Protestors rally to stop cuts to Prince Charles hospital
Protestors gathered outside Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s Dickson electorate office at Strathpine to oppose potential federal budget cuts to Prince Charles Hospital. As morning traffic passed by, about 15 protestors in hospital outfits chanted “save our hospital, put LNP last”. Some cars honked in support. The demonstration was organised by online lobby group GetUp as part of a national campaign to save hospitals from cuts. GetUp said its projections showed... Read More
How to make a monster
Artist John Cox’s exhibition at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, How to Make a Monster, is a winner for family-oriented fun. The colourful, interactive and slightly scientific exhibition offers a unique insight into the intriguing world of animatronics. The first hall of two is home to the Academy Award presented to John Cox’s Creature Workshop for their work on the 1995 children’s film classic, Babe. There are also storyboards from George of the Jungle 2, the parrot (and all... Read More
Challenging times ahead for Gladstone as roller-coaster ride continues
Industry is the Gladstone Region’s life blood and has been considered for decades as the centre of Queensland’s sporadic industrial prosperity. But the intermittent cycle of industrial projects in Gladstone creates instability within the region’s economy and often leaves local businesses struggling to survive. The Gladstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) recently released their ‘Boom, Bust or Reset’ study that provides detail on the effect of the LNG Plant... Read More
Review: Captain America: Civil War
With change in the air what will the Superheroes do? Will they bow to the pressure that is placed before them, or will they become a rogue force? Marvel Cinematic Universe has pumped out yet another Superhero movie. This A-List cast never disappoints with the usual Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), to name some of the Avengers. There are new Marvel characters introduced into the Avengers.... Read More
Review: Madame Butterfly
Opera Queensland, Lyric Theatre, QPAC Directed by Michael Grandage, the performance of Puccini’s sorrowful and tragic tale of a broken heart, breached trust and loss was a successful and splendid achievement. The lyricism of the opera is moving and touching and highlights why it is still so popular. The set was simple yet effective with the lighting used to great effect when night became day and characters moved from inside to the outdoors. The rotating stage was an interesting... Read More
A less travelled road in a remote corner of Vietnam
I learnt the literal meaning of the term ‘take the road less travelled’ about half-way through our 12km walk to our host family’s house in Sapa, Vietnam. The quaint town is 350km northwest of Hanoi and borders China. After a windy five-hour taxi ride, our queasy group was eager to jump out to get some fresh air. We were greeted by Pham whom we’d contacted through a travel website. We opted to walk to her house (which was agreed upon via email before meeting), so we... Read More