I started writing short stories, poems and books (all of which I have yet to finish), when I was eight years old. It’s been a long journey from 100 word poems to 1000 word feature articles but it’s been worth every second. During my journalism studies, I spent time at local and national newspapers, radio stations and other media outlets to get a headstart in the industry. And by the end of it, I was juggling modelling, studies and work at the Australian Traveller and Sunday Telegraph and was too busy to even attend my graduation ceremony. I received my “Award for Excellence in Journalism” and Macquarie Dictionary in the mail and eventually decided to give freelancing a shot to free up more time for the jobs I really wanted to do.
A sailing course, some soul searching and several years later, my articles have appeared in newspapers, travel, health, sports and lifestyle magazines and I’m excited to finally combine my various interests and jobs, including sports.
It’s Amazingly Beautiful
The outback isn’t just a stunning place to visit, it’s also something of a photographers’ last frontier. Anyone who ever sat freezing in the middle of nowhere, waiting for Uluru to work its early morning magic while hoping not to get camera shake despite forgetting the tripod will understand the incredible pull the outback exerts on photographers. There are many clichéd photo-ops, but with a little knowledge of places and best times to go, you’ll hopefully be able to get amazing images like these. We rounded up some of our country’s best snappers for an intimate look at the outback through their viewfinders.
When I ask Steve Strike for his favourite places to shoot in the outback, he just laughs. The landscape photographer who has lived in Alice Springs for nearly 30 years says he’d have to kill us (and our readers) if he told us. But after a little begging he acquiesces and names Rainbow Valley, a stunning location about 100km south of Alice Springs, as a top location for outback shots. He warns that it’s hard to reach and in a national park, accessible only by 4WD and with few camping facilities. The view at sunset is stunning, whether there’s been recent rain or not. However, Steve’s image taken during a tropical thunderstorm is AT’s favourite. “One day I arrived at about three the afternoon,” he says. “I saw those storm clouds coming and within 15 minutes I was standing in six inches of rain – under a poncho and shooting.” www.photoz.com.au
Seeing the outback from the air gives you a unique perspective – and it really shows off the patterns of the landscape, says Richard Woldendorp, who has flown all around Australia for his photography. “Predominantly when I fly over Australia, I always see the red of the soil,” he says. According to Richard, the Kimberley is one of the best areas to see the beautiful tidal variations, while the Great Sandy, Simpson and Strzelecki Deserts show beautiful undulating dunes, and early mornings and evenings at Uluru or Kata Tjuta are always worthwhile from the air. “It takes a bit of flying,” Richard says, “but in lots of areas they do special air tours.” He recommends flights from Derby in the Kimberley and from Wyndham further to the northeast, as they’re pretty strong scenery-wise, showing off those special tidal variations, snaking rivers, the famous horizontal waterfalls and wonderfully pristine coastline. www.richardwoldendorp.com
AT resident photographer Ken Duncan’s love affair with the Kimberley is far from over but he says a great – and accessible – place for adventure-seeking amateur photographers is Karijini National Park in WA’s Pilbara. With its red soil, white gums, spinifex and gorges like oases in the desert, it’s a truly Australian experience. “It’s got all these beautiful little canyons,” he says of the great adventures and walks to be found. “There’s a caravan park, too, and it’s not too restricted.” Rugged Hancock Gorge – which resulted in Ken’s bestselling Emerald Waters shot, pictured here – is one of his favourite spots. The best time to go is April/ May, as you have to not only climb down but also swim a fair bit to get into the canyon. “In the wet season you’d get washed out of it.”www.kenduncan.com
Counting southwest Queensland’s channel country as her favourite spot to shoot, Pip Blackwood loves cattle drives and camel races for that quintessential outback experience – lots of red dust guaranteed. She recommends the annual Boulia Camel Races. “It’s a fantastic thing to see, a real eye opener. It’s not exactly like horses,” she laughs. “It’s on a sandtrack and very disorderly.” The dying art of cattle driving is a truly old-fashioned way to see Australia, she says, but you’ll have to be quick, as many of the stock routes are being closed down. Lying there in your swag looking at the stars, cooking over a campfire and not showering for a week are outback pleasures that are hard to beat. And, luckily, there are quite a few organised cattle drives open to travellers, says Pip, notably in SA, where you might even get your own tent and occasional shower.www.blackwoodphoto.com.au
The real beauty of the Australian landscape isn’t an obvious one, says Grenville Turner. “You have to go there to really experience it. It’s subtle, and you have to learn to appreciate it.” Grenville has shot in the outback for around 40 years and says Alice Springs is a great base to explore Central Australia’s stunning scenery. “I find that the variety of landscapes and opportunities within 100km is enormous,” he says. Grenville finds the Eastern and Western MacDonnell Ranges extremely giving, with its range of gorgeous gorges, cattle stations and Aboriginal people. “It’s a very exciting place and there are some wonderful four wheel drives.” Mereenie Loop from Glen Helen on to Hermannsburg, Kings Canyon and even Uluru takes travellers through some amazing – and visually stunning – country. But get up early and plan wisely. “The light is gorgeous if you’ve got good timing. Gorges are actually better later in the day.” And whatever you do, don’t miss out on that picture-perfect sunset shot at the end of the day. www.grenvilleturner.com
Article for Australian Traveller.
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Taking a Different Angle
Here’s a more uplifting angle to my recent article “They Don’t Need A Visa To Have Fun” in The Sunday Telegraph. Softer news angle but no less interesting in my opinion:
They are lured by promises of sunny weather, photos of beautiful beaches and plenty of easy fun to be had and, with the climate grim overseas, backpackers are flocking to our shores in ever greater numbers.
In 2008/09 Australia reached record levels of working holiday makers; visas granted in the UK and Ireland, two of our largest overseas markets, were up by 17 percent and 33 percent respectively.
In the US, Tourism Australia has been urging young Americans to “come out and play” on their new website launched in November 2009, and they have heeded the call; the introduction of a new Working Holiday Maker Visa has seen local numbers increase by 117 percent.
Most young overseas visitors fit the image of the typical gap year student.
In their late teens or early twenties, they come for a great time out – party hard, have fun and explore Downunder -, before heading back to their home country to buckle down and study.
Swede Martena Bengtsson, 19, who was topping up her tan on popular Bondi Beach last Wednesday told The Sunday Telegraph she had always wanted to travel after finishing school and chose her destination based on her friends’ feedback.
“There’s so many backpackers here and I’d heard so much about it.”
But the global financial crisis has also driven an older version of the traditional backpacker to Australia.
Matt Hingerty from the Australian Tourism Export Council said there have been two types of new backpackers, those who “come back later in life, as couples etc to do things they couldn’t do earlier in life” and those who had less options in their home countries.
“A lot of young people in these [overseas] markets had nowhere to go,” he said – as there were no jobs in Europe.
When we met travellers Anthony Breen, 25, his brother Rickie, 24, and their friend Eddie Kyriacou, 27, they were relaxing at Bondi Beach after several hard weeks of partying in Thailand and Australia, but the Irish professionals were not planning on living the backpacker lifestyle for long.
The Breen brothers worked as accountants at the same company in Ireland and decided to save up for a brighter future in Sydney after witnessing paycuts and redundancies over the past two years.
Their friend Eddie had been in a similar situation. He described the climate back home as “depressing”. He said, while his job was secure, there were no plans, no career options.
In less than two weeks of holidays in Australia, Rickie had already made up his mind.
“I don’t want to go back to Ireland,” he said.
Instead, he was looking to work on a farm for three months to maximise his chances of settling in Australia by gaining an additional one-year visa extension.
“Career opportunities at home? There is none,” added Eddie.
“Here you have some sort of future.”
You’ll find the published article, written with Brenden Hills, here.
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Taken By Storm
In the search for offshore sailing adventure, Alpha gets a bit more than it bargained for.
Absolute novices can have fun on a boat. A passion for boats, the water and a few beers and Bundies is what brings a good crew together. There’s a good reason yacht clubs’ twilight sessions attract a wide variety of people in summer. But offshore sailing is another thing altogether. As I found out during the Sydney to Southport Race, it’s even more exciting, more challenging – and it’s easy to get into.
Day One
My ocean adventure gets off to a good if slow start. Ours is an underdog of the sailing world – not remotely the fastest or flashiest boat – and our crew’s expertise ranges from green as a seasick sailor to well-weathered salts. But what she lacks in speed, we make up for with enthusiasm and teamwork.
The first half of the day is straightforward: a lot of tactics, sorting ropes and lugging sails around. The weather’s fair and there’s hardly a breeze. By the time sun sets, I’m entirely relaxed and a million miles away from shore, work and any other concerns. I don’t care where we are or when we get back.
The ocean turns into magical streaks of gold and blue, I’m sitting against the railing, comfortable between two crewmates. There’s no need to talk. There’s hardly any wind and the forecast predicts 15 knots tops.
By dinnertime, our instruments have stopped working. They normally tell us wind speed, speed over ground and other facts handy to know when you’re out in the open ocean. There’s also been some kind of problem with the alternator – but the mood is still upbeat. Who needs a motor on a sailing boat anyways? We’re only going up to the Gold Coast, not attempting a transatlantic crossing after all.
Night falls, and fluorescent streaks and bubbles appear in our wake. It’s to do with some kind of organism, apparently. Right. The sail’s flapping in the breeze and I start my first watch, belly filled nicely with pasta and beef, watching the faraway lights of other boats. Even overhearing our compass is broken doesn’t worry me too much. Surely someone on board knows navigation by the stars?
By the time the next watch relieves us and we head below deck for three hours’ sleep, conditions have worsened. The wind has picked up and the sky is overcast.
Day Two
The next thing I know, I’m clinging to the side of the boat in gale-force winds, as pounding waves crash over us, struggling to keep my stomach under control and the beef stroganoff down. I wish I hadn’t dug in with quite as much gusto a few hours earlier. It’s two in the morning, and I’ve been woken from a restless sleep by the skipper’s frantic shout “All hands on deck!”
A wave hits and my boots fill with water despite several layers of protective clothing. The cold water running down my legs brings only temporary distraction. I try to stare at a point on the horizon, to settle my stomach. It’s as much use as our failing water ballast, which is causing the boat to lean at an alarming angle. All I can see is pitch-black sky, no land and massive waves all around. There simply is no non-moving point of reference to be found. It’s going to be a long five hours until sunrise. Is this really just the forecast 15 knots of wind?
With no stars, no working instruments, diesel sloshing about the cabin and, as I later find out, precious little water left, our skipper decides to pull the plug. We turn tail and head back to safe haven. I’m gutted my first race is cut short so abruptly.
Food and drink on arrival cheer me up, and we start plotting our next adventure immediately. Right there on the pier between empty Bundy cans, soaked sail bags and discarded layers of clothing. As it turns out, we were actually in the middle of 30 knots of wind, resulting in sailing conditions like riding a rodeo bull surrounded by hornets. But I still can’t wait to do it again.
QUICK GUIDE TO OCEAN RACING
Getting there
We were at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney www.cyca.com.au but clubs are everywhere around Australia. Yachting Australia’s websitewww.yachting.org.au lists state and territory organisations.
How much and how to
To start with, sailing barely costs you a cent – beer and rum money. But even club membership fees or race entry fees are very low. (As long as you don’t want to buy your own boat.)
Survival and Safety at Sea courses start at about $200, depending on where you do them. You don’t have to do courses when you are starting out, however: I started sailing with a Competent Crew Course, which costs less than $500.
Gear
All you really need is a comfy pair of pants, T-shirt, sunscreen and maybe some gloves, as it’s easy to get blisters or your hands caught. For winter sailing, you’ll need wet-weather gear, which can be costly, so it’s worth having a look around for sales on the web. www.sailworld.com sends out info in newsletters. For off- and inshore sailing, look for brands like Helly Hansen, Musto, Gill, Henry Lloyd, Slam and Gul.
Where and When
Weekly twilight sailing sessions are a great way to test the waters at your local yacht club. More daring wannabe sailors can ask around for any crewing needs at clubs and do a delivery from one of the major events like Hamilton Race Week or Sydney to Hobart. If you wanted to sail in relative comfort, you could become a paying customer during one of the offshore races – you’ll hardly have to lift a finger that way, if you don’t want to. Try www.crewseekers.net for any skill level and location. Caribbean, anyone?
Article for Alpha magazine. Photos taken with Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. Clothing by The North Face.
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Aquaculture Vulture
SA’s Seafood and Aquaculture Trail, winding across the stunning Eyre Peninsula, is dotted with all manner of fascinating diversions. Like swimming with a school of tuna, cavorting with a family of sea lions and even, if you dare, diving with a pack of sharks . . . by Sol Walkling.
My friends warn me about the Eyre Peninsula before I even set out: “It’s like the Wild West down there. Cashed-up tuna fishermen everywhere,” says one. “Why travel down there in winter?” asks another. When I explain that I’ll be swimming with all kinds of sea creatures, I’m met with disbelief. “You do know the water’s really cold, right?” Others have never even heard of the place.
Perhaps that’s a blessing in disguise for this tucked-away little travel gem. Just a plane hop from Adelaide, the Aquaculture Trail that wraps around the Eyre Peninsula is like a big outdoor aquarium. After an extended weekend away, spent pretty much entirely in wetsuits, I feel like that enigmatic French explorer and father of all fish, Jacques Cousteau. Minus the accent and bushy eyebrows.
If pigs had fins
At the very tip of the Peninsula, Port Lincoln is indeed infamous for its CUFs (cashed-up fishermen), along with the swimming equivalent to Wagyu beef: Southern Bluefin Tuna. And there’s no better way to get an up-close look at both the fish and the men that drive the town’s multimillion-dollar industry than to take a tour out to the ocean farms. These resemble nothing so much as oversized floating fishnet stockings filled with thousands of fattened-up underwater pigs with colourful fins.
Skipper Peter Dennis from Triple Bay Charters sure knows his tuna. In fact, his knowledge of Boston Bay’s swimming gold may surpass Jacques’ enthusiasm for all things aquatic. An impressive three hours of tuna talk is interspersed with stops at farms, Donington Rock (the smelly home of sea lions and gulls), and a sandy bay for a sashimi tasting.
To fatten little tuna into adults, around 9kg of pilchard is used to produce every 1kg of weight gain in Tuna, with the Tuna fishery using about 50,000 tonnes of pilchard per season. Peter explains: “It’s like sitting me in front of the TV and feeding me fast-food and beer.” Well, pilchards and herring is generally what a tuna opts for, but the effect is similar. Within half a year the fish are significantly bigger than their counterparts in the wild, and worth more than $70 per kilo.
Later, onboard a Close Up Tuna Tour with Adventure Bay Charters, we’re shown a film of a harvest entitled Tuna Warriors. Divers swim up behind an unsuspecting fish, grab its fin and, when the shocked tuna opens its gills to swim away, plunge their hands right in there to force the hapless couch potatoes onto a ramp. Removal of guts and spine takes seconds and follows strict guidelines set by the demanding Japanese market.
Luckily for me I don’t mind watching a bit of blood and gore before breakfast. Nor do I mind jumping into icy water protected only by a 3mm wetsuit, minus hood, gloves or booties. Well, I do – but sometimes sacrifices must be made in the name of research. Plus, the skipper promises me a warm shower after my early morning dip with the friendly sea lions famous to the area.
If cold, swim like a sea lion
Once I overcome the initial shock, swimming around with the circling, jumping, playful and curious sea lions is the best fun I’ve had in years. Cute and comical on land, they’re absurdly fast underwater. Surrounded by more than 20 of them, I watch big ones hover and float lazily below, while smaller ones stare back at me with big eyes and try to mimic my every move. After half an hour in the freezing water, I’m swimming around like a hyperactive sea lion myself, even trying to imitate their little jumps, and only stop when the cold-induced pounding headache becomes unbearable.
Back on deck, I peel off my sorry excuse for a wetsuit and hit the shower – which turns out to be about as warm as your average iceberg. When I emerge sporting the blue tinge and accusing stare of a farm-bred tuna, the skipper just laughs. “You wouldn’t have gone in if you’d known.”
A homemade chocolate muffin silences any further grumbling and shivering, and we make our way to the cruise owner’s tuna farm. As I’ll encounter time and again on my trip, the small-town folk don’t just know an incredible amount about the region’s main industry, they’re also not afraid to unleash the whole lot upon anyone naïve enough to ask a single innocent question. By the time we arrive at the tuna farm, knowledgeable 18-year-old Stacey has filled me so full of facts my head is, appropriately, swimming. She sometimes sleeps out on the tuna farm at night to prevent would-be pirates (owner Matt Waller doesn’t trust security cameras any more after losing his whole swarm several years back), and my friends the sea lions have to be stopped from snacking next to the electric fences they now have installed. Which makes me even less keen to tug on a still-wet rubber suit and go swimming with a herd of crazed blue sea-pigs on speed.
No way out but down
Attracted by the herrings lobbed into the water by my fellow travellers, the juvenile tuna are working themselves into a frenzy, spraying everyone with water as they leap to snatch fish from hands. Entering their underwater domain is daunting. But with the skipper, crew and other passengers looking on, there’s no way out but down.
I’m almost instantly at ease; the shimmering tuna manoeuvre elegantly and swiftly underwater, and seeing them approach through rays of sunlight helps. The skipper joins me so I can try for a shot of a tuna grabbing fish from his hand. None bite at first; the idea of swimming between what looks like two oversized seals in order to catch a single herring can’t be too appealing, given that bucketfuls are still being freely fed hand over fist from the jetty. But the farm’s single blind tuna – easily recognisable by its milky eyes and its later near collision with a sluggish travel writer – has no fear and I get several decent shots right into its gills.
Back on the boat and in more comfortable and warm attire, we barely avoid a collision with a small vessel steered angrily at us by a territorial fisherman from an age before outboard motors. In good old seafaring tradition, he flicks V-signs at us before changing direction to take on one of the powerful tuna boats behind us.
Lincoln’s chequered past
At Lincoln Cove, and because this is what travel writers do, I board a Marina Boat Cruise to dutifully discover Port Lincoln’s colourful past. And what a past it turns out to be. Graham Daniels picks up passengers at the jetty in his little electric runabout – perfect for ducking in and out between large prawn fishing vessels, CUF powerboats and kayaking children. He’s lived in the area his whole life and regales all onboard with tales from a time long since gone, when Port Lincoln more closely resembled a bunch of washed-up pirates working a few boats. “They used to take the law into their own hands,” he laughs, recalling drawn guns, sea artillery fired at competitors, boats stolen in the dead of night and others rammed in broad daylight in the race for Port Lincoln’s swimming gold.
Following a picture-book sunset, night finally falls in the harbour. After all these fishy goings-on, a Nature in the Dark trip gets me closer to all nocturnal creatures great and small. Steve Pocock from Great Australian Bight Safaris prides himself on running his eco tours since 1986 to some of the peninsula’s most stunning pockets. His knowledge of the birds and the bees – oh yes, he talks about them extensively – and genuine concern for the preservation of Australia’s wilderness is evident as he drives me through Lincoln National Park in his massive 4WD, shining a red light on ‘roos, rabbits, birds, possums and anything else that comes our way. Unfortunately, by this time of night, I’ve had my fill of fascinating information, and listening to night owls on Steve’s iPod very nearly sends me to sleep. Not even a coffee-and-cookie break can keep me from dreaming of my warm bed.
Feeding and resting yourself
Finding somewhere to rest your weary head and dream of tuna is easy, with plenty of accommodation available. My pick of the crop are: the Port Lincoln Hotel – the sea views, location and subdued style of the town’s oldest hotel make it a perennial favourite with all visitors; and Abeona Cottage, for a local take on the classic B&B category – charming, historic, big enough to sleep a family of four and with an amazing rustic fireplace.
As you’d expect from a seaside town that boasts Australia’s largest commercial fishing fleet, there’s plenty of seafood to be had in Port Lincoln. But since the Japanese will pay a whole lot for fish, it’s not necessarily cheap. In fact, I’m told locals normally prefer preparing homemade dishes from their neighbour’s catch rather than venturing out to restaurants. If the 14,000-strong town’s array of Chinese, Indian and takeaway joints is anything to go by, the standards aren’t particularly high.
I have a disappointing experience at local Italian favourite Cafe Del Giorno, where the service fails me and my takeaway pizza’s lonely prawns swim in several blocks of cheese on a doughy base, before trying the Port Lincoln Hotel’s Sarin’s restaurant. Owned by Sam Sarin, one of Australia’s richest men – yes, another CUF – the restaurant fills me up with outstanding food in a family friendly atmosphere, before I retire to my room to watch a shark movie on the massive plasma TV. Speaking of which, if you think you’d enjoy a tuna or sea lion swim, you might want to try out a shark dive while you’re in town. Port Lincoln is one of the few places in the world that offers cage diving with great whites (more on this in a later issue of AT).
But if you’d rather not encounter the predator at the top of the underwater food chain, and would rather please your own tastebuds instead, get yourself to Fresh Fish Place, the town’s fish processing factory. Smoked fish, marinated calamari and pickled scallops are all on the mouth menu, while your brain’s fed more information than you can handle on how to fillet the famous King George whiting.
Elsewhere on the trail
If you’ve got more time, a loop south from Whyalla to Port Lincoln then north again to Ceduna on the eastern side of the peninsula is worthwhile. (Just make sure you get a rental car in Adelaide; hiring a car in Whyalla and dropping it off elsewhere is near impossible. Only Budget Whyalla offered drop-offs at the time of my trip and the additional charges pretty much doubled the price.)
If you’re driving from Adelaide or Port Augusta, Whyalla will be your first encounter with the sleepy peninsula’s pace of life and underwater action. Although its more than twice the size of Port Lincoln, the mining city’s biggest attraction is the thousands of merrily mating giant Australian cuttlefish which migrate here in winter. Swimming amid the floating fluorescent cuttlefish is fascinating, I hear, but, if you’re unlucky enough to get to Whyalla on one of its windier (or rainier) days, the rainbow-coloured tourist attractions won’t be getting jiggy. And floating amid timidly hiding cuttlefish is one of the most underwhelming experiences I’ve ever ticked off my to do list.
Even the local high school’s aquaculture project beats the cuttlefish snorkel hands down. Two giggling teenage girls and gentle fishkeeper Dave don’t exactly have me at “hello”, but holding the yabby, touching the barramundi and hearing the reverence in Dave’s voice when he talks about his “beautiful fish” transform this dark, hangar-like outbuilding and its many aquariums into an interesting educational experience.
If the weather fails you, the HMAS Whyalla, one of only two remaining Corvette’s on Australian soil and witness to the town’s proud wartime shipbuilding history, is also worth a visit. Arno and Tumby Bay might be worth a pit stop on your 2.5hr drive to Port Lincoln. Pack a picnic or savour some fresh oysters bought at Cowell’s Aqua Oysters fish factory.
Although the peninsula is said to have near-perfect Mediterranean climate, you’ll see a lot of drizzle in winter, which means two things: Winter Hill Lookout in Port Lincoln will not only provide you with panoramic views, but also rainbows at all hours of the day. And you’d better plan some back-up options, since most of the tours won’t operate in bad weather. The Axel Stenross Maritime Museum could well be one of them; a great spot for anyone with a fascination for boats and sailing – on display are knots and splices and various boat-making tools. The Koppio Smithy Museum, showcasing memorabilia from the region’s rural history, also comes highly recommended.
To conclude your loop, you’ll drive along the rugged coastline of the Great Australian Bight and through the raw national parks on the Peninsula’s western side. It might be worth giving Steve Pocock a ring to take (and talk) you through the wonderland of the stunning dunes. Streaky and Greenly Bay are great for a spot of surfing or fishing and before you finish up your journey at Ceduna, make sure you stay overnight in one of the national parks. Campgrounds and historic solitary cottages will make your experience of the aquatic Wild West’s wonderland complete.
Details // Aquaculture Vulture
SA Aquaculture Trail: (www.seafoodtrail.com)
Triple Bay Charters: ( pbay@bigpond.net.au , 08 8682 4119)
Close Up Tuna Tours: (www.adventurebaycharters.com.au, 04 8842 8862)
Marina Boat Cruises: ( grahamd@sa.chariot.net.au , 0402 155 763)
Great Australian Bight Safaris: (www.greatsafaris.com.au, 1800 352 750)
Port Lincoln Hotel: (www.portlincolnhotel.com.au, 1300 766 100)
Abeona Cottage: (www.abeonacottage.com.au, 08 8682 2811)
Cafe Del Giorno: (80 Tasman Tce, 08 8683 0577)
Fresh Fish Place: (www.portlincolnseafood.com.au, 1300 788 378)
Whyalla Diving Services: (08 8645 8050)
Murray Cod Tours: (Whyalla Visitor Centre on 1800 088 589)
Aqua Oysters: (08 8629 2373)
Koppio Smithy Museum: (08 8684 4243)
Axel Stenross Maritime Museum: (08 8682 3908)
For help with bookings contact: Whyalla Visitor Centre (www.whyalla.com, 1800 088 589) and Port Lincoln Visitor Centre (www.visitportlincoln.net, 1800 629 911).
Accommodation bookings made through: www.takeabreak.com.au.
Article for Australian Traveller.
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Not Seeing Eye Level
Eugene Tan, a Tamarama-based water photographer, got his first camera in a garage sale at the age of nine. It was the size of an adult’s palm and tiny compared to some of the equipment he uses for his work these days. Now, the 33-year-old owns a multitude of cameras and lenses. The largest one is about as long as his outstretched arm.
Tan has managed to turn his passion for the beach and photography into a successful career and is the proud owner of two galleries, in Bondi and Bali, to date and another one in planning.
His local exhibition is an aquatic little world with over two-hundred panoramic, surf and underwater pictures hung on white walls, handy in wooden boxes and on draws. Their presentation is modern and meticulous. Blue lights create a true underwater setting in the evenings.
According to Tan, he wants to show people something they don’t normally see and aims to show “unique angles” in his shots.
Sara Groen, one of Tan’s customers, says he creates an intimacy with the ocean in his images. She particularly likes his use of light.
And Andrew G, a fan of Tan’s website Aquabumps and subscriber to his free daily surf report, says “Not only does [he] capture the majesty of Bondi in the morning, but when I’m away, I read [his e-mails] and feel a little closer to home. He inspires me to buy expensive lenses and get up extra early to make my own photos better.”
If you’ve always dreamt of taking your own beautiful shot of the ocean or your home break, Tan shares some professional advice.
“Tips would be: good light. Light’s everything. It’s actually just waiting for the right moment of light.”
While Tan’s equipment is a cut above anything a hobby photographer could afford, including a lens worth over $15,000, he says good photos can be taken on any camera.
“Good gear helps. It’s not everything though. When I couldn’t afford a real lens, I shot one of my best shots on a two hundred dollar lens,“ Tan said.
“It’s just being out there at the right time. I reckon at the start and the end of the day is the best time to shoot. Middle of the day is boring. Everyone sees it.”
According to Tan, another common mistake is when “people just think they’re gonna go out and take a good picture straight away. Whereas, I really hammered it to get good shots. You don’t get it in one shot. You really gotta be persistent.”
And getting back to his artistic eye and unique angles, he adds. ”The most important thing is: try and show something that people don’t normally see. Otherwise it’s not that interesting… ‘cause everyone sees eye level. So don’t shoot eye level, try and shoot on the ground or on a wall or something like that, where people don’t normally put their head. That’s when you get interesting angles.”
If that all sounds like too much work to get a beautiful photo of the ocean, just go down to the Aquabumps Gallery in Bondi and look through Tan’s samples of his work or log onto www.aquabumps.com.au.
It is winter after all, and not everyone will want to join Tan for the sunrise at the beach, sitting on the cold sand for hours, waiting for the perfect shot.
Article for The Beast.
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Swimming With Crocodiles By Will Chaffey
Swimming with crocodiles might not sound like a lot of fun, but Will Chaffey’s autobiography of the same title is more than that: it’s riveting from the moment you start reading – much like watching somebody else swim with the ill-tempered reptiles.
The first chapter’s aptly titled “Thirst” and it sets the mood for the young American main character’s quest for his place in this world after failing to be accepted into college back in Boston. What started as time-off quickly turns into a journey of self-discovery marked by harsh landscapes, near death experiences and a wild snake chase for the Australian Geographic society.
This insightful book has many highlights even before Will and his travelling companion Geoff, a wanderer, venture into uncharted territory in the Kimberley, commissioned for the journal. Without a radio, tents, sleeping bags or a back-up plan, they find themselves in a world inhabited only by reptiles, birds and Aboriginal rock paintings. Quick salties, suddenly rising rivers, scorching heat and people gone troppo are Will’s natural enemies and death could linger behind every rock in the Prince Regent River Area.
The writing style is quick and to the point, and the author drives the plot relentlessly. It is hard to believe this is a true story. The reader will cringe at the extreme risks Will takes and marvel at the way the outback comes to life in Chaffey’s first book. He skilfully interweaves detailed descriptive passages with excerpts from the early explorers’ accounts, historical and scientifical insights and stories of the Dreamtime. Through the observant eyes of an outsider, the red continent and all its weird and wonderful inhabitants spring to life – people and animals alike.
This ode to the outback is a wonderful adventure tale of a young man’s journey into the heart of Australia – and his own. Expect love, murder and mateship.
A quote from Horace at the beginning of the book sums it up: “Let him live under the open sky, and dangerously.”
Book review for Australian Traveller.
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Smoke and Mirrors
AT visits The Famous Spiegeltent, the celebrated touring circus-cum-cabaret hall, for a memorable night under the big top. Words by Sol Walkling, who paid her own way and visited anonymously.
The magic of The Famous Spiegeltent is all smoke and mirrors. Not only does the circus-like venue appear in multiple Australian cities at once – an easy trick, since there are several almost identical tents – but performances ranging from Lior to the Crusty Suitcase Band hold audiences spellbound.
Literally “mirror tent” in Dutch, the travelling hand-hewn pavilions were originally built of wood, mirrors, canvas and leaded glass in Belgium around the turn of the 20th Century and have since witnessed some outstanding performers – like the time Marlene Dietrich sang “Falling In Love Again” on its famous stage in the 1930s.
It’s not Marlene on the night in Sydney that I finally get to experience my own slice of old-world Spiegel. It’s another European: French troubadour Ronan Guittier in his ecletic show Ronan/Ronan. As I walk onto the colourfully decorated venue’s teak floorboards, stage lights reflecting off the wooden tent’s grand art nouveau chandelier and mirrors, the audience is already tapping, shimmying and smiling along as smoke envelops the musician on the small stage. The mostly French crowd are tough to please, but Ronan’s ingenious rhythmic use of rubbish bins, guitars and beer bottles creates enough magic to keep them entertained and even demand an encore. (The well-priced vin rouge being consumed in the intimate booths certainly helps.)
Among all the marvels Belgium has given the world – chocolate, beer and Brussel sprouts included – foremost must surely be a night under the starry lights of the Spiegeltent’s grand canopy. And you can catch it in all its glory for around $50 (some are even free!) at the Melbourne International Arts Festival until Dec 14 and at Hyde Park North for the Sydney Festival from Jan 5-26, 2009 (more info at www.spiegeltent.net).
And while you’re at the Sydney Festival, AT also recommends the Dawn Chorus for an entirely different experience in a spectacular natural setting. Check out www.sydneyfestival.org.au for more info.
Attraction Review for Australian Traveller.
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