Tourism Australia have announced a marketing campaign, aimed at 18 to 30-year-olds on the social networking site, MySpace.
The interactive campaign will not only be used to promote travel to Australia but to also advertise Australia's working holiday visa program, which runs in Britain, the US, Canada and Ireland. Read more about the Tourism Australia announcement.
James Castrission, and Justin Jones, landed safely but their condition makes the feat of New Zealander, Colin Quincy, even more extra-ordinary; he became the first person to row across the Tasman solo, taking 67 days to make the crossing in 1976.
An Australian foursome completed the journey in the opposite direction in half the time, 31 days, arriving in Sydney Harbour on December 30, 2007.
People are massing at Ngamotu Beach, New Plymouth in New Zealand, to greet Australian kayakers, James Castrission, and Justin Jones, who are expected to make landfall in about 4 hours time, completing an epic crossing of the Tasman Sea.
The crossing will also enter the record books as the longest recorded two-man Kayak journey; the pair have spent 62 days at sea.
From January 17 through 26, 2008, the Australia Week Committee presents another exciting program of events in Los Angeles and New York to showcase the very best of Australian culture, fashion, food, wine, tourism and business."
Highlights include an exclusive luncheon in Los Angeles on Jan. 17 where the Hon. Matt Brown MP, Minister for Tourism for the State of New South Wales, and Layne Beachley, a native of Sydney, Australia and the most successful woman in professional surfing history, will present a viewing of "Sydney -- Life's a Beach," an inspiring visual journey into the lifestyle of this dynamic travel destination.
Layne, a Sydney resident, offers valuable insight into its unique urban beach culture. With more than 1200 miles of stunning beaches and legendary surf breaks surrounded by 600 national parks, Sydney is one of the world's most visually appealing destinations.
Layne Beachley was ESPN's Surfer of the Year in 2001, Australia's female athlete of the year in 2003 and is a US Surfers Hall of Fame inductee. Highly regarded amongst other surf professionals on the ASP World Tour, in 2006 Layne staged the richest event in women's surfing history, the Havaianas Beachley Classic in Sydney; and she was also a formidable competitor!
The Christmas holiday is celebrated all around the world and lights form a major part of most Christmas decorations. Here are two masterclass examples from opposite ends of the globe, of synchronised light and music displays.
First up is a display at Perth, Western Australia that was posted on YouTube by TonyaI.
And next is "Symphony In Lights" at Denver, Colorado, presented by Carson Williams and Parker 3D, which they also posted on YouTube.
Both are great examples of a new, computer controlled, art form.
This weekend sees the final leg of the 2007 Anaconda Adventure Race, Australian national series, at Lorne, Victoria, the series began back on 5 August, 2007 on the Gold Coast.
The Lorne Anaconda Adventure race is a gruelling 1.9km ocean swim, 800m beach run, 11.2km time trial run, 13km paddle, 22.7km mountain bike ride and a 2.8km beach run. It can be completed, either as an individual where you do all legs, or in teams of up to 4 people, with everyone doing a different leg, which puts it in easy reach of anyone ready to give it a go.
Last year's winner was Jarad Kohlar and he is back to defend his 2006 title, alongside more than 1000 competitors, who have converged on the coastal town of Lorne, basking in a cool 22 degrees of summer sunshine.
Two adventurers from Sydney, James Castrission, 25, and Justin Jones, 24, have set off from Forster on the Australian, New South Wales coast in an attempt to become the first kayakers to paddle 2200km across the Tasman Sea to Auckland, New Zealand.
The attempt occurs just nine months after Andrew McAuley tragically died while attempting a solo kayak crossing. More.
The Dutch vehicle reached the final checkpoint at Angle Vale, Adelaide, late Thursday afternoon, having starting at Darwin on Sunday morning. Competitors from across the world raced across Australia during daylight hours but the team from the Netherlands again outstripped the opposition, clocking up their fourth consecutive World Solar Challenge. An Australian and a Belgium car are battling it out for second place but they will not reach the finish line until Friday.
There is growing concern about the effect of tourism on whale and dolphin ecology; research in Western Australia and New Zealand has indicated that exposure to human activity can have a negative impact.
Next April, some of the world's leading scientists meet in Bunbury, Australia, for a convention on whales and dolphins, where it is hoped to launch an international research project into the impacts of human activities on dolphin ecology throughout the world and thereby develop sustainable dolphin and whale tourism. More.
The Dolphin Discovery Centre at Bunbury, is a non-profit organisation committed to dolphin research, education, conservation and also tourism. Located about 180 km south of Perth in Western Australia, the centre enables people to interact with dolphins, which can often be seen in the shallow waters in front of the Centre.
Teams are gathering in Darwin, Australia, for the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge, which takes place 21 to 28 October. This is the 20th anniversary of the biennial event, in which teams research, build and design vehicles that are capable of completing the 3000km journey from Darwin in the North, to Adelaide in the South using only sunlight as fuel. And of course, then proving that their vehicle works, in the spirit of friendly competition.
59 vehicles from 19 countries are competing. There will be 18 solar vehicles competing in the Solar Challenge and a further 21 solar vehicles competing in the Adventure class. There is also a Greenfleet Demonstration class for bio friendly fuels that has attracted 20 other vehicles of all shapes and sizes. Read more about the Panasonic World Solar Challenge in an article from Steve Dow.
Following yesterday's post about the Floriade in Canberra, I was looking for an end of week video full of Australian sunshine but then I stumbled upon this great time-lapse footage of the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights photographed and edited by Anthony (Antz) Powell.
The Southern Lights are the Southern Hemisphere equivalent of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights and they were filmed during the Antarctic winter in the general vicinity of McMurdo Station and Scott Base, where the sun is below the horizon for 4 months of the year; that's one long night. To give you an idea of how much the light shows were moving in real time, most of the shots were taken over about a 10 minute period.
Antz has spent many years compiling fantastic time-lapse video in Antarctica and is producing a film 'Antarctica Time Lapse: A Year on Ice' about this incredible landscape.
It might be long dark nights and falling leaves in the north but the southern hemisphere is celebrating the coming of spring. In one annual celebration, Canberra's Commonwealth Park is transformed into a tapestry of colour with more than a million bulbs and annuals in bloom at a free, month long, festival, the Floriade, which is the largest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Yes, it goes under the same name as the famous Netherland's festival but this Floriade occurs every year; the next Netherland's Floriade occurs in 2012.
This year's Australian Floriade runs until 14 October, 2007, and visitors are able to wander around flower beds inspired by an Australian icons, myths and legends theme and enjoy good old Aussie entertainment, food and much more. During the month-long Floriade festival there is always plenty of activity at Canberra's most popular tourist attractions. Kids are entertained throughout Floriade with children's arts, crafts and activities, and loads of extra entertainment every day of the school holidays. Floriade and the spring school holidays is a busy time in Canberra, so it is best to book accommodation early. Tourist information and accommodation advice can be found at visitcanberra.com.au.
This weekend, 24 through 26 August, 2007, sees the inaugural Australian Body Art Carnival at Eumundi, described as the vibrant heart of creativity on Australia's Sunshine Coast. Visitors to the festival were looking forward to being entertained by bands and street performers and to be mesmerised by some of the best artistry from around the world.
Then, climate change struck. Eumundi recorded the heaviest rainfalls in any 24-hour period since records began and there has been widespread flooding.
The downpour was caused by a low pressure system over south-east Queensland; such events usually occur in late autumn or early winter, but are very rare in August, and you have to go back to the early 1880s to find the last occurrence.
However, defiant organisers insist that the festival will go ahead, albeit in modified form.
Rare snowfall has hit Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, South Asia has faced the worst monsoon floods for years and Australia's Murray River, no longer holds sufficient water to flow out into the sea. Such extreme weather could be linked to global warming
The Murray River is the lifeblood of Australia's farming country, a legendary river that thundered 1,500 miles from the Snowy Mountains to the Indian Ocean. Now, it's choking to death in the worst drought for a thousand years.
Is the "Big Dry" a warning that the Earth is running out of water? Professor Tim Flannery, an Australian environmental scientist and an international leader on climate change, has no doubts. "Australia is a harbinger of what is going to happen in other places in the world," he says. "This can happen anywhere. China may be next, or parts of western USA. There will be emerging water crises all over the world." Few scientists doubt the "big dry" is caused, in part, by climate change.
You can get more information on the "Big Dry" from freeinternetpress.com or read an extensive article by correspondent Claire Scoby, in The Bulletin
The Club Marine Melbourne Boat Show is again at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 5 to 9 July, 2007, with plenty of activities for the whole family.
There will be ski shows from the Victorian Water Ski Association and demonstration races by the Australian Powerboat Association. With wall to wall displays of boats and accessories, from canoes to cruisers, this is an exhibition that attracts interest from both the experienced sailor and novices.
Our database holds numerous Water Sport Holidays but also check out our Sailing, Canoeing and Cruising holidays.
With the current interest in geo-positioning systems, it is interesting to reflect that people have needed to know their whereabouts and the location of different places, since the earliest times. The need to record this information and communicate it to others, has led to the development of maps; the history of which, has been summarised in a fascinating article by Angus W. Stocking of Colorado, USA.
He points out that maps do not necessarily have to be pictorial and that for generations, the Dreamtime songs of the Australian Aborigines have enabled them to travel vast distances through arid land. The system ticks all the boxes and the Aboriginal navigation skills are legendary, they never get lost, so possibly their songs should have the title of the World's Oldest Map.
The 10th FAI Paragliding World Championships gets underway today at Manilla, Australia, 24th February - 9th March 2007. Manilla 2007 will be the first ever Paragliding World Championships to be held in an English speaking country and pilots from 45 countries will be competing.
Manilla offers a variety of landscapes including a series of wide flat and narrow river valleys, rolling hills and plateau country, low ridges, lakes and a volcanic feature with a peak at over 1400m. It?s only after flying 50-100kms out, depending on direction, that you get pure text book flatlands as far as the eye can see. There are static Google pictures on the event web site.
Conditions can vary from strong but smooth 5-8m/s 3500m+ blue days with 20km/h of wind drift, to easy cruising classic 3-5m/s days with clouds made in heaven, and right back to light scratchy 1m/s inverted tests of patience with winds in different directions at a few levels and a constant issue with bombing out. Miscalculated long glides, blue holes or bad tactics in sink zones often result in disappointing bomb outs but also amazing "low saves". The latter have almost attained legendary status in Manilla, as most that visit will find out. A moon shot climb up to 3000m which started from a little beep at less than 30m over the ground just before landing can be one of the most rewarding thermals a pilot can find ? it?s the stuff of bar talk long into the night (of course the low save height gets lower and luckier with each beer)!
Mind you, these stories will now pale into insignificance, following last week's experiences. German, Ewa Wisnierska, 35, ranked number 1 in last year's world championships in Brazil, was sucked into a storm, which catapulted her upwards at speeds of up to 20 metres per second to a height of almost 10,000m; that's higher than the peak of Mt Everest and about the cruising height of a jumbo jet. Pounded by hail, almost struck by lightning, and covered in ice, she became unconscious but her kite continued flying in the storm system for 40 minutes before she came round and was able to pilot her craft to a safe landing. Her ground crew found her, about 60km from the launch site, still covered in ice.
Regrettably, Zhongpin He, a 42 year old, Chinese paraglider from Beijing who was sucked into the same storm, was not so lucky and he was found dead on Thursday, a day after the incident. A post-mortem has confirmed that he died after being struck by lightning. Zhongpin was well liked and respected in the paragliding community and the Chinese national team have withdrawn from the event out of respect. Ewa has made a full recovery and will be competing.
A daytime webcam has been provided on Mt Borah to view the championships.
For the fourth year in a row Italy placed first in 2006, as the single most popular destination for package tours booked through members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA),with Rome ranked as the top city. California and the National Parks were cited as the hottest destinations for those seeking domestic package vacations. In another survey aimed specifically at those with a special interest in photography, conducted jointly by USTOA and Popular Photography & Imaging magazine (Pop Photo), most photo buffs wanted to go to Hawaii, followed closely by Alaska, and Australia. Members have recommended the best places to shoot at these destinations as:
Haleakala National Park on Hawaii?s Maui Island, Denali National Park in Alaska, and the Australian Outback or Tasmania.
Now in its 12th year, the annual Adventure Travel & Backpackers Expo returns to the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, on 23rd through 25th of February 2007.
"The timing of the Melbourne Expo is perfect for locals ready to head overseas for adventure or a working holiday as well as overseas backpackers who are about to explore Australia, NZ, Asia or The Pacific Islands", says Director Andrew Paltridge.
See hundreds of exhibitors and talk to people who have been there and done that. Find out where to go for the time of your life, whether your seeking adrenaline-charged super activities, experiencing the indigenous cultures of remote tribes, night-life festivities, or the art galleries of the world.
It might be long dark nights and falling leaves in the north but the southern hemisphere is celebrating the coming of spring. In one annual celebration, Canberra's Commonwealth Park is transformed into a tapestry of colour with more than a million bulbs and annuals in bloom at a free, month long, festival, the 
In another survey aimed specifically at those with a special interest in photography, conducted jointly by USTOA and Popular Photography & Imaging magazine (Pop Photo), most photo buffs wanted to go to Hawaii, followed closely by Alaska, and Australia. Members have recommended the best places to shoot at these destinations as:
