Anywhere else in the world, tourism boards would be totally stressed that nature had just destroyed part of a key tourist attraction. But along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, locals are just wandering how to rename their famous landmark to suit the new situation.

The problem is, a huge natural rock formation known as the Island Archway partially collapsed this week, thanks to the constant pounding of the ocean. The bridge section of the structure has fallen into the ocean and now the archway looks instead like two pillars.

It's not the first time nature has created havoc with the sights along the Great Ocean Road; as recently as 2005, one of the famous Twelve Apostles pillars tumbled into the sea. But it does kind of make you want to get Down Under ASAP before all the pretty things fall over.

Related Stories:
· Island Archway Near Loch Ard Gorge Loses Its Archway [Herald Sun]
· Walk the Great Ocean Road [Jaunted]

[Photo: kabl1992] ]]> amandak 2009-06-12T09:22:10-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/14/73457/0581

Winter is coming to Australia, but that's definitely no reason to avoid planning a Down Under trip, especially not with the crazy off-season airfare sales going on. Half the country's still warm in winter anyway, and if you're a snow enthusiast, then you'll be pleasantly surprised at the ski resorts in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.

This year in particular looks fantastic for the Victorian snowfields. The Mount Buller resort region has already had a weekend opening for skiers, making it the earliest start to the season in history, and five weeks ahead of the usual schedule.

The official season (along with all the appropriate celebrations) will launch on June 6, 2009, with a big festival over that weekend. The fact that the resort website mentions free hot chocolate during the opening weekend is enough to entice us, without hearing how snowfalls should make for some excellent skiing and snowboarding this winter.

You can reach Mt Buller most easily from Melbourne - it's a three and a half hour drive, or a bit longer on the bus, in the Alpine National Park. We like it because it's not quite as corny as going to the snow in the Snowy Mountains further north.

Related Stories:
· Mt Buller Ski Resort [Official Resort]
· Buller to Open for Skiing After Cold Snap Snowfall [The Age]
· Australia Travel: Sand, Surf and … Snow? [Jaunted]

[Photo: Mariyath] ]]> amandak 2009-05-14T16:55:55-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/19/232753/861

Nicholas Cage’s latest fantasy flick, "Knowing", opens in theaters everywhere today. The movie, about a teacher who opens a time capsule and realizes that his family plays a role in some chilling predictions contained inside, is set in Boston but was filmed in Melbourne, Australia. Cage also filmed "Ghost Rider" in Melbourne in 2007. Here’s a guide to help you get to ‘know’ Melbourne.

What to Stay:
The Grand Hyatt Melbourne recently spent a fortune on renovations that include a trendy new lobby, restaurant, and bar. The hotel is also centrally located near shops, restaurants, and late night hotspots. Currently, rates start at US$219. ]]> cmb 2009-03-19T23:27:53-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/12/33622/6705

The deadly bushfires in the state of Victoria, Australia, have now been blazing since the weekend--and unfortunately, not all of them are under control yet. There have even been nervous times when the city of Melbourne looked like it could be under threat; this seems safer at the moment, but hot weather is forecast again in the next week.

In rural Victoria, life is definitely not normal right now, and many towns will be without basics like electricity for weeks. Traveling in the area at the moment is definitely not on, apart from many experts and volunteers from other parts of Australia and abroad who are flocking in to help with further firefighting, providing for those who've lost their homes and the grim task of identifying some of the probably 200 plus victims.

Within Australia there are numerous ways to help: if you're in Melbourne or nearby, they're still looking for blood donations to help burns victims, for example. And Coles Supermarkets are donating all of Friday's profits, so stop by for all your groceries there. From outside Australia, donations can be made via the Salvation Army--just direct your donation to the Victorian Bushfires Appeal.

Just for the record, this photo of the now famous Sam the Koala actually made us shed a tear. We realize it was actually taken during preventative burning last week before the fires hit, but it shows just how badly local wildlife is being affected by these fires. It's a horrific event on all accounts and one that there will be plenty of reminders of for any travelers passing through Victoria in the coming years.

Related Stories:
· Bushfires Coverage [The Age]
· Koala Man Footage Not What It Seems [The Age]
· Deadly Fires Rage in Australia's Victoria Region [Jaunted] ]]> amandak 2009-02-12T09:00:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/9/13248/10007

Escaping the northern hemisphere winter for a summer Down Under might sound tempting, but spare a thought or ten for the south-east corner of Australia where bushfires have taken over a hundred lives so far. Many experts are saying the final death toll could be over two hundred.

The deadly fires are in the state of Victoria, most of them not that far away from the capital, Melbourne. There's plenty of outrage from the public that some of the fires were probably deliberately lit by arsonists. On top of that, the heat wave of temperatures over 40 degrees C (104 F) has made conditions nearly impossible for firefighters.

There is no word of travelers being amongst the victims as yet, although travel blogger Nora from the Professional Hobo site is reporting that she's had to evacuate her accommodation. Assistance in many forms is coming in from all parts of Australia and New Zealand and state and federal governments have already announced financial aid for those affected.

Related Stories:
· Fears Bushfire Toll May Double [Jaunted]
· Victoria's Bush Fires [The Professional Hobo]
· Victoria Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: The Professional Hobo] ]]> amandak 2009-02-09T09:21:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/20/33354/7371

Summer tennis action has hit Australia this week with the start of the the 2009 Australian Open in Melbourne. The tournament is held in Melbourne Park, a ten-minute walk from the center of the city, or a five-minute trip on the tram.

Whether, like us, you still have a weird thing for #2 seed Roger Federer, or if Serbian beauty Jelena Jankovic gets your racket swinging, apparently there are still tickets available even for the second week of the tournament, starting at A$70 ($50) for early rounds and rising as the matches go on.

As for who's going to be holding the trophies come February 1, well, we can't really go past a Williams sister for the women's, although we're not willing to decide on Venus or Serena. On the men's court, we're hoping for Federer but have a suspicion it might be Novak Djokovic this time round. But don't place bets based on our intuition.

Related Stories:
· Australian Open [Official Site]
· See McEnroe in the Dressing Room [Jaunted]
· Melbourne Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: MD111] ]]> amandak 2009-01-21T13:10:52-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/12/21/235144/13

It's finally here, and we're pretty sure it's not worth the wait. We're talking about the Southern Star Ferris wheel in Melbourne, an attraction that was originally planned to open for the 2006 Commonwealth Games (yes, 2006!), and then had various false starts before finally starting to spin on Saturday, with a fireworks-led grand opening.

So far, there's been a mixed reaction to the Southern Star and a lot of people think the A$29 ($20) price is a bit hefty. That, and Melbourne's not really a city that gets more attractive from the air. From a guy who won a competition and got his ride for free:

It's a bit dull. There's nothing really that interesting to look down on and I certainly wouldn't pay 30 bucks to do it again.

Our only tip for the Southern Star is that it could be a cool place to hang on New Year's Eve. It's usually open 10 am-10 pm every day but for New Year's it'll stay open until 1 am. Since the fact that it's open at all is a surprise, there are probably still tickets available. But be warned: The online booking system isn't working yet, so for now you have to physically buy the tickets down at the wheel itself--that's another reason we figure they're not sold out yet.

Related Stories:
· Southern Star [Official Site]
· Wheel Life Takes to the Air [The Age]
· Will Someone Please Hit the Switch on Melbourne's New Ferris Wheel? [Jaunted]

[Photo: Vermin Inc]]]> amandak 2008-12-22T09:30:35-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/