The NSW-Queensland border battle is more controversial than going to Bondi Icebergs and not announcing it on Instagram. But whether you see interstate restrictions as petty posturing or a smart long term health play, the fact remains: as it stands, New South Wellians – despite living in a state with significantly fewer confirmed cases than Victoria – are still seen as a risk by Queensland and Western Australia’s premieres.

But we’ll leave the ‘opening up’ argument for another time: today Qantas has announced a savvy way of getting around the restrictions, offering a flight (potentially flights) which opens up some of Australia’s furthest and widest tourist attractions to Sydneysiders. The best part? The flight will operate without ever breaking COVID 19 border restrictions.

The reason it’s able to do this? This is a scenic, ‘boomerang’ flight, which never touches down at its ‘destinations,’ and which then returns to Sydney.

 

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Miss taking to the skies together? Us too! We’ve designed a special scenic joy flight on board our 787 Dreamliner for those who just want to spread their wings – no passport or quarantine required. Departing Sydney on 10 October, the ‘Great Southern Land’ scenic flight will feature low-level flybys of some of the Australia’s most iconic landmarks including Uluru, Kata Tjuta, the Whitsundays, Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Sydney Harbour. Be quick! Fares go on sale at 12pm AEST today. Click the link in our bio for more info… Thanks to your great support this flight is now sold out.

A post shared by Qantas (@qantas) on Sep 16, 2020 at 4:21pm PDT

9News reports, “The seven-hour display of ‘aerial tourism’ will depart and arrive from Sydney Airport on Sunday October 10 and will take in sights such as Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast.”

“Because the flight never lands in another state, passengers will not have to quarantine or apply for any border exemptions.”

Qantas has said it is operating the flight after frequent flyers have remarked on missing flying.

“Just six months ago, we would have never imagined not being able to jump on a plane and visit family interstate or take a holiday internationally,” CEO Alan Joyce said of the initiative.

“While we may not be able to take you overseas right now, we can certainly provide inspiration for future trips to some of Australia’s most beautiful destinations.”

The flight will take place on a 787 Dreamliner, which has the largest windows of any commercial aircraft.

“This flight, and possibly more like it, means work for our people, who are more enthusiastic than anyone to see aircraft back in the sky,” Mr. Joyce has announced.

The flight has already sold out. But before it did, as news.com.au reports, 150 seats were listed for $787 for an economy seat, $1,787 for Premium and a few business class seats for $3,787.

In accordance with Qantas’ Fly Well protocol, guests will be provided with face masks and hand sanitiser and are advised not to move about the cabin.

The October 10 flight will also feature a Neil Perry dining menu, a gift bag and a pre-flight auction of memorabilia from Qantas’ recently retired fleet of 747 aircraft.

Read Next

• ‘Underground’ Hashtag Reveals Incredible Side Of Australia Most Tourists Never See
• Policy Change Gives Stranded Australian Expats New Hope

The post 'Sold Out' Qantas Initiative To Let Sydneysiders Fly All Over Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Amazon is a behemoth. The world’s largest online marketplace, largest Internet company and the second-largest private employer in the United States has its influence felt in almost every aspect of daily life. Its CEO, Jeff Bezos, is the world’s richest man. It’s been one of the most successful companies of all time. You’ve probably got empty Amazon boxes under your bed right now.

But one area in which Amazon is yet to taste success is in luxury. You might be able to buy everything from books to car parts to your groceries on their platforms, but luxury brands still remain somewhat elusive for the global e-commerce giant.

On Tuesday, Amazon announced the launch of Luxury Stores, a new shopping experience focused on high-end fashion and beauty brands, MarketWatch reports.

Initially, Luxury Stores will be an invitation-only opportunity for American Amazon Prime members, rolling out with Oscar De La Renta’s pre-autumn and autumn/winter collections, with other brands to join in the coming weeks. Other aspects of the launch include exclusive video content starring model and actress Cara Delevingne. The platform will also offer technology like ‘View 360,’ an interactive feature available on select garments that will allow shoppers to look at items in greater detail. The announcement has certainly been good news for Amazon’s stock prices, which have already been soaring this year despite the global economic downturn.

RELATED: The Harsh Truth Of The American Stock Market Every Investor Should Know

But it’s telling that so few people – particularly in the luxury world – are talking about Amazon’s new Luxury Stores concept. The reality is that the world isn’t ready to accept Amazon as a luxury retailer just yet, even in a year like 2020 which has seen so many changes to the way we live and consume.

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A post shared by Amazon.com.au (@amazonaustralia) on Jul 10, 2020 at 4:08pm PDT

Let’s talk about the obvious: they chose Oscar De La Renta for their big debut? Don’t get us wrong: the American fashion house makes lovely pieces, but it’s not a brand people (particularly those who aren’t particularly familiar with luxury brands) are going to get excited about. Despite their enormous influence and effectively limitless funds, Amazon could only get De La Renta, and not a household name like Gucci, Burberry or Hugo Boss. Imagine if Amazon launched Luxury Stores with an iconic brand like Chanel?

For comparison, when luxury men’s retailer MR PORTER was launched in 2011, it had brands like Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Lanvin, Balmain and Dunhill straight out the gate. Even streetwear blog Highsnobiety managed to snag an exclusive Prada Linea Rossa collection for their online shop. Hell, when Amazon launched their in-car voice assistant Alexa Auto, it debuted in a high-end car, the Lamborghini Huracán Evo – why didn’t they deploy a similar tactic for Luxury Stores?

RELATED: What Amazon & Lamborghini’s Partnership Means For Ordinary Car Owners

Maybe it shows that the big luxury brands don’t trust Amazon. Luxury brands have been admittedly slow to move to e-commerce, even in 2020 when it’s more of a necessity than ever. But online is not completely alien to them, and maybe they don’t want to sully their premium image by going with such a mass-market brand like Amazon. The exclusivity of luxury brands is part of their allure, and therefore Amazon’s ubiquity is potentially a curse rather than a blessing.

Perhaps Luxury Stores doesn’t offer enough differentiation from other platforms. Case in point: Amazon are touting ‘View 360’ as a big selling point but brands like Bulgari have had similar features on their online storefronts for ages.

But perhaps there’s more method to the madness than we’re giving Amazon credit for. By picking a brand that’s not so mainstream like De La Renta, perhaps they’re trying to flag to consumers that this isn’t just a headline grab or Amazon simply trying to bully their way into the luxury space. It’s a measured choice that’s meant to attract the attention of serious luxury consumers – hence the invitation-only initial release.

Amazon have also said that more brands are on their way, so it’s likely they’re saving the shock and awe brands for later down the track. Watch this space: we bet in a few months’ time they’ll whip out a name like Louis Vuitton or Balenciaga and people will start taking Luxury Stores seriously.

There’s also a lot to be said about convenience. While Luxury Stores might not compare to the ‘premium’ experiences other online (or brick and mortar) retailers offer, consumers’ familiarity and integration with the Amazon ecosystem of products could be a compelling reason for shoppers to turn to Luxury Stores.

Read Next

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The post Amazon Luxury Stores: Can Amazon Be Seen As A Luxury Retailer? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Stranded Australian expats’ and aviation industry calls for change have reached fever pitch in recent weeks. The Australian government has finally responded, lifting the much protested international arrivals cap (which was introduced in July) from 4,000 per week to 6,000 per week.

This means up to 2,000 extra Australians per week will be able to return home, hopefully putting more of a dent in the alleged 25,000 currently stuck overseas (3,000 of whom are deemed vulnerable).

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced this change on Wednesday, telling reporters in Wagga Wagga, “It has been a difficult situation for some trying to get home and we have acknowledged that.”

“We want those returning Australians to be able to do so … I want to raise that to 6000.”

“I have written to premiers and chief ministers to make that possible so that we can bring home 2000 more.”

The Federal Government reduced the number of permitted international arrivals in July, to ease pressure on hotel quarantine facilities.

RELATED: Australian Hotels ‘Horrifically’ Blowing Their Chance To Impress On A World Stage

news.com.au reports “NSW is taking the brunt of the arrivals at 350 passengers a day, while Perth is accepting 525 a week [and] Brisbane and Adelaide have a limit of 500 passengers a week.”

Getting more specific on cities, Mr McCormack told media, “We will increase the number of Australians coming into Sydney by 500,” and called for Queensland to consider increasing its intake.

“As well 500 more will be coming into Queensland and I urge and encourage (Premier) Annastacia Palaszczuk to look at the Gold Coast and Cairns.”

“Likewise, WA is increasing its capacity by 500; SA about 360,” Mr McCormack added.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said on ABC’s Radio National on Wednesday he would be willing to raise this to 800 a week.

Meanwhile, “Hobart is not currently taking any international arrivals, and the suspension of international flights into Melbourne will continue,” news.com.au reports.

Read Next

• Australia Urged To Consider ‘Luxury Quarantine’ For Returning Travellers
• International Flights Could Return En Masse To Australia As Soon As January 2021
• ‘Many Tears’: Traveller Reveals Hidden Horrors Of Australian Hotel Quarantine

The post Australia International Arrivals: Weekly Arrivals Cap Raised appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If someone invented a pill that guaranteed weight loss, you can bet that overnight they’d become more wealthy than Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates combined.

Sadly for some, such a weight loss ‘silver bullet’ is yet to materialise, so we’re stuck with doing things the hard way. And ‘hard’ is the operative word: weight loss isn’t easy, nor is figuring out what the right things to do are in order to optimise weight loss. Exercises, diets, supplements, meditation, medical treatments… There’s just so much out there, and so much conflicting information.

Max Lugavere, a nutritionist and health coach well-known for his love of upsetting the fitness industries’ sacred cows, just shared his take on weight loss – specifically, what factors he suggests affects fat loss most. His biggest takeaway? That stress can be just as much of a factor in preventing fat loss as one’s exercise regime or nutritional intake.

 

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A post shared by Max Lugavere (@maxlugavere) on Sep 12, 2020 at 10:41am PDT

“Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight. It can also prevent you from losing weight. Whether it’s the result of high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, unhealthy stress-induced behaviours, or a combination of the two, the link between stress and weight gain is glaring,” according to Verywell Mind.

Being stressed has two major impacts on weight loss. For argument’s sake, let’s break it down into biological and emotional impacts.

First of all, when you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol as part of your ‘fight or flight response’. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands and is responsible for things like regulating blood pressure, metabolising glucose, insulin release and immune function, among other things. High cortisol levels can cause hyperglycemia, increased abdominal fat (which is particularly hard to lose), higher blood pressure, and decreases muscle tissue and bone density among other factors.

The other major hormone released when you’re in ‘fight or flight’ mode is adrenaline. When your adrenaline high wears off, cortisol makes your body crave energy, so you’re more likely to seek out sugary or fatty foods for that quick hit of energy: that’s why ‘stress eating’ is such a thing. The nasty domino effect doesn’t stop there: if you’re stressed, you also probably don’t have the mental capacity to cook for yourself or seek out healthy options. If you’re time- and headspace-poor, you’re more likely to reach for fast foods. You’re also less likely to want to work out, or stick to a diet, you might be sleeping less and drinking less water, and so on.

Me: I’m sad, what should I do?
Stomach: I have an idea

— moody monday (@mdob11) February 3, 2015

Not only does stress literally make you gain weight, but it also makes you less likely to partake in the sorts of healthy activities that would also prevent fat gain. It goes to show that fat loss isn’t a zero-sum game; it’s not just a purely physical thing. That’s why it’s so valuable that Lugavere’s shining a light on all the different levers of fat loss.

“Hopefully [this is] more useful than ‘count your calories’,” Lugavere cheekily posted.

“When it comes to reducing adiposity, empower yourself with levers that make the task easier than just ‘eating less’! Maybe it’ll even become effortless.”

“None of the levers [I have] presented are magic,” Lugavere warns.

“They are tools, [but] potent ones at that. For example, staying hydrated keeps your metabolism humming and doesn’t make you think you’re hungry when you’re not, and eating high-quality protein from sources like chicken or beef keeps you satiated and nourishes your muscles which burn calories just by existing.”

Lugavere’s last words?

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The post Stress & Weight Loss: How Stress Can Cause Your Weight To Fluctuate appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Oscar Piastri is an Australian racing driver who is currently the reserve driver for the Alpine F1 team and who has previously been involved with the team’s driver academy program. With an already stellar racing career under his belt at the age of 21, Oscar Piastri looks set to become one of the next big names in Formula 1.

So, who is Oscar Piastri, what’s his net worth and what are his future F1 prospects?

Oscar Piastri Quick Facts

Name: Oscar Piastri
Age: 21
DoB: 6 April 2001
Nationality: Australian
Height: 5 ft 8 in / 178cm
Weight: 68kg
Net Worth: $1.5 million (estimated)
Instagram: @oscarpiastri – 259k followers

Who is Oscar Piastri?

Oscar Piastri is an Australian racing driver who was born on April 6th 2001. Piastri began his racing career in karting when he was 10 years old, in 2011, following a stint racing remote-controlled cars at a national level.

Showing serious talent soon after entering karting, Oscar Piastri competed in a number of Australian karting championships in 2014 and then moved into larger, European championships. He finished sixth in the 2016 World Championship karting season.

Formula 3 Championship

After karting, Oscar Piastri moved into Formula 4, where he finished runner-up in the 2017 season, and moved up again to Formula Renault Eurocup in 2018 and won the Championship in 2019 in his second season.

Later in 2019, Oscar Piastri moved into Formula 3 for post-season testing, before making his debut with Prema Racing for the 2020 season. After a tense Championship battle with his teammates and other title rivals, Piastri won the Formula 3 Driver’s Championship.

Formula 2 Championship

Oscar Piastri moved into Formula 2 at the end of the 2020 season, replacing Mick Schumacher who himself moved into Formula 1 to join the Haas F1 team. Oscar Piastri once again proved his talent by winning the Formula 2 Championship in his debut season. In doing so, he became one of only a handful of drivers to win the GP2/F2 title in their rookie season. Other drivers to hold this record include Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hülkenberg.

Piastri is the first rookie driver to win three consecutive F1 feeder series championships: Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3 and Formula 2.

Oscar Piastri Formula 1

Oscar Piastri joined the Renault Sport Academy in January 2020 and competed in drivers test in Bahrain in October of that year. Piastri stayed with Renault when it was rebranded to Alpine and is currently the reserve driver for the team for the 2022 Formula One Championship. Piastri is also a reserve driver for the McLaren F1 team.

McLaren

Following much speculation about his future in Formula 1, Oscar Piastri was announced as the second driver for the McLaren F1 team and will lineup alongside British driver Land Norris for the 2023 season.

The announcement came after much tussle within Formula 1, and the McLaren and Alpine teams in particular. The trouble started when Sebastian Vettel announced his shock retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the 2022 season. Following this, Alpine driver Fernando Alonso announced he was leaving the team to take Seb’s spot at Aston Martin.

This, then, made it seem like Oscar Piastri would for sure drive for Alpine in 2023, having been their reserve driver. Alpine even announced this on their social media, but Piastri responded by saying this wasn’t the case at all. Nothing had been finalised by August 1st, at which time Oscar Piastri was a free agent, and so was within his rights to approach McLaren.

You can find out more about Piastri’s Formula One drama, here.

That now appears to have been what happened, which also means Daniel Ricciardo has been ousted from the team. As for who Daniel Ricciardo will drive for in 2023 remains to be seen.

Oscar Piastri vs Daniel Ricciardo

Australia’s very own F1 champ, the charismatic Daniel Ricciardo, has had mixed results in recent years year, with many speculating that Ricciardo’s best days are behind him.

RELATED: F1 Driver Spotted Dismantling His Car Whilst Casually Wearing $300,000 Watch

However, those mourning the potential demise of the ‘Honey Badger’ need not despair, as it was only back in 2020 that we started to see the stratospheric rise of Oscar Piastri who’s already being touted as the next Ricciardo – and not only because he too has an Italian background.

Piastri and Ricciardo even had the chance to meet in April 2020, the young gun relating “I hope I can represent Australia as well as he and Mark Webber have!”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Oscar Piastri (@oscarpiastri) on Apr 6, 2020 at 1:49am PDT

Oscar Piastri Net Worth

Oscar Piastri’s current net worth is an estimated US$1.5 million. However, as soon as he breaks into Formula 1 in 2023, we can expect this figure to increase substantially, given he is likely to earn a multi-million dollar salary from McLaren.

Oscar Piastri Girlfriend

Oscar Piastri is believed to have a girlfriend, after he was pictured with a lady companion at the Autosport Awards in February 2022, where he also picked up the publication’s Rookie of the Year Award for 2021. Not much is known about Oscar’s girlfriend, however, as he makes sure to keep her identity private.

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The post Who Is Oscar Piastri? The Next Big Thing In Formula 1 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A longstanding debate that can be applied to multiple categories and scenarios is whether bigger really does mean better. While we’ll let you formulate your own opinions to this topic for the majority of subjects, when it comes to luxury hotel stays in the wake of the year that has been 2020, it seems smaller could actually provide more pleasure.

This ‘smaller is better’ notion is epitomised by the following photo of San Montamo Resort & Spa – one of Ischia, Italy’s hidden gems.

 

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Early morning massages at @sanmontanoresort

A post shared by Small Luxury Hotels (@smallluxuryhotels) on May 12, 2020 at 1:04am PDT

It’s also backed up by research gathered by Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), a “desirable community” that curates a selection of some of the most luxurious and independently-owned hotels around the world and makes them available to equally independently-minded travellers. SLH currently has 520 member hotels – with each having 50 rooms on average – covering some 90 countries.

SLH has just launched a ‘Stay Small, Stay Safe’ initiative which provides a set of exceptionally high standards to its hotels that will see them having to offer guests the utmost in health and safety during these challenging times.

These guidelines have been devised in partnership with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) – an organisation “composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic thread analysis,” which has its own GBAC Star rating, which serves as trustworthy recognition that a hotel is safe to stay in.

SLH hasn’t just implemented these guidelines on a whim; they come in the wake of a survey passed around its customers which found that 90 per cent of them would “feel more comfortable staying in a small independent hotel.”

 

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A post shared by Small Luxury Hotels (@smallluxuryhotels) on Sep 8, 2020 at 4:07am PDT

While the big-name chain hotels should have the money to pull out all the stops to keep their reputation intact – although some have already fallen from their usually high placings for the last word in luxury – it seems many travellers (at least, those loyal to SLH) believe that hotels with smaller crowds pose a lower risk to their health right now. Not all of SLH’s 520 member hotels have opened their doors just yet, that number currently stands at 230. However, many anticipate opening within the coming months.

Within those hotels open right now, not all of them currently hold the GBAC Star accreditation either, so to help filter out those deemed extra safe, SLH will soon launch a dedicated ‘Stay Small, Stay Safe’ section on its website, to make the whole process of booking and being informed of a hotel’s individual COVID precautions that bit easier.

Jean-Francois Ferret, CEO at Small Luxury Hotels of the World said: “Travellers are yearning for a change of scenery and have already begun to cautiously book their next adventure, and with these new measures, SLH can confidently reassure each guest of a worry-free stay.”

“The ability to be flexible and adapt is crucial at this time, and our intimate member hotels can do so in a thorough and bespoke way. We look forward to welcoming guests back to our outstanding properties warmly and safely.”

Read Next

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The post Small Luxury Hotels: The Future Of Luxury Stays? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This hellish year has sprouted a culture of indulgence and absolution (what’s a third glass of wine when the world is enduring plagues of biblical proportion?). But Wall Street’s fund managers may never forgive 2020 for one thing: forcing them to take Twitters’s army of amateur traders seriously.

The warning signs have been there for some time – the movement bubbling. Iconic moments? How about June the 9th – the day Bar Stool Sports Founder, rookie day trading enthusiast and spearhead of the ‘pandemic day trading in lieu of sports betting movement’ (with a net worth of 120 million to play with) Dave Portnoy went viral for saying: “I’m sure Warren Buffett is a great guy but when it comes to stocks he’s washed up. I’m the captain now.”

I’m sure Warren Buffett is a great guy but when it comes to stocks he’s washed up. I’m the captain now. #DDTG pic.twitter.com/WqMR89c7kt

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 9, 2020

Fast forward to now and although sports (and the associated betting opportunities) are back, Portnoy and his followers, having been part of one of the greatest rallies in history, have sowed confusion as to what degree retail interest has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Whether it’s currently a bubble waiting to pop, or whether the economy will simply come up to meet the market, we’ll leave the experts to debate.

The success of individuals like Portnoy, however, regardless of whether you think their bragging is hilarious or irresponsible, has unarguably been followed by a surge of rookie retail (individual) interest in the market.

Bloomberg reports that retail trading, exported from the US, is now going global: “In the U.K, tax-free savings account openings at Interactive Investor jumped 238% for investors between 25 and 34 years of age in April and May. In India, newly minted day traders are crowing after falling in love with stocks that trade below 7 U.S. cents apiece and riding most of them straight up.”

“Small-time investors in Moscow bought almost twice as many Russian shares in June than in April. In Malaysia, individual buyers are at least partially behind giant rallies in medical glove makers – one gained more than 1,600% this year. In Japan, tiny investors boosted an obscure biotech venture with seven straight years of losses by almost 11-fold on optimism for an unproven coronavirus treatment.”

The trend is spreading to Australia too, with the recent launch of new apps like Superhero (Australia’s answer to Robinhood) suggesting the craze could just be beginning.

“The founders of buy now, pay later juggernauts Zip and Afterpay are among the backers of a new low-cost Australian share trading platform that hopes to capitalise on the rush among young investors into the stock market,” the Australian Financial Review reports.

Superhero aims to challenge the likes of SelfWealth and CommSec – share trading applications which have experienced enormous growth in trading volumes of late.

“SelfWealth recently reported that monthly trade volumes had increased from around 20,000 at the end of 2019 to almost 140,000 in June,” (AFR).

This day trading phenomenon – the hyped up nature of which is often derided (mostly for good reason) by more serious traders – is now having more of an effect on markets than the Wall Street professionals might have – even just one year ago – imagined.

Some argue it’s a mere blip. To a degree they are right: as Mathew Cassidy, Managing Director at Partners Wealth Group, told DMARGE earlier this year, these retail buyers’ behaviour is unlikely to affect the market long term: “the market is sustained by really substantial flows.”

“If you’ve got people at home having a punt, generally they’re not really substantial amounts of capital. What really swings the market is [when] people start to take out really large amounts of capital into the market.”

However, en masse, it seems, day traders are a force Wall Street investors now need to take into account.

As Bloomberg reported on Tuesday: “With the sway of stay-at-home traders growing and starting to eclipse other influences on equities, figuring out who is doing what among amateur stock dabblers has become a critical mission for big investors.”

“They’re canvassing Reddit threads like r/wallstreetbets and picks at retail brokerages, plugging data into programs and trying to gain an edge.”

“When you see episodes in the market, heavy bouts of buying or selling, it’s important to know where they’re coming from and why,” Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial Inc., who admits she checks sites like Twitter.com often to gauge retail trends, told Bloomberg.

“Ultimately, retail investors have an effect on the market.”

They now account for 20% of equity trading, according to an analysis by Bloomberg Intelligence’s Larry Tabb, “making them the second-largest group of investors in the market,” (Bloomberg).

When it comes to options, retail traders’ frenetic buying forces dealers to hedge, exaggerating stock spikes (a phenomenon DMARGE recently discussed with James Whelan, Investment Manager at VFS Group in Sydney).

RELATED: Experts Reveal The Real Reason Tesla Stocks Have Spiked So Fast

On that note: Chris Murphy, Susquehanna International Group’s co-head of derivatives strategy told Bloomberg that amid significantly higher options volume generally, one lot trades – smaller ones often done by retail clients – have more than doubled to 12% of total options volume in 2020.

“In terms of how important is that flow? It’s twice as important. It’s significantly more important,” Murphy told Bloomberg.

So, has the wolf become the hunted? Not quite. In fact, the big players on Wall Street are probably just using this as another way to get ahead of the game – as much as it may pain some of them to acknowledge the presence of ‘Twitter amateurs’.

Read Next

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The post Day Trading: Wall Street Pros Admit To Following Twitter For Stock Tips appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Big Banana. Uluru. The Opera House. Bondi Icebergs. Austalia has a lot of big bright tourist attractions. But there are also some more ‘underground’ destinations deserving of some love. With the pandemic sparking a resurgence in domestic trips (the corollary to a massive slump in overseas travel), to help travellers go beyond the tourist trail, online travel agency Webjet has launched a competition which aims to uncover Australia’s lesser lauded locales.

The competition encourages Australians to share unique and interesting shots of their local area on Instagram, with the hashtag, #ShowUsYourAus, in return for the chance to win a $1,000 Webjet eGift Card.

Launching at the start of September, Webjet’s “Show Us Your Australia” campaign has seen 538 posts at the time of writing, ranging from ‘under bridge’ angles of Queensland’s Hervey Bay to quirky shots of Adelaide’s growing city scene (caption: “not a single building in this photo is over three years old”) to understated images of The Murray River National Park’s Lyrup Flats.

 

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A post shared by Clinton Blair – Photographer (@chippieb) on Sep 13, 2020 at 2:36am PDT

That’s before we get to the incredible rockpools at Western Australia’s Injidup…

 

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A post shared by | (@katnielsencreates) on Dec 9, 2018 at 2:37am PST

… the dramatic Redbank Gorge…

 

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A post shared by Emma Jane Haylett (@emmajaneeh) on Sep 9, 2020 at 4:04pm PDT

… and the whales at Middleton beach.

 

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A post shared by Alex (@gasgaslex_photos) on Aug 5, 2020 at 6:06pm PDT

Further shots show how, just around the corner from some of the country’s most oversaturated tourist destinations (think: Manly and Bondi), there are some lesser licked slices of paradise ripe for the ‘gramming (see: the bower off Shelly Beach and Bronte).

 

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Best way to holiday at home Gai-mariagal Country, Northern Beaches @juliecrespelphotography DM @roamprints for print & framing enquiries . . . . . . . . . . . @webjet_au @HASSELBLAD @DJI @djiglobal @seensw @sydneynorthernbeaches @northernbeacheslocal @themanlydaily @visitnsw @australia @tourismnsw @beachescouncil #competition #roamtheplanet #dji #dronephotography #aerial #vitaminsea #aerialphotography #droneoftheday #dronelife #PHOTOGRAPHERSLIFE #viewfromthetop #artprints #northernbeaches #roam #viewfromabove #printshop #mavic2pro #roaming #crystalclearwater #holidayathome #vueduciel #sydneynorthernbeaches #hassleblad #shelleybeach #photographicprints #fairybower #creativenorthernbeaches #juliecrespelphotography #showusyouraus #roamprints

A post shared by Julie Crespel (@roamprints) on Sep 2, 2020 at 10:10pm PDT

In launching this competition, Webjet says it aims to make everyday Aussies the experts, “giving them a platform to boast about their favourite regional spot – be it somewhere in their home state, or a place they’ve visited in the past.”

Those that share are in with the chance to win a $1,000 Webjet eGift Card, to put towards visiting other highlighted top spots themselves.

Entrants have two options to get involved: visual entries can be submitted through Instagram, using an original photo they have taken of their nominated location or place. All Instagram entries must tag Webjet (@webjet_au) and include the hashtag #ShowUsYourAus and #competition. Alternatively, entrants can visit the Webjet Facebook page and post their answer, in 25 words or less, to the question, “Why do you want to show off Your Australia to other travellers?”. These written responses can be submitted in the comments section of the pinned ‘Show Us Your Australia’ post. Four winners will be selected from Instagram and four winners will be chosen from Facebook.

 

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David Galt, Webjet OTA CEO comments, “We all know that 2020 has been one of the toughest years on record for tourism. Webjet is committed to sustaining and rejuvenating the travel industry, by providing those areas and economies reliant on tourism with much needed support. As restrictions on international travel continue indefinitely, domestic tourism is the way forward for many of us.”

“With our ‘Show Us Your Australia’ campaign, we want to provide both getaway inspiration and the chance for locals to show us their own part of their hometown or region. This is the opportunity for locals to shout about those unique and interesting spots that others may not be aware of – for who knows a destination better than the people who call it home? We are looking forward to seeing an incredible array of places to visit, and hope that the prospect of seeing and experiencing these sights further tempts travellers into getting out to regional Australia and supporting those that live there.”

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The post 'Underground' Hashtag Shows Incredible Side Of Australia Tourists Rarely See appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="270585" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator][vc_column_text]This feature has been produced in partnership with Bushmills Irish Whiskey

Bushmills is the oldest licenced whiskey distillery in the world, with a history dating back to 1608. But that doesn’t mean they’re stuck in their ways. Their latest initiative proves that age is no excuse for a lack of innovation, with the Irish brand offering a unique experience for Australians who demand only top-notch single malts.

Bushmills Irish Whiskey has partnered with Australia’s largest whisk(e)y subscription service, The Whisky Club (TWC), to reward Australian discerning drinkers with the exclusive release of the first spirit to fall under The Causeway Collection.

A curated collection of limited-edition single malts from The Old Bushmills Distillery – the oldest licensed distillery in the world – The Causeway Collection, named after the famous Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site situated near the old distillery, brings to life a series of rare and innovative cask finishes never seen or sipped before. Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask is the first release from this collection, one made exclusively for members of TWC, and the only way to get a taste of the fine drop here in Australia.

A triple wood maturated, non-chill filtered fusion of fruits and spices weighing in at 47.2% ABV with no colour added, the Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask is crafted for the most indulgent of drinking occasions. Notes of vanilla, spice, and dried fruit shine through, derived from the artful ageing practices – over 12 years in a combination of oloroso sherry and bourbon casks before finishing in marsala casks for an additional 18 months. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="186467" alignment="center"][vc_custom_heading text="We’re not good because we’re old, we’re old because we’re good" font_container="tag:h1|text_align:center" google_fonts="font_family:Bree%20Serif%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal"][vc_single_image image="186468" alignment="center"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator][vc_column_text]“We always say, ‘We’re not good because we’re old, we’re old because we’re good,’” Bushmills Master Blender Helen Mulholland proudly shares.

“With over 400 years of whiskey-making heritage, Bushmills has never compromised on quality to create its signature smooth taste and famous house style. The global launch of The Causeway Collection represents a bold new step for us, an exciting time to share rare cask finished editions.”

It’s exciting that Australians will be among the first in the world to try some of these limited-edition whiskies from Bushmills. Direct-to-consumer services like TWC have risen to prominence in 2020, and represent a win-win for both brands and consumers. By cutting out the middleman and offering unique experiences, services like TWC are the future of luxury.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="270330" img_size="full"][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Founded by the husband and wife team of Bertie and Emily Ashbolt Cason, TWC has been delivering world-class, one-off whiskies direct to their members’ doorsteps each month, for the past six years. It’s a must-subscribe for anyone serious about fine liquor.

 “Our vision is to bridge the gap between distillery and consumer, to give our Members a taste of something special that you just can’t get anywhere else, direct from the maker to the drinker,” Bertie Cason relates.

“The Causeway Collection 2006 Marsala Cask is a prime example of this and we’re thrilled to be working with Bushmills on this delicious history-making malt, made exclusively for our Members.”

Join The Whisky Club for free via www.thewhiskyclub.com.au/bushmills/ and choose your membership level ahead of October 4th to ensure your access to the Bushmills 2006 Marsala Cask from The Causeway Collection.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/6"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

Bushmills encourages you to drink responsibly, The Causeway Collection only available to whisk(e)y lovers aged 18 years and over. 

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The post How Bushmills & The Whisky Club Are Elevating Your Drinking Experience appeared first on DMARGE.