BEST OF

AUSTRALIA
Volume 1
 BEST OF
AUSTRALIA
Now is the time to celebrate the
Best of Australian achievement

Welcome to the first volume of ‘Best of Australia’, in which we celebrate this nation’s
achievement in the fields of arts, fashion, design, business and innovation. The time is
evidently ripe for this publication.
For one, there are plenty of good stories to tell. Consistent economic growth has
created an environment where Australian companies and individuals are achieving
remarkable things in their fields, creating novel forms of performing art, innovating new
technologies, creating uniquely Australian fashion brands, and maintaining our well-
deserved reputation for quality and excellence.
Secondly, ‘Best of Australia’ meets a need for what we call a collaborative
marketing effort. Whether in the arts, fashion or business, a substantial amount
of Australian achievement is internationally focused. In this publication, Australian
achievers worked together to bring their unique stories to all corners of the earth. As
publishers we also express our gratitude to all contributors for their support in the
compilation of this publication. ‘Best of Australia’ will also go out to our associate
publishers in the Global Village Partnerships network, from Dubai and Singapore to
Europe and South Africa.
In the years ahead, ‘Best of Australia’ will continue to tell stories of Australian
achievement, highlighting that Australia is a major contributor to the world, and
a nation of considerable wealth and talent, where individuals have the space and
inspiration to create that which makes our world a better place.
Australia and Australians have a lot to be proud of – and it is these things that ‘Best
of Australia’ will continue to showcase on the world stage.

Publisher Sven Boermeester

CEO and Editor Aaron Upcroft

Sales Director Tarryn Sibilant

Production Graham Cooper

Design and Layout Peter Batistich

Printing Tien Wah Press (Pte) Limited

Contact Details
Global Village Australasia
PO Box A131, Sydney South NSW 1235
P: 02 9037 2237
F: 02 9267 8549

Website www.globalvillageproduct.com

International Group Publisher Sven Boermeester

Publisher and Managing Group Editor Lisa Durante

Published by
Global Village Australasia Pty Ltd
ABN 79 124 034 135
Under franchise license from
Global Village Partnerships Ltd.

The publisher would to acknowledge and thank the Australian Tourism Commission for their valuable contribution to this publication.
Many of the fine images illustrated herein have been made available through them.

Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in the Best of Australia Vol. 1 publication. Neither Best of Australia, nor Global Village
Australasia Pty Ltd nor Global Village Partnerships Ltd takes responsibility for errors or omissions.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, copied, transmitted, adapted or modified in any form or by any means. This publication
shall not be stored in whole or in part in any form in any retrieval systems without the express permission of the publisher.

Regional Head Offices

Bangalore • Bangkok • Brussels • Cairo • Copenhagen • Dubai Johannesburg • London • Singapore • Sydney • Washington DC

Best of Australia 
 Best of Australia
8 – 69

BEST OF
AUSTRALIA
Chapter 1

Hotels Fine Dining and Nightlife

70 – 91

92 – 103
Chapter 2

Chapter 3

 Best of Australia
 ChapterS
Best of Australia

Fashion Health and Beauty

104 – 119

120 – 135
Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Design and Interior Corporate Profiles

136 – 143

144 – 159
Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Best of Australia 
 GLOBAL VILLAGE PARTNERSHIPS
Foreword

Celebrating Success
Our mission is to serve as the world’s premier platform for showcasing and
networking the world’s top brands and companies in business, tourism and lifestyle.
We do this through the ‘Best of’ book series, the Global Village online information
portal and the development of our ever expanding business network of international
partners and clients.

With regional head offices in every

continent, the organisation currently
boasts 20 territories where the ‘Best of’
series is published. “We have a three
year growth plan to develop a further
120 territories organically through each
continent’s regional head office, and
through partnerships with companies
as well as individuals that have the
local know how of their given region”,
Boermeester says.

Sven Boermeester, Chairman GVP

As the prominence of the ‘global village’
unfolds, making the world a smaller and more
connected place so does the ability to reach
niche markets to create exciting new business
opportunities.
Conceived according to this basic premise
we wanted to create a business model that
takes advantage of print and electronic media
to disintegrate the barriers of time and space
in human communication, allowing people to
relate and cooperate on a worldwide scale. In a
sense turning the globe into a village.
The companies’ first and increasingly
successful exploration into this idea is through
the creation of the ‘Best of’ global book series
that is forging a rapid international presence
in showcasing global business, tourism and
lifestyles. The editorial model is simple yet
incisive. Through the depiction of companies
in diverse spheres making innovative
contributions to their respective territories, a
global readership is leveraged through a niche
distribution extended worldwide. Written as
cogent feature articles in a pictorially appealing
maxi format, the ‘Best of’ series is now
producing annual publications in territories as
diverse as Bangkok, Bangalore, Belgium and
Las Vegas. Detailing success stories of people
and companies making positive inroads into the
commercial fiber of both mature and emerging
markets not only supports entrepreneurial spirit,
it also bridges cultures, establishes powerful
global networks and creates individual brand
awareness in competitive markets worldwide.
By creating a strong corporate culture
based on expertise, continuous appraisal
and recognised ‘reputation capital’, the
way forward for GVP is unequivocal.
“Building strong economic ties attracts
investment that allows entry into strategic
partnerships that achieve global results.
We are working hard to improve the global
economy experience by building our services
to revolve around the world and around our
client’s service needs as they evolve. The world
business community - as a global village - is
dependent on more than monetary profit for
its growth. Core values such as integrity and
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the
organisational level are long-term values of the
GVP brand that resonate with the organisation’s
multitiered client base who are looking to join
forces with us in this new generation business
and marketing model.
With regional head offices in every continent,
the organisation currently boasts 20 territories
where the ‘Best of’ series is published. We have
a three year growth plan to develop a further
120 territories both organically through each
continents regional head office and through
partnerships with companies and individuals
that have the local know how and experience of
their territory.
As for our online and digital distribution
all the company profiles can be viewed
and downloaded free of charge in pdf

REGIONAL HEAD OFFICES

• Bangalore • Bangkok • Brussels • Cairo • Denmark • Dubai

 Best of Australia
 “Today, after more than a century of electric
technology, we have extended our central nervous
system itself in a global embrace, abolishing both
space and time as far as our planet is concerned.
Rapidly, we approach the final phase of the
extensions of man - the technological simulation
of consciousness, when the creative process
of knowing will be collectively and corporately
extended to the whole of human society, much
as we have already extended our senses and our
nerves by the various media.”
Marshall McLuhan -
Understanding Media (1964)

Lisa Durante, Managing Partner, GVP

Charles Neil, Partner, GVP

format from our corporate website
www.globalvillageproduct.com Starting from
February 2008 every 6 months we will make
available 20 000 DVD’s that feature all the
books on it for mass international distribution to
every contact and client within our network.
In May 2008 we officially launch
www.GVPedia.com which will be an ever
growing global business encyclopedia and
elite networking tool. This is where all the
information from every possible contact in
the network comes together including every
companies extended profile, their press
releases, their photo/video libraries plus
personal profiles of VIP’s and industry experts.
Each month new publishing partners from
different countries are joining the network
adding tremendous value to the over all
business model and distribution network. We
look forward to one day being able to complete
the puzzle by showcasing every economic
region and industry sector enjoying success,
innovation and social sustainability. Please feel
free to email us as we appreciate feedback on
how to improve and grow our network.
Email: publisher@globalvillageproduct.com
www.globalvillageproduct.com

• Johannesburg • London • Singapore • Sydney • Washington DC

Best of Australia 
Chapter 1
Best of Australia

 Best of Australia
Best of Australia 
 Essential Australian Information
Australian Facts and Figures
Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II.
Governor-General: Michael Jeffery.
Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd.
Land area: 2,941,283 sq mi (7,617,931 sq km);
total area: 2,967,893 sq mi (7,686,850 sq km).
Population (2007 est.): 20,434,176 (growth
rate: 0.8%); birth rate: 12.0/1000; infant
mortality rate: 4.6/1000; life expectancy: 80.6;
density per sq mi: 7.
Capital: Canberra, 327,700.
Largest cities: Sydney, 4,250,100; Melbourne,
3,610,800; Brisbane, 1,545,700; Perth,
1,375,200; Adelaide, 1,087,600.
Monetary unit: Australian dollar.
Languages: English 79%, native and other
languages 21%.
Ethnicity/race: Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%,
aboriginal and other 1%.
10 Best of Australia
Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Anglican
21%, other Christian 21%, Buddhist 2%, Islam
2%, other 1%, none 15%.
Literacy rate: 100%.
Economic summary:
• GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $642.1 billion; per
capita $32,000.
• Real growth rate: 2.6%.
• Inflation: 2.7%.
• Unemployment: 5.2%.
• Arable land: 6.15%.
• Agriculture: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits;
cattle, sheep, poultry.
• Labor force: 10.42 million; agriculture 3.6%,
industry 21.2%, services 75.2% (2004 est.).
• Industries: mining, industrial and
transportation equipment, food processing,
chemicals, steel.
• Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore,
copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel,
tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc,
diamonds, natural gas, petroleum.
• Exports: $103 billion (2005 est.): coal,
gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
machinery and transport equipment.
• Imports: $119.6 billion (2005 est.): machinery
and transport equipment, computers
and office machines, telecommunication
equipment and parts; crude oil and
petroleum products.
• Major trading partners: Japan, China, U.S.,
South Korea, New Zealand, India, UK,
Germany, Singapore (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 11.66 million (2004); mobile cellular:
16.48 million (2004). Radio broadcast
stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1
(1998). Television broadcast stations: 104
(1997). Internet hosts: 5,351,622 (2005).
Internet users: 14,189,544 (2005).
Transportation: Railways: total: 54,652 km
(3,859 km electrified) (2004). Highways: total:
811,601 km; paved: 316,524 km; unpaved:
495,077 km (2002). Waterways: 2,000 km
(mainly used for recreation on Murray and
Murray-Darling river systems) (2002). Ports
and harbors: Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle,
Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle,
Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott,
Sydney. Airports: 450 (2005).
Geography
The continent of Australia, with the island
state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in
area to the United States (excluding Alaska
and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north
to south along the east coast, reaching their
highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft;
2,228 m). The western half of the continent is
occupied by a desert plateau that rises into
barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The
Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi
(2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The
island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq
km) is off the southeast coast.
Government
Democracy. Symbolic executive power
is vested in the British monarch, who is
represented throughout Australia by the
governor-general.
History
The first inhabitants of Australia were the
Aborigines, who migrated there at least 40,000
years ago from Southeast Asia. There may
have been between a half million to a full million
Aborigines at the time of European settlement;
today about 350,000 live in Australia.
Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish ships
sighted Australia in the 17th century; the Dutch
landed at the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1606.
In 1616 the territory became known as New
Holland. The British arrived in 1688, but it was
not until Captain James Cook’s voyage in 1770
that Great Britain claimed possession of the
vast island, calling it New South Wales. A British
penal colony was set up at Port Jackson (what
is now Sydney) in 1788, and about 161,000
transported English convicts were settled there
until the system was suspended in 1839.
Free settlers and former prisoners
established six colonies: New South Wales
(1786), Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land)
(1825), Western Australia (1829), South Australia
(1834), Victoria (1851), and Queensland (1859).
Various gold rushes attracted settlers, as did
the mining of other minerals. Sheep farming
and grain soon grew into important economic
enterprises. The six colonies became states
and in 1901 federated into the Commonwealth
of Australia with a constitution that incorporated
British parliamentary and U.S. federal
traditions. Australia became known for its
liberal legislation: free compulsory education,
protected trade unionism with industrial
conciliation and arbitration, the secret ballot,
women’s suffrage, maternity allowances, and
sickness and old-age pensions.
Australia fought alongside Britain in
World War I, notably with the Australia and
New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) in the
Dardanelles campaign (1915). Participation in
World War II brought Australia closer to the
United States. Parliamentary power in the
second half of the 20th century shifted between
three political parties: the Australian Labour
Party, the Liberal Party, and the National Party.
Australia relaxed its discriminatory immigration
laws in the 1960s and 1970s, which favored
Northern Europeans.
Thereafter, about 40% of its immigrants
came from Asia, diversifying a population that
was predominantly of English and Irish heritage.
An Aboriginal movement grew in the 1960s that
gained full citizenship and improved education
for the country’s poorest socioeconomic group.
In March 1996 the opposition Liberal
Party–National Party coalition easily won the
national elections, removing the Labour Party
after 13 years in power. Pressure from the new,
conservative One Nation Party threatened to
reduce the gains made by Aborigines and to
limit immigration.
In September 1999, Australia led the
international peacekeeping force sent to restore
order in East Timor after pro-Indonesian militias
began massacring civilians to thwart East
Timor’s referendum on independence.
In November 1999, Australia’s 11.6 million
voters rejected a referendum that would have
ended Australia’s formal allegiance to the troops in the 2003 Iraq war, despite strong
British Crown. In 2000, Prime Minister Howard opposition among Australians.
instituted a new tax system, lowering income In July 2003, Australia successfully
and corporate taxes, and adding sales taxes on restored order to the Solomon
goods and services. Islands, which had descended into
John Howard won a third term in lawlessness during a brutal civil war.
November 2001, primarily as the result of his Australia has been the victim of two
tough policy against illegal immigration. significant terrorist attacks in recent years:
This policy has also brought him the 2002 Bali, Indonesia, bombings by a
considerable criticism: refugees attempting group with ties to al-Qaeda in which 202
to enter Australia – most of them from died, many of whom were Australian,
Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq and numbering and the 2004 attack on the Australian
about 5,000 annually – have been imprisoned embassy in Indonesia, which killed ten.
in bleak detention camps and subjected In Oct. 2004, Howard won a fourth term as
to a lengthy immigration process. prime minister. When rival security forces in
Asylum-seekers have staged riots and East Timor began fighting each other in 2006,
hunger strikes. Howard has also dealt with Australia sent 3,000 peacekeeping troops
refugees through the “Pacific solution,” to stem the violence. Howard was defeated
which reroutes boat people from Australian by the Labor Party’s Kevin Rudd in elections
shores to camps in Papua New Guinea and in November 2007. Rudd campaigned on a
Nauru. In 2004, however, the government platform for change, and promised to focus on
began easing its policies on immigration. the environment, education, and healthcare.
Prime Minister Howard sent 2,000 Australian Observers predict Rudd will maintain a close
troops to fight alongside American and British relationship with the United States.
Best of Australia 11
 Experience Australia
Experience Australia

Australia’s many and unique experiences make for a memorable, fun and exciting time.
They have excellent food and wine for you to enjoy. A red outback punctuated by stunning
greens, purples and an endless blue sky. Cities that brim with vibrancy. Beaches that
sparkle and invite. Rainforests that started their life thousands of years ago. Roads to be
driven, paths to be walked. Unique animals to behold. And an ancient Aboriginal culture
that explains how it all came about. It’s yours to explore and to enjoy.

12 Best of Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth
of Australia, is a country in the Southern
Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the
world’s smallest continent, the major island
of Tasmania and a number of other islands
in the Southern, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East
Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north,
the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the French
dependency of New Caledonia to the northeast,
and New Zealand to the southeast.
The mainland of Australia has been inhabited
for more than 42,000 years by Indigenous
Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen
from the north and by European explorers and
merchants starting in the seventeenth century,
the eastern half of the mainland was claimed
by the British in 1770 and officially settled
through penal transportation as the colony of
New South Wales on 26 January 1788. As the
population grew and new areas were explored,
another five largely self-governing Crown
Colonies were successively established over
the course of the 19th century.
On 1 January 1901, the six colonies
became a Federation, and the Commonwealth
of Australia was formed. Since federation,
Australia has maintained a stable liberal
democratic political system and remains a
Commonwealth Realm. The capital city is
Canberra, located in the Australian Capital
Territory. The current national population is
around 20.6 million people, and is concentrated
mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
The name “Australia” is derived from the
Latin Australis, meaning of the South. Legends
of an “unknown land of the south” (terra
australis incognita) dating back to Roman times
were commonplace in medieval geography, but
they were not based on any actual knowledge
of the continent. The Dutch adjectival form
Australische was used by Dutch officials in
Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land
to the south as early as 1638. The first use of
the word “Australia” in the English language
was a 1693 translation of Les Aventures de
Jacques Sadeur dans la Découverte et le
Voyage de la Terre Australe, a 1692 French
novel by Gabriel de Foigny under the pen name
Jacques Sadeur. Alexander Dalrymple then
used it in An Historical Collection of Voyages
and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean
(1771), to refer to the entire South Pacific
region. In 1793, George Shaw and Sir James
Smith published Zoology and Botany of New
Holland, in which they wrote of “the vast island,
or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or
New Holland.”
The name “Australia” was popularised by
the 1814 work A Voyage to Terra Australis
by the navigator Matthew Flinders, who was
the first recorded person to circumnavigate
Australia. Despite its title, which reflected
the view of the British Admiralty, Flinders
used the word “Australia” in the book, which
was widely read and gave the term general
currency. Governor Lachlan Macquarie of
New South Wales subsequently used the
word in his dispatches to England. In 1817, he
recommended that it be officially adopted. In
1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent
should be known officially as Australia.
History
The first human habitation of Australia is
estimated to have occurred between 42,000
and 48,000 years ago. The first Australians
were the ancestors of the current Indigenous
Australians; they arrived via land bridges
and short sea-crossings from present-day
Southeast Asia. Most of these people were
hunter-gatherers, with a complex oral culture
and spiritual values based on reverence for the
land and a belief in the Dreamtime. The Torres
Strait Islanders, ethnically Melanesian, inhabited
the Torres Strait Islands and parts of far-north
Queensland; their cultural practices are distinct
from those of the Aborigines.
The first undisputed recorded European
sighting of the Australian mainland was made
by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon, who
sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula
in 1606. During the 17th century, the Dutch
charted the whole of the western and northern
coastlines of what they called New Holland,
but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770,
James Cook sailed along and mapped the
Best of Australia 13
 east coast of Australia, which he named New
South Wales and claimed for Britain. The
expedition’s discoveries provided impetus for
the establishment of a penal colony there.
The British Crown Colony of New South
Wales started with the establishment of a
settlement at Port Jackson by Captain Arthur
Phillip on 26 January 1788. This date was later
to become Australia’s national day, Australia
Day. Van Diemen’s Land, now known as
Tasmania, was settled in 1803 and became a
separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom
formally claimed the western part of Australia
in 1829. Separate colonies were created from
parts of New South Wales: South Australia in
1836, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859.
The Northern Territory (NT) was founded in
1911 when it was excised from the Province of
South Australia. South Australia was founded
as a “free province” - that is, it was never a
penal colony. Victoria and Western Australia
were also founded “free”, but later accepted
transported convicts. The transportation of
convicts to the colony of New South Wales
ceased in 1848 after a campaign by the settlers.
The Indigenous Australian population,
estimated at about 350,000 at the time of
14 Best of Australia
European settlement, declined steeply for 150
years following settlement, mainly because
of infectious disease combined with forced
re-settlement and cultural disintegration. The
removal of children, that some historians and
Indigenous Australians have argued could be
considered to constitute genocide by some
definitions, may have made a contribution
to the decline in the indigenous population.
Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are
disputed by some as being exaggerated or
fabricated for political or ideological reasons.
This debate is known within Australia as the
History Wars. Following the 1967 referendum,
the Federal government gained the power to
implement policies and make laws with respect
to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land
- native title - was not recognised until 1992,
when the High Court case Mabo v Queensland
(No 2) overturned the notion of Australia as terra
nullius at the time of European occupation.
A gold rush began in Australia in the early
1850s, and the Eureka Stockade rebellion
against mining licence fees in 1854 was an early
expression of civil disobedience. Between 1855
and 1890, the six colonies individually gained
responsible government, managing most of
their own affairs while remaining part of the
British Empire. The Colonial Office in London
retained control of some matters, notably
foreign affairs, defence and international
shipping. On 1 January 1901, federation of
the colonies was achieved after a decade of
planning, consultation and voting, and the
Commonwealth of Australia was born, as a
Dominion of the British Empire. The Australian
Capital Territory (ACT) was formed from New
South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for
the proposed new federal capital of Canberra
(Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927).
The Northern Territory was transferred from
the control of the South Australian government
to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia
willingly participated in World War I; many
Australians regard the defeat of the Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC’s) at
Gallipoli as the birth of the nation - its first major
military action. Much like Gallipoli, the Kokoda
Track Campaign is regarded by many as a
nation-defining battle from World War II.
The Statute of Westminster 1931 formally
ended most of the constitutional links between
Australia and the United Kingdom when
Australia adopted it in 1942. The shock of
the United Kingdom’s defeat in Asia in 1942
and the threat of Japanese invasion caused
Australia to turn to the United States as a new
ally and protector. Since 1951, Australia has
been a formal military ally of the US under the
auspices of the ANZUS treaty. After World War
II, Australia encouraged mass immigration
from Europe; since the 1970s and the abolition
of the White Australia policy, immigration
from Asia and other parts of the world was
also encouraged. As a result, Australia’s
demography, culture and image of itself were
radically transformed.
Final constitutional ties between Australia
and the United Kingdom were severed in 1986
with the passing of the Australia Act 1986,
ending any British role in the Australian States,

Best of Australia 15
Experience Australia
and ending judicial appeals to the UK Privy
Council Australian voters rejected a move to
become a republic in 1999 by a 55% majority.
Since the election of the Whitlam
Government in 1972, there has been an
increasing focus on the nation’s future as a
part of the Asia-Pacific region.
Politics
The Commonwealth of Australia is
a constitutional monarchy with a
parliamentary system of government.
Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Australia,
a role that is distinct from her position
as monarch of the other Commonwealth
Realms. The Queen is represented by
the Governor-General at Federal level
and by the Governors at State level.
Although the Constitution gives extensive
executive powers to the Governor-General,
these are normally exercised only on the
advice of the Prime Minister. The most
16 Best of Australia
notable exercise of the Governor-General’s
reserve powers outside the Prime Minister’s
direction was the dismissal of the Whitlam
Government in the constitutional crisis of 1975.
There are three branches of government:
• The legislature: the Commonwealth
Parliament, comprising the Queen, the
Senate, and the House of Representatives;
the Queen is represented by the Governor-
General, whose powers are limited to
assenting to laws.
• The executive: the Federal Executive
Council (the Governor-General as advised
by the Executive Councilors); in practice,
the councilors are the Prime Minister and
Ministers of State.
• The judiciary: the High Court of Australia
and other federal courts. The State courts
became formally independent from the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
when the Australia Act was passed in 1986.

The bicameral Commonwealth Parliament
consists of the Queen, the Senate (the
upper house) of 76 senators, and a House
of Representatives (the lower house) of 150
members. Members of the lower house are
elected from single-member constituencies,
commonly known as ‘electorates’ or ‘seats’.
Seats in the House of Representatives are
allocated to states on the basis of population.
In the Senate, each state, regardless of
population, is represented by 12 senators,
while the territories (the ACT and the NT)
are each represented by two. Elections for
both chambers are held every three years;
typically only half of the Senate seats are
put to each election, because senators
have overlapping six-year terms. The
party with majority support in the House
of Representatives forms Government,
with its leader becoming Prime Minister.
There are three major political parties:
the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and the
National Party. Independent members and
several minor parties - including the Greens
and the Australian Democrats - have achieved
representation in Australian parliaments, mostly
in upper houses. Since the 1996 election, the
Liberal/National Coalition led by the Prime
Minister, John Howard, has been in power in
Canberra. In the 2004 election, the Coalition
won control of the Senate, the first time that
a party (or coalition of governing parties) has
done so while in government in more than 20
years. The Labor Party is in power in every
state and territory. Voting is compulsory for all
enrolled citizens 18 years and over in each state
and territory and at the federal level.
States and territories
Australia consists of six states, two major
mainland territories, and other minor territories.
The states are New South Wales, Queensland,
South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and
Western Australia. The two major mainland
territories are the Northern Territory and the
Australian Capital Territory. In most respects,
the territories function similarly to the states,
but the Commonwealth Parliament can override
any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast,
federal legislation overrides state legislation
only with respect to certain areas as set out
in Section 51 of the Constitution; all residual
legislative powers are retained by the state
parliaments, including powers over hospitals,
education, police, the judiciary, roads, public
transport and local government.
Each state and territory has its own
legislature (unicameral in the case of the
Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland,
and bicameral in the remaining states). The
lower house is known as the Legislative
Assembly (House of Assembly in South
Australia and Tasmania) and the upper house
is known as the Legislative Council. The
heads of the governments in each state and
territory are called premiers and chief ministers,
respectively. The Queen is represented in
each state by a governor; administrators in the
Northern Territory, and the Governor-General in
the ACT, have analogous roles.
Australia also has several minor territories;
the federal government administers a separate
area within New South Wales, the Jervis Bay
Territory, as a naval base and sea port for the
national capital. In addition Australia has the
following, inhabited, external territories: Norfolk
Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, and several largely uninhabited external
territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral
Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Foreign relations and the military
Over recent decades, Australia’s foreign
relations have been driven by a close
association with the United States, through
the ANZUS pact and by a desire to develop
relationships with Asia and the Pacific,
particularly through ASEAN and the Pacific
Islands Forum. In 2005 Australia secured
an inaugural seat at the East Asia Summit
following its accession to the Treaty of Amity
and Cooperation. Australia is a member of
the Commonwealth of Nations, in which
the Commonwealth Heads of Government
meetings provide the main forum for co-
operation. Much of Australia’s diplomatic
energy is focused on international trade
liberalisation. Australia led the formation of the
Cairns Group and APEC, and is a member of
the OECD and the WTO. Australia has pursued
several major bilateral free trade agreements,
most recently the Australia-United States
Free Trade Agreement. Australia is a founding
member of the United Nations, and maintains
an international aid programme under which
some 60 countries receive assistance. The
2005 - 06 budget provides A$2.5 bn for
development assistance; as a percentage of
GDP, this contribution is less than that of the
UN Millennium Development Goals.
Australia’s armed forces - the Australian
Defence Force (ADF) - comprise the Royal
Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army,
Best of Australia 17
and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF),
numbering about 51,000. All branches of
the ADF have been involved in UN and
regional peacekeeping (most recently in East
Timor, the Solomon Islands and Sudan),
disaster relief, and armed conflict, including
the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. The government
appoints the Chief of the Defence Force
from one of the armed services; the current
Chief of the Defence Force is Air Chief
Marshal Angus Houston. In the 2006-07
Budget, defence spending is $19.6 billion.

Geography
Australia’s 7,686,850 square kilometres
(2,967,909 sq. mi) landmass is on the Indo-
Australian Plate. Surrounded by the Indian,
Southern and Pacific oceans, Australia is
separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor
seas. Australia has a total 25,760 kilometres
(16,007 mi) of coastline and claims an extensive
Exclusive Economic Zone of 8,148,250 square
kilometres (3,146,057 sq. mi). This exclusive
economic zone does not include the Australian
Antarctic Territory.
The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest
coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-
east coast and extends for over 2,000
kilometres (1,250 mi). The world’s largest
monolith, Mount Augustus, is located in
Western Australia. At 2,228 metres (7,310

18 Best of Australia
ft), Mount Kosciuszko on the Great Dividing
Range is the highest mountain on the Australian
mainland, although Mawson Peak on the
remote Australian territory of Heard Island is
taller at 2,745 metres (9,006 ft).
By far the largest part of Australia is desert
or semi-arid. Australia is the driest inhabited
continent, the flattest, and has the oldest
and least fertile soils. Only the south-east
and south-west corners of the continent
have a temperate climate. The majority of the
population lives along the temperate south-
eastern coastline. The northern part of the
country, with a tropical climate, has vegetation
consisting of rainforest, woodland, grassland,
mangrove swamps and desert. Climate is highly
influenced by ocean currents, including the El
Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated
with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical
low pressure system that produces cyclones in
northern Australia.

Flora and fauna

Although most of Australia is semi-arid or
desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats,
from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests.
Because of the great age and consequent low
levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely
variable weather patterns, and its long-term
geographic isolation, much of Australia’s biota
is unique and diverse. About 85% of flowering
plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45%
of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-
zone fish are endemic. Many of Australia’s
ecoregions, and the species within those
regions, are threatened by human activities
and introduced plant and animal species. The
federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 is a legal framework
used for the protection of threatened species.
Numerous protected areas have been created
under the country’s Biodiversity Action Plan
to protect and preserve Australia’s unique
ecosystems, 64 wetlands are registered under
the Ramsar Convention, and 16 World Heritage
Sites have been established. Australia was
ranked thirteenth in the World on the 2005
Environmental Sustainability Index.
Most Australian woody plant species are
evergreen and many are adapted to fire and
drought, including many eucalyptus and
acacias. Australia has a rich variety of endemic
legume species that thrive in nutrient-poor
soils because of their symbiosis with Rhizobia
bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Well-known
Australian fauna include monotremes (the
platypus and echidna); a host of marsupials,
including the kangaroo, koala, wombat; and
birds such as the emu, and kookaburra. The
dingo was introduced by Austronesian people
that traded with Indigenous Australians around
4000 BCE. Many plant and animal species
became extinct soon after human settlement,
including the Australian megafauna; others have
become extinct since European settlement,
among them the Thylacine.
Economy
Australia has a prosperous, Western-style
mixed economy, with a per capita GDP slightly
higher than the UK, Germany and France in
terms of purchasing power parity. The country
was ranked third in the United Nations’ 2006
Human Development Index and sixth in The
Economist worldwide quality-of-life index 2005.
Traditionally, the absence of an export oriented
manufacturing industry has been considered a
key weakness of the Australian economy. More
recently, rising prices for Australia’s commodity
exports and increasing tourism has to some
extent alleviated this criticism. Nevertheless,
Australia has developed the world’s third largest
current account deficit in absolute terms (in
relative terms over 7% of GDP). This has been
considered problematic by some economists,
especially as it has coincided with high prices
for Australia’s exports and low interest rates
which keeps the cost of servicing the foreign
debt unusually low.
In the 1980s, the Hawke Government
started the process of economic reform by
floating the Australian dollar in 1983, and
deregulating the financial system. Since 1996,

Best of Australia 19
the Howard government has continued the
process of micro-economic reform, including
partial deregulation of the labour market and
the privatisation of state-owned businesses,
most notably in the telecommunications
industry. Substantial reform of the indirect tax
system was implemented in July 2000 with the
introduction of a 10% Goods and Services Tax,
which has slightly reduced the heavy reliance
on personal and company income tax that still
characterises Australia’s tax system.
As of January 2007, unemployment was
4.6% with 10,334,800 persons employed.
The service sector of the economy, including
tourism, education, and financial services,
comprises 69% of GDP. Agriculture and natural
resources comprise 3% and 5% of GDP but
contribute substantially to Australia’s export
performance. Australia’s largest export markets
include Japan, China, the United States, South
Korea and New Zealand.
Demographics
Most of the estimated 20.6 million Australians
are descended from nineteenth- and twentieth-
century European settlers, the majority from
Great Britain and Ireland. Australia’s population
20 Best of Australia
has quadrupled since the end of World War I,
spurred by an ambitious immigration program.
In 2001, the five largest groups of the 23.1%
of Australians who were born overseas were
from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy,
Vietnam and China. Following the abolition of
the White Australia policy in 1973, numerous
government initiatives have been established to
encourage and promote racial harmony based
on a policy of multiculturalism.
The indigenous population - mainland
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders - was
410,003 (2.2% of the total population) in 2001,
a significant increase from the 1976 census,
which showed an indigenous population of
115,953. Indigenous Australians have higher
rates of imprisonment and unemployment,
lower levels of education and life expectancies
for males and females that are 17 years lower
than those of other Australians.
In common with many other developed
countries, Australia is experiencing a
demographic shift towards an older population,
with more retirees and fewer people of working
age. A large number of Australians (759,849
for the period 2002 - 03) live outside their
home country. Australia has maintained one
of the most active immigration programmes
in the world to boost population growth. Most
immigrants are skilled, but the immigration
quota includes categories for family members
and refugees.
English is the national language, and is
spoken and written in a distinct variety known
as Australian English. According to the 2001
census, English is the only language spoken
in the home for around 80% of the population.
The next most common languages spoken at
home are Chinese languages (2.1%), Italian
(1.9%) and Greek (1.4%). A considerable
proportion of first- and second-generation
migrants are bilingual. It is believed that
there were between 200 and 300 Australian
Aboriginal languages at the time of first
European contact. Only about 70 of these
languages have survived, and all but 20 of
these are now endangered. An indigenous
language remains the main language for about
50,000 (0.25%) people. Australia has a sign
language known as Auslan, which is the main
language of about 6,500 deaf people.
Australia has no state religion. The 2001
census identified that 68% of Australians
call themselves Christian: 27% identifying
themselves as Roman Catholic and 21% as
Anglican. Australians who identify themselves
as followers of non-Christian religions number
5%. A total of 16% were categorised as
having “No Religion” (which includes non-
theistic beliefs such as humanism, atheism,
agnosticism and rationalism) and a further 12%
declined to answer or did not give a response
adequate for interpretation. As in many Western
countries, the level of active participation in
church worship is much lower than this; weekly
attendance at church services is about 1.5
million, about 7.5% of the population.
School attendance is compulsory
throughout Australia between the ages of 6
- 15 years (16 years in South Australia and
Tasmania, and 17 years in Western Australia),
contributing to an adult literacy rate that is
assumed to be 99%. Government grants have
supported the establishment of Australia’s
38 universities, and although several private
universities have been established, the
majority receives government funding. There
is a state-based system of vocational training
colleges, known as TAFE Institutes, and many
trades conduct apprenticeships for training
new trades people. Approximately 58% of
Australians between the ages of 25 and 64
have vocational or tertiary qualifications and
the tertiary graduation rate of 49% is highest
of OECD countries. The ratio of international
to local students in tertiary education in
Australia is the highest in OECD countries.
Culture
The primary basis of Australian culture until the
mid-20th century was Anglo-Celtic, although
distinctive Australian features had been
evolving from the environment and indigenous
culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian
culture has been strongly influenced by
American popular culture (particularly television
and cinema), large-scale immigration from non-
English-speaking countries, and Australia’s
Asian neighbours. The vigour and originality
of the arts in Australia - films, opera, music,
painting, theatre, dance, and crafts - achieve
international recognition.
Australia has a long history of visual arts,
starting with the cave and bark paintings of its
indigenous peoples. From the time of European
settlement, a common theme in Australian art
has been the Australian landscape, seen in
the works of Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and
Albert Namatjira, among others. The traditions
of indigenous Australians are largely transmitted
orally and are closely tied to ceremony and
the telling of the stories of the Dreamtime.
Australian Aboriginal music, dance and art
have a palpable influence on contemporary
Australian visual and performing arts. Australia
has an active tradition of music, ballet and
theatre; many of its performing arts companies
receive public funding through the federal
government’s Australia Council. There is a
symphony orchestra in each capital city, and a
national opera company, Opera Australia, first
made prominent by the renowned diva Dame
Joan Sutherland; Australian music includes
classical, jazz, and many popular music genres.
Australian literature has also been influenced
by the landscape; the works of writers such as
Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, captured
the experience of the Australian bush. The
character of colonial Australia, as embodied in
early literature, resonates with modern Australia
and its perceived emphasis on egalitarianism,
mateship, and anti-authoritarianism. In 1973,
Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize
in Literature, the only Australian to have
achieved this; he is recognised as one of the
great English-language writers of the twentieth
century. Australian English is a major variety
of the language; its grammar and spelling
are largely based on those of British English,
overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical
items and phrases, some of which have found
their way into standard English.
Best of Australia 21
22 Best of Australia
 Australia has two public broadcasters
(the ABC and the multi-cultural SBS), three
commercial television networks, several pay
TV services, and numerous public, non-profit
television and radio stations. Australia’s film
industry has achieved critical and commercial
successes. Each major city has daily
newspapers, and there are two national daily
newspapers, The Australian and The Australian
Financial Review. According to Reporters
Without Borders in 2006, Australia was in thirty
fifth position on a list of countries ranked by
press freedom, behind New Zealand (19th) and
the United Kingdom (27th) but ahead of the
United States. This ranking is primarily because
of the limited diversity of commercial media
ownership in Australia. Most Australian print
media in particular is under the control of either
News Corporation or John Fairfax Holdings.
Sport plays an important part in Australian
culture, assisted by a climate that favours
outdoor activities; 23.5% Australians over the
age of 15 regularly participate in organised
sporting activities. At an international level,
Australia has particularly strong teams in
cricket, hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby
union, and performs well in cycling, rowing
and swimming. Nationally, other popular
sports include Australian Rules football, horse
racing, soccer and motor racing. Australia has
participated in every summer Olympic Games
of the modern era, and every Commonwealth
Games. Australia has hosted the 1956 and
2000 Summer Olympics, and has ranked
among the top five medal-takers since 2000.
Australia has also hosted the 1938, 1962,
1982 and 2006 Commonwealth Games. Other
major international events held regularly in
Australia include the Australian Open, one
of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments,
annual international cricket matches and
the Formula One Australian Grand Prix.
Corporate and government sponsorship of
many sports and elite athletes is common in
Australia. Televised sport is popular; some
of the highest rating television programs
include the summer Olympic Games and
the grand finals of local and international
football (various codes) competitions.

Best of Australia 23
 Australia’s heritage is the
Australia’s Heritage

World’s heritage
Australia has more than its fair share of World Heritage Sites -
treasures such as the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu
National Park. Others, such as the Australian Fossil Mammal sites and
Purnululu National Park are lesser known but also available to visit.

24 Best of Australia
Australia is a custodian of some of the oldest
rainforests on Earth and a massive one-third of
the world’s protected marine areas. When the
island continent split apart from the mainland
it launched a time capsule that was preserved
for generations by its Aboriginal inhabitants.
Though many of the sites are in remote areas
by international standards, they are well served
with most easily accessible by road, plane or
on foot. So, get out of your comfort zone and
venture out and about into our unique nature
and wilderness areas.
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites, South
Australia and Queensland
From giant prehistoric kangaroos to long
extinct marsupial lions and giant wombats,
Australia’s fossil mammal sites – Naracoorte,
South Australia and Riversleigh, Queensland
- tells the story of how Australia’s native
animals evolved to be so different from
wildlife anywhere else on earth.
Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, New
South Wales and Queensland
Lose yourself in a timewarp in the cool crisp air
of the rainforest reserves of Queensland and
New South Wales. Graded tracks lead through
ancient damp rainforests with crystal clear
waterfalls and glass rivers, to pristine white
beaches.
Fraser Island, Queensland
The largest sand island in the world and the
only place in the world where tall rainforests
are found growing on sand dunes at elevations
of over 200 metres, Fraser Island is blessed
with one of the most unique ecosystems in
the world. Long uninterrupted white beaches,
majestic tall rainforests and numerous crystal
clear freshwater lakes will ensure you have an
unforgettable experience.
Great Blue Mountains Area –
New South Wales
The famous Blue Mountains area is made up
of seven outstanding national parks and is best
known for its thick eucalypt forests, dramatic
sandstone cliffs and the Three Sisters - a
fascinating rock formation with an associated
Aboriginal legend.
The Mountains are also home to the
dinosaur of the plant world - the Wollemi Pine
- and to the world’s steepest incline railway, The
Scenic Railway, which provides easy access
deep into the forest floor.
Heard, McDonald and Macquarie Islands
Visits to remote Heard, McDonald and
Macquarie Islands are strictly controlled and
usually restricted to scientific visits only.
Macquarie is a rare above water section of the
ancient ocean floor and Heard is known as the
wildest place on earth.
Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
Kakadu National Park is the second
largest national park in the world and is
abundant with amazing Australian wildlife.
A wide variety of flora and fauna inhabit
the majestic 10 square kilometres of the
landlocked Yellow Water Billabong, with
up to one million water birds gathering in
the park during the Autumn months.
Best of Australia 25
26 Best of Australia
Lord Howe Island, Queensland
Lord Howe Island is a Mecca for nature lovers
with at least 129 native and introduced bird
species, approximately 500 species of fish and
90 species of brilliantly coloured coral - four per
cent of which cannot be found anywhere else
in the world. With only 400 visitors on the island
at any one time, Lord Howe Island is a place to
feel free and enjoy the pleasures of nature.

Purnululu National Park, Western Australia

The Purnululu National Park is most famous for
the striking banded, beehive rock structures
of the Bungle Bungle Ranges. With its huge
expanse of amazing landscape of domed
rocks, gorges, chasms and waterfalls, the best
way to view the park is from above.

Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton

Gardens, Melbourne
The magnificent Royal Exhibition Building and
Carlton Gardens in Melbourne was constructed
in 1880 to house Australia’s first international
exhibition of cultural, technological, and
industrial achievements. It was used for the
opening of the Australian Parliament on 9 May
1901 and flourishes as one of the world’s oldest
exhibition pavilions.

Shark Bay, Western Australia

A place where you can feed dolphins by hand,
that is home to over 10,000 dugongs, and
where you are more than likely to see whales,
manta rays, turtles, sharks and rare marsupials,
Shark Bay provides a significant habitat for
some of Australia’s most precious marine
creatures. It is also home to the remarkable
Hamelin Pool stromatolites – the oldest and
largest living fossils in the world.

The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest marine
park in the world. A maze of 2,900 reefs and
islands make up the worlds largest collection
of coral reef that is home to a myriad of sea
creatures including dolphins, turtles, dugongs
and more than 1,500 species of fish. Whether

Best of Australia 27
28 Best of Australia
you visit an island, sail the seas or dive deep to
see all the colours of the reef it will be one of
the most magical experiences of your life.
The Sydney Opera House, New South Wales
The Sydney Opera House is one of the most
recognisable images of the modern world.
With a roof evocative of a ship at full sail, it
was designed by renowned Danish architect
- Jorn Utzon - in the late 1950s and opened in
1973. His design was considered beyond the
capabilities of engineering of the time.
The Tasmanian Wilderness, Tasmania
The Tasmanian wilderness is an outstanding
example of Australia’s untouched regions.
At over one million hectares in size the region
represents all major stages in the earth’s
evolutionary history. Go back in time and
experience what Australia was like millions of
years ago.
Wet Tropics of Queensland
The Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland
is the oldest rainforest in the world – 135
million years old and supports over 3,000 plant
species. Why not 13 indulge with a rejuvenating
spa treatment.
The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park,
Northern Territory
Featuring one of the most recognisable
landscapes in the world, The Uluru-Kata Tjuta
National Park holds a great cultural significance
for the Anangu traditional landowners.
Take a guided tour of the land with the
traditional Aboriginal landowners and learn
about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and
the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories of the area.
Willandra Lakes Region, New South Wales
The outback Willandra Lakes Region was home
to the Mungo people over 40,000 years ago
when the lakes were full and the area aplenty
with vegetation and wildlife.
Today the 17 dried up lakes uncover some
of Australia’s richest Aboriginal culture and
history along with an abundance of fossils and
information about the last ice age on earth.
Best of Australia 29
 Sport in Australia
Australian Sports
One of the greatest sporting nations in the world.
Sport in Australia is popular and widespread.
Levels of both participation and spectating are
much higher than in many other countries.
Testament to this is the level of achievement
in the Olympic Games and Commonwealth
Games as well as other international sporting
events in comparison to the population of the
country, particularly in the areas of water sports
and team sports.
With the new Australian Rugby
Championship joining the National Rugby
30 Best of Australia
League, the A-League and the Australian
Football League, Australia will become the only
country in the world to sustain fully-professional
leagues for four different football codes.
The climate and economy provide ideal
conditions for Australians to participate
and watch sports. Such is the Australian
population’s devotion towards sport that
it is sometimes humorously described as
“Australia’s national religion” Armchair sports
fans drive high television ratings for sports
programs. In fact, nine of the top 10 highest
rated shows in 2005 were sports programs.
Professional sport leagues in Australia use a
model based on franchises and closed league
membership, as is standard in North America.
The “European” system of professional
sports league organisation, characterised by
promotion and relegation, is foreign to Australia,
at least at the professional level.
In October 2007, the Australian Government
announced a new drug policy for sport that it

hopes will be adopted by all sporting bodies
and will involve tests of 6000 illicit drugs a year.
Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football (commonly known
as Aussie Rules) is played in all Australian
states and territories. It is the most popular
football code in Australia, and its premier
league, the AFL has the third highest average
attendance in the world [Behind the USA’s NFL
(gridiron) and Germany’s Bundesliga (soccer)].
The sport which originated in the Colony of
Victoria in 1858 is the predominant winter sport
in its traditional areas of popularity, Victoria,
Northern Territory, South Australia, Western
Australia and Tasmania.
In these areas, the population takes a
high interest in the sport and actively attend
matches. It is also popular, along with other
codes of football, in the Australian Capital
Territory, the Riverina and Broken Hill regions of
New South Wales and in the Cape York region
of Queensland.
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the
national Australian rules football competition.
It is the most attended sporting league in
Australia and the third most attended in the
world (an average of 36,793 per match for
2007). It consists of a single division of 16
teams. Of these 16 teams, 10 are Victorian, and
with 2 each from South Australia and Western
Australia. The remaining two teams are based
in Brisbane and Sydney.
The AFL is the result of the expanded
Victorian Football League, a competition that
has been running since 1896 which changed
its name to the Australian Football League in
1990 to reflect its national focus. Each state
has its own local league, and there are amateur
recreational, children’s, junior, masters and
women’s competitions.
Most towns and cities in the southern states
of Australia have at least one team competing
in a local league.
Rugby Union
The first recorded game of Rugby football in
Australia was on 25 July 1839. The Sydney
University club, the first recognised club,
was formed in 1864. By 1874 there were
enough clubs for the formation of the Sydney
Metropolitan competition playing by the rules of
the Rugby Football Union.
English teams toured Australia in 1888 and
1899. Throughout the 20th century Australian
Rugby Union teams were reliably competitive.
In Australia, rugby union became a professional
sport in 1996. The Australian national rugby
union team are the Wallabies.
Major international competitions played
by the Wallabies include the Bledisloe Cup,
between Australia and New Zealand, which
since 1996 has been part of the Tri Nations
Series.
The Rugby World Cup was first held in 1987
and is now held every four years. Australia is
the only nation to have won the Rugby World
Cup twice, in 1991 and 1999. The Mandela
Challenge Plate began in 2000, which started
as a minor tournament involving Australia and
South Africa. From 2006 on, it will be contested
in the Tri Nations alongside the Bledisloe Cup.
The premier provincial rugby competition
is the Super 14 (previously the Super 12)
consisting of 4 teams (Queensland Reds, New
South Wales Waratahs, the Brumbies and
Western Force) from Australia, along with 5
teams from New Zealand and 5 teams from
Best of Australia 31
 South Africa. Of all the Australian teams, only
the Brumbies have won a Super Rugby Title,
in 2001 and 2004. The Australian Rugby Shield
was first played in 2000, to try and promote
rugby union in states outside New South Wales
and Queensland. To celebrate 10 years of
professional Rugby Union, Australian Rugby
celebrated the occasion with the announcement
of the Wallaby Team of the Decade.
Cricket
Cricket has a long history in Australia, and
is played on local, national and international
levels. It is Australia’s national summer sport
and unlike the various football codes, enjoys
consistent support from people in all parts of
Australia. The Australia national cricket team
32 Best of Australia
was the winner of the first Test match, and is
today regarded as the leading international
team in world cricket, having been the
unquestionably dominant team for most of the
2000s. The first Australian cricket team which
played overseas was the 1868 Aboriginal
cricket tour of England. The Australian team
which toured England in 1948 was nicknamed
The Invincibles and was captained
by Donald Bradman. In recent years
the Australia team has been captained
by Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve
Waugh, and currently Ricky Ponting.
Through to 2007, Australia has won the
Cricket World Cup four out of the nine times it
has been held, including the last three. Australia
has dominated world cricket since the mid-90’s,
it has appeared in every world cup final since
1996, and has been undefeated in a world cup
match since 1999 where they have gone on
to win every single match in the world cup.
Domestic competitions between the
states include the Pura Cup first-class
competition (previously known as Sheffield
Shield), the Ford Ranger One Day Cup
List-A cricket competition and the KFC
Twenty20 Big Bash Twenty20 competition.
The Pura Cup and Ford Ranger One Day
Cup tournaments involve each team playing
against each other team both at home and
away with the two highest-placed teams
playing in a final match, while the KFC
Twenty20 Big Bash is similar but with only one
match against each other team before the final.
Cycling
Cycling is one of the most popular recreational
activities in Australia, as the weather is
suitable most of the year. In 2004, almost
1.5 million Australians aged 15 years and
over participated in cycling for exercise,
recreation and sport at least once.
Road Cycling is gaining a higher profile
at a competitive level in the Tour de France
and other international cycling competitions
with a number of professional Australian
cyclists being based in Europe and riding
exclusively for European teams.
Strong results have been achieved over
the years, most notably Cadel Evans’ second
placing in the 2007 Tour de France and overall
win of the 2007 UCI ProTour. From 2008,
Australia’s only major international cycling
race, the Tour Down Under to be held in
Adelaide, will become the first UCI ProTour
cycling race to be held outside of Europe.
Track cycling has also obtained more of a
following in recent years, particularly due to
strong results in international events such as
the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic
Games. Young riders such as Commonwealth
Games gold medallist Ben Kersten are a
testament that this sport is popular with the
young talent and will remain popular for years
to come.
Football
Australia’s national team, nicknamed the
Socceroos, are active in international games
including World Cup Qualification games.
The governing body, Football Federation
Australia, is a member of the Asian Football
Confederation, having moved from the Oceania
Football Confederation on January 1, 2006.
The popularity of the sport as a spectator
sport has increased notably in recent years,
due to reforms made to the sport’s national
governing body and the participation of the
national team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
reaching the round of 16.
The year 2004 marked the last season for
the National Soccer League, Australia’s first
club based national league of any sport and in
2005 the A-League was launched.
The A-League plays during summer, the
traditional off-season, to avoid conflict with the
more established football codes in publicity and
facilities as well as being in line with European
competition.
Unlike Australian rules football, Rugby
league and Rugby union there are no
‘traditional’ regional biases for the sport
allowing for a common ‘football’ identity.
The A-League has proved successful,
with the 2006-07 regular season recording an
average attendance of 12,927 people. Most
notably, Melbourne Victory averaged 27,728
people to their home matches throughout the
season, and a crowd of 55,436 watched the
Victory beat Adelaide United 6-0 in the Grand
Final, a record for a domestic club football
(soccer) game in Australia.
Historically, the sport has been known
by many as soccer, but numerous official
organisations and clubs are now using
the name “football” in line with common
international usage of the word. However,
popular use of the word “football” to mean
either Australian rules football or Rugby league
is well-established in Australia.
Swimming
Swimming is a very common and popular sport
in Australia as a recreational activity as well as
in competitive racing events. Many Australians
learn to swim from a young age out of necessity
due to Australia’s love of the beach and the
abundance of backyard pools.
Many swimmers go on to continue to swim
competitively by training through squads and
attending weekend competitions. Successful
Australian swimmers such as Samantha Riley
began their swimming careers through a learn
to swim program.
Learn to swim programs are also often
offered through primary schools at local
swimming pools during school times.
The success of Australian Swimming is
measurable through Australian international
dominance in the sport. Athletes such as
Grant Hackett, Ian Thorpe, Leisel Jones
and Libby Lenton are all a credit to the
extensive development programs in the
sport and with the AIS. This is a further
achievement because of Australia’s small
population in comparison to other swimming
dominant nations such as the USA.
Tennis
One of the four tennis Grand Slams is played
in Australia, the Australian Open held in
Melbourne. The tournament has been held for
100 years since 1905 when the Australasian
Tennis Championship was first held at a Cricket
Ground in St Kilda Road, Melbourne.
Like the other three Grand Slam events, it
was contested by top-ranked amateur players.
It was known as the Australian championships
until the advent of open tennis in 1968.
There are men’s and women’s
singles competitions, men’s, women’s,
and mixed doubles, as well as junior
and master’s competitions.
Some of Australia’s best known tennis
players include Rod Laver, Mark Philippoussis,
Margaret Court, Roy Emerson, Lleyton Hewitt,
John Newcombe, Pat Rafter, Ken Rosewall
and The Woodies. The Woodies consisting of
Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde was
the most successful men’s tennis doubles team
in history, and won eleven Grand Slams and an
Olympic gold medal.
Best of Australia 33
 Australia as a Business Events destination
Business Events in Australia

Five of the top 12 business travel cities in the world are in Australia, according to a survey
conducted by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit in 2006. The business trip rankings were based
on broad categories covering infrastructure, cost, stability, healthcare, culture and environment.

34 Best of Australia
Out of 127 international cities, The Economist
ranked Adelaide fourth, Brisbane equal
sixth, Perth equal eighth, Melbourne ninth
and Sydney twelth. The Australian cities far
outranked capitals like Hong Kong, Berlin,
Paris, Tokyo, Beijing, New York and London.
Joyce DiMascio, Head of Tourism Events
Australia, the business events unit within
Tourism Australia, says that Australia has a
great track-record of delivering outstanding
business events in both our major capital cities
as well as in regional Australia.
“We have outstanding pedigree in the
sector having serviced clients from a broad
range of industry sectors – including finance
and banking, agribusiness, bio-medicine,
pharmaceutical, insurance, automotive and
many more. Our portfolio of experiences for the
corporate meetings, incentives and conference
sectors is outstanding – and our people rise
to the occasion to make every clients’ event a
winner” she said.
“Combine the easy access into the main
Australian gateways, with the outstanding
range of premium hotels, venues, attractions
and unique events and you have a great place
in which to meet and do business.”
She said that the business events
industry in Australia was actively addressing
“sustainability” issues to ensure the
environmental footprint of the events sector
was carefully managed.
“We are developing a compelling
portfolio of best practice in “greening
of events”. We have some outstanding
“green” products and services that are
coming online around the country.
The new Melbourne Convention and
Exhibition Centre is an outstanding example of
environmentally sustainable infrastructure and
will be a great asset for Australia when it opens
in 2008.” Ms DiMascio said.
The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney,
the 2006 Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne, and APEC Leaders Week 2007
in Sydney, demonstrated Australia’s event
management excellence to the world. As
many global companies have discovered,
Australia is an ideal place to re-energise
and reinvigorate their team. In the cities,
expect high tech facilities, innovative cuisine,
excellent entertainment and the chance to
have your conference opened by a leading
scientist, top novelist, Olympic gold medalist,
celebrity chef or leading cinematographer.
Venues that can be hired range from
the Great Hall of the Houses of Parliament
in Canberra to the Perth Yacht Club,
from the Sydney Superdome to the
Australian Centre for the Moving Image
at Federation Square in Melbourne.
Australia is known for its innovation in
science, medicine, biotechnology, education,
information technology, finance, insurance and
business. Holding a convention or meeting
in Australia can provide opportunities for
networking and getting fresh ideas. An example
of this was when Hobart Antarctic conference,
Tasmania, was chosen as the destination for
a major because the port was a key centre for
Antarctic research and a base for exploration
of the frozen continent. Whether you choose to
meet in one of Australia’s great cities or a more
intimate resort destination, efficient and friendly
service is likely to be the hallmark of your event.
Why choose Australia?
There is a superb range of conference,
exhibition and special event venues in major
capital cities. Accommodation ranges through
the spectrum to cater to all budgets and
business needs. There are also excellent
support services and knowledgeable and
friendly staff.
Research shows that Australia is one of
the travel destinations that people truly aspire
to visit. With hundreds of international flights
arriving and departing every day, it is easy
to travel to Australia. And since English - the
international business language - is also
Australia’s national language, it is easy to do
business here.
Australia also hosts a number of international
exhibitions and trade shows every year, in
a wide range of industries from medical
to manufacturing, agriculture to leisure.
Information on events held in Australia can
be found on Tourism Australia’s dedicated
Business Events website
www.events.australia.com.
Best of Australia 35
Business Events in Australia
Melbourne Convention Centre
The jewel in Melbourne’s ‘venue crown’ is
undoubtedly the new Melbourne Convention
Centre which, when it opens in 2009, will
be one of the most impressive architectural
environmental buildings in Australia.
Its centrepiece is a 5,000 seat
plenary hall that can be sub-divided
into acoustically separate plenary halls
for 1,000, 1,500 or 2,500 delegates.
Designed to achieve a Six Green Star
environmental rating, it will be one of the
greenest convention centres in the world.
Its entry level foyer will be capable
of hosting 8,400 guests who will have
views out to the Yarra River through
an18 metre glass wall façade.
It will be fully integrated with the
existing Melbourne Exhibition Centre,
which provides 30,000 sqm of pillarless
exhibition space and is located in central
Melbourne, surrounded by public transport,
restaurants and accommodation.
36 Best of Australia
Already seventeen large international
conventions are confirmed for the new
convention centre, bringing more 42,000
delegates to the city with a combined economic
impact for the State of Victoria of more than
AU$285 million.
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition
Centre’s Chief Executive Leigh Harry
says the new convention centre will
emulate its city namesake.
“Not only will it be structurally striking, but
it will leave those who enter the space feeling
like they have experienced Melbourne, from
its maritime history, to its art and culture and
sporting ethos.”
Plenary Group’s architects on the convention
centre project, Nik Karalis from Woods Bagot,
and Hamish Lyon from NH Architecture, say
they’ve done this in a variety of ways using
wall motifs, Australian timber and making the
banquet hall feel like a ‘real’ theatre experience.
And it doesn’t end there – even the majority
of the food and wine served at conferences
will be sourced from local specialised food
producers and vineyards.
Hamish Lyon says the locality also offers a
unique ‘Melbourne’ experience.
“Most convention centres are like being in a
black box. In the new Melbourne Convention
Centre, you can stand in front of an 18 metre
glass façade looking out to the Yarra River and
feel like you could touch the city – you’re that
close to the city centre.”
Nik Karalis says another key feature of the
design is the flexibility of its plenary hall. It will
transform from full plenary, to grand theatre, to
intimate theatres, to small conference rooms, to
cabaret, or to flat floor banquet.
“Put simply, the range of options for event
organisers is unparalleled. The design is also
particularly unique. It was designed as the
‘spirit’ of the building and will appear to glow to
those looking in through the glass façade.
“Once inside any of its smaller
configurations, you would never know it could
possibly accommodate 5,000 people. Every
theatre is an experience in itself and every
service has been considered from the side walls
to the ceiling.”
Its fan shape design means all delegates will
have an unobstructed view, no matter what the
convention mode, something no other centre in
the world can do.
He says the area around the plenary hall
has also been carefully designed. “It’s an open,
uncluttered space and oozes simplicity. When
standing inside, you can see all aspects of the
building, the stairs and meeting areas.”
Hamish Lyon says the outside has not been
overlooked either. “There is no back side to the
building, it will be equally attractive regardless
which side of the building you are on.
“It’s an uncomplicated, stunning building
which will be the centrepiece of this new
development for Melburnians and visitors alike.
Darwin Convention Centre
In mid 2008 Darwin, the Northern Territory’s
capital city, will proudly open the doors
of its first world class, purpose built and
architecturally spectacular convention centre.
With confirmed bookings to 2011, the Centre is
already making its mark in the international and
national convention scene.
From its waterfront location on the edge
of Australia’s largest harbour, the Darwin
Convention Centre is the jewel in the crown of
the Northern Territory’s AU$1 billion waterfront
development that will see 25 hectares of
land transformed into restaurants, hotels,
apartments, wave lagoon, marina, gardens and
public art.
With a 1500 seat plenary capacity, to a
total of 12 meeting rooms and 4000 square
metres of exhibition space the multipurpose
convention centre will feature flexible spaces to
cater for banquets, conventions and exhibitions
as well as concerts and indoor sporting events.

Best of Australia 37
 Business Events in Australia

38
Best of Australia
Cradle Mountain Lodge
Cradle Mountain Lodge is a warm, retreat
nestled high in the Tasmanian wilderness, a
superb escape featuring cosy cabins, fine food
and wine and many activities.
Cradle Mountain Lodge is a unique
wilderness retreat on the edge of the World
Heritage Listed Cradle Mountain/Lake St. Clair
National Park.
Here you see the face of creation all
around you in the mirror lakes and rugged
mountain peaks. And you don’t need to
be an environmentalist to feel humble in
the towering presence of a King Billy Pine
- over 1,000 years old yet still a relative
newcomer to these ancient forests.
This is a superb escape with breathtaking
scenery, cosy cabins, magnificent meals and
days filled with simple pleasures. The Lodge
itself has an ambience of warmth and security
that welcomes you to every room. Perhaps it’s
the glow of the open fires that keeps drawing
you back or those quiet moments in the Guest’s
Lounge, catching up on local lore and history.
Then of course there’s the temptation of the
Highland Restaurant and its walk-in Wine Cellar.
Or perhaps the mood calls for a less formal
meal in the Tavern Bar, a great place to share
your adventures with new friends.
Inside your cabin you’ll immediately feel at
home. The layout is generous, comfortable and
more than a touch romantic.
And when the snow falls, as it can even in
the summer months at Cradle, there’s nothing
cosier than being in your cabin. After dinner in
the Lodge retreat to your cabin and perhaps
share a glass of red wine in front of a fire.
One thing is certain, summer or winter, the
beauty of Cradle Mountain is an inspiration that
will stay with you long after you leave.
Best of Australia 39
Business Events in Australia

Australian Business Events Destinations

Australia has countless exciting and
diverse destinations which are suitable for
a corporate meeting, incentive program or
conference. There are 13 Convention and
Visitors Bureau around the country that
represent these diverse locations, who
can provide you with all the information
you need to seamlessly plan your event.

Adelaide
The heartland of Australia’s wine industry
– Adelaide is renowned for its world class
wines and equally astonishing cuisine.
Adelaide is a flourishing arts and cultural
centre and is home to many festivals,
which draw crowds year-round.
Whether you are after a night at the opera,
modern theatre or a good old-fashioned street
party – Adelaide has something for you. Venture
out of Adelaide and visit one of Australia’s most
famous wine producing regions, the Barossa
Valley. For further information visit
www.acta.com.au.

Brisbane
Brisbane – Queensland’s capital city – is a
modern and diverse subtropical metropolis with
a friendly and relaxed environment.
Charter a cruise on the Brisbane River or
take an exclusive guided tour of Fortitude
Valley’s designer shops.
A must-do is a gala dinner in an exclusive
area of Kangaroo Point. High atop sandstone
cliffs that are more than a million years
old, you’ll get to taste the culinary delights
of the state’s best chefs, while treating
yourself to the splendid view of the city
skyline. For further information visit
www.brisbanemarketing.com.au.

40 Best of Australia
Cairns
Located in Tropical North Queensland, Cairns
is a stepping stone to the World Heritage listed
Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
Cairns is located adjacent to the Great
Barrier Reef, providing easy access to take in
the sights of the world’s largest living organism.
Indulge in luxurious spas in Palm Cove – the
spa capital of Australia. Further north, an
aquatic atmosphere awaits visitors at Port
Douglas with the picturesque Four Mile Beach.
For further information visit
www.cairnsconventionbureau.com.
Canberra
Canberra is Australia’s political heart. Canberra
combines natural flora and fauna and a relaxed
lifestyle. No trip to Australia is complete
without visiting its architecturally acclaimed
Parliament House and National Museum and
the internationally envied Australian Institute
of Sport. In contrast to many cities, Canberra
has an abundance of native animals, which
can be seen in their natural habitat just minutes
from the city centre. An overnight visit grants
the opportunity to enjoy Canberra’s café
strips and a morning hot-air balloon ride over
the city’s central focus, Lake Burley Griffin.
For further information
www.canberraconvention.com.au.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is often described as
Australia’s playground. It is famous for its
endless white beaches, theme parks, shopping
and restaurants. Nestled between picturesque
mountain ranges and the warm blue waters of
the Pacific Ocean, the Gold Coast is a resort
city, offering a wide range of natural and man-
made attactions. Enjoy the dazzling nightlife,
cosmopolitan restaurants, and amazing
shopping opportunities. For golfers, the Gold
Coast is located close to some of Australia’s
top championship courses.
For further information visit www.verygc.biz.
Melbourne
Arts savvy, sports crazy, food-loving Melbourne
has it all; the sophistication of the ‘Most Livable
City’ fused with the excitement of ‘Australia’s
events capital’. Discover the city streets and
laneways chequered with boutique fashion, rich
café culture and vibrant nightlife.
Escape to the fringe of the city and delight
in breathtaking Victoria. Visit the Yarra Valley
for superb wine, The Great Ocean Road for
the natural wonder of The Twelve Apostles,
Mornington Peninsula or Phillip Island for the
renowned penguin parade.
For further information visit www.mcvb.com.au.
Northern Territory
Few places on earth have the ancient majesty
and diversity of the Northern Territory. From
the green, tropical north, to the awesome red
deserts, it never fails to evoke a sense of awe
for those who visit. The Northern Territory is
famous for the world-recognised Ayers Rock
(Uluru) in the heart of Australia and Kakadu,
the World Heritage listed National Park in the
top end of Australia. The Red Centre is home
to Alice Springs, a modern outback centre and
gateway to Kings Canyon and the stunning
MacDonnell Ranges.
For further information visit
www.ntconventions.com.au.
Perth
Perth is set on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
It is a vibrant modern city with graceful
boulevards, slick skyscrapers, kilometers
of beaches and an impossibly blue sky. Be
touched by nature in the World Heritage region
Shark Bay. Enjoy the wide variety of water
sports Australians love so much.
Visit the magnificent Margaret River wine
region; try your luck in the goldfield towns
of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. If gold’s not
your thing, head north to the pearling town
of Broome – gateway to the Kimberley – with
its tree lined streets, colonial homes and
spectacular coastline.
For further information visit
www.pcb.com.au.
Sunshine Coast
Blessed with a superb sub tropical climate,
clean sandy swimming beaches, warm clear
water and bounded by national parks and
pristine sub tropical rainforests, the Sunshine
Coast is one of Australia’s most naturally
beautiful regions. With abundant air and road
access it offers many international hotels and
resorts and is the destination of choice for
those seeking a true Australian experience.
Across the Sunshine Coast you will find
innovative wine and food, numerous health and
beauty spas, art galleries, designer boutiques
and quirky markets. There are more than 60
group activities including surfing, yachting,
deep sea fishing and skydiving, it is home to
the world famous Crocodile Hunter’s “Australia
Zoo” and is the gateway to World Heritage-
listed Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand
island. The Sunshine Coast also enjoys many
of Australia’s top ranked championship golf
courses and is the home of the Australian
PGA tournament. The Sunshine Coast is one
of Australia’s most exciting Business Events
destinations and provides a beautiful location
to meet and do business in a refreshing, natural
and unspoilt environment.
For further information visit www.sccb.net.au.
Best of Australia 41
Business Events in Australia

Sydney
Sydney is a colourful, cosmopolitan harbour
city with spectacular natural beauty and a
free-spirited outdoor lifestyle. Experience
Sydney Harbour – one of the world’s most
famous waterways – while sailing on a
yacht, luxury cruise or climbing its world
famous icon – the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Venture less than a few hours outside Sydney
and explore the majestic Blue Mountains,
or sample wines from one of Australia’s
premier wine regions – the Hunter Valley.
For further information visit www.scvb.com.au.

Tasmania
Tasmania is a medley of pristine wilderness,
grand convict-built architecture, fine wine
and food, creative arts and crafts, bustling
markets and leisurely historic towns. Delight
in the pleasures of Hobart or base yourself in
Launceston and wander along the wine trail of
the Tamar River. Visit the historic Port Arthur
penal settlement or experience nature in the
World Heritage listed Freycinet and Cradle
Mountain – Lake St Claire National Parks. Roam
the historic towns to the Heritage Highway or
the beautiful Huon Valley.
For further information visit
www.tasmaniaconventions.com.

42 Best of Australia
Townsville Venue Capacity Information:
Townsville, located in Tropical North Queensland,
is bordered by the Great Barrier Reef, tropical LOCATION FACILITY TYPE
islands and outback towns. Enjoy scuba diving
  Theatre Style Banquet Style Classroom Style
or snorkeling from the exclusive Orpheus Island
where you will be amazed by the Yongala ship Adelaide 7155 4500 2910
wreck and dive amongst the beautifully coloured
Alice Springs 1200 800 720
corals and sea creatures of the deep. Take a
cruise to Magnetic Island on board a luxury Brisbane 4000 2740 1209
catamaran, spend time jet skiing, sea-kayaking
or horse riding on the beautiful beaches. Cairns 5000 1300 730
For further information visit Canberra 3200 1800 1700
www.townsvilleonline.com.au.
Darwin 1000 400 300
Whitsundays Gold Coast 6021 2240 2106
The Whitsundays are a group of 74 tropical
islands, located in the heart of the Great Barrier Melbourne 2200 1940 1499
Reef off the north-east coast of Queensland. Perth 5200 3630 3545
Indulge in resort luxury amongst age-old national
parks and the protected waterways of the Coral Sunshine Coast 1280 800 650
Sea, home to the splendid Heart Reef and the
Sydney 3500 3500 800
sparkling sands of Whitehaven Beach.
Discover the kaleidoscope of colours and Tasmania 1600 1000 750
shapes of the corals as you dive into the blue
Townsville 5200 1000 980
of the Great Barrier Reef or sail across the calm
turquoise waters between the rugged green Whitsundays 1000 800 650
shapes of the islands.
For further information visit www. More information on these destinations, including image downloads, itineraries and more visit
whitsundaystourism.com. www.events.australia.com.

Best of Australia 43
 Events Australia
Events are a great way to experience the depth and variety of culture, landscapes
and products Australia has to offer. And Australians love to get involved. Here is just a
snapshot of the hundreds of events that will add to your experience in Australia. To find
out more about these and other exciting events in Australia, go to www.australia.com.

44 Best of Australia
So what’s happening?
Winter – (June–August)
Gold Coast Marathon July
Sweat, adrenaline and success.
Elite athletes and sports enthusiasts of all ages
and fitness levels pound along the course that
hugs the spectacular coastline.
The Lion Camel Cup – July
Camel Comedy
Alice Springs welcomes visitors who love to
laugh to the quirky, annual Camel Cup. Racing
camels can prove a nightmare for riders and
handlers but fantastic viewing for spectators.
Assa Abloy Henley-On-Todd Regatta August
Who needs water?
Held in Alice Springs, this regatta captures the
imagination as crews ‘sail’ boats on a waterless
Todd River.
Australian Safari August–September
Ultimate test of man and machine
An epic adventure for the lovers of cars, motor
bikes and quads. The nine-day safari crosses
about 5,500 kilometres of spectacular Western
Australian outback, taking you through gruelling
terrain from the tropics to the outback and on
to the sea.
Opera In The Outback October
Nature has the best seats in the house
Nature resonates with stirring performances of
operatic greats, classical hits and Broadway
memories. The event offers two different
musical programs, taking place on the edge of
the Undara Volcanic National Park.
Riverfestival Brisbane August–September
Waterways, heart of city celebrations
A celebration of a natural landmark, the
Brisbane River. Outdoor river venues host a
diverse program of art, environmental science
and sport. Highlights include River Symposium
and Riverfire.
Spring – (September–November)
Floriade September–October
Art in bloom
Canberra, our national capital, bursts into
colour with Floriade showcasing great Aussie
icons in an incredible, creative display of over
one million floral blooms.
Cricket Season – November–March
Howzat!!
With a spectacular program of international,
state, and local competition you will be sure to
find a game to enjoy at one of the many great
cricket grounds around Australia.
Red Bull Air Race – November
Aircraft spin and turn on edge
Watch the world’s most talented pilots compete
in a race based on speed, precision and skill as
they fly a daring, compact course in Perth’s sky.
A major festival inspired by the race features
the history of aircraft and much more.
Best of Australia 45
Events Australia

Melbourne Cup – November

The race that stops the nation
On the first Tuesday of November, the nation
stops to celebrate this major annual horse race.
Whether you are track-side in Melbourne, at a
pub in the middle of the Outback or lunching
at one of the many restaurants throughout
the country, the Melbourne Cup is an event
that everyone gets involved in and is a truly
Australian experience.

Mark Webber Pure Tasmania

Challenge – November
Pushing the Boundaries
A gruelling 6-day physical and mental adventure
race in aid of charity held in Tasmania,
Australia’s adventure capital. Participants range
from elite athletes to corporate teams, who
compete in some of Tasmania’s most remote
and stunning landscapes.

Summer – (December–February)
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race –
26 December–3 January
Yachties face the Great Southern Ocean
This gruelling 628-nauticalmile event is the

46 Best of Australia

legendary Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Thousands of people cheer the crews as they
leave the Harbour, and more welcome sailors
on arrival into Hobart. This race has captivated
Australians since 1945.
The Sydney Festival – January
Summer, music, performance and art
The Sydney Festival is a cultural celebration
of Sydney in Summer, presenting the best
performing and visual arts throughout the city.
Up to 100,000 music lovers delight in concerts
in the Domain. A mixture of free events
and ticketed shows ensures something for
everyone.
Australian Open – January
Stars contest Grand Slam title
The Australian Open brings the world’s hottest
players to Melbourne for two weeks of tennis
thrills. Join the vibrant atmosphere in and
around the city with matches broadcast on big
screens, in beer gardens and with live music.
Tamworth Country Music Festival – January
Pull on your boots, kick up your heels
You don’t have to love country music to have
a great time at the Tamworth Country Music
Festival. The atmosphere, the fringe festivals
and the visitor attractions keep everyone
entertained.
Tour Down Under - January
Elite cyclists dazzle thrilled crowds
Cycling superstars compete in a six-day race
travelling the city streets of Adelaide and
picturesque South Australia.
Australia Day - 26 January
Celebrate what’s great about Australia
Whether you choose to make a splash at the
beach, sizzle a sausage on a BBQ, enter a
lamington eating competition, or play cricket
in the park, Australia Day brings everyone
together and is a great way to get out and enjoy
the great Aussie summer!
Tropfest – February
Outdoor cinema comes alive through
Australian film
Now the world’s largest short film festival,
Tropfest showcases the works of Australia’s
emerging filmmaking talent at free public
outdoor venues across Australia.
Autumn – (March - May)
AFL Season – March to September
Muscle and might make AFL legends
For a fair dinkum Aussie experience go to
an Australian Football League (AFL) game.
A favourite sport amongst Australians, AFL
attracts huge crowds of vocal, animated and
loyal supporters.
The Canberra Balloon Fiesta – April
Magic mix of hot air and colour
A sea of hot air balloons lift into the skies each
day from Old Parliament House and float over
Canberra’s iconic national attractions. Whether
you watch from the ground or take to the sky,
you are sure to be impressed.
Alice Springs Cup Carnival – April - May
Dusty track to dinner and dancing
Hooves hammer around the dusty track and the
race caller sings the winner’s name to the roar
of a happy crowd. Four unique race days are
packed into a three-week program in the heart
of Central Australia.
ANZAC Day – 25 April
Lest We Forget
On ANZAC Day, we remember young lives lost
and honour those Australians who have served
our country. In small communities, towns
and cities people rise early for sombre dawn
services. Then, in a time-honoured celebration
of mateship, it’s time for a well-earned beer and
a game of two-up.
Best of Australia 47
 Wine Australia
Wine Australia

Wine Australia is the platform that the Australian Wine and

Brandy Corporation (AWBC) use to represent Australian
wines around the world.   

Australia has about 2,000 wine companies wines that carry the flag for us in Australia and
and is the world’s fifth largest wine producing in international markets.  This is where the
country (behind France, Italy, Spain and the story began for Australian producers selling to
USA). Surprisingly Australia is the fourth largest the world, and where the journey often begins
exporter – approximately one billion bottles of for consumers newly introduced to wine and
wine per year – and is enjoyed in more than 100 keen to find out about what the best New
countries around the world. World wines have to offer.  There are hundreds
Australian wine can be enjoyed at all levels – of wines to choose from and a great diversity
from everyday informality (Brand Champions) of styles drawn from across Australian wine
to aspiration and excellence (Landmark regions. The common theme, though, is the
Australia).  To help explain the diversity of wines guarantee of quality, accessibility, affordability
from Australia we have created a framework and enjoyment.
from which to explore and enjoy Australian Generation Next: new wine styles and
wines for every occasion.  blends created with traditional expertise and a
The framework is as follows:  touch of flair. You will find brands, brand names,
Brand Champions: ambitious but accessible packaging, marketing ideas and education

48 Best of Australia

programs that are modern, make a statement
and represent the wine maker’s values and
the consumer’s.  These are wines that you will
find in your bottle shops, supermarkets and
restaurants, and you will talk about wherever
you choose to drink them.
Regional Heroes: Wines from somewhere
rather than wines from anywhere.  These are
wines and producers that have blazed a trail for
their region’s profile with varietal choice and/or
style dictated by who made them, where they
were made, and why. When consumers buy
within this category – whether from specialist
or independent retail chains, in restaurants
where wine and food go hand in hand, or
via online dealings with a chosen producer
– they will be beginning a new journey of wine
exploration.   The ultimate invitation, of course,
is to make the journey to experience the wine,
history and heritage – to try a Barossa Shiraz in
the Barossa Valley or drive south of Perth for a
Margaret River Cabernet.
Landmark Australia: The name says it
all. Landmark Australia reflects the Australian
fine wine dimension – the ultra-premium
collectables that are known and respected
around the world.  Landmark Australia is by
definition neither inclusive nor self-selecting
– it is the recognition of some of the leading
wines from Australian estates that have
harnessed either awards and/or recognition
for outstanding excellence in wine style,
pedigree and quality. Collectable, renowned
‘conversation’ wines that compare with the
very best in the world. These are the Australian
wines to which we all aspire. They are not
necessarily old wines, but they are wines with
a story to tell that reflect an uncompromising
pursuit of viticultural and winemaking
excellence. This framework highlights the
diversity of Australian wines and the supportive
relationship between accessibility, added
interest, innovation and the ultimate pursuit of
wine quality. 
What does it mean when I see the Wine
Australia logo on a bottle of wine?
Quality: samples of each and every wine
exported are examined by an
expert panel to ensure quality
standards are always maintained
Integrity: Australia offers a unique label
integrity program that ensures
vintage, variety and region are all
truthfully identified on the label
Diversity: there are over 60 designated wine
regions, over 100 wine grape
varieties and more than 2000
wineries in Australia
Authenticity: Australia boasts the world’s oldest
soil types and a diverse range of
original plant material including
pre-phylloxera Shiraz vines
Innovation: always at the forefront of research
on oenology, viticulture and
marketing, producing 25% of the
worlds technical papers on wine
Ambition:  the restless pursuit of excellence
in grape growing and winemaking
Relevance: consumer led and customer
driven, winemakers who
understand marketing as well
as winemaking
Excellence: an established and constantly
evolving wine show system
that seeks to recognise and
acknowledge excellence and
stylistic diversity
Inclusive: wines that range from award
winning popular premium brands
to landmark image makers.
Best of Australia 49
 Sydney, Australia
Sydney

Sydney is the perfect place to mix business with pleasure. This world-class
city buzzes with the extroverted energy of a city that means business - yet
this is combined with a sizeable helping of laidback good humour.

50 Best of Australia
Set on the shores of one of the world’s most
photogenic harbours, Sydney is home to
Australia’s two most famous icons - the
Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Sydney
has a tremendous array of business venues and
accommodation at your disposal. As a business
visitor to Sydney, you have the opportunity to
host a gala event at the Opera House, or host
a ‘dine-around’ dinner at a number of Sydney’s
harbourside restaurants.
By day, there are thousands of top class
shops and attractions awaiting you. And by
night, the city shines with vibrant electricity,
with restaurants, bars, and nightclubs
springing to life. When it comes time to
relax by the water, Sydney has everything
you need. Want to build some team spirit
with a game of beach volleyball or an
ironman challenge? Or maybe you would
prefer to take a trip out on a catamaran
or a yacht? Sydney can offer anything a
business visitor could possibly desire.
Sydney is the most populous city in
Australia, with a metropolitan area population of
approximately 4.12 million. It is the state capital
of New South Wales, and is the site of the first
European colony in Australia, established in
1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, leader of
the First Fleet from Britain. A resident of the city
is referred to as a Sydneysider.
Located on Australia’s south-east coast,
the city is built around Port Jackson, which
includes Sydney Harbour, leading to the city’s
nickname, “the Harbour City”. It is Australia’s
largest financial centre and is home to the
Australian Securities Exchange. Sydney’s
leading economic sectors include property and
business services, manufacturing, tourism,
media, health and community services.
The metropolitan area is surrounded by
national parks, and contains many bays, rivers
and inlets. It has been recognised as a beta
world city by the Loughborough University
group’s 1999 inventory. The city has played
host to numerous international sporting,
political and cultural events, including the 1938
British Empire Games, 2000 Summer Olympics
and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. In September
2007, the city hosted the leaders of the 21
APEC economies for APEC Australia 2007,
Best of Australia 51
 and in July 2008 will host World Youth Day
2008. Sydney is in a coastal basin bordered
by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue
Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River
to the north and the Royal National Park to the
south. Sydney lies on a submergent coastline,
where the ocean level has risen to flood deep
river valleys (ria) carved in the Hawkesbury
sandstone. One of these drowned valleys, Port
Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is
the largest natural harbour in the world. There
are more than 70 harbour and ocean beaches,
including the famous Bondi Beach, in the urban
area. Sydney’s urban area covers 1687 square
52 Best of Australia
kilometres (651 mi²) as at 2001. The Sydney
Statistical Division, used for census data, is
the unofficial metropolitan area and covers
12,145 square kilometres (4,689 mi²). This area
includes the Central Coast and Blue Mountains
as well as broad swathes of national park and
other unurbanised land.
Geographically, Sydney sprawls over
two major regions: the Cumberland Plain, a
relatively flat region lying to the south and
west of the harbour, and the Hornsby Plateau,
a sandstone plateau lying mainly to the north
of the harbour, dissected by steep valleys.
The oldest parts of the city are located in
the flat areas south of the harbour; the North
Shore was slower to develop because of
its hilly topography, and was mostly a quiet
backwater until the Sydney Harbour Bridge
was opened in 1932, linking it to the rest of
the city. Sydney has an temperate climate with
warm summers and mild winters, with rainfall
spread throughout the year. The weather is
moderated by proximity to the ocean, and
more extreme temperatures are recorded in the
inland western suburbs. The warmest month
is January, with an average air temperature
range at Observatory Hill of 18.6°C – 25.8°C
and an average of 14.6 days a year over 30°C.
The maximum recorded temperature was
45.3°C on 14 January 1939 at the end of a 4
day nationwide heat wave. The winter is mildly
cool, with temperatures rarely dropping below
5°C in coastal areas. The coldest month is July,
with an average range of 8.0°C – 16.2°C. The
lowest recorded minimum was 2.1°C. Rainfall
is fairly evenly divided between summer and
winter, but is slightly higher during the first half
of the year, when easterly winds dominate. The
average annual rainfall, with moderate to low
variability, is 1217.0 millimetres (47.9 in), falling
on an average 138.0 days a year. Snowfall last
occurred in the Sydney City area in the 1830s.
Sydney is a modern, prosperous city with the
highest median household income of any major
city in Australia (US$43,171 PPP). The largest
economic sectors in Sydney, measured by
numbers of people employed, include property
and business services, retail, manufacturing,
and health and community services. Since the
1980s, jobs have moved from manufacturing to
the services and information sectors. Sydney
provides approximately 25 per cent of the
country’s total GDP.

Best of Australia 53
 The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
Travel, Tour and Leisure

Over the past 63 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of
Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events
as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Davis Cup tennis and the cricket tests
between Australia and England.

54 Best of Australia
No yachting event in the world attracts such
huge media coverage – except, of course,
the America’s Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race
– than does the start on Sydney Harbour.  And
the others only happen every four or five years.
Over those years, the Rolex Sydney
Hobart and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
have had marked influence on international
ocean yacht racing. The club has influenced
the world in race communications and sea
safety, maintaining the highest standards of
yacht construction, rigging and stability for
ocean racing yachts.  The club’s members have
also fared well in major ocean racing events
overseas, with victories in the Admiral’s Cup,
Kenwood Cup, One Ton Cup, the Fastnet Race
and the BOC Challenge solo race around the
word, not to mention the America’s Cup.
As the then Governor of Tasmania, Sir Guy
Green, observed at the prize giving for the 2001
race, it is indeed an egalitarian event, attracting
yachts as small as 30-footers and as big as
98-footers, sailed by crews who range from
weekend club sailors to professionals from the
America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race circuits.
In the earliest years of the Sydney Hobart
Race all the yachts were built from timber
- heavy displacement cutters, sloops,
yawls, schooners and ketches designed more
for cruising than racing.
The increasing popularity of the 628 nautical
Christmas-New Year sail south to Hobart
quickly began to attract new designs and
innovative ideas in boat-building, sails and rigs,
dacron sails and aluminium masts and in the
early 1950s, the first boats built of GRP (glass
reinforced plastic) or fibreglass as is the more
common phrase.  Then came aluminium, steel
(mostly home-built) and even one maxi yacht
built of ferro cement.
Innovative Australian yacht designers
such as the Halvorsen brothers, Trygve
and Magnus, and the late Allan Payne and
Bob Miller (Ben Lexcen) produced faster
boats and the race was on to create line
and overall handicap winners. Prof. Peter
Joubert, a part-time designer of stout
cruiser/racers, and John King were other
Australians who produced winning boats.
Following in their wake are currently
successful designers such as Iain Murray
and his partners, Andy Dovell and Ian “Fresh”
Burns, along with Scott Jutson, David Lyons
and Robert Hick.
New Zealander Bruce Farr, now based
on the US, led the move towards light
Best of Australia 55
Travel, Tour and Leisure
displacement yachts and is by far the most
successful designer of Rolex Sydney Hobart
Yacht Race overall winners under different
international handicap systems, first IOR
(International Offshore Rule), then IMS
(International Measurement System), and
now IRC.
The space age has had a significant spin-
off for yacht racing, first in the America’s Cup
and then in the design and construction of
ocean racing yachts, introducing composite
construction of boat hulls, using Kevlar and
other manmade fibres in moulding the hulls in
high-tech ovens.
In the past few years carbon fibre has been
used successfully to build yacht hulls, masts
and spars and in the construction of working
sails (mainsails and genoas/jibs). The double
line honours winner Wild Oats XI is the latest
example of almost total use of carbon fibre in
its hull, mast, boom and working sails.
The fleet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart
Yacht Race is virtually all sloops (mainsail
56 Best of Australia
and one foresail genoa or jibs) but several
of the maxi yachts with a big fore-triangle
(between the foredeck, the forestay and the
mast) are successfully using two headsails
on close reaching races, theoretically making
them cutters. Fleets range in size from the 30
foot Maluka, the 1932 built gaff rigged timber
boat, through to the one-design Sydney 38s
including Another Challenge, Challenge and
Star Dean Willcocks, then the grand prix IRC
boats in the 45 to 60-foot group, including the
two new Reichel/Pugh boats, Yendys and Loki,
the Cookson 50s Quantum Racing and Living
Doll and the TP52 Wot Yot which was joined
by sistership Ragamuffin, Syd Fischer’s latest
yacht of that name, for the 2007 race.
Then there are regulars, the club cruiser/
racers that sail in the race almost every
year.  The Rum Consortium’s Phillip’s Foote
Witchdoctor is preparing for its 27th race south
after breaking the record for the most races
undertaken by a yacht in the 2006 race.  hundreds of spectator craft and hundreds
John Walker’s Impeccable is lining up for
its 25th Rolex Sydney Hobart this year, Polaris
of Belmont for its 24th and Margaret Rintoul
II, which made its Rolex Sydney Hobart
comeback under new owner Mike Freebairn
following a nine year absence.
The 628 nautical mile course is often
described as the most grueling long
ocean race in the world, a challenge
to everyone who takes part.
From the spectacular start in Sydney
Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman
Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland
Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides
the mainland from the island State of
Tasmania), then down the east coast of
Tasmania.  At Tasman Island the fleet turns right
into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent
River to the historic port city of Hobart.
People who sail the race often say the
first and last days are the most exciting. The
race start on Sydney Harbour attracts
of thousands of people lining the shore
as helicopters buzz above the fleet, filming for
TV around the world.The final day at sea is
exciting with crews fighting to beat their rivals
but also looking forward to the traditional
Hobart welcome, and having a drink to
relax and celebrate their experience.
Between the first and last days the fleet sails
past some of the most beautiful landscape
and sea scapes found anywhere in the world.
The New South Wales coast is a mixture
of sparkling beaches, coastal townships and
small fishing villages, although for most of
the race south the yachts can be anywhere
between the coastline and 40 miles offshore.
During the race, many boats are within
sight of each other and crews listen closely
to the information from the twice-daily radio
position schedules (“skeds” as they are called).
In more recent years, crews have been able
to pin point the entire fleet’s whereabouts and
follow each boat’s progress against their own
using on board computers and Yacht Tracker
on the official race website.
Bass Strait (nicknamed the ‘paddock) has
a dangerous personality. It can be dead calm
or spectacularly grand. The water is relatively
shallow and the winds can be strong, these two
elements often coming to create a steep and
difficult sea for yachts.
The third leg after the ‘paddock’ - down
the east coast of Tasmania takes the fleet
past coastal holiday resorts and fishing
ports with towering mountains in the
background. Approaching Tasman Island, the
coastline comprises massive cliffs, sometimes
shrouded in fog.  meet the weary crews with open arms and
The winds are often fickle and can vary in
strength and direction within a few miles. Sailing
becomes very tactical.
After turning right at Tasman Island, sailors
often think the race is near completed, but at
this point there is still 40 miles of often hard
sailing to go. Yachts can be left behind in the
maze of currents and wind frustrations. Even
when they round the Iron Pot, a tiny island
that was once a whaling station, there is still
a further 11 miles up the broad reaches of the
Derwent River to the finish line off Hobart’s
historic Battery Point, with Mount Wellington
towering over the city.
No matter the time of day or night, the first
yacht to finish receives an escort of official,
spectator and media boats as it sails towards
the finish line.
Hundreds of people crowd the foreshores
of Sullivans Cove to cheer the yachts and
their crews while volunteers from the finishing
club, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania,
famous Tasmanian hospitality, and escort
them to their berth in the Kings Pier marina. It’s
an event that Tasmanians love to host in the
middle of Hobart’s Taste of Tasmania Festival.
Then it’s time to celebrate or
commiserate, swap yarns about the race
with other crews over a few beers in Hobart’s
famous waterfront pubs such as the Customs
House Hotel or the Rolex Sydney Hobart
Dockside Bar.
Best of Australia 57
 Sydney Opera House
Travel, Tour and Leisure

Sydney Opera House is Australia’s pre-eminent centre for excellence in live

performing arts. It is one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world, staging
over 1,500 performances annually and welcoming over 4.5 million visitors each year.

58 Best of Australia
Home to some of Australia’s premier
performing arts companies such as
Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia and
the Australian Ballet, Sydney Opera House
presents a diverse range of performances
from some of the world’s best artists as well
as showcasing up-and-coming talent.
In June 2007, Sydney Opera House was
formally recognised as one of the most
outstanding places on Earth with its inclusion
on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is now listed alongside other
universally treasured places such as
the Taj Mahal, the ancient Pyramids of
Egypt and the Great Wall of China.
In addition to presenting the very best in
performing arts, Sydney Opera House also
offers visitors a range of unique experiences,
such as High Tea at Sydney Opera House.
An afternoon of decadence which leaves
guests breathless, High Tea at Sydney Opera
House features sublime food from Michelin
trained culinary maestro Guillaume Brahimi and
an exhilarating performance, close up and live,
by some of the world’s finest opera singers
High Tea at Sydney Opera House
has quickly established itself as one
of Sydney’s hottest tickets, offering a
fresh perspective on the concept and
adding that special Sydney Opera House
magic, the thrill of live performance.
For those visitors wishing to delve a little
deeper into the workings of Sydney Opera
House, the Backstage Tour is just the ticket.
How about following in the footsteps of
superstars such as Dame Joan Sutherland
and Pavarotti by singing on the stage of
the world-famous Concert Hall, or striding
into the Opera Theatre orchestra pit before
stepping up onto the conductor’s podium?
The Backstage Tour offers all of the above
and much more, conducted by experienced
guides who share some of the secrets
of the House and stories of the real-life
dramas that happen behind the curtain.
The newest addition to the range of visitor
experiences is The Essential Tour. For the
first time ever, visitors can now see as well
as hear the dramatic story of the building
Featuring previously unseen video
footage from the House archives, with
narration by Golden Globe winner Rachel
Griffiths, The Essential Tour uses the
latest audio-visual technology to give
visitors a compelling experience.
Video sequences are shown at points
of interest, using the building itself as a
storytelling canvas. The sequences are
delivered in ways which respect the building’s
world heritage values using methods such
as the projection of footage directly onto the
interior fabric of the building. The Essential
Tour takes visitors on a journey celebrating
the creative genius of architect Jørn Utzon,
telling the story of a building which came into
existence against seemingly impossible odds.
Tours of the building are also conducted in
Japanese, Korean and Mandarin languages.
For more information on upcoming
performances and to booking tickets contact :
Tel: +61 2 9250 7777 or visit our website.
www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Best of Australia 59
 Sydney Aquarium
Travel, Tour and Leisure

Walk underwater at Sydney’s

#1 attraction!
Nowhere else will you find a larger collection of Australian
aquatic life with over 12,000 marine animals!

60 Best of Australia
Take a journey through one of the most
spectacular aquariums in the world, exploring
Australia’s rich and diverse waterways, marine
ecosystems and unique aquatic environments.
Walk underwater and come face to face
with dozens of sharks of many different
species – some over 3.5 metres long and
weighing 300kg! Marvel at the majestic giant
rays as they pass overhead; confront Nancy
our ferocious three metre saltwater crocodile;
and be entertained and amazed by the
secretive platypus and adorable penguins.
The world’s first all-natural Seal Sanctuary
at Sydney Aquarium allows you to get
closer than ever before. Walk through the
underwater tunnels to see playful seals
racing through the water at full speed or
just frolicking around. The exhibit features
a two million litre tank where the water is
pumped and filtered directly from Sydney
Harbour creating a natural environment
for the seals to live in, with live feeds
daily to enthrall and entertain you.
Sydney Aquarium is also home to the
largest Great Barrier Reef exhibit in the world.
Visit the home of Nemo and see clown fish
dart amongst the wavering tentacles of an
anemone, as well as stunningly beautiful hard
and soft corals. And our interactive touch
pools let you get truly up close, just like being
at Sydney’s sea-side rock pools.
Plus, jump on our interactive website www.
sydneyaquarium.com.au and find all the
latest information and fun facts on everything
aquatic. The website provides hours of
entertainment.
Read about the exciting work of the
Sydney Aquarium Conservation Foundation
which is helping to save and protect
Australia’s oceans and rivers. Check out the
exciting web cams, take a virtual tour, win
prizes in our monthly competitions, adopt a
virtual pet and have hours of fun challenging
your friends playing the online games!
Featuring 60 tanks and three oceanariums
holding approximately five million litres of
water, as well as 160 metres of underwater
tunnels, Sydney Aquarium is an ideal all-
weather venue conveniently located at
Sydney’s Darling Harbour and is open until
late every day, including Christmas Day.
For more information contact:
Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour
Sydney, Australia
Tel: (+61 2) 8251 7800
Open every day from 9am to 10pm
www.sydneyaquarium.com.au
Best of Australia 61
 Sydney Tower
Travel, Tour and Leisure
Sydney’s best views are just the beginning…
Standing head and shoulders above the heart
of the city, Sydney Tower is one of the first
landmarks that visitors spot when approaching
Sydney – by sea, air or land.
An icon on the city skyline for more than 25
years, the striking Sydney Tower takes you to
the highest point above Sydney for breathtaking
360-degree views of the city, from its sparkling
harbour, to its world famous Harbour Bridge
and Opera House, and Bondi and Manly
beaches on the coastline.
Soaring 250 metres above the city streets,
the Tower’s Observation Deck is one of the
highest in the southern hemisphere and offers
an extraordinary panoramic viewing experience.
62 Best of Australia
Before the Tower was built, the maximum
allowable height of a Sydney building was only
279m to allow for the harbour’s flying boats that
were popular before the modern jet era.
Sydney Tower now sets the height for
construction in the city at a maximum of
305 metres.
In a true engineering feat, Sydney Tower’s
turret was assembled around the bottom of the
shaft then lifted hydraulically by 24 100-tonne
jacks at the rate of nine metres a week until it
reached its final position.
On a clear day, visitors can enjoy
unsurpassed views of up to 85km to the Blue
Mountains in the west, the Central Coast
in the north and the South Coast. Visitors’
Observation Deck experience also includes
OzTrek, one of the largest motion theatre
rides in the Southern Hemisphere, offering an
amazing magic carpet ride across Australia’s
cultural history and geography.
Fun for the young and the young-at-heart,
this virtual Australian tour includes OzTrek’s
surround-sound technology, 3D holographic
imagery, 180-degree cinema screens & heart-
stopping real-motion seating.
Soar above Sydney’s icons, glide effortlessly
over the Bridge, Opera House and the warm
sands of Bondi beach; feel the exhilaration of
white water rafting down a tropical Queensland

river; and get up close to the jaws of a huge
saltwater crocodile!
Those with a sense of adventure
will enjoy the Tower’s “top” attraction,
Sydney Skywalk, which offers unbeatable,
uninterrupted views from the outside of
the Tower’s distinctive gold turret.
Located a breathtaking 260 metres
above the city – more than double the
height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
– Skywalk is a multi-sensory experience,
that takes thrillseekers outside their
comfort zones and into the open air.
Skywalkers can feel the high-altitude
airflows and the Sydney sunshine on their
faces, or the cool evening breeze above the
shimmering city at night. Walking along two
levels of steel walkways and two viewing
platforms, Skywalkers venture onto the moving,
glass-floored platform that extends out over the
edge, to view the glittering city beneath their
feet - literally.
Skywalk is made up of 2132 metres of steel
held together by 2188 nuts and 2188 bolts, with
each section up to two metres in length so it
would fit inside the Tower’s lifts for the long trip
to the top for assembling.
Dressed in special Skysuits and
wearing safety harnesses throughout their
experience, Skywalkers are accompanied
by expert guides who provide colourful
insights into Sydney’s rich history.
Since Skywalk opened in 2005, tens of
thousands of visitors have dared to take
the challenge and hang out on the horizon.
Meanwhile hundreds of thousands visit the
Observation Deck each year, making it one of
Sydney’s most popular attractions. More than
17 million people have visited Sydney Tower
since it opened in 1981 – that’s more than four
times the population of Sydney!
Sydney Tower
Centrepoint Podium Level, 100 Market Street
Sydney. Sydney Tower + OzTrek bookings
Open daily: 9.00am to 10.30pm (Saturdays to
11.30pm) Tel: (+612) 9333 9222 or book online
24 hours.
Sydney Skywalk bookings
Open daily 9am to 8.45pm (last Skywalk
departs 7.30pm) subject to seasonal variations
Tel: (+612) 9333 9200 or book online 24 hours.
www.sydneytoweroztrek.com.au
www.sydneyskywalk.com.au
Best of Australia 63
 Sydney Wildlife World
Travel, Tour and Leisure

Australia’s wildest new flora

and fauna experience!
Walk through a whole new world and enjoy an authentic Australian wildlife
experience, right in the heart of Darling Harbour, with Sydney Wildlife World,
Australia’s wildest new attraction.

64 Best of Australia
Home to the spooky, the spiny and the scary,
explore 3 levels, 9 habitats and over 65 exhibits,
featuring the largest variety of Australian plants
and animals under one roof. Sydney Wildlife
World is home to over 100 different species,
representing animals from all across Australia.
Experience a real Australian adventure,
without having to travel all around the country,
by taking a journey through a tropical rainforest
surrounded by hundreds of colourful butterflies,
or walk amongst the Agile and Tammar
Wallabies in our iconic red centre.
Meet the most dangerous bird in the world,
the Southern Cassowary, and explore Flight
Canyon and discover which birds live within
the heights of a forest canopy and the amazing
calling sounds they make.
Don’t miss your chance to get up close and
personal, and have your photo taken with, one
of Australia’s cutest national icons, the Koala.
Shudder at the sight of the most venomous
snakes in the world, touch the scales and tails
of our unique reptiles, and adjust your eyes and
find out what the possums and quolls get up to
after dark in our Nocturnal house.
Make sure you don’t miss out on daily
feeding time for the animals and our live bird
training demonstrations and reptile shows!
Don’t miss your chance to step into a world
that’s totally wild, and allow yourself to be
completely immersed within Sydney Wildlife
World.
It’s all there, and all so close.

For more information contact:

Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour,
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 02 9333 9288
Open every day from 9am to 10pm.

www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au

Best of Australia 65
 BridgeClimb, Sydney
Travel, Tour and Leisure

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the worlds largest (but not

longest) steel arch bridge and, in its beautiful harbour location,
has become a renowned international symbol of Australia.

In 1989 BridgeClimb’s Founder and Chairman,
Paul Cave, was involved in organising a climb
over the arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as
part of an international business convention.
It was such a success that the dream of
making climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge
a possibility for all was born. In October 1998
BridgeClimb Sydney first opened its doors and
unlocked the secret of scaling this awesome
structure. BridgeClimb provides the opportunity
to learn about the secrets of this amazing
structure and the influential position that the
Bridge holds in Sydney’s past, present and
future. Small groups are taken to the summit of
the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134 metres (440ft)
above sea level.
The experience offers Climbers an
unforgettable 3 ½ hour journey with the chance
to walk over catwalks and climb ladders and
stairs while trained Climb Leaders provide a full
commentary on the history of Sydney and its
Harbour Bridge.
There are now two unique ways to
climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge with
BridgeClimb. Climbers can choose
between ‘The Bridge Climb’ and their
newest experience, ‘The Discovery
Climb’, the ultimate bridge adventure.
‘The Bridge Climb’ is an unforgettable
experience that takes you along catwalks,
up ladders, and steadily to the summit of
the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Climbers will experience the satisfaction of

66 Best of Australia
conquering the top of the Bridge while taking
in the spectacular 360° views of Sydney and
its beautiful harbour.
‘The Discovery Climb’ is a new adventure
that takes Climbers through the heart and
workings of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
On this journey to the Bridge’s summit,
Climbers wind around structural elements
and climb upon staircases that connect
the two arches of the Bridge. Climbers
will also have opportunities to touch
and feel the Bridge whilst admiring the
views of Sydney and its surrounds.
Whether they choose ‘The Bridge Climb’
or ‘The Discovery Climb’, all Climbers reach
the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and are sure to have the Climb of their Life!
Climbs are available at Dawn, Day,
Twilight or at Night, and depart at 10 minute
intervals seven days a week 363 days a year.
Whether it is watching as the city wakes up,
capturing the hustle and bustle of a typical
Sydney day, taking in the romance of twilight
or the city at night, BridgeClimb Sydney
offers unique and intimate experiences that
Climbers will never forget.
The experience will captivate
Climbers from beginning to end
and leave memories that will stay in
their hearts and minds forever.
www.bridgeclimb.com
Best of Australia 67
 The Perfect Travel Group
Travel Tour and Leisure

Somewhere around the world right now someone is

scoring The Perfect Wave! It could be off a surf boat in
the Mentawais, an isolated island reef break in Samoa,
a perfect point break in South Africa or riding a long
board on a beach break in Hawaii.

68 Best of Australia
Somewhere around the world right now
someone is scoring The Perfect Wave! It
could be off a surf boat in the Mentawais,
an isolated island reef break in Samoa, a
perfect point break in South Africa or riding
a long board on a beach break in Hawaii.
Somewhere else in the world someone
is knee deep in The Perfect Snow! It could
be Heli Skiing in Alaska, a back county bowl
in the European Alps, an off-piste shute in
the Canadian Rockies or a deep powder
run in Japan. Whether you are someone
who is just learning or someone who is
already addicted, whatever your perfect
adventure is - we can get you there.
The Perfect Travel Group is a specialised
travel company with a simple philosophy “to
send travellers to the four corners of the globe
to experience their ultimate surf or ski holiday.”
From luxury launches in the Maldives, to
chalets in the Swiss Alps, we will get you there.
With a combination of 30 years travel
experience, the three directors John O’Reilly,
Jamie Gray and Rhonda Burton have “been
there and done that”, and are still doing it today.
Our Pledge: We spend every
day meticulously researching and
gathering information to ensure that
you get the best total experience.
By visiting the destinations we sell, we can
make sure every operator has the same focus
on customer service, safety and of course the
same lust for life as we do. From your very
first contact with “The Perfect Travel Group”
and all the way through to the moment you
arrive home, we will take care of every detail
with professional service and trustworthy
diligence. We welcome any feedback you
have to offer, as it can only make us an even
better company. If we don’t have a location you
want to visit, we will find it for you and tailor
a trip to your own personal specifications.
Our fully licensed, Australian owned,
accredited and financially secure operation
protects you and your money to ensure you get
the trip of a lifetime. We know once you book
that first trip, you’ll be back again and again…
The Perfect Travel Group will take you
to some of the most spectacular places on
earth to surf and ski places you’ve only ever
dreamed of… why not live the dream!
The Perfect Travel Group, trading
as “The Perfect Wave” Surf Travel and
“The Perfect Snow” Snow Travel.
For more information contact:
Unit 38/42, Wattle Road
Brookvale NSW 2100, Australia
Tel: 1300 00wave / 1300 00snow
Tel: +61 2 9939 0890
Fax: +61 2 9939 8390
www.theperfectwave.com.au
www.theperfectsnow.com.au
Best of Australia 69
Chapter 2
Hotels
 Imaginative. Iconic. Illuminated.
Hotels
INSPIRED.
The Hilton Sydney has been redesigned from the ground up to
once again tower as a fond Sydney landmark and the premier
venue for food, wine, conferences, events and a guest room
experience unlike any other.
The first “big event” hotel in Sydney - earning
an enviable reputation in the Asia-Pacific for
quality service, entertainment and hospitality
- offers a truly inspired experience with
magnificent views and convenient access to
Sydney’s favourite destinations.
Cradled in the heart of the Sydney CBD,
the Hilton Sydney is located opposite the
Queen Victoria Building, close to shopping,
entertainment and business and is directly
connected with Darling Harbour on the unique
Monorail system.
After a dramatic 30 months and A$200
million rooftop to basement reconstruction in
72 Best of Australia
2005, Hilton Sydney delivers stunning facilities
for the convention market, together with 577
beautifully refurbished rooms, reaffirming
Hilton’s position as Sydney’s premier venue
for meetings, conferences, conventions,
exhibitions and gala events. Hilton Sydney
houses a ballroom seating 1200 guests, 23
meeting rooms with moveable walls and an
exhibition floor that can house more than
100 booths.
Sleek, contemporary and innovative
restaurants and bars designed by celebrated
New Yorker, Tony Chi create a new dining
experience. glass brasserie has been designed
with a modernistic approach by creating a
classic French Brassiere with an Aussie twist.
Overlooking the bustling Sydney streetscape,
and displaying a combination of world-class
food and superb wine, there is no need to
leave the hotel to have a great time.
Since its red carpet re-opening in mid-
2005, Hilton Sydney has certainly earned its
reputation as the city’s most popular celebrity
hotel for events, rest and play. A celebrity in
his own right, restaurateur Luke Mangan and
his culinary expertise have attracted a bevy
of famous faces, among them Nicky Hilton,
Kimberly Stewart, Michael Parkinson, Ricky
Ponting, Sir Richard Branson, and Soccer
superstar Harry Kewell the day after the historic
world cup qualifier.
Hot colours and cool drinks give Zeta Bar an
undeniable edge, making it a nightspot perfect
for sipping a cocktail or simply relaxing on the
outdoor terrace, and Marble Bar remains one
of Sydney’s most loved bars and a haven of
Victorian excess.
Hilton Sydney also provides a huge, fully-
equipped, award-winning Living Well Premier
Health Club. The club includes a 25m indoor
pool, cardiovascular gymnasium equipped with
the latest interactive equipment, and a free
weights area. In addition, there are two group
fitness studios, four saunas, steam rooms and
a large spa pool and pampering treatments
from The Sensory, LivingWell’s beauty concept.
Fully refurbished rooms include bathrooms
with frosted glass and a sliding partition that
creates a light-box effect, as well as furnishings
that deliver both comfort and individuality.
Our much-talked about Relaxation Rooms
and Suites with distinct Bathroom, Work and
Relaxation zones represent the absolute zenith
of indulgence and offer special features such
as a spa bath and plasma screen TV, both
perfect for a little unwinding.
Awards
• Rated in the Top Three Hotels in NSW
HotelClub Hotel Awards, 2007
• Rated in the Top Three Hotels
overall in Oceania
HotelClub Hotel Awards 2007
• Bar of the Year – Zeta
HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation
Excellence, 2007
• Best Hi-Tech Hotel
HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation
Excellence, 2007
• Health Club Facilities of the Year
LivingWell Premier Health Club
Australian Hotels Association, 2007
• Rated in the Top Five for Best
Australian Hotel
Luxury Travel and Style Magazine Gold
List, 2007
• Best Commercial Exterior - Johnson
Pilton Walker Pty Ltd for The Hilton
Sydney
Australian Stone Architectural Award,
2006
• RAIA National Award for Commecial
Buildings - Johnson Pilton Walker Pty Ltd
for The Hilton Sydney
Royal Australian Institute of Architects
National Architecture Awards, 2006
• Best Hotel Restaurant – glass
National AHA Awards, 2006
• Best Bar Presentation and Service
– Zeta
National AHA Awards, 2006
• Best Re-Developed Hotel
National AHA Awards, 2006
• Best New Hotel
National HM Awards for Hotel and
Accommodation Excellence, 2006
• Best Hi-Tech Hotel
National HM Awards for Hotel and
Accommodation Excellence, 2006
• Cocktail list of the Year - Zeta
6th Annual Bar Awards, 2006
• Re-Developed Hotel of the Year
Australian Hotels Association, 2006
• Restaurant of the Year – glass
Australian Hotels Association, 2006 For more information contact:
• Bar of the Year – Zeta The Hilton Sydney, 488 George Street,
Australian Hotels Association, 2006 Sydney, NSW 2000
• Employee Excellence in Service - Tel: 61-2-9266 2000
Mamdoh Kiriakos, Doorman Email: sydney@hilton.com
Australian Hotels Association, 2006
• Best new Bar – Zeta
ALIA Awards, 2005 www.sydney.hilton.com
Best of Australia 73
 Palazzo Versace
Hotels

The Versace brand has been one of the most successful in

leveraging itself beyond the catwalk with an entry to the luxury
hotel market in the form of the inimitable Palazzo Versace
which opened in 2000.

Still the only fully fashion-branded hotel in
the world, Palazzo Versace offers one of
the more luxurious experiences of not just
accommodation, but also dining – eating and
drinking from nothing but Versace homewares.
Every piece of cutlery and china
is from a limited edition Versace line
imported from Europe and each of the
three award winning restaurants offers
a completely different experience.
Vanitas, signature restaurant, offers a six
course degustation dinner prepared by Chef de
Cuisine, Martin Glutz. Each course is expertly
matched with wines selected by the hotel
sommelier. Vanitas is a memorable experience
in an intimate atmosphere overlooking the 65
metre lagoon pool.
Vie Bar + Restaurant, overlooking the
hotel’s marina, offers a relaxed environment
with a selection of contemporary cuisine. It is
the ideal venue to languish over cocktails as the
sun sets over the Gold Coast Hinterland, and
Il Barocco, the all day dining restaurant, offers
arguably the best seafood buffet dinner 7 nights
a week. Le Jardin, the ideal cosmopolitan
meeting place, offers high tea each afternoon.
Only the finest materials have been used
throughout the hotel, from fine Italian marble
imported from Italy to mosaics, lamps and wall
sconces cast in bronze and embellished with
crystals and enamel.
Every aspect of the hotel has been
meticulously attended to, from the Versace-
designed staff uniforms to the delicate Versace
china settings. Palazzo Versace prides itself on
striving for perfection in its customer service
and has won a number of Queensland training
awards. The appeal of a luxury hotel is in the
special touches that reflect attention to detail,

74 Best of Australia
the luxuriant feel of fine-spun bed linen, fresh
feather down pillows (the hotel offers an actual
pillow menu to its guests), the delicate flavours
of a fine wine or restaurant meal, and the
exceptional personalized service.
The conference facilities also reflect the
same luxurious feel as the rest of the hotel. By
assigning a member of their specialist team to
look after all meeting requirements, Palazzo
Versace takes all the hassle out of organizing
your meeting, conference or special event.
Located in a purpose-designed event sector
of the hotel, accessed via a spacious pre-
function lobby, the hotel’s function rooms vary
not only in size but also in character and style.
The grand La Medusa Ballroom, Marco Polo
Room and elegant oval Boardroom cater for
groups ranging in size from 12 to 500. From
informal brainstorming sessions to corporate
conferences, meetings, cocktail receptions and
grand balls, Palazzo Versace provides the most
comprehensive choice of options.
Competitive half and full day meeting
packages are available and can be tailored
to suit your requirements, with generous
mid-week accommodation rates on offer to
tempt even the most budget-conscious event
planners. Palazzo Versace Gold Coast is a
unique 5-star experience for both business
and leisure.
For more information contact:
Palazzo Versace
94 Sea World Drive, Main Beach
Queensland 4217, Australia
Tel: 07 5509 8000
www.palazzoversace.com

Best of Australia 75
 The Lyall Hotel and Spa
Hotels

A Luxury Lifestyle Hotel

Step into this chic world of indulgence, an intimate, urban resort
where your every need is attended to with care and attention to the
finest detail.

76 Best of Australia
The Lyall Hotel comprises 40 suites ranging in
size from Deluxe One Bedroom suites to the
sumptuous Platinum Suite with 2 fireplaces and
a B & O sound system. The interior design is
“contemporary oriental” featuring custom made
furniture and opulent Warwick Fabrics.
All suites have king or twin beds and a
private terrace. There are clever inclusions
such as gourmet mini bars, bathroom under
floor heating, two shower heads and mist free
mirrors. There is a minimum of 2 TVs per suite
(one with DVD player) and complimentary hi-
speed wireless internet throughout the entire
hotel. Each suite has a digital safe with internal
powerpoint, large enough to hold a laptop and
charge while secure. Feel the luxury with velour
bathrobes and fluffy bath sheets, there is even a
pillow menu to ensure a good night’s sleep.
Best of Australia 77
Hotels

78 Best of Australia
 The Lyall Spa with 8 treatment rooms
including hydrotherapy and a state of the art
gymnasium, takes care of guests wellbeing
requirements 7 days a week. The spa is the
first in Melbourne to introduce the prestigious
UK product Elemis, offering unique spa
therapies and using only the purest active
ingredients from nature, grown organically
where possible and formulated into natural
‘active’ bases.
Bistro Lyall offers a modern ‘hotel’ menu
throughout the day and evening and The Lyall
Champagne Bar is the perfect place to meet
friends or simply celebrate the day choosing
from a fine selection of French champagne by
the glass or choose from the full bar menu.
Since opening in 2002, The Lyall has twice
been named one of the “101 Best Hotels
in the World” by Tatler and one of the”50
Coolest New Places To Stay” by Conde Nast
Traveller and “Leading Boutique Hotel in
Australasia” voted by the World Travel Awards.
Address: 14 Murphy Street, South Yarra,
Victoria, Australia 3141. Contact:
Tel: +61 3 9868 8222; Fax: +61 3 9820 1724;
Email: reservations@thelyall.com.

www.thelyall.com

Best of Australia 79
 The Emporium Hotel
Hotels

Brisbane’s mark as a city of cosmopolitan savvy is complete

with the opening of the Emporium Hotel, the first true luxury
boutique hotel for the Queensland capital.

A vision of contemporary elegance and

hospitality, the Emporium Hotel is a part of the
overall Emporium development in Brisbane’s
booming and increasingly sophisticated New
Farm, just minutes from the CBD. 
The hotel offers 106 luxurious studio suites,
all custom designed and individually finished,
setting a new benchmark for the discerning
traveller, be they business or leisure oriented. Of
these, 42 are King Spa Suites, making Emporium
Hotel the only hotel in the city with such a
premium accommodation offer; and all rooms
feature the prestigious Molton Brown amenities
from the United Kingdom. Added to this are a
rooftop lap pool, sauna and gym.
The hotel also offers a Pillow Menu, complete
with eight different pillows for guests to choose
from, including the classic ‘Feather Down’, the
‘Snore-No-More’ ensuring a deeper more restful
sleep, and for those expectant mothers who
need support to ensure a comfortable sleep;
the ‘Pregnancy’ pillow can ease back pain by
supporting baby.
Downstairs, the hotel features a stunning
Cocktail Bar incorporating a fusion of vintage
and custom-designed pieces, flown in from
exotic locations round the world. A key design

80 Best of Australia
element throughout the entire hotel uses the
frangipani flower as a base, and the two huge
doors into the cocktail bar carry this signature,
featuring laser cut mirror finished stainless steel
and glass.
In here, a world of design fusion, intimate
service and cocktail creativity awaits.
The grand onyx bar is overlit by an antique
German chandelier, originally from a castle in
Europe. An exquisite stained glass wall, originally
a Parisian shopfront crafted more than 100 years
ago, is another stunning feature.
The Emporium Hotel Cocktail Bar is home to
some of the best wines in world. To showcase
this and allow guests to indulge their passion
for fine wine, owner Tony John, himself a wine
aficionado, has created a “Library of Wine” as
part of the bar.
A boutique hotel epitomizes luxury, which
means guests want for nothing, yet offers
individual, customized service at all levels. For
example, at Emporium Hotel all suites feature
king size beds, a pillow menu and high grade
cotton linens as well as kitchenettes with marble
bench tops, personal bar & stainless steel
appliances, in-suite laundry facilities, floor to
ceiling opening windows, a huge 106cm Plasma
TV and Bose sound system. Additionally, guests
have 10 complimentary Foxtel channels and
over 150 digital movies on demand.
Located in the heart of Brisbane’s stylish
Emporium precinct – a haven for lovers of
fashion and food – the Emporium Hotel is just
minutes from the Brisbane CBD and close to the
Brisbane Cruise Terminal, Brisbane Airport and
Gateway arterial linking the Gold and Sunshine
Coasts.
Emporium Hotel is part of the Anthony John
Group, a design-driven specialist property,
project management and development company
and Queensland property investor, who also
recently won the hotly contested bid to develop
a $550million urban village on the last remaining
vacant site at Brisbane’s South Bank. The
Group is also behind the upmarket Emporium
development.
Address: 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley,
Qld 4006; Phone: (07) 3253 6999 or
1300 883 611. www.emporiumhotel.com.au
Best of Australia 81
 Shangri-La Hotel,
Hotels
The Marina, Cairns
In the heart of Cairns, this luxury hotel is in a superb location adjoining
the Pier Complex with open-air restaurants overlooking a vibrant
waterfront boardwalk development, a 400-square-metre swimming
lagoon and world-class marina.
Complete in mid-2005, the hotel’s $35 million
refurbishment, offers 255 freshly refurbished
guest rooms, a new lobby, new Horizon
Club rooms and Horizon Club lounge, and a
new waterfront dining experience and bar.
Adding to this in 2006 all guest rooms
were connected to broadband internet,
wireless access was implemented into public
areas and the Business Centre, the hotel’s
existing event facilities were refurbished
and a new Events Centre was launched.
The hotel lobby is based on a minimalist
and contemporary design with state-of-the-art
pendant lighting, calming water features and
sleek contemporary lounge furnishings, creating
a grand sense of welcome.
Existing guest rooms and suites are
refurbished and offer new levels of luxury and
comfort with clean lines, cool colours, flat
screen televisions, broadband connectivity,
large cosy lounge spaces and stylish décor for
a stronger sense of place and space.
In keeping with Shangri-La Hotels and
Resorts Horizon Club facilities worldwide,
Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns
introduced the ‘hotel within a hotel’ concept to
Tropical North Queensland. The mezzanine floor
encompasses a total of 36 lavishly appointed
82 Best of Australia
Horizon Club rooms, offering stunning marina
views. Each room features 3.3 metre high
ceilings, wooden floors, luxurious furnishings,
ocean view bathrooms and large terraces
overlooking the yachts and mountains.
Each room offers high-speed broadband
access and in-room safes, large enough to hold
a laptop. Guests also have the choice of soft
and firm feather pillows and all bed linen and
duvets are 100% cotton, perfect for Cairns’
tropical climate.
This executive floor also offers an exclusive
Horizon Club lounge where the following
privileges can be enjoyed.
• Club floor check-in/check-out
• Complimentary buffet breakfast
• Complimentary newspaper
• Purser services
• Business Centre
• Complimentary all day drinks and evening
beverages and canapés
• Complimentary broadband internet access
in the Business Centre
Superior Rooms: Superior rooms feature
a private balcony or courtyard area with
views over the city and mountain ranges,
tropical gardens or hotel pool. Each room has
individually controlled air conditioning and
ceiling fans, a playstation games system, three
telephones with direct STD and ISD dialing,
flat screen televisions with CNN, NHK, in-
house videos, safe deposit boxes, broadband
connectivity, hair dryers, tea and coffee making
facilities, clock radio, iron and full sized ironing
board and mini bar. The spacious bathroom,
with separate shower and over sized bath is
finished with inlaid timber and Italian marble.
Superior Bay View Room: Superior Bay
View Rooms feature a private balcony looking
across Trinity Bay and the city of Cairns and
surrounding mountain ranges. Each room
is spacious with individually controlled air
conditioning and ceiling fans, a playstation
games system, three telephones with direct
STD and ISD dialing, flat screen televisions with
CNN, NHK and in-house videos, safe deposit
boxes, broadband connectivity, hair dryers, tea
and coffee making facilities, clock radio, iron
and full sized ironing board and mini bar. The
spacious bathroom, with separate shower and
over sized bath is finished with inlaid timber and
Italian marble.
Deluxe Marina View Room: Deluxe
Marina View Rooms feature a private balcony
overlooking Marlin Marina and the Trinity
Inlet. Each room is spacious with individually
controlled air conditioning and ceiling fans, a
playstation games system, three telephones
with direct STD and ISD dialling, flat screen
TV with CNN, NHK and in-house videos, safe
deposit boxes, broadband connectivity, hair
dryers, tea and coffee making facilities, clock
radio, iron and full sized ironing board and mini
bar. The spacious bathroom, with separate
shower and over sized bath is finished with
inlaid timber and Italian marble.
Executive Suite: Executive Suites feature
a large private balcony overlooking either the
Marlin Marina, or across Trinity Bay and the city
of Cairns with a bold mountain backdrop. All
suites are spacious with individually controlled
air conditioning and ceiling fans, three
telephones with direct STD and ISD dialing,
colour TV with CNN, NHK and in-house videos,
safe deposit boxes, hair dryers, tea and coffee
making facilities, clock radio, iron and full sized
ironing board and mini bar. The bathroom, with
separate shower and over sized bath is finished
with inlaid timber and Italian marble.
One Bedroom Suite: Our Suites feature
a large private balcony overlooking Marlin
Marina or across Trinity Bay and the city of
Cairns. All one bedroom suites are spacious
with individually controlled air conditioning
and ceiling fans, three telephones with direct
STD and ISD dialing, LCD TV in the lounge
and TV in the bedroom with CNN, NHK
and in-house videos, safe deposit boxes,
luxurious furnishings, broadband connectivity,
hair dryers, tea and coffee making facilities,
clock radio, iron and full sized ironing board
and mini bar. The two way bathroom, with
separate shower and over sized bath is
finished with inlaid timber and Italian marble.
Horizon Club Rooms: Overlooking the
marina, the hotel’s Horizon Club offers 36
spacious and contemporary marina view
rooms, featuring 3.3 metre-high ceilings,
wooden floors, luxurious furnishings,
ocean view bathrooms, broadband
connectivity, and terraces overlooking
the marina and mountain ranges.
Horizon Club Suite: The hotel’s 4 spaciously
appointed Horizon Club Suites enjoy 3.3
metre-high ceilings, wooden floors, luxurious
furnishings, ocean view bathrooms, broadband
connectivity, separate lounge, outdoor and
bedroom spaces, all taking advantage of their
location and natural lighting by overlooking the
Marlin Marina, or Trinity Bay and surrounding
mountain ranges.
Presidential Suite: Our exclusive
Presidential Suite features a huge ‘wrap around’
private balcony overlooking Marlin Marina,
Trinity Inlet and the city of Cairns with an
expansive mountain backdrop. This luxurious
and spacious suite features separate bedroom,
large living area, separate dining area, fully
equipped kitchen and additional separate toilet.
In room features include individually controlled
air conditioning and ceiling fans, direct STD
and ISD stereo with CD player, clock radio,
iron and full sized ironing board and mini bar.
Furniture is made of Queensland maple and
the bathroom, with separate shower and over
sized spa bath, is finished with inlaid timber and
Italian marble.
Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns,
Pierpoint Road, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia.
Tel: (617) 4031 1411; Fax: (617) 4031 3226;
E-mail: slmc@shangri-la.com. www.shangri-la.com
Best of Australia 83
 Crown Towers – Top Hotel in
Hotels

Australia / Pacific TOWERS

Melbourne’s five-star premier hotel Crown Towers

has once again topped the list.

84 Best of Australia
Crown Towers Melbourne has been voted Top
Hotel Australia / Pacific at the prestigious U.S.
Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards in
New York.
The results are derived from the largest
independent poll of consumers’ preferences, the
Readers’ Choice Survey, second in size only to
the U.S. census. With a record number of more
than 28,000 travellers voting in 2007, the list
shows an even greater global variety and depth.
Luxury Redefined and Refined
Designed with sophisticated opulence, Crown
Towers is a rare haven of luxury located on the
southern banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River in
the heart of the city’s arts and leisure precincts.
Distinctive in design and location, the hotel
sets the benchmark for luxury accommodation
in Australia, offering superior quality and an
impeccable standard of customer service.
The hotel’s distinctive elliptical tower is made
of stone and glass, with floor to ceiling windows
showcasing each of the beautifully appointed
rooms. All guestrooms feature panoramic views
of the city, Yarra River or Port Phillip Bay. The
award-winning hotel features 482 spacious
guestrooms including 84 elegant suites and 31
opulent villas. These measure a minimum of
46 square metres in size, which is 20 per cent
larger than the average five-star guestroom.
Every guestroom is luxuriously appointed
with a separate dressing room complete with
42” plasma television, digital two-line telephone,
the latest in-room entertainment including a
complete range of movie and cable services.
High-speed internet access as well as wireless
capabilities are available throughout the hotel.
Every bathroom has its own spa bath, television,
telephone and music facilities. The shower and
toilet are located in separate generously sized,
marble-lined compartments.
Great care has been taken with the design
and selection of furniture, fabrics and artworks
to ensure a warm, inviting and luxurious
character that surpasses five-star standards.
Everything from drapes to chair coverings to
gold-plated taps has been custom made for
Crown Towers.
Rich textures and finishes are found
throughout the property. Featuring one of the
largest hotel artwork collections, every room is
enhanced by signed pieces on the walls.
Best of Australia 85
Hotels

Crystal Club
Catering to the expectations of the experienced
travellers, Crown Towers offers guests the
choice of experiencing the facilities and
privileges of the Crystal Club. Using private
express lifts, Crystal Club guests check-in at the
hotel’s exclusive reception on level 29 and enjoy
24-hour uncompromising services. The lounge
is an ideal place to savour the magnificent views
of Melbourne whilst enjoying its serenity. In
this private world in the sky, guests are offered
complimentary breakfasts, afternoon tea, pre-
dinner drinks and canapés. The Crystal Club’s
library and lounge areas are the perfect settings
for business and entertaining. The discreet
location and spectacular views are combined
with golden timber panelling, limestone
floors, specially woven carpets, Italian crystal
chandeliers and ornamental plaster ceilings and
attentive, personalised service resulting in a
warm and inviting sanctuary.

Jewel in the Crown

Crown Towers’ most exclusive experience
can be found in its palatial villas offering the
epitome of world class accommodation.
Located on the uppermost floors, each has

86 Best of Australia

the character of a penthouse residence with
individual themes inspired by such design
periods as Louis XV, Georgian and Napoleonic.
The villas are attended by a service-oriented
team of butlers, on call 24-hours, and are
accessible by three private express lifts. The
hotel prides itself on delivering a standard of
service that not only fulfils but also anticipates
guests’ needs. Guest services include
complimentary city transfers in the comfort of
leather-appointed vehicles and a fully-equipped
Business Centre accessible 24 hours.
Crown Spa
Crown Spa is a tranquil enclave offering
unparalleled facilities and services for total
relaxation and rejuvenation including a state-
of-the-art gymnasium, 25-metre indoor heated
pool, two rooftop tennis courts and private
rooms and pampering suites offering over 40
specialised treatments including customised
massages, reflexology and hydrotherapy as well
as a complete range of hair and beauty services.
Awards and Accolades
The premier hotel has also won a host of
other awards, including the HotelClub Hotel
Awards of Australia, New Zealand and the
Pacific Islands 2007 - Winner in the Top 3
Hotels in Oceania and Winner in the Top 3
Hotels in Victoria. The winners were selected
through an independent consumer survey held
from April 2007 to June 2007 by HotelClub
in conjunction with Getaway and ninemsn.
Over 50,000 nominations from over 21,000
respondents in more than 200 countries
were received from consumers the most
important panel to select and recognise the
most popular hotels and resorts in the region.
Crown Towers was also awarded one of
the highest accolades in the tourism industry,
winning Australia’s premier luxury travel award
as Best Australian Hotel in the Luxury Travel
Magazine Gold List Awards 2007. The awards
are the result of a survey conducted by Luxury
Travel Magazine. Tens of thousands of their
travel-savvy readers participated and nominated
their best experiences to determine the World’s
Best Hotels and Resorts.
In addition, Crown Towers was also
awarded Best Business Hotel in Australia
during the 2006/07 Best Business Hotels in
Asia Awards. The Best Business Hotels in
Asia Awards was first established in 1998
to recognise hotels that provide business
travellers with excellence in service and
facilities in the highly competitive Asia Pacific
hotel industry. The prestigious awards honour
the top business hotels from 14 countries
across Asia Pacific in 17 different categories.
In the Elite Traveler 2007 Pure Decadence
listing (published out of New York), Crown
Towers is one of two Australian properties
selected for feature on the list of Top 101 Suites
Around the World. The Georgian Manor Villa
at Crown Towers has been named among the
world’s most luxurious hotel and resort suites.
The list was determined by Elite Traveler’s
editors, a panel of globe-trotting celebrities
and luxury travel advisors. The luxury lifestyle
magazine is distributed aboard private jets in
more than 90 countries.
Crown Entertainment Complex
The luxurious hotel is part of the Crown
Entertainment Complex which also includes
the stylish Crown Promenade Hotel, Australia’s
largest state-of-the-art conferencing and
banqueting facilities, premium retail stores; 24-
hour world class casino and comprehensive
entertainment facilities. There are more than
40 restaurants and bars, including the award-
winning Rockpool Bar & Grill, Australia’s first
and only Nobu, the world’s most recognized
Japanese restaurant brand known for its
innovative cuisine as well as premium
restaurants Silks, Koko, the brasserie by
Philippe Mouchel, Number 8 restaurant and
wine bar, and Breezes, just to name a few.
For hotel reservations, please call +613 9292
6868 / Toll Free (within Australia): 1800 811 653,
email reservations@crowntowers.com.au.
For media enquiries, please contact: June Lim
Media Relations Manager. Tel: +613 9292 7614
or email juneli@crownmelbourne.com.au
www.crowntowers.com.au
Best of Australia 87
 The River City’s very own Luxury
Hotels

Five-Star Hotel
Majestically nestled on the banks of Brisbane River and just a stone’s
throw to the Botanical Gardens, is Stamford Plaza Brisbane.

88 Best of Australia
An iconic building that represents the epitome
of luxury and style and has been home to some
of the world’s most famous visiting actors,
dignitaries, musicians and royalty.
A corporate hotel by day and a sparkling
entertainment venue by night, many of
Stamford’s accommodation and dining offerings
evolve around the Brisbane River. The hotel’s
clever architectural design sees every one
of its 252 luxuriously appointed guestrooms,
enjoying panoramic views of the Brisbane
River, Kangaroo Point cliffs or Botanic Gardens
– a five-star hotel experience afforded only to
Stamford Plaza.
These million dollar views lend themselves
to a number of the Hotel’s signature
accommodation packages, including Lazy
Daze; whereby guests are served a candle-lit
three-course dinner in their room. Or perhaps
Romance and Seduction, the Hotel’s best-
known getaway for lovers, newlyweds and those
simply seeking an intimate weekend escape.
Guests may choose from a range of
dining options - The Brasserie on the River
(uninterrupted river views with a Thai-infused
seafood buffet): Siggi’s at the Port Office
(award-winning fine dining) and Kabuki (officially
Brisbane’s Best Entertainment Restaurant in
2007 - Teppanyaki and Japanese a la carte).
All accommodation rooms feature what you
would expect of a first-class hotel, including king
size beds, marble bathrooms and executive style
furnishings. The hotel is just a stone’s throw to
world class shopping, cinemas, restaurants and
Brisbane’s cosmopolitan retail hub.
Stamford Plaza Brisbane is a hotel that truly
symbolises the very best of Australia’s beautiful
river city.
For more information contact: Stamford Plaza
Brisbane, Corner Edward and Margaret Streets,
Brisbane Queensland 4000, Australia.
Tel: +61 7 3221 1999;
Email: sales@spb.stamford.com.au. www.stamford.com.au/spb
Best of Australia 89
 Stamford Plaza Double Bay
Hotels

Exceptional in every sense

To step between the doors of Sydney’s Stamford Plaza
Double Bay is to enter a world of luxury and elegance that
impresses even the most sophisticated traveller.

Overlooking Sydney’s beautiful harbour
and set within Double Bay’s designer
fashion boutique, restaurant and cafe
precinct, the hotel is an oasis of tranquillity
just 10 minutes from the city centre.
The first level reception area immediately
reinforces the Stamford Plaza Double Bay’s
credentials. It’s here that the guest first really
appreciates the hotel’s magnificent collection
of antiques, conservatively valued at more than
$3.5 million. Nineteenth Century china is subtly
lit from within antique mahogany sideboards,
and the reception area boasts a magnificent
Louis XV style Fleur de Perle marble fireplace,
above which a certain Captain Shipton frolics in
a gentlemanly fashion with his decorous family.
The display of fine art throughout the
hotel’s public areas doesn’t end there
– the rooms and passageways also boast
beautiful artworks that give the hotel a
unique ‘home away from home’ feeling.
Many of Stamford Plaza Double Bay’s guest
rooms also have floor to ceiling French doors
opening onto spacious balconies that are the
perfect vantage point to gaze at the yachts and
sailboats drifting across the harbour.  Stepping
out into the beautiful internal courtyard, one

90 Best of Australia

finds one’s self in what feels like a miniature
version of Kensington Gardens, complete with
paved paths, fragrant flowers, large urns and
box hedges. In summer, the stone benches and
colourful flowers in the courtyard beckon for
evening aperitifs.
Manly, Bondi, The Botanical Gardens,
Watsons Bay, Taronga Zoo, Darling Harbour
and much more are all short ferry trips from
the newly renovated wharf in Double Bay.
Great day trips from Sydney include the Blue
Mountains and the Three Sisters, the vineyards
of The Hunter Valley and Dolphin watching at
Port Stephens. Stamford Plaza Double Bay is
the perfect location for a weekend escape.
There’s no need to leave the hotel if you
want to dine like a king in Baygrill Restaurant,
renowned for its mouth-watering menu that
combines great classic traditions with a crisp,
clean and contemporary edge.
Stamford Plaza Double Bay is also
unsurpassed as a conference venue. With
eleven rooms to choose from, the hotel is able
to accommodate events from a small meeting
to a gala dinner for up to 400 guests in the
magnificent Raffles Ballroom.
Stamford Plaza Double Bay is the ‘home
away from home’ of business leaders, showbiz
celebrities and American Presidents. And it’s
at the famous Winstons Lounge, named after
the cigar-loving British Prime Minister, that
they’ll be found at the end of the day, or at the
sumptuous afternoon tea served daily.
The Walls of Winstons attest to the calibre
of its guests, with photos that are a veritable
‘Who’s Who’ of world celebrities, including
Joan Sutherland, John Travolta, Elton John,
Madonna, Kylie Minogue, the late Princess
Diana, Shirley MacLaine, Nicole Kidman and
many more. A walk through the room for this
reason alone is rewarding, and enriches any
visit to the hotel. www.stamford.com.au/sps
Best of Australia 91
Chapter 3
Fine Dining and Nightlife
 One of the World’s 50
Fine Dining and Nightlife

Best Restaurants
Tetsuya Wakuda has refurbished a heritage-listed site in the city
to create his dream restaurant offering private dining rooms for
group bookings and two larger main dining rooms overlooking a
contemporary waterfall and Japanese garden.

Tetsuya’s cuisine is unique, based on the

Japanese philosophy of natural seasonal
flavours, enhanced by classic French technique.
Tetsuya’s renowned degustation set menu
changes frequently. A typical meal could start
with a plate of hors d’oeuvres – a gazpacho
with spiced tomato sorbet, west Australian
marron with asparagus and truffle mayonnaise,
tartare of tuna with fresh wasabi, marinated fillet
of trevally with preserved lemon set on sushi
rice and tataki of venison with rosemary and
honey. Tetsuya’s signature dish follows, confit
of ocean trout served with unpasteurised ocean
trout roe, followed by double cooked de-boned
spatchcock with braised daikon and bread
sauce, followed by a grilled fillet of grain fed
beef with sansho & shiitake mushrooms.
Desserts include an orange, honey
and black pepper sorbet served prior to a
blue cheese bavarois. Finally, early season
berries with orange and Grand Marnier
jelly and champagne ice cream, a floating
island with vanilla and praline anglaise,

94 Best of Australia
and a flourless chocolate cake with a bitter
chocolate sorbet and orange ice cream.
Tetsuya’s offers one of Sydney’s most
remarkable wine lists, and will match the dishes
with wine available by the glass.
Tetsuya’s serves a twelve-course degustation
menu, which is $195 (GST inclusive) per person,
plus drinks. Tetsuya’s opens for dinner Tuesday
to Saturday from 6pm and for lunch Saturday
only from 12 noon. Bookings are essential and
can be made by phoning +61 2 9267 2900 or
faxing +61 2 9262 7099. Tetsuya’s will be open
all throughout the Christmas holiday season
with the exception of Public Holidays. All major
credit cards are accepted.
Proudly, this year Tetsuya’s was rated No. 5
in the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2007”, as
decided by UK Restaurant Magazine. Tetsuya’s
Restaurant has featured in this list for the past 3
years, always placing in the top 5.
Tetsuya’s Restaurant is located at 529 Kent
Street, Sydney. For further media information,
please contact Melissa McCowan on Tel:
+61 2 9267 2900 or melissam@tetsuyas.com.

www.tetsuyas.au.org

Best of Australia 95
 An Australian first for
glass
Fine Dining

Hotel Restaurants – glass

The internationally acclaimed interior design of New York designer
Tony Chi and the exceptional culinary expertise of highly awarded
local restaurateur Luke Mangan combined to create an Australian
evocation of the classic French brasserie.

96 Best of Australia
The 240-seat restaurant provides guests and
Sydneysiders with an unprecedented dining
experience in the heart of the city offering
simplicity, quality and consistency in all aspects
of food, wine and service.
As the creative force behind stylish spots
around the world such as Asiate in New York,
SPOON in Hong Kong, yè shanghai in Shanghai
and Maduro bar in Tokyo, Tony Chi sought
to create a space for glass characterised by
invisible design. Of the restaurant, Chi said,
“I have designed a space defined by what
touches you rather than what you see. Glass is
Sydney reflected from the inside.”
The restaurant features a 13 metre floor to
ceiling glass wall which frames a captivating
view of the Queen Victoria Building. With an
emphasis on earthy colours and warm tones
bathed in natural light, the restaurant reflects
the vibrant, energetic nature of Sydney by day,
whilst at night the warmth of the interiors and
high ceilings offer a stunning cityscape location.
‘glass’ is headed by highly awarded Sydney
restaurateur chef Luke Mangan who travelled
and tasted through Lyon and Paris to devise the
exquisite French style cuisine which he defines
as “clean and light, with a contemporary twist.”
The restaurant includes an ever-changing
choice of Sydney’s abundant local produce
from the crustacean bar, the open-plan
patisserie and the kitchen theatre, which is
home to a chef’s table.
“The opportunity to run a 240 seat brasserie
and wine bar right in the heart of Sydney
doesn’t come along very often. As soon as I
saw the space I absolutely wanted glass to
be my restaurant, it’s truly spectacular,” says
Luke. ‘glass’ is a new chapter. It gives me the
freedom to work with the food I love and really
want to cook. It’s a truly inspired space. The
room has so much energy and excitement,
including a 13 metre floor to ceiling glass wall
overlooking the Queen Victoria Building and a
10,000 bottle cellar spanning the entire length
of the restaurant.
“...a sparkling crystal palace of a brasserie
designed by New York’s Tony Chi, with glass
walls, glass cases holding 10,000 bottles of
wine, glass room dividers and mirrored, 43-
foot-high ceilings.” - New York Times.
Awards
• Regional Wine List of the Year
Restaurant and Catering Awards, 2007
• Wine Excellence Award
Wine Spectator, 2007
• One Hat in Sydney Morning Herald Good
Food Guide, 2007
• Best Hotel Restaurant
National AHA Awards, 2006
• Restaurant of the Year
Australian Hotels Association, 2006
For more information contact:
glass brasserie
Level 2, 488 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9265 6068
Email: eat@glassbrasserie.com.au
www.glassbrasserie.com.au
Best of Australia 97
 First Nobu Restaurant
Fine Dining and Nightlife

in Australia MELBOURNE

The hip and happening Nobu restaurant at Crown

presents a spectacular dining experience offering both
visual and culinary delight.

Nobu, the world’s most recognized Japanese

restaurant brand known for its innovative
Japanese cuisine has opened at Crown
Entertainment Complex. This is the first
Nobu restaurant in Australia and the 19th
Nobu restaurant in the world, including
Matsuhisa and Ubon restaurants.
The original Nobu restaurant was established
in New York in 1994 as a business partnership
between celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and
his partners actor Robert De Niro, Hollywood
film producer Meir Teper and managing partner
Richie Notar. The Nobu brand is an empire that
spans across the globe, from London to Tokyo,
Las Vegas to Malibu, Milan to Miami Beach,
Dallas to Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Hong
Kong to Waikiki in Hawaii.
The hip and happening Nobu Melbourne
restaurant at Crown presents a spectacular
dining experience offering both visual and
culinary delight. The restaurants’ perennial
popularity and devoted following are a tribute

98 Best of Australia
to Nobuyuki (Nobu) Matsuhisa who creates
his own spin on traditional Japanese cooking.
Signature dishes such as Black Cod with
Miso, Scallop Tiradito Nobu Style, New Style
Sashimi and Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno
which are available across all Nobu restaurants
worldwide, also feature prominently in Nobu
Melbourne’s restaurant menu.
“Cooking is my passion and through my
culinary experience in different parts of the
world, I create Nobu-style cuisine which
incorporates local ingredients and influences
from all over the world into basic Japanese
food, for more people to enjoy,” says Chef
Owner Nobu Matsuhisa, celebrated for his
expertise of blending classical Japanese
techniques with exotic global flavours, and
for cooking from his ‘Kokoro’ (heart). His loyal
clientele include the A-list of the world’s most
affluent celebrities and connoisseurs.
Nobu Matsuhisa
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa – known to the world
simply as “Nobu” – is the acclaimed and highly
influential chef proprietor of Nobu, Matsuhisa
and Ubon restaurants all over the globe, from
Beverly Hills to New York City, London to Tokyo,
Aspen to Milan, Las Vegas to Miami Beach.
After graduating from high school, Nobu
found a live-in job at a sushi restaurant in
Tokyo called Matsuei. When he was 24
years old, Nobu accepted an offer from one
of his customers that took him to Lima, Peru
to open a restaurant. The impact of his
time in Peru cannot be overstated. Nobu
began weaving Peruvian influences into
his dishes – the beginnings of his signature
style. He then moved on to work in Buenos
Aires, Argentina, followed by Japan and
Alaska. In 1987, Nobu opened his own
restaurant Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills.
Matsuhisa was an instant success and
became a magnet for food lovers and
celebrities alike. It was here that his long
time friendship and business relationship with
Robert De Niro began. It was at De Niro’s
urging that they opened Nobu in New York City
in 1994 with restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Like
Matsuhisa, Nobu was a hit.
Notable citations bestowed upon Nobu’s
restaurants start with Matsuhisa chosen as
one of the Top Ten Restaurant Destinations
in the world by the New York Times (1993).
Nobu was awarded Best New Restaurant
by the James Beard Foundation (1995)
and Three Stars by Ruth Reichl of the New
York Times (1995). Nobu Next Door was
awarded Three Stars by Ruth Reichl of the
New York Times (1998). Nobu London was
awarded One Michelin Star (1997). Nobu
Fifty Seven was awarded Three Stars by
Frank Bruni of the New York Times (2005).
Some of Nobu’s personal honors from the
culinary community are America’s 10 Best New
Chefs by Food and Wine Magazine (1989),
Southern California’s Rising Stars by Los
Angeles Times Magazine (1998), induction into
Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America
by the James Beard Foundation (2002), and
nomination for Outstanding Chef by the James
Beard Foundation (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006).
Nobu Team in Melbourne
Scott Hallsworth is the Head Chef of Nobu
Melbourne. Scott was previously the Head
Chef at Nobu London (Park Lane) and has been
working for the company for the past six years.
During Scott’s time running the kitchen in
Park Lane, the restaurant not only maintained
its Michelin Star but was also voted 12th then
7th in the 50 Best Restaurants in the World,
Restaurant Magazine.
The General Manager for Nobu
Melbourne is Ben Jager. Ben is a local
Melbourne boy who has previously worked
for Nobu London (Park Lane). They will be
supported by about 90 employees – many
whom are locals and have worked with
Nobu in different parts of the world.
Nobu Melbourne Restaurant Design
Nobu Melbourne will seat more than 150
people (lower level – main dining area) and
about 100 people (upper level – bar / lounge).
Occupying a double-storey space in Crown
Entertainment Complex, the restaurant is
located adjacent to the Yarra River. Designed
by the Rockwell Group, it displays natural
materials that reflect Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s
origins in rural Japan, intermingled with modern
design elements that are hallmark features of
Nobu restaurants. Integral to the Nobu identity
is the sense of intrigue and visual connections
as one moves from space to space.
Crown Entertainment Complex
Offering a world of dining and entertainment,
Crown currently has more than 40 restaurants
and bars. In August 2007, Nobu Melbourne was
added to Crown’s premium restaurants which
include the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel,
Koko, Silks, Number 8 restaurant and wine
bar, Breezes, Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar and
Grill, just to name a few. With the addition of
internationally renowned restaurateurs, Crown
now boasts one of the best world-class dining
precincts in Australia.
Covering 510,000 square metres (the
equivalent of two city blocks), the Crown
Entertainment Complex is distinctive in its
location and design with a wide range of
facilities and exceptionally high standards of
service. Located on the south bank of the Yarra
River, this world-class complex is flanked by
the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Melbourne’s
premier arts, theatre, business and shopping
districts and within easy reach of most major
sporting venues.
The fully integrated entertainment complex
successfully combines two award-winning
hotels Crown Towers and Crown Promenade
Hotel to offer Melbourne’s largest range
of accommodation, Australia’s largest
conferencing and banqueting facilities, 24-hour
world-class casino (the largest in the southern
hemisphere), comprehensive entertainment
plus stylish shopping arcade, to provide a world
of entertainment.
For reservations at Nobu Melbourne, please
call +613 9696 6566. For media enquiries,
please contact: June Lim – Media Relations
Manager. Tel: +613 9292 7614 or email
juneli@crownmelbourne.com.au.
www.noburestaurants.com
Best of Australia 99
 Will and Toby’s Taylor Square
Fine Dining and Nightlife
On Tuesday May 1, 2007, Brothers Will and Toby Osmond
opened their new venture: Will and Toby’s Taylor Square. The
highly anticipated project is the flagship in the rapidly expanding
Will and Toby’s portfolio.
The Supper Club and The Polo Lounge are
located on the first and second floor of the iconic
Oxford Hotel on Sydney’s vibrant Oxford Street.
The former ‘grand lady’ of the city’s colourful
nightlife has once again regained the position
as the city’s uber–club, the epitome of style,
glamour and the very best entertainment.
Sydney may be known as ‘The Living
City’ yet the lack of quality venues providing
entertainment after dark would suggest anything
but. Located on the first floor of the venue,
The Supper Club is committed to bringing
100 Best of Australia
the very best in sleek and sophisticated live
entertainment. Channelling Sinatra at ‘The
Sands’ or Sarah Vaughn at the ‘El Rocco’, the
venue is reminiscent of a time gone by, the
golden days when diamonds where a girls best
friend and one could exclaim that they where
having a ‘swinging’ good time. An intimate
space with a capacity of 200 guests, The
Supper Club promises to showcase the very
best in local and international talent. A line up
that includes smooth jazz, dazzling cabaret and
the occasional sporadically inspired un-plugged

set from some of the countries best known and
much admired artists.
Those customers seeking an alternative to
the razzle dazzle show tunes of The Supper
Club we offer The Polo Lounge. Nestled on the
second floor of the iconic Oxford Hotel in Taylor
Square The Polo Lounge offers the highest
possible standards in an intimate, elegant
environment. Luxuriously appointed, The Polo
Lounge was inspired by the timeless appeal
of the gentlemen’s club of London’s Mayfair
and New York’s Upper East Side. A ‘home-
away-from-home’ for the city’s smart set, The
Polo Lounge finally provides Sydney with a
sophisticated venue for those who demand the
best in cocktails service and ambience.
Working with a multi million dollar budget,
brothers Will and Toby Osmond together with
Paul Kelly Design have created a venue that
exceeds all expectations in a city which is
increasingly well informed in all things design.
Oak parquetry flooring with marble parameters,
5 metre leather chesterfields, a floating jade
ceiling and a custom made art deco stair-well
with lit stair treads and a four story backdrop
depicting a gothic fairytale... something that has
to be seen to be believed!
The Supper Club
Capacity 200 guests. Located on Level 1, 134
Oxford St, Live Music Thursday to Sunday
Evenings 8pm – Late. ‘Channelling Sinatra at
‘The Sands’ or Sarah Vaughn at the ‘El Rocco’,
the venue is reminiscent of a time gone by, the
golden days when diamonds where a girls best
friend and one could exclaim that they where
having a ‘swinging’ good time.’ – Toby Osmond
The Polo Lounge
Capacity 150 guests. Located on Level 2, 134
Oxford St. Open Tuesday –Sunday 6pm - Late
Luxuriously appointed, the Polo Lounge
was inspired by the timeless appeal of the
gentlemen’s club of London’s Mayfair and New
York’s Upper East Side.
Will and Tobys, First and Second floor, 134
Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Tel: 9331 3467;
Email: taylorsquare@willandtobys.com.au.
www.willandtobys.com.au
Best of Australia 101
 Zeta Bar
Fine Dining and Nightlife

Sydney’s sexiest nightspot is Zeta Bar, sister to London’s

hottest bar, the award-winning Zeta London located at L O N D O N S Y D N E Y
Hilton Park Lane.

102 Best of Australia

Zeta Bar is an opulent oasis in the heart
of the city, filled with purple hues and dark
wood tones. Located atop a breathtaking
CBD rooftop terrace, Zeta reveals a never
seen before viewpoint of the historical Queen
Victoria Building and looks onto the length
of George Street spanning down towards
the harbour. The inspired interior features
indulgent spaces to sip cocktails. A sleek oak
wood island bar runs the length of the main
room flooded in a deep red and purple glow
from huge glass lamps. In the lounge there is
an array of plush leather ottomans and dark
timber tub chairs centered around a stylish
oversized fireplace which burns with sparkling
glass rocks. Zeta changed the face of Sydney’s
bar landscape when it burst onto the drinking
scene as part of The Hilton Sydney in 2005.
Zeta has since established a reputation
as one of the most cutting edge and
pioneering bars in the Southern Hemisphere,
having led the way by championing
some of the most prominent global
bar trends in the world, such as:
Misting
A technique used to enhance the flavour of
your drink and break down the composites
in Gin and Vodka, the mist works wonderfully
with your classic gin or vodka based Martini. A
mist of juniper, citrus or vanilla can be applied
to the top of your drink with an atomiser, which
not only brings out the flavour in the spirit but
softens the overall flavour.
Spritzing
Another innovative global trend Zeta Bar has
embraced is ‘spritzing’, which involves using
a soda siphon filled with CO2 gas to add a
carbonated flavour to the top of your drink.
This method in particular gives the classic
Bellini a molecular infusion.
Ice
And a brand new global cocktail trend
is emerging, with bartenders around the
world showing unprecedented interest
in ice, previously an anonymous bit
player in cocktails. Zeta offers freshly
chipped ice from a triple frozen ultra-
pure block of ice in luxury spirits.
Zeta Bar is fast becoming a Sydney icon with
visiting international celebs. Jessica Simpson,
Kimberley Stewart, James Blunt, Nicky Hilton,
Snoop Dogg and Nicole Ritchie have all partied
there... And Aussie A-listers Jennifer Hawkins,
Hugh Jackman, Ian Thorpe, and Megan Gale
often stop by for a beverage...
Warm colours, cool drinks and exceptional
service from renowned Sydney bartenders
give Zeta an undeniable edge, making it the
city’s hottest nightspot for sipping a cocktail or
simply relaxing on the outdoor terrace.
“The sexy new bar on level 4. She’s a
total spunk and quite the internationalist.
Ottomans nestled around a glassed in
fireplace, very... New York, curtained
enclaves create a Middle Eastern feel along
one wall (think shisha pits in Cairo), while
views from the open veranda overlooking
the copper domes of the QVB, could be
Rome, London or Paris” The Sun Herald.
Awards
• Bar of the Year
HM Awards, 2007
• Bar of the Year
Australian Hotels Association, 2006
• Cocktail List of the Year
6th Annual Bar Awards, 2006
• Best Bar Presentation and Service
National AHA Awards, 2006
• Best New Bar
ALIA Awards, 2005
For more information contact:
Level 4, 488 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9265 6070
www.zetabar.com.au
Best of Australia 103
Chapter 4
Fashion
 Rosemount Australian
Fashion
ROSEMOUNT
Fashion Week AUSTRALIAN FASHION WEEK
SPRING SUMMER 30 APRIL - 4 MAY THE ASIA PACIFIC Fashion Week Sydney

Twice a year, against the spectacular harbour side backdrop

of Sydney’s Circular Quay, the best emerging and established
fashion designers from Australia and the Asia Pacific converge on
Rosemount Australian Fashion Week to preview their collections to
some of the world’s most significant fashion buyers, media and key
industry influencers.

Sanlam SA Fashion Week photographer Ivan Naude

106 Best of Australia

Opposite page and right: Camilla and Marc - Sydney
Since 1996, RAFW’s official schedule has
featured hundreds of designers and launched
the international careers of some of Australia
and the Asia Pacific’s biggest fashion names
including Alex Perry, Collette Dinnigan, Karen
Walker, Ksubi, Lisa Ho, sass & bide, Zambesi,
and Zimmermann.
On-site and off-site Collection Shows,
dedicated Agent & Designer Suites and the
exclusive boutique exhibition - The Source @
RAFW make up this exclusive industry-only
event, made accessible to registered buyers,
agents, media, and other fashion industry
representatives. It maintains an exclusive time
slot on the international fashion week circuit and
domestic buying calendar.
Several generations of designers – including
Alice McCall, camilla and marc, Fashionassassin,
Jayson Brunsdon, Josh Goot, who are now
rising international stars in their own right
– participate in the event, alongside the
industry’s established names and a number
of designers who have never shown before.
The competitive advantage of Australian
Best of Australia 107
Fashion

108 Best of Australia

style is its unexpected diversity. Fashion is all
about new ideas, new thoughts, new names...
and these are the strengths of RAFW. It’s
primarily based on the influence Australia has
on designers who choose to have this country
as their creative base. It’s a country of huge
diversity in environment, social and cultural
parameters and as such provides a never ending
and different sources of influence for designers
to be inspired by.
RAFW has over the past decade evolved its
own reason for being on the international fashion
week circuit. It has become the event where
designers from Australia, New Zealand and, in
more recent years, from countries around the
Asia Pacific region come to launch themselves
internationally, to find a sense for who they
are as designers, to evolve their style and to
commercially establish themselves. Savvy
international retailers have recognised this and
now regularly use the event as a primary source
of new talent.

Opposite page: Ksubi.

Top right: Lisa Ho. Bottom left: Ginger Smart.
Bottom right: Lee Matthews.

Best of Australia 109

The industry’s creative niche is to appeal to
those consumers and retailers that are highly
sophisticated and willing to look outside the
existing huge luxury and designer brands
to express their own personal style and
individuality. Consumers who want a point of
difference in the way they dress.
Likewise for RAFW our retailer targets are
those organisations who want to be able to offer,
initially on an exclusive basis, their customers
110 Best of Australia
something new, exciting and different. These
retailers are primarily multi-label boutiques and
department stores that invest in both established
well known brands as well something different.
IMG FASHION, a division of international
sports, entertainment and media giant IMG,
and the global leader in the management and
production of fashion weeks and designer
fashion events, produces Rosemount Australian
Fashion Week.
Opposite page: Top left: Lisa Ho. Top right: Lee Matthews.
Bottom right: Fleur Wood. This page: Top left: Shakahauchi.
Middle: Kirrily Johnston. Bottom left: Ksubi. Above: Alex Perry. www.rafw.co.za

Best of Australia 111

 Cosmopolitan Shoes
Fashion

Cosmopolitan Shoes is nestled in the high fashion district of

Double Bay, one of Sydney’s most luxurious suburbs containing a
mix of haute couture and a vibrant café society – and surrounded
by picturesque water views and grand residential homes.

112 Best of Australia

This fabulous boutique specialises in Shoes,
Bags and Accessories and caters for everything
from day wear to evening, along with a large
selection of bridal. Many of their brands run
in season with Europe and they often have
the largest selection Australia Wide as well as
exclusivity with some brands.
The brands stocked include Roberto Cavalli,
Robert Clergerie, Diego Dolcini, Andrew Gn,
Charlse Jourdan, YSL, Dolce & Gabbana,
Rene Caovilla, Corto Moltedo, Sonia Rykiel,
Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Barbara Bui,
Alexander McQueen, Le Silla, Sergio Rossi,
Azzedine Alaia, Jimmy Choo, Patrick Cox,
Guiseppe Zanotti and more high end brands
are being added all the time.
Visiting the store, you will be dazzled by the
sheer beauty and range of their products – and
you will not leave empty handed. This is one
of Sydney’s best stores in one of Sydney’s best
locations – truly one of the Best in Australia.

For more information contact Cosmopolitan

Shoes: Shop 10, 2/22 Knox St, Double Bay
NSW 2028. Tel: (02) 9362 0510.
18 – 19 Knox St, Double Bay NSW 2028
Tel: (02) 9327 3444
Email: cosmoshoes@bigpond.com.au

www.cosmoshoes.com.au

Best of Australia 113

 Australia’s premier Couturier Alex Perry
Fashion

Alex Perry is Australia’s most glamorous designer, by virtue of his

magnificent gowns and sensational red carpet eveningwear.

114 Best of Australia


Alex Perry knows how to make a woman look
and feel glamorous, and he has been doing
exactly that for nearly fifteen years.
After establishing himself as Australia’s
premier Couturier, Alex Perry launched his first
Ready to Wear collection in 1998, featuring
familiar Alex Perry Couture signatures; boned
corsetry; hand ruching and feminie silhouettes.
The Alex Perry experience is available nationally
and David Jones Department Store and at
selected boutiques internationally.
In May 2002, Alex Perry launched his Sydney
Salon at The Strand. Alex Perry’s accessories
collection, launched in 2006 and is available at
this opulent boutique. The collection features
glamorous stilettos, jewelled clutch handbags
and bijoux earrings for both evening and bridal.  After fourteen years of successfully making
Alex has a very impressive clientele
including high profile celebrities, social
identities and personalities. Favourite Perry
Girls include: Nelly Furtado, Jennifer Lopez,
Rihanna, Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista,
Eva Longoria, Claudia Schiffer, Sarah
O’Hare, Megan Gale, Jackie O, Catroina
Rowntree, Sonya Kruger, Tara Moss, Bec
Hewitt, Erika Heynatz and Kate Ritchie.
Alex Perry was a pioneer designer at the
inaugural Mercedes Australian Fashion Week
held in May 1995, and is the only designer to
show each year since. Over the past eleven
years the Alex Perry fashion shows evolved
into what has been described as “the most
glamorous show of the week”. Perry’s runway
shows have featured supermodels such as
Linda Evangelista, Megan Gale, Kate Fisher,
Alyssa Sutherland, Nicole Trunfio and Lily Cole.
women look glamorous in Australia … the Alex
Perry brand has become synonymous with
luxury, prestige, glamour and quality.
For more information contact: The Strand
Arcade, Suite 502, 412- 414 George St, Sydney
NSW 2000. Tel : +612 9233 6555;
Fax: +612 9233 5833.
www.alexperry.com.au
Best of Australia 115
 JEAN BROWN
Fashion
Jean Brown is an Experience: a fusion of great design,
service and luxury from the past, present and future.
The Gallery
Jean Brown is a multi-brand concept store
offering sublime luxury accessories from the
world’s leading fashion houses and designers.
The architect-designed Gallery sets the perfect
aesthetic to showcase each designer as an
artist and master in their field.
At Jean Brown, you’ll find current season
collections of shoes, handbags, jewellery,
116 Best of Australia
headware and other accessories from the
world’s leading names such as Chloe, Miu Miu,
Lanvin, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Manolo
Blahnik, Giuseppe Zanotti, Philip Treacy,
Alexander McQueen, Pierre Hardy, Sergio Rossi
and Marc Jacobs.
Kevin Hayes Architects transformed the
empty shell of the Jean Brown store into a
stunning gallery-style boutique, worthy of the

beautiful shoes, handbags and accessory
pieces that lie within. The design includes
bespoke shelving, dressing area decorated in
iconic designer Florence Broadhurst wallpaper,
bespoke carpets, Eames tables, Poliform
chairs and a purpose-built archive gallery to
showcase the Jean Brown antique handbag
collection – one of the most significant handbag
collections in the world.
The Archive
The Archive, a rotating exhibit of one of the
world’s most significant collections of antique
and vintage handbags provides an education
on the role of accessories in culture and history,
representing 350 years of fashion and design.
The Experience
Jean Brown’s team of attentive international
stylists indulges clients’ desires with personal
seasonal wardrobe planning and a dressing
area is provided to assist with fashion styling
and wardrobe coordination.
VIP membership extends the exceptional
Jean Brown service philosophy to include
private previews of forthcoming collections and
priority access to special events. Jean Brown
offers the world’s most sublime accessory
pieces within a compelling retail experience.
Above all, Jean Brown is passionate about
luxury accessory products, cherishes the
clients who covet them and always delivers the
ultimate shopping experience.
For more information contact:
Shop 62, Emporium, 1000 Ann St, Fortitude
Valley 4006. Tel: 1800 253 882
www.jeanbrown.com.au
Best of Australia 117
 Billabong International -
Fashion
Surfwear
Billabong International Limited’s core business
is the marketing, distribution, wholesaling and
retailing of apparel, accessories, eyewear,
wetsuits and hardgoods under the Billabong,
Element, Von Zipper, Honolua Surf Company,
Kustom, Palmers Surf and Nixon brands.
The company has in the range of 1750 staff
worldwide and its shares are publicly listed on
the Australian Stock Exchange.
Billabong International’s values remain
consistent with its foundation objectives,
which include a commitment to brand
protection and enhancement, the manufacture
of design-relevant and functional products,
marketing in the core boardsports channels,
the professional development of staff and
ongoing customer service and relationships.
Billabong International’s products are licensed
118 Best of Australia
and distributed in more than 100 countries
and are available in approximately 8000 stores
worldwide. Products are distributed through
specialised boardsports retailers and through
the Company’s own branded retail outlets.
The majority of revenue is generated through
wholly-owned operations in Australia, North
America, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and
Brazil. The Company’s brands are marketed
and promoted internationally through
association with high profile professional
athletes, junior athletes and events.
Billabong was founded on Australia’s
Gold Coast in 1973 by surfer and surfboard
shaper Gordon Merchant and his partner.
Those early days were rather inauspicious,
with the pair designing boardshorts at
home, cutting them out on the kitchen
table and then carting the finished product
around to the local surf shop to sell.
The business found immediate traction, with
surfers drawn to the superior functionality of the
Billabong boardshorts.
They were also far more durable courtesy of
the unique triple-stitching technique developed
by Gordon.
The next step for the fledgling brand was to
introduce the better local surfers to Billabong
and incorporate them in the marketing of the
brand. Company-sponsored contests and
special events would later follow.
By the 1980s, Billabong had firmly
established its place in Australian surf culture
and was ready for international expansion. The
initial focus was on the large North American
market and, again, the brand enjoyed success.
Sales began to grow in other offshore markets,
licenses were granted in a number of territories
including New Zealand, Japan and South
Africa, and in the late 1980s a new beachhead
was established in Europe.
Through the 1990s the surf industry grew
exponentially and professional surfing gained
a newfound respectability. The company
also followed its core customers into other
boardsports markets, including skate and snow,
where it replicated its proven business model.
By the close of the decade, Billabong had been
restructured to capitalise on the growing global
opportunities in the boardsports sector.
The restructure set the foundation for an
initial public offering in Australia in mid 2000.
The move saw the company’s shares publicly
listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in
August of that year. This gave the company
greater impetus and the financial capacity to
grow the business.
Some seven months after the public
float the company demonstrated its growth
plans with the acquisitions of the Von Zipper
sunglasses brand and, four months later,
the emerging Element Skateboards brand.
The successful integration of those
businesses saw the company add to its stable
of brands in following years, with Honolua Surf
Company acquired in January 2004, Kustom
footwear and Palmers Surf in September
2004, a controlling interest in the beachculture
airport-retail business in November 2005 and
Nixon watches and accessories in January
2006. Other businesses were also established,
including the Element footwear range, the
California-based Beachworks retail business
and various branded concept stores around
the world. Total sales grew from approximately
$110 million in 1999 to more than $1 billion
in the 2005-06 financial year. Through all the
growth, Billabong has maintained its brand
integrity and grown its commitment to the
global boardsports sector through athlete
sponsorship, event staging and support
of industry bodies. This adherence to core
values has allowed the Company to achieve
many targets including brand expansion
and increased product availability globally.
www.billabong.com.au
Best of Australia 119
Chapter 5
Health and Beauty
 Health through Water
Health and Beauty

For centuries, Europeans have used the cleansing

properties of water to sooth the mind and body and
renew the spirit. Salus Per Aquum embraces this simple
philosophy through its atmosphere of quiet sophistication.

If Palazzo Versace is one of the world’s finest
hotels, then the hotel’s luxury spa Salus Per
Aquum must surely qualify as one of the word’s
finest spa experiences.
Salus Per Aquum was anointed a Leading
Spa of the World in the very first accreditation
program conducted by The Leading Hotels
of the World in 2005 and again in 2006 &
2007, a programme which acknowledges and
ensures guests receive a truly luxurious and
satisfying spa experience. The spa, which is
privately owned and directed by health and
wellness leader Brendan Long, is ensconced
in the beautiful and glamorous setting of
Australia’s only fashion-branded hotel,
impeccably designed and embellished with the
unmistakable Versace style.
Its discretion is in its private location on the
lower lobby floor so you can enter and escape
in privacy, and contentment.
Brendan Long has devised a luxurious
menu of spa services combining classic
and contemporary therapies and beauty
treatments which cater for the diverse
clientele that visit the luxury premises each
year. He has garnered a stellar team of spa
specialists who are intuitive and caring in
their regard and respect for each guest.
“We continue to support our guests with
time-honoured spa therapies that deliver and
meet their expectations each and every time,”
said Brendan.
“Our massage therapies allow the mind
and body to find harmony, so important in this
day and age, and we incorporate traditional
massage techniques with the natural healing

122 Best of Australia


qualities of essential oils. “It’s all about the
revival of the spirit,” said Brendan.
“Our massage therapists are trained in Lomi
Lomi, Shiatsu, Hot Stone Therapy, Kahuna,
Japanese as well as relaxation, reflexology and
aromatherapy massages popular worldwide
with our international clientele and at home.
“We are also delighted to provide couples
massages in the candlelit Dual Treatment
Room, or in the privacy of your Hotel room.”
Other vital therapies include the Salus
Signature Facial which includes a three-part
thermal or rubber lift-off treatment mask, which
delivers phenomenal results in skincare and
anti-ageing.
The delicious warm waters of Salus Per
Aquum’s master-crafted mosaic pool and
surrounds are a nurturing finale to your time at
the spa whether an hour or a day.
The global spa product company Pevonia is
the product of choice at Salus Per Aquum for
face, body, and spa-care at home.
The spa has not overlooked the
importance of grooming and there is a
range of current beauty treatments and
products available to ensure you not only
feel your best, but look your best.
Spa Trends
Trends are also closely observed, so
there is the opportunity for families and
their more grown-up children, to book
Salus Per Aquum for private Spa Parties,
where a combination of spa therapies and
grooming treatments are a favourite.
“It’s not just our celebrities that indulge in
this way,” said Brendan.
Grooming
For the everyday in line with looking good,
you must indulge in a French Polish Hand
Treatment, a rejuvenating Pedispa and your
choice of Waxing which is an essential for
looking your very best on Queensland’s Gold
Coast. Eyebrow shaping is another popular
request providing an instant lift for the face.
Hair care and Styling
Image matters and we all feel better if our
hair is looking healthy and up to the minute.
It’s a confidence thing whatever your fashion
statement may be. Your hair and hair
challenges are taken care of beautifully at
Salus Per Aquum’s hair salon now under new
management and where you can choose
natural hair products without the smell of
bleaching products. Your hair styling and
colouring will look and feel divine, a superb end
to your spa treatments.
Specialty Services
A wide arrange of specialty services are
available on request with some requiring 24
hours notice or more to ensure the best service
and outcome for your special requests.
Fitness is often a priority for our guests
so everything from personal training,
to Yoga and Tai chi combined with the
wealth of knowledge that our dietitian and
nutritionist can provide, is available.
Extras also include Acupuncture,
Naturopathy, Podiatry, and our gymnasium
services which include cardio gym machines,
free weights, and body toning equipment.
In fact there is nothing that we cannot
arrange when it comes to special services and
extras, even day trips to local and near-local
locations that fit in with your health and well-
being focus.
Treatments Most Requested
at Salus Per Aquum
Couples Romance Retreat,
Massage by Candlelight.
From day one couples have enjoyed this
beautiful and romantic experience. Embraced
in the elegance of Versace, you are invited to
indulge in a visit to our couples suite at Salus
Per Aquum. The Spa is appointed with dual
massage beds and is bathed in soft candlelight,
and it is here that gifted therapists will transport
you and your partner to a place of total and
complete relaxation.
After, sip on a glass of bubbly as you relax
by our beautiful spa pools.
Signature Ka Huna Massage
With some of the most talented Kahuna
specialists in Australia, this has become our
signature massage. Using a unique flow and
rhythm to the massage stroke, this ancient form
of bodywork incorporates a special breathing
technique which initiates a deep relaxation and
balance to your body and soul.
The Ultimate Body Renewal, Salus Sanctuary
The popular Salus Sanctuary treatment is an
amazing full body experience which ensures
body renewal and stress relief. Your luxurious
body exfoliation combines aromatic sea salts
and oils under the warming waters of the
French Vichy Shower. Your two therapists work
in symmetry gently massaging your body to
leave your skin silky smooth and radiant.
Your Essential Spa Retreat
After a long flight our international guests often
book for a half-day or full-day at Salus Per
Aquum to rejuvenate. Our therapists will design
your personalized spa regime and you will enjoy
a delightful and healthy lunch during your stay
with us.
An essential pick-me-up in a luxury setting
that will ensure your visit gets off to the best
possible start.
For more information contact:
Salus per Aquum Spa
Palazzo Versace
94 Sea World Drive
Main Beach
Queensland 4217 Australia
Tel: 07 5538 0111
www.palazzoversace.com
Best of Australia 123
 Crown Spa
Health and Beauty

A tranquil enclave offering unparalleled facilities and services for total

relaxation and rejuvenation. The glamorous day spa located in one of
Australia’s most luxurious hotel - Crown Towers.

124 Best of Australia

An oasis of architecturally designed sandstone
and marble with natural light streaming
through numerous skylights, Crown Spa
covers more than 3000 square metres
and features a 25-metre indoor swimming
pool, with a special seated bubble pool
feature. A communal steam room scented
with eucalyptus oil is located alongside a
spacious relaxation deck and sun terraces.

Crown Day Spa

Crown Spa is unashamedly dedicated to
achieving relaxation and revitalisation in a
luxurious setting surpassing the finest of Asia’s
legendary health spas.
The décor creates an immediate sense of
indulgence and tranquillity. Soft neutral colours,
sandstone paving and warm timber panelling
contribute to the peaceful atmosphere.
Frosted glass panels allow natural light to filter
into lounges that offer a quiet place to relax
between treatments.
Crown Spa features 12 treatment rooms,
a hair and beauty salon as well as an
exclusive relaxation lounge. These facilities
are offered to the public, by appointment
only. Hotel guests enjoying Crystal Club
privileges have direct access to the Spa
via the express lifts from level 29.
If Spa guests wish to experience the ultimate
in spa luxury, a Crown Spa Pampering Suite
is the ideal location, offering splendour and
style found only in the world’s best spas.
Each impeccably furnished Suite has a private
jacuzzi, steam room, Swiss shower and an
abundance of space in which to relax and
unwind. To experience this inimitable style,
guests have the option of upgrading any
treatment to the exclusivity of a Pampering
Suite. By doing so, they will receive an
additional 30 minutes of time to luxuriate in the
facilities within.
Crown Spa’s “menu” features more than 40
specialised treatments including customised
massages and facials, reflexology, hydrotherapy
and body polishes. The hydrotherapy
treatments use powerful water jets to stimulate
pressure points to energise or calm the
body. Water enriched with minerals and salts
eliminates toxins and promotes relaxation.
Two fully-equipped hydrotherapy wet
rooms adjoin the suites, offering a selection
of European hydrotherapy treatments, Vicchy
shower and revitalising seawater algae
therapies which gently ease away stress while
toning and soothing muscles.
A complete range of beauty services,
including hair styling, manicures, pedicures,
waxing and make-up are also available.
Crown Spa is a deluxe world-class facility
providing unsurpassed levels of customer
service and the latest treatments as well as
relaxation techniques.
Exclusive Carita Treatments and Products
For the first time in Australia, locals and
visitors to Melbourne are able to purchase and
experience Carita, renowned for their luxury
skincare range. Products such as Fluide De
Beauté, Renovateur and Ideal-Pro-Lift are also
available in a series of signature treatments
designed exclusively for Crown Spa.
Timeless Beauty –
Crown Spa signature facial
This treatment uses the unique and legendary
product created by Carita in the 60s,
Renovateur. Composed of a subtle blend
of roasted sunflower seeds to exfoliate and
essential oils to soften the skin, the treatment
is designed to counteract and repair the effects
of time while offering maximum protection,
preventive care and deep relaxation. To
enhance the treatment, Carita’s exclusive high-
tech appliance, Ideal-Pro-Lift, is used to infuse
the serum tailored to specific skin needs, to
enrich, firm and protect at the highest level.
Volcanic Rebalance –
Crown Spa signature body massage
This extraordinary volcanic massage promises
to lift one onto a physical and spiritual
plateau of deep calm and energized vitality. A
combination of cool and warm volcanic pebbles
is used to release tension and gently massage
the body into deep relaxation. To complete
the experience, Carita’s exclusive
‘Satining Mineral Power’ is applied with
warm volcanic pebbles in a calming and
revitalizing full body massage to leave the
skin radiant and the body tingling with
energy while feeling profoundly relaxed.
Crown Spa – the only retail outlet for Carita
products in Victoria
In Victoria, the exclusive Carita products from
France are only available for purchase at Crown
Spa, Crown Towers. This include Carita’s
flagship product - the Fluide De Beaute 14
Paillete. Created since 1956, Fluide de Beaute
14 represents Carita’s unique and modern
approach to global beauty – a single product
which can be simultaneously used for face,
body and hair. Part of Carita’s mythical range,
the Fluide De Beaute 14 Paillete contains
sparkling gold glitters and is an ultra-nourishing
dry oil which is easily absorbed by the skin
and hair, to leave a subtle golden veil. The
gold glitters illuminate and beautify the skin, to
create a delicate pearlescent complexion.
Crown Spa treatments and facilities are
available by appointment only.
Please call +613 9292 6182 or email
crownspa@crowntowers.com.au.
For media enquiries, please contact:
June Lim – Media Relations Manager.
Tel: +613 9292 7614 or email
juneli@crownmelbourne.com.au.
www.crownspa.com.au

Best of Australia 125

 The Dental Lounge Advantage
Health and Beauty

Perfect Teeth - Total Comfort

Main pic: Dr Daniel Adamo and Dr Mark Braund.
Above: Susan & Sonja.
Dental Lounge Macquarie Street, Sydney
CBD with its breathtaking Harbour Views and
Dental Lounge Hunters Hill with its tranquil
garden setting really does have the “BEST OF
AUSTRALIA” dentistry there is to offer
in Sydney!
 Our high-tech, state-of-the-art practices not
only boast the most beautiful rooms, we provide
patients with the highest quality of dentistry in a
non-threatening environment.
 Wether its an early morning appointment
before work, on your lunch break, after hours
or weekends, at Dental Lounge we are able to
accommodate your busy and hectic lifestyle.
 We place an emphasis on your comfort with
minimally invasive surgery techniques. We offer
a huge range of services from general family
dentistry to the latest in cosmetic and implant
dentistry.  As seen on channel 9 network,
displaying several new dental lasers- proving we
really are the leaders in advanced technology.
In addition to our existing Hunters Hill practice
we have also created a fun, caring, state-of-
the art childrens paradise -Dental Lounge
Kids, providing quality preventative dentistry
that caters to your childs individual needs.
 Cosmetic, bleaching and implant
consultations are FREE, so give us a call or
just pop in, say hi and meet the team next time
you’re passing by.  Whatever your desire we
want you to be happy, that’s why we’ve created
the Dental Lounge!  Visit our website today and
let us help YOU shine!
For more information contact: Dental Lounge
Macquarie Street, Level 4,149 Macquarie Street,
Sydney CBD. Tel: 9247 8989
Dental Lounge Hunters Hill, 100 Ryde Road,
Hunters Hill, NSW. Tel: 9817 8944.
www.dentallounge.com.au

126 Best of Australia

Best of Australia 127
 GoSMILE –
Health and Beauty

tooth whitening on-the-go™

Dr. Jonathan Levine, creator of GoSMILE, wants to share with
everyone, what his patients are already receiving: his expertise
and ground-breaking, at- home teeth whitening and maintenance
program – GoSMILE!

128 Best of Australia


A smile is the message we send out into the
world. It says, I feel good, I’m confident, I have
good self-esteem.
Jonathan Levine who is known as New
York’s celebrity dentist, counts among his many
clients Mariska Hargitay - whose smile graces
the cover of the book “SMILE! The Ultimate
Guide to Achieving Smile Beauty”, Christie
Brinkley, Kate Winslet, Sarah Jessica Parker,
Lenny Kravitz.
Though the smile is a gift of anatomy,
enormous improvements can be made,
following Dr Levine’s recommended 3 step
oral health whitening program – GoSMILE. “In
the past few years, the smile has taken centre
stage as the ultimate symbol of beauty,” says
Dr. Levine.
Levine is a pioneer in aesthetic
dentistry.  With increasing evidence of the
link between gum disease and chronic
inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular
disease and diabetes, GoSMILE offers an at-
home, comprehensive oral health program,
needed to achieve and maintain not only a
beautiful smile, but also optimum oral health
and overall wellness.
GoSMILE Beauty, located in Melbourne, is
responsible for the national distribution of the
U.S. based GoSMILE system. Beauty therapy
and hair salons, day spas, make-up industries
and paramedical clinics can now safely
prescribe GoSMILE to their clients.
A common mistake is often made to
avoid everyone’s most feared social faux pas
– bad breath (Halitosis). Solving halitosis with
sugary mints and gums and alcohol-based
mouthwashes only makes the problem worse!
Each year more that 30,000 people in
Australia are hospitalized because of a dental
condition, usually a tooth or gum infection that
has been left to fester. So why the neglect for
our teeth and gums?”
Remember slip-slop-slap… we’ve been
doing it for years to protect our precious
irreplaceable skin.
GoSMILE Beauty proudly launches a new
campaign to improve our nation’s declining
oral health... it’s easy, using new ampoule
technology in three simple actions… just flip-
pop-apply!
Step-1: WHITEN
GoSMILE system - tooth whitening
on-the-go™
• twice a day for 14 consecutive days
• most potent form of whitening available
outside dentist’s office
• convenient, single dose, hygienic ampoules
• sensitivity free
• 4 to 6 shades whiter in two weeks
• use anytime, anywhere
Step-2: MAINTAIN
GoSMILE daily - tooth whitening
maintenance™
• after using the system, keep teeth white by
using Daily Ampales
• daily breath freshener and midday brush
• kills bacteria that cause bad breath, prevents Soon to be launched –
tooth decay SMIINK, the lastest in eyelash technology.
Step-3: PROTECT SMINK offers the highest quality and most
GoSMILE am/pm™ - whitening toothpastes unique products available in the beauty arena.
• toothpaste to naturally protect teeth and
gums
• prevent decay
• hydrated silica gently polishes tooth surface
• mood altering essential oils to reflect the
time of brushing
• helps gum rejuvenation
The moment you add the 3-step
GoSMILE Program to your daily
smile care routine, you are helping to www.smiink.com.au
preserve the beauty of your smile. www.gosmilebeauty.com.au
Best of Australia 129
 JohBailey
Health and Beauty

Get rich hair at Joh Bailey

As one of Australia’s most respected and dedicated hair talents, Joh Bailey’s name has become synonymous with not only
beautiful hair but with glamour and style. His dedication to his craft as well as his clientele has seen his name rise to icon
status throughout the country; garnering him international recognition and ensuring his longevity as Australia’s most loved
stylist. He and his salons have become an institution in the Sydney scene and evolved into a brand unto itself that ventures
way beyond its roots.

Joh opened his flagship salon in Double Bay in 1985 and he has also established salons in Sydney’s CBD and Bondi Junction.

Joh explains, “My look is classical and beautiful, whilst always having a modern edge. My signature look of a polished, slick
and feminine woman has been instilled into the culture of my staff and salons.”

Whilst best known as “Hairdresser to the Rich and Famous,” often accompanying his loyal following to Los Angeles, New
York and London; his special reporé with women from all walks of life has given him an unfair advantage over his peers.
Instinctively knowing what women want, Joh has an outstanding ability to communicate and deliver above expectations, a
talent vital to his continued success in a very competitive market.

Bailey and his team of highly trained stylists are consistently used by the leading luxury fashion houses such as Chanel,
Bvlgari, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton and Gucci for their season launches. Their work also features in the fashion pages of
Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue Australia, Elle and Marie Claire.

In addition to appearing regularly on many television programmes such as the Today Show, Mornings with Kerri-Anne and
Extreme Makeover, Joh’s celebrity clientele over the years range from supermodels Elle Macpherson and Linda Evangelista
to performers Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton John and Hollywood stars of Eva Longoria’s calibre. This has propelled him
to a celebrity status of his own, and in 2000 he was awarded the role as the official hairstylist for the opening ceremonies of
the Sydney Olympic Games.

Joh’s business success and caring nature have enabled him to support a number of charities such as The Victor Chang
Cardiac Research Institute, Fashion Supports Breast Cancer and Fashion For AIDS. He says the biggest highlight of his
career was working with the late Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, during her 1997 visit to Australia.

His entrée into his ultimate destiny came from his love of horses. As a young boy, he discovered his talent, braiding the mane
of his prized thoroughbred Nika, and his career in hairdressing. His passion for horse stays with Joh today as he competes
at championship-graded equestrian events nationally with numerous accolades and ribbons.

It is perhaps Ita Buttrose’s advice that guides him daily: “It is an extraordinary service that always sticks in anyone’s mind.”
And so he stresses, “I would go to any client’s house at any time, if need be. Their hair is a reflection of me and my
business.”

sydney • Double Bay • Bondi Junction

www.jonbailey.com.au

130 Best of Australia

“Hair is the richest ornament of a woman.”
Martin Luther

Best of Australia 131

 Napoleon Perdis, Australia’s
Health & Beauty

Prestige Cosmetics Brand

Australia’s Leading Makeup Artist bringing Runway
to Reality from Sydney to Hollywood.

132 Best of Australia

Napoleon was brought up in a Greek household
in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
However, old traditions ended there for the
makeup maestro.
Napoleon didn’t yield to his father’s
demands to train for a “respectable” occupation
(businessman, lawyer or doctor). In fact, he
knew early on he was going to pursue a career
in fashion and use any pressure or judgmental
assessment to inspire his creativity and
build himself into a vocation with potential to
transform lives. Inspiring him all the more was
the backdrop of Australia—a country with great
cultural diversity and a modern outlook—that
he found to be the ideal springboard to create a
company with true global reach.
Upon discovering the extensive
colour palettes and dramatic aesthetic
transformations involved in makeup artistry,
a self-taught Napoleon emerged with a life
destination; he would be a makeup artist
for the people, helping them bring out their
inner celebrity and transform runway beauty
to reality with the stroke of a brush.
Napoleon launched a small makeup studio in
Leichhardt, Australia in 1992. The studio enabled
him to experiment with his own cosmetics.
In 1995, he debuted his first concept store in
Sydney, boasting a full Napoleon Perdis line,
which included foundation, eye shadows,
lipsticks, lip liners and accessories. Throughout
the development of the brand, colour emerged
as the Napoleon Perdis trademark. He worked
as the makeup artist for weddings and special
events, beautifying women of different skin
colours and skin types. He developed an
immense appreciation for the uniqueness of
every woman’s face.  Napoleon’s reputation
soon propelled him into editorial work,
consequently spearheading and solidifying his
campaign to bring runway to reality.
“Runway to reality is a translation service
that I want every Napoleon Perdis environment
to achieve. Makeup is all about the transfer of
positive energy.” reflects Napoleon Perdis.
It has now been over a decade since
Napoleon Perdis has been “bringing out the
celebrity in you” with the Australian launch in
1995. As Australia’s leading makeup artist,
Napoleon Perdis’ trans-generational approach
to beauty and dedication to translating runway,
red carpet, and music video to reality has driven
the brand into a category all its own.  Featuring
pro-tips on all packaging, the various capsule
collections reflect such brand values as “The
Oxford of Makeup,” “Runway to Reality,” and
“Treasure Chest,” among others.
Hollywood’s elite have paid homage to
Napoleon Perdis since the brand’s U.S.launch
in 2005, praising it in the press and donning
such core products as Lip Lacquer, Auto Pilot
Pre-foundation Skin Primer and Camera Finish
Powder Foundation on red carpets and high-
profile events, including the Primetime Emmy
Awards as the official Makeup Partner in 2007.
Celebrity fans of the brand include Melissa
George, Debra Messing, Kate Beckinsale,
Evangeline Lilly, Winona Ryder, LeAnn Rimes,
Teri Hatcher, Nicollette Sheridan, Kimberly Elise,
Sasha Cohen, Leven Rambin, Kelly Hu, Gemma
Ward and Raven Simone, among others.
In addition the brand has 59 concept stores
and over 800 point-of-sale locations globally,
which include four stores in the U.S., counters
at the beauty retail chain Sephora and counters
in The Bay stores in Canada. Future distribution
markets include Hong Kong, Singapore, Brazil
and Dubai.
Napoleon Perdis is available from concept
stores, exclusively with David Jones, in select
independent retailers throughout Australia.
Stockist number 1800 814 572.
www.napoleonperdis.com
Best of Australia 133
 Mayne Pharmaceutical Limited
Health
mayne

Mayne Pharma Limited is focused on the development, manufacture, sale

and distribution of medicines used by oncologists. The company is listed
on the Australian Stock Exchange under the code “MYP”.

134 Best of Australia

Mayne Pharma’s product portfolio has been
built on world class process development
capabilities in the two families of drugs that
are commonly used in the treatment of cancer
today: taxanes and platinum derivatives.
The company has also expanded from its
origins in generic chemotherapy medicines to
related therapeutic drugs used by oncologists
in the treatment of cancer such as antibiotics
and pain management.
On the back of this expertise, Mayne
Pharma has expanded from Australia so that
it now distributes its products in more than 65
countries around the world. It has established
strong commercial footholds especially in
Europe and Asia Pacific.
Mayne Pharma is the second largest supplier
of generic, injectable oncology medicines in
Canada and the company has a small and
developing position in the United States that
provides future opportunity to grow.
Mayne Pharma has increased its sales
revenues significantly in the last three years on
the back of acquisitions and internal growth.
Pro-forma sales in its 2005 financial year were
A$687 million up approximately 35% on the
prior year.
In November 2005, Mayne Pharma was
demerged from Mayne Group Limited so the
business could focus on its core competencies
and have increased flexibility to implement
appropriate strategies and a capital structure
that would help facilitate its continued success.
Their mission is focusing on being a trusted
international manufacturer, developer and
distributor of injectable generic and specialty
pharmaceuticals. They seek to be the leading
supplier of injectable generic and specialty
pharmaceuticals to regulated markets around
the world.
Their commitment to the highest levels
of quality is entrenched in the research and
development, manufacture, distribution and
sale of all of their medicines.
www.maynepharma.com.au
Best of Australia 135
Chapter 6
Design and Interiors
 DBI Design
Design and Interiors

Established in 1981, DBI Design ranks today as one of the

largest and most diverse design practices in Australia.

DBI specialises in disciplines of
architecture, master planning, interior
design and landscape architecture.
In its twenty-six year history, DBI has
developed particular expertise in all areas of
resort, mixed-use, residential and tourism-
based projects. DBI’s broad range of project
experience also includes casinos, hospitals,
medical and aged-care facilities, retail,
commercial and industrial developments.
DBI has an impressive portfolio of completed
projects on a national and international scale;
spanning from the Gold Coast to far North
Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and Western
Australia. Overseas, DBI has undertaken
major projects in the USA, UAE, Japan, China,
Spain, Qatar, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia,
the  Philippines, Fiji and Vietnam.
One of DBI’s recently completed projects
‘The Wave’, situated in one of the Gold Coast’s
most active and popular beach-side precincts
of central Broadbeach has received numerous
awards; the Silver Medal in the Emporis 2007
World Skyscraper Awards, the Regional
Award for Best Mixed-Use Development by
the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, a
State Commendation by the Royal Australian
Institute of Architects and the People’s Choice
Award for Urban Design at the Gold Coast
Urban Design Awards. The 34 storey luxury

138 Best of Australia


residential, retail and commercial tower has
quickly become one of the most recognisable
buildings on the Gold Coast. With its crisp
white, wave-form exterior, the rippling effect
of the façade has created a remarkable
iconic building of international recognition.
‘The Oracle’ development, also in central
Broadbeach is due for completion in late 2010.
The impressive mixed-use development is
significant for this area, taking up nearly an
entire beach-side city block. It will comprise
of two outstanding residential towers of 40 &
50 levels, which will soar above a lively and
vibrant, high-class precinct of up-market retail
including boutiques, restaurants and cafes.
Through a number of projects , DBI is playing a
significant role in Broadbeach’s transformation
into a world-class urban centre.
DBI as part of an international design
competition, was awarded the lead consultant
contract for architecture, interior design and
landscape architecture for the ‘Etihad Towers’
development in the United Arab Emirates.
Located on a prominent waterfront site at the
end of the Abu Dhabi Corniche the project
is scheduled for completion in early 2010.
The Etihad Towers development will feature
five iconic towers ranging in height from 55
to 77 storeys. There will be three residential
towers consisting of 870 luxury residential
apartments, an office tower and the signature
building, an international five-star hotel to
be operated by Jumeriah, operators of the
seven-star Buj al Arab in Dubai and many
other prestigious hotels around the world.
In addition there will be an array of world-
class amenities including a state-of-the-art
convention centre, a boutique shopping mall for
major international and designer fashion labels,
eight superb restaurants and a hypermarket.
DBI Design is continuing to create a name
for itself worldwide, as a practice striving to
achieve excellence in design.
www.dbidesign.com.au
Best of Australia 139
 Celebrating Australian design
Design and Interiors

with exclusive Designer Ranges

Customised to suit your interior.
Shaka by Akira

Since being established in 1986 Designer
Rugs have forged the reputation as makers
of premium quality hand knot and hand
tufted rugs. More than simply manufacturers,
the Designer Rugs team oversee true
craftsmanship of an ever changing collection
of designs that are produced in traditional rug
making origins such as Nepal, Thailand, India
and China; depending on wool choices and
weaving techniques.
The wide range includes New Zealand wool
and pure silk, Antique wash, voluminous shag
piles and textures, Aubusson and signature
collections with unique Australian artists and
designers. Now represented across Australia,
Designer Rugs have recently added Singapore
and Auckland to their permanent repertoire.
From their Australian base Designer Rugs
service international clients from the US, UK,
Europe and Asia.
Yosi Tal, Managing Director explains that the
advantage “is that Designer Rugs’ are unique
in Australian context because we began as
manufacturers and we are now regarded as
leaders of design. This allows us to customize
our rugs for a wide audience both commercially
and for private residences”.
Over the years Designer Rugs have
collaborated with many iconic Australian
personalities. “It’s inspirational- exposure to
creative people has helped us evolve and
develop in a positive way”. And the list is too
remarkable not to share in full.
Linda Jackson, John Coburn, Alun Leach
Jones, Annie Georgeson, Howard Arkley,
Janet Lawrence, Akira Isogawa, Dinosaur
Designs and most recently award winning Julie
Paterson of Cloth fabric and Georgia Chapman
of fashion label Vixen. Beyond collaboration,
they have also worked with other notables and
pretty impressive installations: From Australian
embassies around the globe to Parliament
House, Q1 on the Gold Coast, Queensland to
the W Hotel in Florida, USA.
They have also collaborated on several
Harry Seidler’s projects- including the
Theatre Royal, Quickly becoming one of
their biggest supporters and continuing
to work closely with Australia’s leading
interior designers and architects.
About Designer Rugs exclusive
Designer Ranges
Akira by Akira Isogawa
The Akira rug collection for Designer Rugs
is a fitting collaboration born out of a shared
passion for the creation of objects of beauty
and artistry where quality of make is a driving
force. Expertly woven to exacting standards,

140 Best of Australia

every rug in the Akira rug collection delivers
unique and varying combinations of colour,
texture and pattern - from organic to geometric
- that imbue each design with more than simply
personality.
Cloth by Julie Paterson
The designs for the collections began life as a
series of drawings and notes taken from the
visual diaries Julie used every day and turned
into a group of paintings made from offcuts
of timber found on building sites. This work is
quite ephemeral, hard to define, experimental
and abstract, offering a collection of rugs with a
fresh, direct and highly creative approach.
Dinosaur Designs
Internationally renowned homewares and
jewellery company Dinosaur Designs have
created exclusively for Designer Rugs a range
of 12 inspirational rug designs, that are each a
striking incarnation of the signature style that is
quintessentially Dinosaur Designs.
Using the classic rectangular shape as the
‘canvas’, each features playful compositions of
organic shapes where bold colour combinations
Opposite page: Shoka by AKRA ISOGAWA. Top left:
deliver a style and personality unique to each. Muromachi #1 by AKIRA ISOGAWA. Top right: Peony by
VIXEN. Above: Boulder #1 by DINOSAUR DESIGNS. Middle:
Vixen by Georgia Chapman Ned by Cloth. Left: Bottlebrush by CLOTH.
Inspired by the promise of exotic destinations,
Vixen’s collaboration with Designer Rugs has For more information contact:
produced a colourful and vibrant range of stock Australia and Rest of the World
and custom-made rugs. export@designerrugs.com.au
Displaying a bold colour and design Tel: + 61 4 2 9550 9933
pallet woven in 100% NZ wool, the seven New Zealand
unique designs successfully marry Vixen’s helen@designerrugs.co.nz
signature hand-detailing with the rich
textile traditions born along the ancient
trade routes of the Silk Road – from Asia www.designerrugs.com.au
to the Middle East and North Africa. www.designerrugs.co.nz
Best of Australia 141
 Susan Avery Flowers and
Design and Interiors

Event Styling
Susan Avery is recognised as Australia’s leading flower and
event stylist and, with a client base reading like a Who’s Who,
it is easy to see why.

142 Best of Australia

With customers including Queen Elizabeth,
Princess Diana, the Dalai Lama, Paul
McCartney, Cher, Mick Jagger and much of
Sydney’s society - quality and style go hand in
hand.
Discretion, economy and quality are all
Susan Avery hallmarks. On any day, “special
orders”’ might include lotus flowers for a
French television commercial, bunches of field
roses ready for a Historic Houses exhibition,
extravagant arrangements on candelabra, or
simple displays waiting for a trade show.
Susan Avery’s reputation is formidable and,
with over 3,500 weddings to her credit, she is
renowned for her attention to detail and care.
From elegant and simple weddings through
to the truly extravagant, Susan’s work is second
to none.
From rock stars to royalty, from weddings to
beautiful bunches of flowers, from major events
to elegant parties, Susan Avery’s expertise is
unequalled by any similar Australian company.
Susan’s work is regularly seen in Australian
magazines and in many five star hotels.
She is in strong demand and her high
profile has featured in Vogue, Architectural
Digest, Belle and a myriad of other magazines,
periodicals and newspapers. She has provided
flowers for over 15,000 functions.
Susan has been renowned for 25 years
as the stylish presenter of flowers with an
unrivalled reputation for quality and distinction.

For more information contact:

Susan Avery Flowers and Event Styling
59 Jersey Road, Woollahra NSW 2025
Tel: +61 (2) 9363 1168
Fax: +61 (2) 9328 7415
Email: avery@susanavery.com

www.susanavery.com

Best of Australia 143

Chapter 7
Corporate Profiles
 Only One Quality; the finest
Women’s Business Award
Champagne always adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to every
occasion. So it is always the perfect time to enjoy a glass or two of
Veuve Clicquot, the quintessential champagne for pure indulgence.
‘She never left Reims but she conquered
the world’. Madame Barbe Nicole Clicquot
Ponsardin, 1777 – 1866.
Founded in 1772 by the Clicquot family,
the House of Veuve Clicquot established its
reputation on the outstanding quality of its
champagne. The House excelled under the
leadership of la veuve Clicquot who, having
lost her husband François in 1805, took over
146 Best of Australia
the family business to become one of the first
business women of all time.
A successful entrepreneur, she overcame
the Napoleonic trade blockades to deliver
champagne to the Imperial Russian Court. She
invented the ‘table de remuage’ intrinsic to the
riddling process which leaves champagne so
brilliantly clear. Her invention was subsequently
adopted by all champagne houses.

Over two centuries of passion for quality
have given Veuve Clicquot a reputation for
unrivalled excellence recognised throughout
the world. From the flagship Yellow Label, a
full bodied marriage of style and finesse, to
the award winning Vintage range, each wine
beautifully epitomises the House style, with its
trademark combination of power and elegance.
Named after Madame Clicquot herself, little
compares with the exquisite prestige cuvée,
La Grande Dame, regarded by critics and
connoisseurs around the world as amongst the
greatest champagnes ever produced.
The Veuve Clicquot Award Australia
The Veuve Clicquot Award was launched
in France, in 1972, to honour women
who exemplify the qualities that earned
Madame Clicquot the reputation as la
grande dame de la Champagne.
An international award, now taking place
in 16 countries, the Veuve Clicquot Award
commemorates Barbe Nicole Clicquot
Ponsardin, the woman whose name this
elegant champagne now bears.
2008 marks the fourth consecutive
year of this prestigious award in Australia.
Celebrated past winners include oil tanker
Captain Suzannah Vaughan, the first female
in Australia appointed to this position. In
2006, the award recognised Sarina Bratton,
founder of Orion Expedition Cruises, and
in 2005 the recipient was co founder of
Withcott Seedlings, Wendy Erhart.
These three dynamic Australian
women are now ‘friends of the Widow’
and belong to a select group celebrating
outstanding achievement.
The judging panel is no less formidable,
including Justice Annabelle Bennett AO, Deeta
Colvin, Janet Holmes a Court AC, David Murray
AO, Marilynne Paspaley, Robert Remnant and
Alison Watkins.
Each country celebrates its winners between
March and May and, in June, the laureates
gather at the Veuve Clicquot Maison in France,
to share their considerable experiences
amongst the famous Veuve Clicquot vineyards
and cellars at Reims. Each year thereafter the
winners also receive a gift of Veuve Clicquot La
Grande Dame champagne to celebrate in style.
For further information please contact:
Fran Meagher –
Veuve Clicquot Award Coordinator.
The Veuve Clicquot Award
Tel: (02) 9361 6034; Mobile: 0417 662 527
Email: info@veuveclicquotaward.com.au
Veuve Clicquot Award
PO Box 655, Bondi Junction NSW 1355
www.veuveclicquotaward.com.au
Best of Australia 147
 Foster’s Group –
Food and Beverage

Inspiring Global Enjoyment

Foster’s Group is a beer group with interests in brewing,
wine-making and soft drinks. Foster’s Group is the brewer
of Foster’s Lager.

148 Best of Australia

Foster’s Group Limited is a publicly-listed
company on the Australian Stock Exchange
and is based in Melbourne, Victoria. Its wine
division Beringer Blass is the 7th largest
producer of wine in the United States.
It was founded in Melbourne in 1886
by two American brothers, William and
Ralph Foster of New York, who happened
to own a refrigeration plant, which was
necessary to brew beer in Australia’s hot
climate. They sold the brewery the following
year and returned to the United States.
In 1983, Carlton and United Breweries
purchased Elders IXL, a giant Australian
diversified conglomerate, and was renamed
the Elders Brewing Group. Then in 1990, the
Elders Brewing Group changed its name to the
Foster’s Group, to reflect the name of their most
internationally recognised product.
In 2005, Foster’s Group acquired the
Australian wine-making group Southcorp.
This acquisition added famous brands
such as Penfolds, Lindemans and
Rosemount to the Foster’s stable. In 1990,
Asahi Breweries acquired a 19.9% stake
in Australian brewery giant Elders IXL
which later became Foster’ s Group.
Foster’s Group imports, licenses, and
distributes a large number of brands. In
Australia, Foster’s distributes the Asahi Super
Dry, Cinzano, Corona, Kronenbourg 1664,
Perrier, Skyy vodka, Stella Artois, and 42 Below
import brands among many others. While in the
United States and Canadian markets, Molson
brews and sells Foster’s Lager under license.

www.fosters.com.au

Best of Australia 149

 Revolutionising the
Property and Real Estate

mortgage industry
MORE is about to burst onto the mortgage scene in Australia
as the newest brand of mortgage broking franchise – providing
MORE to their franchisees and MORE to their clients.

150 Best of Australia

With a unique model, the mortgage industry will
be revolutionized by the package of services
that MORE can provide. The two core service
offerings from MORE are a full range Mortgage
Broking services along with legal Conveyancing
– the two essential services required for any
property purchase. Back these up with an
Insurance referral based service and a vast
range of estate planning and commercial Legal
Services – and you have a true one-stop shop
for the property buying (and selling) public.
MORE has an equal focus on its two
main services – Mortgage Broking and
Conveyancing. With the founder of
MORE, Aaron Upcroft, being a qualified
and practicing Solicitor in NSW, with a
background in Property Law, Commercial
Law and Banking & Finance Law, this has led
to the development of a revolutionary new
‘best practice’ conveyancing system, aptly
titled Conveyancing Perfection. This system
provides a competitive advantage for the
MORE Franchisee, allowing for the simple and
easy integration of legal conveyancing services
– without the requirement for any prior legal
knowledge or qualifications. Aaron is also a
full practising member of the Mortgage and
Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) and
leads a team of mortgage brokers in offering
their clients MORE than just a home loan.
MORE are positioning themselves to
be a world-class company. With a very
carefully planned and meticulously organized
systems-approach to Mortgage Broking and
Conveyancing – clients of MORE can expect
and rely on a consistently thorough and client-
focused approach to buying or selling property.
Clients receive an exceptional level of personal
service, time and time again. Systems run the
business and the MORE staff actually know
what customer service means – a fresh and
welcome relief in industries (finance and legal)
that traditionally fail miserably in this area.
Technologically advanced, MORE
are also leading their field in ways to
improve the service offering to their
clients through the use of technology.
Their website (www.moregroup.com.au),
that provides helpful initial information, an easy
to use mortgage wizard enquiry process along
with valuable industry contacts, is just the
start. Regular e-newsletter updates, SMS client
updates at key points of the process and the
soon to be released (2008) mortgage finance,
legal and property BLOG – all prove MORE to
be an industry leader in the making.
MORE will soon be flourishing, with business
and franchise opportunities to be offered to
the market (firstly in NSW only) in 2008. The
expansion of MORE into other states will
follow soon after – with Australia-wide services
expected by the end of 2010.
The new age of Mortgage Broking services is
about to begin with MORE. Gone are the days
of going to your bank and then to your solicitor
to buy that property you always wanted. The
public will soon be demanding MORE from this
industry – and they deserve MORE than their
current providers can give.
www.moregroup.com.au
Best of Australia 151
 Westfield Group - Property Retail
Property and Real Estate

The Westfield Group is a multinational company that owns shopping

centres in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the
United States. Westfield shopping centres are typically branded with
the name Westfield or Westfield Shoppingtown in their name.

152 Best of Australia

The company pioneered the incorporation
of entertainment and dining precincts into
shopping centres.
The Westfield Group had origins in
the western suburbs of Sydney. The first
development was named “Westfield Place”,
and opened in July 1959 in Blacktown, Sydney.
The name Westfield is derived from “West”
related to the West-Sydney location, and “field”
due to having located on subdivided farmland.
The centre was opened by John Saunders
and Frank Lowy. The company was floated on
the Australian Stock Exchange in 1960 and
built another five centres in New South Wales
before expanding into Victoria and Queensland
in 1966-67. The expansion into the US was
quite slow. It began with the purchase of the
Trumbull Shopping Centre in Connecticut in
1977, and was followed by three centres in
California, Michigan and Connecticut in 1980
and three centres in California, New Jersey
and Long Island, New York in 1986. In 1994
Westfield joined together with General Growth
and Whitehall Real Estate to purchase 19
centres for US$1 billion. Westfield seems to
form clusters of centres around particular cities
or within a small number of states. They built
considerable holdings on the east coast and in
California before expanding in the Mid-West. By
2005, the company still only owned centres in
15 US states.
In the 1990s, Westfield began a major
expansion across the Tasman to New
Zealand, where they mostly bought existing
shopping centres of the Fletchers Company,
progressively rebranding them. Only in 2007,
with Westfield Albany, has the company
opened a fully new centre in the country.
Best of Australia 153
 Rio Tinto Limited –
Mining

Minerals and Metals for the World

Rio Tinto is a multinational mining and
resources group founded originally in 1873.

The group is one of the world’s largest
mining companies, with a pre-tax profit of
approximately 10.2 billion US dollars in 2007 on
consolidated turnover of 25.4 billion USD.
Since 1995, Rio Tinto has been a dual listed
company. Rio Tinto Limited, formerly known
as CRA, is listed on the Australian Securities
Exchange, with Rio Tinto plc (formerly RTZ)
listed on the London Stock Exchange as well as
New York Stock Exchange (under ticker RTP).
The two companies are managed as a
single economic unit by a unified board, with a
share in either company entitling the owner to
the same voting rights and dividend payouts.
RTZ shareholders made up 76.7% of the new
unified entity, which is primarily managed from
London. Rio Tinto is thought to be the first
company listed on the ASX to have reached a
share price of over $100. This is not true, the
most famous case being the Poseidon bubble
in 1969-70 when the discovery of nickel ore
resulted in the Poseidon share price climbing
from 80 cents to $280 before collapsing.
Recently it has agreed to buy Canadian
aluminium company Alcan Inc. for $38.1
billion, in a move that creates the world’s
biggest aluminium company. Rio will pay
$101 per common share. Rio’s bid had been
unanimously recommended by Alcan’s board,
but remains subject to shareholder and
regulator approval. Alcan’s Chief Executive
Dick Evans would lead the new division which
would be renamed Rio Tinto Alcan and its
headquarters situated in Montreal.
On November 8, 2007, rival mining company
BHP Billiton announced it was seeking to
purchase Rio Tinto Group in an all share deal.
This offer was rejected by the board of Rio Tinto
as it “significantly undervalues” the company.
It is unknown if BHP Billiton will attempt to
purchase Rio Tinto through some form of
hostile takeover. This made Rio Tinto’s share
price soar to over $130.
The group produces a number of mineral
commodities in its various divisions:
Iron ore
Rio Tinto wholly owns Hamersley Iron, which
owns and operates a number of mines in
Western Australia either wholly or jointly with
several partners. Its partners on some projects
notably include several Chinese corporations.
Rio Tinto also owns 53% of Robe River Iron
Associates and 59% of the Iron Ore Company

154 Best of Australia


of Canada. Iron made up 18% of revenue
in 2003 and was responsible for 36% of the
group’s profit. It is the world’s second-largest
producer of iron ore.
Future iron ore mines are being developed at
Simandou in Guinea.
Copper
The copper division not only produces copper
itself, but also a considerable quantity of gold
from its mines in Australia, Indonesia, South
Africa, Chile, and the United States, some as
part of joint ventures.
The group owns Kennecott Utah Copper
Corporation. The copper group was responsible
for 23% of turnover (of which 55% was copper
and most of the remainder gold) and 32% of
profits in 2003.
Energy
The company’s energy group includes coal
mining operations in Australia (Rio Tinto Coal
Australia) and North America, and Energy
Resources of Australia, which operates the
Ranger Uranium Mine near Kakadu National
Park in Australia. The energy group also
operates the Rossing uranium mine in Namibia.
This group contributed 20% of turnover and
11% of profit.
Industrial minerals
The Industrial minerals group extracts
talc, titanium dioxide, salt, borax, amongst
several others. These operations are
scattered across Australia, the United
States, and Africa. This group contributed
15% of turnover and 11% of earnings.
Aluminium
Rio Tinto owns Comalco, which mines bauxite
(aluminium ore) in Weipa, Queensland, operates
alumina refineries in Gladstone, Queensland.
It also operates two aluminium smelters in
Australia at Bell Bay (Tasmania) and Boyne
Island (Queensland, 59% interest), and one in
New Zealand at Tiwai Point (79% interest). The
group also operates the Anglesey Aluminium
smelter at Holyhead in the United Kingdom.
This group contributed 16% of turnover and
14% of adjusted earnings.
Diamonds
The company’s diamond operations are best
known for the pink diamonds produced at the
Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia,
which produces over 90% of the world’s supply
of these gems and around 30% of the world’s
annual production of all natural diamonds. The
company also owns 60% of and manages the
Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest
Territories, and the Murowa diamond mine in
Zimbabwe.
Other commodities
Rio Tinto owns the Borax Company that
produces borax and is famous for the “20 Mule
Team” trademark which it shares with the Dial
Corporation. Rio Tinto also produces bauxite,
gold, titanium, lead, zinc, cobalt, nickel and
uranium.
Technology
The company also has a technology group
conducting research and development, notably
including the HIsmelt iron smelting process,
and an exploration group.
www.riotinto.com
Best of Australia 155
 ABC Learning Centres - Childcare
Childcare

ABC Learning Centres Ltd. is an Australian company that is the world’s

largest provider of childcare services. It is listed on the Australian Stock
Exchange with a market capitalisation of $2.5 billion as at March 2006.

156 Best of Australia

ABC Learning was founded in 1988 in
Ashgrove, Brisbane, Queensland by Eddy
Groves, and the Global Chief Executive Officer
of the company. Co-founder Le Neve Groves,
is a senior executive and is also a major
shareholder in ABC. The husband and wife
jointly own 14.5% of the company. ABC rapidly
expanded, reaching 43 childcare centres by
June 30, 2001. By November 2005, it had 697
childcare centres throughout Australia and New
Zealand. In March 2006, it forecast that would
have 950 centres in Australia and New Zealand
by June 30, 2006.
It has purchased the third largest childcare
operator in the United States Learning Care
Group Inc. which itself operates 467 centres in
the US and other educational facilities in south-
east Asia. The purchase provides ABC Learning
with 70,000 additional licensed childcare places
in addition to the 50,000 it had previously.
Other mergers with Peppercorn Management
Group and the purchase of Child Care Centres
Australia helped provide a considerable
increase in the number of ABC’s centres.
The company plans to increase its number
of centres by four a week. In March 2006, it
announced a bid for Kids Campus, one of its
few remaining large competitors in Australia
which would give it another 106 centres.
On December 13, 2006 it was announced
that ABC would acquire the second largest
child care provider in the United States,
Chicago based La Petite Academy for 330
million US Dollars as well as the 5th largest
provider in the UK, Busy Bees Group, Ltd. With
these acquisitions they are expanding into the
UK market and increasing their market share in
the US to 1%.
It has expanded aggressively into the
outsourcing of child care services, negotiating
deals with some of Australia’s largest
employers including the Australian Department
of Defence which involved taking over the
Department’s nineteen childcare facilities.
Aside from offshore expansion, the company
is also expanding in training and education.
It runs the ABC Early Childhood Training
College, providing training for childcare
workers, publishes a magazine Small Wonders
aimed at parents with young children.
It is a highly profitable company, in the
FY2004/5 recording net profit after tax of $52.3
million on total revenues of $292.7 million. The
six months ending 31 December 2005 showed
no slowing in the financial momentum for the
company with profit after tax reaching $38
million and revenues of $219.8 million.

www.childcare.com.au

Best of Australia 157

 Publishing and
Media

Broadcasting Limited
Australian Consolidated Press (ACP) was established in
1933. It acquired a broadcasting license in Sydney when
television began in Australia in the 1950s.

158 Best of Australia

ACP television station, TCN-9 Sydney was the
first station in Australia to go to air, launched in
1956, by an announcement from Bruce Gyngell
“Good evening, and welcome to television”.
In 1960, it purchased GTV-9 Melbourne to
form the first television network in Australia, the
National Television Network - later to become
The Nine Network.
In 1987, Kerry Packer sold the Nine Network
to Alan Bond, who then expanded the network
to include QTQ-9 Brisbane and STW-9 Perth.
Packer later bought the network back for half of
what he sold it for in 1990.
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited was
formed in 1994, from the merger of The Nine
Network Australia and Australian Consolidated
Press. In 1999, Crown Limited was merged into
PBL, and the online division of PBL, ecorp was
floated on the ASX. ecorp was later privatised
and delisted from the Stock Exchange.
In 2002, PBL entered a deal with Prime
Television, giving it an effective 50% stake in
Prime NZ.
In 2004, PBL purchased the Burswood
Casino in Perth, and a 50% stake in Hoyts
Cinemas, along with West Australian
Newspapers. Hoyts was previously
owned by the Packer private company;
Consolidated Press Holdings Ltd. It also
sold Papua New Guinea’s only television
network, EM-TV to Fiji Television.
On October 18, 2006, James Packer
announced the sell-off of 50% of PBL’s
media interests for A$4.5 billion to
focus on its gambling business. The
sell-off includes Nine Network and its
50 per cent interest in NineMSN.
PBL is currently involved in two casino
projects in Macau: the $260 million Crown
Macau and the $1.4 billion City of Dreams. The
projects are joint ventures with Melco, a Macau
company. In March 2006, PBL announced that
it had spent US$900 million (A$1.2 billion) to
purchase a casino sub-concession from Wynn
Resorts that would give the Melco-PBL joint
venture the right to conduct casino operations.
PBL’s commitment to these ventures is the
biggest investment by an Australian company in
the PRC to date. In May 2007, PBL announced
that it would split into two companies, Crown
and Consolidated Media Holdings.
www.pbl.com.au
Best of Australia 159