Jetsettersblog

Luna Park Sydney is gearing up for its most thrilling, spine chilling Summer School Holidays ever with the arrival of two crazy ‘white-knuckle’ rides, the Disk’o and the Power Surge. Available for a limited time only, from 26 December – 30 January, these two nail-biting, thrill rides are sure to set hearts racing and knees trembling.

Disk’o
The Disk’o makes its Australian debut at Luna Park this Summer. This brand new thrill-seekers dream is like no other. Twenty four riders face outwards in a giant spinning disk that coasts up and down an enormous 92feet half pipe track at turbo speeds…Cool!

Power Surge
Hold on tight! The Power Surge is a high-impact thrill ride that flips, twists and spins up to twenty four dangling riders in gravity defying circles.

Bursting with colour and light, the super-spectacular twisting machine has six arms with free-spinning gondolas that move in all different directions, so once you’re in your seat and the ride takes off, you won’t know which way is up or down!

Not for the faint hearted, these rides cost just $10, or are FREE with your Unlimited Rides Pass. They are suitable for thrill-seekers over 130cm tall.

Luna Park Sydney, where everyone goes…. just for fun! www.lunaparksydney.com

PRICING
Visit www.lunaparksydney.com or call (02) 9922 6644 for further information about the best pass for your visit!

HOURS
Christmas/Summer School Holidays (from 26 Dec – 30 Jan)
Sunday to Thursday 10am-9pm. Friday & Saturday 10am-11pm

Autumn, Winter & Spring School Holidays
Sunday to Thursday 10am-6pm. Friday & Saturday 10am-11pm

Non School Holidays from end Summer Holidays to beginning Spring Holidays
Sunday 10am-6pm. Monday 11am-4pm. Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm. Tuesday to Thursday Park is closed

Non School Holidays from end Spring Holidays to beginning Summer Holidays
Sunday 10am-6pm. Monday 11am-6pm. Friday 11am – 11pm, Saturday 10am-11pm. Tuesday to Thursday Park is closed.

The hosting of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 in Australia in March 2011 will provide a powerful platform to reach a potential audience of tens of millions from more than 200 countries, according to Tourism Australia.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said working with Google and YouTube provided an unparalleled opportunity to combine the two organisations’ digital marketing expertise to promote a side of Australia many people may not have seen before.

“It’s great to be approached by such a leading global technology brand as YouTube wishing to work with us on an exciting project like this,” Mr McEvoy said.

“I think this reflects Tourism Australia’s growing reputation as an innovator and an acknowledgement of our increasing status in the digital space. Access to YouTube’s vast network allows us to promote Australia to consumers on a scale that is not available using traditional marketing techniques.

“The first YouTube Symphony Orchestra played a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall in New York and attracted 25 million views from 226 countries to the dedicated YouTube channel that streamed the concert performance live.

“That’s a staggering audience and one we’re very keen to tap into as we continue to look for innovative ways to get our tourism message out,” Mr McEvoy said.

Australia will be one of the best represented nations in the global orchestra of 101 international musicians, with only the USA, Canada and Italy providing more members. Four Australian musicians have been included in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011.

Mathisha Panagoda (cellist) from Sydney, Brent Miller (timpanist) from Toowoomba in Queensland, Rollin Zhao (violinist) from Brisbane in Queensland and John Burgess (bass guitarist) from Canberra in the ACT join an ensemble of 101 talented international musicians from 33 countries who have been selected to play at the finale concert of YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 at the Sydney Opera House on 20 March.

The four Australian musicians will participate in a week of rehearsals and concerts in Sydney, culminating in a final performance on 20 March that will be live-streamed around the world on YouTube.

“Digital marketing is so important in our industry, with so many people now using digital channels to research and book their holidays. Our creative collaboration with YouTube gives us a huge online platform to showcase Australia and our country’s creative spirit on a truly global scale,” Mr McEvoy added.

Tourism Australia’s work with YouTube is part of an already successful digital marketing strategy, highlights of which include a YouTube-branded channel and the current There’s nothing like Australia marketing campaign, which has encouraged thousands of people around the world to share their favourite Australian experience.

Tourism Australia will be running a number of promotional programs around YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011, including hosting selected orchestra members throughout the country to create film and musical content which will be broadcast on YouTube and via its own digital and social media channels.

YouTube is the world’s largest online video community, with two billion video streams a day, and 35 hours of video content uploaded per minute.

Australian musician profiles:

Mathisha Panagoda – cellist
Mathisha, age 23, has toured Europe and China with the Australian Youth Orchestra and performed at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. He has established his own chamber orchestra in Sydney, the Sydney Camerata, which is made up of young, talented musicians from around the country who come together a few times a year to live and work together and put on concerts for the public.

Brent Miller – timpanist
Brent overcame a neck injury and spinal problems to return to full-time secondary schooling in Toowoomba, Queensland in 2003. He has performed with the University of Southern Queensland Orchestra, Toowoomba Concert Band and the Queensland Youth Symphony (becoming Principal Percussionist in 2009).

Rollin Zhao – violinist
Rollin, age 17 from Brisbane, started learning violin when he was two. He was so devoted to his musical study; he could read music before he could read words.

John Burgess – bass guitarist
John, 23, was born in Queensland, grew up in the rural Mid North Coast of NSW and now lives in the Australian Capital Territory. He began to take an interest in music at age nine, first piano, and then the bass guitar. Burgess will be one of four soloists who will perform an improvisation of a work specially created for YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 by American composer Mason Bates.

On Feb. 14, in Melbourne, details of the Barangaroo, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and Star City Casino were revealed at the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) 2011 in Melbourne. The waterfront development for conferences, conventions and incentive travel is costing more than $7 billion.

The goal is to transform 22 hectares of former wharves and industrial space on Sydney Harbor into a $6 billion public, residential and commercial CBD precinct with a waterfront promenade running the length of the site.

The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre will be expanded to create more space for major international events, while Star City is undergoing a major renovation. Barangaroo will become a major hub in Sydney’s CBD, with a major hotel, commercial office towers, residential apartments, retail, restaurants and cultural facilities in a busy public waterfront precinct, with public open space and a new Headland Park.

The $550 million proposed redevelopment of the entertainment center at Darling Harbour includes the new Sydney Multifunctional Convention and Entertainment Centre (SMCEC) on the site of the existing carpark at Haymarket. The existing Sydney Entertainment Centre (SEC) will be demolished, opening up new development and public space in south Darling Harbour. The new facility will feature more than 20,000 square meters of new floor space increasing capacity to a total of over 40,000 square meters, with a conference and entertainment auditorium capable of seating up to 12,000 people. The project is expected to be completed by 2015.

The $860 million Star City redevelopment will transform the casino into a world-class venue, adding a 3,000 seated capacity multi-purpose Events Centre, a further 172 room hotel to complement the existing 350 hotel and 130 apartments, plus several new highly acclaimed restaurants. For more information, visit www.tourism.australia.com

The Hertz Corporation has entered the low-cost car rental market in Australia and New Zealand by acquiring Ace Rental Cars, the second-largest discount car rental company in New Zealand. Ace will continue to operate under its existing brand as an independent subsidiary.

Established 25 years ago, Ace has a fleet of good-quality vehicles throughout New Zealand, in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Picton, Greymouth and Dunedin, and in Queensland, Australia, at rental locations in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Hertz is a growing provider in the low-cost car rental market, with value brand operations in the U.S., Europe, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean through its wholly owned discount car rental company, Advantage. In addition to entering the domestic low cost rental markets in Australia and New Zealand, the acquisition of Ace Rental Cars enables the Hertz group to compete for the business of budget international travelers visiting the Australasian region. For more information, visit www.hertz.com

More than 300 vessels are expected to take part in the event.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, — The Sydney Harbour Regatta will see hundreds of yachts head to the New South Wales capital to take part in four days of intense racing.

Over the years, the event has grown to become the largest and most successful at the harbour since the 2000 Olympics.

Vessels from across the world are allowed to enter the competition, with over 300 expected to register for one of more than 24 divisions.

The stakes are high, as the winner in each category will qualify for the Audi Final Drive Challenge in Eastern Creek. The eventual winner of this will take home an Audi A1.

As well as the chance to watch boat racing, the regatta boasts plenty more entertainment. A packed bill of shore-line activities includes Henri Lloyd Fashion Parades, which will take place on March 5th and 6th 2011 at 13:30 local time.

Other highlights include a beach party at 16:30 on March 6th and a live performance from a mystery special guest at 17:00 on March 5th.

The event runs from March 4th to 7th, opening with an invitational charity race and concluding with a prize-giving ceremony.

Fans of the sport looking for Sydney hotels in order to watch the action unfold can find a wide range of hotel deals in the area at LateRooms.com.

More information can be found by visiting http://www.sydneyharbourregatta.com / or contact +61 2 9969 1244.

The free event will feature live music from The Hips, Loaded Denim and more.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA,– Family fun and music aplenty will be the order of the day at next month’s Blues Alive Art in the Park Festival in Rockingham, Western Australia.

Presented by the West Coast Blues Club, the event will involve live performances from The Hips, Sister Mojo, Loaded Denim, Al Muir and many more.

Free kids’ activities have been arranged to keep youngsters entertained, while the arts and crafts stalls will offer a distraction for visitors who want to take a break away from the main stage.

Those who feel their energy levels running low can recharge their batteries at one of the many healthy food outlets on site.

The event will take place at Churchill Park in the Foreshore area of Rockingham, a town that is less than a 40-minute south-west drive from Perth and is a popular seaside resort for locals and tourists alike.

Proceedings are set to take place on March 6th 2011 from 10:00 to 18:30 local time and will be free to enjoy, despite the array of activities that have been organised.

Music fans keen to combine a stay in Perth accommodation with a trip to Blues Alive can head to LateRooms.com and choose from a vast array of cheap hotels in the area.

More information about the festival can be found by visiting http://www.westcoastbluesclub.com.au/index.html or contacting the organisers on (+61) 8 9528 1653.

Editors Notes:

www.LateRooms.com is part of the B2C sector of TUI Travel PLC’s Accommodation and Destination Division. Also within this sector are AsiaRooms.com and Hotels-London.co.uk.

LateRooms.com is the UK’s leading online accommodation site offering late availability deals in over 37,000 properties worldwide, ranging from bed and breakfasts to five-star luxury hotels.

LateRooms.com offers customers a saving of up to 70 per cent off the normal room rate for a variety of independent and branded hotels. Customers can book online or by phone 24/7, whether booking 12 months or 12 minutes in advance – whatever time, whatever day. No other accommodation site offers this flexibility.

LateRooms.com arms customers with information to help them choose the right hotel. Users can read from over 540,000 true hotel reviews, written by customers who have booked through LateRooms.com and actually stayed at the hotel.

This year, Celebrate in the Park will be held on Monday 14th March 2011. The event is free to attend and is part of the main Canberra Festival.

This year, the Celebrate in the Park event is sponsored by ACTTAB as always and will include plenty of music provided by local bands and headline acts. Families are welcome and there will be plenty to keep the little ones amused. At the end of the day, a fireworks display will be held – providing the impressive ending to the weeklong Canberra Festival activities.

Last year’s event saw over 25,000 visitors throughout the afternoon and evening’s entertainment. Details regarding this year’s musical performance and entertainment will be released closer to the day of the event.

Celebrate in the Park is part of the greater Canberra Festival. Other events include the Canberra Festival Balloon Spectacular, Lights! Canberra! Action!, Symphony in the Park, the Canberra Citizen of the Year Award and Chief Ministers Canberra Gold Awards.

When not attending the celebration, those staying for a few days in Canberra hotels can enjoy a visit to the Australian War Memorial and National Zoo and Aquarium. Other attractions include the Questacon National Science and Technology Centre, Parliament House, National Gallery of Australia, Cockington Green, an amusement and theme park. Nightlife activities include the ACT Racing Club, Aboriginal Dreaming Gallery and O’Malley’s Irish Bar.

The Perth Sheraton has rebranded to Pan Pacific Perth, opening its doors under its new name and management in January. The 486-room hotel on Adelaide Terrace offers views of the Swan River and has extensive meeting and banqueting facilities, with 11 function rooms as well as an entire level dedicated to seven boardrooms with state-of-the-art technology. For more information, visit www.pphg.com

The Langham, Melbourne has created an exclusive city hotel experience with the launch of their stylish Terrace Rooms this month. Unique among Melbourne hotels, the new rooms offer an expansive 50m2 private terrace, complete with sun lounges and outdoor dining setting.

Perched high above the city, on floors 19-21, the Terraces offer a private sanctuary where guests can enjoy the fresh air, bask in the sunshine or simply chill out whilst delighting in the city panorama of uninterrupted sparkling city skyline views.

An extension to the Langham’s Deluxe River Rooms, the generous private balconies are the largest offered by a five-star Melbourne hotel and are sure to be sought after by discerning leisure and business travellers alike.

Open the sliding door and the Terrace Rooms reflect a décor of understated classic elegance with rich fabrics and a timeless ambience. Langham’s signature Blissful Beds and a marble bathroom with double basin, separate shower and bath complete the experience. Contemporary in-room features include an LCD high-definition TV with Media Hub and iPod / iPhone docking station.

Complemented by The Langham’s famous five-star service, enchanting dining and the luxurious Chuan Spa, the exclusive new Terrace Rooms are set to become the most sought after hotel address in the city.

The Langham, Melbourne’s new Terrace Rooms with Club Langham benefits are available from $660- $1200.00 per night, based on best available rate of the day at time of booking.

Reservations for the Terrace Rooms are available only via direct bookings made with The Langham, Melbourne and online at www.langhamhotels.com

To reserve accommodation call 1800 858 662, email mel.resv@langhamhotels.com or book at www.langhamhotels.com

Situated in the exclusive riverside Southbank precinct and offering stunning views of the Melbourne city skyline, the Yarra River and Federation Square, The Langham, Melbourne offers a luxurious and timeless inner-city experience.

The 25-floor hotel is a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World and has 387 luxuriously appointed rooms including 45 executive club rooms and 11 suites, attended to by the hotel’s signature Service Stylists, who are there to fulfill guests’ every need. The hotel’s indulgent suites also offer the services of personal butlers, famed for their legendary ‘service with poise’ and enchanting hospitality.

The Langham, Melbourne was voted the top hotel in Melbourne in the region of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in Travel & Leisure USA World’s 500 Best Hotels List 2010, named the top city hotel in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in the Travel + Leisure USA World’s Best 2009, is included on the Condé Nast Traveler US 2008 and Conde Nast Traveller UK 2008 Gold Lists as one of the World’s Best Hotels, is named in the top three hotels on mainland Australia on the Condé Nast Traveler US Gold List for 2009, and is placed amongst the Top 20 Hotels in the Oceania region in the Condé Nast Traveler US Readers Choice Awards 2010.

The hotel’s chic Aria Bar & Lounge and interactive Melba restaurant offer guests exciting and sophisticated dining options, including a buffet with live cooking stations, and elegant and indulgent Afternoon Tea. Extensive conference and meeting facilities are offered by the hotel and the five-star property is home to the highly acclaimed, luxury Chuan Spa. A member of the Leading Spas of the World, Chuan Spa offers treatments founded on Traditional Chinese Medicine and adjoins the sun terrace, pool and hotel’s Health Club.

Find out more about enchanting experiences at The Langham, Melbourne and make a reservation by visiting www.langhamhotels.com

The Yellow Brick guide will offer a new audio GPS touring experience in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. The release is the first in its series of GPS audio driving tours, providing independent travelers a stress-free way to explore a region using in-car satellite narration. The tours incorporate music, narration, characters and directions responding intuitively to the changing scenery.

The Hunter Valley in New South Wales is the first region experience, with three half-day tours to be unveiled including Mount View Vistas, the Heart of Pokolbin and Lovedale Loop. The Yellow Brick Guide will be available for hire through tourism contact points in the Hunter Valley including the Hunter Valley Visitors Centre, Pepper Tree Wines, Poole’s Rock Wines, Ballabourneen Wines and the Sebel Kirkton Park Hotel. For more information, visit www.winecountry.com.au