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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In my opinion, Groovin the Moo is the best one-day festival in the country – it’s affordable, offers a phenomenal lineup of artists and takes place at a variety of country towns around the country, meaning you get to see some unique areas of Australia during your partying. Groovin the Moo combines the international lineups featured at bigger festivals such as Big Day Out and Stereosonic, yet it leaves out the shirtless, drugged-up festival heads. It has a down-to-Earth atmosphere more akin to the smaller festivals but includes a more impressive array of artists and food and drink stalls.

Groovin the Moo 2015’s lineup is no exception to its usual grandeur, boasting the likes of Ball Park Music, Sticky FIngers, A$AP Ferg, Charlie XCX, Hilltop Hoods, RL Grime, Flight Facilities, Broods, The Preatures, Peace and Peaches. As well as these well-known artists, GTM is also an oasis of emerging and upcoming artists, showcasing the fresh sounds of DMA’s, The Delta Riggs, Meg Mac, Tkay Maidza, Saskwatch and San Cisco just to name a few. Already in my preparation for the festival I have found some incredible new artists that I can’t wait to jig out to live: One Day, You Me At Six and Triple J Unearthed Artist Yours Alone are just some of these artists I have already discovered.

Groovin the Moo kicks off in Oakbank on 25th April, followed up by Bunbury, WA the next day, then travels over to Bendigo in Victoria on 2nd May and Canberra on 3rd May. The final weekend will see the artists travelling to Maitland, NSW on 9th May and its final performance will be in Townsville, QLD on 10th May.

Tickets are just $99.90 (+ booking fee), making it the most affordable festival ticket of the calendar year. Its rural location also makes the festival the perfect excuse for a road trip through the authentic Australian countryside. GTM provides bus links to and from the festival  and also gives you many sources to find accommodation. Unfortunately, tickets to Maitland, Bunbury and Bendigo have already sold out, but if you can make it to the other venues be sure to book your tickets today.

If you’ve already secured tickets to Groovin the Moo, be sure to get listening to a Spotify playlist and book in your transport and accommodation today!

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By being connected to the ground, you are able to appreciate the slow and subtle shift in vegetation across the country, meet true blue Aussie characters and observe rural and country town Australia in all its warmhearted but slightly bogan glory.

Traipsing through the Australian ‘outback’ provides a much more authentic and unique experience as opposed to simply driving up and down the populated East Coast. As of 2012, according to the Australian Population & MIgration Research Centre, just 0.34% of the Australian population lived on 84.2% of the land area, at a density of 0.1 persons or less per km – and this land is all in Central Australia.

Of course there is a reason the East Coast of Australia is the busiest section of Australia, for both residents and travellers: there are incredible sights, stunning coastlines, plenty of exciting activities and festivals, and the abundant tourism makes getting doing things and getting around much easier.

However, there is something incredible about travelling to the inland of Australia and experiencing the heart of the country.

I believe one can’t say they’ve truly experienced Down Under if they haven’t planted themselves in the open plains where yelling at the top of your lungs elicits no response; met the quirky but incredibly friendly bar owner of a country town pub; sweltered in the blistering sun and watched the sweat drip down your body past the ripples of heat cascading across the red sand; and sung along to classic hits in a packed car with your head enjoying the breeze as it dangles out the car window.

A word of warning though: I don’t want to glorify this type of trip too much as of course road tripping through Australia can get a little dry – in both senses of the word. The subtle changes in vegetation are beautiful…but they truly are subtle and looking at similar landscapes for long periods of time can quickly become tiresome; the heat – as vital as it is to experience at one point of another – can quickly become very irksome; and sitting in a car for long periods of time can sometimes lead to sore legs and bums, agitated passengers and claustrophobic tendencies a little too easily.

The key to an exciting and memorable road trip through country Australia is to break it up. Stay in little towns along the way, break frequently for food or activities, and bring plenty of things along for the ride to keep you occupied. Good music, riveting books, and a repertoire of fun car games are an absolute must for Aussie road trips. It is also a great idea to bring along balls, a cricket set or surf boards to give you something active to do to burn off all your pent up car-sitting energy.

Taking it slowly also means you need to leave a fair amount of time to complete a road trip. Try not to rush a trip – you need time to enjoy the little things, and leave enough room for you to be spontaneous and head to unplanned areas that might take your fancy.

Another word of advice to make the most of your country road trip is to go a different route on the return journey. While all of the above aspects are important for travellers to experience, they are never quite as exciting as the initial trip. Doing one trip along the coast and the return journey through central Australia (or vice versa) would provide a remarkable experience that gives you the best of both worlds.

For example, my recent car journey from Sydney to Adelaide was a phenomenal drive through country New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. But taking the longer route back home along the coastline was well worth the extra time to experience a different side of the country and make the most of the beaches along the way.

When done right, a road trip through country Australia could easily become one of the most memorable and exciting journeys you undertake in the nation.

The Hive Bar

The Hive Bar prides itself on being your bar. You can exhibit artwork or create a mural on one of their walls, or bring over your favourite records to their Wednesday night Vinyl Club. They also have a strong commitment to sustainability and supporting local produce with their large selection of Australian and local Sydney wine, beer and cider. The kitchen offers a range of share plates, burgers, pizzas and seasonal spices and stays open until midnight, just like the bar. The live music ranges from soul, ska and rocksteady oldies on a Wednesday to funk, hip hop and other classics on a Thursday, then turns to an eclectic mix of fun tunes from Sydney’s best vinyl DJs on Friday and Saturday.

Lazybones Lounge

Lazybones Lounge is committed to supporting local musicians and entertaining local bar-goers by offering live music seven nights a week. The bar has eccentric decor and a relaxed atmosphere ideal for lounging, enjoying funky music and enjoying an exquisite range of food and drinks. They offer local microbrews and cider on tap as well as fine wine from all over the globe. On top of a menu of scrumptious bar classics such as pizza, nachos, bork belly sliders and salads Lazybones Lounge also offers a South African street food consisting of curry served in a hollowed bread roll, called Bunny Chow. The bar is located on Illawarra Road and is open on on weekends until 3am.

Bloodwood Restaurant and Bar

Bloodwood is a raw venue with an incredible menu and industrial finishes. The decor has an emphasis on recycled and reclaimed materials, while the menu has a focus on seasonal dishes designed for sharing and consisting of the very best produce chefs Mitchell Grady and Claire van Vuuren could find. The bar has twice won “Small Wine List of the Year” judged by SMH Good Food Guide. With four areas including a bar, private dining room, mezzanine dining and outdoor terrace, Bloodwood Restaurant and Bar caters to groups of every taste and size.

Earl’s Juke Joint

Earl’s Juke Joint is so hidden (behind Betta Meats to be exact) and trendy it doesn’t even have it’s own website. It’s been described as a King Street bar for grown ups with a New Orleans edge. The dark but simply, rustic designed space is infused with a bourbon haze and features a phenomenal array of beverages from a rum-based Cantina Band – a Dark and Stormy with a twist – to a caramelised pineapple smacked Golden Ale.  Earl’s Juke Joint is the brainchild of bar genius entrepreneur Shady Pines’ Pasan Wijesena so you know it must be doing something right.

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Wollongong Harbour at its finest…

For those travelers who’ve spent a little bit too much time in urban Sydney, there’s plenty to see and do away from the hustle and bustle of the state’s premier attraction. Just an hour and a half south from the city, there’s a wonderful beach side city known to locals as ‘ The Gong’. Wollongong is definitely worth the train trip out, so here’s a guide for your day in paradise.

Catch the train from Central Station, Sydney. You can rent a car and drive down, but the train trip is simply beautiful. It’s a great way to see the state’s idyllic coastline and also get a feel for life outside of the city. Views from the carriage are truly magnificent, with passengers treated to cliff-top passages along miles on uninterrupted ocean panoramas. If you start your trip early enough, stop off in Thirroul for a cup of coffee and a hearty brunch.

Visit the center of the Wollongong CBD. After you’ve reached your destination (North Wollongong station), alight and make your way through to the pleasant CBD area. A great place for last-minute shopping (think sunscreen and hats!), the CBD area has recently been rejuvenated by increased investment and a bit of a cultural revolution. A restaurant of almost every kind can be found, by for our money, Lupa Woodfired Pizza and Jay-Jay’s Indian are the best value.

Walk down to the Wollongong Marina. The local marina is a wonderful spot for an open air lunch of fresh prawns, succulent oysters and flavoursome grilled fish. Visit the local fish market for the best local produce, offered at truly awesome prices. Soak in the view, which includes a picturesque lighthouse and World War II ear embattlements.

Catch some waves at North Wollongong Beach. With its white sands and elongated beach front, North Wollongong Beach is the ideal place for an afternoon swim. The waves are definitely for the faint hearted, but there are also ocean baths and a top-quality outdoor pool available for use. Near the swimming club, there’s a great canteen which serves up great snacks and refreshing juices made in store.

Watch the sun set over the lagoons. A little further to the north of the main swimming area, there are a few small lagoons, paradisiacal wetlands which are a home for elegant sea-birds and local fauna. Enjoy the finest things Australia has to offer, including our amazing natural beauty. You won’t regret taking the time to enjoy it!

If you have energy left in your tired body, you’ll have to make your way back into town for your train home. But if you feel like staying overnight (and there’s every chance you will), then there are plenty of options for every budget imaginable, from camping to four-star hotels. So happy trails!

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One of the most renowned aspects of Australia for both residents and tourists is its incredible outdoors. From a backyard BBQ around the pool on Australia Day to a beach trip on Christmas Day to a harbour cruise on the water for New Year’s Eve; a fundamental component of Aussie celebrations is being outdoors. No Australian holiday is complete without the fresh Australian air, the famous sunrays of Down Under warming your skin or the majestic cityscape of one of our major cities providing the background view. One of the major drawcards of living or visiting Australia is its stunning array of outdoor sights, particularly the water, combined with its illustrious cities. Combining these elements results in fabulous and authentically Australian celebrations.

Australians are also renowned for their love of beers and other alcoholic beverages. With such a diverse range of wineries and breweries throughout the country, Australia has a melange of quality wine, beer and spirits from which to choose when engaging in national celebrations. From a refreshing Aussie beer, such as Carlton Draught, to a fruity red wine, we are a country renowned for enjoying a variety of beverages alongside our reputation of throwing quality festivities.

Food has the ability to truly characterise an event: whether it be an informal ‘snag on the barbie’ or a truly sumptuous, gourmet menu. Food distinguishes luxurious events from casual family gatherings. Many Australians love to go that little bit further with a menu on national celebrations to set it apart from every other calendar day. Fresh turkeys or hams are typical on Christmas Day, alongside a suite of sides and salads. New Year’s Eve often warrants a more scrumptious offering of delicacies. From succulent canapés to opulent desserts, New Year’s Eve provides the perfect excuse to splash out on a more epicurean feast.

Far from being just a national celebration, New Year’s Eve is a near-universal event that unites people across cultures and borders. Australia has its own way of celebrating this exciting event, which ideally coalesces all of these components. MV EPICURE I’s New Year’s Eve Harbour Cruise is an example of a lavish Australian celebration that combines an incredible and exclusive outdoor setting and an unparalleled offering of quality food and beverage. To celebrate your New Year’s Eve in quintessential Australian style, contact MV EPICURE today.

However, without doubt one of the most extravagant celebrations on Sydney’s calendar is the esteemed New Year’s Eve fireworks display on Sydney Harbour. Far from just an isolated fireworks show, New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour brings together communities from all over the city and the world to celebrate life, this incredible city and everything we have. Sydney’s effervescent New Year’s Eve celebration cements its place as a global festival city.

The City of Sydney comes alive every New Year’s Eve, with millions of revellers packing the streets to celebrate the biggest event of the year. Though our city is increasingly gaining a reputation as the ‘New Year’s Eve Capital of the World’, organisers continue to pull out all the stops and create bigger and better fireworks displays. This year will likely see one of the biggest celebrations in the city’s history.

Over one and a half million spectators regularly attend many famous vantage points all over the city. There are celebrations on world-famous Botanical Gardens, in Balmain, across the suburbs of Northern Sydney and of course in the iconic areas of Darling Harbour and Circular Quay. The fireworks displays are split into a 9pm and a midnight session, providing families with children the chance to escape the post-midnight hordes.

Sydneysiders are known for putting in a lot of effort to gain a view of the incredible fireworks display. The spectacular show offers a unique visual feast to those in attendance: rich and vibrant colours light up the night sky, ringing in the bright New Year with a dazzling bang. All across the city, the best spots are staked out early in the morning (a factor which can sometimes limit one’s options).

Though the majority of the New Year’s Eve Festival plays out on the foreshore, the Harbour area is also a major focal point for on-water festivities. Being out in the harbour is a truly unforgettable experience, allowing visitors to experience things ‘up-close-and-personal’. With the fireworks exploding in the skies directly above you, while floating on Sydney Harbour’s stunning waterscape, nothing will get in the way of an unforgettable New Year’s Eve.

Ticketed events are a recommended option, as they allow guests to have an all-inclusive experience. The MV EPICURE I New Year’s Eve experience is a prime example of such a valuable ticketed event. The simple and elegant harbour cruise serves guests a sumptuous five-course dinner, all the while guaranteeing premium service from the dedicated staff. Champagne, wine, beer and on-sea entertainment are included with the ticket. And best of all, visitors are guaranteed exceptional harbour views.

Music is a key aspect of any celebration, having the ability to bring people together, incite dancing and ramp up the celebratory atmosphere of an event like nothing else. For this reason, it is imperative for anyone wishing to have an unforgettable evening this New Year’s Eve to ensure quality and exciting music accompanies your farewell to 2014.

Attending a New Year’s Eve event with experienced musical performers, who guarantee to deliver show-stopping performances, is a necessary element of any New Year celebration. Groove-inducing tunes and rhythmical spectaculars are important when it comes to New Year’s Eve not only because they enhance the uniqueness of the celebration but also because they unite celebrants together in this extravagant annual celebration.

MV EPICURE I’s New Years Eve Harbour Cruise is an example of one of the finest celebrations guaranteed to provide an unforgettable evening of exquisite food and drinks, stunning harbour views, a lavish location and of course funky, entertaining music. Headlining their stellar line up is DJ Kosta. DJ Kosta is a percussionist, sax player and DJ offering a first-class array of soulful tunes. His engaging stage presence will be sure to get any audience grooving along to his comprehensive repertoire of music. Whether he is adding a unique rhythmical flavour to the hottest hits of 2014, taking us back to the classic hits of the 70s, 80s or 90s or rocking out to his unique Latin, jazz or rock-inspired hits, DJ Kosta will ring in the New Year with an unforgettable party of intoxicating melodies.

Complementing DJ Kosta’s sensual tunes on MV EPICURE’s luxurious harbour cruise is the incredibly talented and passionate vocalist, Kyrah. In order to understand her journey as an artist, Kyrah believes you need to “mix a little bit of Lauren Hills smooth tones with Erykah Badu’s funk, [and] some of Beyonce’s honesty”. Kyrah was mentored by singing icon Ronan Keating when she made it to the top 6 in X Factor. She has also performed at a range of national and international events and has been hailed for her captivating amalgamation of dance, soul, RnB, hip-hop and Top 40.

The combination of these international musical performers will provide the ideal complement to Sydney’s spectacular fireworks display this New Year’s Eve. So to ignite your senses, make some welcome use of your dancing shoes and ring in the New Year with an unforgettable musical extravaganza this New Year’s Eve, be sure to book your MV EPICURE I Harbour Cruise today.

With a plethora of travel options these days it’s no surprise that the alternative and slow travel movements are making a come back. Now coupled with the technological innovation of smart phones and the internet this different way of traveling is now even more accessible. So quit booking the pricy and disappointing hotels and crowded backpackers, and switch over to holiday rentals, which offer a luxurious experience at an affordable price.

Renting an apartment or house can be one of the more rewarding aspects of contemporary travel. It is especially worth while for a longer term stay. And if you’re staying a week or more, the price can drop dramatically which means you and your loved ones can enjoy a better holiday, for longer.

Besides the price, renting an apartment has some key advantages.

The first and most obvious of which is it gives you the option to do as the locals do. Escaping the typical tourist places really allows for a sense of cultural immersion you otherwise would not have.

You’ll also experience a degree of comfort and privacy you won’t find at a hotel. Rented apartments are literally a home away from home.

They usually include:

– Your own full kitchen will allow you to cook your own meals, and thus keep the cost of food down.
– Instead of being stuck in one room you’ll have a living space that will allow you to relax and luxuriate. You’ll actually be able to live and avoid the hotel California blues.
– You’ll have a sense of quiet and privacy a busy hotel won’t be able to give you.

Some of the better travel experiences I’ve had have been in short stay apartments. In Paris last year, the two week rental in Montemarte gave me the opportunity to live in a traditional walk up apartment block and talk with the locals. I got to experience the atmosphere of a Parisian inner city summer and truly soak up it’s subtleties. All of this without having to pay a cent for a touristy ‘cultural tour’.

If this sound good to you, you can start by checking out some of the more popular alternative travel sites, most famous is airbnb.com, for a uniquely Australian focus head to stayz.com.au and don’t forget housetrip.com.

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For all you tourists, this is great news. The celebration spans nearly one hundred different events, each designed to accentuate indigenous cultural contributions and foster an understanding of the truly complex network of indigenous cultures.

The Corroboree Sydney celebrations kicked off today, with hundreds of school children gathering for a march through Sydney’s busy CBD. The event was a colourful and life-affirming statement about the future of Australian culture, and an ideal way to advertise the upcoming celebrations!

All around the iconic Sydney Harbour area, guests can access a wide variety of installations, art pieces, live music, discussion panels and talks. The joy of the event is that it offers urban Australians (and tourists) the opportunity to interact with unique Indigenous voices. The festival is truly collaborative, offering lesser known artists the chance to exhibit their work in renowned arts and cultural organisations. In short, you shouldn’t miss out on Corroboree Sydney!

Events include Aboriginal heritage and storytelling tours, a special performance to commemorate Bangarra’s twenty fifth anniversary, a bush tucker talk, a chat with Australian of the year Adam Goodes and a didgeridoo beginners class. The organisers of the events have catered to all tastes and age brackets, so Corroboree Sydney is truly family friendly! There’s a load of wonderful treats on offer, so be sure to check out the full festival program.

Corroboree Sydney will definitely be one of the most interesting cultural events this year. For those uninitiated with indigenous cultures, it’s an ideal way to expand your understanding of Australia’s (sometimes forgotten) original cultures.

For more details regarding events and locations, visit the official website at http://www.corroboreesydney.com.au/. And remember to have a great time!

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