Here are the goodies that your blog entry can win you for September!

Two surf lessons

Learn to surf on one of Sydney’s most beautiful beaches with Manly Surf School. These guys are the experts, and the school has been voted by Surfing Australia as the number 1 surf school in NSW.  Have a look at www.manlysurfschool.com.

Three nights on Magnetic Island

Take a tropical break with three nights on Queensland's Magnetic Island. Base Magnetic Island hostel is the one of the best kept secrets of Australia's Tropical North. Located right on the beach, chill out in the sun by day and groove to funky tunes at the Island Bar by night. Come recharge the batteries and enjoy your own little part of paradise only 20 minutes from Townsville. The Base Crew know the local area and look forward to letting you in on its many secrets. We can't imagine a better place to stay and play.
www.stayatbase.com/base-magnetic-island-hostel

Free night and welcome pack in Sydney

Score yourself one night’s accommodation in a 4-share dorm with ensuite at Westend Backpackers hostel in Sydney. This hostel is only five minutes’ walk from Sydney Central Station and a short stroll to all major tourist attractions so you will be right in the heart of all the action.  This also includes a welcome pack with free internet and 15 free drinks!
Have a look here: www.westendbackpackers.com

$60 Habitat HQ accommodation

$60 accommodation to use on any of the following room types at Habitat HQ, Melbourne: 10, 8, 6, or 4 share dorms with luggage lock up; and private ensuite rooms with TV and tea and coffee.

‘Inhabit’ this fantastic 4.5 star, award winning hostel and soak up all the comforts of a clean and homely atmosphere in one of Melbourne’s coolest, ‘happening’ suburbs, St Kilda!  Sitting just on the outside of the city and jutting out onto the beach, St Kilda is the live music capital of Australia and the Head Quarters of Habitat HQ  With an events co-ordinator making sure your stay is memorable and fun, you can’t be wrong when choosing this habitat for your Melbourne home.

Habitat HQ is a quick tram ride to the city or a stroll to St Kilda beach and you’ll have to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming when you walk into this super clean, super secure and modern hostel.  At Habitat HQ, its all about giving you options!   Choose your Habitat and bunk up with us!
Visit: http://www.thehabitathq.com.au/

©Visa Bureau 2003-2013

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

There is a small town about 300km west of Brisbane, Queensland, that holds a bizzare festival every two years.

For four days the little town of Chinchilla (and visitors) ski, bungy, spit, eat, slurp and smash their way through as many melons as possible. And in most creative ways.

Chinchilla is the melon captial of Australia, producing a quarter of the countries melons, and to celebrate almost everything imaginable that can be done with the fruit is given a go. Melon cocktails and pip spitting are some of the tamer exploits, moving to the more full-on events.

Take melon skiing: A half of a melon is stuck on each feet, and a rope drags you along on a tarp laced with slippery melon pieces. Some get further than others.

Or there is the melon iron man event, melon bungee, melon bullseye, pip spitting and melon tossing, and a real headache ... melon smashing.

Get a really hard head, smash it on to as many melons as you can in a minute and you have yourself possibly the stupidest reason for a headache. John Allwood, a melon picker, broke his record in melon smashing earlier this year in Chinchilla.

In 2007 he smashed 40 melons in one minute, but this year the 29-year-old cracked 47 with his noggin. All chances to officially challenge his record will have to wait for the Chinchilla Melon Festival on 17 - 20 February 2011.

Meanwhile, there is time to perfect your melon skiing technique.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2013

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

 

Australia’s a big, wide country, so what better way for a little town to stand out than with a Big Pineapple? 

There are more than 150 giant models in Australia, like the Big Gumboot in Tully, Queensland, and Humpty Doo’s (yes, that’s the name of the town) Big Boxing Crocodile. 

Some are just ridiculous, like the Big Poo in Kiama and the Big Potato in Robertson, but most are fun, if a bit kitsch, excuses for a road trip.

Here is my top 10.

10. Big Ned Kelly: Glenrowan, Victoria.  Worth the trip if you are interested in Australia’s infamous criminal.

9. Big Golden Guitar: Tamworth, New South Wales. It is beautifully crafted, and a fitting tribute for Australia’s country music capital.

8. Giant Koala: Dadswells Bridge, Victoria. Now owed by new people, Karla has had a makeover.

7. Big Banana: Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The first in Australia (built in 1964) and visible from the highway.

6. Big Lobster: Kingston, South Australia. Known to the locals as ‘Larry’.

5. Big Merino: Goulburn, New South Wales. As awe-inspiring as a giant sheep can be, or should that be ewe-inspiring? ...ha ha... eh *sigh*.

4. Big Wine Cask: Wentworth, New South Wales. An excellent excuse for stupid photos with mouths agape under the dispenser.

3. Giant Murray Cod: Swan Hill, Victoria. Again, a funny photo opportunity in the mouth of the cod.

2. Big Prawn: Ballina, New South Wales (south of Byron Bay). It was a little faded the last time I saw it but it was always a signal on an east coast road trip to stop for lunch and have fish and chips on the beach.

And drum roll please...

1. Big Pineapple: Nambour, Queensland, it’s a 16-metre (52 foot) fibreglass fruit that has been an icon since it opened in 1971. It’s also an event with rides on a Macadamia nut mobile or on a small train, and tropical fruit parfaits for afters. Daww.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2013

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

 

 

A green tree frog on the edge of a pool in South East Queensland.  He occasionally takes a swim...

©Visa Bureau 2003-2013

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.