Sydney's Chinese New Year Festival Celebrates the Year of the Sheep

Karaoke on top of the Harbour Bridge, tales of legends in the Chinese Garden of Friendship and endless amounts of delicious food, Sydney is bringing in the Year of the Sheep in style.

Officially commencing among the Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors at Dawes Point on Friday and running through new year on February 19 and until March 1, Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore said the 2015 Chinese New Year Festival celebrating the Year of the Sheep will being our streets to life.

"Its developed into the most significant celebration for Chinese New Year outside Asia," she said. "There will be 80 events including art exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, tea ceremonies, temple tours, sporting functions, all sorts of amazing events."

This year, the festival will celebrate the Year of the Sheep. Photo: Dallas Kilponen

According to University of Sydney emeritus professor of Chinese literature Jeffrey Riegel, the yang, or sheep, is known for its docile character, so people expect life will be more manageable.

"The sheep is also in early Chinese mythology thought to be a creature that knows instinctively the difference between good and bad, virtue and evil. So people expect that in the Year of the Sheep, justice will dominate," he said.

Venues throughout Sydney, including The Sydney Morning Herald Food & Wine Festival's Lunar Markets at Pyrmont Bay Park, will be lined with red lanterns, decorations and displays in celebration of the chun jie, or spring festival as it's known in China. Chun jie marks the start of the new lunar year, something Professor Riegel says is the biggest and most lavish festival in Chinese culture.

"It is also a chance to celebrate the old year and welcome the new, an annual renewal," he said. "They clear their debts, celebrate their togetherness, and by being together pave the way for even more prosperity."

Cecily Huang, a Chinese postgraduate student at UTS, is somewhat homesick but excited to celebrate her first Chinese New Year in Sydney.

"[Chinese] are probably more interested in celebrating here than in China, because all Chinese they get used to it," she said. "But here, they think they are far away from their home."

A first for 2015, long tables will be set up along Pitt, Sussex and Campbell streets for diners to valentine under the stars on February 14.

"We've got about 60 performers during the night moving from street to street and really encouraging that sense of outdoor dining, street food, the hustle and bustle and chaos, what we all know and love to be Asia," the festival's creative director Gill Minervini said.

However, a petition has been drafted in support of a name change of the event, citing the disrespectful nature of using the Chinese New Year name while also celebrating the cultures of Thailand, Korea and Vietnam as a lunar new year event.

"If I greet some Chinese man with 'Hey happy Vietnamese New Year - it's not right. It's just like greeting a Vietnamese man with Happy Chinese New Year," Anthony Ngo, a Vietnamese man who started the petition, told SBS.

Cr Moore defended the festival name.

"This festival is something that's continued on over the last 19 years, started as the Chinese New Year Festival, and now it continues as the Chinese New Year Festival."

In Parramatta, Centenary Square will be transformed into 'Lunar Square', hosting a family friendly twilight festival with traditional and contemporary performances and food on February 20.

"Council is proud to showcase Parramatta's rich cultural diversity and this festival is a great way for people to celebrate and share in the traditions and culture of our Asian communities," a Parramatta council spokeswoman said.

Gong xi fa cai. Welcome to the Year of the Sheep.

Festival Highlights:

Festival launch, Dawes Point: February 13, 7.30pm

Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors, Dawes Point: February 13-22

Sydney Morning Herald Food & Wine Festival Lunar Markets, Pyrmont Bay Park: February 12-22

Karaoke Climb, Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb: February 16-28

Lunar Streets, Chinatown, Thaitown, Koreatown: February 14, 5pm-11pm

Lunar Feats, Various restaurants: February 13-Mar 1

Chinese New Year Twilight Parade, Town Hall: February 22, 8pm-11.55pm

Dragon Boat Races, Cockle Bay: February 28-March 1

More information: http://www.sydneychinesenewyear.com/

Which animal are you?

Rat: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008

Ox: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Tiger: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Rabbit: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011

Dragon: 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012

Snake: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013

Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

Sheep: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

Monkey: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016

Rooster: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017

Dog: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

Pig: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

Discover the Shire on a Day Tour with Canons Shuttles

Discover some of Sydney’s best kept secrets, with a choice of two day tours showcasing the best of the Sutherland Shire!

Day Tour # 1 Discover the Shire

Your day starts with a morning pick-up from your hotel lobby; 7.45am for city hotels and 8.30am for Shire hotels.

Botany Bay Your tour travels past world-famous Botany Bay as you start your journey to The Shire.

Symbio Wildlife Park Canons will then take you to Symbio Wildlife Park to enjoy a morning with kangaroos, koalas and emus.

Stanwell Tops Lookout You then make your way to Stanwell Tops Lookout, where you may see locals hang gliding as you enjoy morning tea.

Royal National Park The journey continues to the world’s second oldest National Park. Enjoy breathtaking views from Governor Game Lookout before stopping at the old dance hall in Audley, now the Visitors Information Centre.

Cronulla Beach After your stop in the Royal National Park you will travel to Cronulla for lunch and a stroll along the beach. Rejoin the bus and travel to Bass & Flinders Point for spectacular views over Port Hacking and Bundeena.

Hazelhurst Gallery From here you will travel to Hazelhurst Gallery to view the latest exhibitions from local artists.

National Camellia Gardens Your final stop of the day is the National Camellia Gardens where you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the gardens and recharge with afternoon tea.

Canons will then return you to your hotel from 4pm for Shire hotels and 5pm for city hotels.

Day Tour #2 Cruise the Shire

Your day starts with a morning pick-up from your hotel lobby; 7.45am for city hotels and 8.30am for Shire hotels.

Botany Bay Your tour travels past world-famous Botany Bay as you start your journey to The Shire.

Kurnell Visit Captain Cook’s landing site and explore the Burrawang walk and its unique Aboriginal soundscape.

Cronulla Beach After your stop in Kurnell you will travel to Cronulla to meet the cruise, travelling past the beaches on the way.

Cruise Enjoy morning tea and a delicious lunch as you cruise the waters of the rainbow serpent belonging to the Dharawal people. Learn about the unique ecology of the Port Hacking river system and enjoy informative talks on the native plants and wildlife.

Royal National Park Rejoin the tour bus and stop at the old dance hall in Audley, now the Visitors Information Centre. From there the journey continues through the world’s second oldest National Park where you can enjoy breathtaking ocean views from Governor Game Lookout.

Stanwell Tops Lookout: You will then travel to Stanwell Tops Lookout, where you may see locals hang gliding as you enjoy afternoon tea.

Symbio Wildlife Park: Your last stop is Symbio Wildlife Park to enjoy an afternoon with kangaroos, koalas and emus.

Canons will then return you to your hotel from 4pm for Shire hotels and 5pm for city hotels

For Prices and Bookings visit Canons Shuttles or Phone 02 9522 6868

Source: http://www.sutherlandshireaustralia.com.au/about-the-shire/things-to-see-do/discover-the-shire-day-tour/



Hotel accommodation in Sutherland Shire: Metro Hotel Miranda

• Address: Corner of Kingsway and Jackson Avenue, Miranda NSW
• Website: www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/new-south-wales/metro-hotel-miranda 

Top 6 things to do at 2015 Sydney Easter Show

TOP SIX THINGS YOU MUST SEE AND DO AT THIS YEAR'S SHOW

• See the "best of the best" in Australian agriculture at over 12,500 world class Sydney Royal Competitions
• See the multi-coloured tapestry of the District Exhibits, created from the finest produce in NSW and South-East Queensland
• Watch woodchips fly in the Wimbledon of Woodchopping
• Take a walk on the cuddly side with the Show's family favourite Animal Walk
• Visit the fun and educational Food Farm to learn where food comes from and take part in Cooking with Kids activities
• The Sydney Royal Beer and Wine Garden is the perfect place relax and savour the finer things

When: 26 March - 8 April 2015
Where: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park

Showbags

No day at the Sydney Royal Easter Show is complete without a trip to the Showbag Pavilion. Filled with treats, toys and tones of fun, there’s always a Showbag to suit any age, taste and budget. Plus, you can still buy a Showbag at the Show for just $1.

As a uniquely Australian invention, Showbags originated as early as the 1900’s and started as sample bags offering visitors the chance to try something for free. From sample bags to showbags, there has been bags of fun for years.

• In the 1920’s showbags began being sold as the cost of producing bags for free became too much for companies.
• Showbags have contained a variety of contents over the years, but the first ones mainly contained food products, especially confectionery. Stranger products, such as coal and medicinal products, such as laxatives, have also been included in showbags. 
• During in 1950s, showbags featuring toys began to appear. In the 1970’s celebrity bags were popular with the Madonna and Michael Jackson bags introduced into the Showbag Hall. 

Showbags will be available online from February 2015

Source: www.eastershow.com.au

Sydney Royal Easter Show Traditions 2015

WHEN: 26 March - 8 April 2015

WHERE: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park

Traditions

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is an important annual event for countless Australians in no small part thanks to the traditions and family favourites that can be found every year. These traditions have served to connect generations of showgoers and continue to strengthen the bond between the city and rural Australia.

District Exhibits

The uniquely Australian District Exhibit displays will climb up the walls of the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome providing a creative and colourful tapestry of the country’s best produce. This year, the District Exhibit displays will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC Gallipoli landing by recognising ANZAC men and women in the artworks.

The District Exhibit competition consists of five regions that represent Southern, Northern, Western, Central NSW and South East Queensland. The exhibits are the end result of a year of hard work by passionate agriculturalists, farmers and volunteers, who plan, source, collect, design and install the spectacular constructions for pre-Show judging. More than 10,000 pieces of fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, pulses, wool and other produce are used to create each exhibit.

Fresh produce from each region is available for purchase every day at the front of each District Exhibit. On the last day, there will also be a sale of the produce from 3.30pm-5.30pm offering showgoers the chance to grab a bargain and support Australian farmers. 

When: Daily
Daily: Woolworths Fresh Food Dome

CWA Tea Room

Nothing says Australian country hospitality like the Country Women's Association Tearoom at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. 

If it's the aroma of freshly baked scones and piping-hot tea pulling in reams of showgoers, it's the warmth of the CWA ladies serving up delicious treats with jam and free cream. Take a tea stop at this traditional favourite. 

When: Daily
Where: Arts and Crafts Pavillion

Grand Parade

The Grand Parades celebrate the best-of-the-best in agriculture at the Show. The three parades showcase competition winners, including animals, producers and champion woodchoppers in a procession around Spotless Stadium. 

The first Grand Parade was held in 1907 and has been a Show favourite ever since. Don't miss the opportunity to cheer on the best that Australia agriculture has to offer and be part of one of the Show's richest traditions. 

When: 
Saturday March 28 at 5.25pm
Tuesday March 31 at 4.20pm
Friday April 3 at 4.15pm

Arts and Craft

The Sydney Royal Arts & Crafts Show has been a feature of the Sydney Royal Easter Show almost continuously since 1869. It is the biggest Arts & Crafts Competition in Australia, attracting over 4,500 entries, across almost 300 classes. Entries include portraits, rural landscapes, photographs, sculptures, pottery, cake decorating, silverwork, sugar art and more, all of which are on display in the pavilion throughout the Show. New classes this year include Digital Artwork, Woven Tapestry and Lace.

Leather work will be the Feature Display in the Arts & Crafts Pavilion at the 2015 Show. Showgoers can see amazing demonstrations of craftsmanship that goes in to creating saddles, corsets, belts, whips and bags.

Visitors to the pavilion should not miss the Standard of Excellence Cabinet, featuring the ‘best of the best’ from the craft sections, and the hotly-contested Perishable Cooking Competition on 26 March at 1pm.

When: Daily 9.30am-8.30pm
Where: Arts and Crafts Pavilion 

Woodchop

The Sydney Royal Woodchopping & Sawing Competition has been a feature of the Sydney Royal Easter Show for over a century. Attracting over 220 male and female competitors from Australia and overseas who compete in 65 different classes, this is the only Show competition that is also a World Titles event. It is for this reason that the Sydney Royal Woodchop Competition is widely recognised as the ‘Wimbledon of Woodchopping’.

The 2015 competition will feature increased prize money for all 5 World Championship events, and a new Veteran Teams Relay between NSW and Tasmania for axemen over 60 years of age.

Do not miss these World Championship events:

• The Manny McCarthy Memorial 375mm World Championship Underhand - Saturday 4 April 2:10pm
• 375mm World Championship Standing Block – Monday 6 April 2.40pm
• 325mm World Championship Tree Felling Contest – Friday 3 April 3pm
• 375mm World Championship Sawing Contest (Single handed) – Saturday 28 March 12.30pm
• 600mm World Championship Sawing Contest (Double handed) – Sunday 29 March 1.30pm

Woodchop will also feature every night in Spotless Stadium from 7.30pm as part of the all-new Woodchop Showcase.

When: Friday 27 March – Monday 6 April 2015, from 9am

Where: Channel 9 Woodchop Stadium

Showgirl

Every year, The Land Sydney Royal Showgirl Competition shines the spotlight on the brightest young women across country NSW. The event attracts high-calibre competitors who display confidence, rural knowledge, ambition and a passion to represent country Australia and has made a significant contribution to the advancement of women in regional and rural areas ever since the first Showgirl crown was awarded to Margaret Mackay of Dungog in 1962.

More than 500 women enter each year in the hope of becoming a young female ambassador for rural NSW. Brodie Chester from Bega, NSW, was selected as the winner of the 2014 competition over 16 finalists. The winner, who will become an ambassador to promote the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the agricultural show movement across NSW, will be announced at the conclusion of the event.

When: Sunday March 29 at 2pm
Where: Big Top Amphitheatre

Rodeo

The country’s best Bull Riders, Steer Wrestlers, Bareback Riders and Barrel Racers will be performing each night as part of the Sydney Royal Rodeo Series. Rodeo will feature a National Allstars competition comprised of the 2014 and 2015 top-ranked riders in the country, as well as a rookie wildcard for each competition over two nights.

When: Every evening from 6.30pm
Where: Spotless Stadium

Flower and Garden

Judging of the Sydney Royal Flower & Garden Show takes place every second day of the Show, with a new competition with different varieties of flower and plants judged, that then stay on display for the day after judging. Flowers are judged on their condition, colour, freshness and overall presentation.  New this year is the NSW & ACT Dahlia Championships, which will be judged on Good Friday, 3 April.

Showgoers can also purchase or order flowers to be sent anywhere within Australia, at the Florist Shop in the pavilion.

Kids can take part in the Flora Kulchas activities, dress a scarecrow at the Scarecrow activity, or try their hand at planting seeds at the Little Diggers activity outside the pavilion. 

When: 9.30am-8.30pm. Judging from 8am every second day of Show.
Where: Flower and Garden Pavilion

Source: http://www.eastershow.com.au/explore/Show-Traditions.aspx

Cosentino | The Grand Illusionist Tour Australia

Cosentino | The Grand Illusionist Tour Australia

Australia's world-renowned entertainer, Cosentino the Grand Illusionist, will be taking his spectacular new live show 'TWISTED REALITY' across the country in April - May 2015.

Join Cosentino as he performs never before seen death-defying escapes that will thrill your senses, mind boggling stage illusions and cutting-edge street magic that twists your view of reality.

Cosentino's trademark blend of dance and magic with a touch of hilarious audience participation will take you on a journey that will captivate fans, new and old, until the very last mind-bending moment.

"I've been working on my new live show 'TWISTED REALITY' for over a year. It's going to have even bigger stunts, crazier escapes and the best magic I've produced so far. I'm really proud of what we have created and I can't wait to hit the road and perform it live for my fans across the country", said Cosentino.

Tour Dates:

Thu 23 Apr Jupiters Hotel & Casino Gold Coast, QLD

Fri 10 to Sun 12 Apr The Palms at Crown, VIC

Sat 18 to Sun 19 Apr The Star Event Centre, NSW 

Fri 1 to Sat 2 May Regal Theatre, WA

Liverpool confirms Australia tour, will play Adelaide United and Brisbane Roar

Premier League giant Liverpool has confirmed it will play A-League clubs Adelaide United and the Brisbane Roar in July as part of its preseason tour.

The Reds will kick off their Australian tour against the Roar at Lang Park on July 17, before facing Adelaide United in Adelaide on July 20.

It follows Liverpool's hugely successful tour Down Under in 2013, where it played against Melbourne Victory at a packed-out MCG.

"We visited Australia for the first time two years ago and the support we received from our Australian fans was incredible," Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre said in a club statement.

"Liverpool FC have more than 600,000 supporters in Australia and we look forward to meeting as many of them as possible while we are in the country."

Liverpool's arrival will add to an already packed July of football for Australian audiences, with Manchester City playing Real Madrid and AS Roma in the friendly International Champions Cup tournament in Melbourne.

However, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will not be part of the trip as he leaves for MLS team LA Galaxy at the end of the season.

Brisbane Roar managing director Sean Dobson said it would be a proud moment for the club to host Liverpool.

"To be on the same field with Liverpool FC, one of the true giants of world football, reinforces Brisbane Roar’s standing as Australia’s premier football club," he said in a statement.

"It will be a special night for all our members and fans as they cheer on the Roar against such legendary opponents playing on our home ground."

South Australia's acting tourism minister Tom Koutsantonis says hosting Liverpool at Adelaide Oval is a coup for the state.

"A stadium packed with Reds fans from throughout Australia and the world will be a magnificent showcase for the Adelaide Oval and South Australia," he said in a statement.

"Such world-class sporting events are huge draw cards, and we also anticipate a global TV audience for the game, so it is the perfect platform to showcase Adelaide to the rest of the world."

Melbourne General Cemetery Tours Bring Life to the Graveyard

Melbourne General Cemetery

It's twilight in the graveyard. Large bats circle lazily overhead.

In the gloom, folks gather around the tomb of actor Frederick Baker, whose ghost (legend has it) haunts a theatre not far from where his remains lie. The last rays of light disappear behind the headstones, as the visitors recall his final moments.

Baker, known as Federici, died while playing the Devil.

The people here are not mourners, ghost hunters, vandals or fans of Baker. Rather, they're tourists, participating in one of the Melbourne General Cemetery's popular night tours.

There's a spine-tingling sense of daring walking in a graveyard at night, even in the herd safety of a tour group with flashlights. In the velvety darkness, death's mystery seems to brush against them.

The spicy scent of a peppercorn tree wafts through the still night air, as multiple feet crunch across the fallen peppercorn sprigs. (Such trees were traditionally planted in graveyards as a sign of religious fervour.) Pencil pines are also among the monuments, a soaring tree favoured in the belief they elevated the souls of the dead to heaven.

"If you ask people what is the most frightening thing to do, they say, 'Walking in a cemetery at night.' There's a real mystique about it," says Melbourne's cemeteries trust historical and cultural director, Celestina Sagazio, explaining the tours' popularity. "I think it's that fascination with the spirit world, the fear of death, and confronting that fear. It's that courage aspect: You've got the courage to do it."

As the historic grounds host fewer funerals and some graves fall into decay, the Melbourne General Cemetery is reinventing itself as tourist spot and picnic park. The most popular night tour is on Halloween, when visitors in ghoulish costumes troop between the graves. But the Friday the 13th, Midsummer and Full Moon tours always sell out, often turning dozens away.

Sagazio, who believes graveyards are for the living as much as the dead, recently announced plans to cater for a range of social functions, including pre-death wakes (for people who want to be at their own wakes), philosophical lectures and weddings (a sure way to reinforce the message, " 'Til death do us part").

That said, the night tours began several years back "almost as a bit of a dare," Sagazio says. Someone suggested the idea, half joking, but Sagazio decided to give it a try. "Some people thought it was unusual, even ghoulish. But it's got to be respectful." The tours took off.

"It's demystifying death, because we have this great fear of death and cemeteries. By visiting them, our fear diminishes. Exposure decreases fear," says Sagazio during an interview at one of the trust's newer cemeteries, Springvale Botanical, which has a restaurant with a French chef, regular jazz bands, theatre and children's playgrounds.

With fear and taboo surrounding death, cemetery management the world over faces a problem: How to maintain historically important monuments when no one wants to walk through the front gate?

"We are trying to come up with a tourism strategy, because it (the Melbourne General Cemetery) is coming to the end of its natural life," Sagazio says. "We think we are ready for some of these more adventurous cultural activities, but respectful.

"Some people want a spooky experience, let's be honest about that, but a lot of people are interested in the history."

A consummate tour guide, she spices the night tours with quirky historical facts, tidbits about grave monuments, hints of scandal and juicy stories of the departed (and at least five jokes). But there also are poignant moments, stories of long-forgotten city heroes who perished tragically or beloved stars who died too young.

View the Melbourne General Cemetery Tours Website