Australia

Connolly disagrees with Wallace

2005-05-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Fremantle's coach Chris Connolly had some very harsh comments to say about Richmond's coach Terry Wallace, after Wallace's public display against AFL players using caffiene pills while playing. Wallace said Connolly is going against the coaches code by breaking the silence.
For the complete article CLICK HERE

AFL Round 7 Ladder

2005-05-10T14:22:00.000-07:00

The AFL standings have changed after the completion of round 7. Current the West Coast Eagles are still leading the Ladder with an undefeated 7-0 season. In second place is the Melbourne Demons up from last rounds 3rd place finish with a 5-0-2 record. Rounding out the top 3 is the Geelong Cats also with a 5-0-2 record. This weekend's Round 8 match ups start with Carlton playing Geelong on Friday and ends with Essendon playing Fremantle Sunday night. The West Coast Eagles play St Kilda Saturday at 2:10PM. It'll be nice to see if St Kilda can finally beat the undefeated team.

Caffeine AFL Stimulant on the Richmond Team

2005-05-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Richmond Tigers coach Terry Wallace is concerned about his players taking caffeine pills. Before games some of his players, including one of his star players Nathan Brown, take caffeine pills to give themselves a boost. Wallace is concerned about his players, but also about the image it is conveying to young people and that the AFL will get from this problem. Even though Wallace doesn't agree with the stimulant, he won't ban it from the club.

For the complete story read Wallace Admits to Caffeine Concerns.

Grapple Tackle No Longer Allowed in NRL

2005-05-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

The grapple tackle, which is a controversial tackling method used in rugby, is no longer tolerated in the NRL. Recent guidelines handed out to referees have put in place a ban on the tackle because it has been deemed too dangerous. The move which involves contact with the head or neck of an opponent now carries heavy penalties with it. Most clubs now have a zero tolerance associated with the tackle both for safety as well as for their clubs. If the move is performed intentionally several penalties have now been put into place, ranging from monetary fines to losing points in the standings. Hopefully the NRL will benefit from these changes.
For the story CLICK HERE.

NRL Standings After Round 9, Broncos Take Over

2005-05-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

After this weekends matches the Broncos took the lead in the NRL Ladder standings, while last week's leaders the Sea Eagles dropped down to third. The Sharks jumped to second place from their last week's third place standing. The Broncos now have a 5 game winning streak under their belts. If they keep up this pace they're sure to be a contender for the finals.

Barrett will leave game for baby

2005-05-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Trent Barrett will leave the NRL City-Country game this coming Friday if his wife Kylie goes into labor early. The Channel Nine helicopter (which broadcasts the game) has agreed to take him if he receives word that his wife went into labor. Barrett said he would've pulled out of the match altogether but his wife's doctor said she most likely will deliever on her due date (10 days from now).
For the complete story CLICK HERE.

Port Adelaide Has No More 'Power'

2005-05-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

During this weekend's AFL matches a very disappointing loss was felt by the Port Adelaide Power. The Power had been on a losing streak for quite some time, but this weekend's match against the Richmond Tigers was just an embarassment. The Tigers had been losing by 28 points halfway through the game only to turn it around, score 14 goals and end the game with a 10 goal romp of the Power. For those who don't know alot about Aussie footy that's like having the Detriot Lions winning by 3 touchdowns at halftime, only to have the Dallas Cowboys come back and score 7 unanswered touchdowns and win the game. There is hope for the Power. There are still enough rounds left in the season for them to make the finals, however if they don't improve their playing they should just call it a season now and save themselves from further embarassment.
For the complete story see Port in crisis after big AFL loss and Williams slams 'embarrassing' Power.

Gold Coast Gets an NRL Team in 2007

2005-04-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

The NRL will be getting a 16th team starting in 2007. The Gold Coast Government approve $80 million in funding for a new stadium yesterday, almost assuring the Gold Coast as the new spot for the team. Several other barriers need to be crossed before the Gold Coast and NRL will say for sure that is where the new team will be, however these are just safety precautions taken by both sides. Look out Gold Coast, you're getting a new team. The biggest problem now is thinking of a good nickname.
Read New team strikes Gold for the entire story.

AFL 2005 Standings

2005-04-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Australian Football League (AFL) has an extremely tight race for the top spot. Leading the league is the West Coast Eagles with a 5-0-0 record. A very close second is the Melbourne Kangaroos also with an undefeated record of 5-0-0. Finishing the top 3 is the Melbourne FC with a 4-0-1 record. For the complete ranking list visit the 2005 AFL Ladder. Round 6 of the season starts off this upcoming Friday with Carlton vs Hawthorn, and ends Sunday with the final match up of Richmond vs Port Adelaide. For a preview of all round 6 upcoming games visit Round Fixture.

2005 NRL Top Seeds Update

2005-04-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

The National Rugby League's season is in full swing. The current standing are: in the number one spot the Manly Sea Eagles with a 5-0-1-1 record and a 12 point overall advantage. In second place is the North Queensland Cowboys with a 5-0-2-0 record and a 10 point overall advantage. Rounding out the top three is the Sydney Sharks with a 4-0-2-1 record and a 10 point advantage as well. For complete rankings see the 2005 NRL Ladder. Also on the 2005 NRL Ladder site is a list of the top 5 attacking teams, defending teams, home performers, and away performers. With the top 5 teams being so close in ranking this is bound to be a great season as long as injuries are kept to a minimum.

Disorderly Fans May No Longer Be Allowed In Victoria

2005-04-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Disruptive fans could soon be facing a ban for life from all Victoria sports complexes if they don't change their behavior. This possible new law comes in light of last week's crowd rush onto a soccer field. Fans already face the possibility of $6,000 fine for rushing onto any sporting field, along with being ejected from the event. Crowd control also searches property (such as bags and purses) brought into events for malicious content. Soccer around the world has always been known for its rivalries and intense fans, however, Victoria doesn't want to have the reputation of having "bad" fans. Upcoming events such as the Spring Racing Carnival and other soccer matches will soon have strong crowd control and penalties. I can understand Victoria's concern with the problem but as an American I think this is slightly amusing. If we instated a law that ban unruly fans from never attending games there would be no one left to fill the seats.

For the complete story visit Stay away: hooligan fans face bans for life.

Sydney Swans Get a Captain Kirk

2005-04-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Sydney's AFL team coach of the Swans announced that midfielder Brett Kirk will be the captain for the game against Melbourne this Saturday. Kirk, 28, has been skyrocketed to recent AFL success, with being last year's All-Australian selection. Saturday's game should be a fairly interesting one. Both teams have key players injured as well as highly accomplished players battling it out on the field.

Visit the Fox Sports article Roos appoints Kirk as captain for more details.

Update on Colby: She Won't Get the Death Penalty

2005-04-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

TheAge.com recently published an article stating that Corby won't get the death penalty. Corby is accused of attempting to smuggle marijuana from Australia into Bali, however her defense claims it was actually a bag mix-up. In Bali the heaviest sentenced associated with this crime is in fact the death penalty, but in Corby's case a life sentence will most likely be the maximum penalty asked for by the prosecutors.

For the complete article CLICK HERE.

Aussie Related News A Little Late

2005-04-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

According to a recent article published by CNN.com after the recent earthquake in the Indian Ocean a possible tsunami could be headed for the Western Australian coast. Since I'm writing this blog a little later than the article was written obviously the prediction was wrong. I just thought it was very interesting that Australia could have tsunamis like the ones that hit the east in December. I never realized waves of that magnitude were present near Australia. I would be very curious to know if a tsunami has hit Australia in the past decade. If anyone has info on it please share.

For the article about the quake and it's predictions click on Australian Wave Warning For West.

Blues and Roots Festival A Success!

2005-04-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

Byron Bay's Blues and Roots Festival 2005 was a complete success over Easter weekend. 4 out of the 5 days were sold out, as well as hitting a record number 70,000 people attending. The festival raised over $21,000 for the tsunami relief fund. Highlights of the show are up now, including pictures and a day by day playback of events.

Australia Doesn't Agree With the US Over Taiwan

2005-04-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

According to CNN.com and a recent poll, Australians are against a Taiwan War. The "Taiwan War" the article is referring to is a current debate over the independence of Taiwan between China and the United States. Australians believe that they should however, not hurt their alliance with the US in anyway because it could potentially hurt their security. I personally don't think the Aussies should get involved if they don't want to. If Americans feel like trying to save the world or it's best interests (however you view it), they shouldn't have to take others down with them.

For the complete article visit Poll: Australia against Taiwan War.

SPC Fruit Pro World Championship Tour/Rip Curl Pro Competitions Post-Poned

2005-03-23T18:31:00.000-08:00

SPC Fruit Pro World Championship Tour and the Rip Curl Pro have been post-poned until noon and Easter weekend respectively. Unfavorable conditions (small swell and bad winds) in Victoria are to blame.
The competition is set to be a great one. All of the best men and women surfers in the world are down at Bell Beach waiting for their chance to rip. Mick Fanning heads down at #1 after winning the Quiksilver Pro in the beginning of the month at Kirra Beach. I'm looking forward to see the results of this weekend's match ups. We'll see if the two Gold Coasters can remain at the top of the surfing world.

Corby Trial Doesn't Present 'Key' Witness

2005-03-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

Several months ago an Australian Gold Coast resident Schapelle Corby was arrested in Bali after over 4 kilos of marijuana were found in her boogie board bag. Corby's defense states that it was just a mix up of local drug trafficing. The defense claims Corby picked up the wrong back when leaving Sydney for Bali. If found guilty according to Bali law Corby could face the death penalty. A key witness for the defense claiming that Corby was in fact an innocent bi-standard in domestic drug trafficing didn't show up in court today, however an "expert" witness was called in to by some time for the defense's strategy.

I was in the Gold Coast when Corby first got arrested in Bali. At the time it didn't seem like a big deal. Maybe because we didn't know the full story or the penalty, but I'm really surprised that trial has lasted this long. All I can say is I wish her the best of luck and a safe return home.

For full stories read: Corby Lawyers Fail to Present 'Key' Witness, Corby Hoping For Inmate's Testimony, and Other Corby Related Articles.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival March 23rd - April 17th

2005-03-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is getting ready to start this week. The festival showcases acts and films from all over Australia as well as international acts. I saw part of the 2004 festival rerun on Comedy Central this past winter. It was great to see people from all over the world using their own country's slang ("fish and chips", "how you doin", "wanker", etc.) but still having everyone understand and laugh.

For tickets visit TICKETS.

Trees Planted for Motorists

2005-03-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

"Carbon-neutral" concept, if only Americans thought the same way. Confused yet? The carbon-neutral concept, developed by Greenfleet, is a way of replacing all the bad air cars and planes give off with clean air from trees. A traveler can pay $40 and have 17 native trees planted in their state. These trees balance out the cars carbon-dioxide and other bad gases. This concept is also used for airline travelers as well. I wish the average American was as environmentally conscience as the average Aussie. Could you imagine what NYC and LA would look like if this program was enacted?

For the complete story read Carbon-Neutral Travel Concept.

DNA Proves Health Minister Didn't Find His Long Lost Son

2005-03-21T09:45:00.000-08:00

Australian Health Minister, Tony Abbott, recently discovered that the son he put up for adoption 27 years and thought he found earlier this year is not his. Daniel O'Connor, a sound technician, was told this past Christmas that he was the son of Abbott. After their reunion a man came forward also claiming to be O'Connor's father. DNA tests recently proved that O'Connor is in fact not Abbott's son.

Read the complete stories Australian minister Discovers "long lost son" Is Not His Child and
Abbott Shocked After DNA Tests Show 'Son' Not His at YAHOO!.

US Awards Bronze Star to Aussie Officer

2005-03-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

Major Perry Gunder was awarded the US Bronze Star on Wednesday in Williamtown. Major Gunder was presented with honor because of his exceptional and meritorious efforts in the Iraqi war. He had been working with US forces on an exchange post.

For the complete story CLICK HERE.

India's Tendulkar Makes Cricket History

2005-03-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Sachin Tendulkar of India's Cricket Team was one of only 5 batsmen in the past 129 years to achieve 10,000 test runs before the age of 27. I don't know much about cricket (well anything at all actually), but this sounds like a very big deal to the sport of cricket.

For the complete stories visit India's Tendulkar joins 10,000-club and Tendulkar scores 10,000th Test run at Aussie Yahoo Sports.

Local Gold Coasters Wins Quiksilver/Roxy Pro 2005

2005-03-12T02:36:00.000-08:00

Mick Fanning a 23 yr old from the Gold Coast won the Quiksilver Pro 2005 in Kirra Beach yesterday. After being injured most of the season last year, Mick came back to the opening event of the surf season with a win in front of his home crowd of 8,000 strong. Fanning defeated Chris Ward a rookie surfer from the USA.

Mick wasn't the only Gold Coaster to win the title yesterday. In the woman's Roxy Pro 2005, 17 yr old Stephanie Gilmore defeated Megan Abubo of Hawaii. Gilmore had the sweet rides and excellent skill to beat surfing greats Layne Beachley (a fellow Aussie) and Sofia Mulanovich in the Semis.

With locals winning back to back championships the surfing community has a lot to live up to. And with one not even being legal yet, surfers should be looking forward to what these two will have to offer in the following years.

Cockatoo Island 2005, March 25th - March 27th, Sydney

2005-03-11T14:38:00.000-08:00

Easter seems to be a very popular weekend for festivals in OZ. Cockatoo Island is Sydney's answer to Byron Bay's music festival. A three day event featuring an array of differing artists. Unlike most festivals Cockatoo Island not only has musicians but they also have comedians, writers and artists for a change of pace. For a complete list of other events Click Here.

Friday kicks off the weekend with one of my favorite Aussie bands The Beautiful Girls, also The Waifs who have been touring with Pete Murray lately, Paul Dempsey the lead singer of Something for Kate, AND MORE.

Saturday isn't falling behind either. Gomez the UK originated band with their hit single "Silence" will be leading an all start line up. Also up on Saturday's play bill is Machine Gun Fellatio, Decoder Ring, Dappled Cities Fly, and of course MORE BANDS.

Rounding out the festival on Sunday is famed Aussie musician Pete Murray, Eskimo Joe, Ash Grunwald, Cubanismo!, Tim Rogers and The Temperance Union, and you guessed it....More Musicians.

Earlybird tickets sold out in the beginning of the year. However a second release of tickets has gone on sale. Prices range from $65 (one day pass) to $210 (three day pass). Youth discounts available, and children under 12 are free. For more ticket info visit Ticketek.com and Moshtix.com.

Dave Matthews Band Goes Down Under!!!

2005-03-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

My favorite band of all time Dave Matthews Band is finally playing in OZ!! The band kicks off their Aussie tour March 20th in Melbourne at the Palais Theatre. With half the tour dates already sold out, their short lived one week tour should be a welcome change from their hectic US tours pace. The band will be touring along the east coast in Melbourne, Brissie, Byron Bay, and Sydney, hitting up the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in the process.

The South African born lead singer Dave Matthews has been making music with his Charlottesville, Virginia band since the early 90's. With such hits as Ants Marching, Crash Into Me, The Space Between, Tripping Billies, and many many more the concert is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Having seen almost 20 DMB concerts myself I can say that it's worth every penny. His stage presents and improvasation makes every minute spectacular. The laid back atmosphere of their concerts and the band itself will make Aussies feel right at home. I'm beyond jealous of anyone who gets to see their amazing performance in the greatest place on earth. I always said if DMB ever went to Aussie I'd be there in a second. I've only ever seen them in the US at sold out concerts of over 80,000 people. The smaller crowds and intimate atmosphere of Aussie concerts will make these events something to treasure. Unfortunately I'm stuck at school in Delaware so I'm gonna have to wait until he comes back to the Philadelphia area or until next year when I'm back in OZ. I'll have to live vicariously through my friends in OZ and anyone else who gets to see these shows. If anyone has the privilege of seeing them in Byron, Brissie, Melbourne or Sydney please let me know what you thought.

For complete tour dates and ticket info visit DMB Tour Dates.

Woodstock Festival Australia 2005, April 29th - May 2nd

2005-03-11T12:45:00.000-08:00

Over 50 bands + 3 stages + 4 days = A GREAT WEEKEND!

Woodstock Festival Australia 2005 kicks off in less than 2 months. The 4 day festival takes place Kurwongbah, QLD, about 40 minutes outside of Brissie, from April 29th - May 2nd. The festival features such Aussie headliners as Spiderbait famous for their hit "Black Betty", Thirsty Merc with their break out single "Someday, Someday", Aussie sensation Shannon Noll, the MTV Australian Award winning New Zealand band Evermore and many many more. For a complete list of confirmed artists CLICK HERE.

Tickets range from $121 for 4 days to $55 for a one day pass. Child discounts are also available. For ticket info and buying options visit Woodstock Festival Tickets

10th Annual Blue Mountain Music Festival, March 18-20th

2005-03-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

The 10th Annual Blue Mountain Music Festival is coming up March 18-20th in Katoomba, about an hour and a half from Sydney. The Whitlams, Janis Ian, Eric Bibb, Brian Kennedy, and many more are scheduled to perform next weekend. For a complete list of artists CLICK HERE. With such a diverse and very international group of artists the concert is sure to be a success.

Tickets are on sale for $70 for half day, $90 for full day, and $135 for the entire weekend. There are also youth, student, and senior discounts. For ticket info visit Blue Mountain Tickets.

WAVE AID: The Tsunami Relief Concert

2005-03-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

WAVE AID a concert to benefit tsunami relief raised over $2.3 million in January. The concert featuring local Aussie talents such as Powderfinger, John Butler Trio, Silverchair, Pete Murray to name just a few wanting to lend a hand in the relief efforts. The money raised will go to organizations like Unicef, Australian Red Cross, Oxfam, and CARE Australia.

Check HMV Australia and other Australian cd stores for cds of these featured Australian artists and an official CD/DVD of the WAVE AID concert coming soon.

Bali Bomber Got Light Sentence

2005-03-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

CNN reports "Dismay Over Bali Bombing Sentence". The Bali bombing unfortunately wasn't seen as the major catastrophe it was, by the US public. In 2002 a Bali nightclub filled with patrons was bombed as a terrorist act. Over 200 people were killed, 88 of them being Australian. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in the bombing. Not only was his particular terrorist group involved in the nightclub bombing, they were also linked to a hotel bombing in Jakarta, and the horrific bombing of the Australian Embassy last year. Look for future articles for the appeal of this case, and the trials of the others.

An Experience For All Your Senses

2005-03-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

A Day On The Green truely is an event for all your senses. Combining great music, food, and drink in the wonderful settings of Australian wineries makes these events something you definitely can't miss. Some of this years premiere acts are Pete Murray (an amazing Aussie musician with simliar characteristics of a young Dave Matthews), Bryan Adams, Norah Jones and more. Click here for complete list of artists and dates.

The festivities of A Day on the Green start in the middle of February and end in the beginning of April. With this year's lineup of amazing performers and majestic scenery it is a day surely to be enjoyed by all. For more info visitA Day On The Green, or Ticketmaster.com.au.

Byron Bay's Blues and Roots Festival 2005

2005-03-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Bryon Bay is one the greatest festivals of the year (if not the best). Some of the headliners this year are Dave Matthews Band,Jack Johnson, REM, G Love and Special Sauce, Sarah McLachlan, John Butler Trio, Xavier Rudd, and many more. Click Here to see the entire list. This years festivities take place during Easter weekend (March 24-28) in Red Devil Park, in breathtaking Byron Bay. The festival not only has endless hours of amazing music but is also supporting a good cause of educating people on the importance of recycling and reusing products. The weekend isn't only filled with music but has several markets and vending areas with crafts, mercandise, art, food and drinks. If you're going to be in the Byron Bay/Queensland area around Easter weekend, the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival is definitely worth checking out.

Purpose and Creator

2005-03-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

My name is Erika. I'm making this blog as a marketing class project. Last spring I studied abroad in the Gold Coast, Queensland at a little school called Bond University. It was 10 minutes away from Surfer's Paradise on the coast and about an hour train ride from Brisbane (Brissie). I ended up falling in love with Australia; as almost everyone I've ever talked to that has been there says the same thing. I was told to pick a topic that I'm passionate about, and the first thing I thought of was Australia.
It's a country filled with history, exotic people, and amazing views. This blog will have useful links and information related to everything Aussie. I will try to keep everyone up to date on latest happenings down under. I'm going to have a major emphasis on entertainment throughout the East Coast. Ranging from sports to rock concerts. I'll also try to put in recent findings in Australia about politics, the nation as a whole, and anything else that seems news worthy. Hope you enjoy it.

Weather

2005-02-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a link for the current weather in the Gold Coast.

weather.com

test blog

2005-02-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

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