Australia's crankiest croc Elvis turns 50

Known as Australia’s crankiest crocodile and famous for attacking a keeper’s lawnmower in 2011, Elvis the resident saltwater crocodile at The Australian Reptile Park is turning 50.

To celebrate, the 500 kilo crocodilian was given his annual gift comprising of half an animal carcass, likely to be a cow, in which dragged into the water and death roll.

The superior hunter and predator possesses larger than average size teeth and a jaw capable of crushing the bones of large prey, which General Manager, Tim Faulkner, said “the bone crunching sound makes my bones shudder”.

Commenting on the extremely dangerous feeding procedure, Billy Collett, Head of Reptiles at Australian Reptile Park said, “Elvis is one cranky crocodile, a wound inflicted by this guy would be extremely severe and this typical opportunistic predator is infamous for attacks on humans.

“Elvis came to us from the Northern Territory where he was causing havoc to fisherman’s boats. He has even gone for me a few times when feeding, so the process of giving him such a large carcass needs to be cautiously thought out.

“Today I had General Manager Tim Faulkner, Operations Manager Mike Drinkwater and Ranger Mick in the enclosure as back up support. We lured him out of the water with the carcass, and held onto a rope attached to the cow to demonstrate his pulling ability during the death roll.

“Once Elvis grabbed the carcass there was no letting go until he got a mouthful of food. If he ate the whole carcass at once it would have him in a hibernation state from food for at least eight weeks, which is not good for his feeding routine.”

Elvis the crocodile is a fine ambassador for his species. Saltwater crocodiles were once hunted to the brink of extinction in Australia, but following their status to be legally protected in QLD, NT and WA, their numbers have made a full recovery and they are now listed as least concern by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Australian Reptile Park & Devil Ark
www.reptilepark.com.au

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Bored and Broke? Here's 15 Fabulous Freebies For The Summer Holidays

Christmas can pack a punch when it comes to the purse strings, so we've hit the streets and come up with fifteen fun family freebies in South East Queensland. Trust us, these activities won't hurt your wallet as you head towards the tail end of the summer holidays. 

1. How well do you really know Brisbane? When it comes to street art, Brisbane has some serious swagger, so book in a free walking tour with the eclectic bunch from Brisbane Greeters. All you need to do is BYO a water bottle, a hat and your selfie stick to record your adventures. #thisisqueensland.

1. Moreton Bay shines in the summer months, so head to Manly for aWednesday Afternoon Go Sailing (WAGS) adventure with the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. There's no such thing as a free ride though, so come prepared to learn the ropes and hit the decks running as part of the crew.  You must be over 18 to participate.

1. The Gallery of Modern Art is air-conditioned and gorgeously situated on the Brisbane River, but best of all, they run a free children's art centre… who knows, you might just unearth the next Archibald winner.

1. Pack a picnic, some snags and your utensils and head to the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, New Farm Park or one of a hundred other choice spots around the state and take advantage of the free council BBQs.  You've got to plan this one well in advance to get the choicest spot!

1. Did somebody say road trip? We're blessed with great national parks, bushlands and swimming holes in south east Queensland, so hit the road and take the family.  Coomba Falls at Maidenwell, Girraween National Park at Ballandean and Lake Leslie at Warwick are just three of spots you could pick.

1. Head to Brisbane's Powerhouse for their knock-off Fridays free comedy sessions.  Just check in first to make sure they're family friendly.

1. Slip into farm life at Maleny Dairies. Did you know they run a tour of their farm and factory that's perfect for kids?  Cue the cuteness.

1. For the adventurers amongst us, get up with the sparrows and climb to the top of Mount Coolum to catch the sunrise – it's worth the climb!

1. It's free to enter the Yandina Ginger Factory on the Sunshine Coast and to visit their annual Ginger Flower and Food Festival which runs from January 18-20.  Once inside, jump aboard 'Moreton' the ginger train for a puff around the gardens.  

1. Head to the fabulous beaches in and along the Noosa Heads Coastal Trackand keep your eyes peeled for koalas in the treetops above the trail.

1. Grab your stand-up paddleboards and take to any of the sheltered waterways in the Great South East.

1. Go for a Sunday Drive any day of the week – after all you're on holidays! Wind your way up Mount Tamborine, along the coast at Rainbow Beach (and catch a sunset at Carlo Sand Blow) or take to the hills in theSunshine hinterland.

1. Queensland's full of BIG things… plan a road trip and tick a few off your bucket list including these: The Big Cow, Nambour; The Big Hard Rock Guitar, Surfers Paradise; The Big Macadamia Nut, Nambour;  The Big Pelican, Noosaville; The Big Pie, Yatala; and The Big Pyramid, Stanthorpe.

1. Streets Beach in Southbank Parklands is a popular watering hole in summer… but there are also some pretty cool pockets of parkland on the river that are perfect for relaxing.  Go early to get your pick of the bunch.

1. Brisbane's City Hall Tours are free-of-charge - the 120-year-old pipe organ alone is worth a gander!

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Putting The Great In 'The Great Barrier Reef'

Forget Beiber, Attenborough fever is about to hit our shores as the veteran broadcaster's eagerly-anticipated Great Barrier Reef documentary series makes its small screen debut in the UK on the BBC this December 30.

What began sixty years ago, with rather rudimentary SCUBA and camera equipment, came full circle last year when Sir David one again dived the reef… this time in a state-of-the-art submersible, with the latest scientific thinking and super high-tech cameras, macro lenses and satellite scanners.  The rest, as they say, will go down in the annals of modern documentary history and Australians will be in the box seat, with the show set to screen locally early in the New Year.

In an interview with UK press, Sir David described the reef as: “the most magical thing you ever saw in your life.” He went on to describe the first time he dived beneath the surface and saw the diverse range of multi-coloured species that call the reef home.  In his words, it had “astounding and unforgettable beauty.”

The Great Barrier Reef is dynamic, diverse and ever-changing and it is one of Australia's strongest tourism drawcards, attracting almost two million visitors a year.  As anticipation for Attenborough's series starts to build, we've unveiled six super sexy must-dos that help put the 'Great' in The Great Barrier Reef.

Reef Sleep: Cruise Whitsundays' Two Day, One Night Reefsleep adventure accesses our underwater world and provides the best place to rest your sleepy, salt-water head – in overnight swags under the stars on a reef pontoon. Gourmet meals give you the energy to keep jumping, diving, and lazing until day's end.http://www.cruisewhitsundays.com/gbra-reefsleep.aspx

When Time Is A Factor: Reef Sprinter snorkelling adventures have guests on the reef just 15 minutes after leaving Port Douglas. Reef Sprinter take smaller group tours – up to 14 guests – out to experience the vast coral gardens and abundant fish life of the Low Isles. They even include a glass-bottom boat trip.  Getting there is half the fun aboard the 600 horsepower sprinter reaching speeds of more than 40 knots. Reef Sprinter tours operate daily from the Port Douglas Slipway.www.reefsprinter.com.au

See Creatures Without Getting Wet: Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville is the world's largest living coral reef aquarium and comes complete with a marine turtle hospital and all manner of exhibits and hands-on displays that showcase the rare and rather wonderful creatures found on the reef.  www.reefhq.com.au

Close Encounters: Stunning Lady Elliot Island, on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, is known as the home of the Manta Rays, who are present all year around, but more abundant in the cooler months. Also in the stunning southern reef section, Heron Island is a haven for turtle hatchlings and a great place to freestyle with these flippered favourites while Lady Musgrave Island's natural lagoon is like swimming in a giant aquarium.  http://www.southerngreatbarrierreef.com.au/         

Licensed To Dive: Yongala wreck off Townsville is hailed as one of the top dive sites in the world… so trust us, when we say it's good!  The SS Yongala was wrecked during a cyclone in the early 1900s, but like the proverbial phoenix, has risen in popularity as divers around the globe converge for world-class diving.  On a clear day, you can dive with manta and eagle rays, bull sharks, turtles, barracudas and a number of large pelagics. Whale sharks have even been reported to pass by at certain times of the year.  http://www.yongaladive.com.au/

Take A Sea Plane Trip Over The Reef: Experience the sparkling expanse of the Great Barrier Reef from above. Air Whitsundays was the original sea plane operator to fly over the famous Heart Reef and continues its tradition of dropping guests off for a beach picnic at Whitehaven Beach. Tours depart from Airlie Beach. www.airwhitsundays.com.au

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NSW's 2016 Events Calendar - Festivals, Sport, Music, Theatre and more

Jam Packed With Food, Culture, Sport and Other Delights!

• Sydney Festival, 7-26 January: Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Sydney Festival is a bold cultural celebration based on high quality art and big ideas. Sydney Festival's program includes 157 events, 89 of which are free. Highlights include epic German love story, Woyzeck, opera performanceWinterreise, and Beethoven's monumental symphonies' exclusive performance of Anima Eterna Brugge Beethoven's Symphonies.
• Liverpool FC Legends vs Australian Legends, 7 January: Football fanatics can still get tickets to the exclusive Liverpool FC match against Aussie football legends at ANZ Stadium in Sydney this Summer. Led by current LA Galaxy player, Steven Gerrard, the UK team will come together for one special game against some of Australia's greatest footballers including Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton and Steve Corica.
• Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth, 15 – 24 January: One of the world's top 10 music festivals, the annual Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth celebrates everything country music, attracting about 50,000 fans each day. In 2016, Shannon Noll, The McClymonts and Troy Cassar-Daley are among the 700 performers who will take to the stage during the 10 day event. A must for anyone who loves country crooners.
• HSBC Sydney Sevens, 6-7 February: The inaugural Sydney event will be part of the HSBC Seven's World Series, where the greatest Sevens players from 16 countries will play 42 matches over two adrenaline-filled days. Held at Allianz Stadium, the HSBC Sydney Sevens will entertain visitors with remarkable feats of athleticism, explosive plays and non-stop, try-scoring action.
• Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, 5 March: The Mardi Gras Parade in Sydney is an event all visitors should see. With 10,000 people marching through the heart of Sydney's gay and lesbian district, united in pride and dazzling in glitter, Mardi Gras is a celebration of diversity and a fantastic party. 
• Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, 24 March – 24 April: Whether an opera afficionado or someone who has never seen one before, Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is a unique event and worth a visit to Sydney. The 2016 season will present Puccini's epic fantasy, Turandot, outdoors with the striking backdrop of Sydney's most famous icons, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and simplified Chinese subtitles.
• Orange Challenge, 20 March: A new cycling event in NSW's Central West region, the Orange Challenge is a great event for cyclists who enjoy active getaways. A one-day 170km ride through the popular region, the Orange Challenge will let active visitors work on their fitness whilst taking in the picturesque surrounds of Orange, about 260km west of Sydney.
• Wings Over Illawarra, 30 April – 1 May: Major annual air show, Wings Over Illawarra, will be held over two days in 2016. Giving aviation enthusiasts a great reason to book a short break on NSW's South Coast, Wings Over Illawarra 2016 will be its biggest year yet featuring impressive historic military and aerobatic aircraft, as well as on-ground flight simulators.
• Vivid Sydney, 27 May – 13 June: The bright lights get that brighter and more magical during Vivid Sydney – the world's largest festival of Light, Music and Ideas. With colourful nighttime projections transforming iconic buildings, world-class music gigs, seminars, talks and workshops, Vivid Sydney is a highlight event for visitors of all ages. It attracted 1.7 million visitors in 2015, and will impress again during Winter 2016.      
• UnWINEd, Riverina, 11 June – 13 June: Take a break and enjoy the June long weekend in NSW's largest wine producing region, the Riverina, atUnWINEd. Taste wines from local family wineries, be inspired by cooking demonstrations led by celebrity chefs and enjoy live music in the country NSW.
• College Football Sydney Cup, 27 August: Sports fans will get the rare chance to attend an American College NFL game when the Sydney College Cup is played at ANZ Stadium. Exclusive to Sydney, the game will see the University of California Golden Bears play the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the teams will be joined by their cheerleaders, mascots and marching bands. 
• My Fair Lady, from 30 August: Shown at the Sydney Opera House, My Fair Lady will be directed by Dame Julie Andrews. This new production recreates the original 1956 Broadway classic and tells the Pygmalion story of Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle's transformation into an English lady. Exclusive to Sydney, My Fair Lady sees Ms Andrews return to the production that made her a star. This classic story told in an iconic venue and directed by a stage and screen legend, makes My Fair Lady a perfect reason for any musical lover to visit Sydney.
• Tulip Time, 13 September – 25 September: Nature lovers should plan a visit around Tulip Time, a floral festival that has been delighting visitors for 55 years. Held in Bowral, just 90 minutes south of Sydney, Tulip Time has more than just flowers, with market stalls, music, live entertainment and a street parade.
• Deni Ute Muster, 30 September – 1 October: Spend a long weekend in Regional NSW on the flattest, natural, open plains on earth in Deniliquin, and join in the celebration of the unique way of life full of utes, rock music, blue singlets and rodeo.
• The Graduate, from 2 December: Actress Jerry Hall will perform her final season in the iconic role of Mrs Robinson when The Graduate hits the stage in Sydney for its farewell season.  With some of the most memorable songs from the sixties including Wouldn't It Be Nice and Mrs Robinson, The Graduate is a coming of age story that remains as relevant and evocative today as the day it was written 40 years ago.
• VANFEST, December 2016: A popular regional NSW musicevent, VANFESTis a two-day festival that attracts a fantastic line-up of local and international music artists. Whilst the 2016 program is yet to be announced, festival-goers should still start planning their VANFEST adventure – in 2015 Rudimental, Peking Duk, John Butler Trio, Birds of Tokyo and Sheppard rocked the festival grounds in Forbes, NSW.

New South Wales' 2016 calendar of events is absolutely bursting with some of the biggest and best events in the country and around the world. It's a great time to start planning 2016 getaways, long weekends and day trips with that special event in mind.

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres said: “We have a huge year ahead in NSW and this jam-packed calendar of fantastic events will have something for everyone. The NSW Government encourages visitors to plan a trip to our great state in 2016.”

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase, said: “NSW is Australia's home of major events, so stop dreaming and start planning a visit around these must see events in Sydney and NSW this year. Whether sport, festivals, opera, art or musicals that take your fancy, there's sure to be a time and an event on our calendar that will become a 2016 highlight for you.”

Just 16 of Destination NSW's must see events in 2016 are:

For information on more exciting events taking place in Sydney and NSW in 2016, please visit www.sydney.com and www.visitnsw.com. 

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Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: Celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Cruising

· 2016: marks the 125th anniversary of passenger cruising
· First cruise departed on 22 January 1891
· Hamburg-born Albert Ballin was the inventor of the cruise concept

The year 2016 is a special one for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: cruising, an ever-popular form of travel, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. In 1891, Albert Ballin launched the first pleasure cruise on the Augusta Victoria and in doing so laid the foundation of what is now a major industry. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is entering an exciting year under the banner of this special 125th Anniversary.

In the late 19th century, the first cruise was born of a purely pragmatic idea: the Augusta Victoria, the flagship of HAPAG (“Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft”), would spend its winters at anchor and out of use. Albert Ballin, the visionary and later general director of the shipping company, proposed sending the ship on a Mediterranean cruise during this season. On 22 January 1891, the Augusta Victoria departed from Cuxhaven, Germany on what proved to be a resoundingly successful two-month, round-trip cruise, with a 245-strong crew and 174 guests from Germany, Britain and the USA. Today, 125 years later, the cruise sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the travel and tourism industry.

EUROPA 2

“This year we are very happy to be celebrating the significant anniversary of 125 years of passenger cruising and looking back with pride on the long history of our company,” says Karl J. Pojer, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. “Albert Ballin had a ground-breaking idea. Today, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is a leading provider in the luxury and expedition segments in the German-speaking marketplace. To this day, we remain dedicated to the embodiment of this spirit of innovation and discovery when we design our cruises and seek out new paths. We are looking forward to a year of remembering our roots and celebrating this wonderful anniversary with lots of new ideas.”

“We remain dedicated to the embodiment of this spirit of innovation and discovery when we design our cruise itineraries and seek out new paths. We are looking forward to a year of remembering our roots and celebrating this wonderful anniversary with a range of new ideas.”

Reservations: International guests, as well as travel agencies, can now make use of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ newfree-of-charge phone numbers when requesting or booking a cruise. United Kingdom: 0800 0513 829, United States & Canada: 877 445 7447 or 800 334-2724, Belgium: 0800 79 421, the Netherlands: 0800 0220 459; all other countries, please call +49 40 30703070 (English-speaking hotline) – or - send an e-mail to salesteam@hl-cruises.com or visit www.hl-cruises.com/contact-services for local agents.

Our favourite travel blogs for 2015 - these should be yours for 2016

Those who know me are well aware that I have a 'thing' about blogs and bloggers. With so much online dross out there, it's sometimes difficult to tell the wheat from the chaff; content for content's sake, laced with cliches, buzz phrases and plain crappy writing. It's no coincidence then that my favourite blogs are those written by professional writers with a command of what is engaging, original, entertaining and well written. Here, in no particular order, are those which in my completely subjective opinion rate as among the best blogs online.

Lee Mylne - her glass is half full

A Glass Half Full - Lee Mylne

Lee Mylne brings a lifelong career as one of Australia's top travel journalists to this blog - and it shows.

There's fun stuff like travel wardrobe suggestions, festivals and food and drink frolics interspersed with tough subjects like environmental issues, refugee reflections and incisive personal observations.

If only all blogs were like this.

Christine Retschlag - praying for ... something

The Global Goddess - Christine Retschlag

Another writer who knows her way around travel, life and love, Christine injects her own brand of cheekiness and self-effacing humour into a blog that isn't afraid to cross the line occasionally (okay, often) into the naughty and touchy subjects of relationships (or lack thereof) and pure self-indulgence.

She refuses to take herself and her job too seriously and delivers an image-rich, saucy and sassy take on the rigours of travel and the seemingly endless search for romance.

Emma Gardiner - tackling the big issues ;)

She Goes - Emma Gardiner

What is it about female writers and bloggers? Another professional not afraid of hard work, Emma's personal blog infuses her distinct style and turn-of-phrase with laugh-out-loud observations and personal anecdotes from both her travels and daily life.

So much so that her alter ego, Aunty Em, has become a sage-like font of wisdom for those seeking advice on navigating the rocky shoals of life and love. Join her for a rollicking, frolicking blog of a time.

Raise a glass with Winsor Dobbin

Gourmet on the Road - Winsor Dobbin

Never afraid to call a spade a spade, career journalist and wine expert Winsor Dobbin has gained a loyal following who hang on tenterhooks for his next no-holds-barred appraisal of wine, hotels, airlines and travel adventures (and misadventures).

Always on the lookout for a hug from his many admirers, Winsor dishes it out regardless but if things are supposed to get better with age, then Winsor is a prime example of maturing in old oak.




Transitory Traveller - Rob Woodburn

Rob Woodburn - a portrait of experience

Rob Woodburn was writing travel blogs well before the world knew what they were. Today he enjoys a more relaxed pace than his many years in the business of travel publishing once afforded him.

The result is a forthright yet sometimes whimsical travel blog that never drifts into crass commercialism or rampart product endorsement. Crisp, to-the-point and illuminated by years of experience without the jaded aftertaste many life-long writers suffer from.




Honorable Mentions

Of course, I could go on ad infinitum with more worthy blogs, but you've done well to read this far. So here are a few I could easily consider for next year's list.

• Eat, Drink + be Kerry - Kerry Heaney's gastronomical gallivanting
• Boy Eats World - Aleney de Winter and her way-too-cute kids explore their world
• No Impact Girl - Multi-award-winning Louise Southerden's green vision
• Food * Wine * Travel - Christine Salins reveals her world of taste
• Travel2Next - Christina Pfeiffer's cavalcade of top writers and photographers

To keep up to date with these and many other of our favourite bloggers, (scroll down inside the panel below) be sure to subscribe to:

Darwin man celebrates New Year with $10,000 Barramundi

A Darwin man has had a New Year's Eve to remember after he won a fish tagged with a $10,000 prize, in the NT Government's Million Dollar Fish competition.

The much-talked about competition has one lucky barra tagged with $1 Million and a remaining 69 fishes tagged with $10,000 – all waiting for a lucky 'fisho' to reel in. The Northern Territory's Top End is a renowned fishing spot with its many picturesque spots along the coast, rivers and watering holes.

The most recent winner, 19 year old Nathan Neave from Darwin, reeled a 69 centimetre barra in Darwin Harbour. Nathan is the sixth person to win $10,000 in the Million Dollar Fish competition.

A regular fisho, Nathan registered for the competition two months ago thinking he might be able to fluke a win.

He went fishing in his secret spot with his older sister who he admits he might have to share the prize with.

"I'll probably have to give her some or she'll get annoyed," he said.

The pair didn't realise they had hooked one of the winning barramundi at first.

"We put it straight in the eski because it was thrashing around a fair bit. I didn't realise it had the red tag until I went to get a drink out of the eski half an hour later. I couldn't believe it and my sister started screaming," said Nathan.

The pair cooked up the $10,000 last night and it "tasted pretty good" according to Nathan.

He plans on putting the money towards paying off his car and admits his mates will be pretty jealous about his New Year's Eve catch.

Acting Chief Minister Willem Westra van Holthe congratulated 19 year old winner.

"What an absolute stellar way to start 2016; I encourage everyone to get out on the water and tell your family and friends interstate and overseas to get up here to the Northern Territory, wet a line and become a winner," Minister Westra van Holthe said.

"There's still time to register on www.milliondollarfish.com.au and spend your summer up here in the Top End chasing the remaining 69 $10,000 barras and of course the big one – the $1 Million fish."