Daily News & Opinion

Mt Mulligan Lodge is the newest member of Luxury Lodges Australia (LLoA), a collection of uniquely Australian luxe lodges and camps. The lodge opened in April this year, and is situated on a 280 sqm working cattle station. Accessible via helicopter or a four-wheel drive adventure from Cairns, Mt Mulligan Lodge can accommodate 16 guests. It is sited at the base of an escarpment, among eucalyptus woodlands, with views of Mount Mulligan.

IHG has announced that its entire hotel estate of almost 843,000 guest rooms will switch to bulk-size bathroom amenities by 2021. The initiative is part of the hotel giant’s efforts to reduce plastic waste, and will make it the first global hotel company to commit all brands to removing bathroom miniatures. Its other efforts in the sustainability realm include the removal of plastic straws from hotels and joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 network.

Three experienced hoteliers have joined the Swissôtel Sydney fold: Jenifer Dwyer Slee, who has been appointed director of sales and marketing; John Wilson, who has taken up the post of director of revenue and distribution; and Marina Flipovska, who is the hotel’s new director of finance. Jenifer’s previous role was at the Pullman & Mercure Brisbane King George Square, while John was most recently the general manager revenue for Stamford Hotels & Resorts. Marina joins the team from Novotel Sydney International Airport.

Le Petit Flot – The Tank Stream Hotel’s brasserie-style restaurant – has been named ‘Brasserie/Cafe of the Year’ in the 2019 Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW Awards of Excellence. Le Petit Flot – meaning the ‘little stream’ – is named after the Tank Stream, which continues to flow directly under the hotel. The Tank Stream’s fresh water source was the reason for Sydney to be located where it is, and while Le Petit Flot’s menu boasts a French emphasis, it also pays homage to NSW.

HALO – The new light and sound experience designed for Townsville – has opened after months of anticipation. Created by AGB Events, the installation is made up of two parts: the Castle Hill Light and Sound Show, and the illumination of Queens Gardens, which will comprise tree-lighting using colour-changing LEDs. HALO will run from July 19 to August 4 and is the latest in a series of multimedia shows produced by AGB Events.

Around 4000 high performing staff from two Chinese businesses will flock to Queensland’s capital later this year for corporate incentives. Liaoning Yiyontang Bio-technology will bring 1500 staff to Brisbane in August while Guangzhou Jiadai Biotechnology will bring 2500 staff in October. Deputy mayor Krista Adams said the two businesses represent the largest incentive-based business events to ever come to Brisbane and will generate more than $10 million for the local economy.

Following an incident in September 2018 which forced its closing, Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane will re-open on November 25 this year. The hotel is nestled in the heritage-listed former Queensland Government Savings Bank building, and boasts 220 rooms and suites. It is also situated near the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC), the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the $3 billion Queen’s Wharf re-development.

The inaugural Fortnite world cup took place in New York this weekend, an event which saw hundreds of global competitors battle it out for their share of AUD $57 million in prizes. The championship, which celebrated the online survival game favoured predominately by teenage boys, was pulled together by the game’s creators who poured AUD $144 million into its organisation. The solo prize was won by a 16-year-old boy, who took home around AUD $4 million.