Come and ride the G: from Broadbeach to Gold Coast University Hospital

The G: carried its first passengers, albeit non-fare paying ones, in a celebratory day on Sunday, July 21.

Thousands of Gold Coast locals and visitors took the ride on the 13km track from Broadbeach South Station to Gold Coast University Hospital station throughout the inaugural day.

Official paid services commenced the day after. I boarded the tram on both days, and this video is an overview of the journey.

The Gold Coast Light Rail is now a fully operational service providing a popular and valuable service for Gold Coast commuters.

Enjoy the ride!

Seaworld Whalewatch - the video!

The whales are early this year

The annual migration of humpback whales passing along the Gold Coast in south east Queensland has started earlier than in previous years, so Seaworld Whalewatch has also successfully commenced its cruise season (normally running June-November) a trifle early.

Last Saturday (May 31) I was invited to join their first cruise for the season aboard their $3.5 million luxury vessel 'Spirit of Migaloo' (pictured above) which was especially built for whalewatching.

We left the cruise terminal outside Seaworld Theme Park at 10am for a short trip north on the Broadwater before entering the bumpy Seaway and out in the open sea.

We didn't have to cruise along the Gold Coast shoreline for too long, or even too far out before spotting a young whale (pictured below) which kept the passengers (including other media representatives and some paying passengers) amused for more than an hour.

The daily cruises leave from the terminal on The Spit at 10am daily (provided the sea is calm enough) and returns around 12.30pm.

There is a cafe in the terminal so it's best to grab a coffee or a drink before departure, as you'll be far too busy sealife spotting for most of the trip to worry about eating or drinking onboard.

Just in case you don't see a whale enroute (although I'm told that's not a common problem), there is a refund guarantee - no whales, no charge!

Seaworld Whalewatch tickets cost $99 for adults, $77 for children/Senior Card holders and a family pass (two adults and two children) will set you back $275.

For more details visit www.seaworldwhalewatch.com.au or phone (07) 5591 6061.

Queensland visitor app, Malaysia, Morocco and Hawaii's Big Island

Ren Zwiers has news of a smartphone app which will prove useful to tourists throughout Queensland.

Geoff Harrison chats with Tourism Malaysia representative Wendy Lee.

David Gordon interviews Rosina McKeown, an expert on living in and visiting Morocco. (Courtesy Travelbites Radio).

Martha Bull and tourism officer Ross Birch discuss the many highlights of Hawaii's 'Big Island'. (Courtesty Around the World Radio).

 

Airlie Beach is looking good!

Situated on the tropical central Queensland coast, the town of Airlie Beach is a major stepping off point for the Whitsunday islands....and it's looking great thanks to a recently completed $22.5 million revamp of its main street.

The new-look downtown area ties in with the rest of the precinct including the Airlie Beach Lagoon (above) and pristine foreshore.

The main street now flows into the esplanade, linking it with the new Port of Airlie marina which is set to eventually become the main departure and arrival point for cruises,diving trips and charter yachts. A boardwalk meanders all the way from nearby Cannonvale past Abel Point Marina (which is also being refurbished at time of writing) into Airlie's central waterfront and the man-made lagoon.

On Saturday mornings Airlie Beach foreshore hosts a colourful market selling everything from fresh produce to fashion items and craftware.

Airlie Beach has for many years been a backpacker haven with a number of great eateries and hotels, apartments and other facilities, but now it's even better, offering something for every kind of tourist, especially those who enjoy water-based activities.

For more information on Airlie Beach and its surrounds check out the website:

www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au

What's new in Queensland? Tourism Australia. Tirol. Dashboard Diva. Maldives.

• Ren Zwiers provides details of some new places to visit in Queensland: Lake Redbrook Holiday Retreat near Childers; Capriole Estate (Noosa hinterland); Loganfoote Adventures on Mount Tamborine and Amytis Garden Retreat's Thai cooking classes (Sunshine Coast hinterland).
• Geoff Harrison chats with Tourism Australia CEO Andrew McEvoy at a worldwide travel trade show in the UK.
• Frances Beasley enjoys Food sud Tirol style.
• Author of 'Dashboard Diva', Dina Bennett talks to the studio hosts of Around the World in Santa Barbara about her major road trip in the Orient.
• Geoff Harrison interviews Ali Mohammed of the Crown and Chandra Hotels in the Maldives.

Childers (QLD), Danube Express and Turnberry (Scotland)

Until the new year, we will present some 'best of..' editions of Travelradio Australia and the first of these is online now at our podcasting website travelradioaustralia.com
In this episode we repeat segments on Childers (Qld), Danube Express and Turnberry (Scotland) featuring our regular team of John Crook, Frances Beasley and David Gordon.
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Orange/Mudgee wineries, Bechtesgarten and Queensland update

Ren Zwiers has news of the latest tourism attractions in Queensland (Australia). John Crook visits the fastgrowing winery regions of Orange and Mudgee in New South Wales (Australia). Frances Beasley visits the Bavarian town of Bechtesgarten (Germany).
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Riding the monorail at Broadbeach

Now that I have changed my hometown from Brisbane to the Gold Coast expect to see more sounds and vision of this beautiful part of Australia.

For many years the Broadbeach monorail has run from two stations within The Oasis shopping centre to Jupiters Casino/Hotel across the busy Gold Coast Highway.

It currently costs $3.00 per ride to do either the one way journey or the complete roundtrip.

The monorail isn't the fastest mode of transport you'll ever enjoy - it falls well short of being a 'thrill ride'. However, it's a Gold Coast icon that is worth preserving.

I recently took the roundtrip with my trusty Sony Handycan aimed out of the window. The above video is the result of this excursion.

Selfies, Edinburgh, Pyrenees and Hahndorf

Host Ren Zwiers introduces presenters John Crook, Frances Beasley and David Gordon. Topics in this show include: Aussie winemaker Stuart Olsen; Tourism Queensland; Edinburgh Scotland; a Pyrenean plate of note and a family business maintaining the old tradition of smoking salmon in Hahndorf, South Australia.
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Whitsundays, Innsbruck and Philip Island

The latest edition of our travel podcast features a variety in destinations. Firstly, I present the latest updates on what's happening in the Whitsundays region of Queensland. Our European reporter Frances Beasley then visits Innsbruck (Austria). Thirdly, our intrepid Australian contributor, John Crook travels to Philip Island (Victoria) where he chats with tourism officer Kim Storey and calls in at a chocolate factory run by a colourful character.

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Queensland fresh, Hunter Valley wines, Passion of Oberammergau and Idaho adventure

On the latest Travel Radio Australia podcast host Ren Zwiers takes listeners on a farm-fresh trip around Queensland, Australia. Wes Crook tastes the wines from the Hunter Valley. Frances Beasley describes the passion play which takes place in Oberammergau, Germany once every 10 years, attracting half-a-million visitors. From our sister show Around the World, hosts Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull chat with Steve Letz about his adventure tours in Idaho.

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Surfers Paradise is looking much better!

Ever since first visiting the Gold Coast in the early 1960s, I have seen the gradual decline in Surfers Paradise as being a family-friendly destination.

In more recent years it has become a holiday haven for drunks and louts and it hasn't been a good spot to find a quality restaurant either. Broadbeach, just one suburb southwards,  has easily overtaken Surfers in recent years in all those departments.

However, there has been (and still is) much work going on reshaping the Surfers skyline and beachfront - so I eagerly look forward to revisiting Surfers more regularly before too long in the hope that the change in the air is permanent or at least, long lasting.

I spent a day in Surfers Paradise between Christmas and New Year 2011, when the surf was well and truly up (too big to swim in, thanks to king tides coupled with a recent cyclone in the Pacific Ocean) but that didn't stop people heading for the beach to watch the spectacle more reminiscent of an Hawaiian landscape!

I had my trusty camcorder at hand and produced this video for my youtube channel.

New centre is a fitting tribute to true Aussie legend

On this week's podcast, Australian contributor John Crook chats with Joy Jensen at the new RM Williams Centre in Eidsvold, central Queensland. This centre is a fitting tribute to one of Australia's true icons, Reginald Murray Williams OA (May 24, 1908 - Nov 4, 2003). He was a bushman and businessman who had a rise to fame which led from humble beginnings as a 'swaggie' to a multi-millionaire bushwear retailer.

Also on the show, US travel writer Diane Covington reports on her trip to The Sierras in southern California.

Our European correspondent Frances Beasley takes listeners aboard the classic Danube Express rail service.

Gonomad.com editor Max Hartshorne travels to Zagreb, Croatia.

Listen to the show on the mp3 player below. Hope you enjoy the show!

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Hardened stance on soft drugs in Maastricht

The city of Maastricht in the far south east of the Netherlands is taking a tougher stance on tourists who wish to light up on some 'grass' in the cafes. The recreational drugs will soon only be available to locals and several surrounding country-residents, according to a recent news report. It's possible that this sort of change in attitude by city 'fathers' may spread to Amsterdam's popular cafe scene as well. I've got more details on this week's Travel Radio Australia podcast. Also on the show are John Crook interviewing Emma Martin in the Town of 1770 on Queensland's coast, Euro correspondent Frances Beasley who talks about the Channel Islands and US host Arthur von Wiesenberger who chats with his son Chris about the latter's recent trip to the Cook Islands. You can listen to the show on the mp3 player below.

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Riding the trams in Europe

Trams and light rail systems have always been part of the European landscape. However in recent years they have become even more popular as modes of urban transport. I have fond memories of my days as a youth growing up in Amsterdam (it seems like only yesterday, even though it's actually more like 50+ years ago) and riding the trams to all parts of the city. I have been back to my birth city many times in the past 15 years and still enjoy exploring the city on the rails. On this week's podcast, our Euro correspondent Frances Beasley has European trams as her topic of conversation. Also on the show, Aussie contributor John Crook visits the Town of 1770, on the central Queensland coast. It's a beautiful area which until recently had a woeful access road, but, from all reports it's much easier to get their by car now. Arthur von Wiesenberger from our US sister-show 'Around the World' chats with author John Shors about his impressions of Ko Phi Phi, a boat ride away from ever-popular Phuket, Thailand. Listen to the show on the mp3 player below.

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Have you ever been to Eumundi?

If you'd like to find out about this south east Queensland town, then listen to John Crook's report on this week's Travel Radio Australia episode. Also on the line-up: Arthur von Wiesenberger visits the Aolin Islands, Italy; Frances Beasley takes listeners to the German city of Freiburg and Gonomad.com editor Max Hartshorne reports on Maine (US). Click the play button on the player below to listen.

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PODCAST: Around the World #07-09

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CRN (Australia broadcast date: 18 February 2009

Program details:

• John Crook presents a wine and dine report on Lilypili Estate wines.
• Euro correspondent Frances Beasley takes listeners on a tour of the Isle of Skye (Scotland).
• US co-hosts Arthur von Wiesenberger and Richard Mineards chat with Sue Frause about the ‘world’s greatest job’ on offer at Hamilton Island (Queensland, Australia).
• John Crook interviews John Grandsen at Clifton Gardens, Orange (NSW, Australia).

PODCAST: Around the World #47-08

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CRN (Australia) replay date: 19 November, 2008
Program details:

• John Crook has details of Melbourne Theatre Company’s next production.
• Ren Zwiers provides some Queensland domestic tourism statistics.
• John Crook presents his wine report on Penfolds (Australia).
• US co-hosts Arthur von Wiesenberger and Richard Mineards report on their sample flight on the new Qantas A380 after its inaugural landing at Los Angeles.
• Frances Beasley, who has been recuperating from a severly broken ankle reports on the handicaps faced by immobilised travellers.
• John Crook chats with the owner of Hanging Rock Winery in Victoria (Australia).

VIDEO: Riding the CityCat - Brisbane

Brisbane's favourite mode of transport, the CityCat ferry plies the Brisbane River from Hamilton (downstream) through the city heart to the University of Queensland at St Lucia (upstream). A Cat arrives approximately every 10 minutes at all stops along the way, providing a seamless and pleasant method of travel which is a big hit with tourists and locals alike.

The complete one way journey takes approximately one hour.

We rode the CityCat from Bretts Wharf, Hamilton to the city and beyond on a recent weekend, capturing many of the passing Brisbane landmarks on video. This is definitely the best way to see my home town!