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    From the archive: The Last President's Driver

    Photo feature

    From the archive: The Last President's Driver

    This man, Cu Thach Banh, was the driver for South Vietnam's last President, Duong Van Minh. I met... enlarge

    FEATURES

    Cemeteries and tombs - a travel guide

    Sydney Blog

    Cemeteries and tombs - a travel guide

    Cemeteries and tombs have been a big part of my travelling life. From my first international travels in the 80s till now, I've made a point of wandering through old cemeteries... more

    Choosing Fremantle Western Australia as a place to live and visit

    Fremantle Blog

    Choosing Fremantle Western Australia as a place to live and visit

    A few years ago I was in search of a place to base myself in Australia. I was looking for a lifestyle better suited to my situation, than... more

    First time in Tasmania - 2 weeks on the road

    Tasmania Video

    First time in Tasmania - 2 weeks on the road

    Last November, I finally fulfilled my longh-held wish to travel to Tasmania. It was my first travel since the pandemic hit, and my first... more

    Camp Cove and South Head - a walk, a dip and a spot of Sydney history

    Sydney Video

    Camp Cove and South Head - a walk, a dip and a spot of Sydney history

    Camp Cove is one of the most beautiful spots for a dip in Sydney's magnificent harbour. Jump on the Watson's Bay ferry from Circular Quay... more

    2020 - The COVID year in travel

    Sydney Blog

    2020 - The COVID year in travel

    How do you make sense of a year like 2020? There were lockdowns, travel was wiped out globally, there was political chaos. I had a few... more

    Parramatta's neglected heritage - the Female Factory

    Sydney Blog

    Parramatta's neglected heritage - the Female Factory

    Parramatta was at the centre of the development of the British penal colony in New South Wales from its beginnings in 1788. It was also at... more

    Cao Bang

    Cao Bang Introduction

    Cao Bang

    Vietnam's far northern provinces are the most unique and beautiful in the country. Some of these places receive large numbers of... more

    RECENT REVIEWS

    Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

    Sydney see and do

    Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

    The Art Gallery of New South Wales is a uniquely Australian gallery and Sydney’s premier art institution.  It's located not far from the middle of... more

    State Library of New South Wales

    Sydney see and do

    State Library of New South Wales

    The State Library of New South Wales is the oldest library in Australia and another must-see Sydney stop for those interested in history,... more

    Sydney eating

    Sydney eating

    Sydney eating

    Welcome to the Rusty Compass guide to eating in Sydney. Melbourne might have the global reputation. But Sydney’s culinary offerings are pretty... more

    Port Arthur convict ruins

    Tasman Peninsula see and do

    Port Arthur convict ruins

    Port Arthur is Australia's most well-known convict history site. This may be the best place in the country to get a sense of the lives of those... more

    Tasman Peninsula

    Tasman Peninsula Introduction

    Tasman Peninsula

    The Tasman Peninsula is a 70 -  90 minute drive from Hobart and the location for some of Tasmania's most popular tourist sites. Named after Dutch... more

    Art Galleries of Sydney

    Sydney see and do

    Art Galleries of Sydney

    This is our collection of Sydney's best art galleries for travellers. They're mostly focused on Australian art from both Indigenous and... more