Collaborations with Australian tourism bodies, councils and organisations WORKING TOGETHER TO SPREAD THE WORD

Truly Aus Collaborations is a new intiative by Publishing ByChelle and two airlines: Regional Express airlines and Alliance airlines.

We want to work together so that word of your region, organisation or business can reach up to 2.5 million passengers.

We pride ourselves on creating mutually beneficial media collaborations with tourism bodies and organisations across the country keen to get our readers visiting particular regions. We do this with a mixture of print, online and social media, with the aim of the game being to get more tourists and business people visiting a particular part of regional, rural or outback Australia.

On the following pages are some recent collaborations.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Food and Wine Food and Wine

Looking below the surface around for thousands of years is a newcomer for tourists on I’m feeling rather like Alice in Wonderland as I descend into the Mount Gambier cave scene. the startling verdant gardens of Umpherston Sinkhole, which A sheep farming family have had this remarkable sinkhole is otherwise known as the Sunken Garden. Lucky for me on their property for four generations, and it has been used and unlike poor Alice, my pace is a leisurely stroll, and not a by professional divers for many years for training. Recently it frantic tumble. However the feeling of reaching the bottom has been developed so that tourists will now be able to enjoy is just as surprising, as soon I am standing in another world: snorkelling and, if qualified, scuba-diving in the stunning heavy drapes of vines cascading down the limestone walls, blue cave. The water is so clear that looking into it, the hedges of bright greenery and pretty garden beds filled with bottom seems as though it’s about five metres away, when in ferns and flowers adding to the fairy-tale vista. fact it’s around 30 metres below. A gin, aptly called Sinkhole The original limestone cave that, millions of years ago, Gin, will soon be released so that guests can enjoy a tipple arched over the place where I now stand was formed by the on the new wooden deck above this natural phenomenon. dissolution of limestone. The sinkhole was created when the For anyone who enjoys caving, Naracoorte Caves should top of the chamber collapsed downwards. be on the must-do list. It is the only World Heritage Listed In 1868 James Umpherston purchased the land including site in , and in the Fossil Cave you can the sinkhole, and in 1884, after retiring from farming, he see astounding piles of megafauna bones from creatures decided to turn it into “a pleasant resort in the heat of the that fell through the forest floor around half a million years summer.” Back in the good old days there was a small lake in ago, possibly up to 800,000 years. Due to it being pitch- the sinkhole, and when people gathered to socialise, they’d black and hard to navigate, they could not find their way also drift about on boats and enjoy picnics on the lake’s side. out. Visitors can take an enthralling tour and see the bones Mount Gambier, being built on limestone, has plenty of of marsupial lions, giant kangaroos and five-metre snakes. sinkholes to explore, including the famous Engelbrecht Leave enough time to explore the many other caves in the Caves in the middle of town. However my next journey into region, as they also have extremely impressive exhibits and

KILSBY SINKHOLE IMAGE: MATT TESTONI the Earth is at Kilsby Sinkhole, which despite having been you’ll no doubt want to spend hours exploring. 

With its remarkable sinkholes and sunken gardens, Mount Gambier is a stunner. And with its world-class wine and food offerings, the Coonawarra is an insatiable seducer. Whatever you fancy, after a visit to the Limestone Coast, you’ll become one of her many lovers. WORDS BY: Michelle Hespe IMAGE: SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION/ADAM BRUZZONE JOURNEY

INTO THE left to right: kilsby sinkhole; umpherston sinkhole; the victoria fossil IMAGE: OCKERT LE ROUX EARTH cave at naracoorte caves 50 TrueBlue DEC 2018/JAN 2019 51

WELCOME TO OUR ANCIENT LAND Join the journey that began millions spectacular lakes, sunken gardens, of years ago...nature's miracles are and crystalline ponds offering plain to see, and ready to explore. world-class diving experiences. Dormant volcanoes with Incredible food and wine are mountain trails dominate the another legacy of this wondrous 500,000 Limestone Coast skyline, while landscape; fertile soils stretch all deep underground, secret caves the way to the chilly Southern harbour prehistoric creatures and a Ocean, leaving guests spoilt for labyrinth of hidden waterways. choice when it comes to seafood, Reach more than Giant sinkholes shine light on the meat, fruit, vegetables and world- past, their craters transformed with class wines. southaustralia.com/places-to-go/limestone-coast/ 500,000 Rex passengers and more than 30,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook. CASE STUDY 1: THE LIMESTONE COAST

This stunning collaboration included an eight-page feature on Mount Gambier and the Coonawarra, supported by The Limestone Coast and True Blue magazine. It reached more than 500,000 people.The article was supported by social media on Facebook and Instragram on three airlines’ platforms including Rex, Alliance and Airnorth, reaching an additional 60,000 followers. The feature was also supported by a double-page spread advertisement, created by the team at Publishing ByChelle after a briefing by The Limestone Coast marketing team.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Off the Grid Off the Grid

bout half-an-hour’s drive from Kangaroo Island’s Kingscote Airport, many travellers stop to GREAT take photos of a motley crew of mailboxes that belong to the Aresidents of Vivonne Bay. SOUTHERN Not all of them were actually mailboxes in their former lives. Granted, there are some made in the more traditional manner – a study box on a post with a pitched tin roof – but WONDERS the others were once bar fridges, oil drums, doghouses, microwaves… and there’s even an old dryer. “The dryer and the doghouse are great due to their capaciousness,” says our minibus driver. “And they’re also critter-proof!” My partner and I take some photos, and before we board the coach, I read a little note that someone has written in bright yellow paint on a scrap of green metal: “If you live on Kangaroo Island, you’re better off than 99.9 per cent of the population.” I smile, thinking that this trip to the bottom of Australia is going to surprise us in many more ways over the coming days. One third of this remote 4400 square km island is devoted to nature reserves, and with a population of only 4700, the locals have plenty of room to move. Kangaroo Island’s reputation has long intrigued me: it’s known for its wild and woolly weather and just as wild seas, its beautifully rugged landscapes, fabulous organic produce and the 1500 Aussie species that call it home: koalas, wombats, wallabies, sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, echidnas, 

‘Wildly peaceful’ may seem like a contradiction in terms, however Kangaroo Island seamlessly merges many wild wonders and an extraordindary sense of peace.

WORDS: Michelle Hespe

48 TrueBlue FEB/MARCH 2019 49

Off the Grid Off the Grid

“As a blood orange sunset explodes World-class airport beneath the gathering black clouds, for Kangaroo Island we are in complete awe of nature.” Kangaroo Island’s stunning new with Council and the MOBO airport provides a warm welcome Group working together to and stylish entry point for visitors provide employment, training to the island. Its award-winning, and development opportunities state-of-the-art design reflects the through the airport café and retail brand values of Kangaroo Island area. This is great for those in the and like all great airports, is much community who may not be able more than a transit lounge. to engage fully in the traditional Professionally curated art workplace. When you visit the exhibitions run throughout the airport say hello and try the year, showcasing the Island’s coffee! growing reputation for producing The project is the culmination world-class art. Three distinct of several years of work and is a exhibitions will be mounted in collaboration between local, state 2019 which, together with wall- and federal governments, with the size brand images and themes, federal and state governments transform the light and spacious providing the majority of Top spot for an afternoon drink airport interior into a gallery. the funding for this essential at Southern Ocean Lodge For visitors, it provides a first infrastructure. glimpse of the natural wonders The government investment of the Island and how local artists in this critical infrastructure through scrubland that the sea lions call home, could not have been bestowed with more have been inspired by their Island has encouraged private sector and out on to the beach where white sand, astounding natural beauty, enter Admirals Arch home. investors to invest in significant blue sky and unspoiled vistas sprawl in every – a partly underground world of ancient caves Visitors can check out what’s tourism projects such as the direction. Life has not changed here for these where the wind, rain and waves have created on offer by utilising the large, $20-million Kangaroo Island creatures for thousands of years – their home a natural with stalactites adorning its centrally located, interactive touch golf course, and the $35-million is how it has always been, albeit with streams underside like jagged chandeliers. screens which offer information on American River Resort, which will of people taking photos and smiling at their Designated as a significant geological accommodation, tour operators, commence development this year. antics. There are sleeping sea lions everywhere: monument, the site attracts thousands upon places to visit, things to do, places For further information crashed out in the dunes, lying about on the thousands of visitors a year. The New Zealand to eat and airport art exhibitions. contact Kangaroo Island beach, exhausted after big swims and hunting fur seals love this rocky playground’s sheltered The airport is also home to the Council on 08 8553 4500 or visit sprees in the ocean. There are plenty of ledges – there are usually hundreds of the Island’s first social enterprise, www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au warning signs about not getting too close, and creatures cavorting about. Eagle Perch by local artist for good reason – a protective bull can weigh On our last evening at Southern Ocean Caroline Taylor up to 350 kilograms! Lodge – where we’ve made friends, fallen in You can’t visit Kangaroo Island without paying love with the chef and indulged in some of a visit to the Remarkable Rocks in Flinders South Australia’s finest wines – a storm rolls in, Fact File Chase National Park. A stunning ensemble and we are able to experience the wild weather Southern Ocean Lodge of boulders atop a granite dome, they’re that this part of the world is renowned for, while southernoceanlodge. Mother Nature’s version of Sculpture by the warm and cosy in our luxurious suite, seated com.au Sea. Formed during the post-Cambrian period in the large window as though we’re before Hanson Bay Wildlife around 500 million years ago, the unusually a stage. The ocean is spread out like a dark, Sanctuary (for koalas) beautiful shapes and vibrant colouring were tumultuous JMW Turner oil painting created hansonbay.com.au caused by rain penetrating the upper layer with layer upon layer of heavy brush lashes. Seal Bay Conservation of the rock, decomposing it into separate As a blood orange sunset explodes beneath Park boulders. The wind, waves and lichen have the gathering black clouds, we are in complete sealbay.sa.gov.au since worked wonders, resulting in one of the awe of nature. We’re framed by our window For more information on most photographed natural spectacles in looking out at the edge of the world, feeling 2.5 Kangaroo Island South Australia. small in comparison to the show unfolding tourkangarooisland. Just when you thought one remote island before us, but never more alive. TB com.au

MILLIONFEB/MARCH 2019 52 TrueBlue 53 By running the story in both magazines, our clients can reach up to 2.5 million pax. CASE STUDY 2: KANGAROO ISLAND

This current collaboration (in the Feb March 2019 issue of True Blue magazine) consists of a 6-page feature article, with a one-page editorial piece on Kangaroo Island’s new airport and tourism faciltiies. We also ran this feature in Alliance’s inflight magazine, and included social media to 30,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, for Rex and Alliance followers.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Destination Highlight Destination Highlight

Pomingalarna Reserve

WAGGA WANDERINGS Farm-fresh produce, flavours to be savoured and fabulous festivals prove the thriving city has plenty of heart. WORDS: Sue Wallace

When it comes to names, Wagga Wagga well deserves its experiences and food tours. “It has been exciting to watch double billing. So nice it was named twice, these days most the changes in the food scene in Wagga since we opened people shorten it to just the one Wagga. Home to more the business in 2011,” she says. “There are now so many than 65,000 people, the largest inland city in NSW boasts growers, producers, great restaurants and cafés, and a fabulous food and wine scene, a rich art and culture hub, people who are passionate about what they do.” and excellent sporting facilities. Tania runs 40 cooking classes a year with well-known Quirky Fact Straddling the , Wagga is a city international, national and local chefs. “We focus on The name Wagga Wagga comes from the that has come of age, says Food I Am’s Tania Sibrey, who paddock-to-plate experiences,” she explains. “There’s Wiradjuri language, meaning “the place runs a cooking school as well as organising private dining great produce around including strawberries, Coolamon  of many crows”, while the suburb Gumly

Lake Albert Gumly means “place of many frogs”. NSW DESTINATION IMAGE: FEB/MARCH 2019 29

Business Opportunity A FEW OF OUR favourite THINGS

Wagga Wagga: Open for business Investors and entrepreneurs seeking high value a business thriving globally from facilities in Wagga is opportunities are turning to regional hotspots such Riverina Oils & Bio Energy (ROBE).” as Wagga Wagga to invest and develop new business. ROBE chief executive officer Scott Whiteman said Wagga City Council General Manager Peter Thompson Wagga provided some of the best logistics and storage said the growing intensity for regional investment is facilities available in Australia, with the advantage of being based on affordability and a new perspective on regional located between and . “In 2013 we built connectivity. “A city the size of Wagga provides a high a state-of-the-art fully-integrated oilseed crushing and quality lifestyle and this means business operators can refinery plant which we strategically located in Wagga,” Mr source staff and also enjoy the rewards of their own Whiteman said. success,” he said. “We’re open for business. We are “We have never regretted our decision to establish the in advanced negotiations with business investors and facility in Wagga.” entrepreneurs on a range of projects. There’s never been a Mr Thompson said Council’s new Regional Activation Unit better time for investors to go outside the major cities and provided a comprehensive service to investors and new look at what a regional capital such as Wagga has to offer.” business to discuss and plan development opportunities. Mr Thompson said significant investment in the city’s “We’re looking at emerging national and international Bomen Enterprise Area in the next two years will transform markets, as well as what we do well already,” he said. the way investors view Wagga, NSW’s largest inland city “We see many opportunities in the Asia-Pacific area and and one of the state’s fastest growing regional centres. we’re pursuing business to consider Wagga as a preferred “The multi-million dollar investment all three levels of destination.” government are making in the Riverina Intermodal Freight Mr Thompson said the city is investing in its future to and Logistics (RiFL) Hub will set up our city for investment ensure investors have access to the “complete package” and business opportunities for many decades,” he said. Wagga has to offer. “Wagga has a growing population, “Partnering with the NSW and Federal governments, proven economic output, trade, commerce, cultural and and also an internationally renowned cornerstone investor social life. The quality of life in Wagga is a key attribute of such as Visy Logistics to deliver this infrastructure, is critical the region. Health, education and recreation are all features 750,000 to the city’s foundation for business growth. Wagga is of a booming NSW regional capital,” he said. dispelling any myth that profits in regional centres are “If they want to invest, let me say now is the time, and restricted to regional business. An excellent example of Wagga is the place to do it.” With this mixture 32 TrueBlue FEB/MARCH 2019 33 of travel and business content, our client reached more than CASE STUDY 3: WAGGA WAGGA 750,000 passengers.

This current collaboration between True Blue magazine and Wagga Wagga Council will result in Wagga Wagga being in front of over 750,000 people. The package includes a four-page feature article, two full page advertisements and one advertorial aimed at business travellers, ecouraging them to relocate and do business in this thriving NSW city. We also backed this up with social coverage on Facebook and Instagram, reaching an additional 60,000 followers of Rex and Alliance.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Road Trip GLORIOUS GRIFFITH Diverse Griffith offers a symphonic food and wine blend of regional Australian produce fused with a local history of European immigration and culinary traditions. WORDS BY: Yasmin Noone

Griffith Region Fast Facts The Griffith region supplies 70 per cent of Discover Griffith - one of Australia’s most liveable country towns, according to the Weekend Australian NSW citrus production Magazine. Located in the heart of the NSW Riverina, Griffith is a progressive, vibrant regional centre and 95 per cent of servicing a population of 52,000. Griffith is bursting with life and energy. The main street is dominated Australia’s prunes.

by Italian cafés serving great coffee, pizza, local wine and house-made gelato. The people are friendly All of Griffith’s wineries and the boutique shopping is impressive. The industries are diverse, and include wine, poultry, nuts, rice, are family-owned citrus, vegetables and dryland cropping. There are many exciting career opportunities and the housing is businesses, with more than half identifying affordable. Make time to discover Griffith Region - a great place to visit, a great place to live. with Italian heritage.

visitGriffith.com.au

Road Trip griffith pioneer park museum & cultural centre Out & About In a picturesque bush land, Pioneer Park Museum hosts original buildings, machinery, vehicles, and antiques depicting the history of settlement of Griffith and surrounds. With a kiosk, sauces, breads, gelati, antipasti, cheese, try the beef cheek, which is his favourite dish picnic areas and playgrounds, the whole The Art of Ovolo Nishi preserves and olive oils. to cook. I also indulge in a cheese platter family can take a step back in time! With its unusual pineapple exploring and enjoying the The following day I head back to Hanwood for dessert: a necessary precursor to visiting inspired structure, Ovolo Nishi hotel. It has an ultra-cool Fast Facts and visit the 100-year-old Catania Fruit Salad Coolamon Cheese, located one hour and many (formerly known as Hotel Hotel) library and lounging space and Wine producers in the Farm, owned by Joe and Sharon Maugeri. canola fields away, on the following day. has been a talking point since the Monster Saloon and Bar Griffith region grow 62 I head off on a bumpy farm safari ride in a Created by microbiologist turned OPENING HOURS it was completed in 2013. Its offers local, seasonally based different varieties and magnificent rusty van to see more than 60 cheesemaker Barry Lillywhite, Coolamon Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4pm supply around 75 per new incarnation in the Ovolo dishes with a Japanese and types of fruits growing – there’s an abundance Cheese is the destination for cheese-lovers who Weekends 10am - 3pm cent of the state’s wine Griffith Italian Museum • Bagtown Pioneer Village group of hotels has injected Middle Eastern flair. There’s of apples, pears, olives, chestnuts, cherries, aren’t shy when it comes to tasting traditional grapes. Annual grape A fascinating collection of photos, 02 6962 4196 • Irrigation and Wine Museum new life into the project that also a huge collection of art on peaches, pistachios and prunes. and inventive varieties. You can even go on an production is more than machinery, homewares and , Griffith NSW • Historical Vehicles was the work of more than fifty display, and within the complex 300,000 tons. I then head into the main house, a mud brick educational tour, learning the art and science of recordings tracing the contribution of www.griffithpioneerpark.com.au • Old Time Action Day - Easter designer-makers, architects, there’s a cinema, art gallery, farmhouse circa 1912, and taste a freshly picked creating the perfect cheese. Italian migrants to the area. Weekend artists and other big thinkers. pilates studio, hair salon and Griffith is home to six of blood orange, Sharon’s homemade preserves, Set in a former 1920s co-op on the town’s The design represents stories a bicycle shop. Living up to Australia’s top 20 largest wine – created ‘the Sicilian way’, as taught to main street, the farmhouse-style building wine companies and of traditional Australian the Ovolo name, the rooms Joe by his Italian family – and ‘pissed prunes’ houses a cheese kitchen, deli, factory and a seven of Australia’s top landscapes and culture and it are nothing short of awesome, 15 wine exporters. (d’Agen prunes in port). light-filled courtyard. sits in the heart of a buzzing with cool artwork and designer The next stop is a 40-minute drive away, Excited by the huge array of dairy produce, MORE THAN new hub of restaurants, cafes, pieces artfully placed, More than 12.5 million so this gives my stomach time to make room I try 12 flavours of artisan European and bars and entertainment beautiful, tactile fabrics such as cases of wine are for lunch. Pages on Pine Restaurant & Grill is Australian-style cheeses. My favourites are hard JUST A venues, making it an ideal soft leather on arm chairs and exported from the HOTEL a French restaurant with modern Australian cheeses infused with indigenous ingredients place from which to take in silky drapes, designer mood Griffith region to 50+ influences located in the small but charming such as lemon myrtle and river mint. Canberra’s many art and lighting and beds that warrant countries around the town of Leeton. The establishment is owned by Luckily for me, my trip to the Riverina world every year – that’s cultural offerings. However, a long sleep-in. approximately 34,000 a husband-and-wife duo, French immigrant Eric doesn’t need to end any time soon, so I relax you could spend days just ovolohotels.com.au dozen per day. and Vanessa Pages. with a regional drop and dream away, lost in The golden restaurant interior complements moments of handmade dairy heaven. Savouring griffith regional art gallery griffith regional theatre the wooden vintage floor, sourced from the the international flavours I’ve experienced town’s iconic art deco 1930s Roxy Theatre. throughout this diverse destination, I block In the Heart Although the menu is local, seasonal and out the world beyond the Riverina and remain of Griffith changing regularly, Eric recommends visitors in a delicious fusion of local tastes. TB Centrepoint Apartments Griffith offer spacious, contemporary, one-, two- and three- bedroom self-contained serviced Left to right: Artisan cheeses Australia’s LARGEST owner-operator of hotel rooms with 18 accommodation and Studio Style suites, right from coolamon cheese; glasses of in the heart of Griffith’s CBD. With luxurious delicious Italian white and red at locations across Sydney, Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. accommodation that is competitively priced calabria family wines and being 100% locally owned and operated, Enjoy more space than a typical hotel room in a studio, 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom suite, all with your very own kitchen, lounge and dining Centrepoint Apartments Griffith offers area. Meriton Suites offers apartment-style designs built for your home away from home, including two great properties located a high level of service and great facilities near Sydney Airport. With resort style facilities in every location, our fitness centres are equipped with both cardio equipment for discerning guests. The apartments are and weight machines. Each one of our properties has an indoor heated swimming pool, spa and sauna, whilst our two Gold Coast locations as well as our Church Street, Parramatta hotel also feature an additional outdoor pool and sun deck. only a 200 metre walk to some of the finest restaurants and cafes in country New South ManyHome of to the a vibrant suites programwithin Sydney of have stunning views across the city’s iconic harbour and the impressiveA state ofcity the skyline. art performing In Brisbane, Wales, and they were recently refurbished in wetouring have andthe localtwo exhibitions,tallest buildings offering unrivalled views of the picturesque city, while out suitesarts centreon the presenting Gold Coast a feature order to suit guests’ high expectations. Built spectacular views of the beautiful coastline and pristine waterways. National Contemporary program of national and with the business traveller in mind, they’re Jewellery and Couture international drama, dance, spacious and luxurious, providing all self- Collections. Regular artist talks circus, music, comedy and Book direct at meritonsuites.com.au and be offered the very best price on all accommodation. Our Australian based telephone contained features and facilities required and workshops. children’s theatre. Contact reservations team are also available to help book your next stay and guarantee to beat any cheaper online rates. theatre for details of our for an extended stay in Australia’s fastest Wednesday - Friday current shows and for bookings. growing regional city. The apartments are 750,000 10am - 5pm ideal for relocation stays or a family holiday. BOX OFFICE HOURS Weekends centrepointapartmentsgriffith.com.au Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm 11am - 2pm (& 1 hour prior to a show) meritonsuites.com.au | 131 672 With this mixture 167 Banna Avenue Griffith | 02 6962 8338 1 Neville Place Griffith | 02 6962 8444 FEB/MARCH 2019 37 48 TrueBlue WWW.GRIFFITHREGIONALARTGALLERY.COM.AU WWW.GRIFFITHREGIONALTHEATRE.COM.AU of travel and business content, our client reached more than CASE STUDY 4: GRIFFITH 750,000 passengers.

This ongoing collaboration between Griffith Council and True Blue magazine recently included a vibrant full page advertisement nestled within a feature article on Griffith. The client advertises (with one full page) every month to maintain its presence with passengers, and so we include social media in the package and also offer them smaller pieces of editorial when clients from Griffith also advertise, such as the Centrepoint Apartments in Griffith, which appeared in our Sip Eat Sleep section. Every issue, Griffith Council reaches more than 500,000 passengers and another 30,000 followers through social.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Getaway

T

Fare from The River Deck

Explore

Maya Fish Trap Wonga Wetlands along the Yindyamarra alburycity.nsw.gov.au Sculpture Walk, Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk MAMA mamalbury.com.au Bonegilla Migrant Experience bonegilla.org.au Hothouse Theatre hothousetheatre.com.au Eat Miss Amelie missamelie.com.au The River Deck riverdeckcafe.com.au Canvas canvas-eatery.com.au Bistro Selle Bethanga Bridge Wonga Wetlands over Lake Hume gum trees, Albury bistroselle.com Posh Plonk poshplonk.com.au

From stopover to star Stay Albury Wodonga has come of age. Gone are A 15-minute drive from the CBD, it’s an SOMETHING FOR ALL seasonS in Albury Wodonga Mantra Albury the days as just a stopover on the well-worn aquatic wonderland for boating, yachting, mantra.com/albury Sydney-Melbourne route – there’s now so much paddleboarding, fishing and water-skiing. AlburyWodonga is more than a meeting point of two cities and two states along the mighty . Atura Albury more to entice visitors to stay longer. You can even walk over the dam wall and aturahotels.com.au/ It’s where our sophisticated urban centre meets the great outdoors. Straddling the meandering Murray River on take great Insta-worthy snaps. albury Where contemporary art meets ancient storytelling traditions. the -Victorian border, Albury A short 10-minute drive west of Albury is Mercure Albury Where fine dining meets a picnic on the river bank. Wodonga is a great place to visit no matter the the Wonga Wetlands, an ecosystem of artificial mercurealbury.com.au And where our warm, country hospitality will meet your expectations. season, with crisp nights in autumn and winter lagoons and billabongs. It’s a birdwatcher’s Best Western and open blue skies in spring and summer. paradise with six bird hides and more than Whether you’re looking for a relaxed café scene or the many adventures to be found on boats, plus Hovell Tree As the temperatures rise, join the locals for a 155 identified species calling it home. hovelltreeinn.com.au bikes and golf buggies, AlburyWodonga glistens with possibility year-round. ’float’ down the Murray where you will find the There are extensive walking and cycling trails Quest Wodonga Come join us down by the river… and see both sides. water refreshing even on the hottest of days. in and around both cities. The Yindyamarra questalbury.com.au Kayaking and canoeing are popular, and if Sculpture Walk is a great trail, covering five For more information see you’re a keen angler – just toss in a line. kilometres and showcasing 11 significant visitalburywodonga.com For all water sports, head to Lake Hume. sculptural works by local Aboriginal artists. 

VisitAW VisitAW visitalburywodonga APRIL/MAY 2019 41

Getaway

Expand your Catering to all tastes David Kapay moved from the big smoke to establish Miss Amelie and wine bar Little thinking. Miss in Wodonga three years ago. Housed in the former Wodonga Railway precinct, he does a modern take on European classics and his lemon soufflé is legendary. “Albury Think Albury Wodonga has so much going for it, it’s a great place to live and work and its people love great food,” David says. Wodonga. Nearby, Bean Station boasts an industrial vibe and is a go-to local spot for coffee and casual meals. For the best street food, head to Andiamo Street Kitchen, which calls a shipping container home – expect fabulous Think strategic location: treats from this quirky bolthole. > Direct access to Hume Freeway Across the river in Albury, surrounded by Miss Amelie in Wodonga serves > Direct access to Melbourne–Brisbane up modern European classics huge shade trees, The River Deck is located Inland Rail Corridor in a beautiful setting on the banks of the > Airport with 3 airlines and 180+ flights per week Murray in Noreuil Park. Owner Alex Smit and chef Ludo Baulacky offer a cosmopolitan menu > 75% of Australia’s population within 24 hours made with fresh local produce where possible. A recent newcomer lighting up the dining investAlburyWodonga.com.au scene is Albury’s NANNINI Ristorante & Pizzeria, serving up classic Italian favourites. Love hamburgers? Frankies is a small neighbourhood shop serving quality burgers made from scratch. For a sweet treat, Geoffrey Michael Patissier tempts all with its variety of fabulous cakes and desserts. You can even learn the secrets to great baking in his popular cooking classes. Bistro Selle, with Matthew Fuller and Tara Davis at the helm, offers contemporary European-style fare. Pop into Canvas Eatery Bistro Selle in Albury at the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) delivers quality fine dining for coffee and casual dining. The Proprietor is housed in one of Albury’s oldest buildings,

Dale Pope owns Early serving modern cuisine, while Ebden & Olive Bird Café in Albury and is provides perfect picnic creations and nearby one half of Adele & Dale Nord Bakery bakes up a storm of delicious Handmade Produce Scandi bread and pastries. After a coffee hit? Try Early Bird Café in Albury, which stocks Adele and Dale Homemade Produce including chutneys, jams and muesli. Piccolo Pod and The Brothers Cup will wow coffee lovers, and for a late night tipple head over to eclectic Two Fingers Bar and Barbershop. Meanwhile, Matt and Karen Daly have established Posh500,000 Plonk at Bethanga, offering an immersive cellar door experience complete with panoramic views over Lake Hume, the weir wallWith and beyond. this  mixture APRIL/MAY 2019 43 of travel and business content, our client reached more than 500,000 passengers. CASE STUDY 5: ALBURY WODONGA

This colourful collaboration between Albury Wodonga presents this beautiful region of Australia to our readers as both a great travel destination, and aas an exciting place to set up or expand a business. The package included five pages of editorial and two advertisements – one promoting the region as a place to visit in all seasons, and one that highlights the benefits of having a business based in Albury Wodonga. The package also included a cover mention on True Blue and two social media posts to our 30,000 followers.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 Seaside Sojourn Seaside Sojourn

Whyalla Lighthouse and cottages WHYALLA'S COASTAL AND AQUATIC WONDERS There’s more to South Australia than Adelaide and the Barossa, as this industrial city turned tourist destination reveals. WORDS: Deborah dickson-smith

Whyalla is located on one of Australia’s most picturesque Snorkelling with the stretches of coastline, where the rich red colours of the local giant cuttlefish Australian outback meet the turquoise sea of the Spencer Gulf on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Growing up around BHP’s iron ore jetty, Whyalla was declared a city in 1961, as the company’s industrial activities grew alongside the building of shipyards and steelworks. Whyalla still has a substantial industrial base, providing mining, engineering and steel manufacturing services. But while it remains an important industrial hub on this remote patch of South Australian coastline, the region’s natural wonders are also driving a burgeoning tourism industry. It’s the colours of the outback and that turquoise sea which are attracting the growing number of visitors.

Coastal Walking Trails Throughout Whyalla and along the coast is a range of self-guided hiking trails. Lengths vary, but there are plenty of vantage points from which to watch the sun set. The self-guided 1.9-kilometre City Walk, which starts at the north-eastern end of the city, covers many of the Fast Fact local historical sites and also takes in Hummock Hill, a 10-minute climb for panoramic views of Spencer Gulf, Each winter, thousands of The region’s semi-arid the Flinders Ranges and the city itself. Signs along the giant cuttlefish aggregate conditions and Whyalla’s trail explain the history of the settlement, industrial history, position on the coast in the shallows off Whyalla's and natural and maritime heritage. coast, attracting divers and of the Spencer Gulf Wild Dog Hill, In the centre of Whyalla, the 2.1-kilometre Education underwater photographers combine to provide 300 Whyalla Conservation Park

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAYNE JENKINS from around the world sunny days per year and Cultural Trail takes in the campus of the University 

54 TrueBlue APRIL/MAY 2019 55

Seaside Sojourn

Fast Fact The Freycinet Trail is named after 19th- century French navigator Louis Claude de Freycinet, who led an exploration into the upper Spencer Gulf in January 1803, 10 months after Matthew Flinders sailed Driving around along the Point Lowly coastline Fitzgerald Bay

of South Australia, TAFE South Australia, the Leisure Centre, paddleboards, while close encounters with marine life Regional Development Australia and Middleback Art are part of the attraction. When kayaking you’re likely Centre. Signs along the route deliver facts regarding the to encounter a large pod of dolphins which visits buildings and other points of cultural interest. frequently, following the fishermen in hopes of a snack, Interpretive signage along the 2.5-kilometre Wetlands and a short distance along the coast a colony of seals Trail provides information about the city’s first airport, have taken up residence on the Santos jetty. a wealth of historical data and interesting discussion of If you don’t want to get your feet wet, the Whyalla the conservation area’s flora and fauna. Maritime Museum is well worth a visit. It’s home to For more serious hikers, the Freycinet Trail hugs the HMAS Whyalla, the first ship built in the Whyalla Shipyards Spencer Gulf coastline from Fitzgerald Bay to Point Lowly. in 1941, and houses a great collection of maritime The trail is 12 kilometres long and divided into two sections: memorabilia, taking in Whyalla’s shipbuilding era – plus the 4-kilometre Fitzgerald Bay Hiking Trail and the 8-kilometre there’s an excellent natural history gallery showcasing Fitzgerald Bay-Point Lowly hiking, cycling and driving trail. Spencer Gulf’s diverse marine environment. The first section runs through dunes, pebble beaches and bushland before joining the joint-use trail which follows the Landscape Lovers coastal emergency track, with great photo opportunities. Twenty kilometres from Whyalla, a patch of coastline in Interpretive signs explain the Aboriginal history, European Fitzgerald Bay with striking red shingle beach ridges is DID YOU KNOW... exploration, flora and fauna, and marine life. being considered for heritage listing. It’s one of only three places on the planet with similar shingle ridges, the other Aquatic Encounters two in Scotland and Egypt. A geological phenomenon, Every year between the months of May and August, thousands of Giant Australian Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) In the winter months, scuba-divers and underwater the Whyalla stranded shingle beach deposits cover a descend on the rocky coastline between Fitzgerald Bay and False Bay near Whyalla. photographers come to Whyalla in droves to see Spencer distance of some 50 kilometres from the head of Spencer Gulf’s famous aggregation of giant cuttlefish. In the summer Gulf south along its western shore to Stony Point, and are These amazing 'chameleons of the sea' are one of the largest species of cuttlefish found in the world. months, it’s just a great destination for a seaside holiday. believed to date back to the Pleistocene period. Giant cuttlefish aggregate to mate in the Upper A two-minute drive inland from the city foreshore, Cuttlefish are considered to be highly intelligent animals that possess excellent touch, smell and visual abilities. Spencer Marine Park in the hundreds of thousands, an Whyalla Wetlands is another popular spot for nature lovers. Cuttlefish have blue blood. incredible spectacle to watch while scuba-diving or even The wetlands area, created in the city’s old aerodrome, snorkelling in the shallows, with much of the action taking covers an area of 24 hectares, with almost seven hectares Cuttlefish have three hearts. place at three to seven metres depth. of artificial lakes to attract around 80 species of500,000 bird. Safe swimming on the shallow foreshore at Whyalla Meanwhile, at nearby Hummock Hill in the Whyalla Beach make it a good choice for young families, while the Conservation Park, you’ll likely spot red and grey Find out more about Whyalla and visit the website - www.whyalla.com calm waters in the bay are ideal for kayaks and stand-up kangaroos as well as more than 20 speciesWith of reptile. TB this mixture APRIL/MAY 2019 57 of travel and business content, our client reached more than CASE STUDY 6: WHYALLA 500,000 passengers.

True Blue and Whyalla tourism teamed up to create an exciting mix of social, editorial and advertising content for the remote, beautiful South Australia town of Whyalla. The package included a three-page feature on Whyalla and two advertisements. One advertisement promoted things to do in Whyalla and surrounds and the other specifically promoted the annual arrival of thousands of giant cuttlefish along the region’s coastline, which attracts divers from across the world. The package also included a cover mention on True Blue and two social media posts to our 30,000 followers.

Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202 EXAMPLE EDM

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Michelle Hespe | [email protected] | 0425 325 202