Tourism Kangaroo Island has been voted Best Australian Experience by 8,500 North American Aussie Specialist travel agents. The Opal Awards win for outstanding achievement in the promotion of Australian tourism product and marketing initiatives was announced as part of Corroboree North America.
More information: 08 8553 1185

The Royal Adelaide Show concluded last month with a recorded total attendance of 501,428 visitors over its nine days. There was also strong support for the competitive entries received by the Society with almost 30,000 entries in 50 competitive sections ranging from Beef, dairy, Wool and Wine to Dogs, Cats and Sheep. The Royal Adelaide Show remains the most highly attended major event in Australia based on percentage attendance of the State population.
More information: 0419 185 305

Exceptional Kangaroo Island, a high-end tour company owned by Craig and Janet Wickham, was voted Best Australian Experience by members of the US travel industry at a recent event in California known as OzTalk.
More information: 08 8553 9119

Help celebrate the grand opening of the Adelaide tramline extension on Sunday, 14 October from 12 noon to 5 pm, with a free Family Fun Day @ CityWest. Hosted by the Lion Arts Centr,e there will be entertainment including a bouncy castle, sausage sizzle, cake and coffee, balloon sculpturing, live music and skateboarding demonstrations. For further information about the tramline extension please visit www.dtei.sa.gov.au/tramextension.
More information: 1300 884 047

Hilton Adelaide's Chief Concierge, Chris Speck, has been awarded his Gold Keys by Les Clefs D'Or. The distinctive gold crossed keys worn by Les Clefs d'Or members are recognised by travellers around the world and identify the bearer as a true professional in their chosen career.
More information: 08 8231 3539

The Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) invites you to get outdoors and have some fun – October is officially declared Parks Month in South Australia. October is a terrific time of the year to visit one of SA’s national parks or botanic gardens, and DEH is offering you a number of ways to enjoy nature throughout the month. Special events during Parks Month include unique and informative guided walks through some of SA’s beautiful national parks and gardens, open days, and food and plant trails. Cleland Wildlife Park will be offering special free entry days throughout the month. For further information and a full listing of events, visit the DEH Parks website at www.parks.sa.gov.au. Wrapping up Parks Month is the World’s Greatest Pram Stroll in the Adelaide Botanic Garden on Sunday 28 October.
More information: 08 8124 4806

Experienced hoteliers Jon and Sally Dean will take over management of The Woolshed Restaurant at Rawnsley Park Station in the Flinders Ranges from the start of December. Most recently at the helm of the North Star Inn at Melrose, the Deans have a strong track record in hospitality, having owned the Mt Bryan Hotel and managed several hotels and restaurants in regional South Australia. Promising country-style food with city flair, the Deans will introduce Beef and Barra Sunday afternoon barbeques on the deck and a gourmet pizza range. The restaurant will also act as cellar door for the couple’s Dusty Dog Wines.
More information: 08 8648 0030

New state of the art camera technology is helping monitor Southern Bent-winged Bats (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) at the World Heritage Listed Naracoorte Caves National Park. Naracoorte’s Bat Cave provides the larger of the two only known breeding chambers for Southern Bent-winged Bats. Each spring approximately 35,000 bats flock to the maternity chamber – a natural humidity crib, 30 metres in diameter with a 12 metre high domed ceiling - after wintering in various caves throughout south-eastern Australia. The Department for Environment and Heritage is running guided tours of the Bat Cave Observation Centre this month for anyone who’d like to learn more about these fascinating creatures of the night. Tours kick off at 6pm each night. To make a booking contact the Naracoorte Caves on 08 8762 3412.
More information: 08 8762 3412

An Adelaide Convention Centre Chef has taken out top honours at the Lexus Young Chef and Young Waiter of the Year Awards. Melanie Gowers, 29, beat competitors from around the country in a contest judged by some of the nation’s top chefs such as Rockpool’s Neil Perry, the Grange’s Cheong Liew and Luke Mangan from Sydney Hilton, Glass Restaurant. The news caps off an award-winning month for Adelaide Convention Centre with its restaurant Regattas Bistro recently taking out the Best Modern Australian award at the Restaurant and Catering South Australian Natural Gas Awards for Excellence 2007.
More information: 0427 408 588

The Limestone Coast’s rich environment and artistic talent will be celebrated through the 2007 Wetlands & Waders Festival, launched last week. The Wetlands and Waders Festival celebrates the annual mass migration of birds from as far away as the Arctic Circle to the waterways of the Limestone Coast. Entry to the Wetlands and Waders Festival is free, and the participating artworks can be viewed at Mount Gambier’s Riddoch Art Gallery, until 4 November 2007; at the Millicent Art Gallery 9 November – 9 December 2007; and at the Meningie Cheese Factory Restaurant 12 December – 30 January 2008.
More information: 0409 696 402

Visitors to the Yorke Peninsula can win a "Boat Load of Fun" valued at more than $15,000. The competition will run until 30 November, with the major prize being a 3.95m aluminum dinghy, complete with a 25hp outboard motor and trailer - full of absolutely everything needed to have a brilliant break on the Yorke Peninsula. Visitors can enter the competition by collecting an entry form and two stamps from participating outlets and businesses on the Yorke Peninsula. The major prize is on display at The Farm Shed Museum and Tourism Centre, Kadina.
More information: 0417 838 768

Kangaroo Island has been thrust into the national spotlight with the release in cinemas across Australia of the critically acclaimed "December Boys" movie, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Teresa Palmer and Jack Thompson. December Boys was filmed almost entirely on Kangaroo Island in late 2005, and shows off the island’s stunning natural scenery – especially its glorious north coast.
More information: 08 8553 1185

The Adelaide International Guitar Festival has announced the addition of two amazingly talented Australian acts to its 2007 program. Described as the musician's musician, award-winning Aria artist Diesel will be bringing his unique brand of inspiring blues-based rock festival. The Audreys will also be playing at the festival, coming back to their Adelaide roots to charm audiences with their intoxicating sound, a mix of urban folk poetry, led by the sultry voiced Taasha Coates and her four dapper suited boys. The Adelaide International Guitar Festival 2007 is presented by the Adelaide Festival Centre and runs from Friday 23 November to Sunday 2 December.
More information: 08 8337 4417

The SA Tourism Alliance will hold a State Tourism Conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre, 19-20 November. Tourism operators and those involved in the industry are encouraged to register for this conference at www.satourismalliance.net. The comference will cover issues impacting on our tourism industry today, including climate change and business tourism.
More information: 08 82024581

Adelaide City Council’s Central Bus Station is set to become one of South Australia’s key tourism hubs with the appointment of SeaLink as facility manager. South Australian owned SeaLink Travel Group will manage the bus station, developed by Adelaide City Council through its strategic property scheme. Dubbed “Adelaide Central Bus Station”, the facility will open in late 2007, and will provide over 300,000 passengers each year with a state-of-the art tourist lounge, marketing centre and transit facility.
More information: 08 8202 8688

The Board of Bed & Breakfast and Farmstay Australia Inc (BBFA) has elected Jane Clarke, from South Australia, as their new Chairperson. Ms Clarke, Board Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission 2005-2007, Chair & Dept Chair of Bed and Breakfast and Farmstay SA 2002-2007 and a BBFA Board member 2003-2005 succeeds Peter Cook from Queensland as the new Chair. BBFA currently represents in excess of 950 bed & breakfast, farmstay and cottage operators of an estimated total of 6000 operators Australia wide; representing a conservative $600 million annual turnover.
More information: 03 9431 5417

In a major boost for tourism on the Limestone Coast, the South Australian Tourism Commission, industry partners, the South-East Local Government Association and Coorong District Council have renewed their commitment to work together on marketing the region. A renewed funding agreement between these key stakeholders will allow Limestone Coast Tourism to plan the best possible marketing strategy for increasing visitor numbers to the region. Since the original funding agreement first came into effect between in 1998/1999, it has become a model for other South Australian tourism regions and is being considered for use by interstate tourism bodies. Its renewal now means it will continue until the end of 2009-10.
More information: 08 8723 1644

The State Government has given the go ahead to a $6.8m upgrade of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre site at Hindmarsh. The upgrade comes on the back of a record-breaking last 12 months, with more than 370,000 passing through the centre’s doors and record profits recorded. The multi-million-dollar upgrade will include major upgrades of the foyer, backstage area and corporate facilities, new staging and curtains and the restoration of the heritage-listed Revelations Chapel for use as a wedding and function venue.
More information: 08 8463 4610

State Theatre Company of South Australia has won two major awards: the Ruby Award for “Sustained Contribution” celebrating the significant contribution the Company has had on arts and cultural life in South Australia, and the AbaF Marsh Partnering Award for the State Theatre Company Assistant Director Scheme with major partner Flinders Power. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the State Theatre Company, first created as part of an Act of Parliament in 1972, to commission new works, train staff across all creative disciplines of theatre and to produce and present performances.
More information: 08 8231 5151




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