A good thing gone bad…

Sydney’s 2015 Corroboree Festival has been cancelled, after it was revealed the event’s organisers were involved in a funding stoush with the Liberal Government. The indigenous cultural event entered an indefinite hiatus after Destination NSW, the State’s tourism and events authority, signalled it would not be meeting the request to increase funding for the festival.

Festival organisers claim the event could not go ahead without a significant boost to their bottom line. Artistic director Hetti Perkins told the Sydney Morning Herald that the decision was difficult, but principled. “There was not the appropriate amount of funding for this year to allow the festival to be financially sustainable nor to build on the successes of 2014 and to meet the KPIs set by DNSW,” she explained.

Ms. Perkins insisted that the lack of funding speaks to a wider attitude towards indigenous culture. “We’re just fed up with begging for scraps from the table,” she noted. “Where’s the support for Indigenous culture? The collective statistics tell the story of a festival which went from attendances of 35,000 in year one to almost 50,000 in year two – a significant uplift in just 12 months.”

Additionally, the experienced organiser expects the local indigenous community to be affected by the drastic decision. The local arts and cultural scene makes the most of the annual festival, and this year many will feel its absence. “There are many stakeholders who are impacted by this outcome, however it is not possible to continue the festival without adequate financial backing,” Ms. Perkins said, before launching into criticism of the state government’s tourism priorities. “Junk tourist shops – is that the best Sydney can offer?” she asked. “Is that all we’ve got to say to people when they come to Sydney?”

Destination NSW spokesperson Rhys Haynes refused to admit any funding had been withdrawn, adding (somewhat disingenuously) that the authority could not guarantee an increase in funding. “Destination NSW supported the approach of changing Corroboree Sydney to a biennial event but was not able to meet the requested significant increase in funding,” he said.

But somehow, we think that argument does little to explain how the state lost one of its most vibrant and culturally important festivals.

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Sydney, with its culinary cultural enclaves and easy-to-navigate public transport system, affords locals the perfect opportunity to indulge in a day of sampling some of the finest cuisines on offer. From an indulgent breakfast of flaky pastries and award winning caffeine hits to ending the night on a sweet note of sticky Turkish ice cream (and everything in between), this is the ultimate in do-it-yourself food tours. We’l take full credit for introducing you to your new favourite hangs, but be warned: you’re on your own when it comes to the inevitable food comas!

BREAKFAST

Le Petit Creme (116 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst)

Our first stop is in so-trendy-it-hurts Darlinghurst. Make like a Parisian and don’t even think of walking through the door of this tiny cafe before 9am. Swan on in for a gruyere-laden omelette and a ‘le bol’, quite literally a bowl of coffee or hot chocolate. Indulgent? Yes. Will you need a nap afterwards? Most likely.

LUNCH

Shanghai Night (275 Liverpool St, Ashfield)

Undoubtedly, the tendency to head to Chinatown is a no-brainer. It is a hot spot for authentic Chinese food. But hop on a train to nearby Ashfield and you’ll be treated to some of the city’s most delectable dumplings, minus the tourists and tourist prices. Regulars here swear by the fried pork and crab buns.

AFTERNOON TEA

Sweet Belem (35B New Canterbury Rd, Petersham)

It seems almost sacrilegious to say we’re ‘uncovering’ this little gem; it is indeed an institution in ‘Little Portugal’. Profiled countless times on television and in food magazines, this Inner West cake boutique sells the best Portuguese tarts you will ever taste. Flaky pastry, a dense custard filling and just the right amount of caramelisation on top will have you wanting more than one. Our tip: bundle up a four pack for a midnight snack.

DINNER

Al Aseel (189 Missenden Rd, Newtown)
There’s no denying it, the Lebanese know how to do a feast. This establishment is worshipped by uni students, families and city-slicker-corporate-types alike for the simple fact that their food is out of this world. Nibble on the complimentary flatbread and pickles before ordering a smorgasbord of share plates designed to make your taste buds tingle and your pants just that little bit tighter.

DESSERT

Hakiki Turkish Ice Cream (63-71 Enmore Rd, Newtown)

For our last stop, its an easy stroll (or should that be, roll?) down King Street and onto Enmore Road to a place where dessert is an art form. The ice cream is sticky, chewy and comparable to nougat, in other words, it is delectable. The flavours are typically Mediterranean and come with a sprinkling of pistachio. For those with a penchant for pastry, the baklava is second to none.

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An annual event, this year, the festival’s theme is ‘Stories, Love & Tales’ reflecting the history, colourful culture, diversity and creative energy of Surry Hills. Events on the day will range from live music and a speaker’s corner to street food and a puppet show. Funds raised will go towards vital community projects run by the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre.

Performing on the day are the likes of hypnotic dream pop pioneers Noire and soulful singer-songwriter Leah Flanagan, whilst two-piece surf rock outfit The Stiffys and the dynamic indie-folk trio Sons Of the East will provide the stomping good vibes. Other acts are yet to be announced and program also includes acts from the Australian Institute of Music, with a specially curated AIM pop up stage, showcasing a wide variety of Sydney’s emerging artists.

If you want to explore the suburb, why not follow the Surry Hills Creative Trail which will take you around the streets of the suburb to meet the neighbourhood’s most talented creative and get a glimpse of their work spaces? After wandering the streets, you’ll likely work up an appetite, so in addition to the wonderful array of cafés, restaurants and bakeries spread across Surry Hills, there will also be stalls and stands selling street food and other locally produced goods.

There’s also plenty of opportunities for you to get involved or even learn something new. Across the festival will be workshops and talks that cover a range of topics from photography classes to salsa dancing and craft beer tasting to sketching tutorials. The event is also family friendly so if you’re a parent (or a big kid at heart) there’s lots of kid-friendly activities too.

This is a really great way to get to know one of Sydney’s most diverse, exciting and creative suburbs and is definitely worth popping by if you’re around. It’s also a free event – so you have no excuse!

What: Surry Hills Festival
Where: Surry Hills, 2010
When: Saturday 26^th September
More Information: http://www.surryhillsfestival.org/

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Bondi Beach Markets

Bondi Beach is one of Sydney’s main attractions, so if you’re there on a Sunday, why not drop by the Bondi Beach Markets? You can find almost anything at these  stalls, from pre-loved clothing and toys to designer leather bags. There’s definitely something for everyone. The school’s canteen operates on Market Day, raising funds for the school and other local community groups.  It offers light meals and cold drinks to market visitors and, of course, the great weekend tradition of the sausage sizzle. If you’re a fan of jewellery such as necklaces and charm bracelets  you’ll want to visit the shop towards the back of the markets,  which offers a wide range of these accessories  and all  at an affordable price.

Address: Bondi Beach Public School, Campbell Parade, Bondi NSW 2006

Opening Hours: Sundays, 10am to 4pm

Kirribilli Markets

Located next to the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Kirribilli Markets offer  shining views of the harbour. The venue is located right outside Milsons Point Station and just a  five-minute walk  from Luna Park. The markets give you  an eclectic mix of stalls that touch on both contemporary and vintage products. Live entertainment adds to the vibrant atmosphere  of the markets, giving off a vibe reminiscent of a Spanish festival. A wide array of food stalls offers different cuisines ranging from Japanese fusion wraps to classic Turkish gozlemes. Your taste buds can truly travel around the world. If you like Asian food,  keep an eye out for the banh mi or Vietnamese bread rolls.  At $6 a roll, this is probably the most reasonably priced food item at the markets.

Address: Burton Street Tunnel & Bradfield Park Bowling Green, Milsons Point NSW 2061

Opening Hours: (1) Art & Design & Fashion Markets – Second Sunday of each month, 9am to 3pm. (2) General Markets – Fourth Saturday of each month, 7am to 3pm

Glebe Markets

This is the top vintage market in Sydney and is popular amongst all ages  because it offers a huge variety of stalls selling fashion, food and crafts, as well as quirky items that are hard to find anywhere else. The atmosphere at the Glebe Markets is always bustling with chatter, live music, and the smell of tandoori chicken kebabs rising off the grills. A large lawn allows visitors to relax, devour their food, bask in the sun and listen to live music that will entice you to stay longer!  Among the various aromas, be sure to follow your nose to the scented candles (especially the heavenly-smelling soy candles), tandoori chicken wraps (fresh off the grill and warm in your tummy) and the pho noodles in a tasty broth all served in a tall paper cup. Be careful though, it’s piping off!

Address: Glebe Point Road, Glebe NSW 2037 (Glebe Public School)

Opening Hours: Saturdays, 10am to 4pm

This year’s Sydney Tea Festival is nearly here! For lovers of the flavoursome beverage, the 2015 festival is sure to delight and enthral. Participants can immerse themselves in the culture of tea, with taste-testing and buying options to suit every palate. But the Sydney Tea Festival offers much more than just tea…

The festival is an interactive and engaging event designed for seasoned tea lovers and newcomers alike. There are educational workshops, free talks, tasting events and even a tea meditation event. Essentially, there is something for everyone! But for those after something a little less demanding and exhaustive, the festival offers easy access to a wide range of specialty teas and vendors.

More than fifty specialist stalls and producers participate in the event, and the ‘Tea Market’ is a fantastic way to learn everything you can about a substance that is adored the world over. Local food trucks and stalls will offer guests a variety of scrumptious meals and tea-appropriate snacks. And for those wishing to participate in day-long taste-testing, a $4.00 ‘tasting cup’ is also available upon entry! What could be better?

Ticketed sessions offer everything from informative workshops to entertaining discussions on the finer points of tea. Participants can learn about the production and proper preparation of tea, along with some other culturally interesting facets of tea culture, for example its relaxing nature and history. Tickets for the fascinating events can be purchased online through Eventbrite; but be sure to plan ahead and book your tickets well in advance!

For a wonderful day full of fun, flavour and folly, make sure you visit this year’s Sydney Tea Festival. It is a family-friendly event, so be sure to bring the little ones along for a dose of inner-city culture!

What: The Sydney Tea Festival 2015.
Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh.
When: 16th of August, 2015.
For more information visit: http://www.sydneyteafestival.com.au/

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A delectable Sydneyside escape…

Guests can expect to be dazzled and delighted by the veritable smorgasbord of delectable treats matched to top-notch regional wines. This year, there will be plenty of wine tastings and events designed to charm your palette! Wine makers at this year’s festival will include Burrundulla Wines, Robert Stein Vineyard, Lowe Wines, and the iconic Huntington Estate, while food services will be provided by local Pyrmont institutions such as Blue Eye Dragon, Café Morso, Flying Fish and LuMi bar.

The event is a prime example of a collaborative approach to tourism, an attitude that sees regional an city based counterparts interacting in a vital and culturally important way. As Pyrmont is located directly in the heart of the Sydney CBD region, the area often hosts many visitors and guests from around the globe. Making the most of a good situation, the Mudgee Region Tourism board believes that the event is a great way to forge new and unique links between the ‘big smoke’ and the country!

On the 16th and 17th of May, the event organisers have arranged for a huge, free event which offers visitors the best in local live music, rides, local arts and over one hundred food, beverage and produce stalls! The event is also family friendly, so feel free to bring everyone along…

It’s a unique opportunity to acquaint yourself with the best local produce the state of New South Wales has to offer, so if you’re in town endeavour to make it along. We’re sure you won’t regret it!

What: The 2015 Pyrmont Festival!
When: Friday 15th – Sunday 24th May 2015.
Where: Pyrmont Festival dining precinct, and Pirrama Park Showcase on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May.
Information and Event Details: http://www.pyrmontfestival.com.au

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The legend of Kevin Sorbo…

Fans of ‘geek culture’ should prepare themselves, because the 2015 Oz Comic-Con season has begun! The pop-culture event brings together the best of the comic and film worlds, while also capturing everything in between. This week, the Adelaide event began, thrilling fans with an array of special guests and notable artists.

Games of Thrones actors Finn Jones and Daniel Portman were on hand for the Adelaide festival, discussing their experiences with the ABC.

“It’s a really nice little city actually,” Mr. Jones said of Adelaide. “We’ve been to some nice restaurants and we love the Central Markets. We played karaoke. That was fun. It’s nice to get people out of the house, off their phones and into the real world.”

The event will also bring together several famous faces including The Walking Dead’s Sonequa Martin Green, Doctor Who notable Billie Piper, Ex-Hercules hunk Kevin Sorbo and horror icon Robert Englund (aka Freddy Krueger). Also in attendance at the Adelaide (and Perth) dates will be Stargate star Michael Shanks and Lord Of The Rings actor Billie Boyd. Fans are encouraged to check their local events for different guests and stars in attendance.

Visitors are often treated to exclusive panel sessions and exciting talks, as well as countless displays and competitions involving guests. There’s also plenty on offer for autograph seekers, hoping to get the ‘John Hancock’ of their favourite movie and TV stars. From TV writers to cosplay champions, the 2015 Oz Comic-Con has something for everyone!

The event will travel around Australia over a series of months, with the last Oz Comic-Con event taking place in Sydney during late September. Tickets are available online and through the venue sites, so be sure to grab yourself a ticket while you can!

When and Where:
Adelaide: April 18-19 | Showgrounds
Melbourne: June 27-28 | Convention & Exhibition Centre
Brisbane: September 19-20 | Convention & Exhibition Centre
Sydney: September 26-27 | Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island

Who:Michael Shanks, Sonequa Martin Green, Billy Boyd, Billie Piper, Kevin Sorbo, Robert Englund, Chad Coleman and many, many more…

For more information visit: https://www.ozcomiccon.com

Finding the right place…

Many Australian cities are bustling metropolitan spaces with plenty to offer visitors and long term guests. For new arrivals or visiting students, navigating the country’s complex rental market can be an eye opening experience. Competition is fierce and the prices can be staggering, so follow these few tips and you might find your way through the maze…

Start with a Realistic Budget

You must understand your financial limits and capacity in order to make the most of your money. Realistically assess your budget for rent, after educational and living expenses. The figure will give you a rough guide to how much you may be able to spend, but remember that life has a way of throwing curve-balls out at you!

Search for Rental Properties Online

Before you start looking for a rental, make sure you are well acquainted with what’s on offer in each city. Prices on Australian sites will give you an estimate of the cost of housing, often unfurnished. By getting to know the layout and breadth of a particular city, you may be able to find something that’s more value for money. If you have the time, jump online and start looking around today.

Get your References and Bond Money in Order

If you get to the point of actually applying for your own home, you will need to make sure that your bond money and references are in order. With competition for rental properties at an all-time high, house hunters need to make sure that their application is as smooth and positive as possible. Always have your paperwork ready at the inspection as real estate agents prioritise applicants at the top of the pile. Bond amounts will also vary, so be sure to always consult the fine print.

If at First you Don’t Succeed…

It can be disheartening to lose a really nice home to another bidder, so make sure you remain positive in the face of failure. Many locals have had that feeling before, so you should know that you’re in good company. Most open houses are on Saturday mornings, so try again the following weekend.

Take note of these few tips and you’ll easily navigate your way towards the perfect accommodation!

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Beautiful Bowral…

Bowral

Bowral is one of the most iconic and quaint towns in Australia. The tree lined streets and cool air are a welcome change for those travellers accustomed to the hectic Sydney CBD region. In Bowral, there’s plenty to see and do, from historical buildings to fascinating cultural tours of the village. Most NSW residents would agree that Bowral is a must-see spot during the autumn and winter months.

The Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains region is one of the most picturesque and natural places in all of New South Wales. The unique climate allows for a thoroughly different feeling to take hold, one centred around warm fires and cosy B&B’s. All in all, it’s the exact opposite of what many people expect of the Australian climate and landscape. Towns such as Leura and Katoomba boast must-see attractions (the Three Sisters and the Leura Waterfalls come to mind), although there are many lovely villages peppered along the perimeter of the expansive national park. So make sure you take the time to investigate the Blue Mountains region – after all, it’s only an hour and a half from Sydney’s CBD!

Richmond and Colo River Area

In Sydney’s north west, travellers will find the Richmond area. Renowned for its cool climate and verdant surroundings, there are many ideal places for camping in the Richmond area. The most renowned of these camp sites are found along the Colo River, a gorgeous locale which has long served Sydney’s outdoors communities. There are camping sites and amenities a-plenty, so investigate your options and make sure you make it along!

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Brett Whiteley in his studio…

Lovers of Australian (and international) art would no doubt be familiar with Mr. Whiteley’s reputation as one of the twentieth century’s most fascinating visual artists. The avant-garde painter and sculptor was prolific and globally renowned for his unusual and highly evocative works. The artist is represented in many of the country’s best galleries, with paintings and sculptures peppered around the nation’s premier arts-spaces.

After his death in 1992, Mr. Whiteley’s legacy was managed by his widow, Wendy Whiteley. His inner-city working space was donated to the state some time ago, a move which has helped solidify and strengthen the artist’s posthumous reputation.

Speaking to ABC Radio, Mrs. Whitley spoke about the importance of the studio: “I love going back to the studio,” she explained. “I always get such a surprise at how great it looks.” But according to the dedicated Mrs. Whitely, the job of preserving her husband’s legacy is far from over. “It’s not complete, because something like the studio is never complete until the day you die.”

The Brett Whiteley Studio was officially opened on February 17, 1995, just three years after the immortal artist’s death. It is open to the public and often included on a list of must-see Sydney attractions. For those who are unacquainted with the artist’s work, it is a great way to experience Mr. Whiteley’s world first-hand. High profile sponsorships and donations from the late artist’s estate have ensured that admission is free to the general public, a move which will surely appeal to visitors and locals alike.

So make the trip out to the Whitely Studio in Surry Hills and soak in Sydney’s rich cultural history. You won’t regret it!

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