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New Zealand vs. France

Don’t miss the big game Sunday 23th october at 4pm

Cheer your team to victory!

BBQ after the game!

Join Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh on the final day of their Royal Visit to Australia as they celebrate with a barbecue on the Perth foreshore Saturday the 29th october

Volunteers will be cooking up a storm of sausages, which can be purchased for $2 each with all proceeds donated to charity. There will also be live entertainment throughout the morning, starting at 9.30am

The barbecue will run from 9am to 12.15pm. There will be free public transport into the city and Transperth will increase services on the day.

Patrons can alight at Perth station and make their way to the foreshore.

For more information call the Big Aussie Barbecue Information line on 1300 302 983 or email bigaussiebbq@dpc.wa.gov.au

Reef Shark

A top Sydney chef says shark fin soup should be banned from Australian restaurants because the demand for the delicacy is driving sharks to extinction.

Dank Street Depot’s Jared Ingersoll said serving shark fin dishes in Australia is promoting an unsustainable industry.

“Stocks of shark and shark fin are depleting and unless we take a stand and say no to this product it’s going to run out,” he said.

Mr Ingersoll said as well as the restaurant ban, the importation of the shark fins from other countries should be stopped.

“Buying it in from other countries, we’re actually not solving the problems because we’re shifting the problem to someone else’s front door,” he said.

Shark finning — the brutal but lucrative practice of cutting fins off live sharks and throwing them back into the ocean to slowly drown — is banned in Australia.

But Australia still imports 10,000kg of dried shark fins every year from countries that have not banned finning, including China and The Philippines, which equates to an estimated 26,000 sharks.

Ninemsn has found that dried sharks fins are widely available in Sydney’s Chinatown with price tags up to $1400 per kilogram and $158 a bowl of shark fin soup.

The dish is a symbol of wealth in Asian culture, but recently it has also appeared on western-style menus, including at Quay restaurant in Sydney.

Murdering Sharks For Their Fins

Glenn Sant, from Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network TRAFFIC, said the global trade in shark fins was a major concern.

“Its not identified at all when it appears in a ship or through markets whether it’s from a sustainable source or a legal source,” he said.

Mr Sant said Australia had come a long way to protecting sharks but still played a significant role in the shark fishing industry — catching up to 12,000 tonnes per year.

He said the government needed to do more to demonstrate that they are managing in a sustainable way.

Chef Neil Perry, who heads Rockpool restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne, will only only serve seafood that is harvested sustainably.

“We know where it comes from, we know the fishermen and we know the fishing methodology,” Mr Perry said.

But he said the real issue was how the industry is managed.

“We should probably be able to have shark fin at some stage if the inhumanity of finning is stopped, the shark is being harvested from a sustainable biomass and all of the shark is being used.”

“It’s not a matter of getting banners and marching outside Chinese restaurants in Chinatown — it’s really a matter of having a dialogue at [a global] government level.”

Documentary film SharkWater, released in Australian cinemas this month, has ignited controversy over shark finning with it’s portrayal of cracking the black market fin trade in Costa Rica.

Director Rob Stewart, also a marine biologist, said shark populations have dropped 90 percent in the last 30 years because of the growing demand for shark fin soup in Asia.

“We’re not living in a sustainable relationship with the world that allows us to survive on land and we need to turn that around really quickly,” he told ninemsn.

Last month, the Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, placed an export ban on a fishery in northern Western Australia because of an alarming decline in one shark species.

“The rate of decline in the sandbar shark was considered so severe that shark fishing had to be stopped in the area,” a WA Fisheries Department spokesman said.

Story by Josephine Asher, ninemsn

Plankton-eating Whale Shark

Comment by Tony Inman at Planet Inn – As a keen scuba diver, I am absolutely an advocate of the importance of preserving our marine eco-systems around the World. I highly recommend the film ‘Sharkwater’, which explains the bad rep that sharks have received from Hollwood movies such as ‘Jaws’.

Sharks kill only about 5 people a year in the whole world, whereas we kill around 50 million of them. They kill usually only because they mistake us for something else that they would usually eat, such as a seal or a turtle, whereas in many cases humans kill sharks for their fins, often throwing them back in the water still alive, and leaving them to die a cruel and painful death.

I have personally dived up close to many sharks, of which there are hundreds of species, a lot of which are quite harmless to humans.

The incidents of shark attacks really come down to being very unlucky – “wrong place, wrong time”. Stats show that more people are killed by coconuts falling on their heads or being struck by lightning. More people die from defective electric toasters than from shark attacks, yet you don’t often find people fearing for their life as they avoid the kitchen bench!

Leopard Shark

If you are healthy and can pluck up the courage, I highly recommend learning to scuba dive. Failing that. have a go at snorkelling. If that’s still not your cup of tea, then take a tour in a glass bottom boat or visit AQWA, our WA aquarium, where you can watch sharks through the safety of a window.

All of these activities can be organised for you by our staff at Planet Inn.

Education is the key to understanding that sharks have an important place in our world and that they actually fulfill a vital role in maintaining the good health of the oceans and ultimately, of  our Planet Earth.

We at Planet Inn recognise that a lot of people out there are finding things tough at the moment!

As a result of the ‘Global Financial Crisis’, tourism has been hit hard and people who may have intended to travel have held off because of cut-backs and job losses in other countries.

Those who have still come to Australia seem to not have as much cash available to spend and are seeking work sooner than in previous years.

So how are we at Planet Inn Backpackers responding to this ‘global crisis’ to help our customers?

We have held off the price increases that we normally apply at this time of year, which is usually our peak season.

Instead we are offering prospective and current guests “Recession Buster” Prices – Dorm Rates that would normally be around $27 to $28 per night are available for just $20 per night,

In addition to this we have been making steady improvements and refurbishements to our premises to make things more comfortable and more convenient for our customers.

From Monday 23rd November, we will be offering a ‘Complimentary Breakfast’ between 8am and 10am.

In response to customer requests, we can now offer our guests free WIFI (wireless internet connection) for your laptops.

Our bar prices include customer-friendly “Happy Hours” in accordance with the local regulations.

We offer a free pick up service from Airports, Bus and Train Stations (min 2 ‘guest nights’ stay – ie one person for two nights or two people for one night).

We have found that a lot of travellers on Working Holiday Visas are asking us for work as soon as they arrive in Perth.

So we have responded by reactivating the Planet Inn Job Club. Anyone who stays with us can register at no cost for assistance in finding work.

Of course we cannot guarantee you a job, but we have helped thousands of backpackers to successfully find work.

The recent trend has been that more and more employers are starting to call us looking for staff and on some occasions we have had more jobs than people available to work.

Our ‘Promotional Planner’ offers discounted food, drinks and nightclub deals to keep more money in your pocket.

Rains and sunshine greatly influence the timing of the wildflower season, causing it to span severa months and regions.In the north of the state, wildflowers will appear in July with early rains hastening their arrival. As late as November a blaze of wildflower colour will take over the south where the warmer weather produces a totally different collage of species.

Each of the trails covered on this website boasts unique wildflower species due to variances in environmental elements such as soil type, local fauna, the broader plant system, geological structure, and most importantly, the weather.

There are several ways of seeing this spectacle. Many of the tour operators run “wildflower tours”, or you can rent or buy a car and explore the region at your own pace. Contact Planet Inn for details!

Pictures courtesy of www.westernaustralia.com

White Water Rafting

Saturday, 1 August 2009 to Sunday, 2 August 2009 Confirmed Event

The Avon Descent presents a serious challenge and is a prized trophy to those who have been victorious.

Participants challenge the Avon and Swan Rivers in a variety of paddle and power craft in an exciting two-day time trial over 133 gruelling kilometres.

The Avon Descent offers competitors conditions ranging from long stretches of flat water that can test the endurance of the fittest athlete through to rapids, sure to test the skills of all who attempt to navigate their unknown contours.

The Avon Descent passes through some of Western Australia’s most picturesque country, including the farming regions of historic Northam and Toodyay, forested national parks, steep gorges, the Swan Valley vineyard region and eventually the tidal waters of the upper Swan River.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay and want to follow this event, then why not visit us at Planet Inn Backpackers?

If you want to try your hand at this exciting sport, we can arrange it for you with our friends at River Gods, who teach people how to do it safely.

Contact us now via the enquiry form on this website.

Information and picture courtesy of www.westernaustralia.com

Details from : http://www.avondescent.com.au

Demonstrating live at the Good Food and Wine Show in Perth are some of Australia’s best chefs including Matt Moran, Tobie Puttock, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, and Alastair McLeod & Anna Gare.

It’s a unique celebration of good food, good wine & great times!

Good Food and Wine Show

This event is on in Perth 31st July to 2nd August, 2009 at Perth Convention Centre.

Tickets are available from Ticketek.

Australasian Safari

Saturday, 1 August 2009 to Saturday, 8 August 2009 Confirmed Event

More than 100 of the world’s best off-road four-wheel drive, motorbike and quad bike competitors will begin the 22nd annual Australasian Safari in Perth.

Considered the Paris to Dakar of the Asia Pacific region, the event is renowned as one of the toughest and most challenging motoring events in the world.

 Covering over 4’000 km, over seven days, the gruelling off-road rally event will travel across the Western Australian outback from the coastal shores of Perth, through the Midwest and finishing in Kalgoorlie. The event comprises of three competition categories – Auto, Moto and Quad.

Four-wheel drive and motor bike enthusiasts can follow the safari and experience the exhilaration of competitive off-road rallying or competition pressures by joining the fully-guided adventure tour component of the event. The Adventure Tour Auto and the Adventure Tour Moto are a great way to be part of the event, meet the teams, see some great Safari action and explore the amazing sights of Western Australia.

A real Red Earth Safari

Motoring enthusiasts should not miss this exciting event and what better place to stay so you can see the start than at Planet Inn Backpackers!

Take advantage of our free pick up service (min 2 nights stay) and our friendly hospitality and warm welcome.

For futher details see http://www.australasiansafari.com.au

Information courtesy of www.westernaustralia.com

Grace Knight - Jazz Singer

This June the City of Perth Winter Arts Season will return to the city, offering a rich tapestry of arts events that will keep Western Australians warm through the cooler months.

This year’s season will see a greater variety of participating arts organisations stage performances and exhibitions than ever before.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi says that this year’s program is exceptional and a true reflection of WA’s growing arts scene. “We are seeing a renaissance of art and culture in the city. Over the last couple of years WA has continued to produce world class superstars in the arts field and programs such as this are where many of them begin to tread the boards,” Ms Scaffidi said. “Whether it is dance, drama or digital art this year’s program has something for all ages and tastes,” she said.

The City of Perth Winter Arts Season runs from 1 June to 31 August and includes stage productions, art exhibitions and musical entertainment.

Further details from http://www.perthwinterartsfestival.com.au

Information courtesy of www.westernaustralia.com