Jetsettersblog

SPECIAL SCUBA DIVING PACKAGES TO FIJI

CARADONNA DIVE ADVENTURES AND TRIP-N-TOUR PACIFIC ANNOUNCES

All of the packages, highlighted below include air from Los Angeles, inter-island air transfer where applicable, accommodations, diving, airport transfers and all hotel taxes. The noted packages are just a few of the many packages offered throughout the various dive regions of Fiji.

Bligh Water Dive Region:

Wananavu Dive Experience

Includes seven nights in a garden view bure at Wananavu Beach Resort, three meals a day and five days of two-tank boat diving. $2,726.00 per person based on double occupancy, valid for travel through March 31, 2009.Nai’a Live-aboard Cruise

Includes seven nights in an air-conditioned twin cabin, three meals a day and up to five dives per day. $4,051.00 per person, valid for travel through March 31, 2009.

Beqa Lagoon Dive Region:

Beqa Lagoon Resort 

Includes seven nights in a deluxe Fijian bure, five-days of two-tank reef dives, all meals and a free 50 minute “Apres-dive” aromatherapy massage per person. Upgrade reef diving to include an “Ultimate Shark Encounter” for only an extra $75.00 per person. $2,795.00 per person, based on double occupancy, valid for travel through March 31, 2009. 

Savusavu Vanua Levu Dive Region:
 
Koro Sun Resort & Rainforest Spa

Includes seven nights (one free) in an ocean view bure, all meals, six-days of two-tank diving (one is free) and a 60 minute Rainforest Massage. $3,099.00 per person based on double occupancy, valid through March 31, 2009.

Taveuni/North dive region:
 
Matangi Private Island Adventure

Includes five nights (one is FREE) at Matangi Private Island Resort in an island bure on a 240-acre private island, four days of two-tank dives, all meals, welcome drink, fruit basket, free gift sulu, laundry service, sea kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and nature hikes on Matangi Island. $3,196 per person, valid from November 15, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
 
Taveuni/Somosomo Strait dive region:
 
Garden Island Resort in Taveuni
 
Includes seven nights at Garden Island Resort including daily continental breakfast, lunch and dinner and five days of two-tank diving. $2,676.00 per person, valid through March 31, 2009.

Tui Tai Adventure Cruise

Includes five nights in an Expedition cabin with private bath, all meals, up to 13 dives plus other adventure activities including kayaking, hiking, village visits, waterfall treks and more. $4,662.00 per person, valid through March 31, 2009.
 
Mamanuca Island dive region:
 
Castaway Island Escape $3,268

Includes five nights in an island bure at Castaway Island with unlimited diving. $3,268.00 per person, valid from November 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
 
 

 
For more information, contact Caradona Dive Adventures at 800-328-2288, E-mail sales@caradonna.com  or visit. www.caradonna.com  or Trip-N-Tour Pacific at 800-248-0842, e-mail infor@trip-n-tour.com  or visit www.trip-n-tour.com

Australia epic an Outback love affair

Voyages Hotels & Resorts is anticipating a surge in bookings for Australian outback adventures with the much-anticipated launch of Baz Luhrmann’s new epic film Australia.

Featuring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman and due for release in November, the romantic action adventure is set in Australia’s northern outback prior to World War II, and centres on an English aristocrat, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), who arrives in Australia in search of her husband but finds herself unexpectedly fighting to save an enormous cattle station the size of Belgium.

Whilst fans will enjoy Baz Luhrmann’s latest epic production, the film is tipped to spark a stampede in Australian outback tourism and send Aussie outback adventures soaring in popularity. However, real-life holidaymakers looking to get their own slice of the outback won’t have to rough it in swags. Voyages Hotels & Resorts can offer king-sized beds, refreshing swimming pools and gourmet food and champagne, all to be enjoyed within Australia’s rugged outback.

From horseriding at El Questro Wilderness Park, to cattle mustering and early morning sunrises at Uluru, Voyages can offer three Outback Aussie destinations, with style.

El Questro Wilderness Park, Western Australia www.elquestro.com.au

Baz Luhrmann and the Australia film crew filmed sections of the movie at El Questro, including a romantic scene at Emma Gorge waterfall, cattle stampedes with the magnificent Cockburn Ranges as the backdrop, river crossings and drought scenes.

Voyages El Questro Wilderness Park is a vast and raw landscape of just under a million acres in the heart of the ancient Kimberley region in far north-western Australia. Choose from gorge cruises on the Chamberlain River, trips to naturally heated thermal pools, horse riding and barramundi fishing in helicopters. At the end of each day, try camping at the Station Township, tented cabins at Emma Gorge or indulge yourselves at the exclusive and luxurious El Questro Homestead. The private Chamberlain Suite offers a double bathtub on the verandah perched above the Chamberlain Gorge below, and is so popular, can often be booked out months in advance.

Wrotham Park Lodge, Queensland www.wrothampark.com.au

A true working cattle station, Wrotham Park Lodge is a serious 600,000-hectare working cattle station with 35,000 head of Brahman cattle. Strap yourselves in for the ride of a lifetime by joining an authentic cattle muster, with real life jackaroos, contracted in for the cattle mustering season. Other activities include horse riding, nature walks, fishing, picnics, mountain-bike riding, stargazing and damper baking lessons. No luxury is spared for guests occupying the 10 “Quarters” perched at the edge of the Mitchell River, which resemble stockman shacks from afar but reveal designer daybeds and contemporary designs within. After a day’s cattle mustering, sip champagne and nibble on barramundi canapés, followed by top quality steaks and fine Australian wines.

Longitude 131, Uluru, Northern Territory www.longitude131.com.au

Forget pitching your own tent and cooking over the fire, Longitude 131 takes glamorous camping, or “glamping”, to another level. Each of the 15 luxury tents has a white dome roof with flowing fabric draped to create the illusion of camping. But that’s where the illusion ends and the fantasy begins with crisp white linen on king sized beds, controlled blinds revealing the ever-changing colours of Uluru and plush five-star furnishings. It is from this comfort that guests can explore Australia’s red heart through sunrise walks around the base of Uluru, four-wheel-drive safaris and Anangu cultural tours. The walls of each tent narrate fascinating stories of real outback pioneers, many who lived during World War II, the era in which the movie Australia was based.

Saddle up!

Looking to follow in the footsteps of Nicole and Hugh? Choose from these outback experiences:Wrotham Park Lodge:

• A four-wheel-drive tour of the station is essential to learn how a cattle station operates, meet local identities, learn to crack a whip and watch the station hands muster cattle into the yards.

El Questro Wilderness Park:

• A four-wheel-drive day-trip around the Cockburn Ranges follows the original route once used by drovers to drive thousands of cattle to the meatworks at Wyndham. The tour also drives past areas in which scenes from the movie Australia were filmed.

Longitude 131:

• Dine under the stars at the Sounds of Silence dinner and take in an astronomy lesson on the southern sky.

For bookings, please contact the Voyages Travel Centre:
Phone: +61 2 8296 8010
Toll free Australia: 1300 134 044
Toll free New Zealand: 0800 700 715
Fax: +61 2 9299 2103
Email: travel@voyages.com.au
Email (for agents): premium@voyages.com.au

South Australian Luxury Experiences

South Australia’s reputation as a leader in developing luxury regional tourism experiences has been further boosted with Southern Ocean Lodge’s placing on Travel + Leisure’s ‘It List’ of 30 of the world’s best new hotels and resorts in 2008.  Click the shack for instant hotel bookings throughout South Australia, and in 12 languages.

The newly opened $15 million Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island will feature alongside properties from around the world on the prestigious list, including The Peninsula in Tokyo, The Plaza in New York and Le Meurice in Paris.

Chief Executive of the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), Andrew McEvoy, says accolades for our luxury tourism experiences will help South Australia attract even more international visitors.

“We already boast a fantastic variety of accommodation options in regional South Australia, and now we can attract more high-end visitors with world-class developments such as Southern Ocean Lodge,” Mr McEvoy says.

“This $15 million lodge offers guests an exclusive luxury travel experience, incorporating the best of South Australia – great food and wine, wildlife, nature and lifestyle.

“It also complements other outstanding regional accommodation developments including the Rawnsley Park Station Eco-Villas (set to double the number of its award-winning eco villas at the end of 2008), and the $55 million 111-room Port Lincoln Hotel, which opened in January this year.
“The Louise in the Barossa underwent a significant redevelopment in 2006, and was also named Australia’s Best Luxury Accommodation at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in February.

“South Australian based Big Blue Air Touring has created an exclusive two-centre luxury experience called Ocean to Outback, highlighting the coastal beauty of Kangaroo Island and the rugged Outback scenery of the Murray River.

“Guests can expect spectacular pristine landscapes, free roaming native wildlife, luxurious accommodation at Southern Ocean Lodge and Portee Station plus fine wining and dining.

“Attracting world-class tourism developments such as Southern Ocean Lodge to South Australia help put us on the world-stage as a tourism destination.”.

Bookabee Tours Australia Best Indigenous Adventures

Bookabee Tours Australia’s devotion to providing the right blend of Indigenous luxury and outback touring was rewarded with a recent win at the 2007 South Australian Tourism Awards.

Amid the glitz and glamour of the black tie gala event, Director Ms Lele Sanderson joined Bookabee’s Chris Clark on stage to accept the award for Best Indigenous Tourism Operator.

In receiving the award, Ms Clark remarked, “This Award is a welcome recognition of the hard work by staff and means a great deal to our small family owned and operated company. This award also celebrates our late father and grandfather, after whom the company is named, and the knowledge that he handed down to his children and grandchildren.” (Bookabee was a traditional name)

Director and Bookabee Tours Guide, Haydyn Bromley, said “Our principal goal has always been to provide high quality tourism product and to meet the growing demand of local and overseas visitors seeking genuine Australian Aboriginal cultural encounters in comfort.”

“By blending comfortable travel, outback touring, Aboriginal culture, fine food and great company, Bookabee has achieved a winning mix that is becoming highly sought after by travellers who desire more authentic higher end travel experiences.”

Haydyn, from the Adnyamathanha people in the northern Flinders Ranges, thrives on personal interaction and conversation with each of his guests. A great ambassador for his heritage, he is respected among the local Aboriginal population which affords his guests very special encounters with places and people that are otherwise inaccessible to mainstream travellers.

The experiences offered by Bookabee Tours Australia engage all the senses with the opportunity to see, feel, hear, smell and taste the outback through their unique cultural immersion tourism experiences.

“Instead of just learning ‘facts’ about the area from a neutral perspective, Haydyn showed the stories of the region passed to him by his grandfather and others and introduced me to family members living in the area,” explained one of many satisfied guests.

Bookabee offers packaged tours 2-5 days to the Flinders Ranges and Short tours in Adelaide. Travellers wanting a fully personalised itinerary can design their own all-inclusive holiday (ex airfares). Bookabee incorporates higher end accommodation in their tour packages covering accommodation, meals, bush food morning teas, touring, entry fees and genuine cultural interpretations.

Bookabee Australia thanks Caroline Densley from Diverse Travel and the AusIndustry’s Business Ready Program for Indigenous Tourism (BRPIT) for the mentoring and business support that they have received and without which they could not have come as far.

Orion’s 2008 Voyage of Discovery expeditions

PNG Highland Cultures and Coral Sea, Louisiade and Trobriand Islands

11 Night Papua New Guinea Highland Cultures voyages: 22 September, 2008 – CAIRNS, Alotau (Milne Bay), Samarai and Kwato Islands, Fergusson Island, Tufi, Tami Islands, Madang, Sepik River, RABAUL (overnight onboard, optional charter flight to Cairns). Also 3 October, 2008 (reverse itinerary, Rabaul to Cairns). Fares begin from $8,315 per person, twin occupancy, ocean view stateroom.

11 night Coral Sea, Louisiade and Trobriand Islands Voyage of Discovery expedition: 14 October, 2008 CAIRNS, Alotau (Milne Bay), Kitava the Trobriands, Fergusson Island, Dobu, Egum Atoll, the Louisiades, Doini Island, Samarai and Kwato Islands, CAIRNS

Fares begin from $8,315 per person, twin occupancy, ocean view stateroom.

Rated #2 expedition cruise ship in the world (Berlitz Guide to Cruising) Orion is Australia’s only 5 star purpose-built expedition cruise ship, featuring an unmatched range of onboard facilities. With 75 crew and a maximum of just 106 passengers Orion offers the highest staff to guest ratio and guest to public space ratio of any ship based in Australian waters.

A selection of high resolution photos is available at
www.orionexpeditions.com/aboutorion/photo_gallery or contact Michael Corbett for assistance.

Further information on Orion Expedition Cruises can be obtained by visiting the website
www.orionexpeditions.com For reservations or to obtain a brochure call Orion Expedition Cruises: 61-2 9033 8777 (Sydney callers) 1300 361 012 (regional and interstate). Email: info@orioncruises.com.au

Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms

The Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms hit a gold mine when they started selling the rare Kopi Luwak coffee from their historic split log cabin tea house. As the only outlet supplying the coffee in Australia owners Allan and Michelle Sharpe knew they’d found a unique blend of coffee but they had no idea about the media frenzy they were about to unleash.

Kopi Luwak is arguably the world’s rarest coffee. Kopi is Indonesian for coffee, while Luwak means cat – the name explains the origin of the beans which are harvested from the ground in Indonesian coffee plantations. The process is enough to make even the hardest of stomachs churn, but the final product is an aromatic smooth coffee with none of the typical bitter edge.

The ripest coffee cherries are eaten from the tree by the common civet (an Indonesian cat) the beans go through the digestive process and come out in large clumps which are highly sought after.

The coffee sells for $1250 a kilo – or $50 a cup at the Sharpe’s Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms. The Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms sit in the hills on the outskirts of Townsville in North Queensland’s oldest building – a split log Cobb and Co rest stop tied to the region’s mining heritage. The building has a tragic past and like most heritage buildings in North Queensland is said to be haunted by the ghosts of previous owners.

The launch of the “cat poo” coffee sparked a media storm for the tea rooms with the Sharpes inundated with interview requests from both Australian and international media – the exposure has seen visitors from far and wide heading to the tea rooms for the Kopi Luwak experience.

Allan Sharpe stumbled onto Kopi Luwak while searching for coffee blends for the newly refurbished tea house online – he was curious so filed the nformation away with plans to investigate the possibilities once the tea house was established. His wife Michelle has learned to let Allan follow his instincts on these whims but neither of them could predict the level of interest their poo brew generated.

“We’ve been absolutely blown away by the response to the coffee – we’ve sold about 50 cups of the stuff and our gift packs have been really popular,” Allan said.

“People are coming from all over the country to try the coffee. We’ve had one guy come back twice just so he could tell his mates. He didn’t even like coffee but his friends were coffee fanatics.”

“There’s no doubt people are drinking the coffee as an experience so we give them a certificate to take home to prove they’ve had the guts to give it a try. The coffee splits opinions but it certainly gets people talking,” he said.

The Hervey’s Range Heritage Tea Rooms are located 20 minutes from Townsville on Hervey’s Range Road. Allan recommends sampling the Kopi Luwak in whatever way you normally take coffee – with purists favouring the short black

Hyatt Hotel Canberra Wins Act Aha Award

Canberra’s finest five star hotel, Hyatt Hotel Canberra won Best Deluxe Accommodation at last nights AHA, ACT Division annual awards dinner.

Mr Karl Diefenbach, General Manager of Hyatt Hotel Canberra said “the award was recognition of the effort of the entire staff who constantly strive for perfection in all aspect of service delivery and standards which have been a hallmark of Hyatt Hotel Canberra’s 20 years in the national capital, creating an enduring bond with the Canberra community”.

Canberra’s most luxurious hotel has welcomed royalty and heads of state, corporate leaders, celebrities, and a host of local and international guests who choose to stay at Hyatt Hotel Canberra whilst in the national capital.

The hotel is on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin and a short stroll to Canberra’s major award winning attractions, the city centre and government offices.

Heritage listed, this luxurious hotel has been restored to its art deco grace and charm with
extensive renovations elevating the hotel to the prestigious Park Hyatt branding. The newly appointed rooms have added impeccably stylish décor and advanced functionality which will engulf you in luxury and comfort.

The hotel’s outdoor courtyards and sun filled verandas retains the serene and inviting
atmosphere of a country estate. The building is classified by the National Trust and is renowned as an Art Deco masterpiece.

The Promenade Café, Speaker’s Corner Bar and the delightful 1920’s style Tea Lounge offer guests superb venues for dining and entertaining, while the Clubhouse Fitness Centre offers a fully equipped gymnasium, cardio-theatre, sauna, spa, indoor heated pool and massage room along with bike hire and floodlit tennis court for guests to enjoy.

Go To Hell With Cheap Flights

Fancy a stroll down a winding boardwalk in Hell? Or perhaps a farming trek in Tittybong culminating with a Moronic trip to Argentina? If this sounds like your cup of traveller’s tea then grab your Batmobile and take note of these unusual destinations.

Cheapflights.co.uk, the UK’s leading flight price comparison website, offers the intrepid traveller an off the beaten track itinerary of oddly named places to visit.

Na na na na na BATMAN

Our first stop begins with a Batmobile ride through Batman. And no, we’re not talking about the movie. Batman is a real life city, located in the southeast province of Batman in Turkey. This famous oil-producing metropolis rests along the Batman River thus deriving its name from its geographical location.

Tourist attractions in Batman stretch beyond the norm that city life has to offer. An archaeological wonderland steeped in history, Batman is home to a wealth of ornate mosques, Islamic tombs and cave churches. Among its most renowned touristy hotspots is the Imam Abdallah Dervish monastery and the bridges of Camiu’r Rizk and Hasankeyf.

Batman can be reached by flying via Istanbul and taking the train to the railway station in the nearby town of Kurtalan. Flight prices to Istanbul start from £129. To search and compare flights and other information for your getaway, grab hold of a Robin and search

Visit this link.

To Hell and back

Who would have thought it; that Hell could be synonymous with the paradise that is the Cayman Islands? Firing up the West Bay area of Grand Cayman rests the ironically peaceful destination known as Hell. The unique site comprises ancient black limestone rock formations, creating a haunting landscape that to some, is reminiscent of hell. However, this particular Hell is actually buzzing with visitors, as it is an enormously popular stop for cruise ships. Travellers are invited to explore its hellish features by taking a stroll on its winding boardwalk.

Mementos from Hell include a Satan look-a-like passing out souvenirs and a hell themed post office where travellers can literally send “postcards from hell.”* Should you fancy a visit, getting to Hell is easy, simply fly to Grand Cayman and make your way there by car. Flight prices to Grand Cayman start from £649. So the next time someone tells you to “go to hell”, why not take it literally and visit  to search and compare flights and other information for your journey to Grand Cayman.

Visit this link.

Next stop – Tittybong

Venture over to Australia’s southeastern locale, and you’ll stumble across the oddball town known as Tittybong.

Nestled away in the state of Victoria, Tittybong is a small farming town located 313 kilometres from Melbourne Airport. Although its name inspires tantalising thoughts of thrilling nights out – take heed as this laid back town doesn’t offer much in the way of nightlife. However, if trekking, farm life and just general adventure to untapped destinations are your thing, then Tittybong is the place for you. Getting there involves a flight to Melbourne Airport followed by a four-hour car journey. Flight prices to Melbourne start from £635. To search and compare flights and additional information on Melbourne, visit

Visit this link.

Morón, Argentina

You don’t have to be a genius to know that holidaying in Argentina can be a wonderful experience, but a trip to Morón in the country’s capital, Buenos Aires, is suitable for anyone with at least half a brain.

Similarly to most cities within its host country, this vibrant metropolis offers travellers plenty of things to see and do. Its most notable attractions include the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora del Buen Viaje and the National Aeronautics Museum of the Argentine Air Force – two monumental tributes to history and exquisite architecture.

Morón is also home to the Universidad de Morón, however we don’t hold very high hopes for the future of its graduates.

Morón can be reached by flying to Buenos Aires where travellers can either catch a bus or the Train Buenos Aires to continue onto Morón**. Flight prices to Buenos Aires start from £568. To search and compare flights and additional information for your moronic journey, visit this link.

Sydney Aquarium Free Face Masks for Kids

Sydney Aquarium is celebrating its 20th birthday next month by giving every child visitor a free Nemo, seal or shark face mask* throughout the school holidays.

And as a special gift to parents, the Aquarium is offering 30 per cent off adult and child
admission prices or 40 per cent off combined entry when you also buy a ticket to Sydney Wildlife World next door.

To mark its birthday, the Aquarium is welcoming some unusual new residents - five baby
Eastern Water Dragons, two baby File Snakes and a big squid – which will create new displays.

Born around six months ago, the Eastern Water Dragons are unusual native reptiles as their gender is not apparent until they are 12 months old, when the male water dragons develop a crimson throat and underbelly.

Water dragons live around waterways and can also be found in Australian backyards. Despite their fierce name, they make for interesting domestic pets if a license is obtained.

Their new File Snake companions also hatched around six months ago and are set to grow to about one and a half metres. The non-venomous reptiles live on small fish and usually dwell in freshwater billabongs and waterways in the Northern Territory.

Meanwhile the Aquarium’s Southern Oceans exhibit has welcomed a new big squid known as a Southern Calamari. The 45cm long squid enjoys a diet of fish, prawns and other crustations but only lives for a maximum of one year.

Sydney Aquarium Marketing Manager Thomas Davey said the Aquarium was pleased to be able to build on its existing exhibits with the new additions.

“Everyone loves to see a baby animal and what better time to welcome them than in the month we celebrate our 20th birthday,” Mr Davey said.

The award-winning Sydney Aquarium is the most popular paid tourist attraction in Sydney, drawing more than 1.2 million visitors each year.

To celebrate its 20th birthday, Sydney Aquarium will give each child visitor a free face mask from July 7 until stocks run out*. Visitors can also enjoy 30% off adult and child admission to Sydney Aquarium throughout the school holidays or 40% off combined entry to both Sydney Aquarium & Sydney Wildlife World.

For more information visit www.sydneyaquarium.com.au

*Subject to availability.

Australian travel and photo competition prize

More opportunities to expose exceptional Australian and international talent.

(Deadline for submissions July 25)

The search for the Australian Young Photographer of the Year and the Australian Adventurer of the Year are just two of the new categories in RovingEye’s 2008 Expose Your World photo competition.

“The focus of this year’s expanded competition is travel with winners sharing more than $70,000 worth of prizes from major sponsors including Abercrombie &

Kent, Tarraleah Lodge, Nikon, SanDisk, AsukaBook, Asus and Vibe hotels,” says RovingEye’s Business Manager Dianne Engesser. “As well as a bigger prize pool, we’ve extended the opportunities for photographers – both professional and amateur – to be recognised for their exceptional work.” Finalists in all categories will also be part of an end of year winners’ exhibition with photos and video presented by Pixel Perfect Prolab. A selection of the winners’ images and stories will feature in the Australian Traveller magazine, be displayed in the stunning RovingEye coffeetable book by Asukabook and have the opportunity to be represented by RovingEye.

“Last year’s competition unearthed an extraordinary depth of talent both locally and internationally,” says Engesser. “Their collective of works have provided RovingEye Photo Library with an enviable edge, and we’re looking forward to discovering many more outstanding and talented artisans through this year’s competition.”

Since winning the Expose Your World competition last year with his poignant Drought series, Rodney Dekker has appeared on national television and currently has nine of his prints on exhibition in Old parliament House, Canberra, as part of the Beyond Reasonable Drought photography project. 2007 finalist Belinda Mason has since won the prestigious 2008 Moran Contemporary Portrait Prize held by the State Library of NSW. Both photographers sit well beside the RovingEye stable of contributors which includes World Press and Walkley winners who share a plethora of other international awards between them.

Entry to this year’s competition is open internationally to all levels of photographers, writers and filmmakers in most categories, while nominations for the Young Australian Photographer of the Year and nominations for the Australian Adventurer of the Year are required to be Australian citizens.

Competition categories are:

Photography Photo Essay Single Shot Young Australian Photographer of the Year Video Short Video or Multimedia Presentation Travel Writing Travel Story Less Than 1,200 Words Australian Adventurer of the Year Entering the competition is as easy as uploading images directly to the competition website where RovingEye’s new state-of-the-art system processes information automatically in readiness for judging.

This year’s panel of judges includes Alan Davies, Curator of Photography at the NSW State Library; Mike Smith, Travel Editor of The Daily Telegraph; Bruce Permezel, Director of ABC’s Logie-award-winning documentary series Choir of Hard Knocks; Mark Munro, Federal Vice- President of ACMP; Geoff Brown, Photographic Director at Singleton, Ogilvy and Mather Group; as well as other key figures in the photographic and travel industries.

And the prize pool is astounding!

RovingEye and Outer Edge magazine are calling for nominations from intrepid explorers to find the Australian Adventurer of the Year. The winner will walk away with a hand-picked explorer’s package from Anaconda, worth $2000, courtesy of Outer Edge.

On offer this year is a major photography prize from Nikon, a D300 plus AF-S 18-200mm f3.5- 5.6G VR II DX IF-ED lens valued at $4,099. It’s the penultimate when it comes to DSLR cameras, perfect for travel being light in weight but not light on features. It compliments existing camera systems, meaning heavy items can be left at home, the photographer confident in knowing that everything that’s seen can still be captured. Asus have joined RovingEye this year providing the prize for the new travel writing category.

The Asus U3SG-3P004G is a beautifully designed laptop that delivers in abundance while barely registering on the scales. It’s the ideal companion for any journey. While RovingEye has been concentrating on the still image, the desire for online content and short clips has been gaining momentum.

To cater for this, a new category has been introduced for the world of moving pictures. Video and camera operators are invited to submit their travel footage and the winner of the category will be rewarded with a state-of-the-art carbon-fibre fluid head tripod from Manfrotto as well as the opportunity for their work to be exhibited at the end of year show, and online.

And what would a travel photo competition be without travel holidays on offer? Winners this year will vie for two magnificent experiences from Abercrombie & Kent and Tarraleah Lodge in Tasmania. The winner of the newly introduced Single Shot category will take part in a trip-of-a- lifetime with A&Ks Turtle Rescue program, a seven day 5-star experience in Queensland’s Cape York region. The Lodge at Tarraleah has just recently been voted one of the 65 top new resorts by Conde Nast UK. The winner of the Photo Essay category will not only take home the sensational Nikon D300 DSLR but will spend five nights, all inclusive, lapping up the luxurious surrounds set in the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness area.

RovingEye believes in encouraging new talent and supporting the industry and the search for Young Australian Photographer of the Year does just that. The overall winner will take home a Nikon D60 DSLR with an AF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G ED II lens. The winner will choose a Vibe hotel in any Australian capital city to spend five nights shooting the urban life of the city, which will be feature in the Australian Traveller magazine. To be judged by Alan Davies, the curator of photography at the State Library of NSW, this is the ideal opportunity to be seen and judged by the best, to fast-track a young career and to be part of this exclusive community of winners.

“RovingEye’s 2008 Expose your World photo competition is setting new benchmarks in providing opportunities to profile the works of known photographers and unearthing new talent both here and around the globe,” says Engesser. “It’s a company on the move, and it wants to take as many talented photographers, writers and filmmakers along with them for the ride!” A selection of the 2007 finalists images attached may be published in conjunction with this story or interview. More photos are available on request. Images must be credited to RovingEye.com. (Full terms and conditions and list of prizes available at www.exposeyourworld.com Information about the RovingEye photo agency and image library is available at www.rovingeye.com)  For further information or interviews:

Joanna Kordina jo@rovingeye.com  0401-999 082 Dianne Engesser dianne@rovingeye.com  0414-621 112