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Government Support for SA Tourism Development
30 June 2009
The Rann Government’s ongoing commitment to building a better South Australian tourism future has been underlined by $120,000 funding for three new tourism ventures.
Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says this is part of the Rann Government’s $2 million annual assistance for tourism operators across the State.
The funds support operators who are building new and innovative tourism accommodation, attractions and tours, as well as revitalising and updating existing tourism ventures.
“Tourism is a highly competitive industry and if South Australia is to compete on the world stage as a sought-after holiday destination, we must couple our strengths as a tourism destination, including accessible nature and wildlife, food and wine, and an enviable lifestyle, with the best in accommodation, transport and tours,” Dr Lomax-Smith says.
“The Government’s ongoing tourism infrastructure funding is getting results for South Australian tourism, and the three latest successful funding applicants demonstrate the diversity and innovation of our tourism industry.
“The Government is contributing $50,000 towards the renovation and relaunch of Arkaba Station as the ultimate authentic Outback experience – with all the comforts of a luxury retreat.
“As part of its commitment to taking food and wine tourism experiences in the State’s established wine regions to the next level, as outlined in the South Australian Food & Wine Tourism Strategy, the Government is providing $50,000 towards building a conference centre and cellar door at Katnook Estate, an internationally recognised winery in the Coonawarra.
“The Government has also committed $20,000 towards a berth at St Kilda, so that passengers on a Spirit of the Port cruise can disembark and stroll through the St Kilda mangroves as part of their eco cruise experience.
“These are just the first three projects in what will be a long list of South Australian tourism infrastructure projects to be funded in 2009 and beyond. Creating new and refreshed tourism developments in South Australia is one of the 13 strategies set out in the South Australian tourism Plan 2009-14 which will make tourism a $6.3 billion industry for the State by 2014.”
Details on each of the three projects are attached to this media release.
Arkaba Station
Arkaba is a 60,000 acre working sheep station on the edge of Wilpena Pound, in the Flinders Ranges. The Australian ecotourism company, Wild Bush Luxury, which already boasts Barmurru Plains and Blue Mountains Private Safaris as part of its portfolio, has purchased Arkaba Station, and will relaunch it as a unique luxury Outback destination in early November, following a major upgrade. The upgrade will include renovation of the 1850’s heritage homestead to create five luxury ensuite guestrooms. It will also include the development of walking trails traversing the property and Wilpena Pound, as well as the construction of three overnight luxury swag camps along the walking trails – equipped with waterless toilets and rainwater catchment tanks to minimise their environmental impact. As well as the luxury homestead accommodation, the relaunched Arkaba will offer guests a wet edge pool, a self-service bar and wine cellar, as well as a resident chef to provide gourmet meals. But the highlight of any stay at Arkaba Station will be the premier guided experiences. Guests can choose to go on a three-day Walking Safari tour, which takes them – via the new trails – through the property and Wilpena Pound. They will sleep in the new luxury camps, which will be supplied with food and beverages in advance. Other activities to be offered will include sheep station activities, horse riding guided by an Aboriginal elder, wildlife viewing, four-wheel-drive trips, scenic flights, mountain biking and Indigenous cultural experiences.
More information: www.arkabastation.com
Spirit of the Port
Spirit Australia Cruises, which operates Coorong and Murray River cruises, has launched a new day cruise, “Spirit of the Port”. This new five-hour cruise operates from Port Adelaide every Tuesday and Saturday, and links the history and romance of the old port with the nature and ecology of the Port River estuarine environment. Passengers cruise into one of the largest accessible Ship’s Graveyards in the world, keep watch for dolphins and wetland birds, listen to expert commentary and enjoy a lunch onboard. A large flat screen television on the vessel displays images of present day sites as they were up to 100 years ago, enabling passengers to see how the area has changed over the years. The new pontoon at St Kilda, to be built with State Government funding assistance, will be used to embark and disembark passengers for a guided walk through the area’s mangroves as part of the cruise.
More information:
www.spiritoftheport.com.au
Katnook Estate
Katnook Estate’s winemaking history stretches back to 1896, when Coonawarra’s second vintage was made in the Katnook woolshed by Scottish immigrant John Riddoch. To encourage settlement in region, Riddoch set up the Coonawarra Fruit Colony at Katnook in a stone building which still stands today. In 1971, the Yunghanns family purchased Katnook and the first vines were planted soon after, with the grapes sold to neighbouring wineries. In 1980, the first wines were made under the Katnook Estate label in the Katnook woolshed just as John Riddoch had done 84 years before. In 2008, Katnook Estate was purchased by the Freixenet Group, which now carries on the tradition of winemaking on the property. The Freixenet Group, with assistance from the State Government, will sensitively convert the historic building where John Riddoch set up his fruit colony into a function and conference centre, as well as create a cellar door offering information about the Coonawarra wine industry and local attractions.
More information: www.katnookestate.com.au
Media contact:
Public Relations Unit,
telephone +61 8 8463 4500
or email
satc.pr.publications@saugov.sa.gov.au
SA Stories Archive
The Word Around Archive
Colourful Kangaroos Invade London
25 June 2009
A mob of Kangaroo Island ‘roos are set to attract plenty of attention on London’s streets this week.
Twenty life-sized kangaroo ‘statues’ have appeared in landmark locations in London today, as part of an initiative to promote Kangaroo Island and South Australia.
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Adelaide to Host World Life Saving Championships
16th June 2009
The International Life Saving Federation today announced that Adelaide will host the World Life Saving Championships in 2012.
Minister for Recreation, Sport & Racing Michael Wright said the World Life Saving Championships, Rescue 2012, will be a major event for Adelaide that will provide a significant boost to the South Australian economy.
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Kangaroo Island Declared a ‘National Landscape’
15th June 2009
Kangaroo Island – widely regarded overseas as ‘Australia’s Galapagos’ – has been declared part of Tourism Australia’s prestigious National Landscapes program
The island is the only destination to have been recognised this year.
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Best of SA Tourism on Show to the World
15th June 2009
South Australia’s brilliant blend of tourism attractions is on show to the world this week at the southern hemisphere’s largest tourism trade show.
More than 40 tourism operators are representing our State at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) in Melbourne, says Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith, who will be attending the event.
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A Better Welcome for Cruise Ship Passengers
13th June 2009
Cruise ship passengers to Adelaide already receive one of the friendliest welcomes in Australia and now they will also have access to better facilities at the Outer Harbor terminal.
Flinders Ports has today announced that it is contributing $250,000 towards an upgrade of the terminal facility and site, with work to be completed before the new cruise ship season.
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Your Chance To Ride The Tour Down Under
9th June 2009
From today people can sign up to ride a Stage of the 2010 Tour Down Under in the Mutual Community Challenge Tour, presented by The Advertiser.
The Mutual Community Challenge Tour – part of the Skoda Breakaway Series recreational ride program – will be held on Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under, from Norwood to Goolwa, on Friday 22 January 2010. Routes for other stages will be announced in July.
Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the ride is expected to be a tough but rewarding challenge for amateur cycling enthusiasts.
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SA Wine Districts Top Travel List
Friday, April 3rd 2009
South Australia’s world-class wine regions have been rated among the top 10 regions in the world in the Travel + Leisure’s 50 Greatest Destinations of All Time listing.
The wine districts collectively rate alongside destinations such as the Greek Islands, Kakadu, The Antarctic and the Canadian Rockies.
Travel + Leisure magazine asked readers and members of the travel industry across Australia and New Zealand for their all-time top 50 destinations.
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Tiger Airways' Adelaide Base Takes Off
3 March 2009
Tiger Airways opens its new Adelaide Airport base today and starts a host of extra low-cost flights from Australian cities in a significant boost to the State’s tourism industry.
From today, Tiger Airways commences daily flights from Perth and the Gold Coast, four flights per week from Hobart and more services on the Melbourne route.
Later this month, the airline will introduce three flights per week from Alice Springs and four from Canberra, increasing their flights to Adelaide to 44, up from 14 in January last year.
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SA Success At National Tourism Awards
28th February
South Australia has taken out three national awards at the 2008 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Melbourne last night. The winners are:
o 2008 Clipsal 500 Adelaide was named Australia’s best major festival & event
o Adelaide Convention Centre was named Australia’s best meetings & business tourism venue
o Narnu Farm was named Australia’s best standard accommodation
The Clipsal 500 Adelaide, which is celebrating its second consecutive national win, triumphed over other top name events from around the country, including 2008 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships (WA), the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
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Record Breaking Tour Down Under
20th February 2009
Figures released today show that the 2009 Tour Down Under was the biggest event ever staged in South Australia.
Premier Mike Rann today announced the preliminary economic impact and research figures for the event, which was held in South Australia from 18-25 January.
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Tour Down Under Dates Set for 2010
19th February 2009
The 2010 Tour Down Under will take place in South Australia from 17 to 24 January 2010.
Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith announced the dates after they were agreed at a meeting of the UCI ProTour Council in Switzerland.
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SATC Launches Domestic Campaign
From February 2009 the South Australian Tourism Commission is beginning a major TV and press campaign to promote SA in the national holiday market.
The campaign will run in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, targeting market segments that research has identified as the most profitable, helping us achieve Tourism's SASP $6.3b goal.
This is the first step in taking SA holidays to Australia’s domestic market in a bigger, bolder way.
The campaign has been designed to be flexible so it can be used in a variety of ways. As such, an Industry Toolkit has been developed allowing different partners to use elements of the campaign. To view the campaign, read the Industry Toolkit, or get more background, click here
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SA'S Favourite Guide To Holidays Launched
13th Febuary 2009
A reinvigorated edition of the South Australian Shorts, Brilliant breaks and longer stays book will be released today, offering South Australians plenty of holiday favourites, and a host of new experiences to enjoy.
Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the new 2009/2010 edition, available at the AFTA Sunday Mail Holiday Expo from 6-8 February, contains hundreds of holiday packages from around the State, offering something for all types of travellers.
“This fresh edition includes more than 380 great holiday deals, special rates, bonus nights, fabulous family holiday packages and extra inclusions, providing something to suit every interest,” Dr Lomax-Smith says.
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Davis delivers to clinch Tour Down Under crown
25 January 2009
Queensland's Allan Davis (Quick Step) has been crowned champion of the 2009 Tour Down Under and leader of the UCI ProTour after an impressive week of racing that saw him win three of the event's six stages.
Today's 81 kilometre stage, 18 laps of the 4.5km Adelaide City Council Circuit, was effectively a victory procession for Davis. 144,000 fans, the highest ever one-day crowd for an Australian sporting event, turned out to congratulate him.
Davis was protected by his Quick Step team mates throughout the stage and crossed the line with the main field in 33rd place to secure his victory in a total race time of 19hrs26min59sec.
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Tour Proper Begins Today
20th January 2009
The wait is over as the much-anticipated 2009 ProTour Tour Down Under gets underway today.
All eyes are expected to be on American cycling legend Lance Armstrong who is making his official comeback to elite level cycling.
133 cyclists from 23 countries will ride today’s 140km stage – starting on The Parade at Norwood at 11am and finishing on Mawson Lakes Boulevard just before 3pm.
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Lance Armstrong Arrives, Tour Countdown Begins
12th January 2009
The world’s attention has turned to South Australia with the arrival of the greatest cyclist of all time, Lance Armstrong, to make his comeback to world cycling at the State Government’s Tour Down Under.
Premier Mike Rann, Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith and Tour Down Under Director Mike Turtur joined Lance Armstrong for his first media appearance in Adelaide this afternoon.
The seven-times Tour de France winner arrived at Adelaide Airport last night.
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Wilson completes Tour Down Under line-up
11 January 2009
2004 Australian road race champion, Matt Wilson, has been selected as the final rider for the UniSA-Australia team to contest this year's Tour Down Under.
Wilson, who is also a former winner of the Herald Sun Tour, placed fifth in today's elite men's road race at the Scody Australian Open Road Championships in Buninyong, near Ballarat in Victoria to earn the call up for the ProTour event.
"I'm very happy because I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I wasn't selected in the first place but I spoke to selectors and they assured me that if I put in a good ride at the nationals I'd be in with a chance," said Wilson who rides with the US based Team Type 1.
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Planning for a $6.3 Billion State Tourism Industry
15 January 2009
Today’s launch of the South Australian Tourism Plan 2009-2014 sets out an ambitious blueprint to increase the value of tourism in the State to $6.3 billion within the next six years.
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Cycling Change For Kids
2 January 2009
Children have the chance to show off their cycling skills and be part of the Tour Down Under during the ‘Mutual Community mini tour for kids’, presented by UniSA.
The ride, for 6-12 year olds, takes place from 4pm on Sunday 18 January 2009 on a section of the Cancer Council Classic circuit in Adelaide, just before the start of the professional race.
Acting Tourism Minister Jay Weatherill says the Mutual Community mini tour for kids is a great opportunity for children to become involved in the Tour Down Under.
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O’Grady Returns Home To Lead Danish Outfit
29th December 2008
A strong and competitive Team Saxo Bank, led by South Australia’sStuart O’Grady, will take to the start line at the 2009 Tour Down Under.
Race Director Mike Turtur highlighted that Stuart O’Grady is the only rider inthe Tour Down Under’s history to have won the event twice.
“Stuart O’Grady won the inaugural Tour Down Under in 1999 and again in2001,” said Mike Turtur.
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Stuart O'Grady Joins Impressive Rider Roster For 2009 Tour
29th December 2008
Team Saxo Bank, led by South Australia’s Stuart O’Grady, is the nineteenth and final team to be announced for the 2009 Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
Premier Mike Rann today welcomed the news that Team Saxo Bank would be racing and said that Stuart O’Grady’s presence would add to the list of world-class riders already confirmed to compete in January’s event.
“Stuart is one of the country’s leading sportsman, and the only man to have ever won the Tour Down Under twice, so we’re naturally delighted that he will be competing in Australia’s premier cycling event in 2009,” Premier Mike Rann said.
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Allan Davis To Ride 11th Tour Down Under
26th December 2008
Two more European teams, Quick Step (BEL) and Team Milram (GER),have confirmed their place on the start list of the 2009 Tour DownUnder.
Tour Down Under Race Director, Mike Turtur, announced today that QuickStep’s lead rider for the event is Australia’s Allan Davis.
“Allan is the only rider to compete at all 11 Tour Down Under events (1999 –2009). It will be great to see him back at the race in Adelaide in January,”said Mike Turtur.
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Italian ProTour Teams Added To Start List
22nd December 2008
Italian UCI ProTour teams Liquigas and Lampre-N.G.C. have confirmedtheir places on the 2009 Tour Down Under start list.
“Liquigas finished fourth overall in the Team Classification at the 2008 TourDown Under, so we expect them to be tough competition in 2009,” said MikeTurtur, Tour Down Under Race Director.
In 2008, Liquigas’ Francesco Chicchi finished first on Stage 7 of the Tirreno-Adriatico and first on Stage 1a, Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali.
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Armstrong’s Astana Team Confirmed for Tour Down Under
22 December 2008
A strong Astana team will support Lance Armstrong when he makes hisreturn to professional cycling at the 2009 Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
Tour Down Under Race Director, Mike Turtur, believes victory by the Astanateam is not out of the question.
“We all know that Lance Armstrong is a champion, but the rest of his Astanateam mates heading Down Under should not be underestimated,” said MikeTurtur.
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Spanish Teams Confirmed for Tour Down Under
17 December 2008
The Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP) team and new UCI ProTour Fuji-Servetto (ESP) team will add to the list of Spanish riders competing at next year’s Tour Down Under.
Mike Turtur, Race Director, Tour Down Under said Spanish teams have a strong and successful cycling history.
“The Euskaltel-Euskadi and Fuji-Servetto teams are welcome additions to the already talented rider and team line-up for the event,” said Mike Turtur.
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New Sponsors Join Tour Down Under
18 Decemeber 2008
Raising cancer awareness and encouraging people to stop smoking will be at the top of the agenda at the 2009 Tour Down Under.
Premier Mike Rann and Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith today announced that the Tour Down Under has confirmed two major new partnerships with Cancer Council SA and SA Health.
“The participation of cancer survivor and cycling superstar Lance Armstrong at the 2009 Tour Down Under has increased the profile of cancer awareness and prevention,” Premier Rann says.
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