OZtralia.tv Blog

Sailing in Australia

By: Phoenix Arrien

A half-naked waiter delicately hands me another Martini as I lounge on the sun deck, another is massaging my feet and there is a queue of them holding platters of tropical fruits until….

“Git that sail furled on the T’Gallant,” comes the roar from the Bosun below.

Shiver me tinnies, it’s just some stress-induced daydream. I am actually standing on a thin rope 25 metres above a heaving ocean with three others attempting to tuck a gigantic piece of heavy canvas the size of 20 King size beds around the highest beam jutting out from the foremast. That, um, very piece of wood around which I had wrapped my body and clutching for me life, while the ship rocked and rolled like an enthusiastic belly dancer.

Mother Mary save me, instead of being a pampered aristo’ on a cruise ship, I am actually a wretch on the Leeuwin, an Australian 16^th Century replica sailing ship and my stomach is about to cover the deck in glorious colour…will I embarrass myself? Will I fall into the sea? Join me next Friday and have a seadog of a weekend!

Snow Me Kangaroo Down, Sport!

By: Phoenix Arrien

Snow, beauuuutiful snow! Yes the white cold stuff is beginning to fall on the mountains of southern Australia.

Cross-country skiing is my favourite type of snow play: out there in the bush, all that exercise, those gnarled snow gums frosted with ice, the sharp clear skies and invigorating cold air…I love it. However most visitors seem to go for downhill skiing so here is a wrap of the most popular resorts:

Falls Creek (upmarket, fabulous location)  www.fallscreek.com.au

Mt Hotham (own airport, something for all ages and abilities) www.hotham.com.au

Mt Buller (close to Melbourne, value for money) www.mtbuller.com.au

Thredbo (more remote than most other ski fields, serious runs) www.thredbo.com.au

Don’t forget if driving you need to use snow chains. Fuel is expensive but there are plenty of other options including public transport, groups and tours.

“Camels are Creatures of Personality…”

By: Phoenix Arrien

Camels are creatures of personality. They can be loving and affectionate or grumpy and plain mean. So to ride one at a gallop, you would want to get them in a good mood first.

The riders of the Imparja Camel Cup will be stroking necks and massaging humps no doubt while doing everything they can to get these big animals to cooperate whilst in the Australian town of Alice Springs on 12 July.

It is worth seeing this fun, family event in Australia’s Red Centre. This is Australia’s most famous camel race when up to 15 of these comical and moody beasts take off from the start line, however not all are headed for the finish. It wouldn’t be an outback Camel Cup without some camels refusing to budge, or even heading in the wrong direction in search of food!

Lots of other entertainment available as well: local art, crafts, food and stalls amongst lots of people and plenty of colour. This year will also see the return of the ever popular Shimmering Sands group - Alice’s own belly dancers.

The gateway to Central Australia, Alice Springs is also known for its wildlife, outback heritage, rich indigenous culture and its arts, with galleries lining the street.

Come Swim With The Fishes

By: Phoenix Arrien

Ane…Anem…Animo…Anemon..Those Cute Little Wavy Things in Australia’s reefs.

Remember when Nemo tried to say the word ‘anemones’? Never watched the movie ‘Finding Nemo’, eh? Well, try and say anemones twenty times and you will get the picture.

Unfortunately such creatures are having a hard time due to removal of anemones from reefs. This causes problems for both the anemones and their anemone fish, which cannot survive in the wild without their homes.

The Sydney Aquarium has launched a special display on sea anemones as part of a new campaign to save the home of Nemo and his family.

As the number of anemones harvested from ocean waters continues to grow, the Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund is supporting Australian scientist Dr Anna Scott, from Southern Cross University, in her quest to develop ways to breed anemones in captivity.

The Aquarium has created a special display on Dr Scott’s research and has given a home to more than 30 of her captive bred baby leathery sea anemones in order to raise public awareness about the pressures these species are facing.

While there are more than 1000 types of sea anemones, only 10 are known to provide a home for anemone fish such as Nemo and his family, making them highly prized for the aquarium trade.

Dr Scott is using her findings to develop ways to breed anemones in captivity to provide an alternate source for private aquariums and potentially to restock damaged reefs.

Sydney Aquarium Chief Executive Kevin Bush said the Aquarium was committed to supporting Anna’s research and helping people realise the implications of harvesting anemones.

“After the movie ‘Finding Nemo’, the world fell in love with our beautiful little anemone fish. But it’s important to make people aware that Nemo and his family are under threat from the harvesting of anemones so we need to support the scientific community in their work to find a solution,” Mr Bush said.

There are also other cool critters at the aquarium and it makes a great day out next time you are in Sydney, Australia

Charlie and Livingstone

By: Phoenix Arrien

It’s lovely stumbling upon Outback gems. The people and places type of gems - not the rock type though they are fun too.

In the top end of Australia a few hours southeast of Darwin is a station called Annaburro. I visited it and sat down with ‘Rex’ the owner:

“One of the reasons I brought Annaburroo,” he explains, “was to preserve a part of the old Outback. No development here! All the old buildings of the former station have been preserved.”

Nearby, ‘Yellow Charlie’s shed’ still stands, testimony to a local character who acted in the well known Australian outback film ‘Jedda’. Charlie may have been rough and involved in more than one fight, but Rex thinks he was a loving man. “Why he kept his wife’s bones in a suitcase rather than have her out there in a cold grave,” he explains with a twinkle in his eye.

Whilst maintaining the character of the place, Rex cleaned it up and gently transformed Annaburroo into an oasis, where visitors can kick back, swim and take time out. It has one of the only crocodile-free swimming holes in the area so it is well worth the stop.

However it’s not only the fascinating people you meet but also animals. Livingstone the Brahman Steer thinks he is a horse and is a fixture in a small horsey band that wanders around the campsite. A Water Monitor ambles around the trees, looking like a mini-dinosaur. Eagles spread their great wings surfing the wind currents above. Black kites dip and wheel in a day long aerial dance, cockatoos screech and finches dart among the bushes.

Aaah, yes another pleasant day in the Outback.

Richard Branson’s Australian Retreat

By: Phoenix Arrien

On a visit to Noosa on the east coast of Australia, I took a cruise through that region’s waterways and we passed a lovely-looking island with house on it. ‘Richard Branson’s island,’ said the guide.

The billionaire Virgin chief is building a luxury retreat for his staff on this island - called Makepeace Island - it is going be a two million pound, nine-hectare estate. Plans for a country club and helipad have been scrapped after environmental concerns.

The locals are still grumbling about the removal of trees and the 85-year-old timber house built in the classic ‘Queenslander’ style including wraparound porches.

Richard brought it for one million pounds in 2003. Nice to know those cheerful Virgin employees will have a swanky holiday hideout. Mind you, Noosa has plenty of swankiness.

More on that hip little town soon.

A Weekend With Friends In Australia

By: Phoenix Arrien

We just spent the weekend with friends who live by the sea. Lakes Entrance is a lovely town on the south coast of Australia that offers both lakes and seaside tranquillity.

We arrived by train from Melbourne - took just under four hours - and headed to the beach where a long line of fisher folk cast their lines into the wild surf. Apparently it was a fishing competition.

Next day thirty vintage cars moved into the main street and parked in long rows so people could peer into their leathery insides, check out the motors and admire the ‘flaming’ paintwork.

The local market was on and people were swinging their clubs on the golf course. I joined the throngs browsing the bookstores, found an interesting book and settled into a cafe overlooking the waterfront called the ‘Six Sisters and a Pigeon’ (no sign of any pigeons but the sisters serve a bonza hot chocolate).

Yup, a weekend, in a small Australian town. Travelling Australia? Settle into a small town for the weekend.

June Events in Australia

By: Phoenix Arrien

June in Australia offers big events and small ones. Here are a few of the more interesting goings-on you may want to check out:

Milton Scarecrow Festival

Name says it all…

The Rocks Market

Sydney’s leading lifestyle market, featuring a delectable range of arts, crafts, homewares and collectables.

SYDNEY NSW, Sat 7 Jun - Sun 8 Jun 2008

National Celtic Festival

PORTARLINGTON VIC, Fri 6 Jun - Mon 9 Jun 2008

Monto Show Society Drover’s Cattle Drive

Experience the life of a drover and take part in a cattle drive along the stock routes in the Monto Shire.

MONTO QLD, Mon 9 Jun - Tue 10 Jun 2008

Rest Among Trees In Australia

By: Phoenix Arrien

The Otway’s is a lush cool temperate forest on the southern coast of Australia. Cool fern gullies, dark hidden creeks and the inspiring Mountain Ash - magnificent trees that are an inspiration to stand under - are magnet for loggers.

After years of confrontation, environmental battles and resistance by the logging industry, the chainsaws are finally quiet in this region and the remaining trees are safe. Australia sends a good slice of its old growth forest overseas as woodchips and there has been a strong movement to stop this.

I visited a beautiful old growth forest in Tasmania called the Weld Valley. On the way I picked up a hitchhiker who was travelling to the forest blockade to help protest over the clear felling of this forest as well as have ‘some time out in the bush’.

This is common around Australia. Joining a protest is not just voicing one’s opinions about the destruction of trees, it is also a working holiday and an opportunity to spend some time camping in the middle of wilderness, meet interesting folk and breathe some pure air.

If you are thinking of seeing travelling Australia and experiencing a bit of the original bits, as they were hundreds of years ago before European habitation, as well as helping to stop clear felling forests, you may want to join an forest blockade. More info can be found on www.wilderness.org.au/getinvolved.

Lentil As Anything

By: Phoenix Arrien

Ya gotta hand it to some people. From an idea, emerges a seed, then from a seed a sprout, until you have several plants springing up around the place.

Lentil As Anything is one of those amazing ideas that you wouldn’t believe would work but has.

Begun by Shanaka Fernando who grew up in a third world country and wanted to create ‘circumstance of inclusivity’ that is, assist community and trust through having no fixed price on food.

It’s true, you walk up to a Lentil As Anything restaurant or kiosk and ask for what you want then put whatever you think it is worth or a donation if you are poor in a money box on the counter. No worries, no problems, just delicious vegetarian food.

It works too. There are several restaurants around Melbourne and related community projects. See more on http://lentilasanything.com and drop in to one next time you are travelling to Melbourne, Australia – it is more than just a food experience!