First ever Breakfast on the Bridge to be held this weekend, Best Job in the World winner on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Sydney Art Month announced and Vue de monde restaurant awarded for excellence.
Island Caretaker showcases Australia on The Oprah Winfrey Show Tourism Queensland's Best Job in the World winner
Ben Southall was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on 22 October, showcasing Queensland and Australia to the world. Ben's guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show was seen by approximately 7.4 million American viewers and broadcast internationally to an additional 145 countries around the world. Ben's appearance on the show will help to deliver a high level of publicity for Queensland and Australia. As part of Ben's special guest appearance on Oprah, he also announced that the trip of a lifetime to Queensland would be up for grabs for one lucky member of the show's audience.
First ever Breakfast on the Bridge this weekend
For the first time in its history, Australia’s iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed to commuter traffic to host 6,000 people for the ultimate picnic breakfast. This unique production, named Breakfast on the Bridge is a brand new event introduced as part of Crave Sydney, a celebration of Sydney’s lifestyle with 31 days of food, outdoor art and fun during the month of October.
The highly anticipated free event will see one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks transformed into the ultimate picnic venue – including 10,000 square metres of real turf laid pylon to pylon. Picnickers, who have been issued a ticket via a ballot system, will be the first in the world to enjoy this exceptional experience at one of Sydney’s key attractions. While this year only New South Wales residents can apply, interstate and international visitors will be able to apply for tickets in future years.
The Cullen Art Hotel to provide specialised services
The Cullen Hotel, named after Australian artist Adam Cullen, opens its doors in Prahran, Melbourne on 28 October. The first in the series of Art Hotels, The Cullen features original Cullen artworks in the lobby and throughout the building. Along with the art, a number of unique services will be on offer for guests including former Australian Rules Football stars Shane Crawford and Ben Dixon being on hand to offer guests personal training services in the state-of-the-art gymnasium on the rooftop. The Cullen also boasts an in-house curator, Jane O’Neill, who will be offering guests insight into the art across the hotel and the other Art Series Hotels. The specially-created curator position has been designed to offer guests a chance to immerse themselves in the works of each artist with tours of the hotels and Melbourne’s art galleries.
The team behind The Cullen have also recently purchased a small fleet of Smart Cars and push bikes which will feature Adam Cullen’s works. The eye-catching transport is available for hire to take in the sights of Melbourne. The Art Series Hotel concept is the brainchild of Melbourne dynamo Will Deague, with The Cullen Hotel the first in a number of art hotels set to open in Melbourne over the next 18 months. The next hotel to open will be The Olsen, named for great Australian painter John Olsen, which will commence operations in March 2010.
2010 Sydney Art Month announced
Art Month Sydney 2010 has been announced. It is an new initiative created by Vasili Kaliman, director of Sydney’s Kaliman Gallery. Art Sydney Month will run from 1-30 March 2010 where fifty art galleries, art auction houses and public art institutions across Sydney will join together to demonstrate the diversity of Australia's art scene. The event will promote and link art events across the city including stage free artists' talks, lectures, exhibitions, social events and tours, raising the profile of Sydney as a centre of fine, visual and contemporary art. Participants will include Museum of Contemporary Art, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sotheby’s Australia and Utopia Art Sydney.
Vue de monde awarded for excellence
Australia’s leading restaurateurs and caterers gathered in Canberra early this week to crown Melbourne’s Vue de monde as Restaurant of the Year and Melbourne’s Atlantic Group [V] as Caterer of the Year. Vue de monde is run by young maestro Shannon Bennett in the Melbourne CBD and was also awarded the highest honour of three hats in The Age Good Food Guide for its glamorous and theatrical degustation menu. The 2009 Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence, the annual awards of Restaurant & Catering Australia, brought together more than 2,500 restaurants and caterers to challenge for 35 highly sought-after awards. A list of full winners can be found here.
Black Eyed Peas break Guinness World Record in Australia
The Black Eyed Peas have added a world record to their long list of achievements after rocking out at 41,000 feet on their ‘Mile High Karaoke’ Virgin Blue flight from Melbourne to Perth last week. The Black Eyed Peas jammed live during the private flight smashing the current Guinness World Record for ‘highest ever concert performed on an aircraft’ set by Jamiroquai in 2007. On their flight to Perth Virgin Blue, The Black Eyed Peas and nearly 140 VIP guests onboard achieved an altitude of 41,000 feet to nab the current Guinness World Record. To view The Black Eyed Peas breaking the Guinness World Records click here.
Wild Bush Luxury launches Blue Mountains Wilderness Walking safaris
Wild Bush Luxury has partnered with local Blue Mountains guide, Mark Tickner, to launch a series of walking safaris that access some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the Blue Mountains. There are two, full-day walking safaris starting from Joadja Vineyard, just outside Berrima, where the guide will meet and drive walkers into the ranges beyond. The safaris offer the opportunity to view the prolific bird and animal life in the area and guests have the chance to see grey kangaroos, wombats, goannas, lyre birds and even platypus, amid beautiful bush scenery.
International Cow Parade art event comes to Margaret River
The international public art and charity event, CowParade, is coming to Margaret River in 2010. During this event 100 talented artists will transform life-sized fibreglass cows into moving pieces of art. Once completed, the cows will graze on public display at iconic attractions and local businesses throughout the Margaret River region from March through to June 2010. While CowParade has been held in over 50 cities around the world including Paris, Tokyo, London and New York, each event is unique. On 19 October the Margaret River will receive the first shipment of fibreglass cows, one of which will be painted by iconic Australian artist Ken Done.