Tourism Australia has teamed up with leading New Zealand production company, Imagination Television (makers of Masterchef New Zealand and Animal Rescue) to create a 10 episode television series to air on State-owned broadcaster, Television New Zealand’s TV1. The show, My Kind of Place – Australia goes to air on Saturday July 16, 2011. The new travel show features a diverse range of Australian holiday experiences through the eyes of well-known Kiwi celebrities, who will each showcase ‘their kind of place’. Each week a different celebrity host will journey beyond the traditional gateways and inspire New Zealanders to delve a little deeper into their number one holiday destination – Australia.
Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said showing Kiwis amazing Aussie experiences through the eyes of their favourite celebrity hosts, which range from well known actors and actresses to sports stars and broadcast personalities, delivers on Tourism Australia’s successful advocacy strategy.
Presenters include respected broadcaster Judy Bailey, actresses Lisa Chappell (The Cult, McLeod’s Daughters) and Robyn Malcolm (Outrageous Fortune, Shortland Street), MasterChef New Zealand judge, Josh Emett and former All Black stars, Josh Kronfeld and Frank Bunce, who kick off the series with the ultimate ‘mancation’ in Illawarra, on the south west coast of NSW.
As part of the series, the presenters recall their own holiday memories of regional Australia and share experiences, ranging from swimming with whale sharks in Western Australia and feeding crocodiles in Northern Territory to wine tasting in South Australia and rainforest walks in Tropical North Queensland.
The 10 episodes feature many of Australia’s regions, including: Melbourne, Phillip Island and the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the Barossa and Murray River in South Australia; Illawarra in New South Wales; Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs in Northern Territory; the Daintree and the Whitsundays in Queensland; Broome and Exmouth in West Australia; and Hobart and Port Arthur in Tasmania.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
