FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
AUSBIZ.
GETTING PORTLY
The new Aussie business mag
Explore the coastal gem of laidback Port Mac
UP, UP & AWAY
The sky’s the limit for the future of drones
LAY OF THE LAND
Spray Grass returns land to its rightful state
WINGS+PRAYER FLYING HIGH AND FALLING FAST IN THE PURSUIT OF FREEDOM North Island Adventures
Food, wine & e-biking in NZ’s Hawke’s Bay region
Burn Some Rubber
Strap in tight for a test drive in Audi’s RS 3 LMS
Camping Down Under
Embrace your wild side with Australia’s top 10 campsites
Multispectral Sensor mounted on drone
Drone Technology for Smarter Rehabilitation. Spray Grass Australia use the latest in drone and imaging technology to provide 3D modelling, image mapping, and area surveying and monitoring via aerial drone. Drones, along with soil testing, allow us to map the area to be rehabilitated to a high degree of detail. To monitor the growth and success of application, SGA utilises a range of multispectral cameras; the latest in high-precision, agricultural sensors. Utilising drones to map the area ensures that SGA applies the solution with precision and accuracy, so that all areas are covered uniformly at specified rates. Utilising the latest in drone and sensor technology to continually monitor project progress allows us to obtain analytic reporting’s and insights after application. This technology allows us to record Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) results, count plants, undertake plant disease analysis, evaluate and monitor plant health and measure chlorophyll to assess plants, allowing us to maximise growth efficiency.
1300 040 050 info@sgaus.com.au spraygrassaustralia.com.au Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Western Australia
Welcome Letter
Welcome. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the first trans-Pacific crossing by the legendary Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (or ‘Smithy’ as he was affectionately known) and his brave crew.
EDITORIAL
Publisher: Michelle Hespe
publisher@publishingbychelle.com Editor: Riley Palmer editor@publishingbychelle.com Art Director: Shane O’Brien National Sales Manager: Robert Desgouttes advertising@publishingbychelle.com Sub Editor: Sally Macmillan CONTRIBUTORS Darren Baguley Ian Lloyd Neubauer Karl Peskett Daniel Scott Ben Smithurst
ON 9 JUNE 1928, Smithy and his crew landed their Fokker F.VII/3m at Eagle Farm, close to the location of Alliance Airlines’ Head Office at Brisbane Airport. The aircraft was one of the earliest Fokkers to ever visit Australia and today, Alliance Airlines is the proud operator of the largest fleet of Fokker aircraft in the world. In commemoration of this historic aviation event, Alliance Airlines has partnered with Newstead Brewing Co. to create ‘Smithy’s FGB’ a signature golden ale which is available at smithysfgb.com. We have also painted one of our newly delivered Fokker 100 aircraft (VH-FGB) in special livery to celebrate the story of Smithy’s incredible journey. This aircraft will operate across the Alliance Airlines network throughout Australia. So if you see our unique Fokker 100 email us at media@allianceairlines.com.au and share the story of Smithy and his crew!
Until next time, sit back, relax and enjoy our new magazine.
PRINTING
SOS Print + Media 65 Burrows RoadAlexandria, NSW, 2015 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
AUSBIZ.
GETTING PORTLY
The new Aussie business mag
Explore the coastal gem of laidback Port Mac
UP, UP & AWAY
The sky’s the limit for the future of drones
LAY OF THE LAND
Spray Grass returns land to its rightful state
WINGS+PRAYER FLYING HIGH AND FALLING FAST IN THE PURSUIT OF FREEDOM North Island Adventures
Food, wine & e-biking in NZ’s Hawke’s Bay region
Burn Some Rubber
Strap in tight for a test drive in Audi’s RS 3 LMS
Camping Down Under
Embrace your wild side with Australia’s top 10 campsites
Lee Schofield Chief Executive Officer
Alliance is published by Publishing ByChelle (ABN: 78 621 375 853/002 ACN: 621 375 853) Suite 8, Level 8, 100 Walker Street North Sydney, NSW, 2060 (02) 9954 0349 publishingbychelle.com The reproduction of any content, in whole or part without prior written permission by the publisher, Michelle Hespe, is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in the content are those of the contributors, and not necessarily those of the publisher. All information in this magazine was believed to be correct at the time of publication, and all reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. Publishing ByChelle cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. We apologise if we don’t get back to your email, as we do receive a large volume of communication via various online channels. Some images used in Alliance are from istock and Getty images, and we make every effort to credit all contributors.
FEB/MAR 2018
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The Aboriginal Artists Project combines the fashion accessory designs of Catherine Manuell with the artworks of many wonderful women artists from remote Australian communities. Shown here is the Bush Yams artwork by Evelyn Pultara from the Utopia region of Central Australia. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these products goes directly to the artists.
Call us on 03 9486 4066 for help or a little personal service, or email: info@catherinemanuelldesign.com
www.catherinemanuelldesign.com
Contents
In this issue. 09 ALLIANCE NEWS There's a lot going on at Alliance Airlines, including a fleet update and new charter routes.
24 Road Trip
13 REGIONAL NEWS Find out about Charles Sturt University’s solarpanel installation and the future of caged-egg production.
28 Food & Wine
14 EVENTS CALENDAR Don’t miss out on the hippest happenings from around the country this February and March.
35 On the Grapevine
16 REGIONAL & CITY BITES From its big smoke to its tiny towns, Australia offers up many noteworthy places to eat, stay and play.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, or a destination for a weekend of shenanigans with the boys, Port Macquarie has you covered.
Michelle Hespe takes a culinary-inspired bike ride through some of Hawkes Bay’s stunning wineries, country restaurants, bars and food markets.
AUS BIZ.
BUSINESS MAG
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Prosecco is increasingly dominating the sparkly scene; and what’s not to love? It’s crisp, bubbly and affordable.
36 Fast Torque Adrenaline junkies will be itching to get behind the wheel of Audi’s dedicated race car, the RS 3 LMS.
41 Camping Special Discover Australia's top 10 campsites from Warrumbungle National Park to the Bay of Fires.
28
COVER STORY A WINGSUIT AND A PRAYER To fly through the air in nothing but a wingsuit, you must be shrewd, ridiculously prepared and downright ballsy.
36 FEB/MAR 2018
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PUBLISHER'S
My team and I are extremely proud to have the opportunity to bring Alliance’s passengers a magazine that we hope you’ll find fun, inspiring and informative. Most of all, we aim to create an entertaining magazine, so that when you hop on board with another big shift ahead of you, or you climb aboard, heading home from work, you’ll have a great read to look forward to. In the front section of Alliance, we’ll have adventure-laden road trips from all over Australia and abroad, romantic getaway ideas, inspiration for holidays with your mates, tempting food and wine yarns, an events calendar so that you know what’s happening and where, articles about anything fast with four wheels, and profiles on people who are making a difference. That’s something we want to continually share with you — stories of your fellow Australians: whether they’re working on building up their own business, on the land in farming, infrastructure or mining, or putting their soul and energy into a charity or a philanthropic adventure. We want these pages to bring those people and the places they call home to life. Every month we’ll also bring you AusBiz., a new Australian business magazine covering business news from around the country, and investigative features from top writers on our many diverse industries. From education and mining to agribusiness, and infrastructure, we’ll ensure that your finger is on the pulse. Business is business, but our goal with this magazine is to create content that is easy to read and never, ever boring. So, sit back, relax, and jump into some of the stories we’ve put together to kick off this new venture. And drop us a line if you want to see something in particular in a future issue — we value your feedback, and after all, this magazine is for you.
Safe and happy travels
Michelle Hespe, and the team at Publishing ByChelle
P H O T O G R A P H E R C R E D I T: A N T O N G
Route Map
Where we fly. Alliance Airlines is Australia’s leading air charter services operator.
NOTE: MAPS ARE NOT TO SCALE
key Private charter flights Alliance Airlines & Virgin Australia commercial flights
FEB/MAR 2018
7
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Alliance News
Alliance News. Stay in the know with what's happening with our airline and in our industry.
Our Focus on Safety
Airport Safety Week is a safety campaign that is specifically tailored to engage with employees and contractors working on an aerodrome. The campaign is a collaboration between the Australian Airports Association (AAA) and the NZ Airports Association (NZ Airports). In August 2017, the week’s overall theme was One Airport – One Team. The campaign aims to enhance and add to the safety conversation by encouraging all staff and contractors working at an aerodrome to consider their obligations to provide a safe environment for all airport users. The quality, safety and commercial departments produced and distributed relevant safety posters each day of the campaign. Additionally, Alliance Airlines–managed ports of Adelaide, Townsville, Perth, Brisbane and Cape Preston participated in an organised FOD (foreign object damage) walk of their surrounding operational areas. One of the most important aspects of any safety system is feedback from employees. Each year, Alliance publishes a Safety Climate Review where staff members are encouraged to provide honest feedback on potential safety concerns and evaluate the organisation’s safety performance. This valuable feedback assists the safety system to remain contemporary and aligned with current business activity. The results of the Safety Climate Review often drive various safety initiatives and their promotion throughout the organisation. The Safety Climate Review is only one of many tools Alliance uses to ensure our safety system continues to align with world industry standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As part of our ongoing commitment to safety, over the past six months Alliance has increased our focus on reviewing our airport ground service procedures and safety standards. In November last year we implemented hands-on re-currency training with our ground operations and training teams in a number of destinations including Cloncurry, Olympic Dam, Port Lincoln, Rockhampton, Emerald, Bundaberg, Port Macquarie, Ballera, Gladstone and Mount Isa. In addition, Alliance implemented ramp and check-in observations at all our main bases at Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Townsville. Subsequently, all Alliance Airlines ports across the network will have more opportunities to meet with our Ground Operations team to ensure that standards are maintained and potential hazards are identified, corrected, and monitored by Alliance’s internal safety management system. FEB/MAR 2018
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Alliance News
Alliance News. Stay in the know with what's happening with our airline and in our industry.
photo of the issue Keen photographer and Newcrest Mining employee, Duncan has captured some great images of Alliance aircraft previously. This wonderful image is one of our aircraft departing Telfer on its way back to Perth.
FEB/MAR 2018
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Alliance News
Alliance News. Keep in the know with what's happening with our airline and in our industry.
Charter Flying In November 2017 Alliance Airlines secured charter work flying from Adelaide to Tennant Creek operating Fokker 50 services over an eightmonth period until mid-2018. Civmec Construction and Engineering was awarded several contracts including camp setup, site civil, structural steel fabrication and the Structural, Mechanical, Piping, Electrical and Instrumentation (SMPEI) installation works at the Phillip Creek Compressor Station (PCCS) for Jemena’s Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP) project, located near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. Alliance has also been operating Fokker 50 services between Adelaide and Port Augusta on behalf of PYBAR Mining Services. PYBAR was awarded the contract for underground mining services at OZ Minerals’ Carrapateena copper-gold project in South Australia. The work includes construction of a 20-metre deep box cut, 7,500 metres of decline and lateral development, 1,500 metres of surface ventilation raises, and supply of all surface infrastructures to support the development. We are looking forward to operating in and out of Port Augusta on a regular basis again. In both cases, we are operating these charters in conjunction with our partners at Virgin Australia. The majority of our passengers each week will be connecting between the Virgin RPT network and our charter flights. Passengers will also be earning Velocity points on our charter sectors.
One of Alliance Airlines' Fokker 50 planes stationed at tennant Creek Airport.
A Fleet Update It certainly has been (and continues to be) a busy time for Alliance Airlines. Our Fokker 100, VH-UQD entered service in late 2017 and two additional aircraft, a Fokker 70 VH-NKQ and another Fokker 100 VH-UQD entered service in January 2018, with an additional two aircraft VH-UQG and VH-KBX being finalised for operation in January 2019. Our thanks go out to the Alliance Airlines team — airworthiness, procurement, stores, Brisbane engineering, quality assurance and flight operations — together with on-site staff at Bratislava and Norwich, in ensuring these projects were a success in such a challenging timeframe.
Passenger Feedback Just want to send a quick email to express my experience with your airline. I have flown for the third time with you guys and all I can say is great things (Brisbane–Port Macquarie twice, Perth–Port Headland once). You’re on time and the customer service and your nice clean planes are fantastic. The Fokker planes are great. I travel with Virgin about three times a week and you guys are awesome! Regards, Darren.
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Regional News+Views
Regional News+Views Find out what's going on in the communities that make up Australia.
Rotten eggs RSPCA Australia has heavily criticised the draft of the 'Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry Standards' report that was released in November last year by Animal Health Australia. Once finalised, the standards will govern the way all poultry is treated across Australia, replacing the array of regulations that vary between states and territories. The draft covers the treatment of all poultry farmed in Australia; however, it’s caged-egg production that has drawn the most disapproval. While the draft facilitates the continuation of caged-egg production, RSPCA Australia says that its consumer trend research reveals that 84 per cent of Australians think cages are cruel. Conversely, Egg Farmers of Australia suggest that 70 per cent of Australian consumers purchase caged eggs at some time. The poultry welfare standards and guidelines are open to public comment until February 26, 2018, at which time the state, territory and federal agriculture ministers must make a decision. Already Agriculture Minister of WA Alannah MacTiernan has been vocal about the failure of these guidelines to improve welfare standards for egg-laying chickens, raising concerns about the national implementation.
Shining bright Charles Sturt University has installed a 6,000-panel solarpower system at its Wagga Wagga campus, giving it the generating capacity of 1.77 megawatts. Following on from its certification as Australia’s first carbon-neutral university, in 2016, the project highlights the university’s commitment to sustainability. It is expected that the solar panels will reduce carbon emissions by a further 2,500 tonnes, and cut the university’s electricity needs by 20 per cent. At the time it was commissioned, the system was the largest rooftop project in Australia; however, it has since been overtaken by Brisbane Markets Limited.
Fast Facts
4.8million tonnes
= Australia’s forecasted total summer crop production
250,000+ indigenous women live more than a one-hour drive from a public birthing unit 1.3%, or 319,000 of Australians live in remote areas
2/3
The ration of Australia’s food production, by value, used in the domestic market FEB/MAR 2018
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Events Calendar
What's on. Our pick of the very best gigs, festivals, and cultural and sporting events from around the country. 26 January – 25 February 2018
Fringe World Festival PERTH CULTURAL CENTRE, WA A veritable smorgasbord of entertainment, Perth’s 2018 Fringe World Festival promises to entertain, delight and inspire. With 700 shows spread over 150 venues, there is something for everyone, from lovers of theatre and dance to comedy enthusiasts and cabaret fanatics. fringeworld.com.au
27 January – 18 March 2018 Soft Core
Shepparton Art Museum, VIC The fun, provocative and inspiring sculptures that make up the touring exhibition, Soft Core, all have one thing in common, they explore the concept of softness. Featuring 12 Australian and international artists, these sculptures will confront and move you. sheppartonartmuseum.com.au
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
8–11 February 2018 PARTY IN THE PADDOCK White Hills, TAS Dust off your festival boots and douse yourself in glitter; Tasmania’s Party in the Paddock is back. The lineup includes Gang of Youths, The Avalanches, Client Liaison and Holy Holy. partyinthepaddockfestival .com.au
13 February 2018 RUSSELL PETERS – DEPORTED WORLD TOUR
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, QLD Famous for his satire and observational humour, Russell Peters is back in Australia following his soldout 2015 tour. Brisbane is the fourth and final stop on his tour Down Under. russellpeters.com
Events Calendar
16–25 Banjo Paterson February 2018 Australian Poetry Festival ORANGE, NSW Every February Orange celebrates the life of Banjo Paterson, an Australian legend and the man behind Australia’s unofficial national anthem, ‘Waltzing Matilda’. Born at Narrambla in Orange, this corner of the world is the ideal place to experience some bush poetry, professional entertainment and a good old Aussie barbecue. brandorange.com.au/orange-nsw/banjo-paterson-festival
17 February 2017
Hobart Beerfest PRINCES WHARF, HOBART, TAS
As if the promise of the best local, national and international craft beers, ciders and Tasmanian premium spirits isn’t tantalising enough, Hobart’s Beerfest brings you live music featuring Kid Kenobi, comedy, burlesque dancers and brewer masterclasses. hobart.beerfestivals.com.au/event-info
25 February 2018
The Red Hot Summer Tour
COCKATOO ISLAND, SYDNEY, NSW Join two of Australia’s greatest singers — John Farnham and Daryl Braithwaite — for some belting tunes and a trip down memory lane. redhotsummertour.com.au
1–4 March 2018 ADELAIDE 500
Adelaide Street Circuit, Victoria Park, SA Jump into the roaring world of speed and adrenaline at the Adelaide 500 and bear witness to some of the world’s fastest cars as they race around 78 laps of the iconic Adelaide Street Circuit. adelaide500.com.au
3–8 March 2018 ADELAIDE WRITERS’ WEEK
Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden, Adelaide, SA Join writers and readers for Australia’s largest free literary festival. There will be readings, lectures and panels, where no topic is off limits. adelaidefestival.com. au/2018/adelaide-writersweek-2018
7 & 8 March 2018 OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL AUSTRALIA
Riverway Arts Centre, Townsville, Qld On tour around Australia, this two-hour screening showcases the most rousing footage from the depths of the ocean. Dive in and enjoy. oceanfilmfestivalaustralia. com.au
9–10 March 2018 ULURU FESTIVAL
Uluru, NT This culinary event celebrates Australia’s native flavours as part of Ayers Rock Resort's Bush Tucker Journeys. It includes a masterclass and a dinner under the stars with Indigenous chef Mark Olive. ayersrockresort.com.au FEB/MAR 2018
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City Bites
city & regional bites Family Institution Mention Gambaro to a Brisbane local and you’ll get one of a few main reactions, or all of them rolled into one: “I’ve had many a party there!” “Awesome steak restaurant.” “Beautiful seafood restaurant.” “The suites are gorgeous.” In October 2017, Gambaro Seafood Restaurant, which the Gambaro family opened back in 1953, took out the top spot at the 2017 Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence, making it Australia’s best seafood restaurant. But it’s not just Moreton Bay bugs, crayfish and barramundi that it is renowned for — its Black Hide Steakhouse was also nominated in the Best Steak Restaurant category, and previously took out the top spot in both 2014 and 2016. With recent uber-stylish renovations, this institution, which is only two minutes from Suncorp Stadium, is now considered one Brisbane’s most chic hotels. It has world-class service, valet parking, free Wi-Fi, daily newspapers, LED TVs, minibar refreshments and 24/7 room service. It also has some of those additional luxe elements that guests get excited about, including rainfall showerheads, plush bathrobes, and the pièce de résistance, pillow menus for a good night’s rest. gambaro.com.au 3 Caxton St, Brisbane, QLD
New Mexican on the Block Sister restaurant to the much-loved El Publico, Leederville’s newest Mexican, La Vida Urbana, trumps its elder sibling by opening its doors for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, this huge, naturallylit space with concrete floors, modern décor and a combination of booths, stools and tables delivers a very tasty serving of cowboy beans with chorizo, bacon, smoked tomato and huevos to help you wake up and embrace the day. La Vida is also the perfect place to catch up with a group of friends of an evening; order a round of margaritas, and a serving of nachos — trust us, they’re essential — and marinate in the buzzing atmosphere. Shop 1, 228 Carr Place, Leederville, WA
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Regional Bites
Moonliting While the squeaky white sand and rugged cliff edges of Anglesea beach are a drawcard in their own right, it’s the scrumptious cuisine and laid-back vibes of Captain Moonlite that will give you something to write home about. Chef Matt Germanchis and his partner, front-of-house star Gemma Gange, opened the doors of their latest venture at Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club in 2016, and though they’ve maintained a bit of history in the old photographs and plaques that adorn the walls, their modern take on European food quickly reveals the fact that this isn’t your ordinary beach-side eatery. Highly recommended is the slow-roasted lamb with peas and goats curd, and their take on everyone’s favourite fish and chips is well worth trying. And after your main, all that’s left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the crashing sounds of the waves as you contemplate dessert. Don’t forget to book ahead, especially if it’s a Saturday captainmoonlite.com.au 100 Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea, VIC
Down by the River The husband-and-wife duo behind the Derwent Valley’s five-star hotel, Woodbridge on the Derwent has embarked on an exciting venture — glamping at Truffle Lodge, which is situated on one of Australia’s first trufferies. No truffles have been grown, but the heritage of the place is preserved in its name. Only 40 kilometres outside of Hobart, the absoluteriverfront 81-square-metre safari tents are styled to resemble an Aussie bush camp, with an Arabian Night’s twist in terms of décor. The tents are purposefully devoid of TVs and Wi-Fi so that guests can truly switch off. The innovative circular bathrooms are housed within connected water tanks, and feature Scandinavian-style handmade wooden bathtubs and basins, and generous rainforest showerheads. The luxurious detail in the inviting bedrooms include ceiling-to-floor thick curtains, chic, characterful canvas, leather and recycled wooden furniture and luxurious bedding made for sinking into. Large decks sprawl out into the landscape, complete with rocking chairs and hammocks for immersing oneself in the quintessential Aussie bush and the breathtaking spectacle of the rushing river below. trufflelodge.com 3411 Lyell Hwy, Gretna, TAS FEB/MAR 2018
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
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Cover Story
FAST FACTS Fraser Corsan holds the record for the fastest horizontal speed reached in a wingsuit. He achieved 396.88 km/h on 22 May 2017. After five wingsuitrelated fatalities in 2016, the commune of Chamonix in France placed a temporary ban on wingsuit flying.
For wingsuit pilots, nothing is more freeing and life-affirming than spreading their wings and flying through the air. words by RILEY PALMER
FEB/MAR 2018
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Cover Story
Having long ago decided that
my ultimate superhero power would be that
of flight, the idea of coasting through the air
in a wingsuit should excite me. But it turns out
that my desire for flight exists only in a fantasy realm, in the company of Superman, and far
removed from the reality of launching myself
off a mountaintop and descending towards the fast-approaching earth.
For a select few however, the wingsuit is a vehicle for freedom and flying is something that brings meaning and purpose into their lives. Sure, wingsuit pilots are courageous, but much more than the two-dimensional daredevils they are often portrayed as, they are also judicious and calculating; they have to be, their lives depend on it.
DA NCING W I T H DE AT H “I’m not in this business to die,” says Australian wingsuit pilot, skydiver, and all-round extreme adventurer Chris ‘Douggs’ McDougal. “If I thought I’d die I definitely wouldn’t do it, I’d find another pastime. I do this to live.” Of course, when you’re hurtling through the air at record speeds there’s a very fine line between life and death and there’s no margin for error, no matter how minuscule. Although wingsuit pilots certainly aren’t setting out to die, many of them do. In 2016, a startling 24 wingsuit pilots died, a figure that is expected to increase as the sport attracts more BASE jumpers and skydivers. Speaking with Newsweek, Dr Omer Mei-Dan — assistant professor of orthopaedics at the University of Colorado — suggested that 72 per cent of flyers had witnessed serious injury or death and most, 76 per cent, had experienced a near miss. Asked if he has lost any friends to the sport, Douggs candidly admits that he has lost almost all of them. “BASE jumping is a very small community and we all travel to the same places, so over the years I’ve met a lot of people in the industry,” he says. “And unfortunately, I’ve lost nearly everybody, mostly through complacency and pushing the limits too hard.” World-renowned American wingsuit pilot and BASE jumper Jeb Corliss agrees with Douggs, saying that his close encounters with death have led him to see the sport in a very dark light. “If a person can find happiness in their life doing anything else, they should do anything else,” he says. “But for me, flying brings me joy and without it I could never be truly complete.” Although Jeb is steadfast in his perspective now, his love of flight has been well and truly tested over the years. In what has become a bleakly popular internet clip from 2003, we see Jeb
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
beyond anxiety
Cover Story
“Flying brings me joy and without it I could never be truly complete.” — JEB CORLISS
fly below Colorado’s Royal Gorge Bridge some milliseconds after his long-time friend, Australian wingsuit flyer Dwain Weston, hits the bridge. Jeb lands safely, but soaked in Dwain’s blood. Dwain, needless to say, doesn’t make it. “I did consider giving up the sport after that,” Jeb admits, “but a person cannot allow their fear of something — like death — that is completely and absolutely inevitable, prevent them from living their dreams and being who they are.”
TA K ING T HE P L UNGE Imagine standing on the second platform of the Eiffel Tower, 115 metres from the ground, and knowing that in the coming minutes you will be doing a double reverse flip through the centre of the first platform, and that if you don’t execute it perfectly you will die. This was the exact situation Jeb found himself in moments before he accomplished the single most terrifying jump of his life. “This was a highly technical BASE jump with very small margins for error,” he explains. “The second platform was only 377 feet [115 metres] off the ground, and I would have to deploy my parachute as I was passing through the first platform at 172 feet [72 metres]. If I deployed early I could impact the first platform and die. If I deployed too late I would impact the ground without a parachute and die. I had about a 1.5 second window to complete my double reverse, become stable and deploy my parachute. I was shaking uncontrollably at the exit point.” Knowing the level of risk, it’s hard to imagine being in Jeb’s shoes and mustering the courage to jump. But not all jumps are that daunting and what goes through his mind varies from day to day and jump to jump. “Sometimes I am really relaxed, just looking at the beautiful scenery and focusing on my breathing. Other times I am gripped with fear and calculating what I will do in a worst-case scenario,” he says. Douggs similarly experiences a range of varied emotions before he jumps. Not impervious to fear either, he says, “Once we gear up we go into quite a serious mode that is filled with anticipation; it’s quite scary, so what you really need to do is centre your mind, your body and your soul.” Douggs does this by committing to the jump 100 per cent, after which he takes “… three deep breaths to calm everything down, and then I launch.”
F LY ING T HROUGH T IME The pursuit of flight has been part of the human condition for as long as we can remember. In Greek mythology, Icarus, who became intoxicated by the thrill of flight, flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax holding his wings together, causing him to plunge to his death. Leonardo da Vinci’s analysis of the aerodynamics of bird flight led him to sketch numerous designs for flying machines back in the 15th century; and in 1811, the lesser-known Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger failed in
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Cover Story
a closer look Five minutes with Ellen Brennan Known as the world’s fastest flying woman, Ellen Brennan loves to explore her mental and physical boundaries and discover her potential. Born in New York, this adventurous, fun-loving blonde bombshell has flown all over the world. Alliance spends five minutes with Ellen and learns what drives her to partake in such a dangerous sport. What does it feel like to fly? Wingsuiting is the most liberating, empowering thing I’ve ever done. When I’m flying, nothing else in the world matters. It helps me remember what’s truly important in life. What goes through your mind the instant before you jump? The moment I arrive at the summit, typically I’m a bit nervous. But once my toes are over the edge and I’m about to push off, my mind is completely calm. Nothing else in the world matters except for the cliff, the flight I'm about to make and me. Is flying addictive? Yes and no. When I first started flying I couldn’t get enough. Now, maybe I’m wiser and older, I can go longer without jumping. But I do have to say that the chemical dump I get after an amazing jump is out of this world and that can be quite addictive. How does your family feel about your flying? My dad is proud and has always supported my decision to fly. He recognises how calculated I am; I still hope that I don’t scare him too often. And mum is a mum, she isn’t at all a fan of my decision to wingsuit. You inspire a lot of people, who inspires you? My little sister. She is one of the strongest, sweetest and most selfless people I’ve ever met. She knows who she is, and follows her passion.
FEB/MAR 2018
I M A G E C R E D I T: F R Ø D I S O R M Å S E N
his attempt to fly over the Danube, despite his ‘flying machine’ being deemed workable in later years. Over the centuries we have invented hot air balloons, aeroplanes, helicopters and rockets, yet the more technology evolves, the further removed we have become from the pure sensation of flying through the air. Wingsuit flying is the nearest humans have come to unadorned flight. Asked to describe the sensation of flying through the air, Jeb says, “The feeling is extremely hard to explain. It’s kind of like trying to explain the feeling of love to someone; without experiencing it themselves, they will never be able to truly understand it. The only thing I can draw a comparison to is a dream of flying. If you’ve ever had a dream where you stand up, push off the ground and start to float through the air, without actually flying, that is the closest you’ve probably come to feeling what it’s like.” With that surreal sense of freedom spurring them on, it’s easier to understand why wingsuit flying is an aspiration for so many people. Although we perceive it as a modern sport, attempts at wingsuit flying actually date back more than 100 years to 1912, when a 33-year-old tailor, Franz Reichelt, tested his invention of a parachute cum wing by jumping from the Eiffel Tower. While this attempt proved fatal, it marked the beginning of winged endeavours to come. Between 1930 and 1961, wingsuit flying became more experimental, with jumpers trialling wing constructions made of material such as canvas, wood, and steel. Of the original 75 ‘birdmen’ behind these wingsuits, 72 died. Perhaps the most famous of them was American adventurer Clements ‘Clem’ Sohn, who would jump out of planes in his homemade wingsuit at about 6,000 metres, before pulling a parachute 300 metres above the ground. A crowd of more than 100,000 saw Clem take his final flight at the Paris Air Show in 1937 where, sadly, his parachute failed to open. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the modern wingsuit really started to take form. Patrick de Gayardon, a French skydiver, revolutionised the wingsuit when he developed the threewing design: one wing under each arm, and one between the legs. However, in 1998 he too fell to his death while testing a modification to his parachute. A fellow member of his skydiving team, Loïc Jean-Albert — who only retired from the sport in 2007 after breaking his back in two places — is credited with making de Gayardon’s design publicly available. With features such as pressurised cells in the arm and leg wings and large tail wings to increase forward propulsion, today’s wingsuits have come a long way from the canvas, wood and steel suits of yesteryear. While modern wingsuits are safer than the contraptions that preceded them, the reality is that BASE jumping and wingsuit flying are up there as the most dangerous sports in the world. So why have we pursued this form of flight for more than a century? “For some people, it is like drinking water. It’s what they need to survive in a world of chaos,” says Jeb. “It’s what gives them a reason to exist in the first place.”
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PORT Macquarie Whether you’re looking for a romantic escape or an action-packed break with your mates, the booming coastal town of Port Macquarie has lots to offer. words by Daniel Scott
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Road Trip
FAST FACTS Port Macquarie was established as a penal settlement in 1821, and its indigenous history, through the Birpai people, goes back thousands of years. It’s also well known for koalas, often found in local gardens.
I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F G R E AT E R P O R T M A C Q U A R I E T O U R I S M
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Road Trip
Lined by some of the best beaches on the New South Wales coast and blessed with what the CSIRO has declared Australia’s best climate, with mild summers and warm winters, Port Macquarie is an excellent spot to unwind after weeks of hard work. W I T H YOUR BEL O V ED Staying at the Mantra Observatory Hotel, close to Town Beach, you’ll wake to ocean views and a choice of cafes in which to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Downstairs, at street level, Milkbar Town Beach is a bustling little cafe that serves single-origin coffee, woodfired sourdough bread and locally sourced free-range eggs and Ricardoes tomatoes. If you fancy a morning stroll, follow part
of the lovely nine-kilometre Port Macquarie coastal walk over to Purnos on the Beach cafe, at Flynns Beach. You can continue the day in active fashion with an exhilarating horse ride at the edge of the surf on North Shore Beach or an amble through coastal rainforest along the 1.3-kilometre elevated boardwalk at Sea Acres, followed by coffee and cake at the Rainforest Café. Alternatively, you can take your partner up, up and away on a scenic seaplane flight over the coastline, possibly combined with splashing down for lunch at a romantic waterfront restaurant. But as The Stunned Mullet, the region’s only hatted restaurant, is literally on the doorstep at Town Beach, you don’t have to go that far for a long, indulgent lunch. Presided over by Canadian owner Lou Perri, the restaurant has one of regional NSW’s most impressive wine lists, drawn from around the world. Port’s locally produced wine isn’t bad either, with vineyards such as Cassegrain and Bago worth the short drive inland. Bago Vineyards, surrounded by eucalypt forest and farmland, is particularly scenic, and features a 10,000-square-metre hedge maze in which you can try not to lose your lover. Bago has jazz in the vineyards on the
It’s a great place to chill and Port has more than enough history, natural attractions such as Sea Acres National Park, activities and top regional food, wine and craft beer to fill a short break.
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Road Trip
second Sunday of the month and its Cellar Door stocks a terrific selection of local produce. Back in town, you can warm up for a show at the excellent Glasshouse theatre, which hosts everything from touring ballet performances to concerts. Stop for a light bite at the new Botanic Wine Garden, or head to the Hastings riverside for sunset tapas at another recently opened restaurant-bar, the Latin Loafer. Port Macquarie’s varied list of eateries includes some lovely romantic dining venues. Try Fusion 7, where chef Lindsey Schwab plays with local seafood, free-range pork and Comboyne cheeses; the atmospheric Drury Lane Eatery; or The Corner Restaurant, where the seafood chowder will help you end the day on a high.
W I T H YOUR M AT E S Above The Corner, which is a good breakfast venue too, is the Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel, whose wellequipped apartments and outdoor heated pool (including a ‘dive-in’ cinema) and rooftop spa make it an excellent location to catch up with your pals. From here, most of Port’s happening bars are within walking distance. These include Social Grounds that, with its graffiti wall and lively vibe, could have been transplanted straight from a Melbourne laneway, and The Duck on Clarence, which serves locally brewed craft beers, gin and vodka. After a morning surf or swim off Town Beach, the Salty Crew Kiosk is perfect for a laid-back brekkie — the sea breeze and an array of smoothies will aid recovery from the night before. You should then be ready to dare and out-dare your mates on an adrenaline-soaked activity. From jet-boat rides along the Hastings River to tandem paragliding off coastal cliffs and skydiving, the Port region is surprisingly well-armed to quench a thirst for adventure. If that sounds too strenuous, then hiring a BBQ boat from Dunbogan Boatshed to cruise and fish Camden Haven River might be the go. On Sunday mornings, a camel-riding safari — inherently hilarious thanks to the cartoon-like nature of the vehicles — is also possible, on Port’s Lighthouse Beach. Back in town you can join The Burger Rebellion for lunch, working your way through a wide selection of burgers in buns or bowls and rounding it off with an ice-cream sandwich. An afternoon brewery tour now beckons, taking in The Duck on Clarence and/or the new Moorebeer Brewing Company, which has a taproom, cellar-door menu and live music on Fridays. On Sundays, the Latin Loafer also has live music from 3pm. For dinner, The Stunned Mullet is irresistible for those with a gourmet palate and a penchant for fine wine, and Bill’s Fishhouse + Bar, on central Clarence Street, is a fun venue serving potent cocktails and locally sourced seafood dishes designed to share.
a closer look Accommodation
The Observatory, mantratheobservatory.com.au Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel, mwaters.com.au
Places to eat and drink For breakfast
Milkbar Town Beach, mantratheobservatory.com.au Purnos on Flynns Beach Salty Crew Café, saltycrewkiosk.com.au/
For lunch/dinner
The Stunned Mullet, thestunnedmullet.com.au Fusion 7, fusion7.com.au The Corner Restaurant, cornerrestaurant.com.au The Burger Rebellion, theburgerrebellion.com.au Bill’s Fishhouse + Bar, billsfishhouse.com.au
Drinks/tapas
Bago Vineyards, bago.com.au Latin Loafer, latinloafer.com.au Botanic Wine Garden, botanicwinegarden.com.au Social Grounds, socialgrounds.com.au The Duck on Clarence, theduckonclarence.com.au Moorebeer Brewing Company, facebook.com/ moorebeerbrewing/
Activities
Sea Acres National Park, nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Horse-riding on the beach, beachhorseride.com.au Seaplane flights, portmacquarieseaplanes.com.au Glasshouse theatre, glasshouse.org.au Jet boating, portjet.com.au Skydiving, coastalskydivers.com Paragliding, highadventure.com.au BBQ boat hire, dunboganboatshed.com Camel safaris, portmacquariecamels.com.au
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Food and Wine
Hawke's Bay Travel staTS • L ocation New Zealand's North Island • M āori name Te Matau-a-Māui • S ize 14,111 Km 2 • P opulation 164,000 • C limate warm and dry • H ighest Point Mount Mangaweka
PERFECTLY
BALANCED Merging food, wine, e-bikes and mating gannets sounds like a perfectly balanced holiday in New Zealand. What could possibly go wrong? words by Michelle Hespe
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Food and Wine
If you’ve never witnessed the bizarre antics involved in a gannet’s mating rituals, then you’re missing out. These majestic pale grey, lemon, blue and white seabirds are closely related to boobies. No, not that kind – we’re talking about the cute ones from the Galapagos Islands that waddle about on blue flippers too big for their bodies. But back to gannets. My partner and I went on a Gannet Safaris Overland adventure in Cape Kidnappers on New Zealand’s North Island, which is home to the world's largest,
most accessible Gannet nesting place. The site is a noisy, smelly, non-stop hub of entertainment, especially during mating season. The males fly off to gather chunks of seaweed for their nesting partners, returning like squadrons of jet fighter pilots, to then hover above thousands of squawking, squabbling fellow gannets, looking for their mate. When they spot her, they slap her around the head with the seaweed before landing on her and having a go at mating. If she’s not into it, the ever-enthusiastic male flies off, gathers more seaweed, returns, slaps her around the head again, and has another try until things work in his favour. After witnessing much gannet gratulation, our safari bus cruises around the astonishingly scenic Cape Kidnappers, razor-sharp lime-green cliffs and ridiculously steep mountains plunging every which way around us. Up here, on highland country reminiscent of Scotland, you can play golf on one of the world’s most beautiful, highly elevated courses, and stay overnight in exceptionally luxurious lodges. But we have some cycling to do instead. Next, we head to the art deco city of Napier and check into the stunning Art Deco Masonic Hotel, where we splash out on the Royal Suite — named so as Queen Elizabeth stayed here
our safari bus cruises around the astonishingly scenic Cape Kidnappers, razor-sharp lime-green cliffs and ridiculously steep mountains plunging every which way around us.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CHURCH ROAD
Winemaker Chris Scott, from Church Rd Winery Hawke's Bay, was awarded New Zealand winemaker of the year 2016 by Winestate Magazine for the second time in four years.
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The Top Pub
At The Creek Visitor Information Centre
Cr Goldring & Julia Streets 07 4746 7727 Cold beer, great food & great fun!
34 Burke Street 07 4746 7690 www.atthecreek.com.au
Julia Creek Swimming Pool
32 Julia Street 07 4746 7107 www.mckinlay.qld.gov.au
Julia Creek Motel 98 Burke Street 07 4746 7305 www.juliacreekmotel.com
IMAGE COURTESY OF NAPIER CITY BIKE TOURS
Food and Wine
This raised land now plays host to over 200 kilometres of bicycle trails, meaning you can cycle in and out of picturesque villages, parks and bird-filled wetlands.
IMAGE COURTESY OF TOURISM NEW ZEALAND
with dashing Prince Phillip during her 1953 Coronation tour of New Zealand. A deadly earthquake completely decimated the region in 1931, fires razing most of the buildings to the ground. The hotel is one of the many art deco landmarks in the city that rose up in 1932 like phoenixes from the ashes — signs of strength in the face of adversity. The earthquake killed 256 people and is still considered New Zealand’s deadliest natural disaster. However, due to the steadfast belief and tireless work of determined locals who banded together to create sturdy buildings in the style of the era, the city is now one of the most preserved art deco cities in the world. And miraculously, around it, 40 square kilometres of seabed was raised up from under water — along the coast an inland where once lagoons dominated the landscape. This raised land now plays host to over 200 kilometres of bicycle trails, meaning you can cycle in and out of picturesque villages, parks and bird-filled wetlands, and more importantly to some, dip in and out of wineries, country restaurants, bars, and food markets bursting with endless deliciousness. Here’s a tip. Combining food, wine and fitness is a fine idea (and obviously the definition of balance) but opting for e-bikes from Napier City Bike Hire and Tours will not only let you cruise along without too much manpower when you need a break to digest both your surroundings and your unavoidable indulgences, but also ensure that you can walk around the next day not looking like a cowboy.
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a closer look Where to go:
Gannet Safaris Overland Limited gannetsafaris.co.nz Art Deco Masonic Hotel masonic.co.nz Napier City Bike Hire & Tours Tel: 0800 245 344 bikehirenapier.co.nz Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Markets hawkesbayfarmersmarket.co.nz
IMAGE COURTESY OF ELEPHANT HILL
We started our culinary adventure with an exploration of Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Markets, which is a smorgasbord of eccentric, passionate producers, many of them happy to share tried and tested recipes over tastings, growing tips and favourite off-the grid places to experience the region’s famous produce. With our backpacks full of goodies — local beef jerky, handmade chocolates, plump green olives and oven-baked chilli crackers — we cycled on, the bikes making us fly along with excitable ease. Along the way, eagles hovered above fields waiting for careless mice, while many a portly cow standing astride our trail, nonchalantly munching as we did our best to shoo them on their way, demanded that we slow down and smell the apple blossoms. Church Road Hawke’s Bay was our first choice for lunch on the fly. A Tuscan-like mansion surrounded by gigantic stainless-steel wine fermenting tanks glistening in the sun, mountains around peppered with art deco homes, and sprawling balconies ideal for soaking up the setting, it sums up so much of what makes this region a peddler’s paradise. Church Road Winery is renowned for being the first in New Zealand to craft exceptional quality Bordeaux-style red wines, so inside a cavernous room with church-high wooden beamed ceilings, we enjoy an informative tasting of the winery’s award-winning drops, before being seated outdoors to indulge in both the spectacular vista and an enormous platter of hors d’oeuvres. The colourful collection of artfully arranged dips, olives, chips, cheeses, meats and mini dishes of chicken, seafood and vegetables has us scooping up treats like kids in a candy shop. That night, we lie our heads and tired limbs to rest at Porters Boutique Hotel in Havelock North, but not before fitting in a delicious three-course meal at Malo,a marvellous onehatted restaurant named ‘Best New Regional Restaurant’ in 2017 by Cuisine Good Food Awards. After all, when you’re exercising all day, you need more calories to burn, right? On our final day we opt for a bike ride along the beautifully windswept Te Awanga Coast to the enormous, aquacoloured industrial shed of a building is the hub of Elephant Hill vineyard, winery and restaurant. This remarkable, unashamedly bold and modern building has an infinity pond reflecting the sky and spanning out to meet jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant is headed up by Executive Chef Ashley Jones, who is one of a handful of incredibly talented local chefs firmly placing this region on the map for globe-trotting food- and wine-lovers. Back on our e-bikes, backpacks each carrying a precious bottle of Elephant Hill wine that we’ve been told to cellar for 10 years, we begin to burn off the five-course culinary experience lovingly produced by Ash and his team. Cycling along the coast, we’re feeling utterly balanced, but by the looks that the cows give us as we whizz by, our hearty hellos lost upon ocean winds, we’re probably not. Oh well.
Church Road Wines church-road.co.nz Porters Boutique Hotel portershotel.co.nz Elephant Hill elephanthill.co.nz
The scenic view over the vineyard at Elephant Hill Winery and Restaurant.
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ROCK COTTAGE WINMARK WINES (formerly Pooles Rock) is a stunning property situated on 116 acres, with 28 acres covered by vineyards. Nestled into the property's bushland is Rock Cottage — a perfect getaway for exploring the Broke Fordwich region. The residence has three bedrooms, a stylish, cosy living area with a fireplace, and an adjoining kitchen and dining room. Rock Cottage offers privacy and spectacular views capturing the vineyard and mountain range, making it an ideal retreat. Rock Cottage | Winmark Wines 229 Wollombi Road, Broke NSW 2330 E: info@winmarkwines.com.au Ph: 0429 265 268
prosecco the Italian stallion
It’s cool, light and relatively inexpensive — no wonder demand for the Italian-style fizz is outstripping supply. words by patrick haddock
On a recent trip to the UK, I noticed an Italian invasion had begun in earnest. Now the P word dominates the sparkling scene and it’s not just in Europe, but here too. It’s the biggest tidal wave of a drinks category since the Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc boom of the mid-1990s, when Marlborough Savvy B became the most imbibed white in certain parts of the globe. Prosecco is the leading wine style of the bubbly brigade. The Brits thirstily consumed more than 40 million litres in 2016 alone — in fact supermarket retailers believe they will sell out, as Prosecco is geographically limited. In Australia it’s much the same story, as suppliers struggle to meet high demand. Dal Zotto in Victoria’s King Valley has become the most famous producer of Prosecco in Australia and the family winemakers put the popularity down to price (it’s relatively inexpensive compared to Champagne, for instance). What’s more, it also turns out to be lower in alcohol and kilojoules, which is an added bonus if you are conscious about such things. As Michael Dal Zotto says, “Prosecco has a great crosssection of appeal to all wine consumers — it has something for everyone. Prosecco’s crisp, fresh characteristics make it a wine for any time of the day. As a wine it lends itself to being a bit more fun than most and, given the price point of most Proseccos, it is an affordable luxury.” For the Dal Zottos, this surging demand is the culmination of perfect timing, as they were the first to plant the grape in Australia, knowing what a popular drink it was in their homeland of Italy. The gamble paid off with Prosecco production up; now they are in the position of running out of stock each vintage. Usher Tinkler Wines in the Hunter Valley was the first to grow Prosecco in the region and winemaker Usher Tinkler believes his timing was spot on. Dry in style, his Prosecco sells more than a pallet a month at the cellar doors. “Just yesterday a guy walked in and bought 16 cases for gifts. It’s a hugely popular wine,“ he says.
From the Grapevine
a closer look Freeman Vineyards Prosecco 2017
$23
Brian Freeman and family have made it their focus to make the best Italian varieties from their Hilltops winery in New South Wales. In his homage to Prosecco you’ll find a soft effervescent palate is offset by fresh and crisp apple flavours, complemented by a creamy and textural mouth feel with subtle acidity.
Usher Tinkler’s La Volpe Prosecco 2017 $30
Usher Tinkler is the only Hunter Valley winemaker making Prosecco from the Glera grape variety and there’s a genuine thirst for his product. At his cellar door Prosecco is on everyone’s lips as they enjoy his dry style with a slight spritz. The palate abounds with pear and apple and is refreshingly low in alcohol.
Dal Zotto Pucino Prosecco NV
$20
Patriarch Otto Dal Zotto was born in Valdobbiadene in Italy’s Veneto region, the home of Prosecco, so it seems fitting that he was the first to plant the grape variety in Australia. The cool climate of the King Valley produce some of the finest Prosecco. Refreshing and lively with just a hint of sweetness and a poised acid finish make it one of Australia’s best.
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Fast Torque
FAST FACTS Unlike modern cars, the RS 3 LMS has no anti-lock braking (ABS), traction control or active differential. You’re on your own, son. Apart from a slight tune and some extra cooling, the 2.0TFSI is virtually the same engine you’ll find in the Audi S3 and Golf R.
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Fast Torque
Helmet? Check. HANS device? Check. Race suit? Check. Looks like we’re good to go.
Fast cars are fun to drive on the road, but what’s it like to take a dedicated race car on a twisty track? Audi handed over some keys so we could answer that question.
e ru s h words by Karl Peskett
Stepping over the steel tubes, and plonking into the deep Recaros, the instructor searches all around for a cable. “You need your earphones!” he shouts. Damn. It’s then when you realise that extricating yourself from a race car isn’t as easy as it looks on TV. Embarrassed, and finally with the earphones in, it’s time to hop in again. When this car starts up, it’s loud, and there’s no way anyone can speak without artificial hearing enhancement. We’ve found ourselves at Tasmania’s Baskerville Raceway, just north of Hobart. It’s a tight, twisty track, with plenty of elevation and camber changes; the sort of track that easily sorts out whether a car handles or not. But when the car in question is the Audi RS 3 LMS, it quickly becomes a question of whether it can be handled or not. The RS 3 LMS is what you’ll find lining up at the British Tour Car championship races, and we’ve been invited to test it on the newly upgraded Baskerville track. The car has been created by stealing an A3 Sedan from the production line and ripping out anything that weighs too much. So, it’s into the bin with things like air-conditioning, sat nav, and even carpet. Instead, there are plastic door cards, a dashboard that’s been cut down and a pair of lightweight race buckets with fourpoint harnesses. A roll cage is fitted (which we’re grateful for, really) and there’s plenty of aluminium bracing everywhere.
W H AT L IE S BENE AT H Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine making 257kW and 410Nm, so it’s down on power compared with its road-going sibling, the Audi RS 3 Sedan, but it’s also a lot lighter (1180kg versus 1515kg). Plus, it’s front-wheel-drive only to comply with touring car regulations. But forget any notion of understeer, the front end grip makes barnacles look weak. Luke Youlden, who has recently come off his 2017 Mount Panorama win, is our instructor for the day. The lap record FEB/MAR 2018
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Albury, NSW
Dubbo, NSW
Tamworth, NSW
Wagga Wagga, NSW
Fast Torque
around Baskerville for any car is 53 seconds, and in the LMS he sets a 54-second lap. Not that we’ll be trying to get anywhere near that, or at least that’s what we tell Audi. As this is a European machine, the steering wheel is on the left, and because you sit so low, you need a minute or two to get to grips with both the controls and the visibility. There’s a straight-cut dog box using paddle shifters mounted to the back of a removable steering wheel, festooned with buttons, but most of those will be ignored during our three-lap run. Chief driving trainer, Steve Pizzati reminds us that there’s 65kg of pressure required for braking, so we need to make sure our inputs are firm, but progressive. Ahead of you (behind the removable steering wheel, once it’s clipped into place) is a wide screen that tells you the gear you’re in as well as fluid temperatures and a tachometer that displays as a segmented band across the screen. Technicians strap us in, pulling hard down on the harness so there’s no room to move. The comms earpieces are plugged in and Luke starts with his first instructions. “Now, remember what Steve [Pizzati] said – clutch in, press the start button and then ease off the clutch. No need to touch the throttle until we’re away.”
A ND T HE Y ’R E OF F The clutch pedal, which surprisingly feels like any other road car, is pressed and a red button on the bottom right is pushed. The engine takes a couple of seconds to tick over and then bursts into life, settling down into a rumbly idle. It’s a lot smoother than initial impressions suggest, and we let out the clutch slightly. You can feel it take up, but you need to fight the instinct to add some throttle. Once rolling, there’s no need to touch the clutch again until we come back to a stop – gear changes are sequential, and are done using paddles. We roll (or rather, lurch) out of pit lane, the incredibly firm suspension making sure every surface imperfection is felt. You can tell, before even getting onto the track, that this machine is definitely fit for purpose. The first corner leads to an uphill right-hander, which quickly snakes in on itself and drops down, swinging hard left and then back up the hill behind. It’s a tricky set of corners and with the seat set low, it’s difficult to place the car on the track correctly. The steering initially feels too light and just a little bit of lock, you quickly learn, produces a lot of turn in. Thankfully, Luke went out first and warmed up the slick tyres, otherwise, with no heat in the rears, the RS 3 LMS has a tendency to snap oversteer, especially without judicious steering inputs. Even on warmed tyres, it still flicks the rear out a fraction on one of the tight right-handers, (the heart skips a beat expecting a spin) but a quick correction sees it straighten up and we can get back on the throttle up the hill. It may get from 0-100kmh in “only” 4.5 seconds, but once rolling it’s an extraordinarily rapid machine. On the main straight, it felt far more urgent at the top end than its RS 3 road car counterpart.
Every gear change is met with a hard thunk, the ratios changing brutally, and as the speed piles on heading down the main straight, you start to wonder if it will pull up in time for the corner rapidly approaching. Hard on the brakes (and we do mean hard) and then back off the pedal to turn in so it doesn’t spin into the Armco. Phew, lap one down. After the next couple of laps, it all comes together. You feed in the power earlier, learning to trust that although it’s front-wheel-drive, it never understeers. Throw it into each corner when the tyres are hot and the car feels sharp and alive. Downshifts jolt, but it’s more comfortable than it looks, and more capable than most racers give it credit for. In a few minutes our session has ended, but the adrenaline hasn’t. The ringing in our ears will subside but the sensory overload may be harder to process. Audi has brought the RS 3 LMS to Australia to investigate the possibility of running it in support races for some of the bigger categories. Given its ability, this is a machine for those looking for a stepping stone into more serious racing. It’s not cheap though. At EUR139,000 it’s definitely for those dedicated to spending a lot of time at the track. But for those who do hone their driving skills with such a machine, they’ll come out the other side a wiser, more capable racer. And with over 90 purchased worldwide already, Audi’s RS 3 LMS is starting to gain some serious, ahem, traction.
a closer look Price
EUR139,000
Engine
1984 cc DOHC turbo petrol engine, transversely mounted
Power
243 kW (257kW TCR spec) at 6200 rpm
Torque
410 Nm at 2500 rpm
Transmission
Sequential 6-speed racing transmission, Front-wheel drive Front suspension Struts with coil springs and adjustable dampers, infinitely variable ride height, toe and camber, three-way adjustment of antiroll bar
Rear suspension
Four-link rear suspension, coil over dampers, three-way adjustment of antiroll bar
Brakes
Steel brake discs front (378 mm x 34 mm) and rear (272 x 12 mm)
Aluminium wheels
10 x 18 inches front and rear
Tyres
270/65 x 18
Fuel tank capacity 100 litres
0-100km/h
4.5 seconds
Top speed
265km/h
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WATERTIGHT SEAL
Non-wicking roll-top closure for waterproof security and convenient adjustable shoulder strap
DRY STORAGE BAGS LIGHT, STRONG AND WATERPROOF From our featherlight Ultra-Sil® Nano Dry Sacks to our super burly Hydraulic™ Dry Bags, our dry storage solutions keep your gear dry, organised and sand-free on land and sea based adventures. seatosummit.com
LIGHT AND DURABLE
Technical treatments and PVC-free fabrics purpose built for most outdoor activities
STRONG AND RELIABLE
Reinforced stitching at all stress points for greater seam strength
Camping Special Events
top 10 Places to Camp Down Under Wake up in the wilderness at these camping hot spots.
COTTER CAMPGROUND, ACT
Set on the majestic banks of the Cotter River, Cotter Campground is the most highly serviced bush campground in the ACT, making it the ideal place to introduce kids to the wonders of the great outdoors. Take them swimming, hiking, canoeing and fishing, and at the end of every fun-filled day, relax with a hot chocolate under the stars.
Most Family Friendly
Best Stargazing
Best Dog-Friendly Site
Warrumbungle National Park is the Southern Hemisphere’s only dark sky-park, meaning that it’s guaranteed to be free from light pollution. This makes it an unparalleled destination to get your celestial fix, whether you’re an amateur or expert stargazer. There are several Warrumbungle campsites from which you can choose to spend a night or two, including Balor Hut along the Grand High Tops, Camp Blackman, which has various amenities, and the more secluded Burbie Camp.
Not only a go-to destination for surfers, Johanna Beach is one of the few campsites that permits pooches (so long as they’re on leads), so you don’t have to endure those puppy-dog eyes as you leave your best friend behind. This site is nestled behind the sand dunes, and from which towering sandstone cliffs create a view to remember.
WARRUMBUNGLE NATIONAL PARK, NSW
JOHANNA BEACH, VIC
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WORK
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WE’VE GOT YOUR BAK FOR ANY SITUATION
For corporate or custom order enquiries please email info@camelbak.com.au
Life’s better at The Reef Make your home in a warm and friendly coastal setting. Explore secret swimming, surfing and fishing spots on your doorstep. Walk the coast, use the marina, enjoy being part of an engaged local township. With new schools, shops and services, community and sporting clubs and facilities, you’ll have everything you need in easy reach, and you will really know what living at The Reef is all about.
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A beautiful coastal lifestyle homesites from
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Camping Special Events
Best Beachside Hotspot
CRAYFISH BEACH, HOOK ISLAND, WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK, QLD Sheltered by a rocky headland to the east, and mountains to the north and west, you’d be hardpressed to find a more naturally stunning and secluded campsite anywhere in Australia. You can spend your time snorkelling among the coral reef, exploring the bush, or paddling in the crystal-clear water. And with a maximum capacity of 12 people, this little slice of the wilderness will be all but yours.
Lowest Campsite LAKE EYRE NATIONAL PARK, SA
The vast Aussie outback is humbling at Lake Eyre. Make sure you plan your trip for the cooler months so that the heat doesn’t prevent you from exploring the 77-kilometre wide salt-crusted lake. Camping options include Muloorina Station Bore, Halligan Bay, and Coward Springs.
Best 4x4 Campsite MT WILLIAM NATIONAL PARK, BAY OF FIRES, TAS
This remote national park on the coast of north-east Tassie’s Bay of Fires is well worth the drive. There are several campsites at Stumpy Bay (labelled 1-4), and the pick of the bunch is number 1 for its proximity to the stunning beach with its red-lichen covered rocks.
Highest Campsite
MAIN RANGE, KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK, NSW The Main Range Walk represents Australian hiking at its best: snow-covered peaks, rare alpine flora and fauna, and panoramic mountain views. With the walk weaving its way past Australia’s highest peak — Mt Kosciuszko — it’s a no brainer where you should set up camp. From your spot on top of the country, it might be hard not to feel on top of the world.
Best Canoeing Campsite
ORD RIVER, KUNUNURRA, WA Renowned for its tree-lined shores, red sandstone escarpment, bird life, and of course crocodiles, canoeing the Ord River is an adventurer's dream. Check out Stonewall Camp which, though rudimentary, tends to attract likeminded, thrillseeking travellers.
Best Glamping BAMURRU PLAINS, NT
For next-level luxury while immersed in the wild, you can’t go past Bamurru Plains. An eco-bush lodge where you sleep in safari bungalows that are built on stilts overlooking the floodplains, you will get to see and hear countless birds and animals right from the comfort of your bed.
Working Cattle Station Experience CHARLEVILLE, OUTBACK QLD
It’s only 8 kilometres from the centre of Charleville, but The Evening Star Tourist Park is a world of its own, and it's on a 33,000-acre working cattle station. Set up camp and then amble on down to the communal campfire to enjoy a BBQ cooked under the stars.
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Camping Special Events
Going bush Sea to Summit Pro Hammock Life can’t get much better than when you’re cocooned in a hammock, swaying gently back and forth in the idyllic outdoors. Sea to Summit’s Pro Hammock is made of lightweight fabric, making it a gram-saving alternative to a tent, or simply a relaxing addition to your campsite. Available in single and double, you can chill out in close comfort. RRP single: $119.95 RRP double: $129.95
It’s the perfect time of year to pack your rucksack and get back to nature.
Jetboil Sumo When catering for groups, you can’t go past Jetboil’s Sumo. The cooking cup can hold up to 1.8 litres of water, which boils within minutes for instant coffee, hot chocolate or a gourmet freeze-dried meal. RRP $279.95 jetboil.com/
Sea to Summit Suspension Straps Required to fully utilise the Quick Connect buckle fitted to the Pro Hammock, these are some of the lightest straps on the market. RRP $29.95
Kakkoii WOW Splash Lightweight, waterproof and wireless, the WOW Splash is ideal for supplying the soundtrack to all of your outdoor adventures. RRP $99.90 top3.com.au
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Camping Special
DOMETIC WAECO CFX 50W The cooling speed of the improved CFX 50W portable fridge can be optimised to cool your food and drinks even faster. RRP $1,449 dometicrvcentre.com.au
DOMETIC PORTABLE SOLAR PS120A This portable solar panel reliably charges batteries and powers anything else with a 12 volt system. RRP $499 dometicrvcentre.com.au
CamelBak 3L Crux Reservoir The newest addition to CamelBak’s renowned reservoir range, the innovative Crux reservoir is the latest in hydration technology, and delivers 20 per cent more water per sip. RRP $74.95 camelbak.com.au/
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow Get a great night’s sleep with minimal weight and bulk. RRP from $49.95
Black Diamond Iota Headlamp Black Diamond’s smallest USB-rechargeable headlamp, the Iota lights the way no matter what the weather has in store. RRP $79.95
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Camping Special Events
Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles Providing you with support as you traverse the backcountry, these poles are comfortable, durable, ultralight and affordable. The ideal all-around pole. RRP $169.95
Basil Bangs Love Rug Spruce up your campsite with the vibrant Basil Bangs Love Rug. RRP $155 top3.com.au
Menu Carrie LED Lamp Carrie is the perfect accessory for a picnic in the wilderness or a moonlit beach stroll. RRP $350 top3.com.au
Explore Australia by Camper Trailer by Lee Atkinson Featuring reviews of more than 320 camper trailer sites — from Queensland’s Cape York to southern Tasmania — this book has all the information you need to plan your perfect road trip. RRP $39.99 hardiegrant.com/au/travel
Granger’s Tent + Gear Repel Spray
If you’ve ever slept in a leaky tent, you’ll understand why this high-performance water repellency is essential.
RRP $34.95
DOMETIC COOLPOWER RAPS44 BATTERY PACK Designed for portability with an ergonomic handle, the CoolPower RAPS44 portable, heavy duty 12–volt battery is easy to take camping and set up alongside the Dometic portable fridge/ freezer anytime and anywhere. RRP $379 dometicrvcentre.com.au
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AusBiz. NEWS+VIEWS
AgRiBusiness
mining
infrastructure
Man & Machine
P.4 News P.7 Agribusiness: The biofuture is sugary sweet P.12 Mining: Pipeline through the Outback P.16 Man & Machine: drones P.20 Infrastructure: Sydney 2.0 P.25 Special feature: Spray Grass P.28 Education Special Feature
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Experts in the Environment Spray Grass Australia uses innovative techniques grounded in science to deliver effective, environmentally friendly revegetation, erosion control and dust suppression solutions for Australia’s mining, oil & gas, civil and infrastructure projects. We have sourced the most experienced agronomists, horticulturists & soil scientists in our industry with world class innovative products to ensure outstanding results balanced in experience, science and nature. We recognise that every project is unique, which is why we utilise a tailored approach to ensure each project is customised for the best chance of success, making it easier to make important decisions that are vital to the success of the project. As a company that values diversity, quality, safety and sound solutions, we are fast becoming the go-to environmental company for large scaled remediation projects across the country. Whether you need erosion control, dust control, soil stabilisation, or hydroseeding and hydromulching solutions, we can provide comprehensive advice and solutions to support and achieve your goals.
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Dust Suppression Hydroseeding Hydromulching Drone Surveying and Monitoring Mine Site Rehabilitation
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Business News+Views
Business News+Views We bring you insights and analyses from the business and finance sectors. Underwhelming Amazon Australia
The hype surrounding the launch of Amazon Australia last December was larger than the launch itself. One of the world’s biggest e-retailers, with a market capitalisation of $US560 billion, Amazon’s launch was expected to shake up the country’s retail sector. However, Amazon Australia’s online offering is much smaller than that of its American counterpart, making it seem understocked, and its subscription service, Amazon Prime, won’t be available until later this year. These factors, combined with the lack of customer feedback on products featured on the Australian site, have meant that the company’s launch Down Under has fallen a little flat. Interestingly, in the week that Amazon launched in Australia, eBay’s stock jumped 4.4 per cent. Analysts believe Amazon needs more time to consolidate in the Australian marketplace.
Why we need to increase wages growth
Between September 2016 and 2017, wage growth in Australia varied from 1.2 per cent for the mining industry, to 2.7 per cent for health care and social assistance, and arts and recreation services. According to ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman, “Annual wages growth increased marginally to 2.0 per cent in the September quarter 2017.” With household debt on the rise in Australia and forecasted interest rates rises across the developed world, this marginal wage growth is bad for employers and, if people can’t pay back debts, the economy in general. Low to middle income earners — especially those with access to credit — need more cash flow if they're to repay debts.
10 hardest roles to fill in Australia:
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1. Environmental health officer 2. Veterinarian 3. Banker 4. Radiologist
5. General practitioner 6. Home care nurse 7. Exercise physiologist
8. Physiotherapist 9. Dentist 10. Practice manager *Source: businessinsider.com.au
Business News+Views
Improving stock selection with new AI
Two researchers, John Alberg, co-founder of hedge fund firm Euclidean Technologies, and Zachary Lipton, a researcher at Amazon.com Inc.’s AI (artificial intelligence) lab, have discovered a new way to use AI to pick stocks. The research the duo has conducted involves neural networks, a type of AI based on the human brain. Alberg and Lipton’s research reveals that a deep neural network is effective for selecting good investments when applied over the long term, and when it is given a backlog of corporate information, such as profit and revenue. This historical company information can be used to predict the future value of company fundamentals, which can then be used to predict price. The annualised returns from Alberg and Lipton’s method was 17.1 per cent, compared with 14.4 per cent for a standard factor model.
Agricultural commodities down 7 per cent
The gross value of Australia’s farm production is expected to dip seven per cent from $63.4 billion in 2016–17 to $59.1 billion in 2017–18. According to Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics and Sciences’ (ABARES) December 2017 agricultural commodities report, crop production is forecast to take a big hit, decreasing by 16 per cent to $29.4 billion in 2017–18. Another area that is expected to experience steep decline is export earnings for wheat, canola, barley, chickpeas and sugar. Yet, with export earnings expected to increase for commodities such as beef, wool, wine and dairy, the total farm export earnings are only forecast to drop by three per cent.
Fast Facts
CEOs earn 78 times more than Aussie workers
3.8%
= assumed world economic growth in 2018 FEB/MAR 2018
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custom menswear www.georgeandking.com.au
Photographer: Julian Lallo
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Agribusiness
The biofuture is sugary sweet FACED WITH HIGHER ENERGY BILLS AND POTENTIAL BLACKOUTS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE ANSWER TO AUSTRALIA’S ELECTRICITY SHORTFALL LIES IN AGRICULTURE? Following the closure of numerous coalfired power stations, Australia’s electricity market is struggling to meet demand. In a report written last September, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) stated that, “… absent to changes, we face an increasing and unacceptable risk that there will be insufficient capability in the system to meet NEM [National Electricity Market] reliability standards.” In fact, the report suggests that a strategic reserve of 1,000MW of dispatchable energy resources is required to maintain supply in South Australia and Victoria over the 2017–18 summer alone. This in the wake of the closure of some of the nation’s largest power stations — Hazelwood in Victoria; Northern in South Australia; and Callide A in Queensland, to a name a few — has led to people fearing higher power bills and blackouts in the coming months. Meanwhile, the commonwealth and state governments are looking for solutions and opportunities to fulfil their commitments to a lower emissions future. According to
Riley Palmer A writer and editor, Riley loves sinking her teeth into juicy news and sharing tales of the land.
leading Queensland sugarcane company MSF Sugar, the solution the governments are seeking could lie in the towering grass that grows throughout Queensland and parts of New South Wales: sugarcane. “Agricultural waste replacing coal as a baseload source of electricity on the ever-evolving energy landscape sounds far-fetched,” says MSF Sugar’s General Manager Business Development Hywel Cook, “but it could be closer than you think.” Ian O’Hara, from Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, helps make sense of the leap from sugarcane to electricity. “Bagasse is the fibre left over after extracting sugar from sugarcane,” he explains. “It is currently mostly burnt in large cogeneration boilers that produce steam for the sugarcane process, and electricity.” This electricity is sufficient to operate the sugar mill, making it a highly sustainable process. Better still, most factories generate surplus electricity that is then exported
Fast Facts
$11.7b The wholesale value of electricity traded in Australia
78% The percentage of electricity across the National Electricity Market currently generated by coal-fire.
"“Agricultural waste replacing coal as a baseload source of electricity on the ever-evolving energy landscape sounds far-fetched, but it could be closer than you think.” — Hywel Cook, General Manager Business Development, MSF Sugar FEB/MAR 2018
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Agribusiness
to the local electricity grid. “Australian sugar mills are large-scale renewable energy generators,” says Jim Crane, Senior Executive Officer for the Australian Sugar Milling Council. “The industry is the second largest source of bioenergy in Australia, generating more than 1,000GWh of electricity per year. That’s the equivalent of powering 173,300 households.”
CONSTRUCTION OF MSF SUGAR'S $75 M I L L I O N G R E E N P O W E R P L A N T AT TA B L E L A N D M I L L I S P R O G R E S S I N G W E L L .
“Australian sugar mills are large-scale renewable energy generators.” — Jim Crane, Senior Executive Officer,
A N A G AV E G R O W E R I N T E Q U I L A , M E X I C O E X A M I N E S H I S C R O P W H I C H I S R E A D Y T O H A R V E S T.
Australian Sugar Milling Council
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Having recognised the green power potential of sugarcane, MSF Sugar — Australia’s largest sugarcane farmer — has embarked on a journey to transition its business from a raw sugar company to an integrated sugarcane company that produces multiple bioproducts from the crop. The aim is to diversify the industry to mitigate fluctuations in the world sugar price, while also supporting the development of the biofutures industry in Queensland. To deliver this vision, the company is constructing a key component of infrastructure: its Green Energy Power Plant at the Atherton Tableland mill. The $75 million project, which began development in June 2017, will use bagasse to produce 24 megawatts of electricity — enough to power every house in the Atherton Tableland region. In producing this energy, the plant will use an electrostatic precipitator — a device that removes impurities from air and/or gas — to meet environmental emission standards before the electricity is transferred to the Ergon Energy distribution network. Further highlighting the commercial capacity of the bio-futures industry, MSF Sugar has plans to develop the Tableland Mill into a biofutures precinct, and is researching the feasibility of building a biorefinery at the site. The feasibility study has been supported by the Queensland government’s Biofutures
Acceleration Program (BAP) – which aims to assist the development of commercial technologies that transform sustainable waste into bioproducts. With the financial support of the BAP, MSF Sugar is investigating a supplementary crop to sugarcane — blue agave — a crop grown in Mexico to produce tequila that is relatively new to Australia. The agave is being trialled as a biomass fibre supplement to bagasse that will ensure the company can deliver baseload power through the power plant 12 months of the year. Other Queensland projects that are supported by the Government’s BAP include Amyris biorefinery, a proposed biorefinery that aims to produce farnesene, which is used in products such as cosmetic emollients, fragrances and fuels; the expansion of Dalby Bio-Refinery, which will increase the company’s biofuel production and give it the capacity to further research its economical animal-feed product; Mercurius Biorefining, whose proposed plant will trial transforming materials such as bagasse into renewable diesel and bio-chemicals; the proposed development of Leaf Resources biorefinery, which will use a patented technology called Glycell as a replacement for petroleum in the conversion of plant waste into sustainable chemicals, biofuels and bioplastics; and Utilitas, a bioHub developer that is looking to convert organic trade and agricultural waste into green electricity and biocrude. The backing of these projects highlights the Queensland government’s focus on finding alternatives to chemical and fossil fuel refining processes; which, aside from the obvious environmental advantages, has potential economic benefits and the capacity for significant job creation. Of course, the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) has gone a long way in incentivising renewable energy generation as well, with the large–scale target set at 33,000GWh of renewable electricity generation by 2020. “The RET has a significant role to play in the Australian sugar industry and economy for several reasons,” says Jim Crane.
Agribusiness
“It provides regional sugar and industry growth and economic benefits, as well as employment and regional energy security. It promotes investor confidence, which is critical to our industry’s international competitiveness and, as a subsidy, it lowers the price of electricity for all.” While MSF Sugar’s Green Energy Power Plant acts as a case study for the future of renewable energy for the sugarcane industry, Ian O’Hara believes the scope for sugarcane is far more broad reaching. “The future of the sugarcane industry is as a diversified industry that uses the incredible growth potential of sugarcane to produce a wide variety of everyday products,” he says. “These products will be used not only for food and bioenergy, but in plastics, chemicals and a wide variety of biomaterials. These bioproducts will
replace products derived from crude oil and will help to deliver a cleaner and greener society.”
“The future of the sugarcane industry is as a diversified industry that uses the incredible growth potential of sugarcane to produce a wide variety of everyday products.” — Ian O’Hara, Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities
Fast Facts
17.3% of Australia's electricity came from renewable energy in 2016.
40-50% is the typical moisture content of bagasse.
Saccharum officinarum is the scientific name for sugarcane.
MSF Sugar General Manager for Business Development Hywel Cook discusses the company's future plans with growers during the FNQ Field Days last year. FEB/MAR 2018
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Advertorial
Position Partners acquires Total Survey Systems Position Partners has acquired Sydney-based Sokkia distributor Total Survey Systems. The combined team expands resources and expertise to better support surveyors and geospatial professionals. Under the agreement, all TSS employees will join Position Partners’ New South Wales team based in Silverwater, to the west of Sydney’s CBD. “We are delighted to welcome the TSS team to Position Partners, their expertise in the land survey industry will be a terrific addition to our engagement with customers,” said Martin Nix, CEO of Position Partners. “Surveyors in New South Wales have never been more in demand than they are now. They will expect systems and support to be even more productive as geospatial data exponentially increases. We are pleased to be able to extend the support to our mutual customers with a larger, highly experienced team and a wider range of solutions to suit every application,” he added. With more than 50 years’ collective experience in the survey industry, TSS was formed in 2002 when Sokkia changed its distribution to a reseller model. Prior to this Hugh Gerdes and
members of his team worked for Sokkia directly. Paul Koren is a Senior Technical Consultant that has been with the company since its formation and before that worked for both Sokkia Australia and Sokkia BV in Europe. Glenn Anderson is the Service Manager who has worked for TSS for some 15 years, while Renato Calara is a Service Technician that has been with the company for more than five years, and Sokkia South Africa a further 15 years before that. “Their service personnel’s impressive technical knowledge and longevity with the Sokkia brand will ensure a seamless transition for existing customers and enhanced capabilities for our own services teams throughout Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Nix said. “We are excited about this new chapter for our team and delivering a wider portfolio of solutions for the survey and geospatial industry, backed by excellent technical support, calibrations and repair services,” said Hugh Gerdes, Director of TSS. For more information contact Position Partners on 1300 867 266 or visit www.positionpartners.com.au
We are excited about this new chapter for our team and delivering a wider portfolio of solutions for the survey and geospatial industry, backed by excellent technical support, calibrations and repair services. FEB/MAR 2018
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I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y H E E S C O
Pipeline through the Outback Darren Baguley Specialist writer in agriculture, mining and technology.
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CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE NORTHERN GAS PIPELINE COULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE ENERGY SECURITY
Mining
Just a few months ago the so-called east coast gas shortage dominated all the headlines. It’s highly debatable whether such a shortage exists, but amid all the commentary swirling around the issue something that didn’t get a mention was the North-East Gas Interconnector (NEGI), now renamed the Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP). Ever since they started producing more than 20 years ago, the Northern Territory’s Mereenie gas fields, in the Amadeus Basin, have been isolated from the rest of the Australian market. In 2009, the Blacktip gas field came into production to further highlight the issue. Blacktip sits in the Timor Sea’s Bonaparte Basin, 110 kilometres off Australia’s northern coast. In 50 metres of water, the automated wellhead production platform is owned by French energy giant Eni. Blacktip’s recoverable reserves are estimated at the equivalent of 150 million barrels of oil. The Mereenie oil and gas field is 300 kilometres west of Alice Springs and has reserves of up to 280 petajoules. As gas fields such as Dingo, Surprise and Palm Valley have come into production, the idea of building a pipeline to connect the Northern Territory to the East Coast market has been bubbling away. According to Bruce Robertson, investment analyst at the Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the talk became action when the NT government-owned Power and Water Commission (PWC) realised it had over-contracted for gas to the tune of 25–35 petajoules per year. As it was a take-or-pay contract, the government was faced with the NT taxpayer getting a bill for gas it wasn’t using; so, the NT government took the NEGI project off the backburner. Once completed, the 622-kilometre NGP will connect Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to Mt Isa in Queensland. The $800 million project started in July 2017 from both Mt Isa and Tennant Creek ends, with contracts awarded to McConnell Dowell and Spiecapag Australia for the construction
of the pipeline and compressor stations at Philip Creek Station and Mt Isa. It will provide construction jobs for about 900 workers and when it is up and running it is expected there will be work for eight or nine people at each compressor station, with an additional two workers engaged on running the pipeline daily to check for leaks. The NGP is the first of a two-stage project. The second stage, a pipeline from Mt Isa to Wallumbilla in Queensland, will be built in the future at a date yet to be set. Paul Adams, Managing Director of Jemena — the pipeline owner — said, “As soon as sufficient gas is proven in the NT, Jemena will seek to build a further link connecting Mt Isa to the Wallumbilla hub in Queensland. This will vastly improve the reliability of the gas transmission network by reducing sole reliance on Moomba as the hub for supplies. It will also introduce some competition into the east coast market, while accelerating the growth of the NT gas sector.” By mid-November 2017, when construction crews ceased work ahead of the wet season, the program was ahead of schedule. In Queensland, 141 kilometres of pipeline had been welded and in the Territory, 262 kilometres had been completed. Furthermore, 400 kilometres of trenching had been completed and 380 kilometres of pipeline were in the ground. Gas is expected flow by late-2018 and once fully operational will deliver 90 terajoules of gas per day. Some commentators argued that a more efficient use of taxpayer funds would be to attract some gas–intensive industries to the Northern Territory with the offer of cheap gas and tax breaks, and as the project progressed the controversy continued. There was debate over the final route of pipeline, speculation as to whether the NT government would need to contribute to get it off the ground and whether fracking would be needed to make it viable in the long run. The controversy didn’t end once the contract for construction had been awarded.
Fast Facts
37 km
Australia has more than 37,000 kilometres of natural gas transmission pipelines.
440 km Australia’s oldest natural gas pipeline is the 440 kilometre Roma to Brisbane pipeline, which became operational in 1969.
“As soon as sufficient gas is proven in the NT, Jemena will seek to build a further link connecting Mt Isa to the Wallumbilla hub in Queensland.” – Paul Adams, Managing Director of Jemena FEB/MAR 2018
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Mining
Fast Facts
40km/h Natural gas moves through pipelines at up to 40 kilometres per hour.
20%
Gas provides an estimated 20 per cent of Australia's energy requirements.
The winner, Jemena, is jointly owned by the Chinese and Singaporean governments via the State Grid Corp of China (60 per cent) and Singapore Power (40 per cent). Various stakeholders questioned why an overseas company was effectively being awarded an unregulated monopoly. Further opposition reared its head when traditional owners the Wakaya Aboriginal Land Trust claimed they never agreed to the terms of the project. As construction commenced, however, the controversy abated. Jemena ameliorated some of the traditional owners’ concerns by employing many indigenous people among the 900-strong workforce building the pipeline. According to Commerce Northwest (Mt Isa Chamber of Commerce) President, Travis Crowther, the start of construction “has had some impact at the moment with coach companies, general contractors, labour hire companies and accommodation all seeing an increase in business. There has also been a bit more activity through the airport.” Crowther anticipates more economic activity when the pipeline is actually built. “Mines use a lot of energy and when the pipeline can offer spur lines, we expect that the cheaper energy will make some smaller
“The upshot of this will be more mining production and more work for local contractors and businesses.” – Travis Crowther, Commerce
Northwest (Mt Isa Chamber of Commerce) President
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mines that currently aren’t viable, viable. The upshot of this will be more mining production and more work for local contractors and businesses.” At the Tennant Creek end of the pipeline, the economic impact has been considerable, according to Greg Marlow, Chair of the Tennant Creek Regional Economic Development Committee (REDC), Barkly. “At the airport, the 30-seat Alice Springs to Tennant Creek plane is chockers every day as FIFO workers come in. The workforce has been spread around town rather than just in one motel, which has given everyone some income. There is a moving camp for both sections of pipe, which moves every six weeks. “About 35 apprentices have been put on at Camooweal for the Queensland sector and they were all put through training before being employed. Fifteen were put through training from the Tennant Creek section and 12 have been put on. Two firms locally have got a lot of the contract work and another 10 companies around town are picking up work. About $11 million has been spent locally on accommodation, fuel, etcetera.” While there is no doubt that the project is progressing well, much of PWC’s gas remains unsold. Fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot, which has a facility near its phosphate deposit at Mount Isa, is one new customer. Producing fertilisers such as superphosphate and urea is highly energy intensive and uses large amounts of gas for processing. As a result, Incitec Pivot has contracted with PWC to buy 10 petajoules per year for the 10 years beginning mid-2018. As for east coast gas prices, the gas reservation scheme that is due to be implemented by the federal government is more likely to make a difference, but IEEFA’s Bruce Robertson argues that completion of the pipeline will have an impact. “If Incitec Pivot gets its gas from NT then it’s not coming out of the east coast market.” As well as improving Australia’s energy security, flow-on effects are almost certain once the pipeline is completed. Just as building a new railway or port leads to increased economic activity, so is it likely to be the case with the NGP. The advent of low-cost, available gas will enable mines that are currently unviable to open and attract energy-intensive industries to an area where good jobs are traditionally hard to find.
Special Feature: Spray Grass
Tried and tested land rehabilitation Spray Grass Australia is fast becoming the go-to mine rehabilitation, revegetation, erosion control and dust suppression specialist for Australia’s mining, oil and gas, and civil and infrastructure projects. Spray Grass Australia utilises five basic principles balanced in experience, science, and nature to produce outstanding results that revegetate your site the first time. We understand that our clients need more than a ‘spray and pray’ methodology to achieve fast, healthy, and long-term growth, which is why our approach makes it easy to make important decisions that are vital to the success of revegetation projects. For our rehabilitation and revegetation projects, our process begins with collecting and assessing soil samples to create optimum soil conditions. Soil testing provides us with essential information to determine what adjustments need to be made to assure a more favourable growing environment for faster, more complete vegetative growth and establishment. With access to over 100 various ameliorants, we are able to improve the properties of the soil’s microbiological environment with ease. Selecting and tailoring the right revegetation solution is necessary to protect both seed and soil, while taking into consideration the erosion control effectiveness of the product, the ability to facilitate growth, and
the functional longevity of the land. Hydroseeding and Hydromulching are efficient and impressive alternatives to traditional planting processes. Both methods are economical, can reach rough or otherwise inaccessible areas, such as high and steep slopes, and produces healthier vegetation that binds with the ground surface soil to effectively protect against erosion. Our tailored approach allows us to provide clients with customised and effective solutions through the use of Growth Mediums regardless of erosion, batter steepness, and slope gradient. Utilising the latest in drone and sensor technology to continually monitor project progress allows us to obtain analytic reporting and insights after application. This technology allows us to record Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) results, count plants, undertake plant disease analysis, evaluate and monitor plant health, and measure chlorophyll to assess plants. This allows us to maximise growth efficiency. We know that every project is unique, so we use a tailored approach to ensure each project is customised and cost effective. Whether you need erosion control, dust control, soil stabilisation, or hydroseeding and hydromulching solutions, we can provide comprehensive advice to support and achieve your goals. spraygrassaustralia.com.au
FEB/MAR 2018
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Send in the drones Ben Smithurst A lifestyle, motoring and travel writer with a penchant for the humorous.
THEY’RE SET TO DELIVER YOUR PARCELS – AND PINCH YOUR JOB. WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FRIENDLY SKIES?
Man & Machine
In 2013, the world’s now-richest man — Amazon tsar Jeff Bezos (Dec 2017 value: US$97.7bn) — appeared on the American version of 60 Minutes. He was interviewed by septuagenarian CBS correspondent, Charlie Rose. Rose, a famous broadcaster, was later fired for historical sexual harassment allegations. That’s not the story. In fact, even Rose’s Bezos story wasn’t the story. As they taped his 60 Minutes interview, Bezos hinted at a “huge surprise” he’d deliver towards the end of filming. “If you can guess what it is,” said the billionaire, “then... I will give you half my fortune and send you to Vegas with it.” The surprise: drones. Specifically, Amazon’s fat R&D department was developing a revolutionary new delivery system. Using small, flying robots, Bezos promised, his company’s ‘Octocopter’ drones would drop packages on customers’ doorsteps within 30 minutes of placing their order. No traffic holdups. No delivery truck. No delivery driver. The delivery-by-drone service, said Bezos, would be called Amazon Prime Air, and be ready as soon as four to five years — ie now. “Oh, my God,” managed a genuinely gobsmacked Rose. “They actually look like something out of a Phillip K. Dick novel.” Drones were once the stuff of fantasy. When Bezos inevitably gets his way, they’ll be bringing you groceries to jewellery and everything in between. A great boon to humanity. Until they leave again, and take your job with them. Should we be scared? Yes, says a recent report from PwC. According to the renowned auditing firm, “drones could replace $127 billion worth of human labour and services across several industries”.
Australia Post and Domino’s have both since announced that they’re exploring options to follow Bezos’s lead.
The drones aren’t coming. The drones are here.
“Economists seem to agree that robot automation poses real threats to human labour within the next few decades,” says Business Insider’s Chris Weller. “The best evidence suggests automated robots will replace 50 per cent of all jobs by the 2030s. Some evidence even suggests that today’s technology could feasibly replace 45 per cent of jobs right now.” The incredible versatility of drones makes them the next leap down that path. For a start, they’re dirt cheap – and they’re getting cheaper. Drones have already penetrated industries including infrastructure, construction/ architecture, transport, mining and telecommunications. Agribusiness uses them in various ways, such as to produce precise 3D maps for early soil analysis, in planting systems, or to monitor crops. In France, the military is training eagles to destroy remote control, typically civilian-use quadcopter drones, because insurgents have been using them to drop small bombs on their troops in Iraq. In Australia, shark spotters are using them to keep an eye on swimmers from Cottesloe to Cabarita, triggering 78 beach evacuations in NSW over the 2016–17 summer. Yet as evidenced by the irritating buzz you might hear in the most isolated or relaxed spots, drones aren’t always welcome. Especially private, or recreational, drones. And while ‘drone’ originally referred to
Fast Facts Israel was the first country to manufacture drones. In 2015 a drone weighing less than a kilogram crashed onto the White House lawn. In 2012 Google donated US$5 million to the World Wildlife Fund, who used drones to track poachers.
“The best evidence suggests automated robots will replace 50 per cent of all jobs by the 2030s. Some evidence even suggests that today’s technology could feasibly replace 45 per cent of jobs right now.” – Chris Weller, Business Insider FEB/MAR 2018
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Here’s our Capability Statement.
A picture is worth a thousand words. And actions speak louder than words. So rather than rave on about our capabilities, let’s just say that we apply the same level of professionalism to everything we do: > Haulroads > Stockpiles > Light vehicle roads > Underground roads, and > Dust Suppression Systems For a total solution across all open cut or under-ground mines, and to reduce dust, operating costs and wet weather delays…
Dust-A-Side Australia is proven to outperform.
Underground
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australia@dustaside.com.au / www.dustaside.com.au
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Man & Machine
their unmanned status, it could increasingly apply to the fizzing whine that interrupts the serenity of your once calm wait between sets at your favourite surf break, or your fishing spot, or your bushwalk. Or what about your post-gym skinny dip in your otherwise well-screened backyard pool? This happened to Darwin woman, Karli Hyatt, last April. “As I was swimming I could hear this strange noise, and when I looked up I noticed a drone with the green and red flashing lights,” she told the ABC. “It came over into my backyard and then just hovered centre above the pool, and just hovered there for about 30 to 60 seconds.” It’s not that drone usage is unregulated. In Australia, CASA regulations prevent drones from flying in populated areas, within 30m of people, or higher than 120m, and they must stay 5.5km from airfields. There are also other specific regulations around, say, whales (multi-rotor drones are classified as helicopters, for example, and must maintain a distance of 500m). Of course, the regulations are notoriously difficult to enforce. By the time the cops arrive, even if they do, the operator is long gone, taking with them their footage of, for example, Karli Hyatt’s birthday suit. Even when regulations are being legislated, they’re often outdated by the time they’re tabled. In 2014, the US Federal Aviation Administration announced that it considered letting Hollywood production companies fly drones to film movies. They were a bit late. At the previous Oscars, the Academy awarded Gifford Hooper and Phillip George for developing camera drones that had already been used in “hundreds of films, commercials, dramas, TV and corporate productions”. And those airfield airspace restrictions? An Australian senate committee heard that, in 2016, there were around 180 reported near misses recorded between drones and other aircraft. “My personal opinion is that this is a catastrophe waiting to happen,” Queensland senator Barry O’Sullivan — an air crash investigator of 20 years — told the Australian Financial Review. “If I were king for a day, every drone in this nation, other than the ones that are commercially licensed, would [be banned].”
Drones are staying. Get used to it.
Drone technology isn’t new. The earliest modern quadcopter drones, the now familiar, buzzing robots that range from the size of a child’s palm to over half-ametre across, emerged in the late 1990s as hobby kits. In 2010, French company Parrot released its AR.Drone, the first ready-to-fly, commercially successful consumer drone — which was also the first that could be controlled solely by wi-fi. There are now an estimated 50,000 drones in Australia, including those marketed as toys. Working models are available from around $100. According to the Australian Financial Review,“ in the past year, the number for remote pilot licences on issue grew by as much as 50 per cent to more than 6,000.“ Whatever happens next, there’s little chance of stuffing the drone genie entirely back into its bottle. For now, there’s also little desire. For their flaws, drones have revolutionised the way we see the world, as well as democratising our airspace. No longer must you own a helicopter to see your city from the sky. But no longer can you feel comfortable stripping off to sip a romantic bottle of bubbly in your back-deck spa. Unless, perhaps, you’re in the UK. In November, the British Department for Transport announced a new drone bill to be introduced to parliament in the European spring of 2018. It announces sweeping changes — including safety awareness tests for pilots, the registration of all drones weighing more than 250 grams, and “a requirement for drone owners to use apps, rather than simple remote controls, to fly their aircraft, in order to ensure that the rules are always readily accessible”. Its potential effectiveness is set to be debated. But it won’t affect Bezos’s plans. The only defence against that, perhaps, will be that mooted by American writer, and sporting shotgun enthusiast, Julia Bayly. “I can see a day in which thousands of Amazon drones are in perpetual flight, just waiting for the moment I realise I need exactly the cargo they are carrying,” she said. “I have taken to calling it ‘skeet shooting with prizes’.” Better start working on your aim. FEB/MAR 2018
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Sydney 2.0 Ian Lloyd Neubauer With nearly 20 years’ experience, Ian is abreast of global news as it happens.
AS AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION IS SET TO HIT 38 MILLION BY 2051, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO FUTURE-PROOF OUR BIGGEST CITY ARE GOING GANGBUSTERS. WHO WILL REAP THE BENEFITS?
First, there was the mining boom, one of the biggest in all history — big enough to stop Australia from being sucked into the vortex of the global financial crisis. Then there was the property boom, a bull run that filled government coffers with property-tax revenue and the airwaves with half-baked home-improvement shows. Now, the nation’s cranes and cement trucks are being marshalled for the next boom: infrastructure projects worth some $323 billion over the next four years alone to accommodate Australia’s spiralling population, projected to hit 38 million by 2051. “It’s necessary to build this infrastructure to maintain the quality of life people enjoy in Australia,” says Philip Davies, CEO of Infrastructure Australia, publisher of the annual Infrastructure Priority List, a list of mega-project solutions for problems that are costing the economy more than $30 billion in lost productivity per year. “Our list is quite unique globally. It provides comfort and long-term visibility not only to the community but to investors and the supply chain that builds and designs things about a steady flow of projects,” says Davies. “I like to see it as a menu that helps politicians deal with the big issues.”
WestConnex
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It is telling that four out of eight of Infrastructure Australia ‘high-priority projects’ for 2017 are taking shape in Sydney — enterprises geared to futureproof a city whose population is projected to expand from five million to eight million within 40 years. And with almost half of that population projected to live west of Parramatta, a working-class hub 23 trafficclogged kilometres west of the CBD, the challenge lies in addressing road congestion and delivering more jobs and intelligent housing solutions across Greater Sydney in the face of demographic change. Enter WestConnex, a new $17 billion 33-kilometre toll road that on completion in 2023 will allow motorists to drive from Penrith at the foothills of the Blue Mountains to the CBD without stopping at a single traffic light. “WestConnex is Australia’s largest infrastructure project — it will do for Western Sydney what the Sydney Harbour Bridge did for the North Shore 85 years AusBiz.
Infrastructure
ago,” says NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Dominic Perrottet. But with growth comes growing pains — and the inevitable winners and losers. “We oppose this toll road in its entirety,” says Janet Dandy-Ward of the WestConnex Action Group and resident of St Peters, a suburb in in Sydney’s southwest where property prices have fallen nearly 10 per cent in the past six months as a result of a massive WestConnex interchange currently under construction that will significantly increase traffic in the area on completion. Making things worse for St Peters was a rotten-egg-like smell caused by earthworks at an old landfill site that lingered for months until residents’ complaints forced contractors to install additional chemicaltreatment plants. “I love living in St Peters. I care about this place and my neighbours,” says Dandy-Ward. “But I’m concerned about how it will look in the future.” However, a spokesperson for Sydney Motorway Corporation — the company building WestConnex — says residents’ fears are unfounded. “The community outcomes will be overwhelmingly positive once the project is complete: more than 18 hectares of new parklands and active transport links across the inner west will be created, including the site of the old landfill that’s being cleaned up to enable community use for the first time in decades.”
Ferries & Rail
WestConnex is also reshaping the geographic heart of Sydney’s west, with the widening of the M4 motorway from Parramatta to Homebush (already delivered and known as the New M4) and excavation of a tunnel to connect the M4 and M5 motorways. Hundreds of homes had to be compulsorily acquired and the New M4 is now heavily tolled, costing close to $5 for a car and three times that for trucks.
“It’s a crooked deal. Not only is the taxpayer paying $17 billion for WestConnex, but they’re also paying tolls. We’ve heard projections that on completion it’ll cost $26 for a round trip into the city,” says Dandy-Ward, who prefers public transport solutions instead. She points to the $2.1 billion, 12-kilometre Sydney Metro light-rail network currently taking shape in the CBD and leafy eastern suburbs as a good example. However, the Sydney Metro also has its detractors, with The Sydney Morning Herald dubbing it a “public relations disaster zone”. Construction has closed off George Street, the CBD’s central thoroughfare, and ripped up row upon row of century-old fig trees on the edges of Centennial Park. Yet on completion in 2019, it will dramatically improve city amenity and access to the CBD. “Sydney's light rail will be a game-changer for transport from the CBD to Randwick and Kingsford when it starts operating,” says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Sydney’s ferry network is also being future-proofed for the next generation. In March 2017, the government announced plans for an extra 85 weekly ferry services on Sydney Harbour and six new ferries with a capacity of up to 400 passengers each that are now in final stages of testing. And at Barangaroo, a privately funded $6 billion office, retail and entertainment precinct on the north-western edge of the CBD, a new $59 million undercover ferry hub opened in June 2017. Combined with a massive new pedestrian walkway linking Wynyard train station, George Street and the upcoming Sydney Metro, the new infrastructure is projected to bring droves to Barangaroo: 33,000 a day based on a moderate growth scenario. “We are making sure we have the capacity by water, by train, by foot to make this precinct accessible to the public,” says Premier Berejiklian.
Fast Facts
42m In 2016 Sydney airport was used by 42 million passengers.
73% Transport activity accounts for 73 per cent of Australia's use of liquid fuels.
126% During Sydney's morning peak, trains are already filled to 126% of seated capacity.
“WestConnex will do for Western Sydney what the Sydney Harbour Bridge did for the North Shore 85 years ago.” – Dominic Perrottet, NSW Minister for Industrial Relations FEB/MAR 2018
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Infrastructure
Fast Facts
$4.2m The cost of building the Sydney Harbour Bridge which began construction in 1924.
22km The distance of the first railway track built in NSW – from Sydney to Parramatta.
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AusBiz.
Western Sydney Airport
Last but not least of the Sydney projects found on Infrastructure Australia’s highpriority list is the $5.6 billion Western Sydney Airport. Construction is set to begin this year at Badgerys Creek in the local government area of the City of Liverpool, a low-income area 51 kilometres west of the CBD. But this will be no ordinary airport when it opens in 2026. Modelled on South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, it will be Australia’s first ‘aerotropolis’ — an airport partnered with an aerospace, defence, IT, convention and agribusiness hub that will likely become the nation’s most important logistics and advanced-manufacturing centre. The NSW government projects it will connect 28,000–31,000 people with high-value employment opportunities in a historically entrenched jobs-deficit area by 2031. It will also kill two birds with one stone — national connectivity and the reduction of congestion for all the cars and buses these new aerotropolis jobs will take off the city roads. To do that Western Sydney Airport will require rail access, according to Anthony Albanese, Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure — and for now, the
project is going ahead without funding for rail. “For its benefits are to be maximised, we must ensure rail access from day one so that people have access to the high-value jobs,” Albanese editorialised in The Daily Telegraph. Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher disagrees, pointing to studies that show only one in five passengers use rail to travel to and from Sydney’s existing airport in the city’s southwest. There, another connectivity problem is brewing as the Berejiklian administration struggles to figure out how to link Sydney Airport and nearby Port Botany to WestConnex. The rejection in November 2017 of a proposal from Lendlease to build a toll road on the site is symptomatic of growing backlash from motorists and trucking companies that would have seen the cost of transporting thousands of containers each week to and from the port leapfrog as a result because of another toll. “It’s really important to get this planning right,” says Infrastructure Australia CEO Philip Davies. “We need to ask what will the future look like, what services will people expect and most importantly, how much are they willing to pay for it?”
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Special Feature
Rehabilitating the land AS A SOCIETY WE’RE TOTALLY RELIANT ON THE PRODUCTS OF MINING, BUT REHABILITATING MINE SITES AT THE END OF THEIR LIVES IS A CHALLENGE — A CHALLENGE BEING MET WITH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY. Mining is a major industry in Australia and so is mine site rehabilitation. Best practice operators take a ‘rehabilitate as you go’ approach but according to an Australia Institute report there are more than 60,000 unrehabilitated mine sites across Australia. It’s a major challenge for the industry but one that is being addressed with some good old-fashioned Aussie ingenuity coupled with some of the latest technology out there. One of the main problems with mine site rehabilitation is the poor quality of the material rehabilitation companies must work with. While it’s best practice to stockpile the topsoil separate to the sub-soil and rock that
Darren Baguley is a journalist and editor based in regional Australia who loves a great agbrisbusiness story.
make up the overburden, not all companies take such measures. According to Spray Grass Australia soil scientist, Phil Barnett, “Healthy grass begins with good soil but often with Australian topsoil, it’s very thin – and most of what’s stockpiled is actually the sub-soil. So, you might only have 150 mm of real topsoil there over a clay base. As a result, what you have to deal with can be quite variable.” While landscape rehabilitation companies in the past adopted a ‘spray and pray’ approach where they spray the seed out and hope that it takes, Spray Grass Australia starts off with detailed soil testing. The soil test allows the company to determine what is lacking, and from that they can work out
Fast Facts
1940s The era that hydroseeding dates back to, when Maurice Mandell from the Connecticut Highway Department in the USA, realised that combined seeds and water could be sprayed over the steep inclines of the expressways.
While landscape rehabilitation companies in the past adopted a ‘spray and pray’ approach where they spray the seed out and hope that it takes, Spray Grass Australia starts off with detailed soil testing. FEB/MAR 2018
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Special Feature
Fast Facts
1953
The year that Charles Finn developed the first HydroSeeder®. It was a two-part machine with a 1,000 gallon mixing tank, an attached engine, pump, and spray platform.
Poa pratensis is a C3 plant
It is commonly known as lawn grass, and there are 12,000 species of it
the ingredients needed to rejuvenate the soil in readiness to grow grass. While there is a varied palette of amendments that Spray Grass Australia can work with, more than 100 different ameliorants are available, in all cases the company seeks to kickstart dormant soil biology. “Even if soils have been well stockpiled,” says Barnett, “because those stockpiles sit there for a period of time they tend to lose their life, their microbial activity and part of our program is always to stimulate that life.
We add probiotics and organic soil conditioner that will generate that beneficial microbial population in the roots.
Hydromulching combines the benefits of biologically active soil conditioners and fertilisers with the perfect blend of organic mulch fibres, binders and soil stabilisers.
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ALLIANCE MAGAZINE
Soil biology is something that has been ignored in the past but to have healthy, living grass it’s crucial to have living soil rather than dirt.” If Spray Grass Australia has been engaged early enough by the client it will work on improving the soil for a considerable period of time before it begins to seed the site. When it reaches that point in the process, there are two techniques that can be used – hyrdoseeding and hydromulching. As the name suggests, hydroseeding uses water as a carrier to spray seed and fertiliser onto the soil. Hydromulching adds to the mix a high-quality mulch in the form of Australian-tested growth mediums such as Hydraulic Growth Mediums (HGM), Flexible Growth Mediums (FGM) and Bonded Fibre Matrixes (BFM). Hydromulching is applied in a similar way as hydroseeding, but it combines the benefits of biologicallyactive soil conditioners and fertilisers with the perfect blend of organic mulch fibres, binders and soil stabilisers. These fibres
Special Feature
are designed to hold moisture longer to support faster vegetation growth, which means that far less water is required to apply to this product. Because they naturally interlock, the mulch is stable for up to 12 months which is critical in providing the ability to withstand the erosive forces inherent in the natural environment such as water runoff and wind. As well as innovating through its focus on soil health, SGA uses the latest in drone and imaging technology. At the beginning of a project, drones are used to provide 3D modelling, image mapping which along with the soil tests allows SGA to map the area to be rehabilitated to a high degree of detail. By mapping the site to this level, SGA ensures that it applies both the hydroseeding and hydromulching processes with precision and accuracy. In particular, the detailed mapping of the site ensures that no areas are missed when the hydroseeding or hydromulching is applied and all areas are covered evenly at specified rates. While SGA stands out in the industry for its soil-up approach, it's also one of the few companies able to monitor the growth and success of seed application. It does this by deploying one of the latest industrial drones to become available in Australia.
drones are used to provide 3D modelling and image mapping which along with the soil tests allows SGA to map the area to be rehabilitated to a high degree of detail
SGA currently uses multispectral and thermal imaging cameras on drones to gain insights into how the plants are performing, by recording Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and temperature results. The NDVI monitors and records vegetative health and growth to verify successful plant establishment.
“We can see areas that are under heat and drought stress. We can even get down to plant height, nitrogen content and chlorophyll content in the plant leaves. All of these are very direct indicators of how healthy a plant is,” says Bendikov.
NDVI IMAGING OF A PROJECT BEFORE HYDROMULCHING WORKS WERE U N D E R TA K E N B Y S G A .
It is not currently being used commercially but SGA is trialling specialist hyperspectral imaging and LiDAR technology ®, the first company in Australia to do so. According to Bendikov, this is a considerable advance. “Multispectral imaging only uses five bands, or wavelengths of light, while hyperspectral gives us over 150 bands. Using hyperspectral will allow us to get down to the level of identifying multiple plants in a single field.” Using hyperspectral imaging will allow SGA to monitor the sowing quality, plant health and growth rate, the counted number and planned number of plants. “It will also allow us to do plant disease analysis and pest detection,” says Bendikov. “All these measures will allow us to maximise growth efficiency and allow us to further fine tune our techniques.”
As the name suggests, hydroseeding uses water as a carrier to spray seed and fertiliser onto the soil.
TATIIOONN OOFF BBAT ATTTEERRSS OONN--SSIITTEE AT AT RREEHHAABBIILLIITAT AANN AAUUSSTTRRAALLIIAANN MMIINNEE..
FEB/MAR 2018
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Education Special Feature
Frensham – reaching new heights
Year 10, 2017 – the first graduates of the Frensham Drone Academy
Sarah Hassett (HSC 2017)
Sturt Design and Fabrication Studios – accessible to all girls – are specialised yet flexible facilities, where digital design and production by students continue to be cutting edge and diverse. 28
AusBiz.
“It is essential that students leave school with the skills and motivation to undertake the many related professions linked to what are widely known as STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), with equal emphasis on interpretation through the Arts,” said Head of Frensham, Julie Gillick. “In 2017, 38 per cent of all courses studied by Year 12 Frensham students were Mathematics and Science– based subjects. This year, immersed in the unique environment of the Sturt Design and Fabrication Studios, the works of more than 30 per cent of Frensham’s HSC Design and Technology class were nominated for the NSW Showcase, with Sarah Hassett’s innovative wireless-charging, solar-powered handbag and app being selected as one of just 14 exemplary works to be displayed at the Powerhouse Exhibition. Sarah placed sixth in the State in the HSC for Design and Technology, with a score of 98/100. Another student, Jessica Latimer, from Wagga Wagga, was selected for a highly competitive place at the 2018 UNSW Women in Engineering Camp.” “We are leveraging new technologies to encourage collaboration and create self-directed, self-paced learning opportunities for
students, and it is a team approach. Teachers are leading by example, challenging themselves and students to explore possibilities well beyond the traditional ‘core’. Frensham’s Drone Academy is one example of our redefined curriculum,” said Ms Gillick. With a strong history of supporting rural and regional students, Frensham is a unique residential and community experience – for boarders who are 70 per cent of the school, and for “day boarders” who are fully connected to House life but don’t sleep over. Increasingly, parents are seeing the benefits of boarding for developing emotional and intellectual maturity, self-discipline and selfmanagement, and inspiring a deep sense of personal connection. Education futurists like Sir Ken Robinson are clear that the key to transforming schools is personalisation, building achievement in an environment where individual students can thrive – inspired and challenged to pursue excellence in areas of their particular passion and interest. AusBiz.
Frensham is delivering on this vision, and, in doing so, is reaching new heights.
innovative and adaptive approaches developing a spirit of enquiry and love of learning
Enquiries: The Registrar +61 2 4860 2000 registrar@frensham.nsw.edu.au
www.frensham.nsw.edu.au FRENSHAM Range Rd Mittagong NSW 2575 AUSTRALIA Frensham is a member of the UK Boarding Schools’ Association
OPEN DAY 2018 SATURDAY 3 MARCH 12.30pm to 4.00pm Tours of the campus in operation all afternoon Information Forum 2.15pm, Clubbe Hall
‘Everyone’s a boarder... not everyone sleeps over’ Our boarding tradition sets us apart
Sarah Hassett – 6th place HSC Design & Technology and selected for SHAPE Exhibition of exemplary works FEB/MAR 2018
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Education Special Feature
Support and Partnership
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AusBiz.
Education Special Feature
St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, is a Catholic residential boarding College offering students, in partnership with their parents, a complete and fulfilling educational experience. The College has served the needs of families since 1933, and has a strong rural dimension that has developed from pioneering days with the Christian Brothers. It was at the request of the then Bishop of Townsville to provide a College that caters especially for boys from rural backgrounds. The College has excelled in supporting parents and communities to educate young Australian students from the local area and as far afield as the Northern Territory, Cape York, the Torres Strait and the southern Queensland area. In 2018, St Teresa’s College welcomes experienced Principal Michael Conn, who is set to oversee the next chapter of College history. Newly constructed dormitories and amenities mean the College offers modern, comfortable boarding facilities within a tropical bush setting. As part of being a boarder at St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, students become members of the “Gowrie Family”, which offers a supportive and caring residential environment.
Education does not stop in the classroom, and programs include life skills such as health, exercise and nutrition. Boys at Abergowrie are always occupied with a wide range of indoor and outdoor recreational activities. Boarders are encouraged to be active, involved, and to make the most of the opportunities offered to them. With a little luck, they may find themselves part of the “Gowrie Boys” song and video project, which has turned out yearly YouTube stars, much to the thrill of students, staff and families. Inherent in the fabric of the College are strong Christian values and this is expressed in the care offered, operating from the premise that the family is paramount. This translates into a care that both challenges and supports students so that they realise their personal worth and dignity, as well as that of others.
For a tour of the St Teresa’s College, Abergowrie, and the boarding facilities, please contact Principal Michael Conn: (07) 4780 8300 FEB/MAR 2018
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Puzzles
CROSSWORD
P D I N I N G R O O M E T
T I Q I B Y B L T P B R S
O Y C A E E R E I O E O D
I Y T T D G P D R G R O O
L H D R U R A D N E H M O
E O O U A R R R Y U E T R
T O U C T A E O A Q A L S
M U D T W S F S D G M L S
SOLUTIONS:
T L P S P A N T R Y Y G A
I M O O R S E M A G R N I P D I N I N G R O O M E T
T I Q I B Y B L T P B R S
L I R S W O D N I W T U R O Y C A E E R E I O E O D
I Y T T D G P D R G R O O
L H D R U R A D N E H M O
E O O U A R R R Y U E T R
T O U C T A E O A Q A L S
E O K H K I T C H E N O S
T L P S P A N T R Y Y G A
M U D T W S F S D G M L S
S D N I L B B S K O E L L
I M O O R S E M A G R N I
AusBiz.
Find all the words listed hidden in the grid of letters. They can be found in straight lines up, down, forwards, backwards or even diagonally. Theme: AROUND THE HOUSE
L I R S W O D N I W T U R
32
LAUNDRY LIGHTS LOUNGE ROOM PANTRY PICTURES STAIRS STUDY TILES TOILET WARDROBE WINDOWS
WORD SEARCH
E O K H K I T C H E N O S
BATH BEDROOM BLINDS CARPET CURTAINS DINING ROOM DOORS ENTRY FOYER GAMES ROOM GARAGE KITCHEN
DOWN 1. Ascertains 2. Electronic message 3. Objects 4. Pass (of time) 5. Stacked 6. Curled (of smoke) 10. Make (beer) 11. On any occasion 12. Droplets on lawn 13. Zone 14. Tea, ... Grey 15. Tripoli native 16. Slay by guillotine 17. Criminal 18. High standards 19. Soft confection 20. Filleted
S D N I L B B S K O E L L
ACROSS 1. In similar fashion 5. Bee nest 7. India/China continent 8. Sprang (from) 9. Barons & dukes 12. Blind alley (4,3) 15. Non-intellectual 19. Legendary 21. Sang alpine-style 22. Canada’s ... Scotia 23. Social misfit 24. Monday to Friday
CAMPER EXPANDER
CARAVAN