G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 Programme Launched

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge
New Zealanders join Australians to celebrate Australia Day with a spectacular display of fireworks at the Auckland Viaduct on 26 January.

Click to enlarge
(From L to R) Vito Anzelmi (Regional Manager – New Zealand, Tourism Australia), Chef Vic Cherikoff, Steve Price, Michael Crawford (Australian Consul-General) and George Samios from Wolf Blass at the Australia Day celebrations in Auckland

Click to enlarge
(From L to R) Master of Ceremonies for the Australia Day celebrations at the Auckland Viaduct, Steve Price, with ex Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jenny Shipley and her husband Burton Shipley.

Click to enlarge
Shortland Street actor, Peter Mochrie, was among the guests who attended the Australia Day celebrations at the Auckland Viaduct on 26 January 2008.

G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 Programme Launched On Australia Day

Tourism Australia officially launched the G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 programme during Australia Day celebrations in Auckland on 26 January. The event was announced at an exclusive black-tie evening hosted by Tourism Australia and the Australian Consul-General, Michael Crawford.

Over 200 dignitaries, business and community leaders attended the function. Ex Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mrs. Jenny Shipley, Mayor of North Shore City, Mr. Andrew Williams, Mayor of Manukau City, Len Brown and Shortland Street actor and Australian Peter Mochrie were amongst the guests seen at the function. Well known Australian personality, Steve Price, was the Master of Ceremonies and delighted guests with his remarks. The highlight of the evening was a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the Auckland skies in hues of gold and green.

“We are delighted to support Tourism Australia’s G’Day NZ Australia Week, and Australia Day is an apt occasion to launch this event. It is a great platform to celebrate the things our countries have in common while recognising those that make us unique,” said Australian Consul-General, Michael Crawford. He added that over the past two years the week has been successful in furthering tourism, trade and investment ties between Australia and New Zealand.

The evening was truly a prelude to the great things ahead as Australian Chef Vic Cherikoff tantalised taste buds with delicacies such as prawn skewers, lamb cutlets and croquettes of mushroom risotto; enhancing their flavours using indigenous Australian herbs. Chef Cherikoff will be delighting Kiwis with his culinary skills during G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 events in April.

“G’Day NZ Australia Week focuses on the spirit of mateship between Aussies and Kiwis; and is being kicked off on Australia Day in recognition of the large number of Australians that live here and the Kiwi families and organisations that share close ties with Australia,” said Vito Anzelmi, Regional Manager – New Zealand, Tourism Australia.

Designated a public holiday in Australia, Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the European settlement in Australia on this day in 1788 It is celebrated with much vigor as people join in the official ceremonies and a series of ‘informal’ activities that have become an Australia Day tradition. Aussie promotions were the flavour of the day in restaurants across New Zealand as Kiwis dined on uniquely Australian dishes. Earlier in the day, Chef Cherikoff also delighted audiences with a cook off using Aussie prawns and squids at the Auckland Fish Market.

G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008, to be held between 24 April and 2 May 2008 in Auckland, is proudly presented by Tourism Australia. It has grown in stature since its launch in 2006, with over 10,500 people directly participating in the week. Enthused by the tremendous response received, G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 has been scaled up to feature bigger events, including the Spirit of Mateship Gala Dinner, Very Gold Coast Corporate Golf Challenge, The Rosemount Great Australian Lunch and OZTalk Travel Expo. This is the first year that OZTalk incorporates a one-day travel expo for consumers and a retail conference for the travel trade industry.

For further information on the G’Day NZ Australia Week 2008 events and for opportunities to purchase tickets, please log on to www.australia-week.co.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media