Where on earth do you find people traveling from all over the globe to find the best folk music from around the globe? WOODFORD of course!

This year is set to be an absolutely BLAMALICIOUS Woodford, with acts like Angus and Julia Stone, Doch (an amazingly talented gypsy dance band), Mia Dyson, even ERNIE DINGO will be there!

Not only do bands attend this week long festival, the circus and numerous visual artists, and national environmental spokepersons can be found giving FREE lectures and tutorials!

Woodford offers food from around the world, grab a bite to eat whilst watching your favourite street performer blow you AWAY (unlike any other standard street performer you’ve ever seen).

Having attended Woodford for the last 6 years in a row, I find myself being drawn back into the wonder of this sacred land. It is not only the performances that makes the experience, but the feeling you get being part of this 1 week of community, culture and entertainment

You will notice after a short time that there is a feeling that cannot be placed, but when you leave, there is a real sense of fulfilment and also a sad feeling of having to wait an entire year to feel this way again…

Woodford should not be missed, it is an experience of a lifetime, if you are visiting this beautiful country and want a taste of its amazing diverse culture, woodford is the place to go!

Submitted by:
Erica

Wicked Campers have launched a new site for campervan hire Australia, better and more Wicked than ever before!

Here at Wicked Campers we’re committed to providing the best possible service to our customers, and we’re always improving our systems and services. In line with this goal, we’re very excited to launch our new website which is more secure, more user friendly, more stylish, and above all more Wicked than ever before!

Fun, Fun, Fun

Check out the new look Photo Gallery, Video Gallery, and our great Stories page for lots of fun fresh information and content sent in by you, our customers!

Also on the site is the Specials page where you can get some great discounts on rentals around Australia.

We’ve got a new look Festivals section too, where we’ll try to keep you up to date with any cool concerts and festivals happening around the country that you might want to take a camper to.

Make Some Noise

Another new section is the Wicked Campers in the News page, which is where we’ll make mention of any TV or Newspaper articles or news blogs we’re mentioned in, etc.

Something we’re extra excited about is the Customer Appreciation / Word Of Mouth page, which is where we’ll put links to any blogs, stories, videos, or any other content that our web-savvy customers have created or posted to other websites. (Got something you want to submit? Hit up the Contact Us page!)

Stay tuned, because we’re constantly adding more content to the site!

A Delightful Assortment of Tourist Parks on the East Coast Australia

In case you missed some recent posts a round up of is in order. Here’s a collection of posts about places on the East Coast of Australia where you can park your Wicked Camper, pull up a stump (or a chair) in a rainforest or overlooking the beach and do nothing much at all except for soaking up the serenity. The list covers caravan parks and camping grounds in New South Wales and Victoria.

1) Byron Bay, NSW

57 acres of camping grounds, cabins and caravan/camping sites. Quiet, chilled and located just a few minutes walk from the centre of Byron Bay. Let it all go and peace out at Belongil Fields Caravan Park and Campsite

2) Pacific Palms, NSW

Nestled between Forster, Pacific Palms and Bluey’s Beach you can find absolute lake and beach frontage. Accommodate yourself in a beachfront cottage down by the sand dunes or camp out on a powered site at one of the East Coast’s hidden treasures.
Sundowner Tiona Park Caravan and Camp Sites in Forster-Tuncurry NSW

3) Blacksmiths Beach, NSW

Welcome to Blacksmiths Beachside Holiday Park in the heart of Lake Macquarie’s coastal paradise. If you love the beach, we are your ideal holiday choice.
Our park is only a short walk away from one of the finest beaches in New South Wales.
Blacksmiths Beachside Holiday Park Campsite in Lake Macquarie Region

4) Albury-Wodonga, NSW and VIC

Come and experience the great outdoors and you can relax in one of our 45 fully self contained Parkland Cabins or take advantage of our powered of non-powered sites.
Caravan Park near Albury-Wodonga: Lake Hume Tourist Park

5) Bendigo, VIC

Welcome to the Gold Nugget Tourist Park, Bendigo’s Premier Caravan & Tourist Park, the first park in Australia to offer free unlimited wireless broadband internet access to all sites and accommodation units. We are situated on the north side of Bendigo in Epsom, a quiet place of shady trees, paved lanes, lush green van sites, clean facilities and spacious units set amongst native gardens.
Gold Nugget Tourist Park in Bendigo

6) Geelong, VIC

Riverglen Holiday Park offers a great range of accommodation from ensuite tent sites to spa cottages. All cabins are fully self contained with ensuites and cooking facilities.
Riverglen Holiday Park in Geelong

7) Canberra, ACT

Canberra Motor Village is more than just accommodation - it’s a self contained holiday village, offering a variety of accommodation styles to suit all budgets and personal requirements, including self contained cabins, motel rooms, drive thru van sites and a large camping grounds.
Canberra Motor Village Camper Accommodation ACT

8) Port Fairy

Anchorage Holiday Park, on the Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia. Affordable accommodation ideally located in green and pleasant surroundings, featuring modern, luxury ensuite cabins, air-conditioned holiday units, powered sites, barbecue facilities, children’s play area, mini golf and tennis courts. Budget to 4.5 stars.
Port Fairy Campsite / Camping Ground: Anchorage Port Fairy

Get Discounts from all these Places

Did you know you can get discounts from all these places just by rocking up in your Wicked Camper? These guys are all part of the Wicked Friends network so you know who you can rely on when you’re travelling the East Coast of Australia and need a cheap place to park your van for the night!

First time here? Subscribe to our RSS Feed so you can find other great locations to stay at and activities to try in Australia.

Congratulations to YHA Railway Square for winning the 2007 NSW Tourism Award for Backpacker Accommodation.

This announcement means the three Sydney Hostels I blogged about last week have each won an award in the last seven days following my flippant declaration that Wake Up! and YHA Central Square were winners of the 2007 Awards for Most Radical Hostel Located at 509 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia and Most Unbelievably Fantastic Hostel in the Universe Located at 11 Rawson Place in Syndey NSW respectively.

You can find the rest of the NSW Tourism Award winners here.

What do you reckon? Is YHA Railway Square of Sydney a worthy winner of the 2007 award for Backpacker Accommodation? Or do you suspect a bit of under-the-table shenanigans may have corrupted the judges? Have your say in the comments below and if you haven’t already done so, subscribe your arse to the Wicked Friends Travel and Tourism Blog Feed… You may or may not regret it!

Damn… some bad news for one skydiver in South Australia…

November 11, 2007 - 12:13PM
Source: ABC

An investigation has begun into a skydiving incident in South Australia that left a 50-year-old man in a critical condition in hospital.

The man was skydiving at Lower Light, north of Adelaide, when the canopy of his parachute became tangled, causing him to hit the ground hard.

He was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital by helicopter and is being treated for serious chest injuries and multiple leg fractures.

Safework SA and the Australian Parachute Federation are investigating the incident.

Ouch, dude… Hope you get better soon!

Map Lower Light 5501 South Australia

This is the approximate location of where Old Matey had his skydiving accident. It’s a place known as Lower Light, which is a little bit north of Adelaide, SA.

World’s Best Large Hostel, Right Here In Downtown Sydney Central

      
Address: 509 Pitt Street Sydney Australia
Ph: +61 2 9288 7888
Offer:
Website: Wake Up

According to the website:

Finally a hostel which lives up to the hype, wake up! Sydney’s best budget accommodation is where any fun loving backpacker should be bedding down. So now that you’ve found us, relax, chill out, have some fun and wake up! with someone new…

You heard the sales pitch, you stressed out backpacker… chill out!

Sydney Hostels Award Winner

Wake Up! is yet another Sydney Hostel to have received an award for awesomeness for an indefinite time period from a body which is not readily identifiable. Wake Up’s claim is to be the Winner of the prize for Best Large Hostel in the World & Oceania.

Wicked Friends are proud to add to the list of ambiguous accolades for Sydney Hostels by presenting Wake Up! with The 2007 Award for Most Radical Hostel Located at 509 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia.

Location of Wake Up Backpackers

To quote from the location of Wake Up page:

Right next to Central Railway Station, a short, pleasant walk to the best shops (Oxford St, Town Hall), the best food (Chinatown) and the best bars and clubs.

Your first stop by KST Airporter, is wake up from Sydney airport. If you are catching a bus up from Melbourne, or down from Brisbane, that’s cool because just across the road from the bus station you’ll find wake up!

Still lost? Wake Up also have a more detailed map as well as some more directions on their website.

Book Direct with Wake Up and Save Money

Call Wake Up! on +61 2 9288 7888 or book online

Got some feedback for Wake Up of Sydney? Leave a comment below and make sure you subscribe to the Wicked Friends Australian Travel & Tourism Blog Feed

Sydney Hostel - YHA Central Station

Address: 11 Rawson Place, Corner of Pitt St and Rawson Place (opposite Central Station), Sydney, NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9218 9000
Offer:
Website: YHA Central Station

As it turns out, YHA Railway Square is not the only hostel in Sydney, let alone the only YHA in downtown Sydney!

About YHA Central Station

YHA Central Station in Sydney makes itself (and yourself) at home in a heritage listed building which houses a luxurious hostel. Located opposite Central Station, you’d be hard pressed to find a more convenient location in terms of public transport.

Hostel Features and Facilities

Enjoy the views of the city from the outdoor and rooftop areas. This sydney hostel is not short on featuers and facilities, including the following:

1. heated pool,
2. sauna
3. self-catering kitchens,
4. dining rooms,
5. laundries,
6. games room,
7. TV rooms,
8. locker hire,
9. limited parking,
10. group facilities,
11. meeting rooms,
12. disabled access
13. 24 hour security access,
14. YHA Travel desk,
15. internet,
16. bistro, aaaaaaaaaaand;
17. a convenience store.

Phew! That’s an awful lot of features for one Sydney backpacker hostel!

Things to Do at YHA Central Station

The crew at YHA Central Station operate regular activity programs including:

• pub crawls,
• sporting events,
• free market tours, and
• movie nights with free popcorn and BBQs

Winner ‘Best Backpacker Accommodation of the Decade’

Is the claim made on their webpage. At a glance, though, you won’t find out which organisation presented this accolade nor which decade the award is for. Wicked Friends hereby declares YHA Central Station the prize for being The Most Unbelievably Fantastic Hostel in the Universe Located at 11 Rawson Place in Syndey NSW.

Book Direct with YHA Central Station Backpackers

You can give them a call on +61 2 9218 9000 or book online. If you happen to be a luddite or you simply prefer the human touch, just show up and they might be able to sort you out with a place to stay in Sydney. Advance bookings are advisable, though, so you don’t get left out in the cold!

Got some feedback for YHA Central Station in Sydney? Leave a comment below and make sure you subscribe to the Wicked Friends Australian Travel & Tourism Blog Feed

Sydney Hostel - Railway Square YHA

Address: 8-10 Lee Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 (crn Upper Carriage Lane & Lee St or entry via the Henry Deane Plaza)
Ph: (02) 9281 9666
Offer:
Website: YHA Railway Square

YHA Railway Square is arguably Sydney’s most laid back hostel, though I suppose it would depend on who you’re arguing with! Railway Square adjoins Central Station and is smack-dab in the heart of Sydney’s backpacking district.

One thing that instantly separates YHA Railway Square from other Sydney Hostels is the fact some of their accommodation is actually made from converted railway carriages. Park your caboose in… umm… a caboose!

If you fancy some backpacker accommodation that is a little more conventional you could try one of the comfy rooms in the historic 1904 main building, now converted into contemporary modern accommodation.

Railway Square Hostel Features

• Spa pool,
• Internet cafe,
• 24 hour access,
• tour desk,
• indoor and outdoor communal areas, and
• self catering kitchen.

YHA Railway Square is only a short walk to nearby pubs, Chinatown and Darling Harbour.

Book direct with YHA online or give them a call on (02) 9281 9666 (don’t forget to change the (02) to a +61 2 if calling from outside Australia).

Other Friendly YHA Locations

A few other YHA hostels are featured here on this Blog about Australian Tourism & Travel we call Wicked Friends dot com. Check out the Lancelin Lodge YHA Hostel in WA or Colonial Village YHA Hostel in Hervey Bay Qld if you’re in the neighbourhoodz.

Got some feedback for YHA Railway Square in Sydney? Leave a comment below and make sure you subscribe to the Wicked Friends Australian Travel & Tourism Blog Feed

Need to know where is Port Phillip Bay? Hopefully this map will show you the way! Click the X on the little window to get a better view of where the bay of Port Phillip is in relation to Melbourne.

More About Port Phillip Bay

Port Phillip Bay, aka the Bay to the locals, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia.

Geographically speaking, Port Phillip is a large marine bay 1,930 km² (476,900 acres) in area which has a coastline length of 264 km (164 miles). The bay is extremely shallow for its size, but navigable for the most part. The deepest portion is only 24 m (80 ft), and half the region is shallower than 8 m. Its volume is around 25 km³.

…a Bit of Info on ye olde Melbourne

Melbourne, the state’s capital city, is located at the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, near the mouth of the Yarra River. Melbourne’s suburbs extend around much of the northern and eastern shoreline, and the city of Geelong is located on Corio Bay, a subsidiary bay in the southwest.

For more info on Port Phillip Bay, check out the wikipedia entry.

Have a kickass time in Port Phillip Bay!

Send us some photos, videos and stories of you and your Wicked Camper and we’ll feature it right here on Wicked Friends. If this is your first visit, you might like to subscribe to our Tourism Blog Feed.

A comment by Mad Goat Lady (who produced a great article for us about a friendly fraser island four wheel drive hire company) on this post about a cranky sounding caravan park in Port Fairy inspired me to look for crayfish videos on Youtube. I only needed to look at one vid before feeling the urge to share it with you all. It features a badass turtle taking a crayfish to school… the cafeteria, to be specific!

Turtle vs Crayfish: Who Will Prevail?

Great quality video and a sweet aquarium. Big ups to geniv2 for uploading it!

If you enjoyed this nature and wildlife video then you might also relate to this video of kick boxing kangaroos!

What did you think of this Youtube Video of a Crayfish being eaten by a turtle? Leave a comment below and make sure you subscribe to the Wicked Friends Australian Travel & Tourism Blog Feed. Quick… Do it before someone else does!