Law firm marketing: Making the most of what you’ve got!

2011 October 13
by squadron

Whether the marketing strategy for your law company depends on online marketing, niche marketing to particular industries, traditional advertising, or just retaining and growing wallet share of a solid growth of clients, you’ll need to generate content.

Content is the lifeblood of legal marketing, and without it you may as well not bother with a law firm marketing plan. However, producing content requires hard work, and you must make the most of the material you manage to produce. Here are several ideas to help you use the two most commonly produced types of legal marketing content as best you can.

Law Firm Marketing – Written material (blogs, email alerts, brochures, guides, information sheets)
If you’ve produced some quality, interesting material of any of the types mentioned, you don’t need to just send it off once or print it and let it stagnate in your reception area. You ought to distribute that content as widely as is possible. For every piece of written material you produce, consider:

- Have I distributed it to as many, relevant, clients as possible?
- Has it been loaded to our website?
- Have I sent it direct to referrers, associates and other professionals?
- Have I linked to it with a post on Facebook and a tweet on Twitter?
- Has it been sent to media contacts?
- Are others in the firm aware of it and could they explain it in detail if a client questions them?
- Can I turn it into a different kind of content and distribute in a different forum?

Law Firm Marketing – Presentations
Presentations are usually created with a specific reception in mind, or because of a particular request. Therefore they tend to be presented only once then left to stagnate. The large amount of effort and time required to prepare them gets just one presentation. To get more out of your presentation consider:

- What other companies may I show it to?
- How could I let the most people know about it?
- Have I discussed it on my website, Facebook, Twitter, and offered to present it to others?
- Can I send a hard copy of the presentation to those who couldn’t attend the seminar?
- Could I record an audio or video of the presentation and distribute it via email or directly?
- Is it viable to write an article or blog to discuss questions that arose during the presentation?
- Have I sent additional content to all the people that were at the presentation?

Although a lot of these suggestions might feel like more work just when you’ve possibly created a dent in your monthly billings with the amount of time you spent preparing the first lot of material, it’s crucial to remember that it is much easier to use a tiny amount of time now to really maximise on what you’ve already produced than it is to produced a whole new piece of legal marketing material.

Maximise the benefits of the time you put into law firm marketing and you’ll discover that the next time you need to create content you will feel more positive about how effective that content will be.

John Gray is a practising lawyer and the Senior Marketer at John Gray Marketing, an Australian specialist law firm and legal marketing consultancy. If you are interested in law marketing, legal marketing and marketing for lawyers, contact John Gray today.

Relationship Combatibility Factors

2011 October 12

Relationship and Marriage counseling can assist you discover how in harmony you are.

The two most crucial factors that decide how similar you are as a couple are:

A similar level of psychological health and maturity and a compatible ranking of Instinctual Variants.

What are Instinctual Variants?
The 3 Instincts represent the inherant energy or drive that are essentially part of us as humans. Our personality is highly engaged with and often dependent on these libidinal, instinctual energies to give it its spark.

Self Preservation Instinct.
People of this Instinctual type are often with the essential existential needs as they translate into our contemporary society, for example, money, food, accomodation, health, physical safety and comfort.
Being safe and physically comfortable are priorities, and they will often bring these supplies with them.
When entering a room, they will tend to notice bad lighting, uncomfortable chairs, the room temperature, when the lunch break will be, and whether they will enjoy the food provided. They also tend to be the most practical in the sense of taking care of pressing life necessities.
They are the most introverted of the types.

Sexual/ Intimate Instinct.
People of this kind have a strong desire for intensity of experience and affection. The direct riveting gaze is the dead giveaway. When they enter a situation they automatically gravitate toward people they feel attracted to, as if they are looking for the juice. These people can be intimacy addicts, often neglecting pressing obligations or even basic hygiene if they are infatuated with something that has captured them. This gives a expansive exploratory philosophy to life, but can also give a lack of focus of one’s own goals.

Social Instinct.
People of this type are preoccupied on their interactions with others and with the sense of value and esteem they derive from their involvement in collective activities. These include work, family, hobbies and clubs.
Upon entering a room, these people would immediately be aware of the relationships and subtle politics between the different people and social circles. They are subconsciously attuned on other people’s reaction to them, particularly about whether they are being accepted or not.
They need to connect with others to feel safe, alive and energised. They seem to enjoy interacting with people, but they avoid intimacy.
They are the most extroverted of the types.

Within each person, one of these Instincts will predominate. In fact these 3 variants can be ordered like the layers of a cake, with the most predominant one at the top. The least powerful one, at the bottom, is termed the blind spot.
These instincts play a pivotal role in our relationships because personalities of the same type tend to share values and understand each other innately, and therefore feel very compatible.

In relationships between 2 different Instinctual types, each will struggle to convert the other.

For further information on discovering whether you and your partner are compatible, contact the Hart Centre Australia. We are Australia’s premier relationship and marriage counselling service with 53 locations Australia wide, and 8 relationship counselling centres in Brisbane, 3 marriage counselling centres in the Gold Coast, and 2 relationship counselling locations on the Sunshine Coast. Phone 1300 830 552 for appointments at all centres.

For relationship counselling Brisbane, marriage counselling gold coast and marriage counselling sunshine coast, contact your local Hart Centre.

Stone Veneer

2011 October 10
by squadron

Stone veneer is a modern way to decorate the walls of a creating. The stone veneer cladding offers a stylish method adopted by architects to impart a dynamic look to a lifeless framework. This is mostly used for aesthetic purposes and has a long life. The elegance and simplicity of stone veneer provides homeowners, architects, builders and developers with a versatility and versatility to be more to resourceful. Stone veneer is also properly used in landscape and complementing the natural beauty of the open spaces as well.

Stone Veneer acts as a ornamental and protective masking on exterior as well inside walls and surfaces. The veneer is usually one inch thick; it is lighter in weight in weight and weighs about 15 lbs. / sq. ft. It does not need any extra structural support for its installation.

Stone Veneer is mostly made from natural stones. It can also be produced from manufactured stones. The natural stone veneer is manufactured from stone, which is collected from quarries or as field stone. The stone is then sawn making use of huge diamond impregnated cutters equally spaced to get the slices of the stone in a consistent thickness and weight. This stone is also known as “thin stone veneer”.

Besides the natural stone veneer, manufacture stone veneer is also a decorative building material. It is produced to imitate the appearance of natural stone. There are various leaders used for this type of veneer. The stacked stone veneer, artificial stone veneer, manufactured stone veneer and versatile stone veneer are various names used for stone veneer.

Stone veneer is produced by mixing a lightweight concrete mix to rubber molds of different type. These are painted with a coloring process to make them look like the real stone. another method to make stone veneer is by casting and molding it from chemically modified lightweight concrete. Stone veneer is actually a replica of natural stone. It takes the finest details of the original stone. At a shut look, the artificial stone veneers appear just like original stones.

The stone veneer is mostly used as a siding on the walls. It can be fixed on the walls using distinctive excellent mortars for highest adhesion and strength. flexible stone veneer is manufactured by slicing a thin layer of a stone. It is then backed by some composite material. It can be produced in a variety of designs and colors using different stones. The manufactured stone veneer is more affordable than natural stone veneer and there is the least amount of wastage in its use.

Manufactured stone veneer costs almost 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of utilizing natural stone. since of the lightweight of the manufactured stone veneer, there is no need for wall ties or any footings. It can make the construction easier and thereby decreases the cost. There is a vast variety of designs, patterns and colors available on manufactured options as compared to the natural stone simply because the natural stone is generally used in the area close to where it is extracted due to the huge transportation costs.

Manufactured stone veneer is relatively less strong as compared to natural stone rock walls, but many applications do not call for higher strength as aesthetics is a more important element in many cases. Stone veneer is also not reusable like natural stones.

Stone veneer provides the natural look of the stones at inexpensive charges. Stone veneers are preferred these days for most of decorative facing in makings and open spaces.

Cheap SEO packages- what to look for in these services

2011 October 9
by squadron

The term SEO as we all know is an acronym of search engine marketing which is the process of improving a websites visibility on search engines. Websites that are highly ranked in search results have more site visitors. SEO targets many possibilitys which includes picture search, local search, video search and academic search. Today, there are many companies offering cheap SEO package deals~deals} for consumers~shoppers~buyers} who want their sites’ rankings to rise. SEO’s (acronym referring to search engine optimizers) use different methods to achieve good search engine optimization on the consumer’s website.

Any company offering affordable SEO packages~deals} should be able to permit the consumers site rise in the search engines fast. When many internet users search for a particular term(also referred to as ‘key phrase’), they perceive the ones at the top as having more relevance to the keyword. Though there are many components that contribute to a website acquiring to the top spot (or at least amongst the top ten), SEO comes in handy to make sure that this is realized in a short interval of time. being professional, SEO’s know what is best for a site and how to go about generating sure that it rises to the top. They use a variety of tactics that are all geared towards achieving the same.

A few of the methods they use include:

-Back hyperlinks building and,
- LSI (Latent Semantic Index) content writing.

In back link building, inbound links are used to improve a site’s visibility. Inbound links are from other sites and they are important since of their significance to search engine optimisation. A site with a big number of back hyperlinks is one indication that it is preferred and of significance to others too. Google and other web search engines determine the Page Rank of a website or webpage due to the number of back hyperlinks it has. It is Consequently worth noting that this SEO possibility is of great importance to any website owner who wants his site to get ranked fast.

LSI content writing is among the most popular SEO choices. simply because search engines rely on the content on the website or webpage so that it gets ranked, having a website that is well taken care of in this area is very important to the owner. For illustration, Google is very rigorous when it comes to content. They demand a webpage to have key phrase rich content so that it can get good rankings. In many cases, search engine optimizers publish content for buyer}s observing key phrase density and also length. articles or blog posts of considerable good length are better positioned to get ranked much simpler than short ones with crappy content. All articles have to be free from plagiarism. This means that they are authentic and written by the site owner and are not copied from other sources.

In most cases, purchaser}s who consult these affordable SEO packages~deals} companies want solutions so as to improve rankings to their money creating websites. They either have affiliate links on their sites, promote CPA, run Ad sense or offer solutions that people pay for. To them, it is an investment and therefore it makes perfect reason for receiving good site rankings.

To get the best affordable SEO package, a customer} desires to look for the following qualities:

- whether or not the company has been offering the companies for a considerable time period of time,

-no matter if the company charges reasonably,

-regardless of whether the company offers all the companies that he/she requirements and also,

-whether or not the company has reviews from previous successful projects.

Having observed that all the above levels~factors} are well taken care of, he/she can from that level order their solutions. The buyer} should ensure that all instructions and details are meticulously tended to before giving them out to the SEO guys. working with inexpensive SEO packages~deals} has established to be the most efficient way that website owners use to make to the top of the web search engine results. because of the ever growing internet using inhabitants globally, these services will continue to provide their companies to the ever hungry website owners who also want to get a piece of the large chunk of money made from the internet. To sum up, we can say that this is two way traffic as both the client and the service provider need one other.

Looking for a cheap SEO packages? Try this new service from Search Tempo. These cheap SEO packages are just about the best value on the internet.

Things To Consider When Hiring A Spit Roast

2011 October 9
by squadron

If you are an avid party thrower and you want that extra special something to add that element of glam to your party, spit roast hire is a great idea. Spits come in different sizes and relying on the number of people at your party and the amount of space you have at your disposal, you can roast a few of chickens or even a whole pig or goat. When thinking of spit roast hire there are several easy ways to procure what you need through the yellow pages and the internet. However, before you go in for spit roast hire, there are some important issues you must take into consideration.

Do It oneself v/s catering.
For a lot of folks, do it on your own options are much better because they can save on lots of money. Setting up a spit and truly cooking on it can be a time consuming and cumbersome task. When it arrives to spit roast hire, there are businesses which will let you simply hire the spit roast and do everyfactor yourself, or give you a absolutely loaded bundle in which everymatter from setting up, cleaning up and serving is done by a team of professional caterers. So depending on whether you have enough time or not you can decide if you want to do it all your self or pay someone else to do it for you.

Gas Spit v/s Charcoal Spit
When contemplating spit roast hire, you must first decide what kind of a spit you will need. There are spits that work on charcoal and those that work on gas. Weigh the pros and cons of each type and decide which one you want. The good matter about charcoal spits is the fact that the meat you cook on it will retain the scrumptious burny flavor of the charcoal. Gas spits will not allow for that. however, charcoal spits are untidy, they create a lot of burn and can be dangerous if not attended to. Gas spits are scanner, make less of a mess and don’t create as much smoke. Another disadvantage of charcoal spits is that you can not use them in closed spaces because they create a lot of heat and substance. If you plan to cook interiors, a gas spit makes much more sense. Even so, with gas spits you have to make sure the enclosed area is well ventilated.

Size Does Matter
Another important aspect of spit roast hire you must consider is the size of spit you need. What kind of meat are you planning to cook? A spit roast is a very versatile procedure of cooking and everyissue from cow, venison, bull, goat and pig can be cooked on it. depending on the type of and amount of meat you want to cook, you have to choose an appropriately sized spit . For illustration if you wish to cook a full developed goat, you will need a spit that lets for 25kgs. Of course, the greater the spit size you choose, the more expensive the affair will be. speaking about spit roast hire, gas spits come in a restricted number of sizes while charcoal spits are readily available in a larger range of sizes.

Cost Of Charcoal v/s Gas Spit
One of the most important issues that you must keep in mind when going in for spit roast hire, is the cost. You have to first figure out how much you can afford and how much you are willing to spend to hire a spit roast. A lot of people today feel that charcoal spits are cheaper which in fact is not the case. Technically if you go to see, charcoal and gas spits cost almost the same if you take the total cost of cooking into consideration. The fee to hire a charcoal spit is much less than that of a gas spit but what you must take into consideration is the fact that charcoal spits require additional fuel whereas gas spits don’t.

So depending on whether you are having an inside or outdoor party or if you want to be extravagant or minimalistic, put some time into research, figure out what you need and then go in for the right spit roast hire. For more information about spit roast hire Brisbane, visit http://spitroasthire.brisbaneoz.com/

The Importance of Proofing Designs

2011 October 7
by squadron

You’ve made up your mind that it’s time for a new website or design. For most, the first step is to choose the right organization. However, the first thing you need to do is formulate at least a basic idea of what you expect from a completed product. Not only is this step commonly ignored in the starting phase of project formulation, but also during the creative briefing stage after recruiting a design company.

Everyone wants to send off a project to the professionals and let them take care of it all. If you’re having your car washed, then nothing is really needed from you. For other projects, you need to be more involved. Website design and graphic design are two areas where getting involved yourself is necessary to the perfect design for you and your organization.

When you first meet with a website and graphic design company, you should supply them with your ideas and goals. This provides the company something of a starting point. This doesn’t mean you are finished. No one can read your mind. In order to make absolutely certain you get the most optimal design possible, you must take the creative briefing stage seriously.

This is the stage of the assignment where you work one on one with the designers to ensure they fully understand what you desire. The more they understand, the faster that can deliver the finished project. It also reduces the number of initial design changes.

The next step before the designer can work on your project is proofing your design. You should never just quickly glimpse the design and give your approval. Look over the design plans as thoroughly as you would any important document. If the design isn’t exactly as you envisioned it and doesn’t provide the features you discussed, now is the time to make changes.

Waiting until the final project is delivered means time consuming revisions for both you and the designer. By involving yourself in both the creative briefing and design proofing stages, you save both time and money. You also get the perfect website or graphic design the first time around. The sooner your project is in place, the sooner your customers and visitors will see it.

You should never take this responsibility lightly. It’s your design, your website. Take the time to ensure the design company you choose fully understands your vision. By communicating your needs, the company is able to provide suggestions. With thorough communication between both parties, the best designs and sites are created.

For graphic design Brisbane or logo design Brisbane visit The Creative Noise. The Creative Noise is also a website designer. Brisbane is where their head office is located.

Choosing a Mackay Lawyer, Solicitor or Law Firm

2011 October 6
by squadron

As a growing region, there are many new residents in the Mackay region that require the services of a Mackay lawyer or law firm for the first time. Choosing a law firm to do the legal work to enable you to buy a home, to advise you about starting a business or to prepare important documents like wills or enduring powers-of-attorney, can be a baffling and stressful process.

When you are needing a Mackay lawyer, solicitor or law firm you should seek the following characteristics:

Satisfied Customers
For most people it is impossible to compare the quality of legal services that is provided by one Mackay solicitor/lawyer or another. Unless you regularly use a similar kind of legal service you can’t really compare different law firms. Look for a Mackay lawyer that is proud of their past performance with generous use of references from previous clients. If they have plenty of testimonials it lets you know two things. Firstly, that they have plenty of satisfied clients and secondly, that they are willing to take the time and trouble to discover what clients think of their service. They are aware that theirs is a service-oriented business.

Local knowledge
Any Mackay solicitor or lawyer should have a good local knowledge and experience in helping other people in the town. Find out if the firm has worked on local developments or firms with established conveyancing specialists who have built up a valuable amount of “inside knowledge” about the property market, local agents and banks which can make a big difference to the ease and efficiency of your transaction.

Breadth of Services
Because most people only need a lawyer rarely, there is value in choosing a Mackay lawyer, solicitor or law firm which can provide a full range of services without you needing to find different law firms. Finding a firm that can provide conveyancing, estate planning, disputes, business services and even workplace or employment issues, means you can stick with the one firm which will meet all your legal needs. Law firms value clients who use several services, and will often provide those services more cheaply if they have provided other services for you in the past.

*In Queensland a person with legal qualifications was traditionally referred to as a solicitor while a person who “had standing” to represent you in court was called a barrister. More recently the general term lawyer has become more widespread and can be used to describe either of these types of legal practitioner. In some other states of Australia the conveyancing process (the legal process required to transfer ownership of house) can be undertaken by licenced conveyancers. This is not the case in Queensland where conveyancing must be undertaken by a solicitor/lawyer.

John Gray is a practising solicitor and marketing consultant who has worked with leading Mackay law firms. If you need a Mackay solicitor or Mackay lawyer contact John Gray for a recommendation.

Relationship Counselling can help you discover more about yourself.

2011 October 2
by squadron

If you really want to examine deeply at why the two of you have the unique relationship and issues that you have, look no further than the Enneagram.

One of the most useful ways to discover yourself and just as importantly, how you may add to your relationship problems, is to look at your Enneagram profile.

The modern Enneagram is based on ancient Eastern wisdom combined with modern Psychological thought. There are 9 personality types each with different modes of thinking, feeling and acting. Each style has its own natural strengths, faults, and blind spots.

When you know your Enneagram number, you can then be aware of the unconscious assumptions that drive the way you see yourself, do your work, and relate in your relationships.

And you can also understand why your partner seems to act in the strange, inconsiderate, intrusive, self-interested, seductive or charming ways that he or she does.

Once you know how he or she see things from the inside out, you can see why they do the things they do which makes perfect sense to them.

There are no types that are better than any other. Each is effective in their own way, but from a very different point of view.

• Ones want to make things right.
• Twos need to be of help.
• Threes are driven to succeed.
• Fours yearn to be special.
• Fives want to be left alone to think.
• Sixes seek safety and support.
• Sevens are connoisseurs of life’s pleasures.
• Eights are driven to dominate others.
• Nines don’t want to make waves.

For more information on how your and your partner’s Enneagram types interact, call us at the Hart Centre. We are a group of Psychologists around Australia who are passionate about relationships and specialise in relationship counselling.

With 15 relationship counselling centres in Sydney, and 12 relationship counselling centres in Melbourne, you will more than likely find one near you. Phone 1300830552 for more details.

Remember, for relationship counselling Sydney or relationship counselling Melbourne contact the Hart Centre.

Stradbroke Island Queensland – Travel Guide

2011 September 28

Located on Brisbane’s eastern doorstep, North Stradbroke Island (”Straddie” to the familiar) is one of Australia’s east coast natural treasures and a perfect escape destination. Something of a secret, it is only in recent years that Stradbroke Island has begun to shine on the tourism and property radar.

To travel to Stradbroke Island through the bayside village of Cleveland will take approx. 50 minutes on the vehicle ferry. Cleveland is a thirty minute drive from Brisbane International Airport and the centre of Brisbane, and an drive from the Gold Coast. The boat ride across Moreton Bay is the first step that makes Stradbroke Island such a fabulous experience.

Stradbroke Island is 27,530 hectares, and therefore is the world’s second largest sand island. The elongated sand island shields much of the southern part of Moreton Bay and the smaller islands from the ocean swells. The beaches are accessible by four-wheel drive, bicycle or tramping, with numerous good camp sites situated down Main Beach, and wonderful views are visible from almost everywhere on Straddie.

Thirty-five kilometres of white sandy beaches fringe the island’s eastern side, from Point Lookout at the north to Jumpin Pin in the south. From the Point lookout headland, the towering jungle of the Gold Coast can be clearly visible, and is a reminder of the stark contrast to the slower pace of Straddie.

North Stradbroke (or Minjerriba to the indigenous Noonuccal people) was the home of celebrated Aboriginal poet Kath Walker, or Oodgeroo Noonuccal. There is a lot of Aboriginal and European history surrounding Dunwich where water taxis and barges berth.

The waters of Moreton Bay ripple against the shores of the island’s western fishing towns. The lack of agriculture and the filtering effects of the sand results in pure water which sea creatures, and particularly Stradbroke Rock Oysters thrive upon.

North Stradbroke attracts 4WDers, fishermen, surfies and beach-lovers to its wide lengths of beach and rugged granite headlands, and the Island offers a wide range of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and holiday infrastructure. With an incredible diversity of attractions on offer and stunningly beautiful spots to explore, North Stradbroke is a fantastic holiday destination for families, couples and adventure-seekers alike. The ideal way to see the Island is by Four Wheel Drive, but there are many stunning coastal walks and a mountain bike and whale watching map are an easier and more environmentally sound alternative.

Point Lookout is a popular destination, and only a 30km drive on a sealed road from Dunwich. The North Gorge Headland is 40 metres above sea level and recognised as a leading land-based whale-watch area in winter, and world-class surfing and fishing throughout the year.

Point Lookout’s beautiful beaches and headlands are safe for swimming, surfing and fishing all year round. Whales, dolphins, turtles and manta rays can often be viewed from the spectacular North Gorge at the northern part of the island. The island is listed as one of the world’s most ecologically important wetlands with several freshwater lakes, waterways and lagoons that are accessible by four-wheel drive or on a tour with one of Straddie’s tour operators.

One of the best features on the island is being able to purchase fresh seafood directly from local fishermen. Look for the signs at Amity Point and Point Lookout which direct you to their homes and the freshest, most delicious catch-of-the-day around. For those who would rather the work be done for them, Straddie’s restaurants and cafes all make use of this wonderful resource in the menu.

“The Point” offers several alfresco style cafes, a bakery, chemist, post office, newsagent, corner store and supermarket. The island also has a bus service linking the three towns to the ferries and water taxis.

North Stradbroke Island is the ultimate paradise for the many enthusiasts who visit each year. On a good day it’s possible to surf right past the pub, along the evocatively named Cylinders Beach, on waves that peel dreamily for hundreds of metres. Stick ten bucks in the back pocket of your boardies and drop in for a beer on your way back around -you may even bump into world ranked surfer and local Bede Durbidge! Stradbroke also boasts what is perhaps the last truly old-school surf shop in the country, that makes it’s business selling surf equipment rather than fashion.

The jewels in Stradbroke’s crown is Point Lookout and the natural wonder of the North Gorge Walk, along with the surf, the choice of beaches, all sheltered in various winds, the whale watching, and the spectacular coastal walk around the gorges. If you are looking for Stradbroke Island Accommodation, make sure you visit: http://www.discoverstradbroke.com.au/

The Attractions of Stradbroke Island

2011 September 24

Located on Brisbane’s eastern doorstep, North Stradbroke Island (’Straddie’ to those familiar) is another of Australia’s natrual treasures -a perfect escape destination. Something of a secret, it is only in recent years that Straddie has started to sparkle on the tourist and property radar.

To travel to Stradbroke Island by way of the Brisbane suburb of Cleveland will take you approximately fifty minutes on the vehicle ferry. Cleveland is only a thirty minute drive from Brisbane International Airport and Brisbane central, and one hour’s drive from the Gold Coast. The ferry ride across Moreton Bay is the first of a series of experiences that make visiting Stradbroke Island such a great destination.

Stradbroke Island is 27,530 hectares, making it the world’s second largest sand island. The elongated sand island shields much of the southern part of Moreton Bay and the smaller islands from the ocean swells. It’s beaches are able to be accessed by four-wheel drive, bicycle or on foot, with a number of great camp sites dotted down Main Beach, and wonderful views are visible from almost everywhere on the island.

Thirty-five kilometres of white sandy beaches fringe the island’s eastern side, from Point Lookout at the north to Jumpin Pin in the south. From the Point lookout headland, the concrete jungle of the Gold Coast is often clearly visible, and is a reminder of the stark contrast to the slower pace of Straddie.

North Stradbroke (Minjerriba to the indigenous Noonuccal tribe) was the home of celebrated Aboriginal poet Kath Walker, or Oodgeroo Noonuccal. There is a great deal of Aboriginal and European history surrounding Dunwich where water taxis and barges land.

The waters of Moreton Bay lap against the shores of the island’s western fishing towns. With a lack of agriculture and the filtering effects of the sand results in clean water which fish, and particularly Stradbroke Rock Oysters thrive upon.

North Stradbroke attracts four-wheel drivers, fishers, surfies and beach-lovers to its expansive stretches of beach and rugged granite headlands, and the Island also offers a wide range of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and holiday attractions. With a wonderful diversity of attractions on offer and stunningly beautiful spots to explore, North Stradbroke is a fantastic holiday destination for families, couples and adventure-seekers alike. The ideal way to see the Island is by Four Wheel Drive, but there are many stunning coastal walks and a mountain bike and whale watching map are an easier and more environmentally sound alternative.

Point Lookout is a popular destination, and only a 30km drive on a sealed road from Dunwich. The North Gorge Headland is 40m above sea level and recognised as a leading land-based whale-watch area during winter, and world-class surfing and fishing throughout the year.

Point Lookout’s beautiful beaches and headlands are perfect for swimming, surfing and fishing all year round. Whales, dolphins, turtles and manta rays can often be spotted from the spectacular North Gorge at the northern part of the island. The island has been listed as one of the world’s most ecologically important wetlands with several freshwater lakes, waterways and lagoons that are accessible by 4WD or on a tour with one of Straddie’s tour operators.

One of the great features of the island is the fresh seafood directly from local fishermen. Just look for signs at Amity Point and Point Lookout which will direct you to their homes and the freshest, most delicious catch-of-the-day around. For those that would rather the work be done for them, Straddie’s restaurants and cafes all make use of this delicious resource in the menus.

“The Point” offers a number of alfresco style cafes, a bakery, chemist, post office, newsagent, corner store and supermarket. The island also has a bus service which links the three towns to ferries and water taxis.

North Stradbroke Island is the ultimate paradise for the many enthusiasts who visit each year. On a good day it’s possible to surf right past the pub, along the evocatively named Cylinders Beach, on waves that peel dreamily for hundreds of metres. Stick ten bucks in the back pocket of your boardies and drop in for a beer on your way back around -you may even bump into world ranked surfer and local Bede Durbidge! Straddie also boasts what is perhaps the last truly old-school surf shop in the country, that makes it’s business selling surf gear rather than fashion.

The jewels in the Straddie’s crown is Point Lookout and the natural wonder of the North Gorge Walk, along with the surf, the choice of beaches, all sheltered in different winds, the whale watching, and the spectacular coastal walk around the gorges. If you are looking for Stradbroke Island Accommodation, make sure you visit: http://www.discoverstradbroke.com.au/