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INTERNATIONALS FOR SURFEST NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA
An impressive 29 countries will be represented by international surfers at this year’s Burton Automotive Pro and the Holmes Civil Developments Pro – the main events at the 2019 Surfest Newcastle Australia.
23 of the best surfers in the world from the World Surf League’s elite Championship Tours – including four male and six female surfers who sit inside top ten rankings will be competing in the main events slated for Merewether beach from March 11-17.
Top seed for the Burton Toyota Pro is the world number two-ranked Julian Wilson, while world number four Tatiana Weston-Webb will carry the top seeding honour into the Holmes Civil Developments Pro.
“I can’t recall this many countries being represented and it’s a massive show of support for Surfest to get over 300 entries,” organiser Warren Smith said.
“Few, if any, of the surfers who will compete at the Burton Automotive Pro and the Holmes Civil Developments Pro had even been born when Surfest first started, but the sense of history around the biggest surf festival in the southern hemisphere continues to draw both successful and emerging athletes to Newcastle,” he said.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Hon. Scot MacDonald MLC said the NSW Government was pleased to continue its support of Surfest through Destination NSW.
“Surfest exhibits the best of Newcastle’s beaches and is an iconic event for the region, supporting the tourism and events industry in Newcastle,” Mr MacDonald said.
Surfest is a series of international professional surfing contests running from February 9 - 27 March at Merewether Beach, Newcastle, visit surfest.com.
DESTINATION NSW HOSTS CHINESE INDUSTRY
An annual networking event for Chinese inbound tour operators was held last Friday to celebrate Chinese New Year. Hosted by Destination NSW, the Chinese Inbound Tour Operator Networking function was held at Park Hyatt Sydney and attended by 47 tour operators.
The exciting event provided Chinese inbound tour operators with the chance to meet Destination NSW's Trade & Industry Development team and learn more about the huge range of NSW tourism products, experiences and events, and to network with peers in the tourism industry.
China is our State’s number one inbound tourism market in terms of visitors, nights and expenditure. Since year ending September 2013, Chinese visitors, nights and expenditure have grown by 89.5 per cent, 74.3 per cent and 156.4 per cent, respectively.
DEDICATED ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCE OF WEST SIDE STORY ON SYDNEY HARBOUR
Opera Australia has announced it will introduce a dedicated accessible performance for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour West Side Story on Wednesday 17 April.
The event will incorporate various adaptations to ensure that people with disabilities, their friends and families are all able to enjoy the experience together in a welcoming environment.
By modifying the sensory environment at the site, those who have been previously unable to attend the spectacular Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour will now have the opportunity to enjoy all elements the event has to offer.
The performance will be audio-described and captioned on handheld devices for guests with sight and hearing considerations.
The night will also be set up as a ‘relaxed’ performance where guests will be able to come and go from their seats during the show and will have access to a designated quiet space if a break from the show is required. Support staff will be on hand for anyone wishing to use this area during the performance.
Venue lights will remain on at low levels, and some lighting and sound features of the show may be adjusted minimally, but there are no significant changes to the production.
Companion Card ticket bookings are welcome and ticket exchanges will be offered free-of-charge to patrons who have already bought tickets for the performance on 17 April and wish to attend on an alternative date.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW. For show and ticket information click here.
GONDWANA CHOIR PROGRAM AND TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets to the opening and closing gala concerts of the Gondwana World Choral Festival go on sale to the general public from 19 February. Gondwana Choirs comprises the most accomplished choral groups of young people in Australia, the Sydney Children’s Choir, and the national ensembles of Gondwana National Choirs and the Cairns-based Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir.
To celebrate 30 years of Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondwana Choirs, eight of the world’s top choirs will gather in Sydney for a seven-day festival from 15-21 July 2019. The event is proudly supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.
The festival will open and close at the Sydney Opera House with two uplifting and astonishing concerts. The opening concert ‘Sounds of Australia’ will feature the Sydney Children’s Choir with their peers from around the country.
Sounds of the World, the closing gala concert, will showcase eight of the world’s best choirs for children and young people. Full-festival passes are also available.
Visit gondwana-wcf.org.au.
Image: Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall with some of the talented Gondwana Choir performers.
PARRAMASALA RETURNS TO PARRAMATTA
Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams launched the 2019 program of one of the State’s largest multicultural festivals, Parramasala.
Parramasala will transform Parramatta into a rich playground of vivid colours and beating rhythms, showcasing the best in multicultural music, dance, theatre, film and food including singer-songwriter Thandi Phoensi, ARIA nominated rap-duo Remi and Indigenous modern electric group Electric Fields.
Mr Williams acknowledged the importance of Parramasla in Parramatta’s cultural calendar.
“Parramasala lives and breathes Parramatta. It is synonymous with the extraordinary multicultural identity of Western Sydney and its growth as a social and economic hub,” Mr Williams said
“The NSW Government is proud to have committed $2.2 million over four years to secure Parramasala’s place in our cultural calendar.”
Member for Parramatta, Dr Geoff Lee said he was looking forward to the three day festival.
“The sensational program this year will bring tens of thousands of locals and visitors to the streets, laneways and parklands of Parramatta,” said Dr Lee.
“There is something for everyone at Parramasala this year. I encourage all members of the community to come along to one of the biggest multicultural celebrations of the year.”
Parramasala will take place between 15 and 17 March 2019. For more information, visit www.parramasala.com
NEW CORPORATE WEBSITE FOR SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS TOURISM
Destination Southern Highlands and Southern Highlands Food & Wine Association has launched a new Corporate Website, shcorporate.com.au, aimed at delivering key information for our tourism and food and wine sector industries. The new website has an industry and media focus and a simple, easily-navigated structure. The two portals, Destination Southern Highlands and Southern Highlands Food and Wine, include key industry categories such as Media, E-News, Member Login, Marketing Opportunities, Trade Events and more. Visit shcorporate.com.au
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NSW TOURISM CONFERENCE
The Local Government NSW’s (LGNSW) Tourism Conference gives councillors and council staff the opportunity to meet, listen to experts and peers, and find out how other councils are engaging and managing their tourism industry. Proudly supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, the next conference with a theme of Experience Changes Perceptions, will take place on the 17-19 March 2019 at Crowne Plaza Terrigal.
Register online by 8 March at lgnsw.org.au/events-training/lgnsw-tourism-conference.
REFLECTIONS HOLIDAY PARK NEW FIREFIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE
The completion of firefighting infrastructure at Copeton Waters and Lake Keepit was celebrated at official openings this week. It is part of wider upgrades across nine inland parks managed by Reflections Holiday Parks Group. The installation marks an important safety milestone for these parks as part of a $17.1 million spend on improvements substantially funded by the NSW Government’s Crown Reserves Improvement Fund Program. Fire, sewage, water and electrical infrastructure upgrades have been the focus of the investment by the
by Reflections Holiday Parks Group.
