Pubs and breweries in NSW

New South Wales is home to some of Australia's oldest pubs and breweries, as well as the new ones which all serve up an assortment of beers waiting for you to taste test.

Hotel Coolamon. NSW (Roderick Eime)

Must Do

George IV Inn and Scharers Little Brewery
Goulburn Brewery (now closed)
The Little Brewing Company

Best country pubs

Best pubs and breweries in NSW

There's no better way to enjoy a beer than on the verandah of a historic pub in regional NSW. At a great pub, you'll enjoy not just good beer but good service, food, ambience and, if you're really lucky, something else – an idyllic location or unique style.

Some good NSW pubs are the Jack Duggans Irish Pub in Bathurst, Mount Kembla Village Hotel near Wollongong and The Royal Hotel in Moree. Great beachside pubs include Patonga Beach Hotel on the Central Coast, Sawtell Hotel near Port Macquarie and The Dockyard at Newcastle.

Family-friendly pubs in NSW include Sutton Forest Inn in the Southern Highlands and Empire Bay Tavern on the Central Coast.

Regional breweries are also on the rise in NSW and you'll find them sprinkled around the State. In Mudgee enjoy a local beer at the Mudgee Brewing Company; don't miss a local brew at Wollongong's Five Islands Brewery or BlueTongue Brewery in the Hunter Valley. The Northern Rivers Brewing Company is at Alstonville while the Byron Bay Brewery has a delicious Byron Bay Premium Ale.

The Snowy Mountains has several excellent breweries - Kosciuszko Brewing Company, Snowy Vineyard and Microbrewery, Snowy Mountains Brewery and Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery.

MORE: Historic Australian Pubs and Hotels

Sydney Festival celebrates summer

#Sydney Festival is an annual summer arts festival celebrating Sydney in summer. Every January, the Festival enlivens and transforms Sydney with a spectacular program of theatre, dance, music, visual arts and film, spanning over a range free and ticketed events.

Festival Village at Hyde Park. Photo credit Jamie Williams.

Higher Ground, by Dublin Street artist Maser will make its world premiere in Festival Village.
Maser’s Olympus Photography Playground in Berlin pictured.

Tabac Rouge, James Thierree's largest work to date. Photo credit Richard Haughton.

The Kitchen, a food and theatrical spectacle from India. Photo credit K.R. Vinayan.

Sydney Festival 2015 comprises 179 events, a staggering 85 of which are free. With 495 performances across 25 indoor and outdoor venues, Sydney Festival 2015 features 974 artists from across 30 countries. With 18 world premieres, 11 Australian premieres and 22 Australian exclusives, summer in our beautiful city is not to be missed.

Headline artist James Thierree returns with Tabac Rouge, his largest and most extravagant work to date. Whilst European star of the screen Charlotte Rampling makes her Australian debut performance in The Night Dances .

A world premiere and new Australian theatre work by Kate Mulvany lovingly brings to life the iconic children's book Masquerade by Kit Williams. A magical tale that will enchant audiences aged nine to 90.

An Australian exclusive, Kiss & Cry is a sweeping cinematic romance with a twist, starring a duo of dexterous, dancing hands. A collaboration between prize-winning filmmaker Jaco Van Dormael and choreographer Miche le Anne De May , this sensual, small-scale ballet must be seen to be believed.

Music takes centre stage at Sydney Festival in 2015 as Brazil's superstar Seu Jorge brings his signature mix of transformative pop and swinging tunes from Rio's colourful favelas to Australia for the first time.

The sounds of Africa bring the futuristic grooves of Nigerian synth pioneer and music legend William Onyeabor, to Sydney in Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabor . The Australian exclusive performance will feature a star studded line-up featuring Gotye, Sinkane, Money Mark (Beastie Boys), Luke Jenner (The Rapture), Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) and many more.

Sydneysiders know Sydney Festival is one of the most wonderful summer festivals in the world -- a claim underpinned by the city's lustre and charisma, making it an ideal showcase for the world's great artists.

See the full Sydney Festival 2015 program here: sydneyfestival.org.au/

SOURCE Sydney Festival

New Guinea - The Savage Land

I enjoy rummaging through old antique shops and jumble sales. Sometimes I find old library books which can be a lot of fun, especially if they are travel guides talking about a destination where so much has changed.

Greetings from Grasmere Lodge NZ

GRASMERE TURNS 20

At the beginning of 2015 Grasmere Lodge will celebrate 20 years of welcoming guests from all over the world. To date, more than 40,000 discerning travellers have arrived in need of a break and departed fully rejuvenated. It was on 1 January 1995 that current owner Tom Butler began his tenure at the Lodge, laying the lawn outside the lounge and bar. Since then the chalet and cottages have been built (2003) the lodge designed and constructed (2000), and Tom's lawn has been mown many, many times. We've been especially busy this year with a $250,000 lodge renovation project that includes all new tiling, fitting and fixtures. The bedrooms and public areas had a refresh too, with new carpet. Grasmere is in great shape to celebrate its 20th anniversary. We really hope you can join us.

Welcome aboard to our new chef

We are pleased and excited to welcome Jean-Michel Poulot as head chef at Grasmere Lodge.
Jean-Michel's wealth of experience includes eight years in Michelin Star restaurants in Switzerland following training in France. After moving to Ireland in 1988 he opened 'Side Door' restaurant in the Shelbourne Hotel before guiding Conrad Gallaghers restaurant 'Peacock Alley' to a Michelin star. He enjoyed great success at 'Halo' in Dublin before opening his own restaurant 'Poulot' in 2005. In 2009 Jean-Michel and wife Lorna sold up and moved to New Zealand. After a few years with Christchurch's iconic 'Saggio di vino', Jean-Michel heeded the call of Grasmere and moved to the high country, further ensuring guest dining experiences at our lodge will be consistently outstanding.

Farewell Toddy and Lass

Toddy and Lass, our beautiful golden retrievers, sadly passed after 14 years of living the dream here at Grasmere. We want you to help with the naming of our new pooch (yet to be acquired), who is destined to be best friends with Sam, our incumbent Jack Russell. Keep an eye on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Grasmere-Lodge/225672697487523 for details on how you can assist.

It's a girl!

February 2014 we welcomed Jo and Tom's baby girl Bella to the Grasmere clan – the first child to be born and raised on the property for some 50 years. At just seven months old, Bella's already familiar with the lay of the land. She walks the trails with Tom in a backpack and has developed a love for riding, thanks to Grasmere's long-serving horse lady Heather.

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Emirates 100th Boeing 777-300ER

Emirates celebrated another milestone on Wednesday with the delivery of the airline’s 100th Boeing 777-300ER, the world’s largest, long-range twin engine commercial aircraft.

The Boeing 777-300ER forms the backbone of the Emirates fleet with the aircraft type currently operating to 77 destinations on the airline’s global network.

Delivery of Emirates’ first Boeing 777-300ER took place in March 2005 and with a further 52 aircraft on order, the airline is the world’s largest operator of this aircraft type - in fact one in every five 777-300ERs flying today is in Emirates’ livery.

It takes 47 days to build a 777-300ER and each aircraft is made of three million parts. If you took all of the wiring contained within Emirates’ 100 777-300ERs and placed it end-to-end it would stretch from Dubai to New York and back again.

click to enlarge infographic

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said, “The Boeing 777-300ER is one of the most remarkable aircraft ever built, and its combination of efficiency, range and payload is second to none. Our customers are equally excited by the aircraft and its on-board product, and to date over 108 million passengers have flown on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER.

“We have 204 more Boeing 777s on order, which supports over 400,000 jobs in the United States of America, including those from various suppliers such as General Electric which provides the GE90 engines that power all of our 777-300ERs,” added Sir Tim.

“We are proud of our long-term relationship with Emirates and for the confidence they have in Boeing’s products and services beginning with the 777 and continuing with the 777X in the years to come,” said Ray Conner, president and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The operating economics and long-range capability of the 777-300ER have played a prominent role in the success of Emirates’ business strategy.”

The range of the Boeing 777-300ER is 14,490 kilometres, and Emirates’ longest flight with this aircraft currently operates between Dubai and Houston which is a total distance of 13,120 kilometres.

The Boeing 777 is manufactured in Everett, Washington. The Everett plant is so large that it requires its own fire department, security force, fully equipped medical clinic, electrical substations and water-treatment plant. The site’s main assembly building, which the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledges as the largest building in the world by volume, its footprint covers 98.3 acres (39.9 hectares)

Timeline of the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER

16th June 2003: Emirates announced an operating lease order for 26 Boeing 777-300ERs at the 2003 Paris Air Show, worth $5.6 billion.

20th July 2004: Emirates ordered 4 Boeing 777-300ERs with 9 options at the 2004 Farnborough Air Show, worth $2.96 billion.

26th March 2005: Emirates receives its first Boeing 777-300ER.

20th November 2005: At the Dubai 2005 – 9th International Aerospace Exhibition, Emirates announced an order for 24 Boeing 777-300ERs. In all, Emirates ordered 42 Boeing 777s in a deal worth $9.7 billion, the largest Boeing 777 order then in history.

11th November 2007: At the 2007 Dubai Air Show, Emirates ordered 12 Boeing 777-300ERs, worth $3.2 billion.

In 2009, Emirates became the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 with the delivery of its 78th B777.

19th July 2010: Emirates ordered another 30 Boeing 777-300ERs at the 2010 Farnborough Air Show, worth $9.1 billion.

13th November 2011: At the 2011 Dubai Air Show, a firm order was placed for 50 Boeing 777-300ERs with options for another 20. The deal was worth $18 billion, the largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history.

3rd March 2012: Emirates received the 1000th Boeing 777 which was a 777-300ER variant.

17th November 2013: In the 2013 Dubai Air Show , Emirates made aviation history with a record-breaking order of 150 Boeing 777X aircraft.

29th July 2014: Boeing delivers its 500th 777-300ER to Emirates. Emirates is the only airline in the world to operate all 6 variants of the 777 family.

29th October 2014: Emirates receives its 100th Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates operates one out of every five Boeing 777-300ERs in the world.

Emirates Destinations launched using Boeing 777-300ER are:

Adelaide, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Geneva, Milan-New York JFK, Oslo, Rio De Janeiro, Seattle, Stockholm, Taipei and Tokyo (Narita)

Oman’s Frankincense Trail

THE FRANKINCENSE TRAIL: OMAN'S ANCIENT CARAVAN TRADE ROUTE

FOLLOWING HISTORY'S LEGENDS - FROM THE QUEEN OF SHEBA TO MARCO POLO

For nearly 5,000 years a rather unsightly Boswellia tree, which produces a heavenly fragrance was considered to be Arabia's most precious commodity. During the height of its popularity the Boswellia – better known as the frankincense tree - rivalled gold, silk and gems in value and spawned a vital trade route that for centuries extended from Southern Arabia into West Africa and India.

In Oman's Dhofar region the Frankincense Trail created vast fortunes and frequently lured adventurers from afar including the Venetian explorer, Marco Polo and of more recent times, T. E. Lawrence – known throughout the history books as Lawrence of Arabia. So revered, it was also said that the Queen of Sheba built a palace in the ancient port of Samhuran (near present day Salalah) along the ancient trade route, where she would hoard large quantities for her own personal use.

Australian Stories - Tasmania - Restaurant Australia - Melbourne Food and Wine - Matilda The Musical

		Tasmania one of World’s Top Regions to Visit in 2015
		Tasmania has been named in Lonely Planet’s World’s Top Regions to Visit in 2015. Coming in at number four, the guide describes Tasmania as, ‘a gourmet’s paradise, best exemplified by the diversity of produce found in the wilds of Bruny Island. Whether it’s getting a frisky fill of oysters at Get Shucked Oyster Farm, downing a few glasses of Pinot Noir at Australia’s most southern winery, or gorging on freshly picked berries from the local berry farm, there’s no better place to taste Tassie on a plate.’ Lonely Planet also encourages travellers to discover Tasmania’s natural beauty, bushwalking experiences, and diverse, remote and wild outdoor experiences. Images courtesy of Joe Shemesh, Geoff Murray and Tourism Tasmania.
		Restaurant Australia Chef launches app
		Peter Gilmore has released an intimate, digital tour of the people, places and produce behind his unique dishes. The self-titled, interactive documentary for iPad is narrated by Peter himself and draws on stunning, high-definition photography, soundscapes and video, on the journey from produce to plate. The app is a behind the scenes look at what goes into inviting the world to dinner. From the Northern New South Wales Coast to Tasmanian fishing town St Helens, food lovers, young chefs, and critics alike can now explore some of Australia’s most pristine locations and meet the growers, fishermen and graziers that call them home.
		2015 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival program announced
		A pop-up artisan bakery rising daily in the heart of the city, serving a long lunch for 1,500 diners in Melbourne’s iconic fresh produce market, and a wine tasting with 40 of the world’s best biodynamic winemakers are just some of the unique ways Melbourne’s vibrant culinary spirit will be celebrated from 27 February to 15 March 2015. Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) presented by Bank of Melbourne will take a journey to new frontiers of flavour in some of Victoria’s most spectacular settings: from famous dining spots to unexpected venues, rooftop bars to hidden cellars, plus extraordinary locations across regional Victoria. All festival events are on sale from 21 November with the full festival program available from 18 November.
		Matilda The Musical
		Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical will make its Australian premiere at Sydney Lyric Theatre with performances commencing from 28 July 2015. Matilda The Musical is based on the beloved novel by best-selling author, Roald Dahl. It is the story of an extraordinary little girl who is armed with a vivid imagination, sharp mind and dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Featuring music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical has proven an enormous success in London’s West End and on Broadway, where productions continue to play to packed houses and capture the imagination of young and old alike.
		Woodford Folk Festival
		Woodford Folk Festival is one of Australia's most iconic annual events and returns for its 29th year from 27 December 2014 - 1 January 2015. Held in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland, Woodford Folk Festival gathers artists and musicians and explores cultural, artistic, social and food diversity. This year's festival will see over 2500 artists and presenters perform across 35 venues. The program ranges from concerts featuring national and Indigenous Australian and international contemporary artists to films, forums, visual arts, an entire children's festival and many special presentations including a spectacular fire event on New Year's Day.
		Sculpture by the Sea starts today
		The 18th annual Sculpture by the Sea Bondi exhibition starts today. Scattered along the 2km Bondi to Tamarama coast walk will be over 100 sculptures by international and Australian artists, including 40 artists exhibiting for the first time. As well as amazing sculptures being showcased, Marks Park will become the mid-point of the exhibition where Grounds by the Sea, a pop up eatery by popular Sydney restaurant and café Grounds of Alexandria, will be present along with numerous deck chairs and beach umbrellas to form a chill out zone to enjoy a coffee or lunch while taking in this free exhibition. Since the starting in 1997, the exhibition has inspired over 1,000 artists to create 1,847 sculptures. Sculpture by the Sea will be on until 9 November.