TigerTales Magazine - Dec 2019/Jan 2020

Australia | Dec 2019 – Jan 2020

EXPLORE SYDNEY’S GREEN SIDE ESCAPE TO THE WHITSUNDAYS 8 AMAZING VIEWS FROM THE TOP

EXCLUSIVE

WAVE RIDER Meet Laura Enever

TIGERAIRBIZ

An awesome new business mag

ONLY 95 CALORIES PER CUP

l a e r made with g hurt probi o t i c y o TWISTEDHEALTHYTREATS.COM.AU

CABIN CREW Q&A Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I’m Hassan and I’m a Flying Service Instructor here at Tigerair, which sees me flying as a cabin manager and training cabin crew on our company service standards.

Image: SkyPoint

Q: How long do you usually spend in the air each day?

A: On an average work day I’m usually flying between five or six hours.

H E L LO F ROM T IGE R A I R AUST R A L I A Welcome onboard and thanks for flying with us.

Notice anything different about us today? We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to reveal our new-look magazine. Make sure you flick through and take a look at some of the fresh new takes on what you can do across Australia and our new Tigerairbiz section to learn about Australia’s distilleries boom – did somebody say gin?

Are you a high-flyer with dreams of soaring above the clouds? Well, looking out of your window today is one thing, but, as they say, all good things must come to an end – and since eventually we do need to land, we’ve lined up some of the best sky-high vantage points across the nation. To get a higher perspective, make sure you turn to page 24, where we take you through some of the best views in the country.

Closer to home, keep an eye out for our latest update to the Tigerair app that makes it easier than ever to snap up those great-value deals, or check out Tigerair.com. au to explore our must-visit destinations featured on the new-look destination hub. For now, we encourage you to sit back, relax and maybe even treat yourself to some of the delicious banana bread available from your Tigerbites menu onboard today while we do the hard work at 35,000 feet.

Happy travels from Tigerair Australia!

Q: What’s your favourite place to fly to?

A: It would definitely have to be the Gold Coast – it’s always nice to get some sun up there.

Skypoint Observation Deck.

Cover image: Jesse Lizotte

Q: Tell us the nicest thing a passenger has done for you.

A: That’s a hard one. I’d have to say the time a lady handed me a ‘thank you’ card while onboard. It was such a nice gesture and I still have the card and read it whenever I need a pick-me-up at work.

Q: What’s your best tip to getting the perfect window pic for Instagram?

A: I’d say whenever you land in Sydney, seeing the Harbour Bridge on one side and the Opera House on the other is hard to beat – it is such an incredible sight!

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: I would say the inflight service, talking with our customers and having the opportunity to get to know some of the people we fly day in, day out.

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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WELCOME TO OUR MAGAZINE This is an exciting time for the team at Publishing ByChelle. Not only are we now well into the silly season, we are extremely proud to release our first issue of tigertales magazine for Tigerair Australia.

People ask us every day if we think people still read magazines. We know you do as you are reading this today, but the answer I give to everyone is yes – they do.

Sure, sometimes they might read those magazines partly online – via electronic direct mail, downloaded e-issues or on the phone – but every week we have people telling us that they love taking a break from technology.

I’ve flown Tigerair Australia twice recently and it’s great to see passengers taking a break from technology to read tigertales – or a book they’ve brought along. Sure, there are plenty of people online, but there are also plenty of people taking a break from their gadgets and getting lost in reading. Isn’t it just wonderful to get lost in a story that pulls you away from the everyday?

We have plenty of stories that will pull you in, with beautiful photography and words that will have you wanting to linger longer. We also understand that sometimes a short piece is just what you need. That’s why every issue we will strive

to deliver the best of both worlds – longer features as well as short, easily digestible pieces that you can dip in and out of, compiled by experts who have done their research to create stories that matter.

In this issue, we chat to big-wave surfer Laura Enever, who is one of the most down-to earth women you will ever read about. She might even inspire you to start surfing. We also journey across the country to explore some of Tigerair’s destinations, from the coral reefs of the Whitsundays and the back streets of Canberra to the watering holes of Perth and green niches of Sydney. In Tigerairbiz, we delve into Australia’s burgeoning distillery scene, discuss the ups and downs of buying your first home, and introduce you to three forefronters who are making a splash in the start-up scene.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the tigertales that we have loved putting together for you. Drop us a line anytime, as we love hearing from you.

Michelle Hespe …and the team at tigertales

EDITORIAL Publisher: Michelle Hespe publisher@publishingbychelle.com Editor: Tatyana Leonov tatyana@publishingbychelle.com Art Director: Jon Wolfgang Miller Travel Brand & Communications Manager: Shakira Wood | shakira@publishingbychelle.com Tigerairbiz Brand & Communications Manager: Effe Sandas | advertising@publishingbychelle.com Assistant Editor: Sarah Hinder editorial@publishingbychelle.com Sub-Editors: Shane Cubis & Sarah Friggieri CONTRIBUTORS Kirsten Craze Sarah Hinder Carolyne Jasinski Ian Lloyd Neubauer Emma Pegrum Ben Smithurst Lisa Smyth Samuel Steinberg

Printing Blue Star PRINT 81 Derby Street Silverwater NSW 2128

tigertales is published by Publishing ByChelle (ABN: 78 621 375 853 ACN: 621 375 853) Level 1, 3 Westleigh Street, Neutral Bay NSW 2089 publishingbychelle.com The reproduction of any content, in whole or part, without prior written permission by the publisher 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 publisher, 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 tigertales are from iStock and Getty Images, and we make every effort to credit all contributors.

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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CONTENTS Australia | Dec 2019 – Jan 2020

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20 A STAR IS BORN Meet Laura Enever, the surfing superstar making a mid-career shift from fashionista to big-wave warrior.

07 NEWS & EVENTS News, Q&A with lifeguard Trent ‘Maxi’ Maxwell, the latest entertainment and gift ideas, events across the country, and meet chef Marcello Farioli.

24 SKY HIGH See the most iconic parts of Australia from a higher perspective.

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30 GREEN SYDNEY Explore sustainable Sydney among greenery and architectural feats.

38 PERTH’S GREATEST PALATE CLEANSERS Visit new-wave wine bars and urban craft breweries.

42 CANBERRAN UP-AND-COMERS We shine the spotlight on the cool establishments that are upping the ante in Braddon and Fyshwick.

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72 DISTILLERY BOOM 76 FIRST TIME

Stretches of sand and sea, lush hinterland and plenty of entertainment – the Gold Coast has it all.

Why now is a great time to buy.

81 THE ART OF GIVING Good2Give provides solutions to facilitate charity work.

50 GO YOUR OWN WAY Two travellers explore the Whitsundays in very different ways.

82 SAVING OUR SPECIES FAME is dedicated to protecting our endangered plants and wildlife.

58 ISLE OF PLENTY Pack your hiking boots and sense of adventure to really get to know Kangaroo Island.

A unique stay with wildlife right by your bedside.

The latest insights and analysis.

They’re riding a wave of success.

46 THE GOLDEN ONE

62 WILD AT HEART

66 BRAIN FOOD

84 KICKSTARTERS

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Three successful start-up stories.

88 TWO TALES The partnership that is Boon Bromely.

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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WHERE WE FLY

Tigerair has you covered

Perth

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Sydney

Whitsundays

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10 Q&A 12 ENTERTAINMENT 14 GIFTS 16 EVENTS 18 MEET THE CHEF

CHARCOAL LANE Located in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Charcoal Lane celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019.

The hatted restaurant employs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and serves up a delicious seasonal menu of Australian cuisine. Passionate about paying respects to the culture and land, the team at Charcoal Lane tell stories through native ingredients.

Think dishes of roasted emu fillet and eucalyptus-infused timbale, parma-hamwrapped wallaby and sous vide crocodile green curry, alongside beautifully presented Australian-themed desserts. There’s also a cocktail menu brimming with bold native botanicals and a list of wines and beers sourced from regional areas.

The restaurant was founded by Mission Australia as a way to provide opportunities for Aboriginal people who are in need of a fresh start in life. Each dining experience helps to provide a supported, hands-on Mission Australia traineeship program – Charcoal Lane engages and connects more than 30 young Aboriginal people every year. charcoallane.com.au

DISCOV E R T H E COOL SI DE OF CA I R NS In recent years, vintage stores, funky laneway art, hidden bars and cafés oozing cool have been springing up right through Cairns’ CBD – if you know where to look. Local Georgia Babatsikos takes visitors on tours of Cairns, where you can discover all things new and hipster-cool, or learn about the city’s 40,000-year-old history. cairnsurbanwalkingtours.com.au DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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IN THE HEART OF MELBOURNE Those who harbour a special love for Melbourne – what many call our 'most European-style city' – say it's the architecture, culture, diverse food and beverage offerings, shopping and art-filled laneways that have them coming back for more.

Fraser Place Melbourne, in the heart of the CBD, takes full advantage of these many assets; it's a short stroll to train stations, shopping centres, art galleries, Chinatown (with its endless Asian restaurants), entertainment and live-music venues. Home to 112 studio apartments, this boutique property with cool indigenous artwork, classy pared-back décor and super-helpful staff on call

24/7 makes a business or leisure stay an absolute breeze. The apartments are equipped with gas cooktops, microwaves and dishwashers so you can cater for yourself, and washing machines and dryers so you can skip that trip to the laundrette if you're in town for a longer stay. There's also free wifi, a café downstairs, and a gym with a shower if keeping up your daily fitness routine is key to a productive stay. All apartments have king-size beds so you can stretch out and enjoy your downtime after immersing yourself in everything Melbourne has to offer. melbourne.frasershospitality.com

T H R E E FOOD T R E N DS TO WATCH OU T FOR I N 202 0

CHANGING UP KIDS’ MENUS The days of limited (and often unhealthy) kids' menus are coming to an end. While the go-to items used to be chicken nuggets and cheese-based pastas, now many eateries are realising that kids have refined tastes too. Grilled salmon with baked sweet-potato chunks? Fresh veggie sticks with homemade dip? Chia pods for brekkie? Fancy yoghurts? Expect to see kids eating what their parents are having, just cutesied up a notch or two.

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INVENTIVE SPREADS AT BRUNCH Eggs with avocado is still a favourite Aussie brunch dish, but popular brunch cafés are getting more imaginative with other options. Keep your eye out for legume- and nut-based spreads getting their time in the limelight, with veggies and eggs on top making for a very hearty dish. Think toast topped with cannellinibean spread, mushrooms and eggs, or toast with miso cashew-nut spread under a puffy cloud of scrambled-egg goodness.

MEAT-PLANT BLENDS Not everyone wants to give up meat, but many meat-eaters are becoming keen to cut down their intake. Weekly steak night might become a fortnightly treat for some families, and meat-plant blends are fast gaining popularity. Some large-scale meat brands are even launching vegetable-andmeat mix medleys in the form of sausages and burger patties to entice those looking to slowly scale down their meat intake.

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Q&A

MEET CASS SPIES:

Co-founder and Managing Director of Twisted Healthy Treats, Australia's only all-women producer of nutritious frozen treats.

Tell us about yourself.

I'm a health-obsessed food scientist, mother and wife. We live near Bondi Beach in Sydney and, when I'm not busy creating healthy decadent treats in Twisted's new production complex in Alexandria, we love to spend as much time as possible together at home or the beach, enjoying a few Twisted treats along the way!

Tell us about Twisted.

For 10 years, Twisted has been pushing boundaries and creating guilt-free, delicious frozen treats for all Australians, which are low in or have no added sugar, are low in fat and calories, use only natural ingredients and are based on clean recipes. Today, our

products are available in 5,000 school canteens and 1,800 supermarket shelves nationally, with exports to the US, Asia and beyond commencing very soon.

What is the family favourite Twisted product?

That's a tough one! We all love the No Added Sugar Probiotic Mini Cups. Happily, as with all the Twisted treats, my kids love the taste and I have zero guilt in allowing them to enjoy them at the end of every day.

What’s the legacy you want to create?

That a decadent frozen treat experience does not need to be had at the expense of one's health.

SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS ✔ 1 BILLION PROBIOTICS PER CUP ✔ NO ADDED SUGAR ✔ LOW CALORIE ✔ MADE WITH REAL PROBIOTIC YOGHURT ✔ ALL NATURAL

TW-Tiger Ad-1/2Page 123x188_FA.indd 1

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he art of 'W e pu t th e ki ds atwethme ak e.' ev e ry de ci si on 10

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Q&A

BONDI RESCUE’S LIFEGUARD MAXI Trent Maxwell, or ‘Lifeguard Maxi’ as he’s more commonly known, is the youngest professional lifeguard to work at the world-famous Bondi Beach. His 14-year career was well documented on the classic Aussie TV show Bondi Rescue, which today airs in more than 100 countries.

What you may not know about Maxi is that in 2016 he became a full-time firefighter for Fire and Rescue NSW, based in Sydney. And since 2018, Maxi has founded social enterprise Live Learn Survive with business partner Leigh Mason, published his first award-winning children’s book series Maxi the Lifeguard, and travelled internationally to teach water safety to kids in an effort to reduce drownings.

Maxi’s unique career combination has seen him develop into a much-needed young, positive male role model for future generations.

Q: Why are you so determined to teach water safety to kids?

A: I’m passionate about passing on my knowledge to future generations and using my profile for good. Research has shown that, other than installing barriers or keeping kids away from water, the leading point of action to prevent drownings is to teach school-aged kids about water safety. That is exactly what we do with Live Learn Survive.

Q: What big goal have you achieved so far?

A: In 2019, we travelled to the UK and Ireland and spoke to more than 7000 children in four countries and 20 cities, working with more than 40 schools and childrens groups. Our work has been all self-funded through Live Learn Survive or sales of my book series, Maxi the Lifeguard.

Q: Tell us about your Maxi the Lifeguard book series.

A: I co-wrote the books with David Lawrence with a goal to save young lives, and the storylines are based on much of my childhood. The Maxi the Lifeguard series of three books educates and entertains kids aged 8 to 12. The books provide advice on water safety while also covering topics such as teamwork, persistence, goalsetting and how we need to look after our oceans. At the back of each book is a lesson on rips, heatstroke and DRS ABCD. There’s also a puzzle and a beach safety checklist. There’s still a long way to go, but we are starting to realise the impact we are having on the environment, especially around the ocean. I’m so glad I can share with children this important environmental message through our Maxi the Lifeguard series, so that future generations are more aware of the implication of our actions.

Q: Tell us about how your ‘Gift A Book, Save A Life’ campaign works.

A: My books have been sent to more than 15 countries and are regularly donated as part of the ‘Gift A Book, Save A Life’ campaign. The idea is that anyone can purchase a book and nominate a library or school of their choosing, where hundreds of kids can have access to them. Live Learn Survive will then send that book as a gift on the donor’s behalf and in their name. Each gifted book contains a QR code that links back to a map on our website (lifeguardmaxi.com.au), so you can find your book and feel part of the impact that’s being made. It’s our vision that every child, no matter their location or background, have

access to the books and learn the lessons in them. I want every school library in Australia, and then the world, to have a copy of these books. That’s what ‘Gift A Book, Save A Life’ aims to achieve.

Q: What’s keeping you busy this summer?

A: This summer we’ll be back on the road through Australia.

In October we visited schools across Brisbane. In November we headed down to Melbourne, the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula, followed by a trip to Burnie in Tasmania. December will see us visiting schools throughout Sydney and taking a trip down the coast to Wollongong, while January is filling up fast with library talks across Sydney during the school holidays.

Q: What goals have you set for 2020?

A: 2020 will see us take another trip across to the UK and Ireland – the fourth in three years! We already have a full list, so the biggest challenge is getting around to see as many kids as we can. We’ve set a big goal to meet 15,000 children face-toface for the year (which is twice as many children as we met in 2019!). Live Learn Survive is becoming a community. We put the kids at the heart of every decision we make, and we know it is changing people’s lives. If you can help us have a positive impact on even more children or you would like to work with us, we would love to have you on board!

To learn more about the work Maxi is doing, visit lifeguardmaxi.com.au or follow Maxi on Facebook and Instagram: @lifeguardmaxi and @livelearnsurviveau DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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ENTERTAINMENT

WATCH, LISTEN, READ

BOOM CRASH OPERA.

TOUR ALICE COOPER February 8–18 in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Revered rocker Alice Cooper returns to Oz in February with the Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back show, featuring special guests Airbourne and MC50. alicecooper.com BLOOD MOON TOUR 2020 December 31–February 8 in regional locations across Australia Cold Chisel are re-forming for a national tour with special outdoor concerts across the country. The band will be joined by a stellar line-up of guest acts, different at each location, including Hoodoo Gurus, Birds of Tokyo, Kasey Chambers, Paul Kelly and Troy Cassar-Daley. coldchisel.com MUSICAL SHREK THE MUSICAL From January 1 in Sydney, then on to Melbourne and Brisbane This hilarious Broadway hit will have the whole family in stitches.

Opening at Sydney Lyric Theatre in January, the musical will move on to Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne in February, then on to Brisbane later in the year. shrekthemusical.com.au

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TOUR

RED HOT SUMMER TOUR January 4–April 26 in regional locations across Australia Kicking off in January with shows across regional Australia, performers will include Hunters & Collectors, James Reyne, The Living End, The Angels, Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Boom Crash Opera. redhotsummertour.com.au

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OUTDOOR CINEMA

SUNSET CINEMA Over summer in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, North Sydney and Wollongong Sunset Cinema kicks off the summer season with outdoor screenings of the hottest new blockbusters. sunsetcinema.com.au

BOOKS

KHAKI TOWN, JUDY NUNN October 2019, William Heinemann Australia, fiction Judy Nunn’s new bestselling historical novel, set in tropical Queensland at the outbreak of World War II, is based on a true and shocking wartime story that has remained a secret for 70 years.

MOONLIGHT CINEMA Over summer in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney In pretty locations across our capital cities, outdoor screenings of new and classic films will entertain as the sun sets throughout summer. moonlight.com.au

MOV’IN BED OUTDOOR BED CINEMA Over summer in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney Lie back in style in a comfy double bed as you watch the latest blockbusters and cult classics. movinbed.com

PODCAST THE REAL PODCAST Series 1 and 2 available on iTunes, Pocketcast, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Soundcloud and YouTube Featuring profiles and interviews with a broad range of talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, The Real Podcast series delivers stories, events and lifestyle reporting every Monday. the-real.com.au/podcast

DEAR GIRLS, ALI WONG October 2019, Viking, memoir/humour With her classic sharp wit, stand-up comedian Ali Wong writes heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters, covering everything they’ll need to know in life: the details of dating, being a working mum in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.

THE STRAYAN DICTIONARY, DOMINIC KNIGHT December 2019, Allen & Unwin, humour This hilarious dictionary chronicles the definitive definitions of a unique collection unique Aussie words, slang and phrases – from trakkie daks to Acca Dacca and arvo to yeah-nah.

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GIFTS

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SUMMER LOVIN’ 1. QSILICA ONE-A-DAY PRO COLLAGEN CAPSULES Free from gluten, yeast, dairy and soy, Qsilica’s new PRO COLLAGEN Vegan Capsules contain scientifically researched ingredient Ceramosides™, which is clinically proven to assist with skin health.

From $44.95, qsilica.com

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2. BASIL BANGS BEPPI TIMBER SLING CHAIR These sun chairs by Basil Bangs incorporate classic wooden frames with quirky and colourful prints to make a fun outdoor chair that really pops with happiness. Stay both comfortable and fashionable this summer. $349, top3.com.au

3. LOVIN’ SUMMER BEACH TENT Lounge on the beach in style with one of these cool tent shades. With several patterns available, a Lovin’ Summer tent makes for a fun way to personalise your seaside experience while staying out of the sun. $179, lovinsummer.com.au

4. PORTER PORTABLE GLASS TUMBLER Available in a new selection of colours, the Porter Portable Glass Tumbler offers an opportune way to do away with harmful plastics while acquiring elegant glassware. Treat the planet while also treating yourself. $39.90, top3.com.au

5. TESALATE TOWELS These cool Aussie towels are lightweight, superabsorbent, fast-drying – and sand doesn’t stick to them!

They fold up to a small parcel and come in a range of vibrantly coloured patterns that make them a stand-out summer accessory.

From $79, au.tesalate.com

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6. 20 CAN ENDURO BACKPACK COOLER If you’ve found yourself getting sick of dragging large coolers around, opt for the Enduro Backpack, which can hold up to 20 cans. With a food-grade liner, integrated bottle opener and shoulder straps, this backpack has all you’ll need. $164.95, oztrail.com.au

7. SOLAR BUDDIES This refillable and recyclable sunscreen applicator has a sponge and roller-ball partnership, which means no more messy sunscreencovered hands. It’s fantastic for kids, athletes, surfers, disabled, elderly and tradies.

From $20, solarbuddiesaustralia.com.au

8.AMERICAN TOURISTER APPLITE 4 The new Applite 4 features premium TSA locks, an upgraded ultra-organised interior and an exclusive lockable luggage cover to protect against scratches and prevent tampering.

From $219, americantourister.com.au

9. XLBOOM RONDO PARTY BUCKET The RONDO party bucket keeps your wine, champas and beer perfectly chilled and readily available throughout the summer months. The party bucket will make a high-quality addition to your summer parties. $450, top3.com.au

10. QSILICA ORIGINAL SILICA LIQUID Experience the benefits of colloidal mineral silica in liquid form. It’s 100 per cent vegan and free from gluten, yeast, dairy and soy; drink 10 millilitres per day in water, juice or a smoothie for beautiful skin, hair and nails.

From $34.95, qsilica.com DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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JANUARY 17–19

MONA FOMA Launceston Tas Attracting artists from all over the world, Mona Foma is a real eclectic arts festival, celebrated in true Tasmanian style. mofo.net.au

EVENTS

WHAT’S ON DECEMBER 21

DECEMBER 27–JANUARY 1

DECEMBER 28–JANUARY 3

WOOLWORTHS CAROLS IN THE DOMAIN

WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL

THE TASTE OF TASMANIA

Sydney NSW This huge outdoor Christmas concert comes to life in Sydney’s sprawling Domain.

Family friendly entertainment begins at midday and carols go well into the night. carolsinthedomain.com

Woodford Qld This semi-rural town welcomes thousands of artists and visitors to join in comedy, street theatre, live music and fun workshops. woodfordfolkfestival.com

Hobart Tas Hobart’s waterfront will swell with stalls, workshops and live shows all revolving around food and wine. It’s a showcase of the absolute best Tassie has to offer. thetasteoftasmania.com.au

DECEMBER 26–30

DOMAIN BOXING DAY TEST Melbourne Vic The Aussies will take on the Kiwis at the famed Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first Boxing Day test match against New Zealand since the draw in 1987. cricket.com.au

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DECEMBER 28–JANUARY 5

FALLS FESTIVAL Lorne Vic, Marion Bay SA, Byron Bay NSW and Fremantle WA It’s one of the biggest events on the Aussie music festival calendar. This year’s line-up includes Halsey, Peking Duk, Vampire Weekend, PNAU and Disclosure. fallsfestival.com

JANUARY 8–12

PARKES ELVIS FESTIVAL Parkes NSW The town of Parkes hosts one of the largest Elvis-themed festivals in the world. Take part in tribute concerts and street parties alongside throngs of Elvis impersonators and fans. parkeselvisfestival.com.au

JANUARY 8–26

SYDNEY FESTIVAL Sydney NSW Start out the new year with a bang when more than 500 artists perform in theatres and artistic spaces across Sydney over three fun weeks. sydneyfestival.org.au

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JANUARY 2–5

DECEMBER 26–31

SUMMERNATS 33

ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE

Mitchell ACT Consistently Australia’s biggest horsepower party since 1988, this four-day automotive lifestyle festival features epic modified car races and motor trade shows, and is home to the world’s biggest burnout. summernats.com.au

Sydney NSW and Hobart Tas This 75th anniversary event will see race villages at Sydney and Hobart come alive with champagne and wine bars, as well as live race coverage of one of the most anticipated yacht races in the world. rolexsydneyhobart.com

JANUARY 10–12

JANUARY 16–26

JANUARY 20–FEBRUARY 2

CYGNET FOLK FESTIVAL

SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Cygnet Tas Dedicated to real music, people and experiences, the small hamlet of Cygnet has hosted this iconic folk festival since 1982. cygnetfolkfestival.org

Adelaide SA The biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere, Santos follows 11 days of racing through South Australia.

In support, Adelaide hosts an entire Tour Village of entertainment, including Australia’s largest cycling expo. tourdownunder.com.au

Melbourne Vic Tennis champions and enthusiasts from across the globe head to our very own Garden State for this Grand Slam event. ausopen.com

JANUARY 11–18

WHITSUNDAY CLIPPER RACE CARNIVAL The Whitsundays Qld The Whitsundays come alive in this celebration of sailing festivities and signature events, including a welcome party in the centre of Airlie Beach, a long lunch on Whitehaven Beach and a rodeo by the beach in Bowen. whitsundayclipperrace.com

JANUARY 26

YABUN

JANUARY 17–26

TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL Tamworth NSW Australia’s largest music festival, the iconic Tamworth event hosts the best country artists from Australia alongside fair-dinkum boot-scooting entertainment and fun. tcmf.com.au

JANUARY 19–FEBRUARY 9

MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL Melbourne Vic Melbourne celebrates everything queer with cool performances, films, parties and events all through the city.

Don’t miss the Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda on February 2. midsumma.org.au

Camperdown NSW Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, Yabun showcases Australia’s best indigenous talent from across the country and holds panel discussions on prominent issues affecting Sydney’s indigenous community. yabun.org.au DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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MEET THE CHEF

HOME & AWAY Chef and restauranteur Marcello Farioli had an idyllic upbringing in Rubiera, Italy, and his family would often holiday on the nearby coastline of the Italian Riviera.

“The highlight of each trip would be dinner at a fine-dining seafood restaurant,” Marcello says with a smile. “And to this day I still dream of a particular tagliolini pasta dish with fresh sole, parsley, garlic and olive oil. Albeit a simple dish, the flavours and use of fresh local produce really excited me – and once the holiday was over, I would attempt to recreate the meals that we enjoyed at home.”

Luckily for us, today Marcello’s family and friends are not the only ones who can now enjoy his wonderful food, as he has opened his I Maccheroni restaurant that was once in Rose Bay in the chic innercity Sydney suburb of Woollahra.

The restaurant and wine bar has a calming palate of deep grey, teal and white paired with oak-panelled walls. Fitted neatly into a cool strip of terrace houses on Jersey Road, when you step up from the street and are welcomed by the smiling maître de Fabio, it feels as though you are being embraced in an Italian home – the scents wafting from the kitchen making you want to give someone a big hug.

Indeed, Marcello’s vision for I Maccheroni was to open a neighbourhood restaurant where diners feel at home.

“This is the definitive definition of ‘Italian casual dining’, after all,” he says. “I wanted to create a casual eatery that’s connected to the community it resides in; where locals can pop by for an evening bite or long lazy lunch each week without breaking the bank. It’s also a space for celebration with friends and family.”

“With my food, I want to create immediate joy and long-lasting memories of a truly good meal,” says Marcello. “Food has always evoked happy memories for me, and I want to share that. I once had an 8-year-old diner tell me that my gnocchi was the best she’d ever tasted! It was a very sweet sentiment and I hope in years to come she’ll remember my gnocchi and the happy meal that she shared with her family here.”

It’s hard for a chef to choose a favourite dish – it’s like favouring a child – but Marcello doesn’t falter when he’s asked this question.

“It may sound like a cliché, but my mum’s lasagne is still my favourite dish. After years of trying, I still can’t make my lasagne taste like hers! It’s the ultimate comfort dish and her lasagne always brings back happy memories of my childhood.”

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thelowdown

MARCELLO SHARES A RECIPE

SPI NACH PA R M IGI A NO R EG GI A NO TORT E L L I Serves: 6 (50 individual tortelli) Prep time: 1 to 1.5 hours | Cooking time: 3 mins

Although Marcello passionately loves his home country, the produce that he has access to in Australia grants him the tools to showcase this little slice of delicious Italian homeliness.

“Australian produce is outstanding, and Italian food is simple at best, so easily accessible, good-quality ingredients are key,” he explains. “Australia offers a great selection of home-grown meats, farmed oysters and native ingredients that elevate Italian cooking.”

Signature dishes on the menu at I Maccheroni include a burnt butter and sage spinach tortelli with 24-month aged reggiano cheese, mushroom arancini served with paprika aioli, and ricotta tiramisu with macadamia crumb.

“Although we change the menu seasonally, these three dishes remain,” Marcello says. “They draw inspiration from my homestead in northern Italy and the tortelli is a famed pasta dish that originally derives from the EmiliaRomagna region where I grew up. I love to experiment with texture and flavour; our tiramisu is made with ricotta over traditional mascarpone, making it lighter and fluffier.”

Food is everything to Marcello, and you feel (and taste) that at I Maccheroni.

“Food quite literally gives me the fuel to keep going,” he says. “It’s my favourite dinner-table subject and it makes me marvel. I’m constantly in awe of what we can create with food.”

I MACCHERONI’S RIBOLITA SANGA IS A TUSCANSTEW-INSPIRED VEGETARIAN DELIGHT.

INGREDIENTS Pasta dough • 500g flour • 4 eggs • 3-4 egg yolks

Spinach mix • 10g garlic • Cottonseed oil • 750g frozen spinach • 70ml milk

METHOD Pasta dough 1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until they start to crumble together.

2. Handroll dough mix into a ball and wrap in a tea towel; allow to rest in a dry, cool place for one hour.

Spinach mix 1. Finely chop the garlic and commence frying in a large (flat) pan with a drizzle of cottonseed oil.

2. Add the frozen spinach to the pan and turn heat to low/medium. Cook the spinach until there is no water left, then add milk.

3. Once cooked down (no liquid remains), remove the pan from the heat and add the breadcrumbs, parmesan and egg.

4. Allow mix to cool, then place into a food processor and season to taste.

• 100g breadcrumbs • 250g parmigiano reggiano • 1 egg • Salt (to taste)

Tortelli 1. Flatten the pasta dough with a rolling pin, then put through a pasta roller machine, taking it down by a notch each time (e.g. start on gear 4, then fold into gear 3, 2 and finally 1).

2. Roll the dough onto a flat surface, then use a round cutter to create circles of dough. Place a small quantity of the spinach mix onto one dough circle and enclose by placing a second circle on top.

Brush the edges with water and squeeze out any remaining air as you close each tortelli.

3. Cook the tortelli in a big pot of hot boiling water (seasoned with 20g of salt per litre of water) for about 3 minutes, then strain the pasta gently and toss in bit of butter.

Plate and grate some parmesan aged 24 months on top to serve.

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peoplepower

Meet Laura Enever, the Australian surfing superstar making an unprecedented mid-career shift from fashionista to big-wave warrior.

BY BEN SMITHURST | PHOTOS BY MATT DUNBAR

R A T S A

) E (R

IS

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peoplepower

LAURA IS A TWO-TIME WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION AND PRO JUNIOR CHAMPION.

N R ) BO DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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A

And there she is – the sexiest, blondest, tiniest, most easily pigeon-holed woman in all of pro-surfing. Laura Enever is moving very fast across the face of a very ugly yet very beautiful Tasmanian wave. It is March 2018. Laura is 26 years old and waifish; 168cm tall and just 54kg. But the wave is monstrous – maybe four metres from trough to lip. Thick, crisp blue, alive with steps and boils and eddies. It breaks in front of a sheer cliff face. Laura is about to change women’s surfing, but first she has to get absolutely obliterated.

“Oh,” she groans, “I got smashed!”

Laura takes the wrong line, gets caught too high and cartwheels into oblivion.

“I mean, I got really, really smashed. The first wave I got so smashed, but the second wave I got it together.”

And she scored a big, round, wide, jaw-droppingly photogenic barrel.

“It was the best feeling ever.”

Instagram lit up first,

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obviously – Laura has more than 420,000 followers – but the echoes from those two waves reverberated across the surfing world.

One magazine called her second barrel (the one without the cartwheels) ‘the wave that changed everything’. Surfer, the US bible of the water sport, headlined ‘Enever is on an unlikely journey from worldtour darling to heavy-water heroine’. Australia’s Surfing World declared her the forebear of an entirely new movement.

It’s not like women have forever been strangers to huge waves. Australian seventime world champion Layne Beachley pioneered women’s tow-in surfing with Hawaiian former boyfriend Ken Bradshaw in the ’90s. Fearless Hawaiian Keala Kennelly won a one-event Big Wave World Championship this year. Brazilian charger Maya Gabeira holds a female world record for biggest wave surfed (20.7 metres, if you don’t mind).

And fellow big-wave compatriot Felicity Palmateer goes

'NOW I'M ACCEPTING AND LOVING THE FEMININITY AND MASCULINITY IN ME'

hard in all conditions. That’s mentioning just a handful!

Even so, there was something different about Laura’s breakthrough. Firstly, she had been a full-time world-tour competitor since 2011, but she left in her prime competitive years to chase something else.

“I’ve always liked big waves, ever since I was competing when I was a total 12-year-old tomboy at North Narrabeen,” says Laura. “I always used to lose contests because I’d sit out the back in the final, 40 metres further out than anyone else.

I’d just wait and wait because I wanted to catch the biggest wave all heat, and I’d get beaten by everyone else because I only caught one wave. It drove my dad crazy.”

The women’s tour, in particular, has never been set up to showcase that particular skillset. And so, with no big-wave context, to most observers Laura remained a delicately built girly-girl. She surfed on dreamy tropical waves between Louis Vuitton Spring collaborations with Elle magazine or fashion editorials gadding about beneath the Eiffel Tower with a Chanel surfboard. Seeing her charging big waves, having car-crash wipe-outs and coming back for more was shocking.

Secondly, big-wave surfing is many things, but what it is not is glamorous. Big waves are often cold waves. They require thick layers of insulating wetsuit rubber and dish out

peoplepower

LAURA IS VERSATILE ENOUGH TO INDULGE IN BOTH OF HER LOVES: SURFING AND FASHION.

awful beatings. They’re scary.

They’re often surfed midocean, alongside howling winds, serving up lung-bursting beatings in deep, pitch-black water, in places where medical infrastructure is somewhat hilariously absent.

In 2008, legendary Australian big-wave surfer Ross ClarkeJones wiped out badly at Tasmania’s other internationally known big-wave location, Pedra Branca – an ugly nubbin of rock 26 kilometres off Tassie’s South East Cape – and was forced to make a long, slow, painful trek to the mainland for surgery with serious spinal injuries. In 2016, Laura herself had blown out her knee, wiping out in huge surf at a break called Jaws – perhaps Hawaii’s

and the world’s current ultimate big-wave arena.

That injury was ultimately a fortuitous one.

“I missed the next few contests because of that injury, and by the time I came back I’d just lost interest in the world tour. I didn’t really care anymore if I lost,” she says.

Laura was ostensibly still competing, but her heart just wasn’t in it.

“I just wanted to surf big waves,” she says.

But she kept plugging away at it, because who in their right mind gives up on all that glamour? Who in their right mind would give up what surfers call the ‘dream tour’ to get smashed by angry, buildingsize lumps of brine? Laura the

pin-up, maybe, but what about Laura the tomboy? What about the other side of Laura, the one that Instagram and fashion magazines and ad campaigns don’t see?

“Look, I love fashion – I’m very feminine and I love being a girl and shopping and cities and all of that. But I made a [conscious] choice [to embrace that side of myself],” says Laura.

“When I was growing up, I ran around all day with the boys and surfed for hours, and the past couple of years have been so much fun because I feel like I’ve kind of gone back into that little tomboy surfer girl – camping rough, not washing my hair for four days, going on those trips. Now I’m accepting and loving the femininity and

the masculinity in me; they work hand-in-hand, and I’m using them both.”

It took Laura two years to figure out that she could be both things: a big-wave chaser whenever the swell alerts start pinging and a freewheeling fashionista creative.

“I know that people think I’ve gone mad,” she laughs, “but I promise you I haven’t.”

Eventually Laura found herself in Tasmania. Cold.

Happy. About to get obliterated.

Moving very fast across the face of a very ugly yet very beautiful wave.

Undone, the film of Laura’s transition from world-tour ingenue to bona fide bigwave storm-chaser, comes out in February.

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higherview

SKY HIGH

Image: Adelaide Roof Climb

Looking out a plane window is one thing – but if you really want to see the most iconic parts of Australia from a higher perspective, here are eight of the best views in the nation.

BY SAMUEL STEINBERG

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higherview

ADELAIDE OVAL (50 METRES) When not playing host to sporting matches, Adelaide Oval’s rooftop is available for visitors to climb and walk right around. If you’re up for it, the stadium’s two-hour, 1.2-kilometre RoofClimb – which includes climbing ladders, navigating staircases and walking on metal-grate walkways – provides spectacular views of the stadium and across Adelaide. Imagine, at sunrise or sunset, the rolling Adelaide Hills to one side and the beautiful South Australian coastline stretching out along the other. roofclimb.com.au

e A de la id e H il ls mcoeeaststlth in e!

S ou th A u st ra li an

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Image: © Lensaloft 2011

Image: © RIX RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY 2009

higherview

4 2

Image: Telstra Tower

SYDNEY TOWER (309 METRES) Colloquially known as Centrepoint Tower, this is the city of Sydney’s tallest building. There are plenty of ways to explore from up high. For astounding views over the CBD and surrounds, head on up to Sydney Tower Eye, a glass-walled viewing platform. Or, for unencumbered 360-degree views, take a tour of Skywalk, an open-air glass-floored platform. There’s even the option to dine here in a highaltitude restaurant that slowly revolves atop the tower. sydneytowereye.com.au 360dining.com.au

3 TELSTRA TOWER (195 METRES) Canberra’s tallest landmark rises above the summit of Black Mountain, with cool views right out across Canberra (on a clear day, you can even spot New South Wales in the distance). This is more than just one of the capital’s major tourist attractions – it’s an important communications facility, and one of the World Federation of Great Towers, in league with the Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa and Space Needle. telstratower.com.au

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SKYPOINT (230 METRES) SkyPoint Observation Deck looks out over the beaches of the Gold Coast. (It’s Australia’s only beachside observation deck.) Those feeling adventurous can embark on the SkyPoint Climb, scaling the outside of the Q1 Resort & Spa building for a really adrenalinepumping experience. skypoint.com.au

Image: Destination New South Wales

higherview

MOUNTAINOUS MENTIONS GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS (556 METRES) Brisbane Qld BLUE MOUNTAINS (1189 METRES) Sydney NSW

5 FOREST SKY PIER (310 METRES)

MOUNT BOGONG (1986 METRES) Alpine National Park Vic

At Sealy Lookout in Coffs Harbour, Forest Sky Pier offers a stroll down a pier – in the middle of the sky. Set above Coffs Harbour, and projecting 21.6 metres beyond the lookout, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy magnificent coastal and forest views in all directions. The pier also has a picnic shelter, and nearby is TreeTops Adventure Park, where visitors navigate between the boughs on suspension bridges. coffscoast.com.au

MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO (2228 METRES) Kosciuszko National Park NSW MOUNT OSSA (1617 METRES) Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park Tas

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This picturesque cableway journeys over Queensland’s Wet Tropics Rainforest – the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. Six-person gondolas suspended in the sky glide far above the rainforest for 7.5 kilometres between Cairns and Kuranda. The 2.5-hour return ride services two rainforest stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls, allowing guests to get closer to those spectacular views. And when you arrive at Kuranda, there are plenty of local attractions to explore, including great wildlife parks. skyrail.com.au kuranda.org

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland/Jason Charles Hill

Image: Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY (545 METRES AT RED PEAK)

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Image: David Gray

SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE (134 METRES)

Ti m e to ge t th e he art pu m pi ng!

8 Melbourne’s Eureka Tower is the secondtallest building in Australia. Inside, the Eureka Skydeck is the highest public building vantage point in the southern hemisphere. For an exhilarating experience, you can step out onto The Edge, a glass cube projected three metres out of the building, suspended in the air. eurekaskydeck.com.au

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Image: Visit Victoria

EUREKA SKYDECK (297 METRES)

For fans of adventure, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a must-do. The fulllength 3.5-hour BridgeClimb takes you to one of the highest points in the city, featuring 360-degree views of the harbour, with the Sydney Opera House in perfect sight. There’s no better way to enjoy Sydney’s sea breeze than as it whips through your hair at the top of this iconic structure. bridgeclimb.com

freshair

What better way to appreciate the environment than when the sun is shining?

BY TATYANA LEONOV

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freshair

Images: © The Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust

I

It’s been a few years since I’ve been to The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, and today I’ve happened upon it on a near-perfect day.

There’s a gentle breeze blowing and it’s just refreshing enough to combat the late-morning sun. Flowers bloom left, right and centre, adding pops of colour to the patchwork of greens, and Sydney Harbour glistens in the distance.

My two-year-old daughter and I have already strolled through the Australian Rainforest Garden and marvelled at the variety of plants, then stopped by the Herb Garden for culinary inspiration. There’s a sensory fountain here (kids and adults are encouraged to touch the spherical feature, which has water flowing over it and is surrounded by a bronze ring) and my daughter spent close to half an hour playing with the water.

After our leisurely start, lunch is already calling. We go in search of the perfect spot, and it doesn’t take long to find. We perch

LEFT TO RIGHT: EXPLORING THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY; FLOWERS ABOUND IN SPRING; THE GARDEN'S SENSORY FOUNTAIN WAS DONATED IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 175TH ANNIVERSARY..

ourselves on a patch of grass with views out to the Sydney Opera House and munch on avocado and cheese baguettes. Bliss!

As a Sydneysider, I know I’m one of the lucky ones, because if I’m hankering to be among nature it’s never too far away; The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is just a hop and a skip away from the city centre. And parks and nature reserves are easy to find wherever you might be in this huge city.

Thanks to my daughter, we will usually visit at least one green space per day. It makes her happy, and it makes me happy too.

The psychological benefits of being among nature are well studied, and it’s widely understood that spending time among trees spurs feel-good feelings.

There are studies that refer to improved air quality in places with more greenery, and studies that focus on the improvement of mental health when exposed to trees. And there are dozens more studies, all pointing to humans simply feeling better when there are more trees around.

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS After our picnic lunch, my daughter and I spend another hour meandering through The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney until she dozes off and I plop myself under a tree to read. We’ve spent close to three hours exploring and could easily while away the entire day here.

For more active types, there are tours and workshops: free guided tours at 10.30am daily and many paid options, such as the Aboriginal Bush Food Experience and Behind The Scenes Sensory Tour of the display glasshouses. I’ve already got a plan for our next visit: the award-winning

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM: STROLLS IN SYDNEY PARK; THERE'S PLENTY TO SEE AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY; BARANGAROO IS A GREAT ESCAPE FOR CITY-SIDERS..

horticultural display centre The Calyx. It features the largest changeable interior green wall in the southern hemisphere, and its current exhibit, Plants With Bite, houses 25,000 carnivorous plants (it’s open until winter 2020).

Public parks are great places to explore, and there are hundreds peppered throughout Sydney. I’ve visited quite the assemblage over the past couple of years, thanks to my toddler daughter, whose first word when she wakes up is ‘park’.

Sydney Park in Alexandria is one of our favourites. It has something to please everyone: landscaped gardens, open fields, a bike track for the little ones, and birdwatching thanks to the wetlands. The playground is huge and keeps my daughter entertained for hours. And when it’s time to go, the cafés of St Peters and Newtown are within walking distance.

Blaxland Riverside Park at Sydney Olympic Park is another green space we visit often. It has the largest array of play equipment I’ve ever come across and is located near Parramatta River. Sometimes my husband and I take our bikes and spend the day cycling alongside it.

Spending time by the water is synonymous with Sydney life, and we are fortunate that there are so many green spaces near rivers or the sea. Barangaroo Reserve, part of Sydney’s newest harbourside precinct, has been one of our favourite spots since it was opened to the public in 2015. I think we’re all still getting used to the never-before-seen views of the city’s harbour and the native shrubs planted all around the headland.

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Images: Destination NSW

freshair

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IN 2018, SYDNEY WAS RANKED AUSTRALIA’S MOST SUSTAINABLE CITY.

green

ARCHITECTURE AND GREENERY Now that my husband and I are in the midst of building an extension to my home, I have a newfound appreciation of great design: beautiful, energy-efficient, with plenty of green incorporated. One Central Park in Chippendale is one such building where the concept of green is so big it holds claim to having the world’s tallest vertical garden. The two-tower complex is one of Sydney’s most talked about architectural feats, and as soon as you crane your neck up you’ll see why.

French architect firm Ateliers Jean Nouvel worked closely with botanist Patrick Blanc to create something extraordinary. At 150 metres tall, the hanging garden is made up of tens of thousands of plants and shrubs that hang on the building via 21 vertical panels. Architect Bertram Beissel of Ateliers Jean Nouvel, who oversaw the construction of the project, is known to have identified it as “a flower for each resident and a bouquet to the city”. His words ring very true. The sustainable build also includes a heliostat, an internal water recycling plant and a tri-generation plant.

It’s absolutely no surprise that it has won

a plethora of awards and been awarded a five-star Green Star by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Another precinct awarded a Green Star is Green Square town centre. The six-star Green Star – Communities rating certifies it as meeting the world’s highest standards in governance, liveability, economic prosperity, environment and innovation.

There’s no doubt that buildings are offenders when it comes to greenhouse emissions, particularly large multi-storey affairs, which we will see more and more of as Sydney’s population grows. In fact, it’s expected that by 2030, about 90 per cent of all new homes in Sydney will be highrise apartments. In response, the Smart Green Apartments program – launched in 2016 by the City of Sydney – was designed for owners and managers to work together with the aim of slashing energy bills and saving thousands on running and maintenance costs by using energyefficient innovative design. To cement their dedication, the City of Sydney has committed to working with 20 apartment buildings each year for the next decade.

‘At 150 metres tall, the hanging garden is made up of tens of thousands of plants’

ONE CENTRAL PARK.

Image: Destination NSW

Image: © The Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust

freshair

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freshair

THE SUSTAINABLE HOTEL REVOLUTION

Image: ©Hamilton Lund

More and more travellers these days are enquiring about hotels and their sustainability practises, and many hotel brands are introducing initiatives to help out the planet.

At Shangri-La Hotel, guests use wooden key cards to access their rooms, and checking in and out is a paperless affair. Here, water comes in 100 per cent recyclable Just Water cartons and the ORCA clean food waste recycling technology diverts hotel food waste from landfill.

The recently opened Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour is starting right, with a commitment to not use single-use plastic items, as well as recycling and waste bins in all guest rooms and in-room motion senses that avoid unnecessary energy waste.

On-site compositing is the norm at Spicers Potts Point, with the compost collected going to the nearby Wayside Chapel for its community veggie patch.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SPICERS POTTS POINT EVEN FEELS GREEN INSIDE; VIBE HOTEL SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR IS A NEWCOMER TO SYDNEY'S GREEN SCENE.

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to Sydney daily.

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Here, the days of mini shampoo and conditioner containers and plastic water bottles are all but a distant memory. Instead, large refillable bottles are used for inroom toiletries and guests can fill up their own water bottles using the AQuachiara microfiltered water system.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney also has a number of environmental programs in place, with energy efficiency and water conservation two of the big focuses.

InterContinental Sydney follows a similar direction, with great results in recent years in reducing energy and lowering water consumption.

Accor has the Planet 21 sustainable development program, which is essentially a roll-out of sustainable initiatives across its various hotels and brands. Projects, aims and outcomes differ, but the motivation is always the environment. Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour is one of Accor’s

Sydney superstars. The hotel installed 350 solar panels (100 kilowatt-per-hour photovoltaic system) on its roof in 2017, which supply about 10 per cent of the electricity on the common area. It’s one of largest solar panel systems to be installed in the Sydney CBD. And it’s not just the mid and high-range hotels that are directing their efforts to the greater good. Sustainability is a big focus for budget-friendly brand YHA, with many of the Australian properties doing their bit for responsible travel. Sydney Harbour YHA has installed a 30 kilowatt-perhour photovoltaic system, while Railway Square YHA has a 62 kilowatt-per-hour photovoltaic system and a solar-boosted hot-water system.

With businesses doing what they can for the environment, it’s so encouraging for the rest of us to do our part to keep Australia beautiful.

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eatdrink

PERTH’S G R E AT E S T PA L AT E CLEANSERS Where to wet your whistle in this blue-skied city made for laidback libations.

BY EMMA PEGRUM

Thanks to a number of experienced operators, passionate sole traders and family business outfits wanting to do things differently, Perth’s drinking scene has improved vastly in recent years. Where there were once mostly large pubs and clubs, there is now a diverse array of small bars and entertainment venues with real hospitality finesse. From new-wave wine bars and rooftop hangouts to old-school pubs and urban craft breweries, these spots will not only satisfy a thirst, they’ll take you right across the city – to its famous beaches, charming suburbia and vibrant inner city.

WINE BARS Good news for wine drinkers: Perth has an undeniable love of grape juice. A flurry of recent openings has set the focus firmly on natural and new-wave wines, with ground zero being Wines of While. This 50-seat wine bar and store was this year crowned Bar of the Year by Gourmet Traveller, and it’s not hard to see why. A casual setting, gluggable wines and simple Mediterranean food make for a sunny alfresco afternoon well spent.

That’s joined by Madalena’s Bar, South Fremantle’s resident low-intervention wine and seafood boteco, where basically everything is local.

In the city centre, Petition, Tiny’s Liquor Emporium, Shadow Wine Bar and Lalla Rookh Wine Store all offer expertly selected international wines.

Visiting neighbourhood wine joints is a great way to get to know suburban Perth and local people; head to Subiaco’s Juanita’s, Mount Lawley’s oldworld-inspired Le Rebelle, Bayswater’s King Somm, Wembley’s Mummucc’ and West Leederville’s brand-new Besk.

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DRINK AND DANCE When the dancefloor is calling, go direct to Highgate’s Si Paradiso. It’s an Italo-Australian all-day drinking, dining and dancing venue with a large open-air auditorium that hosts regular DJs and live music alongside their banging house band, The Love Endeavour. From one of the same owners comes El Grotto in Scarborough, a Mexican-inspired cocktail bar and taqueria where the music is loud and live.

Meanwhile, North Fremantle institutions Mrs Brown and Mojos Bar have been supplying the south with libations and live music for a combined 30-plus years.

Then there’s the entertainment roster at Freo.Social, a 900-person live-music venue housed in the port city’s heritage artillery drill hall.

PUBS NEW AND OLD Whether you prefer a no-frills watering hole or the manicured grandeur of refurbished new-wave pubs, Perth won’t disappoint. The Guildford Hotel serves a wide selection of new- and old-wave beers, all within a revived heritage-listed building with classic Victorian architecture. Join in on a wildly popular Sunday session at Ocean Beach Hotel – affectionately termed ‘the Obi’ – for no-fuss beers and sunset views over North Cottesloe Beach. North Perth icon Rosemount Hotel has a relaxed beer garden and regular live music downstairs.

Fremantle way, South Beach Hotel, The Local Hotel and The Aardvark all pump with loyal local beer lovers, especially on weekends.

Subiaco newcomer Fenway recently took up the site of a much-loved Boston-Irish pub; here, you can sink into a chesterfield with your choice of beer, be it old-world or craft.

Image: D Wright

Image: D Zuks

Image: D Wright

eatdrink

FROM TOP:

Image: Rebecca Mansell

THE BAR AT MADALENA’S; IL LIDO'S ALFRESCO DINING; A COCKTAIL AT STRANGE COMPANY; OYSTERS AT MADALENA’S; SI PARADISO’S FOUNTAIN; QT HOTEL’S ROOFTOP OFFERINGS.

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eatdrink PERTH’S ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY AND CULINARY OFFERINGS HAVE

Image: Tourism Western Australia

IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS.

Throwback to the golden era of the suburban pub at The Quarter Acre Hotel in Applecross – it offers rotating tap beers and cocktails made from local craft spirits, as well as a relaxed back courtyard.

For a really contemporary take on the corner pub, beer nerds can’t miss Petition Beer Corner in the CBD; find 18 taps with an ever-changing list of international beers, and fridges full of some of the world’s rarest bottled beers.

Western Australia leads the charge when it comes to Australia’s craft beer industry. No visit to Perth is complete without hitting Little Creatures, the nation’s pioneer of craft-beer brewing. Its family friendly brewery located at Fremantle Port is the perfect location to drink a pale ale or three.

Beyond that, Perth is full of urban brewpubs. East Perth’s Bright Tank Brewing Co, West Leederville’s Nowhereman Brewing Co and Myaree’s Otherside Brewing Co are just a few places to taste handcrafted brews, mostly poured by those brewing them. In Burswood, check out the country’s largest brewpub, The Camfield. Able to hold 2500 people and directly adjacent to Optus Stadium (hint: time your arrival on footy nights carefully), things are based around its very own microbrewery and an enormous bar boasting some 175 taps.

COCKTAIL HOUR In the warmer months, Perth’s cocktail hour is defined by golden sunlight and a refreshing sea breeze. The best seat in town is at Cottesloe Beach staple Il Lido, which has a thoughtful selection of quality Italian spirits and wines. On offer are $10 negronis between 4pm and 6pm daily, topped off with Indian Ocean views. Just up the road, overlooking Swanbourne Beach, The Shorehouse has an expertly crafted gin tonica menu and a lounge deck taking in the ocean.

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Image: D Zuks

URBAN BREWERIES

Away from the beach, Strange Company’s inventive cocktail list, sophisticated yet casual vibe and charming Fremantle location make it an enduring local favourite.

Over in Maylands, find old-world cocktails and Saturday afternoon jazz at Swallow, an intimate 1920s-inspired neighbourhood bar with a breezy courtyard out the back.

ROOFTOP REFRESHMENTS Nestled among the heritage rooftops of Northbridge, Mechanics Institute was one of the pioneers of the small-bar scene in Perth, and it’s still shaking some of the city’s best cocktails. In the CBD, Hadiqa and the rooftop bar at QT Hotel are excellent jumping-off points for a night out. Alternatively, lap up 360-degree views and simple beers over Fremantle’s port and pine trees on the top floor of The National Hotel.

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to Perth daily.

David Dare Parker P05381.037

This special exhibition honours those Australians who work tirelessly to avert tragedy and build peace.

From Bougainville to East Timor; Rwanda to Solomon Islands – explore the stories behind peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, where Australian civilians, diplomats, police and military, have shown the courage to make peace. awm.gov.au/courageforpeace

livelikealocal

CANBERRAN UP-AND-COMERS

These cool establishments in Braddon and Fyshwick are changing the face of Canberra’s gourmet game. Here are some of the best places to eat and drink your way through the nation’s capital.

BY SARAH HINDER

Images: Ashley St George

Running through the centre of Braddon, Lonsdale Street is the beating heart of the fun food-loving suburb. A stroll down the street will have you pass an eclectic collection of Canberra’s greatest gourmet game-changers, from fervour favourites to new kids on the block.

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COFFEE, CAKES & CAFÉS

KYŌ An absolute gem, KYŌ doesn’t need to shout to stand out as one of this busy food districts’ best cafés: it simply is. Tucked into an inviting and airy courtyard, the café and few small businesses surrounding it are like a little oasis just off the main drag. The space is designed to be natural and welcoming, with communal-style tables, exposed concrete walls and a neat open kitchen where owner Natasja Tobin and chef Imogen Love explore their passion for a seasonal-Japanese inspired menu. The café opened its doors in September 2018, serving KYŌ coffee roasted nearby by owner Michael Phelan himself.

As we sit and chat over a cup of coffee, Michael explains how the space and the project are set up as organically as possible, in a way that encourages casual interactions between guests. At KYŌ you’ll often see strangers striking up a conversation with one another. It’s as though we’ve all escaped into our own little world. kyocoffeeproject.com

FRUGII DESSERT LABORATORY Across the road from KYŌ, Frugii is a sweet-tooth’s dream. The gelateria and dessert shop is set within the Ori Building – a small shopping arcade filled with boutique shops, where you’ll find homemade wares, unique jewellery, local art and a chocolateria. A small family-run business, Frugii is owned and lovingly run

by John and Ed Marshall, who have been making ice-cream for more than 20 years.

John starting out creating ice-cream for fun on a small machine. Over the years, the pair began selling their inventions at local markets (of which Canberra has some seriously good ones), as well as pairing desserts for friends’ dinner parties and selling their ice-cream wholesale – all created using professional equipment right out of their home.

In 2015, John and Ed opened Frugii Dessert Laboratory – a sweet-smelling cosy shop on Lonsdale Street filled every night of the week with after-dinner dessert hunters sampling a rotating menu of ice-cream and gelato flavours, inventive cakes, semifreddo and parfait. I sample a good mix of the day’s gelatos (all made with real fruit) as Ed and I discuss their more offbeat flavours, including potent-smelling durian fruit semifreddo and salted duck-egg ice-cream (for real). frugii.com

SWEET BONES BAKERY & CAFÉ Cupcakes meet rock ‘n’ roll at this cool vegan café and bakery, tucked cosily into a little side street off the Lonsdale strip.

Run by owners Emily and Russell Brindley, both passionate about wholefoods, the café effortlessly oozes charm. Whether you’re vegan or not, this is a great spot to start out your morning – or wind down the arvo – sipping great coffee (roasted locally by Red Brick Coffee) from a generous ceramic mug, and filling up with a homely, healthy meal. For me, it’s a Banjo Sammich, with fresh cucumber, avocado and hummus, and a third coffee on my way out that I simply can’t resist.

The cake cabinet is dreamy to look at, and l notice most customers, like me, don’t head off without a pastry or two tucked under one arm. sweetbonescompany.com | redbrickcoffee.com.au

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Image: VisitCanberra

BEERS, BARS & BITES

EIGHTYSIX Right next door, eightysix has been wowing foodies for six years. With its open kitchen, modern architecture and experienced waitstaff, the onehatted restaurant was named after ‘86-ing’ (crossing a dish off the menu after it has sold out).

Buzzing with excitement every night of the week, Braddonites know this is a guaranteed one-stop-shop for a gourmet feast and good vibes. Think fun cocktails, rave-worthy desserts and offbeat inventive mains.

I start out with a salt and vinegar scallop, which I’m told they’re famous

RIZLA Possibly the most exciting newcomer to the Braddon scene, rieslingthemed bar and eatery Rizla opened its doors in September 2019 – and has taken the block by storm.

Headed up by Andy Day, Rizla serves generous share plates, each designed to pair up perfectly with its specialty drops of riesling in a really relaxed atmosphere.

If you’re someone new to the grape, don’t be shy! The team there will take fantastic care of you, making the experience laidback and fun. Plus, they offer a selection of thoughtfully selected local reds and other varietals alongside the signature riesling.

The wine list shows off the best of Canberran wineries, and for weekend lunch they have begun introducing tastings of local winemakers – I was so absolutely blown away that I went straight out and ordered a few bottles from the day’s local Murrumbateman winery on offer: McKellar Ridge.

On a relaxed afternoon, tucked under a warming heater or basking in the sun, Rizla’s outdoor seating provides the perfect spot for peoplewatching. Lean back, sip your glass of riesling, and let Lonsdale Street mill around you. Fair warning: this is not a place you’ll want to move on from. drinkrizla.com.au

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for (and quite rightly so), followed by spiced cauliflower with pomegranate, and pumpkin tortellini with sage, brown butter and hazelnuts.

Continuing the local theme, my waiter perfectly pairs a glass of Canberran riesling with the spice of the cauliflower, and a Canberran pinot gris with the rich and creamy tortellini. If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend opting for the well-thought-out tasting menu and allowing the experts to match you up with local wines. eightysix.com.au

CAPITAL BREWING CO

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to Canberra daily.

A little off the beaten track – and seriously well worth it – Capital Brewing Co has been making waves on the craft beer scene since 2016. Starting out contract brewing (renting out brewing space in another brewery) in Sydney’s Hairyman Brewery, Capital Brewing Co’s Fyshwick taproom officially opened in September 2017.

Today the brewery and beer garden is a fun and welcoming space, with a super-relaxed vibe (kids and dogs encouraged), to spend the afternoon. There’s an interesting variety of hops regularly on tap, plus specialty limitededition brews, such as fairy-flossinfused neipa and salty margheritaflavoured gose – which taste exactly as they sound. You can take a tour of the brewery to learn all about the brewing process, and enjoy burgers from the onsite Brod food truck. At the end of the day, I make sure to take home a selection of their regular brews from the fridge to continue the tastings at home. capitalbrewing.co

coastalong

THE GOLDEN ONE

With stretches of sand and sea, lush hinterland and entertainment around every corner, the Gold Coast has something for everyone.

BY MICHELLE HESPE

Few people know that the Gold Coast was originally known as the South Coast (because it’s located south of Brisbane).

The appealing name came about in the late 1950s, when money started trickling in. Inflated real-estate prices and high-end activities and restaurants started attracting those with deep pockets, and the nickname stuck. As the years went by, tourism grew, and by the 1980s the Goldie was renowned as the location to holiday. Honeymooners, families, retirees – everyone wanted in.

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As visitor numbers flourished, so too did the opportunities, and in 1994 the City of Gold Coast local government area was expanded to encompass the majority of the Gold Coast’s metropolitan area, becoming the second most populated local government area in Australia (after the City of Brisbane). The 2018 Commonwealth Games brought about even more change.

This was the Gold Coast’s first mega event, and it injected $2 billion into the local economy. It also showed off the Gold

Coast to the world – 1.5 billion viewers now know about this Aussie patch of paradise.

Today the Goldie remains one of Australia’s top coastal holiday destinations, with something for everyone. There are fancy hotels where colourful cocktails that are delivered poolside, some of Australia’s best beaches right on your doorstep, and a lush hinterland that feels a world away from everything else. Whether you’re after nonstop entertainment or relaxing downtime among nature, the Goldie has you covered.

coastalong Q1 RESORT AND SPA HOSTS AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST EXTERNAL BUILDING CLIMB. LEFT: THE GIN PARLOUR AT MIAMI MARKETTA.

Surfers Paradise has long been one of the Goldie’s most popular haunts, and with its plethora of restaurants and bars it’s a great place to stay and play for those who want to be in the centre of the action. The beach and recently revitalised foreshore are bustling any time of day. SkyPoint Deck offers 360-degree views of the hinterland, coastline, city skyline and the Pacific Ocean, and eating, drinking and shopping opportunities are every way you look.

It’s a bit rockstar staying right in the middle of Broadbeach, with the casino behind you and 17 kilometres of beach and the Pacific Ocean sprawling out in front.

Avani Broadbeach Gold Coast Residences is perfectly positioned to take in the nightlife, buzzing restaurant scene and spoils to be reaped at the casino, if you are child-free or on business. You’re also just a few minutes’ walk from the G:link tram stop that takes you up and down the coast.

If you do have the little (or big) ones in tow, you’ve got it made when it comes to visiting the theme parks and evening shows that the Goldie is rightfully famous for. We’ll get to those soon…

The one thing everyone should do, no matter their crew, is visit Miami Marketta.

It’s the hottest spot on the Gold Coast right now and it’s bringing a bit of Melbourne laneway dining style to Queensland. During the day the single road is empty, but as soon as the sun goes down the space is transformed into a thriving nightspot, with more than 25 types of cuisine, craft beer

‘I T’S A BI T ROCKSTA R STAY I NG R IGH T IN THE M I DDL E OF BROA DBE ACH ’

and wine stalls, and a gin parlour with 90plus types of gin on offer.

For shopping fans, the market stall vendors sell everything – from clothes and handbags to art and crafts. And live music further adds to the scene, with people from all walks of life getting up for a boogie.

The dessert hall (where you can buy one of the biggest, fluffiest lamingtons you’ve ever seen in your life) is the perfect stop to culminate the evening.

ESCAPE THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE Gold Coast’s hinterland is a verdant paradise of rainforest-clad mountains, valleys filled with burbling creeks and waterfalls, and hills covered in farms producing some of the country’s best organic produce.

A legend in this region is David Freeman of Freeman’s Farm, which has some of the most stunning views back across the

mountains towards Burleigh Heads. David’s great, great uncle Arthur began growing bananas on this 121-hectare patch of earth more than 100 years ago, and today it is a slice of organic heaven.

Guests can take a seat among the crates and paper bags brimming with delicious market produce – at a chiminea fire in winter, or in summer on the grass before the avocado and banana plantations. It’s all about getting back to nature and drinking in the sunshine and views at Freeman’s Farm, and there is always a lovely local to meet – loyal fans of organic food and a holistic approach to health and life in general.

A 15-minute drive down the road will take you to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can jump on a mini train around a sanctuary admiring many of Australia’s endangered species. There are plenty of ways to get involved too, with shows, talks and encounters. A visit to the Wildlife Hospital should be on every itinerary.

Here you can see doctors and nurses DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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Images: Tourism and Events Queensland

SURF AND SAND… AND ENTERTAINMENT

coastalong HOLD ON TIGHT – SUPERMAN ESCAPE AT MOVIE WORLD REACHES 100 KILOMETRES AN HOUR IN JUST TWO SECONDS!

rehabilitating sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife.

Want to get high? Treetop Challenge located inside Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the country’s top zipline and high ropes, and there’s nothing quite like soaring through a canyon at speeds up to 70 kilometres per hour on one of the 11 flying foxes. One of the routes flies over the crocodile enclosure, while other possibilities zoom over kangaroos, dingoes and emus below.

ADVENTURES FOR ALL AGES Even if you are not an adrenaline seeker, there is no getting around it – you can’t visit the Gold Coast (especially if you have kids with you) without fitting in a theme park or a show. Movie World is the crowd-pleaser for fun park rides; it is home to the tallest, longest and fastest HyperCoaster in the southern hemisphere – 1.4 ‘big’ kilometres of hair-raising fun. There’s also one of the

Explore the G:old Coast with G:link

19 stations Helensvale to Broadbeach

Tiger Air Magazine.indd 1

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coastalong

THE GOLD COAST HINTERLAND PROVIDES THE GREEN BEHIND THE GOLD.

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to the Gold Coast daily.

GETTING AROUND One of the great things about the Goldie is that there is one main road (the Gold Coast Highway) slicing right through the mass of houses, apartments and seemingly endless motels and hotels, so it’s easy to navigate.

GET TAKEN FOR A RIDE In 2014, the G:link light rail made travel in and around the Gold Coast easier for those who’d prefer not to drive. Depending on the time of day, a light-rail vehicle will arrive at each stop between 7.5 and 30 minutes. Download the free MyG: app to locate stations, ticket sellers and local attractions, plan your journey, and receive real-time tracking and alerts. ridetheg.com.au

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

Images: Tourism and Events Queensland

most thrilling ‘SpaceShot’ rides you’ll ever experience: the BATWING. It shoots straight up to almost 60 metres in breathtaking speed and then finishes with bungee-like bounces. Don’t miss Superman Escape (another thrilling rollercoaster where Superman himself propels your carriage to safety) or the Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, which is actually not as tame as it looks.

Dreamworld is another fun one for the kids (and kids at heart). It’s the Gold Coast’s biggest theme park and encompasses all sorts of experiences, from rides and animal encounters to water-park adventures and shows. Start early to make the most of the day here, and plan for a quiet night at a low-key restaurant to slowly bring everyone’s energy down.

If you only make one show, the Australian Outback Spectacular gets rave reviews.

It takes guests on a journey into heart of Outback Australia, where a community of farmers are dealing with the heartache and breakthroughs of the ongoing drought.

You can book a drinks and dining package that includes pre-show drinks and a threecourse dinner brought to you while you watch the performance.

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Image: Jason Hill and Tourism & Events Queensland

oppositesattract

One place, two very different travellers.

Here’s how to enjoy The Whitsundays with someone who might not have the same holiday vision as you.

BY MICHELLE HESPE

GO YOUR OWN WAY IN …

THE

WHITSUNDAYS 50

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Flying into Proserpine, the friendly gateway airport to Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays, I squint into the morning sun and peer down into the dazzling vista of blues and greens that vividly speak of Queensland. Endless patches of sugar cane sway lazily in the breeze; farming fields are dotted with homesteads, sheds, cattle and tractors; trains laden with goods speed through paddocks, industrial hubs and many outlying villages.

There’s the Great Barrier Reef, the inner reef and Airlie’s frenetic rockwalled marinas bursting at the seams with boats, yachts, dinghies, ships, fishing gear and people heading in and out of shops and businesses dotted along the working harbour.

I look down at the thousands of houses peppering the sides of hills, jostling for ocean and inlet views, and soon the motels, hotels, caravan parks, cafes and pubs with umbrellas offering shade become visible – it’s all as busy as an ant nest before the rain.

Driving along the water’s edge in Airlie Beach, my partner Jeff laughs as I excitedly point out people jet-packing – their bodies shoot out of the water and

MEET MICHELLE AND JEFF

into the air like Superman taking off, water cascading like yellow diamonds flung from the sun.

“All yours,” he shakes his head as he drives, tapping his fingers along to the ’70s and ’80s tunes that the local radio loves – Eagles, Cold Chisel and now some Def Leppard. Beer and barbecue songs suit this place.

I’m excited, thinking of the adrenaline-pumping action and snorkelling out there on and in the water. Jeff, on the other hand, is here for a flop-and-drop holiday with oodles of relaxation, sunbathing and a little low-key exploration on the side.

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Images: Tourism & Events Queensland

DAY ONE

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Michelle & The Thundercat My first day out in the Whitsundays started with a dreadlocked rasta-looking dude pulling up to the reception of Airlie Beach Discovery Park in a red bus with ‘Red Cat Adventures’ painted in bright yellow across the side. ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ was blasting from the radio. Jeff waved goodbye from the park’s palm-tree-surrounded pool as I climbed aboard to everyone’s jubilant morning greetings.

At Coral Sea Marina, we all slapped on hats, sunnies and sunscreen, tried on wetsuits and boarded one of the fastest catamarans in the Whitsundays: the Thundercat. The big red beast is designed for stability and speed, so it’s perfect for those prone to seasickness, says our loud and lovely guide who calls everyone “my friend“. “Let’s do this, people – woohoo!” he adds excitedly.

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It’s a nine-to-five day out, but the hours fly by as there is so much to see and do.

We visit Whitehaven Beach, which lives up to its name as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and are able to spend a couple of hours bushwalking and wandering across sand so white that it’s hard to look at it for too long. If heaven were a beach, this would be it. Stingrays glide past our legs in the shallows and people float by, gazing at the sky. Tiny little figures swim further out into the reef, snorting and crying with delight into their snorkels as myriad fish, turtles, reef sharks and leopard sharks make their sporadic appearances.

We have lunch – Asian-style noodle salad, sliced meats and cheese, quiche, bread rolls and green garden salads – then zoom off back into the inner reef, where we find two spots on the way home to snorkel. There’s such an abundant variety of marine life that it’s like leaping into a billionaire’s gigantic fish tank. The water is a lovely temperature and nobody wants to leave, especially when a few giant sea turtles appear, cruising around with everyone, as curious and as happy to see us as we are to be graced by them.

Heading ‘home’, the Thundercat smashes through set after set of waves.

With each new leap we’re all gaping in awe, holding our breath as it rises up, the water spraying us all, and then it smacks back down and comfortably settles into its hulls.

'I t' s li ke le ap in g inictofi ash ta nk ' bi ll io na ire' s gi ga nt

oppositesattract UM A QUIST VOLUPTI OPTATIO MO BEA NONSE

AZURE SEAS AND PALM TREES AT GLORIOUS AIRLIE BEACH.

BACK TOGETHER: DAY ONE

Jeff: Simply cruising Meanwhile, on his first day in paradise, Jeff settled himself onto a beach towel by one of the region’s signature (and free!) attractions: Airlie Beach Lagoon. It was busy enough to be entertaining, with plenty of room to swim, float, sit and enjoy, yet quiet enough to still hear the wind in the palm trees and the cries of sea birds.

The 4000-square-metre saltwater lagoon, located right on Airlie’s foreshore, is a big deal for the town, because in this part of the world you can’t swim in the waterholes or the ocean unless you want to be eaten by a crocodile or attacked by stingers.

After a few hours of reading, swimming, wading about looking out to sea and just lying in the sun, Jeff gladly takes the advice of locals and heads to The Pub for lunch.

The Pub (inside Airlie Beach Hotel) is an institution on the esplanade that opened its doors in 1968. It recently underwent a $10 million-dollar refurbishment and now

has a huge outdoor seating area with smart black and white wicker seating, green walls and an outdoor stage for bands complete with its own bar. It’s perfectly positioned right on the water’s edge and has a stunning view of Airlie Beach.

With a craft beer in hand, a burger ‘with the lot’ and a live band playing, Jeff’s happy. Afterwards, he takes another stroll along the esplanade, then walks into town to go shopping for a new pair of boardshorts. The choices are mindboggling, but it’s not the worst problem in the world to have.

On our first night, sun-kissed and with bronzed shoulders, we met up at Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill at Freedom Shores Resort, which is a 10-minute cruise out of town. The place has an awesome wooden boat as a bar, pool tables and sensational ocean views. We sit on high stools on the wide wooden balcony, above a beach overlooking mountains rising like giant turtles from the sea, and tuck into an entrée of fresh fish ‘kokoda’ (a raw-fish salad with coconut cream) and oysters, then share generous plates of lemon myrtle calamari and Ōra king salmon with a pea and leek risotto. The champagne is promptly delivered to rest in a bucket – there are some things we can agree on.

“You should have seen the Thundercat coming back into Airlie Beach!” I’m screeching with laughter, explaining how the boat flew over each wave, crashing down on the other side to the sound of all passengers madly cheering. “It was insane!”

Jeff shudders, but smiles at the thought of it.

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DAY TWO

Images: Tourism & Events Queensland

Michelle: Falling, dining, flying It’s not for everyone, but for many adrenaline-seekers the top of the pops is jumping out of a plane at 4500 metres and then freefalling at 220 kilometres an hour for a heart-hammering 60 seconds, with the earth so far away it looks like part of a school room’s world globe. Before you know it, you’re floating under a canopy for another five to seven minutes, allowing time to excitedly suck in views of the Great Barrier Reef that are seen by so few.

Those minutes of floating seem to stretch on and on and it’s one of the most peaceful moments you could ever experience – being as close as you can be to understanding how free a bird might feel, soaring through the sky with no other worries weighing you down. I was so excited that I almost leapt out of the open door before my instructor made it to the end of “Three, two, one and go”. My mouth was so widely spread in a smile that it hurt, and by the time we touched down on the beach I was so full of adrenaline that I felt weightless. As Skydive Australia’s staff say: “Beat your fears, push your boundaries and step outside your comfort zone; once you’ve taken the plunge, you’ll feel like you can achieve anything.”

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Back on ground and bouncing along, I treated myself to some downtime at the Havana-style The Garden Bar Bistro on Coral Sea Marina, which has awe-inspiring views of the Whitsunday Islands and the Coral Sea. Light-filled and beautifully designed, with lots of greenery, chunky wooden stools and a beer garden to lounge in, it’s also great for fancy yachtand people-watching over a cocktail or two. I indulged in a pinot grigio and Cuban fish tacos with coriander cabbage slaw and a side of salad and chips. I was looking forward to telling Jeff about my latest culinary find when we met back up again a bit later.

I then upped the ante and after lunch took a bus out of town to board a smallplane scenic flight with GSL Aviation that cruises over the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The exhilarating flight (definitely not scary as there are no loops or crazy dips in the sky) lasts for 60 minutes and has you gliding peacefully over the region’s most iconic sights, including Airlie Beach, national parks, river systems, the Whitsundays and, of course, the Great Barrier Reef. The highlight for many people – including myself – was seeing the worldfamous Heart Reef, which is only visible from the air. It’s like seeing a postcard come to life beneath you.

Imagine your own private beach Relax and unwind as you sit on your balcony gazing into the sunset in your sanctuary

CORAL COVE Apartments

CORAL COVE APARTMENTS 2B Horseshoe Bay Road PO Box 1423, BOWEN QLD 4805 Australia

07 4791 2000 www.coralcoveapartments.com.au stay@coralcoveapartments.com.au

oppositesattract

s gl orio u s 'Luc ki ly he's ke pt hi In st ag ra m-a we so m e co lo u rs' Jeff: Some more cruising…

Sleeping in on a getaway is a major goal for many people, and for Jeff it’s up there with the priorities of enjoying a beer and barbecue by the pool. And so we checked into Mantra Club Croc, which locals and tourists flock to when seeking a family friendly niche of Airlie Beach. It’s also a hotspot for couples and groups of friends, because the restaurant – with freshly made café- and pub-style food in a light and airy open-plan space – has a bar right next to a pool ensconced in dense tropical garden complete with palm trees and mountains towering behind the vista. Kids love the pool as there are shallow parts, like little low-tide beaches to paddle in. Adults can recline in the shade or lie in the sun.

Speaking of pools, Toscana Village Resort is an expansive, impressive offering of fully equipped Tuscan-styled apartments staggered down the side of a hill overlooking the Whitsundays. And the four pools (the one at the front of the complex is ideal for couples) are a dream for water-lovers. Cascading rock-walled waterfalls and a barbecue area tucked into the gardens means you can happily chill out and enjoy your time at ‘home’.

However, Jeff did go out to explore the Whitsundays, and he did so at a speed

much more relaxing that the Thundercat, with Cruise Whitsundays.

This award-winning cruise out to the enormous Heart Pontoon on Hardy Reef has you out on the water from nine to five, and it offers something for everybody: lounge on the sun decks, check out the sea life from the semi-submarine aquarium, snorkel, scuba dive, dine on an impressive buffet heartily stocked with seafood, meats, salads… There’s even a bar so you can have a few drinks and chill out in the sun on the rooftop, or inside at booths in air-conditioned comfort.

The marine life at Hardy Reef steals the show, but one creature in particular – the massive, big-lipped, friendly Maori wrasse named Maggie – seems to be everyone’s favourite part of the trip. Maggie was once a she but is now a he, as her breed is a protogynous hermaphrodite – a fish that has the ability to transition from female to male. Swim with him and have your photo taken together – he might weigh close to 200 kilograms, but he is as friendly as a labrador pup and thrives on the attention.

He’s a lot larger than he once was and now sports a lump on his head – but luckily he’s kept his glorious Instagramawesome colours.

BACK TOGETHER: DAY TWO

Images: Tourism & Events Queensland

“I almost pulled the poor skydiving dude out of the plane before he was ready, I was so excited!” I laugh as we tuck into a delicious seafood platter for two at Sorrento Restaurant & Bar – a busy yet relaxed dining space with incredible views of the Whitsundays from the Ocean View Deck. It’s the best place in town to watch the sun go down, and the live music creates an awesome atmosphere. “Maggie the massive warrior wrasse was like a big, gentle green-and-blue Labrador after cuddles,” Jeff compares, then takes a long sip of cold beer. “He wouldn’t leave us alone while we were snorkelling – so good!” I smile at the photos of Maggie – huge and friendly – as the sun gently slips down into the sea.

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WHERE TO STAY Toscana Village Resort, Mantra Club Croc or Airlie Beach Discovery Park.

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies into Proserpine, then it’s a 45-minute drive to Airlie Beach. For a comfortable and reliable transfer, book with Whitsundays 2 Everywhere.

Whitsundays best, the perfect family and friends holiday home with Awesome accommodation and Amazing Sea and Beach views.

Call 0413 812 699

www.crusoesbeachhouseairlie.com.au

A TROPICAL PLAYGROUND WINE, DINE, RELAX AND LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN...

STAY, PLAY, EXPLORE AT CSMR.COM.AU WHITSUNDAYS, QUEENSLAND

offthegrid

ISLE

OF

Image: South Australian Tourism/Leon Wong

PLENTY Pack your hiking boots and sense of adventure, then put away the gadgets and feel the calm seep in.

BY CAROLYNE JASINSKI

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offthegrid

Image: South Australian Tourism/Nina Maurovic/Mike Holden

TAMMAR WALLABIES ABOUND ON KANGAROO ISLAND.

There’s an island off the coast of South Australia where you won’t find traffic jams or even traffic lights. You could come up against an errant herd of sheep or the odd cow, but the biggest hold-up will be the hundreds of kangaroos and wallabies lining the bitumen at dusk and dawn. You won’t find the golden arches of a McDonald’s (or any branded fast food outlet, for that matter) – the only arches you’ll see here are natural rock formations, and you’ll have to settle for fresh seafood and local produce instead.

You won’t find internet cafés – in fact, in many places, you won’t even find phone or internet reception. Welcome to paradise…

Welcome to Kangaroo Island.

KI – as the locals like to call it – is remote, rugged and wild, yet welcoming. It’s bigger than most people expect; at 155 kilometres

long and 55 kilometres wide, it’s the thirdlargest Australian island after Tasmania and the Northern Territory’s Melville Island, and more than a third of that land is dedicated to conservation. What that means for visitors is that there’s plenty of bushland to explore, more than 540 kilometres of coastline to wander and a unique collection of wildlife roaming free.

I am standing in the thick of that wilderness in Flinders Chase National Park – scrubland to one side, coastal cliffs and the Southern Ocean to the other. Waves pound the rocks below, the swell rising, crashing and pulling back into the depths.

It’s the white noise of the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a constant companion along 61 kilometres of limestone and sand path that hugs the coast and takes in the DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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Image: South Australian Tourism/Ben Goode

offthegrid

‘BY DAY T H EY TA K E R E F UGE I N T H E SCRU B , E M E RGI NG A S T H E SU N G OE S DOW N TO GR A ZE ON PA ST U R E S – A N D F RON T L AW NS!’ sensational scenery of the south-west corner of Kangaroo Island.

In the distance, Remarkable Rocks stand proud. Wind and water have taken their toll over thousands of years, but these granite remnants are not yielding to erosion just yet. I’m tackling day three of the five-day Wilderness Trail. The trek takes in Admirals Arch, where we watch New Zealand fur seals playing in rock pools, and winds past Remarkable Rocks, Cape du Couedic Lighthouse and Weirs Cove, where lighthouse keepers had to haul their onceevery-three-months delivery of supplies up the side of the cliffs.

Part of the trail’s attraction is, of course, the wildlife. When British explorer Matthew Flinders discovered Kangaroo Island in 1802, he named it in honour of a most valuable food source: kangaroos. This island is home to about 60,000 of them, according to a conservative guess, plus more than a million tammar wallabies. By day they take refuge in the scrub, emerging as the sun goes down to graze on pastures – and front lawns! The island is also home to Rosenberg’s goannas, echidnas, platypus, koalas and more than 250 bird species, including little penguins, glossy black cockatoos and wedge-tailed eagles.

The only wild things I fear coming across are the two venomous types of snake on Kangaroo Island: pygmy copperhead and tiger. Thankfully neither make an appearance and we arrive safely at Sanderson Bay to fossick among the driftwood and cuttlefish backbones covering the beach. The rocks, coated in open shellfish, are just too sharp to allow rockclimbing.

About 20 minutes inland is Banksia Campground, with shelter, barbecues, toilets, water and a platform looking out over the bush we just trudged through.

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VISIT REMARKABLE ROCKS AT SUNRISE OR SUNSET TO BE ASTOUNDED BY VIBRANT HUES.

Serious hikers love this trail; some carry all their gear and camp along the way, others have their equipment delivered to each campground so they haul only a daypack on the trail. Those (like me) who have a whole island to explore and just want a taste of the wilderness can be picked up along the way.

Kangaroo Island plays an important part in Australia’s history; it was the site of Australia’s first free settled colony – a fact that often gets overlooked. Nine ships

carrying 636 people from London arrived in 1836, but the isolation and lack of enough fresh water to sustain a growing community saw Colonel William Light move most of those early pioneers to the mainland, proclaiming Adelaide as the state capital.

Those who remained faced hard times but turned the island into an agricultural hub, launching Australia’s first eucalyptus distillery and first bee sanctuary. You can see for yourself how that history unfolded at places like Emu Ridge eucalyptus

offthegrid AUSTRALIAN SEA LIONS PUT ON QUITE A SHOW!

Image: South Australian Tourism/Isaac Forman

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to Adelaide.

Drive 110km south of Adelaide to Cape Jervis, where two companies (SeaLink and Kangaroo Island Connect) now operate ferries to Kangaroo Island.

WHERE TO STAY You’ll find accommodation for all budgets, from privately owned caravan parks, like Western KI Caravan Park, and council and national park campgrounds to B&Bs, holiday shacks and mansions. Hotel stays include Aurora Ozone Hotel in Kingscote, Seafront in Penneshaw and Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat, just outside Flinders Chase National Park. For luxury, try LifeTime Private Retreats and Southern Ocean Lodge.

distillery, Clifford’s Honey Farm and Island Beehive. The island now relies on a mixture of agriculture, sheep farming, beekeeping, fishing, viticulture and tourism.

Talking to the locals is the best way to get a feel for Kangaroo Island. They’re a laidback, down-to-earth bunch, until it comes to promoting and protecting their island – then their eyes light up and the enthusiasm is hard to hide. They offer tips on where to go and what to see – and they all have their favourites.

Flinders Chase National Park comes up trumps, followed by Seal Bay, where, with a guide, you can get on the beach with rare Australian sea lions.

But it’s not all about nature. If escaping the rat race means losing yourself to adventure, there are tour operators that offer sandboarding, quad-biking, fat-biking, swimming with dolphins and even the chance to hold snakes (ugh!) and fascinating birds of prey.

If downtime for you means focusing on

DID YOU KNOW?

Image: South Australian Tourism

• Kangaroo Island is where Australia’s first settlers arrived.

food and bevvies, try Ferguson Australia and The Oyster Farm Shop for seafood, and Emu Bay Lavender for all things, well, lavender. Kangaroo Island Brewery in Kingscote and the award-winning Kangaroo Island Spirits are worth checking out, as are wineries like Dudley Wines, Bay of Shoals and Kangaroo Island Estate Wines.

These are the tourist hotspots – but, as I have discovered, sometimes it’s what the locals don’t mention that is often the best.

You won’t hear them raving about the secret beach at Stokes Bay or the white sands and visiting dolphins of Snelling Beach on the calmer north shore, because that’s where they like hanging out. Western River Cove and Vivonne Bay campgrounds also won’t get a mention, because that’s where they head for school holidays. And, try as hard as you like, they won’t tell you where the best fishing spots are.

Whatever way you choose to escape, put the gadgets down and disconnect – just keep a camera handy for photos!

• In 1802, British explorer Matthew Flinders was the first European to discover Kangaroo Island, but Frenchman Nicholas Baudin was the first to circumnavigate the island. When they met and exchanged survival information, their two countries were at war.

• The stalactites at Admirals Arch are actually fossilised roots.

• In 1885, Kangaroo Island became the world’s first bee sanctuary and it now has the world’s only pure Ligurian bee population.

• Despite having three lighthouses (Cape Borda, Cape du Couedic and Cape Willoughby), there have been more than 80 shipwrecks off Kangaroo Island since records began in 1847.

• Don’t drive at night – it’s not worth fighting the roos for space on the road and your insurance may not cover you.

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animalencounters

W I L D AT H E A R T The beautiful creatures at Jamala Wildlife Lodge – some saved from dire lives and conditions and others bred in captivity to help their species’ survival – are the epicentre of a conservation organisation where special animal encounters happen every moment.

BY MICHELLE HESPE

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animalencounters YOU CAN SLEEP ALONGSIDE LIONS, CHEETAHS, TIGERS, SUN BEARS AND GIRAFFES AT JAMALA WILDLIFE LODGE.

Before dropping my partner and I off at our jungle bungalow tucked away in the lush gardens of the National Zoo & Aquarium, our guide explains that as the Sumatran tigers we are sharing our villa with are not tame and have free rein of their large domain, she can’t guarantee how close they will come to our lounge room and bathroom.

“That’s okay,” I say. “We’ll just be pleased to see them!”

We enter our African-style suite and spend our initial moments gasping at the beautiful bed, the original African artefacts and paintings adorning the walls, and the enormous stone bath.

And then we both do a double take as we realise ‘our’ two giant cats – 18-month-old sisters Melati and Mya – are giving one another a big cuddle on the other side of the bath, just a hand’s reach away from us.

We’re both dumbstruck at first, our iPhones, before so ready for photos, now held limply in our hands. Then we regain our composure and sit down on the floor next to them as they roll about, huge paws batting one another like kittens at play.

It’s worth noting that an 18-monthold Sumatran tiger is not small. The two cats rolling around before us are three times the size of me and weigh in at 90 kilograms – so it’s handy to have

‘T H EY TA K E T H E FOOD F ROM US A L MOST A S A GE N T L E DOG WOU L D’

5-centimetre-thick glass between us, although you can’t tell so in our photos.

As soon as we post one, Instagram goes mad and the questions flood in: “Are you sitting next to real tigers?!”

“Are they tame?!”

“Is this a trick!?”

Nope, we are at Jamala Wildlife Lodge, and in this magical niche of Canberra (“I thought you were in Africa!” posts another friend), guests can stay in a range of beautiful rooms and suites that offer incredible up-close animal encounters.

In the Jungle Bungalows like ours, you can hang out with larger inhabitants such as sun bears, lions, cheetahs and tigers, or choose from another type of offering – such as the Giraffe Treehouses, where this adorably gangly creature wanders past your veranda and pops his head in before dinner time.

There’s also the room above the lion enclosure, next to the zoo’s beautiful infinity pool, that has a glass wall looking in on the ever-effervescent and completely cheeky lemurs.

We do a tour of the zoo, and as guests can choose another up-close encounter, we opt to feed the lions with a long set of tongs. It’s incredible seeing such majestic and powerful yet elegant creatures up close. They take the food from us almost as a gentle dog would. “Don’t be fooled,” says our guide, “If there were no fence, that would be a different story!”

Guests can also choose to feed blueberries to the sun bears – they DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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animalencounters IN PHOTOS, YOU CAN BARELY TELL THERE’S GLASS SEPARATING YOU.

GETTING THERE Tigerair flies to Canberra daily.

PLAYING THERE Must-visit sites include Lake Burley Griffin, Australian War Memorial, Questacon and National Gallery of Australia.

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plonk themselves on their bottoms to enjoy the nutrient-rich feast. One of the first things you notice is their incredibly long and sharp nails. “Those nails can break off parts of a bowling ball,” says a guide as we walk past another group revelling in the action.

One of the many projects that tugs on the heartstrings is the zoo’s memorial, set up in memory of Winnie the wombat, who at 32 was the oldest resident of the zoo. She was believed to have been the oldest wombat in the world, as they’re only supposed to live until about 10 to 15 years in the wild and 25 in captivity. Winnie’s Foundation was established to assist in conservation, with a focus on sarcoptic mange in regional wombat populations.

Visitors also love meeting young cheetah Solo, who is a rare solo-born cub. Mothers find it hard to produce milk and don’t stick around for long, so Solo was hand-reared on a bottle by keepers Kyle Macdonald and Aline IJsselmuiden. When he was one month old, he was introduced to his canine friend Zama, a border colliecross chosen due to her levels of energy and ability to keep up with the fastest animal in the world. Now, even though Zama is smaller than Solo, Zama is boss and the two are best friends as well as, understandably, a super-cute star attraction.

Another amazing experience at Jamala is joining other guests for

outstanding canapés (pace yourself!) on an open-air deck, then being seated at long share tables for a truly delectable African-inspired four-course dinner, either next to the sharks in the aquarium or in the Rainforest Cave, where white lions – twins Jake and Mishka – come to hang out with you in their part of the cave, which has a heated floor. If you’re lucky, both the hyenas and the lions will be up and about, so you can pose next to them for photos. The lions often sit by the head of the tables, acting, as they should, like kings of the jungle, while the hyenas look on from their cave, eyes bright, salivating over the thought of a very large dinner.

In 1998, owners Richard and Maureen Tindale – passionate wildlife conservationists – set about building this incredibly well-considered zoo with the aim of granting the animals as much freedom and comfort as possible, so the enclosure sizes are far larger than those commonly found in urban zoos. Today, most of their immediate family also work at the zoo, running tours and many of the husbandry and welfare programs that uphold world-class practises. When Jamala opened its doors in 2014, it was a major step towards supporting the many conservation initiatives run by the team.

Jamala has been showered with so many awards and accolades that it’s hard to fit them all on one page. Just in the past year, TripAdvisor has bestowed its Certificate of Excellence for 2019, and AHA ACT chose the lodge as the Best Deluxe Accommodation 2019.

And although many people enjoy the intimate experiences, families are also welcome (although children need to be aged six or over, and in a couple of the bungalows the minimum age is 15).

The Meerkat rooms in uShaka Lodge and the Giraffe Treehouses, where you can hand feed a giraffe from the balcony, are favourites. In fact, Holidays With Kids voted it as a Top 3 Family Resort 2019. “The larger animals see kids as prey rather than guests,” explains our guide, “but children love coming to see the rest of the zoo and our bigger residents from a good distance.” jamalawildlifelodge.com.au nationalzoo.com.au

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66 BRAIN FOOD 76 HOUSING 81 PHILANTHROPY 84 START-UPS

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Australia’s distillery boom

Image: © Wesley Nel 2017

Craft distilleries are riding a record wave of success.

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BRAIN FOOD Bringing you the latest insights and analysis.

Image: Jackie Cooper 2015

GROWING CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY WILL BENEFIT NORTH-EAST VICTORIA AND RIVERINA REGION New South Wales’ Riverina region and north-east Victoria are expected to benefit greatly by the growing craft-beer tourism market currently sweeping the country.

The growth of craft brewing, its alignment with tourism and food, its impact on regional revitalisation and the creation of value to niche agriculture products are all factors that are leading a new wave of tourism opportunities in the craft-beer industry, much as winery tourism has achieved over recent decades, explains Great Australian Beer Festival (GABF) Director Michael Ward.

A recent collaboration between GABF and Visit AlburyWodonga saw the creation of a Regional Beer Trails map across the Riverina and north-east Victoria. The tour map includes 18 breweries and highlights the geography of the region.

Tourism Australia estimates there will be an overall 50 per cent increase in money spent on tourism in Australia by 2026-27. In 2018, small breweries received a welcome reduction in excise tax, as well as increased support from all levels of government on events that promote craft beer.

“A coordinated approach with key tourism bodies will continue to see the region positively promoted and ultimately reap the financial benefits of this growing market segment,” says Michael.

Regional Beer Trails maps are available from local Visitor Information Centres and online at visitalburywodonga.com | gabfalbury.com.au

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MUST HAVE HEELS

Diabetes Complete your new season look with smooth, healthy looking heels and feet.

Fast absorbing, non-slip cream repairs dry, cracked heels RECOMMENDED BY PODIATRISTS www.NS8.com.au | Available in Pharmacies Nationally

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V ICTOR I A N T R E A SU R E R ECOGN ISE D ON T H E U N E SCO WOR L D H E R I TAGE L IST This year, south-west Victoria’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape was officially recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located in the traditional country of the Gunditjmara people, near the Great Ocean Road, Budj Bim contains one of the world’s oldest and most extensive aquaculture systems.

QT NEWCASTLE TO OPEN IN 2020 A QT Hotel will open its doors in Newcastle in 2020, the fourth QT property to open in Australia in three years.

The boutique designer hotel will take over the former 111-year-old David Jones Building, and will feature 106 rooms, a rooftop bar and QT’s signature dining concept. qthotelsandresorts.com

Image: Archie Sartracom

Fa st fa ct s AUSTRALIAN HEMP INDUSTRY IS GOING STRONG The Australian hemp industry is on the rise to meet demand for the recently legalised industry.

Australian-grown hemp products offer consumers a superior quality seed, producing oil that can be used to address an array of health, skin and medicinal issues. In addition, hemp seeds are used in foods and beauty products, and its stalk finds use as incredibly strong fibres.

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A new era of hotel development is underway in Australia, with 300 new or upgraded hotels scheduled to open across the country by 2025.

1.8

At more than 1.8 metres long, hemp fibre is the strongest and longest plant fibre in the world. It can be used in cars, construction and concrete.

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There are now 20 World Heritagelisted sites across Australia: 4 cultural (including Budj Bim Cultural Landscape), 12 natural and 4 mixed.

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BRAINFOOD

PODCASTS

Image: Peter Nelson

Books, podcasts, docos and classes DOCUMENTARY

THE POLLINATORS This insightful documentary feature tells the story of honey bees, throwing light on how important they are to agriculture (one out of every three bites we eat couldn’t have been grown without them), as well as the serious danger the future holds for our great pollinators.

BOOKS DARE TO LEAD BRENÉ BROWN TED talker extraordinaire, leadership coach and researcher Brené Brown uses simple language to explore the real steps it takes to be a strong leader. This book is for those who are daring enough to choose courage over comfort, and those who dare to truly lead.

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SEIZE THE FIRE: THREE SPEECHES RICHARD FLANAGAN These speeches from Australian literary extraordinaire Richard Flanagan explore the idea that “Australia is not a fixed entity, but a molten idea – it’s a country with a future that is ours to shape and ours to dream anew”. They cover an array of both casual and serious topics.

INSANE MODE HAMISH MCKENZIE Chronicling the biggest gamechanger in the car industry since Ford, journalist Hamish McKenzie reveals how Elon Musk’s Tesla has sparked a revolution to bring about the end of the era of oil-powered vehicles. How will the new world of electric transportation change people’s lives? Read on.

I AM MY BRAND KUBI SPRINGER Personal branding expert and entrepreneur Kubi Springer provides down-to-earth and practical advice to female entrepreneurs, freelancers and executives on how to create a personal brand without apology.

Kubi went from being an intern for rapper Sean Combes to an award-winning brand consultant.

HBR IDEACAST This Harvard Business Review (HBR) podcast has a different worldleading thinker or business-management professional as a guest every week, covering diverse topics revolving around the business world, from the integration of robots and AI to management advice.

WORKLIFE WITH ADAM GRANT This TED original podcast delivers a weekly dish of extraordinary people exceeding at their job.

“We spend a quarter of our lives in our jobs,” says host (and organisational psychologist) Adam Grant. “This show is about making all that time worth your time.”

Past guests include Richard Branson, M. Night Shyamalan, Arianna Huffington, John Lithgow and Trevor Noah.

WOMEN AT WORK Another HBR podcast, this one navigates the world of women at work.

Three HBR editors, Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo and Nicole Torres, review and provide hands-on advice to help you succeed in the workplace, regardless of obstacles.

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ONLINE CLASSES

MASTERCLASS Online education platform MasterClass provides access to 50 classes and more than 1000 lessons in skill sets from writing to cooking and economics. Some of our favourites include fashion and media icon Anna Wintour teaching creativity and leadership, and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz teaching business leadership. masterclass.com

ONLINE CLASSES

SKILLSHARE Whether you’re creatively inclined or business-minded, Skillshare provides access to more than 25,000 online classes provided by other professionals on the platform, from calligraphy to entrepreneurship. skillshare.com

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Image: Webpire Media Pty Ltd

Australia’s distillery boom

Old-fashioned laws needed to be repealed and a new generation of drinkers needed to be found, but Australia’s craft distilleries are currently riding a record wave of success that shows no signs of slowing down.

BY LISA SMYTH

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Image: Natalie Mendham

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This page: Vodka cocktails at Tasmania’s Hartshorn Distillery.

Opposite page left to right: Gin at Gin Lane in Sydney; Whisky tasking at Sullivans Cove Distillery in Tasmania.

This hot and humid Christmas Eve, my fiancé and I will continue a tradition we started three years ago – we will drink a refreshingly fruity glass of Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin. Four years ago I had no fiancé and, if asked, I would have strongly reported how much I hated gin. Now, my home spirits collection is in the double digits, and I am proud to say all are Australian-made.

Like many others, my new-found interest in gin, and spirits more broadly, is almost entirely due to the incredible growth in Australian craft distilleries in the past five years.

“In 2015 our membership was less than 30, but in 2019 we count more than 200 distilleries as members,” explains Stuart Gregor, co-founder of Four Pillars Distillery and President of the peak body for craft distilleries in the country, the Australian Distillers Association. “That’s a phenomenal increase in such a short time.”

“If you look at overall trends in food and drink, Australians are much more interested in the origin of what they are eating and drinking than ever before,” says Stuart, as a way of explaining the boom. “There is no firm definition of what ‘craft’ means, but I believe it’s about the willingness and enthusiasm of the producer to share the craft and the journey behind how they make their product.”

In November 2018, research showed that the Australian craft spirits category was growing at 110 per cent compared to just a 4.7 per cent growth in the total spirits market. While still a small part of the

alcohol market overall, the category was worth $17.1 million in 2018, up from $10.8 million the year before.

How exactly did such a thriving industry, which barely existed 10 years ago, reach such heights?

WHISKY Distilleries: Sullivans Cove Distillery (Tas), Starward Whisky Distillery (Vic), Fleurieu Distillery (SA), Hellyers Road Distillery (Tas), Lark Distillery (Tas) For the collection: French Oak, Single Cask, Sullivans Cove Distillery In the early 1990s, whisky-lovers Bill and Lyn Lark noticed just how similar the climate and terrain of Tasmania was to Scotland and wondered why nobody had started distilling ‘liquid gold’ down south.

After quickly getting the Distillation Prohibition Law of 1839 overturned, Lark Distillery, and the Tasmanian whisky industry, were born. Later, when an Australian whisky, Sullivans Cove’s French Oak, won World’s Best Single Malt in 2014, Australian craft spirits officially arrived on the world stage.

“When we started in 2007, Tasmania was already making great classic whiskies, but we wanted to make an accessible and modern Australian whisky that we could take to the world,” says David Vitale, co-founder of Port Melbourne’s Starward Whisky Distillery. “Melbourne already had the gourmet credentials for matching food and wine, so we found a natural audience who were open to including whisky in their foodie adventures.”

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Image: © Wesley Nel 2017

Image: Webpire Media Pty Ltd

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Mark Littler, master distiller at Hellyers Road, Australia’s biggest-selling locally crafted whisky, agrees that drinkers today are different than those in the past: “Once only drunk by serious older gentlemen, there are a great number of younger people embracing the consumption of single-malt whiskies. They have an interest in the stories behind the brand. The quality and passion of producers is certainly a hallmark of Australian whisky distilling.”

GIN This page clockwise from left: A colourful concoction at Gin Lane in Sydney; Spray painting vodka bottle labels at Hartshorn Distillery in Tasmania; Another enticing cocktail at Gin Lane.

Opposite page clockwise from left: Serious hardware at Sydney's Brix Distillers; Ord River Rum is Western Australia's first rum; Stu Gregor, Cam Mackenzie and Matt Jones at Victoria’s Four Pillars Distillery.

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Distilleries: Four Pillars Distillery (Vic), Imperial Measures Distilling (SA), South Coast Distillery (NSW), Kalki Moon (Qld), Adelaide Hills Distillery (SA) For the collection: Green Ant Gin, Adelaide Hills Distillery While whisky was the first spirit to be distilled in the current Australian renaissance, gin has quickly taken over as the most popular. Gin consumption in Australia increased 33 per cent year-on-year in 2018.

“The sheer number of new gins on the market is extraordinary,” exclaims Stuart. “When we launched in 2013, we would have been one of two or three gin distillers approaching retailers – now there are more than 100!”

One reason for the flood of gins onto the market

is that it can be distilled and bottled in just a matter of days, making it an attractive option for distillers who want to start turning a profit quickly. If the distillery is waiting on other spirits, like whisky and rum, to age the legally required minimum two years, there’s an even bigger incentive. But convenience is definitely not the only reason for Aussie gin success.

“Gin can express a place more than any other spirit,” Stuart continues. “The use of local botanicals, like lemon myrtle and finger limes, being used in Australian gins is continually increasing and really making our gins stand out globally.”

Grant Collins, mixologist and founder of the bar Gin Lane in Sydney, has seen how that sense of place extends to customers. “In the UK, people want to try what’s new from across the world, but Australians are very territorial and want to drink gins from their state. It is definitely a loyalty concern I haven’t seen anywhere else.”

VODKA Distilleries: Hartshorn Sheep Whey Distillery (Tas), Alchemy Distillers (Vic), Old Young’s (WA), Manly Spirits Company (NSW) For the collection: Sheep Whey Vodka, Hartshorn Distillery However, before gin captured the hearts of the

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FOUR PILLARS BLOODY + LEMON • 45ml Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin • 100ml Fever-Tree Lemon Tonic (or similar, like StrangeLove’s Bitter Lemon)

Image: BeZIER Photography

In a short or tall glass, mix ingredients together with loads of ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon or orange.

Australian drinking public, vodka was the standard white spirit you would find at your local bar.

“I see vodka as the purest spirit,” notes Ryan Hartshorn, head distiller of Tasmania’s microdistillery Hartshorn. “It’s the spirit with the least number of rules to follow.”

Vodka is generally made from the distillation of potatoes, rye or wheat, but when Ryan, co-owner of a family cheesemaking business, decided to start his own distillery, he chose not to look too far for his base. “I taught myself distilling through online forums, and then worked with our cheese-testing laboratory to ferment sheep whey into alcohol.”

Despite Hartshorn winning Word’s Best Vodka in 2018, Australian craft vodka is still an underdeveloped category. “People are starting to respect vodka more,” Ryan says, “but, to my surprise, distilleries are still focusing on gin as their first spirit.”

RUM Distilleries: Hoochery Distillery (WA), Brix Distillers (NSW), Boatrocker Brewing Company (Vic) For the collection: Ord River Rum, Single Barrel Selection, Hoochery Distillery Of course, Australia’s oldest spirit is not whisky or gin, but rum, which was used as currency in the first

HARTSHORN VODKA MARTINI • 60ml Hartshorn Vodka • 15ml Lillet Vermouth

colonies. Conveniently – but mistakenly – blamed for the Rum Rebellion of 1808, rum is made from fermenting then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice.

“Rum has long had a bad image in Australia,” explains James Christopher, co-founder of Sydney’s Brix Distillers. “It has been looked at as a problem in society, but craft rum can be appreciated in the same way as gin or whisky.

Ninety-five per cent of people who come to our bar, or on one of our distillery tours, are non-rum drinkers, but once they taste our product they understand how high quality it is, and they are quickly turned around.”

Distiller Kalyn Fletcher’s father, Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III, knew he was facing an uphill battle when he launched Hoochery Distillery in rural Western Australia in 1995.

“Poor commercial rums tainted people’s views of the spirit in Australia, but now there is a lot more integrity in the industry,” Kalyn explains.

Despite opening in 2017, Brix and other newer craft rum distilleries are still waiting for theirs to age, so there is likely to be a broader range after 2021.

“A lot of guys are ageing in Australian wine barrels, so we will see some really distinct local flavours,” says James. “We love rum, and will only ever make rum, because that’s our passion.”

In a mixing glass, add vodka and vermouth to ice, stirring until ice-cold. Strain into martini glass. To finish, float a lemon peel curl on top.

BRIX WHITE MOJITO • 20ml sugar syrup • ½ lime, cut into chunks • 10 mint leaves • 45ml Brix White • Soda water Muddle sugar, lime and mint together until juice and aroma are popping out of the glass. Add Brix White, stirring together. Fill glass with crushed ice, stirring together. Top with a splash of soda and garnish with a fresh mint sprig and a plump wedge of lime.

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First time for everything First-home buyers have been waiting a long time for some good news. After a decade of rollercoaster prices and lenders tightening their belts, the rough ride seems to be over – for now.

BY KIRSTEN CRAZE

As a property writer, I am often asked “When is a good time to buy?”. The answer is usually “When the time is right for you”.

Budget-conscious first-home buyers are keen to time the perfect purchase, but in reality so many factors play a part.

Maybe I was “lucky” that prices were lower when I bought more than a decade ago, but interest rates were flying high above seven per cent, compared to today’s historic lows. Back then (just post-GFC), governments were providing handouts, but after years of little to no assistance, help is now at hand once again.

As a result, now is as good a time as any to be a first-home buyer – and the experts agree. Housing finance data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed that 28.5 per cent of commitments in May were first-home buyers, up from 13 per cent just three years ago.

Susan Mitchell, CEO of Mortgage Choice, says the data looks promising.

“The reality is, market conditions are very attractive to those looking to buy their first

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THE BROKER KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

home. Declining dwelling values coupled with historically low interest rates would no doubt be encouraging buyers to get their foot on the property ladder.”

While housing affordability today remains a greater struggle than a generation or two ago, young buyers have one advantage over their parents and grandparents – they live in the information age.

“Buying property is likely to be the most significant financial decision a firsttime buyer will have made in their life so far,” Susan explains, “which means it is absolutely critical to do as much research as possible before jumping in.”

Thomas McGlynn, head of sales and chief auctioneer at The Agency, says today’s first-home buyers can also benefit from lender competition.

“They’ve become a client that banks want to deal with, and therefore some first-time buyers may have more cash available to them than they previously would have. That little extra can mean a world of difference,” Thomas explains. “Couple that with prices coming back slightly in the past 12 months, as well as more property becoming available – especially with so many newly built apartments at a certain price point in cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

We’ve seen the first-home buyer market really spring to life in the past six months.”

Governments are lending more of a helping hand, too, according to Taj Singh of First Home Buyers Australia.

“State governments have stepped up offering concessions and grants. The Federal Government has done its part too, but could probably do more,” he says, adding that first-home buyers are often unaware or confused about what they might be eligible for when purchasing.

“Create and stick to a budget so you have a clear and detailed understanding of your financial situation,” says Susan Mitchell, CEO of Mortgage Choice (pictured left).

Lenders want to build a complete financial picture of a borrower, so they will ask for essential paperwork like bank and credit-card statements, payslips and tax returns.

She adds that first-time buyers also need to be aware of the expensive hidden extras that come with buying real estate: “Stamp duty, legal fees, solicitors, plus the cost of building and pest inspections are all additional expenditure on top of the sale price of a home.”

LOOK GOOD ON PAPER Lenders will dig deep, so get your living expenses under control.

“This means you won’t be caught off guard if the lender questions an expense when assessing your homeloan application,” Susan says. “Lenders will assess anywhere from three to six months worth of living expenses by

forensically examining your bank and credit-card statements and will call out any spending behaviour that might hinder your ability to service a loan.

“It is extremely important that you cut down on discretionary spending in the months leading up to an application to avoid lenders potentially slowing down your approval or reducing your borrowing power.”

GET THE TICK OF (PRE-)APPROVAL “Get pre-approval before you buy so you have a clear idea what property you can afford. Think of it this way: just as you wouldn’t walk into a store to buy something without cash or a credit card, you shouldn’t shop for a property without pre-approval,” Susan says. “It is particularly important if you plan to buy your first property at auction as it will allow you to bid with confidence – and means you will have a set limit on your bidding power.”

Note that pre-approval is often only good for three months, so if the househunt lingers, purchasers may need to be assessed again.

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THE ADVOCATE HOME OWNER VERSUS INVESTOR? When property prices peaked in most cities a couple of years ago, many first-time buyers swapped buying a home for an investment property. Known as ‘rentvestors’, they owned property in ‘affordable’ neighbourhoods but rented homes or stayed with parents, often in locations more convenient to them.

“It’s not necessarily the best choice for some people with prices coming off now.

If people can afford to get into a home they can live in, they’ll be better off,” says Taj Singh of First Home Buyers Australia. “But there are people who want to live close to where they work – maybe they would be better off ‘rentvesting’ for the simple fact

AVOIDING STAMP DUTY COULD MEAN A SAVING OF [UP TO] $30,000

they’re priced out of a house, or even an apartment. In that case, it may be better to invest interstate or in regional areas.”

EMBRACE THE BENEFITS Grants, stamp-duty concessions or deposit schemes – there is help at hand for first-home buyers, provided they fit the parameters.

“Stamp-duty concessions are probably the biggest help for first-home buyers. In some cases you can avoid it altogether, depending on what you buy and for how much,” Taj explains.

Avoiding stamp duty could mean a saving of between $15,000 and $30,000 for the typical first-home buyer.

In addition to various monetary grants across the states and territories, first-time buyers can apply for the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme from January 1, 2020. The Federal Government plan assists buyers with a five per cent deposit or more by stepping in and “insuring” the outstanding amount needed to reach the 20 per cent deposit lenders require. The step means buyers can save on costly lenders mortgage insurance.

“The headline is great, but when you look into the detail it’s only going to help 10,000 across the country, and there will be restrictions on areas and price points so it’s not going to help everyone,” Taj warns.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED For buyers who are not eligible for government assistance, or still need a leg up on the property ladder, Taj says they shouldn’t overlook getting a guarantor.

“People often don’t realise that parents who already own a property can go guarantor. So many people think being a guarantor means giving over money, but it doesn’t. Or they believe it means guaranteeing 100 per cent of the loan, but not at all. It just means 20 per cent of the property’s purchase price will be guaranteed by the family member. And it’s only a temporary measure as well – it’s not for 30 years.”

He says once the loan reaches 80 per cent of the property’s value, the guarantor is off the hook. “That’s another great way to get into the market – and a lot of people just aren’t aware of it.”

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THE ONES OVERANALYSING THE MARKET ARE GENERALLY THE ONES WHO MISS OUT

THE AGENT RIGHT ON TIME “Over the past six years, probably the best time for first-home buyers to be entering the market is right now,” says Thomas McGlynn, head of sales and chief auctioneer at The Agency (pictured right).

“Now those prices have stabilised and in many areas they’re on the way back up, even slightly.”

Right now first-home buyers also have, for the first time in years, the rare luxury of time to make a decision.

“They don’t have to rush into anything,” Thomas says, “but I wouldn’t then use that as an excuse to not enter the market. The opportune window is now for first-home buyers to be able to enter into the market.

However, that window can close very quickly if we do start to see price gains. A lot of the time with first-home buyers, the ones overanalysing the market are generally the ones who miss out when the cycle starts to change and prices increase.”

KNOW THE MARKET McGlynn says analysis paralysis can hold first-time buyers back from pulling the

trigger, so he advises getting educated but not fixated.

“Unfortunately real estate doesn’t come with a recommended retail price, which is important to understand,” he says. “This will be the biggest purchase they’ll ever make; before that they’ve probably only spent big on consumables like cars, when it’s easy to establish a value.”

Knowing where the market sits is also valuable when your dream home sells under the hammer.

“It’s very rare to go and buy a television or car and pay over the asking price.

Unfortunately, if you’re buying in many of the capital cities, you might be buying via auction,” he says.

PLAY THE LONG GAME “Ask yourself how long you are potentially looking to own that first home,” Thomas advises. “If the answer is ‘a minimum of five years’, then spending a little extra to find the property you love is going to be a very small price to pay compared to the arduous journey you might end up on where you keep missing out.“ “Sometimes people don’t end up buying the property they absolutely love for the sake of spending an extra 1 to 5 per cent – even though they have the means to do so.

I always ask people ‘Would you prefer to pay less for something that you don’t enjoy living in, or slightly more for something you really enjoy living in?’.”

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Give anywhere.

Any time.

We’re all about making giving easy at Good2Give.

We provide technology solutions to help businesses and donors connect with the charities that matter to them.

Find out how you can inspire and enable your business to support the communities and causes you care about.

www.good2give.ngo | info@good2give.ngo | +612 9929 9633

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The art of giving Good2Give provides well-founded solutions to facilitate easy charitable giving between corporates, charities and donors.

Bridging the divide between businesses and charities, not-for-profit organisation Good2Give supports the Australian charity sector by advising businesses and donors on how to engage with charities, and by providing them with the tools and platforms needed to efficiently deliver donations. From 2001 to date, Good2Give has facilitated the donation of more than $200 million to 7000 charitable organisations, and has set the goal to reach $300 million by 2022.

Good2Give CEO Lisa Grinham explains: “We know people of all ages and backgrounds are willing to donate to charities, particularly younger people in the workforce, but they want their organisation to make it easy. That’s where we come in – we ensure the technology, risk and compliance issues are taken care of. There’s also a lot of research that tells us a workplace that provides easy charitable giving has a happier, healthier and more engaged culture, as well as a greater sense of trust between employees and their employer.”

As a registered charity, Good2Give works hard to ensure that the thousands of charities it facilitates donations for each year receive the best possible outcome. In the past 12 months, Good2Give delivered almost $20 million in donations to people in need. Ninetynine per cent of each dollar raised was distributed to charitable organisations, meaning it’s genuinely getting to the people who need it.

“Australians are by nature very giving.

We want to make it easier for them to continue and grow that kindness,” says Lisa.

“Whether it’s through workplace giving, fundraising at work, building grant programs or establishing charitable foundations, we’re here to support the charities and, in turn, the people who want to support them.”

Good2Give works with some of

Image: ROMAOSLO

BY SARAH HINDER

Australia’s largest companies, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for other companies and individuals to get involved. Lisa explains that the best way for individuals to do so is to be an influencer at work.

“If your organisation doesn’t have a workplace giving program, lobby the right people to start thinking about this. It’s also really easy for staff to start giving using our online Workplace Giving Platform. Good2Give takes the pain out of the process and makes it as easy as possible to help build stronger communities through the act of giving.”

For more information, tips and to get in touch, visit good2give.ngo. Good2Give occasionally requires skilled volunteering support, so if you’re interested in donating your time, contact info@good2give.ngo

Good2Give CEO Lisa Grinham

DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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Mountain pygmy possum.

Tasmanian devils.

Mary River turtle.

Saving our species Australia is currently rated as the number-two country in the world for species loss.

We speak with the CEO of forward-thinking organisation FAME, which is dedicated to fighting the battle to conserve the country’s native species.

Images: ©gracehousephotography

BY SARAH HINDER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH ASH

Not-for-profit conservation initiative the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species Limited (FAME) is one fantastic organisation dedicated to pushing back the staggering reality of endemic flora and fauna species extinction occurring across Australia.It proudly focuses on conserving endangered species that, with the proper effort and conservation plan, have a high chance of success.

According to FAME CEO Tracy McNamara, the Foundation helps to bring species back from the brink in three principal ways: by providing funds to enable projects to proceed, by often sustaining this funding over the life of a project, and by maintaining a high level of communication with members, donors and the wider public – to raise awareness of the serious situation that Australia’s native flora and fauna is facing.

“FAME is a very practical organisation and we take great pride in selecting projects

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FAME CEO Tracy McNamara.

and programs that have a high chance of success,” Tracy explains. “We collaborate with the private sector, public sector and not-for-profit enterprises to achieve the best possible results. Our partners are generally experts – we leave on-ground efforts to them while we back them financially and provide support, which would not otherwise be available.”

One of the greatest threats currently faced by Australian wildlife is being overrun

and killed off by introduced animals and invasive species, such as feral cats, foxes, pigs and rabbits and a plant-root disease.

Feral cats alone kill more than one million native animals every night.

“Where fauna is concerned, we cannot escape the need to deal with the menace of feral cats and foxes,” explains Tracy.

“Some observers may feel our antipathy towards feral cats to be unbalanced, but as we are fond of saying: a feral cat is to a domestic cat what a wolf is to a chihuahua.

Cats and foxes – both introduced species – are savage predators, and a variety of countermeasures are employed to control their numbers. Meanwhile, for flora, it is most often land clearing and bushfires that present the greatest threat.”

One excellent example of where FAME has stepped in to reverse the course of species extinction is in the South Australian outback. Feral cats and foxes have decimated the western quoll population

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in the northern Flinders Ranges. As a result, quolls had been extinct in the area for more than 100 years. FAME’s reintroduction program, in co-operation with the South Australian and Western Australian governments, has now resulted in a sizeable healthy population of quolls thriving in their natural habitat. Incidentally, the project also resulted in brush-tailed possums surviving in that area.

Another of FAME’s high-priority projects is currently underway in Western Australia’s wheat belt, south-east of Perth, supporting the last surviving small wild population of numbats. In flora, FAME is working with partners to save the last stand of bulburin nut (macadamia jansenii) trees near Gladstone, Queensland.

“We have just completed our first quarter of a century,” says Tracy. “To mark our first 25 years, we proudly displayed a banner that lists 20 successful projects – and that is not a complete list. A quick glance shows, among others, that we committed to protecting native orchids back in 2004, the southern emu-wren in 2006, the eastern quoll in 2007, the mahogany glider in 2011, and the western quoll and brush-tailed possum in 2013.”

The continued, and increasing, loss of wildlife and habitats across the country is not only decimating natural ecosystems, it also poses a big risk to the very systems that provide us clean air, clean water, productive soils and a sustainable climate.

Protecting our natural environment is the best way to ensure Australia’s biggest industries, including agriculture and tourism, have a viable and sustainable future.

One way in which FAME can continue to support worthy causes is with the support of businesses.

“There’s always a queue of deserving projects looking for support, but our ability to help is always dependent on our resources,” says Tracy. “We know from our approaches over the past couple of years that many businesses welcome involvement in the kind of work we do.

The team at FAME is open to talking with any corporation that feels it may be able to help – sometimes it may be funds, but often a business has skills and experience that are invaluable to the Foundation’s work.

We’d love to hear from any organisation, whatever their level of interest.”

For more information and to learn more about FAME’s initiatives, visit fame.org.au

Koala.

FERAL CATS KILL MORE THAN ONE MILLION NATIVE ANIMALS EVERY NIGHT. DEC DEC 2019/JAN 2019/JAN 2020 20208383

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BY IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER | ILLUSTRATIONS BY JON WOLFGANG MILLER

When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a pilot like my dad. My brother wanted to be a lawyer, while my sister – who loves animals – dreamed of working as a veterinarian. But children of millennials have different ambitions. They dream of following in the footsteps of Mark Zuckerberg and Space X founder Elon Musk – entrepreneurs who changed the world with no more than the creative juices swirling around inside their heads.

A survey by LinkedIn revealed that just 26 per cent of Australians end up earning a living from their childhood dream job or a related field – which begs a few questions. What do these high-rolling disruptors have in common? How did they get started and what makes them tick?

To get some insight, I spoke with the founders of three Australian start-up success stories.

WILL DAVIES – KILLING CARBON WITH CARS In 2011, Will Davies – who was then the owner of a successful mortgage-broking firm – experienced an existential crisis.

“As I got older, I became more and more concerned about how we were stuffing up the

planet with carbon emissions,” he says. “So I sold my business and started looking around for new opportunities to help solve the problem.”

Two years later, he started Car Next Door, a peerto-peer car-sharing company that allows car owners to share their vehicles while they’re not being used.

Think of it as Airbnb for cars.

“At first people said it will just encourage more people to drive,” Will says, “but the largest proportion of carbon emissions in cars is produced during the manufacturing process – and the average car in Australia only gets used five per cent of the time. We figured out that for every shared car on the street, 10 people make the decision not to buy a car.”

Today, Car Next Door is the biggest peer-to-peer car-sharing company in Australia, with 150,000 members who make 13,000 trips a month. Davies credits the result to his goal beyond anything else.

“If your primary motivator is to make money, when you go through periods when you’re struggling and not earning a cent (I had plenty of those!), you easily lose your motivation,” he says. “But for me, it was always about helping save the planet. That was a far more powerful motivator to get me out of bed in the morning and push through the tough times rather than just trying to get rich.”

THE CAR NEXT DOOR STORY 2013: Launches in Sydney with 20 cars and 60 borrowers.

2014: Expands to Melbourne. Celebrates 10,000 trips.

2017: Brisbane gets on board. Hits milestone of 100,000 trips.

2019: Moves into Canberra and Western Australia. More than 350,000 trips completed.

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SIMON COHEN – DISRUPTING THE PROPERTY LADDER The average Australian homebuyer inspects more than 50 properties before signing on the dotted line – a stressful and inefficient process Sydney real estate agent Simon Cohen set out to disrupt by importing the buyer’s agent business model from the US. “I realised property buyers in Australia had nobody to help them and no leverage over sellers – there was a huge gap in the market,” he says. “So I quit my job and moved to Los Angeles, where 80 per cent of home sales are facilitated by buyers, and learned from the best.”

In 2009, Simon returned home and started the buying agency Cohen Handler with best friend Ben Handler and only $5000 in seed money they used to build a website.

“Everyone said we were crazy because nobody in Australia understood the buyer’s agent model – they said nobody would pay for it,” he recalls. “It was really

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tough at first, but then we had our first customer – he was wanting to buy a home with an asking price of $6 million and we got it for him for $4.4 million. The money we saved him paid our fee many times over.”

Word began to spread and Cohen Handler’s client list began to grow. Today the start-up has helped Australians buy more than 1700 properties worth a combined $3.7 billion, and has offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Singapore and the US. If that wasn’t enough, Simon recently landed a lead role with Elite Agents, an Australian spin-off of the popular American TV reality show Million Dollar Listing.

But none of it came easy.

“A lot of young people I speak to with ideas for start-ups don’t realise how much tougher it is than a regular job,” Simon says. “In theory, I only work six days a week, but if there’s a deal to be done on a Sunday afternoon, I’m there. It’s non-stop.”

“Being an entrepreneur isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme,” he adds. “You have to put in the hard work and become a master at what you do. The money – that comes afterwards.”

THE COHEN HANDLER STORY 2009: Launches in Sydney.

2015: Spreads wings to Melbourne and Brisbane.

2018: Hits $3 billion purchasing milestone.

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OLYMPIA YARGER – FARMING INSECTS WITH ROBOTS Maggot farmer. Inventor. Garbage collector. CEO. It’s complicated to describe what Olympia Yarger does. As the founder of Canberrabased Goterra, she created a “secret recipe” that encouraged black soldier flies to lay more eggs to increase the speed at which their larvae consume food waste and turn it into compost.

After cracking that egg, she invented a transportable modular insect farm that can be leased out to sites that generate lots of food waste, like hospitals and shopping malls. The result: less waste goes to landfill, less money is spent transporting waste to landfill, and free compost.

“I thought there was something really interesting about using insects,” Olympia says. “They’re designed to consume food waste streams – that’s their job. If I could commercialise that, I could charge a fee for the service.”

Goterra modular food bins are now being used at 400 sites across Australia, and the company is on the cusp of breaking into the lucrative Singaporean market.

Nobody ever told Olympia her idea was a dud, but as a woman working across several maledominated industries, she faced a whole different set of challenges.

“Some people still believe you achieve the right outcomes because of your gender,” she says. “And because I often talk about emotions and feelings in business, some interpret that as a sign of weakness.

But I read somewhere that all utopias, all paradises, are created by those who weren’t allowed in.

And I think that’s a really powerful statement about the capacity of women who are still not that visible in start-ups and CEO roles.”

THE GOTERRA STORY 2014: After a long career in marketing, Olympia Yarger starts maggot farming.

2016: Receives ACT Government innovation grant.

2018: Announces $1.2 million venture capital investment round.

2019: Receives CSIRO Kickstart Grant.

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Han s David

Two tales

Boon Bromley is the story of years of experience and talent coming together to turn inventive furniture concepts into reality. This partnership grew slowly over time, providing a perfect example of good things coming to those who wait.

Here are the backstories behind the BB.

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One of my first memories is my brother Paul fiddling around with a spark plug. Before long, he took over the shed and it became his domain.

My mum was always into craft, working with leather and spinning and dying wool. Dad worked in an office and on the weekend he read, walked and played golf. If he ever built something you would be wary of it falling down.

Paul became a fitter and turner at 15. He loved to fiddle around and all the family pushbikes soon had motors in them. I’d part-pedal, part-motor to school, but I especially loved it when he dropped me off on his motorbike. Once he didn’t put the mufflers on and school assembly had already started when we arrived…. the sound distorted the speakers. I was embarrassed and proud at the same time.

When I was 15 I found an apprenticeship as a sign-writer. I never thought it at the time, but now I realise that I learned to specialise in two-dimensional projects, using colour and brushes, while Paul worked three-dimensionally – he could make anything out of anything.

Some time in my teenage years I started evolving into a three-dimensional artist, too. I was a window dresser for a while (sort of three-dimensional), then a potter (very much three-dimensional). When I got my first pay cheque as a potter I became very interested in furniture and began to shop for Depression-era pieces. I became obsessed with folk art, hand-hewn furniture and pieces that were utilitarian with a simple twist of decoration.

I continued to foster my passion for arts and crafts, delving into design, fashion and architecture. Still, although my brain could visualise so much, I couldn’t make what I imagined. Fortunately, I could always articulate what I wanted and, at times, the best way to go about it.

My brother passed suddenly at the age of 43 and I had no one to make the stuff I could dream. As time went on, I worked a lot with tradespeople on various house restoration projects, so I could tell who was a good maker.

Starting from scratch was the usual way I went about my work. I’d pare a derelict building right back, stripping the floor and walls, and taking out all the awful additions to reveal the raw canvas. I wish I could count the times that tradespeople laughed at my decisions or muttered, “This guy’s craaazy!”

As a building neared readiness, I’d start decorating and adding my touches – floor coverings, plywood kitchens, bathrooms made out of tin, a tree in the kitchen, a bathtub outside… Now the positive comments started and the laughing subsided.

Years later I’m in Daylesford when I meet a “window-making guy” – Hans Boon. He’s tall and lanky and a clean-cut Dutchman. I’m a quarter

Images: Sean McDonald Photography

MEET DAVID BROMLEY

Opposite page: David Bromley and Hans Boom in an apartment in the Capitol Grand building in South Yarra, which is fitted out with Boon Bromley furniture. This page top to bottom: David Bromley holding up a Charles Blackman bronze; a handpainted colour block table.

Dutch and it’s enough for us to have a little something in common.

And man, can this guy can build! He does everything with finesse. An old piece of timber is turned into a set of windows, a large window frame replacing a smaller one – and even though it’s bigger than his wingspan – he puts it in. He even cleans up after himself!

Many jobs and conversations later, I proposed starting a furniture business together. Hans went to Holland with his family and while he was away I realised I missed working alongside him. Luckily, after a few weeks being away, he nonchalantly said that he wanted to work together on the furniture business.

And that was it. Sure, there were conversations and planning, but essentially Boon Bromley was born in that first conversation. Now that is just what we do – I imagine, he imagines, we imagine… and he makes!

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Images: Sean McDonald Photography

MEET HANS BOON I was born in Holland in 1984 and have an older brother and sister who are twins. My brother is an electrical engineer and my sister is a remedial education teacher. My mother is an old age care nurse and my dad is a carpentry teacher.

I have been helping Dad as long as I remember with carpentry jobs outside his school hours. He’s always had a number of cash-in-hand jobs on the go to help pay for the bills and renovation of our own house.

After two years of higher education (and failing my French and German exam) I decided to quit and go to a trade school. Dad was really surprised at my decision, but also really excited. I went to the school where he was teaching and sat in his carpentry class for two years. After that I went to another school for four years to become a builder. And after eight years in the building trade I decided to move into the workshop and focus on joinery – windows, doors, staircases and cabinetry – mainly restoring buildings that were hundreds of years old.

The company where I worked specialised in securing all buildings owned by politicians in Holland and I was one of only two people who had police clearance to do this. Just recently, in 2018, I was chosen for a big project to secure a building in Budapest for a top European politician.

I also spent time in boat building, and entered various high-level carpentry competitions. My first competition entry was at 16 (upcoming carpenters of the district from 10 different trade schools) and I won.

The second competition was for new builders and

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This page top to bottom: Hans and Christina Boon, with a Boon Bromley hand-painted colour block table and David Bromley wallpaper and painting; Luna chair and peg leg desk.

Opposite page from left: Pivotal shelving unit; Boy stacked drawer unit; Hans Boon and David Bromley, in the apartment in the Capitol Grand building with a David Bromley bronze statue.

I entered when I was 19. I’m told about 150 entered and I won this, too. Then I won the best carpenter of the south of Holland. And after that I won the best of Holland.

After finishing building school at 19 I bought my first run-down house and spent a year on and off renovating it. I replaced the roof, all the windows and doors, the kitchen and bathroom. I didn’t hire any tradies and worked on all aspects (including electrical and plumbing) myself. I then sold the house and made a good profit, which allowed me to travel.

I explored Russia, Mongolia and China first, then caught the train to Tibet and drove a four-wheel drive through the Himalayas to Nepal. From there I went to South-East Asia and met my now-wife Christina in Hanoi. I travelled with her through South America and came back to Daylesford to build our own home and raise a family.

I found a job in Ballan making high-end windows and worked my way up to floor manager. Six years ago I started my own joinery business in Daylesford and built my own house. Within a year of starting my business I made some windows for David and his wife Yuge. They must have liked my work as we went on to collaborate on various projects together and have always enjoyed each other’s company.

Three years ago Christina and I sold the house we built and bought a run-down cottage to renovate.

Then after that project, we spent a year and a half in Europe, travelling with our two daughters and working along the way.

Before we left, David and I had a conversation about designing and making furniture together, and it also came up a few times while Christina and I were overseas.

When we came back to Australia in 2018 we decided to do it. It’s been even better than expected and an absolute dream come true. boonbromley.com

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IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE DREAM COME TRUE DEC 2019/JAN 2020

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Immerse yourself among the raw beauty of King Island from the comfort of our luxury fourbedroom retreat. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the red cedar hot tub and glass sauna, with access to your own private beach. Relax and reconnect at Porky Beach Retreat.

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Enjoy picturesque views of the city and beyond before testing your nerve with a lean-out point 50 metres off the ground! With a wide range of climb possibilities, RoofClimb is a must-do for locals and visitors alike.

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YOUR BEST INSTAGRAM SHOTS 96

Every issue, we showcase our favourite Instagram photos taken by you. If you have taken a beautiful image while on – or about to get on – a Tigerair flight, let us know by mentioning @tigerairaustralia and tagging #tigerairau.

Big thanks for the images to @_instagrant (1 flying into Melbourne), @patmcmahon007 (2 ready to fly out of Melbourne), @christopherberosmedia (3 flying over Sydney), @thomasintheair (4 landed in Sydney), @cappuccino_pilot (5 view from the cockpit in Melbourne) and @mary_kathleen (6 on the way to Proserpine).

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