yacht/ghost/

Positive Cash Flow From Day One Since it’s inception after the Reserve Bank Reforms in March 2009 ATM ownership continues to hit all the right keys.

Owning a fleet of ATMs has become a well known business opportunity since Own Your Own ATM launched in March, 2009. Many of our clients have diversified their portfolio and are now enjoying a minimum of 20% p.a. returns that an ATM business can provide for the life of the agreement.

It is possible to use your ATM income to subsidise a large investment portfolio and not hit the serviceability wall, allowing you to make further investments in the future. Unlike a term deposit, where you are liable for tax at the first dollar of interest earned, ATMs being plant and equipment, can be depreciated to offset the transaction income earned.

These private ATMs are placed in a variety of convenient locations throughout Australia. You own the Automated Teller Machines and experienced national ATM deployers place the machine in the site and manage it.

ATM income is directly deposited into the account of your choice. Legal agreements state the deployer must cover all costs for parts and maintenance, insurance and payment processing for the life of the agreement.

ATM owners are paid a minimum 20% p.a.* or $0.30 per transaction, whichever is higher, paid monthly.

In times of market volatility, a portfolio of ATMs can provide a steady income stream and potentially solve your cash flow issues.

BENEFITS OF OWNING YOUR OWN ATM Instant income - you will be paid calculated from the very first day you purchase your machines.

Buy in cash or borrow with property equity and pay down your non tax deductible debt on your home faster.

ATMs are brilliant for saving, as returns compound when monthly payments are deposited into a savings account.

BUSINESS HOURS ATMs TRANSACTION FORMULA 0 - 783 TRANSACTIONS $235 PER MONTH 784+ CALCULATED AT $0.30 PER TRANSACTION TOTAL TOTAL MONTHLY TRANSACTIONS AMOUNT DUE

SITE NAME

SERIAL NUMBER

Luna Park

KIC090600143

2,002

$600.60

Sea Lake Foodworks

KIC090600146

1,282

$384.00

Caloundra Caltex

KIC090600147

705

$235.00

Hazelbrook Bowling

KIC090200014

471

$235.00

Tumbarumba Bowling Club

KIC090200004

472

$235.00

Wardell Liquor

KIC091200001

556

$235.00

Northhampton Supermarket

KIC090300074

813

$243.90

BP Childers

KIC091200002

1,123

$336.90

Grand Old Crow Hotel

KIC090200028

490

$235.00

Sportsmens Hotel

KIC090300065

842

$252.60

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE

$2,993.00

THIS PORTFOLIO OF 10 BUSINESS HOUR ATMS COST $140,000 +gst

*Example: a business hour machine costing $14,000 ex gst, the annual return is $2,800 or $235 per month. Returns continue for the life of the agreement.

Contact us to receive further information at

www.ownyourownatm.com.au Disclaimer: Information provided is not intended to be Tax, Financial or Accounting advice. We recommend you obtain independent advice from your own Tax, Financial or Accounting Professionals as individual tax or ďŹ nancial positions may vary.

insidertips

INSIDER TIPS

THIS MONTH WE SPEAK TO ROBERT DEMPSEY, MARKETING MANAGER OF COLEMAN FOR HIS TOP RECOMMENDATIONS OF CAMPING SPOTS WITH KIDS. IN VICTORIA, the best camping ground I have experienced and used multiple times is the Nagambie Lakes Caravan Park. This park has it all, such as playgrounds, swimming pool, theatre/ games room, café, tennis courts, cooking facilities etc. It’s also set right next to Nagambie Lakes, which allows all types of water sports, and there’s a nice little inlet for inflatable kayaks and boats. It’s just an hour-and-a-half north of Melbourne – so it’s not too far of a drive.

Another great spot in Victoria is the Maiden’s Inn Caravan Park in Moama.

Situated on the mighty Murray River, it offers instant access to the water with its very own boat ramp. It has good facilities for kids, with two swimming pools and playgrounds. A short drive away, the quaint little town of Echuca has many historical tours and exciting paddle steamers, which take you up and down the Murray River.

Close to Sydney, I recommend Upper Colo, just a one-hour drive west. It features a freshwater river with a nice wide sand bank, open fires (as long as you bring your own firewood), and a 150-person limit. This is a beautiful and secluded throwback to real family camping. Best of all? It’s free!

Just 40 kilometres north of Sydney’s CBD, opposite Palm Beach, is The Basin, a protected bay in Pittwater.

Best time of the day

Sunrise. It’s the hardest part of the day to make it out of bed but always so rewarding. One of my favorite things about living in Australia is being able to go to the beach in the morning, go for a run and grab a coffee!

30

It’s accessible by ferry or walking. The best part about this site is, although you’re very close to Sydney, you feel a million miles away from the city. It’s a beautifully picturesque setting with crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches backed by native bushland. It has great facilities, including pit fires and a protected swimming hole, as well as plenty of friendly wildlife, such as wallabies, goannas and kookaburras, to captivate the kids. There’s even a daily coffee boat to provide the parents with a sufficient caffeine supply. Perfect for beginners and seasoned campers alike.

Over in Western Australia, I would recommend Moore River in Guilderton.

Just 90 kilometres north of Perth, it has great river and ocean access and a beautiful, shady campground. It has all the essential cooking, cleaning and bathroom facilities as well as a shop, a playground and plenty of water activities available.

Fraser Island, Queensland

Other recommendations include: Seal Rocks (three and a half hours north of Sydney)  Coolendel (one hour west of Nowra)  Myall Lakes (three hours north of Sydney)  Fraser Island, Queensland  Busselton (two hours south of Perth) 

Ideal travelling companion

James Bond. He always seems to travel in style, and knows how to work every conceivable mode of transport. Plus, he always has handy gadgets for any unforeseen circumstances!

insidertips

Fraser Island, Queensland

5ING Y M P L S* CAM

E S SE

NTIA

2 FOR 1 ALL DAY DOME TENT RRP $399.99

The best part about this site is, although you’re very close to Sydney, you feel a million miles away from the city.

TRITON SERIES INSTASTART 2 BURNER STOVE RRP $139.99

WILLOW PADDLE BOARD RRP $1,099.99

CPX6 1000 LUMEN LANTERN RRP $99.99

The Basin, New South Wales

Don’t leave home without...

It’s a really sad answer, but my phone! I love the power it provides, from being able to find your way with maps, always having a great camera to hand, to having my music collection with me (and of course to check my emails – in case my boss is reading this).

PARTY ISLAND FLOAT RRP $249.99

*All available from Coleman. colemanaustralia.com.au

31

advertorial

“Your hair becomes much heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair” Biochemist Dr Thomas Whitfield.

TIRED OF THINNING HAIR? How a new pill can boost your hair and self-confidence.

THINNING hair can be a nightmare for both men and women. It can make you look less attractive, and also lead to disadvantages within your career and limit you in your partner choice.

It can lead to depression, loss of selfconfidence and even identity change.

Scientists in Oxford promise that they can help keep your hair thick and healthy. Their pill TRX2 is currently one of Europe’s best-selling hair supplements and is sold in over 90 countries. TRX2 is a food supplement based on organic compounds and compared to medicinal products has no side effects whatsoever. Also it does what it says.

“Your hair will look much bigger; it becomes heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair,” says biochemist Dr Thomas Whitfield.

Hair treatments often promise a lot without delivering, but TRX2 is

backed by cutting-edge science and has been thoroughly tested. Three of the key ingredients in TRX2 are officially recognised by the European Commission as contributing to the maintenance of normal healthy hair*. The effects can be impressive. Start TRX2 as early as possible in order to address your hair problem before it is too late.

“Your hair becomes much heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair.”

TRX2 is suitable for men and women of all ages. The crystalline white capsules come in a brown glass bottle, which is sufficient for one month of treatment and costs approximately A$70. The manufacturer offers a money-back guarantee if ordered via TRX2’s official website, and ships worldwide. www.trx2.com, contact@trx2.com Oxford BioLabs Ltd, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, UK

EXCLUSIVE PASSENGER DEAL Order via trx2.com and use the coupon code OUTthere to receive an exclusive 5% discount *selenium, zinc, biotin

charity

THE WAR

INSIDE

It was 4.30am and dawn had

not yet broken. The sense of anxiety was so palpable that, more than once, the silent twinkling of stars was mistaken for enemy lights. With false bravado and misplaced excitement, a fresh-faced assemblage of Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on Gallipoli’s Ari Burnu point; the now infamous Anzac Cove.

The First World War had been raging for almost a year when the allied troops were sent to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. Naively perhaps, our government believed the Gallipoli campaign to be an opportunity for our newly formed nation to display its heroic backbone and garner international repute. The unexpected and horrific assault these young men endured quickly dispelled any illusions as to the mechanism of war.

The impact and profundity of this historic event has been memorialised in time, rendering the Anzacs – and what they’ve come to stand for – immortal. The history and legend of this significant battle are so entwined, that today, one is as important as the other. And now, a century on, the Anzacs underpin the idealised identity and ‘spirit’ of the everyman, but none more intrinsically than our returned soldiers and present day militants.

As you read this, members of the Australian Defense Force (ADF) are partaking in operations across the globe – from contributing non-combat support to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, to joining with the international military effort against Islamic State (ISIL) in Iraq.

Sadly, the impact of these traumatic conflicts doesn’t end when troops

The Veterans Sporting Association is run by veterans, for veterans. Riley Palmer learns this organisation is fighting a secondary war that is taking place on the home front – post traumatic stress disorder.

are evacuated. In fact, just like the legacy of the Anzacs, the trauma of war endures. Pervasive, atrocious and distressing, in the minds of those who experience it, there is simply no end to war. In the 100 years since the Gallipoli landing we have come to understand much more about the physical and mental traumas endured post-war. A startling number of returned soldiers experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – with symptoms ranging from invasive memories, nightmares and anxieties, to mood swings, withdrawal and depression. While there’s no surefire treatment for PTSD, support for Aussie veterans is certainly on the rise.

Not-for-profit organisation the Veterans Sporting Association (VSA) takes a different course to the traditional psychological services

Above: Front row (L-R): VSA President Paul Cale, Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, Ian Bone ANZAC Warriors Walk Founder.

33

charity

“We have had several veterans come back from some very dark places, but they end up back in healthy routines.” offered by government agencies, A relatively new organisation, the instead aiming to raise awareness and VSA has already seen a lot of success. combat the effects of PTSD through “We have had several veterans come sports-related training. Ian Bone, a back from some very dark places former corporal in the Australian through our programs,” says Ian. “They Army and current committee member end up back in healthy routines and of the VSA, is uniquely positioned to become positive, contributing members weigh in on the matter. of the community again.”

In February just gone “Sport in general is a by, Beau King – a really good cure for veteran of the Iraq and a lot of problems, FAST FACT Afghanistan conflicts and not just for Roughly 8.3 per cent of – completed a bike veterans,” he says, ride from Brisbane citing routine and ADF members will have to Townsville, raising human connection experienced PTSD in funds for the VSA as particularly the last 12 months. whom he personally fundamental. credits with helping him “When you are recover from PTSD. When a serving member, he returned from Afghanistan, everything is provided for Beau initially battled his PTSD you; routine, friends, food, housing. without seeking help. His wife left When you leave, you must learn to him, he was drinking and getting into reconnect with all of these things fights, and only narrowly avoided a yourself.” The mind reels with imagery jail sentence. Having come through from The Shawshank Redemption – that period of his life, Beau says; that scene in which long-time prisoner “The help and support from the VSA Brooks Hatlen is released, only to and people like Ian Bone has been become overwhelmed without the extremely important to my recovery. prison structure. Ian continues; “It’s a This ride is not just a goal I set for lot for one person to adjust to without myself, but also a chance to help my support, particularly when you throw service injuries and exposure to trauma mates with their recovery.”

Although the VSA don’t allege to into the mix.” have the solution to PTSD, they seem VSA vice president Nick Hill adds; to have successfully created a positive “The VSA is not only facilitating structure that fosters both human targeted programs for injured soldiers, connection and mastery in a group of but is also interested in preventive people for whom the world has become procedures that engage all veterans. unsafe. The organisation is humble This is something which we believe is enough to admit that they don’t have unique to the VSA.”

all the answers however, with Nick saying; “We also encourage members to access VVCS [Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service] and DVA [Department of Veterans’ Affairs] services so there is a holistic approach to their recovery.”

While many of us get caught up in the celebration aspect of Anzac Day – dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, two-up games – for returned soldiers the day can trigger many of the difficult memories and grievances linked to their service. Nick says; “We suggest veterans be mindful on the day if they have been suffering from mental health issues. It’s a time for them to reach out to their fellow veterans and encourage each other to connect in healthy ways.”

The evolution of how we label the stress of a soldier

34

NTMENT N POI EC AP E

NTMENT N POI EC AP E

NTM POI AP

NTMENT N POI EC AP E

manth

erapy .org.a

u

O

NTMENT N POI EC AP E

S

N

Hello, I’m Doctor Brian Ironwood.

O

O

Y AR SS

N

N

O

Y AR SS

N

O

Y AR SS

N

Excavate the negative feelings from your brain box.

Get to Ballina and Byron Bay Quicker.

Only 5 minutes away from the Ballina CBD and under 30 minutes to Byron Bay and Lismore, Ballina Byron to and from Sydney and Newcastle on Rex. So whether you are visiting for business, to relax with a well deserved holiday or to visit friends or family, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport is your fastest way to the beautiful Northern Rivers region.

www.ballinabyronairport.com.au

Gateway Airport

EASY VEGAN Thinking about going vegan or are an avid vegan already? Don’t miss out on Easy Vegan, by foodie Sue Quinn.

With 140 beautifully photographed and skilfully created recipes, going vegan has never been easier and more delicious.

Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $39.99.

HEALTH NEWS

travelnews

QUIT SUGAR

YL

ION L

Craving sugar? The dynamic team at Amazonia has just released a revolutionary new product that it claims can eliminate sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Its ‘sugar crave release’ spray – under the Raw label – is a unique product that focuses on rebalancing your digestive system by targeting bad bacteria in the gut that are the root cause of those unwanted sugar cravings.

Developed with the help of naturopaths and nutritionists, the oral spray is made with a potent blend of all-natural ingredients, such as green black walnut, clove, thyme, oregano, fennel H E ALTH and peppermint.

Available in a convenient spray bottle, it is easy to use and a simple addition to your daily routine.

The Raw sugar crave release spray, available in leading health food stores, comes in a 50ml size bottle. RRP $34.95.

CHO

R IT

WORK IT

AUSTRALIAN PERSONAL TRAINER AND ‘FITSPO’ SENSATION, EMILY SKYE, SHARES HER DAILY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAYING IN TIP-TOP SHAPE.

1

Keep It Simple Make a real effort for the majority of your diet to consist of unprocessed food closest to its natural state. Fill up on fresh vegies and really try to avoid highly processed and sugary foods. Also, make sure you don’t under-eat, as that can tend to slow down your metabolism.

2

Move It Whether you take the stairs instead of the lift or park further away from your destination than normal, make sure you move as much as you can throughout the day. Additionally, try to fit in at least three workouts per week consisting of weights and high intensity interval training (HIIT).

3

Drink Up

I

One of the most important things you should be doing each day is drinking plenty of water. Two to three litres of water per day is ideal.

4

Stress Less Stress raises our cortisol levels and may actually cause the body to store fat. Learning to breathe properly using diaphragmatic breathing will help your body to relax. It will also improve digestion, help slow ageing and assist with fat loss, all the while boosting the immune system!

37

CE

L NU

T

TWO~ BO COMNUS PLIM INC ENT LUS ARY IO DR N ~ INK S!

TRAVEL NEWS OUR HOT PICKS FOR THE MONTH

ONTH L

L

TH E L

M

OF

If you’re after a getaway slap bang in the heart of the action, don’t miss out on a stay at Rendezvous Hotel Adelaide, situated on Waymouth Street, close to a bevy of top bars and restaurants. Rendezvous boasts huge rooms and bathrooms, ample balconies and excellent club sandwiches. Room rates are reasonable, giving you great value for money. tfehotels.com/rendezvous

G E TAW

L AY

RENDEZVOUS ADELAIDE

HAIR RAISING!

PEI MODERN COMES TO SYDNEY Headed up by Matt Germanchis, who has worked alongside chef Mark Best at Pei Modern in Melbourne since it opened in 2012, the Sydney kitchen based at Four Seasons Hotel maintains its focus on local seasonal produce, great wines and professional service.

Favourites from Pei Modern Melbourne, such as the casarecce with chicken dumplings and reggiano, and lamb shoulder cooked in chamomile, are key features on the menu.

At the bar, witness a liquid extension of Pei’s approach to food, with fresh produce converted into syrups, juices, shrubs and infusions. Rillettes, oysters and croquettes are complemented by drinks such as the Camille, an elegant twist on a Negroni, with the bar’s aim to provide a bespoke cocktail experience. peimodern.com.au

Witness a liquid extension of Pei’s approach to food with fresh produce converted into syrups.

Moroccan argan oil specialist Seven Wonders has launched a new dry shampoo – perfect for your travel bag! It works by removing any excess grime that has built up, while coating the hair with a protective layer of argan oil. Dry shampoos can often leave hair feeling quite dry and brittle, but the argan oil effectively hydrates hair, leaving a shine without any unwanted greasiness or dryness. Unlike other similar products on the market, Seven Wonders uses organic argan oil and is free from chemicals like parabens and harsh preservatives. It is also completely aluminum free.

Available at most pharmacies. RRP $12.95 for 150ml.

TRAVEL GOODIES

to use while travelling Perfect

Lonely Planet is now looking forward to helping travellers with more than some good travel advice as it brings out its newest innovation – a travel goods and accessories range. Featuring more than 50 products designed to make travelling the safest, most comfortable and most convenient experience yet. Designed for all types of travel adventures, the accessories range from neck pillows and luggage scales to a quick-dry, easily compactible towel that takes up minimal space. All the products are made with high-quality materials and come in a variety of vibrant colours. travelgoods.com 39

AGRIBUSINESS

MINING

INVESTMENT

PLUS...

The latest news, information and innovations from the agricultural industry

Helpful insights and fascinating facts about the Australian mining and resource sector

Top tips from the experts on how to make the most of your hard-earned cash

Conference destinations Motoring review Must-have boys’ toys Seasonal flavours

RegionalBusinessReview Issue 2 – April 2015

preservation Sweetening the world we live in, the natural way

motoring

High

Beamin’

PREFER TWO WHEELS TO FOUR? BMW HAS PARACHUTED A BRACE OF NEW BIKES INTO AUSTRALIA.

Christian Bale Batman movies, Beastie Boys, shots of coffee in a shiftworker’s morning espresso: if numbers have taught us anything, it’s that the best things come in threes.

Now Bavaria’s finest engineers have continued this trend with a trio of new two-wheelers.

The BMW F 800 R, R 1200 R and S 1000 RR 2015 models have landed to throw their weight around the local roadster and sport motorcycle segments. Each model builds on the tantalising unique mix of BMWs innovative technology, performance and safety.

2

RegionalBusinessReview

motoring

S 1000 RR–MRLP

exterior styling follows form to make this ultimate sports bike instantly recognisable in its 2015 iteration.

“There is no loyalty in the supersport category,” BMW Motorrad president Stephan Schaller told sportrider.com late last year, “if you are not winning, then people are not going to buy your bike.” Thus Shaller unveiled the latest incarnation of the S 1000 RR supersports machine, at Intermot in Cologne, Germany, to re-enter the supersport category.

The original RR redefined the meaning of ‘Supersport’ at launch, and the model’s passionate advocates have since ringfenced an impressive 22 per cent share of an extremely competitive market. The 2015 model has significant improvements that must really be experienced viscerally to understand, but even on paper it’s pretty impressive. Output is now 148kW – a bump of 5kW – while max torque is now 130Nm. The overall weight figure has been shaved by four kilos, making the new RR even more agile at just 203 kg fully fuelled – and including ABS. All the control systems have been optimised and adjusted with Teutonic efficiency to offer better handling and a more engaging riding experience. The updated

Factory options:

starts at $22,990 + ORC (all factory options additional)

The Dynamic package includes the following: Dynamic Damping Control – a system that launched on the HP4 in 2012 that has been revised for the RR. DDC continuously adjusts the suspension damping based on many parameters, and so optimises handling in any situation. The Dynamic package also includes heated grips and LED indicators.

R 1200 R–MRL

starts at $21,950 + ORC (all factory options additional) The new R 1200 R upholds BMW’s tradition of comfort, dynamism and capability, at the same time as putting a whole new slant on the marque’s typical approach. Clearly more dynamic and expressive than its predecessor, the 2015 model has been whittled down to the essentials for purist roadster fans: those who want to see every component on display on the motorcyle and seek guaranteed riding pleasure. The R 1200 R’s main drawcards

Clearly more dynamic and expressive than its predecessor, the 2015 model has been whittled down to the essentials for purist roadster fans.

R 1200 R–MRL RegionalBusinessReview

3

motoring

are its engine running gear performance, touring capability and unrivalled range of equipment options. The R 1200 R is available in several styles to cater for those who love a sporty twist, or prefer to ride with a little extra style.

Factory options: The Touring package comes with onboard computer pro, GPS preparation, main stand, luggage grid and Pannier holders.

R 1200 R is available with alarm, keyless ride, gear shift assistant pro and various seat height options.

F 800 R–MRLP

starts at $13,100 + ORC (all factory options additional) The new F 800 R is the latest in the line of dynamic parallel twin-cylinder motorcycles.

This bike is all about sport performance,

This bike is all about sport performance, agile handling and versatility.

F 800 R – MRLP

4

RegionalBusinessReview

agile handling and versatility, with a design pushed to provide a visual showcase to ramp up the rider’s visceral engagement. As well as a new colour palette, this lithe roadster’s dynamism is boosted by newly designed fairings and radiator shrouds as well as the front mudguard and wheels.

Sporty upside-down forks ensure improved handling and comfort, at the same time that radial mounted brakes improve control when stopping. In the midsized, naked bike segment, the F 800 R is available with more features than others – ABS and ASC (traction control) systems, ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), RDC (tyre pressure monitoring) as well as heated grips. This is a user-friendly and versatile machine.

Factory options: The touring package features onboard computer pro, GPS preparation, main stand,

luggage, and pannier holders. The F 800 R is available with keyless ride, gear shift assistant pro, sport windshield, alarm and various seat height options.

For more information visit: www.bmwmotorrad.com.au

MORE POWER,

MORE GRAIN

FORWARD ORDER NOW FOR THE BEST VALUE ON 2015 MODELS BUILT TO YOUR SPECS

IN YOUR TANK

The original Axial-Flow® combines made the first big step in the rotary combine revolution. But leaders don’t stand still. Today, the multi-award winning Case IH Axial-Flow sets the standard with Efficient Power engines that give you increased productivity on less fuel, all while meeting your capacity and adaptability needs.

Not to mention delivering more grain at a higher quality. To learn more about the superior features of Axial-Flow combines, talk to your local Case IH dealer or visit www.caseih.com.

FOR THE WARRANTY AND SUPPORT YOU DESERVE, ALWAYS PURCHASE NEW CASE IH MACHINERY FROM AN AUTHORISED DEALER. DON’T BE TEMPTED BY GREY IMPORTS!

agribusiness

We bring you the latest news, innovations and opinions as Aussie agribusiness transitions from the mining boom to the dining boom

meettheproducer

Sweet preservation

FROM THE SLEEPY NORTHERN BEACHES OF SYDNEY, WORDS: RILEY PALMER HANK’S JAM IS SWEETENING THE WORLD WE LIVE IN, NATURALLY, WITH NO REFINED SUGARS OR PRESERVATIVES.

“You can smell Hank’s from a mile away,” says Bernie Rorke, sending the senses reeling with the imagined aromas of honeyed apricots and caramelised onions. “The locals always know what’s cooking for the day.” Bernie’s breezy spirit and unpretentious drawl – renowned by the locals who occupy Sydney’s northern beaches – doesn’t kowtow to the expected disposition of a general manager, let alone the general manager of a company so successful it hardly needs an introduction. And yet, this earnestness is the very same quality on which Hank’s Jam was founded more than 20 years ago, making Bernie the company’s perfect ambassador.

While most successful companies are grown from a business framework – a concept, budget and market analysis, Hank’s seemingly happened by accident. Dissatisfied with the range 8

RegionalBusinessReview

and quality of spreads at his disposal, Darlinghurst-based chef Hank started to make his own. While the rest, as they say, is history, the production methods that were established by Hank over 20 years ago are very much a feature of the present.

“Our biggest point of difference is that we use an old traditional method,” says Bernie, reflecting on what sets Hank’s apart from its competitors.

“Imagine two kettles boiling away on a stovetop, slowly reducing the ingredients. That’s what we do on an industrial scale.” While a lot of massproduced jams and chutneys contain preservatives that expedite and simplify the process by which they set, Hank’s are forced to be far more exacting.

“What we do, is cook the ingredients at 85 degrees Celsius and at a certain Brix level,” says Bernie, adding – for us laymen – that Brix is a measure of

“It retains the textures and flavours in the product a lot more intensely than if someone only slightly cooks it and puts preservatives in it. It creates that strong flavour that we’re renowned for.”

meettheproducer

sugar content. “What that does is, it retains the textures and flavours in the product a lot more intensely than if someone only slightly cooks it and puts preservatives in it.” He pauses briefly before saying: “It creates that strong flavor that we’re renowned for.”

The downside of this slow reduction cooking method, from a business perspective, is the extensive decrease of the product over the course of a cook – that is, less yield. However Hank’s has never professed to conform to a business model, a fact reinforced by Bernie, who states: “Our products are made at a higher cost, but their quality is a lot better.”

In fact, where Hank’s is concerned, it seems capitalism goes out the window altogether. Not only are the producers happy to create premium products at a higher cost, the consumers are also happy to pay a slightly higher price to enjoy them. It’s as though the intense flavours that permeate Hank’s marmalades, jams and chutneys have gone to everyone’s heads, making consumers, chefs, restaurateurs, foodservice businesses and retailers alike, act in opposition to our usual ‘bag-a-bargain’ philosophy.

1. Sourcing produce.

“We get quite a lot of our fruit and veggies from the markets at Flemington. We have a guy that goes in there and hand-picks the produce.”

2. Preparing the raw produce.

“We go through a company that uses Silverwater jail labour, who peel and cut the oranges, pears and whatnot for us.”

Asked just how far their anti-capitalist indoctrination extends – i.e. the distribution of Hank’s Jam – Bernie laughs, and says: “We’re now serving inflight to Qantas first and business class passengers, and we’ve started shipping over to Qantas lounges in Singapore, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. We’re also in a lot of the major five-star hotels in Sydney, and retailers like Thomas Dux, Harris Farm, Woolworths and David Jones.” After a brief pause, Bernie laughs preemptively.

“And a lot of the celeb chefs use our products too, but they wouldn’t want us to name who they were...”

3. Cooking.

“Firstly John, our production manager, gets in at 5am and turns on the kettles. Then Flavia, who’s our head cook, oversees the adding of ingredients at certain times throughout the cook – a process that normally takes about four-and-a-half hours.”

4. Filling and capping.

“Once it’s cooked, we put it into the hopper on the filling line where we fill and cap the jars.

Depending on what size jars we’re filling, this can take from 45 minutes to four hours.”

5. Labelling.

“Certain labels, like the big wholesale ones, we put on by hand. But the smaller ones are automated because of the vast volumes involved.”

6. Packing and shipping.

“As the orders come in, our storeman hand-packs the deliveries – from little cartons that go to places like David Jones, to big pallets for Qantas.

And then we ship them out.”

Bernie Rorke (left), General Manager of Hank’s Jam checks out the produce.

RegionalBusinessReview

9

agribusiness

Thought for food WORDS: RILEY PALMER

ASK ANY high school graduate what they’re planning on studying in the coming year, and their perennial response is all but guaranteed; business, medicine, sports science, law, engineering, environmental science, and of course, I’m taking a gap year to discover myself.

Perhaps it’s a lack of career guidance, or perhaps it’s simply a fear of deviating from the well-trodden career paths laid out before them, but very few high school graduates will tell you that they are hoping to get into agribusiness and food security – something which is altogether baffling considering that agribusiness is currently being heralded as ‘the wave of the future’.

Named by professional service firm Deloitte as one of five sectors set to experience above average market growth over the next 10 to 20 years, Australia’s agribusiness sector is expected to be a major source of sustained future wealth for the country.

According to Deloitte’s report entitled Positioning for Prosperity?

Catching the next wave global markets for agribusiness are forecasted to grow at least 10 per cent faster than global gross domestic product (GDP). Which begs the question; why aren’t our children preparing themselves to ride this impending tidal wave of prosperity?

Principal and former student at Marcus Oldham College, Dr. Simon Livingstone believes it has a lot to do with the ambiguity surrounding what agribusiness is. He muses rhetorically; “What is an agribusiness person? Are they

Academics from Australia’s leading institutions clarify what agribusiness actually is, and why it’s such a promising time to be skilled in its vast subject area.

a farmer? Or are they someone up the supply chain?” For a word that is bandied around so frequently, it’s disconcerting to realise you don’t fully understand what agribusiness means. “I see a split between food producers and agribusiness because the skill sets required for both are quite different,” explains Simon. “I see farmers as the food producers, but their business ends at the farm gate. Post-farm gate is where agribusiness begins, and it covers all levels of the supply chain.”

The other reason Simon believes undergraduate students in particular

are hesitant to study agribusiness, is that they, along with the broader community, don’t associate agribusiness with a profession. “People like to hedge their bets,” he explains, suggesting degrees like medicine have a clear career trajectory to becoming a doctor or surgeon for instance. “However, whether you’re a banker, a lawyer, a CEO of a meatworks – if you’re working in the agriculture sector, all of these professions I see as agribusiness. It’s a matter of understanding the diverse range of roles within the sector.”

RegionalBusinessReview

11

agribusiness

Back in my day ’70s

When you unpack what agribusiness is and realise that it in fact encompasses everything from global supply chains and macroeconomics to biofuel production and livestock, all of a sudden it seems to be one of the more risk-averse areas of study. Associate Professor Kim Bryceson from the University of Queensland (UQ) agrees, saying; “If we accept that education provides the building blocks for a well-rounded and successful society, and food is a necessity for sustaining human life – agribusiness education is fundamental to society’s survival.”

To that end, it’s probably unsurprising that, while still not the most common undergraduate degree, admissions into agribusiness degrees are on the rise.

Just last year Associate Professor at the University of Sydney Robyn McConchie introduced the Bachelor of Food and Agribusiness degree. She says; “In 2014 we enrolled 40 students and in 2015 we have 59 enrolled.” Her colleague Dr Brian Jones reflects on the enrolments, saying; “We knew there was the demand

from the employer side, but weren’t sure whether the enormous opportunities in the industry were apparent to the students choosing a career path and degree,” he pauses before adding, “It seems they are.” Aligning with Deloitte’s forecast of industry growth, Robyn predicts interest in the course to continue to strengthen on account of evolving issues like food security and population growth; diet nutrition and health; food safety and climate change.

The success of Australia’s agribusiness sector relies heavily on those with the knowledge and skill sets to traverse its increasingly diverse scope. As Brian says; “Agriculture has always innovated, that hasn’t changed.

What has changed is the depth of human knowledge in so many fields.”

And with all the innovations and developments taking place across the sector, it’s an exciting time to study agribusiness, and an even more exciting time to be skilled in one (or more) of its diverse specialties.

The word on the street Daphne Sun, Bachelor of Food and Agribusiness, The University of Sydney: Studying both the science and business aspects of food is exactly what I was looking for. In the future, I’d like to develop my own food product, maybe a ‘super meal’ that can help alleviate world hunger.

Ashley Rootsey, Bachelor of Food and Agribusiness, The University of Sydney: I’m not sure whether to move towards the business or the science side of food, so this degree is a perfect match for me. It’s been exciting discovering the interrelating nature of my subjects – from chemistry and biology to business and economics – and beginning to apply them to real-world problems.

12

RegionalBusinessReview

Associate Professor Kim Bryceson, The University of Queensland: When I was an undergraduate student in the late ’70s, agribusiness as it’s currently seen – encompassing the whole industry chain – wasn’t an area of study. For the past 20 years at the University of Queensland, we have taken a ‘whole of chain’ approach, so students have been learning the whole set of business issues along the pathway from paddock to plate; from inputs and service provision all the way through to retail and consumers.

’80s

Dr Simon Livingstone, Marcus Oldham College: Things have changed a lot since I studied here in the mid-’80s. There’s a much greater focus on emerging technologies and marketing, especially in our increasingly globalising society.

Our courses also have a greater international focus – we run study tours to places like China and New Zealand to teach about global supply chains and regional produce. I’ve also noticed that we have a lot more female students – where females interested in agriculture might previously have been put off by the idea of living and working on a farm, careers in agribusiness today lend themselves to urban settings too.

’90s

Dr Brian Jones, The University of Sydney: I studied agribusiness in the early ’90s when the challenges and opportunities that we see all around us now were first starting to be discussed. It was also a pretty exciting time, but it was more ‘this train’s coming down the track’, and now the train has well and truly arrived. The changes in agribusiness are no longer academic musings, and it’s really amazing to see how businesses are responding.

*AITA Statistics Ytd December 2014. #Source: Logistik Magazine 2014.

Make sure your material handling provider ticks all the boxes.

Whether you require a single forklift or a fleet, we want to show you why Toyota Material Handling sells more forklifts than any other company.

We’ve got Australia’s biggest range to provide you with the best possible material handling solutions, and the

1800 425 438

customer service and parts support you’d expect from the world leader.# So if you’re looking for a forklift provider who ticks all the boxes, talk to your local Toyota Material Handling branch today.

www.toyotamaterialhandling.com.au

S O L U T I O N S

F O R

E V E R Y

P A L L E T®

SPECIALISED DESIGN FOR MINING & MANUFACTURING

LEADING DESIGN COMPANY IN AUSTRALIA SERVICES > Design and engineering > Research and development > Project management All our clients own intellectual property & we are a recognised AusIndustry Research Service Provider.

13 000 TRANG info@trang.com.au | www.trang.com.au

f lavours

FLAVOURS FROM NEW HAPPENINGS TO FAB PRODUCE, WE UNEARTH THE LATEST TABLETOP TREATS. GOTTA-GET-IT GADGET Lets face it, the only thing more satisfying than tucking into a big pile of tender, smoky ribs, is cooking them on the barbie yourself. In the past, these finger-licking treats have taken up way too much room under the lid. But with the BBQ Rib Rack from the geniuses at Man Law, you can stack your ribs like plates in the dishwasher, meaning you can cook 8 racks and still have room for the snags. BYO bib. For more information visit manlaw-bbq.com.au, RRP: $22

CO. T IC R T IS D T A E M dney King St Wharf, Syfirst for Sydney, a waterfront

y be a In what must surel fabulous views, an ed in the cit y with en op s ha restaurant a cock tail list and a menu, a cracker of innovative modern ict Co, an absolute lks meet Meat Distr budget price tag. Fo rf. Boards are piled on King Street Wha gem of a find down outh charcuterie, est melt-in-your-m ers high with the fresh ne, while the burg s just fall off the bo t jus at rt succulent stick y rib sta d an t beef variety -cu nd ha , ium em pr are of the n the belt and s, grab a beer, loose $11. Grab some mate strictco.com.au settle on in. meatdi

Masterclass

Lovers of ice cream will appreciate the Argentinian approach to the sweet treat: simple flavours created with quality ingredients. To indulge your passion and learn more, head to a masterclass at Jauja in Melbourne where you can taste all 24 of their artisan offerings and even take your three faves home with you. Held monthly at the heladeria on Lygon Street. Details at heladosjauja.com.au

RegionalBusinessReview

15

f lavours

FRESH PICKINGS This month we’re loving: Eggplant One of the most versatile yet underrated vegetables, eggplants can be added to curries, replace pasta in lasagna, blended into a babaganoush or stuffed and roasted. Dan Barber, executive chef of Blue Hill in New York and author of The Third Plate likes his smokin’.

“At the restaurant, we grill eggplants over carbonised pig bones, infusing them with a smoky, meaty flavour,” he says. “They taste just like barbecue.”

After a long, hot summer of crisp white wines, autumn is the perfect season for rosé. Try Bremerton’s Racy Rosé for a drier style that pairs perfectly with pasta.

RRP: $17, bremerton.com.au

Home made

During her debut television series, which screened on SBS recently, actress, opera singer, author and cook Silvia Colloca took viewers on a tour of the kitchens of the Italian villages of her childhood. Her cookbook to accompany the series, Made in Italy, contains over 80 authentic recipes from her homeland showcasing the traditional Italian style of fresh, seasonal produce simply prepared. “I’m not a chef nor even a trained cook,” Silvia admits. “I am simply Italian, and I wish to offer an insight into authentic home cooking.”

Made in Italy is out now through Lantern, RRP: $49.99

Destination: Flavour Grampians Grape Escape, May 2–3 Noosa International Food and Wine Festival, May 14–17

16

RegionalBusinessReview

FARMERS’ MARKET

Flemington Farmers’ Market Melbourne, VIC The freshest organic veggies, free range eggs, local lamb and freshly baked loaves of sourdough will all vie for your attention, but those in the know head straight to the Pacdon Park boys for arguably the best pork pies and pork sausages this side of England.

Get there early for one of chef Michael’s famous barbie breakfasts.

WHERE: 175 Mt Alexander Rd, Flemington WHEN: Every Sunday 9am–1pm

sick of your boss?

sick of travelling?

Be your own Boss – in your own Backyard

Due to our growth around Australia we require new Franchisees to run their own business and to service our ever growing enquiries for Pre Purchase, New Construction and Asbestos inspections.

Franchise opportunities exist For people who are registered Builders, carpenters or existing Building inspectors we are holding interviews now and we would love the opportunity to show you what Jim’s Building inspections has to offer: • • • • •

The Jim’s Franchise system How we generate business Our Services Available Territories Guaranteed income of $1,500 per week

• • • •

Our Vision Why we need new Franchisees Future growth Potential earnings

call 131 546

Please register your interest before December 20th to secure an interview.

You will also have the opportunity to meet our regional franchisor and ask any specific questions you may have.

To learn more about this exciting opportunity call 131 546 or email sam@jimsbuildinginspections.com.au

jimsbuildinginspections.com.au

advertorial

POSITION PARTNERS DELIVERS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE Every year, a group of University of Queensland mining engineering students has the opportunity to work with the latest mine surveying technology through a unique arrangement with positioning systems and machine control supplier Position Partners.

For the past three years, Position Partners has hosted a practical field survey course for University of Queensland (UQ) second year mining engineering students at the former Wattle Glen Extended open cut mine near Ipswich in western Brisbane.

As part of their degrees, UQ mining engineering students are required to complete a module on mine site surveying, designed to give them a basic understanding of surveying practice and technology.

Up to 100 students participate in the field course, gaining hands-on experience with technology including Topcon TS robotic total stations, Topcon HiPer SR GNSS receivers and ASC-TEC Falcon 8 multi-rotor

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The most recent of these was in October last year, when 70 students were hosted

by Position Partners’ survey specialists and technical staff, who provided on-thespot training in these latest systems, and then helped them work through a series of practical exercises.

Course co-ordinator Dr Basil Beamish – who also runs his own mining services company, B3 Mining Services – said that in the past, the practical side of the survey module had essentially consisted of taking the students to measure a coal stockpile at the Jeebropilly Mine with tapes and handheld GPS units.

“Now having them on a site with all this latest equipment means we were able to run them through various formative surveying exercises, get them familiar with the technology and interact with Position Partner’s technical people,” he said.

“The major development with our latest

course was that they were exposed to UAV technology, which is a whole new way things are moving for the mining industry.

“From my point of view, it makes my teaching very relevant; they are seeing the next wave of technology as it’s being introduced to the industry.

“By the time they graduate, they will be very much aware of all these changes taking place in the industry,” Dr Beamish said.

Alan Fetherstonhaugh, Position Partners’ Northern Region Business Manager for Survey, GPS & UAVs, said the company was only too happy to be involved in such teaching courses.

“They enable tomorrow’s generation of mining engineers to become familiar with the very latest equipment, technology and trends – which are usually not readily available within universities.”

For more information, visit positionpartners.com.au

19

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE STRONG PARTNERS. TOUGH TRUCKS.™

BUT YOUR DOWNTIME DOESN’T HAVE TO BE. When you’re working in demanding environments you need your equipment to work for you – not the other way round.

The Hyster® lift truck with tyre handler attachment is the most efficient solution for every over-sized tyre changing job.

With a lifting capacity of 15 tonnes and the functionality to complete a tyre change without the operator leaving the cab, the Hyster tyre handler is a change for the better that can deliver both safety and cost efficiency to your bottom line.

WWW.HYSTER.COM Is a Registered Trademark.

*Special equipment may be required.

/Hysterasiapacific

@Hyster_AP

insidemining

Helpful insights and fascinating facts about the Australian mining and resource sector

 Main Conference: 28–29 April 2015  Workshop & Masterclass: 28 & 30 April  Venue: Pullman King George Square, Brisbane, Qld

2015 Developing Innovative Strategies to Reduce Activity Cost, Improve Operational Efficiencies and Ensure Consistent Productivity

KEY SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Frank Chiappetta President, Blasting Analysis International (USA)

THIS CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING LEARNING OUTCOMES:  Capitalise on new innovative drilling best practice  Achieve operational excellence through improved project management

Ricky Blazely Drill & Blast Superintendent, Downer EDI Mining

 Embrace innovative technology and explore new cost efficient ways to perform your operations  Successfully implement procedures to reduce activity costs

John Gray Blast & Pumps Supervisor BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance

Evandri Wancik Principal Drill & Blast Engineer, Thiess

Shane Dolting Senior Drill and Blast Engineer, Grange Resources Tasmania

 Analyse optimal explosive mix and considering alternative suppliers

FEATURING A FULL DAY MASTERCLASS WITH R.FRANK

CHIAPPETTA

focusing on optimising Drill and Blast strategies, including a new session on: Choosing the Correct Delay, Powder Factor and Primer for Different Blasting Applications to Optimise Results

Well worth attending as useful contacts were made and a lot of good information was shared.”

Richard Turnbul Senior Mining Engineer - Drill & Blast, Cockatoo Coal Ltd

Vince Rabjohns, Technical Services Manager, Jellinbah Mining

Lead Partner:

Associate Partners:

Exhibitors:

Spotlight Partners:

Researched and developed by:

KLJK WHFK LQLWLDWLRQ FRPSDQ\

BOOK NOW!

T: +61 2 9229 1000 î F: +61 2 9223 2622 î E: registration@iqpc.com.au î W: www.drillandblastevent.com.au

news+views THE SCIENCE BEHIND INDUSTRY DECISIONS A new partnership between BHP Billiton Petroleum and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) will give rise to a five-year, $5 million research program to aid in the exploration and protection of the Ningaloo Reef – the largest fringing reef in the world – located off the coast of Western Australia. The program will include both deep and shallow reef research, turtle and shark tagging, a PhD scholarship scheme and opportunities to engage the local community, including BHP Billiton Petroleum employees in Exmouth, WA. BHP Billiton Petroleum general manager Doug Handyside believes that the company’s investment in marine research will aid in its understanding of the reef itself, as well as how to better manage conservation efforts. Through its partnership with CSIRO, BHP Billiton will be able to obtain important

data regarding the condition of the reef.

“This,” says Handyside, “enables us to uphold our commitment to operate in the most environmentally responsible manner possible.”

The research program is scheduled to commence early this year, backed by a $2.6 million investment by BHP Billiton.

BHP GIVES BACK TO WA BHP Billiton, in conjunction with the Western Australia State Government, has invested $10 million into the creation of a water park to be built at Perth’s riverfront Elizabeth Quay development. The future BHP Billiton Water Park, scheduled to open in the spring of 2015, will provide a free, family-friendly outdoor space for community members to gather and socialise. BHP Billiton iron ore president Jimmy Wilson, along with WA Premier the Hon. Colin Barnett and Minister for Planning the Hon. John Day, revealed plans for the BHP Billiton Water Park

on January 27, 2015.

“Investing in this new development is our way of giving back to the people of Western Australia, who have supported our operations for more than 40 years,” said Mr. Wilson. “Elizabeth Quay will be a landmark development that will change the face of Perth and open up the riverfront for more people to enjoy.” Included in the current plans for the water park are a multipurpose, interactive water feature and amphitheatre-style shaded seating.

The park layout will allow for event flexibility and be able to accommodate up to 800 guests.

CALL TO END TYRERELATED DEATHS In response to a rise in the number of work-related fatalities, the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is set to hold a meeting with the country’s top mining companies in order to discuss safety issues. Following the recent death of a

Perth’s riverfront Elizabeth Quay development, artists impression.

RegionalBusinessReview

23

news+views

worker at Anglo American’s Dawson coal mine, QRC chief executive Michael Roche is determined to ensure that the industry learns from past mistakes and avoids unnecessary and tragic deaths.

“I am utterly sick of hearing about fatalities involving tyre explosions,” Roche said regarding the death at Anglo American’s Dawson mine. This incident is the third such event to occur at an Anglo American mine since last year.

Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) district boss Stephen Smyth plans to launch a full investigation into these tyre-related fatalities. “All governments and regulators need to start implementing recommendations to these mining companies to prevent these types of incidents,” Smyth says. “It’s unacceptable that one person loses their life.”

This past year was one of the worst for the mining industry in terms of work-related fatalities, with a total of 17 deaths. As of late February this year, four workers have already been killed.

The urgency for a re-evaluation of safety procedures in the industry cannot be understated, and the QRC meeting seems to be a decent start to what is sure to be a long process.

LIFE, WORK, PROFIT, DEATH: COPPER COUNTRY Developed by CMX Games, this all-new strategic board game of “area control and resource management” is mining’s Monopoly. Grab one, two or three of your friends and get ready to be transported to the Michigan wilderness in the year

Austmine is proud to announce the launch of its 2015 International Conference and Exhibition – the premier event in Australia’s mining calendar.

On the 19th - 20th May, 2015, Austmine and Mining IQ will be holding the next edition of this landmark forum, bringing together the most innovative products in the market with the most pressing challenges in the mining sector around the globe today.

The mining industry is currently going through some of the biggest challenges it’s ever seen, but with challenge comes opportunity for those smart enough to take advantage. This event will focus on the roles innovation and technology are playing in the sector to create these opportunities.

With over 40 senior level speakers from the leading mining, engineering and service provider firms around the world, plus compelling breakout sessions, panel discussions, interactive workshops and a brand new innovation spotlight forum, Austmine 2015 should be in the diary for anyone working in mining who is committed to the future of the industry.

Austmine 2015 will cover a range of topics and issues, including, but not limited to: • Productivity, Automation and Robotics • Bringing Innovations to Mining: Collaborating, Commercialising and Adopting • Mining New Frontiers: Deep, Remote, Offshore and Space • Data and the Arrival of the IT/OT Convergence • Operational Excellence: Delivering Real Value to the Business • Energy Management Across the Entire Operation • Leadership, Safety and Training • Break-out Sessions on the themes of: Underground Mining, Open Cut Mining, Coal, Hard Rock.

Specialized focused workshops will also make up a fundamental part of the conference. The workshops sold out in 2013, so make sure you sign up early to secure your place! See more at: austmine2015.com

24

RegionalBusinessReview

Advertorial

AUSTMINE 2015: TRANSFORMING MINING - TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

1840, where you’ll each play the part of a mining company about to tackle the first American mining boom. Test your luck in the underground lottery and if, at the end of the game, your company has produced the most copper, you win!

Playing Copper Country, you can hire miners, manage resources, produce copper, build company houses, bring down rock and so much more! As local businesses around your mines close and historical events occur, your mining knowledge will be put to the ultimate test when you’re forced to spend valuable resources, or sacrifice your own miners to avoid disaster.

Copper Country is scheduled for release in April 2015 and is priced at $55.

To view the Copper Country rulebook or watch an instructional video, visit cmxgames.com/copper-country.

NSW APPROVES MINE EXPANSIONS The New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission has approved expansions on both Yancoal Australia’s Moolarben mine and Rio Tinto’s Bengalla mine. The implementation of these projects will potentially increase annual coal output by an additionally impressive 31 million tonnes.

The expansion of the Moolarben mine is set to run for the next 24 years and, according to the commission, will provide significant economic benefits though it will require the clearing of 123 hectares of land said to be home to endangered ecological communities and will directly affect almost 150 Aboriginal sites. As for The Drip – a natural sandstone formation located in the region of the proposed expansion – the commission acknowledged the need to secure it prior to any expansion.

In regard to the aforementioned drawbacks of the mine expansions, the commission stated: “The residual impacts of the project cover a wide spectrum, but relatively few of them are of major concern.” The benefits of these mine expansions include the addition of millions of dollars in state tax and federal royalties, as well as the creation and extension of thousands of industry jobs.

2.28PM

DALBY, QUEENSLAND

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK...

Around the clock, from coast to coast, Murphy Pipe & Civil is delivering innovative pipeline solutions.

FOR US, IT’S ALL IN A DAY’S WORK. www.mpcgroup.com.au

specialreport

Playing it

SAFE WE ALL TAKE RISKS ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT WHEN YOUR SAFETY, AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND YOU IS DRAWN INTO QUESTION, MITIGATING EACH AND EVERY RISK IS VITAL. WORDS: RILEY PALMER

26

RegionalBusinessReview

specialreport

IT’S A FACT that mining is an inherently riskier profession than most. While many of us contend with occupational health and safety (OH&S) issues like poor lighting or computer glare, miners are faced daily with the very real danger of an explosion or falling down a shaft.

According to data compiled by Safe Work Australia, the fatality rate of mine workers between the 2007–08 and 2011–12 financial years was 3.84 per 100,000 employees – almost 70 per cent higher than the national rate (2.29 per 100,000). This figure doesn’t factor in serious injury or illness, nor does it take into account instances of suicide. Despite the inflated mortality risk for those working in the mining industry, serious claims are actually on the decline, having fallen 51 per cent

between 2000–01 and 2010–11. This improvement is significant, however the consensus remains that more needs to be done.

Analysing the 52 fatal mining accidents that occurred in Western Australia from 2000–2012, a report compiled by Western Australia’s Department of Mines and Petroleum – entitled Fatal accidents in the Western Australian mining industry 2000–2012: What lessons can we learn? – identifies clusters and trends surrounding potential causation factors linked to fatality. Whilst the data derives from Western Australia alone, the report’s findings are relevant industry-wide, particularly where they can be used to target prevention.

Though many of the commonalities are obvious – such as noncompliance

Despite the inflated mortality risk in the mining industry, serious claims are actually on the decline.

RegionalBusinessReview

27

specialreport

with safety procedures – many are surprising. For instance, time of day is significant regarding fatalities.

The report finds that accidents on mine sites peak between 3pm and 6pm – which happen to be the final three hours of a 12-hour day shift.

Spikes also occur around both 11am and 11pm, which, presuming day and night shifts start at 6am and 6pm respectively, is about five hours into a shift. Another peak in the night shift takes place at roughly 3am.

The report suggests a correlation between these peaks and both human biorhythms and fitness for work issues.

Workers in all industries experience periods of fatigue and low levels of concentration. However, working at a time when the body is biologically geared to slow down – like 11pm and 3am – exacerbates this existing problem significantly. The report advises mitigating risk of fatigue-related incidents by requiring employees to take breaks at four-hour intervals.

Considering state governments across Australia encourage people driving on their roads to take breaks every two hours, it seems concerning that similar guidelines haven’t been imposed upon miners.

Aside from on-site safety, fatigue is a major concern for workers who are required to drive long distances to and from various sites. In 2011, following a coronial inquest into two motor vehicle accidents that resulted in the deaths of Senior Sergeant Malcolm MacKenzie and miners Graham Brown and Robert Wilson, coroner Annette Hennessy stated: “At present, fatigue as an issue sits in an equivalent position to drink driving in the 1970s before the development of the breathalyser and road-side breath testing devices.

The development of roadside fatigue detection technology is a matter of

40 30 20 10 0

MINING ALL INDUSTRIES

28

Safework Australia 2012

CLAIMS PER 1000 EMPLOYEES

Serious claims: Incidence rates by year

2000-01 29.8 17.5

RegionalBusinessReview

2001-02 30.6 16.9

2002-03 27.5 16.5

2003-04 26.4 16.4

2004-05 2005-06 24.9 19.9 16.0 15.1

2006-07 20.9 14.5

2007-08 19.9 14.2

2008-09 16.4 13.6

2009-10 16.4 13.1

2010-11 14.6 12.7

2011-12 14.2 12.2

TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME, YOU NEED THE UAS BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE, NOT PLAY

...don’t waste your MORE THAN 80 TECHNICIANS time with toys NATIONWIDE TO SUPPORT YOU

Get in touch after touch down:

specialreport

Serious claims: Incidence rates by jurisdiction

CLAIMS PER 1000 EMPLOYEES

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

Valid though this recommendation is, the implementation of better fitness for work habits is exceedingly difficult to effect.

30

RegionalBusinessReview

Safework Australia 2012

35

NSW 32.4 25.3 26.5 23.7 22.9

NT 9. 6 4. 5 1 4. 9 1 3. 9 1 4. 5

Qld 2 0. 9 1 4. 8 1 4. 6 1 1. 2 1 3. 1

time and commitment...” In the interim, fatigue is a safety issue that needs to be addressed systemically on and off mine sites, with both employees and employers being made aware of early warning signs and potential consequences of working while fatigued, and importantly – as suggested in the report – more frequent break periods.

The report also recommends that employers promote better fitness for work habits in relation to lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, drug and alcohol use, hydration and work-life balance.

Valid though this recommendation is, the implementation of better fitness for work habits is exceedingly difficult to effect.

For instance, the shift-work lifestyle itself is seen to intensify the incidence of unsafe behaviours like drug-taking.

In an article published by WorkCover Queensland, it states: “Shift workers often turn to stimulants such as coffee, energy drinks or cigarettes to help them

WA 1 7. 2 1 6. 3 1 4. 6 1 3. 2 12.7

Vic 1 0. 4 8. 3 7. 7 8. 9 9. 9

Tas 25.7 1 7. 8 12.9 1 4. 0 9.4

SA 1 3. 1 1 0. 9 1 6. 1 1 7. 9 9. 2

Aust 1 9. 9 1 6. 4 1 6. 4 1 4. 6 1 4. 2

stay awake and sedatives such as alcohol, sleeping pills and other non-prescription substances to help them sleep.” While drug and alcohol use is perceived as the issue in this instance, fatigue and sleep deprivation underscore it, making it very difficult to know exactly what needs to be targeted.

It’s true that many mine sites already engage in random drug and alcohol testing, and that alcohol restrictions are in place in mining regions like the Pilbara. However, mental fitness for work additionally needs to be taken into account, particularly where alcohol or drugs are being used to alleviate mental stressors. Speaking with Australian Mining on the topic, psychologist Cameron Brown says: “We are looking at the safety of the mine in terms of those random drug tests, but it’s not about employee wellbeing.” According to the report by Western Australia’s Department of Mines and Petroleum however,

PROUDLY SUPPLYING WASTE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS TO THE RESOURCE INDUSTRY Toxfree provides a comprehensive range of waste management and industrial services to the oil and gas industry. We pride ourselves in tailoring innovative solutions for our customers, ensuring safe, reliable and sustainable outcomes. Our focus is simple; solve our customers’ problems, and do it safely.

What can we solve for you?

With over 55 sites nationally and servicing over 20,000 customers, Toxfree provides solutions for some of Australia’s leading businesses and government organisations throughout Australia.

safe.reliable.sustainable

1300 toxfree

www.toxfree.com.au

Conquer Cystic Fibrosis through research www.conquercysticfibrosis.com

Conquer C stic Fibrosis Inc.

specialreport

employee wellbeing impacts directly on the safety of the mine, making substance abuse a twofold issue.

Another major fitness for work concern is the diet and food choices made by miners. At a public lecture held at Edith Cowan University last September, nutrition lecturer Gemma Quayle indicated a relationship between the on-site diet of miners, and their increased risk of chronic disease. Having recently completed a sample study over a three-day period into the diets of 35 men at a mine site in Western Australia, Gemma noted: “The average number of servings of vegetables were below

recommendations, while many were consuming excessive amounts of discretionary food such as processed meats, pastries, fried food and desserts.” Gemma also found that over 80 per cent of the men involved in the study were overweight or obese. While the long-term impacts of being overweight are relatively well known, the more immediate impacts of poor nutrition – such as low levels of concentration and fatigue – aren’t as widely recognised.

The Department of Mines and Petroleum’s report cites this as an area of improvement.

For anyone who hasn’t

experienced a day in the life of miner, it’s impossible to imagine the impact of working long shifts, living in temporary accommodation in remote communities and conducting physically dangerous and strenuous activities. All of this without the support networks you usually have around you. Although fewer deaths have occurred in recent years, accidents still happen all too frequently. Mining safety needs to progress, because heightened risk of illness, injury and death is still a hefty price to pay for the aboveaverage wages received by the mining industry’s employees.

What did we learn from the fatal accidents in the Western Australian mining industry 2000–2012?

• Almost one third of casualties occurred within the first year of a person undertaking a new role.

• 49 per cent of fatalities occurred in the first year working at a mine site.

• In 89 per cent of fatal accidents, there was either no procedure in place to deal with a perceived hazard, or the procedures were not followed.

• Broken down into commodity groups, gold mining accounted for 36.5 per cent of fatalities, followed by iron ore, which accounted for 33 per cent.

• There was no pattern to indicate that age was a factor in casualties.

RegionalBusinessReview

33

INDUSTRIAL All-Purpose Pipe Repair Kit

FIXAPIPE速 pipe repair kit is ideal to fix a wide range of broken, corroded or cracked pipes, including metal, concrete, fibreglass, polyethylene, ceramic, stainless steel, copper, rubber and more.

Easy to use with clear, simple instructions, FIXAPIPE速 sets in minutes, reducing downtime and labour and enabling you to get back to work sooner.

Featuring tamper-proof packaging, you can rest assured FIXAPIPE速 is kept sealed and secure at all times.

www.fixapipe.com.au

Now available nationally from Blackwoods blackwoods.com.au 13 73 23

advertorial

Preventing workplace accidents MAYO HARDWARE’S SAFESITE PROGRAM DELIVERS PEACE OF MIND.

E

ach year thousands of people are injured in the workplace during maintenance of machinery. Many of these injuries could have been avoided with an effective lockout/tagout system in place.

Implementing an effective isolation system does not have to be daunting and time consuming. The SafeSite Program

by Mayo Hardware is designed to deliver industry leading site-specific isolation solutions with ease and efficiency. The SafeSite Program includes: • Situational Analysis Workshops – Involving all stakeholders to ensure all key requirements and any current systems in place are understood.

• Site Assessments – Site walk through to help identify your exact lockout/ tagout requirements.

• Procedural Reviews – Through established partnerships with industry leaders a review of existing isolation procedures are undertaken, or where required, new ones created.

• Master Lock Safety Padlocks &

Accessories – Innovative devices designed to effectively isolate energy sources in the workplace.

• Custom Key Systems – Ensure that one employee’s key cannot open another employee’s personal padlock.

• Custom Engraving – Customise safety padlocks with company logos or other details to minimise lock pilferage and enable quick and easy worker identification.

• Safety Inspection Software – Manage your inspections, audits, lockout/tagout procedures and safety compliance reporting electronically.

• Commitment – Post implementation of your isolation system, we provide ongoing ‘health checks’.

• Support – Our National Customer Service team are experienced in lockout/tagout and are able to recommend the correct solution for

Implementing an effective isolation system does not have to be daunting and time consuming.

• Plant Identification – Broad range of plant identification solutions including traffolite labels and RFID labelling to ensure you lockout the correct piece of equipment every time.

• Product Expertise – Our experienced safety team has a broad range of solutions for even the most difficult plant isolations.

your isolation requirements.

Don’t wait until it’s too late, prevent workplace accidents!

Contact Mayo Hardware to arrange a review of your lockout/tagout requirements.

Call 1300 360 211 or email sitesurvey@ mayohardware.com.au For more information, visit safesite.com.au RegionalBusinessReview

35

DENTSU00016

miningreview

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT WE EXPLORE THE LATEST IN MIGRATORY ACCOMMODATION AND UNEARTH THE FLOATEL – A LITERAL FLOATING HOTEL THAT IS TO MINING ACCOMMODATION WHAT GLAMPING IS TO CAMPING. WORDS: RILEY PALMER

RegionalBusinessReview

37

miningreview

C

ast your mind back roughly a year, and you will recall the furore caused when Queensland MP Jo-Ann Miller compared FIFO accommodation to that of concentration camps. Admittedly, parliament is hardly the appropriate time and place for such hyperbole, and the outrage Miller’s comment sparked completely commandeered the focus away from the validity of her actual point – that accommodation provided for FIFO and DIDO miners is inadequate.

Miller is not alone in her opinion. It’s a common generalisation, and one that’s becoming increasingly politicised. We are so used to the oratory undermining the integrity of mining accommodation, few of us have stopped to ask the question – is it really that bad?

38

RegionalBusinessReview

The short answer is no. Not all mining accommodation conforms to such a low standard. Pioneering what is sure to be a new trend, Swedish company Floatel International Ltd. has thought outside

The short answer is no, not all mining accommodation conforms to such a low standard. the box – or rather, offshore – to offer the mining industry a modern, safe and comfortable alternative to impermanent housing, such as mine camps and villages.

Established in 2006, Floatel International owns and operates a

fleet of dynamically positioned (DP) semisubmersible accommodation and construction- support vessels, more colloquially referred to as floatels.

These floatels are designed specifically for the whole offshore operation – accommodation being a major part of that. Of course, the obvious downfall of floatels is that they do require a body of water in which to be moored. Thankfully for Australian mining company Chevron this has been an incentive rather than a hindrance – saving them space and resources onshore to accommodate other components of the Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project; Australia’s biggest resources project.

Under significant pressure to boost productivity in the face of unbudgeted costs such as the falling Australian dollar and extreme weather delays, Chevron

// U N R I VA L L E D PA R T N E R S H I P

The Hitachi EH5000AC-3 mining truck and EX8000-6 backhoe excavator.

From the factory to the pit, Hitachi’s ultra-class hydraulic excavators and electric drive mining trucks are engineered to maximise the productivity of mining operations. Our flagship machines deliver unmatched performance and reliability when it comes to loading and haulage.

The most powerful and productive combination yet.

Ground Support Systems Quality & Safety

THE CHALLENGE: Enhancing the safety and increasing the production levels of underground mines by providing the highest quality ground support products and services possible.

Innovation Technical Support

THE SOLUTION: Jennmar Australia will provide the total ground control solution incorporating: • The complete range of ground support products for coal and hard rock mines.

• Innovation and problem solving tailored to specific mine sites.

• Continual training and support by our highly experienced service technicians.

• The most responsive and reliable supply, providing the right products on site and on time.

• Supply centres in the hub of the mining districts.

Sydney Head Office & Plant

Queensland Plant

WA Plant

Ph (02) 4648 7500

Ph (07) 4952 8700

Ph (02) 9408 9900

Support you can trust underground www.jennmar.com.au

miningreview

Fast facts: • Western Australia alone has 87 ghost towns.

Most of them were former mining towns.

• The mineral booms of the 1800s provided jobs for up to 17 per cent of Australia’s workforce. have been keen to increase their staff base and boost productivity to ensure the LNG project can actually get underway.

Enter the floatel. Speaking with Business Insider Australia in November last year, Chevron chief financial officer Pat Yarrington said; “We have secured – I guess I would call it a floatel. We have got the capacity over the next several weeks to bring, over time, about 1,200 additional workers to the island to work on the MEI that is underway that needs to be done in the next year.”

Due to be moored off Western Australia’s Barrow Island, the ‘Floatel Endurance’ – Floatel International’s fourth vessel – is contracted to be built

by Keppel FELS Ltd. This Singaporebased company are customising the ‘Silja Europa’, a passenger ferry that formerly traversed between Finland and Estonia.

Far from the bleakness of a concentration camp, the ‘Floatel Endurance’ boasts facilities you might look forward to on a holiday. Specifically modified for Chevron, the boat is equipped with recreational facilities including a cinema, internet café, games room, gym, sauna, reading room and restaurant. Not to mention that all contractors are allocated their own room with a television.

While Chevron’s primary incentive for installing the floatel is productivity, it secondarily addresses a problem that has long cast a dark shadow over Australia’s cyclic mining booms. While we all get caught up in the economic impact of a mining downturn, people who have settled and invested in these towns are greatly disadvantaged by the mass exodus following mine closures. We need only look to the various ghost towns that pepper the

Australian countryside; Cossack, Leonora and Kanowna to name a few. These towns act as haunting reminders that mining towns can be as transient as the wayfaring workers who inhabit them. A floatel is impermanent from the outset. There is no guise of longevity. Not only that, it doesn’t leave anything in its wake – not even the ghostly remains of a ghost town.

Australia isn’t the first country to utilise floatels where itinerant workers are required in the mining of oil and gas. In 2013 Scotland’s Shetland Islands became home to three floatels. Providing some 1,000 extra beds for its workers, these vessels were largely regarded as a comfortable home away from home, even in the face of the harsh conditions and unrelenting winds typical of this region.

With its reading room, cinema and sauna, it’s certainly not hyperbole to suggest the accommodation provided on the ‘Floatel Endurance’ is the absolute antithesis to an inhospitably bleak concentration camp. Finally allowing FIFO workers the living arrangements they deserve.

RegionalBusinessReview

41

advertorial

HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT TEX Onsite prvides Australia’s only complete HV Maintenance Service.

W

ith a mission to continually improve and increase the range of services on offer, TEX Onsite have recently launched a unique High Voltage System Maintenance Management Service (HVSM).

The launch of this specialised HVSM Management Service positions TEX Onsite as the Australian leader in complete HV system shut-down servicing. The HSVM service is aimed at removing the serious inconvenience and massive expense encountered with unplanned interruptions and system shutdowns of HV systems.

Covering transmission and

distribution systems, protection equipment, switchgear, switch rooms, earth grids, battery installations, station auxiliary, circuit breakers, isolator and earthing switches, oil analysis reporting, oil analysis recommendations and condition monitoring, all supported by the on-site PPE/Operational Equipment testing offered by TEX Onsite.

National Marketing Manager Errol Dunn, says the HVSM program has been designed to ensure all HV systems are maintained in compliance with all relevant industry standards.

Each installation and system is evaluated on its own merits, with maintenance plans designed specifically for each individual site.

“When all the combined TEX Onsite HV-related services are employed

under our HSVM program, the result is the only complete HV maintenance service available in Australia. Which ensures customers can be confident that all equipment remains reliable and operating safely,” Errol said.

For more information on services provided please call 1300 785 935 or visit www.texonsite.com.au

THE EXPERTS COME TO YOU TEX Onsite Australia’s leading on-site testing and calibration company, delivering quality every time Full complimentary compliance management service HV Testing Power System Protection Instrument Calibrations Electrical Condition Monitoring Including: Electrical, Dimensional, Insulating Oil Analysis full range of Torque, Pressure, Height Safety Flow and much more Lifting Equipment

MOBILE TESTING & CALIBRATION SERVICES LAB & ONSITE SERVICE CAPABILITIES AUSTRALIA WIDE

42

CONTACT 1300 785 935 www.texonsite.com.au

investment

Top tips from the experts on how to make the most of your hard-earned cash

Your home. Our backyard.

We understand that selling any home is always a big step. At Raine & Horne we build our business on understanding who you are and the passion and enthusiasm you have for where you live.

We believe in working together in an integrated, consistent and smart way to get the best results. From start… to sold.

You can be sure that Raine & Horne has the energy to move your place. Fast.

We’ve been helping Australians for over 130-years. Now we’d like to help you.

So visit rh.com.au to find your nearest agent, search properties and find useful and up-to-date information that will help you make the right decision.

R&H0192

investment

MAKING MILLIONS WITH MESITI PAT MESITI, SELF-MADE MULTIMILLIONAIRE AND ACCLAIMED INCOME ACCELERATION COACH, SHARES TIPS ON HOW TO FOSTER GOOD MONEY HABITS AND EXPLAINS THE DIVERSITY OF INCOME STREAMS AVAILABLE TO US ALL. WORDS: RILEY PALMER

You believe

anyone with the correct tools can become prosperous, but what are the more common bad money habits people tend to adopt?

The first bad habit people have, is they don’t establish a good habit. The second bad habit, is that people don’t tell their money where to go – they don’t allocate it, and then they wonder where it went.

But the worst thing people do, is spend first and invest last, when they need to invest first and then spend. People also tend to overspend – so they spend money they don’t have, on things they don’t need.

What are some alternatives to property investment?

People can invest in small business.

For example, they can go on eBay and create an online business with sales and residual income. My biggest tip is they can monetise knowledge. If you think about most of the great speakers and presenters, whoever they are – Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar – they sell knowledge and people pay for it. I think the other thing is learning to invest in things like stocks and bonds. The stock market can scare people, but if you develop a financial education and use a

controlled strategy it can increase your wealth significantly. People can also join network-marketing groups that can create great residual incomes.

What might an investment portfolio for someone with a high disposable income look like?

The first thing they need is a diverse property portfolio that spans across various states in Australia. They should also look at investing in a range of shares and stocks. The key to creating wealth is diversifying, because if something falls down here, you can pick it up over there. Don’t just do one thing.

What is the difference between good and bad debt?

Bad debt is investing in depreciable assets – cars, clothes, holidays. I’m not saying don’t spend money on them, but know they are depreciable assets. Good debt is using debt to leverage yourself. For example, investing at a low-interest rate and reinvesting at a high-interest rate, or buying a property that is going to double in value in the next six to 10 years.

RegionalBusinessReview

45

•

•

•

investment

What’s the secret to getting rich?

Someone asked me the other day: “How do you get rich quick?” I replied, “You don’t. You get rich slow.” People today are in such a hurry, that many of them buy into get-rich-quick schemes. The key is to invest over the long-term – anything you invest in over time will give you returns.

For example, your relationships. Many people want a great relationship, but that doesn’t happen unless you invest some time into it. It’s the same with money.

What do people need to understand about superannuation?

Let me tell you the eighth wonder of the world: compound interest. If you can put a little bit aside now, eventually, by the

time you’re 60 to 70 years old, you’re going to have millions. Most people wait until they’re far too old, and then they panic.

The best thing with any investment is to start early. The best thing you can do is get some good advice on where to invest your money in the super fund. Personally, I have a self-managed super fund, because I want to be the one controlling the money. And I wish I’d done it earlier to be honest, it was a big lesson I learned far too late.

The stock market instils a lot of fear in a lot of people. Is this fear valid?

It’s valid because people only hear the news – they don’t study and investigate the stock market. Most of us fear what we don’t understand. You don’t want to

Top 10 property investment tips from General Manager of the NSW and ACT branches of NAB Private Wealth, Jason Murray.

1. Do your research by suburb and property type. Get all the data you can in advance.

2. Surround yourself with good advisors, particularly those with a holistic view of your investment objectives who are not just interested in the next transaction.

3. View several properties before you commit to buy anything.

4. Where borrowing is involved, start the conversation early.

5. When planning ahead for cash flow purposes, be conservative. Plan for tenancy gaps, and set aside a safety net for unexpected repairs and maintenance.

6. Do not fall into the trap of purchasing a property if the assumption of a short-term capital gain is required to make the economics stack up, no matter how likely that may seem.

7. When purchasing from a developer, ensure they have a good track record. Find out the price and performance of previous developments they have completed.

8. Some investors buy in one suburb and become local experts – with multiple properties that can be easier to manage. Others diversify across suburbs, states, and even countries, and put in place strong managing agents. Think about your own philosophy upfront when deciding which type of investor you are.

9. Generally, plan on holding a property for at least five to seven years, to make the transaction costs in and out worthwhile.

10. Don't ever buy property on impulse, particularly at auction.

RegionalBusinessReview

47

investment

Technology has opened a great door for us to create great wealth – for instance eBay, online marketing, investing in new technologies, and buying and selling websites.

48

RegionalBusinessReview

be speculating in the stock market, you want to be informed in your investments.

The key is to get a financial education and remember everything goes in bends and curves. It’s like having kids – you’re scared until you learn how to raise them.

How does investing in yourself affect greater financial returns?

I look at people who have lost money, for example the Mike Tysons of our world. His income was great, but he didn’t grow as a person and, consequently, lost $400 million.

You need to grow yourself to be able to contain your money. And make no mistake – your associations equal your assimilations.

One of the biggest hindrances to people’s wealth is who they hang around with.

Most people get advice on property from their neighbour or barista. Get a financial

education from someone who is an expert.

Where should individuals go to obtain a financial education?

Go to a financial advisor that’s making money, not one that’s just making money on your commissions. It’s easy to spend another man’s money, so ask your advisor where they’re investing their money.

How is technology changing the way we invest our money?

Technology has opened a great door for us to create great wealth – for instance eBay, online marketing, investing in new technologies, and buying and selling websites. My advice is, if you’re going to invest in something like a start-up, make sure you’ve got a guaranteed return. Always ask yourself this question: How much am I prepared to lose?

miners

watch built tough for mining

You r lo here go !

REWARD YOUR STAFF WITH A GIFT THEY CAN USE ‌ DAY AFTER DAY CUSTOMISE THE WHOLE DESIGN: Bands,

dials, hands, logos, case colours and packaging.

Above and underground safe mine approved watches.

MENTION THIS AD and

get free set ups for orders of over 50 watches.

DESIGN ASSIST Product Selection Based on your brief we can assist in the selection of suitable watch styles, logo placement, qualities and colours to maximise results.

We take into account the environment that the watch will be used, quantities required, function, budgets, user demographics and compatibility with your logo and branding.

Product Design Based on your branding requirements we assist in watch model selection, dial choice and position, method of branding and packaging.

Order now at: minerswatch.com.au Contact: info@minerswatch.com.au

THE CLEAR CHOICE for Dust Control DUSTMAG™ POLYMAG™ GLUON™ PDX ™ FOG™

SAVES WATER SAVES THE ENVIRONMENT

Western Australia 08 9452 0235 Eastern Australia 03 5282 4024

www.rainstorm.com.au