More tourists visiting outback Queensland

The latest figures from the National Visitor Survey have been released showing a 9 per cent increase in the number of leisure visitors touring the outback.

The region received 519,000 domestic overnight visitors in the year to September.

But the authority's Bill Tatchell says the length of their stay has also increased, to four-and-a-half nights.

"Staying longer means they're going to spend more money, so that's a result of operators, itineraries and packages, people and tourism operators in the outback getting a little more savvy, a little more conscious of what the consumer wants so they're able to meet those expectations," he said.

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source: abc.net.au

S Central acquires Queensland-based Clariti

Australian services company S Central has made its seventh acquisition in less than twelve months after acquiring Brisbane-based Clariti to expand its security offering and presence in Queensland.

The acquisition of Clariti caps an aggressive 12 months for S Central, which has also snapped-up NSW-based businesses Rich Computing alongside storage and virtualisation provider AGM IT.

With the deal expected to be signed and sealed in six weeks, S Central shows no sign of stopping its acquisition drive.

Peter Mavridis, managing director of S Central, said: “Clariti will boost our experience in security, infrastructure services and data management. Clariti will operate under the S Central brand from early next year, with Clariti executives Bruce McCurdy and Matt Chilcott to take senior roles at S Central. We have now established a strong presence in the Victorian and NSW market and are keen to push further into Queensland.”

Mavridis added the acquisition brings staff numbers at S Central to more than 200 people, doubling its 2006 figure.

Bruce McCurdy, managing director of Clariti, said: “Clariti has an established base of around 400 corporate and government customers in a diverse range of industries. Its key focus is government departments at both the state and local level. Other key vertical markets include finance and banking, telecommunications and manufacturing.”

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source: itnews.com

Queensland fullback Latham to play for Worcester

Latham is set to link with Worcester after one final season with the Queensland Reds in the Super 14 competition starting in February.

Latham confirmed The Courier-Mail's report that he would be playing in England.

The Australian Rugby Union are yet to confirm whether Latham's long service to the Wallabies will earn him an early contract release, but it's expected he will be available for Australia's domestic Tests next month, including the first Tri-Nations series in which the Wallabies would be coached by Kiwi Robbie Deans.

Latham, 32, will front a media conference in Brisbane.

"I can confirm that I have signed," Latham told AAP.

Latham has been the best linebreaker for both Queensland and Australia in recent years and the Reds will be keen for him to play the whole Super 14 season after missing the entire Super 14 program this year season due to a knee reconstruction.

Latham has played 110 games for Queensland.

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source: news.com

Queensland to up China coal exports

Premier Anna Bligh today launched a feasibility study into proposed dredging works at Port Alma, south of Rockhampton.

The port is currently used to export 200,000 tonnes of goods such as salt, frozen beef, explosives and scrap metal annually.

"Any possible expansion up to 30 million tonnes a year would require an investment of between $750 million and $1 billion," Ms Bligh said at the launch in nearby Gladstone.

Management and engineering consultants Connell Hatch have been commissioned to undertake the $50,000 study, which is expected to be completed early next year.

The dredging works could allow the port to handle vessels of up to 90,0000 tonnes. Currently, it cannot accommodate ships of more than 35,000 tonnes.

Ms Bligh said coal could be transported by rail on the main northern line before being shifted 20km via conveyor to Port Alma.

"This will help facilitate the development and export of Xstrata Coal's Wandoan deposits in the Surat Basin," she said.

"Additional export capacity at Port Alma would put Queensland in a better position to meet the growing global demand for coal."

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source: theaustralian.news.com

Two children die in Queensland dam

The deaths of two children who drowned in a dam at a south-west Queensland property was a "tragic accident", police say.

Police divers found the bodies of an eight-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy in the dam at the large property at Brookstead near Toowoomba around 7.30am (AEST).

The children's mother reported them missing on Tuesday evening after losing sight of them as they rode around the property on a quad bike.

After a five-hour land search on Tuesday night failed to locate the children, the search resumed early Wednesday involving State Emergency Service volunteers, a helicopter and police.

Toowoomba Acting Superintendent Alan McCarthy said the children's bodies were found submerged in the dam.

He said a dog belonging to the family was found in the vicinity of the dam when police arrived, though reports the dog prompted the search of the dam were false.

"Yes there was a dog seen nearby to the dam after the children were missing but the dam would have been a focus of our search in any case," he said.

The dam, which is about 80 metres by 30 metres in size, is located about one kilometre from where the children were last seen.

Acting Inspector McCarthy said it was unknown how the children came to be in the dam.

He said the dam was located in an area of the property well known to the children but it was unknown if they regularly swam there.

"There is no indication of why they would have ended up in the water," he said.

A police spokeswoman earlier said the children's deaths were being treated as "a tragic accident with no suspicious circumstances".

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source: smh.com