City Council Launches Free CBD Ferry Service On Brisbane River From Sunday

BRISBANE residents and tourists will have access to a free ferry service on the Brisbane River from Sunday. 
 
The City Hopper ferry loop was a $6 million election commitment made by Lord Mayor Cr Graham Quirk in April in a bid to provide a free service and keep the historic monohull ferries in use.

Three historic CityFerries rebranded as the red and white CityHopper.

Cr Quirk said he hoped the service would provide a boost for the local tourism industry.

"By providing a free ferry service in Brisbane's inner city, we hope to encourage more residents and visitors to enjoy the river and local destinations like South Bank, Kangaroo Point, the CBD and New Farm," Cr Quirk said in a statement.

The service will run every half hour, seven days a week from 6am to midnight.

It will follow the current Inner City Ferry route stopping at New Farm (Sydney Street), South Bank (Terminal 3), North Quay, South Brisbane (Maritime Museum), Kangaroo Point (Dockside, Holman Street and Thornton Street) and the Brisbane CBD, with the total journey from Sydney Street to North Quay taking about 45 minutes.

"Rather than compete with CityCats, which are our fast and frequent public transport service around the river, CityHoppers will allow people to take in the city by day or the city's lights by night at a slower pace," Cr Quirk said.

"I want to bring them back to the fore and using them to spearhead a free ferry tourism loop will go a long way to achieving that."

He said about 50 per cent of passengers using the city's ferries were already doing so for tourism or leisure.

Brisbane City Landmarks Turning Maroon In Lead-Up to 2012 State of Origin Decider

Last night, Brisbane took on a new shade of parochial pride with the Story Bridge, Kuripla Bridge, Wheel of Brisbane and City Hall among the city landmarks to turn maroon in the lead-up to this year's Origin series decider tomorrow week.

The new colour scheme is part of the "Show Your Colours" campaign, which was launched in the Queen Street Mall yesterday.

The campaign is designed to get the state behind the Maroons as they go for a record seventh consecutive series wins over New South Wales, and to promote Brisbane as a major events destination.


The city's residents are being asked to play their part and decorate their houses, cars, workplaces and everything else in maroon to celebrate being a Queenslander and display their pride in their state.

FANS: Darren lockyer with Breeanna Dwyer, 7, Hudson Spencer, 9, Chloe, 9, and Kane Martin, 6.

Former Queensland captain Darren Lockyer said the campaign would lift the Queensland players for their must-win game.

"As a rugby league player, it doesn't get any more exciting than Origin at Suncorp (Stadium)," Lockyer said.

"It's about supporting your team, the more maroon we see the better we'll play."

Pictures: Annette Dew

Source: The Courier-Mail

Newman Doubles Tourism Funding To Regions

State funding for tourism organisations in regional Queensland will be doubled to help prop up the ailing industry.

Premier Campbell Newman told the DestinationQ conference in Cairns today the funding would increase from $3.11 million to $7 million through a redirection of resources as the industry struggles to attract tourists.

But he says the government can't afford to just "throw buckets of money" at the industry to help it compete with the high Australian dollar and neighbouring countries.

"Simply preserving what we have will not meet the challenges of the future," he told the 300-plus crowd.

"We can't afford to sit with the status quo and it won't get us to where we want to go."
Mr Newman had campaigned about tourism being one of the major pillars of Queensland's economy during the lead up to the state election.

He told tourism operators the conference was about coming up with a new way forward for the state's tourism as he promised to do in his first 100 days in government.

Some of the conference's major focuses will include reducing red tape, attracting and retaining skilled workers in the industry, marketing strategies and how national parks were operated.
The forum, which several ministers including deputy premier Jeff Seeney are attending, was welcomed by tourism bodies.

Accommodation Association of Australia CEO Richard Munro said it was important for frontline operators to be able to air their grievances directly to government.

"It's important for governments at all levels to put in place policies which promote investment in both existing and new tourism accommodation products which do not adversely impact on operators", Mr Munro said in a statement.

ICC U19 CRICKET WORLD CUP

The world's best young cricketers will gather in Queensland from 11-26 August to test their skills during the 2012 ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup.

Free to attend and held over three locations - Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Townsville - the tournament will see sixteen teams from around the world compete including Australia; Afghanistan; Bangladesh; England; India; Ireland; Namibia;  Nepal; New Zealand; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Scotland; South Africa; Sri Lanka; West Indies; and Zimbabwe.

For a full tournament schedule visit 

www.icc-cricket.yahoo.net

ICC U19 CRICKET WORLD CUP

Green Tape Chokes Our Tourism

A luxury hotel! Right inside a Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

Of course, you might say. Who wants to stand in a hot forest the whole day, looking at trees?

Who wouldn't want to zip back after a couple of hours to grab that cocktail, jump in that pool, lounge on that sun deck or take that massage next to that passing wombat?

But note this. This ad campaign is the first in which Tourism Australia has featured not just our best bits of nature, but the luxury resorts right next to them, including spectacular ones at Kangaroo Island and Tasmania's Great Oyster Bay.

Not only that, the Blue Mountains resort is the one at Wolgan Valley that green groups fought and green tape almost strangled. A hotel in a national park? Sacrilege!

Which makes Tourism Australia's latest ad campaign, launched in Shanghai, not just a celebration of Australia, but one more sign of the decline of the anti-human green movement.

The Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, which Test captain Michael Clarke booked out last month for his wedding, is the perfect example.

Emirates announced in 2005 it wanted to build this $125 million extravaganza, yet had to work for two more years just to get its plans through all the green tape, including approvals from the then Howard government, the local shire, the NSW Land and Environment Court and the NSW Labor government.

It's a familiar story for any big developer. For years now, it's seemed a sin to green preachers to have man's footprint anywhere near nature.

This absurd fear of human contamination has closed a uranium mine in Kakadu, banned oil exploration around the Barrier Reef, halted coal mines in Queensland, delayed housing developments in even the most barren scrub and now threatens a planned $30 billion gas hub project on James Price Point an empty scrap of the vast Kimberley.

Even a humble $50 million expansion of the Yaringa Boat Harbour on the Mornington Peninsula was held up for a year by green bureaucrats fretting over an orange-bellied parrot no one had actually seen there for a quarter of a century.

This anti-human paranoia has also led to attacks on tourism itself. Tourists are told not to climb Ayers Rock; recreational fishing has been severely restricted; horse riding in many national parks is limited or even banned; and where is the five-star resort on the Barrier Reef itself that tourists would cross the world to see?

It's like banning laughter in church. Victoria's magnificent Wilsons Prom is under such prudish management that you can't stay anywhere inside bar a camping site or some spartan eco-cabin.
The Wolgan Valley resort could have gone the same puritanical way. What an effort and expense Emirates had to go to just to get an official "yes" to a project that Tourism Australia now touts as one of our biggest tourism magnets.

It had to swap 114 hectares of bushland it had bought next to the park for 39ha of the park itself, with green groups screaming every inch of the way. It had to plant thousands of trees, modify its designs and agree to all kinds of restrictions. Even now, just four helicopter trips a week are allowed to ferry in guests.

Now come the Tourism Australia ads to explode the fallacy and extremism that tends to drive such anti-development campaigns.

No, man is not necessarily a pollution on the landscape. No, there's not much point in having great scenery if you make it too tough for people to see or enjoy.

These ads no longer trade on our beauty spots being remote and unsullied by human hands. After all, there's not a single national park that isn't improved by a good road to go see it.
So we see the beauty of the Great Oyster Bay through the windows of the Saffire Freycinet luxury lodge.

We look out over Kangaroo Island's beach from the great windows of the Southern Ocean Lodge. Uluru is seen from well laid dining tables at dusk, and a chopper is parked on top of a waterfall in the El Questro Wilderness Park, because who wants to hike in the heat?

In fact, the sole Victorian entry in the 12 destinations showcased is nothing designed by nature not the Great Ocean Road or the penguins of Phillip Island but Crown casino.

And Sydney closes the ads with our greatest calling card the man-made Sydney Opera House, on the edge of the God-made harbour.

It's the perfect balance.

Here's Cheers to the First Queensland Beer Week

If the flashing red neon XXXX sign atop Castlemaine Brewery isn’t proof enough that Queenslanders love their beer, the state is now bracing for its own beer bash with the inaugural Queensland Beer Week from July 16- 22.

The collective ‘clink’ of beer bottles will be heard across Queensland as breweries, bottle shops and iconic pubs team up to showcase the very best of beer culture, while beer-lovers also attempt a world record for the most people brewing at one time.

And the timing couldn’t be more perfect with Queensland’s favourite brew, XXXX Gold recently taking the crown for the nation's most popular beer and flattening the bubbles out of long-time title holder, Victoria Bitter.

Raise your glass and celebrate with the 10 best beer experiences in Queensland.

1. Take a tour with a tipple

Get inside the head, the heart and the history of Queensland’s amber elixir with a tour through the XXXX Ale House in Brisbane’s inner-west. Tours of the 130-year-old icon run daily and visitors can see how the beer is made and taste the final product. www.xxxxbrewerytour.com.au

2. Bavarian beer in the bush

If the clink of a beer stein and the image of an honest Aussie farmer in a good pair of lederhosen appeals, then head west for the world’s most remoteOutback Oktoberfest in Jundah. You won’t go hungry or thirsty with Beer Wenches catering to your every whim, whether it be a big juicy bratwurst or stein of authentic Erdinger beer specially imported from Germany. www.outbackoktoberfest.com.au

3. Get crafty on the coast

You can’t rush a good thing, according to the Gold Coast’s only craft brewery, Burleigh Brewing Company. It takes around a month to perfect a Burleigh brew; the onsite team does absolutely everything by hand, from carefully selecting the malted barley, yeast and hops to bottling the finished product, boxing it up and lovingly placing it in the cold room. Clearly they’re doing something right - their HEF beer was recently judged the Best German Wheat Beer at the World Beer Cup 2012. Wunderbar! www.burleighbrewing.com.au

4. A match made in heaven

It’s an unlikely pairing, but beer and cheese go together like Queen Elizabeth and her corgies. Explore the hinterland town of Mount Tamborine and match the cheese at Witches Chase Cheese with award-winning beer samples from Mount Tamborine Brewery next door. www.mtbeer.com

5. Beers and bull riding

Crack a coldie at the iconic Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton, the home of great steak, beer and rodeos. This 116-year-old pub plays host to major national rodeos and features a huge undercover rodeo arena for 1,000 people that attracts champion riders from near and far.www.greatwesternhotel.com.au

6. BYO (Brew Your Own) beer

Be your own brew master for a day at Brew 4 U in Brisbane - Queensland’s first brew-on-premises microbrewery. Visit the brewery and choose a beer from their list of over 200 different styles. Measure out the ingredients, mix them together and transfer it to the fermenter where your brew will bubble for 2-4 weeks. At the end of the process, take home 50 litres of your very own freshly brewed and bottled beer. www.bru4u.com

7. Archive of ales

Beer-aficionados won’t go thirsty at Archive Beer Boutique in Brisbane’s West End, with more than 400 different bottled beers and 14 draught beers to choose from. Currently on tap is Burleigh HEF, White Rabbit White Ale and Two Birds Sunset Red Ale. But if the reserve selection is more to your taste, for $175 you can try a bottle of Brewdog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin. With 32 per cent alcohol it’s the world’s strongest beer and should be enjoyed like a fine whisky. www.archivebeerboutique.com.au

8. Sky’s the limit

The tropical climate of North Queensland has always been associated with cold, thirst-quenching beer. Enter Blue Sky Brewery. Situated in the heart of Cairns, the brewery produces 10 preservative-free, full-flavoured beers including lagers, ales and ciders. Enjoy guided tours from Monday to Thursday where you can sample their stable of beers including FNQ Lager, FNQ Gold, Cairns Gold and Blue Sky Pilsner. Blue Sky is also serious about being green with 95 per cent of its spent grain and yeast used for cattle feed. www.blueskybrewery.com.au

9. Something’s a-brewing

One of Australia’s premier boutique breweries, the Townsville Brewing Company has been brewing six regular beers plus various seasonal releases since opening in 2001. Steeped in history, the brewery is housed within the town’s original post office building, flanked by an impressive clock tower. Brewery tours aren’t available but they do offer tutored tastings. www.townsvillebrewery.com.au

10. No bitter aftertaste

Cleverly named beer bistro Bitter Suite is one of New Farm’s trendy new kids on the block and becoming a fast favourite for weekend afternoon drinks. The friendly owners living out their dream offer patrons hearty fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it’s their grazing menu begging to be washed down with a choice of seven local craft beers on tap, plus 55 (mostly) Australian bottles that’s winning over locals. www.bittersuite.com.au

Here's Cheers to the First Queensland Beer Week

Top 10 Queensland Experiences to Celebrate Queensland Week

With the Maroons and Blues locked in State of Origin fever, Queensland is preparing for Queensland Week, a celebration of the state’s separation from New South Wales.

On 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria signed the Letters Patent authorising Queensland’s independence. This day is now known as Queensland Day. And the day we said goodbye to the Blues.

So while the Queen celebrates her 75^th jubilee, Queensland will turn the ripe old age of 153 (she’s looking pretty fine for an old girl) and will celebrate with a week of activities from 2-11 June.

Here at Tourism Queensland we’ve compiled the ultimate Top 10 Queensland experiences that every Aussie should experience before they kick the bucket.

1. Discover the largest natural wonder of the world

The World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef should be experienced by everyone at least once. Dive with turtles and manta rays off Lady Elliot Island, snorkel the spectacular Low Isles coral cay off Port Douglas, take a romantic scenic flight over the iconic Heart Reef, or try a helmet dive at Green Island.

2. Have an ‘Outback Eventure’

Queensland’s outback explodes into a dirt-busting riot of colour, cowboys, horse races and oddly enough, operas, every year in celebration of spring with a calendar full of quirky events. Meet the friendliest of folk from the quaintest towns in the country at the Australian Dunny Derby in Winton, the famous Birdsville Races, or Mt Isa Rodeo - the largest in the southern hemisphere.

3. Go back to surfing’s roots

Pull on your boardies, grab your board and get out with the pros at some of the most famous surf breaks on the planet. Home to the Quiksilver Pro and a few of the world’s best surfers including Joel ‘Parko’ Parkinson and Michael ‘MP’ Peterson, the beaches from Dicky Beach on the Sunshine Coast to the famous break at Snapper Rocks are where Australian surf history all began.

4. Dive with minke whales

For six weeks of the year Queensland offers one of the most life-changing experiences in the country.  During June and July, minke whales come to play in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef and live-aboard vessels head out for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dive and snorkel with these curious and amazing sea creatures.

5. Take the plunge 

A family trip to visit the Gold Coast theme parks is a rite of passage for every teenager in this country. A mad few days swapping between the sickening rides at Dreamworld, getting to your saturation limit at Wet’n’Wild, or hanging with the polar bears at Sea World combined with too much fairy floss and too many Dagwood Dogs makes for a perfect weekend! Or if you really want to get the heart started, head to Cairns to the only bungy site in Australia and trial their world-first jump menu.

6. Immerse yourself in Australian history

Discover the historical gems of Outback Queensland – learn about bushrangers, shearers, stockmen and drovers at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame; or the history of QANTAS at the Qantas Founders Museum. Retrace the steps of Cobb & Co. by travelling on the original mail route between Longreach and Windorah on a fully-ladenstagecoach with Kinnon & Co; or visit the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs.

7. Taste-test true blue Queensland drops

The Bundy bear and the flashing XXXX sign winking out over Brisbane are two of Queensland’s proudest icons. The two labels personify Queensland’s laid-back attitude and larrikin nature and a visit inside the hallowed walls of the distillery and brewery should be included on every imbiber’s list.

8. Go camping on Fraser Island

Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world, boasting ancient forests, one of the world’s most beautifully blue freshwater lakes, Lake Mackenzie, and of course, kilometres of undulating sand dunes. Whether you fly down them on a sand board, careen up them in a 4WD, or camp at the base of them, this World Heritage-listed island is a must-visit for all Australians.

9. Climb to record-breaking heights

Brisbane’s Story Bridge not only features in hundreds of images of the beautiful city but it also boasts the achievement of being the only bridge in the world to offer both a climb and an abseil experience. And just down the road you can get even higher with Australia’s tallest external building climb at SkyPoint on the Gold Coast.

10. Sail the 74 islands of the Whitsundays

The destination of choice for weddings, luxury holidays or sailing adventures for people all over the world, the 74 islands that make up the crystal blue Whitsundays are a mecca for sailors. Whether you want to be spoilt on a luxury yacht, hire a bareboat with your mates or sail off into the sunset with your lover there could be no better way to spend a holiday.

And one more for good luck…

11. Be a part of the seventh-straight win* with the third State of Origin match at Suncorp Stadium on July 4.

*Queenslander’s are nothing if not optimistic.

(Source: Travmedia.com)

Billion Dollar Ipswich Motorway Opens

Hundreds turned out on 15 May to witness the official opening of the $2.8 billion Ipswich Motorway project.

Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese and his state counterpart Scott Emerson joined many other dignitaries to formally open the Motorway, following completion of the final $1.76 billion stretch linking Goodna to Dinmore.

Ipswich Mayor Cr Paul Pisasale said the Federally-funded motorway, which created 5,000 jobs during the four months and two years it took to build, was a boon to Ipswich.

“This is about the entrance to one of the fastest-growing parts of Australia – now the infrastructure is in place, this is going to take a lot of pressure off Brisbane,” he said.

Cr Pisasale congratulated work crews who finished the project under budget and six months ahead of schedule.

“I congratulate the construction people because they have built one of the most magnificent highways under enormously complex conditions with the very high traffic flows.

“Every time they built a section of road, they had to build another road to divert the traffic.”

Three projects over eight years have widened the Ipswich Motorway to a minimum of six lanes from Oxley to Dinmore.

They include the Wacol to Darra stretch, including the new interchange of the Ipswich Motorway and the Centenary Highway ($824 million); the Ipswich Motorway/Logan Motorway interchange ($255 million); plus the Dinmore to Goodna stretch ($1.76 billion).

Billion Dollar Ipswich Motorway Opens