Latest news with #King'sBirthday
West Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
GEORGIE PARKER: Damien Hardwick's AFL legacy grows at Suns as Clarkson's wanes at North
Legacy is everything in the AFL. Clubs, player and coaches all pride themselves on it, and we have two coaches in the box seat to solidify their spot as the best we've had; Damien Hardwick and Alastair Clarkson. Hardwick's Gold Coast Suns delivered a demolition job on Brisbane in the QClash, and suddenly (I assume) much to the AFL's relief, the years of patience and promise are finally paying off. It's one win, sure, but the Suns are on their way to making finals for the first time and are putting their hand up as a team to watch on the verge of something special. Hardwick has brought a ruthless edge, relevancy and even a sense of desirability to a club long known for under performing when it counts. Premierships are hard to come by, and by no means do I think the Suns will win one this year, but when success does come he won't just be remembered as the architect of Richmond's dynasty. He'll be known as the man who made the Suns matter. Contrast that with Clarkson at North Melbourne. The four-time premiership mastermind was supposed to bring hope, structure and progress. But after almost two seasons, the Roos look no closer to anything resembling success. Is it the list? Is it fitness? Is it their mindset? Or, this feels almost sacrilegious to say given who I'm writing about, is it the coaching? Right now, the direction is clear. If Dimma's Suns keep climbing, his legacy will stretch far beyond Tigerland. But if Clarkson can't get North out of the doldrums, the legacy that once looked unquestionable will always carry an asterisk. The fixture debate has, once again, dominated the footy news cycle this week. Friday night blunders, overlapping match times, and prime-time-quality games being shoved into time slots usually reserved for the VFL. But to me, there's a deeper issue here, one that goes beyond bounce down times, broadcast bias, and it's slowly strangling the growth of the game's smaller clubs. The big clubs, Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon, dominate the free-to-air schedule. That's not a conspiracy; it's the AFL and its broadcasters chasing the biggest audience and advertising return. But look at the facts: Essendon, a team that hasn't won a final in over 20 years, leads the league with 12 prime-time games. Carlton, with more wooden spoons (five) than finals appearances (two) since 2000, follows closely with 1 1. Collingwood (at least a genuine contender) sits third with 10. I get it. Money talks. Broadcasters are footing the bill, and they want a say. But the trade-off is hurting the competition. The clubs that get seen more, get supported more strongly. More screen time means more sponsorship, more kids in jumpers, more members, more marquee matches. And in turn, more pull in recruiting players who want to play on the biggest stage. Think ANZAC Day, Dreamtime at the 'G, King's Birthday, these are all games that kids grow up dreaming about. Meanwhile, smaller clubs, often stuck behind paywalls or buried in overlapping time slots are struggling just to get noticed, let alone attract players without paying massive overs for them. This cycle feeds itself. The more invisible a club becomes, the harder it is to grow. It mirrors the same challenges women's sports have faced for decades: if you can't see it, you can't support it. Maybe that's part of the reason why Collingwood has twice the number of members of North Melbourne, a team often playing in front of a three-quarters-empty Marvel Stadium with barely a free-to-air slot in sight. Look, I'm not naive. I understand how the world works. But there's got to be a better balance. Because if the AFL keeps handing the spotlight to the same few clubs, then the rest will never get a look in, and we need them to if want the league to maintain (or find again) the competitiveness that we desperately crave.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Cruise visits expected to halve this summer
Economic uncertainty and rising costs have been cited as reasons for fewer cruise ships planning to visit Kaikōura this summer. Just five cruise ships are scheduled to visit Kaikōura during December, January and February, down from 11 last summer and 16 in summer 2023/24. ''There's lots of reasons. Global uncertainty, Government changes and it has led to less cruise ships planning to come this season,'' Destination Kaikōura manager Lisa Bond said. ''But everything has a cycle. This year we are down to five, but in two years we might be back to 13.'' She said cruise ship companies planned their schedules 18 months or two years ahead, so the global uncertainty was big a factor. But she noted cruise ship schedules are subject to change, depending on weather and other factors. Destination Kaikōura deputy chairperson Lynette Buurman said the ability to attract cruise ships has not been helped by Environment Canterbury increasing its berthage fees. As Kaikōura has small wharves, cruise ships anchor off the coast and bring tourists into the wharf by tender boats. An Environment Canterbury spokesperson said berthage fees depend on the size of the ship, ranging from $7666 for ships less than 100 metres to $16,866 for ships 200 metres or more. Cancellation fees also apply. It covers the costs of chart updates, operation and maintenance of navigation aids, and operation and maintenance of safety management systems. The berthage fees have not changed in the last 12 months, the spokesperson said. Other tourist hot spots are also experiencing sharp declines in cruise ship bookings. Bay of Islands' cruise ship bookings for the 2025/26 season have almost halved from their peak two years ago, from 92 to 47. A cruise ship representative told Local Democracy that cost increases had contributed to the drop. Ms Bond said Kaikōura enjoyed a busy summer and autumn, while King's Birthday weekend, Matariki weekend and the July school holidays brought strong numbers of visitors to the town. April was a particularly strong month, with the spend from domestic visitors up 15 percent compared to last year, while accommodation bookings were up 7%. Strong domestic support continued in May, with the spend up 13% and guest nights up 14% compared to May 2024. Ms Bond said the bulk of domestic visitors come from Canterbury, with visitor numbers from Auckland and Wellington also up. There has also been growth in international visitors, according to visitor data. International visitor spend, excluding accommodation (which is now pre-paid), is up 13%, which suggests either a higher average spend or an increase in day visits. A busy few months are expected, with the Kaikōura Whale Run and the Kaikōura Hop in September, followed by the school holidays, the Mountains to Sea Marathon and Labour Weekend in October, and the Kaikōura Trotting Cup in November, before summer gets into full swing. Destination Kaikōura is a partnership between the Kaikōura District Council and local tourism operators. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
1News
2 days ago
- Business
- 1News
Kaikōura cruise visits expected to halve this summer
Economic uncertainty and rising costs have been cited as reasons for fewer cruise ships planning to visit Kaikōura this summer. Just five cruise ships were scheduled to visit Kaikōura during December, January and February, down from 11 last summer and 16 in summer 2023/24. "There's lots of reasons. Global uncertainty, government changes and it has led to less cruise ships planning to come this season," Destination Kaikōura manager Lisa Bond said. "But everything has a cycle. This year we are down to five but, in two years, we might be back to 13." She said cruise ship companies planned their schedules 18 months or two years ahead, so global uncertainty was big a factor. ADVERTISEMENT But she noted cruise ship schedules were subject to change, depending on weather and other factors. Destination Kaikōura deputy chairperson Lynette Buurman said the ability to attract cruise ships has not been helped by Environment Canterbury increasing its berthage fees. As Kaikōura has small wharves, cruise ships anchored off the coast and brought tourists into the wharf by tender boats. An Environment Canterbury spokesperson said berthage fees depended on the size of the ship, ranging from $7666 for ships less than 100m to $16,866 for ships 200m or more. Cancellation fees also applied. It covered the costs of chart updates, operation and maintenance of navigation aids, and operation and maintenance of safety management systems. The berthage fees hadn't changed in the last 12 months, the spokesperson said. More centres feeling the pinch ADVERTISEMENT Other tourist hot spots were also experiencing sharp declines in cruise ship bookings. Bay of Islands' cruise ship bookings for the 2025/26 season had almost halved from their peak two years ago, from 92 to 47. Kaikōura's coastline. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting) A cruise ship representative told Local Democracy that cost increases had contributed to the drop. Bond said Kaikōura enjoyed a busy summer and autumn, while King's Birthday weekend, Matariki weekend and the July school holidays brought strong numbers of visitors to the town. April was a particularly strong month, with the spend from domestic visitors up 15% compared to last year, while accommodation bookings were up 7%. Strong domestic support continued in May, with the spend up 13% and guest nights up 14% compared to May 2024. ADVERTISEMENT Bond said the bulk of domestic visitors came from Canterbury, with visitor numbers from Auckland and Wellington also up. There had also been growth in international visitors, according to visitor data. International visitor spend, excluding accommodation (which was now pre-paid), was up 13%, which suggested either a higher average spend or an increase in day visits. A busy few months were expected, with the Kaikōura Whale Run and the Kaikōura Hop in September, followed by the school holidays, the Mountains to Sea Marathon and Labour Weekend in October, and the Kaikōura Trotting Cup in November, before summer got into full swing. Destination Kaikōura was a partnership between the Kaikōura District Council and local tourism operators. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
7NEWS
14-07-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
"Stop bidding, I want to live in it!" Theatrics seal the deal in dramatic finish
A peaceful Norwood street came alive on Friday when a property hit the auction block. A small crowd of 25 watched as two fiercely committed bidders battled it out, culminating in a heartfelt plea that stole the show. Across Australia, auction volumes dipped this week, marking the quietest stretch since the King's Birthday long weekend. A total of 1,458 homes went under the hammer across the capitals, down from 1,794 the week prior and slightly below the 1,512 held this time last year. Despite the softer volume, buyer momentum is holding. The preliminary clearance rate came in at 72.2 percent, easing from the year-to-date peak of 74.5 percent recorded three weeks ago. Still, it's the fifth consecutive week that early results have tracked above 70 percent. Melbourne led the action with 630 auctions, down from 767 a week ago. While activity aligned closely with last year, clearance dipped to 70.5 percent, its lowest level in 12 weeks. Yet that still makes it 11 straight months Melbourne's early rate has held above the 70 percent mark. Activity in Sydney dipped from last week's 685, with 578 homes taken to auction, edging above the 560 recorded this time last year. Buyer demand remained strong, lifting the clearance rate to 76.2 percent, equal to the year's peak set in mid-February. Brisbane's auction scene cooled this week, recording just 103 homes under the hammer, the lightest turnout in nearly three months. The early success rate dipped to 61.3 percent, the softest showing since early June, hinting at hesitancy in the winter market. Adelaide, on the other hand, delivered a standout result. Of 75 homes auctioned, 75.6 percent found buyers, rebounding sharply from last week's lull and clearing well above the city's 2024 average. Momentum there is building while other markets take a breath. Canberra hosted 61 auctions this week, with the preliminary clearance rate easing to 68 percent from 73.1 percent the week prior, as winter momentum slowed. Volumes are tipped to lift slightly in the week ahead, offering a clearer read on buyer appetite. "Stop bidding, I want to live in it!" Norwood cottage sparks showdown at $960k A quiet corner of Norwood turned theatrical on Friday as 21 Eastry Street went to auction before a quaint crowd of 25, drawing fire from two determined bidders and finishing with a dramatic cry from the heart. Bidding opened at $799,000 and moved fast, shooting past $850,000 and hitting $900,000 in a matter of minutes. From there, momentum slowed but didn't stall as the two buyers, an investor and an aspiring owner-occupier, went head to head in a tense rally. "The investor kept lifting his bids to block the other bidder out," said Harcourts agent Shane Boon. "Then, mid-auction, the other bidder just snapped, yelling, 'Stop bidding. I want to live in it. You're just looking for an investment!'" The plea won the day. The investor backed off, and the home sold soon after for $960,000. The seller, a woman who bought the sandstone-fronted home in the $600,000s back in 2017, was delighted with the outcome. With just two bedrooms, classic character and a location footsteps from The Parade, the home tapped into a pocket of the market that's still running hot. "There's a strong market for little homes," said Boon. "This one had charm, walkability and that inner-east lifestyle everyone wants. It might be small, but it packed a punch." Seventeen bidders, one dream home. Underwood family favourite soars to $1.13m It was standing room only in Underwood on Saturday as 45 people gathered at 2 Avondale Street, drawn by a five-bedroom family home that had been fully reimagined inside and out. What followed was a 40-minute auction rollercoaster that started fast, climbed hard and finished with a splash at $1.13 million. Seventeen bidders threw their hats in early, pushing the price up in bold $50,000 jumps until it hit $950,000. Then came the grind. Three bidders remained, trading $1000 and $500 blows with calculated precision. Ray White agent Syed Ali said the energy was high from the first bid. "There was serious interest. You could feel the intensity. By the end, the final three were laser focused. No one was letting go without a fight." The reserve was set at $980,000, but that was just the beginning. The eventual buyers, a young couple upsizing after selling their own home, outlasted the pack and walked away elated. The sellers, a middle-aged couple also looking to upsize, were just as happy with the result. "Both sides were over the moon," said Ali. "This home had wide appeal and huge interest. It was built for a result like this." Sitting on a generous corner block with dual access, lush gardens and plenty of scope to grow, the home offered a blend of lifestyle and flexibility that resonated with families and investors alike. Ding-dong bidding battle lands Kewdale corner block for $892k With the sun shining over Tomato Lake in WA and an 80-strong crowd lining the verge, 10 Wheatley Street was always going to stir up action. What followed was a six-way bidding brawl that ended with a phone bidder clinching victory for $892,000. "It was a ding-dong tussle," said Jones Ballard agent Kim Findlay. "The bids came in strong at first, then slowed right down to thousand-dollar blows. It was a good fight." The auction was fast and gritty, with six contenders stepping up to claim the rare 711-square metre corner block with R30 potential. While the home itself was sold in original condition, the value was in the land and location, just metres from the lake and loaded with development upside. The sellers, an older couple transitioning to aged care, watched on as their long-held family home changed hands. It was a moving moment at the end of a significant chapter. "There was real emotion in it," said Findlay. In the end, it was a young man watching remotely from Sydney who took the prize, snapping up the property after following the action from his phone and outlasting the locals. With its central location, zoning flexibility and walkable access to public transport, Wheatley Street offered bidders more than just bricks and mortar. Saturday's result proved that in a market hungry for land with promise, buyers are still willing to fight hard and dig deep to secure the right block.
7NEWS
14-07-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Price triples as St Ives property leaps from $1.4m to $4.5m in fifteen year hold
Sunshine lit the stage for a fierce auction in St Ives, where 3 Bimburra Avenue sold for $4.5 million, an eye-watering 206 percent jump from its 2010 sale price of $1.468 million. Auction volumes dipped this week, marking the quietest stretch since the King's Birthday long weekend. A total of 1,458 homes went under the hammer across the capitals, down from 1,794 the week prior and slightly below the 1,512 held this time last year. Despite the softer volume, buyer momentum is holding. The preliminary clearance rate came in at 72.2 percent, easing from the year-to-date peak of 74.5 percent recorded three weeks ago. Still, it's the fifth consecutive week that early results have tracked above 70 percent. Melbourne led the action with 630 auctions, down from 767 a week ago. While activity aligned closely with last year, clearance dipped to 70.5 percent, its lowest level in 12 weeks. Yet that still makes it 11 straight months Melbourne's early rate has held above the 70 percent mark. Activity in Sydney dipped from last week's 685, with 578 homes taken to auction, edging above the 560 recorded this time last year. Buyer demand remained strong, lifting the clearance rate to 76.2 percent, equal to the year's peak set in mid-February. Brisbane's auction scene cooled this week, recording just 103 homes under the hammer, the lightest turnout in nearly three months. The early success rate dipped to 61.3 percent, the softest showing since early June, hinting at hesitancy in the winter market. Adelaide, on the other hand, delivered a standout result. Of 75 homes auctioned, 75.6 percent found buyers, rebounding sharply from last week's lull and clearing well above the city's 2024 average. Momentum there is building while other markets take a breath. Canberra hosted 61 auctions this week, with the preliminary clearance rate easing to 68 percent from 73.1 percent the week prior, as winter momentum slowed. Volumes are tipped to lift slightly in the week ahead, offering a clearer read on buyer appetite. Smooth moves and family focus as Hope Court home hits $1.9m in 15-minute flurry Hope was in no short supply at 7 Hope Court, where three family bidders brought fast-paced energy to a polished Kew auction in Melbourne's East that wrapped in just 15 minutes with a final sale of $1.9 million. The crowd of 45 watched as bidding opened at $1.7 million and rose steadily, moving with calm precision toward a figure just over reserve. All three bidders were families chasing a move-in-ready home in one of the suburb's most established areas. "It was smooth, fast, and really genuine," said McGrath agent Cherie Sun. "The bidders were clear and focused, and the sellers were happy when the hammer finally fell. There was real celebration." Cheers erupted as the final bid landed, sealing the deal and sending one family into their next chapter with big smiles and a strong sense of arrival. The auction may have been short, but the emotional payoff was loud and lasting. Freshly renovated with modern finishes, the home appealed to buyers looking for both lifestyle and liveability without needing to lift a finger. Its location, tucked within the leafy Kew Gardens Estate, just metres from the Yarra River and moments from top private schools, made the decision easy for many. Fifteen-year hold pays off as St Ives home rockets from $1.4m to $4.5m A radiant winter's day set the tone for a scorching result in St Ives, where 3 Bimburra Avenue sold under the hammer for $4.5 million, a staggering 206 percent increase on its 2010 sale price of $1.468 million. Seven active bidders made quick work of the early rounds, punching past $4 million with barely a breath. Things briefly slowed near $4.2 million before momentum kicked back in, with the hammer falling at $4.5 million. The result landed a cool $600,000 above the $3.9 million reserve. The solid brick single-level home sits on a wide-fronted 1043-square-metre parcel in a whisper-quiet street, zoned LMR for redevelopment. It was this north-facing slice of potential that drew bidders in, with the eventual buyers set to knock down and build anew. "This was a textbook auction," said Ray White listing agent Coco Cui Roskam. "It was fast, clean bidding on a picture-perfect day. The energy was there from the first bid." The vendors had called this family haven home for 15 years, enjoying the sun-drenched living spaces, pool and lush garden surrounds. With strong local amenity, school proximity, and future flexibility, the result speaks to St Ives' quiet evolution, a suburb where lifestyle and land go hand in hand. At $3,452 per square metre, it's a price that proves north-facing potential still shines brightest when the block is big, the zoning is right and the bidders are hungry. Belmont's riverside charm draws fierce bidding as first-home buyer lands $710k win A crisp winter morning and a crowd of 60 set the scene for a spirited auction at 10 Victoria Terrace, where five determined bidders chased their chance to buy into one of Belmont's most coveted pockets. Opening at $580,000, bidding flew past the $630,000 reserve in minutes before slowing into a tense back-and-forth that ended with a final $710,000 knockdown. The winner, a young tradie, is taking his first leap into home ownership. "It was exactly the kind of auction we love," said Jellis Craig agent Ross Bywater. "Clean, competitive and full of energy. There was a real sense that people didn't want to miss out on this pocket." Over just three weeks, the home drew 50 buyer groups through the door with a strong mix of first-home buyers, downsizers and investors. But it was the location that set it apart: a leafy, walkable stretch near the Barwon River, Balyang Sanctuary and village shopping. The vendors, who bought the home as their first in 2011 for $370,000, saw a 92 percent increase in value over 13 years, proof that the area's lifestyle pull continues to pay long-term dividends. "With land in Belmont's riverside zone increasingly hard to come by, this sale showed how eager buyers are for quality homes in prized positions," said Bywater. "Especially when the sun's out and the crowd's ready."
