Jetsettersblog

Quality product and a focus on service ensures Kimberley Wild Expeditions bucks the tourism downturn in 2011 as we welcome NEW vehicles, NEW products, NEW technology and an exciting NEW code-share agreement!

Awarded Best Tour Operator for 3 years running WA Tourism Awards (2008, 2009 and 2010), Kimberley Wild Expeditions offers the region’s best experiential adventure tours out of Broome.

Kimberley Wild Expeditions the specialist local operator in Broome & the Kimberley for Intrepid Travel, APT Connections, APT Sightseeing and as of April 2011, Australian Pinnacle Tours.

Kimberley Wild Day Tours out of Broome operate regularly, with the popular 1 Day Cape Leveque Adventure increasing to daily departures in 2011. Our overnight adventure tours depart weekly from April/May through to October, while new product combination tour, the 12 Day Kimberley Explorer is proving highly successful and will continue to be offered into 2012.

The Kimberley Wild fleet features seven luxury 20-seat Isuzu 4WD and one 24 seat Hino 2WD, with a new luxury 4WD and 2WD coach currently in negotiation.

Short Breaks and extended Adventures generally involve Premium Camping overnight, in comfortable swags and tents at fully facilitated camp sites with hot showers and flushing toilets. In 2011, Kimberley Wild also introduced the Camping Plus product, where travellers can upgrade to a range of accommodation options where available.

Being a local company, Kimberley Wild specialises in the Kimberley region. Having worked with us for many years now, our guides are experienced and knowledgeable and enjoy sharing their great passion for the region with our travellers.

To cap off all the developments this year, Kimberley Wild has also launched a new, improved, online reservations system with even more versatility, product and information for our valued agents and travellers to access 24 hours a day. PLUS, our new retail outlet opens in Johnny Chi Lane, Chinatown Broome.

So after a fabulous ‘wet’, it is with great excitement that Kimberley Wild looks forward to the start of the 2011 ‘dry’, a season which promises some of our greatest adventures yet.

With its cozy bars and cobbled laneways, Melbourne is a city made for winter. The lights shine brighter, the coffee tastes better and the city’s finest designers, musicians, filmmakers and writers come out to play. There’s wine tasting and puppets, late-night jazz and poetry slams, book signings, world-class exhibitions and hearty winter feasts.

And that’s just at Federation Square.

As the nights close in and the air grows cool, winter will see Fed Square at the heart of the city’s best festivals and home to hundreds of free events, films and workshops.

From 2 June – 3 July, Melbourne will bask in the glow of The Light in Winter – Fed Square’s annual celebration of light and community. Directed by Robyn Archer, the free program will explore the symbolism of fire, with light installations, an Indigenous campfire, ‘guerrilla’ lighting on-the-run, forums and a huge multicultural celebration of music and dance on the Winter Solstice.

Rain, hail or shine, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival (4 – 13 June) will banish those winter blues away with free opening celebrations at Fed Square on 4 June, followed by more than a week’s worth of free lunchtime and twilight performances on the Main Stage.

In celebration of their 150th birthday, the National Gallery of Victoria will throw one big ‘pARTy’ from 28 – 29 May, with a huge range of free activities and the launch of NGV Studio, an exciting new contemporary art space at Fed Square. Also, the work of esteemed colonial painter, Eugene von Guérard will be on show at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, home to the NGV’s vast Australian collection of works, and a ‘must do’ during your stay in Melbourne.

With the school holidays comes the madcap fun of Puppets at Fed Square (4 – 10 July) – a free, week-long puppet festival with workshops, shows, films and giant puppets roaming around the Square! While mum and dad warm up over a hearty meal or wander through one of the exhibitions, there’s also free arty fun at the NGV Kids Corner and video game bliss at ACMI’s exhibition, Screen Worlds, to keep the little ones occupied.

Swathed in black with programs in hand, Melbourne’s creative community comes out in force during July with the State of Design festival (20 – 31 July) and Melbourne International Film Festival (21 July – 7 August). As Australia’s largest design-based event, State of Design will include a dizzying array of workshops, forums, exhibitions and talks at Federation Square and across the city, including the hugely popular, Melbourne Open House event.

A haven for cinema buffs, ACMI will bolster its season of exhibitions and films with screenings of the cinematic delights of the Melbourne International Film Festival, with filmgoers spilling out into the Square for a post-movie pizza or spirited discussion over coffee at one of Fed Square’s sixteen diverse cafes, bars and restaurants.

After the mad rush of the school holidays and frenetic circling of film screenings, exhibitions and tours, Fed Square will ease into August with a glass of wine and a good book – the perfect winter warmer.

The Fed Square Wine Awards on 3 and 4 August offer wine-lovers the chance to enjoy the very best wines from boutique producers across Victoria, with more than 40 award-winning wineries on show. In a culmination of Fed Square’s monthly wine showcase, the very best of the best will present their wares for tasting, with the opportunity to chat to the winemakers and learn about Victoria’s diverse wine regions.

Authors, poets and literary mavericks will take over the Square from 25 August – 4 September, with the epic Melbourne Writers Festival, which last year featured more than 430 international and local writers at over 400 events and featured literary banquets, debates, readings, performances, film screenings and workshops.

So rug up, hit the streets and enjoy the wintry delights of Federation Square.

Fed Square is easily accessible by public transport, or for extra comfort you can park onsite at the Fed Square Car Park (off peak rate $12).

NGV 150th Birthday pARTY
28 – 29 May, times various, FREE

The Light in Winter
2 June – 3 July, times vary, FREE

Melbourne International Jazz Festival
4 – 13 June, times/prices vary (Opening celebration and daily Main Stage performances are free)

NGV Kids Corner
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm, FREE

Screen Worlds: The Story of Film, Television and Digital Culture
Open daily, 10am – 6pm, FREE

Eugene von Guérard: Nature Revealed
16 April – 7 August, 10am – 5pm, Adults: $15 / Concession: $12

Puppets at Fed Square
4 – 10 July, times vary, FREE

State of Design
20 – 31 July, times/prices vary

Melbourne International Film Festival
21 July – 7 August, times/prices vary

Fed Square Wine Awards
3 and 4 August, 4.30pm – 8.30pm, $25

Melbourne Writers Festival
25 August – 4 September, times/prices vary

The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne has been named Victoria’s “Best Meeting Venue over 500 Delegates” at the Meetings and Events (MEA) Industry Awards.

The MEA Awards recognise excellent business practice in the Meetings and Events Industry. They encourage industry professionals to excel in the achievement of their business and personal goals, and reward those who achieve outstanding results.

The category for “Best Meeting Venue over 500 Delegates” covers hotels and meetings venues, including purpose-built Convention Centres without accommodation.

Accepting the award, The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne’s Director of Sales – Conferences and Events, Keren Southgate could barely contain her excitement as she paid tribute, on behalf of General Manager Craig Bond, to everyone who had contributed to the hotel’s win.

“We all know that to be successful, a world-class meeting venue and hotel needs a dedicated, professional team willing to go that extra mile for their clients and I am proud to say that we have that team,” said Keren. “In fact they’re the A-Team”!

“From the food and beverage and kitchen brigade, to our entire conference and events team including technical services, everyone is passionate about their work and are fully committed to ensure that each and every event we hold is a winner,” she said.

“The hotel has been on an amazing journey over the past few years and to be recognised by the industry as the best venue in Victoria for conferencing and events catering to over 500 delegates, has definitely made the journey worthwhile,” said Keren.

As host of the gala evening as well as award recipient, the hotel’s conference and events team showed guests their winning style with a flawless event that showcased their great event spaces, as well as fantastic food and beverage and a slick technical presentation – all the ingredients for a great awards night.

The Sebel & Citigate Albert Park Melbourne is part of the Mirvac group of 45+ hotels and resorts in Australia and New Zealand under such well known brands as Quay Grand, The Como, Quay West Apartments & Resorts, Sea Temple Resorts & Spas, Sydney Marriott Hotel, Citigate Hotels, the Hotel Lindrum, Harbour Rocks Hotel, Q Stations and of course The Sebel Hotels, Resorts and Residences.

An iPhone application showcasing the Blue Mountains as a destination has been developed for Scenic World.

The app is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store. It will run on existing and future versions of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

“The strategy behind the app is similar to that behind our current television advertising campaign,” said Scenic World CEO Philip Hammon. “We want to show the world what the entire region has to offer – this is a very special place. Not only is it generally accepted as Australia’s most accessible wilderness, we also have hotels, restaurants, attractions, galleries and shopping to match any regional area in the country.”

The application, entitled Blue Mountains Australia, was project managed by Scenic World’s Marketing Manager, Rob Weaver, working with software specialists iVent Services of Katoomba and Synchroma of Leura.

“Blue Mountains Australia traces what is sometimes called the ‘Grand Circular Drive’ – that is, the loop from Penrith to Windsor via the Great Western Highway and Bell’s Line of Road, with diversions to the Jenolan, Oberon and Lithgow areas,” said Weaver.

It has brief introductions to various aspects of the Blue Mountains as well as sections to describe what can be seen in just about every town and village along the route, together with lists of accommodation, places to eat, activities, galleries and shopping.

“We are adding businesses to the app every day,” said Weaver.

Blue Mountains Australia can be downloaded at
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/blue-mountains-australia/id418208394?mt=8#

Novotel Twin Waters Resort Executive Chef Steven Forrester and his team at the resort’s Nouveau Restaurant have created a brand new buffet dinner menu that changes every day of the week, reflecting the best available seasonal produce and a diversity of talent in the kitchen.

With many guests visiting Nouveau several times a week the aim was to offer a different dining theme every evening. If staying for less than seven days guests will never dine from the same buffet twice with the themed menu offering a wide selection of dishes from all corners of the globe.

Monday is Mediterranean, Tuesday guests will enjoy an Australian Barbeque menu, East Meets West on Wednesday nights, Thursday is a Spanish feast, Friday and Saturday nights guests will experience some of Queensland’s finest seafood and of course on Sundays Nouveau will be serving the traditional Sunday roast.

Nouveau Restaurant offers indoor or alfresco dining with a stunning outlook to the pool or lagoon. Nouveau Restaurant is open to guests and members of the public Monday to Sunday and offers a sumptuous buffet breakfast and lunch as well as the brand new themed dinner menu.

Nouveau Restaurant is located within the resort’s central complex on the Sunshine Coast an hour’s drive north of Brisbane and five minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport.

For more information or to make a booking call 1800 072 277 or visit: www.novoteltwinwatersresort.com.au

For Australian athletics fans hoping to make their way to the 13th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Daegu, Korea from 27 August to 4 September this year, a great value package has just been released through Sportsnet Holidays.

The package includes five nights accommodation (4-star), a choice of either opening or closing ceremony as well as breakfast daily, three lunches, transportation and the services of a local guide from as little as $1,199 per person twin share. The package is land only allowing passengers to book their own airfares to/from Korea.

Sportsnet Holidays is the leading provider of sports travel packages for Australians travelling to many of the largest sporting events around the world including Tour de France, Formula One, Rugby Union, Soccer, Tennis, Cricket and more. With their office based in Melbourne enquires and bookings can be made via the Sportsnet Holidays website: www.sporstnetholidays.com.au or by phone 1300 888 858.

Australians will be able to purchase the above package through Sportsnet Holiday and then purchase additional tickets to specific events to suit their interest from the event organisers via the website www.daegu2011.org

The 13th IAAF World Championship in Athletics will be held in the beautiful South Korean city of Daegu. Daegu is not only the fourth largest city in South Korea, but is renowned for being the greenest, due to the crystal clear rivers and lush forestry.

The IAAF World Championships 2011 will be staged at the state-of-the art Daegu stadium (which also played host to the 2002 FIFA World Cup), which has won critical acclaim for its excellent viewing points from all parts of the stadium.

For Australian athletics fans it is a great opportunity to join the event with Korea being a less than ten hour direct flight from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. It is hoped that many fans will follow the Australian team to Daegu to encourage them to bring home as many medals as possible for Australia.

For more information on the Sportsnet Holidays special packages to visit Daegu for the championships visit www.sportsnetholidays.com.au or phone 1300 888 858 to make further enquires.

For general information about the championships visit the official website www.daegu.2011.org

A free 230page full colour guidebook on Korea can be obtained by contacting the Sydney office of Korea Tourism Organization by email: visitkorea@knto.org.au  or by phone: 02)9251-1717.

Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”, or “the Group” – HKEx stock code: 00027) today announced that Galaxy Macau™, the newest and most eagerly anticipated integrated destination resort in the Cotai entertainment area, will open on 15 May, starting the countdown toward Macau’s biggest opening for 2011.

Dr. Lui Che Woo, Founder and Chairman, Galaxy Entertainment Group, said, “The Macau SAR Government’s stated goal, in accordance with the 12th Five-Year Plan, is to build for its economic future by diversifying its leisure and tourism industry. We believe Galaxy Macau will lead this development by offering what has been missing so far from the local integrated property market.

“From the beginning, our vision has been to develop and operate a resort that delivers both international-caliber standards but also captures the heartfelt service culture and unique flavor of Asia – something we call ‘World Class, Asian Heart’. This is especially critical for success in a market where Asian travelers are so dominant. In this way, we can make guests from around the region feel right at home, whilst at the same time provide an authentic Asian resort experience for visitors from around the world as well.”

Over 97% of Macau’s almost 25 million visitors in 2010 were from Asia, according to Macau Government Tourist Office statistics. Visitors from mainland China and Hong Kong, which are considered the primary feeder markets in the immediate term, together totaled 22 million or 81% in 2010.

“Today, we are very excited that we can now begin counting down to Galaxy Macau’s official opening on 15 May, after years of inspired creation and hard work backed with a firm conviction that a project rooted in Asian ideals and delivered by Asian people could achieve the highest international standards,” said Mr. Francis Lui, Vice Chairman, Galaxy Entertainment Group during a day of media events held for Hong Kong and Macau journalists. “This announcement wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of so many people, especially our talented and dedicated staff and our esteemed partners. We’re all very excited to open our doors to Macau and the world and show everyone what the ‘World Class, Asian Heart’ of Galaxy Macau is all about.”

Accommodation at Galaxy Macau will be provided by three iconic Asian hotel brands: It will include the 250 suites and 10 floating villas of the Banyan Tree Macau; the 500-room Hotel Okura Macau; and the 1,500-room Galaxy Hotel, which will become GEG’s flagship Cotai hotel. The three hotels will be available to guests on the opening day. Galaxy Macau also marks the entry into the Macau market for both the Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts and Okura Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Japan’s most prominent hotel company.

Banyan Tree also brings with it the first Banyan Tree Spa in the Pearl River Delta. At 2,800 square meters, the Banyan Tree Spa Macau – the biggest in the Banyan Tree group – will include 21 treatment rooms as well as a private spa floor for its hotel guests.

At a total investment of HK$14.9 billion, the 550,000-square-meter Galaxy Macau is the first truly integrated resort property of its kind because it is the only one in Macau with real resort features. Most prominent of these is the property’s spectacular 52,000-square-meter Grand Resort Deck, where a 350-ton white sand beach frames the 4,000-square-meter Skytop Wave Pool – the world’s largest of its kind – generating waves that will reach as high as 1.5 meters. Several pools, tropical and Japanese gardens, a traditional Japanese tea pavilion and private cabanas will dot the Grand Resort Deck area, making it perfect for private and corporate functions.

Upon opening Galaxy Macau will feature more than 50 international dining outlets. True to its focus on providing an authentic Asian resort experience, more than half of them will serve Asian cuisines, making it the widest such selection in Macau under one roof. The selection makes it possible for visitors to eat at Galaxy Macau once a week for a year and never eat at the same restaurant twice.

Rounding out Galaxy Macau’s resort offering will be extensive in-house entertainment across multiple live stages and clubs including the ultra-exclusive China Rouge, a hybrid private membership club, performance theatre, bar and restaurant conceptualized by renowned Hong Kong designer Alan Chan to evoke a modern vision of 1930s Shanghai. It is anticipated that China Rouge will instantly become one of the trendiest nightspots in Macau, drawing discerning clientele from around the region. Of particular note, Galaxy Macau is proud to announce its plans for a 9-screen, 3D, multi-function cinema theatre to follow later this year. Open to Galaxy Macau guests and the local community, the theatre will be state-of-the-art and the first of its kind in Macau. The property will also feature a retail boulevard offering a unique shopping experience of Asian as well as international brands.

More information on the Resort and its offerings can be found at http://galaxymacau.com / and http://www.facebook.com/galaxymacau

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has completed the final phase of a two-year hotel refurbishment, unveiling its ‘pièce de résistance’ – four newly refurbished signature suites.

The $1.6 million dollar upgrade included a complete revamp of the exquisite Presidential Suite, Deluxe Royal Suite and two Royal Suites. Perfectly positioned on the hotel’s 34th floor, the suites offer stunning panoramic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Designed by one of Australia’s leading interior and architecture practices, Bates Smart, the suites were transformed to take on a New York-style apartment circa 1930, evoking a feeling of warmth, elegance and refinement.

Dramatic and theatrical, The Presidential Suite is one of Sydney’s finest for visiting royalty, rock stars and celebrities. In the generous living spaces, the dark palette and leather detailing is rich and warm. The elegant hand-selected furnishings are complemented by an eclectic collection of photography.

With the Sydney Opera House as its backdrop, the master bedroom is an intimate cocoon featuring an elegant four-poster bed with linen canopy. The master bathroom is indulgent and spacious with warm, silvery travertine that echoes the suite’s parquet floor. A luxurious large central bathtub takes prime position in the bay window, offering views over Sydney’s Circular Quay.

The luxurious Royal Suites feature strong undertones of penthouse glamour but with an intriguing, metropolitan twist. Two suites are accented in light tones and the third offer darker, moodier tones. On arrival, grand, full height double doors welcome guests; beautifully crafted bench seats are positioned in front of the expansive windows, inviting guests to drink in the views. Parquet floor, timber wall paneling, wallpaper and soft Roman blinds create a feeling of intimacy and warmth.

Sensuous, tactile furnishings and custom-design pieces have been placed throughout the suites. The lighter palette has touches of subtle watery blues and soft silvery greens to create a restful, relaxing ambience.

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney’s exquisite new suites exude ‘wow’ factor that exceeds guest expectations of luxury and comfort, delivering numerous memorable moments from arrival to departure.

Travel operator and Nordic specialist 50 Degrees North Pty Ltd has just released its Aurora Borealis brochure with 8 great ways to see the Northern Lights in 2011/12.

The brochure displays a handful of trips tailored to maximise the chances to see the Northern Lights. The trips are mostly short in length to suit those who are already in the area and want to scoot up north for an experience of a lifetime.

The Aurora trips include a short excursion to the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi (Northern Sweden), tours to the Lofoten archipelago and Tromsø in the far north of Norway, Finnish Lapland, Super Jeep trips in Iceland and a trip to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland.

The northern winter 2011/12 is predicted to display some of the most intense occurrences of Aurora Borealis in over a decade, as the 11 year cycle of the sun comes to its peak. The main cause of the Northern Light is the number of dark spots on the surface of the sun, i.e. the more spots the better chance of Auroras. These natural displays of green, white and purple light occur most frequently in the Polar Regions in a 2500 km radius off the geomagnetic pole. The zone with the most intense sightings of Aurora Borealis extends over Lapland in northern Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Siberia. As it happens; this is 50 Degrees North’s specialist area.

When to go?
The months of November to April are generally the best for observing the Northern Lights, and nights closest to full moon should be avoided as this brightens the sky. The Northern Light emits more concentrated colours and longer experiences on the eve of a new moon.
New Moon Northern Winter 2011/12: 27 Sep, 26 Oct, 25 Nov, 24 Dec, 23 Jan, 21 Feb, 22 Mar, 21 Apr

Aurora fanatics and travellers can visit www.fiftydegreesnorth.com  for more information. To get a free 50 Degrees North – Aurora Borealis brochure e-mail: info@fiftydegreesnorth.com.

About 50 Degrees North:
50 Degrees North Pty Ltd is a wholesale travel operator specialising on the area north of the 50th parallel north, as well as Antarctica (50 degrees south). The company is fully licensed, and a full member of the Travel Compensation Fund.

Calling all aspiring photographers: Following on from the success of last year, the Northern Rivers Travel Photography contest is on again!

The inaugural contest was held last year to help local Bangalow-based travel writer Kim Wildman raise money for War Child Australia. Thanks to the generosity and support of the Northern Rivers community, who submitted some 200 entries, the event raised $3,100 for the charity on the night.

The contest this year will be held as part of the centenary celebrations of the A&I Hall in Bangalow with all money raised will go to local charity: Bangalow Land and River Care; the Bangalow branch of Landcare Australia.

This year’s theme is ‘City Sights & Nature’s Delights’ focusing on travels in either the urban or natural environments anywhere in the world – even here on the Northern Rivers.

Prizes up for grabs include $350 worth of cash prizes offered by the Bangalow Chamber of Commerce (www.bangalow.biz), Lonely Planet (www.bangalow.biz) travel guidebooks, and subscriptions to some of Australia’s best travel magazines, including Vacations & Travel (www.vacationsandtravelmag.com) and Get Lost! (www.getlostmag.com) .

There are three categories for entries – Primary (up to 11 years), Secondary (12-17 years), and Open (18 years and over). Entries cost $5 for Primary and Secondary entrants and $10 Open entrants, with a limit of two entries per person.

Photographs must be submitted in print form. Each photograph should be mounted on black mount board or strong black card board and must not exceed 30cm x 40cm in size (including mount board). No entries will be returned, so make sure you keep a copy of your photograph.

Entries clearly marked with your Name, Age, Address and Telephone Number, can be dropped off in person at Barebones Gallery (www.barebonesartspace.com.au ) in Bangalow between 10am & 4pm from 15 June with entries closing on Wednesday 29 June. With photographers’ permission, the winning entries will be featured in the spring edition of Ocean Road Magazine (www.oceanroadmagazine.com.au).

The contest will then culminate in a fundraising exhibition/auction to be held at the A&I Hall in Bangalow on Thursday 30 June where the winners will be announced.

Entries close on 29 June 2011, so get snapping!