Amtrak celebrates 47 years and looks to the future

Numerous customer improvements completed, more underway

Amtrak celebrates 47 years of providing passenger rail service across the nation by looking ahead, continually improving the customer experience and making Amtrak the preferred choice of the 21stcentury for business and leisure travel.

“While we celebrate our history, we have a keen eye on the future and are making necessary changes to provide our customers with an unparalleled travel experience,” said Amtrak President & CEO Richard Anderson. “Many customers have already noticed these improvements, and can look forward to several more upgrades that are on the way.”

Some of the customer-focused improvements underway include:

• Refreshed trains: Refurbishing the interiors of more than 450 coaches for trains serving the Northeast and Midwest – all by the end of this summer.
• New Fares: Restructured fare discounts and expanded the use of targeted and flexible sales.
• Upgraded connectivity: Enhancing Wi-Fi on Northeast Corridor (NEC) trains and at select stations.
• On-time service: Improving on-time performance on the NEC, updating charter and private train guidelines to minimize impact on operations, and re-doubling our work with freight railroads hosting Amtrak on their lines.
• Improving schedules: Working with our state partners, Amtrak is providing customers more flexibility and options for travel on the Piedmont, Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin
• Seat assignments: Introducing assigned seating on select routes to improve the boarding process and allow customers to select their preferred seat before traveling.
• Improved facilities: Rehabilitating and improving the passenger areas of major stations and increasing staff on board trains to keep busy NEC trains clean.
• Expanded communications: Offering real-time and frequent information via social media, specifically @AmtrakNEC.
• Enhanced connectivity: Added Thruway connections and will continue to expand to more cities this summer. Amtrak is also working toward providing seamless ticketing for mass transit services and ride providers to make “last mile” connections.
• Maximizing mobility options: In the last year, nearly 50,000 small pets and more than 55,000 bikes have traveled with customers, with additional options coming soon.
• New Onboard Experience Options: Starting in June, Amtrak will offer contemporary and fresh dining choices and amenities for sleeping car customers on the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited.

These immediate changes are occurring in advance of more long-term upgrades such as: buying modern train equipment, including Acela trainsets; ongoing Concourse Management Strategy studies of New York Penn Station and; further development of stations in Chicago Washington, D.C., Baltimore-Penn, Philadelphia 30th Street, and the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York.

Yering Gorge Cottages: Wildlife on your doorstep

Yering Gorge Cottages provides a stunning natural setting where bushland intersects with the Yarra River against the backdrop of the Christmas Hills and Dividing Ranges. Guests have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife during their stay.

Discover kangaroos, wombats and echidnas roaming wildly in their natural habitat; and with three kilometres of the Yarra River running through the property, our family of breeding platypus have been known to make special appearances. With over 200 species of native bird life within the 120-acre private nature reserve including Eastern and Crimson Rosellas, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos, Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, several Grass Parrots and Owl species, Kingfishers and nesting Wedge Tail Eagles - a pair of binoculars should be at the top of the ‘to pack list’.

“Yering Gorge Cottages provides an idyllic setting within an hour of Melbourne - perfect for nature lovers and those wanting to escape the city. Surrounded by birds and wildlife, kangaroos roam freely throughout the property; guests might find a cockatoo landing on their railing as they start-up the barbeque or have a wombat join them on their morning walk along the river. Our guests always depart wishing they’d stayed an extra night or two”, said Sales & Marketing Manager, Tracy Hore.

With over 12km of bush walking trails through our 120-acre Nature Reserve, walkers and bikers will find many species of native flora along the way whilst enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding Yarra Valley upon reaching the summit. Experience the unique geological structure and natural beauty of Yering Gorge and discover the perfect picnic spot on the banks of the Yarra River. For those with a current Victorian Fishing Licence, the Yarra River is home to many native fish species including the Macquarie Perch.

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s food and wine playground, Yering Gorge Cottages is Trip Advisor’s #1 rated boutique property in the Yarra Valley. Nested into the hillside of a 120-acre Nature Reserve, alongside the Yarra River, Yering Gorge Cottages features 13 self-contained, luxuriously appointed, one, two and four-bedroom cottages.

For more information on Yering Gorge Cottages please visit www.yeringgorgecottages.com.au

Outback stargazing in South Australia

A family-owned eco-tourism business plans to bring visitors deep into the desert of South Australia to experience the night sky in all its glory.



Opal prospector Conan Fahey has turned to crowdfunding to raise money to design and build an astronomy observatory, education centre and viewing platform in the South Australian mining outpost of Andamooka.

Located 600km by road north of Adelaide, the tiny Outback town of Andamooka is best known for it opals, but now Fahey and his family want to show off the sparkling night sky to visitors.

Fahey has begun a GoFundMe campaign to raise AUD$68,000 to build a star deck and an education centre to help kickstart an eco-tourism industry in the isolated community of 600 people.

“We want to attract more tourists and work with our community to build an amazing tourist attraction with heaps of educational and employment opportunities for our locals,” Fahey said.



The goal is to build a centre where children can discover science through the night skies as well as develop and partner with the Aboriginal bushfood and cottage art industries.

“The Andamooka Observatory will provide tools and infrastructure for Aboriginal rangers and tour guides and host a local group of astroholics who love to promote the night skies of the South Australian Outback,” Fahey said.

Andamooka was first settled in 1933 when opals where discovered in the area. In the years since the settlement, which is located at the end of the last bit of paved road in the far north of South Australia, has attracted a mix of prospectors and adventurous tourists from around the world. The town, which resembles a Mad Max set, once boasted a population of 2000 people, but less than 600 now call it home.



South Australia is renowned for its pristine environment and there is a growing appreciation for its dark skies that make it a perfect place to observe the Milky Way.

Further south, environmentalists and astronomers are working up a case to have a vast tract of land just 120km from the South Australian capital Adelaide declared a Dark Sky Reserve.

If successful, the 2000sq km River Murray Dark Sky Reserve, which has a dark sky reading of 21.9 (22 is total darkness), would become just the second officially sanctioned International Dark Sky Place in Australia and the fifth in the Southern Hemisphere.

In Andamooka, Fahey and his family have hosted telescope nights on the hill beside their property to observe astronomical events.

“One of our ‘moonie’ nights included the use of the town’s portable screen (pictured above). We were able to hook it up to a telescope and show the super blue moon on the big screen,” Fahey said.

Fahey said they were also selling used books at their property to help raise the necessary funds.

Tragedy strikes Solomon Islands tourism family

Solomon Islands tourism industry mourns tragic loss of SIVB Officer

- official statement -

The close-knit Solomon Islands tourism community is in shock following the tragic death yesterday of Solomon Islands Visitor Bureau (SIVB) marketing officer, Stella Lucas.

Ms Lucas and three other SIVB colleagues had been assessing a hiking program in the Mataniko River region close to Honiara when the incident occurred.

One of those, Mr Chris Nemaia is still reported missing.

A devastated SIVB chairman, Wilson Ne'e said he was unable to comment on the exact circumstances until local authorities released an official report.

In the meantime, he said the SIVB team was being provided with counselling while they try to come to terms with the tragedy and the organisation was doing everything it could to help both Mr Nemaia and Ms Lucas' families at this time.

Visit: www.visitsolomons.com.sb

Facebook: www.facebook.com/visitsolomonislands

Tauck’s ms Treasures and ms Esprit return from Massive Reconfiguration

Tauck has officially welcomed ms Treasures and ms Esprit back into its riverboat fleet in April 2018 following a massive reconfiguration of the vessels' interior spaces that has resulted in enlarged cabins and reduced passenger count.

The Treasures and Esprit are the last of Tauck's four 110-metre ships to undergo the radical transformation.

Tauck's two other 110-metre ships, ms Sapphire and ms Emerald, were similarly reconfigured a year ago, and returned to service in time for their 2017 sailing seasons.

With the reconfigurations, Tauck continues to prioritise creating larger cabins and roomier public areas for its guests, rather than taking the more conventional approach of maximising passenger count.

The Treasures and Esprit were fully gutted in a 'down-to-the-studs' refurbishment, with the most dramatic change occurring on their Ruby (middle) Decks, where 30 14-square-metre cabins in each ship's original configuration were replaced by 20 larger cabins measuring 21 square metres.

With the total number of cabins reduced from 59 to 49, each ship's overall capacity has been reduced from 118 passengers to 98 per vessel – a 17% reduction.

The Treasures and Esprit will sail on Tauck's cruises along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, including its popular 'Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat' itinerary.

With the enhanced comfort resulting from larger cabins and fewer guests, the company expects this 14-night journey (which also operates from Budapest to Amsterdam) to become even more popular.

"With this year's reconfiguration of the Treasures and Esprit – and with identical transformations last year of the Sapphire and Emerald – we've reimagined and enhanced half of our riverboat fleet," said Tauck CEO, Dan Mahar.

"Now more than ever, we believe that we have the finest, most elegant riverboats on Europe's rivers.  Yet with that being said, we continue to maintain that what truly distinguishes Tauck river cruises is our 93 years of destination expertise, and our unmatched ability to tell the cultural and historical stories of the places we visit.  The onboard experience we deliver is the perfect complement to those signature Tauck experiences our guests enjoy ashore," Mr Mahar said.

In addition to the 20 new 21-square-metre cabins, each of Tauck's 110-metre ships already boasts 14 28-square-metre suites.  As a result, cabins measuring 21 square metres or larger now account for 69% of all accommodation – the highest percentage of such cabins on any 110-metre riverboats in Europe.

Even with the lowered passenger count, Tauck continues to staff each ship with a Tauck Cruise Director and a full complement of three Tauck Directors.  By contrast, other lines often have just a single cruise director attending to the needs of up to 190 passengers.

Another significant enhancement can be found on the Treasures' and Esprit's Diamond (upper) Decks, where the ships' second dining venue, The Bistro, has been upgraded with its own dedicated kitchen and chef.

On each ship, the Bistro has been renamed Arthur's in tribute to Tauck Chairman, Arthur Tauck Jr., and its expanded menu will continue to provide more casual alternatives to the fine dining selections offered in the ships' main Compass Rose restaurants.

Tauck introduced the concept of a second riverboat dining venue in 2006 and the enhanced Arthur's restaurant is already featured on Tauck's four 135-metre ships.

Bookings are to be directed to your travel agent or Tauck Australia on 1300 732 300 or reservations@tauck.com.au

How Ecotourism Is Changing the Australian Travel Landscape

Ecotourism in Australia is now mainstream.

This is evident not just from Ecotourism Australia's strong representation at this year's Australian Tourism Exchange in Adelaide (more than 1/4 of sellers on the ATE floor are Ecotourism Australia certified) and the recent successes of certified operators at the Australian Tourism Awards, but also from the dominance of unique nature-based tourism experiences available to international visitors to Australia.

Ecotourism is now central to marketing and product development with most destinations portraying themselves through nature imagery and activities. The days of 'flop and drop' at a beach are long gone and destinations are promoting their nature and culture experiences.

With words like 'sustainable,' 'green' and 'eco' being thrown around by businesses and travel companies alike, it is becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to identify genuine ecotourism operators.

More than ever, there is a need to highlight businesses and products which are backed by a strong, well managed commitment to sustainable practices and which provide high quality nature-based tourism experiences.

Ecotourism Australia's ECO Certification Program is a pioneer in the industry, first introduced in 1996 to address the need to identify genuine nature and ecotourism operators. As one of only five standards worldwide accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Ecotourism Australia logo gives assurance to travellers that an operator is committed to:
Protecting the natural environment
Offering quality interpretation
Supporting the local community
Reducing their carbon footprint
Protecting Australia's unique wildlife
Making real contributions to conservation
Helping to preserve Australian Indigenous culture and
Providing an unforgettable quality experience

Ecotourism Australia certified operators are recognized as delivering best practice tourism by not only Australia's protected area management agencies but also by national, state and local governments.

Ecotourism Australia's growing membership encompasses close to 500 operators with more than 1,500 products across Australia and also covers Respecting our Culture (ROC) certification and Climate Action certification.

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South Australia's Best Winery Experiences

D'ARENBERG, MCLAREN VALE

With a dedication to "the art of being different", d'Arenberg, established in 1912, is one of the most significant wineries in McLaren Vale. Today, you'll find the cellar door in a beautifully restored 19th Century homestead, overlooking the Willunga Hills and Gulf of St Vincent. Adjoined is d'Arry's Verandah Restaurant with Head Chef Peter Reschke offering guests a quintessentially Australian dining experience.

Set to open in late 2017, The space-age d'Arenberg Cube is a five storey multi-functioning wine centre featuring several bars, a restaurant run by chef Brendan Wessels and private tasting rooms. Resembling an intergalactic Rubik's Cube, it will boast views overlooking the beautiful rolling hills of Willunga, the 19th Century homestead that houses d'Arry's Verandah Restaurant and the existing d'Arenberg cellar door.

Location: Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171, 40 minutes' drive from Adelaide.

WIRRA WIRRA, MCLAREN VALE

McLaren Vale's Wirra Wirra is a James Halliday 5 Star Winery, famous for its Church Block Shiraz – the largest-selling red blend in its category in Australia. At the historic cellar door, a range of exclusive wines are available to taste while at the onsite providore, Harry's Deli, a menu overflowing with South Australian regional produce is available. With a philosophy revolving around fun, visitors are encouraged to declare war on their fellow wine-drinkers, hurling watermelons across a field using the winery's medieval siege machine.

Location: McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171, 50 minutes' drive from Adelaide.

PENFOLDS MAGILL ESTATE, ADELAIDE

Nestled among Adelaide's foothills, just 15 minutes away from the CBD, Penfolds Magill Estate is the birthplace of Australia's most prized wine, Penfolds Grange. With a rich history dating back to 1844, Penfolds Magill Estate is home to a beautiful, heritage-listed winery and a labyrinth of underground tunnels and bluestone cellars. Magill Estate is also home to a fine-dining restaurant and kitchen, serving some of South Australia's most awarded cuisine.

Location: 78 Penfold Road, Adelaide SA 5071, 15 minutes' drive from Adelaide.

THE LANE VINEYARD, ADELAIDE HILLS

Down a quiet, winding country lane, over lush green hills lies The Lane Vineyard. Personifying the beauty of the Adelaide Hills, The Lane is a state-of-the-art winery, restaurant and cellar door, just over half an hour's drive from Adelaide's CBD. As one of the newest small batch single vineyard wineries in Australia, The Lane is fast proving itself as a force to be reckoned with, combining elegant cool-climate wines with a cutting-edge menu.

Location: 5 Ravenswood Ln, Hahndorf SA 5245, just over 30 minutes' drive from Adelaide.

JACOB'S CREEK, BAROSSA

Jacob's Creek is one of the country's leading wine brands, first launched in 1976 and named after a creek that runs through the beautiful Barossa Ranges. Jacob's Creek was originally founded by Orlando Wines with origins dating back to 1847. Today, the Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre is the home of the Jacob's Creek brand and is situated in South Australia's famous Barossa wine region. Here, you can take-in beautiful regional views, dig into award-winning food and sip legendary wine or combine it all with the full Sensory Experience.

Location: 2129 Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat SA 5352, just over one hour's drive from Adelaide.

SEPPELTSFIELD WINES, BAROSSA

With a legacy dating back to 1851, Seppeltsfield is an Australian icon, famous for its Centennial Collection: an unbroken lineage of Tawny, spanning every vintage from 1878 to today. Located in the Barossa, the Seppeltsfield Estate combines over 420 acres of vineyard, gardens and beautiful heritage-listed architecture. The cellar door is located in the 1900-built Seppelt Bottling Hall with four circular tasting pods and VIP mezzanine lounge. 2014 saw the addition of FINO: Seppeltsfield's multi award-winning restaurant, serving beautifully-crafted food, paired with a finely-balanced wine list.

Location: Seppeltsfield Rd, Seppeltsfield SA 5355, one hour's drive from Adelaide.

ST HUGO, BAROSSA

Located in the world-renowned Barossa, St Hugo honors the visionary winemaker, Hugo Gramp and is located within the ruins of William Jacob's winery, built over 150 years ago. Enjoy guided tastings, visits to the vineyard and bespoke experiences, along with specially crafted wine flights in the luxurious lounge and superb regional cuisine in the restaurant.

Location: 2141 Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat SA 5352, just over an hour's drive from Adelaide.

TWO HANDS WINES, BAROSSA

Two Hands Wines was founded in 1999 with the aim to make the best possible Shiraz-based wines from prized growing regions throughout Australia. Two Hands showcases the diversity of Australian Shiraz by highlighting regional characteristics and allowing the fruit to be the primary feature of their wines. Two Hands has grown to be a clear market leader and is now sold in over 38 countries around the world.

At the Barossa cellar door, guests can immerse themselves in unique, structured tastings. A range of tours are on offer, from luxury 4x4 expeditions to long lunches and and wine flights.

Location: 273 Neldner Road, Marananga SA 5355, one hour and 10 minutes' drive from Adelaide.

DESTINATION DINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Match world-famous wine with incredible dinner destinations, from pure white shores to lush fields and rich red earth. Follow your taste buds to adventure

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