OUTthere Rex October

Issue 124 • October 2014

The engaging monthly in-f ight publication specif

cally

for r

esou

rces p

rofessionals

Grape escapesSavouring theproduce of WA’sMargaret River region

Going BushThe insider’s guide on where to camp out

Meet Adam Liaw, the lawyer turned Masterchef extraordinaire

Playing with

Liawthe

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Destination of the month: Bathurst, NSW.

WELCOME to the October issue of OUTthere.Regional Express subsidiary the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) is certainly a jewel in Rex’s crown. Since 2007, the Rex Cadet Pilot Programme has seen more than 160 cadets graduate from the 32-week course and go on to fly for the Rex Group.

Over the years, AAPA has hosted many VIPs, groups and organisations keen to check out the state-of-the-art facilities the pilot training academy provides. Earlier this year the campus hosted a site visit for the NSW Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into Regional Aviation Services. The Legislative Council inquiry was developed to inquire into and report on regional aviation services across New South Wales. The committee was in Wagga Wagga for the first of its regional hearings.

The group toured the AAPA campus, AAPA hangar and newly opened Rex Simulator Centre, and saw firsthand the importance of the facility in supporting our business and, in turn, regional Australia. We look forward to seeing the findings of the inquiry later this month.

So until next month, from all 1000 of us at Rex, Air Link, Pel-Air and AAPA, we invite you to sit back, relax and let us do the flying.

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Issue 124 • October

VI rexnewsParliamentary Committee and Education Minister visits AAPA; Pel-Air charters flights for Big Red Bash Music Festival artists.

XIII rexcommunityRex Airlines flies Opera Australia performers to and from Lismore to take part in Opera at The Channon 2014.

XIV bushtele & don’tmissThe latest news and upcoming events.

XVIII regionalstopoverMadi Curby enjoys the serenity and scenery of the Murrumbidgee River and Yanga National Park.

01 checkinFishing show hosts Nick Duigan and Andrew Hart talk to Simone Henderson-Smart about scoring the world’s best job.

03 citybites We showcase the latest exciting hotspots in our major cities – eat, stay and play in the Big Smoke.

05 entertainment A selection of the latest compelling books, music, DVDs and apps to check out.

06 closeupFour years on, Faye James catches up with Masterchef Australia winner Adam Liaw, who chats about his love of cooking.

13 outtahereBrian Johnston reveals the best spots around Australia to pitch a tent.

20 food&wineA lovely, short drive south from Perth takes you to Margaret River, home to some of Australia’s best vignerons and producers.

26 destinationMichelle Hespe eats and drinks her way through Victoria’s Yarra Valley, stopping for friendly chats along the way.

37 agribusinessBaldeep S. Gill puts the spotlight on the latest in agribusiness education and says future farmers will need diverse skills.

• news & views• resources sector issues• finance & technology• the state of mining

insidemining

contents

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OUTthere is published by Business Essentials (Australasia) Pty Limited (ABN 22 062 493 869), trading as Edge, under license to MGI Publishing Pty Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Information provided was believed to be correct at the time of publication. All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. OUTthere cannot accept unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. If such items are sent to the magazine, they will not be returned. Some images used in OUTthere are from Thinkstock and Getty Images.

OUTthere is published by Edge51 Whistler Street, Manly NSW 2095 Phone: 02 8962 2600,www.edgecustom.com.au

Cover image of Adam

Liawby Steve Brown, supplied by Hachette.

One thing that struck a chord with me this month was culinary discovery. Whether it was chatting to super-chef and this month’s close up Adam Liaw or catching up with a couple of friends who happen to work in hospitality, they all seemed to have something in common: a genuine passion for Australian produce and the people behind it.

“There is so much we have yet to discover,” enthused my friend, who’d been foraging around regional New South Wales in search of unique produce from which to concoct his latest menu. “Did you know some of the best calamari comes from the Hawkesbury region and some of our best pork belly from the Northern Rivers?” he said when I mentioned that I was planning a road trip to Yamba this Christmas.

Nope, can’t say I did – but I sure am going to check out Hawkesbury calamari when I travel yonder, past Bulahdelah and onwards to Mooney Mooney. But that’s another yarn to be saved for the next long car journey. Back to produce.

My friend’s passion for produce was echoed when I found myself chatting to the well-travelled Adam Liaw about his new SBS TV series Destination Flavour Down Under. During the series, Adam found himself journeying all over the nation, from the glorious Western Australian coastline to the baking heat of the Red Centre and the tree-changers’ paradise that is northern New South Wales.

Along his merry travels, Adam met many zealous gatherers and growers who he describes as ‘real people with real stories’.

“It’s their passion – innovative behaviour and dedication is what makes them heroes,” he told me. “When I mentioned I was doing a food show in Australia everyone thought it would be boring – but when the show went on air, my twitter was flooded with tweets saying how much they had no idea Australia was like that.”

In fact, TV sojourns based on ‘culinary Australia’ seem to be unearthing a widespread trend. Last month, Matt Moran’s Paddock to Plate launched its

second season. This season sees Matt clock up more than 20,000 kilometres travelling through the awe-inspiring landscapes of South Australia and Western Australia, from the blustering coastline of the Eyre Peninsula to the red dirt and big skies of the Kimberley.

“There are so many incredible farmers and growers out there – this beautiful country of ours is just bursting with amazing produce. The changing seasons and climates of the lesser-known regions of South and Western Australia offer up some really fantastic and unique produce,” Matt said.

As a foodie and a lover of all things delicious, what excites me about taking on this newly appointed role – apart from the travel stories – is the culinary adventures that await, and the inspiring true stories from real people I’m yet to encounter.

I’ll certainly relish taking you along with me on this journey – I hope you enjoy the ride.

Faye James and the OUTthere team

From the editor...

GROUP EDITOR Faye [email protected] EDITOR Danielle CheneryASSISTANT EDITORS Riley Palmer, Simone Henderson-SmartINTERN Toby Little SUB-EDITORS Liani Solari, Merran White

PRINTER SOS Print & MediaSENIOR DESIGNER Guy PendleburyPRODUCTION MANAGER Brian VentourCONTRIBUTORS Madi Curby, Ben Smithurst, Brian Johnston, Jock Serong, Michelle Hespe, Baldeep S. Gill, Darrell Croker, Christine Retschlag, Kris Madden, Darren Baguley, Kevin Lee, Andrew Crossley, Josh Masters

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Jason [email protected] NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Chris [email protected] ACCOUNT MANAGERS Robert [email protected] [email protected], SA AND NT SALES REPHelen Glasson, Hogan MediaPhone: 08 9381 [email protected]

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Geoff CampbellMANAGING PARTNERS Fergus Stoddart, Richard ParkerCEO Eddie Thomas

ON THE COVER:

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editor’sletter

rexnews

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IN EARLY June, Regional Express (Rex) Wagga Wagga hosted a site visit for the NSW Parliamentary Committee inquiry into Regional Aviation Services. The committee members were in town to discuss regional aviation services at their first regional hearing.

The gentlemen were given a tour around the Rex Group facilities, including the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) Hangar, Rex Hangar and AAPA campus, incorporating the newly opened Rex Sim Centre.

Parliamentary Committee Visits AAPA

IN EARLY July this year, Rex subsidiary Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA) hosted a visit from Federal Education Minister The Hon Christopher Pyne MP. The Minister had meetings in Wagga Wagga and then hosted a fundraising lunch for 25 people at the AAPA campus. The guests had the chance to tour the facilities of AAPA and did some ‘flying’ in the synthetic trainers, led by Rex cadets.

Education Minister Visits AAPA

Above: (L-R): AAPA Chairman Dale Hall, The Hon. Paul Green, The Hon. Richard Colless (Committee Chair), The Hon. Mick Veitch (Committee Deputy Chair), The Hon. Steve Wahn and Rex GM Network Strategy & Sales Warrick Lodge.

Above: The Hon Christopher Pyne MP and The Hon Michael McCormack MP, testing out their skills in the full-flight simulator.

Image: Shaun Lim

rexnews

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IN EARLY July, Regional Express (Rex) subsidiary Pel-Air arranged a return charter from Sydney to Birdsville for the Big Red Bash Music Festival. On board were some well-known talents of the Australian music industry, including Daryl Braithwaite, James Reyne, John Williamson and Kasey Chambers. In its second year, the Big Red Bash is a unique music festival experience, where artists perform on top of the largest sand dune in the Simpson Desert, Big Red.

Birdsville – Big Red Bash Music Festival

Travel in Rex-tra Style!Book Rex-tra Legroom on-line now*

Emergency exit row seats have a couple of inches of extra legroom and can now be reserved for less than $10.00 each sector*. Plus, enjoy the Rex-tra Legroom in row 1 to be one of the first to disembark on arrival.

You can purchase Rex-tra Legroom any time on-line by selecting the Amend Booking icon on our website. You will need your Rex Booking Reference for this.

If you have purchased your ticket through a travel agency or travel manager, ask them for the relevant Rex Booking Reference. And the next time they book your Rex flight, remember to ask them to add in the Rex-tra Legroom directly.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Above right: Captain Matt Broug (L) and First

Officer Carl Riseley (R) with James Reyne.

Right: Captain Matt Broug (L) and First

Officer Carl Riseley (R) with Daryl Braithwaite.

Pel-Air arranged a return charter from Sydney to Birdsville for the Big Red Bash Music Festival.

Lynk AN REX 4c 0806 v8 cp.pdf 1 6/9/08 5:48:53 PM

Q. Why do the flight attendants insist that all window blinds be up for take-off?A. The most critical phases of a flight are the take-off and the landing. In the most unlikely event of a situation that requires an emergency evacuation, it is important that crew and passengers are able to have a clear view of the outside conditions in case of obstructions. For example, before exits are opened, staff must check for fire or other obstacles that may present potential hazards during the evacuation.

Q. Why do you have to stow your hand luggage in the overhead lockers, under the seats or in the seat pockets for take-off and landing?A. Flight crews are required by Civil Aviation Regulations to secure the cabin as well as possible for take-off and landing. As mentioned, these are the most critical phases of the flight, and securing as much hand luggage as possible ensures that in the unlikely event of an emergency, the exits and aisles stay as clear as possible, in case evacuation is necessary. It is also important to keep hand luggage secure whenever possible to ensure that heavier items do not become airborne within the cabin. This is especially important when the aircraft is experiencing turbulence.

Q. Why do you feel so tired from flying?A. As the aircraft altitude increases, air pressure decreases. As the pressure of the air decreases, the body absorbs less oxygen than it would at sea level – therefore, it must work harder to supply oxygen to the body’s cells. As the body is working harder, it becomes more tired.

Q. Why do you sometimes feel pain in your ears or sinuses during ascent or descent?A. The sinuses and middle ear are air-containing cavities that connect with the nose via narrow channels. As aircraft ascend and cabin pressure drops, air passes out of these cavities (without any effort from the passenger) to balance the cabin pressure. It is a different matter during descent, as the cabin pressure increases. The channels close down and

must be actively opened by holding the nose and blowing to inflate the cavities. Facial and ear pain can occur during descent if re-inflation does not occur, and this is much more likely if the passenger has nasal congestion. If you must fly with a cold or hay fever, use a decongestant nasal spray before descent and buy some ‘ear planes’ to plug your ears. (Information contributed by Dr Daniel Hains, ENT Surgeon.)

Q. When can electronic equipment such as laptops, iPods and mobile phones be used? A. With more new technology being used by passengers every day, it is difficult for flight crew to differentiate various items of electronic equipment. Most electronic items are permitted for use while in cruise – however, only after the FASTEN SEATBELT sign has been switched off. Mobile phone use is also permitted provided that the phone’s ‘flight’ mode has been activated prior to boarding the aircraft.

Q. What is the average speed of the aircraft in cruise?A. Approximately 500 kilometres per hour.

Q. Why do you have to get permission from the Captain to move to a vacant seat?A. The aircraft’s take-off speed is calculated by the weight and balance of the aircraft, and many factors need to be considered for a successful take-off. They include the weight of passengers and where they are seated, the weight of cargo, freight and fuel, the distance available on the runway et cetera. For example, if there are 100 or more kilograms of freight in the cargo, the balance of the aircraft will be better maintained if passengers are seated in the forward rows.

AIR TURBULENCEQ. Aircraft often experience air turbulence, but what causes it?A. Imagine the air around the aircraft is water in a stream. We can see how water is disturbed around rocks or when two streams converge. Turbulence in the air is similar: as the aircraft passes through cold air or in the vicinity of terrain that has disturbed the airflow – often incorrectly referred to as ‘air pockets’

– the aircraft climbs and descends in the same way that a boat moves on water. Though turbulence can be uncomfortable, it poses no threat to the aircraft and is akin to driving on a rough or unsealed road. More severe turbulence can be associated with developing thunderstorms. The SAAB 340 has a sophisticated weather radar that pilots use to avoid these areas. Occasionally, a flight attendant will discontinue serving passengers in turbulent conditions; this is a precaution to ensure everyone’s safety.

Q. Why should you keep your seatbelt fastened even when the FASTEN SEATBELT sign is switched off?A. On occasions, the flight crew cannot foresee turbulence or it is not picked up on the flight-deck radar. Because of this, we could unexpectedly experience turbulence at any time. The company recommends that you always keep your seatbelt fastened while you are seated – for your safety, just in case unexpected turbulence is encountered.

ENGINE NOISESQ. Why do the aircraft’s engine noises change during flight?A. Aircraft need more power to climb than to descend, in the same way that a car needs more power to go up a hill than down one. The SAAB 340 turboprop has more than enough power to climb, so shortly after take-off you will notice a change in noises as the power is reduced. The pilots also control the pitch angle of the propellers for various stages of the flight and, as they ‘change gears’, this can also be heard in the cabin.

Q. What should you do if you see or hear something that does not look or sound right or normal?A. Please advise your flight attendant. The flight attendant may be able to answer your query and allay any fears. If not, the flight attendant will contact the flight deck and advise the pilots of anything unusual. Rex encourages open communication and will always treat a passenger’s concerns with the utmost seriousness.

As you sit back in comfort en route to your destination, enjoy this compilation of light reading that the Rex crew hopes you will find interesting and informative.

Frequently Asked Questions

rexFAQ

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Lynk AN REX 4c 0806 v8 cp.pdf 1 6/9/08 5:48:53 PM

Exercise and stretch regularly while seated.

In-flight comfort

SHOULDER STRETCH Reach right hand over left shoulder. Place left hand behind right elbow and gently press elbow toward shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

NECK ROLL With shoulders relaxed, drop ear to shoulder and gently roll neck forward and to the other side, holding each position about five seconds. Repeat five times.

KNEE TO CHEST Bend forward slightly. Clasp hands around left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Keeping hands around knee, slowly let it down. Alternate legs. Repeat 10 times.

FORWARD FLEX With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs toward your ankles. Hold the stretch for I5 seconds and slowly sit back up.

OVERHEAD STRETCH Raise both hands straight up over your head. With one hand, grasp the wrist of the opposite hand and gently pull to one side. Hold the stretch for I 5 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

KNEE LIFTS Lift leg with knee bent while contracting your thigh muscle. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30 times for each leg.

SHOULDER ROLL Hunch shoulders forward, then upward, then backward, then downward, using a gentle, circular motion.

ARM CURL Hold arms at 90° angles, with elbows down, hands in front. Raise hands up to chest and back down. Alternate hands. Repeat in 30-second intervals.

ANKLE CIRCLES Lift feet off floor, draw a circle with the toes, simultaneously moving one foot clockwise and the other foot counterclockwise. Reverse circles. Do each direction for I5 seconds. Repeat if desired.

FOOT PUMPS Start with both heels on the floor and point feet upward as high as you can. Put both feet flat on the floor, then lift heels high, keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. Continue cycle in 30-second intervals.

SEATED EXERCISES

SEATED STRETCHES

Flying can be demanding, as altitude may make your body more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and caffeine. Sitting in one place for a long time can be uncomfortable and can slow down your blood circulation.To help your body adjust to flying and to maintain your personal comfort and wellbeing, we recommend that you take the following steps:

Keep Hydrated Drink plenty of fluids – water, juice, non-caffeinated soft drinks – to prevent dehydration, fatigue and headaches. Minimise your intake of alcohol and coffee. Moisten your face to help reduce the drying effects of cabin air.

Eat Lightly Eat lightly on longer flights to avoid indigestion – our in-flight menu is designed to provide lighter option meals.

Exercise We encourage you to do the gentle on-board exercises diagrammed on this page to enhance your wellbeing during the flight. We recommend you do these exercises for about five minutes every one to two hours. You should also walk down the aisles occasionally, as space permits. In addition, we recommend that you avoid crossing your legs.

Please note: You should not do any of these exercises if they cause you pain or cannot be done with ease.

Move About The Aircraft You may move about the aircraft as space permits and when the seat belt sign is off. When the seat belt sign is on, however, you are required to remain seated with your seat belt fastened.

If you feel unwell, tell the cabin crew. They can assist with the more common inflight complaints and, if necessary, can seek further advice and assistance for you.

On Descent Ears and sinuses can cause discomfort due to the change in air pressure on descent. To minimise discomfort:• yawn or swallow frequently; and• pinch your nostrils together and blow firmly

into your cheeks with your mouth closed.If you have ongoing discomfort, seek the advice of the cabin crew.

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rexcommunity

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OPERA AT The Channon 2014 was another outstanding success with more than 500 people attending. The weather was ‘made to order’, with brilliant sunshine filling Coronation Park, The Channon for the 17th annual cultural event, hosted and organised by the combined Rotary Clubs of Lismore.

More than 160 people were treated to a gourmet three-course luncheon in the grand marquee; others enjoyed their own gourmet picnics or BBQ lunches provided by the Rotary Club of Lismore West.

After lunch, the audience was entertained by four world-class singers from Opera Australia – Margaret Plummer,

Martin Buckingham, Michael Honeyman and Natalie Aoryan – and their piano accompanist, Thomas Johnson, all of whom travelled from Sydney to Lismore and back on Regional Express flights.

Master of Ceremonies Tama Matheson delighted the audience with his humour as he explained the story behind each operatic aria.

A big thank you to Rex Airlines for flying the Opera Australia performers to and from Lismore to perform at Opera at The Channon 2014. For more information, visit operaatthechannon.com.au

Top of page: Opera Australia performers toast. Above: Matthew Honeyman (L) and Martin Buckingham (R); Table decoration.

Opera At The Channon

More than 160 people were treated to a gourmet three-course luncheon in the grand marquee.

XIV

bushtelegraph

It’s in the bagDurable travel gear is a must when zipping through airports or hitting the road, and Kathmandu should know: the adventure-gear company recently won the backpack category in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2014.Kathmandu’s new Jet Series is a four-piece mix-and-match set designed to make travelling easier. It comprises three carry-on options (RRP $179.98 to $299.98), plus an 80-litre trolley ($499.98) for longer journeys.The Overland Pack ($399.98) is designed specifically for experienced travellers who pack light and travel hard off the beaten track. Constructed from durable gridTECH fabric, this 55-litre backpack is a survivor.

Life-saving super bananaAn Australian ‘super banana’ genetically engineered by Queensland University of Technology could help to prevent blindness and save the lives of thousands of Ugandan children. The bananas are enriched with alpha-carotene and beta-carotene that the body converts to vitamin A, a vitamin in which these children are deficient.

It’s expected that the bananas will be growing in Uganda by 2020, following testing in the United States to determine how well they boost vitamin A levels. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It’s hoped the test results will be available in late 2014.

Passion for dairyJulian Benson wanted to be a dairy farmer when he was a kid growing up in Broadmeadows, outer Melbourne, in the 1950s. He bought a herd of cows with his wife, Dianne, in 1975, and they haven’t looked back.

The Bensons’ passion for improving, growing and promoting the dairy industry in western Victoria won them the award for Improved Farm Performance – Adoption of Practice Change at the 2014 Great South West Dairy Awards.

Julian encourages young people to follow their love of the land and introduces tourists from around the world to the wonders of dairy farming. The Bensons are also the owners of cheese-manufacturing tourist attraction Apostle Whey Cheese, near Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

“I loved dairying from the word go,” Julian says. “I’ve lived the dream, really.”

Julian and Dianne now farm with their son, Luke, milking a herd of 250 Jersey and Friesian cows as well as running their shop and cheesemaking enterprise.

“Mother Nature changes the season on you; the powers that be change the prices … I find it a very challenging and rewarding industry,” Julian says.

For more Legendairy stories, go to legendairy.com.au

Coffee wars heat upSydney coffee roaster Aroma Coffee has won the top accolade at the Australian International Coffee Awards (AICA) held in Melbourne, taking the Champion Australian Roaster title away from Victoria, the home of last year’s winner of the inaugural award.Gavin Gam, coffee expert, philanthropist and managing director at Aroma Coffee, says Sydney has overtaken Melbourne as Australia’s coffee capital.

“We have a distinctly espresso-based coffee culture that is highly competitive, full of passionate industry professionals and driven by savvy coffee drinkers with an educated palate.”

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OCTOBER 10–26Melbourne FestivalThe city that prides itself on its arts culture really turns it on for this annual festival – an unparalleled feast of theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film and outdoor activities. The program is hosted by a variety of venues and includes both ticketed and free events.melbournefestival.com.au

OCTOBER 3–5Oysterfest, CedunaNow in its 23rd year, Oysterfest takes place every October long weekend. Kids can enjoy a street parade, puppet theatre and carnival sideshows while, the adults can kick back on the lawn for some live music and freshly shucked West Coast Oysters. ceduna.sa.gov.au/oysterfest

OCTOBER 1–31Burnie ShinesThe festival links small and medium-sized events taking place in Burnie, Tasmania, to create a Burnie-made celebration each spring. Now in its 14th year, Burnie Shines has grown to feature more than 100 events, including exhibitions, performances and parties. burnie.net

OCTOBER 2–6Kangaroo Island Art Feast If Kangaroo Island’s beautiful bushlands and pristine beaches aren’t enough of a drawcard, their annual showcase of art, food and beverages ought to do the trick. Art Feast spans over 30 venues from east to west across the island, and features about 150 artists, chefs and wine makers. kangarooislandartfeast.org.au

OCTOBER 24–25Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic, Mount IsaFifteen kilometres north of Mount Isa lies picturesque Lake Moondarra, host to this annual outback fishing classic that includes fireworks, beach volleyball, yabby races, live music, trade exhibitions, camping and a dragon-boat regatta. lakemoondarrafishingclassic.com.au

OCTOBER 18Surfing The Coldstream Festival, YambaSongstress Mama Kin tops Surfing The Coldstream Festival’s music bill, along with gypsy-ska rockers Caravãna Sun and local acts The Whiskey Drop, Sandy Feat, Nick & Sam, and freewheeling funk outfit The Ninth Chapter. Also gracing the festival is Grafton local Ben Jenkins, who brings his soulful vocals and guitar, fusing elements of folk, jazz and blues.

OCTOBER 18–19Townsville Country Music Talent SearchThe aim of this event – run jointly by the Townsville and Thuringowa Country Music Association – is to promote country music in the region and encourage singers and musicians of all ages to perform on stage. Categories include vocal, gospel, bush ballad, country rock and “anything but country”. ttcma.webs.com

OCTOBER 28 – NOVEMBER 30Totem, Cirque du Soleil, SydneyCirque du Soleil is back in Australia performing Totem under the Big Top on The Showring at The Entertainment Quarter. Totem explores the evolution of humankind through a story told by a cast of 45 acrobats, actors, musicians and singers. Expect athleticism, comedy, heartfelt emotions and surprising visual effects. cirquedusoleil.com

OCTOBER 11Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes Day, Royal RandwickThe Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes Day features the Group 1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes and the NSW State Final for Myer Fashions on the Field. The winner receives flights from Emirates and entrance to the National Final, held on Crown Oaks Day at Flemington.

don’tmissthese events in October if you’re in the right place at the right time.

Compiled by Hannah Luxford

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Ratua is a private islandright in the well-preserved Vanuatu archipelago. This 146-acre jewel of unexplored nature is coveredwith lush tropical vegetation,and bordered by sandy beaches,turquoise water andamazing marine life. This eco-luxury hideaway wasdeveloped with a strong ambition to preserve an untouched sanctuary while establishingsome modern comforts.

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artspace

What is it that initially drew the five of you together?We all studied at The College of Fine Arts in Sydney (COFA, now UNSW Art & Design) and found we had a shared design ethos. We all secretly admired each other’s work, and now we get to work together every day. What inspired the name The Fortynine Studio?Forty-nine is the number of pieces of a particular design that can be made before it’s considered ‘mass-produced’ (which, by Australian standards, is 50). It indicates that we work on small-run handmade designs. Do your collaborative collections evolve organically? Or do they require a lot of planning?A ‘plan’ for us is an organism with a life of its own. It adapts and changes when required and stands strong when it is confronted. Everyone needs a plan to start with – even if it is to change the plan.

How has the City of Sydney Creative Spaces program assisted you?Creative Spaces is an initiative that places creative enterprises in inactive council spaces with hopes to revive [those spaces] through adaptive use. Our studio was a solarium once. It’s now productive and benefits the city, the local area and us. We are really grateful for the opportunity.

What’s the biggest barrier you experience in the design process?Time. Deadlines can push you to be more creative but time is needed to then refine those creative decisions. Managing time is probably the hardest thing to do, especially when being creative isn’t a linear process.

What’s it like having a part of yourself on display?It is exciting and scary at the same time. Getting positive or negative feedback can be a great tool to a designer. It is always exciting to observe the moment when someone sees your work and reacts to it. Then you know you are making a difference to their world. What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had since starting up?In April this year we were selected to show our work in Milan during Design Week. People from all over Europe and beyond came and saw our take on the bushfire phenomenon in Australia. The pieces (pictured) explore different phases of the bushfire, from its apparent destruction to its regenerative power for our flora and fauna.

Do you have any of your own products in your house? If so, which ones?We all have ceramics at home which we use every day. The Flip Flop Slip range and the new Mountain range are both getting a thorough work-out at the moment.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?A broader body of work that showcases all of our skills, as we have many up our collective sleeves! Also, a bigger space to work in – we love our space but it will need to grow as we do into the future.

For more info, visit: thefortynine.com.au

The Fortynine StudioThe handmade products created by The Fortynine Studio are at the heart of Australian design culture. Riley Palmer speaks with the studio’s key members about their rapid rise to success.

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SETTING UP CAMP alongside the Murrumbidgee River, members of a local photography group, The Shutterbugs, grab their chairs and binoculars, hoping to get a better look at the local birdlife. Open to the public since 2009, Yanga National Park attracts an abundance of birds – and birdwatchers.

East of Mildura, the park is part of the Lower Murrumbidgee flood plain and boasts more than 150 species of water birds, including great crested grebes and sea eagles. The area is popular with young families, couples and photographers, who come to enjoy the serenity and the scenery.

Aside from birdwatching, there’s no shortage of activities, including spectacular walks, hikes, cycling trails and historical attractions. Or you can simply do very little and enjoy a relaxing picnic by the river’s edge.

Within the park, the riverside Mamanga camping ground is a great spot for swimming, while The Willows camping ground promises beautiful bushwalks. Wooloondool camping ground is the place for fishing – yellowbelly, redfin, bream and crayfish – and if you’re there in February, don’t miss the Lions Fishing Tournament.

We’re here with a local tour group, Outback Geo Adventures, which is run by a Chilean couple, German

Parks and wildlifeMildura is the gateway to great fishing, bushwalking, wildlife-watching and history on the Murrumbidgee River, writes Madi Curby.

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Paradise Taveuni, situated on the southern tip of Taveuni, is a secluded and remote boutique oceanfront Resort. Nestled amongst lush tropical gardens with Rainforest Mountain as a back drop the resort caters to discerning travellers looking for their own piece of paradise. Its unique deep water frontage allows Guests to dive, snorkel and swim from the lava flow edge into pristine warm tropical waters at any time. If you’re searching for true Fijian hospitality and long to experience the culture of this mystical land, spend some time in Paradise.

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Paradise Taveuni, situated on the southern tip of Taveuni, is a secluded and remote boutique oceanfront Resort. Nestled amongst lush tropical gardens with Rainforest Mountain as a back drop the resort caters to discerning travellers looking for their own piece of paradise. Its unique deep water frontage allows Guests to dive, snorkel and swim from the lava flow edge into pristine warm tropical waters at any time. If you’re searching for true Fijian hospitality and long to experience the culture of this mystical land, spend some time in Paradise.

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THE JOURNEY TO BRAVE HEARTS AND

BOLD MINDS

www.tsc.nsw.edu.au

For more than a century, boys have been boarding at The Scots College in Sydney’s Bellevue Hill. Boarding is available from Years 5 to 12 and boys become part of a boarding house ‘family’ where excellent pastoral care, individual attention and resident housemasters provide high-quality education and care in a safe and nurturing environment.

Jesse Staples, a Year 10 boarder in Royle House started at Scots this year. “Boarding at The Scots College has been a huge change in my life, moving away from my small coastal home up in the Northern Territory,” he said. Initially, Jesse thought he would feel homesick and second guess his decision, “but this was not the case for me … boarding at Scots has been one of my best decisions yet. I’ve found many new opportunities that I would have never been offered if I had stayed in the Northern Territory.”

The College’s Brave Hearts Bold Minds education philosophy seeks to make every day in a Scots boy’s life part of an exciting adventure. State-of-the-art facilities and development-stage-relevant models of learning combine to create an atmosphere of excellence where boys are supported to reach their full potential. “Scots has improved my learning capabilities and knowledge,” Jesse said.

“By providing experiences of excellence, team spirit and adventure, the boys are challenged to fully realise their inner strengths and individual resources, providing a platform for them to flourish in life,” said Dr Ian PM Lambert, The Scots College Principal.

To find out how your boy can become part of the Brave Hearts and Bold Minds journey, visit www.tsc.nsw.edu.au.

The 140-year-old Yanga Homestead is a must-see, and with free guided tours most mornings, visitors can acquaint themselves with life back in 1870.

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and Paulina, who organise tours to Yanga National Park and nearby Mungo National Park. Based in Balranald, they take an all-encompassing approach to geotourism, which aims to sustain or enhance the geographical character of a place, including the environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and wellbeing of the locals.

If bushwalking, birdwatching or getting to know the local area is on your list, German knows some great places. Be sure to bring your camera if you’re after some snaps of the local wildlife, including kangaroos and emus. Both the grey and red kangaroos make an appearance, and German witnesses a kangaroo fight, but the ’roos bounce off before anyone gets to take a picture. I’m told to be on the lookout for the large but elusive southern bell frog, which is endangered.

As part of the tour we visit Yanga Homestead and Woolshed, which was once the largest freehold property in the Southern Hemisphere. Built to hold 3000 sheep, the woolshed is now empty, with the last big shearing occurring in 2005. While the sheep may be gone, the smell of wool is unmistakable and inescapable. A local family is also visiting the shed and they tell me about their relatives, who spent many backbreaking days here. This part of the park is a lot drier, so it makes a crunch underfoot, and the only weed that survives in the red dirt is the unpopular bindi.

The 140-year-old Yanga Homestead is a must-see, and with free guided tours most mornings, visitors can acquaint themselves with life back in 1870 on a flourishing sheep station. Surprisingly, the gardens are filled with gorgeous roses, which the Friends of Yanga, a community volunteer group, maintains.

The homestead’s two living quarters have views of the garden and surrounding lake. The building, which is based on the unique Murray pine ‘drop log’ design, has a very low roof, which forces me to duck. I walk around the back to get spectacular views of Yanga Lake, which has only recently refilled after the area suffered a 10-year drought.

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Yanga National Park is rich in Aboriginal history, and local ranger Simone (aka ‘Mon’) shows me a midden, or refuse heap, where the Indigenous community has dumped shellfish, fish bones, charcoal and stone tools. Towering above me are huge gum trees with large diamond-shaped scars running down their trunks, as the Aborigines would strip the bark from the trees and use it to make canoes and shields.

Exploring the park is the authentic Aussie experience – complete with scorched red earth, 30-degree Celsius heat and a pesky fly that refuses to leave my left shoulder. When it’s time for lunch we’re treated to a T-bone steak, which is served with the mandatory potato salad, followed by a cuppa.

The school holidays are always popular times to visit – young families, especially, flock here to enjoy the quintessential Australian experience just two hours’ drive from Mildura. The city itself boasts an array of hotels, restaurants, pubs, cinemas and retailers, so it’s worth hanging out there for a bit before you stock up on fishing tackle and picnic gear and head off into the national park. Just don’t forget your camera!

GET THERERex flies to Mildura from Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.13 17 13, rex.com.au

STAYTimeout HouseboatsStay on a houseboat and explore the Murray River. Houseboats are fully equipped.03 5022 7812, timeouthouseboats.com.au

EAT & DRINKFeastreetHead to Mildura’s dining and entertainment precinct on Langtree Avenue.Jim McDougall in Stefano’s CellarChef Jim McDougall is at the helm of this restaurant, which is a must for food-lovers. Cellars of the Grand Hotel,Langtree Avenue, Mildura03 5022 0881, jimmcdougall.com.auMildura Brewery PubTry the brewpub’s signature beers and monthly specialty brews.20 Langtree Avenue, Mildura03 5022 2988, mildurabrewery.com.au

EXPLOREAustralia Inland Botanic GardensAward-winning gardens featuring a nature trail, rose garden, bush chapel and shearing shed.1183 River Road, Buronga, aibg.org.auPerry SandhillsA 30-minute drive from Mildura, these sandhills have yielded skeletal remains of megafauna and Aboriginal heritage sites.Old Renmark Road, Wentworth

MORE INFOvisitmildura.com.au, visitbalranald.com.au,nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

Round-up

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What do your partners think about what you do?They think we go on holidays for eight months of the year. They don’t seem to understand it’s work.

Once the filming’s done, do you still bait the occasional hook?Yep, lots. Living in Tassie means there are so many great fishing opportunities. Any time there’s nice weather, one or the other [of us] will be wetting a line or diving for tasty crayfish.

What can we expect from you guys in the future?More of the same. But we’re also starting to travel a little more overseas. This season features fishing in the UK, New Zealand and the Solomon Islands.

How did you guys go from being fishing enthusiasts to TV show hosts? Sounds like you’re living the dream!We were both news journalists who worked many, many weekend shifts at a local TV station in Tassie, but instead of reporting the news we spent most of the time talking fishing. Then we hatched a plan to make a show, so we took holidays with a cameraman (who’s still our cameraman to this day) and ‘borrowed’ all the camera gear without telling any of the bosses. When we returned we’d shot enough for a couple of episodes; instead of getting fired, the station was good enough to edit them and play them. That was in 2001. Since then we’ve made more than 200 programs.

What’s your favourite fishing destination in Australia?It’s hard to pick one favourite – Australia is lucky to have so many great fishing spots – but we love heading anywhere hot, probably because we come from Tassie. The Top End is always a great trip; it’s so wild. There’s speccy scenery and lots of wildlife, like crocs, and all the fish are hard-fighting – and that’s just in Darwin Harbour!

In your new series you go in search of fish in Mount Isa. Where on earth do you find fish in the Outback?When we visited Isa, the local lake was low and the fishing was hard. Really hard. We flogged it for three days without catching a barra but we still managed to get a bit of program with some bycatch. At times, Lake Moondarra produces barra well over one metre long, and the locals are super-keen on their fishing.

What’s the secret to keeping things light and fun when you’ve been travelling, filming and fishing together for more than a decade?We spend a lot of time in planes and cars together and have probably had the same conversations over and over and over again. But it’s the fishing that keeps it fun, and the fact that we get to travel to all these great locations around Australia to go fishing for our work means it never gets too serious!

One of you must have an annoying habit, surely?Nick always books the flights and the hotels … and always seems to sit in the best seat and stay in the best room!

What can people learn from your show, apart from fishing tips?They can learn a fair bit about doing up old boats as we’ve restored a ‘project boat’ every year for the past five years. And they can learn that fishing is meant to be fun!

The hosts of Aussie fishing show Hook, Line and Sinker talk to Simone Henderson-Smart about having the world’s best job.

minutes with …

Five

“The fact that we get to travel to all these great locations around

Australia to go fishing for our work means it never

gets too serious.”

Nick Duigan and Andrew Hart

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THE LARWILL STUDIO Melbourne

Part of the Art Series Hotel Group, and inspired by one of Australia’s most distinctive and philanthropic artists, the late David Larwill, The Larwill Studio overlooks magnificent Royal Park, between the CBD and the cultural hubs of Melbourne’s inner north.

With an uplifting Larwill theme throughout, rooms and public areas have an open, playful ambience – an enormous Larwill original, aptly titled ‘Remember Me’, greets guests entering the grand, multifunctional lobby. Larwill’s love of bold, bright hues is reflected in an intense colour palate of burnt oranges, reds, blues, pinks and teal, used in furnishings and finishing touches such as drip hooks and door hangers.

‘Workspaces’ are offered in King and Twin room sizes, the latter having two double beds. Every room showcases two large Larwill giclée (ink-jet) prints and a private collection of art books, and in each, you’ll find Art Series Hotel Group’s signature comforts along with the latest technology and free wi-fi.

There’s a gymnasium with 30-minute workouts for time-poor guests keen to maintain their health regimes, morning jogging groups and a dedicated yoga channel available in-room, with yoga-mat hire free of charge. Nourishing and healthy food options are available in the licenced 250-seat house café/restaurant/bar. And if you’re feeling creative, there are art tours, classes, and materials on site.The Larvill’s opening rate starts at $155; standard room rates are from $185 per night, with further discounts for Art Series Hotels members. thelarwillstudio.com.au

sleepover

GOLDEN AGE CINEMA & BAR Sydney

This month, head to Surry Hills and the Golden Age Cinema & Bar for a retro night to remember. The heritage-listed cinema and watering hole recently launched its latest program with an array of awesome film-inspired cocktails and a bar menu to match. Tuck into finger-licking hot toasties such as ‘The Spielberger’ (pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and mustard) or ‘The Fellini’ (salami, provolone and pickle) along with moreish cocktails: try ‘The Big Lebowski’ (‘The Dude’s’ White Russian – Ketel One vodka, Kahlua and milk) or ‘The Godfather’ (Campari, grapefruit soda and house-made lemon syrup). There are also cheese and meat cuts, ice-cream sundaes and four varieties of popcorn.

The space itself is magnificent: the restored Art Deco-era Paramount Pictures Building still has the original 35-millimetre film projectors in its projection room and the old screening room has been transformed into a beautiful, intimate bar-boutique cinema.

Cuddle up to your loved ones and watch classics such as Rebel Without a Cause or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s date night reborn. ourgoldenage.com.au

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“With an uplifting Larwill theme throughout, rooms and public areas have an open, playful ambience.”

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Oxford Biolabs CEODr Thomas Whitfield.

THINNING HAIR?How a new pill can boost your hair and self-confidence.

THINNING hair can be a nightmare for both men and women. It can make you look less attractive, and also lead to disadvantages within your career and limit you in your partner choice. It can lead to depression, loss of self-confidence and even identity change.

Scientists in Oxford promise that they can help keep your hair thick and healthy. Their pill TRX2 is currently one of Europe’s best-selling hair supplements and is sold in over 90 countries. TRX2 is a food supplement based on organic compounds and compared to medicinal products has no side effects whatsoever. Also it does what it says.

“Your hair will look much bigger; it becomes heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair,” says Oxford Biolabs CEO Dr Thomas Whitfield.

Hair treatments often promise a lot without delivering, but TRX2 is

backed by cutting-edge science and has been thoroughly tested. Three of the key ingredients in TRX2 are officially recognised by the European Commission as contributing to the maintenance of normal healthy hair*. The effects can be impressive. Start TRX2 as early as possible in order to address your hair problem before it is too late.

“Your hair becomes much heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair.”

TRX2 is suitable for men and women of all ages. The crystalline white capsules come in a brown glass bottle, which is sufficient for one month of treatment and costs approximately A$70. The manufacturer offers a money-back guarantee if ordered via TRX2’s official website, and ships worldwide.

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COOK BOOKMatt Preston, Pan Macmillan, $39.99 Pull on your comfiest pants because Matt Preston from TV’s MasterChef Australia is back with 187 of his favourite recipes. From coma-worthy cakes to fresh and healthy kale dishes, Preston takes years of epicurian expertise and recipe-writing skills and puts them at your disposal. This is a cookbook for both the novice and the well-seasoned professional.

MOUNTAIN TO MOUNTAINShannon Galpin, St Martin’s Press (Macmillan), $32.99 This inspiring and elegant memoir charts the selfless journey of a woman who leaves her comfortable westernised life behind to start a non-profit organisation, Mountain2Mountain, in war-torn Afghanistan, helping women and girls fight for their basic rights and freedoms. Heartbreaking, and at times humorous, this is a compelling collage of stories from a true activist.

THE ALEXANDRIA CONNECTION Adrian d’Hagé, Penguin Books (Australia), $29.99Adrian d’Hagé immerses his readers in a shadowy world of espionage and secret societies. The story follows CIA agent Curtis O’Connor as he seeks to uncover a secret involving a new energy source that could be contained within the Pyramids of Giza. Combining politics, history and science, The Alexandria Connection is a roller-coaster ride that’s worth the whiplash.

RISING FROM ASHESThis full-length documentary, funded by two not-for-profit organisations and filmed over three continents and a period of nearly seven years, follows cycling legend Jock Boyer as he helps a group of survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda achieve their dream of creating a national cycling team. Executive-produced and narrated by Hollywood actor and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Forrest Whitaker, this is a story of hope, teamwork and, ultimately, triumph against the odds. Rising from Ashes will inspire and enlighten everyone who watches it. Available from the App Store ($24.99HD, $19.99SD); risingfromashesthemovie.com

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STUCK ON SUCCESSBeloved festival crowd-pleasers, Aussie band Sticky Fingers has returned from treating audiences overseas to their unique brand of eclectic, electro, reggae rock and knuckled down to produce a second album, Land of Pleasure, that debuted at number three on the ARIA charts.

The album features 13 new tracks from the boys, including the first single, the intoxicating ‘Gold Snafu’, followed swiftly by ‘Just For You’, which is a colossal ’90s-esque track, both with appropriately playful videos.

“When we got back from Europe, we just wrote an album in a month. It was a really fun process writing the album. We were just tucked away in the studio. In a little garage studio,” says lead guitarist Seamus (‘Hollywood’).

“We worked obsessively in that studio day and night,” chimes in bass player Paddy Cornwall, “you couldn’t have pulled us out of there if you tried.”

Taking inspiration from bands such as Nirvana and Pink Floyd, Sticky Fingers’ style is rock-inspired but eclectic. “I don’t think we ever really set out to write a song or write [in] a genre,” says Seamus, “We just always kind of write music and whatever comes out, comes out. We sing about the usual s**t; heartbreak, drugs, good times, bad times. It’s the soundtrack to life.”

Sticky Fingers’ sell-out Land of Pleasure tour is

currently criss-crossing the nation.

For tour dates and more information on the band, visit stickyfingerstheband.com

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NO-ONE CAN accuse Adam Liaw of letting life pass him by. He completed year 11 at the tender age of 14, enrolled at university at age 16 and graduated with a double degree at age 21. MasterChef Australia winner, TV presenter, writer and UNICEF Australia ambassador, Adam Liaw is unstoppable. His energy for living life to the fullest packs a mighty punch, and his ear-to-ear smile is as infectious as his enthusiasm. Adam is going places like a steam train on auto-speed.

Currently hosting the prime-time food and travel programs Destination Flavour and Destination Flavour Down Under on the SBS network, Adam – author of a brace of cookbooks: Asian After Work and Two Asian Kitchens – has just released a third, Adam’s Big Pot.

“I absolutely love writing cookbooks. That feeling of getting my first book in my hands was awe-inspiring. You sit it on the shelf and know it will be there after you’re gone. It’s like creating a legacy,” Adam enthuses.

“But what I love most is messages from people saying they cooked something from my book and loved it so much that it’s become a regular part of their cooking routine. I love that I’m creating recipes people will make as a family.”

Adam’s latest cookbook promises a practical and creative approach to family cooking, with recipes inspired by his travels around the world: from fresh Vietnamese salads and simple South African curries to mouth-watering grilled Korean pork belly as well as his favourite one-pot Japanese classics.

Once again, Adam’s inspiration was his readers: “A cookbook is not about me; I write them so people can actually use them. I used to be a lawyer so I know what it’s like to get home from a day’s work and think, ‘What can I cook quickly?’.”

Adam is so passionate about his craft you might assume he always wanted to be a chef. Not so.

“I don’t know what compelled me to [compete in MasterChef Australia]; I’m still surprised. I had to leave a good job that I was enjoying. Being a lawyer was actually a dream job – I’d been working for decades to get to that point – and [MasterChef] was so far out of my experience and character,” Adam confides.

“I guess it was a desire to try something new. People just sit at their desks and know what their future holds – and as a lawyer, I had that feeling. MasterChef started off as a holiday but then it became my career.”

And since winning MasterChef Australia in 2010, Adam hasn’t looked back. The Malaysian-born chef hit the screen again with Destination Flavour, which took him back to his Asian roots, and now hosts Destination Flavour Down Under, which has taken him to far-flung places around the country, meeting gatherers and growers and showcasing the very best of culinary Australia.

“Showing people something new from places around the word is easy; doing it from their backyard is harder. When I told people Destination [Flavour] Down Under was a food and travel show around Australia, everyone said, ‘That’s a bit boring’. But I’ve really enjoyed proving them wrong,” Adam says with a wry smile.

“People think they’ve been all around Australia, but they haven’t been to places like Humpty Doo and Port Lincoln. After the shows, my twitter feed would be crammed with tweets from viewers saying they had no idea Australia had so much to offer. ”

As a fairly new father, balancing work commitments with family life is a constant challenge. Adam’s admittedly exhausted with the juggling act. “But Christopher [Adam’s son] is a very good traveller!” he says. “He’s now been overseas five times. When I’m filming, he can’t travel with

LIAW UNTO HIMSELF

Faye James speaks to all-round chef extraordinaire Adam Liaw about balancing his hectic career with home life.

“People just sit at their desks and know what their future holds – and as a lawyer, I had that feeling. MasterChef started off as

a holiday but then it became my career.”

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me – it’s 14-hour days and we cover a lot of distance. But he comes along for research trips; he’s better on the road than at home!”

For Adam, working on new creations is a round-the-clock job, although when it

comes to enjoying the perfect meal with friends and family, he’s after something a little more tried and tested. “I don’t want people to impress me with how clever they are; I just want good company,” he says. “I actually included a quote in my book

– ‘the dishes we eat as children are what we crave as adults’. For me, it’s my mum’s lamb chops and my grandma’s Hainanese chicken rice. Nothing will replace these, and it’s where the soul of food comes from.

When people are on their deathbeds or thinking of their last meals, they think of foods their mums or grandmas made.”

Soulful is indeed another word to describe Adam Liaw. As a UNICEF Australia Ambassador, his work with

children in need is paramount. “I love kids, and I think it’s quite tragic

when, because of adult conflicts and disputes, it’s the kids that get left further behind,” he says. “The impending famine in South Sudan is one example.”

“Good nutrition is one of the most difficult things for children in these situations. People can’t grow crops to feed kids while war is being waged. The kids are not just in danger because of the conflict but also because of the food problems that arise. I can’t do enough to help anyone who is in these situations through no fault of their own.”

Adam’s Big Pot, published by Hachette Australia, is on sale 23 September 2014. Paperback $39.99, e-book $19.99.

“I love kids, and I think it’s quite tragic when, because of adult conflicts and disputes, it’s the kids that get left further behind.”

WIN AN ADAM LIAW DVD PRIZE PACK!Simply tell us in 25 words or less your favourite food destination for a chance to win 1 of 5 Destination Flavour DVD prize packs including: Destination Flavour, Destination Flavour Japan and Destination Flavour Down Under. Each prize pack is valued at $89.85.Entries close November 1, 2014. Enter at [email protected].

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alltorque

MOST MARQUES have a racing or motorsports division that tweaks their road cars. They’re usually the best thing about the brand because they embody all of the best bits, mashed into a tin and injected with dangerous animal steroids.

Holden has HSV, which is so deeply Australian that it’s decided a ‘family sedan’ must be capable of towing Uluru to Perth. Volvo has Polestar, where they like to do 150 kilometres per hour Scando flicks and then drive home safely at 49 kilometres per hour. Nissan’s Nismo is like a Harajuku-girl: equal parts scene-y and crazy. Great Wall doesn’t have one, because if you take a corner quickly in a Great Wall, your car will

disassemble. And BMW has M, which is simply brilliant.

Since 1985, M’s finest achievement has been the M3, a vehicle that has represented everything great, but slightly unhinged, about being German: It is brilliantly engineered, extremely earnest and utterly crammed with wieners. The M3 is a man’s car, an induction-grunting sausage fest on 19-inch alloys. It is the manliest beast in BMW’s catalogue and the pride of the brand.

Which is why it was so perplexing when, this time around, BMW did something decidedly un-German.

First, BMW changed the car’s name. It was very confusing. Then they

messed with a winning formula. The old M3 was the last of the naturally aspirated V8s, and was also blessed with steadfast hydraulic – as opposed to false-feeling electromechanical – steering. Pure, if you will.

And where an M3 used to be an M3, whether it was a two-door coupé (which it generally was) or a four-door sedan (which you had to ask for), from now on BMW is assigning all its car designation according to the doors: Two-door cars get even-numbered suffixes; four-door models get odd ones. Which means we get an M3 (four doors) and an M4 (two-door coupé) at once. Even though they have exactly the same engine, drivetrain, chassis – basically, the lot.

Plus, the high-revving engine has been cut by two cylinders to be an inline six and the steering is electric. On paper, and in M-car fan forums, everybody

hated this, stamping up and down in their lederhosen and comically

hurling their Tyrolean hats.They needn’t have been.

Once again, M knew exactly what it was doing. Trust the Germans.

BRUTESBen Smithurst goes to New Zealand to test drive BMW’s answer to the muscle car, the very manly M3 and M4.

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OUTthere went to the local M3/M4 launch in New Zealand, a varied affair involving a 400-kilometre road drive preceded by rainy laps of the Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, North Waikato. It’s a short but lovely track, up-and-down in a fashion that references bits of the Nürburgring. It’s also a bit short, at just 3.8 kilometres a lap, but it takes only 15 minutes on the circuit to realise that, instead of disgracing the M3’s legacy, BMW has actually created the best M car(s) ever. Even if they don’t sound quite as belligerent as before and there’s some intrusive cabin noise.

Its numbers are tremendous – 317kW and 550Nm – the latter figure providing a clue on how to lap speedily in the drizzle, the diesel-ish torque surging through bends with delicate acceleration and braking. Plant your foot, though, and it’s more than happy to hoon; the arse will step out happily, especially with the traction and stability off, while it sits flat as a tack through bends.

Each car has a 50:50 weight balance and does 0–100 kilometres per hour in 4.1 seconds, while the introduction of those twin-turbos approximates the sort of linear acceleration the old naturally aspirated V8 was known for. This is because, in Sport or Sport+ mode, those turbos are constantly spinning quickly, ready to go, which scuppers turbo lag. Only 25 per cent of the engine is shared with the engine on which it’s based – the 3.0L 435i – and it shows. This straight-six has 40 per cent more torque than the old V8 – and nine more kilowatts.

A six-speed manual is a no-cost

option for both the M3 and M4, shaving 12 kilos and adding 0.2 seconds to the 0–100 kilometres per hour time, but in terms of shifting speed, power application and even the fingertip comfort of the paddles, the seven-cog M Double-Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic is flawless.

Which only leaves the choice. The coupé is cooler, naturally – cleaner

without the rear doors, with a shapelier bottom, for $166,900. The M3 retains the legendary name and has the extra practicality of back-row entry, which adds a bit of weight at 23 kilograms. Although there’s insufficient leg room in the back to make it a proper family sedan, it’s a bargain at just $156,900.

That $10k is telling in a car that’s identical in terms of performance but significantly more utilitarian. For all intents and purposes, BMW pays you 10 grand to have rear doors.

Everything else about the M’s non-identical siblings makes sense. Perhaps, like other Teutonic jokes – sliced meat for breakfast, Rammstein, oompah bands – the pricing is a gag we just haven’t gotten yet. But if you can afford either car, you’re laughing.

Everybody hated this, stamping up and down in their lederhosen and comically hurling their Tyrolean hats.

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You wake to the soundsof waves and cockatoos ...

and as the sun sets, sausages sizzle and beer awaits.

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WHEN IT COMES to getting away from work and seeing the best of Australia, there are fewer better ways to do it than by camping. You could head to a resort, but there you’re never far from fellow holidaymakers, buffet-bloated kids and beige walls. A camp site is different: Your ceiling is a star-studded sky; you wake to the sound of waves and cockatoos; family or friends can get active in the great outdoors; and, as the sun sets, sausages sizzle and a cold beer awaits.

Arkaroola, South AustraliaThis 610-square-kilometre private wilderness sanctuary, once a sheep station, sits among red granite peaks and golden spinifex in the northern Flinders Ranges

and is pockmarked with fossil-imprinted gorges. Just about any drive takes you on a 60-million-year journey through spectacular bands of geology. Bushwalkers and 4WD enthusiasts can explore by themselves; bring a couple of spare tyres for the rocky conditions. Arkaroola also operates scenic flights and tours. Its twice-daily Ridgetop Tour in a specially designed open-top 4WD vehicle is hair-raisingly panoramic, with Sillers Lookout at the trail’s teetering end testing your head for heights. Arkaroola has 50 powered and plenty of unpowered sites for caravans as well as numerous spaces for tents. The communal campfire is the place to swap tall tales of your day in the Flinders, and magical sunsets and stars make it a bit like tripping in the sixties.

Camping around the country

Going camping? We bring you six of the most scenic and adventurous spots in Australia to chill out under canvas, writes Brian Johnston.

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Fraser Island is a heap of white, brown and golden sands, stands of scribbly gums and towering kauri pines, and freshwater lakes.

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Fraser Island, QueenslandWho wouldn’t want to camp out on a warm Queensland island? Only two hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island is a heap of white, brown and golden sands, stands of scribbly gums and towering kauri pines, and little freshwater lakes in emerald and turquoise that provide dozens of choice places to set up camp. You can choose among several national parks’ camp sites or more formal campgrounds with amenities blocks and BBQs, such as Dundubara and Central Station. Stay at dingo-fenced Waddy Point, though, and you’ll find a beaut spot within a walk of the beach, and with top fishing nearby. When you’re done doing plenty of nothing, rent a 4WD and take a spin along the island’s east coast: 120-odd kilometres of sandy adventure highway with the Pacific pounding to one side. Awesome.

South West Rocks, New South WalesMaybe because it lies 15 kilometres off the Pacific Highway, South West Rocks has always been a little quiet and old-fashioned – good news if you’re looking for somewhere just to snooze, booze and bask on the sand. You can also hit several good surfing beaches or dive among parrot fish and wobbegong sharks. Need your creature comforts while camping? Try the BIG4 Sunshine South West Rocks Holiday Park. However, the more basic NSW National Parks campsite on the foreshore beneath historic Trial Bay Gaol is hard to beat. You can see the ocean – and, in winter, whales wallowing past – from just about every site. Hike up the headland above into Arakoon National Park and on to wind-battered Smoky Cape Lighthouse, where you can clamber up to the balcony – though you might get blown off into the spectacularly blue ocean.

Top right: Fraser Island is a slice of heaven just two hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast. Above: If you head to South West Rocks, don’t miss visiting Trial Bay Gaol.

Pitch your tent with a view of the purple-red Cockburn Ranges, ridiculous sunsets and a billion stars ... explore locations used in the movie Australia.

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Home Valley, Western AustraliaTo get to Home Valley from Kununurra, you have to cross the Pentecost River, where water spills over your hub caps and crocodiles lurk. The ultimate bush retreat sits in the middle of more than 1.2 million hectares of Kimberley wilderness; pitch your tent with a view of the purple-red Cockburn Ranges, ridiculous sunsets and a billion stars. The station’s Dusty Bar & Grill provides enormous steaks and conversation with adventurous fellow travellers about breakdowns, musters and gorge country. Home Valley is a working Indigenous-owned cattle station and you can ride out with the workers, hike walking trails, or croc-spot and fish for Barramundi on the Pentecost River. Head up to red-rock Bindoola Falls for a dip to make body parts shrivel. Film buffs can also explore some of the wild and remote locations used in Baz Luhrmann’s movie Australia.

Litchfield, Northern TerritoryThe Top End is magnificent camping country and Litchfield National Park is one of its highlights. It’s under two hours’ drive from Darwin, making it accessible even for a day or a weekend – and before your beer ice has melted away. Landscapes range from monsoon rainforest to sandstone escarpments, but Litchfield’s best-known features are its termite mounds and waterfalls; the latter are great during the Wet (October to May) but provide better swimming the rest of the year. You could check in to caravan parks at Batchelor, the national park’s gateway town, but you’re better off staking a claim at one of the more rugged bush camp sites at Wangi Falls, Florence Falls and Bluey Rockhole, where you can enjoy early-morning plunges into the waterholes. If you have a 4WD, there are several more dry-season camp sites, such as at Tjaynera Falls and Surprise Creek Falls, where you can really go bush.

Above: Home Valley Station. This image: Tjaynera (Sandy Creek) Falls in Litchfield National Park.

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Leeuwin-Naturaliste, Western AustraliaCape Leeuwin is as far south-west as you can go without falling off Australia. Puff up the stairs of Australia’s third-tallest and the state’s tallest lighthouse for views that show you why this is a great camping destination: rugged coastline, sweeping beaches and turquoise waters meet. The nearest town is Augusta, where you can fish, kayak or hit the golf course. But stay to the north in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, where Hamelin Bay Holiday Park sits beachside under the peppermint trees. Go bush with unpowered camping, or choose between cabins and cottages. Snorkel among stingrays, dive wrecks, surf the waves or head inland to explore the Margaret River wine region. If you’re up for the challenge, the 135-kilometre Cape to Cape Track linking Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin lighthouses is great – even just on a day walk along the section from Hamelin Bay to Cosy Corner.

STAYArkaroola Wilderness Sanctuaryarkaroola.com.auBig4 Sunshine South West Rocks Holiday Parkbig4-south-west-rocks.nsw.big4.com.auFlorence Fallsparksandwildlife.nt.gov.auHamelin Bay Holiday Park hamelinbayholidaypark.com.auTrial Bay Gaol campgroundnationalparks.nsw.gov.auWaddy Point beachfront campgroundnprsr.qld.gov.au

Round-up

Below: Sugarloaf Rock rises dramatically from the ocean along the WA coast between Yallingup and Cape Naturaliste.

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20

food&wine

he south-western corner of Western Australia is the green edge of a vast, arid hinterland. It’s where cold fronts from the

Southern Ocean clip the corner of the Australian landmass before continuing eastwards across the Bight.

The oceanic influence means the region has higher rainfall and less variation in temperature than the rest of the west as well as abundant life: giant forests of jarrah and karri, burgeoning river systems, and flora and fauna of every imaginable kind – enclosed to the north and east by desert, and to the south and west by ocean.

In the midst of this geography, the township of Margaret River sits halfway between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste, about three hours’ drive from Perth. It’s still a country town, but a world-class act in winemaking and produce, and the gateway to adventure tourism

including big-wave surfing, caving, fishing and kayaking. From here the entire region is within an hour’s drive north or south.

It doesn’t get much better than the Margaret River Gourmet Escape in November. This year there’s an amazing line-up of talent, some (Heston Blumenthal and Rick Stein) returning from last year and others (Massimo Bottura and Frank Camorra) making their debut. As Blumenthal said of last year’s event, “Honestly, I don’t think there’s any other food event on the planet like this!”

But first, a little wander. During the warmer months don’t miss breakfast at White Elephant Beach Café in Gnarabup. Here you can sit with the sand under your feet near the thundering surf of Main Break. As you sip your coffee, locals launch their boats nearby and stand-up paddleboarders cross the turquoise lagoon to surf the outer reefs.

ESCAPESBETWEEN THE CAPESThere’s an amazing array of culinary experiences hidden among

the forests of the South West region, writes Jock Serong.

It’s still a country town, but a world-class act in winemaking and produce, and the

gateway to adventure tourism.

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At Eagle Bay Brewing Co, nestled in the hills just behind Geographe Bay to the north, brothers Adrian and Nick d’Espeissis have created a full-scale commercial brewery on the family farm. Their on-site restaurant is built from rammed earth and fronted by sloping lawns with a view across the paddocks to Cape Naturaliste lighthouse. Nearby is the township of Yallingup, home to some of the nation’s best surfers, including 2014 world title hope Taj Burrow.

Just a little to the east, Julian Scott plies his trade as a winemaker for Flametree Wines, near Dunsborough. Julian also makes his own label there, called Attollo. Thrash metal booms through the huge winemaking shed but Julian is a purist, using a traditional basket press to make exotic and technically difficult Portuguese varieties.

Also on the northern half of this fabled stretch of coast is Leith and Michael Kerrigan’s Hay Shed Hill Wines. The winery was transformed by Michael from an old, rustic operation into one of the region’s busiest cellar door café-restaurants, frequented by well-heeled Perth holiday-makers with beach pads around Eagle Bay. The styles here are traditional Bordeaux: Cabernets with the addition of the ‘spice rack’ varieties Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

At the beautifully landscaped Aravina Estate there’s the chance to dine with a genuine celebrity chef. Tony Howell is a green-eyed larrikin, surfer and free diver – and, for the past 15 years, the head chef at

nearby Cape Lodge. He came to Aravina to ease back on his lifestyle and spend more time with his kids. Conversation with Tony is fast-paced and funny. His dining room flows from indoors to outdoors, thanks to the climate.

Tony’s ocean obsession is reflected on the menu: Rottnest Island tuna and deep-ebony-brown Margaret River marron. Think strictly local wine lists and pride in local ingredients. On the menu there’s duck with Vermentino and varieties such as Tempranillo and Nebbiolo, alongside truffles and caviar.

Wines aren’t the only gourmet treasures hidden in the tall forests here. Josh Bahen runs Bahen & Co Chocolate Maker with his wife, Jacqui, creating handmade, single-origin, stone-ground chocolate. He’s quick to point out he’s a chocolate maker, not a chocolatier (chocolatiers melt down pre-made chocolate). Josh pursues lost Central American cacao genetics, which long ago were dispersed in the Pacific Islands and Papua New Guinea. The

TOP 5 MARGARET RIVER GOURMET ESCAPE MUST-DOSNOVEMBER 21–23, 20141. Feast in the Forest2. Food for Thought presented by Breville3. Siemens Collaboration Dinner series4. Gourmet beach BBQs5. Gourmet Village (Featuring Heston Blumenthal, Massimo Bottura, Rick Stein, Peter Gilmore, George Calombaris and Matt Stone)

At the beautifully landscaped Aravina Estate there’s a chance to dine with a genuine celebrity chef, Tony Howell.

Top, above and above right: Dine on local marron at Aravina; making chocolate the traditional way at Bahen & Co; the Flying Fish Cove Winery.

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exact localities of the farms and blends he uses (and one or two of his machines) remain a closely guarded secret.

The factory at Bahen & Co is flooded with a beautiful chocolate aroma. Here, Josh and Jacqui de-husk the beans in an antique machine from El Salvador, roast them, then grind them in a 105-year-old, five-tonne Spanish machine, gradually turning them into liquid through friction and pressure.

The final production stages and the wrapping are all done individually, by hand. Jacqui clearly has an eye for design and chooses the exquisite paper wrapping. It’s a stylish operation – the wrapping, the machinery, the signage and even the hessian sacks of beans and the machetes and scythes. There are sacks piled into the back of a vintage Land Rover ute. It doesn’t run any more – but damn, it looks good.

Damon Eastaugh, winemaker at Flying Fish Cove Winery, is well known to surfers

for his bone-breaking big-wave heroics, but there’s much more to this bloke. He studied law and even practised for a year before getting into winemaking through his family’s nearby Wildwood Winery. His two smallest kids are learning to surf at Yallingup, but it’s vintage that takes up all his time. As well as the Flying Fish Cove label, his massive stainless-steel winery makes wine on contract for others. In conversation, Damon uses a lot of French terms and scientific jargon, but he’s keen on demystifying wine culture – he loves drinking wine and thinks it should be accessible to everybody.

In 2013 the Margaret River Gourmet Escape garnered rave reviews from visitors, sponsors and talent. This year the region might eclipse even that, with exciting new events featuring beer, wine and local produce including Feast in the Forest, A Cabernet Celebration at Cape Mentelle, and Eagle Bay Brewing Co and el Público Long Table Fiesta. It seems there’s nothing this extraordinary region can’t produce.

As attending celebrity chef George Calombaris puts it, “Margaret River Gourmet Escape is the real foodie’s dream … one of the most beautiful locations in the world, with some of the best produce in the world, and some of the best chefs in the world.”

Above and above right: Some of the fabulous fresh fare from last year’s Beach BBQ event; Heston Blumenthal is a huge fan of both the Gourmet Escape and the entire region.

GET THERE There are flights from major cities to Perth daily. From Perth, it’s a two- to three-hour drive south.

STAY Margarets Beach Resort, right by the surf at Prevelly.margaretsbeachresort.com.auYallingup Forest Resort, to experience the forests of the South West up close.yallingupforestresort.com.au

EAT & DRINKMorries Anytime, for affordable, inventive dining and an excellent wine list.149 Bussell Highway, Margaret Riverfacebook.com/MorriesAnytime

Margaret River Hotel, for an authentic local pub vibe.125 Bussell Highway, Margaret Rivermargaretriverhotel.com.au

EXPLOREGreek Chapel at Prevelly, where the views are stunning.

MORE INFOmargaretriver.com

Round-upIt’s a stylish operation – the wrapping, the machinery, the signage, even the sacks of beans.

© M

argaret River Gourmet Escape

www.jackestate.com

Jack Estate is located amongst the finest vineyards in Coonawarra, South Australia. The secret to our award winning wines is the harmony of rich red terra rossa soil,

limestone, pure underground water and a long cool fruit ripening season. Combine this with the exceptional skills of our winemakers who use traditional winemaking

techniques and Jack Estate is crafting world class wines of distinction.

www.jackestate.com

Jack Estate is located amongst the finest vineyards in Coonawarra, South Australia. The secret to our award winning wines is the harmony of rich red terra rossa soil,

limestone, pure underground water and a long cool fruit ripening season. Combine this with the exceptional skills of our winemakers who use traditional winemaking

techniques and Jack Estate is crafting world class wines of distinction.

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Michelle Hespe visits the Yarra Valley, a region bursting at the seams with fresh produce, fine wine and every reason to indulge.

f someone mentions indulgence, food and wine are often the first things that come to people’s minds. And if the Yarra Valley is mentioned in the same sentence, it’s a sure bet that images of

fine and sparkling wine, fresh produce and chocolate will also fill their heads.

If you’re out to indulge in these and other culinary offerings from the famously fertile Yarra Valley, there’s no finer time to hit the road than in spring. It’s not only a road trip that will gloriously assault your sense of smell but one that will be a riot of colour, with flowers in full bloom, fresh food bursting from the earth, and vines becoming heavy with the promise of award-winning wine.

It’s been more than 170 years since the first vines were planted for wine in the Yarra Valley, making it the first winegrowing region in Victoria. However, increased demand for fortified wine in Australia and beyond meant the valley’s wine production ceased in 1921 and then didn’t kick off again until the late 1960s. Over the past 50 to 60 years, a solid industry has been built around the production of some of Australia’s best cool-climate wines – Rosé, Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs thrive here. And the offshoot of the wonderful wines that come from this region has been the development of many charming communities of people who are as passionate about produce as they are about wine.

Wherever you are in the world, hopping aboard a tour with a knowledgeable guide is the best way to get the most from a wine region. When you’re on your

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A journey through the Yarra Valley is not only a road trip that will gloriously assault your sense

of smell but one that will be a riot of colour.

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Above and right: Epra ducit reprae veles alici necuptur sunt, ipsum restiumque sequo exerspid quasit qui odignim agnate num et venisi dolest idis sequiae dolorum et dollorempor sitionsequi ut eum quasin et, vel idipsus.

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own driving around wine country, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on some of the less obvious boutique gems – and that’s really the whole point of visiting a wine region: to discover food and wine that can’t be purchased online or over the counter in your home town.

One tour company that has been going strong in the Yarra Valley for more than a decade is Grape Escape Tours. Specialising in the smaller wineries of the Yarra Valley, the company picks up guests in their choice of a luxury car, people mover (for larger groups) or chopper (the pimped-up option). Owner Bill Hughes and his right-hand man Graham Smith know their stuff; they also know how to entertain their guests while surprising and educating them. Here are some of the places to which a typical Grape Escape Tour will lead you…

Springing into SevilleBuilt upon rich, red volcanic soil and set wisely upon a hilltop overlooking the Yarra Valley, Seville Hill estate is a breathtaking property with a sister winery in Seville, Spain. Towering elms more than 100 years old catch the sunshine in their branches and the lawns merge into row upon row of vines – a shimmering carpet of budding greens.

Owners John and Josie D’Aloisio are wonderful hosts, taking their guests through intimate

tastings of their wines, including specialties such as

a beautifully light and crisp Rosé with hints of cherry and strawberries, and a cherry liqueur that has a chili-like, peppery finish and is made from cherries grown on the farm.

Sipping on their Reserve Chardonnay while admiring the vines, it’s not difficult to see why the picturesque view across the Yarra Valley is often a backdrop for concerts and weddings.

French leaningYou don’t meet many winemaking families in Australia that can lay claim to 10 generations of winemaking, but that’s exactly what father-and-son team Dominique and Ben Portet have to offer their loyal customers and cellar-door visitors. And it’s no ordinary lineage: the Portets’ French heritage goes back to 18th century Bordeaux – one of the most prestigious winemaking regions in the world.

The Dominique Portet cellar door has a tasting bench that runs the length of the open-plan warehouse-style room that doubles as a gift store. It means guests are not just limited to

buying some of the superb wines on offer – the Rosé, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc being popular drawcards – but can also peruse the selection of stylish homewares, jewellery and assorted gifts.

Try the cherry liqueur that

has a chili-like peppery finish

and is made from cherries

grown on the farm.

Above right and below: Father-and-son team,

Dominique and Ben Portet; the rustic, vine-clad Dominique Portet

cellar door. ©

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Above left: The breathtaking view at

Tokar Estate. This image: Dominique Portet’s

‘Summer in a Bottle’.

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The Portets are renowned for their Brut Rosé NV, which is a soft, pale-pink colour. The family says with pride that it’s famous in Europe during summer and has even earned itself the nickname ‘Summer In A Bottle’.

To call the Dominique Portet estate and cellar door charming is an understatement. From the stone building with wide barn-like doors opening onto the vines, to the endearing nature of the Portets, it’s a delight – and is one winery you won’t want to miss on your Yarra Valley travels.

Produce pairingNo matter what time of the year it is, every wine tour should be broken up by relaxing in a restaurant or café with sprawling views of vines and valley, where a glass of wine or two can be savoured and matched with the finest of local produce.

The Yarra Valley, famed for its paddock-to-plate approach to dining, is not short of impressive offerings dished up by chefs who really know what they’re doing and are excited by the ingredients they have sprawling in every direction around

them. And why wouldn’t they get excited, when local business Alloway Gourmet Buffalo produces gourmet sausages and tender, fine cuts, Gateway Hydroponics puts the taste and juice back into real fruit and vegetables, and Little Creek Cattle Company provides locals and restaurateurs with grass-fed beef that’s free of hormones and organophosphates?

The mouth-watering list of producers goes on: it includes Yarra Glen Quality Meats and Smokehouse, which is doing a great trade, and Yarra Valley Caviar, which obtains its delicate fish eggs from naturally farmed Atlantic salmon. Every day, there’s a plethora of produce from local companies being carted straight to Yarra Valley restaurant doors, so winery-hopping visitors should always leave a little room for more.

At Tokar Estate’s restaurant, fine dining in an elegant setting is a magical yet relaxing experience. Arched fairytale-like windows frame a surreal setting with gently undulating layers: a gravel path through rose gardens complete with a European-style fountain, then an orderly mass of vineyards followed by valleys, hilltops and a mountain range, all cascading smoothly into the distance. An ever-changing à la carte menu that changes with the

No matter what time of year it is, every wine

tour should be broken up

by relaxing in a restaurant or café with

sprawling views of

vines.

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seasons is available, or guests can choose a special of two courses with a glass of Tokar wine.

The estate is no stranger to awards for its wines and is well known for its 2012 Le’ori Unwooded Chardonnay, which has a lemony melon zest and is as crisp as an autumn day in the Yarra Valley. For something with more of an earthy punch, Tokar also does a fine Tempranillo characterised by malt, tobacco-leaf and forest-floor flavours.

Rustic charmMaddens Rise is one of those off-the-beaten- track small wineries that make you grateful for the many winemakers out there trying to do something different.

Set in a small but very funky shed made from slatted wooden, steel and glass, the Maddens Rise cellar door is a fun and entertaining experience, largely due to the lovely, bubbly personality of Emma, who runs the tastings. A lover of wine and watering-cans (her collection is scattered throughout the airy open-plan room, where light pours in through the many windows), Emma makes her guests feel as welcome as best friends that she hasn’t seen for years.

Before you know it, you’ll be giggling over some of the Pink Fizz or sparkling wine, and by the time you hit the Reserve Pinot Noir, you’ll be making plans to order a case and pay another visit.

Chocolate hit Ian and Leanne Neeland made a very good decision over a bottle of wine when they were living in Margaret River. They noted that the Yarra Valley didn’t have a chocolaterie and they decided

they should build one. The locals thought they were mad when they saw the gigantic parking lot that they built to accommodate the thousands of people they imagined turning up.

But head to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery today and you won’t believe the crowd, inside and outside the building. Inside it’s like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, with every imaginable type of chocolate and sweet thing known to humankind piled high in enticing towers of lip-smacking, sugary sweetness.

Needless to say, the car park is usually full these days and is possibly in need of expansion. Like most places in the Yarra Valley, there’s always another group of people turning up with eyes wide open and mouths salivating, ready to step into the warm embrace of indulgence.

Tokar also does a fine Tempranillo, characterised by malt, tobacco-leaf and forest-floor flavours.

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prouting out of the foothills of Cambodia’s former capital city, Oudong, is a mountain flecked with the ornate spires of stupas. From

a distance, Khmers say, this mountain is the shape of a Naga – Nagas being the magical multi-headed serpents that guard the Buddha.

Embarking up a set of stairs that commence at the base of this Naga-shaped mountain, you come across a series of large, barely discernable structures rising out of the earth. Bullet-strafed pillars barely harbour the remnants of what was once a statue of the Buddha – and is now a reminder of the bombings that devastated Oudong in the 1970s. These are the relics of the famous Arthross Temple. Beautiful in their own right,

the remnants are reminders of Cambodia’s rich, deep and tumultuous history.

This onshore excursion to the sacred city of Oudong is but one of many expeditions offered on Cruiseco Adventurer’s journeys along South-East Asia’s mighty Mekong River. Sailing between Saigon in Vietnam and Siem Reap in Cambodia, Cruiseco Adventurer has been traversing exotic villages, towns and historic landmarks along the Mekong for the past two years.

With Cruiseco’s focus on sustainability and community development, you can almost convince yourself that your trip along the Mekong is about giving back to society. “We only employ local staff which means that our guests can learn more about the

local region while we can give back to the community,” says Amber Wilson, Cruiseco’s national marketing manager. “It enables us to support the local areas, source our produce along the Mekong River and discover wonderful hidden gems.”

These gems are tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the smaller ports Cruiseco Adventurer visits – away from the more typical tourist destinations. “As a result, our guests discover something that is off the beaten track and truly special,” says Wilson.

The voyage also involves venturing to some of the region’s globally renowned landmarks. An excursion to the Gothic house of The Lover provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of classic literature. Located in

Luxuriate aboard Cruiseco Adventurer as you explore the wonders of the Mekong.

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Sa Dec in Vietnam, this house conceals more than just an eclectic mix of décor; it was the inspiration for Marguerite Duras’ largely autobiographical erotic novel detailing her affair with the very wealthy Huynh Thuy Le. How much of The Lover is fact and how much is literary embellishment we’ll never know – those details are concealed within the walls of this historic, yet strangely innocuous house.

From Vietnam to Cambodia, you’ll visit iconic sites such as the Royal Palace, which was constructed in Phnom Penh after Cambodia’s royal capital had been relocated from Oudong; Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world; and the Khmer ruins at Ta Prohm, a glorious location made famous by the film Tomb Raider.

A trip down the Mekong would be incomplete without the opportunity to visit some of Cambodia’s more harrowing historical sites: the Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocide and the Killing Fields.

But for those better suited to luxuriating, there’s no need to leave the comfort of the ship – after all, this is a holiday! Cruiseco Adventurer boasts beautiful décor and luxurious accommodation. Each of its restful cabins has polished timber floors, ensuite facilities, floor-to-ceiling French windows, a private balcony and a private seating area with outdoor furniture, where you can sit and watch the activity along the colourful shores of the Mekong. Not to mention the ship’s bar, restaurant, lounge,

sundeck, library, boutique and plunge pool.With all of these indulgences, it’s hard

to believe that Cruiseco Adventurer is leading the way in environmental cruising. The ship’s ‘green’ technology utilises a system of solar panels and water filtration systems, and its engine room is operated by the latest Daewoo diesel technology combined with a Japanese JICO System.

So if you hadn’t already convincedyourself that this holiday is a way of giving back to the region and its environment, knowing that the heat generated by the ship’s engines is re-used to heat water on board (for long hot showers, in particular) is sure to do the trick.

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Future farmers will need a diverse skill set to survive in a new environment, writes Baldeep S. Gill.

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTIVITYIS LINKED TO EDUCATION

agribusiness

37

n Australia, a commercially viable farming operation requires an annual turnover approaching $500,000 to generate $70,000

in household disposable income (in line with the median income for an Australian family in 2010) and invest in business improvements so as to create a sustainable operation for the next generation.

Running a half-million-dollar business with climate, product, input and currency risk requires experience, but also a level of expertise that benefits from formal education. And for farmers today there’s a range of options.

By 2020, more than 5000 Australian farms will have annual turnovers of more than $1 million. Successfully leading these businesses will require skills that can be acquired only through education, on-the-job training and ongoing professional development.

Current education levelsThe Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences

(ABARES) identified that between 1981 and 2011, the proportion of farmers with university degrees had increased sixfold and that of those with certificate-level qualifications had doubled.

According to ABARES, “With the operation of farm businesses becoming increasingly complex, many farmers are coming to see themselves less as traditional farmers and more as managers with the same skills and responsibilities as any business manager.This approach has seen growing numbers of farmers pursuing formal educational qualifications.”

Although the proportional increase in educational attainment among farmers has outstripped that of people in other occupations, farmers are still only half as likely as those in other occupations to hold non-school qualifications.

Education optionsAgricultural education starts early: getting a strong grounding in numeracy, literacy,

science and information technology at secondary school level is critical. While some regional high schools have the required curriculum, years of government funding cuts have left many of these institutions struggling to provide globally competitive education programs.

Despite the cost (which can reach $40,000 per annum, including boarding), a number of farming families consider private-school education for their kids to be a key investment in the future.

At a tertiary level, Australia has at least 13 internationally recognised institutions that offer degrees in agriculture-related disciplines, including:• Charles Sturt University• Curtin University• James Cook University• La Trobe University• Marcus Oldham College• Australian National University• The University of Queensland• The University of Melbourne• University of New England• The University of Sydney

OutThere_210x275_2014.indd 1 9/09/2014 3:57 pm

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• University of Tasmania • The University of Western Australia• University of Western Sydney.

Agriculture, business and science degrees from these institutions are now considered a prerequisite for ‘base level competency’ among future farmers.

Principal of Marcus Oldham College in Geelong, Dr Simon Livingstone, says, “Farming is and will continue to be complex business and the leading producers of the future will be those who are at the forefront of technologies and who can analyse, adopt and implement the latest scientific practices into their food production systems. Productivity growth is central to the performance and international competitiveness of Australia’s rural sector.

“High-performing agricultural managers need to make complex decisions and be able to profit during challenging times. Many skills can be learnt on the job, but the development of the high-level cognitive thinking needed for sophisticated management decision-making is best learnt off-farm in a tertiary setting.”

If we widen the ‘agribusiness’ discipline to include veterinary science, general science, biology, agronomy, environmental science and business, there are many more institutions offering opportunities for future farming leaders to build up skill sets that will enable them to better unlock the available value in Australia’s agriculture sector.

Professional developmentAs in other industry sectors, ongoing professional development is becoming an accepted part of staying at the forefront of knowledge and skills in farming.

At tertiary institutions, residential programs in business, marketing, finance, farm management and exporting all offer excellent opportunities for farming leaders to ensure their businesses remain at the forefront of the industry.

Outside of tertiary institutions, there are various industry or geographic business groups that offer practical solutions to challenges and opportunities that farmers across

Australia face. Business leaders should be encouraged to attend, participate and learn rather than shying away for fear of giving away ‘trade secrets’.

While Australia is considered a market leader in agricultural productivity, there is always more to learn, particularly from overseas. International study tours that are organised by corporates, special-interest groups and governments should not be dismissed automatically as ‘junkets’ and ignored. A good test is to invest 30 minutes of online research to see if these tours will give you access to people, innovations or contacts that you can’t establish yourself.

Industry goalsThe goal of Australia’s agriculture industry should be to become the

dominant provider of produce to the emerging middle classes of Asia and the Middle East. To achieve this, we require a cohort of professional farmers who can strategically position their businesses to thrive, rather than just survive, regardless of the oftentough conditions they face. Achieving this will require a solid foundation in formal, particularly tertiary education, followed by ongoing learning and professional development.

Baldeep S. Gill is an independent strategic business consultant with more than 23 years of experience across a wide range of industries throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Email [email protected]

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The state of mining in Western Australia

WESTERN DREAMS20

Issue 16 – October 2014

insidemining

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Newman, WA

THERE are four privately-owned railway lines in the Pilbara region of north-western WA. Two are owned by BHP Billiton, one by Rio Tinto and one by Fortescue Metals Group, and all are there for one reason alone: iron ore.BHP’s Mount Newman railway opened back in 1969, and runs from Newman to Port Hedland. The railway is the hardest working on the planet, with by far the longest and heaviest trains in operation.In June 2001, the Mount Newman railway set a new world record when a 7.3 kilometre-long train weighing in at a massive 99,734 tonnes made the 275-kilometre journey between Yandi and Port Hedland.Rio Tinto’s Hammersley and Robe River railway is the region’s largest network. Indeed, with a total length of 1,300 kilometres, the network is in fact the largest privately-owned heavy freight rail network operating in Australia.

In June 2001, the Mount Newman railway set a new world record.

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Vermeer family to run the company.“I look forward to working closely

with Jason [Andringa] this coming year to prepare him for the transition to CEO in November 2015,” said Mary Andringa.

Current chairman of the board Bob Vermeer will assume the role of chair emeritus from November 1 this year.

Vermeer provides the mining industry with construction equipment for projects

GRAND REOPENINGThe Goondicum mineral sands mine located in Monto, Queensland will be reopening in March next year, Melior Resources announced recently.

After the mine closed down in June last year as a result of declining ilmenite prices and issues with care and maintenance, 35 jobs were lost. With the reopening of the mine next year, 50 jobs will be created, bringing the number of onsite jobs to a total of 80 personnel and helping to reverse the downtrend experienced by the town of Monto following to the closure.

With regard to the re-opening, Melior CEO Mark McCauley was positive. “We are excited to commence the restart of the Goondicum mine; it is a substantial milestone for Melior and will position the company as a significant low-cost producer of ilmenite,” he said.

Melior Resources bought out previous owner of the Goondicum mine, Belridge Enterprises, under the condition that Melior invested around $15 million to restart the stunted operation.

Upgrade works implemented at the defunct site include the instillation of additional equipment to boost recovery, improvements to increase throughput at the processing plant by 50 per cent to around 2.8 million tonnes per annum, and the construction of a new access road to the mine that will drastically reduce the haulage distance from the mine to port by around 35 per cent, or the equivalent of 100 kilometres.

RIGHT THIS WAY, MR PRESIDENTMining equipment company Vermeer Corporation has announced that Jason Andringa will become president and CEO of the company in November next year, succeeding the current CEO

and Jason’s mother Mary Andringa. As Jason Andringa moves into the

role of CEO, Mary Andringa will take over the role of chair of the board. “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Vermeer, as a family-owned and -operated global company,” said Jason. Company founder Gary Vermeer is the father of current CEO Mary Andringa, making Jason Andringa the third generation of the

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such as energy pipelines, utilities, sewers, geothermal power and high-speed communications lines.

COAL SHOULDERA paper released recently by Ross Garnaut, a professorial research fellow in economics at The University of Melbourne, suggests that over the next decade, China will utilise alternative sources of thermal power, such as gas and biomass.

Garnaut forecasts that the energy produced by biomass in China will increase by around 80 per cent, and energy from gas will almost quadruple in the 10-year period. At the same time, he predicts China’s consumption of

coal-powered energy to decline to 1808 megatonnes in 2020, down from a 2013 figure of 1826 megatonnes.

“China’s leaders are aware that China shares with Australia and all the other countries in the Asia-Pacific region an interest in avoiding the international political instability that would emerge from the impact of unmitigated climate change,” Garnaut says.

Chief executive of the Queensland Resource Council (QRC) Michael Roche disagrees with Garnaut and believes China’s global climate awareness is detrimental for coal producers. “Professor Garnaut is correct in observing renewable energy is on the rise,” Roche says, “but the

undisputed fact is coal produces more than 40 per cent of the world’s electricity and is forecast to overtake oil as the globe’s largest source of primary energy.”

Garnaut begs to differ, citing China’s stated commitment to put greenhouse gas emissions into its future economic equation. “The damaging effects of carbon pollution on health and longevity became more important in public discussion,” he says.

“China … made strong commitments to change the relationship between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions.”

This, says Garnaut, is the driving force for the decline in coal demand that he’s predicting will occur over the next six years.

KEEP ON TRUCKINGKomatsu Australia has announced the release of a new AC -drive version of its 181-tonne, 730E-8 mine truck, with the company claiming that the new vehicle provides exponential haul speeds and is easier to maintain.

The 730E-8 is powered by a Tier 4 compliant 1492-kilowatt engine and has an estimated payload of 181 metric tons. The top speed of the 730E-8 is 64 kilometres an hour, 15 per cent higher than that of its predecessor, and it can handle effective gradients of up to 12 per cent, enabling higher productivity.

According to Komatsu Australia’s national product manager Michael Hall, “Our 730E DC truck has delivered 90 to 94 per cent availability to mines around the world, over hundreds of thousands of operating hours.

“In comparison, the industry average for this class of truck is well down in the 80 per cent range.”

The basic, ultra-tough design of the 730E means maintenance and upkeep of the truck is more efficient and cost-effective. “The simplicity of its design makes it easier to train service technicians and complete regular maintenance tasks, with fewer hoses, bearings, pumps and wear components than most other mining trucks,” says Hall.

Advanced monitoring equipment is incorporated and has even made its way into the truck’s cab.

THE SKY’S THE LIMITAt the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus, drones are being used in teaching, research and local farming projects. Fitted with visual, multispectral and thermal imaging cameras, the drones are used for work on rabbit control, beneficial insect drops to reduce pesticide use, crop quality analysis, and weed detection.

Increasingly, drones are also being used in the mining sector for mapping and surveying in remote regions around Australia.

For more information about uses and training in drone technology, visit uq.edu.au/agriculture

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In the first seven months of this year, 11 Australian mining workers died while on the job. That’s more than double the fatalities than for the same period last year.

Australia is an international leader in safety research and technologies, leading the way in virtual reality training facilities, mining software and innovation. So why have the figures increased so dramatically? What precautions are being taken at personal and management levels to ensure a safe working environment for miners?

Mark Parcell, a spokesperson for the Mine Safety Institute of Australia (MSIA), said that MSIA believes every accident and incident is preventable but the industry is failing to learn from past experience.

“We share the vision of an industry free from injury and illness, and are part of the road to Zero Harm. But it’s a tragedy that history is often repeated and the lessons from previous accidents and

disasters seem to be forgotten or ignored,” Parcell told Inside Mining.

“The problem is essentially one of inadequate communication of information about past accidents. Those involved on the first occasion move on or forget, and the organisation itself has no corporate memory. Ways to improve the corporate memory involve the systematic reanalysis of old accidents and communication of the lessons to all concerned,” he said.

“We believe the industry should support, and be supported by, a well-established and developing body of technical literature and technology transfer capability. The Mine Accidents and Disasters website [mineaccidents.com.au] aims to perpetuate this philosophy to make past lessons more readily available to the mine workers and managers of today and tomorrow.”

The Royal Commission report on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy dedicated a whole chapter to

LEARNINGFROM THE PASTWHILE THE MINING INDUSTRY IS REELING FROM WORKERS’ DEATHS AND SAFETY INCIDENTS THIS YEAR, INSIDE MINING LOOKS AT HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT WORKERS ARE SAFE.

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Fast facts:• Over the five years

from 2007–08 to 2011–12, 36 mining workers died from

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the concept of failure to learn. The report noted the extent to which the themes identified by inquiries into previous tragedies were repeated at Pike River.

“History demonstrates that lessons learnt from past tragedies do not automatically translate into better health and safety practice for the future. Institutional memory dims over time. We need not experience another mine accident or disaster to remind us that we must observe the lessons of the past,” Parcell said.

“As much as we have improved mine safety, we have not achieved our goal. An industry free of injury and illness is still a vision and not a reality. The lessons of the past will assist us to achieve that vision.”

Speaking at the NSW Minerals Council’s Health & Safety Conference in May this year, NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the need to focus on safety in the New South Wales mining industry has been tragically driven home in recent months. The conference theme was ‘Learning from the past for a safer future’.

“The past few months have been extremely challenging for the Australian mining industry, with

a spike in incidents and fatalities. While the New South Wales mining industry is known for its strong safety record, the reality is our miners face hazards every day while they do their important work. Recent incidents are a tragic reminder of why safety is, and must always be, our number-one priority,” he said.

“Our number-one goal is to achieve Zero Harm at every New South Wales mine site, through continuous improvement and innovation, high-level training and advanced work practices and technology. The theme of the conference was all about learning from the past for a safer future so we can help to ensure those events are never repeated.”

Unfortunately, the coalmining industry was rocked by yet another on-site fatality just as the Health & Safety Conference concluded.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) general secretary Andrew Vickers said the recent coalmining accidents in New South Wales and Queensland highlight the dangers of working in the mining industry and the need to maintain vigilance regarding safety.

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“The past few months have been extremely

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Fast facts:• As at July 14, 2014, 11 mining workers

have died at work this year, compared with a total of 10 workers’ deaths in the mining

industry in 2013.

11

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11

“Improving the safety and health performance of the New South Wales mining industry is a priority for the state government,” he said.

“The role of the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ Mine Safety program is to provide the framework and direction to industry to promote best practice in the area of mine safety. Mine

Safety has a strategic approach to achieve the government’s aim of zero fatalities and serious injuries in the mining industry.”

Equally important is the preventative role of preparing and training workers to operate safely. Training now starts before most new workers even set foot on a mine site and continues throughout their mining careers.

But according to Coal Services managing director Lucy Flemming, it’s not just about safety. The health of miners is just as important, which means addressing issues such as fatigue and mental health positively.

“Health and safety are interrelated and both require effective management to ensure the wellbeing of people in the industry. Through the Mine Safety Advisory Council, we’ve helped to create and implement practical resources for miners in New South Wales, including a campaign to encourage a culture of ‘looking out for one another’ at work,” says Flemming.

“Everyone has a personal responsibility for the safety and health of themselves and others. The focus on getting our workers home safe to their families every day is everyone’s responsibility – one that we should all take very seriously.”

BIG ISSUE ON THE SMALL SCREENAlly Aitken knows the importance of safety training in the mining industry. Having worked at an open-cut mine in Clermont, the Rockhampton woman has been through countless safety inductions. When asked to be part of a series of new induction and safety videos for Indigenous audiences in Queensland, she didn’t have to think twice.

Jeff McIlroy, a director at Back on Track, which produced the videos, said he believed the initiative was the first of its kind in Australia. He said it was hard for Indigenous work crews to relate to current induction videos, but with a dash of humour and young Indigenous characters, the films could give young Indigenous people a taste of real workplace situations.

“Humour is a great vehicle for getting a message across,” he said, “and the overall message is workplace health and safety means everyone goes home happy.”

Training now starts before most new workers even set foot on a mine site.

forefront

12

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7070_Bridgestone_InsideMining_Camel.indd 1 9/09/14 3:45 PM

Engineers are involved in all phases of mining operations – from exploration and discovery to feasibility studies, mine design, planning and production, scheduling, financial management and even marketing. With the focus on greater automation in the mining industry, what does the future role of the mining engineer look like?

Douglas Abreu, technical services manager Asia Pacific at Devex Mining, developers of the SmartMine automation technology, says automation and technology alone mean nothing.

“It’s a combination of people plus process plus technology,” he says. “The hardest job today is to keep this balance. Automation may cut some jobs on the field but those people and their knowledge and experience are needed in other roles.”

Abreu adds that miners must also develop their people if they need them operating and supervising machines remotely and maintaining the whole process. “The problem is that it takes decades to prepare people,” he explains. “So the mines

concerned about the future should be thinking about a program for people in 10 or 20 years’ time. While there is a large-scale and rapid uptake of automation, the human factors and skilling of staff to support this automation hasn’t progressed at the same pace.”

New skills are required to support these technologies. An automation skills shortage, in which there are insufficient workers with the required technical knowledge and abilities to support current and future workforce requirements, is foreseen as a significant obstacle to the uptake of automation technologies.

Brad Thorp, manager of recruitment operations at Mining People International, says that currently, the main areas of skill shortage in the mining industry are in the mine-planning disciplines and geotechnical areas.

“We have not seen a significant change in hiring trends due to the increasing use of autonomous technology,” he says. “It is still

THERE IS A LOT OF TALK IN THE MINING INDUSTRY ABOUT AUTOMATION. INSIDE MINING LOOKS AT THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE

OVER AUTOMATION – ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO ENGINEERING.

WORDS: KRIS MADDEN

MAN AND MACHINE

industryfocus

15

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7070_Bridgestone_InsideMining_Camel.indd 1 9/09/14 3:45 PM

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The management and transfer of knowledge gain even more importance as operations become more about information and insight, and less about the intuition and ‘gut feelings’ of seasoned experts.

Zimi Meka, chief executive and managing director of Ausenco, and recently named one of Australia’s top 100 most influential engineers, says clarity on goals, expectations and accountabilities are essential if managers are to get good performances from people and organisations.

only a relatively small part of the Australian mining industry, so the impact has not yet been felt; however, we do expect to see changes coming, with the demand shifting to fewer but more highly skilled individuals.

“From an Australian perspective, we feel the skills shortage for high-quality, technically trained people is still a very real issue for companies to deal with.”

The organisational aspects of mining, such as structure, leadership, policy, culture, careers and workers, are critical to achieving a smarter mining enterprise in the future. Mining companies today find themselves with an ageing workforce and issues in attracting and retaining new, top-quality workers and leaders.

According to IBM’s Envisioning the Future of Mining report, the number of upcoming retirees in the mining industry makes the situation more difficult still. The report states that newer employees, mainly from Gen X, Gen Y and the ‘Millennial’ generation, have different attitudes and expectations regarding work. Even when the next generation comes on board, transferring the knowledge locked in the minds of the incumbent workforce will be challenging.

Fast factThe occupational

profile of the

mining industry

shows that,

in terms of

highly skilled

occupations, the

sector requires

relatively large

numbers of

engineers, mining

professionals

and engineering

trades workers.

Shortages have

been widespread

and persistent in

a number of these

occupations over

the past few years.

“We feel the skills shortage for high-quality, technically trained people is still a very real issue for companies to deal with.”

industryfocus

17

“For the mining industry to fully adopt automation, human factor challenges must be explored and understood,” he says. “Strategies that include a change management framework also need to be put in place to address the impact automation will have on improved safety, working conditions and upskilling opportunities of the workforce.”

New areas of specialisationToday, the challenges of mining are greater than ever before. New high-tech methods are being designed to make tomorrow’s mines more productive, safer and more economically successful. Mining engineers are seeking ways to extract essential raw materials while causing as little disturbance to the environment as possible, and zero or minimal pollution, as well as ways to reclaim land that’s been mined in the past.

Because engineers cross all areas of the mining operation, upcoming mining engineers are required to have a broad education that incorporates many disciplines, including geology, civil and mechanical

engineering, metallurgy, commerce, economics, management, law and information technology.

Mining engineering university undergraduate courses now include modules in mine production and management; corporate management, financial analysis and merchant banking; computer software development and automation; mine design; geotechnics; environment; and government policy formulation, legislation and administration.

Technology, smarter operations and increased regulation are stoking the fires of these changes, fuelled by the pursuit of cost savings and enhanced productivity and safety. In such a dynamic industry, the challenge is to keep up.

Smartphones, tablet computers, real-time monitoring and GPS and satellite technology have advanced a long way, even in the past year, in terms of their applicability and reliability in a mining environment.

One thing is certain: flexibility and constant change will be the mantra of the mining engineers of the future.

Fast factThe mining

industry employs

a significantly

higher proportion

of workers aged

between 25 and 44

years than the all

industries average,

with more than

half the workers

in mining (56.7 per

cent) falling into

this age group.

Technology, smarter operations and increased regulation are stoking the fres of these changes,

fuelled by the pursuit of cost savings and enhanced productivity and safety.

industryfocus

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miningreview

HOW THE WEST IS

WINNING

WORDS: DARRELL CROKER

Minerals boss is encouraged by incentives for exploration and calls for regulatory burdens to be eased.

In July this year, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe visited a shrine of sorts.

With formalities finished in Canberra, the pair headed

to Western Australia’s Pilbara region – more specifically, to the West Angelas iron-ore mine halfway between Newman and Tom Price. West Angelas is part of a joint venture between Rio Tinto (53 per cent), Mitsui (33 per cent) and the Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (14 per cent).

Roy Tommy, a respected elder from the local Indigenous Yinhawangka people and a Rio Tinto employee, led a ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony for the delegation.

Currently, the mine is being expanded, at a cost of $640 million, from its present capacity of 29 million to 35 million tonnes of iron ore per year.

Japan is Western Australia’s second-largest export market. Iron ore aside,

three-quarters of the state’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) finds its way there. But admiration for Western Australian mining is not confined to the Land of the Rising Sun.

The world at large looks to the state as a leader in many aspects of the industry. The supply chain developed throughout the Pilbara is the world’s best in terms of scale, efficiency and sophistication. Western Australia was also the first to adopt automation and other technologies on a large scale.

Mr Abbott and Mr Abe saw this firsthand when they inspected Rio Tinto’s next-generation technology mining equipment, including an autonomous haul truck and drill that form part of the company’s Mine of the Future program.

The know-how and intellectual property in Western Australia’s mining industry is second to none and the state’s companies and staff take it around the globe. Engineers, geologists and others

who have honed their skills in Western Australia can be found in far-flung locales from Mongolia to Bolivia.

Activity in the Pilbara is instructive. Rio Tinto operates 15 mines in the region, a 1600-kilometre rail network, four port terminals and two power stations. Its operations have reached a run rate of 290 million tonnes a year, with a low-cost expansion pathway in place to move to 360 million tonnes a year.

Iron ore production is surging in the Pilbara. The prime ministerial delegation took place on Wednesday, July 9. One month before, a new tonnage record for the largest departure of iron ore on a single tide had been set when one million tonnes left Port Hedland. The new benchmark of 1,270,721 tonnes was achieved with seven capesize vessels departing on Saturday, June 7.

The port, Australia’s biggest for iron ore, increased exports by 3.55 per cent between April and May, setting a

miningreview

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monthly record of 36 million tonnes. The nation’s three largest iron-ore miners, Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals Group and BHP Billiton, have all added extra tonnage to their businesses.

In mid-July, Fortescue published aggressive production guidance for the 2015 financial year, saying it could produce as much as 160 million tonnes. The guidance was backed up by a strong June quarter during which Fortescue mined a massive 43.8 million tonnes.

In 2015, Fortescue will spend $1.39 billion on capital projects, including a wharf at Port Hedland. The company announced in June that it would buy four new, extra-large ore-carrying vessels. Chief financial officer Stephen Pearce said the ships would create efficiencies while loading iron ore at Port Hedland.

In the year to date, BHP Billiton has smashed iron-ore production expectations, reporting record output from its mines in the Pilbara region. Its share of Western Australian iron ore production rose 19 per cent from the first quarter of 2014 to 56.64 million tonnes in the three months to June 30.

Increases have resulted from an efficiency campaign at Port Hedland, and the company’s iron-ore president Jimmy Wilson says, “We haven’t finished squeezing the lemon on the inner harbour.’’ BHP says it plans to produce 245 million tonnes this financial year.

The surge in ore exports is not expected to end any time soon. Exporters are ‘seeing red’ in a good way – but it’s not just ore that colours Western Australia’s world: yellowcake and gold have seemingly bright futures, too. And nickel aspirant Sirius Resources has made another promising discovery near the Fraser Range, between the famous goldfields of Kalgoorlie and the Southern Ocean at Esperance.

All sectors aligned with mining Mining has underpinned the Western Australian economy for well over 100 years. When mining falters, the state shudders. Recessions occur in the west that are unknown ‘over east’ and Western Australia does not always react to the economic fluctuations afflicting the rest of the country.

A coffee-shop owner on St George’s Terrace, Perth, says his business fortunes are closely aligned with those of the miners and mining service providers. It’s the same for restaurants, hotels, travel agents, car yards, retailers and, of course, boat dealers.

Significant port, rail, airport, road, water, power and gas infrastructure has been constructed to support the mining industry. As a result, many towns and some small cities owe their existence – or at least their major development – to mining.

Reg Howard-Smith, chief executive of The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), says the benefits of having a strong and prosperous resources sector are clear.

“The vital contribution of the resources sector was highlighted in this year’s state budget, with royalty income forecast to account for more than 25 per cent of the government’s revenue

Above: Iron ore, Port Hedland.

Mining has underpinned the Western Australian economy for well over 100 years. When mining falters, the state shudders.

miningreview

23

in 2017–18, up from five per cent in 2003–04,” he says.

“With the state government’s mineral royalties rates analysis under way, CME is working on behalf of the industry to ensure the government fully appreciates the challenges and issues facing the sector. Any attempt to impose additional costs and charges or royalty increases onto the resources sector will jeopardise future investment, employment and growth in Western Australia.

“As we have witnessed firsthand, increases imposed on marginal operations can lead to job losses, bring forward mine closures, stifle regional communities that are reliant on mining and significantly weaken the state economy. There is no case for any increase in royalties.”

Mr Howard-Smith says that notwithstanding the transition underway in many major projects from construction to operational phase, the future pipeline of projects relies upon increasing the current level of exploration activity.

Programs such as the Western Australian Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme and the federal government’s proposed Exploration Development Incentive are welcomed by the resources sector and have the potential to deliver a significant return to boost the exploration sector.

“It is pleasing that both state and federal governments recognise the

importance of the exploration sector and the challenging environment faced by many companies,” says Mr Howard-Smith.

“CME continues to encourage both the state and federal governments to focus on improving economic growth through policies to address the cost of doing business, reduce the regulatory burden and improve productivity. The recent abolition of the carbon tax was a step in the right direction.”

Still, there are other challenges. In Australia, wages are among the highest anywhere, which is a barrier to

international mining operations keen to use Western Australian expertise. This is exacerbated by the high Australian dollar. And the cost of fly-in fly-out workers, including their accommodation, catering and the additional staff required to cover the full roster, makes the state one of the world’s highest-cost mining regions.

But given Western Australia’s position as, arguably, the pre-eminent mining province on the planet, it is incumbent upon all Australians to recognise its standing, celebrate its success and nurture its future.

Above: A nickel mine in the Fraser Range.

“Increases imposed on marginal operations

can lead to job losses and bring forward

mine closures.”

miningreview

24

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PUNS ASIDE, Australia’s resources sector could be forgiven for glowing again, following the Queensland Government’s recent lift on banning uranium mining. Australia holds almost one-third of the global total of uranium resources and is the world’s third-largest producer of uranium after Kazakhstan and Canada, but this could change following Queensland’s regulatory lift on mining the silvery metal.

The Northern Territory and South Australia are the only other states or territories with

active uranium mines. Western Australia lifted its ban in 2008 but projects are believed to be on hold until global prices for the resource improve.

So what does the future of Australia’s mining industry look like with Queensland back on the market?

The history books will show that in Queensland, uranium mining ended in 1982 and has been prohibited since 1989 – which some commentators view as a great shame, given that Queensland has a resource potential of 165.95

million tonnes, according to state government statistics. But do all these facts and figures mean that another mining boom is just around the corner?

Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady, a former Queensland Minister for Mines and Energy, believes the state could be on the brink of something big. And he should know – the far north-western Queensland area is one of the prime sites for known uranium deposits, as is the neighbouring Gulf of Carpentaria.

McGrady told Inside Mining that each uranium mine will attract

JUST WHEN SOME PUNDITS THOUGHT THE MINING BOOM WAS ALL BUT OVER, ALONG COMES URANIUM AND THE REVELATION THAT AUSTRALIA BOASTS THE

WORLD’S LARGEST REASONABLY ASSURED RESOURCES OF THE ELEMENT.

WORDS: CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG

A NEW BOOM LOOMS

27

specialreport

Fast facts • Australian uranium is

exported for peaceful purposes only, not military applications.

• Exports are currently permitted only to countries that comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons and allow full inspections by the International

Atomic Energy Agency.

about 300 new construction jobs and another 300 in operation.

“You have a commodity and resource in the ground which, in normal times – and it has not been normal times with the ban – the rest of the world wants. Here in Queensland we had it almost in abundance and the other states were laughing all the way to the bank,” he says.

“In places like this, where job opportunities are few and far between, no government should be allowed to impose a ban [on anything] that will provide employment, training and education opportunities, particularly in regions with high Indigenous populations.

“When I was in Brisbane the other week, I expected there would be a lot of opposition and I was taken aback by the amount of support the concept had. There was an understanding for the need to mine uranium and the benefits it would bring to the state’s economy.”

Even McGrady concedes that the issue is not without its controversies, but says that if people want base power, it has to come from gas, coal or nuclear sources.

“There are many countries around the world that rely on nuclear energy and we should sell it. You can’t have a monopoly on coal. This doesn’t mean coal power stations are going to be shut down because uranium is on the market,” he says.

Given that there has been a ban on exploring the resource, McGrady believes there are undiscovered deposits around the state, including near Townsville and in south-east Queensland, which could lead to other mineral finds. “This could be the start of the second mining bonanza in Queensland,” he says.

“For many years Queensland rode on [the sheep’s back] and [it] is now riding on the back of coal trucks. If we can find something else that the world wants, my view is that we sell it.”

Reg Howard-Smith, chief executive of the Chamber of

Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, told Inside Mining that Western Australia has the opportunity to benefit from strong long-term international demand for uranium for power generation from China, India and several European countries.

“Western Australia is very well positioned to become a significant player in the global uranium industry. According to the Department of Mines and Petroleum, Western Australia has known resources in excess of 201,000 tonnes of uranium oxide across many potential projects,” Howard-Smith says.

“Like the mining of other energy and mineral commodities in Western Australia, the mining of uranium will be subject to strict safety, environmental and security regulations.

“WA is well positioned to become a significant player in the global uranium industry.”

specialreport

28

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“The Western Australian resources sector is in transition from a construction phase to a production phase, particularly for our bulk commodities such as iron ore and liquefied natural gas [LNG]. The production phase is when we see royalties delivered to governments and returns to shareholders.”

Deputy chief executive of the Queensland Resources Council Greg Lane told Inside Mining that it was not in the state’s interests to maintain a “1970s-style ban on uranium mining”. It would now resume mining, with the

“considerable advantage” that the work undertaken will be delivering a world-leading framework for sustainable development that can be adopted by other states and territories.

“Regardless of commodity, mining is a high-cost proposition in Australia, and across the board global energy demand is subdued. Queensland’s global competitiveness is the deal-maker or breaker,” Lane says.

“In the longer term, the International Energy Agency expects global demand for electricity to grow more than 70 per cent by 2035, with more than half of this growth from China and India.

“Uranium exports from Australia are supported historically by long-term contracts from nuclear power generators, so the evolution of the energy mix (that is, coal, gas, nuclear and renewables) will play a key role in determining the future for a Queensland uranium industry.”

And the future of Australia’s mining industry doesn’t rest solely on uranium. Lane says there’s “mounting excitement” about the first exports of LNG from Gladstone,

Queensland, now just months away.“There is subdued demand for

many Queensland minerals and energy resources at present, but this is hardly new territory for our members,” he says. “Naturally, they are placing strong emphasis on emerging from the other side of this downturn as globally competitive.

“Asia wants what we produce. Demand has moderated, not evaporated. We have high expectations for the suite of Queensland minerals and energy exports to keep meeting global demand, with appropriate attention to the fundamentals.”

In south-west Queensland, Maranoa Mayor Robert Loughnan told Inside Mining that while things have slowed in the Surat Basin’s accommodation sector, Roma Airport statistics tell a different story, with a record 307,000 passengers for the 2013–14 financial year.

“The outlook for Maranoa remains very strong, with much of the CSG [coal seam gas] drilling and associated work increasingly focusing on this area,” he says.

specialreport

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Safer, Simpler, Smarter

THE STORY READS like a superhero cartoon. On the clock he’s a mild-mannered miner; off it, he’s a Facebook phenomenon. Meet Luke Baker, or ‘FIFO man’, as he’s also known to fellow fly-in fly-out workers around the world.

Even Luke, 31, a communications technician who does 3:1 swings on sites in Roma and Moranbah, hasn’t quite got his head around the Clark Kent response he’s received since he stepped into the proverbial phone booth known as social media several months ago.

“I’d done FIFO in the past, but I took a break and moved to Moranbah for a few years. Six months ago I got back on the FIFO bus; my life changed and I needed to be closer to my new

partner in Bundaberg,” Luke says.“You have a lot of time sitting around

airports and thinking. I was on the way to Roma one day, looking out at the clouds, and I wondered if anyone was interested in hearing my thoughts. I had no idea what would happen; I just thought I’d put my thoughts into words. At the time I didn’t think much more about it, and then it all took off,” he recalls.

Luke says his Facebook site, ‘FIFO man’, initially attracted 200 visitors. This increased to 300 before he went to sleep that night and was up to 500 followers by next morning. At the time of going to print, ‘FIFO man’ had more than 12,000 followers. In terms of mining explosions, this was a real beauty.

FIFOMAN

WHEN LUKE BAKER PUT UP A FACEBOOK PAGE TO HELP FELLOW MINERS DEAL WITH ISSUES AFFECTING FLY-IN FLY-OUT WORKERS,

HE DIDN’T ANTICIPATE THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE.

WORDS: CHRISTINE RETSCHLAG

33

profile

“I’d never done social media in any capacity in the past. I’m pretty sure [the response] is extraordinary,” he says. “It just echoes the weight of the message and has struck a chord with a lot of people.

“It’s funny talking about issues such as isolation and loneliness when people see you’re in camps with 1000 others. It’s hard for them to understand, but it can be quite lonely when you close your donga door and the kids are playing up at home or your partner’s sick and you can’t do anything about it.”

Luke says ‘FIFO man’ has opened up a new dialogue and he’s heard some horrific stories about suicide and depression within the industry. Some critics even view his site as kryptonite to the mining sector.

“There’s a stigma for men about speaking up and reaching out for help. Particularly in this industry, there’s a view that you should just harden up and get on with it,” Luke says.

“I’ve copped a fair bit of criticism. There was a post from a guy who worked in the Defence Force who said they work six months away so three weeks is a breeze. I pointed out to the guy that I’m not trying to say I’m doing it tougher than anyone else.

“I put up a post from a young woman who said her partner was going to start doing FIFO and was asking for people’s opinions. Some absolute idiots got on there and said some derogatory comments that I took down.”

However, Luke says it’s the overwhelming support and positive comments that inspire him to keep his Facebook page going.

“Some of the stories that people have told me are amazing. A number of [FIFO workers’] wives have sent me messages telling me they’ve never really understood, before now, how their partner feels,” Luke explains. “There are a lot of blokes out there who should buy me a beer for saving their marriages!”

Despite the site’s name, ‘FIFO man’ is not just for male miners and their families, but for female FIFO workers, who face a number of gender-related issues, such as sexism and intimidation, on the predominantly male sites, Luke says.

Luke himself is engaged to be married to Melissa Endres, who has three children, in May next year. “It’s fantastic and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” he says.

“The main message on ‘FIFO man’ is you’re not alone. There are a lot of other people out there who have the same feelings as you – the man or woman in the next donga, at the next camp or on the other side of the world.

“There are a lot of people who have come out on the other side, myself included. All you need to do is ask for help – and maybe ask someone else if they need help.”

Did you know?• A construction

worker is six times more likely to

commit suicide than to die in a workplace

accident, yet few mine sites address

mental health issues when doing daily safety briefings.

• FIFO workers can experience loneliness

while away from home, and stress

from the long hours and shiftwork. On

a positive note, some say they have more ‘quality time’ with

their families when they are home.

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Practice makes perfect… and over 30 years of research and refinement has gone into making the Dust-A-Side haul road and dust control management system a global leader in the industry, and Dust-A-Side the partner of choice at over 70 open-cut and underground mine sites across four continents.

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Before After

sAfety ................................... Excellent visibility and much-improved running surfaces

productivity .................. Fewer wet-weather stand-downs

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plAnt costs .................... Extend tyre life and reduce machinery fatigue

fuel use ............................... Better rolling resistance

sustAinAbility .............. Use less water, reduce your carbon footprint and enhance your employees’ health

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“It’s funny talking about issues such as isolation and loneliness when people see you’re in camps with 1000 others. It’s hard for them to understand.”

34

profile

Dust-A-siDe®

Apply now for A sAfer And more efficient mine

D u s t - f r e e – A l l - w e A t h e r – s A f e r – l O w e r O P e r A t I N G C O s t s

Practice makes perfect… and over 30 years of research and refinement has gone into making the Dust-A-Side haul road and dust control management system a global leader in the industry, and Dust-A-Side the partner of choice at over 70 open-cut and underground mine sites across four continents.

Our environmentally-friendly product – coupled with our unique haul road stabilisation process and total management system – keeps roads dust and mud free, functional in all-weather conditions and safer to use.

For more information email [email protected] or call (07) 3117 3790

www.dustaside.com

Before After

sAfety ................................... Excellent visibility and much-improved running surfaces

productivity .................. Fewer wet-weather stand-downs

operAting costs ........ Reduced water cart and grader use, as well as ongoing road maintenance costs

plAnt costs .................... Extend tyre life and reduce machinery fatigue

fuel use ............................... Better rolling resistance

sustAinAbility .............. Use less water, reduce your carbon footprint and enhance your employees’ health

UniqUe totAL

MAnAGeMent SYSteM

MoBiLe And StAtic dUSt MonitorinG

Before And After

dUSt-A-Side eStABLiSHMent

DOW19390 - Dust a Side Ad.indd 1 4/07/12 1:17 PM

HYDAC provides technical training courses in a variety of topics, and among them is Understanding Accumulators - a three-day course designed as a detailed examination of accumulators. This course investigates all aspects of accumulator construction, sizing and operation within a system.

Hydro-pneumatic accumulators are pressure vessels designed and built to store fluids under pressure. They are charged with nitrogen which is separated from the fluid section by a piston, bladder or diaphragm. HYDAC has over 50 years of experience in the research, development, design and production of the accumulators.

The principle applications of accumulators are: energy storage, emergency and safety functions, damping and the reduction of vibrations, pulsation damping, shock absorption,

suction flow stabilisation, media separation, energy recovery, volume and leakage compensation and also weight equalisation.

Using an accumulator improves the performance of the whole hydraulic system, and can give great safety and comfort for operators of machines.

It is important to know that hydraulic accumulators present an acute safety risk to personnel and equipment if not correctly engineered, applied or maintained.

In the Understanding Accumulators course, you will learn all of that and much more. We will cover the following topics: general introduction to accumulators, thermodynamics and calculations, pre-charge and test procedures, certification and approvals, legal requirements and Accumulator Simulation Software ASP. The third day of the course is hands-

on, where bladder accumulators will be inspected, assembled, pre-charged and dis-assembled by you.

At the completion of the course, you’ll be issued with a certificate of acknowledgement that states the course name and all other relevant details.

The next intake for this course will be on 20th of January 2015. HYDAC also offers the following courses: Understanding Hydraulics 1 and 2 – both of which are nationally recognised, Understanding Hydraulics 3, Filtration and Microscopic Analysis, Sensors and Measurement Devices, Software and Systems for Hydraulic Power Units, Practical Hydraulics (hands-on), Proportional Hydraulics and Thermal Optimisation.

To enrol, got to www.hydac.com.au/school.aspx or call us on 1300 449 322.

Understanding Accumulators at HYDACFrom theoretical information on their construction, engineering and maintenance, to a hands-on assemblage of a bladder accumulator, HYDAC’s Understanding Accumulators training course guides you through the intricate world of accumulators.

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Lots 1–15 Kingfisher St, Mount Isa, QLD

POTENTIALLY MOUNT ISA’S MOST EXCLUSIVE STREET• 15 Vacant Blocks of Land to be sold as ‘One Parcel’ varying in size from 929 m2 to 1967 m2

• Zoned Residential Low Density

• Services connected to each allotment

For Sale By Expressions of InterestClosing Date: 5pm Friday 10th October 2014

FOR SALE

Investors be aware, Mount Isa continues to have

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along with industrial property. We have

landlords interstate and overseas who have held investment portfolios with

Jays for over 30 years.

Au

Gold facts• Gold, the only yellow metal, is mainly

used in jewellery, dentistry and artistic applications.

• Today in Australia, a tonne of rock mined for gold yields less than five grams, so gold is not visible in the rock.

• Most of Australia’s gold production comes from open-cut mining whereby large earth-moving equipment removes waste rock from above the ore body and mines the ore.

• Australia is the world’s third-largest producer of gold, after South Africa and the United States, and accounts for about 11 per cent of world output.

• Australia’s largest open-cut goldmine, the ‘Super Pit’, near Kalgoorlie, was originally known as the ‘Golden Mile’ and was a series of smaller goldmines run by different companies.

• The term ‘carat’ refers to the proportion of gold in an alloy, with pure gold being 24 carats. Nine- and 18-carat gold is more commonly used to make jewellery.

• In nature, gold is found uncombined in veins and alluvial deposits.

• Gold is used to produce coins that are highly collectable and are traditionally a safe bet as an investment.

• The famous death mask of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, who died in 1323 BC, contains 100 kilograms of gold.

• White gold is an alloy of gold and silver, palladium, nickel or copper.

• Three gold-refining processes are used in Australia: chlorination, electrolytic and aqua regia.

Name: GoldElement category: Transition metalMelting point: 1064.18°CElectron configuration: [Xe] 4f145d106s1Atomic number; mass: 79; 196.967Discovered: circa 3000 BCEtymology: The symbol Au derives from the Latin aurum, which appropriately translates as ‘glowing dawn’

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39

Contact:Sophie Keily 0408 380 091Nellie Smithurst 0413 121 241

77 Camooweal Street, Mount [email protected]@jaysre.com.auPhone 07 4744 8000PO Box 976 Mount Isa Qld 4825

www.jaysre.com.au

Lots 1–15 Kingfisher St, Mount Isa, QLD

POTENTIALLY MOUNT ISA’S MOST EXCLUSIVE STREET• 15 Vacant Blocks of Land to be sold as ‘One Parcel’ varying in size from 929 m2 to 1967 m2

• Zoned Residential Low Density

• Services connected to each allotment

For Sale By Expressions of InterestClosing Date: 5pm Friday 10th October 2014

FOR SALE

Investors be aware, Mount Isa continues to have

solid demand for modern, quality accommodation,

along with industrial property. We have

landlords interstate and overseas who have held investment portfolios with

Jays for over 30 years.

Looking for a high cash flow investment normally only found in mining hubs but want the stability of a capital city?

With the current under-supply in housing effecting Darwin and with a

significantly growing population over the next 10 years and beyond, it is no wonder Darwin is considered by most independent property researchers as Australia’s undisputed long term investment hotspot.

1. Number one in capital city yields.

2. Number one for total investment.

3. Greater Darwin is forecast to increase by nearly 36,000 new residents between now and 2026.

4. Existing housing shortfalls. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) estimates that the NT will have a housing shortage of 11,500 dwellings by 2020. NT regional director of the Housing Industry Association, Robert Harding, said 1,900 new homes needed to be built each year to

meet demand.5. Over 50 Billion dollars in

investment across 11 current projects in mining, defence, government, infrastructure and agricultural.

6. Up to another 28 potential projects in mining, oil and gas projects set to kick off over the coming decade. Some of the most significant mining, oil and gas projects the country has ever seen are being and will be serviced and supplied through Darwin.

7. Strategic location within close proximity to Asia.

8. Depreciation components typically double other capital city locations due to high

AUSTRALIA’S GATEWAY TO GROWTH....... DARWIN NT

Darwin City

construction standards, building materials and cyclone ratings.

9. ‘Multi-tiered Economy’, with Mining, Defence, Government, Agriculture and Tourism all providing economic benefits.

10. Limited space to grow within the CBD area with Darwin situated on a Peninsula surrounded by water on 3 sides putting residential property in the CBD at a premium for property investment.

08 8944 4555 5/48 Cavenagh Street Darwin NT [email protected]

Real Estate Central Projects have the broadest range of

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Source: RP Data, NT Government and the Australian Census

RECP advertising - September 2014.indd 1 11/08/2014 11:53:11 AM

41

propertyguideNational

We bring you the latest in property and investment analysis, penned by the professionals

Looking for a high cash flow investment normally only found in mining hubs but want the stability of a capital city?

With the current under-supply in housing effecting Darwin and with a

significantly growing population over the next 10 years and beyond, it is no wonder Darwin is considered by most independent property researchers as Australia’s undisputed long term investment hotspot.

1. Number one in capital city yields.

2. Number one for total investment.

3. Greater Darwin is forecast to increase by nearly 36,000 new residents between now and 2026.

4. Existing housing shortfalls. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) estimates that the NT will have a housing shortage of 11,500 dwellings by 2020. NT regional director of the Housing Industry Association, Robert Harding, said 1,900 new homes needed to be built each year to

meet demand.5. Over 50 Billion dollars in

investment across 11 current projects in mining, defence, government, infrastructure and agricultural.

6. Up to another 28 potential projects in mining, oil and gas projects set to kick off over the coming decade. Some of the most significant mining, oil and gas projects the country has ever seen are being and will be serviced and supplied through Darwin.

7. Strategic location within close proximity to Asia.

8. Depreciation components typically double other capital city locations due to high

AUSTRALIA’S GATEWAY TO GROWTH....... DARWIN NT

Darwin City

construction standards, building materials and cyclone ratings.

9. ‘Multi-tiered Economy’, with Mining, Defence, Government, Agriculture and Tourism all providing economic benefits.

10. Limited space to grow within the CBD area with Darwin situated on a Peninsula surrounded by water on 3 sides putting residential property in the CBD at a premium for property investment.

08 8944 4555 5/48 Cavenagh Street Darwin NT [email protected]

Real Estate Central Projects have the broadest range of

Darwin real estate investment opportunities available. These can be tailored to individual

requirements.

Source: RP Data, NT Government and the Australian Census

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43

a desired period and convert them easily back into cash when needed.

Entry and exit costs The entry and exit costs of property transactions can make the idea of quick turnover even less attractive. Stamp duty, legal fees, agents’ fees and government charges can add up, typically putting the investor behind even before they own the property.

While shares do attract small fees – for the execution of a trade or to engage the services of a stockbroker – these costs are minimal in comparison to the amount invested, and work favourably for the investor who’s looking to invest or access funds without penalty.

While some investors may opt for shares over property or vice versa, each carries its own pros and cons. It’s important to understand which will suit you. Understanding how each asset will perform is important – but life is full of changes, so make allowances within your portfolio that allow it to evolve in line with your situation.

nothing like the swings you’ll get in the share market.

In contrast, it’s not uncommon to see shares increase by 20 or 30 per cent in a few hours, bringing riches to many. But values can fall just as quickly, so be aware of the risks and realise the level of volatility to which you may be exposed by investing in shares.

Leverage The returns of shares versus property often track quite similarly over the long term, but there’s no doubting the amount of leverage property can achieve compared with shares. It is this leverage that allows the investor to control large amounts of funds with relatively few dollars, equating to large gains (or losses) when the market makes its move.

Commonly, investors leverage at five or 10 times their principal amount when buying property. This is considered reasonable and even conservative to some, as property’s relatively low levels of volatility mean there is far less associated risk.

Shares, on the other hand, fluctuate wildly, so the thought of borrowing five, 10 or even 20 times the amount invested would make most investors’ heads spin – and would open them up to massive losses should the market move against them.

WHILE THERE are hundreds of ways to make a dollar, if you’re looking at investing, by far the most popular option for Australians is shares or property. While both can offer great returns when managed properly, each has characteristics that make it better suited to one person than another. Here are a few things to consider.

Volatility Defined as the percentage of movement in prices, property has always been a favourite for investors due to the low price fluctuations the market generally experiences. Niche markets do have large swings up and down but it’s rare and is certainly

Margin calls A margin call is when you borrow to invest and then the price falls so low that it threatens the amount the lender has put into the deal. At this point the lender forces the sale of the investment to recoup their money. This often spells the end for the investor, who has to sell at a price that not only wipes out their original investment but leaves them owing massive amounts to their lender, with no asset to fall back on. Property investors may not be familiar with the term because, typically, margin calls don’t happen in property – a comforting fact to remember.

Liquidity Property investment has many pluses but being able to buy and sell quickly is not one of them. Shares can literally be traded in a nanosecond; property transactions take weeks, months or sometimes years to execute, making ready access to funds difficult.

Shares, however, can be traded often and at any dollar value, making them supremely convenient: you can invest for

Expert buyer’s agent and author of Why Property Why Now

JOSH MASTERS

SHARES VS PROPERTY

Property investment has many pluses but being able to buy and sell quickly is not one of them.

With more than 15 years’ experience in the industry and hundreds of property purchases under his belt, Josh Masters is

one of Australia’s most respected buyer’s agents. Learn more at

joshmasters.com.au


45

INVESTING IN property requires planning and involves having several strategies. Success in growing your property portfolio is not only about property values increasing, it’s about balancing your accessible equity/cash with your ability to service debt. Here’s the essential compact guide to preparing for securing your next loan.

Have clarity about your approach to your next property. Can you avoid loan mortgage insurance or not? Don’t shop around for the best rate, as you could inadvertently end up with several credit enquiries on your credit report; use a broker. Every time you apply for a credit card, personal loan, interest-free finance

for furniture at a retail store and so on, a credit hit occurs. The more credit hits you have, the more of a risk you become to a lender. This means you could end up with a higher rate, sometimes upwards of two per cent.

Reducing your credit card limit will increase your borrowing capacity. Declare all your liabilities and assets.

Avoid taking a loan or guaranteeing a loan with someone else other than your spouse (most lenders will attribute 100 per cent of the debt to you and only 50 per cent of rental income, if any). If you’re over 55, lenders normally require an exit strategy, which often excludes downsizing or selling a business.

Apply when you have two incomes. If you apply after just changing jobs, it can prove difficult; if you apply after just becoming self-employed, it could prove impossible.

Obtain a copy of your credit file to ensure you’re aware of what’s on it. I’ve seen so many instances in which someone has a default listed of which they were not aware. This will affect

servicing and the interest rate you get.Have your paperwork ready: two

forms of ID, two forms of income verification, savings statements, contract (if a purchase), six-month repayment history (if a refinance) or three-month repayment history (for credit cards/personal loans, if consolidating debt). Fill in all sections on the application. Many lenders credit score, and they could decline you for suspected non-disclosure. Consider having interest-only loans for investment debt (reduce your non-tax-deductable debt, your home mortgage).

With the new legislation on positive credit reporting, you could be quite exposed; even late payments may be visible to other lenders, affecting your chances of getting a loan. I’d be interested in your opinion about whether or not you think it’s fair that lenders become privy to your personal information. Email me your thoughts at [email protected]

For more information, visit australianpropertyadvisorygroup.com.au

Andrew Crossley is a property investment adviser and property advocate and the

founder of Australian Property Advisory Group, which specialises in representing

the buyer, not the seller.

From Australian Property Advisory Group

ANDREW CROSSLEY

TIPS TO GET FINANCEWhat you must know when arranging finance for your investment property.

Don’t shop around for the best rate, as you could inadvertently end up with several credit enquiries on your credit report.

BUYER’S AGENT VENDOR ADVOCACYSTRATEGISTS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Attention property buyers: Are you interested in buying your next investment or home in Brisbane

and need help?

Hot Property Specialists offers a compressive service for time poor professionals to invest into the Brisbane property market, with years of local knowledge of the Brisbane area Hot Property Specialists can Search ~ Evaluate ~ Negotiate your next property purchase providing guidance from start to finish, we

even help clients post settlement with professional property management that specialises in interstate investors. Zoran Solano Buyers’ agent, Hot Property Specialists Buyers Agency

Looking to buy Real Estate in Brisbane? Don’t do it Alone!

BRISBANE PROPERTY MARKET STARTS TO HEAT UP!

SUITE 1/15-17 MONTAGUE ST, GREENSLOPES | P (07) 3170 3760 | E [email protected] | W hotpropertyspecialists.com.au

Call the team to take the next step!

(07) 3170 3760

SEVEN SMART TIPS FOR HIGH-INCOME EARNERS


47

those on lower incomes. The article also interviewed a high-income householder who claimed the income the household earned (more than $200,000) made them feel just ‘comfortable’. What makes you feel ‘rich’ is a matter of perception.

Think about it: what do we really need in this life? Answer: food, water, shelter and clothing. What, however, do we really want in this life? Answer: status symbols relevant to food, water, shelter and clothing!

You may be earning $200,000 a year but after income tax, mortgage repayments, credit card repayments, car and personal loan repayments, a plethora of indirect taxes and levies and the cost of living, you’d be lucky to save $1000 a month if you’re like most families.

Many high-income earners buy items they believe will boost their status among their friends and family – items that provide the lifestyle they believe they deserve. However, this lifestyle causes unnecessary consumer debt and severe financial

1Reduce your credit-card limits and cancel any

unused credit cardsIn a previous article for this magazine, I emphasised some common mistakes people make with their credit cards. High-income earners are guilty of the same mistakes. Many people have more than one credit card. That’s OK if you manage the debt. But most people don’t – their cards control their lives.

Remember, if you don’t pay the balance of your credit card/s in full every month, the bank’s servicing calculators will multiply your total limits by four and deduct that figure from your borrowing capacity when you apply for a loan. Tip: Once you’ve paid off a signifcant amount of debt, reduce your credit card limit before you apply for a property loan. This will make a huge difference to your borrowing capacity.

2Consolidate your personal debt

A prospective lender prefers to see consolidated debt than

IN MANY ways, the financial characteristics of mining personnel are very similar to those of the rest of the population. Like everyone else, you like to spend, to enjoy the fruits of your labour and lifestyle. However high-income earners also face their own unique challenges. If your combined household income is greater than $200,000, there are seven tips you should consider.

multiple debts. Always look for opportunities to consolidate any personal loans and cards with high interest rates. It’s not rocket science: one interest rate on one loan always looks better than multiple loans.

Multiple loans not only cost you more in interest, they have a negative impact on your borrowing capacity. Consolidating existing debts often reveals extra cashflow you can use to fast-track the elimination of all credit cards and consolidated debt.Tip: It’s smart to pay off the smallest debt frst, working your way up to the largest debt. Watch the ‘Debt Snowball’ Strategy video by David Deegan at smartfinancialadvice.com.au to help you get out of the debt trap.

3Avoid unnecessary consumer debt

Many high-income earners don’t consider themselves wealthy or well-off. A recent finance article revealed that people on higher incomes spend a higher percentage of their cash than

Founder and director of Smart Property Adviser

KEVINLEE

Having a high income isn’t a free pass to spend carelessly, advises Kevin Lee.

Kevin Lee is a property investment adviser in Australia.

To attend one of his free ‘no secrets’ seminars, visit

smartpropertyadviser.com.au

BUYER’S AGENT VENDOR ADVOCACYSTRATEGISTS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Attention property buyers: Are you interested in buying your next investment or home in Brisbane

and need help?

Hot Property Specialists offers a compressive service for time poor professionals to invest into the Brisbane property market, with years of local knowledge of the Brisbane area Hot Property Specialists can Search ~ Evaluate ~ Negotiate your next property purchase providing guidance from start to finish, we

even help clients post settlement with professional property management that specialises in interstate investors. Zoran Solano Buyers’ agent, Hot Property Specialists Buyers Agency

Looking to buy Real Estate in Brisbane? Don’t do it Alone!

BRISBANE PROPERTY MARKET STARTS TO HEAT UP!

SUITE 1/15-17 MONTAGUE ST, GREENSLOPES | P (07) 3170 3760 | E [email protected] | W hotpropertyspecialists.com.au

Call the team to take the next step!

(07) 3170 3760


48

Tip: This fight could be a blessing in disguise. Take some time – right now – to think about your fnancial future and start writing down your goals. Dream big and plan for the next fve years. Work backwards: What do you want to have achieved in fve years, three years and one year from now? What do you need to do – what are your action steps – over the next 12 months, three months and next week, if you’re to start achieving your goals?Ask yourself the following pertinent questions:(a) When do you want to retire?(b) What income do you want in

retirement so as to be able to live the retirement lifestyle you desire?

(c) What’s your plan for achieving (a) and (b)?

Remember, no-one plans to fail; they fail to plan! If you don’t have a realistic plan or aren’t confdent about how to achieve your goals, you need to invest in your fnancial education.

than you do. If you have cash sitting in a general savings account – or, worse, a number of small savings accounts – your money isn’t working for you. You’re pretty much giving the banks a free pass.Tip: Consolidate all those extra funds into one term deposit or your offset account. Better still, invest them in shares or property. And do your research before you decide what is the best strategy to help you to achieve your fnancial goals.

6Have the right loan structure

Your variable rate home loan might benefit from having an offset account attached, so speak with your financial adviser or mortgage broker to assess if it will work for you. Also, structuring investment loans as ‘interest only’ has been popular for about 30 years now but it’s not always the smart thing to do.Tip: Debt reduction might just be the new black. Make sure your

loan portfolio is well structured, organised and regularly reviewed. A poorly structured loan portfolio reduces your fexibility, increases your risk profle and can create reporting and tax nightmares.And diversify your loan portfolio across different lenders; that way, you have leverage when you apply for fnance; it diversifes your risk of overexposure to any one lender; and it gives you the upper hand when negotiating.

7Have a long-term wealth plan

Speak with your financial planner and accountant about your long-term wealth plan. You need to have written goals in place. It’s a sad fact that only three per cent of people have written goals, and that their income and wealth are greater than those of the other 97 per cent of people combined. The primary excuses for not having written goals are laziness, apathy and not enough time. But they’re just that: excuses.

pain. Expensive lifestyle items depreciate in value as soon as you sign the paperwork.Tip: Instead of wasting your money on consumer debt, consider buying assets that have the potential to increase in value over the longer term; for example, investment property.

4Have the right insurance in place

Your financial planner can help to ensure you always have the right insurance in place. If you don’t have the right insurance protection, here’s what would happen if you lost your job or became seriously ill or injured and couldn’t work: (1) You’d lose your high income; and (2) you’d lose your home and other assets.Tip: Having seen what life can unexpectedly deliver, I strongly advise people to take out adequate life insurance, trauma insurance and income protection insurance.

5Look for ways to make your money work for you

As we touched on earlier, start to think of consumer debt as unnecessary. Look for ways to make your money work harder

You need to have written goals in place. It’s a sad fact that only three per cent of people have written goals.

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