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"Pure terror" after Jetstar passenger climbs out onto wing

<p>A passenger onboard a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Melbourne has recalled the "commotion" when a man opened the emergency door just seconds after the plane landed. </p> <p>Audrey Varghese was on the flight that landed at Tullamarine airport on Thursday morning, and said the trouble began when the man became very agitated as soon as the plane touched down. </p> <p>“It’s assumed common knowledge that you stay in your seats until the seatbelt sign is turned off, but he got up as the plane was still moving," the 2GB producer told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/jetstar-passenger-reveals-commotion-as-man-climbs-through-emergency-door-onto-wing-c-15792138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>. </p> <p>“The cabin crew were sort of shocked at the fact that he would even do that.”</p> <p>When the plane eventually came to a stop, Varghese said the man charged to the emergency exit rows and forced passengers out of their seats to get to the emergency door. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9OACGPBco/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9OACGPBco/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Sydney (@7newssyd)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The man then managed to open the emergency exit door and climbed out onto the wing of the plane, causing terror among the rest of the passengers.</p> <p>“There was a bit of a commotion. It was hectic, everyone was screaming,” Varghese said.</p> <p>“It was just pure terror. People were so terrified of what could possibly have gone wrong.”</p> <p>Video capture of the incident shows the man standing on the wing before sliding down the emergency slide, only to be met with police as he reached the ground. </p> <p>The AFP said officers arrested a man for “alleged aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety protocols” and charges were likely to be laid.</p> <p>The remaining passengers safely disembarked the aircraft but had to wait about 45 minutes for their luggage, as the emergency slide had blocked the cargo door.</p> <p>Varghese added that Jetstar were "really good" about the luggage delays, and said the cabin crew did a “great job” handling the situation.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

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Man arrested for climbing Eiffel Tower before closing ceremony

<p>A British man has been arrested after climbing the Eiffel Tower just hours before the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics was due to commence. </p> <p>Shocked onlookers were horrified when they spotted the shirtless man scaling the 330m structure with no harness, as he stood on top of the blue Olympic ring before continuing his dangerous ascent.</p> <p>Incredible footage of the dangerous stunt, which was posted to X, shows him reaching halfway up the giant landmark with just a bag of chalk to help him, as he was not supported by any ropes or harnesses. </p> <p>Other videos shows the free climber being taken away in handcuffs by French police as tourists looked on from the viewing platform.</p> <p>The Paris Prosecutor’s office confirmed to <em>The Sun</em> the man was British and has been charged with endangering others and intrusion into a historic or cultural site.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">someone was trying to climb up Eiffel Tower after the Olympics, he was detained by police shortly after 💀<a href="https://t.co/m1oRWsKYeX">pic.twitter.com/m1oRWsKYeX</a></p> <p>— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/scubaryan_/status/1822685874691444924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>A Paris police spokesman said: “At 2.45pm, an individual was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower. The police immediately intervened and arrested the individual.”</p> <p>According to spectators, the man could be heard saying “bloody warm, innit” as he was led away by police. </p> <p>Security officials quickly cordoned off the Eiffel Tower as they evacuated the site at around 3pm, as those inside were briefly locked up on the second floor, before they were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later once the man had been escorted from the area.</p> <p>Specialist climbing police were sent up the tower after it was cleared to check for any suspicious or unusual activity.</p> <p>Tourists queuing up for the landmark were left unaware of the ongoing situation and were left frustrated after they were told to leave.</p> <p>One social media user posted on X: “Just waited in line for so long to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but someone is trying to climb it so they just shut the whole thing down. Super.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p>

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Adorable detail in Channel 7 star's stunning Uluru wedding

<p>Channel 7 presenter Abbey Holmes has finally tied the knot with her partner, former AFL player Keegan Brooksby!</p> <p>After three long years of waiting the pair finally got married in a beautiful ceremony at the Northern Territory.</p> <p>“Mr & Mrs 6.11.23 — The perfect day with the most perfect person in the Heart of Australia. #WeDoInUluru,” Holmes captioned their wedding photo on Instagram.</p> <p>The pair got engaged at Uluru in 2020, and chose to tie the knot in the same location Brooksby proposed. </p> <p>The NT holds a special connection for them, aside from it being where they got engaged, it's also where Holmes was one of the highest profile female footballers, before breaking into the AFLW in 2017.</p> <p>Holmes revealed that their wedding was pulled together quite quickly, thanks to the help of their wedding planner. </p> <p>“We’ve actually pulled it together quite quickly after we had our engagement party on December 30 last year with no plans of when we were getting married,” she told <em>Seven News</em>. </p> <p>“It was only a week or so after that we kind of looked at each other and said if we don’t plan something it’ll never happen.</p> <p>“If it was up to Keegan and I it would never have got done. We would have been screwed without (our wedding planner).”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVTaUPPCgI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVTaUPPCgI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Abbey Holmes (@abbeycholmes)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Their wedding was nothing short of glam with Channel 7 AFL commentators Luke Hodge and Brian Taylor, and Magpies star Mason Cox among the 100-person guest list. </p> <p>Celebrity friends and fans took to the comments to congratulate the newlyweds. </p> <p>“Absolutely stunning!!! Soo so happy for you both. the start of another amazing journey together … sending you both love and beautiful blessings. Xx," wrote Aussie swimming legend Steph Rice. </p> <p>“Beautiful guys,” commented AFL champion Joel Selwood.</p> <p>“Such a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple," added Olympic champion Lydia Lassila. </p> <p>"Wonderful news! Congratulations team 🤍" wrote Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Climb the stairs, lug the shopping, chase the kids. Incidental vigorous activity linked to lower cancer risks

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Many people know exercise reduces the risk of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2521826">cancers</a>, including liver, lung, breast and kidney. But structured exercise is time-consuming, requires significant commitment and often financial outlay or travel to a gym. These practicalities can make it infeasible for <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/42/11/901">most adults</a>.</p> <p>There is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">very little research</a> on the potential of incidental physical activity for reducing the risk of cancer. Incidental activities can include doing errands on foot, work-related activity or housework as part of daily routines. As such they do not require an extra time commitment, special equipment or any particular practical arrangements.</p> <p>In our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734">study</a> out today, we explored the health potential of brief bursts of vigorous physical activities embedded into daily life. These could be short power walks to get to the bus or tram stop, stair climbing, carrying heavy shopping, active housework or energetic play with children.</p> <h2>How was the study done?</h2> <p>Our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734">new study</a> included 22,398 <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> participants who had never been diagnosed with cancer before and did not do any structured exercise in their leisure time. Around 55% of participants were female, with an average age of 62. Participants wore wrist activity trackers for a week. Such trackers monitor activity levels continuously and with a high level of detail throughout the day, allowing us to calculate how hard and exactly for how long people in the study were moving.</p> <p>Participants’ activity and other information was then linked to future cancer registrations and other cancer-related health records for the next 6.7 years. This meant we could estimate the overall risk of cancer by different levels of what we call “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33108651/">vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity</a>”, the incidental bursts of activity in everyday life. We also analysed separately a group of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2521826">13 cancer sites in the body</a> with more established links to exercise, such such as breast, lung, liver, and bowel cancers.</p> <p>Our analyses took into account other factors that influence cancer risk, such as age, smoking, diet, and alcohol habits.</p> <h2>What we found out</h2> <p>Even though study participants were not doing any structured exercise, about 94% recorded short bursts of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33108651/">vigorous activity</a>. Some 92% of all bouts were done in very short bursts lasting up to one minute.</p> <p>A minimum of around 3.5 minutes each day was associated with a 17–18% reduction in total cancer risk compared with not doing any such activity.</p> <p>Half the participants did at least 4.5 minutes a day, associated with a 20–21% reduction in total cancer risk.</p> <p>For cancers such as breast, lung and bowel cancers, which we know are impacted by the amount of exercise people do, the results were stronger and the risk reduction sharper. For example, a minimum of 3.5 minutes per a day of vigorous incidental activity reduced the risk of these cancers by 28–29%. At 4.5 minutes a day, these risks were reduced by 31–32%.</p> <p>For both total cancer and those known to be linked to exercise, the results clearly show the benefits of doing day-to-day activities with gusto that makes you huff and puff.</p> <h2>Our study had its limits</h2> <p>The study is observational, meaning we looked at a group of people and their outcomes retrospectively and did not test new interventions. That means it cannot directly explore cause and effect with certainty.</p> <p>However, we took several statistical measures to minimise the possibility those with the lowest levels of activity were not the unhealthiest, and hence the most likely to get cancer – a phenomenon called “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/reverse-causation">reverse causation</a>”.</p> <p>Our study can’t explain the biological mechanisms of how vigorous intensity activity may reduce cancer risk. Previous <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2017/02000/Brief_Intense_Stair_Climbing_Improves.10.aspx">early-stage trials</a> show this type of activity leads to rapid improvements in heart and lung fitness.</p> <p>And higher fitness is linked to lower <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002934320300097">insulin resistance</a> and lower <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109704017036">chronic inflammation</a>. High levels of these are risk <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109704017036">factors for cancer</a>.</p> <p>There is very little research on incidental physical activity and cancer in general, because most of the scientific evidence on lifestyle health behaviours and cancer is based on questionnaires. This method doesn’t capture short bursts of activity and is very inaccurate for measuring the incidental activities of daily life.</p> <p>So the field of vigorous intensity activity and cancer risk is at its infancy, despite some <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/43/46/4801/6771381">very promising</a> recent findings that vigorous activity in short bouts across the week could cut health risks. In another recent study of ours, we found benefits from daily <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x%22%22">vigorous intermittent lifestyle activity</a> on the risk of death overall and death from cancer or cardiovascular causes.</p> <h2>In a nutshell: get moving in your daily routine</h2> <p>Our study found 3 to 4 minutes of vigorous incidental activity each day is linked with decreased cancer risk. This is a very small amount of activity compared to <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">current recommendations</a> of 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.</p> <p>Vigorous incidental physical activity is a promising avenue for cancer prevention among people unable or unmotivated to exercise in their leisure time.</p> <p>Our study also highlights the potential of technology. These results are just a glimpse how wearables combined with machine learning – which our study used to identify brief bursts of vigorous activity – can reveal health benefits of unexplored aspects of our lives. The future potential impact of such technologies to prevent cancer and possibly a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">host of other</a> conditions could be very large.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210288/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783"><em>Emmanuel Stamatakis</em></a><em>, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/climb-the-stairs-lug-the-shopping-chase-the-kids-incidental-vigorous-activity-linked-to-lower-cancer-risks-210288">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Why a First Nations Voice should come before Treaty

<p>Since the advent of colonisation, the absence of an effective process for conducting dialogues between the broader community and First Nations people has been a festering sore at the heart of Australian society.</p> <p>The <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/unsettled/recognising-invasions/terra-nullius/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notorious doctrine</a> of terra nullius not only led to the denial of the legitimate rights of First Nations people, but also ensured they could never be heard. This malign strategy has produced centuries of unspeakable suffering, sickness and death. Many Australians feel the time has come to start to heal the wound.</p> <p>The <a href="https://fromtheheart.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uluru Statement from the Heart</a> advocates for a process of dialogue to set us on a path towards a new way of living together. The statement was agreed to in 2017 by a convention of more than 250 First Nations people after an inclusive and rigorous process of regional dialogues. It proposes a First Nations Voice to Parliament to guide a passage both to a new “coming together” and to the clear articulation of the long-suppressed truth.</p> <p>As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when announcing the forthcoming referendum that seeks to incorporate these key proposals into the Australian Constitution, the statement is a generous offer to the entire Australian community. It does not harbour grudges and does not seek vengeance. It asks for a secure mechanism whereby the voices of First Nations people can at last be heard – by each other, by the parliament and by the wider Australian public.</p> <p>While support for the statement is widespread, some sections of the population – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – have dismissed the Voice as inconsequential, arguing the focus should instead be on establishing a “treaty”. They have argued a Voice will lead only to talk, whereas the real goal should be a law that guarantees the civil rights of First Nations peoples.</p> <p>This argument fails to understand the potential power of the Voice. It can not only lay a foundation for a movement towards reconciliation and truth, but also act as a tool to craft novel solutions to the problems created by the unique circumstances of Australia’s history and culture.</p> <p>In this connection, it is notable the statement does not actually use the term “treaty”. Instead, it proposes the distinctly Aboriginal concept of “Makarrata”, which refers to a process of learning from the past to create new ways of interacting with each other based on dialogue. Voice, Makarrata and Truth are inseparable, but Voice is the motor that drives all of them forward.</p> <p>Establishing the Voice will lead to immediate, important outcomes. It will set the scene for addressing the centuries of injustice. It will create an effective process to address the intergenerational disadvantage many communities suffer. It will help overcome the historical exclusion of First Nations people from public forums. And crucially, it will offer an important symbolic gesture of acknowledgement and recognition that the days of vox nullius (“voicelessness”), the primary intention and consequence of terra nullius, are at last over.</p> <p>It is, of course, unlikely that all First Nations people will speak with one voice – indeed, that would be undesirable. However, creation of a secure channel of communication will open up new ways for all members of the Australian community to negotiate their differences and discover novel solutions to our common challenges.</p> <p>First Nations people will therefore not be the only ones to gain from the Voice. A vibrant, living platform for vigorous dialogue that addresses fundamental political issues will also benefit the wider society. It will help revive the ailing public sphere in Australia, restoring trust in institutions that have been degraded and depleted as a result of a deeply-established focus on personal ambition, vested interests and loss of shared ethical vision.</p> <p>While some form of treaty will undoubtedly remain an important goal, the joint concepts of Voice, Makarrata and Truth are deeper, and more complex and enduring.</p> <p>On its own, a treaty would operate only as an element within the system of colonially-derived law. This means it would utilise concepts within a system of thought that few would argue has served our country well in relation to the treatment of First Nations people, let alone of refugees and other vulnerable minorities.</p> <p>The statement provides an approach to a consensus process that goes much further than this. Drawing on the creative resources of dialogue so fundamental to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, it will establish a framework that allows us to move forward to create new ethical bonds and fresh communal relationships that reactivate trust, reinvigorate public, cooperative action and support the resolution of conflicts through peaceful dialogue.</p> <p>As we move towards the referendum, it is important for us to think carefully about the vision we wish to hold for Australia. About whether we are, collectively, ready to accept the invitation offered in the Uluru statement.</p> <p>We have to decide whether we are ready to break the silence of our shared histories and take up the challenge to talk with each other, openly, frankly and with respect.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-first-nations-voice-should-come-before-treaty-192388" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>fromtheheart.com.au</em></p>

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Massive house price slowdown as interest rate climbs

<p dir="ltr">After experiencing near-record high prices during the pandemic, the cost of a house in Australia’s capital cities is experiencing its biggest slowdown since 1989, according to new data.</p> <p dir="ltr">The slowdown in price growth over the past six months is worse than the stagnation and turbulence the housing market experienced in 2004 and 2008’s Global Financial Crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to new analysis from PropTrack, the annual rate of home price growth in capital cities has dropped from January’s rate of 24 percent, to 14 percent.</p> <p dir="ltr">PropTrack has reported that Sydney prices have slowed at the fastest rate since 1989, Melbourne’s is the slowest since 2010 and Brisbane’s since 2008.</p> <p dir="ltr">Economist Paul Ryan told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-capital-city-home-prices-slow-down-slow-at-most-rapid-pace-in-more-than-30-years/e7d7b5cc-965d-480c-9b7f-20a6a9ef862d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> </em>the slowdown was “not surprising”, blaming recent interest rate rises and predicting it would continue due to additional rises expected over the rest of the year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Looking ahead, the rapid slowdown in price growth signals the housing market is likely to continue to see slow growth over the rest of 2022,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that buyers may be hesitant with the high level of uncertainty around the cost of mortgage repayments.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Resolving this uncertainty about the path of interest rates will be the key element buyers look for over the rest of the year,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though it is normal for prices to decline after a period of growth, Ryan said this sudden six-month deceleration was of potential concern.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not necessarily the case that growth falls rapidly after a run-up,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In general, the market moves more gradually, indicating there are other factors involved.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes after the Reserve Bank lifted the nation’s interest rates by 0.5 percent on Tuesday, making it the second month in a row with an increase.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-48ed0c2e-7fff-7e4f-99ba-fd689c54849e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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Changing the Australian Constitution is not easy. But we need to stop thinking it’s impossible

<p>Supporters of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament have celebrated the commitment of the new Albanese government to put the issue to a referendum. But is government support enough?</p> <p>It’s a start, but the road to referendum success is a hard one, as it was always meant to be.</p> <p><strong>The Constitution was meant to be hard to change</strong></p> <p>When the Constitution was being written in the 1890s, the initial expectation was that it would be enacted by the British and they would control the enactment of any changes to it, just as they did for Canada.</p> <p>But the drafters of the Commonwealth Constitution bucked the system by insisting they wanted the power to change the Constitution themselves. They chose the then quite radical method of a referendum, which they borrowed from the Swiss.</p> <p>While it was radical, because it let the people decide, it was also seen as a <a href="https://adc.library.usyd.edu.au/view?docId=ozlit/xml-main-texts/fed0043.xml&amp;chunk.id=&amp;toc.id=&amp;database=&amp;collection=&amp;brand=default" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conservative mechanism</a>. British constitutional theorist A.V. Dicey described the referendum as “the <a href="https://archive.org/details/nationalreview2318unse/page/64/mode/2up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people’s veto</a>”, because it allowed the “weight of the nation’s common sense” and inertia to block “the fanaticism of reformers”.</p> <p>The drafters of the Commonwealth Constitution were divided on the issue. Some supported the referendum because it would operate to defeat over-hasty, partisan or ill-considered changes. Others were concerned that change was hard enough already, and voters would have a natural tendency to vote “No” in a referendum because there are always objections and risks that can be raised about any proposal. Fear of the new almost always trumps dissatisfaction with the current system, because people do not want to risk making things worse.</p> <p>In this sense, the referendum is conservative – not in a party-political sense, but because it favours conserving the status quo.</p> <p>Another concern, raised by Sir Samuel Griffith, was that constitutions are complex, and a large proportion of voters would not be sufficiently acquainted with the Australian Constitution to vote for its change in an informed way. He favoured using a United States-style of constitutional convention to make changes.</p> <p>The democrats eventually won and the referendum was chosen. But to satisfy their opponents, they added extra hurdles. To succeed, a referendum has to be <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coacac627/s128.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> not only by a majority of voters overall, but also by majorities in a majority of states (currently four out of six states).</p> <p><strong>A Constitution frozen in time</strong></p> <p>The predictions were right. The referendum at the federal level has indeed turned out to be the “people’s veto”. Of 44 referendum questions put to the people, only <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/referendum_dates_and_results.htm">eight have passed</a>. No successful Commonwealth referendum has been held since 1977. We have not held a Commonwealth referendum at all since 1999.</p> <p>There are many <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/library/pubs/rp/2002-03/03rp11.pdf">suggested reasons</a> for this. Some argue that the people have correctly exercised their veto against reforms that were proposed for party-political advantage or to unbalance the federal system by expanding Commonwealth power. If reforms are put because they are in the interests of the politicians, rather than the people, they will fail.</p> <p>Questions asked in referendums have been poorly formulated and often load too many issues into the one proposed reform. If a voter objects to just one aspect of a proposal, they then vote down the entire reform.</p> <p>Another argument is that, as Griffith anticipated, the people know little about the Constitution and are not willing to approve changes to it if they are unsure. The mantra “<a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/yes_no_pamphlet.pdf">Don’t know – Vote No</a>” was extremely effective during the republic campaign in 1999.</p> <p>Of course, if you don’t know, you should find out. But the failure to provide proper civics education in schools means most people don’t feel they have an adequate grounding to embark on making that assessment.</p> <p>Decades of <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/better-civic-education-will-help-australians-respond-in-challenging-times/">neglect of civics</a> has left us with a population that is insufficiently equipped to fulfil its constitutional role of updating the Constitution.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">If people have the slightest uncertainty about what they are saying ‘yes’ to, they will inevitably say ‘no’ – something the republic referendum suffered from in 1999.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rob Griffith/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Vulnerability to scare campaigns</strong></p> <p>The biggest threat to a successful referendum is the running of a “No” campaign by a major political party, or one or more states, or even a well-funded business or community group.</p> <p>Scare campaigns are effective even if there is little or no truth behind them. It is enough to plant doubt in the minds of voters to get them to vote “No”. Voters are reluctant to entrench changes in the Constitution if they might have unintended consequences or be interpreted differently in the future, because they know how hard it will be to fix any mistake.</p> <figure class="align-right "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The 1967 referendum was one of the few that were successful.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">National Gallery of Australia</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>If a referendum campaign ends up focused on technical issues about the future operation or interpretation of particular amendments, then it is likely lost.</p> <p>Campaigns tend to be more successful if they focus on principles or outcomes, such as the 1967 referendum concerning Aboriginal people. That referendum had the advantage of not being opposed in the Commonwealth parliament. The consequence was that there was only a <a href="https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/first-australians/rights-and-freedoms/argument-favour-proposed-constitution-alteration-aboriginals-1967#:%7E:text=In%20the%201967%20referendum%2C%20no,recorded%20in%20a%20federal%20referendum.">“Yes” case</a> distributed to voters, as a “No” case can only be produced by MPs who oppose the referendum bill in parliament.</p> <p><strong>Overcoming the malaise</strong></p> <p>While recognising these difficulties, perhaps the greatest risk is becoming <a href="https://www.auspublaw.org/2018/12/getting-to-yes-why-our-approach-to-winning-referendums-needs-a-rethink/">hostage</a> to the belief the Constitution cannot be changed and referendums will always fail. It will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.</p> <p>Instead, we need to face constitutional reform as being difficult but achievable and worthwhile. The Constitution should always serve the needs of today’s Australians, rather than the people of the 1890s.</p> <p>The key elements for success include a widespread will for change, the drive and persistence of proponents, good leadership, sound well-considered proposals and building a broad cross-party consensus. Not every element is necessary, but all are helpful.</p> <p>As incoming Indigenous Affairs Minister <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/linda-burney:-%E2%80%9Cwe-need-consensus-on-a-referendum/13895144">Linda Burney</a> recently noted, there is still a lot of work to be done in building that consensus in relation to Indigenous constitutional recognition, but the work has commenced.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183626/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-twomey-6072">Anne Twomey</a>, Professor of Constitutional Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/changing-the-australian-constitution-is-not-easy-but-we-need-to-stop-thinking-its-impossible-183626">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Uluru turns into a waterfall in “rare and magical” sight

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A rare bout of rain </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/uluru-turn-into-waterfall-amid-heavy-rain-in-region/news-story/d7ab44457590e77dfb3740e5d3c78f25" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has turned</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Uluru into a series of waterfalls, with footage emerging of the wondrous sight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park shared a series of images and videos showing the transformation, after the area received 22 mm of rain earlier in the week.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though that might not sound like a lot of rain, Parks Australia said the area’s average rainfall is just under 300 mm — meaning it received seven percent of its annual rain in a single night.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parks Australia shared the “rare and magical” moment on social media, with one video capturing both the amazing sight and the sounds of burrowing frogs calling to each other.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVxAxD2Fr3C/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVxAxD2Fr3C/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (@seeuluru)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For most of the year these frogs are underground, avoiding hot and dry conditions,” Parks Australia explained in the caption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They emerge after rain to breed, feed and return underground to evade perishing in the harsh weather conditions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They continue to call for the next day or so, especially in the early morning and at dusk.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845319/uluru1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8baae45cf4da4585969de90e41e13193" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @seeuluru / Instagram</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it isn’t the first time this kind of moment has been witnessed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year, the area received 30mm of rain — the biggest downpour in three years — which created a series of waterfalls that poured over Uluru.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the most recent deluge, Parks Australia confirmed that the weather has since cleared.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1KPZ9htok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1KPZ9htok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (@seeuluru)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“At about 5.30pm last night the skies lifted and it was clear that the Irish are right and there is a treasure at the rainbow,” the organisation wrote on Thursday, alongside a trio of photos capturing a double rainbow stretched across Uluru.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @seeuluru / Instagram</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Nine top Aussie camp sites - with a view

<p>While it may be off our radar right now, travelling around Australia will be back soon and who doesn't want to fall asleep under a blanket of stars and wake to some of the best views in the country? So, take a look here at our top nine Aussie camp sites.</p> <p>Australia really is the lucky country. Every state and territory is home to a diverse range of rich scenic grandeur an it’s ready to inspire us. The great thing about camping is it gives you the best seat in the house to enjoy the wonder of it all. Here you’ll find our picks of the top 9 camping and caravanning campsites with a view.</p> <p><strong>Alpaca Magic Stud, Sutton, NSW</strong></p> <p>Canberrans, this one is for you. While this campsite is technically located just across the ACT border in NSW, it’s only a 30-minute drive from the Canberra CBD. And you’ll be warmly welcomed by fields of alpacas, llamas, donkeys, and miniature cattle studs.</p> <p>The site is suitable for self-sufficient campers – which means BYO water, toilet and shower amenities – who leave no trace.</p> <p><strong>Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, Monkey Mia, WA</strong></p> <p>Monkey Mia is one of those rare places in Australia where dolphin visitation is daily, rather than seasonal, and the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort offers a human-dolphin interaction program for free. This absolute beachfront camping resort is in the heart of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Spend your day’s snorkelling or boating in crystal clear waters, partaking in a camel ride or an Aboriginal Cultural Walk.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2efd197bd5834a0ca654e11ac447b830" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843586/monkey-mia-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2efd197bd5834a0ca654e11ac447b830" /></p> <p><strong>First Sun Caravan Park, Byron Bay, NSW</strong></p> <p>Cape Byron is the most easterly point of Australia’s mainland, and <a href="https://www.firstsunholidaypark.com.au/">First Sun Caravan Park</a> reaps the benefits of its plum position on the foreshore of Byron Bay’s main beach. Let’s just say you’re guaranteed to be the first to witness the sun each day.</p> <p>For the most part, guests are also treated to unobstructed views of the ocean with sites located right alongside the beach. Yet, you’re also within strolling distance to all the major attractions.</p> <p><strong>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT</strong></p> <p>With its remote desert location, deep cultural significance and spectacular natural beauty, <a href="https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/accommodation/ayers-rock-campground">Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park</a> is home to one of Australia’s most unforgettable attractions – and, without a doubt, offers one of the best campsite views in the world.</p> <p>Due to Uluru’s cultural importance to the local Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people, the closest you can camp is 15 kilometres away in Yulara at the Ayers Rock Campground. But don’t worry, it isn’t called The Rock for no reason, you will still be treated to jaw-dropping views from this distance.</p> <p>In addition to its grassy campsites, you’ll also have access to a swimming pool and it’s a great place to base yourself to explore the park’s numerous walking tracks, rockpools and Aboriginal rock art sites. It’s worth allowing a couple of days to explore and observe the changing moods of the Rock.</p> <p><strong>Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Flinders Ranges, SA</strong></p> <p>The rugged mountains which rise above grassy plains to form <a href="https://www.australiantraveller.com/sa/outback-sa/flinders-ranges/">the Flinders Ranges</a> are more than 600 million years old. The Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that tell the tale of how this area was created have been passed down between generations for more than 40,000 years.</p> <p>In the northern part of this epic location, you’ll find <a href="https://www.arkaroola.com.au/caravan-camping">Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.</a> Its campsites deliver some of Australia’s most spectacular mountain views and offer numerous eco-tourism-accredited guided tours.</p> <p>Whether you love birdwatching, bushwalking, geology, wildlife spotting or 4WD adventures, this wilderness sanctuary offers a multitude of activities for the outdoor enthusiast. They even have three fully equipped observatories, so you can get an even closer look at the incalculable number of stars at night.</p> <p>Pitch a tent among 600 million-year-old relics.</p> <p><strong>Lucky Bay National Park, WA</strong></p> <p>Gone are the days of paying top dollar to sit around an overcrowded resort because yes - your own personal paradise awaits you at Lucky Bay.</p> <p>You’ll find Lucky Bay just past Esperance in WA’s far south, and the campsites, which are situated almost on top of the sand, couldn’t offer more luxurious views: lush, turquoise waters lapping at gloriously white sand, a dramatic framing of rocky outcrops and beach-going kangaroos lazing about in the sunshine (yes, really).</p> <p>Swim, fish or opt for a bushwalk on one of the many trails that wind through the park past freshwater pools and a dazzling blanket of wildflowers (if you happen to be there in spring). </p> <p><strong>Green Patch, Jervis Bay, NSW</strong></p> <p>The campsites at <a href="https://parksaustralia.gov.au/booderee/camping/green-patch/">Green Patch</a> book out months in advance, so you do need to book ahead. You’ll find Green Patch tucked away in Booderee National Park in Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast. The lucky few who get in early can expect white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and kangaroos bounding in the distance.</p> <p>The neighbouring beaches are perfect for swimming and sun-worshipping, while nearby bushwalking trails deliver several shaded picnic spots to sit and enjoy a meal with a view.</p> <p>Bathrooms, hot showers and water are all in ready supply, as are barbecues and wood fireplaces – so bring plenty of supplies for a barbie under the stars and a night-time bonfire. And don’t forget the wine.</p> <p><strong>Jan Juc Caravan Park, Great Ocean Road, Vic</strong></p> <p>Considered to be one of the world’s most <a href="https://www.australiantraveller.com/vic/great-ocean-road/the-best-itinerary-for-driving-the-great-ocean-road-in-three-days/">scenic coastal drives</a>, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road gives you the opportunity to see the iconic 12 Apostles, get up close to native wildlife, and take in iconic surf breaks, pristine rainforests and misty waterfalls.</p> <p>The natural beauty of this area draws visitors from far and wide. To truly drink in the stunning scenery, pitch a tent at the <a href="https://www.janjucpark.com.au/">Jan Juc Caravan Park</a>. And if you also want to check out the world-famous Bells Beach surf break, the park is as close as you can sleep to the action. There are barbecues, powered and unpowered campsites and cabins available.</p> <p><strong>Freycinet National Park, Tas</strong></p> <p>It’s no secret that <a href="https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/freycinet-national-park">Freycinet National Park</a> is home to some of Tasmania’s most incredible camping spots, which may explain why you have to enter a ballot system to camp during peak times (Easter and Christmas).</p> <p>Pitch a tent here to wake to breathtaking ocean views. Your days will be spent exploring the beautiful bays: Honeymoon Bay, Sleepy Bay and Wineglass Bay – with the panoramic views of wondrous Wineglass Bay the main drawcard for visitors.</p> <p>The views on offer at Alpaca Magic Stud are essentially in the name – fields upon fields of peacefully grazing animals. But if the view alone isn’t enough to entice you, book into one of the many workshops on offer: Conversations with Cows, Breakfast with the Alpacas &amp; Llamas, Needle Felt workshops, Fleece Spinning workshops, and the very popular Llama Walking Experience.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Domestic Travel

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Would you climb a 47-metre tower for a free car lease? In Norway, you can

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At 47 metres high, the tallest free-standing climbing tower in the world has opened in Norway, and car company Ford’s new campaign has brought it additional attention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After opening in June this year, professional climbers were invited to try and reach the top of the tower, with the fastest climber taking home a free two-year lease on a Ford Explorer PHEV.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company even crane-lifted their newest model onto the top of the tower, sitting on top of a special platform that supports the weight of the plug-in hybrid car.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ford’s Explore New Heights challenge saw 14 climbers compete after successfully completing a qualifying test.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sharing the footage to their Instagram page, Ford eventually found a winner.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the clip, many of the climbers can be seen losing their grip and combating the jumps and obstacles designed by champion climber Martin Mobråten.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eventually, Leo Ketil B</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ø</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">e, 21, managed to score the free lease with a time of three minutes and 33 seconds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Any who made it to the top alongside Leo were rewarded with breathtaking views across the Skagerrak, a strait running between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Visit Norway</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Climbing England’s deadliest peak

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though most consider hiking a popular pastime, it forms the core part of one of the strangest jobs in all of Britain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zac Poulton is a Fell Top Assessor in the Lake District National Park. Everyday of the past four winters, Poulton has hiked up Helvellyn, England’s third highest and most dangerous mountain, to report the weather and write a colourful account that can be used, understood, and acted on by the public so they can climb safely.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Poulton isn’t the only one with the odd title. Colleagues Jon Bennett - who has submitted Helvellyn more than 600 times - and Wes Hunter - who started the job just before the coronavirus pandemic in October 2019 - also take on the climb.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each day from early December through til late April, at least one of the trio must reach the 950m summit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There has been a Fell Top Assessor making the hike since the first role was first introduced in 1987, and Poulton, Bennett, and Hunter have spent 126 consecutive days reaching the top in all manner of weather this year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the potential for blasting winds and summit temperatures of -7C, Poulton said: “Some days are better than others.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Helvellyn is more commonly hiked during summer, it looks its best in the colder months. With three deep glacial coves, two incisor-shaped ridges, and alpine plants that don’t grow anywhere else in the country, it’s a sight to see.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Helvellyn also poses many of the similar dangers its more famous counterparts in the Alps, Andes or Himalayas do too, according to Poulton.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People get lost. Break bones. Get caught in avalanches. You won’t slide as far as you would on Everest here, but you’ll still bump off rocks and the result will be the same,” he said. “I meet lots of people with good intentions, but they don’t often recognise the risks.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once they’ve reached the peak, the assessor produces a report with as much detail as possible, which will be published daily on the official Lake District Weather Line website and to 19,000 social media followers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alongside meteorological notes, the reports often provide potential climbers with tips on how to best approach the mountain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What you can’t get from a weather station forecast is the experience of the mountaineer,” Poulton said. “A fully-automated system misses the human perspective. And our photos, tweets and descriptions create a 360-degree picture. We tell the wider story of life on the mountain.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Their presence on the mountain also means they can help out when things go wrong.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve prevented hundreds of mountain rescues,” said Poulton.</span></p> <p><strong>Bridging a knowledge gap</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, with more people attempting the mountain following pandemic-induced lockdowns, the knowledge held by the Fell Top Assessors is more crucial than ever.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We know how important the Lake District is going to be in the coming months to help with people’s health and wellbeing,” said Richard Leafe, chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority. “Our message is whether coming for the first or 50th time, is plan ahead; try to discover something that’s new to you; and enjoy your time here, but please leave no trace.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Fell Top Assessors</span></em></p>

International Travel

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The mountain no one can climb

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a country where mountain tourism has thrived, there is one mountain in Nepal where climbing is forbidden.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Machhapuchhre - meaning “fishtail” - stands at 6,993m in the Annapurna range in central Nepal that is home to three of the world’s 10 highest mountains.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though it doesn’t stand as tall as other mountains, it stands out as a lone peak and appears much taller than it actually is.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Machhapuchhare also has a double summit, which is joined by a sharp ridge, and towers over the Phewa Lake.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The closest curious tourists can get to the peak is the summit of Mardi Himal, a smaller mountain beneath Machhapuchhare.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The reason behind it’s prohibited climbing status: Lieutenant Colonel James Owen Merion Roberts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jimmy Roberts, as he was popularly known, was a British Army officer and the first military attach</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é to Nepal. He made significant contributions to Nepal’s economy and local livelihoods after helping open up the country’s remote mountains for commercial mountaineering and trekking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roberts has since been remembered as the “father of trekking” in Nepal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fascination with Machhapuchhare began after he read a dispatch from another army officer, and he would eventually become the first and only person to attempt to reach the summit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, his expedition party, reduced to just two people by the end, abandoned the ascent just 45m below the summit due to bad weather.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the failed climb, Roberts requested the Nepal government restrict the peak and ensure Machhapuchhare would never be climbed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They obliged.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roberts’ fascination with the mountain and his kinship with Gurungs, who hold Machhapuchhare sacred, and with the people of Chomrong, the last Gurung village before the mountain, may have been the motivation behind his odd request.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the reason remains a mystery and Roberts’ association with the peak’s prohibited status has been largely forgotten, the prevailing view now is that the mountain is sacred and therefore forbidden to climb.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Machhapuchhare’s summit is not meant to be stepped upon; it is only to be adored by the eyes,” said Tirtha Shrestha, a poet and long-time resident of nearby Pokhara.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Any discourse, not just on Pokhara, but about the beauty of the entire Himalayas, would be incomplete without mentioning Machhapuchhare. Its beauty has greatly moved poets, authors and artists. In many folk songs, the mountain has been showered with praises. Machhapuchhare, for us, is the epitome of beauty,” he said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: MountainKick / Instagram</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Boy climbs UK's tallest mountain after being told he’d never walking again

<p><span>A seven-year-old boy with cerebral palsy has overcome huge adversity after climbing Britain’s tallest mountain for charity, even though his parents were told he’d never walk again. </span><br /><br /><span>Caeden Thomson, from Corby, Northamptonshire, was born 12 weeks premature, and has undergone intense physiotherapy to walk again. </span><br /><br /><span>Despite doctors' claims that he would never properly take his first steps, Caeden nor his family gave up. </span><br /><br /><span>On his JustGiving page, his mother Lisa said he wanted to be able to "give something back", because "he was so lucky for all the things he has had in his life".</span><br /><br /><span>At just seven, he hiked the 1,345 metres to the top of Ben Nevis in the Highlands on Saturday, and managed to raise more than £8,000 for his local NHS trust and disability equality charity, Scope.</span><br /><br /><span>The group began to make their way up the massive mountain at 9am. </span><br /><br /><span>Together, they would reach the summit at 5.30pm, before returning to the bottom five hours later.</span><br /><br /><span>Caeden said: "My body hurts a lot but I'm OK. It was really, really hard.</span><br /><br /><span>"I felt sick and exhausted at the top, and I felt exhausted but happy at the bottom!"</span><br /><br /><span>His mum says her son is "an absolute legend". </span><br /><br /><span>To say it was a “massive challenge” was an understatement for the group, who said it was “much, much harder than any of us expected".</span><br /><br /><span>She said: "There were many hard times along the way. From three-quarters of the way up, the pathway is just massive boulders and very hard to climb, and even at the top we didn't think he would make it down.</span><br /><br /><span>"There were danger areas where carrying was very difficult, so Caeden did have to walk down a lot of it too.</span><br /><br /><span>"The temperature dropped hugely and many climbers said they were turning back. But we made it!</span><br /><br /><span>"We are all super-proud of him, he deserves a medal.</span><br /><br /><span>"Last night no-one could move or celebrate, so today we are resting up and will celebrate tonight.</span><br /><br /><span>"We all love Caeden so much and can't believe his passion for getting to the top."</span></p>

Caring

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Creator of Uluru’s Field of Light launches new exhibition in Darwin

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prolific light artist Bruce Munro is back again to dazzle tourists and locals alike in Darwin with his latest light-driven installation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The latest exhibit stretches across 2.5kms around Darwin’s city centre and features eight illuminated sculptures by Munro, whose a world renowned artist.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w58f5lhfl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w58f5lhfl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Bruce Munro: Tropical Light opens November 1st Darwin, Australia.Fireflies, copyright © 2019 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. Photography by Mark Pickthall.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Oct 18, 2019 at 8:12am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Munro was inspired by the Northern Territory’s capital city and is the first citywide exhibition in the world.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The collection reflects Munro’s personal history of visiting Australia as well as the Northern Territory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is a collection of smaller installations and a very different experience to Field of Lights,” Mr Munro told </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/creator-of-ulurus-field-of-light-launches-new-exhibition-in-darwin/news-story/003b3522311a1e3d4d96b451c20ed9d0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnmRCh7BFaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnmRCh7BFaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">One of my favourite Fields of Light, Uluru, Australia - Jane OConnor, Bruce Munro Studio. Photographs by Mark Pickthall and Serena Munro</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Sep 11, 2018 at 12:40pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those coming to Darwin for Tropical Lights will experience the beautiful city … which has everything a big city has but slightly more condensed. This exhibition is not about me plonking sculptures from (the) other side of the world and putting them in Darwin, the sculptures are inspired by Darwin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So I am interested to see if people enjoy it and feel and think the same as I did when I first came here.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VKb-HlSw6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VKb-HlSw6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Bruce Munro: Tropical Light, Darwin Australia. November 1st 2019 - April 30th 2020. Photography by Serena Munro, copyright © 2019 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. A huge thank you to @fusionexhibitionandhire &amp; @NTmajorevents an install we will never forget ❤️@tropicallights.darwin</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Nov 1, 2019 at 10:09am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Tropical Light exhibit in Darwin is open until the 30th of April 2020. </p>

Domestic Travel

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New Indigenous sacred site calling for Uluru-style ban

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous activists are now calling for a popular hiking spot to be closed to hikers due to the cultural significance to the traditional owners of the land.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mount Warning in the Tweed ranges in northern NSW is considered a sacred site to the traditional owners, the Bundjalung people, but it’s a popular spot with hikers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bundjalung Elder Robert Corowa has said that the recent closure of the Uluru climb has given him and his community a new sense of hope.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m ashamed to go there … it makes me really sad to watch people climbing it. I don’t want to let people think they’ve got the right,” he said.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YlIFChOLf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YlIFChOLf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Subida do Mt. Warning pra ver o nascer do sol, cansativo, mas a vista é sensacional! 🇦🇺</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/gumastavo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Gumastavo</a> (@gumastavo) on Aug 20, 2019 at 4:26am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Corowa has said that visitors who hike Mount Warning are disrespectful to the sacred spot.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m ashamed to go there … it makes me really sad to watch people climbing it. I don’t want to let people think they’ve got the right,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, rainforest park manager Mark Bourchier said that he was concerned that the closure of the mountain would impact tourism to the area as it attracts up to 100,000 visitors annually.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If we go shutting the mountain, I can see there would be way less visitors to the area,” he told </span><a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mt-warning-next-on-climb-chopping-block/news-story/d4c4e9c4fc5a8fa55373c698bef7da53"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Courier-Mail</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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“What white privilege looks like”: How the world has reacted to the Uluru climbing ban

<p>Media outlets around the world have reacted to the permanent closure of public access to Australia’s most iconic landmark, Uluru.</p> <p>After decades of tourists climbing the enormous rock, rangers have finally put an end to it at 4 pm Friday, after the ban was unanimously voted on in 2017.</p> <p>A new sign was set up on the base of the rock, letting visitors know that the climb was permanently closed – 34 years after the Anangu people, the traditional custodians of the land, were handed back the title to Uluru.</p> <p>Starting from today, those who are caught breaking the rules would be issued a fine of $6,300.</p> <p>But not everyone is happy about the decision, as Australians and others around the world are divided on the history-making decision.</p> <p>Yesterday, Uluru was inundated with tourists wanting to climb the rock for the very last time, to which a<span> </span><em>New York Times</em><span> </span>writer described as “a reminder that a segment of the population remains resistant to some of the decisions Indigenous people make when ownership of land is returned to them.”</p> <p>“They have absolutely no shame,” wrote one person on Twitter on the flock of climbers.</p> <p>“This is what white privilege looks like in Australia.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">They have absolutely no shame. This is what white privilege looks like in Australia.</p> — Princess Buttercup ☠🎗️ (@sckitupbuttercp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sckitupbuttercp/status/1187607049607102464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“The lengthy queue of people waiting for one last crack at violating Indigenous rights before the white government finally puts an end to it is pretty depressing,” wrote another commenter on the publication’s website.</p> <p>While the ban is “a once-unimaginable act of deference to a marginalised population,” wrote the story’s author Jamie Tarabay, it is “a partly symbolic gesture that does nothing to address the myriad social problems endured by Indigenous Australians.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Like little ants trail. Not for survival, not climbing up from floods or anything. Paying their way from their earnings to disrespect a sacred site.</p> — J. Xuan (@HazelONeil16) <a href="https://twitter.com/HazelONeil16/status/1187673547193212928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“Many of the Anangu themselves live in a trash-strewn community near the rock that is closed to visitors, a jarring contrast to the exclusive resorts that surround the monolith, where tourists seated at white tablecloths drink sparkling wines and eat canapes as the setting sun turns Uluru a vivid red.”</p> <p>Certain parts of Uluru are considered so scared that the Anangu people don’t want it to be photographed or even touched, writes Tarabay, although tourists are permitted to “tool around its base on camels or Segways, or take art lessons in its shadow.”</p>

Domestic Travel

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Climb fever: Last day of Uluru climb brings in thousands

<p>The decision to ban people from climbing Ayers Rock has divided a nation, and with its last day on the books, big numbers are expected to swarm in before a permanent closing of the climb. </p> <p>The 33 degrees forecast for Friday means the climb will be open all day after extreme heat this week. </p> <p>On Thursday the hours to scale up Uluru were restricted between 7 am and 8 am due to a sweltering 40 degree day. </p> <p>After the last of the climbers come down, workers will immediately start removing all evidence climbing was ever allowed on the 348-metre high red sandstone rock. </p> <p>Uluru is arguably one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. </p> <p>The chain handhold that was built in 1964 for visitors to get up and down the steep western face will also be removed. </p> <p>Photos and videos of massive queues of people waiting to climb up the rock  - against the wishes of local Indigenous people - has surfaced on social media, garnering heavy criticism as a result. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">One day out from Uluru climb closure, this is the line at 7am. <a href="https://t.co/fxs344H6fV">pic.twitter.com/fxs344H6fV</a></p> — Oliver Gordon (@olgordon) <a href="https://twitter.com/olgordon/status/1187149946731937793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“If native aboriginal people fought to ban climbing on their extremely sacred rock, why would you still want to climb it, you asinine tourists!” wrote actor and rock climber Sebastian Roché on Twitter.</p> <p>“Imagine learning Uluru was being shut off for climbing because it’s sacred to the Aboriginal culture, and instead of respecting that, you spend the final day before it closes doing... this,” another person said. </p> <p>The National Park board decided in 2017 to ban the climb from Saturday. </p> <p>It marks 35 years since the land title to the Anangu was given back on October 26, 1985.</p> <p>Earlier this week, tourist Tegan McLellan, 28 scaled the massive landmark with her partner in a bid to get in before the practice is banned. </p> <p>The veterinary nurse and social media influencer said climbing to the top of Uluru has always been on her bucket list but it wasn’t until she heard the climb would be closed for good that she decided to make the journey to the Red centre. </p> <p>“Uluru has always been on my list of places to visit but was always a ‘some day’ trip,” she told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/influencers-reason-for-deciding-to-climb-uluru-before-the-ban/news-story/b53928ee54800a6070bc0670b1679356" target="_blank">news.com.au.</a></p> <p>“Uluru is an icon of Australia and an important part of our history.</p> <p>“Since hearing that the climb was closing I decided to make it a priority to visit before the opportunity was gone.”</p> <p>Ms McMlellan says she found the climb to be “difficult” despite being a pretty fit person. </p> <p>“It’s very steep in some parts … and you can easily lose your footing. Your shoes slip easily, so you have to pull yourself up using the chain, but the chain was also slippery from everyone’s suncream and sweaty hands,” she explained. </p> <p>The Queensland-based nurse said the “tough climb” should have regulations in place for people. </p> <p>“It’s a very tough climb with no shade and even the way down is just as tough,” she said.</p> <p>“You have people going up, people coming down and people sitting and resting, all along a very steep slope on a narrow track.</p> <p>“I heard that one lady got stuck halfway up and sat there for two hours in the scorching sun because she couldn’t get down.”</p> <p>Uluru is a sacred site and holds great spiritual significance to local Aboriginal communities, including the Pitjantjatjara Anangu traditional owners who live in nearby Mutitjulu.</p> <p>"It is just a blip in the middle, this whole climb thing, it is going back to normal by banning the climb,” said Mutitjulu resident and Central Land Council chair Sammy Wilson</p> <p>The Anangu people will celebrate with a ceremony at the rock on Sunday night.</p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery above to see Tegan McLellan's climb through pictures. </span><span>Images: @teganmclellan </span></p>

Domestic Travel

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“You are shooting yourself in the foot”: Tourists baffled over Uluru climb ban

<p>While some tourists from all over the world are rushing to climb Uluru before it is banned on Saturday, some are questioning why local traditional Indigenous Australians called for a ban in the first place. </p> <p>Ayers Rock Resort has been jam packed for most of 2019 meaning nearly 5,000 people are trying to get a chance to climb Uluru before it is too late. </p> <p>Some Australian tourists have gone to extreme measures and camped illegally on private land around Uluru during school holidays, because the resort's campground has been full.</p> <p>The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board made the decision to impose an official ban from October 26 to pay respect and recognition to the rock’s cultural significance to the Anangu people. </p> <p>Melbourne tourist Stefan Gangur, 51 told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/australian-associated-press-562" target="_blank"><em>AAP</em><span> </span></a>he opposes the ban because it is a vital source of income for the community. </p> <p>"What are people doing out here? It is part of the economy and how it runs out here" he said.</p> <p>"You are shooting yourself in the foot, as long as everyone respects it, it is okay.</p> <p>"It is no secret a percentage of the money from the national park passes goes back to the Aboriginal people."</p> <p>The controversial ban of one of Australia’s most prolific and well known landmarks has prompted warnings that Uluru faces an uncertain future. </p> <p>A chain was built on the steep of the western face of Ayers Rock in 1964 and will be dismantled from October 28. </p> <p>The National Park’s general manager Mike Misso told AAP Uluru will become a better destination for tourists as more Anangu people will be working and benefitting from it. </p> <p>"The dominant reason for the UNESCO World Heritage listing was the living cultural landscape of nature and culture intertwined through traditions over thousands of years," he told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/australian-associated-press-562" target="_blank">AAP.</a></em></p> <p>"The closure of the climb enhances the park's world heritage values. It's in conflict if you have got inappropriate visitor activity,”Grant Hunt, chief executive at the resort’s operators Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia said. </p> <p>"For every tourist destination, you have to reinvent yourself, if you just offer the same people go elsewhere.”</p> <p>Mr Hunt says there is far more to Uluru than the climb, with more than 100 tours and experiences for tourists to experience - from riding mountain bikes, to Aboriginal cultural tours, helicopters and skydiving. </p> <p>“The travelling public have become much more culturally mature than they were 20 years ago,” Mr Hunt said.</p> <p> “I think most people expect this and in fact want it to happen.</p> <p>“There’s a minority who still don’t of course and you always get that with any decision but certainly our research and feedback says about 80 per cent of people are supportive of the climb closing.”</p>

Travel Trouble

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"Glad to be alive": 12-year-old takes 20m tumble on Uluru climb

<p><span>A 12-year-old girl has fallen at least 20 metres while climbing Uluru, two weeks before the iconic sandstone rock is closed to climbers.</span></p> <p><span> The South Australian girl, who was travelling with her parents and younger brother, was reportedly descending from the summit of the 348-metre tall rock on Sunday when she lost her footing and fell.</span></p> <p><span>The girl was then carried to the base of the rock and treated at the Yulara clinic before being flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Alice Springs hospital.</span></p> <p><span>“Apparently, it was about a 20 to 30-metre fall,” Troy Dicks, flight nurse with the RFDS told <em><a href="https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-15/12-year-old-girl-survives-20m-fall-on-uluru-climb/11604452?pfmredir=sm">ABC</a></em>.</span></p> <p><span>“On the steep decline, she’s actually got a run up, she’s actually dived and rolled.”</span></p> <p><span>Dicks said the 12-year-old suffered an ankle injury, a compound fracture on her finger and grazes.</span></p> <p><span>“She apparently had a nasty finger injury that was dressed and cleaned,” Dicks said. </span></p> <p><span>“It was a compound fracture. So there was bone showing.</span></p> <p><span>“She also had an ankle injury. I’m not sure whether it was broken or not but it was certainly swollen and deformed.”</span></p> <p><span>A spokesperson from the Alice Springs Hospital confirmed that the patient is in a stable condition.</span></p> <p><span>Dicks said the patient was “surprisingly well and in good spirits”.</span></p> <p><span>“She just realised how lucky she was and was very glad to be alive.”</span></p> <p><span>Michael Misso, general manager at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park told <em><a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/girl-12-injured-in-fall-on-uluru/news-story/9e29ed409e11b1c6ad57848f1192e8b6?from=htc_rss">Sky News</a> </em>that park rangers are working hard to manage the visitors’ safety.</span></p> <p>“Ultimately people need to take responsibility for their own actions and safety, but we give advice on how to stay safe from the base of the climb,” Misso said.</p>

Travel Trouble

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"I'm Indigenous": Pauline Hanson faces scrutiny after controversial statement on A Current Affair

<p>One Nation Pauline Hanson has angered many as her mission to allow all Australians to climb Uluru continues.</p> <p>She headed out to Uluru with<span> </span>A Current Affair<span> </span>and the controversial segment aired on Monday night.</p> <p>"I've come here to listen to the traditional owners," she said.</p> <p>Hanson was invited to visit Uluru by Jimpanna Yulara, a senior member of the Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders. Hanson spoke of the beauty of Uluru in the segment.</p> <p>"And what reasons people come out - whether they see it as a challenge, it's an iconic part of Australia to be involved in, to enjoy it. I'd like to see the climb stay open, I really would."</p> <p>Despite the Senator saying that her intervention in the debate over climbing Uluru is about helping Indigenous Australians, not everyone is convinced.</p> <p>This included a group of young Indigenous women who spoke to Hanson at a local café, where they were employed.</p> <p>The women argued that Uluru is part of their culture.</p> <p>"It's a big part of our Indigenous culture," one of the women said.</p> <p>"And I'm listening to the traditional owners of the land here and I will talk to them," Senator Hanson replied.</p> <p>"So our opinion doesn't matter? Even though we're Indigenous? Beautiful," the woman replied.</p> <p>Hanson tried to diffuse the tension by saying that she too was Indigenous.</p> <p>“I’m Indigenous,” she told them. “I was born here. I’m native to the land. I’m Australian as well and I’m Indigenous as well.”</p> <p>This statement was met with smirks from the women, with one suggesting that Hanson’s land is “England”.</p> <p>When Hanson was asked about the encounter, she said that she wasn’t interested in it.</p> <p>“They’ve had their opinion. I’ve come, not to talk to a 19-year-old or 20-year-old who’s not from the area. I’m listening to the traditional owners of the land.”</p> <p>The elders that Hanson met with were concerned about the long-term economic impact that the closure of the climb could have on the local community.</p> <p>“A lot of people have a lot of respect for me and appreciate the job I’m doing for them,” she said.</p> <p>However, once Hanson herself attempted the climb, she found it trickier than initially anticipated.</p> <p>She was forced to stop a short distance up, as her shoes weren’t gripping, and she was worried about slipping.</p> <p>“Seriously, I cannot walk down here. My boots are that bloody old. They’re so smooth I’m not getting any grip. I tell you what, I’m not getting any grip on my backside either.”</p> <p>Many were critical of Hanson’s decision to make the climb after meeting with elders as well as getting frustrated with<span> </span>A Current Affairfor airing the segment.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Doctor’s waiting room is the ONLY place I’d watch Pauline Hanson on ACA but my god I can’t tear my eyes away from this car crash.</p> — Anna Brain (@Brainybites) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brainybites/status/1165913511815331840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">26 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">I assume climbers that took selfies with Pauline Hanson on the Rock were paid actors ? I assume the poll <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a> which is showing strong support for climbing Uluru is fake ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9aca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9aca</a> Or maybe Hanson does have support ? maybe large numbers support her but dont do twitter</p> — Darren Beale (@DarrenBeale2) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenBeale2/status/1165918843576840192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">26 August 2019</a></blockquote>

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