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August 2015 Issue 756

!OFF IN W P-ON HOP-

A HO ADVENTURE ACROSS WESTERN AUSTRALIA

LET’S GET CULTURAL Civilised experiences in Oz - they DO exist!

GOLD COAST GLAMOUR Getting to grips with the fabulous Gold Coast

S T R O P S E M E R T EX activities g in is a r ir a h t vils to try ou e d e r a d r fo s Best place

+ SYDNEY OUT BACK CHRISTCHURCH THAILAND BIG TRIP CHINA

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- SCORE YOURSELF -

$50 OFF YOUR TRIP AT STA TRAVEL Book in store today or phone 134 782

Terms and conditions apply. Valid on all new confirmed bookings made in conjunction with a minimum of $500 worth of accommodation, touring and/or travel insurance. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Not redeemable for cash. Non refundable if part used. Offer expires 31 December 2015

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EDITORIAL Editor James Clark james.clark@tntmagazine.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Design and production manager Lisa Ferron SALES Sales manager Jaqui Ward jaqui.ward@tntmagazine.com

FROM THE EDITOR

STARTRACK MEDIA LTD CEO Kevin Ellis Chairman Ken Hurst PUBLISHER Startrack Media Ltd PRINTED BY Spotpress PICTURES iStock | TNT Images | Supplied Cover image: Taupo Bungy, New Zealand.

TNT Magazine online tntdownunder.com

WHERE TO GET TNT

SEE tntdownunder.com/magazine-location.html for pick-up points

I love this time of year, when the smell of spring is almost in the air, the wind and rain stops penetrating our souls and soaking our skin and we all feel a little bit happier again.

Yes, spring is one step closer, but when I hear you cry? Well I’m no weatherman, but it’s doubtful that winter will last much longer.

When you arrive in Australia it’s impossible not to come without various pre-conceptions.

No doubt you’ve already seen the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach on TV a dozen times, but there’s a wealth of other cultural hubs scattered around the country. We’ve written a guide, which will get you under the skin of the real Australia and what this great country has to offer.

As the weather starts to improve why not head to the Gold Coast for glitz, glamour and one hell of a good time. The surf here is great and attracts travellers all year round.

Take a look at our feature about Christchurch featuring rugby, hot springs and an epic journey through scenic parks.

If you’re thinking about taking a trip how about considering China? It’s got a completely different vibe to the Western world, don’t be surprised if you get lost immersing yourself in it. We love the chaos of Silk Road, an epic journey of scenic parks, Chinese tea houses and temples.

If you’re a rugby fanatic like me then you’ll love our feature with the former superstar and All Blacks captain Reuben Thorne. He and a few other rugby greats will be getting together later this year in the UK for Classics Rugby. Check out their site for regular updates.

Every month we run our OZ Eats and OZ Drinks section within the magazine. I’d really like to give some of our readers that have a bit of a flair for writing, and love food and or drink the opportunity to get published. Get in touch!

James

james.clark@tntmagazine.com

TNT Magazine is printed on paper from sustainable forests.

There is no business connection between the proprietors of this magazine and TNT Ltd, the worldwide transportation group.

TNT Magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions – material is sent at the owner’s risk. TNT Magazine accepts advertising material and other contributions in good faith, and takes no responsibility for claims, errors or omissions. Copyright here and abroad of all original materials is held by TNT Magazine.

Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden, except with permission of the publishers.

Darwin

East Coast

Milford Sound

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THIS MONTH FOOD & DRINK 10 GIGS 12 PUBS

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SYDNEY OUT BACK

18

CHATROOM

24

DEADLY THAILAND

26

6

Photo: XCAT World Series

DIARY 6

TRAVEL TRAVEL BITES 32 TOP 5: EXTREME SPORTS 34 HOTSHOTS 36 OZ: GOLD COAST

38

TOP 10: CULTURAL OZ 44 NZ: CHRISTCHURCH

64

BIG TRIP: CHINA

82

AUSTRALIA LISTINGS

50

NEW ZEALAND LISTINGS

70

CAREERS: NURSING 88

26

ON THE COVER SYDNEY OUT BACK

18

How to find the heart of this great land without takings days to get there

DEADLY THAILAND

26

Thailand: Deadly destination or epic travel spot? TNT takes a look

EXTEME SPORTS

34

Where to find the best adventures

GOLD COAST GLAMOUR 38 We give you the low down on how to get the most from the Coast

GETTING CULTURAL

44

Think Oz is all beaches and thrill seeking adventure travel? Nope! take a look at what we discover

CHINA TREASURES

82

Travels on the Silk Road, TNT style

10 4

CAREERS IN NURSING

88

34

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OZDIARY

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OUR TOP PICKS MAGNETIC ISLAND RACE WEEK FREE

Aug 28 - Sep 1, near Townsville

The World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will once again play host to the SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week, in the backyard of a beautiful tropical paradise. The eighth annual Race Week will offer first class racing from Thursday 27 August to Tuesday 1 September 2015 magneticislandraceweek.com.au/

SYDNEY FRINGE COMEDY

Sep 9 - Oct 4, Sydney Now in its sixth year and the largest independent arts festival in NSW. 300 productions are spread over 50 venues, celebrating local artists and encouraging new audiences to keep the festival sustainable.

FREE

Times vary

S5 Eliza Street,

Newtown

sydneyfringe.com

ventopia.co

MUST DO SYDNEY HARBOUR CRUISE DANCE PARTY September 4 plus other dates, Sydney

$110

Sydney Harbour Cruise with buffet lunch or dinner and cocktail on arrival. Join them for a unique Sydney Harbour experience offering panoramic views of the city skyline, and many of Sydney’s most famous landmarks.

Party the night away with Sydney Pearl Cruises

BROKEN HEEL FESTIVAL

Sept 11 - 13, Broken Hill $60

6

7pm

King Street Wharf, King Street Wharf, Darling

Harbour, Sydney

THE REAL FOOD FESTIVAL Sep 12 - 13, Maleney

To celebrate 21 years since the relese of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the town where it was filmed is throwing open its doors for chaos, drag and parties galore. What a way to spend the weekend, shoosh we won’t tell if you don’t.

The fifth annual Real Food Festival will host an impressive line up of chefs producing an array of international styles. The Real Food Kitchen, Food for Thought, Nourishing Ideas, Food Craft, Kitchen Garden will be there.

8am-9pm Broken Hill, NSW bhfestival.com

From 9am - 4pm Maleney Showground, NSW realfoodfestivals.com.au

$20

sydneypearlcruises.com.au

MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL Sep 16-Nov 22, Melbourne

The annual Melbourne Fringe festival provides artists with the tools to develop, present and promote their work, creating a community of audiences and artists that together represent an arts network.

VAR

Times vary Various, Melbourne melbournefringe.com.au

THE JUNGLE GIANTS-SPEAKER ZOID TOUR Sep 18, Sydney The huge success of their recent single ‘Every Kind Of Way’, and the release of their brand new single ‘Kooky Eyes’, The Jungle Giants are thrilled to share tracks from their second indie album. $43

Time 7pm Enmore Theatre, Sudney huonvalley midwinterfest.com.au

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SPRING RACING CARNIVAL Sep 19 - Nov 22, Melbourne The highlight of the racing year in Australia, bringing together the very best of Australian and International thoroughbreds for 50 days of world-class horse racing action. The whole event has a carnival like atmosphere which brings the city of Melbourne to life during spring carnival time.

VAR

Various Race Courses, Melbourne

MASTERS HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS Sep 26 - Oct 10, Cairns

Queensland will host the 2015 National Masters Championships in Cairns.

There’s loads going on, so you’d be best to take a look at the website if you’re a hockey fan.

VAR

10.30am 365 Lake Street, Cairns, 4870

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flemington.com.au

MAROON 5

Sep 28, Brisbane $85

Multi platinumselling and Grammy Award winning rock band, Maroon 5, have added extra dates to their The Maroon 5 World Tour 2015 in support of their fifth studio album, V. 9.30pm Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Mealeuca Drive, Boondall

brisent.com.au

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OZDIARY

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Photos: Raffaello Bastiani/XCAT World Series

One of the 14 international powerboating teams that will be in action at the XCAT Gold Coast GP.

PERTH

GOLD COAST

CAIRNS

TPFF SUNDAY BEST MARKET AUG 30 / 10AM - 4PM / FREE Featuring stalls from WA - based creatives, offering shoppers the unique opportunity to buy locally designed clothes, jewellery and accessories all under one roof.

XCAT GOLD COAST GRAND PRIX AUG 21 - 23 / 9AM - 3PM / FREE Formula One on the water, this will be the sixth international race in the World Professional Powerboating Association XCAT World Series and a great weekend for all attending.

JEDEDIAH - 20TH ANNIVERSARY AUG 21 / 7PM / $35 This hilarious farce was a hit at the Playhouse Theatre in London and is now delighting the audiences of Cairns.

Hackett Hall, WA Museum, James Street elstraperthfashionfestival.com.au

ITALIAN WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL SEP 13 / 11AM - 5PM/ $45 The admission price will give the opportunity to try 200 wines, delicious Italian foods, food talks with top chefs, tempting markets and demos.

Perth goes Italian crazy for the day.

Perth Town Hall, 601 Hay Street italianwinefood.com.au

ADOLESCENT Sep 24 -26 / 7.30PM / $40.78 Join acclaimed cabaret performer Michael Griffiths as he turns 40. He’ll share love stories, an identity crisis and issues around maturing.

Downstairs at the Maj, His Majesty’s Theatre ticketek.com.au

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Main Beach xcatracing.com/goldcoast

BEACH BASH GOLD COAST SEP 6 / 7AM - 1PM / $79 Considered to be Australia’s sandiest obstacle challenge with the aim to promote health, fitness and fun. Expect challenges and surprises along the 4 kilometres course.

Musgrave Street, Roughton Park, Kirra Park beachbash.com.au

GOLD COAST FOLK FESTIVAL SEP 19 - 20 / ALL DAY / $30 Festival time again with over 30 local, regional and national acoustic roots, folk, blues and bluegrass music bands.

Country Paradise Parklands, 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road goldcoastfolkfestival.com.au

Tanks Arts Centre, 46 Collins Avenue, Edge Hill

tanksartscentre.com

BIDDIGAL DREAMING AUG 28 - SEP 5 / 11AM & 7.30PM / $24 Biddigal Performing Arts is an exclusive company of Indigenous people who have been given permission by elders around the country to share their centuries-old stories through the performing arts.

Centre of Contemporary Arts, 96 Abbot St centre-of-contemporary-arts-cairns.com.au

SAIL CAIRNS FESTIVAL CUP SEP 4 - 8 / TIMES VARY / FREE A racing spectacular on the waters of Trinity Bay with yachting and social events.

Cairns Yacht Club, 4 Wharf Street cairnsyachtclub.com

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MELBOURNE

SYDNEY

GANGNUM BLUES SEP 4 / 8PM / $16 St in 1970s South Korea, during a time of corruption and authoritarian military rule. The film is a sweeping gangster epic of violence, friendship and betrayal.

SILENT SERIES - BATTLE OF THE DJ’S AUG 21/ 5.30PM / $15 Three Top DJ’s will battle it out for your vote with their favourite genre of music, all at the same time on one dance floor. Perfect for silent disco virgins that are a little bit curious. If you’ve been before, tehn you know the score and you’re going to love this.

Australian Centre for the Moving Image koffia.com.au/gangnam-blues

POISON CITY WEEKENDER FEST SEP 4 -6 / TIMES VARY / VARIOUS The festival will be returning and hosting its biggest lineup so far. Big name such as the Smith Street Band and the Bennies and other artists to some of Melbourne’s best venues. This festival is a must for punk fans.

Around Melbourne poisoncityweekender.com/

Newmarket Hotel, Manhattan Superbowl moshtix.com.au

MENANGLE HOUSE GHOST TOUR AUG 20 - OCT 16 / 7 - 10.30 PM / $130 A guided ghost tour of Menangle House with psychic mediums Tracey-Lee and Elisa Greenfield.

The evening includes a two course meal and a short psychic reading, followed by a tour of the 175 year-old Menangle House. and tales of death and suicide. Menangle House, 170 Menangle Road,

EDDIE LFFFT SEP 12 / 8PM / $30 -$55 The American stand-up comic Eddie Ifft is bringing his latest stand-up show Excess Baggage to Melbourne in September.

The Comic’s Lounge, 26 Errol Street thecomicslounge.com.au

THE SNOWDROPPERS SEP 19 / 8PM / $17 This is the band’s first national tour in over 18 months. Expect them to be full of energy and ready to explode onto the stage for what is expected to be the best live shows yet. The band’s forthcoming album, ‘Business’, will be released on the first date of the tour in Canberra on 4 September.

Northcote Social Club, 301 High Street northcotesc.ticketscout.com.au

ROYAL MELBOURNE SHOW SEP 19 - 29 / 10AM - 9PM / VARIOUS The biggest carnival of the year attracts almost half a million visitors. Entertainment for all; cooking demonstrations, rides and farm animals featuring thousands of cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, cats and dogs. Whether you’re interested in animal competitions, watching men chop wood, hair raising stunts and fireworks or eating foods at the markets the showground is the place to be.

Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road royalshow.com.au/buy-tickets

DO THIS

macarthur.com.au

ANYTHING GOES SEP 5 - OCT 31 / 1PM / $59.90 - $199.90 Australia’s hottest new creative team, Helpmann Award winning Dean Bryant and Andrew Hallsworth stage a brand new comedy production of Cole Porter’s musical ANYTHING GOES. Sydney Opera House anythinggoesmusical.com.au

SYDNEY RUNNING FESTIVAL SEP 20 / $195 for international runners.

Although if you decide to run for charity register your chosen charity on-line and get your registration fee refunded.

The Sydney Running Festival attracts 35,000 participants annually, with four events to suit all ages and abilities – the marathon, half marathon, 9km bridge run and the 3.5km family fun run. What is unique about this event is that you run along and past some of Sydney’s great icons including the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A great way to get to see the city without sitting on the City Sightseeing bus and you’ll get fit as well. sydneyrunningfestival.com.au SYDNEY SPRING FESTIVAL SEP 12 - OCT 17 / 7PM / VARIOUS The carnival is set to offer an unmissable season of racing across five weeks. With some of the biggest names in Australasian racing returning to Sydney’s tracks. Enjoy vibrant entertainers, top horses and great raceday hospitality.

Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens Racecourse

THE COLOR RUN SYDNEY The Color Run is returning to Sydney to paint participants of all ages and fitness levels as they make their way along the five kilometre course.

Expect an awesome time at the Finish Festival party, but it’s strictly alcohol and drug free and is all about promoting happiness, healthiness and individuality while getting colourful.

AUG 23 / 5.30PM / $75 1 Art Gallery Road, Sydney Suburbs thecolorrun.com.au

australianturfclub.com.au

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TOP THREE... ...bars with an open fire for cosy winter nights

DOVE AND OLIVE There’s a generous variety of beers, the steaks are awesome and the prices are very decent, plus you might get the lovely lady above serving you beer! The gas fireplace (it’s still an open fire) is constantly on to banish the cold at this wellloved drinking whole. doveandolive.com.au

Words: James Clark. Photos: Dove & Olive, Lobo Plantation and supplied.

THE HERO OF WATERLOO

10

Rowdy and wild crowds sit around the open fire place drinking ale and Guinness. Not much has changed here since its opening 170 years ago. Live music at the weekends and the lamb shank in gravy isn’t bad either. heroofwaterloo.com.au

THE LORD DUDLEY If it’s cold you’ll want to get here early, as people flock in their droves to get as close to the open fire place as possible. A good venue for ale, burgers, steaks and pies and a game of scrabble. lorddudley.com.au

THE LOBO PLANTATION SYDNEY

The bar is named after the last sugar baron in pre-revolutionary Cuba Julio Lobo. He was considered to be the most powerful sugar baron in the World from the 1930’s to 1960, with a fortune amounting to $200 million. To cut a long story short he ended up skint and exiled until his death in 1983.

On first impressions the bar appears to be a lot larger than expected with plenty of seating and expensive looking rich reds, greens and florals for us to hide behind and take in the view.

THE DRINKS Lobo Plantation’s Limited Edition is available monthly, a series of amazing drinks that will see you returning again, and again. First up to bat is The Fog Cutter #2: Flor de Cana 4 year, Beefeater Gin, Hine Cognac, freshly squeezed lemon juice, green tea infused almond syrup, fresh orange juice and cream sherry.

BEHIND THE BAR The barmen went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and happily chatted with us about the large drinks menu. The real draw for us during the cold and windy winter nights was the rum, 250 varieties of the stuff (no we haven’t tried them all) from around the World.

BILL PLEASE: Beer starts at $8 and a rum cocktail upwards of $15.

VERDICT: We’ll keep returning for the warming Bacardi until late spring.

THE SCENE

209 Clarence Street, Sydney 2000

thelobo.com.au

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FIVE POINTS BURGERS It seems like every red blooded meat eater in Sydney is talking about Five Point Burgers, so we thought we’d give it a try.

The doors opened in March and the queues haven’t quietened since. As you’d expect to find in downtown Manhattan, the New York interior is literally rammed with hungry people queuing for burgers. Give yourself upward of 15 minutes to get your order in.

THE GRUB The Bronx burger is delicious, a combination of charred outside and medium rare inside, two melted slices of American cheese, sweet onion jam, sour pickles and a big and crunchy iceberg lettuce, all in a toasted bun. The beer-battered fries are top notch, hot, fluffy and crunchy on the outside.

BEHIND THE BAR The milkshakes come in three flavours, salted caramel, vanilla bean and chocolate. The salted caramel combined sweet and salty perfectly, can’t wait to have it again.

BILL PLEASE Pretty good at under $50.

VERDICT We’re finding it difficult to walk passed without popping in and may have to plan a different route home.

THE SCENE

124 Walker St, (entry via Berry Street), Sydney 2060

3 OF THE BEST BREAKFAST

THE COPPER MILL

THREE WILLIAMS

PINBONE

The pan con churon roll defies even the worst hangover, try one on a Sunday morning. A roll filled with slow cooked pork and crackling, a sunnyside egg, roast kumera and red onion salsa with lime and coriander mayonnaise. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. thecoppermill.com.au

Situated in a big open planned space, so don’t expect to wait long for a table. We tried ham and poached eggs and the serano ham and feta with jalapeno salsa, both were awesome.

The thick shakes come with plenty of juices that eased morning thirst. Thumbs up from us. threewilliamscafe.com

We’re not going to tell you about the menu because it varies from day to day, but we can tell you that every time we pop in we love it a little bit more. The team really know what they’re talking about when it comes to coffee as well, which gets us returning time and time again. pinbone.com.au TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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GIGLISTINGS

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IMAGINE DRAGONS Catch the Grammy Award winning American rock band Imagine Dragons at the Qantus Credit Union Arena, Sydney. Immerse yourself in artwork by Tim Cantor during the Smoke and Mirrors tour, Fri 4 Sept.

Photo: Bilbao BKK

FRI AUG 28 Motion City Soundtrack $42.10 - $148 Manning Bar, Sydney manningbar.com

SAT AUG 29 The Preachers $34.50 The Creases, Entrance League Club, Gosford songkick.com/concerts/24101819preatures-at-entrance-leagues-club

SUN AUG 30 King Parrot $71 Bald Faced Stag Hotel, Leichhardt, Sydney songkick.com

WED SEP 2 Megan Washington $28 Brass Monkey, Cronulla NSW brassmonkey.com.au Phil Jamieson $38 - $72 Cafe del Mare, Darling Harbour, Sydney cafedelmar.com.au An Evening with Renee Fleming $70 - $163 The Arts Centre, Melbourne tickets.mso.com.au Animalastic - Spiegel Kids $24.75 - $34.50 Cairns Esplanade, 4870 ticketing.ticketlink.com.au

THU SEP 3 12

Alex Lloyd $28 Brass Monkey, Cronulla, NSW brassmonkey.com.au David Ryan Harris $28 Venue 505, Surry Hills, Sydney songkick.com

FRI SEP 4 Imagine Dragons $142.99 - $205.56 Qantus Credit Union Arena, Sydney viagogo.com/au Xavier Rudd & The United Nations $60 Enmore Theatre, Newtown enmoretheatre.com.au Anthony B $54 - $94 House of Shem, Max Watt’s Sydney songkick.com Dub FX $45 Manning Bar, Sydney manningbar.com

SAT SEP 5 Tyler, The Creator $72 Big Top, Luna Park, Sydney ticketmaster.com.au A Place to Bury Strangers $37.80 - $48 Manning Bar, Sydney manningbar.com The Getaway Plan $23.20 Studio Six, Sutherland, NSW tickets.oztix.com.au

SUN SEP 6 James Taylor $20 Brass Monkey, Cronulla, NSW brassmonkey.com.au The Story so Far $45.84 Metro Theatre, Sydney metrotheatre.com.au Greg Poppleton $73 Cronulla Rsl, Cronulla premier.ticketek.com.au Make like a Tree Oz Tour Free Cherry Bar, Melbourne eventfinda.com.au/2015/makelike-tree-oz-tour/melbourne

THU SEP 10 Death Dealer $36 - $145 Manning Bar, Sydney manningbar.com Stephen Cummings and Shane O’mara $67 Cafe Deus, camperdown, NSW deuscafe.con.au

FRI SEP 11 Safia, Boo Seeka $20 + booking fee The Factory Theatre, Marrickville, NSW ticketmaster.com.au

SAT SEP 12 Elvis to the Max USA $79 Her Majesty’s Theatre premier.ticketek.com.au

Otis Redding Birthday Concert $99+ Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne premier.ticketek.com.au

SUN SEP 13 Toni Braxton $70+ Sydney Opera House, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au Luke Bolland $56 The Factory Theatre, Marrickville premier.ticketek.com.au Andy Phillips and the Cadillac Walk Free Lucky Coq, Melbourne eventfinda.com.au Banjo-B-Cue $25 The Mercat, Melbourne themercat.com Leo Sayer $69 Darwin Entertainment Centre yourcentre.com.au

THU SEP 17 The Knox $55 Brass Monkey, Cronulla, NSW brassmonkey.com.au

FRI SEP 18 Bohemian Rhapsody $70+ Dee Why RSL, Dee Why, NSW songkick.com In Hearts Wake $34.50

Entrance Leagues Club, Gosford, NSW songkick.com

SAT SEP 19 Circa Survive $49.50 Metro Theatre, Sydney viagogo.com/au Conrad Sewell $18 Newtown Social Club, NSW newtonsocialclub.com Bjorn Again $49.50 - $69.50 State Theatre, Sydney ticketmaster.com.au Sumeru Lord Sword & Summonus Free Blackwire Records, Annandale, NSW blackwirerecords.com Meri Amber $25 Manly Library, Manly, NSW bandsintown.com

SAT SEP 26 Above & Beyond $112.09 Allphones Arena, Sydney premier.ticketek.com.au Mayer Hawthorne & Jake One $10 Jam Gallery, Sydney jamgallery.com.au

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OZPUBS SYDNEY Anchor Bar 8 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach anchorbarbondi.com Bar Century 1/640, George St, CBD barcentury.com.au Beach Road Hotel 71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach beachroadbondi.com.au Candy’s Apartment 22 Bayswater Road, Potts Point candys.com.au Coogee Pavilion 169 Dolphin St, Coogee beachpalacehotel.com.au DOME Bar 589 Crown Street, Surry Hills domefunctions.com Donny’s Bar 7 Market Ln, Manly donnys.com.au Flinders Hotel 63-65 Flinders St, Surry Hills theflindershotel.com.au Hotel Bondi 178 Campbell Parade, Bondi hotelbondi.com.au Hotel Steyne 75 The Corso, Manly steynehotel.com.au In Situ 1/18 Sydney Rd, Manly insitumanly.com.au Kinselas Hotel 383 Bourke St, Darlinghurst kinselas.com.au Marlborough Hotel 145 King St, Newtown marlboroughhotel.com.au

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Mount Batten Hotel 701 George Street, CBD sydneycityhostels.com.au New Brighton Hotel 71 The Corso, Manly newbrightonhotel.com.au Oxford Art Factory 38-46 Oxford St, Darlinghurst oxfordartfactory.com Ryan’s Paragon Hotel Loftus St, CBD hotelparagon.com.au Scary Canary 469 Kent St, CBD scarycanarybar.com Scubar 4 Rawson Place, CBD scubar.com.au Side Bar 509 Pitt St, CBD wakeup.com.au/sidebar The Beresford 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills merivale.com.au/ theberesfordhotel The Palace Hotel George St, CBD palacehotelsydney.com.au The Vanguard 42 King St, Newtown thevanguard.com.au The White Horse 381 Crown St, Surry Hills thewhitehorsesurryhills.com.au Trinity Bar 505 Crown St, Surry Hills trinitybar.com.au 3 Wise Monkeys 555 George St, CBD 3wisemonkeys.com.au 4 Pines 29/43-45 East Esplanade, Manly 4pinesbeer.com.au

MELBOURNE Asian Beer Cafe Level 3 Melbourne Central, CBD asianbeercafe.com.au Bar Humbug 586 Little Bourke St, CBD barhumbug.com.au Brutale 18 Corrs Lane, CBD brutale.com.au Black Pearl 304 Brunswick St, Fitzroy blackpearlbar.com.au Cherry Bar 103 Flinders Lane, CBD cherrybar.com.au

The Night Owl 35 Elizabeth Street, CBD facebook.com

The Windsor 112 Mill Point Rd, thewindsorsouthperth.com.au

The Night Cat 137-141 Johnston St, Fitzroy thenightcat.com.au

Voodoo Lounge 174 James St, Northbridge thevoodoolounge.com.au

The Penny Black 420 Sydney Road, Brunswick thepennyblack.com.au The Tote 67-71 Johnston Street, Coll. thetotehotel.com Turf Bar 131 Queen St, CBD turfbar.com.au

ADELAIDE

Corner Hotel 57 Swan Street, Richmond cornerhotel.com

The Apple Bar 5-9 Synagogue Pl, CBD theapplebar.com.au

Eden Bar and Nightclub 1/163 Russell Street, CBD edenbar.com.au

Earl of Leicester Hotel 85 Leicester Street, Parkside earl.com.au

Esplanade Hotel 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda espy.com.au

Electric Circus 17 Crippen Place, CBD crippenplace.com

Northcote Social Club 301 High Street, Northcote northcotesocialclub.com

Grace Emily Hotel 232 Waymouth St, CBD yourbars.com.au

Palace Theatre 20-30 Bourke St, CBD palace.com.au

The Promethean 116 Grote St, CBD theprom.com.au

Shamiana 420 Lonsdale St, CBD shamiana.com.au Star Bar 160 Clarendon Street starbarhotel.com.au The Gin Mill 173 High St, Prahran theginmillprahran.com The Hi-Fi 125 Swanston Street, CBD thehifi.com.au

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PERTH The Clink 14-16 South Terrace, Fremantle theclink.com.au

BRISBANE Canvas Club 16b Logan St, Woolloongabba canvasclub.com.au GPO Hotel 740 Anne St, Fortitude Valley gpohotel.com.au Hotel LA 68 Petrie Terrace, CBD hotella.com.au Iceworks 157 Given Terrace, Paddington iceworks.com.au Pig ‘N’ Whistle Riverside 123 Eagle Street, CBD pignwhistle.com.au The Exchange Hotel 131 Edward St, CBD theexchange.com.au The Fringe Bar Cnr Ann St & Constance St, Fortitude Valley fringebar.com.au The Met Nightclub 56a/256 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley themet.com.au

Subiaco Hotel 465 Hay Street, Subiaco subiacohotel.com.au

Toro Bar 416 Milton Rd, Auchenflower facebook.com

The Shed 69-71 Aberdeen St, Northbr. the-shed.com.au

Super Whatnot 48 Burnett Lane superwhatnot.com

FATHER’S OFFICE IS A HAPPY PLACE Melbourne’s coolest themed bar has Happy Hours every day from 5-7pm and 8-10pm with tap beers, wine, ciders and spirits for only $5.

249 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne fathersoffice.com.au

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OZPUBS GOLD COAST Benowa Tavern 117 Ashmore Rd, Benowa benowatavern.com.au Blush Nightclub 21 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise blushnightclub.com.au Coolangatta Sands Hotel Griffith St, Coolangatta coolangattasandshotel.com.au Shooters Superclub Shop 46 The Mark, Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise shooterssuperclub.com

CAIRNS Ba8 Lounge Bar Shangri-La Hotel, The Pier at the Marina, Pier Point shangri-la.com Dunwoody’s Tavern 317 Sheridan St, North Cairns dunwoodys.com.au Salt House 6/2 Pier Point Rd, CBD salthouse.com.au

follow us on The Woolshed 24 Shields Street, CBD thewoolshed.com.au

HOBART Bar Celona 23 Salamanca Sq, CBD barcelonahobart.com Raincheck Lounge 392 Elizabeth St, North Hobart rainchecklounge.com.au Republic Bar & Cafe 299 Elizabeth St, North Hobart republicbar.com Shipwrights Arms 29 Trumpeter St, Battery Point shipwrightarms.com.au The Duke 192 Macquarie Street CBD theduke.com.au

NEWCASTLE Albion Hotel 72 Hannell St, Wickham thealbion.com.au Bar Petite 5 King St, CBD barpetite.com.au Burwood Inn Hotel

77 Berner Street, Merewether theburwood.com.au

Mary Ellen Hotel 57 Railway St, Mereweather maryellenhotel.com.au

Alibi 76 Crown Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

Cambridge Hotel 789 Hunter St, CBD yourcambridge.com

Oriental Hotel 53 Bull St, Cooks Hill facebook.com/theorihotel

Cricketers Arms 61 Bruce St, Cooks Hill cricketersarmshotel.com.au

Premier Hotel 1 Brunker Rd, Broadmeadow hotelpremier.com.au

Castros 5 Victoria Street facebook.com/castros

Hamilton Hotel 442 Kingsford Smith Dve, Ham hamiltonhotel.com.au

Royal Inn Hotel Waratah 61/69 Station St, Waratah truelocal.com.au

Hamilton Station Hotel 2-6 Beaumont St, Islington hamiltonstation.com.au

Silo Restaurant and Lounge 18/1 Honeysuckle Dr, CBD silolounge.com.au

Hotel Delany 134 Darby St, CBD hoteldelany.com

Sunnyside Tavern 20 Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow sunnysidetavern.com.au

Kent Hotel 59-61 Beaumont St, Hamilton thekenthotel.com.au

The Northern Star 112 Beaumont St, Hamilton northernstarhotel.com.au

King Street Hotel 15 Steel St, Newcastle West kingstreethotel.com.au

Wickham Park Hotel 61 Maitland Rd, Islington thewicko.com.au

Lass O’Gowrie 14 Railway St, Wickham lassogowriehotel.com.au

BYRON BAY

$4 PIZZAS AT THE ASIAN BEER CAFE

Beach Hotel Bay St beachhotel.com.au

Everybody loves pizza, and what’s not to love? Cheese, tomato sauce, meat. Now at the Asian Beer Cafe they’re $5 all week! Melbourne Central. 11am–3pm and 7pm–10pm, ($8 all otehr times).

211 La Trobe Street, Central asianbeercafe.com.au

Byron Bay Brewery 1 Skinners Shoot Road byronbaybrewery.com.au Cheeky Monkey’s 115 Jonson St cheekymonkeys.com.au La La Land Level 1/6 Lawson St lalalandbyronbay.com.au The Northern 35-43 Jonson St thenorthern.com.au Treehouse on Belongil 25 Childe St treehouseonbelongil.com Woody’s Surf Shack 90-96 Jonson St woodysbyronbay.com

CANBERRA Academy Club 15 Bunda St academyclub.com.au Cube Nightclub 33 Petrie Plaza cubenightclub.com.au ICBM Bar 50 Northbourne Ave icbmbar.com Mooseheads 105 London Circuit mooseheads.com.au PJ O’Reilly’s 52 Alinga St pjoreillys.com.au Transit Bar 7 Akuna St transitbar.com.au

Photo: Republic

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WOLLONGONG

Glasshouse Nightclub 90 Crown Street facebook.com/ sucasawollongong Grand Hotel 234 Keira Street wollongongnightlife.com.au Harp Hotel 124 Corrimal Street wollongongnightlife.com.au Ivory Nightclub 77 Crown Street wollongongnightlife.com.au OneFiveOne 150 Keira Street wollongongnightlife.com.au Questions Unit 5 123-125 Corrimal Street wollongongnightlife.com.au

DARWIN Ducks Nuts 76 Mitchell St, CBD ducksnuts.com.au Squires Tavern 3 Edmunds St, CBD squirestavern.com.au Shenannigans 69 Mitchell St, CBD shenannigans.com.au The Deck Bar 22 Mitchell St, CBD thedeckbar.com.au The Tap Bar 58 Mitchell St, CBD thetap.com.au

ALICE SPRINGS Bojangles Saloon 80 Todd St yourbars.com.au Chifley Alice Springs Resort 34 Stott Tce chifleyhotels.com.au Firkin & Hound 21 Hartely St yourbars.com.au Monte’s Lounge Corner of Todd St & Stott Tce montes.net.au The Juicy Rump @ Lasseters 93 Barret Dr, Desert Springs lasseters.com.au The Rock Bar 78 Todd St therockbar.com.au Todd Tavern 1 Todd St toddtavern.com.au

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AUCKLAND Albion Hotel 119 Hobson St albionhotel.co.nz Brew on Quay 102 Quay St brewonquay.co.nz Bluestone Room 9-11 Durham Lan thebluestoneroom.co.za Cassette 9 9 Vulcan Ln cassettenine.com Cavalier Tavern 68 College Hill thecavalier.co.nz Currach Irish Pub 78 Blackwell Dr currachirishpub.co.nz De Fontein 77 Tamaki Dr, Mission Bay defontein.co.nz Doolan Brothers 414 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket doolanbrothers.co.nz Father Ted’s 1 Wellesley St W fatherteds.co.nz Fort Street Union 16 Fort St fortstreetunion.co.nz Gables Speights Ale House 248 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay gablesspeightsalehouse.co.nz Galbraith’s Alehouse 2 Mt Eden Rd, Grafton alehouse.co.nz Garrison Public House 61/286 Mt Wellington Hwy, Mt Wellington South garrisonpub.co.nz La Zeppa Kitchen 33 Drake St, Freemans Bay lazeppa.co.nz The Lumsden 444/448 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket thelumsden.co.nz

BACK IN BLACK

Malt Bar 442 Richmond Rd maltbar.co.nz

Normanby Hotel 37 Normandy Rd, Mt Eden thenormanbyhotel.co.nz Parnell Bar & Grill 196 Parnell Rd, Parnell parnellbarandgrill.co.nz Queens Ferry Hotel 12 Vulcan Ln queensferryhotel.co.nz Shakespeare Brewery 61 Albert St shakespearehotel.co.nz Spitting Feathers 16 Wyndham St spittingfeathers.co.nz Sprig & Fern 2 Drake St, Freemans Bay sprigandferntaverns.co.nz

Tainui Tavern 33 Morrin Rd menumania.co.nz The Fox 85/87 Customs St W thefox.co.nz

The Welsh Dragon Bar 10/12 Cambridge Terrace, Mt Victoria welshdragonbar.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH

The Zookeeper’s Son 715 Mt Albert Rd zookeepersson.co.nz

Bealey’s Speight’s Ale House 263 Bealey Ave bealeysalehouse.co.nz

Three Lamps 1-3 St Marys Rd, St Marys Bay threelamps.co.nz

Bailies Bar 1066 Colombo St, St Albans bailiesbar.co.nz

4.20 bar 373 Karangahape Rd 420.co.nz

Becks Southern Alehouse 155 Colombo St beckssouthernalehouse.co.nz

WELLINGTON Arbitrageur Wine Room 125 Featherston St arbitrageur.co.nz Bangalore Polo Club 63 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro bangalorepoloclub.co.nz Bodega 101 Ghuznee St bodega.co.nz

The Brewers Arms 177 Papanui Rd, Merivale thebrewersarms.co.nz Burgers & Beers Inc 355 Colombo St, Sydenham burgersandbeersinc.co.nz Calendar Girls 196 Hereford St calendargirls.co.nz Darkroom 336 St Asaph St darkroombar.co.nz

Four Kings Sports Bar 7-11 Dixon St fourkings.co.nz

Empire Hotel Lyttelton 9 London St, Lyttelton empirelyttelton.co.nz

Havana Coffee Works 163 Tory St, Te Aro havana..co.nz

Fox & Ferret Palms Palms Shopping Centre, 1 New Brighton Rd, Shirley foxpalms.co.nz

Hawthorn Lounge 82 Tory St, Te Aro hawthornlounge.co.nz J J Murphy & Co 119 Cuba St, Te Aro jjmurphy.co.nz Mac’s Brewbar 4 Taranaki St thebrewerybar.co.nz Matterhorn 106 Cuba St, Te Aro matterhorn.co.nz MIghty Mighty 104 Cuba St, Te Aro mightymighty.co.nz Molly Malones 134 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro mollymalones.co.nz San Francisco Bath House 171 Cuba St, Te Aro sfbh.co.nz Southern Cross Garden Bar 39 Abel Smith St, Te Aro thecross.co.nz Sprig & Fern 342 Tinakori Rd sprigandferntaverns.co.nz

Garden Hotel Bar 110 Marshland Rd, Shirley

gardenhotel.co.nz Pegasus Arms 14 Oxford Terrace pegasus-arms.com Tequila Mockingbird 98 Victoria St tequilamockingbird.co.nz The Brewery 3 Garlands Rd, Woolston casselsbrewery.co.nz The Twisted Hop Pub 616 Ferry Rd thetwistedhop.co.nz Monteiths Brewery Bar 53 Merrin St mbbmerrinst.co.nz No. 4 Bar 4 Mansfield Ave, St Albans no4bar.co.nz

HAMILTON Axces Bar 28 Alexandra St yellow.co.nz

Foundation Bar Maahanga Dr, Te Awa foundationbar.co.nz The Bank Bar & Brasserie Cnr Victoria St & Hood St thebank.co.nz The Cook 7 Cook St, Hamilton East thecook.net.nz Speights Ale House 30 Liverpool St speights-hamilton.co.nz Wonder Horse 236 Victoria St wonderhorse.co.nz

WHANGAREI Dickens Inn 71 Cameron St, Vinetown dickensinn.co.nz Killer Prawn 26-28 Bank St killerprawn.co.nz McCool’s 14 Rust Ave mccools.co.nz pub McMorrisseys Irish Pub 7 Vine St, Vinetown mcmorrisseys.co.nz Parua Bay Tavern 1034 Whangarei Heads Rd, Parua Bay paruabaytavern.co.nz Split Bar Rathbone St splitrestaurant.co.nz s The Old Stone Butter Factory 8 Butter Factory Lane butterfactory.co.nz

DUNEDIN Angus Restaurant & Bar 7 St Andrew St angusdunedin.co.nz Alibi Bar 1 Princes St alibibar.co.nz Captain Cook Tavern 354 Great King St, N Dunedin thecaptaincook.co.nz Luna Bar 314 Highgate Roslyn lunaroslyn.co.nz Manny’s Level 1/91 St Andrew St mannysbar.co.nz Stilettos Revue Bar 319 Princes St stilettos.co.nz

The Apartment 25 Allen St, Te Aro theapartment.co.nz

Bar 101 118 Victoria St bar101.co.nz

The Establishment Cnr of Courtenay Pl and Blair St theestablishment.co.nz

Cock & Bull 1 Cnr Maui & Church St, Pukete cockandbull.co.nz

The Green Man 25 Victoria St thegreenmanpub.co.nz

CBD Corner Pub 26 Hood St cbdpub.co.nz

Lonestar Restaurant & Bar 60 The Esplanade, Inner Kaiti lonestar.co.nz

The Malt House 48 Courtenay Pl, Te Aro themalthouse.co.nz

Easy Tiger Cocktail Bar 186 Victoria St easytigerbar.co.nz

Soho 2 Crawford Rd, Inner Kaiti sohobar.co.nz

GISBORNE Aladdin Bar/First Light Aikido 63 Peel St firstlighttaikido.net

The Poverty Bay Club 57/65 Customhouse St thepovertybayclub.co.nz The Jolly Stockman 3 Saleyards Rd yellow.co.nz Verve Cafe & Bar 121 Gladstone Rd facebook.com

NAPIER Guffle Bar 29A Hastings St, Napier South guffle.co.nz The Bank Sports Lounge 106 Hastings St facebook.com The Dutch at The Bluewater 10 W Quay, Ahuriri thedutch.co.nz The Gintrap Restaurant & Bar 64 W Quay, Ahuriri gintrap.co.nz The Rose Irish Pub 64 Hastings St masonic.co.nz The Thirsty Whale 62 W Quay, Ahuriri thethirstywhale.co.nz

PLYMOUTH Crowded House Bar 93-99 Devon St E crowdedhouse.co.nz Gusto Restaurant, Cafe & Bar Ocean View Parade gustotaranaki.conz Peggy Gordon’s Celtic Bar 58 Egmont St peggygordons.com The Mayfair 69 Devon St W themayfair.co.nz West Bar & Cafe 41 Tukapa St, Westown westbar.co.nz

TAURANGA Imbibe Bar & Restaurant 19 Girven Rd facebook.com Inbargo Bar & Bistro 4 Palmer Pl, Te Puke inbargobarandbistro.co.nz Major Toms Bar 297 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui majortomsbar.com

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Out back in less than a day With bushwalking, river cruising, ancient rock art sightings, and dining on kangaroo meat burgers, a tour with Sydney Out Back is the fastest way to see the Aussie outback on your next Sydney trip.

WORDS JUSTIN STEINLAUF PHOTOS PAUL PICKERING AND AUTUMN MOONEY

Most people think of Australia’s outback as being ‘way out the back,’ in what’s well known as the bush backyard of the sunburnt country, perhaps by Uluru and large desert plains somewhere. And most people would be right. Colloquially, the outback refers to remote lands outside the main urban areas. If you’re travelling on a tight budget or have limited time restrictions, and still want to see what all the outback adventure fuss is about, take note. For perhaps one of Australis’s best kept tourist secrets is the native and isolated bush can actually also be accessed within just an hours drive from the hustle and bustle of the iconic city of Sydney.

Step into a world of fresh eucaplyt scented air, dirt tracks through thick Australian nature, and peacful sea views of Kurring-gai Chase, Australia’s second oldest national Park. While you won’t be in the vast, remote, arid interior of Australia, 18

tour company Sydney Out Back have recognised the beauty and potential of the bush in this area and recreated a typical Aussie Outback experience into a single day, from Sydney.

The tour starts around 8am. First up, jump aboard a minibus at your designated pickup point, greet your new fellow tour mates, and be driven from the bustling city roads of Sydney to the winding tree-lined canopy and high roads of the Kur-ring-gai Chase National Park, a 45 minute ride in total.

Along the way, your guides Les, the company’s Aboriginal guide and Paul, the founder, prep for the days happenings with maps, stories, and detailed historical information of the areas you will be visiting. This national park has the highest concentration of indigenous sites in the world, so you’re in for a treat.

As you enter the Park the bus halts at a beautiful

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Photos: iStock

billabong for stories of ancient indigenous days gone by at similar locations. Next you’re driven to the top of an amazing mountainside lookout called West Head Lookout located within the Park, overlooking distant headlands, the only place in the world where five waterways meet. By far the best selfie photo opportunity of the day.

On this glorious platform, your group pauses to hear historical stories not only of indigenous culture, but also of the first settlers battling the tides between the oceans. You will learn about the flora and fauna of the area, and how the traditional land owners worked with the land to look after their community.

The guide Les has indigenous heritage, and leads a ceremony welcoming your group ‘to country,’ and paying respects to the elders past and present. He mixes ground TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Looking north towards Lion Island and Barrenjoey Head on the tip of the penninsula at the meeting point of five bodies of water. ochre rock with water and taps your forehead, asking the ancestors to look after you while journeying through Kurring-gai Chase National Park.

Maintained by the Australian Parks and Wildlife, this land has been mapped out and preserved, officially recording almost 1,000 historical indigenous artwork discoveries and sites from over 40,000 years old. It’s over 14,000 hectares of bushland, rivers, and canals, which are flooded with native animals and Australian flora. Here is a land untouched by the modern world, easy to imagine thousands of years ago alive and flourishing with traditional custodian communities.

A short distance away and it’s time for a bushwalk over large indigenous artwork engravings aged over 40,000 years old. You’ll also meet a 3D artist, a local eccentric character called Michael Glassen, who is known to sit in the wilderness sketching oversized drawings and recording the indigenous art like the giant emu engraved in the rock flats, with a high tech futuristic 3D vision.

With a snack of dried fruit and nuts, and an Aussie TimTam (think glorified Penguin biscuit), the mini bus continues a short distance through high canopy along winding mountainous roads, and by river streams, arriving at Akuna Bay. Here, calm, glistening black river waters are dotted with the most luxurious moored boats; anyone visiting would think this is a secret club, being so remote and so glamorous.

Amongst the shining white boats, a 52 foot blue cruiser awaits your descent.

As the skipper welcomes you aboard, engines start, you choose where to sit upstairs or downstairs, then sit back as the boat glides through relaxing waters of the most 20

Sydney Out Back’s guide working the crowd

Fancy your chances at getting a sound out of a didgeridoo?

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lush national park on a 2.5 hour cruise. Mingle with your tour group and gaze out to the magnificent views. Enjoy a gourmet lunch selection with kangaroo meat sliders on the menu. Your guides will point out ancient Indigenous rock art and engravings discoveries which are only visible by boat, a truly amazing sight. You’ll be educated with an intriguing display of indigenous ancient weapons and artefacts, and have the opportunity to play the didgeridoo. If you’re lucky, your handprint will be painted the traditional way onto paper, where chewed ochre gets spat over hands just as they did thousands of years ago against rock.

As the cruise comes to an end, disembark at Akuna Bay, and the bus drops you to your designated drop off point, to be home again by around 4pm. You can’t help but think you’ve done and seen so much in less than a day, but you are completely rested, relaxed and rejuvenated. And wow, isn’t Australia beautiful!

THE DETAILS: Sydney Out Back runs the Wilderness and Aboriginal Explorer tours Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday with Sydney CBD hotel pick-ups in the Companys’ airconditioned mini-coach, between 7.30am and 8.30 am (and returning around 4pm).

Cowan Water in Ku-ring-gai National Park

Phone: +61(2) 9099 4249 (from overseas) Phone: 1300 307 634 (within Australia) SydneyOutBack.com.au

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CHATROOM

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Reuben Thorne

Played 50 times, won 48 games and captained 22 times for the All Blacks. The legendary player, Reuben Thorne is heading to the UK later this year to play Classics Rugby.

INTERVIEW JAMES CLARK

The Classic Lions was created by Allan Martin in 1997. He persuaded the legendary British Lions captain Willie John McBride to become President and British Lion full back JPR Williams to become Vice-President. Under the guidance of these three British Lions the Classic Lions have gone from strength to strength.

The Classic Lions won the World Rugby Classic 8 times. Since its inception the following teams have played in the tournament: England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, South Africa, Portugal/Spain, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, USA, Canada and Bermuda.

To qualify to play in the Classics, players must be over the age of 33 years and retired from international rugby for at least one year.

2015 is going to be a monumental year for British Rugby, Allan saw an opportunity to bring some of the world’s most talented players together in a celebration of the game that they love. It was also his vision to use these games as a forum to raise the profile of, and money for, worthwhile causes around the world. From that vision Classics Rugby and the 2015 International Classics Games were formed.

The Classics Rugby tournament takes place at Richmond Athletic Ground over three weekends in October and culminates on Saturday 31st October when the Classics Lions play a World XV team made up of some of the greatest rugby icons of all time.

Tickets and names of the players are available from www.classicsrugby.co.uk We were lucky enough to catch up with star player Reuben Thorne. He 22

played 50 times for the All Blacks and out of that won 48 games. Amazingly he also captained them for 22 of the games.

Thinking back over your career what are your highlights?

I was fortunate to be involved in a very successful Crusaders team 1997- 2008 and during that time we won 7 Super Rugby titles. Each one was a highlight but the first one in 1998 v the Blues has always been the most special. After 4 rounds of the completion we were sitting last on the table and had to fight our way into the playoffs. We managed to do that and played the final against a Star studded Blues team at the home ground. No one gave us much of a chance against such odds but we won 20-13 and it really was the start of a very successful era of Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby.

My first All Black Cap was an amazing experience. I played against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld, the atmosphere that day was incredible and everything seemed to happen at double time but it was something I’ll never forget - we won which was a bonus.

Winning the Bledisloe Cup back from the Wallabies was also a career highlight. They had held it for 5 years and we had come heartbreakingly close in previous seasons. It was fantastic to be able to hold the famous trophy aloft and even more so as I was Captain that year.

What have you been doing since Retirement?

I am still involved in rugby in a coaching capacity. I have coached local club rugby as well as doing some specialist resource coaching for the CRFU and Crusaders. I am currently a ‘technical advisor’ for

the Honda rugby team in Japan which involves 2-3 visits to Japan each year to support their rugby programme.

I am also so involved in a couple of business ventures in Christchurch and Tauranga. One is a local Landscape Architecture company ( Kamomarsh Landscape Architects ltd ). The second is the ‘Black & White Coffee Cartel’ which is a new and exciting specialty coffee establishment in Christchurch. The third venture is a car sales business based in Tauranga ( Goodcars.co.nz ).

However I seem to spend most of my time chasing around after my 3 children and following their various sports and hobbies.

How do you feel about being in the UK for the RWC? Being in the UK for the RWC will be fantastic. It is always a special occasion - very intense for the players/teams but vey festive for the supporters who come along and get to mix with people from all around the world. It showcases the best parts of rugby to the world - passion, skill, intensity and also the great camaraderie that underpins all great team sports. It will be amazing to be able to soak up the atmosphere of a RWC event again.

How do you feel about playing in the Classics Rugby matches?

Classics Rugby is a great way to reconnect with old friends and ‘ adversaries ‘ in a positive and fun environment. It is also a great way to support various charities while at the same time promoting the goodwill of rugby as a game. I can’t wait to see some old faces who will have another chance to play the game we all love.

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WIN A HOP-ON HOP-OFF ADVENTURE ACROSS WESTERN AUSTRALIA TNT Downunder has teamed up with Integrity Coach Lines to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a hop-on hop-off pass across WA. Travel between Perth and Broome and stop at some of the best destinations in Australia Including Exmouth, Coral Bay, Monkey Mia and Karijini National Park. There are no limits to the amount of stops you make and the pass is valid for 12 months so you can take your time and enjoy everything the West Coast has to offer. (T&C: Pass is valid for travel in one direction only and it is non-transferable.)

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THAILAND:

The Land of Snarls?

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Controversial book ‘Thailand: Deadly Destination’ claims The Land of Smiles to be one of the most dangerous tourist destinations on Earth. We hear from its Australian author, as well as a Thailand tour guide and tourist to find out their experiences... WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

‘More Australians die in Thailand than any other country,’ states John Stapleton.

A retired news reporter who worked for 25 years on The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, Stapleton has made it his mission to wipe the smile off Thailand’s famous slogan, revealing it as “one of the most dangerous tourist destinations on Earth”.

His book, Thailand: Deadly Destination, claims the police are corrupt, that the Thais hate tourists, and that there are constant murders, knifings, unexplained deaths, numerous suicides, diving accidents, robberies gone wrong, anonymous bodies washing up on the shores and a string of alcohol- and drug-related incidents.

Indeed, many of us were shocked to hear of the brutal murders of two British backpackers in September last year on the island of Koh Tao. The men on trial, two Burmese migrant workers, have retracted their confessions, which they claim were tortured out of them by police.

“The deaths of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller simply confirmed what I already knew,” says Stapleton. “That large numbers of foreigners are dying in Thailand, that the investigations of their deaths are either cursory or incompetent, and that the mafiabased ‘entertainment’ industry, which attracts so many tourists into its bars, clubs and island-based parties, run some of the most dangerous tourist traps on earth.”

Visiting Thailand from the early 1970s, Stapleton was charmed by the country’s unique culture and the friendly, fun-loving nature of the people. As word spread, however, more and more backpackers made their way to Thailand, and it is now one of the most popular tourist destinations. “Unfortunately, with millions of tourists besieging the country, the locals’ response to foreigners has gone from curiosity to contempt,” says Stapleton.

In 2010, Stapleton returned to Thailand and found

a completely different land to the one he remembered: “It only came to me slowly, after having my drinks repeatedly spiked, being robbed, bashed and having my passport stolen, that Thailand was not quite The Land of Smiles that I had once thought it to be.”

Stapleton lived for three years in and around Bangkok, and spent a lot of time with locals, learning the difficult language. “Having spent so much time with them, I finally began to understand how they thought; and to understand that they actively dislike foreigners, have no compunction in robbing them, and that their cultural distaste for foreigners and ultra-nationalistic pride in their own country fuels and justifies the crimes against tourists.”

So should we avoid Thailand altogether for fear of getting drugged and murdered? “Don’t get me wrong, Thailand is a stunningly beautiful country with a fascinating culture, wonderful food, superb music, stunning hotels and a fascinating political and social landscape. But I would urge tourists to be extremely careful of their safety; particularly in the bars and clubs.”

Stapleton claims that he has written this book, not to stir up controversy, but to make a difference. “It is my hope that Thailand: Deadly Destination will, in its own small way, encourage the Thai tourist industry to reform itself, for the sake of travellers and their all-toooften heartbroken families, the nation’s reputation and for the welfare of its own citizens.”

Thailand: Deadly Destination is available to buy now from amazon.com in paperback and digital form TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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MY EXPERIENCE The Thai Tourist Laura Dalton visited Thailand for three weeks in January 2014 with two female friends. We asked her about her travelling experience...

Were you warned of any dangers about travelling to Thailand when planning your trip?

Before I went to Thailand I did a lot of research but also trusted word of mouth. Many of my work friends had been away to Thailand so I asked their advice about general travelling. None of them warned me as such, but when I asked if Bangkok was safe – this is where I was most wary about visiting – they just said to keep your wits about you, as you would in any city.

Did you feel in danger at any point during your travels?

Not at all. When I walked down Khao San Road, which I thought might be a bit dangerous, it was fine, I felt safe at all times. The street had a real community vibe, so much so I had a foot massage and a beer outside on the street watching the world go by. In fact riots broke out in Bangkok when I was there and they were the most controlled riots I had ever seen!

What impression did you get from the locals?

We were welcomed and looked after the whole trip. Three young girls backpacking around Thailand, the locals couldn’t have been nicer. I visited Bangkok, Phuket, Koa Samui, Phi Phi and Koa Tao as this was the same all over.

You visited Patpong to watch a ping pong show – did it feel like this was just an opportunity to rip-off tourists?

No, not at all. It was a set price and we got a drink and the show. Not a rip off at all – we chose to go, but if anything I wouldn’t go again due to how uncomfortable I felt watching the girls having to perform in that manner to earn a wage.

Would you recommend Thailand to fellow travellers? What advice would you give them?

Absolutely. The scenery, food and people are incredible. Of course, as in any country, I would advise you keep your wits about you, particularly in the cities. Don’t travel alone and carry your cash and passport in a safe place. But I honestly don’t think it’s any more dangerous than London, for example.

What was your overall experience of Thailand?

It was the best trip of my life. I really struggled to come back to London and acclimatise! Thailand is a beautiful country and I feel privileged that I had the honour of seeing some parts of it. I will definitely go back and explore more of it.

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MY EXPERIENCE The Thai Tour Guide Natthaphol Oumnoi, known as Nat, has been working for Intrepid Travel as a tour leader in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore for two years. We asked him few questions about group travel in Thailand...

What places do your tour groups travel to?

In Thailand, I take groups to Chiangmai and Chiangrai, Ayutthaya and Krabi, south of Thailand.

Are there any areas you avoid due to possible dangers?

I’d say everywhere on my trip is safe, because I always give travellers advice on which areas are safe and which to avoid at certain times of day.

Have you ever had an occasion where a member of your group was in danger?

No, I always make sure our customers are careful. Even if they’re in a safe area, they shouldn’t walk alone in a quiet street at night, or go to take a picture in the ‘red zone’ areas on their own. That’s common sense that would apply anywhere in the world.

Do you think it’s unsafe to travel alone in Thailand?

Absolutely not. Thai people are so friendly and helpful to tourists all the time - even if English is not the first language they will try to give you a hand. Again, people should bear in mind that they have to be mindful about which areas they visit as which time of day though. I would advise single travellers to make sure they keep important phone numbers, such as the local tourist office or their hotel, with them at all times. Also if you’re going out for the night, leave a note in your room saying where you’re going, who with and when you expect to be back. Know your limits when it comes to alcohol – it’s crucial to keep your wits about you.

What are the benefits of travelling with a tour group?

Travelling with a tour group makes life much easier as your tour leader will organise everything for you, such as your transport, hotels, food and attractions. There’s no need to worry about booking things yourself. There’s also the safety benefit of being in a group - your leader can advise you about any areas to avoid and of course recommend the best places to eat and drink.

Overall, do you feel like Thailand is a safe and welcoming place for travellers?

Definitely yes. Thailand has so many attractive places; that’s why each year, so many tourists all around the world come to visit my country to make the tourist industry in Thailand be the number one and to generate revenue in Thailand.

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TRAVEL NEWS | TOP 5 | OZ TRIP | TOP 10 | LISTINGS CLIMBING TOWARDS THE GODS

Photos: Skypoint Climb

Climbing up the Q1 with Skypoint Climb to a jaw-dropping 270 metres above the golden sands and obtaining 360 degree views of the Gold Coast is a must-do for any self respecting adrenalin junkie. SkyPoint Climb is Australia’s highest external building climb. Go on.

INSIDE

EXTREME SPORTS /32

GOLD COAST TRIP /38

TOP CULTURE HUBS /44

Are you brave enough to take on some of our scariest extreme sports? Let us wet your appetite.

For sure it’s cooler and the beaches are quiet, but the waves are varied and just keep on coming. What are you waiting for?

If you thought Australia was too young to have any culture, boy are you wrong. We rundown the country’s cultural hubs.

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TRAVELBITES

BOOST FOR NOOSA TOURISM AS GOLD COAST TAKES A HIT Noosa is claiming the number one spot for tourism as holiday makers flock to the seaside town.

I It has been reported that the area has experienced a 15.7 per cent increase in visitor numbers while the rest of Queensland has seen a decrease in visitor numbers.

Data reveals that the Gold Coast had a 15.5 per cent decline in Australian visitors in the March quarter. Townsville decreased by 19.8 per cent, Tropical North Queensland by 15.1 per cent, Fraser Coast by 7.4 per cent and the Whitsundays fell by 4.3 per cent.

Noosa has had $100 million invested into it, giving holiday resorts, restaurants and retail space a makeover.

Tourism Noosa CEO Damien Massingham said domestic visitors were returning to enjoy the $100 million worth of refurbishments around Hastings Street. ”There are two new restaurants Miss Moneypenny’s and Locale, Seahaven resort has invested in its property and 30

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the Sheraton underwent $10 million refurbishment,” he said.

Last month Noosa launched the ’You could be here’ campaign in Melbourne’s Federation Square. Two nearly naked models stood for hours in the cold getting painted head to toe by artist Julie Tattam.

NEW ZEALAND TOPS FILM DESTINATION LIST New Zealand has been voted top film destination people most want to visit in the world due to its role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The HBO television network looked at holiday destinations made famous by TV and film and identified New Zealand as top of the list of places viewers most wanted to travel to.

Other places that scored high on the list included Manhattan because of Sex and the City, West Bay in Dorset for Broadchurch and various locations around Northern Ireland thanks to popular series Game of Thrones.

In the year ending March 2015 more than 80,000 visitors claimed that the Hobbit trilogy was an influence in choosing New Zealand as their

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holiday destination. Whilst the country’s quickest developing tourist attraction is the movie set Hobbiton that appeared as the Shires.

The set has been rebuilt for the Hobbit and promises to remain the same as it was seen in these films and the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Tourism New Zealand CEO Kevin Bowler said “There’s no doubt these movies have given us a very successful platform on which to promote New Zealand as a great place to visit and experience a real movie set and we have been reaping the benefits of this for some time now.”

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Top sexiest places in Australia A new report suggests that if you’re lacking sex, your location may be to blame.

TOP 5 YHA HOSTELS FOR ABORIGINAL CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) week may have been and gone, but that’s no reson for us to stop celebrating Australia’s Indigenous heritage. We have included the Top 5 youth hostels in Australia for travellers wanting to escape the city and experience indigenous culture.

1. Sydney and NSW are iconic in Aboriginal history. Walk the famous Bondi to Tamarama cliff path to see an ancient rock carving of a giant whale that portrays a character in the aboriginal legend of the arrival of the Dharawal. Bondi Beachouse YHA is located close to the coastal walk.

2. An Aboriginal bush tour through the spectacular World heritage Blue Mountains for a complete understanding of indigenous culture and experience the sites first hand.

Stay at the Blue Mountains YHA in Katoomba.

3. Uluru or Ayers Rock as it used to be called, is the sacred site for the local Pit-jantjatjara tribe that have lived in the desert encircling the rock for thousands of years. Locals believe that Uluru was formed from their ancestors during the Dreamtime. Alice Springs YHA is a great base to explore the area.

4. The Darwin YHA is destination to visit the thousands of year old aboriginal rock art of Litchfield National Park and Kakadu. Being taken around sacred sites by an indigenous ranger is an unforgettable way to see ancient engravings and paintings, including images of the indigenous people’s first contact with white settlers.

5. Travel to Cairns and tour the Tjapukai aboriginal cultural park.

Located in the foothills of the Barron gorge rainforest, the Tjapukai are descendants of the world’s oldest living culture. There are opportunities to play the didgeridoo, learn to throw a boomerang and explore the bush, before checking into the award winning Cairns Central YHA.

The EliteSingles.com.au dating site has quizzed 25,000 single Australians to see who has the highest and lowest libidos around the nation.

According to their study, there may be something in the water, with those in beachside destinations such as the Sydney suburbs of Coogee, Manly, Cronulla and Bondi reporting some of the strongest sex drives.

If you’re visiting and you’re not getting enough action head over to Coogee, Manly, Cronulla or Bondi and see if your chances of getting laid improve.

Unfortunately we can’t all be winners, the survey also revealed that residents of Victoria have the smallest libidos. I’d keep away from there if I was you.

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TOPFIVE

EXTREME SPORTS

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Photos: Sky Dive Australia, Taupo Bungy, Tourism SA, Ziptrek and Tasmanian Expeditions.

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Take in the view with Sky Dive Australia at Mission Beach If you’re an adrenalin junkie looking for your next fix? You’re in the right place for it. Australia and New Zealand’s shores are literally filled with crazy activities, so let’s get cracking and tell you a little bit about some of the fantastic activities on offer. Here is our top five.

SKYDIVING When it comes to getting your adrenalin going, free-falling out of a plane at speeds of 120mph will do the job every time...

Although it’s actually not as terrifying as you might think. If you go tandem, which involves very little training so you can just turn up and jump. You will be strapped securely to a seasoned professional who will do 32

the hard bits for you. They will waddle you over to the door, then you put your head back on their shoulder (so you won’t fling your head back and knock them out, but it also means you can’t look down) and, most importantly, jump – oh, and take care of that other important bit, the parachute. After 30-or-so seconds of freefall, the ’chute comes up and you glide down slowly and safely. Woop!

We’d be lying if we said it isn’t pricey, but there are bargains to be found if you shop around. Head for Wollongong located about an hour’s drive from Sydney, there you’ll find Skydive the Beach ( skydivethebeach. com.au). They have been known to offer specials, so drop them a line and discuss.

Staying in NSW, Skydive Byron Bay (

skydivebryonbay.com) offers Australia’s highest tandem jump at 14,000ft.

How about seeing the Great Barrier Reef from a completely different angle?

Yep, with Jump the Beach ( skydivemissionbeach.com.au) you can (they’re part of Skydive Australia along with Skydive Bryon Bay, Skydive Brisbane, Skydive Cairns and Skydive North Coast). It offers awesome views of the Great Barrier Reef from $369. If you’re at the Gold Coast, go for Gold Coast Skydiving ( goldcoastskydive. com.au). Prices start from $345.

Or if you have hopped over the ditch and are in New Zealand you can’t go past Skydive Auckland ( skydiveauckland.com) or Skydive Taupo ( skydivetaupo.co.nz) Enjoy!

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TOPFIVE

EXTREME SPORTS

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3 TOP SPORTS FOR WIMPS

TAUPO BUNGY, TAUPO

DIVING WITH SHARKS

Jumping down over the River Waikato, you can even opt to get dunked with this 47m-high bungy. At least that way you can pass off that wet patch as a result of your dip in the river...

You jump from a platform jutting out from the cliff face here, so there’s no wobbly cable trolly to worry about, and you can do a tandem jump if you want moral support or the guys in charge of your bungy can control just how far you drop and customise it accordingly. taupobungy.co.nz

Why not try swimming with Jaws in the waters of Port Lincoln? It’s an adrenaline rush like no other when you come eye to beady eye with these incredible maneaters.

The 1 day shark diving charters are an Aussie first with Port Lincoln being the only place where these charters are run.

Ideal if you have a limited budget and time. No diver qualification or previous experience required.

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sharkcagediving.com.au

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Keen to go home in one piece and with a clean pair of pants? You’ll want something less extreme (shame on you, p*ssy!). These will be much more to your liking...

HOT AIR BALLOONING

Hot air ballooning (balloonaloft.com) conjures up one of two images – both of which involve middle-aged gents with impressive facial hair: Phileas Fogg or Richard Branson. If you join their ranks and try out a hot air balloon ride you’ll be in for unmatchable bird’s eye views.

It isn’t extreme, but you will get the adventure of not knowing in which direction the wind will take you. Ooh! THEME PARKS

ZIP-LINING

WHITE WATER RAFTING

For this one, head to Waiheke Island, the jewel in the crown of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

Ziptrek Ecotours in Queensland is something that you really should do.

It’s a truly special experience to be high up amongst the treetops, taking in Queenstown and the surrounding lake and mountains from a unique birds eye angle, while having a lot of fun along the way.

When it comes to rafting you simply have to go to Tasmania and the Franklin River because it is by far the best white water rafting destination you’ll find.

Rapidly fluctuating water levels, unpredictable weather and demanding portages make this a hell of a challenge – it’ll definitely get your pulse racing.

Tasmanian Expeditions runs some of the best trips, most of which take between five and 10 days.

ziptreks.co.nz

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Adventure World (adventureworld.net.au) in Perth is the place to go if you’re partial to a rollercoaster or two. The Abyss boasts a G-force thrust greater than a space shuttle launch and speeds of up to 85km/h.

WATERPARKS

Waterparks have all the fun without the fear factor – unless you go for that vertical drop one, of course.

Australia’s biggest and most popular water park is Queensland’s Wet ‘n’ Wild (wetnwild.com.au).

tasmanianexpeditions.com.au

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HOTSHOTS

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WINNER

WINNER WHALE OF A TIME: Tina Sullivan, 33, USA TINA SAYS: “This photo was taken two nautical miles offshore, just outside of Sydney Harbour. Humpback whales are migrating north to their breeding grounds off the coast of Queensland, and occasionally they like to show off their incredible strength! This one even had the decency to create its own rainbow!”

WE SAY: “Wow, we aren’t often left speechless here at TNT but this one came close to rendering us silent. Nature at its finest.”

RUNNER-UP SURFER AT SUNSET Peter Reach, 28, UK

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WE SAY: “Peter has captured the essence of the Great Ocean Road in one go. We loved the tungsten quality of the light from the beautiful sunset and the way the surfer is silhouetted in motion on the crest of a wave.

A wonderful photograph!”

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F O R BAC K PAC K E R S

Explore and experience the reefs, lagoons and islands of Fiji.

Independent travellers can freestyle it or go the whole way with packages, island escapes and island hopping passes in Fiji’s stunning Yasawa Islands. Packages range from 5 to 12 days and include island accommodation, transfers, meals and activities.

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Island Hopping passes from only $246* (5 days) All inclusive packages from $536* (5 days /4 nights) Island Stayputs from $175* (3 days /2 nights) * Terms & conditions apply

For info and bookings see your Travel Centre or contact us AAF5728

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OZTRIP

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Photos: Tourism & Events Queensland

Gold rush

If you’re after glitz, glamour and one hell of a good time, Australia’s Gold Coast can’t be beaten. TNT shows you the way to go WORDS KAYE HOLLAND 38

There’s a gazillion reasons why the Gold Coast should be on your radar. The Goldie, as it’s affectionately known, is kind of like an adult’s Disneyland where you’ll find thrills on every corner, colourful characters and a hedonistic atmosphere from dusk to dawn. Whether it’s theme parks or nightclubs, there’s action to suit all needs.

Some people like to refer to the Gold Coast as the Miami of Australia, because the city, just north of the New South Wales border, enjoys a subtropical climate all year round,

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perfect for getting that beach body out. You’ll see plenty of flesh on display in Surfers Paradise, aka the heart of the Goldie (but rather misleadingly, not the greatest spot in the area for surfing). You’ll also find shopping, nightclubs and dining on the Esplanade by the beach. If rollerblad-ing was still cool, you’d see that here too. You get the picture.

If you really need to get away from all of this (perhaps this is your liver talking), you can escape to the hinterland for some recuperation in the fresh mountain air.

Surfs up The Gold Coast is home to some of the most consistent waves in the country, with more than 70km of coastline. While the true surfers won’t get an epic ride at Surfers Paradise beach, it is great for learning. Start off with a two-hour lesson and see if you catch the surfing bug.

For the more advanced wave rider, launch yourself into the ocean at Burleigh Heads, a classic right-hander and the home to many a surfing competition. Likewise with Kirra, you can TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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be sharing the waves with some of the world’s best surfers, many who got their start in these very waters. The legendary ‘Superbank’ breaks here at Snapper Rocks and is one of the longest rideable waves in the world. Possibly one of the most crowded too. For a more peaceful surf, go south to Coolangatta, a small, relaxed surf town where you can also go diving (Kirra and Cook Island) or watch humpback whales along the jagged coastline.

Adrenaline fix

Skypoint Climb

The majestic Q1 Tiger Moth flights

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Adrenalin junkies will want to make a beeline for one of the famous theme parks. You have several to choose from including the quintessential theme park, Dreamworld (dreamworld.com.au), where you can test your nerve on the country’s most hair-raising rides, or Wet ‘n’ Wild (wetnwild. com.au) where you are in for some thrilling water slides, wave pools and dive-in movie nights.

Prefer DIY thrills? Why not strap yourself inside a big bouncy ball and roll down a hill in the phenomena known as zorbing? Invented by the slightly un-hinged Kiwis, it’s a must-do on your Gold Coast thrill-seeking itinerary (you can do it in Pimpana). The three metre PVC ball has an opening on one side, big enough for a person to squeeze through and be harnessed up. You’re then launched down the hill, spinning upside down and out of control. Don’t be hungover for this one.

If you’ve got the cash to splash (and you can stay away from the casino) lay it down on a Tiger Moth flight (tigermothjoyrides.com.au). The 1930s-style red-and-silver Tiger Moth plane is iconic to the Gold Coast – it’s even featured in Tourism Australia commercials. It’s part of the Gold Coast mise-en-place as much as chiselled surfers and drunk teenagers. You’ll often see the vintage plane in the sky performing acrobatics and, if you can keep your food down, it’s the best way to see the city, the ocean and the hinterland all in one viewing – and from many a different angle. Take a 35-minute ‘Extreme Aerobatic’ flight and feel those G-forces in action.

If you want to see the city from up high, but prefer not to battle with keeping your lunch down, the Q1 building (q1. com.au) is for you. It looks like a gun with a bayonet piercing the sky, but in actual fact it was inspired by the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch. It’s the tallest residential building in the country and, if you can afford it, you can also rent a holiday apartment here too. But for most of us, a trip to Skypoint at the top of the building via the super fast elevator (77 floors in 43 seconds) is as good as it gets. Since you’re here, treat yourself to the Skypoint Climb, an exhilarating outdoor climb 270m above sea level where you can see it all as you’re strapped onto the railing and dangled about. Up here you’ll feel like you’re vis à vis with the Tiger Moth planes.

Animal lovers should make tracks for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (cws.org.au), just south of the Goldie, where you can get up close and per-sonal with crocodiles, wallabies, kangaroos and koalas. You can even give a koala a cuddle – something you can’t do in other states.

There’s also the thinking man’s theme park, Thunderbird

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Park (thunderbird-park.com), situated in the heart of Mount Tambourine, part of a mountain range that towers over the Gold Coast. The concept began in Europe when an ex-military man decided to use his commando training to create a challenging ropes course – in fact it’s the largest in the country.

You can spend hours here manoeuvring your body through the extensive course, and you can’t cheat – we tried – you must make it to the end by completing every flying fox, every tunnel, every Tarzan swing and every suspended bridge.

Speaking of, these are the hills you should be running for if the going gets too tough. The Hinterland is only an hour away where Tamborine National Park awaits with hiking, mountain-biking and the odd distillery. Often referred to as the ‘green behind the gold’ it’s made up of the Gold Coast Hinterland, the Scenic Rim, Tamborine Mountain and the beautifully green Lamington National Park. Up here you’ll feel miles away from the madness of the Gold Coast.

Photos: iStock and Tourism & Events Queensland

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Tamborine National Park

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Poolside at Islander

WHERE TO STAY

Photos: Hurricanes Bar & Grill, Coolangatta Sands Hostel, and Islander Backpackers Resort.

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Islander Backpackers Resort (islander.com.au/ backpackers), near Cavill Avenue, puts other hostels to shame. With an outdoor swimming pool, spa, tennis courts and steam rooms, you will be boasting about this one on the road for months to come.

Sleeping Inn backpackers (sleepinginn.com.au) is also a reputable place to rest your weary head in Surfers.

You stay in serviced apartments so you can save a few coins by cooking, or at least microwaving packets of two-minute noodles.

Down south in the quieter parts of Coolangatta (Cooly), stay at the Coolangatta Sands Backpacker Hostel (coolangattasandsbackpackers.com.au) where you’ll be minutes from the beach and get free surfboard hire too. There’s also a bar downstairs, but it’s not the party-central that Surfers is known for. It’s the kind of place where you’re more likely to hear the strum of a guitar on the veran-dah as you sink a few beers.

Meanwhile in downtown Surfers you can stay at the quirky but cute QT Hotel (qtgoldcoast.com.au) where the staff look like they belong in a Beach Boys music video and the rooms are chock full of hidden treasures.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK Enjoy a cocktail at Hurricanes (surfers. hurricanesgrill.com.au), a steakhouse and bar with sweeping views of the beach, or for something a little more low-key, go for a cheap schooner at the Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club (bmd-northcliffe. com.au), also with views of the beach. You can get more of a retro Miami-kitsch vibe – without the sand on the floor – at Stingray, located in the QT Hotel (qtgoldcoast.com.au).

Cavill Avenue is probably where you will end up if you want to go clubbing, one of the Gold Coast’s main attractions. Here you’ll find a strip of clubs, bars and clubs of the naked-women variety. Things have evolved over the years and now you’ll find it’s not as tacky as it once was, with the streets cleaning up and lots of surf art and live music from talented buskers.

Down the ar-cades and streets nearby you can stumble upon delicious and cheap Asian food, surfboard shops, tattoo parlours, and secret nightclub doors.

If you really want to be a tourist (come on, there’s no shame in it here) dance the night away at Cocktails and Dreams (cocktailsnightclub.com.au). Based on the Tom Cruise movie from the 80s, it’s one of the largest nightclubs in Surfers Paradise. Or if you aren’t good at making decisions, join a Wicked Club Crawl (wickedclubcrawl.com.au), where the tour guides will have you weaving in and out of some of the hottest bars in town all night, downing shots and playing drinking games; you won’t need to use a single brain cell.

Lastly if you fancy a flutter, head to Jupiters (jupitersgoldcoast.com.au). Located on Broadbeach Island, you can easily get lost among the roulette wheels, buffets, fine-dining restaurants and entertainment of this colossal casino. Consider yourself warned!

For more information on the Gold Coast, check out visitgoldcoast.com

Coolangatta Sands Hostel

Poolside at Islander

Hurricanes TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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TOPTEN

CULTURAL HUBS

Here at TNT we’ve travelled the globe far and wide and spoken to thousands of backpackers. When discussing Australia it’s safe to say that many identify Australia with beaches and beer rather than cultural activities.

Our great nation may not date back to the Roman empire or be flooded with Renaissance art by the likes of Michelangelo, Bellini and Da Vinci that appear on almost every Florentine street, but despite our relatively short European settlement history, Australia has more than its fair share of cultural activities.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies originate from the oldest surviving human culture in the world and the famous Uluru and Kakadu are both teaming with tens of thousands of years of history, carved into the living rock.

With such an amazing Indigenous history for the World to stand in ore of, It seems a shame not to point out some of the more modern culture that we have on offer as well.

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‘beginning of time’.

Although you can climb Uluru, we discourage you from doing so as the Anangu people really don’t like it. If you’d like to avoid upset stares from the tribe, hike the nearby Valley of the Winds walk at K ata Tjuta instead that offers the opportunity to walk 7km of red desert floor. parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru

ULURU-KATA TJUTA In the remote outback of Australia lies one of the country’s most culturally significant locations and iconic natural landmarks. The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park covers more than 1,300sq km of desert and, of course, the two monoliths that the park is named after.

The Indigenous people of the region the Anangu tribe have lived in the shadows of Uluru for centuries, and many locals will conduct guided walks of some of the sites particular importance to their wonderful culture. Fluent in the local Pitjantjatjara language you’ll find an interpreter close at hand.

The guides tell local stories, which refer to formations and areas along the base of Uluru, as well as an ancient race of people known as the Mala who inhabited the area at the 44

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RockTou

Jetstar fly from Sydney 10:30am arriving at Uluru (Ayers Rock Airport) at 1:40pm FROM $179.00 The Rock Tour picks up at Uluru (Ayers Rock Airport) DAILY at 12:00pm and 1:40pm.

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Aboriginal art

MUK MUK FINE ART One of Aussies quirkiest towns Alice Springs seems to overflow with unique Australian art. The first thing to do is learn a bit about it, and there’s no better place than at Muk Muk Fine Art. Many us of don’t have the cash or bag space for big artwork, so take the opportunity to learn as much about the origins and hallmarks of Aboriginal and contemporary Australian art as your mind can consume.

Artists work in the studio space, so grab a spot and watch the art come to life before your very eyes.

Traditionally, all aboriginal storytelling was done in the sand and on the body for ceremony, but the iconography that was painted on the body is now painted onto canvas.

An art teacher in the 1960s was invited to Papunya, a community outside Alice. He wtched men drawing in the sand but became upset that it was blowing away, so he invited them to paint a mural at his school and they enjoyed it so much they started painting on anything. It migrated to canvases and the world stage where Aboriginal artwork now commands big bucks – up to $2 million! mukmuk.com

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ALICE SPRINGS

HOBART, TASMANIA

If you’re after a cultural experience that is unique then look no further than Alice Springs.

One of our favourite times to visit is when the community holds a bizarre boat race in a dry creek (Henley-onTodd Regatta). Later camels with bad temperaments race across the red desert sands of Blatherskite Park in Lasseters Camel Cup. Larrikin culture at its best.

Australia’s second oldest city and an example of colonial architecture that seems to mix effectively with a modern city.

Hobart is one of Australia’s smallest cities and mangeable on foot. A walk around the old town will take in the best cultural experiences including Battery Point, Salamanca and its famous markets where you’ll llbe able to find a souvenir or two.

alicesprings.nt.gov.au

discovertasmania.com.au

THE ROCKS, SYDNEY

PORT ARTHUR

The Rocks was once rife with prostitution, drugs and crime. In the not so distant past the area was cleaned up and all evidence of its previous existance removed. It’s now packed with some of the city’s best pubs and places to hang out.

Dominated by the towering Sydney Harbour Bridge, it’s at the Rocks Discovery Museum, where you can learn about Sydney before, during and after Captain Cook landed here. Basically you get it all in one hit. therocks.com

History buffs, take note. Port Arthur is arguably the most fascinating glimpse of Australia’s convict past that you could find in the land Down Under.

Once known simply as “Hell on Earth”, this huge site with its partly ruined buildings was home to Australia’s worst convicts between the 1830s and 1870s. It’s now strangely peaceful, with the odd spooky vibe, and is somewhere you can easily lose a day. portarthur.org.au

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CULTURAL HUBS

TOPTEN

MONA, TASMANIA A relative newcomer on the scene, Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA, only opened in 2011 but has made an impression quickly. The biggest privately funded museum in Oz, MONA has rapidly become one of the country’s most exciting cultural destinations.

Indeed, as the man with the cash, David Walsh, famously said, it’s like a “subversive adult Disneyland”. The museum houses hundreds of top-notch works from Walsh’s own eclectic, unusual collection, while also hosting festivals and giving a home to regular, often fairly outhere, visiting exhibitions. If you’re not from Tassie, entry is $20. mona.net.au

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CULTURAL HUBS

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ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL

ARNHEM LAND

South Australia is the Festival State and nowhere is that more obvious than in the picturesque city of Adelaide.

With its wide, tree-lined boulevards and abundance of beautiful parks, Adelaide is one of the more laid-back and easy-going cities in Australia with bags of room to relax in the sun and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle.

Adelaide is home to the much anticipated Fringe Festival every February and March. It’s biggest yearly event atrracts more than 4,000 local and international artists, singers, actors and comedians, and has become the largest festival of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Home to the didgeridoo, the beautiful Arnhem Land is one of the Top End’s biggest draws; an area of more than 94,000 sq km that is Aboriginal-owned and clan groups.

It’s without doubt a cultural stronghold.

Its rugged ranges are fringed with idyllic billabongs, flood plains, paper bark swamps and monsoonal rainforests; an amazingly beautiful wilderness.

It is widely believed that the first Aborigines, making their way across the Indonesian archipelago some 4050,000 years ago, arrived in this very place. arnhemland-safaris.com

Photos: getty, thinkstock, supplied and Facebook

adelaidefringe.com.au

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MELBS LANEWAYS

CANBERRA

DARWIN

We have just the thing if it’s something contemporary that you’re after, Melbourne’s colourful and lively laneways.

Be sure to grab a map of the laneways if you don’t want to miss out on some of it’s hidden treasuresand wander the graffiti trail. There are numerous cafés for when you need a good hit of coffee or a beer.

The nation’s capital is one of the most beautiful cities in Australia.

It’s also home to the National Art Gallery, War Memorial and Australian Government offices.

Australia’s military history is a source of great pride for veterans and their families and the War Memorial is a poignant tribute well worth visiting.

Famous around the globe for holiday resorts, Darwin has another side that is rich in culture.

Explore the city’s Aboriginal heritage and relive the 1974 cyclone that locals still talk about, in the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

The almost round the clock tropical climate means most of the cultural action happens outdoors, including the Deckchair Cinema and the Darwin Festival. australia.com/darwin

thatsmelbourne.com.au

awm.gov.au

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OZLISTINGS TOUR FIRMS Adventure Tours Australia-wide tours 1800 068 886, adventuretours.com.au Airliebeach.com Whitsundays packages 1800 677 119, airliebeach.com Autopia Tours Tours around Victoria 03 9391 0261, autopiatours.com.au Awesome Adventures Oz Whitsundays packages 1800 293 7663, awesomeoz.com Tours in Tasmania Tours around Tasmania 1800 777 103, tourstascom.au Bunyip Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 286 947, bunyiptours.com

linking Adelaide, Alice Springs & Melbourne 1800 661 177, groovygrape.com.au

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours 07 4946 6848, oceanrafting.com

Heading Bush Adelaide to Alice Springs outback tours 1800 639 933, headingbush.com

Oz Experience Hop on-hop off Australia-wide tours 1300 300 028, ozexperience.com

Jump Tours Tours around Tasmania 0422 130 630, jumptours.com

Surfcamp Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 888 732, surfcamp.com.au

Kakadu Dreams Kakadu tours 1800 813 266, kakadudreams.com.au

The Rock Tour Red centre tours 1800 246 345, therocktour.com.au

Kangaroo Island Adventure Tours Adelaide to KI tours 08 8202 8678, kiadventuretours.com.au

Topdeck Tours covering all of Oz 1300 886 332, topdeck.travel

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Adventures South Australia 1800 786 386, surfandsun.com.au

Cool Dingos Fraser Island Tours 1800 072 555, cooldingotour.com

Whitsundays Sailing Adventures Whitsundays sailing 07 4940 2007 WhitsundaysSailingAdventures. com.au

Explore Whitsundays Whitsundays packages 1800 675 790, explorewhitsundays.com Groovy Grape Getaways Tours

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Mojosurf Sydney to Byron surfing tours 1800 113 044, mojosurf.com

RENTAL FIRMS Apollo Motorhomes 1800 777 779, apollocamper.com Mighty Cars and Campers (Formerly Backpacker Campervan Rentals) 1800 809 944 mightycampers.com.au Boomerang Cars 0414 882 559, boomerangrentacar.net Hippie Camper 1800 777 779, hippiecamper.com

Under Down Under Tours Tours around Tasmania 1800 064 726, underdownunder.com.au

Spaceships 1300 132 469, spaceshipsrentals.com.au

Western Xposure WA tours 08 9414 8423, westernxposure.com.au Wilderness 4WD Adventures Top end tours 1800 808 288, wildernessadventures.com.au Wildlife Tours Tours around Victoria 1300 661 730, wildlifetours.com.au

Kings Cross Car Market For buying and selling vehicles. 110 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo.

02 9358 5000, carmarket.com.au

Standbycars.com 1300 789 059, standbycars.com Travellers Auto Barn 1800 674 374, travellers-autobarn.com.au Wicked Campers 1800 246 869, wickedcampers.com

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TRANSPORT Greyhound Australia Buses around Australia.

13 20 30, greyhound.com.au Jetstar Airline.

131 538, jetstar.com.au Premier Transport Group Buses along the east coast.

13 34 10, premierms.com.au Qantas Airline. 13 13 13, qantas.com.au Regional Express Airline.

13 17 13, rex.com.au Spirit of Tasmania Ferries to Tasmania.

03 6336 1446, spiritoftasmania.com Tiger Airways Airline.

03 9999 2888, tigerairways.com Redline Coaches For getting around Tasmania. 03 6336 1446, tasredline.com.au Virgin Australia Airline.

13 67 89, virginaustralia.com

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SYDNEY STAY

STAY HERE

Base Sydney 477 Kent St. CBD.

Oxford Art Factory oxfordartfactory.com

Big Hostel 212 Elizabeth St. CBD. 02 9281 6030 bighostel.com

Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com

Bounce Budget Hotel 28 Chalmers St. CBD.

The Annandale annandalehotel.com

Easy Go Backpackers 752 George St. CBD. 02 9211 0505, easygobackpackers.com.au Eva’s Backpackers 6-8 Orwell Street Kings Cross 02 9358 2185, evasbackpackers.com.au City Resort Hostel 103-105 Palmer St. Woolloomooloo 02 9357 3333 cityresort.com.au Sydney Central YHA 11 Rawson Place. CBD. Westend Backpackers 412 Pitt St. CBD. Boomerang Backpackers 141 William Street, Kings Cross.

02 8354 0488, boomerangbackpackers.com Dlux Hostel 30 Darlinghurst Rd, Kings Cross.

1800 236 213 dluxbudgethotel.com.au Kangaroo Bak Pak 665 South Dowling St. Surry Hills.

02 9318 0902 Avalon Beach Hostel 59 Avalon Pde, Avalon Beach.

02 9918 9709, avalonbeach.com.au Bondi Shores Level 1. 283 Bondi Road, Bondi bondishores.com.au Bondi YHA 63 Fletcher Street.

Tamarama. yha.com.au Lamrock Lodge 19 Lamrock Ave. Bondi.

02 9130 5063, lamrocklodge.com

The Enmore enmoretheatre.com.au The Metro metrotheatre.com.au

34 Harrington St The Rocks, Sydney. Beds from $34.

Bounce Hostel Sydney was voted the ‘Best Hostel in Australia’, ‘Most Popular Hostel in Sydney’, and ‘Top 3 Hostels in Oceania’ at 2014’s HostelWorld.com Hoscar Awards.

Sydney

bouncehostel.com.au

Glebe Point YHA 262-264 Glebe Point Road.

Glebe. yha.com.au

Sydney Aquarium Darling Harbour. sydneyaquarium.com.au

Boardrider Backpacker Rear 63, The Corso, Manly.

02 9977 6077 boardrider.com.au

Sydney Wildlife World Darling Harbour. sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

The Bunkhouse 35 Pine St, Manly.

1800 657 122, bunkhouse.com.au

Taronga Zoo Mosman. taronga.org.au

Manly Backpackers 24-28 Raglan St. Manly.

02 9977 3411 manlybackpackers.com.au

Waves Surf School wavessurfschool.com.au

Cammeray Gardens 66 Palmer St, North Sydney.

02 9954 9371 sydneyboardinghouse.com

CENTRAL COAST Newcastle Beach YHA 30 Pacific St, Newcastle. yha.com.au The Entrance Backpackers 2/56 The Entrance Road, The Entrance, 2261 02 4334 5005 theentrancebackpackers.com Skydive Central Coast Warnervale. skydivethecentralcoast.com.au

BYRON BAY Backpackers Holiday Village 116 Jonson St

Backpackers Inn 29 Shirley St 1800 817 696 backpackersinnbyronbay.com.au Byron Bay Accom 02 6680 8666, byronbayaccom.net The Arts Factory 1 Skinners Shoot Rd. Nomads Byron Bay Lawson Lane.

Byron Bay YHA 7 Carlyle St. Skydive the Beach Byron Bay Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina 1800 302 005 skydivethebeachbyronbay.com

COFFS HARB Coffs Harbour YHA 51 Collingwood St. Harbour City Holiday Park 123 Pacific Highway

coffsholidaypark.com.au Hoey Moey Backpackers 80 Ocean Pde hoeymoey.com.au Solitary Islands Marine Resort North St, Wooli NSW 1462 1800 003 031 solitaryislandsresort.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

SYDNEY DO Manly Surf School Manly Beach. 02 9977 6977, manlysurfschool.com Maritime Museum Darling Harbour. anmm.gov.au My Sydney Detour Unique city tours. mysydneydetour.com

Aegean Coogee Lodge 40 Coogee Bay Rd. Coogee.

04 0817 6634, aegeancoogee.com.au

Powerhouse Museum Darling Harbour. powerhousemuseum.com.au

Surfside Backpackers 186 Arden Street. Coogee.

02 9315 7888, surfsidebackpackers.com.au

Blue Mountains YHA 207 Katoomba St, Katoomba. yha.com.au

1800 350 388, byronbaybackpackers.com.au

Wake Up! 509 Pitt St, CBD.

Oceanworld Manly West Esplanade. oceanworld.com.au

Coogee Beachside 178 Coogee Bay Rd, Coogee.

02 9315 8511, sydneybeachside.com.au

BLUE MTNS

BOUNCE SYDNEY

Lochner’s Guesthouse 27 Paul St. Bondi.

02 9389 5421

Coogee Beach House 171 Arden St. Coogee.

02 9665 1162, coogeebeachhouse.com

SYDNEY MUSIC Hordern Pavillion playbillvenues.com

Skydive the Beach Wollongong. skydivethebeach.com Sydney Olympic Park Darling Harbour. sopa.nsw.gov.au Sydney Tower and Skywalk 100 Market St, CBD. sydneytowereye.com.au Sydney Harbour Bridge The Rocks. bridgeclimb.com

GLEBE A Sydney inner western suburb, Glebe is very cool with something of a ‘crusty’ edge – think organic cafes and feminist bookshops, thanks in large part to being where the majority of the city’s students are based. It’s also a backpacker centre, with lots of cheap eats and plenty of cafes and pubs. Not only that, but it boasts the grungie, more alternative of the markets in town (Saturdays in the schoolyard on Glebe Point Road).

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TASLISTINGS PORT ARTHUR

HOBART STAY Backpackers Imperial Hobart 138 Collins St. 03 6229 5215, centralbackpackers.com.au

Port Arthur Historic Ghost Tours 1800 659 101, portarthur.org.au

Hobart Hostel 41 Barrack St. 1300 252 192, hobarthostel.com

LAUNCESTON

Montgomery’s YHA 9 Argyle St. Narrara Backpackers 88 Goulburn St. 03 6234 8801, narrarabackpackers.com Pickled Frog 281 Liverpool St. 03 6234 7977, thepickledfrog.com Transit Backpackers 251 Liverpool St. 03 6231 2400, transitbackpackers.com

HOBART DO Cascade Brewery 140 Cascade Rd. 03 6224 1117 cascadebreweryco.com.au Mt Wellington Descent Bike tours. 03 6274 1880 mtwellingtondescent.com.au

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DEVONPORT Tasman Backpackers 114 Tasman St. 03 6423 2335, tasmanbackpackers.com.au

BICHENO

Arthouse Backpacker Hostel 20 Lindsay St. 1800 041 135, arthousehostel.com.au

Bicheno Backpackers 11 Morrison St. 03 6375 1651, bichenobackpackers.com

Launceston Backpackers 103 Canning St. 03 6334 2327, launcestonbackpackers.com.au

Bicheno Penguin Tours 03 6375 1333, bichenopenguintours.com.au

Lloyds Hotel 23 George St. 03 6331 9906, backpackersaccommodation.com.au

LAUNCESTON DO Cataract Gorge launcestoncataractgorge.com.au Centre for Beer Lovers Boag’s Brewery, 39 William St. 03 6332 6300, boags.com.au

Salamanca Markets Every Saturday, Salamanca Place. salamanca.com.au

Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery 2 Invermay Rd & 2 Wellington St. 03 6323 3777, qvmag.tas.gov.au

Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery 5 Argyle St. tmag.tas.gov.au

Tasmania Zoo 1166 Ecclestone Rd. 03 6396 6100, tasmaniazoo.com.au

CRADLE MTN

Big 4 Iluka Reserve Rd. Freycinet National Park Brewery, Wineglass Bay camping. 03 6256 7000 wineglassbay.com

STRAHAN, Strahan YHA 43 Harvey St.

STRAHAN DO Wild Rivers Jet Jet Boat Cruises.

0364717396 wildriversjet.com.au

Discovery Holiday Parks Cradle Mountain Rd. 1800 068 574 discoveryholidayparks.com. au/TAS

Water by Nature Extreme multiday whitewater rafting. 1800 111 142, franklinrivertasmania.com

Mt Roland Budget Backpacker Rooms 1447 Claude Rd, Gowrie Park. 03 6491 1385

MELBOURNE STAY

CRADLE DO Devils @ Cradle Tassie devil sanctuary. 3950 Cradle Mountain Rd. 03 6492 1491. devilsatcradle.com Overland Track Six-day walk parks.tas.gov.au

FREYCINET

All Nations Nomads 2 Spencer St. Base Melbourne 17 Carlisle St, St. Kilda.

Central Melbourne Accommodation 21 Bromham Place, Richmond.

03 9427 9826, centralaccommodation.net Exford Hotel 199 Russell St. 03 9663 2697,

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exfordhotel.com.au Flinders Station Hotel 35 Elizabeth St. 03 9620 5100, flindersbackpackers.com.au The Greenhouse Backpacker Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane.

1800 249 207, greenhousebackpacker.com.au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Road, St Kilda. 1800 202 500, habitathq.com.au Home at the Mansion 66 Victoria Parade.

03 9663 4212 homemansion.com.au Home Travellers Motel 32 Carlisle St, St Kilda.

1800 008 718, homehostels.com.au Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. 03 9329 7525 discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Central YHA 562 Flinders St. Nomads Melbourne 198 A’beckett St. Space Hotel 380 Russell St.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

DEVONPORT The unofficial capital of Tasmania’s beautiful north coast is also the main ferry link between the island state and the Australian mainland. A picturesque, coastal city of some 25,000 people it produces upwards of 40 per cent of Tasmania’s total vegetable crop. Devonport has developed into a proper shopper’s city, with elegant boulevards and malls dotted with unique boutiques and specialist shops. The city also makes the most of the natural coastlines with beautiful beaches in close proximity to the city centre, including the Mersey Bluff Beach. Just a short drive from the city centre, the Tasmanian Arboretum displays trees and shrubs from around the world. Culture is centred at the Devonport Regional Art Gallery, which boasts great works from local and internationally renowned artists.

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1800 670 611, spacehotel.com.au

CHECK IN

The Spencer 475 Spencer St. 1800 638 108, spencerbackpackers.com.au Back of Chapel 50 Green St, Windsor College Lawn Hotel 36 Greville St, Prahran collegelawnhotel.com.au Claremont Guesthouse 189 Toorak Rd, South Yarra hotelclaremont.com City Centre Budget Hotel 22-30 Little Collins St citycentrebudgethotel.com Elephant Backpackers 250 Flinders St elephantbackpacker.com.au Elizabeth Hostel 490 Elizabeth St elizabethhostel.com.au

THE GREENHOUSE BACKPACKER

King St Backpackers 160 King Street kingstreetbackpackers.com.au

Level 6, 228 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Dorms from $32. An award-winning hostel with all the facilities you’ve come to expect from a worldclass backpacker hostel. Described by the Lonely Planet as being ‘brilliantly located in the thick of things…bright, friendly and extremely well run with excellent facilities,’ it’s not really surprising that the Greenhouse Backpacker has been awarded ‘Best Backpacker Accommodation’ on multiple occasions by both Tourism Australia and Tourism Victoria. Melbourne greenhousebackpacker.com.au

Hotel Discovery 167 Franklin St hoteldiscovery.com.au Lords Lodge Backpackers 204 Punt Rd lordslodge.com.au Melbourne International Backpackers 450 Elizabeth St mibp.com.au Melbourne Metro YHA 78 Howard St Melbourne Oasis YHA 76 Chapman St St Arnaud 99 Park St, South Yarra, starnaudguesthouse.com The Spencer City Central BP 475 Spencer St spencerbackpackers.com.au The Nunnery 116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy nunnery.com.au Victoria Hotel Backpackers Victoria Hotel, 380 Victoria St vichotelbrunswick.com.au

ST KILDA

169 Fitzroy St, St Kilda ritzbackpackers.com St Kilda Beach House 109 Barkly St, St Kilda stkildabeachhouse.com.au

MELBOURNE DO Australian Centre for the Moving Image Federation Square.

03 8663 2200, acmi.net.au Melbourne Aquarium Cnr of Flinders St & King St. 03 9923 5999, melbourneaquarium.com.au Discovery Melbourne 167 Franklin St. discoverymelbourne.com Melbourne Cricket Ground Brunton Av. 03 9657 8888 mcg.org.au Melbourne Museum 11 Nicholson St, Carlton.

13 11 02 melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au

Back of Chapel Backpackers 50 Green St backofchapel.com

National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square. ngv.vic.gov.au

Base St Kilda 17 Carlisle St

Old Melbourne Gaol 377 Russell St. 03 8663 7228, oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Coffee Palace Backpackers 24 Grey St coffeepalacebackpackers.com. au Habitat HQ 333 St Kilda Rd, thehabitathq.com.au Oslo Hotel 38 Grey St oslohotel.com.au The Ritz for Backpackers

Official Neighbours Tours 570 Flinders St. neighbourstour.com.au Skydive the Beach Melbourne 1300 798 843 skydivethebeachmelbourne.com Tourism Victoria Backpacking ideas. backpackmelbourne.com

Wildlife Tours Australia Specialising in Victorian tours +61 3 9314 2225 wildlifetours.com.au

GREAT OCEAN RD Anglesea Backpackers 40 Noble St, Anglesea.

03 5263 2664, angleseabackpackers.com.au Apollo Eco Beach YHA 5 Pascoe St. Great Ocean Road Backpackers 10 Erskine Av, Lorne.

03 5289 1070, greatoceanroadcottages.com Port Campbell Hostel 18 Tregea St, Port Campbell.

03 5598 6305, portcampbellhostel.com.au Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier St, Apollo Bay. 1800 357 263, surfsidebackpacker.com

MORNINGTON Bayplay Lodge 46 Canterbury Jetty Rd, Blairgowrie.

03 5988 0188, bayplay.com.au Sorrento Foreshore Reserve Nepean Hwy. 1800 850 600, mornpen.vic.gov.au Sorrento YHA 3 Miranda St, Sorrento.

Tortoise Head Lodge French Island.

03 5980 1234, tortoisehead.net

03 5674 1447, inverlochholidaypark.com.au

DANDENONG Emerald Backpackers 03 5968 4086

BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park 24 Old Bridge Dr, Newhaven.

03 5956 7227, phillipislandcpk.com.au

MURRAY RIVER Echuca Gardens YHA 103 Av, Mitchell St, Echuca.

Cowes Caravan Park 164 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 2211, cowescaravan.com.au

Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Ave, Mildura.

03 5022 7922, milduracitybackpackers.com.au Oasis Backpackers 230 Deakin Av, Mildura.

04 0734 4251, milduraoasisbackpackers.com.au

GIPPSLAND Prom Coast YHA Backpackers 0427 875 735 Cambrai Hostel Maffra 117 Johnson St, Maffra.

1800 101 113 maffra.net.au/hostel

PHILLIP ISLAND Amaroo Park YHA 97 Church St, Cowes.

Anchor Belle Holiday Park 272 Church St, Cowes.

03 5952 2258, anchorbelle.com.au Avenue Apartments 204 Thompson Avenue, Cowes.

03 5952 6718, visitphillipisland.com Beach Park Tourist Caravan Park 2 McKenzie Rd, Cowes.

03 5952 22113, beachpark.com.au BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park 2 Cuttriss St, Inverloch.

Koala Park Resort 1825 Phillip Island Rd, Cowes.

03 5952 2176, koalaparkresort.com.au The Island Accommodation 10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road. 03 5956 6123 theislandaccommodation.com. au San Remo Holiday Park 4 Mary Grove, San Remo.

03 5678 5024 visitphillipisland.com

GRAMPIANS Grampians YHA Eco Hostel Cnr Grampians & Buckler Rds, Halls Gap. Tim’s Place 44 Grampians Road, Halls Gap. 03 5356 4288, timsplace.com.au

MILDURA Mildura City Backpackers 50 Lemon Avenue milduracitybackpackers.com.au

STRATHMERTON Riviera Backpackers YHA 669 Esplanade

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

CAPE YORK PENINSULA The top of Australia is a land of mystery and adventure. By road it’s only really accessible by 4WD, so if you’re not an off-road enthusiast you might do better with an overland tour. If you’re looking for isolation then you won’t be disappointed. Secluded beaches and waterfalls abound in this wild corner of Oz. Activities in the area include fishing trips, croc spotting and Aboriginal cultural tours. Just be careful choosing a swimming location. If you reach the very top you can always jump a little further and check out the Torres Strait Islands.

BRISBANE STAY Aussie Way Backpackers 34 Cricket St. 07 3369 0711, aussiewaybackpackers.com Banana Bender Backpackers 118 Petrie Terrace.

07 3367 1157, bananabenders.com Brisbane Backpackers Resort 110 Vulture St, West End. 1800 626 452, brisbanebackpackers.com.au Brisbane City Backpackers 380 Upper Roma St 1800 062 572, citybackpackers.com Bunk Backpackers Cnr Ann & Gipps Sts, 1800 682 865, katarzyna.com.au The Deck 117 Harcourt Street, New Farm.

04 3270 6666 Balmoral House 33 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley vipbackpackers.com

Tin Billy Travellers 462 George St tinbilly.com

BRISBANE DO Australia Zoo Glasshouse Mountains, Tourist Drive, Beerwah.

07 5436 2000, australiazoo.com.au Gallery of Modern Art Australian and international paintings, sculptures and decorative art.

07 3840 7303, qag.qld.gov.au Riverlife Adventure Centre Kayaking & rock climbing.

Lower River Terrace, Kangaroo Point.

07 3891 5766, riverlife.com.au Story Bridge Adventure Climb 170 Main St, Kangaroo Point.

1300 254 627, storybridgeadventureclimb. com.au XXXX Brewery Tours & Ale House Brewery tours.

Cnr Black & Paten St, Milton.

07 3361 7597, xxxxalehouse.com. au

Brisbane City YHA 392 Upper Roma St The Elephant Hotel 230 Wickham St elephanthotel.com.au Somewhere to Stay Cnr Brighton Rd & Franklin St somewheretostay.com.au The Palace Backpackers Cnr Anne & Edward St backpackbrisbane.com

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GOLD COAST Aquarius Backpackers 44 Queen St, Surfers Paradise.

1800 22 99 55, aquariusbackpackers.com.au Backpackers in Paradise 40 Peninsula Drive, Surfers Paradise.

1800 268 621, backpackersinparadise.com.au

Coolangatta YHA Pl, 230 Coolangatta Rd, Bilinga.

Budds in Surfers 6 Pine Ave, Budds Beach, Surfers Paradise 07 5538 9661, buddsinsurfers.com.au Gold Coast International BP 28 Hamilton Ave, Surfers.

1800 816 300, goldcoastbackpackers.com.au Islander Backpackers Resort 6 Beach Rd, Surfers.

1800 074 393, islander.com.au Sleeping Inn Surfers 26 Peninsular Dr, Surfers Paradise.

07 5592 4455, sleepinginn.com.au

dreamworld.com.au Get Wet Surf School 1800 438 938 Seaworld

seaworld.com.au

Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World wetnwild.myfun.com.au Warner Bros Movie World movieworld.com.au Zorb 07 5547 6300

SUNSHINE CST Mooloolaba Backpackers 75-77 Brisbane Rd, Mooloolaba.

1800 020 120 mooloolababackpackers.com

RAINBOW BEACH

Surfers Paradise Backpackers Resort 2837 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers.

1800 282 800, surfersparadisebackpackers. com.au

Dingos Backpacker Adventure Resort 20 Spectrum St. 1800 111126, dingosresort.com

Surfers Paradise YHA Mariners Cove, 70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise.

Pippies Beach House 22 Spectrum St. 1800 425 356, pippiesbeachhouse.com

Trekkers Backpackers 22 White St, Southport.

07 5591 5616, trekkersbackpackers.com.au

Skydive Rainbow Beach 0418 218 358, skydiverainbowbeach.com

Nomads Islander Resort 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surf & Sun Backpackers 3323 Surfers Paradise Blvd surfnsun-goldcoast.com

GC DO Dreamworld Theme park.

HERVEY BAY Aussie Woolshed 181 Torquay Rd 07 4124 0677 woolshedbackpackers.com.au Next at Hervey Bay 10 Bideford St. 1800 102 989, nextbackpackers.com

Palace Backpackers 184 Torquay, 1800 063 168, palaceadventures.com.au

FRASER ISLAND Eurong Beach Resort 07 4120 1600, eurong.com.au Palace Adventures 184 Torquay St, Hervey Bay, 1800 063 168 palaceadventures.com.au Barefoot Lodge Long Island barefootlodge.com.au Colonial Village YHA 820 Boat Harbour Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay Cool Dingo’s Rainbow Beach 20 Spectrum St dingosresort.com Dropbear Adventures Williams Ave, Fraser Island.

QLD 61 487 333 606 dropbearadventures.com.au Frasers On Rainbow Beach 195 Torquay Terrace, Torquay, flashpackersherveybay.com Kingfisher Bay Resort River Heads Road, Fraser Island kingfisherbay.com Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park 21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness, Hervey Bay frasercoasttouristpark.com.au Fraser Island Backpackers Cathedral Beach, Fraser Island fraserislandco.com.au Fraser’s on Rainbow 18 Spectrum Av,

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Rainbow Beach frasersonrainbow.com The Friendly Hostel 182 Torquay Rd, Hervey Bay friendlyhostel.com.au Woolshed Backpackers 181 Torquay Road woolshedbackpackers.com.au

BUNDABERG

yongaladive.com.au

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd. Bungalow Bay Backpackers Horseshow Bay. 1800 285 577, bungalowbay.com.au

Federal Backpackers 221 Bourbong St. 07 4153 3711 federalbackpackers.com.au

Hotel Arcadia 7 Marine Parade, Arcadia Bay. 07 4778 5177, hotelaracadia.com.au

Northside Backpackers 12 Queen St. 07 4154 1166

Pleasure Divers 07 4778 5788

Bundaberg Bondstore Distillery tours.

07 4131 2999 bundabergrum.com.au DingoBlue Backpackers 11 Burrum St, Bundaberg QLD 4670 07 4152 0100 dingobluebackpackers.com Grand Mid Point Backpackers 87-89 Bourbong St, Bundaberg 4670 07 4151 0003 grandhotelbundy.com.au

TOWN OF 1770 1770 Backpackers 6 Captain Cook Dr. 1800 121 770, the1770backpackers.com 1770 Undersea Adventures 1300 553 889, 1770underseaadventures.com.au

MISSION BEACH

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!

LIAʼS N TO DIVE WITH AUSTRA TAKE THE PLUNGE, LEAR VE PROFESSIONALS GREAT BARRIER REEF DI

Absolute Backpackers 28 Wongaling Beach Road.

07 4068 8317, absolutebackpackers.com.au Beach Shack 86 Porters Promenade missionbeachshack.com Scotty’s Beach House 167 Reid Rd. 07 4068 8676, scottysbeachhouse.com.au Jackaroo Hostel Mission Beach Frizelle Rd, Bingil Bay jackaroohostel.com Mission Beach Retreat 49 Porters Promenade missionbeachretreat.com.au

CAIRNS STAY

Central Cairns and fast food joints to help with yourBohemia Gilligan's 100 Sheridan St.hangover.

1800 558 589, AIRLIE BEACH bhacentral.com.au 13:00: Continuing north of Port Douglas you’ll land in airliebeach.com Mossman (mossmangorge.com.au).

Daintree Bohemia ResortAt Cairns 259 Gorge Shute Harbour Rd. McLeod St. 1800 677 National Park the119gorge is a must-see.231 Once you’ve trekked 1800 155 353 bohemiaresort.com.au along the path you’ll feet a rest and Airlie Beach YHA be able to give your 394 Shute Harbour Rd. admire the crystal clear Mossman River thatBackpackers cascades over Calypso 5 Digger St. 1800 815 628, Backpackers by the Bay granite boulders. calypsobackpackers.com.au 12 Hermitage Dr. 15:00: Heading 1800 646 994,back to the car and continuing north JJ’s Backpackers Hostel you’ll find backpackersbythebay.com yourself at Cape Tribulation.

CheckSt.out Ferntree 11 Charles 07 4051 7642, Base Airlie Beach(ferntreerainforestlodge.com.au) Resort Rainforest Lodge jjsbackpackers.com 336 Shute Harbour Rd

which has classic huts with a bar and wooden tables. They NJoy Backpackers Hostel Magnums Whitsunday serve scrumptious mealsVillage nightResort and day.

After it’s Harbour 141 eating Sheridan St. 366 Shute Harbour Rd. 1800 807 055, 1800 624the 634 delights of the Cape time to enjoy with a Croc cruise njoy.net.au magnums.com.au (daintreerivercruises.com.au) A one hour wildlife cruise Nomads Beach House that lets you spot wild animals in their habitat. Be 239natural Sheridan St. BOWEN warned: don’t walk too close to any mangroves, you might Northern Greenhouse Bowen Backpackers 117 Grafton Street. get an unwanted snap. St. Beach end of Herbert 1800 229 228, 07 4786 3433 19:00: With all that excitement it’s time northerngreenhouse.com.au to head back bowenbackpackers.net towards Cairns. As the evening settles, head straight into the city centre where there is wide array of restaurants you CAIRNSfor DO TOWNSVILLE to pick from along the main strip.

AJ Hackett Bungy jumping & canyon Adventurers Resort 1800 622 888 79 Palmer St. 19:00: And it wouldn't be true Cairns swinging. experience without cairns.ajhackett.com 1800 211 522, adventurersresort.com dancing the night away at The Woolshed (thewoolshed.

Go Wild Jungle Tours com.au).Adrenalin With Dive themed nights on every try your luck Day night, tours to Daintree Rainforest.

4041 9440, 07 4724 0600, competitions or see07 in the wet T-shirt how you fare in their jungletours.com.au adrenalindive.com.au Mexican drinking games. Either way you'll end your Cairns Pro Dive Yongala Dive trip on aYongala high.diving.

07 4031 5255 07 4783 1519,

. . .

E R E H Y L L A IN F E ’R YOU

prodivecairns.com

Our 5 Day PADI Open water course is the most popular way to do it.

We also specialise in Liveaboard dive trips and all levels of dive education.

www.prodivecairns.com SHOP: Cnr Shields & Grafton Sts, Cairns FREECALL: 1800 353 213 PHONE: +617 4031 5255 RES: info@prodivecairns.com TNTDOWNUNDER.COM53 55 tntdownunder.com

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QLDLISTINGS Raging Thunder Adventures Whitewater rafting.

07 4030 7990, ragingthunder.com.au

Parrotfish Backpackers Resort 37 Warner St, Kuranda.

07 4099 5011, parrotfishlodge.com

Skydive Cairns POBOX 105N Cairns 07 4052 1822, skydivecairns.com.au

GULF SAVANNAH Emu Creek Cattle Station 08 9943 0534

DAINTREE

CAPE TRIB Crocodylus Village Lot 5, Buchanan Creek Rd, Cow Bay. 07 4098 9166, crocodyluscapetrib.com PK’s Jungle Village Cnr Avalon & Cape Trib Rd. 1800 232 333,

Koala Beach Resort Lake St, 07 4051 4933

MORETON ISLAND Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort tangalooma.com

NOOSA STAY

pksjunglevillage.com.au

INNISFAIL Innisfail Budget Backpackers Worker’s Hostel 125 Edith St. 07 4061 78337 Walkabout Motel & ackpackers 07 4061 2311 walkaboutbackpackers.com

PORT DOUGLAS

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Flashpackers Noosa 102 Pacific Avenue, Sunshine Beach flashpackersnoosa.com Nomads Noosa Backpackers 44 Noosa Dr Noosa Inland Noosa Backpackers 9-13 William St, Noosaville noosabackpackers.com Halse Lodge YHA 2 Halse Lane, Noosa.

follow us on 1800 242 567, halselodge.com.au Dolphins Beach House Noosa 14 – 16 Duke Street, Sunshine Beach dolphinsbeachhouse.com

NOOSA DO Australia Zoo 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Sunshine Coast australiazoo.com The Discovery Group Noosa Everglades thediscoverygroup.com.au Drop Bear Adventures Fraser Island from Noosa dropbearadventures.com.au Kanu Kapers Australia Noosa Everglades kanukapersaustralia.com Noosa Learn to Surf Noosa Main Beach, Noosa Heads learntosurf.com.au

PORT DOUGLAS Dougies Backpackers Resort 111 Davidson St dougies.com.au

Global Port Douglas 38 Macrossan St globalbackpackerscairns.com. au/port-douglas

@tnt_downunder 1770southerncross.com

ROCKHAMPTON

Parrot Fish Lodge 37 Warner St parrotfishlodge.com

Emu Park Resort 92 Patterson St, Emu Park emusbeachresort.com

Port O’Call YHA 7 Craven Close portocall.com.au

Rockhampton Backpackers YHA 60 Macfarlane St

INNISFAIL Codge Lodge 63 Rankin St codgelodge.com Crown Hostel 25 Ernest St 07 4061 2266 Backpackers Shack 7 Ernest St fbackpakershack.com Farm work, Innisfail farmwork.tv/farmwork/innisfail

AGNES WATER 1770 Beachside Backpacker 12 Captain Cook Drive independentbackpackers.com 1770 Southern Cross Backpackers 2694 Round Hill Rd

Childers Eco-Lodge Off the Princess Highway childersecolodge.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST Amore on Buderim 27 Earlybird Dr, Buderim amoreonbuderim.com.au Buderim Motor Inn 45 King St, Buderim buderimmotorinn.com Bli Bli House B&B 600 David Low Way, Pacific Paradise. buderimmotorinn.com Beach Front Towers 4 Aerodrome Rd, Marochydore beachfronttowers.com.au Cotton Tree Beachouse 15 the Esplanade cottontreebackpackers.com

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The Duporth 6 Wharf St, Maroochydore theduporth.com.au

QLDLISTINGS MUST VISIT

TOWNSVILLE Adventurers Backpackers 79 Palmer St adventurersresort.com Civic Guest House Backpackers Hostel 262 Walker St civicguesthousetownsville. com.au Foreign Exchange Accommodation Beachside 19 Eyre St, North Ward foreignx.com.au

MACKAY Gecko’s Rest 34 Sydney St geckosrest.com.au

MAGNETIC IS Base Magnetic Island 1 Nelly Bay Rd Bungalow Bay Koala Village 40 Horseshoe Bay Rd bungalowbay.com.au

MAROOCHY Located an hour-and-a-half north of Brisbane is Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and, more specifically, the idyllic Maroochy area. This beachside community boasts all of the normal attributes you would expect from a coastal location - sandy beaches, surf-clubs and a decent nightlife. The Sunshine Coast has more individual National Parks than any other region in Queensland, which means that Maroochy is blessed with natural beauty. If surfing is not your thing but you still want to be in the water, Aussie Sea Kayak Company has a number of different packages available.

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NTLISTINGS DARWIN STAY

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KATHERINE STAY

CHECK OUT

Banyan View Lodge Darwin 119 Mitchell St. 08 8981 8644, banyanviewlodge.com.au

BIG4 Katherine Holiday Park 20 Shadforth Road.

1800 501 984, big4.com.au

Darwin YHA 97 Mitchell St.

Palm Court Kookaburra Backpackers Third St. 08 8972 2722

Elkes Backpackers 112 Mitchell St. 1800 808 365, elkesbackpackers.com.au

KATHERINE DO

Frogshollow Backpackers 27 Lindsay St. 1800 068 686, frogs-hollow.com.au

KATA TJUTA (THE OLGAS)

Gecko Lodge 146 Mitchell St. 1800 811 250, geckolodge.com.au

Experience Aboriginal history first hand with a breathtaking visit to Kata Tjuta. Situated not far from the Yulara region, the rock-based dome formations got their name from the largest one, Mount Olga.

Mount Olga is about 1066m high, that’s 198m higher than Uluru.

Created from a mix of cobbles, boulders, granite and sandstone, the red colour is an unforgettable sight for all. Jump on a tour to learn all about the Aboriginal traditions and how many important ceremonies were, and still are, performed here, mainly at nightfall. The whole area is a national park, so there is plenty to stop off and see along the way.

Melaleuca on Mitchell 52 Mitchell St. 1300 723 437, momdarwin.com Youth Shack 69 Mitchell St. 1300 793 302, youthshack.com.au

DARWIN DO Crocosaurus Cove Crocodile park and cage of death. 58 Mitchell St. 08 8981 7522, crocosauruscove.com Deckchair Cinema Jervois Rd, Darwin Waterfront.

08 8981 0700, deckchaircinema.com.au

Fannie Bay Gaol Heritage prison. East Point Road, Fannie Bay. 08 8941 2260, nt.gov.au Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 19 Conacher St, Bullocky Point.

08 8999 8264, magnt.nt.gov.au

Oz Jet Boating Stokes Hill Wharf.

1300 135 595, ozjetboating.com.au Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise Adelaide River.

08 8978 9077, jumpingcrocodile.com.au Wave Lagoon Waterfront Precinct. waterfront.nt.gov.au

Airborne Solutions Scenic helicopter flights.

08 8972 2345 airbornesolutions.com.au Nitmiluk Tours Gorge cruises and kayak hire. 1300 146 743 nitmiluktours.com.au

TENNANT CREEK Tourist Rest Leichardt St. 08 8962 2719, touristrest.com.au

ALICE SPRINGS Alice Lodge 4 Mueller St. 08 8953 1975, alicelodge.com.au Alice Springs YHA Cnr Parsons St & Leichhardt Tce. Haven Resort 3 Larapinta Drive.

1800 794 663, alicehaven.com.au

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Toddy’s Backpackers 41 Gap Rd. ONLINE Rock & Dorm SPECIALS FREECALL 1800 027027 toddys.com.au

ALICE DO Alice Springs Desert Park Larapinta Drive.

08 8951 8788, alicespringsdesertpark.com.au Alice Springs Reptile Centre Meet and hold lizards.

9 Stuart Terrace.

08 8952 8900, reptilecentre.com.au Outback Ballooning Hot air balloon rides.

1800 809 790, outbackballooning.com.au Royal Flying Doctor Service Base Museum and operations room.

Stuart Terrace. 08 8952 1129, flyingdoctor.net School of the Air Long-distance schooling museum.

80 Head St. 08 8951 6834, assoa.nt.edu.au The Rock Tour 74 Todd St “3day Uluru only $350” FREECALL 1800 246345 therocktour.com.au

FANNIE BAY GAOL At first, this free Darwin attraction doesn’t seem up to much, all sparse and minimalist. But a quick wander around reveals a place jam-packed to the rafters with fascinating – and pretty horrifying – stories. There’s even the chance to get a macabre glimpse of a set of genuine gallows. It’s all a bit spooky and, unsurprisingly, there have been reports of paranormal activity here, with doors opening and closing on their own, and the sound of fingers being run across the bars. Worth a tour. If you dare... nt.gov.au

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PERTH STAY Billabong Backpackers Resort 381 Beaufort St. 08 9328 7720, www.billabongresort.com.au

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

STAY HERE

One World Backpackers 162 Aberdeen St, Northbridge.

1800 188 100, oneworldbackpackers.com.au Perth City YHA 300 Wellington St. The Old Swan Barracks 2-8 Francis St. 08 9428 0000, theoldswanbarracks.com

Wickham Retreat Backpackers 25-27 Wickham St, East Perth 08 9325 6398

Grand Central Hotel Backpackers 379 Wellington St 08 9421 1123

Emperor’s Crown 85 Stirling St, Northbridge.

1800 991 553, emperorscrown.com.au

Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottlesloe.

08 9384 5111, oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, undergroundbackpackers. com.au

Easy Perth Backpacker 4 Francis Street, Northbridge easyperthbackpackers.com.au

Britannia on William 253 William St, Northbridge.

08 9227 6000, perthbritannia.com

Globe Backpackers & City Oasis Resort 561 Wellington St. 08 9321 4080, globebackpackers.com.au

Northbridge shiralee.com.au

YMCA Jewell House 180 Goderich St ymcajewellhouse.com.au

Hay Street Backpackers 266-268 Hay St haystbackpackers.com

BRITANNIA ON WILLIAM 23 Wiliam St, Northbridge. Beds from $43. Located just 200 metres from the centre of the Perth CBD this comfortable hostel is also one of Western Australia’s most conveniently located.

Perth

perthbritannia.com

Underground Backpackers 268 Newcastle St, Northbridge.

08 9228 3755, underground backpackers.com.au

Backpack City and Surf 41-43 Money St backpacker.com.au

The Witch’s Hat 148 Palmerston St. 08 9228 4228, Witchs-hat.com

Cheviot Lodge 30 Bulwer St cheviotlodge.com

Beatty Lodge 235 Vincent St beattylodge.com.au

Coolibah Lodge 194 Brisbane St coolibahlodge.com.au

Hotel Bambu Backpackers 75 - 77 Aberdeen St, Northbridge bambu.net.au

PERTH DO

Mountway Holiday Apartments 36 Mount St mountwayapartments.com.au Ocean Beach Backpackers 1 Eric St, Cottesloe oceanbeachbackpackers.com.au Perth Beach YHA 256 West Coast Hwy, Scarbrough Planet Inn Backpackers 496 Newcastle St planetinn.com.au The Shiralee Hostel 107 Brisbane St,

Aquarium of Western Australia 91 Southside Drive, Hillarys.

08 9447 7500, aqwa.com.au Art Gallery of Western Australia Perth Cultural Centre/Roe St, Perth.

08 9492 6600, artgallery.wa.gov.au Aviation Heritage Museum Bull Creek Drive, Air Force Memorial Estate, Perth.

08 9311 4470, raafawa.org.au

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WALISTINGS

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

@tnt_downunder

Crown Perth Great Eastern Hwy, Burswood. 08 9362 7777, crownperth.com.au Kings Park & Botanic Garden bgpa.wa.gov.au Moonlight Cinema Synergy Parklan, Kings Park, Perth. moonlight.com.au Perth Mint 310 Hay St. 08 9421 7223, perthmint.com.au Perth Zoo 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth. 08 9474 3551, perthzoo.wa.gov.au Penguin Island 153 Arcadia Drive (corner of Penguin Road), Shoalwater, Perth.

08 9591 1333, penguinisland.com.au Perth Concert Hall 5 St George’s Terr., Perth. 08 9231 9900, perthconcerthall.com.au St Mary’s Cathedral 17 Victoria Square,, Perth. 08 9223 1350, perthcatholic.org.au

NINGALOO REEF Ningaloo Reef is 260km long and the only place in Australia that you can check out the whaleshark in all its glory. It is also a cracking location for snorkelling and diving in general, with super lovely colourful fish, turles, manta rays and the seasonal whalesharks that need to be seen to be believed. In some places the reef itself can be reached by just a short swim from shore, or you can take a boat out to some of the best spots. It’s about 1,200km north of Perth and on a west coast road trip it’s a good few days drive without being silly about it.

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St George’s Cathedral 38 St George’s Terrace, Perth. 08 9325 5766, perthcathedral.org The Perth Mint 310 Hay Street,

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Perth. 08 9421 7376, perthmint.com.au The WACA Nelson Crescent, East Perth.

08 9265 7222,, waca.com.au Western Australian Museum James St, 08 9212 3700, museum.wa.gov.au

PERTH MUSIC Amplifier Capital amplifiercapitol.com.au Astor liveattheastor.com.au Belgian Beer Cafe belgianbeer.com.au Perth Arena pertharena.com.au Metro Cityl metroconcertclub.com The Bakery nowbaking.com.au The Ellington Jazz Club ellingtonjazz.com.au The Rosemount Hotel rosemounthotel.com.au The Newport Hotel thenewport.com The Beat Megaclub thebeatmegaclub.com.au Universial Bar universalbar.com.au Ya-Ya’s ya-yas.com.au

FREO STAY Backpackers Inn Freo 11 Pakenham St. 08 9431 7065, backpackersinnfreo.com.au Old Firestation Backpackers 18 Phillimore St. 08 9430 5454, oldfirestation.com.au Sundancer Backpackers Resort 80 High St. 08 9336 6080, sundancerbackpackers.com Pirates Backpackers Resort 11 Essex St. 08 9335 6653, piratesbackpackers.com.au

FREO DO Fremantle Markets Henderson Street Fremantle 08 9335 2515, fremantlemarkets.com.au Fremantle Prison 1 The Terrace.

08 9336 9200, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

fac.org.au Spare Parts Puppet Theatre 1-9 Short St. 08 9335 5044, backpackersinnfreo.com.au

ROTTNEST ISL Rottnest Island YHA Kingstown Barracks.

Rottnest Express 1 Emma Place North Fremantle 1300 Go Rotto rottnestexpress.com.au

MARGARET RIVER Margaret River Lodge YHA 220 Railway Tce. Harmony Forest 248 Sebbes Rd. 08 9757 7055, harmonyforest.com.au Surfpoint 12 Riedle Drive Prevally 08 9757 1777 surfpoint.com.au

ALBANY Albany Bayview Backpackers YHA 49 Duke St Cruize-Inn 122 Middleton Rd. 08 9842 9599, cruise-inn.com

MONKEY MIA Monkey Mia Dolphin Lodge Monkey Mia Road 1800 653 611, monkeymia.com.au

NINGALOO REEF Blue Reef Backpackers 3 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth 1800 621 101, aspenparks.com.au Ningaloo Club Coral Bay 08 9948 5100, ningalooclub.com Excape Backpackers YHA Murat Rd, Exmouth.

BROOME STAY Cable Beach Backpackers 12 Sanctuary Road.

1800 655 011, cablebeachbackpackers.com Kimberley Club 62 Fredrick St 08 9192 3233, kimberleyklub.com

CORAL BAY Ningaloo Club Robinson St ningalooclub.com

ESPERANCE

The Shipwreck Galleries Cliff St, 08 9212 3700, museum.wa.gov.au

Blue Waters Lodge YHA 299 Goldfields Rd,

Fremantle Arts Centre 1 Finnerty Street.

08 9432 9555,

Pete’s Exmouth Backpackers YHA Cnr Truscott Cres & Murat Rd

EXMOUTH

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SALISTINGS Vivonne Bay Lodge Kangaroo Island

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ADELAIDE STAY

FRE E

WiFi

Vivonne Bay Lodge is in a great central location on the island, close to all the main attractions.

Cook your own BBQ by the large deck and enjoy the great indoor and outdoor facilities provided.

• Twin, family and dormitory style rooms • Shared bathroom facilities • Well equipped lounge/dining and recreation room • Large undercover deck, bar and BBQ • Complimentary use of bikes and kayaks with 2 night stay • Close to Little Sahara for sand boarding, Raptor Domain, Seal Bay, Hanson Bay Wildllfe Sanctuary and Flinders Chase National Park

Adelaide Backpackers Inn 112 Carrington St. 1800 24 77 25, abpi.com.au Adelaide Central YHA 135 Waymouth St. Adelaide Travellers Inn 220 Hutt St. 08 8224 0753, adelaidebackpackers.com.au Backpack Oz 144 Wakefield St. 1800 633 307, backpackoz.com.au Blue Galah Backpackers Lvl 1, 52-62, King William St. 08) 8231 9295, bluegalah.com.au Glenelg Beach Hostel 5-7 Moseley St. Glenelg.

1800 359 181, glenelgbeachhostel.com.au Hostel 109 109 Carrington St. 1800 099 318, hostel109.com My Place 257 Waymouth St. 1800 221 529, adelaidehostel.com.au

Call 13 13 01 or visit sealink.com.au

Shakespeare Hostel 123 Waymouth St. 1800 556 889, shakeys.com.au

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ADELAIDE DO Adelaide Oval Home to the Donald Bradman collection.

War Memorial Drive.

08 8300 3800 adelaideoval.com.au Adelaide Zoo Frome Rd. 08 8267 3255, zoossa.com.au Haigh’s Chocolates Factory tours.

153 Greenhill Rd, Parkside 1800 819 757, haighschocolates.com.au Temptation Sailing Dolphin swimming, Glenelg.

04 1281 1838 dolphinboat.com.au

THE LIMESTONE COAST The locals joke that this section of South Australia was 26 million years in the making. In fact, the Limestone Coast was formed over millions of years by tonnes of marine life falling to the sea floor. The Limestone Coast is book-ended by rivers – the Murray River and the Glenelg River. The mysterious Blue Lake in Mount Gambier forms part of the Volcanic Discovery Trail and is the water aquifier system that sustains the region’s outstanding food and wine production.

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BAROSSA VAL Barossa Backpackers 9 Basedow Road, Tanunda.

08 8563 0198, barossa backpackers.com.au

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COOBER PEDY Opal Cave Coober Pedy Hutchinson St. 08 8672 5028, opalcavecooberpedy.com.

Radeka Down Under 1 Oliver St. 1800 633 891, radekadownunder.com.au Riba’s Underground 1811 William Creek Rd. 08 8672 5614, camp-underground.com.au

KANGAROO IS Kangaroo Island YHA 33 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw.

Vivonne Bay Lodge Knoefel Drive, Vivonne Bay 13 13 01 vivonnebaylodge.com.au

RIVERLAND Berri Backpackers Sturt Highway, Berri.

08 8582 3144, berribackpackers.com.au Harvest Trail Lodge Loxton. 08 8584 5646, harvesttrail.com.au Nomads on Murray Sturt Highway, Kingston on Murray.

Riverland Backpackers Labour Hire Services 08 8583 0211

FLEURIEU PEN Port Elliot Beach House YHA 13 The Strand, Port Elliot.

EYRE PENINSULA Coodlie Park Farmstay Flinders Highway, Port Kenny.

08 8687 0411 coodliepark.com Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experience Sea lion and dolphin swims.

08 8626 5017 bairdbay.com Calypso Star Charters Great white shark cage diving.

08 8682 3939, sharkcagediving.com.au Port Lincoln Tourist Park 11 Hindmarsh St. 08 8621 4444, portlincolntouristpark.com.au Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions Great white shark cage diving.

08 8363 1788 rodneyfox.com.au

FLINDERS RANGES Angorichina Tourist Village 08 8648 4842, angorichinavillage.com.au Wilpena Pound Resort Wilpena Rd. 08 8648 0004, wilpenapound.com.au

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MOKAI GRAVITY CANYON, MANAWATU

Photo: Destination Manawatu

In the Mokai Gravity Canyon you’ll find the North Islands highest bungy jump, an extreme swing and an epic flying fox. The adage of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” just doesn’t apply here.

You should do it all, no matter how crazy it looks!

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Garden State Real rugby, hot springs and ski-slopes await in Christchurch, aka the Garden City WORDS KAYE HOLLAND

The South Island’s largest city is one of New Zealand’s most attractive and the perfect place to indulge in a little R&R – either in one of the numerous leafy parks and gardens (not for nothing is Christchurch called ‘the Garden City’) or at a street side cafe in Cathedral Square. This spacious, pedestrian-ised square acts as a stage for buskers and break dancers, alongside atheists and religious fundamentalists who battle it out verbally on a daily basis.

It’s also a very English city, established in 1850 by settlers whose stamp is still evident. (Maori history does suggest, 64

however, that the area has been inhabited for more than a thousand years – the Maori name is Tautahi).

The River Avon runs through the centre and walking the banks, dodging wispy branches from the weeping willows and feeding crusts to the quacking ducks, it would be easy to believe you were in one of the UK’s university cities. For true immersion in the experience, go punting on the Avon, a relaxing ride through the quaint little city on this most sedate of transport modes.

Fittingly The Garden City is home to the largest Botanic

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Punting the Avon

Photos:Tourism New Zealand, Julian Apse and christchurchnz.com

Garden in the southern hemisphere. Along with the 161acre Hagley Park, Victoria Square and Avon banks, there are plenty of green spaces in which to take in the clean air which blows across from the hills. The gardens are home to not only a vast array of flowers and fauna, but events throughout the year, making it a vibrant space for locals and visitors.

Just at the entrance of the Botanic Gardens, you can find the Canterbury Museum (canterburymuseum.com), which tells the story of Christchurch and Canterbury from its very early days right up until recent years, with immersive experiences,

Majestic Maori wharenui or meeting place

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artefacts and a full Victorian streetscape. It’s also home to natural history exhibitions, and New Zealand’s tectonic environment is one filled with ecological tales to tell.

Even travelling around Christchurch has a distinctly English feel to it. Hopping aboard the tram is both fun and educational, with a full commentary pointing out pertinent sites. Rambling through the city centre taking tourists around the highlights, the red-and-gold vehicles are local icons. If you specifically want a British icon, though, a company called Hassle Free Tours (hasslefreetours.co.nz) now runs trips on London buses.

Christchurch’s tram

Re:Start

SHOPPING AND CULTURE It’s hard to recommend where to shop, as the pop-up culture means that things are always changing, as entrepreneurs and creators seize the opportunity to start afresh. At Re: Start (restart.org), in the very centre of the city, a whole variety of boutiques, cafes and retailers can be found in the brightly hued shipping container shopping village. Spanish Mission Revival architecture remains on New Regent Street, one of the most beautiful in this very beautiful city. Colourful timber-clad buildings, pretty little planters, and quirky coffee shops, as well as an outdoor reading room, make this one of the city’s most photographed spots.

A particularly exciting aspect of the regenerating city, is its vibrant arts scene. Testament to the old adage that out of adversity (in February 2011, a 6.3 Richter-scale earthquake ripped Christchurch apart) comes creativity, things have flourished. The whimsical Sound Garden where recycled materials create improvised instruments and the coinoperated Dance-O-Mat, an ex-laundromat washing machine now converted into a dance machine, are examples of reinvigorated uses of salvaged scrap materials. On building walls and crumbling fences are beautiful and vibrant pieces of street art, some making political statements and some simply aesthetically pleasing, but all part of the reclamation of a space that was claimed by tragedy.

Also if you are on the hunt for cool activities whilst you are here The Air Force Museum of New Zealand is one of Christchurch’s best interactive attractions and it offers free entry. Located minutes from the city centre it’s a great place to visit and learn about the yesteryear of aviation history.

Everybody loves penguins right? Head to the International Antarctic Centre (iceberg.co.nz) and for a nominal fee you can hang out with the little guys. See some of the weird and wonderful other animals that hang around under the ice of McMurdo Station in Antarctica. and experience the bonechilling effects of Antarctic cold for yourself - brrrrr chilly!

FURTHER AFIELD

Christchurch street art 66

For views, head a few miles west towards Lylleton and ascend or descend in the gondola. Taking you a kilometre up to the summit of Mount Cavendish in the Port Hills, the sights across the sparkling harbour and the vast Southern Alps are, for many, one of the first glimpses they have of the epic New Zealand scenery – utterly breathtaking.

For more mountain views, when departing consider the

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TranzAlpine Scenic Rail to Greymouth.

The journey is an impressive one to undertake, meandering through gorges, lush forests, craggy rocks, Arthur’s Pass and the highest peaks on the South Island, right to the east coast and its wholly different landscape of rainforests and glaciers.

ACTIVITIES For the genuinely hardcore, there’s bungee jumping, rafting and jetboating on the Waiau River. Give it a go. You are in new Zealand, after all.

A smooth 90 minutes’ drive north of Christchurch will provide your adrenaline fix for the journey.

Jump on a quadbike and explore the landscape as you tear across a purpose-built track through streams, across meadows and into rugged bush on the huge Woodbank Station, a working farm.

Or work a bit harder by taking part in a mountain bike tour around the area. You’ll need to rest after that one, though, so hit the Hamner Springs Thermal Pools and Spa for an evening of pure relaxation. (hamneradventure. co.nz) There’s also archery and claybird shooting to test your skills at, but make sure you do that before, and not after, you’ve indulged on one of the many wine trails. The vineyards in the surrounding areas produce some very nice reisling, pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon Blanc.

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools

‘BRInG YOUR CRew TO THe MUSeUM’

THE FUTURE The future looks bright for Christchurch.

Tagged as ‘a city reimagined’ there are certainly grand plans for the future, and an enthusiastic approach to its achievement. Stilted by bureaucracy and paperwork, but fuelled by imagination and drive, interesting times are ahead.

It will be fascinating to see whether this new stage in its development will see the classic English heritage preserved, a more Kiwi stamp put upon the city, or whether a wholly new direction will be taken. Whatever the direction it takes, the fact remains that Christchurch is without a doubt a city to watch. ››

DISPLAYS FLIGHT SIMULATOR GUIDeD TOURS CAFé & SHOP

FRee enTRY 45 Harvard Ave, Wigram, Christchurch p 03 343 9532 OPEN DAILY 10am - 5pm

airforcemuseum.co.nz

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Escape to the hills above Christchurch

WHERE TO STAY Foley Towers (hostelworld.com) was one of the first hostels in New Zealand, and the original of the BBH chain. There are Foley’s reunions happening all around the world, such good friends have been made in the amiable atmosphere here. The gardens are well maintained, budding and blooming, with the rooms centred around the greenery and picnic tables.

The main building is filled with a happy hum, and the gentle clinking of cooking, making it a contented homely place.

Old Country House (oldcountryhousenz.com) is certainly one to rest, relax and rejuvenate in before the next stage of the journey. Very much of an old Oxford or Durham style college, with cobbled winding paths, flowering gardens, vast wooden kitchens and quiet spaces. An eco-friendly outlook means that Native New Zealand plants are used (they need less support), as well as recycled landscaping materials and sensor lighting and heating. Run by a European couple who fell in love with Christchurch after travelling for four-and-a-half years, they’ve managed to created a home from home, as cliched as that sounds.

Homestead The Grange (thegrange.co.nz) is a classic, well preserved Victorian mansion offering chic B&B accommodation with an interesting history explained in the Peter Jackson movie Heavenly Creatures starring Kate Winslet.

A little further out, and also a little different, is Pete’s Farm Stay (petesfarm.co.nz). Cows, goats and sheep all roam the farm, and the snow-capped alpine backdrop makes for an inspiring view.

Old Country House

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For more Christchurch travel information and inspiration, visit www.christchurch.org.nz

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NORTHISLAND AUCKLAND

follow us on experience necessary.

09 359 5987, explorenz.co.nz

CHECK IN

In Maori language the city’s name is Tamaki Makau Rau, which translates as “the city of 100 lovers”. Auckland is admired for its cosmopolitan flavour, its sunny harbour for the fact that it makes every other city in NZ feel like a small town.

Auckland Museum See the world’s finest collection of Maori and Pacific Island artefacts. Explore New Zealand’s natural history, discover the largest bird that ever lived and experience a Maori cultural show.

09 309 0443, aucklandmuseum.com

i-SITE Auckland Atrium, skycity, Cnr Federal & Victoria Sts Backpackers World Travel 16-20 Fort St, 09 300 9999, backpackersworld.com i-SITE Visitor Information 287 Queen St, 09 979 2333, aucklandnz.com Ferry Tickets Online (For inter-island ferry services) 39 Beach Rd, 0800 500 660, ferrytickets.co.nz Department of Conservation Auckland Details on tramping, camping grounds, the Gulf Islands and exploring the regional parks.

137 Quay St Cnr, Princes Wharf, open Mon-Fri (9am-5am); SatSun (10am-4pm), 09 379 6476 Airport Transport The airport is 21km from the city and shuttle buses run every half an hour.

Airbus Airport is every 20 mins.

0800 247 287, airbus.co.nz City buses Tickets and timetables are available from the 10 central city Star Mart stores.

09 366 6400, maxx.co.nz Auckland InterCity Travel Centre Buses around Auckland and the rest of New Zealand leave from here. Located beside the casino, Hobson St, 09 583 5780, intercity.co.nz Train Intercity trains arrive and depart from Britomart, 12 Queen St, Auckland.

09 366 6400, transdev.co.nz

AUCKLAND STAY Auckland Airport Kiwi Hotel 150 McKenzie Road, Mangere.

09 256 0046, kiwiairporthotel.co.nz Airport Skyway Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 30 Kirkbride Road, Mangere.

09 275 4443, skywaylodge.co.nz Auckland International Backpackers 2 Churton St, Parnell. +64358 4584, aucklandinternationalbp.com

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Auckland Zoo See kiwi birds in the nocturnal house and over 900 animals.

09 360 3800, aucklandzoo.co.nz

JUCY HOTEL 62 Emily Place, Auckland. From $54 Quality budget accomodation in Auckland, within walking distance of the Vector Arena, as well as major attractions and hubs.

Auckland

jucyhotel.com

BK Hostel (BBH) 3 Mercury Ln, Central.

09 307 0052 bkhostel.co.nz

Queen Street Backpackers 4 Fort St. 09 373 3471, qsb.co.nz

Borders Beyond 8 Nixon St, Grey Lynn.

09 360 9880, bordersbeyond.co.nz

Uenuku Lodge (BBH) 217 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

09 378 8990, uenukulodge.co.nz

City Garden Lodge (BBH) 25 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell.

09 302 0880 citygardenlodge.co.nz

Surf ‘n’ Snow Backpackers 102 Albert St. 09 363 8889, surfandsnow.co.nz

The Fat Camel (Nomads) 38 Fort St. 09 307 0181, nomadsworld.com

Brown Kiwi (BBH) 7 Prosford St, Ponsonby.

09 378 0191, brownkiwi.co.nz

Freemans Backpackers (BBH) 65 Wellington Street.

09 376 5046 freemanbackpackers.co.nz Freinz Backpackers (BBH) 27-31 Vitoria St. East.

09 307 6437 frienz.com Nomads Auckland 16-20 Fort St. 09 300 9999, nomadshostels.com Jandal Palace (BBH) 38 Glenesk Rd, RD2.

09 812 8381, pihabeachstay.co.nz JJ House (BBH) 4 MacMurray Road.

09 214 9791 jjhouse.co.nz

KR City Travellers (BBH) 146 Karangahape Rd. 09 377 6027, kroadcitytravellers.co.nz Verandahs (BBH) 6 Hopetown St. 09 360 4180, verandahs.co.nz YHA Auckland City 18 Liverpool St. 09 309 2802, yha.co.nz YHA Auckland International 5 Turner St. 09 302 8200, yha.co.nz

AUCKLAND DO

Kiwi International Hotel 411 Queen St. 0800 100 411, kiwihotel.co.nz

Explorer Bus Sightseeing around Auckland, 0800 439 756 explorerbus.co.nz

Lantana Lodge (BBH) 60 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell.

09 373 4546, lantanalodge.co.nz

Sealink Ferries can take you all over the harbour. Info about timetables and destinations are available online on the Sealink website.

0800 732 546, sealink.co.nz

Oaklands Lodge (BBH) 5a Oaklands Rd, Mt Eden.

09 638 6545, oaklands.co.nz

Base Backpackers Auckland 229 Queen St. 09 358 4877, stayatbase.com

Ponsonby Backpackers 2 Franklin Rd, Ponsonby.

09 360 1311, ponsonby-backpackers.co.nz

Bamber House (BBH) 22 View Rd, Mt Eden.

09 623 4267, bamberhouse.co.nz

Princeton Backpackers 30 Symonds St. 09 963 8300, princeton.net.nz

America’s Cup Sailing Experience A unique opportunity to participate as crew on an actual America’s Cup yacht. Take the helm, exert energy on the grinders or simply sit back and enjoy the action as you sail the beautiful Waitemata Harbour.

The two hour sails departs daily from the Auckland Viaduct. No

Coast to Coast Walkway A walk between Waitemata Harbour and Manukau Harbour.

It takes about four hours and takes in Albert Park, Auckland Uni, Auckland Domain, Mt Eden, and One Tree Hill.

Devonport A 15-minute ferry or bus ride across the harbour on the north shore, Devonport is an idyllic setting for a picnic or a stroll along the beach.

Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World A seawater aquarium with a moving walkway through a transparent underwater cavern.

Antarctic Encounter is a recreation of an Antarctic environment where you jump on a snow mobile and tour a penguin colony, get attacked by an orca whale.

Orakei Wharf, Tamaki Drive.

0800 80 50 50, kellytarltons.co.nz Mt Eden The highest point in the city, 4km south of the city centre with spectacular views. Get there by bus.

NZ National Maritime Museum The museum celebrates NZ’s maritime heritage.

09 373 0800, nzmaritimemuseum.co.nz Ponsonby West of the city, explore Victorian architecture and narrow streets with cafés, bars, clothes shops, art galleries and some lively nightlife.

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cruises to Hauraki Gulf islands, with all-day passes and hop-on, hop-off options. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Pride of Auckland The Pride of Auckland operates an impressive fleet of large, purpose-built yachts on the sheltered waters of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and is world famous for its sailing and dining cruises. Join them for a coffee, lunch, dinner, Waiheke sailing experience cruise or a full-day sailing adventure and experience the “City of Sails” for what it is known for.

0800 397 567, exploregroup.net Auckland Bridge Climb Up and over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Westhaven Reserve, Curran St, Herne Bay. 09 360 7748, bungy.co.nz Auckland Harbour Bridge Jump NZ’s only ocean touch bungy, 40m high. Westhaven Reserve, Curran St, Herne Bay. 09 360 7748, bungy.co.nz Canyonz Ltd Explore subtropical canyons and abseil down crashing waterfalls.

0800 422 696, canyonz.co.nz New Zealand Surf Tours Learn to surf on uncrowded, beautiful beaches.

09 828 0426, newzealandsurftours.com Sky Jump Fall from the top of the 192m Sky Tower, 0800 759 586, skyjump.co.nz Sky Walk Walk around the external 1.2m wide platform, 192m up.

0800 759925, skywalk.co.nz Fullers Bay of Islands Tours One, two and three-day tours from Auckland. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Awesome Adventures Three-day Bay of Islands tours.

0800 658 058, awesomenz.com

Beaches Auckland is surrounded by great beaches, including Judges Queen Street Bay, Kohimarama, Okahu Bay, Auckland’s main boulevard with St Heliers Bay and popular shops, cafés and restaurants.

Mission Bay. Whale & Dolphin Safari Aotea Square Markets See whales and dolphins from Every Friday and Saturday at Auckland’s doorstep. The Aotea Square, Queen St. NZ Hauraki Gulf is considered one fashion labels, retro gear, foods, of the most biologically and Pacific-style crafts, jewellery geographically diverse marine and furniture, 09 309 2677, parks in the world. See the-edge.co.nz dolphins, whales, sea birds and/ or even penguins. Dolphins are Victoria Park Market viewed on over 90% and whales 3km from the CBD, an outdoor on 75% of trips. Departs daily market with fruit, veggies, from the Auckland Viaduct. books, clothes and handicrafts.

Dolphin viewing guaranteed.

09 357 6032, exploregroup.co.nz GREAT BARRIER Fullers Cruises This unique island destination is Inner harbour cruises and longer dominated by a native forest a

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network of criss-crossing tracks. thebarrier.co.nz Orama Oasis Karaka Bay Rd, 09 429 0063, orama.org.nz Stray Possum Lodge (VIP) Stray Possum Lodge is situated on the beautiful Hauraki Gulf 09 429 0109, straypossum.co.nz

BARRIER DO Fullers Cruises Depart from the Ferry Building. fullers.co.nz 09 367 9111, Great Barrier Airlines Fly out of Auckland Airport or Auckland Shore Airfield.

09 275 6612, greatbarrierairlines.co.nz Fullers Great Barrier Explorers Cruise and tours, summer only (October-April).

09 367 9111, fullers.co.nz

WAIHEKE ISLAND A 35-minute ferry ride from Auckland. It is popular for its long sweeping beaches and craft shops.

WHANGAREI Whangarei I-SITE Visitor Centre 92 Otaika Rd, 09 438 1079 whangareinz.com

WHANGAREI STAY Bunkdown Lodge (BBH) 23 Otaika Road, 09 438 8886, bunkdownlodge.co.nz Coastal Cow Backpackers (BBH) 299 Molesworth Drive, Mangawai Heads 09 431 5246, mangawhaibackpackers.com Little Earth Lodge (BBH) 85 Abbey Caves Road, 09 430 6562, littleearthlodge.co.nz Whangarei Falls Backpacker (BBH) 12 Ngunguru Rd, Whareora, 09 437 0609, whangareifalls.co.nz YHA Whangarei Manaakitanga 52 Punga Grove Ave, 09 438 8954, yha.co.nz

WHANGAREI DO

Hekerua Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 11 Hekerua Rd, Oneroa, 09 372 8990, hekerualodge.co.nz

Dive! Tutukaka Poor Knights Islands dives, plus tours with kayaking, cave explorations, snorkelling, swimming, sea mammalspotting.

Kina Backpackers 421 Seaview Road, Onetangi, 09 372 8971, kinabackpackers.co.nz

PAIHIA

HELENSVILLE The hot springs here have indoor and outdoor thermal pools and waterslides.

Malolo House 110 Commercial Rd, 09 420 7262, malolohouse.co.nz

HENDERSON BAY North Wind Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 88 Otaipango Road, RD4, 09 409 8515 northwind.co.nz

HIBISCUS COAST Orewa Beach Hillary Square, Orewa 09 426 2638, orewabeach.co.nz Pillows Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 412 Hibiscus Coast Highway, 0800 426 6338, pillows.co.nz

SAIL ROCK

Paihia is one of the most beautiful towns on the North Island with equal parts love for adventure, nature and a raucous nightlife.

AwesomeNZ Tours include Maori mythology, dolphin swimming and fast boats. Maritime Building, on the waterfront, 09 402 7421, awesomenz.com Bay of Islands i-Site The Wharf, Marsden Rd, 09 402 7345, paihia.co.nz

PAIHIA STAY Base Backpackers Bay of Islands 18 Kings Rd 09 402 7111, stayatbase.com Cap’n Bob’s Beach House (BBH) 44 Davis Crescent, 09 402 8668, capnbobs.co.nz Centabay Lodge (BBH) 27 Selwyn Rd, 09 402 7466, centabay.co.nz

Hen & Chickens Island and Sail Rock These offshore areas offer great sailing and diving. Boat trips leave from the area daily.

Admirals View Motel 2 MacMurray Rd, 09 402 6236, admiralviewlodge.co.nz

Waipu Wanderer (BBH) 25 St Marys Rd, 09 432 0532 waipu-hostel.co.nz

Mousetrap (BBH) 11 Kings Rd, 09 402 8182, mousetrap.co.nz

Peppertree Lodge 15 Kings Rd, 09 402 6122, peppertree.co.nz Pickled Parrot Backpackers (BBH) Grey’s Lane, 09 402 6222, pickledparrot.co.nz Saltwater Lodge (BBH) 14 Kings Rd, 09 402 7075, saltwaterlodge.co.nz Seabeds (BBH) 46 Davis Cres, 09 402-5567 seabeds.co.nz

PAIHIA DO Haruru Falls Picturesque falls offering swimming, camping and kayaking opportunities – and a pub!

Opua Forest The DOC provides a leaflet of forest walks, which features a small stand of Kauri trees. Drive into the forest via Oromahoe Rd or walk from School Rd. Te Rawhiti Cape Brett Walkway Guided tours include experienced local Maori guides, all meals, hut accommodation, transport by boat to hut taking in the famous Hole in the Rock, Maori culture, myths and legends and hangi, capebrettwalks.co.nz Waitangi Treaty Grounds The site where the historic Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Also see carvings that represent all Maori tribes in NZ and one of the largest ceremonial waka (canoe) in the world, launched every Waitangi Day (Feb 6).

09 402 7437, waitangi.net.nz Boat cruises & dolphin watching Cape Brett “Hole in the Rock” Cruise Four-hour cruises, dolphincruises.co.nz Dolphin Discoveries With the warmest water and friendliest dolphins (bottlenoses), this is a great place for swimming with the dolphins (conditions permitting).

The high-speed luxury catamaran offers easy access to the water and hot showers. Or do a “Hole in the Rock and Dolphin Viewing Experience” and see dolphins, whales, birds and other wildlife.

Visit Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island during your island stop and explore this amazing place.

0800 000 784, exploregroup.co.nz Dune Rider Unique Adventure Tour Make your way up to Cape Reinga while traveling to the Gumdiggers Park and drive along the famous Ninety Mile Beach.

Climb huge sand dunes and boogie board back down on the way and stop at the world famous Mangonui Fish Shop for fish and chips. Departing daily from Paihia. exploregroup.co.nz Sale Lion New Zealand: “The Ultimate Day Sail in the Bay”

Join Lion New Zealand, NZ’s legendary maxi yacht. The friendly crew will show you the ropes and share the stories of the Bay and Legend of Sir Peter Blake.

0800 000 784, exploregroup.co.nz

pa on the headland at Matauri Bay. Travellers come here to dive the ship’s wreck.

WHANGAROA This area was once well known for its Kauri forests, but these days it’s more about game fishing. The scenery is ruggedly spectacular and sailing cruises are popular.

Awesome Cape Reinga Via Ninety Mile Beach – learn Maori myths and legends, navigate the quicksand stream, ride the dunes, visit a thousand year old forest.

0800 653 339, awesomenz.com

Tourist info centre Boyd Gallery, 09 405 0230, whangaroa.co.nz

RUSSELL Catch a ferry to Russell, originally a sprawling fortified Maori settlement.

Information Centre End of the Pier, Russell 09 403 8020, exploregroup.co.nz

Sunseeker Lodge (BBH) 12 Old Hospital Rd, 09 405 0496, sunseekerlodge.co.nz

KARIKARI PENIN The Rusty Anchor 1 Tokerau Beach Rd, 09 406 7141, rustyanchor.hostel.com

RUSSELL STAY

KAITAIA

Wainui Lodge (BBH) 92D Te Wahapu Rd, 09 403 8278, wainuilodge-russell-nz.com

The ideal starting point for Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach.

Pukenui Lodge Hotel (BBH) Cnr SH1 & Pukenui Wharf Rd 09 409 8837, pukenuilodge.co.nz

Ferry Landing (BBH) 395 Aucks Rd, Okiato Point 09 403 7985, ferrylandingrussell.co.nz

Mainstreet Lodge (BBH) 235 Commerce St, 09 408 1275 mainstreetlodge.co.nz

Pipi Patch Backpackers 18 Kings Road, 09 403 7111.

KERIKERI

KAITAIA DO

A highlight of the sparsely populated town is the wonderful Maori village. There is also an historic Maori pa (fortress) and the Kerikeri Mission Station. kerikeri.co.nz

Ancient Kauri Kingdom Giant kauri tree stumps are fashioned into furniture and other trinkets.

KERIKERI STAY Kerikeri Top 10 Holiday Park & Aranga Backpackers Aranga Drive off Kerikeri Rd, 0800 272 642, kerikeritop10.co.nz

Far North Regional Museum Featuring all kinds of goodies, like the skeleton of a giant moa bird and salvages from local shipwrecks.

Pack or Paddle Thoms Landing, 09 4098 445, packorpaddle@hotmail.com

AHIPARA

Hideaway Lodge Wiroa Rd, 0800 562 746 kerikeri.co.nz

Kahoe Farms Hostel (BBH) 1266 State Highway 10, 09 405 1804, kahoefarms.co.nz

Hone Heke Lodge (BBH) 65 Hone Heke Rd, 09 407 8170, honeheke.co.nz

Endless Summer Lodge (BBH) 245 Foreshore Rd, 09 409 4181, endlesssummer.co.nz

Relax a Lodge (BBH) 1574 Springbank Rd (SH10) 09 407 6989 relaxalodge.co.nz

AHIPARA DO

MATAURI BAY A very well-kept tourist secret, Matauri Bay is Maori land, home to the Ngati Kura people, and has beautiful, quiet beaches.

The Welcome Swallow Backpackers 249 Hikuru Rd, Off Matauri Bay Rd, 09 405 1019, welcomeswallow.com

Tuatua Tours Guided quad tours of Ninety Mile Beach sand dunes. 3 Main Road, 0800 494 288, tuatuatours.co.nz

HOKIANGA

The Rainbow Warrior A monument to the noble but doomed Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, sits on the site of a Maori

Heading south, you’ll hit Hokianga Harbour and the quiet twin towns of Omapere and Opononi. The Koutu Boulders are worth a look.

Hokianga Information 09 405 8869, hokianga.co.nz

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NORTHISLAND HOKIANGA STAY Okopako Lodge (BBH) – Farm Hostel 140 Mountain Rd, Whirinaki, 09 405 8815, homepages.paradise.net. nz/njandlv/

follow us on Te Awamutu District Museum 135 Roche St. 07 872 0085 tamuseum.org.nz

CHECK IN!

KAWHIA The main attraction of this peaceful port town, 55km south of Raglan, is the Maketu Marae where you can experience the rich cultural tapestry of NZ’s indigenous history.

Globetrekkers Lodge (BBH) 281 State Highway 12, Omapere, 09 405 8183, globetrekkerslodge.com The Tree House Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 168 West Coast Rd, Motukaraka 09 405 5855, treehouse.co.nz

OTOROHANGA

DARGAVILLE On the road from Hokianga, the famous “Big Trees”, the native kauri trees of Waipoua Kauri Forest. Once in Dargaville, attractions include the masts from the ill-fated Rainbow Warrior and the fascinating bird sanctuary nearby.

Dargaville Info Centre 4 Murdoch St, 09 439 4975, dargaville.co.nz

DARGAVILLE STAY Dargaville Holiday Park 10 Onslow St, 09 439 8296, kauriparks.co.nz

JUNO HALL 600 Waitomo Caves Rd, Waitomo. Juno Hall is directly across the road from The Original Black Water Rafting Company and next door to Waitomo Adventures caving base.

Waitomo bbh.co.nz DOC Office 73, Rostrevor St. 07 858 1000

HAMILTON STAY Backpackers Central 846 Victoria Street, 07 839 1928, backpackerscentral.co.nz

Kaihu Farm 334 State Highway 12, Kaihu, 09 439 4004.

Central Green (BBH) 846 Victoria St, 07 839 1928, backpackerscentral.co.nz

Greenhouse Backpackers (BBH) 15 Gordon St, 09 439 6342, bbh.co.nz

Eagle’s Nest Backpackers 937 Victoria St, 07 838 2704, eaglesbackpackers.co.nz

MATAKOHE Travellers Lodge (BBH) 64 Jellicoe Rd, Ruawai, 09 439 2283, bbh.co.nz Matakohe House B&B Hotel 24 Church Rd, RD1, 0800 492 452, matakohehouse.co.nz

WAIKATO Waikato District Info Centre 160 Great South Rd, Huntly, 07 828 6406, info@waikatodistrict.govt.nz, waikatodistrict.govt.nz Shekinah Farm (BBH) 122 Pungapunga Rd, Pukekawa, 09 233 4464, shekinahbackpackers.co.nz Raglan Kopua Holiday Park Marine Parade, Raglan, 07 825 8283, stay@raglanholidaypark.co.nz, raglanholidaypark.co.nz

Microtel YHA 140 Ulster St, 07 957 1848, microtel.co.nz YWCA Hostel Cnr Clarence & Pembroke St, 07 838 2219, hamilton.ywca.org.nz

HAMILTON DO Waikato Museum of Art & History Cnr Victoria and Grantham Sts. More than 3,000 items, with a permanent Maori War canoe.

Gold coin donations welcomed.

MATAMATA Rural town famous for being turned into Hobbiton in those films – some of the set still stands.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours 501 Buckland Rd, Hinuera, 07 888 1505, office@hobbitontours.com

CAMBRIDGE

HAMILTON NZ’s largest inland city and is known for its parks and gardens.

Hamilton Visitor Centre Corner Caro and Alexandra St, Hamilton, 07 839 3580 visithamilton.co.nz

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Just 59km south of Hamilton, many travellers use this small farming community as a base for visiting the Waitomo Caves.

This very Olde English town with its town square and abundance of trees is in the heart of Waikato.

The region is famous for its horses and jetboating.

Cambridge Info Centre Cnr Queen and Victoria Sts,

07 823 3456 cambridge.co.nz

RAGLAN One of New Zealand’s best-known surfing beaches, Raglan is situated 48km west of Hamilton.

Raglan Information Centre 2 Wainui Rd, 07 825 7076, ragland.org.nz

RAGLAN STAY Solscape Eco Retreat Backpackers (BBH) 611 Wainui Rd, 07 825 8268, solscape.co.nz Raglan Backpackers & Waterfront Lodge (BBH) 6 Wi Neera St, 07 825 0515, raglanbackpackers.co.nz Karioi Backpacker Lodge (VIP) & Raglan Surfing School 5 Whaanga Rd, Whale Bay, 07 825 7873, karioilodge.co.nz Dream View Farmstays 430 Te Hutewai Rd, 07 825 8186 dreamview.co.nz Raglan Kopua Holiday Park 61 Marine Parade, 07 825 8283, raglanholidaypark.co.nz Raglan Farmhouse and Flashpackers 61 Marine Parade, 07 825 8747, raglanfarmstay.com

TE AWAMUTU Given that it calls itself the “Rose Town of New Zealand”, it’s not surprising the 2,000-strong Rose Garden is the town’s major attraction.

Te Awamutu Info Centre 1 Gorst Ave, 07 871 3259, teawamutuinfo.com

Otorohanga Visitor Info Centre 27 Turongo St, 07 873 8951, otorohanga.co.nz Otorohanga kiwi House & Native Bird Park 20 Alex Telfer Drive, 07 873 7391, kiwihouse.org.nz

WAITOMO Definitely one of the best adventure spots in New Zealand. There are a range of caving adventures here.

Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre 21 Waitomo Caves Rd, 0800 474 839, waitomocaves.com

WAITOMO STAY Juno Hall (BBH) 600 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 878 7649 junowaitomo.co.nz Kiwi Paka Hotel Caves 256, Access Rd, 07 878 3395 waitomokiwipaka.co.nz Kiwi Cave Rafting (BBH) 95 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 873 9149, caveraft.com

WAITOMO DO Dundle Hill Walk A two-day walk through native bush; limestone outcrops includes overnight with spectacular views at Kays Cabin.

07 878 7640 dundlehillwalk.com Marakopa Falls, Managapohue Natural Bridge, Piri Piri Cave, 30 minutes drive from Waitomo.

Rap Raft ‘n’ Rock Blackwater adventures combining abseiling, rafting, glowworms, caving and rockclimbing all in one five-hour adventure. 0800 228 372, caveraft.com The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co Cave tubing in the blackness of the Ruakuri Cave river. 585 Waitomo Caves Rd, 07 878 6219, waitomo.com

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TE KUITI Te Kuiti Information Centre Rora St, 07 878 8077.

Dept of Conservation 78 Taupiri Street, 07 878 1080.

Tiffany’s Cafe, 241 Rora St, 07 878 7640

TE KUITI STAY Casara Mesa Backpackers (BBH) Mangarino Rd, 07 878 6697, bbh.co.nz Coromandel Top 10 Holiday Park 636-732 Rings Rd, 07 866 8830, coromandeltop10.co.nz

OTOROHANGA Just 59km south of Hamilton, many travellers use this small farming community as a base for visiting the Waitomo Caves.

Otorohanga Visitor Info Centre 27 Turongo St, otorohanga.co.nz

COROMANDEL PEN A series of towns loop around the peninsula, broken by rolling green hills. Highlights include Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove and the cosy little Coromandel township.

THAMES A great canyoning spot, with loads of natural pools and waterslides.

Information Thames 206 Poland St, 07 868 7284 thamesinfo.co.nz DOC Office Pahau St, 07 867 9180 doc.govt.nz

THAMES STAY Dickson Holiday Park 115 Victoria St, 07 868 7308, Gateway Backpackers (BBH) 209 Mackay St, 07 868 6339, bbh.co.nz Sunkist International Backpackers 506 Brown St, 07 868 8808, sunkistbackpackers.co.nz Te Aroha YHA Hostel Miro Street, Te Aroha (south of Thames), 07 884 8739, yha.co.nz

COROMANDEL Some 55km north of Thames is the town of Coromandel, home to the popular Driving Creek Railway.

Coromandel Information Centre 335 Kapanga Rd, 07 866 8598, coromandeltown.co.nz

CORO STAY Anchor Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 448 Wharf Rd,

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07 866 7992, anchorlodgecoromandel.co.nz Black Jack Backpackers Kuaotunu, 07 866 2988, black-jack.co.nz

Fernbird (BBH) 24 Harsant Ave, Hahei, 07 866 3080, bbh.co.nz

Colville Farm (BBH) 2140 Colville Road, Colville, 07 866 6820

On the Beach Backpackers Lodge (BBH, YHA) 46 Buffalo Beach Rd, 07 866 5380, onthebeachbackpackers.co.nz

Mahamudra Retreat Colville Rd, 07 866 6851 mahamudra.org.nz

Seabreeze Holiday Park (BBH) 1043 SH25 Tairua-Whitianga Rd, 07 866 3050

The Pinnacles Backpackers (BBH) 305 Main Road (SH25), 07 864 8448, pinnaclesbakpak.co.nz

Tatahi Lodge (BBH) 9 Grange Rd, Hahei, 07 866 3992, tatahilodge.co.nz

Lions Den (BBH) 126 Te Tiki St, 07 866 8157 ionsdenhostel.co.nz

TAURANGA

Tui Lodge (BBH) 60 Whangapoua Rd, 07 866 8237, coromandeltuilodge.co.nz

One of the fastest growing places in NZ, Tauranga combines a young population with a harbourside atmosphere. Enjoy diving, sailing, fishing and surfing.

Tairua Backpackers (BBH) 200 Main Road, 07 864 8345, tairuabackpackers.com

OPOUTERE This is a good place to go to just chill out. The beach here is glorious and generally empty. Skinny dip anyone?

YHA Opoutere 389 Opoutere Rd, 07 865 9072, yha.co.nz

WHANGAMATA A real surfie town, Whangamata has one of the best surf beaches in New Zealand and a laidback atmosphere to match.

Whangamata Info Centre 616 Port Rd, 07 865 8340 Southpacific Accommodation 245 Port Rd, 07 865 9580, thesouthpacific.co.nz NZ Surf n Stay (BBH) 227 Beverley Tce, 07 865 8323 whangamata-backpackers.co.nz

WHITIANGA Whitianga, perched on pretty Mercury Bay, is the most popular stop-off point for travellers on the Coromandel. You can learn to make your very own bone carving, dive and surf to your heart’s content.

Tauranga i-site 95 Willow St, 07 578 8103 bayofplenty.co.nz Department of Conservation 253 Chadwick Rd West, 07 578 7677

TAURANGA STAY Apple Tree Backpackers (BBH) 47 Maxwell Rd, 07 576 4001 appletreebackpackers.co.nz Harbourside City Backpackers 105 The Strand, 07 579 4066, backpacktauranga.co.nz Bell Lodge (BBH) 39 Bell St, Judea, 07 578 6344, bell-lodge.co.nz Just The Ducks Nuts Backpackers 6 Vale St, 07 576 1366, justtheducksnuts.co.nz Kingfisher Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 122b Word Road, 07 552 0388, kingfisher-backpack.co.nz Loft 109 (BBH) 8/109 Devonport Rd, 07 579 5638, loft109.co.nz

Whitianga Information Centre 118 Oceanview Rd, 09 372 1234 whitianga.co.nz

Pacific Coast Lodge 432 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui Beach, 0800 666 622 / +64 7574 9601, pacificcoastlodge.co.nz

Baywatch Backpackers (VIP) 22 The Esplanade, 07 866 5481, whitianga.co.nz/baywatch

Seagulls Guesthouse (BBH) 12 Hinau Street, 07 574 2099, seagullsguesthouse.co.nz

Cathedral Cove Lodge 41 Harsant Ave, Hahei Beach, 07 866 3889, cathedralcove.co.nz

Tauranga Central Backpackers 64 Willow St, 07 571 6222, tgabackpack.co.nz

Cat’s Pyjamas Backpackers (BBH) 12 Albert St, 07 866 4663, cats-pyjamas.co.nz

YHA Tauranga 171 Elizabeth St, 07 578 5064, yha.co.nz

TAURANGA DO Waimarino Adventure Park 07 576 4233, waimarino.com Coyote Bar and Restaurant 107 The Strand, 07 578 8968.

TE PUKE Te Puke Information Centre 130 Jellicoe St, 07 573 9172 tepuke.co.nz

TE PUKE STAY Hairy Berry Backpacker Hostel 2 No One Rd, Te Puke, 07 573 8015, work@hairyberrynz.com Kiwi Corral Backpackers 26 Young Road, 07 573 4530, kiwicorral.co.nz Blue Tide Beachfront Retreat 7 Te Awhe Rd, Maketu Beach, 07 533 2033, bluetides.co.nz

TE PUKE DO Kiwifruit Country Young Rd, 07 573 6340, kiwifruitcountry.co.nz Gotcha Paintball, 720 State Highway 33, Paengaroa, 022 649 1158

WHAKATANE For a very different adventure, visit White Island, an active volcano where sulphur-lipped fumeroles and roaring steam vents create a stark wonderland. whakatane.com Karibu Backpackers (BBH) 13 Landing Rd, 07 307 8276 Otapawa Farmstay (BBH) 255 Haunui Road, 06 376 7250 otapawafarmstay.co.nz/ backpackers

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ROTORUA Rotorua is a must for three reasons: the abundance of accessible Maori culture, the steaming volcanic scenery and adrenalin thrills.

Tourism Rotorua & Visitor Info Centre 1167 Fenton St, 07 348 5179 rotoruanz.com

ROTORUA STAY Astray Motel & Backpackers (BBH) 1202 Pukuatua St, 07 348 1200, astray.co.nz Base Backpackers Rotorua 1286 Arawa St, 07 348 8636, stayatbase.com Blarney’s Rock Backpackers 1210 Tutanekai St, 07 343 7904, blarneysrock.com Cactus Jack Backpackers 1210 Haupapa St, 0800 122 228 cactusjackbackpackers.com Crash Palace Backpackers 1271 Hinemaru St, 07 348 842, crashpalace.co.nz Funky Green Voyager (BBH) 4 Union St, 07 346-1754, funkygreenvoyager.co.nz Kiwipaka 60 Tarewa Rd, 07 347 0931, kiwipaka.co.nz Planet Nomad Backpackers 1080 Eruera St, 07 350 2550, rotoruaplanetbackpackers.co.nz Oasis Hostel/Backpackers 33A Tarewa Rd, 07 343 6563, oasishostel.co.nz

Whakatane Hotel 79 The Strand, 07 307 1670

Rotorua Central Backpackers (BBH) 1076 Pukuatua St, 07 349 3285, rotoruacentralbackpackers.co.nz

The Windsor 10 Merritt St, Whakatane, 07 308 8040, windsorlodge-backpackers.co.nz

Rotorua Downtown Backpackers (BBH) 1193 Fenton St, 07 347 1170, rotorua-backpackers.co.nz

WHAKATANE DO Dive White 168 The Strand, 0800 348 394, divewhite.co.nz White Island Tours Departs Whakatane daily.

15 The Strand.

07 308 9588 whiteisland.co.nz

hellsgate.co.nz Kaitiaki Adventures Extreme whitewater activities.

Sledging and rafting trips on the Kaituna and Rangitaiki Rivers, 0800 338 736, kaitiaki.co.nz Off Road NZ Sprint car racing, Monster 4X4, 4WD Bush Safari and more, 07 332 5748, offroadnz.co.nz Polynesian Spa Historical hot mineral water bathing spa on the edge of Lake Rotorua, 07 348 1328, polynesianspa.co.nz Raftabout Whitewater rafting and sledging, 0800 723 822, raftabout.co.nz Skyline Skyrides Spectacular Get the best views and luge down 5km of tracks, or take the 150ft skyswing, 07 347 0027, skylineskyrides.co.nz Waikite Hot Pools Natural hot spring water bathing. Provides private spas, BBQ area and campground facilities, 20 minutes south of Rotorua. hotpools.co.nz Waimangu Volcanic Valley The location of the Pink and White Terraces which were destroyed in the 1886 volcanic eruption. waimangu.co.nz Wet ‘n’ Wild Rafting Guided rafting options on five different rivers – the Wairoa, Rangitaiki, Kaituna, Motu and Mohaka, 0800 462 7238, wetnwildrafting.co.nz Zorb Rotorua Get harnessed inside the perspex Zorb before rolling head-over-heels downhill, 07 357 5100, zorb.com

MAORI CULTURE

Spa Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 1221 Amohau Street, 07 348 3486, spalodge.co.nz

While you’re here, take the opportunity to see how the Maori lived before European settlment.

The Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Whakarewarewa is a good place to begin . nzmaori.co.nz.

YHA Rotorua 1278 Haupapa St, 07 349 4088, yha.co.nz

NZ Maori Arts & Crafts Institute 07 348 9047 tepuia.com

Roquette Restaurant & Bar 23/29 Quay St. 07 307 0722

Agroventures Five adrenalin activities in one adventure park, including bungy jumping, sprint boats and a wind tunnel. 1335 Paradise Valley Rd. 07 357 4747, agroventures.co.nz

Tamaki Maori Village New Zealand’s Most Awarded Cultural Experience!

Experience an evening of ceremonial ritual, powerful cultural performance, storytelling & hangi feasting.

Hinemaru St, 07 349 2099 tamakimaorivillage.co.nz

Wallys on the Wharf 2 The Strand, 07 307 0722,

Hell’s Gate Mud baths to heal and stimulate your body

Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Maori village set amidst a

The Wharf Shed Restaurant 2/2 The Strand E. 07 308 5698

ROTORUA DO

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NORTHISLAND landscape of geothermal wonders. Take a guided tour, see a cultural performance, check out Maori art.

07 349 3463, whakarewarewa.com

LAKE TAUPO Taupo Visitor Centre 30 Tongariro St, 07 376 0027, greatlaketaupo.com

TAUPO STAY Berkenhoff Lodge 75 Scannell St, 07 378 4909, berkenhofflodge.co.nz Blackcurrant Backpackers (BBH) 20 Taniwha St, 07 378 9292, blackcurrantbp.co.nz Rainbow Lodge 99 Titiraupenga St, 07 378 5754, rainbowlodge.co.nz Finns Global Backpackers 8 Tuwharetoa St, 07 377 0044, finnsglobal.co.nz Wairakei Lodge State Highway, 0800 737 678, budgetaccommodation taupo.co.nz Sportsman Lodge Backpackers Retreat 15 Taupahi Rd, 0800 366 208, sportsmanslodge.co.nz Base Taupo 7 Tuwharetoa St, 07 377 4464, stayatbase.com Taupo Urban Retreat 65 Heu Heu St, 0800 872 261, tur.co.nz Tiki Lodge 104 Tuwharetoa St, 0800 845 456, tikilodge.co.nz YHA Taupo 56 Kaimanawa St, 07 378 3311, yha.co.nz Silver Fern Lodge 118 Tamamutu St, 07 377 4929, silverfernlodge.co.nz Lake Maraetai Lodge 5 Totara Terrace, 07 882 8940, lake-maraetai-lodge.co.nz

TAUPO DO Craters of the Moon One of the most geothermally active areas in the region, full of boiling mud and steaming craters. Wairakei Park. cratersofthemoon.co.nz Huka Falls Take a relaxing walk up to Huka Falls where the water pours over the 35ft drop at up to

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62,000 gallons per second. hukafalls.com Hukafalls Jet Jetboating by the falls, 0800 485 2538, hukafallsjet.com Rock ‘n’ Ropes Ropes Courses including the trapeze and Giant Swing. At Crazy Catz on Highway 5. 0800 244 508, rocknropes.co.nz Taupo Bungy Bungy from a platform 47m above the Waikato River. 202 Spa Rd. 0800 888 408, taupobungy.com Tongariro Crossing Transport and National Park Links From Taupo and Turangi during summer months (NovMay).

07 377 0435, thetongarirocrossing.co.nz Taupo Tandem Skydiving Skydive from up to 15,000 feet (over one minute freefall). Free shuttle, DVD and digital photos.

Yellow Hangar, Taupo Airport.

0800 275 934, taupotandemskydiving.com

TURANGI On the southern shores of Lake Taupo, Turangi is known as the trout fishing capital of the world. It offers heaps of outdoor adventure activities and is a good base for venturing into the Tongariro National Park.

Turangi Visitor Centre Tongariro St, 07 376 0027, turangi.co.nz

TURANGI STAY A Plus Samurai Lodge (BBH) 41 Iwiheke Place, 07 386 8979, tongariro-hostel.co.nz Asure Parklands Motorlodge Cnr Arahori St & State Hwy 1, 07 386 7515, parklandsmotorlodge.co.nz Extreme Backpackers (BBH) 26 Ngawaka Place, 07 386 8949, extremebackpackers.co.nz Judges Pool Motel 92 Taupahi Rd, 07 386 7892, judgepoolmotel.co.nz

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TONGARIRO

Mokai Gravity Canyon Extreme flying fox, bridge swing and bungy jump.

0800 802 864

Adventure Lodge & Motel (VIP) Carroll Street, National Park, 07 892 2991, adventurenationalpark.co.nz

River Valley Rafting and horse trekking.

06 388 1444, thelodge@rivervalley.co.nz

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The Crossing Backpackers Erua Rd East, 07 892 2894, thecrossingbackpackers.co.nz daKune Lodge (BBH) 42 Park Ave, Ohakune 06 385 8448, dakunelodge.co.nz Howards Mountain Lodge (BBH) 43 Carroll St, National Park, 07 892 2827, howardslodge.co.nz Skotel Alpine Resort Whakapapa Village, 07 892 3715, skotel.co.nz National Park Backpackers YHA (BBH) 4 Findlay St. The hostel runs transport to the Tongariro Crossing, 07 892 2870, npbp.co.nz Pipers Lodge 18 Millar St, National Park Village, 07 8922 777, piperslodge.co.nz Plateau Lodge 17 Caroll St, National Park Village, 07 8922 993, plateaulodge.co.nz Ski Haus (BBH) Carroll St, McKenzie St, 07 892 2854, skihaus.co.nz Station Lodge (BBH) 60 Thames Street, The Junction, Ohakune, 06 385 8797, stationlodge.co.nz

MT RUAPEHU The park’s showcase is Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano towering at 2,796m.

Ruapehu Visitors’ Centre 54 Clyde St, 06 385 8427 visitruapehu.com Whakapapa Visitor Centre SH 48, Whakapapa Village, 07 892 3729 visitruapehudc.govt.nz

RANGITIKEI

The Lazy Dog (BBH) 3 Rangipoia Place, 07 386 0317, lazydogbackpackers.co.nz

The Rangitikei District is a top destination for adventure sports.

Amongst stunning scenery, you can navigate grade five whitewater and take the leap of elasticated faith from an 80m bungy.

Riverstone Backpackers (BBH) 222 Tautahanga Rd, 07 386 7004, riverstonebackpackers.com

Rangitikei Farmstay 422 Makuhou Rd, 06 327 4495, rangitikeifarmstay.govt.nz

Settlers Motel 24 Arahori St, 07 386 7745, settlersmotelturangi.co.nz Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park 13 Te Reiti Tamara Grove, 07 386 8754,

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RANGITIKEI DO

OPOTIKI Opotiki Information Centre Cnr St John and Elliot Sts, 07 315 3031 opotikinz.com Central Oasis Backpackers 30 King St, 07 315 5165, centraloasis@hotmail.com Fruit Forest Studio 197 Omarumutu Rd, 07 315 8143, fruitforest.co.nz Opotiki Beach House (BBH) 7 Appleton Road, 07 315 5117 opotikibeachhouse.co.nz

EAST CAPE As you head around the Cape the towns get tinier and the scenery more dramatic. At Te Araroa, you can thead around to the East Cape Lighthouse.

Maraehako Bay Retreat SH35, Whanarua Bay, 07 325 2648. maraehako.co.nz Stranded in Paradise (BBH) 21 Potae Street, 06 864 5870, stranded-in-paradise.net Wainui Beach Motel 34 Wairere Rd, 06 868 5882, wainuibeachmotel.co.nz

GISBORNE Flying Nun Backpackers (BBH) 147 Roebuck Rd, 06 868 0461, flynun.co.nz YHA Gisborne 32 Harris St, 06 867 3269, yha.co.nz

WAIROA Wairoa Visitor Information Centre Queen St, 06 838 7440 Haere Mai Cottage (BBH) 49 Mitchell Rd, 06 838 6817 DOC office for hut bookings Lake Waikaremoana, 06 837 3900

NAPIER Napier is a beautiful, surprising city.

Its “pleasing to the eye” status is actually the result of an enormous earthquake which meant the entire town had to be rebuilt.

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NAPIER STAY Aqua Lodge (BBH) 53 Nelson Cres, 06 835 4523, bbh.co.nz Archie’s Bunker (BBH) 15 Herschell Street, 06 833 7990, archiesbunker.co.nz The Art House (BBH) 259 Marine Parade, 06 835 5575, arthousenapier.co.nz Blue Water Lodge (BBH) 471 Marine Parade, 06 835 8593, arthousenapier.co.nz Criterion Art Deco Backpackers (VIP, Roamfree) - (BBH) 60 Whangapoua Rd, 07 866 8237, coromandeltuilodge.co.nz 48 Emerson St, 06 835 2059, criterionartdeco.co.nz Stable Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 370 Hastings Street, 06 835 6242, bluewaterlodge.co.nz Toad Hall Backpackers (BBH) 11 Shakespeare Road, 06 835 5555, toadhall.co.nz Waterfront Lodge & Backpackers 217 Marine Pd, 06 835 3429, napierbackpackers.co.nz YHA Napier 277 Marine Parade, 06 835 7039, yha.co.nz

HASTINGS Hastings is 20km south of Napier and most notable for its fertile plains, which have given birth to a multitude of beautiful parks, gardens and farms.

A1 Backpackers (BBH) 122 Stortford St, 06 873 4285, a1backpackers.co.nz Glenross Lodge (BBH) Route 52, Rakaunui, 06 376 7288, tararua.net/glenross Lochlea Farmstay 344 Lake Rd, Wanstead, +6468554816 The Rotten Apple Backpackers (BBH) 114 Heretaunga St, 06 878 4363, rottenapple.co.nz AJ’s Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 405 Southland Rd, 06 878 2302, ajs.backpackerslodge.co.nz

TARANAKI Best known for its snow-capped mountain, Mt Taranaki. Peaceful and impressive, Taranaki has skifields, excellent surf beaches, great walking and climbing.

Visitor Info Centre 100 Marine Parade, 06 834 1911

MOKAU

Depart of Conservation Office Marine Parade, 06 834 3111

Palm House Backpackers taranaki-bakpak.co.nz

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The nation’s capital is to many people, New Zealand’s most interesting city.

WELLY DO Cable car Walk down Lambton Quay and you will see a sign for the cable car which departs every 10 minutes past Kelburn Park to the Botanic Gardens, 04 472 2199

Wellington Visitor Info Centre Corner of Victoria & Wakefield Sts, 04 802 4860, wellingtonnz.com DOC Information Centre 18 Manners St, 04 384 7770 Ferry to the South Island Boats to Picton on the South Island. Ferries can be booked up well in advance in holiday periods.

Ferry Tickets Online 186 Victoria St, 0800 500 660, ferrytickets.co.nz

IN THE SPOTLIGHT GOAT ISLAND Goat Island Marine Reserve was created almost 40 years ago as New Zealand’s first marine sanctuary and now provides tourists a chance to interact with the local fauna. Due to its close proximity to Auckland, just 80km north, Goat Island is almost a must-do, no matter how much (or little) time you have to spend in New Zealand.

While there, tourists can choose to take a ride on the glass-bottomed boat ($25) or just flop about in the water with a snorkel. If you don’t mind camping or want to stay on for an extra day, try Goat Island Camping ($18pp).

If you do end up staying in the area, why not explore the local township of Leigh, which has its very own microbrewery.

NEW PLYMOUTH Taranaki’s major town is New Plymouth. One of NZ’s finest art galleries is here (the GovettBrewster Art Gallery). It hosts a great café.

Department of Conservation 55A Rimu Street, 06 759 0350 New Plymouth Info Centre Puke Ariki, 65 St Aubyn Street, 06 759 0897, visitnewplymouth.co.nz

PLYMOUTH STAY EcoInn (BBH) 671 Kent Rd, between Egmont Village and New Plymouth on SH3. 06 752 2765 ecoinnovation. co.nz/t-Accommodation.aspx Egmont Lodge (BBH, YHA) 12 Clawton St, 06 753 5720, yha.co.nz bbh.co.nz Seaspray House (BBH) 13 Weymouth St, 06 759 8934, seasprayhouse.co.nz

Stratford Heritage Lodge 103 Miranda St, 06 765 7482, eastern-taranaki.co.nz

Hikurangi Stay Place 1 Mount View Road, 06 343 333 stayplace.co.nz

Taranaki Accommodation Lodge (BBH) 7 Romeo St, Stratford, 06 765 5444, info@mttaranakilodge.co.nz

YHA Whanganui 2 Plymouth St, 06 348 2301, yha.co.nz

TARANAKI DO Climbing Mount Taranaki It is possible to climb it and return to civilisation in one day, however the weather is notoriously volatile and you must always notify the DOC.

STRATFORD Stratford Information Centre Broadway Stratford (State Hwy 3), 06 765 6708, stratford.govt.nz Department of Conservation Pembroke Rd, 06 765 5144

SOUTH TARANAKI

Ducks & Drakes Backpackers (BBH) 48 Lemon St, 06 758 0404 ducksanddrakes.co.nz

Information South Taranaki 55 High St, Hawera, 0800 111 323, southtaranaki.com

Sunflower Lodge (BBH) 33 Timandra St, 06 758, 2842 sunflowerlodge.co.nz

Wheatly Downs Farmstay Backpackers (BBH) 484 Ararata Rd, Hawera, 06 278 6523, mttaranaki.co.nz/retreat/ wheatly_downs_farmstay/

PLYMOUTH DO Brooklands Zoo Brooklands, New Plymouth, 06 759 6060, info@npdc.govt.nz

MT TARANAKI

WHANGANUI College House 42b Campbell Street, 021 852 100 42b.co.nz

Tamara Backpackers Lodge (BBH) 24 Somme Pde, 06 347 6300, tamaralodge.com Whanganui National Park The major attraction is the Whanganui River, snaking through picturesque scenery.

Explore with a kayak or riverboat tour.

Wanganui Information Centre 31 Taupo Quay, Whanganui, 06 349 0508, wanganui.com Department of Conservation Office 74 Ingestre St, 06 348 8475

PALMERSTON NTH Palmerston North Visitor Centre The Square, 06 350 1922, manawatunz.co.nz Department of Conservation Office 717 Tremaine Ave, 06 350 9700 Grandma’s Place (BBH) 146 Grey St, 06 358 6928, grandmas-place.com Pepper Tree Hostel (BBH) 121 Grey St, 06 355 4054, peppertreehostel.co.nz

WELLINGTON

Zealandia Many of New Zealand’s rarest birds, reptiles and insects are living freely in this awardwinning conservation safe haven. Look for kiwis on a guided tour by torchlight. Times vary and bookings are essential.

Waiapu Rd, Karori. 04 920 9200, visitzealandia.com

WELLY STAY Barnacles Seaside Inn (BBH) 3 Marine Parade.

04 902 5856 seasideyha.co.nz Base Wellington 21-23 Cambridge Tce. 04 801 5666 stayatbase.com

Mount Victoria The views are breathtaking. It’s damn windy so make sure you’re wearing heavy shoes. Walk, drive or bus it.

Cambridge Hotel (BBH) 28 Cambridge Tce. 04 385 8829, cambridgehotel.co.nz

Museum of Wellington City & Sea Queens Wharf, 04 472 8904

Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers (BBH) 1 Bunny St. 04 473 8482 hotelwaterloo.co.nz Lodge in the City (BBH) 152 Taranaki St. 04 385 8560 lodgeinthecity.co.nz Moana Lodge (BBH) 49 Moana Road.

04 233 2010 lmoana-lodge-accommodation. co.nz Wellywood Backpackers 58 Tory St, 04 381 3899, wellywoodbackpackers.co.nz Nomads Capital 118/120 Wakefield St. 0508 666 237, nomadscapital.com

The Setup (BBH) Level 3/15, Dixon Street, Te Aro 04 802 4779 setupdixon.co.nz

YHA Wellington City 292 Wakefield St. 04 801 7280 yha.co.nz

Te Papa – The National Museum Experience the earthquake simulation room, find out what the early settlers went through and visit Te Marae, Te Papa’s living modern marae.

Free entry, Cable St, 04 381 7000, tepapa.govt.nz

Harbour cruises The harbour is a handsome thing and the best way to fully appreciate its beauty is by boat.

Rowena’s Lodge 115 Brougham St. 04 385 7872, wellingtonbackpackers.co.nz

Worldwide Backpackers (BBH) 291 The Terrace.

04 802 5590, worldwidenz.co.nz

Parliament House Free tours. Visit the Beehive, a uniquely designed centre of government with a distinct style of architecture, 04 471 9503

Wellington Zoo Located in Newtown and home to a wide variety of weird and wonderful animal and bird life, 04 381 6755

Rosemere Backpackers (BBH) 6 MacDonald Crescent.

04 384 3041, backpackerswellington.co.nz

Wild Zebra Backpackers (BBH) 58 Tory Street. wellingtonbackpacker.com

Cosmic Corner Funk Store The funkiest store in the universe. Check out the legal highs and chat to the staff, who will happily point you in the right direction for parties, events and scenic spots.

215 Cuba St, 04 801 6970, cosmiccorner.co.nz

Wellington Rover Tours Small group day tours exploring Wellington, its stunning rugged coastline and the Lord of the Rings locations. 021 426 211, wellingtonrover.co.nz Beaches Wellington’s waterfront has cafés, restaurants and parks.

Oriental Bay is good for a dip, but the water is cold and not always clean. It’s also good for a walk along the foreshore. If you are desperate for a swim, Scorching Bay is good or head up the coast towards Otaki where the best beaches in the region are found.

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SOUTHISLAND ABEL TASMAN The Abel Tasman National Park has great tramping with 56,000 acres to explore. The Coastal Track is one of the most popular walks in New Zealand, especially in summer when you can cool down at the stunning beaches. Nelson, Motueka and Marahau are all good bases for visiting the park. Sea kayaking is excellent here too.

ABEL DO Wilsons Abel Tasman Sea kayaking, water taxis and lodge accommodation.

03 528 2027, abeltasman.co.nz Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz

NELSON Nelson is seen as the “sunshine capital” of NZ. Home to a string of attractive beaches, Nelson is only a short drive away from the famous Abel Tasman National Park. The town boasts great cafés and a strong artistic subculture. Nelson’s great climate is conducive to fruit growing and travellers can find plenty of work in the area.

Nelson Visitor Centre Cnr Trafalgar & Halifax St, 03 548 2304, nelsonnz.com Airport Shuttle supershuttles.co.nz Nelson City Taxis 03 548 8225

NELSON STAY Abba Lodge (BBH) 11 Awaroa Bay, 03 528 8758, abbalodge.co.nz Amber House B&B 46 Weka St, 021 202 4961, amberhouse.co.nz Accents on the Park (BBH/VIP) 335 Trafalgar Square.

03 548 4335, accentsonthepark.com Almond House (BBH) 63 Grove St. 03 545 6455, almondbackpackers.co.nz Alpine Lodge St Arnaud.

03 521 1869, alpinelodge.co.nz Aurora Backpackers (BBH) 161-163 Trafalger Square.

03 929 5553, aurorabackpackers.co.nz Beach Hostel (BBH) 25 Muritai St. 03 548 6817, nelsonbeachhostel.50megs.com The Bug (BBH) 226 Vanguard St. 03 539 4227 thebug.co.nz Villa by the Sea (BBH) 252 Haven Rd. 03 545 8365, villabythesea.co.nz Footprints by the Sea 31 Beach Rd, Tahuna Beach.

03 546 5441,

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footprints.co.nz Tramways Hotel Nelson 66 Trafalgar St, 03 548 7049, tramwayshotel.co.nz Honey Suckle House (BBH) 125 Tasman St. 03 548 7576 honeysucklehouse. weebly.com/ Hu Ha Bikerpackers (BBH) State Highway 6, Glenhope.

03 548 2707, bbh.co.nz The Palace Backpackers (BBH) 114 Rutherford St. 03 548 4691, thepalace.co.nz Paradiso (BBH) 42 Weka St. 0800 269 667, backpackernelson.co.nz The Prince Albert Backpackers (BBH) 113 Nile St. 03 548 8477 theprincealbert.co.nz Courtesy Court Motel 26/30 Gold Rd, 03 548 5114, courtesycourt.co.nz The Honesy Lawyer Country Pub 1 Point Rd, Monaco, 03 547 4070, honestlawyer.co.nz Shortbread Cottage (BBH) 33 Trafalgar St. 03 546 6681 shortbreadcottage.co.nz Tasman Bay Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 10 Weka St. 03 548 7950, tasmanbaybackpackers.co.nz Trampers Rest (BBH) 31 Alton St. 03 545 7477 Idesia B&B 14 Idesia Grove, Richmond, 03 544 0409 YHA Nelson 59 Rutherford St, 03 545 9988, yha.co.nz

NELSON DO Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz Happy Valley 4x4 Motorbike Adventures Tours around spectacular private farm on chunky fourwheel motorbikes.

03 545 0304, happyvalleyadventures.co.nz Kaiteriteri kayaks Transport from Nelson.

03 527 8383, seakayak.co.nz Skydive Abel Tasman Tandem jumps from 13,000ft over Abel Tasman.

0800 422 899, skydive.co.nz

NELSON LAKES Located 118km south-west of Nelson, the park comprises Lake Rotoroa and Lake Rotoiti, and is surrounded by forests and mountains. Apart from tramping and skiing at Rainbow Valley and Mt Robert in winter, the lakes offer fishing and other water activities.

BOOK NOW! MOTUEKA This is an alternative hang-out for creative types and those seeking to veer off life’s fast lane. Most people use Motueka as a base to launch an assault on Abel Tasman National Park, but if you take the time to look around your efforts will be well rewarded. Try Marahau Beach and Cobb Valley.

Motueka i-SITE Visitors Centre 20 Wallace St, 03 528 6543, motuekaisite.co.nz

MOTUEKA STAY Happy Apple 500 High St, 03 528 8652, happyapplebackpackers.co.nz Avalon Manor Motels 314/316 High St, 0800 282 566 avalonmotels.co.nz Eden’s Edge Backpackers (BBH) 137 Lodder Lane, Riwaka.

03 528 4242, edensedge.co.nz Motueka Garden Motel 71 King Edward St, 0800 101 911, motmotel.co.nz Hat Trick Lodge Backpackers (BBH) 25 Wallace St. 03 528 5353, hattricklodge.co.nz Laughing Kiwi (BBH) 310 High St. 03 528 9229, laughingkiwi.co.nz Old Macdonald’s Farm Holiday Park 03 527 8288, oldmacs.co.nz The White Elephant (BBH) 55 Whakarewa St. 03 528 6208, whiteelephant.co.nz Equestrian Lodge Motel 2 Avalon Ct, 03 528 9369

MOTUEKA DO Wilsons Abel Tasman 265 High St, 03 528 2027, abeltasman.co.nz Abel Tasman Kayaks Ltd 0800 527 8022 abeltasmankayaks.co.nz

TAKAKA Known as the “Heart of the Parks”, the much underrated Golden Bay region is a place of considerable natural beauty. If you venture slightly out of Takaka you will see the Te Waikoropupu (Pupu Springs), one of the largest freshwater springs in the world.

Information Centre Willow St, 03 525 9136 Dept of Conservation Office 62 Commercial St, 03 525 8026

TAKAKA STAY Annie’s Nirvana Lodge (BBH, YHA) 25 Motupipi St. 03 525 8766, nirvanalodge.co.nz

follow us on Aquapackers Anchorage Bay, Marahau, Abel Tasman National Park. 0800 430 744, aquapackers.co.nz Golden Bay Barefoot Backpackers (BBH) 114 Commercial St. 03 525 7005, bare-foot.co.nz Kiwiana (BBH) 73 Motuipipi St. 03 525 7676 kiwianabackpackers.co.nz Kanuka Ridge (BBH) 21 Moss Rd, Marahau, Abel Tasman National Park. 03 527 8435, abeltasmanbackpackers.co.nz The Rocks chalets 2086 Takaka Valley Hwy, 03 525 8096, travelbug.co.nz River Inn Golden Bay. 03 525 9425 riverinn.co.nz Shambhala (BBH) 1234 Takaka-Collingwood Highway. 03 525 8463, shambhala.co.nz

KAHURANGI NP The second-largest national park in NZ, Kahurangi includes the Heaphy Track. There are more than 100 bird species and an impressive cave system to be seen here. For info see the Nelson DOC office.

COLLINGWOOD North-west of Takaka is the tiny community of Collingwood (the people aren’t particularly small, their numbers are), a good base for expeditions to Farewell Spit.

@tnt_downunder portage.co.nz Watson Way Backpackers (BBH) 56 High Street 03 572 8228 watsonswaylodge.com

PICTON This pretty town is the opening to the South Island, where the North Island ferry comes in, a centre for the many activities in Queen Charlotte Sound.

Airport shuttle bus 03 573 7125

PICTON STAY Atlantis Backpackers (BBH) 42 London Quay, 03 573 7390, atlantishostel.co.nz The Buccaneer Lodge 314 Waikawa Rd, 03 573 5002, buccaneerlodge.co.nz The Jugglers Rest (BBH) 8 Canterbury St. 03 573 5570, jugglersrest.com Fat Cod Backpackers (BBH) 9 Auckland St, 03 573 7788, fatcodbackpackers.co.nz Sequoia Lodge (BBH, VIP) 3 Nelson Sq. 03 573 8399, sequoialodge.co.nz Atlantis Backpackers 42 London Quay, 03 573 7390, atlantisbackpackers.co.nz The Villa (BBH) 34 Auckland St. 03 573 6598, thevilla.co.nz

The Innlet (BBH) 839 Pakawau Main Rd, 03 524 8040, theinnlet.co.nz

Tombstone Backpackers (BBH) 16 Gravesend Place. 03 573 7116, tombstonebp.co.nz

Somerset House (BBH) 10 Gibbs Rd. 03 524 8624, backpackerscollingwood.co.nz

Parklands Marina Holiday Park 10 Beach Rd, 03 573 6343, parktostay.co.nz

FAREWELL SPIT Arching east from the top of Golden Bay, this is a sand bar of epic proportions, home to some of the largest sanddunes in the world and some amazing birdlife.

Golden Bay Visitor Centre 03 524 8454

MARLBOROUGH The Marlborough Sounds are a beautiful labyrinth of islands and bays, serving as an impressive gateway to the South Island. Hire a kayak to paddle the coves in style, or go swimming with the dolphins.

Anakiwa 401 (BBH) 401 Anakiwa Rd. 03 574 1388, anakiwabackpackers.co.nz Copperbeech (BBH) 73 Maxwell Rd. 03 579 2246, copperbeechbackpackers@hotmail. com Hopewell (BBH) Kenepuru Rd. 03 573 4341, hopewell.co.nz The Partage Resort Hotel Kenepuru Sound. 0800 275 373,

PICTON DO Dolphin Watch Encounters Picton Foreshore, 03 573 8040, naturetours.co.nz Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company 03 573 6078, malboroughsounds.co.nz Southern Wilderness NZ Guided walk, wine trek and sea kayaking specialists.

0800 666 044, southernwilderness.com EcoWorld Aquaium Discover the animals that make NZ unique.

03 573 6030 ecoworldnz.com

QUEEN CHARLOTTE On the road-free outer Queen Charlotte Sound, everyone and everything travels by boat. The Queen Charlotte Track covers 71km and passes through magnificent forest, at times allowing spectacular views over the Marlborough Sounds. The whole track can be walked in four days, though you can also ride it by mountain bike.

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SOUTHISLAND

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Endeavour Express Water Taxi Day-trips, round-trips and luggage transfers.

03 573 5456

HAVELOCK Nestled at the head of Pelorus Sound, Havelock is the best place from which to explore the Marlborough Sounds. For trampers and mountain bikers there’s the beautiful Nydia Track.

DOC Office Mahakipawa Rd, 03 574 2019 Explore Pelorus Sea Kayaks 03 576 5251

HAVELOCK STAY Bluemoon Lodge (BBH) 48 Main Rd. 03 574 2212, bluemoonhavelock.co.nz Linkwater Motel 1594 Queen Charlotte Dr, 03 574 2600 linkwatermotel.co.nz Okiwa Bay Lodge 169 Anakiwa Rd, 03 574 2527, okiwabaylodge.co.nz

PELORUS SOUND The largest waterway within the Marlborough Sounds, it can be accessed from Havelock, Linkwater or Rai Valley.

BLENHEIM The largest town in Marlborough, and considered (ahem, also) the“sunshine capital of New Zealand”. Whitewater rafting on the Buller and Gowan Rivers is great fun.

Blenheim I-Site 8 Sinclair Street Railway Station 03 577 8080 Koanui Lodge & Backpackers (BBH) 33 Main St. 03 578 7487, koanui.co.nz The Grapevine (BBH) 29 Park Terrace, 03 578 6062, thegrapevine.co.nz Arrow Backpackers (BBH) 107 Budge St, 03 577 9857, bbh.co.nz Leeways Backpackers (BBH) 33 Lansdowne St, 03 579 2213, leeways.byethost22.com

KAIKOURA Kaikoura is famous for its large sperm whale population and picturesque mountain range. You can also snorkel with dolphins or swim with the inquisitive NZ fur seals (Sept-May).

Kaikoura Visitor Info Centre, West End, 03 319 5641

KAIKOURA STAY Albatross Backpacker Inn (BBH) 1 Torquay St. 03 319 6090,

albatross-kaikoura.co.nz Bad Jelly Backpackers (BBH) 11 Churchill St. 03 319 5538, bbh.co.nz Dolphin Lodge (BBH) 15 Deal St. 03 319 5842, dolphinlodge.co.nz Dusky Lodge (BBH) 67 Beach Rd. 03 319 5959 duskylodge.co.nz The Lazy Shag (BBH) 37 Beach St. 03 319 6662 lazy-shag.co.nz Lyell Creek Lodge (BBH) 193 Beach Rd. 03 319 6277, lyellcreeklodge.co.nz Sunrise Lodge (BBH) 74 Beach Rd, 03 319 7444, bbh.co.nz The Fairways at Ocean Ridge 1 Kersage Drive, 03 319 3055 YHA Kaikoura 270 Esplanade. 03 319 5931, yha.co.nz

KAIKOURA DO Kaikoura is famous for its large sperm whale population and picturesque mountain r Albatross Encounter Enjoy the sight of the magnificent albatross so close to the boat you can almost touch them. 96 Esplanade, 0800 733 365 albatrossencounter.co.nz Dolphin Encounter Swim with the acrobatic dusky dolphins or if you prefer, join the tour to view them from the boat. 96 Esplanade, 0800 733 365, dolphin.co.nz Fyffe House 62 Avoca St, Kaikoura’s oldest building, 03 319 5835.

Kaikoura Kayaks Paddle with the playful fur seals, dusky dolphins and marine life of Kaikoura. Seal kayaking, kayak school, hire, retail and kayak fishing.

19 Killarney St, 0800 452 456, kaikourakayaks.co.nz Seal Swim Kaikoura Swim with wild NZ Fur Seals. 58 West End, 0800 732 579, sealswimkaikoura.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch is the South Island’s major city and a lively, pretty base with a distinctly English feel to it.

Throw in Mount Cook and Mount Hutt with their skifields (early June to late October) and the Canterbury area is well worth spending some time discovering.

Christchurch & Canterbury i-Site Visitor Centre Rolleston Avenue (Next to the Canterbury Museum) Christchurch 8011. 03 379 9629 christchurchnz.com

Department of Conservation 7 Rolleston Ave, 09 526 9743

C’CHURCH STAY

This surf beach is also a great place to chill for a while. If you’re feeling adventurous, mountain biking, paragliding and surfing are just some of the activities you can try.

LEWIS PASS

Around the World Backpackers 314 Barbadoes Street. 03 365 4363 aroundtheworld.co.nz

Christchurch Backpackers Haka Lodge 518 Linwood Av, Woolston,. 03 980 4252, hakalodge.co.nz

At The Right Place (BBH) 85 Bealey Street.

03 366 1633 atrp.co.nz

BANKS PENINSULA

Avon City Backpackers Worcester Street. 03 389 6876, avoncitybackpackers.com Dorset House (BBH) 1 Dorset St, 03 366 8268, dorset.co.nz Celtic Backpackers (BBH) 12 Dublin St, 03 377 4417, celticbackpackers.co.nz Chester Street Backpackers (BBH) 148 Chester St East.

03 377 1897, chesterst.co.nz Foley Towers (BBH) 208 Kilmore St. 03 366 9720, backpack.co.nz/foley Haka Lodge 518 Linwood Ave. 03 980 4252 hakalodge.com Jailhouse Accommodation (BBH) 338 Lincoln Rd. 0800 524 546 jail.co.nz Kiwi Basecamp (BBH) 69 Bealey Ave. 03 366 6770 kiwibasecamp.com Kiwi House 3 Devon St, Hanmer Springs. 03 315 5111, kiwihouse.co.nz Point Break Backpackers 6 Union Street.

03 388 2050 pointbreakbackpackers.co.nz The Old Countryhouse (BBH) 437 Gloucester St. 03 381 5504 oldcountryhousenz.com Tranquil Lodge 440 Manchester St. 03 366 6500 tranquil-lodge.co.nz Rucksacker Backpacker Hostel (BBH) 70 Bealey Ave. 03 377 7931, rucksacker.com Vagabond Backpackers (BBH) 232 Worcester St. 03 379 9677 vagabondhostel.com

C’CHURCH DO

Banks Peninsula is a beautiful region with a stunning coastline chock full of mountains and wildlife.

The two harbours of Akaroa and Lyttelton are craters of a once majestic volcano.

LYTTELTON

About 200km north of Christchurch, the Lewis Pass connects the west and east coasts on the SH7, with stunning surrounding scenery.

HANMER SPRINGS Hanmer Springs boasts the Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve, where the water can reach 40°C (03 315 7511, hotfun.co.nz). Mt Lyford offers good winter skiing and is a cheaper option to the South Island resorts.

Department of Conservation 115 Ludstone Rd, Kaikoura 03 319 5714

Lyttelton is a quaint township with a beautiful scenic harbour and historic buildings. The harbour is a great place for boating, while the surrounding hills are good for mountain biking and walking.

The Hanmer Connection Christchurch to Hanmer Springs buses. hanmerconnection.co.nz

Lyttelton Information Centre 20 Oxford St, 03 328 9093

HANMER STAY

AKAROA Swim with dolphins, horse-ride and paraglide. If your tastes are a little more sedate, the foreshore is lined with cafes, galleries and boutiques.

Hanmer Backpackers 41 Conical Hill Rd. 03 315 7196, www.hanmerbackpackers.co.nz Jack in the Green (BBH) 3 Devon St. 03 315 5111, jackinthegreen.co.nz

Akaroa Information Centre 80 Rue Lavaud, 03 304 8600

Kakapo Lodge (YHA) 14 Amuri Avenue. 03 315 7472, kakapolodge.co.nz

Akaroa Shuttle Christchurch to Akaroa buses.

0800 500 929

Waipara Sleepers (BBH) 12 Glenmark Dr, Waipara.

03 314 6003, waiparasleepers.co.nz

Akaroa French Connection Tours and shuttle bus, 0800 800 575

AKAROA STAY Bon Accord Backpackers (BBH) 57 Rue Lavaud.

03 304 7782, bon-accord.co.nz Chez La Mer (BBH) 50 Rue Lavaud. 03 304 7024, chezlamer.co.nz Double Dutch (BBH) 32 Chorlton Road, Okains Bay. 03 304 7229, doubledutch.co.nz Halfmoon Cottage (BBH) SH25 Barrys Bay. 03 304 5050, halfmoon.co.nz

Black Cat Cruises Wildlife Cruises on Lyttelton Harbour. Free shuttle bus from Christchurch, 03 328 9078. blackcat.co.nz

Onuku Farm Hostel (BBH) 03 304 7066, onuku.co.nz

Skydivingnz.com Skydiving and training courses, 0800 697 593 skydivingnz.com

Akaroa Museum 71 Rue Lavard, 03 304 1013

Aoraki Balloon Safaris Hot air ballooning, 03 302 8172, nzballooning.com

Black Cat Cruises Offer a number of cruises in Akaroa. See Akaroa Harbour or swim with dolphins. blackcat.co.nz

SUMNER

Swim with dolphins in Akaroa Harbour. 61 Beach Rd, 0508 365 744, dolphinsakaroa.co.nz

AKAROA DO

Dolphin Experience

CASTLE HILL Gateway to the Craigieburn Range.

Chill Adventures Multi-mountain snow passes. chillout.co.nz Springfield Hotel State Highway 73, Springfield. 03 318 4812, springfieldhotel.co.nz

ARTHUR’S PASS This township is the HQ for the magnificent national park which offers tramping expeditions to skiing.

National Park Visitor Centre 03 318 9211 Mountain House (BBH) Main Road, Arthur’s Pass National Park. 03 318 9258 trampers.co.nz Rata Lodge Backpackers (BBH) State Highway 73, Otira Arthur’s Pass National Park, 03 738 2822 rata-lodge.co.nz The Sanctuary (BBH) 126 Main Road, Arther’s Pass National Park 03 942 2230, thesanctuary.co.nz Smylies Accommodation (YHA) 03 318 9258, yha.co.nz

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SOUTHISLAND METHVEN

LAKE TEKAPO

Methven is a small, friendly town popular with fishermen, hunters and backpackers. The area provides a variety of adrenalin thrills, including hot air ballooning, bungy jumping and skydiving. Mt Hutt also has the longest ski run in Australasia.

A stunning turquoise-coloured lake, 100km west of Timaru. The tiny Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1935, frames the view beautifully.

Activities include walking, watersports, fishing and skiing.

Methven i-SITE Visitor Centre 160 Main St, Methven, 03 302 8955, NZ Ski.com Info on Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Mt Hutt. nzski.com

METHVEN STAY Brinkley Resort 43 Barkers Rd, Mt Hutt, 03 302 8885, brinkleyresort.co.nz Big Tree Lodge 25 S Belt, 03 302 9575, bigtreelodge.co.nz Mt Hutt Bunkhouse (BBH) 8 Lampard St. 03 302 8894, mthuttbunkhouse.co.nz Pinedale Backpacker Lodge 11 Alford St. 0800 638 483, pinedalelodge.co.nz Redwood Lodge (BBH) 3 Wayne Place. 03 302 8964, snowboardnz.com Skiwi House 30 Chapman St. 03 302 8772, skiwihouse.com Breckenridge Lodge 49 S Belt, 03 302 8902, breckenridgelodge.co.nz

TIMARU Despite being industrial, it’s picturesque with views of the Southern Alps, plains and sea.

1873 Wanderer Backpackers (BBH) 24 Evans St. 03 688 8795 Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park 154A Selwyn St, Waimataitai 0800 242 121 Anchor Motel 44 Evans St, 03 684 5067 anchormotel.co.nz

GERALDINE As well as a wonderful old movie theatre and whitewater rafting on the Rangitata River, visiting the mighty Emily Falls is recommended.

Geraldine Information Centre Talbot Street, 03 693 1006

YHA Lake Tekapo 3 Simpson Lane. 03 680 6857, yha.co.nz

MT COOK Mt Cook National Park is part of a World Heritage area that forms one of the most amazing sights in NZ. The showcase is Mt Cook (Aoraki).

NZ’s greatest climber Sir Edmund Hillary used it for practice before conquering Mt Everest, but Mt Cook has claimed the lives of more than 160 people. Discuss climbing plans with rangers before you go.

Department of Conservation Visitor Information Centre Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Village, 03 435 1819 The Cook Connection Day trips to Mt Cook from Tekapo.

Ph: 021 583 211, cookconnect.co.nz

MT COOK STAY YHA Franz Josef Glacier 2 Cron St, Franz Josef, 03 752 0754, mt.chalets@xtra.co.nz YHA Mt Cook Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. 03 435 1820, yha.co.nz

biking on the Matakitaki.

Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park 03 523 9809, bullergorge.co.nz The Lazy Cow Accommodation (BBH) 37 Waller St. 03 523 9451, thelazycownz.wordpress.com

REEFTON The centrepiece of the town is Victoria Forest Park, the largest forest park in New Zealand.

Beaconstone Eco Lodge Birds Ferry Road Charleston 027 431 0491 beconstoneecolodge.co.nz The Old Slaughterhouse (BBH) Dean Creek, RD1, Highway 67, Hector 03 782 8333 oldslaughterhouse.co.nz TripInn (BBH) 72 Queen St. 03 789 7367 tripinn.co.nz

PAPAROA NP

Karamea Information Centre 106 Bridge St, 03 782 6652.

Rongo Backpackers 03 782 6667, rongobackpackers.com

Rangitata Rafts Peel Forest, 0800 251 251 rafts.co.nz

With crazy terrain skewed by mining and earthquakes, one of the major attractions of Murchison is its proximity to Buller Gorge, a wonderfully scenic cluster of cliffs and trees. Activities include rafting on the Gowan River and mountain

MURCHISON

The tiny beach settlement of Okarito, near Franz Josef Glacier, sits at the mouth of New Zealand’s largest unmodified wetland – the Okarito Lagoon. Hike up to the Okarito Trig for excellent views.

Noahs Ark Backpackers (BBH) 16 Chapel St, 03 768 4868, noahs.co.nz

Bazil’s Hostel (VIP) – (BBH) 54/56 Russell St. 03 789 6410, bazils.co.nz

Visitor Information Punakaiki 03 731 1895 punakaiki.co.nz Barrytown Knife Making 2662 Coast Road, Barrytown, 03 731 1053, barrytownknifemaking.com

PAPAROA STAY Punakaiki Beach Hostel (BBH) 4 Webb St. 03 731 1852, punakaikibeachhostel.co.nz Te Nikau Retreat (BBH, YHA) 03 731 1111, tenikauretreat.co.nz Punakaiki Beach Camp Owen Street, 03 731 1894, punakaiki.co.nz

GREYMOUTH The west coast’s largest town is dominated by the Grey River.

Highlights include the Monteith’s

WHATAROA

GREYMOUTH STAY

The Old Nurses Home 104 Shiel St, 03 789 8881

WESTPORT

right, it can’t look as good as that in real life. Hokitika Gorge is one of those places. hokitika.org

About 35km south of Harihari and one of the South Island’s prime fishing spots. Also the magnificent white heron (Kotuku) colony which thrillseekers can reach by jet boat.

Global Village (BBH) 42-54 Cowper St, 03 768 7272, globalvillagebackpackers.co.nz

Visitor Information Westport 1 Brougham St, 03 789 6658

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TranzAlpine Scenic railway from Christchurch to Greymouth, travelling through Canterbury Plains and the Alps. Departs 9am every morning. 0800 872 467 tranzscenic.co.nz

Reefton Old Bread Shop 155 Buller Rd, 03 732 8420, reeftonbackpackers.co.nz

This park is home to the amazing Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. These are a series of eroded limestone rocks moulded into what appears to be a giant stack of pancakes.

KARAMEA

Visitor Information Herbert and Mackay Sts, 03 768 5101

Duke Hostel (BBH) 27 Guiness St. 03 768 9470 duke.co.nz

WEST COAST

Karamea contains pleasant walks, interesting caves and the Oparara River, a great trout fishing spot.

Walk along the wonderful Fernian Track or, try the more challenging hike up Mt Stormy.

brewery tour, as well as aquatic activities like rafting and canyoning.

Reefton Visitor Centre 67 Broadway, 03 732 8391

Rugged is the word often used when it comes to the South Island’s west coast. It’s quite an amazing place, sparsely inhabited, untouched in many areas and studded with geographical wonders. Don’t miss the two mighty glaciers, Fox and Franz Josef, or the Pancake Rocks.

Peel Forest Horse Trekking Wilderness adventures trekking through some gorgeous country, 03 696 3703, peelforesthorsetrekking.co.nz

Rawhiti House (BBH) 27 Hewlings St. 03 693 8252 rawhitibackpackers.co.nz

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Tailor-Made-Tekapo Backpackers (BBH) 10/11 Aorangi Cres.

03 680 6700 tailor-made-backpackers.co.nz

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Greymouth KIWI Holiday Park & Motel 318 Main South Rd, 03 762 6768, southbeach.co.nz Kainga-RA YHA 15 Alexander St, Ph: (03) 768 4951, yha.co.nz

HOKITIKA Greenstone, a form of practically indestructible rock that was used by the Maori to make weapons and ornaments, is the main attraction here. There’s also the Westland Water World for all things wet, the Glowworm Dell and some excellent whitewater rafting.

Hokitika Visitor Info Centre Carnegie Building, corner of Hamilton & Tancred Street, 03 755 6166

HOKITIKA STAY Hokitika Holiday Park 242 Strafford St, 03 755 8172 Birdsong (BBH) 124 SH6, 03 755 7179 birdsong.co.nz Drifting Sands Backpackers (BBH) 197 Revell St, driftingsands.kiwi Mountain Jade Backpackers (BBH) 41 Weld St, 03 755 5185, mountainjadebackpackers.co.nz Riverview Cottage & Cabins (BBH) 154 Kaniere Rd, 03 755 7440 riverviewcottageandcabins.co.nz Stumpers Accommodation 2 Weld St, 03 755 6154, stumpers.co.nz

HOKITIKA DO Whitewater Kayaking hokitika.org Hokitika Gorge Sometimes you see photos of a tourist spot and think yeah

OKARITO

Okarito Nature Tours 03 753 4014, okarito.co.nz Okarito Beach House Close to Franz Josef Glacier, 03 753 4080 okaritohostel.com

FRANZ JOSEF The glacier is about 12km long and offers a wide variety of challenging activities. To get the ultimate perspective on the magnitude of Franz Josef, head for Sentinel Rock, which gives a sweeping view over both the Waiho Valley and the mighty glacier.

DOC Visitors Information Centre Westland National Park, Hwy 6, 03 752 0796

FRANZ STAY Chateau Franz: Sir Cendrics (VIP, BBH) 8-10 Cron St, 0800 728 372, sircedrics.co.nz Glow Worm Cottages (BBH) 27 Cron St, 0800 151 027, glowwormcottages@xtra.co.nz Montrose Lodge (BBH) 9 Cron St, 03 752 0188, montroselodge.co.nz Rainforest Retreat (VIP) Cron St, 0800 873 346 rainforestretreat.co.nz YHA Franz Josef 2-4 Cron St, 03 752 0754, yha.co.nz

FRANZ DO Alpine Adventure Centre Footage on a helimax screen, 03 752 0793 scenic-flights.co.nz Franz Josef Glacier Guides Guided walks and heli-hikes on the Franz Josef Glacier 0800 484 337, franzjosefglacier.com Glacier Country Kayaks Explore the glaciers from the water 03 752 0230, glacierkayaks.com Skydive Franz At 18,000ft, they currently offer NZ’s highest skydive.

0800 458 677,

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FOX GLACIER Similiar activities to Franz Josef only with fewer crowds. The best walk is up to the Welcome Flat Hot Springs.

For stunning views, head up the wonderfully scenic Chalet Lookout Walk. Look out for the beautiful kea (grey-green mountain parrot).

Nearby is Lake Matheson, with its stunning twin mountain reflection.

DOC Visitor Centre State Hwy 6, 03 752 0796

FOX STAY Fox Glacier Inn (BBH) 03 751 0088 foxglacierinn.co.nz Ivory Towers (BBH) 03 751 0838, ivorytowerslodge.co.nz

FOX DO Fox Glacier Guiding Guided walks and heli-hikes on the FoxGlacier. 0800 111 600, foxguides.co.nz Glacier Country Kayaks 20 Cron St, 0800 423 262, glacierkayaks.com Skydive NZ: Fox Glacier 0800 751 0080, skydivingnz.co.nz

HAAST PASS Running through Mt Aspiring National Park, this stretch of road is among the most scenic that you’ll come across in New Zealand, showing off pristine lakes, magnificent forests and waterfalls.

DOC Centre Cnr SH 6 and Jackson Bay Rd, 03 750 0809 Wilderness Backpackers (BBH) Marks Rd, 03 750 029, wildernessaccommodation.co.nz

SOUTHLAND The top of your chest will quickly get sore as the South Island’s jaw-dropping scenery becomes more prevalent. From the adrenalin thrills of Queenstown to the achingly beautiful Milford Sound, there’s never a dull moment down south. Stop frequently, take deep breaths and enjoy one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Mt Aspiring National Park Visitor Info Centre Mt Earnslaw, 03 443 7660

LAKE WANAKA The cosy town and its crystal-clear waters which reflect the dramatic landscape is the gateway to Mount Aspiring Park. The World Heritage area has magnificent tramping and mountaineering. Lake Wanaka boasts almost as many adrenalintastic activities as neighbouring Queenstown, such as mountain

biking, jet-boating, canyoning, and whitewater sledging. It’s a favourite with snowboarders in winter, and has lively nightlife year-round.

Boasting the most sceneray from those films with wizards and hairyfooted hobbits, there are great Lord of the Rings tours, too.

Lake Wanaka Visitors Centre The Log Cabin, Lakefront, 100 Ardmore Street.

03 4431 1233

WANAKA STAY Holly’s Backpackers (BBH) 71 Upton St, 03 443 8187, hollys-backpacker.co.nz LHH (BBH) 1 Capell Ave, 03 443 1224, lakehawea.co.nz Mountain View Backpackers (BBH) 7 Russell St, 0800 112 201, wanakabackpackers.co.nz Matterhorn South (BBH) 56 Brownston St, 03 443 1119, matterhornsouth.co.nz The Purple Cow (BBH) 94 Brownston St, 03 443 1880, purplecow.co.nz Wanaka Bakpaka (BBH) 117 Lakeside Rd, 03 443 7837, wanakabakpaka.co.nz YHA Wanaka 181 Upton St, 03 443 7405, yha.co.nz

WANAKA DO Adventure Consultants Mountaineering instruction courses and guided ascents, 03 443 8711, adventure.co.nz Aspiring Guides Guided mountain climbing and ice climbing instruction courses, 03 443 9422, aspiringguides.com Classic Flights Vintage Tiger Moth flights over Lake Wanaka. 03 443 4043, classicflights.co.nz Deep Canyon Canyoning in the Matukituki Valley.

Adventure Wanaka, 23 Dunmore St, Wanaka. 03 443 7922, deepcanyon.co.nz Frogz Have More Fun Sledge down either the Clutha, Hawea or Kawarau Rivers.

0800 437 649, frogz.co.nz

Wanaka Rock Climbing One, three and five-day rock climbing courses for everyone.

03 443 6411, wanakarock.co.nz Wanaka Flightseeing Milford Sound flight and cruise from Wanaka, 03 443-8787, flightseeing.co.nz Wanaka Sightseeing Includes Lord of the Rings tours, 2 Anderson Rd, 03 338 0982, wanakasightseeing.co.nz

LAKE HAWEA Thirty-five kilometres long and more than 400m deep, Lake Hawea is a great source of salmon and rainbow trout.

QUEENSTOWN Paradise for the energetic traveller, Queenstown is one of the world’s most action-packed towns. The town, which is surprisingly small compared to its big reputation, is located on Lake Wakatipu and rises up to the peaks of the aptly-named Remarkables (which you can ski in winter). In winter, the town is a centre for nearby skifields and in summer adventure activities and tramping take over. There’s also a hectic social scene which extends well into the wee small hours.

Info & Track Guided Walks 37 Shotover St, 03 442 9708 Peterpans Adventure Travel 27 Shotover St Queenstown. peterpans.com.au Queenstown Travel & Visitor Centre Corner of Shotover & Camp Sts, 03 442 4100

Q’TOWN STAY Alpine Lodge (BBH) 13 Gorge Rd. 03 442 7220, alpinelodgebackpackers.co.nz Aspen Lodge (BBH) 11 Gorge Rd. 03 442 9671, aspenlodge.co.nz Base Discovery Lodge Queenstown 49 Shotover St. 03 441 1185, stayatbase.com Black Sheep Lodge (VIP) 13 Frankton Rd. 03 442 7289, blacksheepbackpackers.co.nz Bungi Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 15 Sydney St. 0800 728 286, bungibackpackers.co.nz Butterfli Lodge (BBH) 62 Thompson St. 03 442 6367, butterfli.co.nz

The Silver Demon Aerobatic flights.

03 443 4043, silverdemon.co.nz

Cardrona Alpine Resort Between Queenstown and Wanaka.

03 443 7341, cardrona.com

Skydive Lake Wanaka Freefall from 12,000 or 15,000ft with views of NZ’s highest mountains. 0800 786 877, skydivenz.com

Deco Backpackers (VIP, BBH) 52 Man St. 03 442 7384, decobackpackers.co.nz

Treble Cone Ski Field 03 443 7443, treblecone.co.nz

Flaming Kiwi Backpackers (BBH) 39 Robins Rd. 03 442 5494, flamingkiwi.co.nz Hippo Lodge (BBH)

4 Anderson Hts. 03 442 5785, hippolodge.co.nz

0800 467 325, tandemparagliding.com

The Last Resort Queenstown (BBH) 6 Memorial St. 03 442 4320, tlrqtn.com

Haka Adventure Snow Tours 03 980 4250, hakatours.com Mad Dog River Boarding River sledging & other actionpacked water activities, 03 442 7797, riverboarding.co.nz

Nomads Queenstown 5-11 Church St. 03 441 3922, nomadshostels.com Pinewood Lodge (VIP) Queenstown’s best value accommodation. We offer an excellent variety of accommodation, everything from deluxe en-suite rooms with private bathroom amenities, inexpensive double and twin rooms, dorm beds and selfcontained family cabins. 48 Hamilton Rd. 0800 746 396, 03 442 8273, pinewood.co.nz Southern Laughter: Sir Cedrics (BBH, VIP) 4 Isle St. 0800 441 8828, sircedrics.co.nz

Milford Sound Flightseeing Scenic flights to Milford Sound, 0800 65 65 01, realjourneys.co.nz NZONE Skydive Skydive from 15,000ft. 35 Shotover St, 03 442 5867, nzone.biz NZ Ski.com Info on Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Mt Hutt, nzski.com Queenstown Rafting Raft the Shotover, Kawarau and Landsborough rivers. 35 Shotover St. 03 442 9792 rafting.co.nz

Scallywags Travellers’ Guesthouse (BBH) 27 Lomond Crescent.

03 442 7083, bbh.co.nz

Real Journeys Visitor Centre Doubtful Sound & Milford Sound daytime and overnight cruises.

Te Anau glow-worm cave excursions. TSS Earnslaw vintage steamship cruises and Walter Peak High Country Farm.

0800 65 65 01, realjourneys.co.nz

YHA Queenstown Central 48A Shotover Street.

03 442 7400, yha.co.nz YHA Queenstown Lakefront 88-90 Lake Esplanade.

03 442 8413, yha.co.nz

Q’TOWN DO There are hundreds of activities to keep you occupied in Queenstown.

Bungy, jetboating and rafting are all experiences not to be missed, and in winter, skiing the Remarkables is a must. To really appreciate the beauty of the region, take a scenic flight, or even jump out the plane.

AJ Hackett Bungy Queenstown Jump off one or all of New Zealand’s most well-known sites. Nevis Highwire Bungy, the highest in New Zealand – 134m above the Nevis River. The Kawarau Bridge, the world’s first bungy – 43m above the Kawarau River. The 47m Ledge, 400m above the town which you can jump day or night. Access is

by Skyline Gondola.

0800 286 4958 bungy.co.nz

Shotover Canyon Swing Jump or be released 109m off the world’s highest cliff jump.

0800 279 464, canyonswing.co.nz Shotover Jet Jetboat ride. 0800 746 868 shotoverjet.com Sky Trek Hang Gliding 03 442 9551, skytrek.co.nz Vertigo Mountain Biking Heli-bike and gondola downhill.

0800 837 8446, vertigobikes.co.nz

GLENORCHY Just out of Queenstown is Glenorchy (or “Isengard”) which has some of the best walks in the area, including the Greenstone and Caples tracks.

Department of Conservation Beech St, 03 442 7933

Awesome Foursome Bungy (Nevis – 134m), jetboat, helicopter, whitewater rafting, combos.co.nz

Glenorchy Backpackers Retreat (VIP) Cnr Mull and Argyle Streets, Glenorchy, glenorchynz.com

Dart River Safaris Jetboating wilderness tours, 0800 327 8538, dartriver.co.nz

Kinloch Lodge 862 Kinloch Rd, 03 442 4900, kinlochlodge.co.nz

Fat Tyre Adventure Mountain biking/heli biking, 0800 328 897, fat-tyre.co.nz Fergburger Best burgers in NZ. Shotover St, fergburger.com Flight Park Tandem Paragliding Operates from Coronet Peak

ARROWTOWN Poplar Lodge 4 Merioneth St, 03 442 1466, poplarlodge.co.nz Arrowtown Holiday Park 12 Centennial Ave, 03 442 1876

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SOUTHISLAND TE ANAU Home to the second largest lake in NZ, Te Anau is a beautiful little town, a good jumping off point for the World Heritage Fiordland National Park. The park is the largest in New Zealand and offers some spectacular sightseeing. The Milford Track is one of the most famous in the world, but often booked out. The Routeburn, ReesDart and Kepler are ace alternatives. doc.govt.nz Fiordland I-site Visitor Centre Lakefront Drive, Te Anau, 03 249 8900 Department of Conservation 03 249 8514 Te Anau Glowworm Caves realjourneys.co.nz Air Fiordland Flights to Queenstown, Milford and Mt Cook, 03 249 7505, airfiordland.co.nz Real Journeys Coaches to Milford Sound, 0800 656 503 realjourneys.co.nz Scenic Shuttle Daily between Te Anau and Invercargill in summer months, twice weekly in winter. Connects with the Catlins Coaster from Invercargill to Dunedin 0800 277 483 Top Line Tours Coach to and from Te Anau and Queenstown, 03 249 8059

TE ANAU STAY Barnyard Backpackers (BBH) 80 Mt York Rd, Rainbow Downs, 03 249 8006, barnyard.moonfruit.com Bob & Maxine’s (BBH) 20 Paton Place, 03 931 3161, bbh.co.za Rosie’s Backpacker Homestay (BBH) 23 Tom Plato Drive, Lake Te Anau, 03 249 8431, rosiesbackpackers.co.nz Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers (BBH) 48/50 Lakefront Dr, 03 249 7713, teanaubackpackers.co.za Steamers Beach Backpackers (BBH) 77 Manapouri- Te Anau Hwy, 03 249 7737, smarturl.it/steamersbeach YHA Te Anau 29 Mokonui St, 03 249 7847, yha.co.nz

TE ANAU DO Adventure Fiordland 72 Town Centre, 03 249 8500 fiordlandaventure.co.nz High Ride Adventures Quad riding and scenic horse trekking. 03 249 8591, highride.co.nz Luxmore Jet Jetboating on the Waiau River, 0800 253 826,

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luxmorejet.co.nz Real Journeys Doubtful Sound daytime wilderness, small boat and overnight cruises. Milford Sound daytime, overnight scenic, nature and small boat cruises.

0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz Milford Track Day Walk Lake cruise and guided walk, 0800 656 501 milfordlodge.co.nz Rosco’s Milford Sound Sea Kayaks 0800 476 726, roscosmilfordkayaks.com Skydive Fiordland Dive 44 Caswell Rd, Te Anau, 0800 829254, tawakidive.co.nz

ANAU TO MILFORD The distance between Te Anau and Milford Sound may be 119km but the breathtaking scenery along the way makes the journey extremely enjoyable. Along the road watch out for the Mirror Lakes and the disappearing mountain. Another highlight is the 1.2km rough-hewn Homer Tunnel. It’s pitch black, having no lighting plus it’s pretty darn steep – a thrilling experience for those afraid of the dark.

MILFORD SOUND Green, wet and breathtakingly beautiful, Milford Sound is one of the most picturesque sights in the world. Much of the action in the Milford Sound takes place on the water and the best way to appreciate the beauty on show is on a cruise or kayak. Bottlenose dolphins, New Zealand fur seals and Fiordland crested penguins all hang out there.

MILFORD DO Real Journeys 0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz Great Sights On and under the water, 03 442 9445 greatsights.co.nz Milford Sound Underwater Observatory Discover a coral reef beneath Milford Sound, 03 249 9442 Milford Sound Cruise & Observatory Visit 0800 656 501

BOOK NOW! realjourneys.co.nz Wanaka Flightseeing Milford Sound flight and cruise, 0800 105 105, flightseeing.co.nz 

MANAPOURI Manapouri is the proud owner of arguably New Zealand’s most beautiful stretch of water. This is where the boat trip on Doubtful Sound leaves from – most start the trip in Queenstown or Te Anau. From the boat you may see seals and possibly dolphins and penguins.

Adventure Charters and Hires fiordlandadventure.co.nz Real Journeys 03 249 6602 realjourneys.co.nz

MANAPOURI STAY Freestone Backpackers (BBH) 270 Hillside Rd, 03 249 6893, freestone.co.nz Manapouri Lakeview Motor Inn 68 Cathedral Drive, 03 249 6652, manapouri.co.nz Possum Lodge 13 Murrel Ave, 03 249 6623, possumlodge.co.nz

DOUBT SOUND If you’re not one for crowds, an alternative Fiordland option is Doubtful Sound – the deepest of the fiords, made up of 100km of waterways. Where Milford is all pointy peaks and endless cascading falls, Doubtful is rounded mountains – a serene sanctuary, inhabited by loads of interesting critters.

Real Journeys Daytime wilderness, small boat and overnight cruises.

0800 656 502 realjourneys.co.nz Fiordland Navigator Pearl Harbour, Manapouri 03 249 6602, doubtfulsound.co.nz Deep Cove Hostel Doubtful Sound, 03 249 7713, deepcovehostel.co.nz

INVERCARGILL

Milford Wanderer Cruises Day and overnight options with kayaking, etc. Coach connections, 0800 656 501, realjourneys.co.nz

The southernmost city in New Zealand, Invercargill is a farmingorientated community with a pleasant collection of parks and museums to keep you busy.

Tawaki Dive See Fiordland’s unique marine life on a day-trip with two guided dives in Milford Sound.

Rental gear available, max four divers. 0800 829254, tawakidive.co.nz

Invercargill I-site Visitors Centre 108 Gala St, 03 214 6243

TSS Earnslaw & Walter Peak Farm tours, barbecue lunches, horse treks and cycling.

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wildlife encounters. Farmstay options are available, 0800 304333, catlinscoaster.co.nz

STEWART ISLAND Stewart Island Flights Flights to Stewart Island, 03 218 9129, stewartislandflights.co.nz Bunkers Backpackers (BBH) 13 Argyle St, Halfmoon Bay, Stweart Island, 027 738 1796 bunkersbackpackers.co.nz

INVERCARG STAY

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CATLINS STAY Wrights Mill Lodge 865 Tahakopa Valley, 03 204 8424 Lazy Dolphin 529 Curio Bay Rd, 03 246 8579. lazydolphinlodge.co.nz Cedar Tree Lodge (BBH) 36 Hosptial Road, 027 611 7932. goldbox.catering@gmail.com Happy Inn Backpackers (BBH) 11 Shakespeare St, 03 417 4161. happyinn@clear.net.nz

Southern Comfort (BBH) 30 Thompson St, 03 218 3838 bbh.co.nz

Fernlea Backpackers (VIP) Moana St, Kaka Point, 03 412 8834

Tuatara Backpacker Lodge 30 Dee St, 03 214 0956, tuataralodge.co.nz

The Split Level (BBH) 9 Waikawa Rd, Owaka, 03 415 8304, thesplitlevel.co.nz

SOUTH SCENIC The beautiful road west of Invercargill towards Fiordland is known as the Southern Scenic Route.

Surat Bay Lodge (BBH) Surat Bay Rd, New Haven, 03 415 8099, suratbay.co.nz

Pepper Tree Hostel 121 Grey St, Palmerston, 06 335 4054, peppertreehostel.co.nz

Penguin Paradise Holiday Lodge (BBH) 612 Waikawa-Niagara Rd, Waikawa Village South Catlins, 03 2468 552, catlins-surf.co.nz/736.html

Grandma’s Place 146 Grey St, Palmerston North, 06 358 6928, grandmas-place.co.nz

Thomas Catlins Lodge & Holiday Park, 8 Clark St, Owaka 03 415 8333, thomascatlins.co.nz

The Globe Backpackers (VIP) 144 Palmerston St, Riverton, 03 234 8527, globebackpackers@xtra.co.nz

Wright’s Mill Lodge 865 Tahakopa Valley Rd, 03 204 8424 catlinsaccommodation.co.nz

Harbison Backpackers 5 Harbison St, Otautau, 03 225 8715, michdale@xtra.co.nz Shooters Backpackers (BBH) 73 Main St, Tuatapere, 03 226 6250

GORE Gore spans the Mataura river and boasts some lovely scenery in the Hokonui Hills and the Country and Western festival each June.

Oakleight Motels 70 Hokonui Dr, 03 208 4863, oakleighmotel.co.za

THE CATLINS The beautiful Catlins is a sprawling mass of bush, forest and rivers, stretching all the way from Waipapa Point in Southland to Nugget Point in Otago. The best bit about the Catlins is the abundance of wildlife.

Dept of Conservation Office Don St, 03 214 4589

Catlins Community Info Centre 3 Main Rd, Owaka, South Otago, 03 415 8371, catlins.org.nz

Catlins Coaster Invercargill to Dunedin via the Catlins with many stops to the main natural attractions and

Elm Lodge Wildlife Tours Two-day camping trips, 0800 356 563, elmwildlifetours.co.nz

DUNEDIN Dunedin is Celtic for “Edinburgh” and many Scottish principles endure here. One thing the locals do much better than their Scots ancestors is play rugby, so if there’s a game on at Carisbrook (the “House of Pain”) while you’re in town, beg, borrow or steal to get yourself there.

Dunedin Visitor Centre 48 The Octagon, 03 474 3300 Dept of Conservation Office 77 Stuart St, 03 477 0677 Penguin Patch 9 the Octagon, 03 471 8571, Email: penguinpatch@xtra.co.nz

DUNEDIN STAY Chalet Backpackers (BBH) 296 High St, 03 479 2075 chaletbackpackers.co.nz Dunedin Central Backpackers (BBH) 243 Moray Pl, 03 477 9985, centralbackpackers.co.nz Pavlova Palace (BBH) 74 Elm Row, 03 477 34728 pavlovapalace.co.nz Hogwartz (BBH)

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277 Rattray St, 03 474 1487, hogwartz.co.nz Kiwis Nest (BBH) 597 George St, 03 471 9540, kiwisnest.co.nz Leviathan Hotel 27 Queens Gardens, 0800 773 773, dunedinhotel.co.nz Manor House 28 Manor Place, 03 477 0484, manorhousebackpackers.co.nz On Top Backpackers (BBH) 12 Filleul St, cnr Moray Pl, 03 477 6121, ontopbackpackers.co.nz Pennys Backpackers (BBH) 6 Stafford St, 03 477 6027, pennys.co.nz Next Stop Backpackers 2 View St, 03 477 0477, nextstop.co.nz YHA Dunedin, Stafford Gables 71 Stafford St, 03 474 1919, yha.co.nz

DUNEDIN DO Baldwin Street In the Guinness Book of Records as the steepest street in the world.

Cadbury World 280 Cumberland St, 0800 223 2879, cadbury.co.nz Cosmic Corner Funk Store Check out the legal highs and chat to the staff about where to go for parties, events and the beautiful parts of New Zealand.

355 George St, 03 479 2949 Dunedin Public Art Gallery 30 The Octagon, 03 474 3240, dpagmail@dcc.govt.nz Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony View blue penguins just metres away every evening at dusk.

Waterfront Rd, 1-1/2 hrs north of Dunedin, 03 433 1195, penguins.co.nz Parachute Experience Skydiving from a great height 03 489 4113, dropzone.com Sinclair Wetlands and Educational Centre Freedom or conducted walks over 5km of walkways.

Backpacker and camping facilities. Rapid no 854 Clarendon/Berwick Rd

(signposted on SH1 30km south of Dunedin), 03 486 2654 Speights Brewery Heritage Tours 03 477 7697 speights.co.nz Royal Albatross Centre 03 478 0499, albatross.org.nz

OTAGO PENINSULA The Otago Peninsula is a beautiful stretch of rugged coast, home to a fascinating collection of rare and native birds such as the albatross and yellow-eyed penguin.

Billy Browns (BBH) 423 Aramoana Rd, Port Chalmers, 03 472 8323, billybrowns.co.nz McFarmers Backpackers 774 Portobello Rd, Portobello, 02 5206 0640, mcfarmers@xtra.co.nz Pinot Lodge (BBH) 102 Barry Avenue, Cromwell, Fiordland 03 445 1260, pinotlodgenz.com

OTAGO DO Historic Fort Taiaroa An underground complex built

in the 1880s, this fortified stronghold has been inhabited since earliest Maori settlement of the area. Tours available at the Visitor Centre. Fletcher House, Broad Bay, 03 478 0180

ROXBURGH Villa Rose Backpackers 79 Scotland St, 03 446 8761, villarose.co.nz

Larnach Castle Australasia’s only castle. The architecture is amazing and the intricate details (including a foyer ceiling that took nearly seven years to build) are breathtaking.

NZ Marine Studies Centre and Aquarium Run by the University of Otago, the Portobello Aquarium and Marine Biology Centre (near Quarantine Point) is a refuge for a diverse collection of fish and reptile life. 03 479 5826 Elm Wildlife Tours 0800 356 563, elmwildlifetours.co.nz

ALEXANDRA Alexandra and Roxburgh are the two main towns for fruit-picking work in the Central Otago region.

Grasshopper Rock One of the world’s southernmost vineyards, situated on the Earnscleugh Rd. grasshopperrock.co.nz

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

OAMARU A charming little place noted for both its interesting collection of white granular limestone buildings and its large penguin population.

Visitor Information Centre Thames St, 03 434 1656 Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony View blue penguins at dusk.

Waterfront Rd, 03 433 1195, penguins.co.nz Ahuriri Backpackers (BBH) 5 Clay Cliffs Lane 03 438 9451 ahuririmotels.co.nz Chillawhile Backpackers (BBH) & Art Gallery 1 Frome St, Roberts Park, 03 437 0168, chillawhile.co.nz Coastal Backpackers (BBH) The Hall, Waianakarua Rd, All Day Bay, 03 439 5411, coastalbackpackers.co.nz Buscot Station (BBH) 732 Omarama, 03 438 9646, buscotstn@xtra.co.nz Empire Hotel (BBH) 13 Thames St, 03 434 3446, empirehotel@hotmail.com Old Bones Lodge (BBH) 468 Beach Rd, 03 434 8115, oldbones.co.nz YHA Oamaru, Red Kettle Seasonal (open September/ October to May/June only).

Corner of Reed and Cross Sts, 03 434 5008, yha.co.nz Swaggers Backpackers (BBH) 25 Wansbeck St, 03 434 9999, swaggersbackpackers.co.nz

MOERAKI Just 30km south of Oamaru lies a remarkable collection of eerie giant boulders.

LAKE WANAKA Wild mountains, rugged scenery, transparent shimmering turquoise lakes and spiralling trees make Lake Wanaka on South Island, like many of the ranges in the region, a hub for sports and activities. The hiking, skiing and cycling are regularly voted some of the world’s best. Sheltered by the Mount Aspiring range from the wet winds of the west, and the well-named ‘The Remarkables’ mountain range in the east, the clear, natural light, awesome defined hills and craggy rocks make for an inspiring environment. Yet,as much as the adventure activities thrive here and in nearby Queenstown, Wanaka has a lot more to offer too. Be sure to try the wine. lakewanaka.co.nz

Riverside Haven (BBH) 2328 SH1, Waianakarua, 03 439 5830, olivebranch.co.nz The Dubliner 105 Tiverton St, Palmerston, 03 465 8123

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Chinese treasures Want to be transported to another universe? Hit the Silk Road an epic journey of scenic parks, Chinese tea houses and temples says Tom Coote When travelling the length of China along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road, the only real way to do it is by train.

Up until the 16th century, when new maritime routes opened up, the Silk Road had acted as the bridge between all the major civilisations – Egypt, China, India, Persia, Arabia, Byzantium and Rome – for more than a thousand years.

Around 30% of the trade was made up of silk, but these routes would also carry fruit, plants, paper, art, compasses, jewels, gold, gunpowder – and the Black Death. More importantly, they carried ideas, skills and DNA. The best-known start and end points of the Silk Road are Chang’an (Xian), the old capital of China, and Byzantium 82

(Constantinople/Istanbul), but many Silk Road trips bypass those cities all together.

I began my journey along these ancient trade routes by travelling up from Luang Prebang in Laos by sleeper bus to Jinghong, before spending another night in a cramped bunk on a bumpy bus to arrive at Kunming. From then on, however, it is possible to travel all the way across China, to Kazakhstan and beyond through Central Asia, using the far more comfortable sleeper trains. They may cost a little more than the night buses but are reliable, far cleaner than they used to be, great value for money by European standards, provide you with a plentiful supply of hot water for instant noodles and

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tea, and will save you the cost of a night’s accommodation in a hostel or hotel (result). I’ve also always found that I sleep very well on trains, so unlike with the night buses – whose narrow bunk beds are often just a little too short for many Westerners – you don’t waste half the next day shuffling around like a sleep- deprived zombie.

Kunming Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, is home to more than five million people. It was once a gateway to the Silk Road and acted as a crossroads for trade between India, Myanmar and Tibet. According to the tourist brochures,

Kunming is also ‘the city of Eternal Spring’. On exiting the night bus from Jinghong on a chilly March morning, wearing only the shorts and T-shirts I’d been getting away with for months on South-East Asia, I was shivering so hard that I couldn’t even hold up my badly photocopied map of the sprawling metropolis.

THINGS TO DO The large parks in all major Chinese cities are always popular with the locals who are often forced to live in large, grey tower blocks. As in many of these mega parks, Green Lake Park in Kunming features a large boating lake surrounded with pedal boats, scenic tea houses, giant chess sets, brightly painted outdoor gym equipment, and TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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Yuantong Temple, Kunming Cloudland International Hostel, Kunming

Teahouse, Chengdu

several groups of enthusiastic line dancers. All over China you find groups of all ages and abilities doing their own kind of choreographed dance routines. It seems similar to US-style country dancing but, like most cultural imports, it has been transposed and modified into a uniquely Chinese form of expression. There is none of the inhibition that you find among amateur dancers in the West and neither the dancers themselves nor the crowds that gather to watch them seem particularly concerned about just how good or bad the dancing actually is. It’s just a bit of fun and exercise.

Not far from Green Lake Park is Yuantong Si, a Chan (Zen) Buddhist temple that was first built in the late eighth or ninth century. Over the years it has been restored and rebuilt a number of times. More recently it was expanded with money from Thailand. Unusually, it lies in a natural depression and you go down steps to the temple, rather than ascending. It is very popular among the huge numbers of domestic Chinese tourists (as is almost anything scenic that you can take your picture in front of).

As the only Western tourist in the temple complex, I edged between the incense-lighting worshippers and tried to avoid walking into too many holiday snaps. I tried not to make a nuisance of myself and nobody seemed to mind me wandering around their holy place. Not all Western visitors have been so well tolerated. At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the French engineers who was working on the Kunming to Vietnam railway project set up house in the temple’s main building. There weren’t many nice places for foreigners to stay in Kunming at the time, so he selected the Yuantong Treasury hall as his place of residence. This didn’t go down too well with the locals who still wanted to be able to get into the temple to pray and burn incense sticks.

It took a few months but they eventually managed to chuck him out. It would be difficult to imagine a Chinese engineer coming over to England and setting up house in the nearest cathedral because he couldn’t find anywhere else that was up to his standards.

As the the state capital of Sichuan (known for its spicy cuisine), Chengdu now has more than 15 million residents.

On arriving at the train station in the early morning, it appeared that most of them were in the queue for the taxis.

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Pictures: Getty, Thinkstock

GOING OUT The most popular hangout that I found in Kunming is a trendy-looking café called Just Fruit. It’s full of teenagers playing cards, drinking fruit shakes and smoking.

Unlike nearly everywhere else in Kunming, they have some English on their menu (among these youngsters, speaking English was considered to be very ‘cool’). The ice cream sundaes on the menu are particularly appealingly named.

I was extremely tempted by ‘The Heaven of Ice Snow’ and ‘Heart Deeply Drank in a Romantic Feeling’ but eventually opted for ‘Love to get Occulty with Black Forest’..

WHERE TO STAY I had meant to stay at the popular Cloudland International Hostel but got lost and ended up at another YHA instead (it wasn’t one of those ‘posh’ Chinese hostels with doors on the toilet cubicles).

Chengdu

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BIGTRIP Having given up on that particular mode of transport, I then spent more than 15 minutes attempting to cross the road, so as to get out of the station. Having failed to even make it across one lane of traffic I was eventually propositioned by an old man on a moped. After a quick glance at the map he assured me that he knew where I wanted to go, before zooming out in between the oncoming cars, trucks and buses. Some 40 minutes later he gave up, abandoning me at the side of the road, without even a landmark in view to try and establish my whereabouts.

Thankfully, although Chengdu as a whole is huge and sprawling, most of the main tourist attractions are actually located within quite a small area (and soon after getting lost I was offered a lift to my hostel by a friendly local family who had noticed me struggling with my map). Once oriented, it is possible to walk to most of the main sites, and most tourist hotels will offer affordable day trips to see the giant pandas.

THINGS TO DO Not far from the Jinjiang River is a pedestrianised tourist complex revolving around the Wenshu Temple. Hordes of Chinese tourists gather around the souvenir shops and stalls selling the Chinese equivalent of sticks of rock and ‘kiss me quick’ hats. The Buddhist Temple – the biggest and best preserved in Chengdu – is more than 1,000 years old, attracting crowds from all around the country to burn incense and sacrificial paper money in return for blessings (around AD960 Chengdu became the first place to widely use paper money). Inside the Scriptures Hall is a white-jade statue of Buddha from Myanmar, incantations in Sanskrit from India, and gold-plated scripture from Japan.

Chengdu is famous for its teahouses. The Chinese will sit around for hours while waiters wander around topping up their large white bowls of what appears to be a selection of twigs and garden clippings, with thermos flasks of boiling water. Tourists are usually directed to the ‘superior’ sections of the tea houses, which can cost up to 10 times more than the standard seating areas (although it will still cost you less than a cappuccino in Costa back home).

Undoubtedly, the biggest attraction for most foreign visitors is the Chengdu Panda Bear Breeding and Research Centre. It is usually visited on a day trip that includes minibus transportation, a video presentation, and a tour of the visitor centre, as well as the obligatory photo opportunities. Less well known, and also there to see, are the red pandas – they’re somewhere between a cat and a dog in size and look more like raccoons with a long bushy tail. Some scientists claim that they’re closely related to giant pandas, while others quite confidently state that they’re a completely different species. The fact that they look like totally different animals would seem to lend credence to the latter view.

Pictures: Getty, Thinkstock

GOING OUT A popular night out is a visit to the Shefengyayun Sichuan Opera House. Most Sichuan Opera repertoires are adapted from the Chinese classical novels, mythologies, legends and folk tales. The performances are highly stylised and often acrobatic.

WHERE TO STAY Highly recommended is Sim’s Cozy Garden Hostel. It offers a wide range of affordable accommodation

Wenshu Temple, Chengdu

Giant panda, Chengdu

Water wheel, Lanzhou TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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including unusually attractive dorm rooms, good-value tours to the Panda Centre and Sichuan Opera, and will even book your onward train tickets for a small fee.

Lanzhou Lanzhou, situated roughly in the centre of China, was once a major stop on the Silk Road. It used to be known as the Golden City but is now one of the most polluted cities in China. Unlike Chengdu, it is not a major tourist attraction and I didn’t see any other tourists when I was there.

THINGS TO DO If Lanzhou is famous for anything, then it is for its water wheels. Until the 1950s, around 250 enormous water wheels were still being used for irrigation along the Yellow River that runs through Lanzhou (the invention of the irrigation water wheel had travelled up the Silk Road from Roman Syria). Not many have survived the Cultural Revolution but some working reproductions have been built for the Water Wheel Garden as a tourist attraction. The park extends for a kilometre or so along the Yellow River and, as well as a line of scenic water wheels, it also features an amphitheatre for public performances, a rock museum (yep, rock) and a set of bronze statues depicting Chinese workers.

Sometimes in the summer tourists are allowed to float across the river on traditional rafts made from inflated sheepskins. You probably wouldn’t drown if you fell out as they make you wear life jackets, but I wouldn’t fancy your chances if you accidentally swallowed anything.

Like many other hillside parks in China, Five Springs Park is a mixture of ancient temples, elegant gardens and gaudily painted amusement rides. A hike up steep rockcut stairways will lead you to yet more temples, cut high up into the hillside, with views stretching out over the smog-ridden city, as far as the Yellow River.

GOING OUT Although all large cities will have the usual selection of restaurants, nightclubs and karaoke bars, there is little in Lanzhou that is aimed specifically at tourists. If you get bored, you can always head over to one of the large internet cafés and be surrounded by dozens of Chinese teenagers, all blowing up mythical monsters and evil foreign invaders as loudly as possible.

The speed of any internet connection is extremely variable and most social media and many news sites are blocked. There is also a strong likelihood that online email accounts will be infected with the many unblocked viruses. On no account should you use Chinese internet café’s to make any financial transactions!

WHERE TO STAY There is apparently a hostel on the other side of town to the train station, but just two minutes right of the station I managed to find a nice budget hotel with a decent bathroom and satellite TV for less than the price of a private room in a hostel.

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Temple at Crescent Lake, Dunhuang

modern, but around 12km out of town. It looks like an alien spaceship that has been abandoned in the desert.

Having caught a minibus into the central market area of Dunhuang, I was struck by just how untypical Chinese both the city and the people look: there seem to be more mosques than Buddhist temples, many of the residents look more Central Asian than Han Chinese, and the whole atmosphere is very different to the large cities further east.

Dunhuang, in Gansu province, used to be one of the most important cities in ancient China. The city was founded by Emperor Wudi of the Han dynasty in 111BC at the crossroads of two trading routes of the Silk Road. Today, it is a highly popular holiday destination among China’s large numbers of camera-happy domestic tourists.

THINGS TO DO Minibuses can easily be caught from the centre of town to the hugely popular Thousand Buddha Caves of Magao. According to local legend, the temple caves were first dug out in AD366 by a Buddhist monk called Le Zen who had a vision of a thousand Buddhas. The number of the temples eventually rose to more than a thousand, many of which were painted with elaborate murals by pilgrims passing along the Silk Road. These murals were intended as aids to meditation and as mnemonic devices but, perhaps more importantly, they had acted as teaching tools to inform illiterate Chinese of the ideas and philosophy of the Buddhism that had spread into China along the Silk Road. The price of the admission ticket includes the services of an English-speaking guide.

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BIGTRIP the shape of a half moon by a natural spring in the desert.

The story goes that these dunes got their name after an army that was resting at this oasis was taken by surprise by a massive sand storm that completely submerged them, and that the sound you can sometimes hear echoing from the dunes is the screams of the still-buried soldiers. Others think that the sound has something to do with the wind and the shifting sand dunes but I prefer the first explanation.

GOING OUT As a major domestic tourist attraction, the city centre features the usual entertainments for Chinese holidaymakers but little is aimed at foreign visitors.

WHERE TO STAY Most independent travellers opt to stay at Charlie Jhong’s Guest House. It is situated a few kilometres out of town, right next to the sand dunes, but it is easy enough to catch a local minibus there or even to get a free lift from Charlie Jhong’s Café (run by the friendly owner’s wife) or Shirley’s Café (run by Charlie’s brother in law).

Urumqi

The other major attraction at Dunhuang is the Mingsha Shan National Park, situated in one of the most scenic regions of the vast Gobi Desert. Most visitors opt to ascend the Echoing Sand Mountains on the back of a Bactrian camel, stopping only at the peak to slide down the sand on a sled, before snaking back around the epically proportioned dunes to the Crescent Moon Lake – formed in

View from Red Hill, Urumqi

The Uyghur people from around Urumqi in Xianjiang province are really more Central Asian, in both appearance and culture, than they are Han Chinese. Like Tibet, it is a highly contested region of China. The recent rise in Uyghur nationalism and the demand for an independent state of Uyghurstan, or East Turkistan, is considered a great threat to the Chinese state. Apart from anything else, Xinxiang is rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas that have yet to be anything like fully exploited by the national government.

Strangely, there isn’t yet a direct connecting train from Dunhuang’s ultra modern new station to Urumqi, so you have to get a bus or shared taxi to Liuyan, around an hour’s drive from Dunhuang City. If you wish to carry on further along the Silk Road from Urumqi, then you can either catch a 24-hour bus to Kashgar, in the direction of Pakistan, before crossing over into Kyrgyzstan, or take the night train or bus to Almaty in Kazakhstan.

THINGS TO DO Most of Urumqi’s attractions are found on Red Hill. As with most of the scenic temple and pagoda sites in China, a selection of rickety-looking fairground rides have been planted into the hillside. If all the reverence and spirituality become a bit tiresome you can always cheer yourself up with a ride on a big wheel or get spun around in a revolving teacup. It’s difficult to imagine this happening in other parts of the world – perhaps a a ghost train should run through Canterbury Cathedral? Or a big dipper could be bolted onto the roof of the Blue Mosque?

GOING OUT Try one of the plentiful Uyghur restaurants, whose cuisine is closer in style to Turkish than to traditional Chinese. There is also a good food court at the shopping mall just along from Peoples’ Park.

WHERE TO STAY I would recommend the White Birch YHA, just across the road from the Regional Museum, and backing on to another large park which is particularly popular with the enthusiastic fliers of large and colourful Chinese kites.

For more information and inspiration on travelling around China, check out Tom’s book Tearing up the Silk Road (www. tomcoote.net) TNTDOWNUNDER.COM

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OZCAREERS

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Is nursing for you?

So you’re looking for a fantastic job with excellent prospects, a job that’s rewarding and makes you feel like you’re achieving everyday then look no further. Nursing could be just for you!

WORDS BY IAN ARMITAGE

Australia is crying out for nurses, If you’ve got a caring nature (and the right qualifications) then you could be in luck. It is one of the many jobs in Aus that they need filling. Listed on the Skilled Occupation List – when a profession is on that list, migrants need not apply for permanent visas with the aid of employers – you can get a temporary work (skilled) 457 visa instead. It effectively means the Australian government wants you and you’ve got a good chance of getting in there.

For you it’s good news, fantastic job 88

prospects, decent pay and conditions, and rewarding work awaits... you could say nurses in Australia have it pretty good. There value is certainly better than in many other Western countries.

There’s such a shortage of qualified health workers that it’s very much a worker’s market. Admittedly you’re probably unlikely to go into nursing for the cash, but the pay seems to be far higher than what you’d get in the UK and many European countries. Rates of pay vary depending on experience but you are looking at a monthly salary average of up to AU$7,500).

There are criteria you’ll have to meet including your age, English language skills (we can assume that if you’re reading this then you have some), qualifications and the country in which you obtained them (it’s necessary to be assessed by the relevant authority in Australia). These requirements are subject to change so it is always best to double check (the Department of Immigration is a good starting point).

Most important, though, is registering. It’s easy to do with the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Board (NMBA). Make contact with them

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GET HOPPING TO AUSTRALIA TODAY!

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OZCAREERS and discuss the way forward. It might be worth your while getting hold of some kind of reference (such as MIMS). Get your head around Australian drug brand names as soon as you can – they’re often different to the UK and other places around the world, may help you get on the ladder quicker than other appplicants that have no knowledge of Australian pharmaceuticals. Let’s face it if you were recruiting who would you choose?

Then it’s all about deciding where and what you want to do. You can go permanently, you can go temporarily (up to four years) and improve your skills, or you can even take a working holiday (ideal for registered nurses between 18 and 30 years old).

Nursing is one of those jobs you can take anywhere in the world and you’d be crazy not to think about Australia, where demand for nurses is strong and pay isn’t bad either.

HELPFUL LINKS HCA HEALTHCARE AUSTRALIA Ph: 1300 422 247 healthcareaustralia.com.au AUSTRALIAN NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BOARD Ph: 1300 419 495 nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au ALLIED MEDISTAFF NURSING AGENCY Ph: (02) 9368 1501 medistaffnursing.com.au.

AUSTRALIAN NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL Ph: (02) 6257 7960 anmc.org.au

A QUICK CHAT WITH...

Hannah Tiernan Shrewsbury, UK What made you decide to work as a nurse in Australia?

Nursing is one of those jobs that you can take anywhere in the world to get experience.

Australia seemed like as good a place as any to start.

How did you land your new job?

I found a health professional job vacancy site on the internet by google-ing New South Wales e-recruit and applied for a handful of positions. UK and Irish nurses have a good reputation out here for working hard so it wasn’t too difficult to get a job.

And what exactly is it that you do now?

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I am a nurse in the emergency department of a hospital in Sydney, looking after people with acute problems like heart attacks or being involved in car crashes to more long term problems like homelessness or helping the older generation who cannot cope in their own homes any longer. I come home with great stories to tell my housemates!

How does nursing in Australia compare to back home?

It was pretty hard to get used to the different drug names asthey use brand names intend of the generic names like we do at home. I asked someone if they wanted paracetamol once and they didn’t know what I was talking about! It is also quite behind the UK in nursing technology and research.

How long do you plan to nurse in Australia for? How long can you stay?

I plan to be here for a couple of years, I got sponsored pretty much as soon as I started work so I can stay for four years and then try for residency if I want to.

Where have you worked so far, and what is your next destination?

I have only worked in Australia but I am planning on doing some work for a charity in Africa at the end of next year, then off to America.

Want to share you best nursing advice for travellers?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, people understand that we do things differently back home. Try and keep your good habits like hand hygiene and infection control. Things aren’t as strict over here which is a nice change but there is proof that clean hands make a big difference.

How does the pay compare to your expectations?

It’s brilliant! I get more than twice as much as I would do at home and my life-style is great. I can afford to eat out and shop, go on holidays and save a big sum too. Nurses can’t do that in the UK. Any advice for budding nurses to be who are travelling in Australia?

It depends how long you want to stay traveling for. If you are thinking more than six months in one place, definitely get sponsored, you get job security, sick leave and annual leave. If you are here for a good time, not a long time, then agency work is where to go, the money is better and you can pick your days off but they send you all over the city to different hospitals and wards. Don’t forget to see Australia too, make sure you get days off together so you can go on mini breaks.

To look for jobs in Australia, head to tntdownunder.com/jobs

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