Chinese billionaire seeking Australian passport reportedly paid lobbyist for secret meeting with minister

• Australia's ABC Four Corners said current Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton met with Huang Xiangmo to discuss the Chinese billionaire's application for an Australian passport.
• Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters on Tuesday that the allegation is "very troubling," adding that "Peter Dutton has got a lot to explain about this."
• The Four Corners revelation is just the latest example of large political donors with alleged ties to China's Communist Party wielding influence within Australian politics.

China's influence on Australian politics is again in focus after a media investigation revealed a secret meeting in 2016 between the then-immigration minister and a controversial Chinese billionaire seeking an Australian passport.

The report from Australia's ABC Four Corners said Peter Dutton, now the home affairs minister, met one-on-one with Huang Xiangmo in a private area of a Chinese restaurant in Sydney. The meeting was set up after the Chinese businessman paid tens of thousands of dollars to a lobbyist, according to the investigation. That's led to calls for Australia's current government to look into the matter further.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, for one, told reporters on Tuesday that the allegation is "very troubling," adding that "Peter Dutton has got a lot to explain about this."

Turnbull also said Australia's current prime minister will need to get involved in the situation: "The buck stops with him. I know what it is like to be prime minister and, ultimately, you are responsible and so Scott Morrison has to deal with this."

Dutton has confirmed the meeting, but denied helping Huang with any immigration issues, according to SBS News.

Still, the Four Corners report is just the latest allegation of large political donors with apparent ties to China's Communist Party wielding influence within Australian politics.

Back in February, Huang — who is currently in China following a decision to ban him from re-entering Australia — called on both the ruling Coalition and the opposition Labor Party to return over 2.7 million Australian dollars (about $1.9 million) in donations that he had made over the past five years.

In an interview with the Australian Financial Review, Huang called out his treatment as being hypocritical — and questioned the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation's inference that his membership of groups that were promoting the "peaceful reunification" of China was tantamount to him being an operative of the Chinese state.

"If I am being penalized for promoting the peaceful reunification of China, this is against Australia's own position as well as its fundamental principles of cultural diversity and freedom of speech," Huang told the Australian Financial Review.

While Huang's donations were a contributing factor in the Australian government's decision to ban foreign political donations in November last year, Chinese-associated donations continue to raise concerns. In December, the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) raided the offices of the state's Labor Party over A$100,000 in donations by Chinese-Australian nationals.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ICAC is currently investigating a trio of individuals — including Huang — in relation to documents seized in the raid.

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A spectacle of nature: Tourism Australia showcases its candy-coloured lakes in Insta-worthy rosey pink hues

Tourism Australia is hosting a spectacular natural event this season. In the heart of Melbourne, a salt lake in Westgate Park has turned an Insta-worthy rosey pink hue, delighting tourist and locals alike.

A beautiful example of mother nature, the phenomenon is being leveraged to showcase a range of candy-coloured lakes across Australia.

A dramatic example of Australia’s natural beauty, the phenomenon only occurs intermittently during the warmer months, after a perfect cocktail of high salt levels, high temperatures, increased sunlight and low rainfall turn the lake pink when algae living in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake produces a red pigment (beta carotene) as part of its photosynthesis process. 

The lake started to turn pink last week, and is expected to stay that way until later in autumn. The lake previously turned pink in 2014 and 2017, and will return to its normal colour as the weather cools and rainfall increases. 

Located along the eastern banks of the Yarra River, under the West Gate Bridge, travellers can drive over the bridge to see the lake, or to get up close, limited parking is available within the park off Todd Road, or along Lorimer St, Port Melbourne.

Australia is home to many candy coloured lakes across its vast landscapes – all year round:

1. Westgate Park is not the only colourful lake in Australia — there is a range of candy-coloured Australian lakes that are reliably pink all year round.

Hutt Lagoon, near Port Gregory Credit Tourism Western Australia

2. At Murray-Sunset National Park, in Victoria's far north-west corner, find the picturesque Pink Lake, which changes in colour from a deep pink to a glistening white throughout the year.

3. Lake Tyrrell is Victoria's largest salt lake, covering over 20,000 hectares. It attracts visitors from around the world who come for the striking scenery and the stunning sunsets and sunrises.

Pink Lake, Geraldton, WA

4. Head to South Australia’s west coast to find the vibrant pink hues of Lake MacDonnell. A spellbinding contrast of a pink waterscape separated from a neighbouring blue-green lake by a straight dirt road this natural wonder is a magnet for road-tripping travellers.

5. Less than two hours’ drive from Adelaide, Lake Bumbunga’s bubble gum shores draw an eclectic crowd from casual photographers to high-end fashion brands. Located in Lochiel, the lake is known to change colour from pink, to white, to blue, depending on the salinity of the water throughout the year.

Southern Coral Coast

6. Head to West Australia’s Esperance to see the bubble gum pink Lake Hillier. Best seen from above on a scenic flight, Lake Hillar is located offshore on Middle Island, part of The Recherche Archipelago.

7. Watch the mesmerising Hutt Lagoon, located on Western Australia’s Coral Coast change through a spectrum of red to bubble-gum pink to a lilac purple. Hutt Lagoon can be easily accessed by road along the George Grey Drive, between Geraldton and Kalbarri, or seen from above on a scenic flight.

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Australian Tourism Awards 2018 being held in Launceston

More than 800 of the nation's top tourism identities will be in Launceston tonight for the 2018 Australian Tourism Awards. 

The awards are being held at the Cataract Gorge, with a specially-built marquee constructed over the pool. 

The Examiner will be onsite for the event, and will be bringing the winners to you as it happens.

Launceston praised 

Attendees have dubbed the Australian Tourism Awards in Launceston last night as one of the best events yet. 

More than 800 of the nation's top tourism identities flocked to a makeshift convention centre at the Cataract Gorge.

Guests said they had not seen the level of effort put into the awards before.

Australian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said the council had made the right choice by coming to Launceston. 

"You have turned a lovely location into a great experience for us … and that's what tourism is," he said.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania's chief executive Luke Martin said it was really great to show off the region to the nation. 

"This is really two-year vision and a lot of work by a lot of people. What a special way to showcase Tasmania," he said. 

The weather was perfect for the event, with the temperature reaching 34 degrees throughout the day. 

"It was warm too, so we going dealt with a few misconceptions about Tasmania's climate for some of those Queenslanders and Northern Territorians," he said. 

The opportunity was a great way to re-package and show Tasmania to the tourism industry and shine a spotlight on Launceston in particular, he said.

"These awards attract operators from every part of the country. All the who's who and a lot of these people it'll be their first time coming to Tasmania and if not, their first time to Launceston," he said. 

"At the end of the day we're going to have 840 advocates and the most influential tourism people in praise of Tasmania and Launceston. 

"It's already happening, even my colleagues from around the country have never seen the effort that has gone into hosting these awards like there is in Launceston."  

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A Film Buff Travel Guide To Movie Destinations Around Australia & New Zealand

Oh sure there’s Hollywood or even Sydney’s Fox Studios, but there’s something inherently more exciting about being in real-world movie destinations that have featured in your fave film. Somewhere you can take a gander at without having to cough up for a studio tour. The best part is you don’t even have to take an international flight to get ‘on set’ of some of the biggest blockbusters. There’s plenty all around Australia and New Zealand.

12 Must-See Movie Destinations In Australia & New Zealand

1. Hobbiton Movie Set, NZ – The Lord Of The Rings

I mean, let’s just deal with the most obvious one first shall we? Not that it in any way lessens how amazing it would be to walk around the closest thing to an actual Hobbiton you’re ever going to get. And yeah sure, I’m a bit of a Lord Of The Rings fan – the books, not the movies, but still – but nerd or not, it CUTE! And yeah yeah it’s technically somewhere between a studio set and an IRL place but I’ll take that grey area and run with it.

2. Split Point Lighthouse, VIC – Round The Twist

Have you ever, ever felt like visiting the location for one of Australia’s most iconic kids shows? Well, you can. The kooky family lived in Split Point Lighthouse, which still stands and has been functioning as an unmanned, IRL lighthouse since 1919. This one’s for the 90s kids and hot damn if this still doesn’t get me the most excited of the whole list. If you want to go inside you’ll need to book a tour.

3. Cathedral Cove, NZ – The Chronicles Of Narnia

The naturally formed archway of Cathedral Cove was well worth of your Insta pics, even before it was made particularly famous by a feature in The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The cast obviously landed there by boat, which you can certainly do yourself by way of a range of boat tours, or even by hiring a kayak. Or you can take a 45-minute walk from Hahei Beach.

4. Mount Diogenes, VIC – Picnic At Hanging Rock

Just a day trip from Melbourne away, Mount Diogenes aka. Hanging Rock is still a pretty big pull thanks to Peter Weir’s 1975 Aussie mystery flick, Picnic At Hanging Rock. Look, even without the film history, it’s a pretty area with its mix of wildflowers and 6-million-year-old volcanic rock.

5. Paradise, NZ – Lord Of The Rings & The Hobbit Trilogy

Yeah look, thanks to Tolkien’s world being brought t the big screen basically all of New Zealand could be on this list (NB. that’s a huge exaggeration on my part). Just outside of Glenorchy on the South Island, Paradise is another of these locations. In particular, it’s where the mythical towns of Lothlorien, Amon Hen, and Isengard were filmed.

6. Karekare Beach, NZ – The Piano

Ok so it’s not quite Hollywood levels, but The Piano is a fab film and Karekare Beach in West Auckland is probably one of the most beautiful spots you could hope for when landing on New Zealand. Beyond the black sand beach and cliff faces surrounding it, it’s worth a trek into Waitakere Waterfall.

7. Queenstown, NZ – X-Men Origins: The Wolverine

I love me some Hugh Jackman. He brought the backstory of comic book character Wolverine to life with this film in 2009, which was mostly filmed in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. A lot of New Zealand scenes were in Dunedin, but plenty more were in Queenstown’s Deer Park Heights.

8. Broken Hill, NSW – Priscilla Queen Of The Dessert

Name a more iconic Aussie film, I’ll wait. There’s a few places made famous in this film, including Sydney’s Imperial Hotel, a place that still proudly proclaims it LGBTQI roots. But its fun to get out of town so I’ve picked Broken Hill. Remember that scene where the Drag trio walk into a bar and encounter the bigoted Aussie woman who made her gross opinions about gender norms be known and Bernadette sassed her right back into place? Yup, that was in Mario’s Palace in Broken Hill.

10. Kings Cross, NSW – Two Hands

Vintage Heath Ledger and a truly beautiful film that was shot in large part in Sydney’s iconic Kings Cross. There isn’t really anything that screams Sydney, but grungy, than the famous neon Coke sign.

11. Mundi Mundi Plains, NSW: Mad Max 2 & Priscilla Queen of the Desert

This desert expanse just outside of the already mentioned Broken Hill is basically your iconic Aussie desert shot. Which is probably why it was picked for a stunning backdrop in both Priscilla Queen of the Desert and the series that put Mel Gibson on the map, Mad Max 2.

12. Sydney, NSW – Mission Impossible 2

I’m just going to admit right now that I’m not an MI fan, or a Tom Cruise one for that matter, but I’m well aware it’s a classic and popular action film so yeah ok, I won’t let bias stop me from including it. Most of the film was shot around Sydney. We’re talking Randwick, Botany Bay (ok just outside Sydney but still), the 90s era high rise buildings Governor Macquarie Tower and Governor Phillip Tower. The list goes on.

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Your guide to passport price rises

If you’re travelling overseas, you’ve got to have it, and now you have to pay more for it.

Fees for Australian passports increased on January 1.

It now costs $293 for a 10-year adult passport.

AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT PRICES
Passport fees were increased from January 1, 2019.
Ten-year passport for people aged 16 and over: $293.
Five-year passport for children under 16 years and people aged 75 and over: $148.
Emergency passport overseas: $184.
Replacement passport: $184.
Priority processing fee: $215.
Adult overseas surcharge: $132.
Child overseas surcharge: $64.
More information at passports.gov.au and smarttraveller.com.au

What the others cost
UK

A standard 34-page passport is $137 (£75.50) for adults (16 and over) when applied for online.
NZ

A standard adult passport costs $171 ($NZ180). An urgent passport costs $342 ($NZ360).
USA

A US passport is $263 ($US145) for adults and $208 ($US115) for children 16 and younger.
World’s best passports

The world’s best passport is that of the UAE, when ranked for countries that can be entered visa-free (113), with visa on arrival (54) and needing a visa (31), according to Passport Index.

Passport Index rates the top most powerful passports:

1 United Arab Emirates.

2 Germany.

3rd equal Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg, France, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Norway, South Korea, USA.

The Australian passport is ranked equal seventh.

BALI BEWARE
Bali-bound travellers are still being advised to make sure their passports are in good condition or face the possibility of being refused boarding in Perth.

Indonesia is cracking down on damaged passports as part of wider measures against the use of illegal travel documents.

With the Indonesian government threatening to fine airlines that allow travellers with damaged passports to fly, carriers are being cautious with the amount of damage acceptable remaining unclear.

The warning comes after a British couple were denied entry to Bali in October while travelling with a passport that had been chewed by their dog.

A man with a slightly damaged passport was also stopped from boarding a flight on Christmas Day in Perth.

FAQ
Do I need six months validity left on my passport before I can travel from and then re-enter Australia?

“Your passport is valid from the date it is issued until the date it expires. You can use it throughout this period, subject to meeting the visa and immigration requirements of the countries you wish to visit or transit. Some foreign governments require visitors to carry passports with at least six months validity beyond their planned stay. You may be refused entry if you do not comply. Well before you travel, you should check the entry requirements of the countries you plan to visit or transit. Contact the foreign diplomatic and consular representatives of the country you wish to visit in Australia, or seek advice from your travel agent.”

For more information visit passports.gov.au.

SOUTH AFRICA WITH KIDS
Travellers flying to South Africa should also be sure to have the correct documentation.

South African law requires unaccompanied minors and children travelling with adults who are not their legal guardian to carry an unabridged birth certificate which shows their parents’ details, as well as the child’s own passport, for visits to South Africa.

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Airbnb calls for 'light touch' rules on WA hosts, saying current regulations stifle tourism growth

Accommodation provider Airbnb is advocating for minimal regulation of most of the properties on its website, arguing a heavy-handed approach would act as a handbrake on tourism growth in Western Australia.

Airbnb executives made the comments during hearings by the WA Parliament's Economics and Industry Standing Committee into regulation of short-stay accommodation in the state.

They told committee members their business model helped host families make ends meet, made travel more affordable, created local jobs and increased tourism to WA — often in areas that normally had few visitors.

It was in part a rebuttal to the Tourism Council of WA, which last week gave evidence that Airbnb, and similar businesses, were costing the state's economy hundreds of millions of dollars a year because fewer regulations meant properties on those sites were cheaper than hotels.

It called for a ban on residential homes or apartments being listed on sites like Airbnb if the owner did not live there, and for a state register of all other short-stay accommodation, with requirements to meet basic standards.

The council condemned what it called "an uneven playing field".

Airbnb today said it backed "fair and progressive" rules, with only "light touch" regulations for the majority of its hosts, who shared the home in which they lived.

The company's head of public policy, Brent Thomas, proposed uniform statewide rules and a system of "sliding regulation", depending on the nature of the property.

"The regulation you need for a two-bedroom home here in WA should be very different from the sort of regulation you need for a 200-bedroom international hotel," Mr Thomas said.

"The way you regulate a car is different from the way you regulate a semi-trailer."

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Tourism New Zealand takes cheeky swipe at MLA's New Australia-Land campaign

Tourism New Zealand has weighed in on the MLA’s recent proposal to merge Australia and New Zealand with a cheeky website promoting New Zealand.

The site, which combines the MLA’s suggested ‘New Australia-Land’ with Tourism New Zealand’s iconic tagline to create '100% Pure New Australia-Land', features “all the best parts” of the merged nation.

“We felt the people of New Zealand needed to respond to such a proposition, so we packaged all of the best bits of New Australia-Land into one place. They all just happen to be in New Zealand” said Andrew Waddel, Australian general manager of Tourism New Zealand.

The site pokes fun of Australian stereotypes to promote New Zealand travel destinations and experiences. It also celebrates New Zealand’s lamb industry, pointing out how the country's North Island resembles a lamb chop.

Tourism New Zealand has also enlisted the national airline Air New Zealand for the campaign, with the airline offering deals for Aussies to travel to New Zealand.

The campaign was created by TBWA\Sydney.

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Chinese mobile payments company Alipay and Tourism Australia will pilot a new city service in Sydney

Chinese mobile payments company Alipay and Tourism Australia will pilot a new city service in Sydney to promote leading tourist and retail destinations to Chinese tourists, throughout the Chinese New Year festive period in early February.

The Sydney City Card will introduce Chinese tourists to sights and activities in hotspots around the city, and provides special geotargeted promotions in key areas such as The Rocks, Darling Harbour, the Sydney Fish Market, Sydney Airport, Westfield Sydney, and Sydney Chinatown.

The interactive mobile map will operate through the Alipay app, which together with its regional partners has more than one billion users worldwide.

In Australia, tens of thousands of merchants accept Alipay, with more than one hundred leading retailers and tourist destinations such as BridgeClimb Sydney, the Sydney Aquarium, and Captain Cook Cruises involved in the Sydney City Card pilot.

The pilot program will run for 12 months, and launched ahead of the Chinese New Year week-long holiday in February.

“The Sydney City Card pilot is an innovative approach to engaging with our largest tourist market, and provides Australia with a critical advantage over other regional tourist hotspots during this peak annual travel period,” said Country Manager of Alipay, Australia and New Zealand, George Lawson.

“Chinese tourists will be able to access recommendations on what to see, where to shop and how to get around, all within an app they are familiar with and while being offered their preferred payment method around the city,” Lawson said.

“Providing this tailored and convenient customer experience is critical to maintaining and enhancing Australia’s reputation as a leading international tourist destination for Chinese travellers.”

Tourism Australia Managing Director, John O’Sullivan said, “Lunar New Year is an increasingly important time of the year for Australian tourism. We’re seeing more and more of China’s emerged and emerging high value travellers looking to use this key holiday break as an opportunity to travel overseas and to popular wish list destinations such as ours.”

According to O’Sullivan, the new generation of free and independent Chinese traveller has extremely high demands of an overseas destination, and a big part of meeting those expectations is around convenience and being made to feel welcome.

“We know the huge importance that Chinese travellers attach to Alipay as a preferred and trusted mobile payment system, and I have every confidence that the added value they’ll receive from the new Sydney City Card will prove hugely popular, by making the on-the- ground holiday experience easier and more engaging.”

The Sydney City Card program will run concurrently with a similar initiative in Queenstown, New Zealand, with the potential for expansion into other major tourist destinations in Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

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Tourism Ministry promotes Wonderful Indonesia in four Australian cities

The Tourism Ministry is currently participating in the Flight Centre World Travel Expo, a travel exhibition hosted by Flight Centre, one of the largest retail travel outlets in Australia.

The travel expo is being held in various cities across Australia, including Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Sydney and Melbourne. According to kompas.com, the ministry is taking part in the expo in four cities, namely Sydney on Feb. 2-3, Melbourne and Perth on Feb. 9-10, and Brisbane on Feb. 16-17. These cities were chosen as the largest numbers of Australian travelers visiting Indonesia come from there.

The ministry has invited 12 travel agents and companies to join the expo. During the exhibition, the agencies are given the opportunity to offer various travel packages directly to visitors.

In addition to promoting Indonesian tourism, the ministry is also showcasing traditional arts, such as the Cendrawasih dance from Bali and Bajidor Kahot from West Java, giving visitors a chance to get a closer look at Indonesian culture.

Besides the expo, the ministry is hosting business meetings with Australian travel agencies with at least 80 entrepreneurs confirming their attendance in each city.

Indonesian Consul General in Sydney Heru Hartanto Subolo, who attended the opening day in Sydney, stated his hope that the ministry’s participation in the expo could help in learning more about Australian tourists' needs and interests, allowing the travel agents to offer travel packages suitable for their target audiences.

He also encouraged Indonesia to engage in further collaboration with Flight Centre.

“As a representative of the Indonesian government, I encourage a closer partnership between tourist industries, so the target of 1.5 million tourists from Australia can be achieved,” said Heru. (jes/wng)

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Tourism Australia to test pilot 12-month payment program for tourists

Alipay and Tourism Australia have announced today that Sydney will be the pilot city for a new service to promote leading tourist and retail destinations to Chinese tourists, ahead of the Chinese New Year festive period in early February.

The Sydney City Card will introduce Chinese tourists to sights and activities in hotspots round the city and provide special geotargeted promotions in key areas such as The Rocks, Darling Harbour, the Sydney Fish Market, Sydney Airport, Westfield Sydney and Sydney Chinatown.

The interactive mobile map will operate through the Alipay app, which together with its regional partners has more than one billion users worldwide.

In Australia, tens of thousands of merchants accept Alipay, with more than one hundred leading retailers and tourist destinations involved in the Sydney City Card pilot.

The pilot program will run for 12 months, and launches ahead of the Chinese New Year week-long holiday in February, which will see 40 million Chinese travel including seven million heading overseas – with Australia among the leading destinations.

Alipay ANZ country manager George Lawson said the pilot program will provide Australia with a critical advantage over other tourist destinations.

“The Sydney City Card pilot is an innovative approach to engaging with our largest tourist market, and provides Australia with a critical advantage over other regional tourist hotspots during this peak annual travel period

“Chinese tourists will be able to access recommendations on what to see, where to shop and how to get around, all within an app they are familiar with and while being offered their preferred payment method around the city.

“Providing this tailored and convenient customer experience is critical to maintaining and enhancing Australia's reputation as a leading international tourist destination for Chinese travellers.”

Alipay has also recently partnered with major financial institutions including Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Tyro making its platform available via their proprietary technology.

A 2018 Nielsen study found 99% of Chinese tourists had the Alipay app installed on their mobile phone.

A 2019 Nielsen survey of 1,244 overseas merchants found that nearly 60% of those that adopted Alipay saw a subsequent growth in both foot traffic and revenue.

China is Australia's largest and most valuable tourism market, accounting for 81% of the growth in tourism spending in Australia in the last 12 months and for 27% of total spend by international visitors.

More than 1.4 million Chinese tourists travelled to Australia in the year ending November 2018 (YoY growth of 6.2%), and spent mot than $11.5 billion (YoY growth of 12%).

The Sydney City Card program will run concurrently with a similar initiative in Queenstown, New Zealand with the potential for expansion into other major tourist destinations in Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

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Australian Traveller launches US magazine for Tourism Australia

Australia will include stories on the country’s capital cities and key sites, like Kakadu, as well a guides to all of the cities and a map at the back of the magazine. The first edition explores The Great Barrier Reef, The Kimberley and a feature on how to understand the Australian Outback. Currently, there are plans to make the magazine a bi-annual product.

At the same time, Tourism Australia has launched a broader content hub. Australian Traveller and Tourism Australia have engaged 18 advertisers for the magazine, including United Airlines, One and Only Wolgan Valley, Park Hyatt Sydney and Tourism Gold Coast.

Jane Whitehead, regional general manager Americas, Tourism Australia, said she was pleased to produce the “compelling” and “authentic” magazine.

“We’re proud to launch the first official Australia magazine, a showcase of incredible Australian experiences spanning unique accommodations, urban culture to wilderness adventures and more,” Whitehead said.

“In collaborating with Australian Traveller, we set out to tell quintessentially Aussie travel stories, while highlighting some of the finest hospitality product, in a way that compels travellers to book memorable vacations. We worked with Australian Traveller’s managing director Quentin Long to commission the best, most passionate team of writers to share their perspectives on a diverse array of destinations Down Under.” 

“Through targeted distribution of the magazine in airline lounges across the US, as well as promotions to encourage consumers and trade to order the magazine for complimentary mailing or digital download, we’re excited to see Australia inspire many unforgettable trips.”

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Australia Travel Visa Information

The development of Australia as a nation has welcomed individuals around the world for tourism, for business, for study and so on. On the off chance that you need to visit Australia for business purpose, we have some Australia visa types; the visa to Australia obliges diverse kinds of visitor to Australia.

The visa procedure laid out isn't stringent. It requests essential records, including a sponsorship letter from the host show in Australia. Visa residency is anyplace between the year. It's not extendable unless in exceptional conditions. So a visitor needs to leave the nation before the visa terminates and get another visa to make a new visit.

The tourist visa Australia allows people to meet friends or family and for holiday. This visa can be utilized for non-business related short term visits, including study or training for less than three months. Tourist activities are holidays, meeting friends and family or recreation.

And the business visitor activities are making work inquiries or general business; negotiating, marking or assessing a business contract and participating in meetings, seminars or exchange fairs, as long as you are not being paid by the coordinators for your support.

Working holiday visa is a chance offered to people of 18-30 years from responding nations to take up a short term business while traveling in Australia. This visa expires following a year and the person needs to meet certain health necessities to be qualified for it.

Visa for Australia Information:

·       The visa to Australia gives you a chance to visit Australia for business meetings and tourism; it incorporates holidays, meeting friends or family

·       Business visa activities may incorporate exploratory business visit, going to a conference.

·       You can't work for or give services to a business in Australia or administrations to the general public. In the event that you are meaning to do here and now work in Australia you ought to apply for the new Temporary work visa

·       People who want to study for less than three months, May likewise apply for a Visitor visa.

·       Longer Visitor visas for guardians of Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents

·       Guardians of Australian natives and permanent occupants can apply for visitor visas to visit Australia for more.

Step by step instructions to Apply for an Australian Visa:

·       Finish the online Australia visa application through the website with help of our visa experts.

·       Enter travel data and details of passport for every applicant.

·       The application process will be processed instantly and connected to the passport number which you mentioned.

·       The ETA application status is affirmed via email in our business hours.

Christmas and New Year Events Held In Australia

Australia starts the Christmas and New Year celebrations had started in Australia. Are you interested to celebrate this Christmas season in Australia? The real favorable position to celebrate both in Australia is all the major cities in Australia celebrate with different events. You can get ready for a trip to celebrate Christmas and New Year in Australia. To celebrate this Christmas in Australia than apply for Australia visa within a short time.

Christmas in Australia is out and out fabulous. Bright summer days (and evenings), cool friends and unlimited celebrations. Here we mentioned the top 11 must-do Aussie Christmas occasions in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast. Enjoy the wonderful country and incredible event and be safe over the occasions!

Sydney Christmas Events:

Christmas Wonderland Sydney Showground

Sydney Showgrounds change into a magical Christmas spectacle! A standout amongst the most cherished family Christmas occasions in Sydney incorporates a winter wonderland with tons of premium rides, workshops, ice skating arena, winter tube slide, and Santa's fun snow pit. Sessions are very limited so get your tourist visa Australia and tickets, and make some beautiful memories!

Sydney Fish Market 36 (hour) Seafood Marathon

Seafood is a monstrous staple on the Aussie Christmas table. Stock up on huge varieties of the best and freshest Australian and New Zealand seafood at the Sydney Fish Market.

New Year Events in Sydney:

What might a rundown of spots to welcome the New Year in Australia be without specifying Sydney? Known for its blissful festivals during this season, Sydney is the ideal place to celebrate New Year arrival for both the youthful and youthful at heart. Everybody must experience a Sydney New Year's festival at any rate once – they're genuinely great!

The center of attraction is obviously, be the firecrackers at Darling Harbor, which are eminent for their indulgence and vivacity. There's a family friends presentation. furthermore, a conventional show to formally welcome in the new year.

Brisbane Christmas Events:

Christmas Parade in new street mall, daily from 15^th to 24^th Dec from Edward road toward the finish of the Queen St Mall and through the city to King George Square. Some portion of Brisbane's free Christmas program, the parade highlights with many performance to entertain all age groups.

Two-day Christmas itinerary for families

Visit Brisbane has assembled an awesome two-day agenda for families including a entry to the Enchanted garden, Christmas pictures in park, The lord mayors Christmas Carols and fantastic firecrackers.

If you are ready to travel then you can than you visit our site and submit your details for tourist   visa Australia.

Brisbane New Year Events:

For luxury and modern gatherings, Brisbane is the place to be on New Year's Eve. There are, obviously, firecrackers and city center festivities, yet what makes this place extremely uncommon is the wealth of swanky mixed drink gatherings and dress up occasions.

Welcome the New Year in style at an extraordinary funtion at one of Brisbane's many clubs and restaurants. Wear your best shoes, a sparkly dress or a suit and taste favor mixed drinks as you feast on the absolute most flavorful cooking Australia brings to the table. On the other hand, you can go to the Queensland Pops Orchestra New Years Eve show, a black tie occasion where you'll be treated with to beverages and canapes and an impressive view of the midnight firecrackers show.

Melbourne Christmas Events:

The big Design Market – Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton

The Royal Exhibition Building will buzz first week of December with the best in free and universal design. Enjoy three days of Christmas shopping, with more than 200+ stallholders with extraordinary homewares, fashion and jewelers, stationery, lifestyle items, pottery and more. There's free children activities, innovative workshops, make brew and gourmet food and additionally phenomenal showbags and huge amounts of incredible prizes to win.

Christmas at Federation Square

Free festive for the entire family. Enjoy a fantastic light show in the night from 9 pm from the 16 meter Christmas tree take a photograph with Santa and sing your most loved Christmas ditties in the snow dome.

Melbourne New Year Events:

Like Sydney and Brisbane, Melbourne offers firecrackers and a scope of gatherings for New Years Eve. The distinction, in any case, lies in the way that Melbourne's educated impact leaves its mark on these occasions.

The Blue Diamond Masquerade Ball, for instance, is the ideal occasion for refined fashionistas or any individual who has a style for the shows. From multiple points of view, this gathering is a possibility for individuals to let their identities truly radiate through in their outfits. Dockside Harbourside occasion with many best of the range DJs and vocalists.

Adelaide Christmas Events:

Cnr Main Street and Auricht Rd Hahndorf.

Somewhat unique, attempt a European-style Christmas advertise with more than 50 stalls, excitement, food and heaps of Christmas soul.

Santas Workshop (Adelaide Convention Center)

18+ Event, Santa's Workshop is Adelaide's greatest Christmas Party. 3000 visitors focalize to celebrate a full feast and cool beverages and different live diversion and in addition some extraordinary giveaways.

Perth Christmas Events:

Santa’s Christmas Carnival (Claremont Showground )

Perth's greatest Christmas occasion with more than 100 activities. You can enjoy the rides, a water play area, animal nursery, kids festival, motocross stunt show and obviously, a skydiving Santa.

Santa Clause's Enchanted Wardrobe (Ellie Eaton Pavillion, Claremont Showgrounds Station)

This one of a kind occasion is an immersive auditorium experience, where the people turn out to be a part of the story in a paramount and magical set. You will be step into a Narnia Winter dreamland and walk through a captivated forest. The White Witch to finish your journey and substantially more.

Gold Coast Christmas Events:

White Christmas at Movie World

Enjoy a colossal show of fairly lights in Main Street, a parade under a white frigid sky and otherworldly live entertainments. Wonder about a 4-D picture experience, enjoy the crafty workshops and sit down to talk with the big jolly red man. In case you're on the wonderful Cold Coast for Chrissy, White Christmas at Movie Wold is an unquestionable requirement.

If you do not have visa you can apply for Australia visitor visa by visiting our website and fill the details which are required for visa application Australia.

We trust you've made the most of our rundown. We'd love to find out about your most loved bubbly events in Australia.