Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour: Bugs Garden Officially Launches at WILD LIFE Sydney

Keeper gets bugged as a new, interactive habitat opens at iconic Darling Harbour attraction

WILD LIFE Sydney, today unveiled Bugs Garden – a fully interactive habitat that will house a range of peculiar insects and unique creepy crawlies, offering visitors a chance to get up close with some of Australia’s most intriguing and frightful insects.

Open in time for the summer school holidays, Bugs Garden will offer visitors an interactive glimpse into the weird and wonderful life of bugs. The hands-on habitat will encourage visitors to uncover some of Australia’s most iconic and curious creepy crawlies including Locusts, Bees, Cockroaches, Stick Insects, Grasshoppers and Spiders.

To mark the opening of the new habitat, WILD LIFE Sydney this morning saw invertebrate keeper, Evan Armstrong, get bugged as he covered himself in bugs to celebrate the launch of the attraction’s newest offering.

Over the holidays, WILD LIFE Sydney is inviting visitors to unleash their inner ‘outdoor adventurer’ and delve into a journey of discovery with some of Australia’s most unique creepy crawlies. With WILD LIFE Sydney experts on hand to discuss the important role bugs play in our daily lives, as well as a variety of up close opportunities with the squirmy, squishy and creepy crawly insects, kids will be bugging mum and dad to head to WILD LIFE Sydney these school holidays.

Bugs Garden is the eighth habitat to join WILD LIFE Sydney and will sit amongst the likes of other iconic Australian habitats such as Kakadu Gorge, The Outback and Koala Encounters.

Where: WILD LIFE Sydney, Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour (next door to Sydney Aquarium)

Opening Hours: Now open 9am to 8pm daily

Bugs Garden Officially Launches at WILD LIFE Sydney

Melbourne Tourism News: Government Money Puts Teeth into Aquarium Tourist Draw

Melbourne Aquarium’s newest underwater attraction, Sharks of Shipwreck Cove, has just scored a AUD100,000 grant from the Australian Government.

Featuring a full-scale replica of a shipwreck looming from the darkness of the 2.2 million litre Oceanarium, the exhibit “creates the feeling of being submerged at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by shark-infested waters,” according to the aquarium’s website.

The Australian Government has helped fund Shipwreck Cove with a AUD100,000 grant from the T-QUAL Grants – Tourism Quality Projects program.

The Shipwreck Cove exhibit presents a new underwater attraction with animals never seen before in Australian aquariums. The project uses the latest technology and conservation ideas to display iconic species, with state-of-the-art acrylic materials and a unique water filtration system. Interactive features include shark-feeding and scuba-dive training.

Showcasing “over 20 iconic Australian sharks never before seen in Melbourne”, Shipwreck Cove exhibits White Tip and Black Tip, Dusky Whaler, Whiskery and Tawney Nurse juvenile sharks.

According to the website: “With daily shark feeding frenzies and heaps of exciting pirate-themed activities, there’s fun for the whole family.”

Speaking at the opening, Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said Shipwreck Cove was an example of innovative thinking in tourism development with potential flow-on benefits in terms of attracting visitors to Melbourne.

“This is an ideal vantage point for people of all ages to study the biology of these magnificent creatures and all the conservation issues that matter to their future,” Ferguson said.

“All visitor attractions need to stay ahead of the game. So we need to think creatively, to innovate and to invest. Only by offering visitors compelling reasons to experience what we offer, can we be confident of growth.

“That’s why the Australian Government is investing almost $40 million in the T-QUAL Grants program. This year, we announced AUD8 million in funding for 112 projects across Australia.

“When you add in the dollar-for-dollar component, in effect that means at least AUD16 million is being invested in tourism facilities across the country. All these projects have one goal in common – to lift the quality and variety of Australia’s tourism experiences.

“People will keep coming back if they know there are better, fresher things to see and do, and by helping to fund upgrades and new exhibits such as Shipwreck Cove at Melbourne Aquarium we encourage them to do just that.”

For more than a decade, the Melbourne Aquarium has been offering an informative journey through the world’s oceans as one of Melbourne’s key tourism drawcards.

Government Money Puts Teeth into Aquarium Tourist Draw

Holiday Operators Gloomy. Will Santa Bring Them Tourists?

Sentiment about the performance of the domestic tourism sector is at its lowest point in three years, according to the latest TTF-MasterCard Tourism Industry Sentiment Survey.

TTF chief executive John Lee say it has been a tough year and operators are wary.

“If there’s a brighter spot, it’s that tourism operators are slightly less pessimistic about domestic travel for the upcoming holiday period,” Lee said, “but keep in mind that expectations remain well below average.”

“Continuing global economic upheaval, natural disasters at home and in two of our top inbound markets, and the number of Australians travelling overseas have contributed to the current malaise, especially for leisure tourism operators in regional areas.

“More than 40 % of operators expect international tourism to be worse than usual over the Christmas-New Year period, with only 6% expecting improved conditions.

“Expectations for domestic tourism are more positive, with 15% forecasting improved conditions, against 30% suggesting domestic trade will be worse than usual for the period.

“In other words, tourism operators are not getting their hopes up too high – but they are hoping for better weather than we had for Christmas and January last year, especially in Queensland.”

Lee says the dollar remains a key area of concern.

“57% of respondents rated the strong Australian dollar among the top three factors negatively impacting their business,” he said, “however that’s down from 72%last quarter.

“The survey also shows labour and skills issues continuing to gain prominence, with 88% of operators nominating the skilled labour shortage and two thirds nominating a shortage of unskilled labour as being medium or high impediments to their businesses.”

Edited by : Peter Needham

(Source: eglobaltravelmedia.com.au)

What's On Ipswich: Australia Welcomes Back Thomas & Friends for Summer Fun - Ipswich Workshops Rail Musuem

Holidaying from the Island of Sodor, the famous blue tank engine rolls into town for Australia's biggest Thomas and Friends event, Day out with Thomas 2012 at The Workshops Rail Museum from 26 December to 29 January 2012.

While on their summer holiday Down Under, Thomas and his friends Edward, Donald, Douglas, Lady, plus Annie & Clarabel can be found throughout the Museum.

Just as famous as Thomas and known for his firm but friendly manner, The Fat Controller is looking forward to meeting fans and telling stories of the cheeky but Really Useful Engine.

Director of The Workshops Rail Museum Andrew Moritz said the Museum is happy to host the summer event that brings smiles to many excitable youngsters.

"We're delighted to welcome back familiar faces and the next generation of Thomas fans to enjoy the summer holidays with the lovable engine," said Mr Moritz.

"Parents and their Thomas enthusiasts can enjoy various Thomas activities and the new movie, Day of the Diesels, in air conditioned comfort."

Young engineers can let off some steam with hands-on activities in the Thomas Play Pit such as designing a Thomas track and getting creative at the Thomas Creation Station.

To add to the summer fun, the event also features a miniature train ride and bouncy castle, tickets cost $3 per person and are purchased after entry to the Museum.

Much bigger than the Tidmouth sheds on the Island of Sodor, tour the real railway Workshops and see firsthand the restoration and maintenance of powerful steam locomotives. Enclosed footwear is required for the tours and they leave at regular intervals throughout the day.

The Workshops Rail Museum is part of the Queensland Museum and is winner of Australian and Queensland Tourism Awards for Heritage and Cultural Tourism.

Australia Welcomes Back Thomas & Friends for Summer Fun - Ipswich Workshops Rail Musuem

Experience the Magic: Harry Potter Comes to Sydney

Australian fans of witchcraft and wizardry are thrilled about the recent opening of Harry Potter: The Exhibition at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum that debuted on November 19, 2011. The exhibition offers fans a first-hand look inside the wizard’s magical world and the opportunity to experience the sets, props and costumes from the much-loved Harry Potter movies.

Kicked off by an opening party and special guest appearance by a Harry Potter film star on November 18th, the exhibition runs for four months (until March 18, 2012) and promises to be a sell out success.

Hundreds of authentic film artefacts will be displayed in settings inspired by locations from Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the Gryffindor™ common room, Hagrid’s hut, the Great Hall and many more. New original props and costumes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – Part 1 and the series finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ – Part 2, will also be on display.
Harry Potter fans are expected to visit from all over Australia as this is the exhibition’s only Australian stop.

The Powerhouse Museum is one of Sydney’s best-loved museums. Along with 14 permanent exhibitions that cover everything from the steam and transport revolutions to space and creating a sustainable future, the Powerhouse has a regular schedule of temporary exhibitions that encourage learning, creativity and play.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition is open seven days a week (except Christmas day) at the Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo (close to Darling Harbour, Chinatown, Central Station (Sydney Terminal), Broadway bus station (Railway Square), and Paddy’s Markets Monorail Station).

For more information, please visit: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/

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Brisbane Tourism News: Christmas Calendar 2011 - Brisbane Tourism Events News

Christmas in The City kicks off with the annual lighting of the tree on Friday 2 December. From 6.45pm King George Square will be transformed into a festive wonderland as Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, Santa and a host of other special guests gather for the much-loved tradition. The square will also play home to the circus-style fiesta Christmas Tights from 19 – 21 December. Live bands, street performers and theatrical acts will entertain passers-by underneath The City’s glowing Christmas Tree.

Throughout December, city goers will be treated to an assortment of merry events. Brightening bustling mornings, the Street Corner Choirs will perform at 8am, 8.30am and 9am every weekday from 2 – 23 December. Surprising and delighting onlookers, the ‘pop-up’ carollers will harmonise at various locations throughout The City. Providing evening entertainment, the Queen Street Mall LED screen will air classic Christmas films from 2 – 24 December, including Elf, Home Alone and The Grinch.

Christmas Music Showcase concerts will spread even more yuletide joy. From 2 – 23 December, city dwellers can enjoy 20 minute performances at the Queen Street Mall Stage. With recitals at various times throughout the day, Christmas Music Showcase will bring cheer to CBD workers and shoppers alike. Acts include Swing Central, the Australian Girls Choir and the always entertaining Andrew Sisters Tribute Band.
Saturday 5 November marks the annual David Jones Christmas Concert. Held at 9am and 11am in King George Square, the concert is one for the whole family to enjoy, with carols, giveaways, Santa and an array of cartoon characters.

The IGA Lord Mayor’s Carols in The City is an event for all ages to enjoy. Held Saturday 10 December at the Riverstage, this year’s line-up includes Marina Prior, Justice Crew, Troy Cassar-Daley and The Idea of North. Gates open at 5pm.

Families will also adore The Myer Christmas Parade and Pantomime and The Myer Brisbane City’s Christmas Windows. The Queen Street Mall will come alive with the colourful window display, which launches 10am on Monday 5 November and continues to Christmas Eve. Adding more magic to the Mall, The Myer Christmas Parade and Pantomime will be held daily at 6pm from 16 – 23 December. Kids can visit Santa and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer inside the Myer department store during store trade hours.

Multiculturalism and merriness combine for Chanukah in The City on Tuesday 20 December and World By Night on Friday 23 December. Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights, will bring live music, community stalls, food kiosks and a giant Menorah to Reddacliff Place. Meanwhile, World By Night will showcase music, dance and food from around the globe in King George Square.

Christmas Calendar 2011 - Brisbane Tourism Events News

Brisbane Tourism News: Christmas Calendar 2011 - Christmas in Brisbane

(Brisbane) Christmas in The City kicks off with the annual lighting of the tree on Friday 2 December. From 6.45pm King George Square will be transformed into a festive wonderland as Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, Santa and a host of other special guests gather for the much-loved tradition. The square will also play home to the circus-style fiesta Christmas Tights from 19 – 21 December. Live bands, street performers and theatrical acts will entertain passers-by underneath The City’s glowing Christmas Tree.

Throughout December, city goers will be treated to an assortment of merry events. Brightening bustling mornings, the Street Corner Choirs will perform at 8am, 8.30am and 9am every weekday from 2 – 23 December. Surprising and delighting onlookers, the ‘pop-up’ carollers will harmonise at various locations throughout The City. Providing evening entertainment, the Queen Street Mall LED screen will air classic Christmas films from 2 – 24 December, including Elf, Home Alone and The Grinch.

Christmas Music Showcase concerts will spread even more yuletide joy. From 2 – 23 December, city dwellers can enjoy 20 minute performances at the Queen Street Mall Stage. With recitals at various times throughout the day, Christmas Music Showcase will bring cheer to CBD workers and shoppers alike. Acts include Swing Central, the Australian Girls Choir and the always entertaining Andrew Sisters Tribute Band.
Saturday 5 November marks the annual David Jones Christmas Concert. Held at 9am and 11am in King George Square, the concert is one for the whole family to enjoy, with carols, giveaways, Santa and an array of cartoon characters.

Christmas Calendar 2011 - Christmas in Brisbane