John Crook is a Member International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association Syndicated Travel. Food & Wine Writer and Broadcaster Freelance travel writer,- with features published around Australia. RadioTAB Network (Queensland, South Australia & Northern Territory) on 85 radio stations including Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin and all major regional cities & towns throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. also on the Gold Coast - Radio 4CRB Easy Listening plus radio interviews in AROUND THE WORLD, syndicated on approx 30 radio stations in Australia, with selected interviews distributed throughout the United States of America.
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IMPORTANT : These reports are a guide only and prepared from material supplied by operators and in most cases, from personal observations. It is important that you check with operators of any product mentioned before taking further steps in regards to general enquiries, reservations and so on. Prices, facilities and services may vary or be discontinued. Whilst all care is taken in compiling these reports no responsibility will be accepted by the writer of these reports. Updated January 5th 2009
The sad thing about Australia's Northern Territory is that one can never be too sure that the business we may have supported on a previous trip may very well not be there next time around. This is partly the problem created by a population on the move. People move on. For example I have visited Arltunga (Central Australia) several times over the past decade,..the pub may or may not be open,.. one never knows. Such a shame because there's so much early NT history about this place. Allow me to share part of it with you. One of the forgotten precincts of Central Australia was once a thriving community which grew from a gold strike. For a few years after 1887 around 300 people called Arltunga ‘home’. Back in those days, in they came, seeking a fortune as they pushed their hand made wheelbarrows filled with a few provisions and their belongings, walking 600 kilometres from the nearest railhead at Oodnadatta. Most departed Arltunga, empty handed with only a few making sizable bankable finds. The name, Arltunga, is derived from an Aboriginal word which means ‘smelly water’, more or less indicating that conditions and Mother Nature may have been rather formidable foes. The temperature varied from a high of late 40’s in the summer to lows of minus 15?C in the winter. These guys were tough and just by spending part of one day in the area do visitors appreciate the pleasures of air-conditioned motor vehicles as against wheelbarrows, ice cold fruit juice as against ‘smelly water’, refrigerated salads and cold meats as against bags of flour and sugar and if lucky, a slab of corned beef. Arltunga Historical Reserve is regularly overlooked by most travellers into the Centre, yet this ten square kilometre slice of the outback really provides one of the best examples of what life was all about in a remote part of the continent. After travelling 70 kilometres along the sealed Ross Highway, to the east of Alice Springs, the road deteriorates somewhat for next 33 kilometres on gravel. However, this is just another outback experience. Until a few years back Arltunga had a lone licensed pub, but that’s all shuttered up, gone the same way as those others which once quenched the thirst of the 19th century miners. The big surprise at Arltunga is the ranger’s station. It’s an air-conditioned museum cum information centre, with toilet facilities and picnic area. The Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory has excelled by providing excellent facilities. The Outback Experience is one of a few Alice Springs based tour operators which includes a day tour of the East MacDonnell Ranges and Arltunga.. Along the way it’s also a lesson in ecology, with regular stops to stretch the legs and to taste, smell or feel the roadside flora. This is a veritable roadside fruit stall, with bush oranges, bananas, mint, fig and passionfruit. This tour also includes highlights such as the spectacular Trephina Gorge, with some three walks on offer. Corroboree Rock is another must visit location, but it’s really a time thing, which means that if too much time is allocated to one or two of the sites en route, then it may not be possible to include all that the East Mac’s has on offer. \\ I found Arltunga the most difficult place to leave. The remains of the original settlement have been subjected to extensive conservation work, making it photographically enticing. A splendid network of well maintained tracks links each of the major sites. Historically, the facts and figures, the legends and stories also demand an extension of time spent here. That’s why it pays to travel with Sandra Beveridge of The Outback Experience, a guide with the knowledge. ENDS What you Need to Know:
CANADA - NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED.
BEARS AND ALL THAT IN THE YUKON Charlie McLaren is Mr Yukon. Charlie runs Shadow Lake Expeditions, a must do tour experience whilst in Whitehorse!. These pages will shortly include coverage of the land that he knows and loves. Check back in a few weeks. & COWICHAN BAY - simply superb !! John Wayne had his boat regularly in the waters of Canada’s Cowichan Bay, - Bing Crosby was a regular visitor, as was Bob Hope. After visiting this beautiful bay on Vancouver Island, how could anyone not be impressed. I over-nighted at the Oceanfront Grand Resort,- and what a view, over the marina, and out into the bay.Cowichan Bay is one of those unique fishing villages which has been discovered by the discerning tourist,.. a village set alongside the lapping waters of the bay. The resort is just terrific, and so too are the line of speciality shops and restaurants. I was particularly impressed with the extremely popular Masthead Restaurant, a dining venue which is well known to the celebrity brigade across the border. Hollywood stars are no strangers to this part of Canada. The Masthead is a must should you be including Cowichan Bay in your travel plans. Try the Masthead Chowder,- it has no peer. The Halibut has to be one of the tastiest fish,..ever. Regular diners pointed me in the direction of the pan seared striploin of Alberta Bison,.. I chose the duck and what a great choice that was. Cowichan Bay is about an hour out of British Columbia’s capital, Victoria.
THE COLUMBIA ICEFIELD... 'WOW' Canada and a rather special place which is essential for premium viewing of the Rockies. The Columbia Icefield near Banff. This has to be one of the most spectacular journeys anywhere in the world. Take the Brewster coach for the journey between Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, and all the way there are wonderful experiences with Nature,.. the ‘biggun’ of course is the world famous Columbia Icefield, a glacier on which you get to experience at first hand. The Ice Explorers operate between mid-April and mid-October. These Ice Explorers are an experience in themselves, being giant all-terrain vehicles. With one of the largest accumulations of ice south of the Arctic Circle little wonder it’s been listed a World heritage site. It is immense. It is exciting and it is a MUST. Here the ice is 365 metres thick, deep enough to bury the Empire State Building. This has to be one of the great experiences of travelling Canada.
EVER CONSIDERED THE YUKON ? I’ve just returned from a three week tour of the west coast of Canada,- that is, the Rockies, Vancouver Island, British Columbia and one of the few remaining pioneering destinations in the western world, namely The Yukon. The Yukon is a little like visiting Australia’s Outback, except instead of deserts, here it’s fast flowing rivers, mountain snow, grizzly bears and men and women who drive huge utes. Big boys toys in fact. All the buildings are constructed with timber. But, look what a spot of imagination can do, plus a coat or two of paint. One of the Yukon’s highlights has to be a visit to Dawson City , accessed by highway or the skyways of Air North. It has is one of the more unique settlements of Canada,.. with some colourful architecture. My first thoughts on arrival were to keep an eye out for John Wayne or a handful of desperados as they meandered, atop their horses, down the main street. However, even without John Wayne, there’s a definite image of the ‘wild west’,.. albeit a friendly one. You know something, even with the big boys toys idling down the thoroughfares, pedestrians have right of way, and every one appears to abide by that rule, - and without any sign of road rage. Accommodation in Dawson City ranges from backpackers to the ever-so-classy ‘joint’ of Bombay Peggy’s. A must to be included in the Dawson City list of attractions is Diamond Tooth Gertie’s gambling hall,- a live show at the town’s casino, an enterprise which is run entirely by the community as a community venture. FAIRMONT HOTELS AND RESORTS I will be featuring Fairmont quite a deal in these reports. Fabulous hotels, as I explain, startign with the Fairmont Vancouver. Most who have visited Vancouver in British Columbia, tend to put it in the same category as Sydney,.. spectacular harbour views, a neat city which is more like home to Australians than any other city of the world. That could be why so many tour groups out of Australia include a night or two in Vancouver. I came across so many Australians who were visiting at the same time as yours truly. They also appeared to favour the Fairmont Hotel group in regards to accommodation. The Fairmont Vancouver is a truly superb hotel, first class in every way.
The Fairmont Group is well represented in Canada,.. including hotel properties visited in Vancouver, at Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper and Whistler. These are just those I included in my travel plans. But certainly, I’d look out for their properties in other parts of the world, particularly after sampling the half a dozen or so on my recent trip into Canada.
COWICHAN Once you get your tongue around the pronunciation of words associated with ‘first nation’ all seems to come much easier. I refer to the Canadian First Nation people of Cowichan. We pick up the story of the Cowichan tribe by visiting the Vancouver Island town of Duncan. Any travel into a new country deserves to have part of one’s itinerary inclusive of the local Aboriginal people. The Cowichan community of Duncan make visitors welcome. They have a wonderful presentation which includes one of the best cultural movies I’ve seen. Along with an impressive display of giant totem poles, there’s enough here to keep visitors occupied for hours. There’s also the River Walk Café which includes authentic cuisine of the Cowichan people. Located on the Cowichan River, the cultural centre really is a first class attraction. Apart from the cultural centre, the city of Duncan also has its own grand array of totem poles scattered throughout the cbd,.. 26 in all. Most visitors join the free guided walking tour on offer, prior to heading off to the cultural centre. Other highlights of this town on the Trans Canada Highway include a community farm store, a brew pub and if you visit on the right day, the Duncan Farmers Market is a good place to meet and chat with the locals. I’d certainly put Duncan into any future itinerary and particularly the cultural centre
THE FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH I get to hear conflicting reports on Dubai. Having only been in transit in that city, it means I need to listen to reports from those who have been able to venture out of the airport and into the world of luxury, splendour and romance,.. restricted though, to those travellers who can live with scorching temperatures.
From what they tell me, Dubai is a mix of so many cultures, including the culture of Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Florida, through to the magic of the Arabian Nights. One thing for sure, go armed with a strong piece of plastic as itwill get plenty of wear whilst shopping in Dubai. Not every hotel is close to 'downtown' Dubai,.. for instance, this property is about a 30 minute drive from the main centre of Dubai.
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