The Star: September 07, 2017

36
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday September 7 2017
Travel
The Star
Visit ‘Crocodile Hunter’s’ legacy
• By Mike Yardley
SHOWPIECE: The Crocoseum at Australia Zoo is enthralling.
QUEENSLAND’S Sunshine
Coast offers a flavourful spoil of
family-friendly experiences, albeit
at a far more relaxed pace than
the head-rush of the Gold Coast.
Hop-scotch your way around
the compact region’s assortment
of sights on a self-drive family
roadie.
The legacy of Steve Irwin
palpably lives on at Australia Zoo,
where his wife Terri and children,
Bindi and Robert, live and work.
I had the pleasure of interviewing
Steve and Terri several times
on Newstalk ZB before tragedy
struck a decade ago. His largerthan-life
TV persona wasn’t a case
of playing for the cameras. In
person, that exuberant charm and
passion was just as infectiously
electric.
From humble beginnings in
the 1990s, the Irwin family have
worked hard to make Australia
Zoo a world class conservation
facility, in addition to its magnetic
appeal as a tourist attraction. It’s
the intimacy of the animal encounters
which makes Australia
Zoo such a novel wildlife experience.
Like all good Aussie wildlife
parks, you can hand-feed kangaroos
and cuddle a koala. Then
there’s the up-close experiences
with red pandas, otters, wombats,
giraffes and spiky echidnas.
The Australia Zoo roving wildlife
team also serves up spontaneous
photo-posing opportunities,
with a veritable menagerie of
wildlife, including dingoes, bluetongue
lizards, skinks, pythons,
alligators, macaws and cockatoos.
You can be a zoo keeper for a
day and go behind-the-scenes to
get up close with the animals. But
the ultimate walk on the wild side
would have to be the opportunity
to take a cheetah or a tiger for a
walk. Seriously.
Book a hands-on encounter
and you’ll be contributing to
the zoo’s various projects geared
at protecting wildlife, from the
jungles of Sumatra to the savannahs
of Africa.
The newest attraction is Bindi’s
Island, built around her threestorey
treehouse, where the ringtailed
lemurs are the big showstealer.
Steve had just started the
excavation work for Bindi’s dream
treehouse, when he passed away.
But the showpiece attraction is
Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors,
which roars into life at noon in
the Crocoseum. It begins with the
free-flight birds of prey that wheel
and swoop around the arena
before the jaw-snapping drama of
the ginormous saltwater crocodiles
steal the show.
It’s instructive, enlightening and
utterly enthralling. Just like Steve
himself, whose spirit seems to live
on loudly and proudly throughout
this wondrous celebration
of wildlife. www.australiazoo.
com.au
Treat your kids to the delights
of Yandina, a charming subtropical
town and home to The Ginger
Factory. In 1941, Buderim Ginger
set about producing confectionery
ginger and 75 years on,
they remain the world’s biggest
producer.
Alongside the production, the
Ginger Factory is swooned over
by families for its boutique theme
park-style assortment of attractions.
I joined a Factory Tour
which was brilliantly led by Kelly,
bringing to life Buderim Ginger’s
backstory and concluding with a
fabulous product tasting session.
Don’t miss the ice creamery
and a scoop or two of ginger biscuit
and ginger cinnamon.
I hopped on board Moreton,
the factory’s beloved 115-year
old ginger train which tootles
through the property’s lush, leafy
and impeccably maintained tropical
gardens.
The Ginger Factory has also
branched out and embraced
honeybee production, and their
Super Bee educational tours are
absolutely riveting, complete with
honey tasting.
I finished my frolic through
the Ginger Factory by joining the
signature family ride, Overboard,
which follows the Gingerbread
man, around the world. This
meandering water adventure ride,
which is unmistakably reminiscent
of Disney’s It’s a Small World
ride, is delightfully presented and
even includes animatronic rugby
players performing a haka. www.
gingerfactory.com.au
The Yandina-Coolum Rd provides
a short hop from the Ginger
Factory to the sun-splashed,
seaside haven of Coolum. Bookended
by rocky headlands and
secluded coves, Coolum Beach is
a magnet for water lovers, with its
long stretch of golden sand and
rolling surf.
If your family is up for a sweaty
work-out, follow David Low Way
south of town, and hike up Mt
Coolum, for celestial views across
the coastline. The café society is
buzzy in Coolum, with some sizzling
beachfront nosh spots, none
more so than the Coolum Surf
Club. The Mooloolaba Prawn and
Avocado Salad is my pick.
Directly across the road, the
Coolum Caprice is a supreme
holiday roost, with ultra-spacious
self-contained apartments, overlooking
the Norfolk Palms fringing
the patrolled area of Coolum
Beach.
All apartments are equipped
with private balconies and those
sublime ocean views. Fully selfcontained
with open-plan living
and dining areas, cook up a storm
in your fully equipped kitchen,
while the in-room laundry facilities
are another welcome attribute.
SUN AND SURF: Coolum
Beach is a magnet for water
lovers. Left: Take a tour of the
Ginger Factory in a 115-yearold
steam locomotive.
FAST FACTS
•Coolum Caprice also
features a fabulous heated
swimming pool, paddling
pool, spa and sauna,
fitness centre and a games
room. The on-site tropical
gardens are equipped with
barbecue areas that you’re
welcome to use when
you want. The friendly,
outgoing staff, on-site
tour desk, complimentary
wifi and complimentary
undercover parking all
help to create a blissful
beachfront holiday base.
www.coolumcaprice.com.
au
•JUCY, a stunning familyowned
Kiwi success story,
boasts an innovative range
of campervans, or ‘campas’,
alongside an excellent
range of cars, which is what
plumped for on my Sunshine
Coast roadie. JUCY’s
customer service is fast,
reliable and friendly with
exceptional hire rates and
special deals to sweeten
your roadie adventure. Ph
0800 399 736 or jump to
www.jucy.co.nz
SUNNY WITH
BLUE SKIES
FRESH
START
YOUR SECTION HAS
A GREAT OUTLOOK
WARM
COMMUNITY
The forecast is bright!
We’re predicting even more growth.
With the signs of Spring popping up all over the place, it’s timely
that Faringdon announce even more growth on the horizon.
New show homes coming online as well as the launch of our
next stage being imminent. Let your blue sky dreams become a reality
at Canterbury’s most successful residential development.
Watch the full story with the FHN LIVE news team at faringdon.co.nz.
Stage 22 now selling.
Sections 400 to 907m
2 from $164,000.
FHN
LIVE
Faringdon Home
News Team
FRD31254-90x266
Mackenzie Norrell brings you a weather report with the typical
sunny disposition of a local Faringdon kid.
Call Bruce Harvey 0800 667 849
or visit www.faringdon.co.nz
Visit our info centre, corner Goulds and East Maddisons Roads.
Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm - 4pm.
You’re home.