Quickies

Issue # 113, 2011

Welcome to our Spring issue of Quickies,

keeping you posted with some of our latest news and happenings.

Awesome whales, sightings of a rare species of ray (captured on video!) and even an underwater dinner scene are some of the extraordinary experiences our visitors to the Reef have been treated to in recent months. All this sprinkled with glorious Tropical North Queensland days!

Our Great Adventures operation has welcomed back the newly refurbished Norman Reef activity platform and also farewelled an old friend, the MV Reef Prince, having travelled to the Great Barrier Reef around 4,800 times over 16 years of service! Quicksilver Group Managing Director Tony Baker said the sale of Reef Prince will allow us to introduce a new vessel into our Cairns fleet that will be more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly with newer technologies and better suited to a changing tourism market.

In more news, lucky number 13 Cairns & Great Barrier Reef branded shop opens in China, ocean swimmers hit the waters of Green Island and you can enjoy a special treat from the chefs of Green Island Resort.

Enjoy a break with our latest Quickies!

WHAT'S NEW

Bumper of a Whale Season

Whale Season

The humpback whale season has been in full swing with whale encounters almost a daily occurrence across the Quicksilver Group's range of vessels. Silversonic passengers and crew in particular had one wonderful encounter captured on film just south of Undine Reef. » Read More

Norman Reef Platform Shines Again

Norman Platform

After sustaining damage during Cyclone Yasi earlier this year, Great Adventures' Norman Reef activity platform is once again welcoming guests back to her home on the Great Barrier Reef after a $700,000 refurbishment. With the refurbishment and new equipment now on the platform, it will ensure our passengers have the newest and best facilities available to enjoy their time at the reef.  » Read More

Rare sighting of an endangered Ornate Eagle Ray

Ornate Eagle RaySilversonic dive and snorkel passengers and crew recently enjoyed an amazing experience, when an Ornate Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) was spotted swimming around "Barracuda Bommie", one of Quicksilver's remote dive sites on the Agincourt reefs.

Check out the amazing vision!
» Read More

Green Island Reward for Colouring In Competition

Coloring Comp

A fun colouring in competition resulted in one lucky 8-year-old becoming the toast of her school by winning a class excursion to Green Island with Great Adventures.

With over 350 entries from 14 schools, Aloomba State School student Alex Godfrey's colourful entry won Great Adventures' recent News in Education (NiE) colouring in competition and featured the underwater world of the Squid Squad. » Read More

Farewell to our Reef Prince

Reef PrinceIn early July, Quicksilver Group Managing Director Tony Baker announced the sale of Great Adventures' vessel Reef Prince. Reef Prince was purchased as a new state-of-the-art vessel in 1995 and has been a key part of Great Adventures fleet ever since. Over the past 16 years she had travelled to the Great Barrier Reef and Green Island over 4,800 times to showcase the amazing underwater world to our visitors.
» Read More

Lucky number 13 - New Cairns and Great Barrier Reef branded shop opens in China

China Shop Opens

With confidence growing in the China market, Quicksilver Group's Michael Healy opened the 13th Cairns and Great Barrier Reef specialist retail travel shop in Chengdu in late June. Chengdu is the capital of the Sichuan Province and is the most prosperous city and economic/cultural centre of Western China. » Read More

Quicksilver team to be part of Australia's inaugural Corporate Challenge!

Corporate Challenge

It's an exciting time for six Quicksilver Group staff who will soon be participating in the inaugural XVenture Corporate Challenge Cairns. To be made into an eight series TV program, the challenge is designed to educate, motivate and develop teamwork. XVenture is also a unique fundraising event for the Steve Waugh Foundation. » Read More

Good luck to our team of Nicole Richardson, Paul Crottie, Steffie Krause, Josh White, Jack Punshon and Karla Meekings!

Great Adventures community event supports Animal Charities

Animal Charities

Two local animal welfare charities have received some much-needed funds thanks to the recent Green Island Beach Volleyball charity event held during the annual Great Adventures Green Island Family Day.

The Green Island Beach Volleyball challenge, with 78 players from 13 competing teams, raised $1560 for the Young Animal Protection Society (YAPS) and the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (CTRC), with each receiving $780. » Read More

From Green Island Resort's Chef� Seafood Bouillabaisse

Seafood Bouillabaisse

Dining at our signature restaurant, Emeralds, is where you will experience the delights of our local and exotic tropical produce. Seafood Bouillabaisse by our talented Sous Chef Sean Featherstone, is a perfect example of a mouth-watering taste sensation just waiting for seafood lovers to enjoy! If you can't visit Green Island Resort soon, here's the recipe to try at home! Enjoy! Seafood Bouillabaisse recipe

 

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EVENTS

New course record set at Green Island Ocean Swim

Ocean Swim 2011

In challenging conditions, 106 avid ocean swimmers took to the water to compete in Great Adventures annual Green Island Ocean Swim on Sunday 4th September. Entrants from Cairns, Townsville, the Gold Coast and even Italy, competed in the 1.5km and 3km distances in this unique Great Barrier Reef event. » Read More

Pirates of the Coral Sea Bowls Night!

Pirates of the Coral Sea

The Sales team had a lot of fun dressing up as pirates and entertaining agents from the Northern Beaches recently for the Quicksilver Group's Pirates of the Coral Sea Bowls Night! Pictured here, you just might recognise some familiar faces..

Rebecca Shields (Great Adventures), Dave Iles (Quicksilver Port Douglas), Stephanie Payne (Silver Series), and Steve Brady (Pro Dive Cairns).

BIO BITS

Oh look, it's Nemo!

clown fish

More commonly known as the cute and famous little "Nemo", the Clownfish or Anemonefish is a type of damselfish that are only found living symbiotically with sea anemones. Anemones use stinging cells to catch small prey. Anemonefish, however, can live amongst the tentacles without getting stung! How do they do this? They rub up against the anemone to coat themselves with the mucous that is produced by the anemone. Once coated, anemonefish can move freely amongst the anemones' tentacles.

The clown anemone fish is approximately 80mm (about 3 inches) in size and they mainly inhabit the northern areas of the Great Barrier Reef.

   Here's Nemo! Vision taken at Agincourt reefs by Shane "Sharky" Down.

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THE ZOO

We'd like to introduce you to our two new Sales Team members�


Doug King
Welcome to Doug King, our Quicksilver Sales Executive for Cairns and Northern Beaches. Doug represents Quicksilver Outer Reef and Wavedancer Low Isles Cruises. Doug can be contacted at [email protected]



Stephanie Payne
Welcome to Stephanie Payne, our Silver Series Sales Executive for Cairns and Northern Beaches. Stephanie represents Silversonic and Silverswift Dive and Snorkel Adventures. Stephanie can be contacted at [email protected]

Doug
Stephanie

 

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POSTCARDS

Postcard.... to Great Adventures

Great AdventuresI recently travelled with Great Adventures to Green Island and the Outer Barrier Reef. It really impressed upon me not only how beautiful the scenery is, but also your great service. Your staff are all nice and friendly, and a special thank you to Francis Lee who was very helpful when I missed my boat from Green Island to the Outer Reef and rearranged my ticket to reef for the next day.

Although I am back in my hometown now, I still remember the good time in Cairns Australia. I take this opportunity to deeply thank you and best regards to Francis and crew.

Sophia

QUICKBITS


milliondollarmemo Snorkel
  • Million Dollar Memo finalists enjoy riches of the Reef Quicksilver was delighted to host the finalists of Tourism Queensland's Million Dollar Memo during their eight days of travel to experience the best of Queensland including, of course, the Great Barrier Reef.

    From 20 company finalists from 11 countries, the winner of the Million Dollar Memo, worth AUD$1 million of Queensland travel incentives, was the Indonesian automotive components manufacturer ADR Group. Pictured here, Rusman SalemMustam of ADR Group, enjoys the Oceanwalker helmet dive experience at Quicksilver's Agincourt Reef platform.
  • An unexpected reef scene also greeted Million Dollar Memo guests when cruising in the semi-sub - an amazing underwater dinner scene featuring Quicksilver Divers! Check out our news site in coming days to see this fun footage.
  • Wet suit hire for snorkellers can now be guaranteed if pre-booked for Quicksilver Outer Reef and Silversonic cruises. Cost is $10 for a 5mm shorty. On check-in passengers will be given a wet suit hire ticket to redeem once at the reef.
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