Winemaker Blackburn lands at Latitude 32

Former Brand's Laira, Australian Vintage and Kirrihill winemaker Amy Blackburn has a new post in the Hunter Valley.

Blackburn has joined Latitude 32 Wines as chief winemaker.

"With more than 20 years of experience across some of Australia's leading wineries, Amy brings a wealth of knowledge, fresh ideas and a passion for crafting exceptional wines," the winery said in an email.

"As she joins us to lead our winemaking operations, we're excited for what this next chapter will bring while continuing to honour the Hunter Valley's rich winemaking heritage."

The former Mistletoe property is among Latitude 32's properties, owned by Emma and David White.

Their cellar door is open seven days a week and offers a range of tasting choices including the Sweet & Sparkling Experience, a guided tasting bringing together indulgent sweet treats and vibrant bubbles.

There is also a new dumplings menu with five different dumpling flavours paired with Latitude 32 wines. Think flavours like Alaskan crab, lemongrass beef, Asian vegetable, chicken and mushroom, and sweet apple and cinnamon. 

See https://latitude32wines.com/
 

Alva Hotel is where X used to mark the spot

Brisbane has a new hotel address with the opening this week of The Alva Hotel Brisbane, Vignette Collection. 

The property, formerly Hotel X, is a new addition to  IHG Hotels & Resorts' growing Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio.

In what is billed as "more than a rebrand", The Alva has been reimagined as a lifestyle hotel with a contemporary urban vibe. 

Each Vignette Collection property is individual in its identity, yet united by the vision to offer "a more authentic way to travel".

With a name meaning 'light', The Alva Hotel offers light-filled rooms designed as spaces to pause, work and recharge, allowing guests to move seamlessly from the business of the day to evenings immersed in Fortitude Valley's vibrant dining and social scene.

The transformation begins on arrival with a new lobby experience featuring the ‘Alva at Home’ lobby shop, spacious reception and distinct artworks, designed as a welcoming sanctuary. 

Rooms feature premium amenities and The Alva's personalised Sleep Edit, complete with a pillow menu and sleep sprays. 

Select room categories also feature private balconies (check before you book), alongside dog-friendly accommodation. 

Guests are also encouraged to discover Brisbane through bespoke city guides created by the hotel team and local personalities featuring curated picks of neighbourhood cafés, bars, galleries and boutiques. 

A star attraction is the 15-metre rooftop pool offering a calm urban oasis with panoramic city views,

while Bisou Bisou serves contemporary French cuisine in a bistro setting. 

"The Alva is much more than a new name," says GM Daniel Gerritse. "It's a new hotel experience inspired by the creativity, energy and character of Fortitude Valley.

"We've created a place where guests can experience Brisbane through thoughtful design, personalised service and experiences that celebrate the neighbourhood's music, art, dining and culture. We're equally committed to being part of the local community by championing the people and places that make this precinct so distinctive."

A First Light Special Offer includes: a complimentary room upgrade; guaranteed noon late checkout; complimentary valet parking for one vehicle; and a welcome amenity. There is a minimum two-night stay for this offer.

Coopers goes dark for its new Vintage Ale

Australia’s largest independent brewery, Coopers, has gone for innovation and given a nod to its craft beer heritage in the hop selection for its annual Vintage Ale.

Each year, the Coopers brewing team creates a unique, premium-quality craft-style beer with a distinctive blend of hops, a release which is awaited by beer lovers around the country.

The 2026 Vintage Ale features an experimental hop - HBC-1134 - delivering floral, citrus and herbal characters, alongside the US hop Krush, with distinct aromas of navel orange, supported by peach, berries, ripe mango, guava and lychee.

The result is promised to be "a smooth and creamy palate featuring fruit-forward flavours of mango, passionfruit and stone fruit which balances the woody notes and malty flavour for which Vintage Ale is renowned".

Coopers managing director Michael Shearer said 2026 Vintage Ale continues the Adelaide brewery's tradition of releasing a full-bodied, extra-strong seasonal ale that is perfectly suited to cold weather drinking.

“Vintage Ale has developed a legion of fans over the decades and we expect this year’s release to be well received by loyal Coopers drinkers,” he said.

“Full of rich and complex flavours, the 2026 brew is a special strong, dark ale which drinks exceptionally well and will pair excellently with hearty winter meals.

“While it’s ready to enjoy right away, Vintage Ale can also be cellared to allow its malty characters to develop and patience is certainly rewarded for those who are willing to wait.

“As with all vintages, Coopers 2026 Vintage Ale is a limited release and expected to be highly sought after, so we encourage fans to secure their carton early.”

This year’s release marks the 26th in Coopers Brewery’s Vintage Ale series since its inception in 1998.


With an ABV of 7.5%, Coopers 2026 Vintage Ale will be available in 50-litre kegs and 355ml bottles from August.




The launch will also be marked with a series of Vintage Ale events held across the country in August and September.

Shaw+Smith Australian benchmark delivers again

 

For almost four decades there is one Australian sauvignon blanc that has been the benchmark. 

When cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith launched their first Adelaide Hills sauvignon blanc 37 years ago the grape variety was virtually unknown in Australia. 

A few wine lovers drank imported Sancerre, or knew the variety was a key component of Bordeaux white blends, but the Kiwi savalanche had yet to be fully unleashed and the cousins were largely taking a leap into the unknown, buying some fruit from neighbour Geoff Hardy to kick start their endeavour. 

The 2026 Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc has just been released - and it remains hugely popular, a staple of wine lists at seafood and Chinese restaurants across the country. 

The strength of the brand is that the fruit is always from the Adelaide Hills - and that the style delivers exactly what consumers have come to expect. 

Shaw + Smith offers aromatics, vibrancy, fresh fruit character and dryness on the palate. There is no intrusive oak, no excessive lees stirring. Just what it drinkers have come to expect. 

I attended one of Shaw+Smith's annual yum cha lunch launches - at Kwan Ho in Hobart - and can confirm the new release is as good as ever. 

"It was a unique vintage with a bit of everything thrown in weather wise, but we are very happy with the end result," said Shaw. 

"We had a few sleepless nights but hand picking and table sorting helped with quality fruit and we ended up with a wine with great natural acidity and bright fruit."

After just a few weeks in bottle the wine is already fun and approachable, zingy with benchmark pink grapefruit and flinty mineral notes. It's a lovely drink and well priced at around $35 a bottle. 

Nowadays, of course, Shaw + Smith is one of the leading Adelaide Hills wine producers - with an impressive cellar door tasting facility.

They focus on varieties that suit the cooler Hills climate with a range that now includes riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz.

Their peak releases are stellar single-vineyard wines. 

See https://www.shawandsmith.com/    

   

 

New Auckland eatery aims to offer authentic experience

A new hotel restaurant in midtown Auckland is aiming to reflect "the flavours, landscapes and ingredients of Aotearoa".

Radisson RED Auckland has just opened 33 South with a stated aim to showcase local flavours, creativity and hospitality of Aotearoa to the heart of midtown in Auckland.

Located in the lobby level, 33 South is described as a contemporary restaurant inspired by New Zealand’s diverse landscapes, rich produce, and vibrant food culture.

With a menu drawing on seasonal ingredients sourced from across the country, it can cater for casual breakfast catch-ups, working lunches, after-work drinks, celebrations and dinners.

The restaurant is led by Fijian-born chef Mo Arun (below), whose three decades of culinary experience across New Zealand and the Pacific have shaped the food choices.



Items showcased include Southland wild venison and Canterbury pork, as well as sustainably sourced seafood and native herbs including horopito and kawakawa.

An extensive selection of New Zealand wines is promised, along with creative cocktails with a distinctly Kiwi twist, crafted using premium New Zealand spirits from Scapegrace, Cardrona Distillery and Pōkeno Whisky, alongside ingredients such as mānuka honey, feijoa, kiwifruit and locally sourced botanicals.

“We wanted to create a menu that celebrates the exceptional local ingredients we have across Aotearoa and combine them with the influences from across the Pacific to create dishes that are bold, seasonal and full of character. It’s a celebration of Aotearoa’s food story,” said Arun.

You can visit the website HERE or book a table HERE

 

Australian wine exports show steep decline

Bad news all round for the struggling Australian wine industry.

Australian wine exports declined by 7% in value to $2.30 billion and 6% in volume to 598 million litres in the year ended June 2026, Wine Australia’s latest Export Report released today shows.

This is the first time that export volume has fallen below 600 million litres since 2004.

The decline mirrors a broader global trend of declining wine consumption over the past decade.

The total export figures reflect increasingly difficult trading conditions across many of Australia’s key export markets, driven by a historic downturn in global wine consumption.

Worldwide wine consumption has fallen to its lowest level since 1961, as consumers increasingly moderate alcohol intake, face cost-of-living pressures and shift towards alternative beverages.

Wine Australia manager for market insights Peter Bailey said the challenges facing Australian wine exporters were not unique, with other wine-producing nations facing the same conditions.

“Data from multiple sources suggests the decline in wine consumption globally is more than a short-term downturn - it's a reflection of changing consumer behaviour that is reshaping demand around the world.

"This reinforces the importance of understanding where demand exists and the products and occasions that are driving consumer decisions.

“While global trading conditions remain challenging, Australia wine continues to perform relatively well in many key markets where it generally maintained or grew its share of imported wine over the past year.”

The decline was driven primarily by weaker demand in Australia's three largest export markets: mainland China, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Mainland China remained Australia's largest export market by value, despite exports falling 15% to $756 million as the initial post-tariff recovery and restocking phase came to an end.

“While exports to mainland China declined over the past year, Australia remains the leading source of imported wine in the market,” Bailey said.

“The market is no longer being driven by the re-stocking of Australian wine, rather we’re seeing a more mature and demand-led phase, reflecting a smaller and slower-growing Chinese wine market than existed prior to the imposition of tariffs in late 2020.”

The United Kingdom remained Australia's largest market by volume and the United States second, although export volume to both markets fell to their lowest level in 25 years.

Canada was a standout performer, with export value increasing 20% to $188 million - its highest level in seven years - and volume rising 13%.

Culture driving Italy's tourism boom, new report says

 

Cultural experiences remain a major driver of tourism to Italy, but the country’s visitor economy is increasingly concentrated in a limited number of destinations, a new report reveals. 

The annual Federculture Report, Cultural Enterprise – The Culture that Changes Territories was presented at Italy’s Ministry of Culture in Rome earlier this month and highlights the growing importance of cultural tourism while warning that its economic and social benefits are unevenly distributed across the country.

Italy recorded 476.4 million overnight visitor stays in 2025, up 2.2% from 2024 and 9.8% above pre-Covid pandemic 2019 levels. 

But almost two-thirds of those stays were concentrated in just 1,024 municipalities (equivalent to only 13% of Italy’s municipalities) identified as destinations with strong cultural and scenic assets.

These cultural destinations accounted for 63% of all overnight stays, reinforcing the central role that museums, historic cities, UNESCO World Heritage sites and cultural landscapes continue to play in attracting visitors, news hub Travel Mole reported.

Foreign visitors now represent more than 55% of tourism in Italy’s cultural territories, rising to 58% in municipalities with a strong cultural vocation and 73% in the country’s major art cities.

The report also highlighted growing public participation in cultural activities. In 2025, 48.2% of Italians went to the cinema, while 35.8% visited museums and exhibitions, up from 33.6% a year earlier. Theatre attendance reached 24.3% of the population.

“The growth in audiences confirms that demand for culture in Italy is strong,” said Andrea Cancellato, president of Federculture. 

He called for more stable support for the sector, including strengthening initiatives such as the Art Bonus and the Culture Fund, to reduce regional inequalities and help cultural organizations meet growing demand.

Image: Pisa

Two of Australia's storied family wineries celebrate together

Two of Australia's leading winemaking families got together this month to celebrate a decade of working together.

The Morris family from Rutherglen, in north-east Victoria, has been making bold reds and fortified wines since 1859. By 1885, Morris was reported to be the biggest wine producer in the southern hemisphere. 

Current winemaker Madden Morris is the sixth generation to hold the reins after taking over from his father David in the company's 165th year. He describes the family wines as "legacy in a glass". 

Casella Family Brands, from Yenda in the NSW Riverina, is Australia's largest family-owned beverage company. 

Founded in 1969, although the family sold grapes for decades before that, Casella is best known for selling over 10 million cases of [yellow tail] around the world each year and also owns labels including Peter Lehmann and Baileys of Glenrowan.

A decade ago, French conglomerate Pernod Richard Winemaker, the then owners of the Morris business, were keen to sell, and the Morris family was anxious to buy the business back - but lacked the cash.

Up stepped Casella boss John Casella, a long-time family friend, to acquire the rights.

In July 2016, Morris of Rutherglen was back in Australian hands, and the family regained control.

David Morris and John Casella 

David Morris told the 10th anniversary celebration how the Casellas had come to his family's aid.

“It was a very devastating decision that they [Pernod Ricard] made," he said. "It was the final nail that they could put into our coffin. We were making good sales, we were 70% table and sparkling wine and only 30% fortified wine at that point. We were a very small winery in their portfolio.

“When they made the decision, it came about very quickly, and they gave us a couple of weeks to find a buyer. Then we managed to get the deposit in the day before [the deadline]. It is now amazing to be back in family stewardship and have some longevity back in the brand.

“We went from devastating news to fantastic within about a month.”

Morris said Casella was one of the first friends he called, with the result that the historic winery returned to family stewardship and secure its long-term future as a partnership with the Cassela family.

“Morris is an Australian icon and we couldn’t allow it to be lost," John Casella told the event. "And to see where we are today, with the barrels in the cellar, this beautiful cellar door, none of this would have existed."

Over the past decade, Casella Family Brands has invested in the Morris of Rutherglen business, building on its cellar door offering and resuming long-lost distilling operations to produce world-class whiskies made by Scottish-born head distiller Darren Peck.

Morris is now a triple-threat destination offering wines, fortifieds and spirits. 

Its muscats and topaques are regarded among the best in the world and the Morrises have long championed the big red grape variety durif (aka petite sirah), which Madden Morris describes as "shiraz on steroids".

Guests at the event also enjoyed a tour of the Morris distillery - and the still built in 1933 - as well as a spectacular display of barrel charring. 

Visitors should not miss the aromatic - and atmospheric - old cellars.

 
# The writer was a guest of Morris of Rutherglen and Casella Family Wines.

Ready, steady go: freight flights baptise new Western Sydney airport

The new Western Sydney International Airport will see its first passenger departures and arrivals on October 25, but commercial air freight flights are already operating.

Qantas and Australia Post, who have extended their 100-year air freight partnership for a further 10 years, will today operate their first commercial freight flight at WSI (Nancy Bird Walton) Airport, officially opening the new 24/7 cargo terminal.

Australia Post parcels will be on the first service, QF7340, departing WSI at 10.25pm for Brisbane.

Qantas Freight expects to move more than 160,000 parcels through the 24,000 square metre facility in its first 24 hours, with 12 arrivals overnight from 10pm.

Domestic services will operate to and from WSI to Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth, as well as onward flights to regional centres, processing more than 850 tonnes of freight a week. 

Qantas international flights are expected to begin early next year.

Qantas Freight will operate a dedicated fleet of two A330 freighters and six A321 freighters, with three more on the way, plus priority space in the cargo hold of more than 300 aircraft across the Qantas passenger fleet. 

Qantas’ freight network serves more than 110 destinations across Australia and around the world.

The Qantas and Australia Post partnership dates back to November 1922, when Qantas flew 106 letters on behalf of Australia Post on its inaugural commercial flight from Charleville to Cloncurry in Queensland.

Qantas CEO of International and Freight Cam Wallace and Australia Post Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Paul Graham were on site to officially open the new freight terminal.

"Australians are increasingly reliant on airfreight with the continued growth of e-commerce and we’re proud to be extending our partnership with Australia Post," Wallace says.

“We’ve transformed our freighter fleet over the past few years, with newer, larger and more efficient aircraft to support Australia Post and their customers’ needs.

“It’s a historic day for aviation in Australia as our first freight services take off from Western Sydney International Airport. This new terminal will help us meet growing demand for next-day deliveries and move express cargo across Australia and the world.

"Western Sydney International is a major piece of infrastructure for this country and we're proud to be opening our new freight terminal and comes ahead of Jetstar's first passenger services in October and Qantas to follow early next year."

How Laos aims to boost tourism numbers

Laos is seeking a bigger slice of the Asian tourism pie currently dominated by Thailand and Vietnam. 

The small nation aims to turn its rich cultural heritage into a stronger driver of visitation and economic growth with the launch this month of a new national cultural organisation.

The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s Central Committee has approved the creation of the Lao Cultural Values Promotion Association (LCVPA), a body that will promote the country’s cultural identity while "supporting creative industries, heritage conservation, and tourism development".

Association president Savanhkhone Razmountry said the organisation will help transform Lao culture into both a “creative economy” and a “cultural economy,” creating new opportunities for artists, performers, writers, cultural entrepreneurs, and local businesses.

He noted that cultural attractions already draw between four and five million visitors annually, highlighting the growing role of heritage tourism in the country’s visitor economy, news hub Travel Mole reports.

But Laos also has an image as a party destination - a market that was damaged by recent drink-spiking deaths. 

The association plans to work closely with UNESCO and other international partners on heritage conservation projects while seeking technical expertise and funding to preserve cultural assets and expand creative initiatives. It will help develop new cultural products while supporting the country’s broader economic goals.

The launch is part of a wider government strategy to raise Laos’ international cultural profile and strengthen its appeal as a tourism destination.

Earlier this year, Laos nominated its national dish, larb, for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition. Authorities are also preparing a nomination for the traditional Su Khuan (Baci) blessing ceremony.

The announcement came as Laos enjoyed another year of strong tourism growth.

The country welcomed nearly 2.6 million international visitors during the first half of 2026, a 9.9% increase compared with the same period last year, figures released by the Tourism Development Department under the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism showed.

Thailand remained Laos’ largest inbound market with 833,738 visitors, representing 32.2% of total arrivals. China accounted for 26.1%, followed by Vietnam with 22.6%.

Together, the three neighboring countries generated more than 2 million arrivals, representing around 81% of all international visitors during the first six months of the year.

If current trends continue, Laos is on course to achieve its 2026 target of welcoming between 5 million and 6 million international visitors.

International visitors are expected to contribute more than US$8 billion to the Laos economy, with average stays projected at around 10 days.


# Vientiane has new urban sanctuary located right in the Laos capital’s historic centre overlooking Chao Anouvong Park and the Mekong River. The reports on Avani+ Lanexang Vientiane Hotel sound impressive.

Image: Vientiane Night Marker, Tourism Laos

Rotterdam's waterfront gets ready to rock

 

Rotterdam's waterfront is ready to rock with the projected arrival of another architectural icon to its skyline. 

Dutch architecture firm MVRDV won an international competition to design the Shift Embassy, a major new cultural destination planned for the city’s fast-growing Waterkant district, which will be home to a planned district of 3,750 homes.

Commissioned by social enterprise Shift, the project aims to become a center for culture, education, innovation, and environmental awareness, encouraging visitors to engage with some of today’s biggest global challenges through immersive experiences rather than traditional museum exhibits.

Named Rotterdam ROCKS!, MVRDV’s winning design features seven stacked, rock-like structures rising from the banks of the River Maas. 

The building is envisioned as a hybrid between architecture and landscape, with green terraces, public walkways, water features, and panoramic viewpoints creating an accessible destination for both residents and visitors.

At the heart of the new institution will be The Elysium, a 5,000-m² immersive exhibition space designed to explore possible future scenarios through art, storytelling, digital technology, and interactive installations. 

The wider complex will include a 200-room hotel, conference and event facilities, classrooms, restaurants and cafés, community gathering spaces, and an observation deck overlooking Rotterdam’s waterfront, news hub Travel Mole reports.

MVRDV’s design places sustainability at the centre of the architecture.

The porous façade incorporates niches that will support vegetation and urban wildlife while helping retain rainwater. 

Once completed, the Shift Embassy is expected to become one of Rotterdam’s signature visitor attractions. 

MVRDV has not yet published a completion date.

Image: Rotterdam ROCKS! Rendering: MVRDV

A bridge too far for Canadians?

Imagine building a multi-billion-dollar bridge between two countries that are constantly at loggerheads. 

When the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens for traffic between Windsor, Ontario, in Canada and Detroit, Michigan, in the US on Monday it comes at a time when relations between the two countries are decidedly frosty. 

As is the case in many countries around the globe, US president Donald Trump is widely loathed in Canada.

When the new bridge at the busiest border crossing between the US and Canada was conceived in 2012, the relationship between the two nations was dramatically different, the New York Times reported.

In a spirit of co-operation, the bridge was named after the late Canadian ice hockey star Gordie Howe, who played 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.

On Friday, the $US 4.5 billion bridge was opened ceremonially just after Trump announced 50% tariffs on a variety of Canadian products worth $US20 billion. 

In response, Canada removed invitations to American officials to jointly open the bridge. And it moved the ceremony from the international border line in the centre of the bridge to the inspection plaza of the Canada Border Services Agency.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would not be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” the office of Canada’s infrastructure minister said in a statement.

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge remains a vital infrastructure project that reflects years of hard work and will be a major economic driver.”

Trump responded with his usual tact and restraint. 

“Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States,” he wrote on an obscure social media platform. 

Trump added that the 2012 agreement between Canada and Michigan governing the bridge “no longer stands”. 

Speaking with reporters after the ceremony, Gregor Robertson, Canada’s infrastructure minister said that is not the case, the NY Times reported.

The previous bridge between Windsor and Detroit was privately owned. This one will be funded by Canada and the state of Michigan. 

Combine wine tasting with wildlife spotting

Tasmanian sparkling wine producer House of Arras has added a new experience to its cellar door offerings.

Visitors can now sample a sustainable new way to experience its Wildlife & Vineyard Safari on board a quiet, zero-emissions electric passenger golf cart.

The eco-friendly addition is promoted as allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of the northern Tasmanian landscape along the banks of the Pipers River while accessing more of the estate with minimal environmental impact.

Following a guided tasting of some of Australia's most awarded sparkling wines, guests can embark on a two-hour journey through the vineyard, learning about sustainable viticulture and spotting native wildlife including resident platypus, wedge-tailed eagles and bandicoots.

Combining world-class sparkling wine with conservation, wildlife and scenery, the experience aims to offers a deeper connection to the landscape and terroir that define House of Arras.

The offering is part of House of Arras' membership of Ultimate Winery Experiences and costs from $175.

See https://houseofarras.com.au/

Thailand promises to crack down on crime

Thai authorities are promising to improve public safety after a series of incidents involving tourists. 

Many have occurred in Pattaya, a city with a reputation for sex tourism and wild nightlife. 

Officials in Chonburi, the province that is home to Pattaya, increasingly view security as essential to maintaining visitor confidence and supporting economic growth, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered a nationwide crackdown on crime, making Chonburi one of the focal points of the campaign because of its strategic role as one of Thailand’s largest tourism and economic centres.

Speaking during a security policy meeting in the province, Charnvirakul said criminal activity -including organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime, online scams and illegal gambling - poses a direct threat to both residents and visitors.

The Bangkok Post reported that the prime minister told provincial authorities that the government would fully support law enforcement officers carrying out their duties without political interference.

Charnvirakul said that no criminal organisation should feel beyond the reach of the law and called for closer cooperation between provincial governors, police commanders, the military and local communities.

Chonburi province welcomed approximately 25 million visitors in 2025, making it Thailand’s busiest provincial tourism destination outside Bangkok. Around 40% of arrivals were international travellers. 

The government’s tougher security stance comes as tourism operators themselves are demanding more decisive enforcement, the Bangkok Post said.

Celebrity chef's airport eatery delivers decent food

Anyone who has attempted eating airport food recently knows that you can expect premium prices and a generally underwhelming experience.

Plenty of celebrity chefs have jumped on the airport eatery bandwagon - with varying degrees of success.

With a couple of hours to kill at Sydney Domestic Airport this week I checked out Luke's Bistro and Bar opposite Qantas departure gate 3 for the first time.

It is the latest food outlet for celebrity chef Luke Mangan, an actual kitchen talent, who I was stunned to find actually on the premises - and observing his staff at work.

The prices aren't cheap, and we had a quick chat about the rents demanded by airports nowadays - and how you know anything cheap is not going to be good.

There is a nice relaxed vibe here, not the rushed scene I'd expected. You have to order using a QR code (boo!) but the drinks and food arrived promptly.

A nicely chilled large glass of Coriole Chenin Blanc, and a pleasingly warm and tasty Reuben sandwich. Both were delivered by smiling humans.

Early in the day menu options include a breakfast burger or scrambled eggs on sourdough, while day/evening offerings range from charcuterie towers to posh burgers, tuna sashimi tacos and steak frites.

If you have a little more time than I did there is a Seafood and Champagne Bar to explore. Freshly shucked oysterss anyone? 

There are also cocktails on offer. Next time. 

Good to see a big-name chef keeping an eye on a restaurant bearing his name and maintaining standards.

See https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/eat/lukes-bistro-and-bar/ 

Image: Winsor Dobbin  

The Louvre reopens the doors to robbery site

Paris is back to normal with The Louvre Museum this week reopening its Apollo Gallery to visitors, 10 months after one of the most daring museum robberies in modern history. 

The gallery welcomed visitors again - but without the display cases or the French Crown Jewels that made it one of the Louvre’s biggest attractions. 

Museum officials have removed all precious objects while plans are developed for a new high-security vault elsewhere in the museum, news hub Travel Mole reports.

The Apollo Gallery has remained closed since October 19, 2025, when a gang carried out a clever daylight raid that stunned the art world - and security operatives at The Louvre. 

Disguised as construction workers, the thieves used a cherry-picker truck to gain access through a vulnerable first-floor window overlooking the River Seine.

The robbers completed what French Culture Minister Rachida Dati described as a “four-minute operation,” escaping with eight jewels from the French Crown collection worth an estimated €88 million (about US$102 million). 

The haul included necklaces, a tiara, a brooch and other priceless treasures from the Napoleonic era. 

One damaged item, the emerald-studded crown of Empress Eugénie, was later recovered outside the museum but the remaining jewels have so far not been recovered. 

Louvre president Christophe Leribault says the Apollo Gallery is returning to its original 17th-century role as a ceremonial state gallery rather than a jewelery exhibition. 

The surviving Crown Jewels will eventually be moved to a purpose-built, windowless secure room elsewhere in the museum.

A French parliamentary inquiry later concluded that security at The Louvre had been neglected for years, despite repeated warnings that the Apollo Gallery’s riverside windows represented a significant vulnerability.

Despite the absence of the Crown Jewels, the Apollo Gallery remains one of the Louvre’s most spectacular baroque interiors. Its soaring vaulted ceiling, decorated by artists including Charles Le Brun, inspired Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors and continues to rank among the museum’s architectural highlights.

The Louvre is home to more than 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture and painting - from Mesopotamia, Egypt and the classical world to European masters. Its star attractions include the Mona Lisa, as well as the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Townsville welcomes internationally-branded hotel

Tropical North Queensland has a new internationally branded hotel with the opening this week of Holiday Inn Townsville. 

Located in the central area, the former Madison Plaza is now an IHG property that promises affordable accommodation deals.

The modern hotel has 93 guest rooms, including spacious two-bedroom family rooms, modern meeting and event facilities, communal spaces and the Bistro Sol restaurant, which promises local flavours for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

True to the brand’s global promise, kids aged 12 and under also stay and eat free, making Holiday Inn Townsville the base for travelling families seeking value. 

"The opening of Holiday Inn Townsville is a significant milestone in our regional growth strategy and a testament to our strong partnership with Luxora Hotels alongside our ongoing relationship with La Vie Hotels & Resorts," says Matt Tripolone, regional managing director for IHG Hotels & Resorts. 

“As one of the world’s most iconic hotel brands approaches its 75th anniversary, it is a privilege to continue opening the doors of Holiday Inn in new destinations. Townsville is an exciting and increasingly important regional market, and we look forward to welcoming travellers to experience the brand’s warm, dependable hospitality while discovering everything this remarkable part of North Queensland has to offer.” 

Jerry Xu, CEO of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, said: “The opening of Holiday Inn Townsville is an exciting milestone for everyone involved. Rebranding a hotel is never simply about unveiling a building. It is about creating opportunities - for our people, for our guests, and for the local community.

“By partnering with a globally recognised hotel brand, we are committed to delivering exceptional guest experiences while supporting the region's long-term growth. 

"With increasing investment, infrastructure development and visitor demand anticipated in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, North Queensland is well positioned for sustained growth. We see significant opportunities to further strengthen the region's hospitality sector and look forward to continuing our strategic expansion across Queensland.”

For more details see Holiday Inn Townsville.