Recently in Australia Category

There's no faster motor sport than Formula 1 racing, where drivers take their cutting-edge vehicles around a track at speeds well over 200 mph. On March 25-28, 2010, the sport makes its way Down Under, where the Australian Grand Prix will draw thousands of racing fans to Melbourne for a dramatic spectacle of sight, sound, and speed. The world's most skilled drivers will drive 58 laps around the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park, with the winner hoisting the cup and basking in the glory that comes with victory in Australia's premier racing event. In addition to the big race, there are a number of supporting events designed to captivate any motoring enthusiast, including a V8 Supercar Challenge - with muscle-cars tearing up the Albert Park Street Circuit - and the Shannon's Historic Demonstration, which brings out the classic Italian racers of the early to mid-twentieth century. But I'm most curious about the MINI Challenge Series, in which drivers pilot identical cars around the track, highlighting the amazing skill and daring of the winner. It just might inspire you to join your local racing club. Guests at the Westin Melbourne might enjoy this high-octane extravaganza.

Peter Foreman is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and thelobby.com's expert on Asia and Australia.

While there are many theme parks to choose from when visiting Australia's Gold Coast from Sea World to Dream World, it is good to learn something about the history of the country that you are visiting.  The Australian Outback Spectacular has recently debuted its second show, Heroes of the Light Horse.
 
The show depicts the true story of the Australian Light Horse Brigade of World War I.  The Light Horse was made up predominantly of 'boys from the bush' who volunteered along with their horses to join an Australian Mounted Infantry known as the Light Horse. This A$23 million ($20 million US) show includes songs composed by Australia's country music star, Lee Kernaghan, in collaboration with Garth Porter and Conrad Felfrich, and score performed by a 52-piece orchestra.  This one-and-a-half hour experience includes a three-course Aussie BBQ dinner served during the show, complete with Australian Damper (bread) and Pavlova for dessert. The Australian Outback Spectacular is a twenty minute drive from Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa Gold Coast.  My tip: Be sure to reserve an Ocean Premium room which offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and make time to visit the Golden Door Spa & Health Club located in the resort.

The name promises a lot, but Perth's Awesome Festival lives up to it with a truly awe-inspiring week of music, dance, film, street theater, and interactive art. Presented by Awesome Arts Australia, a not-for-profit cultural organization, the "Awesome International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things" aims to inspire young artists and visitors with performances that stretch the definition of what art can be. Audience participation is key throughout, with such oddities as the Museum of Everyday Life, which uses signs, music, and movies to create a "big book with you inside," and Resist, a performance that invites the audience to stand up for what it believes in. The short film Crash!, meanwhile, is created before your eyes in a shipping container, while Llamaland is a Dr. Seuss-inspired explosion of ideas using found, used, and recycled objects to take visitors through a dreamlike environment. But I'm most curious about Urban Playground's Quartet (pictured), a parkour group that jumps, spins, and flies across a purpose-built urban structure designed to showcase their amazing skills. It's awesome indeed. The festival runs from November 22 - 29, 2009 and the Sheraton Perth Hotel is just minutes from the action.