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The Outback Festival is run by a group of enthusiastic and hard working individuals, all providing their services on a volunteer basis. Events are funded by generous local, state and national sponsors and surplus funds are channeled back into the planning of each festival and to charity organisations.

This years program has it all. Offering numerous zany events which include the Australian Dunny Derby, Royale Crustacean Racing Club (Crayfish Racing), Outback Iron Man and Outback Iron Woman events, True Blue Aussie Sports Competition, Bushman’s Egg Throwing Competition, Outback Goanna Pulling Championships, Outback Iron Kid Event, Country/Rock Music Spectacular, just to name a few of the 50 events conducted during the 5 days of festivities.

Come on out to Outback Queensland’s Premier Outback Event at Winton Queensland from the 26th to 30th September 2007. See you there!

There has been the remarkable rise of the “celebrity chef” in recent years, but now there is a new push for other restaurant staff to have their time in the sun. It is a bit of a joke that waiting tables is what actors do between real jobs. But it is not a funny one in the hospitality industry, and it is a perception that the country’s top restaurants are trying hard to be rid of.

For the first time, the organisers behind the annual Young Chef Awards have introduced a new title – the 2007 Young Waiter Award. The Young Waiter Award went to 21-year-old Jai Leighton from Adelaide.

He thinks he knows what sets a great waiter apart from a good waiter. “Just making it more personalised, creating an experience for them, not just ‘we’re serving you, in and out, taking your money’. Just creating an experience and a personalised style, a unique style,” he said.

Perry wants to see the day where waiters are just as well-regarded as the chefs – they are, after all, the front line of any restaurant. He hopes that when it comes to education and training, the service industry will one day be up there with other trades.

Also last night, the Young Chef of the Year Award went to 29-year-old Melanie Gowers from Adelaide. She will now represent Australia at an international competition in Venice next year.

From 26 September to 14 October, Melbourne will burst with excitement as The Age 2007 Melbourne Fringe Festival unleashes 19 days of arts events, installations and unbridled creativity across Australia’s cultural capital.

The Age 2007 Melbourne Fringe Festival will mark 25 years of Melbourne Fringe bringing its wondrous melting-pot of art to Melbourne, making it one of Australia’s oldest and most significant cultural festivals. Over the years Melbourne Fringe has been the platform for many of Australia’s finest talents, including Jane Campion, Lano and Woodley, Barrie Kosky, Denise Scott, Jean Kitson, Santo Cilauro, Rachel Berger, Rachel Griffiths, Tiddas, Chamber Made Opera, Patrica Piccinini, Judith Lucy, The Doug Anthony Allstars, Greg Fleet, Adam Richard and Wil Anderson.

With an independent program representing performance, comedy, circus, cabaret, music, visual arts, dance and movement and digital art, more than 3,000 artists will be involved in this celebration of artistic excellence.

Melbourne Fringe offers something for everyone, presenting around 250 events in over 100 venues right across Melbourne, including activities for all ages. Ticket prices average less than AU$20 with plenty of free events. So join more than 200,000 Fringe-goers in 2007, as we expose the most contemporary and innovative work by independent artists to the theatres, galleries, laneways and nooks and crannies of the city.

What do you get when you combine the talents of a fashion designer and a 3D animator? the answer is simple, suede+sable.com! The creative vision of designer Emily Hodges and the extensive technical knowledge of 3D animator Jared Martin have merged to bring to life this new and exciting online fashion boutique.

The result of this interesting combination has led to a creative outlet showcasing some of the best new and up and coming independent designers from Australia!. There aim is to bring together an eclectic mix of easy to wear, unique street fashion and accessories for both guys and girls! Keep your eyes on the boutique as they will be expanding over the next few months!

This is a call out to Writers, Producers, Directors/DOPs and Editors. SPAA Fringe in partnership with Avid Australia is pleased to announce a brand new scheme, which will allow five teams the opportunity to produce, edit and live stream a short film at SPAA Fringe in October in Sydney.

Avid Australia Fast Flicks is a competition that will showcase how technology and ideas can be created in real time, on professional equipment and distributed immediately. The competition offers anyone who is passionate about filmmaking the opportunity to win fantastic prizes, develop working relationships with like-minded people and showcase their work to thousands of people.

The deadline for applicants is the 5th October 2007. Find out more here.

Sydney’s only Urban Art Festival returns to Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour 20-23 September 2007. 

4 days…
40 artists…
120,000 avid art fans…
Pavement and streets works…
Performance Art…
Music, entertainment…
Take Part in Art!

The Human Touch lies within us in different layers, how we express the way we feel towards the ones most close to us, whether it be a cuddle, a lingering or innocent kiss, handshake or a pat on the head or shoulder or maybe we may show it in certain actions to show somebody we care.

However, according to a recent news headline, we seem to be losing this contact we have through with others, as we slowly isolate interactions we may have personally or socially. We have become anxious and shy to communicate with others as the latest technology continues to take over our lives in order to make life simpler or more convenient for us.

Mobile phones; handy when we need to communicate in our daily interactions or in an emergency, sms’s make that time quicker and easier not to be stuck on the line for however long. Computers provide various ways to communicate through our e-mail addy’s; which is now printed on every personal information form, address book or diary, chat rooms and popular sites where we can IM someone at our fingertips in the office or home. Handwriting a letter to someone is becoming a ‘thing of the past’; Christmas and birthday cards are slowly being replaced by well wishes via e-mail and sms messages. Personal touches are becoming a rarity, even templates well wishing for various occasions are making technology a breeze to communicate and do our part to make contact without a fuss and less of a time waster.

Computer games; look how it’s evolved from pac-man and space invaders to virtual games live on the PC, now there are people who have no desire to venture into the outdoors while so much is occurring within their very own homes. Whatever happened to the days where children rode their bikes and played their imaginary games in cubby and tree houses? Our families had to bribe or scold us to come inside to have our meals, whereas nowadays we bribe or scold our children to get away from the screens right in front of their eyes!

Isn’t it funny in an ironic way that we seem to catch up with people we haven’t come across in what seems like a long time- at weddings and funerals? How many times have we heard the sentence…”Why does it take a funeral to get people together again, when we have lost a loved one, we should catch up soon for a BBQ or get together’ and the reply is usually ‘Yes I know, we should definitely catch up” and how often does these interactions actually follow through?

Will that Human touch and affection we feel towards another, lose its momentum and continue to isolate us and turn us into robots of routine and a lifestyle that is based upon time management and money in our pockets. Of course; earning money to live the lives we desire is an essential part of our lifestyle, yet how hard is it to turn up at family members or an old friend’s house to say hello and to see how their life has been and give them a warm hand shake or embrace.

Restaurant & Catering’s Restaurateur of the Year for 2007 is – tarantara – Maurice Terzini. Now this is interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that Maurice is, I’d reckon, the first Melbourne restaurateur to be an unqualified success in Sydney since Helen Spry opened the doors of Chez Oz in 1985, a restaurant which was, if you’ll pardon the expression, a bit of a flash in the pan, and epitomised the 80s era motto “nothing succeeds like excess”. Not so Terzini. Otto, his first outing, may have been the place to be seen, but it also offered damn good food and service.

I recently took my wife to Icebergs for a wedding anniversary and she said – not of the food, which was terrific – but of the room: “It’s elegant but it’s also relaxed – and not up itself.” That’s Maurice Terzini. One other Terzini story before listing some other winners. He once told me how he got rid of an obnoxious customer. “I went to the till, took out $200 and said please, go eat somewhere else. I don’t want you here.” That’s the classiest bounce I’ve ever heard.

Picture: Maurice Terzini at Bondi Icebergs

Other winners for 2007 were (and not a complete list by any means) Restaurant of the Year: Tetsuya’s. Asian Restaurant of the Year: Red Lantern: Formal Italian Restaurant of the Year: Icebergs. Local Restaurant of the Year: La Grande Bouffe. Greek Restaurant of the Year: Perama. Japanese Restaurant of the Year: Yoshii. And finally, Thai Restaurant of the Year: Arun Thai, our 1991 Bent Fork winner and still going strong. Congratulations all.

Never before has Australia given birth to such an unashamedly daring, pansexual foursome as The Minority. Theatrical, multi-layered tunes, controversial lyrics and a sexy, glam rock image. The Minority are sizzling with the most intense blend of all things hot! Two Flat Whites recently had the pleasure in talking with Ross Larkin of The Minority.

A closer listen to The Minoritys eccentric lyrics reveal splashes of witty humour, sordid truths & some power packed angst – wrapping sexual politics, twisted relationships and numerous obsessive behaviours in character, comedy and charm. While comparisons to Scissor Sisters, The Darkness & The Killers are not uncommon – these guys & girls are a breed of their own; confident in their direction – and a stage presence rarely seen. The result is simply dynamic! Don’t forget to check out their debut single “SABOTAGE“.

If you sign an autograph what do you write? And where do you call home?

I usually just write my name because I find writing autographs embarrassing so I keep it as brief as possible. Home is Melbourne.

In your own words, what do you do?

In terms of The Minority, I write, sing, perform, record, collaborate, entertain, work extremely hard, network if I can cope with it and have a great time.

Childhood Memories:

TV Show – Inspector Gadget.

Hobby – Collecting records.

Food – Burgers and chips (not anymore though).

Fear – Self discovery.

People – Parents, brother, friends, bullies, teachers.

Defining moment – There were many.

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

Neither. Worst years of my life but not for the chore factor.

From the hours of 9am to 5pm, what do you get up too?

I wear many caps. I’m a film maker as well as a muso so I juggle between the 2 including writing scripts and music, not to mention all the work that comes with not having a manager or a record company.

Where can people see you perform?

Noise Bar, Brunswick Hotel, Commercial Hotel etc etc. Can be anywhere really. … Or on You Tube all the time.

For love or money?

For the love (and the frustration) of trying to make money. Lack of money might kill it eventually.

What future endeavors are in the pipeline?

Recording an album, making another film clip (our current film clip is on you tube and soon to be on TV), more gigs etc etc.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

With a lot of achievements and results under my belt. Successes and developments that I’m very proud of and that can be shared widely.

If you could invite 3 people to chat over coffee, who would they be & why?

1) Annie Lennox because she’s been my inspiration and my idol since age 11.
2) Madonna to find out if she’s a bitch or if she’s actually interesting.
3) Michel Gondry, to brainstorm great film concepts and ideas!

Coffee or Tea?

Neither thank you.