The owner of a Victorian Airbnb, which was rated Australia’s best holiday home in 2020, may not find itself in pole position at the end of 2021.

The owner has been charged with allegedly threatening a guest who left a one-star review of the property. The property is called Clifftop At Hepburn. It is a luxurious property which, at the time of writing, is being advertised on Airbnb for $563 a night.

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According to The Daily Mail, the businessman, Matthew Taylor, left a negative review of the property on TripAdvisor after his booking was cancelled. This allegedly sparked a stream of menacing messages from the host, David Penman.

The messages were reportedly sent in June last year. The review was left that same month.

The (one star) TripAdvisor review reads as follows: “Horrible experience, lucky it didn’t go further Yesterday we booked via Qantas for 4 nights at clifftop online. We followed up with a phone call to clarify some things and have a chat with the lady there.”

“During the conversation I asked about the second room charge for the night. On their own website under the bookings -> compare section it clearly stated an extra room was $199. When I mentioned this to the lady I could hear another man in the background talking over the top of us saying it was $298 not $199, carrying on about the ‘correct price being at all contract touch points’, whatever that means… I said no problem, we were just enquiring because we were thinking about taking our parents, however it may pay to take down the contrary information on the website and I sent the link through for their convenience.”

“Here’s the kicker, not only did this aggressive man refuse to own their mistake and honour the offer, not only did he say no, he cancelled our booking without notice or conversation! I have the email exchange to back it up as well…. I’ve never had someone in hospitality behave in such a childish manor even when fault isn’t clear, let along react like this when they’re clearly at fault for advertising the incorrect price under the booking section in their website. I have the email exchange however it goes against TripAdvisor guidelines, so I have removed it as requested.”

The property is currently being advertised on Airbnb. Its achievements are also evident on the page.

“CROWNED AUSTRALIA’S NO.1 FROM 55,000 HOLIDAY HOMES IN 2020,” the description on Airbnb reads.

“Australia’s Tesla Destination 2020. Australia’s No.1 Holiday Home 2019. Australia’s No.1 Most Unique Accommodation 2019. As seen on The Today Show 2019. Ranked one of the world’s Top 60 places to elope.”

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There are also many positive reviews of the property on both Airbnb and TripAdvisor. It has an average review score of 4.97 stars on Airbnb and, of the 29 TripAdvisor reviews that have been left of it, 25 of them are ‘Excellent’ (one is ‘Very Good,’ one is ‘Average,’ one is ‘Poor’ and one is ‘Terrible’).

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Practically everyone who has actually stayed there appears to have had an amazing time, with Instagram being full of fabulous photos, and review platforms being full of praise.

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One Instagram post by Instagram account @clifftopathepburn reads: “Clifftop at Hepburn. Luxury accommodation so good that were often chosen as the location to launch new brands.”

What caused Mr Taylor to leave a bad review is not the property itself (which it seems he never ended up staying at, with Mr Penman cancelling his booking after their price dispute), but a minor price dispute (and how it was dealt with).

The host, Mr Penman, who is 53, “was due to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this week,” The Age reported on Saturday, “after allegedly sending a barrage of threatening messages to Matthew Taylor in June last year.”

The Age reported: “Following a police investigation, Mr Penman was charged with one count of using a carriage device to menace on June 25 last year and one count of using a carriage device to harass between June 25 and June 28.”

“In the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, the matter was adjourned until February next year, when Mr Penman will contest the charges. Mr Penman’s lawyer, Zac Griffiths from Harwood Andrews Lawyers, said his client disputed the allegations made by police and Mr Taylor, and would vigorously defend the matter,” (The Age).

This isn’t the first time this luxurious property has come under media scrutiny. Mr Penman took another would-be guest to court last year.

The Daily Mail reports: “In October 2020, Dave Penman sued Kaleen Dalliston for defamation after she slammed his holiday rental in a series of posts on Facebook and Tripadvisor,” after she claimed he was too slow to give her a refund.

“Ms Dalliston was due to stay at the property in August last year and she claimed she was not refunded when Victoria’s longest lockdown put a pause on her trip, so she went on social media to warn other travellers about her experience,” The Daily Mail reports.

“In her online review she claimed Mr Penman was only professional when she was providing him with money and ‘disappeared’ when it came time to ask for a refund.”

Mr Penman reportedly sought aggravated damages after claiming the reputation of his business was damaged by Ms Dalliston’s posts, and argued Ms Dalliston did not share the fact that she was offered a full refund and had agreed to wait before being contacted by the business.

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The post Owner Of Australia’s Best Airbnb Charged With Allegedly ‘Menacing’ Man Who Left Negative Review appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When Daniel Ricciardo joined Lando Norris at McLaren at the start of this year, Formula 1 fans were looking forward to what they’d dubbed a “meme power couple”.

Ricciardo and Norris are both known for their great senses of humour and are easily the most playful pair of drivers on the grid. While the Aussie and the Brit haven’t quite developed a relationship as close as Norris’ friendship with former McLaren (now Ferrari) driver Carlos Sainz Jr., they still get on well. Looks like they’re also not afraid to play pranks on each other either, as this weekend has revealed.

In Brazil for the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, Ricciardo jumped on Instagram to show how he’d sneakily applied a #3 sticker (Ricciardo’s racing number) to the top of Norris’ helmet, covering up the young driver’s #4. Pretty cheeky, considering that it was Norris’ birthday on the day.

Watch Daniel Ricciardo troll Lando Norris in Brazil below.

Seems Lando didn’t notice the subtle troll before getting in the car, as he actually drove out of the garage with the sticker still on his helmet… Happy birthday, mate!

Thankfully either Norris or one of his pit crew noticed the sticker before the actual race, as images from the hard-fought Brazilian spin show Norris’ helmet sans #3. It would’ve been pretty embarrassing if Norris had to take the podium with another driver’s number on his dome, especially his teammate’s.

RELATED: What On Earth Is Daniel Ricciardo Wearing At The United States Grand Prix In Austin?

As it happened, neither McLaren driver made the podium at Interlagos. Norris scraped into the points with a 10th place finish, while Ricciardo suffered a power unit failure on lap 51 and was forced to retire, bringing an end to his 34-race finishing streak – the longest on the grid until last weekend.

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The post Daniel Ricciardo Trolls Teammate At Brazil’s Formula 1 Grand Prix appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Valentino Rossi is widely regarded as one of, if not the, greatest motorcycle racer of all time.

Known as ‘The Doctor’ both as a sign of respect as well as a reference to the surgical way he cuts off rivals in corners, the 42-year-old Italian has dominated MotoGP for the last two decades. The only road racer to have competed in 400 or more Grands Prix, Rossi’s 89 wins and 9 Grand Prix World Championships – of which seven are in the premier class – make the #46 rider the stuff of legends.

Beyond his skills on the bike, Rossi is known for his great sense of humour, humble attitude and being an all-around stand-up chap. So it was sad news when he announced in August ahead of the Styrian Grand Prix that 2021 would be his last year in MotoGP – truly an end of an era.

Appropriately, the last race of the 2021 season, last weekend’s Valencian Community Grand Prix, saw a big send-off for the star, with Rossi himself celebrating his retirement by wearing a rather flashy new watch: a yellow gold Rolex Daytona (ref. 116508-0013). A gold watch for a golden gent.

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona barely needs an introduction: Rolex’s famous chronograph is one of the world’s best-known (and hardest to acquire) watches. Rossi’s example is particularly luxurious thanks to its 18ct yellow gold case and vibrant green dial.

RELATED: Rolex Secretly Offers A New Version Of Their Most Luxurious Watch Ever

As Rolex’s brand colour, Rolex typically reserves the hue for particularly special watches, such as those that celebrate an anniversary of some sort. This Daytona is only the second model to ever appear with a green dial, the first being the rare Rolex Daytona ‘Beach’ (ref. 116519) from the early 2000s, which featured a more pastel-coloured dial compared to Rossi’s watch’s deep pine green.

A highly desirable model amongst collectors as well as other celebrities such as John Mayer and Jonah Hill, this green dial Daytona is a rather special timepiece. As we mentioned, it’s the perfect watch for a winner like Rossi – who’s also known for his love of bright colours.

You’ll notice that he took the watch off when he actually got on the bike, though… Can’t wear a heavy gold watch when you’re on duty!

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The post Valentino Rossi Retires In Style With A Rolex To Match His Career appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Getting fit and building muscle is never easy. You’ve got to build yourself an intense workout program and make sure you’re also doing the work in the kitchen, consuming the right foods that will fuel your body to help it grow. With regards to the workout program, it’s always good to switch things up every now and then to keep the muscles on their toes, so to speak, to help you avoid the dreaded plateau.

Supersets are a fantastic way to help build muscle faster. Not only do they reduce the time you spend in the gym since they see you having to perform one exercise right after the other, but they also cause you to effectively overload the muscle, because of the lack of rest. And this dumbbell superset from former dua-athlete Paul Sklar is guaranteed to destroy your body.

Perhaps not a superset in the strictest sense, since they usually relate to you performing two separate exercises one after the other, Paul’s workout requires you to complete three movements back to back, to complete one rep.

It looks relatively simple, but we can say with certainty it will be anything but.

Check out Paul Sklar’s brutal three-move dumbbell workout in the video below

The three movements include a bicep curl, a lunge (both forward and reverse) and an overhead press. Combine these together, and you not only have a serious arm burner but a full-body workout, since you’re activating your legs and core, too.

Claiming it to be one of his favourite full-body dumbbell combos, Paul’s workout requires you to do the following:

• Start in a standing position and perform a forward lunge (you can start with your right leg forward) Once in the lunge position, perform a dumbbell bicep curl, ensuring your bring the dumbbells up to meet your shoulders. 
• Return to the standing position and perform another bicep curl. Be sure to keep your palms facing forward the entire time, as Paul says this “increase[s] the time under tension on the biceps.”
• After you’ve complete the bicep curl, go straight into performing an overhead press, i.e. don’t extend your arms before performing the press. Again, you want to twist your wrists to that your palms contiunue to face forward.
• Following the press, return your arms to their starting position (palms facing forward) and perform a reverse lunge (using the same leg that you put forward for the forward lunge), and complete another bicep curl.
• Return to the starting standing position, perform another bicep curl with overhead press. 
• Now, repeat these steps but use the opposite leg to move forward and back for the forward and reverse lunge. 
• Once you’ve performed all movements on both sides of the body, you have completed one rep. Paul says the entire sequence should take you around 60-seconds. 

The fact Paul looks physically drained at the end of the sequence should be enough evidence that this is not an easy workout to complete. Take some rest once you’ve completed one full walkthrough of the combo, before repeating.

Paul says this combo is a great full-body burner, because the lunge movement “destabilises the body, making the contraction of the biceps even more intense.”

He adds in the comments on the TIkTok video that he performed a warm-up set “with 30lb [dumbbells] before going into the main sets with 40s,” so we’d advise you too to perform a warm-up set before you start putting your body through hell.

He further adds that you’re free to perform the sequence using kettlebells if you wish, but if you experience any lower back pain, then you “should definitely not attempt.”

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The post This 3-Move Dumbbell Workout Will Destroy Your Entire Body appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Flying first-class (particularly with a prestigious airline like Emirates) is supposed to be a weight off your mind, not a 100kg plate on it. But when you decide to fly Emirates first class you are inevitably left with quite a heavy question – one that really matters – if TikTok user @will.luxurytravel’s recent videos are anything to go by.

“Did you know that even in First Class the seat you choose matters?” Will recently asked on TikTok. “On Emirates, you get individual rooms. These are not all the same. If you choose the middle seat you not only get more room you get more snacks and even virtual windows.”

He then, in a later video, asked followers: “Which plane seat are you going for? The private window suite or the suite with virtual windows and a bed?”. The caption of the video was: “The CEO of first-class plane seats.”

For those interested in the “CEO of first class,” TikTok user @nickyjkelvin also shows off some of the incredible features of Emirates’ first class.

Most followers who commented on Will’s post said they would opt for the “virtual windows and a bed.”

Not everyone agreed though. A few followers wrote: “Surely a real window is better than a virtual window.”

The debate continued with the argument over “real window” vs. “bed definitely” being much discussed and dissected.

Another said: “Real windows are awesome but I’d rather take the bed.”

Another clever clog wrote: “I would take the real windows and ask a Flight Attendant to make the bed because they do this in every first class suite.”

Running along the same lines, another TikTok user said: “Both have a bed and I want the real windows.”

The summary? Most people on TikTok appear not to have realised that either way, in Emirates first class you will get a bed. The dilemma is more about whether you want the other advantages that @will.luxurytravel claims comes with the virtual window suite, or whether you’d rather a real window.

One to ponder in your next first-class daydream.

RELATED: First Class Traveller’s Complaint Leaves The Internet Stunned

This is also not the only dilemma one faces when flying first class. Another issue can be the attentiveness of airline staff (and passenger’s grasp of ‘intuitive’ technology).

Don’t believe us? Allow the following extract from an 1843 article to open your mind. 

“After a while my valet’s attentions began to pall: every few minutes he knocked on my door to ask if I needed anything. He brought hot towels and sacks of nuts and gallons of Virgin Mary refills. It was overwhelming: rather than relaxing over my meal and a film, I had to constantly fend off my valet’s unwanted attentions. But since he was such a charming fellow, I didn’t have the nerve to tell him to leave me alone.”

“As we landed I entertained myself by studying the elaborate handset on my seat. It was only then that I noticed that the button marked ‘immediate service required’ had been left in the ‘on’ position.”

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The post ‘CEO Of First Class Plane Seats’ Leaves Travellers With Painful Dilemma appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Leonardo DiCaprio is well-known for his love of baseball caps – guess he’s got a fitting surname – but it seems he’s finally grown up and decided to wear something more befitting of a man of his age.

DiCaprio turned 47 last week and celebrated in serious style: throwing a big party at his extravagant Beverly Hills mansion. It seems he also enlisted famous West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg as an MC for the night, with the pair posing together for an Instagram photo (imagine having Snoop Dogg as your own private MC!)

Seems as if Snoop Doggy Dogg’s eclectic style rubbed off on the Hollywood superstar, with Leo going cold turkey on his baseball cap addiction by donning a snazzy wide-brimmed hat for his party. Paired with a simple black t-shirt, it’s a casual yet classy look – and one that is also, coincidentally, a bit of a coming-of-age style moment here in Australia (particularly in coastal hot spots like Byron Bay).

It’s a bit of a paradigm shift for the Peter Pan-esque actor. Aside from baseball caps, DiCaprio’s rather fond of linen newsboy caps, a style choice that Buzzfeed has previously called “a danger to everyone”. He might be known for playing dapper men-about-town on screen, but his headwear choices aren’t quite as suave as his characters.

Until now, at least. A wide-brimmed hat like this is, in many ways, the must-have men’s style accessory of 2021: able to be both dressed up and down, it’s a mature yet whimsical way to make your outfit stand out amongst the crowd. NFL quarterback Cam Newton knows what we’re talking about…

RELATED: Star Quarterback Cam Newton Is The Style Icon The NFL Needs

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The post Leonardo DiCaprio Makes His Biggest Fashion Update In Decades appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australia is no stranger to high-speed thrills, and you can enjoy pushing the pedal to the metal at Sydney’s best go karting tracks. Sydney is home to a surprising number of go karting tracks for proving your driving skills, and while none of them are found in the CBD or surrounding areas (there’s no space, for a start) just a short drive out west or south will bring you to an open playing field of tarmac just begging to be torn up.

While you’re probably past your prime and are unlikely to challenge the best drivers in the world – many of whom started their careers in go karting – you can certainly put your driving skills to the test in a completely new style of vehicle. Solution? Let’s do the best go karting Sydney has to offer you wildlings.

So whether it’s for a bucks party, a day out with the boys or even a fun and original date idea, here are the best go karting tracks in Sydney.

Hyper Karting

The Entertainment Quarter, Level 5 Car Park, 207 Park Road S, Moore Park, 2021

The newest track for go karting in Sydney comes from Hyper Karting. Hyper by name and hyper most certainly by nature, Hyper Karting has an array of electric-powered go karts for you to race. Why is this is a big deal? Put simply, they’re going to be faster than most petrol-powered go karts. The go karting track itself used to be a car park, and as a result, Hyper Karting is home to the longest indoor go karting track in Australia at 410-metres.

Adult and junior groups can be be catered for, along with corporate functions, and considering its close proximity to Sydney CBD, it could just be the best go karting track in Sydney.

Spitfire Paintball & Go Karts

Corner George Street & Station Avenue, Concord West, 2138

We’ll save the subject of paintball for another time, at Spitfire, it’s all about the indoor go karting track. Boasting one of the biggest indoor tracks in the entire Sydney region, Spitfire’s circuit benefits from the same lap timing software that’s used at Ferrari World Dubai, meaning there should be no debate as to who really got the fastest time between you and your mates.

Every wannabe racer is given full training and instruction (go-karts are completely different beasts to cars) and with 10 full minutes of racing action per paid session, you should have ample time to complete a few hot laps. If you have your own go-kart and want somewhere to test it out or just have some fun, you can hire out the Spitfire track too.

Extreme Indoor Go Karting Sydney

Unit 3/66 Christina Road, Villawood, 2163

Extreme Indoor Go-Karting Sydney has three separate go karting tracks at its facility catering to complete beginners, speed-demons and those who want a truly professional racing experience. The day you go will determine which track(s) are available to you, as the first two (beginner and speed) are only in operation at the weekend, since the team make some adjustments to the main professional go karting track.

Extreme Indoor Go-Karting is also home to Australia’s (and by and way Sydney’s) only fast-paced overseas bridge, adding a completely new obstacle into the mix when battling it out with other drivers on the track. Drivers aged 13 and over are given full use of 270cc Honda go karts, capable of speeds up to 80km/h, which when you’re so close to the ground and sitting in something that weighs practically nothing, will feel a hell of a lot faster.

Sydney Premier Karting Park

50 Peter Brock Drive, Eastern Creek, 2766

For even faster thrills, head to Sydney Premier Karting Park. This outdoor venue boasts 13hp Sodi RT8 go karts, capable of speeds up to 100km/h, making that dream of becoming the next Lewis Hamilton that little bit more achievable. Go karts are fitted with racing grip tyres too, allowing you to throw them into bends without worrying too much about spinning out.

The team at Sydney Premier Karting Park aren’t just there to be on call if you do crash out, but are there to help you improve your driving ability and will explain the best racing lines and pedal techniques to take to achieve the best times around their go karting track. SPKP can also cater to corporate events and can hold their own version of Grand Prix tournaments, ideal for birthday parties or bucks parties. A diamond in the Sydney go karting crown.

Outdoor Go Karts Sydney

20 Swettenham Road, Minto, 2566

Outdoor Go Karts Sydney positions itself as being the perfect go-karting track in Sydney for bucks parties, team building and general ‘man’ days. The main focus of a trip to Outdoor Go-Karts is, of course, the racing, wherein you will be able to race it out over two sessions, with points awarded and a winner crowned at the end.

But this venue also has its own party bus which will gladly drive you to some local pubs to carry on your evening into the early hours and you can even be joined by the centre’s flag girls to really spice things up a bit. Outdoor Go-Karts also has its own onsite “man cave” with an array of arcade games and a sound system, which you care hire out.

Luddenham Raceway

821-849 Luddenham Road, Luddenham, 2745

Luddenham Raceway is a relatively new entertainment complex in Western Sydney, having only been opened in 2018. Not only does it feature a go-karting track, but you can also put your own car through its paces on a dedicated racing track and partake in a spot of paintball. It’s the go karting track we’re focusing on, however, and there are actually two: a short 200m track for beginners and a longer 600m track with 12 corners and elevation changes for older racers.

Luddenham’s go karting track works predominantly on an arrive and drive basis and so doesn’t take bookings. If you do want to book, you’ll need to rally up a group of at least 10 and get yourselves involved in a Grand Prix-style tournament. The Pro Circuit (the longer one) is also kitted out with night-time LED lights, so you can be assured of racing action after dark.

Picton Karting Track

200 Picton Road, Picton, 2571

Picton is another outdoor go karting track in Sydney that is home to an enviable range of go kart racing to suit all abilities and loves for speed, with its top-of-the-range 17hp karts weighing in at just 80kg and capable of speeds up to 110km/h. Session times for all karts except those 17hp monsters are 15 minutes (10 minutes for the big boys).

Picton also hosts a comprehensive range of group packages, from Grand Prix challenges to birthday parties and bucks or even hens parties. So if you’ve got an event coming up and fancy something a little different with regards to entertainment, Picton is more than happy to oblige.

Indy 800 Kart Track

Butterfly Farm, 446 Wilberforce Road, Wilberforce, 2756

Indy 800 Kart Track has been providing motoring thrills for Sydneysiders since 1997. The 800 in the track’s name refers to the length and at 800m, is one of the longest tracks for go karting in Sydney. Anyone wishing to race on the Indy 800 circuit using the centre’s go karts will need a venue-specific licence, but at $5 for a year, it shouldn’t pose an issue. Racing sessions can be either 10 or 15 minutes long (with a price difference to reflect).

If you have your own go kart and equipment, you can hire out the venue. You’ll need an annual membership for this and go karts will need to adhere to Indy 800’s safety rules. Corporate events are also possible at Indy 800 for groups with a minimum of 10 people and include a “Mega Prix” comprising a qualifying round, two 10 lap heats, a further 15 lap shootout and a final 18 lap race to determine who goes home the winner.

Ultimate Karting Sydney

40 Anderson Road, Smeaton Grange, Narellan, 2567

Ultimate Karting Sydney claims itself is to be literally that, to provide the ultimate go karting in Sydney for both indoor and outdoor tracks. This indoor all-weather venue is home to a 450m long track that, at 6m wide, will provide ample room to accelerate out of corners and improve your racing lines. The beefy Sodi SR5 karts (of which there are 20) have been geared specifically for use on the UKS track so that you’ll be able to feel the sheer thrills of accelerating, braking and cornering.

Go Karting Sydney FAQ

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The post Sydney Go Karting 2022: The Best Go Karting Tracks In Sydney To Outpace Your Mates appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

I’ve white-water rafted the Nile. I’ve climbed Mount Kenya. I’ve slept on cold marble floors while waiting out airport delays. I’ve even managed to car camp (and still get some sleep) with P-Platers hooning all around me.

But despite my self-proclaimed credentials, I recently managed to find myself lost on a sedate stroll commonly undertaken by retirees, morning walkers and middle-aged tourists.

I’m talking about Wollongong’s Mount Kiera, which stands over the city at 464 metres tall. On a recent trip to Wollongong, I made it my mission to walk its Ring Track, which takes you on a journey around the mountain and gives you panoramic views over the city and coastline.

So far so Bored Sydneysider.

A short little walk to round the day off nicely, I thought at about 6pm. The idea was to have a gentle stroll, see the sunset at the lookout, and then drive down to Wollongong for pizza and wine.

Little did I know, a series of catastrophic errors (ok, they weren’t exactly K2 errors, but still) would lead to dinner almost not happening, and hours of wandering around in the dark, wondering how on earth I got lost this close to a major city (with the street lights twinkling in the background).

Watch the video below to see a blow by blow of the ordeal.

My first error was not parking exactly where Google Maps suggested, but rather prematurely on a random stretch of road where I saw some other cars, because I thought it would be two minutes quicker. Sunset was imminent, and I was rushing, as they say, for the (Insta)gram.

In my rush to add to Instagram’s database of photos with the hashtag ‘Mount Keira,’ I, not being able to see the signs to Mount Kiera Lookout, and running short on light, decided to do a walk called Mount Pleasant Track, figuring there must be some other half-decent lookout along the way.

It was far from pleasant. Much to my dismay, there were no lookouts. Worse: the track continued further and further down the mountain with no lookout in sight. My hopes of taking a lookout photo like the ones I had seen on Instagram began to fade.

As you do when you’re a bit annoyed and in a rush, I kept pushing on with no real plan in mind, hoping for the best, praying for some kind of lookout – any kind of lookout – to film before it got dark.

In my rush, it didn’t twig that there was no lookout ever promised by the Mount Pleasant Track signs at the beginning. I just assumed there would be one at the end, which is why I persisted. In the end, it just took me to a random house and a road. Disappointed, I turned around and started the slog back up the hill.

It got darker and darker, and I realised I had thoughtlessly taken quite a few forks while walking down. I realised this after walking 20 minutes in the wrong direction, which was great. No matter: I had Google Maps and a head torch!

With the help of technology, everything was once again fine… until I realised I couldn’t remember the name of the road where I had parked. So I put the ‘Mount Kiera lookout carpark’ into Google Maps and hiked there. At the Mount Kiera lookout carpark there was a toilet block and a very angry possum, but no car.

Yeowch.

By this time it was totally dark. The rangers had shut the gates to the park. Wollongong’s restaurants were looking like a far off vision, replaced by a night of wandering around fire trails and cursing my decision to trust Google Maps rather than my girlfriend’s sense of direction.

Just as I had lost hope, I arrived at a locked gate, with a sign explaining that if you got yourself locked in, you need to call a certain number and pay to be let out. I walked around the fence and the car was there.

Not parking in the right place actually proved profitable, as I was then able to drive back to Wollongong without needing to call or pay anyone to be let out. I even made it to dinner. The pizzas tasted all the better knowing the night might easily have involved more walking in the dark.

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The post I Did Wollongong’s Most Instagram-Famous Hike. It Was A Complete Disaster appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Most Hollywood action movies starring male leads require their star actors to look more ripped than a gym rat about to head to stereosonic. After all, the mecca of movies insists on pushing the narrative that to be heroic, you need to have huge arms and a set of chiselled abs. The only movie series that immediately comes to mind that doesn’t portray such an image is Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, but, given the hitman’s set of skills, we’re not going to say that to his face.

Look anywhere else, however, and you’ll be inundated with male actors who have undergone rigorous workout regimes to prepare themselves for their roles. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Marvel series of superhero movies. Of course, we can get on board with the idea that to be a super-strong superhero, you need to have muscular strength. But when the actors we now associate with the superhero franchise signed their contracts, they weren’t necessarily the absolute units we know them as today (except for maybe Chris Hemsworth).

Instagram account @films_24h shows this with a series of images showing select Marvel stars before they became superheroes. Admittedly, many of the ‘before’ images are from many years before they joined the Marvel cast, and so naturally, they’re going to be a lot skinnier.

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Regardless, there is no denying the amount of training they’ve had to undergo to fill out their respective superhero outfits. Perhaps the two most incredible body transformations are those of Chris Pratt and Kumail Nanjiani, who portray Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy and Kingo in Eternals, respectively.

This is because Chris is well-known for his rather rotund character Andy Dwyer in the hit sitcom Parks and Recreation. The show ran from 2009 to 2015, with filming for Guardians taking place in 2013. Chris previously had to get ripped for his role in 2012’s Zero Dark Thirty, before putting weight back on to resume his role in Parks. But when Marvel came calling, he had to hit the gym once again to turn himself into a believable defender of the galaxy.

Kumail was similarly known for his character presence; not necessarily a skinny guy, but someone who didn’t appear too bothered about going to the gym and looking ripped. For his role as Kingo in Eternals, he had to pack on some muscle and followed a rigorous workout program, which saw him hit the gym more than five times a week.

Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland and Chris Hemsworth have all also committed themselves to the gym – we’ve discussed Chris’ workouts in great depth already – to look just as buff for their roles as Captain America, Iron Man, Spiderman and Thor, respectively.

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth Shows Off Superhuman Arms As He Wraps Shooting Thor

Many of the comments on the aforementioned Instagram post claim the actors have all taken steroids to achieve their certified unit status. But as we’ve seen previously from German bodybuilder Jo Lindner, taking supplements such as steroids can have disastrous effects, so we’d be surprised if the movie stars would be willing to risk their careers (and health).

Instead, they have the luxury of having the time to dedicate to working out, as well as access to some of the best personal trainers and chefs, to give them foolproof workout and meal plans.

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth’s Trainer Luke Zocchi Shares At-Home Workout Anyone Can Do

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The post Marvel Stars’ Incredible Body Transformations Suggest There’s Hope For Us All appeared first on DMARGE Australia.