Santa’s bringing a new dive site December 17, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Adventure travel, Australia, Events, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: Australia, Avoca Beach, Central Coast, dive site, diving, ex-HMAS Adelaide, ex-HMAS Brisbane, ex-HMAS Canberra, scuba diving, Travel
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More than 5000 people a year are expected to dive the site of the ex-HMAS Adelaide when it is scuttled off Avoca Beach, near Terrigal. Central Coast Tourism estimates the artificial reef site will generate $4 million a year in direct tourism spending to the region.
The final barrier to the sinking of the decommissioned navy ship was removed recently when the environmental group No Ship Action Group failed in its attempt to have it stopped. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruled that the scuttling could go ahead, subject to some extra conditions, and a date for the sinking is expected to be announced soon.
The ex-HMAS Adelaide will join several other decommissioned Australian warships in becoming a recreational dive site, including the ex-HMAS Brisbane, sunk off Mooloolaba in Queensland in 2005, and the ex-HMAS Canberra, sunk off Barwon Heads in Victoria in October last year.
It will be sunk (more…)
Expo a winner for China October 15, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Asia, Events, Travel, Travel tips & trends.Tags: Asia travel, China, Expo 2010, Shanghai, Travel
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Who would have thought so many people would travel halfway across the world to attend a trade fair? The popularity of Expo 2010 in Shanghai has taken many in the travel industry by surprise, proving a bigger boon for tourism than the Beijing Olympics.
Australian visitor numbers to China have spiked since the expo began in May and the benefits are expected to continue well past it closing at the end of this month.
“It’s been a crazy success,” says the managing director of Discover Asia, Trevor Lake. “I think it has caught a lot of people off guard. I’m really surprised to see how many Australians are going up there; I’ve never really associated Australians with trade fairs. It’s mucking about our normal bookings a bit … we can’t get any accommodation in Shanghai.”
Australian tourist arrivals to China were up nearly 33 per cent in June when compared with the previous year and anecdotal evidence suggests demand has continued in subsequent months.
Lake says the 2008 Olympics were a tourism “disaster”, with the Chinese government taking over all the accommodation and visitor numbers falling well short of expectations, while Expo 2010 has been quietly achieving big things. Many people are… (please click here to keep reading this article by Jane E. Fraser)
National Gallery spreads its wings September 27, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Australia, Events, Travel.Tags: Australia, Canberra, galleries, indigenous art, James Turrell, National Gallery of Australia, Travel
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The first stage of a major expansion of the National Gallery of Australia will open to the public on Friday (October 1). The gallery says the redevelopment is the biggest transformation of the gallery since it opened in 1982.
The new wing includes 11 new indigenous art galleries, showcasing works from indigenous groups from all over Australia. The gallery says it owns the largest collection of Australian indigenous art in the world, with artworks spanning generations.
The first stage of the redevelopment also includes a new café and shop, along with Gandel Hall, a function space for official openings and other art events, as well as corporate functions. The hall opens up onto extensive new native gardens, which feature a “monumental” sculpture by American artist James Turrell. Visitors will be encouraged to “view (more…)
Dreaming of a white Christmas? July 27, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Events, North America, Travel, Travel tips & trends, UK & Europe.Tags: Christmas, Christmas tours, Travel, White Christmas
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With ‘Christmas in July’ celebrations drawing to a close, many Aussies will be looking forward to the real thing in December.
White Christmas tours have become hot (or very cold!) property in the Australian travel market, with many wanting to experience the fairy tale scenes that dominate our Christmas imagery. Sleigh rides through the snow, chestnuts roasting by the fire, shopping at quaint Christmas markets, drinking mulled wine… not a cheesy Christmas carol but some of the experiences typically offered in northern hemisphere Christmas tours.
“Experiencing Europe over the Christmas period has never been more popular with Australian travellers,” says Lorraine Sharp, managing director of tour operator Insight Vacations, which has added 11 itineraries to its European winter offerings this year. “The concept of white Christmas holds such a strong appeal for Australians.”
The early days
Euan Landsborough, managing director of The Albatross Travel Group, says the company was alone in the market when it released its first dedicated Christmas tour 15 years ago. The few tours available for the Christmas period were just “summer tours run over winter”, and there was no publicity in Australia about Europe’s Christmas markets. “The nearest romantic notice the public had about the fun and nostalgia that could be had over Christmas was the sleigh scene in Dr Zhivago,” Landsborough says.
There are now many tour operators offering Christmas and New Year tours in Europe, and to a lesser extent North America, clustered around areas that reliably receive snow. And the industry is becoming much smarter at marketing these tours, in many cases (more…)
Travellers flock to Lake Eyre July 5, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Adventure travel, Australia, Events, Travel.Tags: Australia, Lake Eyre, South Australia, Travel, Wilpena Pound
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Water is flowing into South Australia’s Lake Eyre for the second year in a row, creating spectacular scenes in the traditionally arid basin. Water only covers the lake every eight years, on average, and it has only filled to capacity three times in the past 150 years.
People travelled from all over Australia to see last year’s flood and this one is shaping up to be even more spectacular, with the water volume already similar to the last year’s maximum and the lake teeming with migratory birds. The lake is expected to fill completely during July and the water should remain until September.
The best way to see the lake is (more…)
All aboard for the World Cup June 2, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Africa, Events, Travel.Tags: Fanatics, FIFA World Cup, South Africa, sports tours, Travel
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At least 5000 Aussies are estimated to be heading to South Africa for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11. While total visitor numbers for the month-long event are expected to be well down on original forecasts – and significantly less than the 2006 World Cup in Germany – Australian tour operators have pretty much sold out their availability.
Warren Livingstone, founder of Fanatics Sports & Party Tours, says more than 2000 Australians are travelling to South Africa with his company alone. Livingstone says it has been challenging and expensive for people to get to the event, due to limited flight access and high fares, but (more…)
Maybe they ran out of paper… May 16, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Australia, Events, Travel.Tags: Australia, Australian Body Art Carnivale, body art, Eumundi, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Travel
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Thought I’d share some images from the weird and wonderful Australian Body Art Carnivale, which has just been held in Eumundi on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. It’s kind of a strange career, painting human bodies, but it makes for a colourful event!
Click here to see a gallery of pictures from the weekend (so long as you are not offended by nudity).
Teeny tiny turtle tales March 25, 2010
Posted by janeefraser in Australia, Events, Travel.Tags: Australia, Bundaberg, East Australian Current, Finding Nemo, loggerhead turtles, Mon Repos, Travel, turtle hatching, wildlife experiences
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There’s so much negative news about the environment at the moment, I’m delighted to report a fantastic turtle-hatching season at Mon Repos, here in Australia.
About 400 endangered loggerhead turtles have visited the Queensland beach during the November to March nesting season, making it the best laying season in 28 years. I really recommend (more…)
Top 5 posts for 2009 December 21, 2009
Posted by janeefraser in Adventure travel, Australia, Events, South America, Spa reviews, Travel, UK & Europe.Tags: Anthony Field, Blue Wiggle, hotel stories, Rio Carnivale, spas, stunt woman, stunts, The Wiggles, top 5, Travel, travel blog
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What does it say about the pulling power of The Wiggles that my meeting with ‘Blue Wiggle’ Anthony Field and his cohorts was the most popular post on my (travel!) blog this year? It just edged out my crazy day as a stuntwoman, followed by my semi-naked appearance in the Rio Carnivale. Yep, I get it, it doesn’t matter where I go or what I do, you just love the men in skivvies….
Jane’s top five posts for 2009: (more…)
Can I be the Pink Wiggle? September 14, 2009
Posted by janeefraser in Australia, Events, Travel, Travel videos.Tags: Anthony Field, Australia, Dreamworld, The Wiggles, theme parks, Wiggles Bay, Wiggles World
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I’ve just spent a morning hanging out with The Wiggles and had so much fun!
They were making their annual appearance at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast and I had the opportunity to do an interview and have a front row spot at the show. I felt a bit like a pathetic groupie, but you know what, The Wiggles are cool! (more…)
