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Billy Joel lists New York estate for $73 million

<p>Legendary rocker Billy Joel is <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/music/billy-joel-in-tears-over-career-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying goodbye to The Big Apple</a> as he prepares to sell his jaw-dropping estate.</p> <p>The New York native’s property on the affluent Oyster Bay Harbour has a price guide of a staggering US$49 million (AU$73.4 million).</p> <p>According to the Wall Street Journal, the 26-acre estate comprises the original 14-acre property Joel bought for $22.5 million in 2002 and the adjoining area he’s purchased over the years.</p> <p>The property covers more than 600m of frontage on Centre Island, with the focal point of the estate being the 1,858 sqm main house with breathtaking water views.</p> <p>The home includes five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two half-baths, a playroom, a spa and hair salon, a bowling alley, and a wine centre.</p> <p>There is also an indoor pool, which the Piano Man singer has covered up to use as a music room as it offers fantastic acoustics, according to listing agent Bonnie Williamson, of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty.</p> <p>Parts of the main house are under renovation and are expected to be finished over the next several months.</p> <p>The magnificent estate also has a three-bedroom beach house, a three-bedroom guest apartment, and a four-bedroom gatehouse.</p> <p>Other amenities include a floating dock and boat ramp, two outdoor pools, and a helicopter pad.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

Tourist faces $10k fine for jumping into iconic harbour

<p>Footage surfaced online of the man leaping from Opera Bar, just a few metres away from the Opera House.</p> <p>While his jump was certainly surprising, what shocked viewers was the hefty fine the tourist could be slapped with following his return from the water.</p> <p>Security helped the man back over the harbour ledge before telling him the risky stunt could see him $10,000 poorer.</p> <p><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7235491102143401234&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40futuretravellers23%2Fvideo%2F7235491102143401234%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fo03m1enFIeAeQNC0aCDgjQIXDXzvbjDTIIabA4%3Fx-expires%3D1686200400%26x-signature%3DoWRm%252BIslhOfB81xvrV77sRxfWog%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>“Well there's a very good reason why you've never seen anyone jump into the sea from the Opera House... I'll show you why,' Future Travellers said in a TikTok clip.</p> <p>In a second TikTok, the young man is seen talking to a group of police officers.<iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7239141948261534984&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40futuretravellers23%2Fvideo%2F7239141948261534984%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fbc76967996de4cefb23cfe5e6930fddc_1685494092%3Fx-expires%3D1686200400%26x-signature%3DSY8QPztxLxbP%252FPfYm4itGUmYloE%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>However, a number of viewers commenting about the eye-watering fine also noted it was the least of the swimmer’s worries.</p> <p>"I'm a Sydney gal and it's not the $10,000 that scares me, it's the huge bull sharks that lurk in those waters,' one person wrote.</p> <p>“It’s a busy shipping lane and if it was full of floating tourists the ferries couldn't run,” another said.</p> <p>“I'm sure if he got run over by ferry his family would be suing NSW government for compensation,” a third added.</p> <p>Others were skeptical of the large fine.</p> <p>The official fine for swimming around the Opera House is a maximum of $1,100 with the law stating a person must not “swim to and enter on any part of the Opera House premises or swim from any part of those premises”.</p> <p>Several others were impressed by the young man’s jump and slammed NSW for being a “nanny state”.</p> <p>“Welcome to Sydney, please do not do anything,” one person remarked.</p> <p>“This guy is an absolute legend,” another wrote.</p> <p>'Only $10,000 per dip? It's probably cheaper to live in the harbour than some apartments. Sign me up,' a third joked.</p> <p>“Australia has a fine for everything,” another claimed.</p> <p>Earlier footage of the risky trick was shared alongside a montage of the tourist showing his British mum around Australia.</p> <p>The first video left viewers astounded with one writing, “In all my life living in Sydney I've never seen anyone jump in at the opera house!”</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

How Ryan Gosling shut down Sydney Harbour Bridge

<p>Footage has emerged from the set of Ryan Gosling’s new film <em>The Fall Guy</em>, which was filmed on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday.</p> <p>The iconic bridge was shut off in both directions today from 3 am to 10 am, with commuters redirected as the structure was closed off.</p> <p>The cycleway and footpath was also closed from 5.30 am to 10am.</p> <p>In a clip shared on <em>Sunrise </em>on Monday, Gosling's stunt double can be seen filming the high-speed stunt.</p> <p>The stunt double was filmed during an action-packed chase, where he was holding on to a shovel that was hanging on the back of a truck that sped across the Harbour Bridge.</p> <p>The actor and his stunt double were seen talking on set, wearing the same outfit, the red bomber jacket and the actor's stunning looks standing out in the picture.</p> <p><em>The Fall Guy</em> is a movie adaptation of a 1980s TV series about a crime-fighting stuntman.</p> <p>Gosling, his wife Eva Mendes and their two children touched down in Sydney last September.</p> <p>The power couple have been spotted multiple times in Sydney, running errands, hanging out at a park in Rose bay, and trick-or-treating as a family in Bondi last Halloween.</p> <p><em>Image: Sunrise/ Bill Hearne</em></p>

Movies

About 200 dead whales have been towed out to sea off Tasmania – and what happens next is a true marvel of nature

<p>Australians watched in horror as 230 pilot whales became stranded at a beach near Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast. Some whales were saved, but the vast majority died. This left a big problem: what to do with all the rotting whale carcasses?</p> <p>Authorities decided to tow the dead animals out to sea, hoping they’ll eventually sink to the seafloor.</p> <p>Such mass whale strandings are sad to witness. But in this case, the aftermath presents a fascinating opportunity for scientific discovery.</p> <p>As the dead whales decompose, an astonishing and rare chain of events is likely to flow through the marine ecosystem – ultimately leading to an explosion of activity and new life.</p> <h2>A 600-tonne problem</h2> <p>Mass whale strandings happen fairly regularly – especially in Tasmania – yet no one really knows why.</p> <p>Days before this latest incident, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-20/sperm-whales-stranded-off-king-island-tasmania/101457406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14 sperm whales</a> became stranded off King Island, northwest of Tasmania.</p> <p>And in 2020, about 470 pilot whales <a href="https://theconversation.com/like-trying-to-find-the-door-in-a-dark-room-while-hearing-your-relatives-scream-for-help-tasmanias-whale-stranding-tragedy-explained-146674" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became stranded</a> at Macquarie Harbour. While many were pulled out to sea, some of those carcasses washed up and were left to rot on the beach – an entirely natural process.</p> <p>However, pilot whales are big animals. Males weigh up to 2,300kg, which means they take a long time to decompose. The smell of two tonnes of rotting whale blubber soon becomes unbearable, so carcasses are frequently buried.</p> <p>This time around, authorities <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-25/whale-carcasses-towed-out-to-sea-after-mass-stranding/101471166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decided to tow</a> the dead animals out to sea. The ABC reported local salmon farm workers took almost 11 hours to dispose of 204 dead whales with a combined weight of between 500 and 600 tonnes.</p> <p>They were tied to a 400 metre-long rope and towed by boats for 40 kilometres, before being dropped into deep water in the Indian Ocean.</p> <p>Some carcasses may wash back to shore, but most are likely to disperse with the tides and currents.</p> <h2>Shark bait? Probably not</h2> <p>The big question is: what happens to all that whale mass dumped at sea?</p> <p>Initially, a dead whale tends to float to the surface as it begins to decompose and its innards expand with gas. As this happens, ocean scavengers such as sharks and seabirds are likely to feast on the remains.</p> <p>Some people <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-14/do-buried-whale-carcasses-really-attract-sharks/10996512" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can be concerned</a> that whale carcasses attract sharks that might pose a risk to humans.</p> <p>Granted, encounters between sharks and humans, are <a href="https://theconversation.com/fatal-shark-attacks-are-at-a-record-high-deterrent-devices-can-help-but-some-may-be-nothing-but-snake-oil-150845" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the rise</a> in Australia and elsewhere. But they’re still very rare.</p> <p>A <a href="https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/167613/swim-humpback-whales-risks-sharks.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> to the Western Australian government in 2012 found whale carcasses were a risk factors associated with shark attacks, and said caution should be exercised near a dead whale in the water.</p> <p>But the same report noted that of 26 shark attacks investigated, the highest number occurred more than a kilometre offshore. While there is no doubt <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00655" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sharks are attracted to dead whales</a>, the data is <a href="https://hakaimagazine.com/news/beached-whales-are-a-lure-for-hungry-sharks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not clear</a> on whether a whale carcass leads directly to an increase in shark attacks on people.</p> <p>Research <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419301854?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has shown</a> the likelihood of whale carcasses washing towards shore, where shark scavenging can be observed, is low. So as long as the carcass is taken far from shore and people keep their distance from it, the threat to humans from shark encounters appears to be exceedingly low.</p> <h2>From death comes new life</h2> <p>Inevitably, the whale carcass will start to sink. Most life in the ocean is found fairly close to the sea surface, so if the water is relatively shallow much of what’s left of the carcass will be quickly eaten by scavengers once it reaches the sea floor.</p> <p>But these carcasses have been disposed of in deep water. The deep ocean can be a barren place, where rich food sources are rare. So the appearance of a single whale carcass can supercharge an entire ecosystem.</p> <p>New life and activity can erupt around the dead animal in very little time. This process is known as “whale fall” and has been studied by scientists, sometimes using remotely operated vehicles. On the seafloor of the North Pacific, whale fall has been found to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.885572/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support the survival</a> of at least 12,490 organisms of 43 species.</p> <p>Deep sea sharks will make the most of the carcass. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZzQhiNQXxU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A host of other animals</a> including hagfish, octopus, crabs, lobsters, worms and sea cucumbers will join in too. All the while bacteria work away quietly in the background.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-happens-when-whales-die.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> Britain’s Natural History Museum, a single whale can provide animals with food for up to two years during the scavenging stage.</p> <p>Other animals and bacteria survive off the chemicals produced from the rotting carcass.</p> <p>These organisms, known as “chemotrophs” were thought to be unique to underwater volcanic vents, where they use hydrogen sulphide as the principal energy source. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> has shown a similar suite of animals recruit around dead and decaying whales – generating a completely independent ecosystem based on a gas that <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-happens-when-whales-die.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smells like rotten eggs</a>.</p> <p>Only a few organisms can break down the bones that remain, in a process that might take up to ten years.</p> <p>So take a moment to consider the effect of 204 whale falls in a small part of the ocean off Tasmania. Right now, they are probably generating interconnected marine metropolises, the likes of which are rarely seen.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/about-200-dead-whales-have-been-towed-out-to-sea-off-tasmania-and-what-happens-next-is-a-true-marvel-of-nature-191340" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

"Almost knocked me out": Shaq and Hasbulla's Sydney Harbour stoush

<p>Pint-sized superstar Hasbulla has finally touched down in Sydney, sending his huge fanbase into a frenzy.</p> <p>The social media sensation shared a cheeky clip on his Instagram story over the weekend of him and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal together on a yacht in Sydney Harbour.</p> <p>Quite the mischievous start flowered into a beautiful friendship between two of the most popular celebrities on the planet. The pair were both in Sydney for public engagements and while it remains unclear why they linked up, the meeting sent social media crazy with everyone buzzing over the adorable clip.</p> <p>The video posted to Shaquille’s Instagram from aboard the yacht shows Hasbulla playfully striking the three-time NBA champion.</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/reel/ChwWdsbs7KX/?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/ChwWdsbs7KX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DR. SHAQUILLE O'NEAL Ed.D. (@shaq)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“(Hasbulla) almost knocked me out,” O’Neal wrote.</p> <p>Hasbulla tweeted the same video saying: “Australia has been great, Shaq isn’t even that tall."</p> <p>O’Neal then posted on Monday morning, after what was no doubt a busy weekend of back-to-back events for the two, showing them together asleep on a couch with the caption “tired boss”.</p> <p>The rendezvous saw the likes and retweets coming in thick and fast.</p> <p>O’Neal’s jam-packed trip saw the basketball superstar visit Melbourne for the sold-out fan experience “An Evening with Shaquille O’Neal” at Melbourne’s Margaret Court and DJ gigs late last week before he headed to Sydney for the second stop of the touring event.</p> <p>Hasbulla is also in Australia for his “Hasbulla visits Down Under” tour. The beloved 19-year-old was born with a rare Growth Hormone Deficiency condition that is responsible for his diminutive size. He quickly gained a following on social media in 2020 thanks to his fight training and adorable prank videos.</p> <p>Hasbulla has a fiercely loyal fanbase, clocking up billions of views with high engagement on his content. What can we say, he is a very loveable little man.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Entire HARBOUR up for grabs in epic seaside sale

<p dir="ltr">If you’re in the market for somewhere to house your boats that’s just a stone's throw away from pristine beaches, this unusual property could be the one for you - and it costs less than the <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-property-prices-in-sydney-and-melbourne-record-first-quarterly-fall/73549c4c-88c3-42a9-aa11-f1e58b5440ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average home</a> in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">For just £500,000 ($AUD 867,000 or $NZD 960,000), you could snap up Sandside Harbour in Caithness, Scotland, according to <a href="https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbabruabr210016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the listing</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The listing describes it as a “unique private stone harbour” built in around 1830, which comes with a traditional net store and bothy - basic living quarters - located on the store’s upper floor.</p> <p dir="ltr">The harbour is still functional, boasting “immaculate stone-built harbour walls”, two piers that form a basin, and a slipway boats can launch from, including local leisure boats and a few used for lobster and crab fishing on a “grace by favour basis”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, the building is unoccupied and the listing notes that it needs “extensive upgrading”. With its double-height ceiling on the ground floor, originally used to hang fishing nets, potential buyers could consider converting it to create additional accommodation or incorporate it into the bothy flat to create “a spectacular single dwelling.</p> <p dir="ltr">The building has direct access to the harbour and is immediately adjacent to white sandy beaches that are surrounded by cliffs and inlets teeming with birds and other wildlife.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sandside Beach, a hidden gem that’s thought to be one of the least visited beaches in the country, is also right on the harbour’s doorstep.</p> <p dir="ltr">With the potential to develop the area or simply enjoy its natural offerings, Sandside Harbour’s new owner is sure to get plenty of bang for their buck.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6211d055-7fff-36ad-f53b-b642b8002c31"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Savills Realty</em></p>

Real Estate

Police charge teen over horrific Harbour Bridge smash

<p dir="ltr">A 19-year-old Queensland man has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-09/police-identify-alleged-sydney-harbour-bridge-crash-driver/100895066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> by detectives for allegedly stealing a car before causing a fiery three-car crash that closed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were able to identify the man as Christopher Walker one day after releasing a photo of his arm and calling on the public to help. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-42ab4a56-7fff-a17b-f4f7-0a37536b382d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The image showed a distinctive tattoo of a large eye on Mr Walker's hand with wavy lines that extended across his fingers and wrist.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/tattoo.jpg" alt="" width="322" height="215" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Police released an image to help them identify the driver. Image: NSW Police</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-422bd487-7fff-c897-3d6e-a741b2a5d96a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">They allege he drove a Toyota Kluger SUV which swerved into oncoming traffic and careened into a van on Monday morning.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sydney?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sydney</a> Harbour Bridge closed due to a terrible multi-vehicle crash that brought all lanes to a standstill.<br />Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and use Sydney Harbour Tunnel instead.<br />Stay safe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SydneyHarbour?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SydneyHarbour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dryadusingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dryadusingh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DrAmitSarwal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrAmitSarwal</a> <a href="https://t.co/umbbU6oiIg">pic.twitter.com/umbbU6oiIg</a></p> <p>— The Australia Today (@TheAustoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAustoday/status/1500600916746989572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker remains in hospital under police guard, where he is being treated for suspected head injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have laid several charges against him, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police also allege Mr Walker stole the keys to the SUV from a man he assaulted in the CBD just before 7am on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-70f75b7e-7fff-0c28-ab75-171c2294c000"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were then called to the three-car crash a short time later, after the SUV flipped on its roof and burst into flames during morning peak hour.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed and three people have been injured – including one who was trapped – after a horror head-on crash during peak hour.<br />Inquiries are continuing into the incident.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/australia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#australia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sydney?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sydney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/habourbridge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#habourbridge</a> <a href="https://t.co/1U05QgKMpV">pic.twitter.com/1U05QgKMpV</a></p> <p>— 5 News Australia (@5NewsAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/5NewsAustralia/status/1500671979023892480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The two other drivers were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries, with the van driver sustaining serious leg and pelvic injuries and a woman driving a Honda Civic sustaining minor injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have spoken to several witnesses over the past few days who were on the bridge at the time of the collision of saw the lead-up.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/man-charged-over-fiery-harbour-bridge-crash-and-alleged-carjacking-20220309-p5a37w.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> before Central Local Court via a bedside hearing on Wednesday afternoon, where he was formally refused bail.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is due to appear in court again on March 23.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><em>Image: @5NewsAustralia (Twitter)</em></p>

Legal

Car explodes on Sydney Harbour Bridge

<p dir="ltr">The Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed on Monday morning following a multi-car crash where one vehicle burst into flames.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-553c63f2-7fff-2a3a-0726-0719df2b42a6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were called to the iconic bridge just after 7am after three cars collided, with one flipping and catching fire.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Woken by all the sirens streaming onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Hearing exploding fuel/gas tanks, acrid smoke plumes into the sky. Prayers 🤲🏼 <a href="https://t.co/0AfkDhfCbO">pic.twitter.com/0AfkDhfCbO</a></p> <p>— Laura Banks (@laurakatebanks) <a href="https://twitter.com/laurakatebanks/status/1500570546832310275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Images and footage from the crash show the fireball rising up from the flipped car in the citybound lane, with witnesses saying it rose up to three metres into the air.</p> <p dir="ltr">Those on the scene who helped the drivers out of the cars have been praised as “heroes”, including a nearby Traffic Management Centre worker who helped drag a van with a trapped man inside away from the fire after he heard the crash and raced to the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two of the drivers - a man and a woman - were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">The van driver was trapped in his vehicle for some time before he was freed by emergency services.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-066c225e-7fff-453c-ac16-d44b9de4cbcf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">He was later taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dashcam footage of the crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this morning. Just horrific. No one is critically injured - what a miracle. <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirstSyd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/breaking?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#breaking</a> <a href="https://t.co/zRgMXofUjQ">pic.twitter.com/zRgMXofUjQ</a></p> <p>— Charlotte Goodlet (@cgoodlet) <a href="https://twitter.com/cgoodlet/status/1500616289882353664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the flames, with the organisation’s superintendent, Matt Sigmund, <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/nsw-traffic/major-traffic-delays-after-fireball-breaks-out-on-sydney-harbour-bridge--c-5957213" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirming</a> the driver had made it out of the vehicle before the fire started.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also said the man was incredibly lucky to escape.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Crews on arrival reported thick black smoke coming from one of the vehicles and we had heard reports of persons still in the vehicle,” Mr Sigmund told <em>Sunrise</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The driver that was trapped in the van is really lucky to have escaped at this stage.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4274b35f-7fff-5dac-1112-3e4ac1d45e82"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The traffic commander from that depot actually drove up at the time of call, the van was located next to the car that was involved on fire, he hooked that van up and dragged it away from the car that was on fire.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/fire1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="281" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 9News</em></p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Ambulance Inspector Giles Buchanan praised the bystanders and emergency service workers who rescued the drivers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A number of bystanders and other emergency service workers who risked their lives to assist these patients are absolute heroes, we can’t thank them enough,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the vehicles was well alight when we arrived on the scene, it was an extraordinary effort to get the patient out of the vehicle safely.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Crash investigators have remained at the scene, while motorists have been <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-harbour-bridge-car-crash-car-in-flames/ff266b3b-55e1-44ba-80de-87071c78315b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> to avoid travelling towards the city and delay trips.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Those travelling towards the city should allow plenty of extra travel time and consider using the Sydney Harbour Tunnel or Anzac Bridge as an alternative,” Live Traffic Sydney said.</p> <p dir="ltr">EDITOR'S UPDATE</p> <p dir="ltr">Police allege that the Toyota Kluger’s owner was changing a tyre on the corner of Sussex and Goulburn streets in Sydney’s CBD when a man approached and started a conversation about the car.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was a short scuffle which ensued and then the man got into the Kluger and drove it away headed towards the Harbour Bridge,” Sydney City Police Area commander Detective Superintendent Rohan Cramsie told 2GB radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’d certainly ask anybody who has witnessed the (alleged) stealing of that Kluger to come forward.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-07eee4e3-7fff-7adc-4976-b3b268362b30"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 9News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

World first tourism ad filmed atop Sydney icon

<p dir="ltr">A new advertisement from Tourism NSW has gone to new heights, featuring the first artist to film a music video on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.</p><p dir="ltr">Australian indie musician Azure Ryder recorded her own rendition of Nina Simone’s jazzy 1965 hit, <em>Feeling Good</em>, which is the soundtrack for the NSW government’s latest tourism campaign, Feeling New.</p><p dir="ltr">The ad sees Ryder traverse the Megalong Valley and Lincoln’s Rock in the Blue Mountains, before appearing at Mary’s Underground in The Rocks.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f1aef81b-7fff-abf4-c907-c88992f8cfb4"></span></p><p dir="ltr">The climax of both the ad and Ryder’s music video sees the artist performing on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s Southern Pylon.</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/Azure-Ryder-Feeling-Good-2-4-screenshot.png" alt="" width="1280" height="544" /></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Azure Ryder took part in a world-first, filming part of her new music video atop one of the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Image: Azure Ryder (YouTube)</em></p><p dir="ltr">Stuart Ayres, who is both the Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade and the Minister for Tourism and Sport, said the clip truly showed off the diverse landscapes of NSW.</p><p dir="ltr">“I am delighted with the music video for the soundtrack behind our Feel New campaign. It captures all the things I love about our state,” Mr Ayres <a href="https://media.destinationnsw.com.au/feeling-good-nsw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c3088ace-7fff-ce64-4b6a-994eea96ecf3"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“We are incredibly blessed in NSW to have some of the most spectacular filming backdrops in the world and to have one of our brightest talents in Azure Ryder pay tribute to her home city and state this way highlights what incredible places Sydney and NSW are to live and visit.”</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/Azure-Ryder-Feeling-Good-1-23-screenshot.png" alt="" width="1280" height="544" /></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Azure Ryder collaborated with Tourism NSW to go to new heights, capturing this stunning view from Lincoln’s Rock in the NSW Blue Mountains. Image: Azure Ryder (YouTube)</em></p><p dir="ltr">Ryder said the experience filming the clip for <em>Feeling Good</em> was also quite special for her, capturing both the energy of her home state and the lyrics of the classic tune.</p><p dir="ltr">“The experience you will see through my music video is one that I grew up my entire life believing in,” Ryder said. “The importance of what our surroundings can teach us, show us how to feel, and ultimately teach us how to be human. </p><p dir="ltr">“The soul that Nina embodies and speaks of in <em>Feeling Good</em> is the soul that is all around us if we just step out, open our eyes, and look up to the beauty and the story written along mountaintops and city pavements.</p><p dir="ltr">“We are so lucky to have such magic on our doorstep.”</p><p dir="ltr">You can watch the new ‘Feeling New’ ad from Tourism NSW below.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZyNzRXFGnw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="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="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="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="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;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"> </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"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="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"><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/CZyNzRXFGnw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by New South Wales (@visitnsw)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">To see Ryder’s full music video, head <a href="https://youtu.be/geAG0J820lY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d41c3ada-7fff-e6da-6c50-9890fe55a02d"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Oliver Beggs & Reece McMillan (Tourism NSW)</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Lily Allen shares rare snaps of her daughters as flower girls

<p>Lily Allen has celebrated her first wedding anniversary with stranger things actor David Harbour.</p> <p>Marking this special occasion, the singer shared a video of the couple enjoying a romantic dinner, while also posting never before seen photos taken from their Las Vegas wedding.</p> <p>“1 year down with this guy. Happy Anniversary baby @dkharbour. I prefer my life with you in it. You can stay” Lily captioned the post with. Among these shared images were photos of Allen’s two daughters – Ethel and Marnie who were flower girls on the big day.</p> <p>In the sweet snap, the girls, who Lily Allen shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper, were dressed in cute matching pink ruffled dresses as they pink and orange roses.</p> <p>Allen wore a short blazer dress with a veil and the newlyweds then took Ethel and Marnie for a bite to eat at In-N-out burgers, which they then went on to eat in a car park.</p> <p>David Harbour wrote on Instagram “in a wedding officiated by the king himself, the people’s princess wed her devoted, low born, but kind credit card holder in a beautiful ceremony lit by the ashen skies courtesy of a burning state miles away in the midst of a global pandemic”. At the time he shared photos from the ceremony and car park reception.<br /><br />“Refreshments were served at a small reception following”.</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/CE7KngMnprf/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CE7KngMnprf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by David Harbour (@dkharbour)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple went public with their relationship in 2019 after they were seen catching a West End production of The Lehman Trilogy. A photo of the couple sharing a kiss followed in New York at Madison Square Garden later that year before they made their red-carpet debut at the SAG awards in LA in January 2020.</p>

Family & Pets

Russell Crowe shares new photo of harbour cruise with Chris Hemsworth

<p>The South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL game on Friday night became an unexpected celebrity magnet when Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky were accompanied by their A-list mates at the match.</p> <p>The Thor star watched the game from a private box along with Isla Fisher, Taika Waititi, Jeff Goldblum, Natalie Portman and other friends.</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/CM5eGiLJHSy/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CM5eGiLJHSy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It seems that they were hosted by longtime Rabbitohs fan Russell Crowe.</p> <p>Crowe and Hemsworth spent tile together prior to the kickoff too, with the actor and his wife enjoying quality time with the Oscar winner on a luxury yacht on Sydney Harbour.</p> <p>"Thanks for the hospitality<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/russellecrowe/" target="_blank">#russellecrowe</a>," Hemsworth wrote alongside some photos, one of which Crowe also shared on his Instagram and Twitter.</p> <p>Hemsworth is in Sydney to film the upcoming<span> </span><em>Thor</em><span> </span>movie, directed by Taika Waititi and also starring Natalie Portman. Meanwhile, Isla Fisher and her husband Sacha Baron Cohen have relocated to Sydney with their kids.</p>

Beauty & Style

11 of the longest bridges in the world - not including the Harbour Bridge

<p><strong>Human feats of wonder</strong></p> <p>While most of the longest bridges in the world exist in Asia and the United States, engineering marvels that allow travellers to pass over large bodies of water and/or kilometres of tricky terrain, on a train or in a car, exist across the globe.</p> <p><strong>The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge</strong></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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&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="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/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by PlayDay Live! (@playdaylive)</a> on Jul 31, 2019 at 2:23am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>At 164.8km in length, China’s Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the world’s longest bridge. Built at a cost of approximately $8.5 billion dollars, per Britannica, this link between Shanghai and Nanjing opened as a viaduct on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in June 2011. As of publication, this bridge remains in the <em>Guinness Book of World Records</em> as the longest bridge in the world.</p> <p><strong>Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge</strong></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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&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="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/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MyExpatCommunity (@myexpatcommunity)</a> on Jul 3, 2019 at 3:24am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Also in China is the longest bridge in the world made of glass where pedestrians pay high prices for what <em>Business Insider</em> calls a “colossal waste of time.” That’s thanks to a sea of people and their shoes which scuff the glass beneath feet, despite the fact that booties are mandatory to, in theory, protect the 99 panels of 60cm thick glass. Tourists flock to walk the 427m long glass bridge that sits 299m above China’s Grand Canyon.</p> <p><strong>Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge</strong></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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&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="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/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by L U (@voyconlu)</a> on Nov 6, 2018 at 8:06am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>=What does $20 billion get you in the 21st-century bridge market? A huge 54.7km bridge connecting Hong Kong and Zhuhai/Macau. Commuting between those cities would previously have required an hour-long ferry ride, according to CNN. The newest world’s largest sea-crossing bridge, with immigration offices and border control at either end (because Hong Kong and Macau are governed under different laws), took nine years to build and opened in the autumn of 2018.</p> <p><strong>Lake Pontchartrain Causeway</strong></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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&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="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/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Fisk - Centro de Ensino (@fiskoficial)</a> on Jan 27, 2016 at 3:13pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Per the Telegraph, “Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is an epic structure that crosses one of the most famous bodies of water in the United States; a lake that has inspired literature, music and film.” This nearly 39km-long bridge is the longest bridge in the world that’s not in Asia. It’ll cost you $5 to go southbound on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.</p> <p><strong>The Vasco da Gama Bridge</strong></p> <p>The longest bridge in Europe, found east of Lisbon, Portugal, took more than 3,000 workers 18 months to build. Heavy cloud cover on its inauguration day during the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition meant that travellers couldn’t see the other side. Spanning an impressive 17km over the Tagus River, “the Vasco da Game was named after the famous Portuguese explorer to commemorate the fifth centenary of his arrival from India in 1498. Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, from the Atlantic Ocean,” reports Civitatis’ Lisbon travel guide.</p> <p><strong>Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, Switzerland</strong></p> <p>In Switzerland, you’ll find a 494m suspension bridge that is the longest bridge in the world exclusively for pedestrian use. According to the Telegraph, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge crosses “a valley between Grächen and Zermatt, and offers scenic views of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the famed Matterhorn.”</p> <p><strong>Millau Viaduct, France</strong></p> <p>At 2460m, the Millau Viaduct is not even close to being one of the longest bridges in the world. Instead, this engineering marvel often seen cutting through the clouds on the A75 highway between Paris and Barcelona is the tallest bridge and, remarkably, is even higher than the Eiffel Tower.</p> <p><strong>Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel</strong></p> <p>Part bridge, part tunnel, this 28.3-mile marvel of engineering opened for automotive traffic way back in 1964. By the following year, it had been designated as “One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World,” according to Travel Trivia. The site goes on to explain that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel “connects the Delmarva Peninsula with southeastern Virginia, spanning across open waters around the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.”</p> <p><strong>Atchafalaya Basin Bridge</strong></p> <p>The twin bridge that spans the largest river swamp in the country opened in 1973 and at the time “was the longest bridge in the United States,” reports the Advertiser. Drivers and passengers alike are afforded stellar views of Louisiana’s wetlands from Interstate 10 during the 30km stretch.</p> <p><strong>Bang Na to Bangpakong Expressway</strong></p> <p>Is a bridge still a bridge if it doesn’t cross over water? The six lanes of The Bang Na in Thailand span a whopping 53.9km, including a run through Bangkok, with only a relative drop of the Bang Pakong River flowing beneath. Structurally this bridge, which ranks as the longest road bridge in the world, was made with over a million cubic metres of concrete, according to Road Traffic Technology, and instead of a sea or lake, rises nearly 30.4 metres above another stretch of road, National Highway Route 34.</p> <p><strong>Akashi Kaikyo Bridge</strong></p> <p>Rising high above the Akashi Strait, and connecting the city of Kobe with Awaji Island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, is the longest spanning suspension bridge in the world. At 3,911m in length, its length is only part of the story. According to PBS, the two towers of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, rising 283m, “are higher than any other bridge towers in the world.”</p> <p><em>Written by Jeff Bogle. This article first appeared in </em><em><a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/11-of-the-longest-bridges-in-the-world?slide=all">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><span><em> </em></span><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer.</em></a></p>

Travel Tips

The surprising truth about the iconic Sydney Harbour

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney Harbour is arguably iconic due to the tourist destinations around it, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as the Sydney Opera House.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney Harbour is the major contributor to the $21.9 billion that Sydney tourism pumps into Australia’s economy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In shocking news, Sydney’s famous harbour is one of the most polluted waterways in the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The harbour receives around 15 Olympic-size swimming pools of pollutants each year, which makes the iconic harbour dirty.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> In a new video called </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney Harbour Above and Below</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the waters around Sydney Harbour are filled with plastic bags, bottles, lost shoes and cigarette butts but the biggest issue is plastic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would call it a paradox,” Dr Katherine Dafforn, deputy director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program said in the video, which was released to coincide with World Tourism Day on September 27.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It does look beautiful, but it is one of the more modified and polluted estuaries along our coastline.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although many think that rain is good for the ocean, this documentary proves that isn’t the case.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“After we have some of these really big rainfall events, the harbour … it’s quite tragic,” Dr Dafforn said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Two thirds of our pollution comes from stormwater run-off.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jeremy Brown, co-founder and managing director of the Ocean Protect said that there are ways that tourists and locals can ease the amount of plastic entering the Harbour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It has to start at the source,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have to reduce the amount of plastic that we are using, recycle better and be more conscious about what is going down our drains which ultimately ends up in our oceans. If we ruin the ocean, we are going to kill ourselves because 50 per cent of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. It absorbs 30 per cent of carbon dioxide and our food source.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But we can fix this harbour and bring it back to where it was, but it’s pretty simple. If we kill our oceans, we kill ourselves.”</span></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

Is this Australia’s most expensive pile of rubble? Vacant block on Sydney Harbour hits the market

<p>A mystery owner of an abandoned lot in one of the most expensive streets in Australia, has hit the market for $25 million - only seven months after it was sold for $22.5 million. </p> <p>The vacant block of land is part of a residential street that might just be one of the most exclusive in the world, on 42 Wolseley Road, Point Piper. </p> <p>Just stretching 740 square metres - no bigger than three tennis courts - the property has changed hands eight times in the last 20 years. </p> <p>Before the mysterious proprietor took ownership, their were a number of high profile buyers including Hugh Huang, son of Chinese shipping magnate <em>Shannian Huang, </em> who purchased it from<em> Sydney FC</em> chairman, Scott Barlow for $14.35 million in 2013. </p> <p>Before abruptly abandoning the plan to rebuild a new mansion, Huang knocked down the original 1970’s built home. He went on to sell the slab of land for $22.5 million to an unknown buyer, who put the home under his accountant, Peter Wyer. </p> <p>The buyer added a U-turn and then put it back on the market, and is asking for the original purchase price back -plus a $1.5 million stamp duty, and a $1 million profit. </p> <p>Selling agent Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7351295/Australias-expensive-pile-rubble-goes-sale-25million.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a></em><span> </span>the property was “a bargain”. </p> <p>“You’re not going to get on this street under this sort of money.” </p> <p>Mr Malouf said if he had been selling a newly built home on the slame block of land, it would go for a much higher price. </p> <p>“You’d have to say the median price of Wolseley Road is in excess of $40 million,” he said.</p> <p>“You don’t even get a look in on the waterfront side for less than $40 million plus. Everyone considers Wolseley Road as the most expensive street in Australia and it is. </p> <p>“We’ve got stuff down there that we’ve sold at $60 million and above, so this is an attractive purchase. There are properties there worth $100 million plus.”</p> <p>Other former owners of the property include hotelier Damien Reed, wholesaler Look Sharp co-founders Rosena and Eddie Yip and Bushells Tea heir Amber Pavlik. </p> <p>The luxurious Wolseley Road is home to the likes of Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond, Westfield chairman Frank Lowy and Hungry Jack’s owner Jack Cowin.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the home. </p>

International Travel

Explore Cockatoo Island: Sydney’s holiday island

<p>Cockatoo island is the largest and only island in Sydney Harbour where you can stay overnight. During the day you can lazily watch the sailboats, take an audio tour of the island, do one of many activities available or attend one of the events that regularly occur there.</p> <p>More recent events held there include the Red Bull X-Fighter World Championships, the 18th Biennale of Sydney, the All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival and the Cockatoo Island Film Festival. </p> <p><a href="http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/">Cockatoo Island</a> is administered by Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and is a UNESCO world-heritage-listed island. It has a colourful history that includes being the location of convict barracks, a girls’ school and a wartime shipyard. </p> <p>Part of a regular ferry route, Cockatoo Island is only minutes from Circular Quay and the Sydney CBD. So, consider your time there a sort of mini holiday away from the hustle and bustle of city life. </p> <p>A popular accommodation option on the island is the permanent tents down near the water. The campground features excellent amenities including hot showers, toilets and a large camping kitchen. This includes 10 barbecue areas, a fridge, microwaves and a zip boiling water system. Campers need to supply their own cooking utensils, cutlery and plates. </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/BxrSYr9BqW-/" 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/BxrSYr9BqW-/" target="_blank">Don’t give up life can go from zero to 💯 real quick ❤️✨</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/tamdottam_/" target="_blank"> Tamara💙</a> (@tamdottam_) on May 20, 2019 at 12:42am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The camping options range from BYO tent at $45 per night, a camping package (BYO sleeping bag, pillow and torch) starting at $89 per night or glamping and mini-glamping packages (yes, this is the luxury option) starting at $130 per night.</p> <p>Up the hill, there are also heritage houses, with room for up to 10 guests, and all with views over the harbour or across to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Most recently, renovated two-bedroom self-contained apartments that once housed the medical officer’s assistant and the police are now available.</p> <p>Cockatoo Island also has a range of dining and drinking options. Depending on the season, including Societe Overboard (sandwiches, breakfasts, burgers, hot and cold drinks, beer and wine), Marine Centre Café (sandwiches, snacks, coffee, beer and wine) and the Island Bar (Italian-style lunches, dinners and snacks).</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/Bxd_bc_BcvZ/" 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/Bxd_bc_BcvZ/" target="_blank">what we do in architecture😎🙄</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/a_song111/" target="_blank"> Amy Song</a> (@a_song111) on May 14, 2019 at 8:46pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>For campers and glampers, a BBQ pack prepared by Societe Overboard is available if you <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/http:/www.cockatooisland.gov.au/visit/places-eat-and-drink">order in advance</a>. The brekky packs ranged from a Simple Breakfast, $15, of Turkish toast, milk, muesli, jam and butter to a Breakfast Pack, $30, of bacon, eggs, sausages, bread and condiments. Dinner packs range from the BBQ Vegetarian Pack, $35, to a BBQ Pack 1 and Pack 2, $45, which includes everything you need. Bottles of wine are also available as no alcohol can be brought onto the island. </p> <p>Whatever your style of camping, you’re sure to have a great time.</p> <p><em>Written by David McGonnigal. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/cockatoo-island-sydney%E2%80%99s-holiday-island.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

International Travel

Where to find the most spectacular views of Sydney Harbour

<p><em><strong>Robyn Kennedy loves to explore and photograph Sydney and surrounds. Her blog <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/" target="_blank">Life Out & About</a></span> has become a passion, sharing ideas for outings in and around Sydney - charming gardens, bush walks, art galleries and inspiring places to eat!</strong></em></p> <p>If you’re looking for one of the most spectacular Sydney Harbour views, you need to visit Georges Heights Lookout at Headlands Park Mosman. Perched high above the harbour the lookout offers unparalleled views to Manly, Vaucluse and the Sydney CBD. There are also a number of inspiring bushwalks and cafés in the area, as well as an Artist Precinct.</p> <p>Georges Heights was formerly used by the military as a lookout area to see approaching enemy ships. Many of the historical military structures are still in place, such as concealed gun pits, underground tunnels and barracks. All well worth exploring.</p> <p><strong>Where:</strong> Middle Head Peninsula, Middle Head Road, Mosman<br /> <strong>Website:</strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/visit/georges-heights-headland-park" target="_blank">Harbour Trust Georges Heights</a></strong></span><br /> <strong>Allow:</strong> 1/2 day<br /> <strong>Getting there: </strong>Car – Bus – Walk – Water Taxi to Chowder Bay<br /> <strong>Also see:</strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/harbourside-eat-drink/" target="_blank">Harbourside Dining</a></strong></span>, Balmoral</p> <p><strong>What to See & Do</strong></p> <p><strong>1. Georges Heights Lookout – Sydney Harbour Views</strong></p> <p><img width="538" height="269" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Georges-Heights-Views.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2359" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Georges Heights Mosman – Sydney Harbour Views & military heritage</em></p> <p>On a clear day the view from Georges Heights Lookout is absolutely magical. It’s also an inspiring place for a picnic, however there are no picnic tables/chairs… just grass and steps </p> <p>There are usually plenty of parking spots close by, and the walkway from the car park to the lookout is easy and wheelchair-accessible.</p> <p><strong>2. Walk – Georges Heights Lookout to Clifton Gardens</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="300" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Clifton-Gardens-Chowder-Bay2.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2363"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Clifton Gardens Beach ~ views & bush track ~ Bacino Kiosk ~ East Coast Lounge (café & shop)</em></p> <p>In the warmer months we love to do this walk early, finishing up with a coffee and bite to eat at Drift Café (formerly Bacino Kiosk), overlooking the beautiful waters of Chowder Bay. If you follow the path and stairs south, past Gunners Barracks Tearooms to Chowder Bay and Clifton Gardens you will be rewarded with a brilliant aquamarine harbour and a white sandy beach…. and some fabulous eateries and picnic spots.</p> <p>The track down through the trees can be quite steep in areas and also a little rough, so you will need reasonably good walking shoes. It’s shady, so perfect for a walk on a warm summer’s day. If you’re unable to do the walk you can easily drive from Georges Heights to Chowder Bay or Clifton Gardens… or catch the bus (parking is expensive at Chowder Bay and Clifton Gardens). Water Taxi’s to Chowder Bay are also an option.</p> <p>With <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://taronga.org.au/" target="_blank">Taronga Zoo</a></strong></span> literally just around the corner you could if time permits continue the walking trail beyond Clifton Gardens to Bradley’s Head and the zoo (approx. 30-45 minutes).</p> <p><strong>3. Visit – Headland Park Artist Precinct</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="300" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Headland-Park-Artist-Precinct.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2371"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Headland Park Artist Precinct</em></p> <p>If you take the path north from the Georges Heights Lookout, you will arrive at the Headland Park <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.headlandparkartistprecinct.com/index.php/artists" target="_blank">Artist Precinct,</a></strong></span> and the delightful Frenchy’s Café (an easy 10 minutes walk).</p> <p>The collective of 15+ studios with sculptors, painters, potters and photographers is housed in former military buildings. The studios are open to visitors and works can be purchased directly from the artists. I particularly enjoy the ceramic exhibitions at the small free standing cottage which houses the Mu Studio.</p> <p>A coffee and bite to eat at Frenchy’s Café is always enjoyable, where one can sit under the trees / shading and take in harbour and leafy views.</p> <p><strong>4. Walk – Georges Heights Lookout to Balmoral Beach</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="300" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Georges-Heights-to-Balmoral.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2366"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Georges Heights to Balmoral via Headland Park Artist’s Precinct</em></p> <p>Heading north from the lookout is an easy 10 minute walk along a well maintained path to the Headland Park Artist Precinct. The views along the way are stunning.</p> <p>From the Artist Precinct you can walk a further 10 minutes north to Burnt Orange Café and Shop, or head down the stairs to Balmoral beach… there are lots of stairs so this may not be your idea of fun. Once at Balmoral there are a zillion eating options. Checkout the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/harbourside-eat-drink/" target="_blank">Harbourside Dining</a></strong></span> blog for a few suggestions.</p> <p><strong>5. Explore – Old Military Structures</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="300" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Georges-Heights-Military.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2373"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Georges Heights Military Heritage & Sydney Harbour Views</em></p> <p>There is a maze of underground tunnels and gun pits in this area. One can wander freely around most of the sites, or if you prefer a guided tour, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/event/headland-park-tunnels-gunners-georges-heights-first-sunday-every-month" target="_blank">Headland Park Tunnels & Gunners tours</a></strong></span> are held on the first Sunday of every month.</p> <p><strong>6. Curious Grace</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="300" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Curious-Grace-Middle-Head-Cafe2.jpg?resize=800%2C400&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-2403"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Curious Grace Designer Furniture & Homeware – Middle Head Café across the road</em></p> <p>What a curious name!!! It certainly makes one want to explore further. Just down Middle Head Rd, past Burnt Orange Café is the delightful and very stylish <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://curiousgrace.com.au/" target="_blank">Curious Grace</a></strong></span> designer furniture and homewares store… beautifully located in the renovated army barracks buildings, surrounded by lush vegetation and harbour views, the perfect place to display their collection. Easiest access is from the car park at the corner of Middle Head Rd and Chowder Bay Rd (the entrance is off the undercover walkway displayed in the image above).</p> <p>If you’re feeling a little peckish, just across the road is the Middle Head Café, serving delicious quiches and other French goodies… also with leafy harbour views and tables under the trees!</p> <p><strong>Eat & Drink</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Georges-Heights-Frenchys-Cafe.jpg?resize=800%2C296&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-1904"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Georges Heights area – Frenchy’s Café at the Artist’s Precinct</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Chowder-Bay-Bacino-Bar-Kiosk.jpg?resize=800%2C296&ssl=1" class="size-full wp-image-1887"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Chowder Bay – Drift Café (formerly Bacino Kiosk) overlooking the bay and Clifton Gardens Beach</em></p> <p>There’s absolutely no shortage of fabulous eating options in this area, from cafés to fine dining. Set in the bush or with harbour views, you are guaranteed of finding somewhere for a coffee or bite to eat! With Georges Heights and Clifton Gardens having wonderful outlooks, it can also be fun to take a picnic.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FrenchysCafe/" target="_blank">Frenchy’s Café</a></strong></span><br /> <strong>Location:</strong> Artist’s Precinct – Bush setting minutes to harbourside walks<br /><strong>Food:</strong> French style homemade</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.burntorange.com.au/" target="_blank">Burnt Orange</a></strong></span><br /> <strong>Location:</strong> Bush setting water views – historic sandstone mansion about 15 minutes walk down the road from Georges Heights lookout.<br /><strong>Food:</strong> Modern Australian</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Middle Head Café</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></strong><br /> <strong>Location:</strong> 1110 Middle Head Rd, overlooking the oval and Balmoral harbour<br /><strong>Food: </strong>French café – delicious quiches and salad…. and desserts.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.eastcoastlounge.com.au/" target="_blank">East Coast Lounge</a></strong></span> <a href="http://www.eastcoastlounge.com.au/" target="_blank"><br /> </a><strong>Location:</strong> Chowder Bay – housed in an historic army building overlooking the Bay<br /><strong>Food & Shop:</strong> Casual Modern Australian + wine bar + homewares & gifts</p> <p><a href="http://rippleschowderbay.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ripples</strong></span><br /> </a><strong>Location:</strong> Chowder Bay – overlooking the bay<br /><strong>Food:</strong> Modern Australian with European influences</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Drift Café (formerly Bacino Kiosk)</span></strong><br /> <strong>Location:</strong> Chowder Bay – Water’s edge – housed in what was the old army ammunitions store (just below Ripples Restaurant…. a few steps from Clifton Gardens beach)<br /><strong>Food:</strong> Light / pre-made sandwiches, coffee, cakes – eat out or takeaway</p> <p>Have you ever been to this beautiful part of Sydney?</p> <p><em>Image credit: Robyn Kennedy</em></p>

International Travel

Photographer accidentally snaps best-ever wedding photo of people he doesn’t know

<p>A Sydney photographer has managed to track down the newlyweds featured in a beautiful image he took of Sydney harbour.</p> <p>Sam Yeldham had originally been looking to take a time-lapse video of the storm, but then he noticed the happy couple standing on the pier and snapped the photo. </p> <p>The image, which went viral on Wednesday, depicts the bride and groom in a loving embrace, with sun seeping through the storm clouds and Sydney Harbour creating a stunning backdrop.</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9600/photographer-finds-newlyweds-sydney_500x334.jpg" alt="Photographer Finds Newlyweds Sydney" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram @samyeldham</em></p> <p>"I was out at Bradleys Head to shoot a time-lapse because there was a storm coming over and I was trying to get that ominous, hugeness of the weather," Mr Yeldham said.</p> <p>"The wind was so crazy the groom was trying to hold down the bride's dress and she was trying to not get it scuffed-up and muddied. Then there was this brilliant moment they managed to get into their pose. It was just magic. It was such an incredible sight."</p> <p>Mr Yeldman claims he was originally too shy to show the couple the photos he had taken, but after seeing how well the image had turned out he decided to reach out to the couple online. Mr Yeldman posted the photo on his Instagram account and within hours he was in contact with the couple.</p> <p>The newlywed couple, Chris and Jessica Galvin, was honeymooning in Hawaii when they were flooded with messages from friends who had seen the photo of the wedding day.</p> <p>"My phone hasn't stopped buzzing," Mr Galvin said. "We were fine with the attention. It's pretty funny. This will probably never happen to us again, so we're happy for people to see this pretty great photo.”</p> <p>"We had such a great wedding day and getting all the lovely messages about the photo has just topped it off," Ms Galvin added.</p> <p>"I did sacrifice a lot of my dress to stand in the mud and the water but it was totally worth it to see the photos we ended up with."</p> <p><em>Hero image credit: Instagram @samyeldham</em></p> <p><strong>Related content:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2015/09/11th-family-member-to-wear-120-year-old-dress/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Bride is the 11th family member to wear 120-year-old dress</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2015/09/iconic-wedding-dresses/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The most iconic royal wedding dresses of the last 100 years</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2015/09/royal-family-portraits/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 beautiful royal family portraits</strong></em></span></a></p>

News

Why Sydney Harbour Bridge flags were at half-mast yesterday

<p>Yesterday, Australian flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were flying at half-mast at the request of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in respect of the passing of the president of Vanuatu.</p> <p>On Sunday, His Excellency Womtelo Reverend Baldwin Lonsdale died at the age of 67 due to a heart attack.</p> <p>Mr Turnbull requested all flags on buildings occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies be flown at half-mast to pay tribute to the deceased president.</p> <p>President Baldwin Lonsdale was elected in September 2014 and was the first president from the Torba Province.</p> <p>The funeral was held yesterday in Port Vila, Vanuatu.</p> <p>Mr Turnbull has offered his condolences and said that the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Peter Cosgrove, would represent Australia at the funeral.</p> <p>In accordance with flag protocol, the flags and ensigns at each flag station were flown at half-mast during daylight hours.</p> <p>Recently, flags have been flown at half-mast to commemorate victims of the Martin Place siege, to honour the late Saudi king, for the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes and Remembrance Day. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Daniel Aarons</em></p>

International Travel

Destination focus: Coffs Harbour

<p>It’s the unsung hero of the Australian coast. From what to do and where to eat, here a guide of the best things to do when travelling to Coffs Harbour.</p> <p><strong>Do</strong></p> <p>Sure, you could just spend your time flopped on any one of the 90 gorgeous beaches around the Coffs Coast, but there’s plenty more on offer. One of the country’s best golf courses, Bonville, is around 10 minutes south of Coffs Harbour itself. It’s considered one of the most beautiful courses in the country and you’ll regularly see kangaroos, wallabies, goannas and maybe even koalas in the bush that surrounds the fairways. Then, hop on a horse and head off for a ride along the sand of Boambee Beach. The horses are even happy to wade right into the surf, which is a one of a kind experience.</p> <p><strong>Learn</strong></p> <p>If you’ve always wanted to surf, the Coffs Coast is a great place to learn. The winding nature of the coastline creates some great beginner breaks where you can safely test out your burgeoning skills. Lee Winkler is an ex-pro surfer who now runs a surf school and runs fun group or private lessons that will get you hanging ten in no time. Or you can try standup paddle boarding along the calm waters of the rivers and creeks around the coast, or in the calm waters around the jetty.</p> <p><strong>Explore</strong></p> <p>The Coffs Coast is one of the only places in the country where you’ll find subalpine mountain escarpments meeting subtropical rainforest, so you’ll definitely want to get out and explore on foot (or even on two wheels). There are more than 50 official walking tracks around the region, taking your through lush green forest, along stunning coastline or to hidden waterfalls. The nine-kilometre Coffs Creek circuit is a great short walk or experienced hikers can try the four-day Solitary Island Coastal Walk, with 20 or so places to stay along the way.</p> <p><strong>Eat & Drink</strong></p> <p>What’s a holiday without a little indulgence? The seafood here is sublime, plucked straight from the Pacific Ocean or from oyster estuaries along the river. Excellent fresh produce comes from the surrounding hills, so make sure you visit a farmers’ market like the ones in Dorrigo or Bellingen. The rich volcanic soils and sub-tropical sunshine make for some great wines, and there are even local breweries and a vodka distillery for tastings.</p> <p><strong>Stay</strong></p> <p>There are more than 200 places to stay along the Coffs Coast, ranging from caravan parks and motels through to B&Bs, holiday houses and resorts. Try the stylish oceanfront Opal Cove Resort or splash out with a beachfront spa bure at the BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort. To really get away from it all, the Lombok on Waterfall retreat is a private Balinese-style villa tucked away in the mountains near Bellingen. Surrounded by 16 acres of tropical gardens and with sweeping views of the valley from every side, you’ll never want to come home.</p> <p>Have you ever been to Coffs Harbour? Tell us what your favourite things you did are in the comments below.</p> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need. <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=content&utm_content=link1&utm_campaign=travel-insurance"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">To arrange a quote, click here.</span></a> For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/10/10-pretty-australian-panoramic-scenes/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 of Australia’s prettiest panoramic scenes</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/10/the-view-of-uluru-that-no-one-gets-to-see/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The view of Uluru that no one gets to see</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/09/10-of-the-most-spectacular-islands-in-australia/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 of the most spectacular islands in Australia</strong></em></span></a><br /><br /></p>

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Destination focus: Coffs Harbour