The end of coffee: could Australia save the world's beans?

If a future of relentless fires, droughts, superstorms and rising sea levels makes you feel like you need a strong caffeinated beverage, there is some bad news: climate change is coming for the world’s coffee beans.

Greg Meenahan, the partnership director at the non-profit institute World Coffee Research, puts it this way: “Demand for coffee is expected to double by the year 2050 and, if nothing is done, more than half of the world’s suitable coffee land will be pushed into unsuitability due to climate change. Without research and development, the coffee sector will need up to 180m more bags of coffee in 2050 than we are likely to have.”

To address this, the organisation is undertaking the international multi-location variety trial, testing 35 coffee types across 23 countries to measure performance in different climates – including in regions not typically associated with coffee production, such as Australia.
In what could be Australia’s most significant contribution to coffee since the flat white, scientists at Southern Cross University will be testing 20 “climate-resistant” varieties.

Prof Graham King, a leading plant science researcher at SCU, says that in January up to 900 plants will be planted at the tropical fruit research station in Alstonville, northern New South Wales. According to King, climate change is expected to devastate the world’s major coffee-growing regions through extreme weather and by increasing attacks by crop pests and diseases.

“Many current mountainous tropical production areas of the world are likely to become untenable for coffee as climate change progresses,” he says. “Within Australia we currently have the benefit of no coffee rust or cherry borer, or other major pests and disease. This is quite unique compared with most production areas of the world.”

The impact is already being felt. As detailed in a 2016 report by Fairtrade Australia, in 2012 Central America was hit by a wave of coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) after unusually high temperatures and high-altitude rains, causing US$500m in crop damages and putting nearly 350,000 labourers out of work.

Droughts and frequent storms have led to Costa Rican farmers giving up coffee for orange plantations. Outside Latin America, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) – which used to only appear at a maximum altitude of 1,500 metres above sea level – is being found above this limit, thanks to unseasonably hot conditions and higher rainfall on plantations from Tanzania to Indonesia. On Mount Kilimanjaro plantations, the beetle is now found 300 metres higher than last century.

Read more about it here:
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/jan/07/the-end-of-coffee-could-australia-save-the-worlds-beans

Australian Oliver Bridgeman stranded in Syria says cancelled passport is a 'blessing in disguise'

An Australian man claiming to be a humanitarian worker in war-torn Syria has described the cancellation of his Australian passport in 2016 as a "blessing in disguise", while also revealing he is now married.

Oliver Bridgeman travelled to the region nearly four years ago but has been stuck there since early 2016, when Australian authorities cancelled his passport and issued a warrant for his arrest, accusing him of going to Syria with the plan to engage in "hostile activities".
In an interview with American journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem on Facebook on Monday morning, Mr Bridgeman said the termination of his passport allowed him to help charities in "other ways", which he believed was "more beneficial".

"It was a blessing in disguise," Mr Bridgeman said in the video.

Mr Bridgeman, who is now married, said he had been reluctant to leave Syria but knew he had to in order to "clear my name" and was considering starting an NGO or charity in Australia, or returning to the Middle East supported by aid or sponsorships.

"But my passport was cancelled — and after that, it caused a bit of issues with the NGOs — the charities I was working with — who didn't have to, but felt if you weren't in front of the camera anymore, we don't want any issues," he said in the video.

"It made me put down my head a bit more and help in other ways, which I believe is more beneficial actually to what I was doing before — I went back to learn new skills."

"I think since then, it's the best thing that's happened to me so far in Syria."

Mr Bridgeman, who used to live at Toowoomba, has vehemently denied having joined a terror organisation.

The ABC has previously reported, just prior to the arrest warrant, Mr Bridgeman's parents and their lawyer Alex Jones, had alerted AFP officers to their plan to bring their son back to Australia, where they would offer to bring him in for questioning.

But authorities cancelled Mr Bridgeman's passport, stranding him.

There are media reports that Mr Bridgeman may have been near Idlib in north-western Syria several months ago.

The ABC is seeking comment from the Australian Federal Police and Mr Jones.

Originally seen here:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-21/australian-oliver-bridgeman-stranded-in-syria-cancelled-passport/10733260

BARISTAS PREDICT 'OAT COFFEE' WILL BE THE 'CRAZE OF 2019'

Move over Turmeric Lattes, Nitrogen Coffees and all those crazy caffeinated trends of 2018, there's a new kid on the block...

BARISTAS EXPECT OAT MILK TO BE THE COFFEE CRAZE OF 2019 AFTER DATE SUGGESTED AUSTRALIA IS SPLIT OVER WHETHER THE LATTE, CAPPUCCINO OR FLAT WHITE IS BEST.

While the humble latte makes up one in every three orders (33 per cent), it's a massive drop from two years ago when it was ordered 43 per cent of the time.

And while the latte, cappuccino and flat white still make up about three-in-four orders, the states and territories are split on the best way to get a caffeine hit.

But the biggest change in 2019 will be what people put into their coffee rather than the way they have it, Melbourne cafe Proud Mary general manager Tom Gunn says.

"Oat milk will be huge," he told AAP.

"We have another cafe in America and oat milk has completely dominated the market there - completely destroyed almond milk and soy is now minimal."

He said compared to other dairy milk alternatives, oat milk tastes better, matches coffee better, froths more easily and importantly has funding behind it from large US companies.

Pippa Ainsworth, the owner of the Darwin cafe The Trader, said she was surprised Australia was behind on the craze on what she sees a yummy, environmentally sustainable option.

"I WAS JUST IN LONDON AND OAT MILK WAS IN EVERY CAFE - NO QUESTION," SHE SAID.

But Ms Ainsworth says people are fickle about their brew, and often chase the next craze.

"We serve a lot of tradies and Defence personnel and the weirdest thing is the Defence forces all have the same order.

"It may change every few weeks, from cappuccino to hazelnut latte - but they'll all change together."

"We tease them about it."

The Square coffee data is based on millions of orders made through Square point-of-sale devices.

With AAP

Originally seen here:

http://www.kiis1065.com.au/entertainment/the-feed/baristas-predict-oat-coffees-as-2019-craze

The Perfect East Coast Of Australia Travel Guide 2019

So you are planning to travel the East Coast of Australia?

Awesome! There is a lot of East Coast of Australia must do’s, and it is one of the most popular backpacker routes.

We spent a month travelling the East Coast of Australia and attempted to see everything it has to offer.

From pristine white sand beaches, lush rainforests, natural wonders to iconic sites and cosmopolitan cities, it is one of the best road trips anyone could do in Australia.

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Here are the most important tips for travelling the East Coast of Australia

How long does it take driving up the East Coast of Australia:

As I’m sure you know, Australia is huge so make sure you plan out how much time you have (sounds obvious but it can be a lot bigger than you think!).

So how long is Australia’s East Coast???

The distance between Cairns and Sydney on the coastal route is almost 2 600 km which is about 30 hours of solid driving time.

SaveYou could easily drive the distance in a week, but you won’t be able to explore what the coast has to offer.

Ideally, you need a month or two to travel the East Coast of Australia and truly explore it.

If you are on a budget and have less time, two-three weeks will also be sufficient enough. It will just mean that you won’t be able to spend too much time sightseeing.

We highly recommend at least one month.

Best time to travel the East Coast of Australia:

The most popular time to travel the East Coast of Australia is during the summer (December-February), however, it is also the hottest and rainiest season in tropical Northern Queensland.

We recommend travelling in the offseason, spring (September-November) or fall (March-May), when there are fewer crowds, prices are lower, and the weather is still good along the coast.

Make an actual plan on where are you are going to make your stops, what you want to see, how much you wish to spend in each place.

Travelling up or down the east coast of Australia can be a nightmare if you are short on time!

Ideally, you are looking at 48-72 hrs+ at each location.

How to travel the East Coast of Australia on a budget:

Well, you can make it as cheap as you want or splash out a stay at Airbnb’s and hotels. Keep in mind Australia is expensive so expect to pay top $.

Unless you seriously budget you are looking at 2-3k+(depending on how long you are travelling and where you are going to sleep).

Don’t worry we will talk about prices and give you an idea of how much everything costs further down.

Driving the East Coast of Australia:

The best and cheapest way to travel is in your own car or campervan.

If you don’t own any of the above, hiring a campervan in Australia.

There is a lot of budget-friendly campervan hire websites such as :

• Apollo
• Wicked campers
•  Aussie campervans
• Vroom – they compare most websites for the best price and availability.
• Holiday Autos – comparison car rental website.

If you are very flexible, you can get a relocation deal where you hire a campervan for $1 a day. Here you usually get 5-7 days to travel from point A to B.

Keep in mind that there is usually $1000 deposit required and little to no fuel allowance.

If you want to know more about relocations read this guide.

Cost of fuel on the East Coast of Australia can be high. Expect to pay $500-700 for fuel depending on the length of your journey.

To find free and low-cost campsites make sure to download CampsAustraliawideApp and check CaravanTour.com.

Greyhound buses in Australia are another great option for the east coast of Australia. They do ‘hop on hop off’ passes.

Cairns to Sydney pass, for example, costs $455 and you have three months to travel.

If you have little time, we recommend looking into flights, they, however, tend to be expensive.

We always use Skyscanner to find the cheapest deals.

Don’t forget to join as many Facebook groups as you can; people constantly post spare seats there.

Accommodation options on the East Coast of Australia road trip:

The options are limitless, but if you want to stay within a budget, then hostels are your best bet.

Hostelworld.com   and Tripadvisor are the most popular websites when it comes to finding a discounted place.

Hostel dorm prices start at $20-50 and up. Depending on the city and location, the prices may vary.

Keep in mind that Sydney is one of the most expensive places when it comes to accommodation, therefore expect to pay $50+ for a dorm room.

We usually book via AirBnB as the accommodation is not too expensive, in great locations and you get excellent advice from the locals..

If you are new to Airbnb use this link to get $55 off your first stay!

Or you can get your Airbnb coupon here.

Food cost on the East Coast of Australia road trip:

If you are staying in hostels or self-contained accommodation, then it’s easy (well besides the cooking part).

Food is expensive, and if you add parties to it, then it is easy to spend $70-150 a day!

Yes, we know that from our experience, again that’s for two people.

There is a lot of fast food places where you can get a burger for $5. When it comes to restaurants, they are more expensive, and a meal can cost anything from $15-30+ depending on what you want to order.

Here is a list of the best restaurants on the East Coast of Australia.

We recommend buying cheap drinks such as 3l of goon (boxed wine).

Connecting with other travelling the East Coast of Australia backpackers:

There is a great app called Backpackr that can help you chat with others like-minded backpackers and get good advice on where to go, what to see or where to eat.

The app helped us a lot, and you can meet cool people near you for a coffee, pint or just to hang out with.

Make sure to join Facebook groups to find travel mates.

What are the best places to visit on the East Coast?

Where to go: The perfect East Coast of Australia itinerary for 4 weeks holiday

Cairns – 4 day itinerary

The main reason most people travel to Cairns is to explore The Great Barrier Reef and pristine white sand beaches.

Cairns doesn’t have a beach, but there is the Cairns Lagoon where you can relax, go for a swim, have a picnic or BBQ.

It is a very lively backpacker town packed with great bars, restaurants, hotels and tour agencies.

There is a lot of travel desks offering cruises to the reef. We did a lot of research before decided on the company.

Here are the best Great Barrier Reef snorkelling or diving cruise companies:

• Silverswift ($216+ per person for cruise and snorkelling)
• Passions of Paradise ($159+ per person).

If you are thinking about a cheaper company, make sure that they are going to the outer reef as the waters are much clearer there.

Cairns also has an amazing Rainforest, and you can explore it via rail.

The Kuranda Village, located in the rainforest is accessible via the  Kuranda Scenic Railway. On the way back, we decided to take a cable car called the Skyrail.

The price is about $112.50 per person for both experiences and a return transfer to your hotel, well worth it!.
In high season, book this tour in advance, as it gets fully booked.

Also, make sure to experience it in the order we did, as it’s the most amazing experience you will ever have!

While in Kuranda visit the markets, art galleries and the Butterfly Sanctuary.

While in Cairns, make a trip to Fitzroy Island.

You can take a ferry there for the day since is close to mainland or book overnight accommodation. It’s a lied back place, great for relaxing and getting a bit of tan on the beach.

Just make sure you won’t go there to experience the reef as you will be disappointed.

Originally seen here:

https://sunsettravellers.com/east-coast-of-australia/

The Best Times to Visit Australia for Perfect Weather and Cheap Flights

Whether you’re seeking sun or avoiding sharks, follow this guide to plan a dream trip to the land down under.

AUSTRALIA IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST COUNTRIES, SO WHEN TO GO DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON WHERE YOU’RE GOING. FROM THE WORLD-FAMOUS GREAT BARRIER REEF, TO THE VINEYARDS SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TO SYDNEY’S SPRAWLING BEACHES, AUSTRALIA HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELER.

Related: Discover These Three Australian Destinations Before Everybody Else Does

Here's the best time of year to see all of Australia's greatest sights and attractions. 

The Best Months to Visit Australia 

When You'll Get the Best Weather

Seasons in Australia are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere, with summer from December through February, and winter from June through August. The exact type of weather you'll experience depends largely on the region.

Darwin, in the Northern Territory, sees temperatures in the high seventies during the winter and can have no rainfall at all, but summers are extremely hot, with serious downpours.

In southern Australia, like Adelaide and Melbourne, summer temperatures often hover in the low seventies, and winters are cool. Pack a few sweaters as well as a pieces for warmer weather, no matter the time of year.

The Best Times to Visit the East Coast

Australia’s East Coast is usually considered the stretch from Cairns, in the north, to Melbourne, in the south, and is the most convenient area to get to from the United States. It’s also incredibly vast — travelers could easily spend more than 40 hours driving top to bottom, with no traffic and no stops, so the weather and scenery vary.

The Best Times to Visit the Great Barrier Reef

Up north, the Great Barrier Reef tends to be warm year-round, and in the summer temperatures can rise to nearly 90 degrees, with plenty of tropical rain. Here, wet season comes in the summer and spring, which slows the stream of tourists. While this may not be the ideal time to visit Australia's famous reefs for weather, it's preferable for travelers interested in avoiding crowds.

The Best Times to Visit the Gold Coast

About an hour’s drive from Brisbane is the Gold Coast, and it's known for having beautiful weather most of the year. (A particularly popular Gold Coast beach destination is Surfers Paradise.) More than 500 miles south of the Gold Coast is Sydney, a cultural center famous for beautiful beaches including Coogee, Manly, and Bondi. Temperatures in the winter are slightly chilly, with some rain. If a beach holiday is on your agenda, summer is perfect, as temperatures are warm. But if you prefer a more active vacation, spring and autumn are ideal.

The Best Times to Visit Australia’s Beaches

From Sydney’s Bondi Beach, with its iconic pool set just above the sea, to the bright, white sand and turquoise waters of the Whitsundays Islands, Australian beaches are hard to beat. The best way to decide which to visit? Follow the weather.

It’s important to note that just because there’s a beach doesn’t mean you can go swimming. Some places have saltwater crocodiles, box jellyfish, or other creepy ocean critters. Pay attention to signage and ask locals if you have any doubts.

Still, don’t let a fear of sharks factor into your plans. Rodd Stapley, Shark Expert for Taronga Zoo, told Travel + Leisure the safest season to avoid sharks can vary each year due to changes in the environment. But these risks are small. Taronga Conservation Society Australia has studied shark attack patterns and — over the last 50 years — there’s been fewer than one unprovoked attack annually, an average. To minimize risks, Stapley recommends swimming in ocean pools or netted beaches, and between lifeguard flags.

A bigger risk to swimmers and even waders at Australian beaches are riptides, which are common here. Learn the signs, including dark water and fewer waves breaking. Only swim between the flags on lifeguarded beaches, and if you do get caught in a rip, swim parallel to the shoreline to get out of it.

Related: The Best Times To Visit New Zealand for Every Type of Trip

The Best Months to Visit Australia's Wine Country

From Hunter Valley, in New South Wales, to Swan Valley, slightly north of Perth, there are more than 60 wine regions scattered across the country. It’s easy to find good wine no matter the time of year, but if you’re trying to make Pinots and Sauvignons the main event, many regions hold wine festivals. Late autumn is a popular time for harvest festivals, so plan to visit in April, May, or early June.

The Worst Times to Visit Australia 

Generally, it’s best to avoid the south’s chilly winters and the far north’s hot, wet summers.

But crowds are also a consideration. Students get a break from mid-December until late January (or even early February), which means packed beaches and more expensive domestic airfare. Australia is a popular backpacker destination, so tourist favorites tend to be busy anyway, but book your trip in late spring or early autumn to strike a balance between great weather and manageable crowds.

The Cheapest Times to Visit Australia 

It has to be said: there’s no truly cheap time to visit the Antipodes. December and January tend to be most expensive, likely due to holiday travel and the prime summer weather. According to data from Skyscanner, the cheapest months to travel to Sydney from New York City and Los Angeles are March and June, respectively. New York City to Melbourne is cheapest in February, while flights from Los Angeles to Melbourne are less expensive August. (Looking at hotel room rates provided by Booking.com, Melbourne is also cheap in January.)

If you have flexibility on timing, plan well in advance to find the best deals. If you have less flexibility on schedule but more on destination, try searching a few cities internally and looking at local budget airlines, like Jetstar, to get around once you’re in Australia.

 Originally seen here:

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/best-time-to-visit-australia

Oat milk to be coffee trend of 2019

BARISTAS expect oat milk to be the next coffee craze after new data suggested Australia is split over whether the latte, cappuccino or flat white is best.

The national data released on Wednesday from payment platform Square says the humble latte made up one in every three orders (33 per cent) in 2018.

But that’s lower than two years ago when it was ordered 43 per cent of the time.

And while the latte, cappuccino and flat white still make up about three-in-four orders, the states and territories are split on the best way to get a caffeine hit.

Lattes remain strong in Victoria (42 per cent) and Tasmania (32 per cent) while flat white tops menus in Queensland (26 per cent), Western Australia (37 per cent), ACT (39 per cent) and Northern Territory (29 per cent).

NSW – often derided by Victoria for having an apparently weaker coffee culture – have a more varied taste with cappuccino the leading coffee at 26 per cent.

But the biggest change in 2019 will be what people put into their coffee rather than the way they have it, Melbourne cafe Proud Mary general manager Tom Gunn says.

“Oat milk will be huge,” he told AAP.

“We have another cafe in America and oat milk has completely dominated the market there – completely destroyed almond milk and soy is now minimal.”

He said compared to other dairy milk alternatives, oat milk tastes better, matches coffee better, froths more easily and importantly has funding behind it from large US companies.

Pippa Ainsworth, the owner of the Darwin cafe The Trader, said she was surprised Australia was behind on the craze on what she sees a yummy, environmentally sustainable option.

“I was just in London and oat milk was in every cafe – no question,” she told AAP.

But Ms Ainsworth says people are fickle about their brew, and often chase the next craze.

“We serve a lot of tradies and Defence personnel and the weirdest thing is the Defence forces all have the same order.

“It may change every few weeks, from cappuccino to hazelnut latte – but they’ll all change together.”

“We tease them about it.”

The Square coffee data is based on millions of orders made through Square point-of-sale devices.

Originally seen here:

https://www.communitynews.com.au/midland-reporter/news/oat-milk-to-be-coffee-trend-of-2019/

Queensland floodwaters wash ute off road, authorities airlift five stranded men

Five men stranded in floodwaters in north Queensland have been rescued without injuryafter their ute was washed off the road, but rescue authorities were delayed in getting to them because their helicopter was low on fuel when the men were spotted.

Key points:

• Police were alerted by a mother of one of the men after he called her to say they were trapped
• Men were airlifted to Proserpine after being left stranded when their ute washed away
• Hundreds of millimetres of rain has fallen on areas south of Townsville since Wednesday morning

Police said the men were in a ute that was washed off Tondara Road at Bogie, west of Bowen, this morning.

Around 8:00am, the mother of one of the vehicle's occupants called police to say her son had contacted her and informed her that water was rising around the ute he was in.

On Thursday afternoon, police confirmed a nearby farmer had located the men and contacted authorities.

Earlier, a rescue helicopter dispatched from Townsville to search for the men was prevented from landing due to the bad weather.

Another helicopter sent from Mackay landed in a clearing adjacent to Tondara Road at Bogie, near the crossing of Molongle Creek.

That aircraft had to refuel in Proserpine and returned to the area after 3:00pm to extract the men.

A CQ Rescue spokesperson said the men's dogs had to be left behind, but that the men were "in good health and not injured".

PHOTO: Swollen Molongle Creek crossing the road at Bogie, west of Bowen, where the five men were washed away. (Supplied: RACQ CQRescue)

CQ Rescue air crewman Russell James said the men were found "cold, tired and hungry" beside a creek bed near a road.

Tom Major@thomaslmajor

Water blankets the coastal plain at Gumlu after 300mm+ fell in catchments overnight. Vision thanks to farmer Jonathan Land who says rain will fill dams and flush local waterways. Bruce Hwy still closed at Molongle Ck Bridge between Bowen and Home Hill @ABCemergency

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The helicopter had left the area when two of the missing men emerged and began signalling to a local station owner for help.

"We had actually departed when two of the guys turned up and shouted out to the station owner," Mr James said.

"Luckily, he has our number and called us and we were able to refuel and return and pick all five of them up."

Mr James said the ute the men were travelling in washed away when they tried to cross a flooded creek bed.

"Luckily they all managed to get out of the vehicle. It was quite a walk through the night to where they ended up. They are lucky boys that is for sure," he said.

"If it's flooded, forget it, and they found that out the hard way, bit embarrassed I'm sure."

The group had been in the area on a pig hunt last night but heavy rainfall has blocked the only road in and out of the area.

The Bruce Highway is currently cut between Ayr and Bowen at Gumlu due to flooding.

PHOTO: Steady rain has been falling over Townsville and surrounding areas early on Thursday afternoon. (Supplied: BOM)

Strathbogie, south of Ayr, has received 432 millimetres of rain in the 24 hours to 9:00am, while Eton Vale had falls of 224mm.

At Groper Creek, near Ayr, 184mm was recorded.

Further inland, south of Theodore, Downfall Creek received 153mm while Cracow recorded 139mm.

Moderate to heavy falls were recorded from Ingham north to Mossman late on Thursday afternoon.

The BOM in the hour to 4:00pm, 91mm of rain fell at Menavale, north of Tully.

PHOTO: Trucks dicing with floodwaters on the Bruce Highway in north Queensland. (Supplied: Burdekin Shire Council)