Artisan Partners Targets Australian Market

MILWAUKEE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Artisan Partners announced that it has entered into a contract with Grey Pine Advisory Pty Ltd to provide marketing services in Australia and New Zealand.

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Artisan Partners Targets Australian Market

Primex Wireless Announces Partnership with SECOM Australia

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. & ST. LEONARDS, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Primex Wireless signs a partnership agreement with SECOM Australia to provide advanced wireless facility monitoring solutions for enterprise organizations across Australia.

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Primex Wireless Announces Partnership with SECOM Australia

Specsavers’ Sees Clear Benefits with RedPrairie Warehouse, Workforce and Event Management Solutions

STOKENCHURCH, England–(BUSINESS WIRE)–RedPrairie Corporation, a productivity solutions provider, is supplying its warehouse, workforce and event management systems as part of a major technology refresh programme by optical retailer Specsavers. RedPrairie’s solutions will be rolled out across 10 sites, with the first in Hong Kong due to go live in 2011 and the remaining sites in Australia, Hungary and the UK to follow over the next two years. RedPrairie’s warehouse management system (WMS) repla

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Specsavers’ Sees Clear Benefits with RedPrairie Warehouse, Workforce and Event Management Solutions

Questions Of The Day Transcript – 7 November (Scoop.co.nz)

1. Hon. BILL ENGLISH (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: What were the items on the agenda provided by the then Chairman of Television New Zealand, Dr Armstrong, for her dinner at Vinnies with him, the former Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating and Kristy McDonald QC?

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Questions Of The Day Transcript – 7 November (Scoop.co.nz)

Summer in Australia – Some Places you Might Want to Visit

The summer on this continent can be pretty harsh, but once you come near the ocean you will surely forget the heat. So that’s what I am going to tell you about – the best beaches in Australia, where you can spend some amazing summer days.

I will begin with Palm Beach. It is located an hour away north from Sydney and visiting it is definitely worth it. The beach itself is about 3 kilometers long and has clean white sand all along. There are shops, restaurants and cafes on the southern end of the beach line. Half of the beach, where there are no parking spaces, is usually very calm and not really crowded. The waters are crystal clear and Palm Beach is one of the best places for surfing. There are also golf courses for those who don’t like lying on the sand. The active ones can take a walk to Barrenjoey Head and visit the lighthouse there with view of Broken Bay.

Hyams Beach is another recommended place, situated in Jervis Bay (New South Whales). Its waters and sands are also among the cleanest in the world. Jervis Bay has the status of a national park and it is very popular place among tourists and locals. Probably the best attraction there is whale sighting. These amazing creatures are often seen in the waters of the bay. Also available are diving, fishing and many other water sports. The explorers may want to see the Boodereee National Park and the Botanical Garden. The green bushes behind the coast line offer many hiking trails and one can visit the ruins of an old lighthouse in the southern end of Jervis Bay.

In Port Douglas, Queensland, you can find the Four Mile Beach. It is perhaps the best one in the state and offers warm and clear waters and a perfect landscape with the ocean, beach and palms. From the main district of Port Douglas you can reach the beach with a five minute walk. I should also mention the marine stingers there – swimming is safe from June to September, but during the rest of the year you should go no further than the stinger nets. And when it comes to Port Douglas I cannot help but think about the Great Barrier Reef. Around the city are located the beautiful Ribbon Reefs – the best place for diving along the reef. With a live-boat you can reach it and admire the colorful coral wall and the diversity of marine life in the area. Other beautiful places in Queensland are Mission Beach, Whitehaven Beach and Surfers Paradise Beach. The first two are really calm places with perfect waters and rainforests.

In Western Australia, near the city of Broome, you can go to Cable Beach. It is very beautiful, with great ocean waters and a 26 kilometers long sand line. A superb attraction there is the sunset camel rides, organized every day along the beach. At the end of the beach there is the Gantheaume Point, where you can see some beautiful cliffs, plus dinosaur footprints on them.

Cottesloe Beach is the most beautiful one around Perth, also in Western Australia. It is perfect for swimming, sun-bathing and even picnicking. There are some nice places along the coast from where you can watch the splendid sunset and the Indian Ocean. At the most southern end of the beach there is a reef where superb snorkeling is available.

Last, but not least, in Victoria you can visit the Ninety Mile Beach. It is a long strip of land with perfect sand and it is among the most natural beaches, unspoiled by human hand. In the waters in the area there are numerous marine species and you can go whale and dolphin sighting. You can also swim, fish, walk or just lie in the sun. And when mentioning Victoria, I will remind you of the Great Ocean Road, which is a must-see if you go to Australia. It is 106 kilometers long and offers the best views around the continent.

Well… this is how my virtual tour around Australia ends. There are many places I didn’t mention. After all, there are innumerable gorgeous beaches around the continent. Wherever you decide on going, I am sure you will have a great time on a perfect beach with clear waters and golden sands.

Things to do on your gap year in Australia

Adventure activities

Scuba diving

Australia has some fantastic opportunities for scuba diving. The Great Barrier reef is famed the whole world over, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s one of the top diving hotspots. One that you might not be familiar with, however, is the Nigaloo Reef.

Cadge diving

It’s the crowning jewel of the Nigaloo Reef Marine Park and gives divers the unique opportunity to dive with whale sharks. These stunning creatures can grow to a massive 18 metres in length but luckily, they’re no threat to humans. Still, it takes a brave traveller to swim alongside them.

Swimming with sea lions

If you’d rather take a dip with something a little cuter, head for Baird Bay on the west coast of South Australia. Here you’ll have the chance to swim with sea lions – an altogether more playful set.

Rock climbing

Now how about a bit of rock climbing on Australia’s best-known landmark? That’s right, you can take a trip to the top of Ayers Rock – the hard way. So if you want to give climbing a go, there couldn’t be a better place to start.

Surfing

Surfing is an essential activity in Australia. The coast is stunning wherever you are but there are some beaches that are just perfect for surfing. Bells Beach, Bondi Beach, Byron Bay and the Gold Coast are just a few examples – but you won’t know how good they are until you’ve tried them.

Dizzying heights

And finally, don’t forget to take a trip to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It offers some fantastic views over the city and will give you some great memories.

Volunteering

Like a good bottle of wine, Australia is great fun and half empty in the best of senses! Australia presents many ideal opportunities for adventure and exploration. The huge interior hinterland is home only to kangaroos, wallabies and dust, so there’s plenty to explore. The European settlers don’t seem to have reached the red centre so it remains a fascinating living fossil of Aboriginal culture for anyone armed with factor ‘one million’ sunscreen and a good hat to enjoy. Distances are on the massive side so a Zen-like appreciation for the journey as well as the destination is advised, as well as a desire to meet some of the world’s most intriguing animals.

Volunteering here is a great way to get around the whole country and see the best of this giant from the cool sophisticated coast to the tropical north. The colours sum up the beauty of the country; from the red centre to the gold coast, greens thrive where they can before being frazzled out of existence and retreating to the tropical safety of the north. The beautiful scenery is breathtaking and the locals want to keep it that way, there are therefore, lots of volunteer projects focusing on nature and wildlife conservation.

Nature conservation working holiday

Meaningful travel company i-to-i have recently launched a new trip that will give travellers the chance to spend a hassle free gap year in Australia. Not only will the company sort out al the paper work they’ll give you a years access to their job placement service and a week working at a conservation project at any one of 20 destinations across the country, take a look here http://www.i-to-i.com/volunteer-projects/australia-working-holiday-and-conservation-experience.html

Tips for Your Safe Holidays Tour in Victoria, Australia

Australia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with everything a traveler wants to do and see during a holiday. Australia is known for its beautiful & spectacular landscapes. The most spectacular thing in Australia includes number of crystal clear beaches, tall and adventurous mountains, great food and wine and friendly peoples.

 

More than 4, 00,000 visitors hit Australian shores every month for their holidays and relaxation. From that, large amount of visitors hit region of Victoria for getting adventurous holiday tours, sporting, fashion and cultural events. Visiting the tourist destinations of Victoria, you will discover the great diversity and beauty of Victoria’s regions. The adventurous Victoria has towering rainforests, ski resorts and endless golden bays, to craggy ocean cliffs, rolling green hills and red sandy deserts to give you thrilling holiday experience.

 

The state of Victoria has number of beaches, tall mountains and long forests, where you can plan your adventurous activities like rock climbing, abseiling, white water rafting & horse riding. Also it’s a great fun to discovering the rural and wild life of Victoria in your 4wd vehicles. So, while you are on your tour to Australia, do not forget to try some of the Victoria’s adventurous activities like Rock Climbing / Abseiling Mt. Buffalo, Cattle Drive in High Country, Rafting at Grogging plains etc. One of the best tour providers I am aware about in Victoria, Australia is www.AdventureVictoria.com.au

 

However, it’s unavoidable and has to consider that Australia has a diverse climate that can be harsh for those who are careless, or who don’t prepare themselves well in advance for their journey. So while your tour to Australia, be prepare and consider all under mentioned safety guidelines for joyous journey.

 

Always have a road map handy

Keep all important contact numbers handy

Carry & wear proper cloths, as demanded by climate

Driving your vehicle safely, always on left side of road

Do keep an eye on your gauges and remember to keep your vehicle’s petrol tank well filled and your water topped up

Make sure you have a spare tyre and digging tools in your vehicle

Be aware of wildlife, while hiking or forest driving.

When you are at beach, always swim between the red and yellow flags fitted by guards

Don’t try to touch any sea creatures you may see. They may bite, sting and, on occasions, can be fatal

Wear long trousers and boots if walking in forest or long grasses

Drink plenty of water and do not forget to carry at enough water for your tour

Carry enough money in pocket for any emergency that may occur

 

If you consider all above safety guidelines while planning your trip, I probably think you’ll have a wonderful trip to Victoria and across Australia. I pray for your upcoming safe and sensation tour in Australia.

 

Hope to see you soon in Australia!

Port Douglas, Australia – Discover Tropical Queensland

Australia’s idyllic Port Douglas is justly renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful places to relax, unwind and cast your worries to the sea. This unique tourist destination sits adjacent to Tropical North Queensland’s two World Heritage Sites — the fabled Great Barrier Reef, and the majestic Daintree Rainforest. As home too to Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas boasts one of Australia’s most picturesque locations for sailing, wind surfing, kite-boarding, and surfing.

The pristine surroundings of Port Douglas were originally settled thousands of years ago by the Kuku Yulanji tribe. The English first encountered its astonishing beauty when Captain James Cook was mapping the eastern coastline of Australia in 1770, during his initial voyage to the continent. In fact, Port Douglas was an unexpected stop for Cook and his crew, for they ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef, and had to delay their voyage for more than seven weeks in order to repair their ship, the Endeavour. Cook thus named this bay Cape Tribulation, because, he noted in his journal, “here began all of our Troubles”.

These days, such troubles are no more than poignant history in Port Douglas, with the Reef now well-marked and carefully conserved. Its protection allows visitors a unique and breathtaking opportunity to experience an incredible underwater world. Discovering the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system — its 35 million hectares embracing 900 islands and 3000 individual reefs — is one of the hallmark travel opportunities of a lifetime. This is an organic structure so large that it can be seen from outer space – composed of billions of coral polyps, it is home to an extensive variety of underwater wildlife including whales, sea turtles, starfish, eels, and dolphins. It is, quite possibly, the best place to go diving or snorkeling in the world.

Back on shore, the Daintree Rainforest rivals its aquatic counterpart for beauty and mystery – a fascinating, immaculate ecosystem that is home to 430 bird species, giant tree frogs, sugar gliders, bandicoots, and estuarine crocodiles. Here you will find the largest range of plants and animals in the world, all within easy access of the Port Douglas beachfront. In the mood for a swim? The forest’s cool, green Mossman Gorge, a series of freshwater swimming holes in its midst, represents the perfect photo opportunity. Explore the history and depth of the Daintree by taking a jungle tour, riding horseback, or a river cruise.

The highlights of Port Douglas, however, go well beyond natural wonders, outstanding though they are. Macrossan Street, bisecting the heart of the city, boasts a range of great restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as a fun nightlife scene. Four Mile Beach, which is conveniently just a few meters southeast, is a stunning sandy coastline — ideal for indulging in a wide range of water sports, or simply a leisurely bike ride.

The adventures and sights of Port Douglas though will no doubt take their toll, and the Rydges Sabaya Resort provides you with a tranquil haven to unwind and rejuvenate. Newly redeveloped in 2007, the resort features fresh, well-appointed guest rooms and apartments, a lagoon-style pool, tasteful new restaurant, and large banquet facilities. Offering a warmth of service that reflects both the relaxed Port Douglas lifestyle and Rydges’ sense of fun and energy, the hotel is just a stone’s throw from the southern rim of Four Mile Beach – making it all the easier to start relaxing on your Port Douglas vacation.

Esker Continues Worldwide Expansion of Mail Facilities

MADISON, Wis.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Esker, the leader in document process automation solutions, today announced the opening of a new mail facility in the UK to accommodate the rapid growth of Esker on Demand services. Already positioned in Australia, Belgium, Spain, the United States, France and Singapore, Esker continues its expansion placing a foothold in the first deregulated postal market in Europe — strengthening its international presence in the mail on demand market. Processing nearly 1

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Esker Continues Worldwide Expansion of Mail Facilities

Visit Australia & Newzealand

If you are an eager, fairly adventurous traveler then Australia and New Zealand are probably destinations that have been swimming in some subdirectory of your travel ambitions.Down under has lots of appeal. It’s English speaking, exotic, remote, filled with crazy looking plants and animals. Many Australians combine the best character qualities from around the globe: hardiness, humor and cordiality. Aussies are justifiably famous for outgoing character, and New Zealanders follow suit in their slightly more reserved manner. The Australians are masters of a vast, isolated, largely desert continent and their outlook shows independence of spirit and loads of aptitude. When the vast interior of your country is an inhospitable outback, then your ring of vibrant coastal cities are treated like causes for celebration, and for visitors this feeling is infectious.Like America, the Australian national history is short (and rowdy). Perhaps for this reason the Australians, like many Americans, are a people ready to welcome strangers with an open hand and broad smile, no questions asked. They like to play around with their own lively disposition and vernacular (Australian slang dictionary). One afternoon down under amongst friendly, helpful, vigorous Australians is usually enough to charm any visitor.The Kiwis (New Zealanders) typically have a slightly more gentrified, English disposition than the maverick Australians. The New Zealand outlook perhaps reflects that they are the smaller cousin in the Australian-New Zealand sphere of influence, and that they have more to show and more to lose than the desert-baked, walkabout Australians. Unlike the arid vastness of Australia, the Kiwis enjoy two main islands of incredible lushness that combine much of the topographical grandeur of Europe with the stunning, tropical features of the south Pacific islands.The natural abundance of New Zealand can stop you cold: tropical beaches, rain forests, boiling hot springs, towering Alps and blocked, English-like farmland. From half a world away it is easy to generalize the differences between New Zealand and Australia, but they are essentially different transplanted peoples making their home in similar geographic area. Australia is the land of the kangaroo, a hardy, indigenous animal that can survive traveling over deserts using the most energy conservative locomotive method known to any species on earth. By contrast, New Zealand is the land of the sheep, reliant on lots of water and grass, and transplanted wholly from the mother country (in New Zealand sheep outnumber people). Australia seems resolved with itself and its indigenous aboriginal peoples, where New Zealand seems to be looking over its shoulder back at England (and modern New Zealand has a somewhat awkward relationship with its native Maori peoples).What finally made me visit Australia and New Zealand was the record summer heat in Europe during 2003. I had two precious weeks to use in August, but where would I go? Based on the news of heat-related deaths in Europe the southern hemisphere looked like a great solution (it is winter there when it is summer in the northern hemisphere).European ski enthusiasts have long known the trick of turning summer into winter by training in the ski slopes of Queenstown, New Zealand. Reversing the seasons is not a motive calculated into many recreational travel plans, but it should be. What you are looking for, after all, is the chance to get away, change the scenery, to see something new. There can be no more profound change than traveling to the other side of the earth while reversing your seasons. On top of this, you find a new world of plants and animals. School kids know about wallabies and echidnas, but those animals are just the headliners. Imagine a world where green and red parrots fly around in pairs and land in a tree above you. Imagine being awakened in the morning by a bird that sounds like a bell, or another that makes a complicated, resonant call like a concerto played on a whistle flute (birds down under page).In short, it’s completely different, yet comfortably similar to visit Australia and New Zealand.The people are different (but familiar).The food is different (but familiar). Local chefs train in Europe but insist on returning to open their own restaurants in their own home towns.A burgeoning wine industry provides a glorious, sassy collection for you to sample at a fraction of the price of these same labels offered by New York?s biggest liquor importers.

Flights :

There are many agents online you can choose from to get cheap flights to sydney

Australian travel choices:

What to see in Australia? This is a tough call because you might have a secret hankering to visit the outback or the more remote regions, whereas my focus was to skip through for a sense of Australia and then spend serious time in New Zealand.Sydney is pretty much a requirement on any list of Australia destinations. Many guide books will favor a list of Australian destinations including: Newcastle, Byron Bay, Fraser Island, world-class diving round the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Darwin, Alice Springs, Marlborough and Hobart (in Tasmania). But this list is a ridiculous simplification. You have an entire continent to consider, a task only made slightly easier by the fact that most of the good stuff is clustered at the edges. A bonobo with a handful of darts and a map will have as good a chance as you of picking great stops in Australia unless you task yourself to read up. In the absence of a Michelin Green Guide, I find that a good overview resource is to read some of the “been there” reviews posted on epinions. Granted, this is not the most refined resource, because anybody can post just about anything, but most of the readers are conscientious and after reading a few you will see the same names start to pop up and soon you will see a pattern emerge. With the pattern established, take a look at some of the “best of” lists published by the commercial guides (Frommers has “best of” lists in a load of different catagories, hotels, restaurants, museums, beaches – here’s best Australian experiences with links to other lists at the left margin.)

New Zealand travel choices:

Good destinations in New Zealand can be a harder call than Australia because the good stuff isn’t as neatly collected at the coasts or near the cities.True, New Zealand cities have a remarkable spectrum of different personalities.Auckland has the feel of a clean, modern international shipping hub with bridges and waterways and ocean liners always in view.Wellington also has a maritime flavor, but it is terraced and secluded with a protected, regional feel.Christchurch is like a prim, flat, English shire town with a lazy, two-foot-deep river meandering through the center.Dunedin has a dyed-in the-wool Scottish influence while Queenstown is an extreme sport, party town full of action and youth.To approach a trip to New Zealand you first need to assimilate the different offerings of the north and south islands. In my view most guidebooks do a poor job of helping the traveler evaluate the relative travel value of the two islands. It’s as if there is such a surfeit of great things to do that the books are doing their best to pack it all in and lose their power to discriminate between choices.You can visit both islands, but plan on air transport if your trip is any shorter than three weeks, because the distances are considerable. It’s hard to counsel in favor of visiting just one island. The north island has plenty to see, and it has Auckland, the international departure point, but the southern island has the most vibrant scenic beauty (the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed on the southern island of New Zealand). If you want to visit the southern island alone you have to figure out your return flights to Newzealand, which almost certainly will require a change in Auckland, or a return to Australia before you can connect to a US flight.The north island is warmer throughout the year and is influenced more by beaches of all kinds rocky shores, black sand, white sand as well as geothermal hot springs.The south island is considerably cooler in temperature year round (Christchurch is sufficiently southern that it is where the US Antarctica programs stage their supply and transport connections with the rest of the world). The north and east coasts of the southern island of New Zealand also boast beautiful beaches, but the prominent geographic feature is the Alps that run in a spine up the mountains. (Queenstown, the sports capital of the southern island, is pictured at right.) Unlike the northern island, the southern island has glaciers and alpine vistas and numerous ski resorts. At the far, southwestern reaches of the northern island you have Fiordland, with Norwegian-class peaks rising like a wall out of the water to heights as much as a mile.

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