Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Big Wet Continues
Much of eastern Australia was wracked by
drought for the first decade of this century:
this ended in 2011 with record rainfalls across
Queensland. The drought was over, but floods
inundated dozens of towns, affecting one mil-
lion sq km - roughly the size of France and
Germany combined. The Brisbane River
broke its banks, flooding vast stretches of
Brisbane and destroying the city's prized net-
work of riverside walkways.
Then, in 2013, southeast Queensland was
again inundated, this time by the tail-end of
Tropical Cyclone Oswald, which immersed
Bundaberg and parts of Brisbane in river wa-
ter again. Residents of low-lying suburbs
wrung themselves dry and started rebuilding
(again).
Best on Film
Praise
(director John Curran; 1998) Two mis-
matched 20-something lovers in down-and-out
Brisbane.
Muriel's Wedding
(director PJ Hogan; 1994)
Comedic misadventures of socially awkward
dreamer Muriel (Toni Collette).
Australia
(director Baz Luhrmann; 2008)
Sweeping epic filmed around Bowen on the
Whitsunday Coast..
Dead Calm
(director Phillip Noyce; 1989)
Nicole Kidman gets nervous on a yacht in the
Great Barrier Reef.
The Coolangatta Gold
(director Igor Auzins;
1984) Critically derided '80s Gold Coast surf-
lifesaving saga.
Best in Print
It's Raining in Mango
(Thea Astley; 1987)
Fortunes and failures of a pioneer family in
Cooktown.
Carpentaria
(Alexis Wright; 2006) Indigenous
writer Alexis Wright's tale of the fictional town
of Desperence.
Meanwhile, Out on the Reef
Many climatologists believe these floods are
yet more evidence of climate change wreaking
havoc on Queensland's weather. Climate
change remains a hot topic here (no pun inten-
ded) - particularly when it comes to Queens-
land's biggest tourist attraction, the Great Bar-
rier Reef. As sea temperatures rise, marine re-
searchers predict disastrous consequences for
the reef. Some estimates place the near-total
devastation of the reef within the next 50
years. This destruction is unthinkable on many fronts - not least of which is the cata-
strophic economic consequences: the Great Barrier Reef generates an estimated $4 billion
in annual tourism revenue.
Johnno
(David Malouf; 1975) Coming-of-age
tale set in 1940s Brisbane.
He Died with a Felafel in his Hand
(John
Birmingham; 1994) Grungy share-house life in
Brisbane and beyond.
Reminiscences of Early Queensland
(Tom
Petrie; 1904) A bushman's story of life with
Aboriginal peoples.
