MTV BEATS AND EATS RETURNS TO THE GONG IN NOVEMBER Wollongong will again host the freshest selection of music and food ahead of the start of Summer, when MTV Beats & Eats returns in late November. Now in its third year, the one-day festival will return to Stuart Park after the success of last year’s event which saw thousands of people dance and eat their way through offerings from some of Australia’s hottest foodies with tunes by Savage, PACES, Tigerlilly and superstar DJ Steve Aoki. Secured by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, MTV Beats
& Eats is a highlight on the NSW Events Calendar and a massive drawcard for youth travellers. Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said, “It’s great to have MTV Beats & Eats return to Wollongong, providing visitors with another great opportunity to explore the many exciting attractions and adventure activities the region has to offer.” Crowds will once again be treated to a selection of new and exciting bars, Instagramable activations, food trucks and vendors, while enjoying some of the hottest acts in music. Click
here to buy tickets. Image: MTV Beats and Eats 2016 festival in Wollongong. Credit: Rocket K.
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL OPENS IN SYDNEY ON
SEPTEMBER 17Broadway sensation Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will make its Australian premiere at the newly refurbished Sydney Lyric Theatre from 17 September, with tickets on sale now. To help plan a weekend in Sydney to see the Australian premiere of this acclaimed production, Destination NSW has curated a list of beautiful Sydney experiences
to add to the itinerary. Secured by the NSW Government through Destination NSW, and starring multi-award winning actress Esther Hannaford as the leading lady, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical charts the true story of the legendary singer’s journey from teenage songwriter to international superstar. Packed full of Carole King classics such as Will You Love Me Tomorrow, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Locomotion and many more, the production is set to be a major drawcard for visitors. Click here
to buy tickets. Image: The four principal cast members of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in Sydney.
BALLET UNDER THE STARS RETURNS WITH SLEEPING BEAUTYThe Australian Ballet will return to Western Sydney for its annual free outdoor community program this year with a dazzling excerpt from The Sleeping Beauty. Ballet Under The Stars will be presented exclusively in Penrith at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on Saturday,
4 November. NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the event had been secured for Western Sydney until 2018 through Destination NSW. “Set against the stunning backdrop of Penrith Lakes, Ballet Under the Stars brings world-class ballet to Western Sydney for locals and visitors to enjoy,”
Mr Harwin said. “This is a brilliant showcase for Penrith and I encourage visitors attending this spectacular event to spend the weekend exploring the fantastic community in Western Sydney.” With high demand assured, ballet lovers are encouraged to join the waitlist via The Australian Ballet website to be notified when registration for tickets opens.
SPRING IS TULIP TIME IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDSThe countdown is on for one of Australia’s leading floral festivals in the Southern Highlands. Tulip Time continues to grow as the region’s largest event, with Corbett Gardens amassing an impressive floral display of more than 75,000 tulips and 15,000 annuals, with an additional 40,000 tulips planted across the shire. The festival is a celebration of stunning flowers complemented by a two-week program of entertainment, special events, and premiere private gardens. The program is jam-packed with fun activities including a street parade, market
stalls, sunset cinema and more.
Tulip Time is on from 12 to 24 September 2017 in Bowral. Go to Visitnsw.com to plan your trip.
RIVERINA SHOWCASES RENAISSANCE DA VINCI MACHINESVisitors to the Riverina can delve into the mind of the master of innovation, Leonardo Da Vinci, at an exhibition at Temora Aviation Museum. Opening on 1 September, the award-winning international touring exhibition
Da Vinci Machines showcases 60 iconic inventions inspired by Leonardo’s drawings. Renaissance contraptions are brought to life with a vast array of interactive displays including automatons (the precursors to robots), nautical and hydraulic machines, a hang glider and the ‘air screw’ – Da Vinci’s take on a helicopter. Da Vinci Machines will be on exhibit from
1 September to 29 October 2017. Click here for more information.
AMAZING PROGRAM OF CULTURAL FESTIVALS ON THIS WEEKENDVisitors to regional NSW can choose from an array of cultural experiences this weekend with a fantastic line-up of festivals taking place across the State. The
Bangalow Music Festival, presented by the Southern Cross Soloists, will deliver a sublime program of chamber music played by the highest calibre musicians, and is on until Sunday, 20 August. In Wollongong, lovers of the avant garde can delight in the Anywhere Theatre Festival
which will take live performance to the most unusual places – from drama in a lighthouse, to dance in a swimming pool, sketch comedy in a fashion store, and much more. The Gong will also host the 2018 program launch of the Wollongong Writers’ Festival
and the Illawarra Festival of Flame, featuring circus performances, live music and presentations about Indigenous culture and the importance of fire. The Newcastle Music Festival
returns for a second year with a program of fine music to celebrate local musicians and stunning guest artists. Visitors can also enjoy a showcase of music, singing, drama and dance at the Leeton Eisteddfod in the Riverina, which is on until the end of August.
TAKE A SHORT BREAK WITH THESE FUN LIFESTYLE EVENTSWith clean air, beautiful vistas and wide open countryside, regional NSW is a perfect destination for a fitness inspired short break. There’s plenty taking place this weekend for runners of all levels, with the Mudgee Running Festival
catering to first-timers and experienced marathoners, and the Huskisson Running Festival offering a flat, fast half-marathon course and shorter distances of five and two kilometres. In the Barrington Tops, there’s also a rugged mountain event for trail runners with the Thunderbolt Trail Race
offering a high-altitude, high-octane adventure. On Sunday, Port Macquarie will host the Three Rivers Three Distances Challenge
– a fun water-sports event for all self-propelled craft, with a five kilometre splash & dash and a 25-kilometre legends and heroes mini marathon. Visitors can also take in all the action at the BMX Open in Batemans Bay, with more than 450 riders and 1,200 spectators anticipated for the event.
MCA AND SYDNEY AIRPORT TO SHOWCASE NEW CONTEMPORARY ARTInternational visitors to NSW will have another opportunity to depart Australia with a lasting impression of their journey, thanks to a bold new partnership between the Museum of Contemporary Art and Sydney Airport. The landmark initiative will see the arrival of a large-scale contemporary Australian art commission for the T1 International Terminal Marketplace, located in the airport departures area. More than 42 million passengers travel through Sydney Airport annually, with about 15 million of those travelling through the T1 International
Terminal. The commissioned artwork will aim to capture the imagination of passengers as they prepare for their flight, providing a lasting impression ahead of their trip. The successful Australian artist will be announced later this year, with the installation to be completed in 2018.
SYDNEY MOTORSPORT PARK SHINES UNDER LIGHTSSupercar night-racing at Sydney Motorsport Park could be a permanent fixture, following successful lighting tests at the Eastern Creek venue. Sydney Motorsport Park Chief Executive Officer Glenn Matthews said positive discussions had been held with the NSW Government over the installation of permanent floodlights at the park, which would serve a host of motorsport and industry uses. “Full-time, permanent lighting will not only add a whole new level of excitement to motorsport racing, and the spectator experience in this country, but open up a range of commercial
and tourism opportunities at Sydney Motorsport Park, including driver safety programs, corporate hospitality packages, and more track access for all levels of racing,”
Mr Matthews said. The Sydney Motorsport Park precinct is one of the busiest sites in Western Sydney, hosting more than 600 events and over 300,000 visitors annually, and is nearly fully booked a year in advance.
NSW FIRST WEBCASTS
ON-DEMANDFive free webcasts by Destination NSW are available to view on-demand via the
NSW First Program calendar. Topics include understanding tourism sectors, applying for funding, and targeting international visitors. The webcasts were delivered by Destination NSW as part of the NSW First program – designed to assist the NSW tourism industry to develop, promote and sell great tourism experiences. More webcasts are coming up in the program in September and October. To register for NSW First Program updates, or to browse the calendar, click
here.
SEE THE TARA THIS WEEKEND IN SYDNEYVisitors to Sydney can take advantage of a special opportunity to see modern marine science in action this weekend aboard the French schooner Tara, which has just sailed into Sydney Harbour. The vessel is docked at the Australian National Maritime Museum and will be wharfside until next Wednesday,
23 August. Tara is at the forefront of plankton and ocean change research, focusing on coral reef health and rising levels of ocean acidification. However, she is not just a scientific vessel – in Tara’s 13 years of crisscrossing the globe, she has always had artists, photographers and writers on board. Many activities are being organised for Tara’s
Sydney stopover, including onboard tours, talks from the crew of scientists and free workshops on plankton for children. Visit the Australian National Maritime Museum for more information.
BUSINESS EVENTS SYDNEY APPOINTS NEW CHAIRBusiness Events Sydney has announced the appointment of a new Board Chair, Bruce Baird AM, effective 1 September 2017. Mr Baird will replace Col Hughes, who had a 15-year association with the organisation. Mr Baird has served as the Federal Member for Cook and has previously held roles as NSW Minister for Transport, Tourism, Roads and for Sydney’s Olympic Bid, and was a member of the NSW Visitor Economy Taskforce, chaired by Russell Balding AO, with co-members Sandra Chipchase, Chief Executive Officer of Destination NSW and
John King OAM.
CLARENCE VALLEY CAMP OVEN FESTIVAL ON THIS WEEKENDThe Clarence Valley Camp Oven Festival is on this weekend in Grafton on the North Coast. A feast for the senses, the three-day event is a celebration of the Aussie outdoor lifestyle, nature and good old fashioned family fun. Visitors can enjoy great music, camp oven demonstrations and competitions, bush poetry, a Saturday night bush dance, markets, dog trials, activities for kids, and much more. Click
here for more information.
STATE MEMORIAL FOR BETTY CUTHBERTAustralian Olympic legend Betty Cuthbert will receive a State Memorial Service at 1pm on Monday,
21 August at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Members of the public are invited to attend. Ms Cuthbert won four Olympic gold medals and set nine world records during her extraordinary sporting career. The arrival point for members of the public is the Alan Davidson Gates, Adjacent to Gate A –Members Entrance Sydney Cricket Ground, Driver Avenue, Moore Park NSW. The gates will open at 12.15pm with those attending asked to arrive and be seated by 12.45pm.
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