Celebrate with 10% off our tours – Mother’s Day 2021

Celebrate with 10% off our tours. Get 10% off our tours of 1 hour or longer. You can book your Mum a Harley or trike tour with Troll Tours. Book and buy now and receive 10% off.

Book now or buy a Gift Voucher

The tour can be experienced after Mother’s Day, so book now. Or, buy a Gift Voucher for your Mum. She will have 3 years to use it and can choose when she wants to go. Offer ends 09 May 2021 so get in quick. You can use the Dine & Discover voucher to get $25 off.

The route

Your Mum can choose where she wants to go. As long as it is possible within the time frame that was bought, we will take her there.

Ideas

Ideas are on our website but all the tours are adaptable. Or, we can design a completely new route which takes into account your interests.

Celebrate with 10% off our tours! So, go on and book a tour before the offer ends for another year.
https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/gift-certificate

History

Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. However, it can also be used to honour Aunties and any special female in your life. Celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, it is a great time to let them know how much you love and admire them. Remember, in Australia, it is celebrated in the month of May.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary also does this, and claims the first use of ‘auntie’ was in 1672. However, they don’t reference how they know this or explain more about the story.

Use in reference to Indigenous Australian women

The term aunty or auntie is also used as a term of respect to refer to an older Indigenous Australian woman. They may or may not be related to the speaker. Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can use ‘aunty’ or ‘auntie’ towards a woman of high esteem and earned respect. However, non-Indigenous Australians should always ask whether this is appropriate. If you’re wondering how to address an aunty or auntie in your local Aboriginal community non-verbally, for example writing a letter, email, or mentioning her online, you should simply ask her how she would like to be referred to.

Dine & Discover NSW – feel the freedom with us!

February 2024. Dine & Discover NSW is a new scheme to help NSW recover. Recover from the COVID pandemic that is. This is to encourage the community to get out and about and start spending at dining, arts and tourism businesses. 

From March, NSW residents aged 18 and over will be eligible for 4 x $25 vouchers, worth $100 in total.  Vouchers can be used at participating NSW businesses that are registered as COVID Safe. Troll Tours Pty Ltd is COVID Safe accredited.

The Dine & Discover NSW Vouchers will be divided into 2 categories:2 x $25 vouchers to be used for eating in at restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs and clubs from Monday to Thursday (excluding public holidays)

#1 – 2 x $25 vouchers to be used for entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues, any day of the week (excluding public holidays).
#2 – 2 x $25 vouchers to be used for eating in at restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs and clubs from Monday to Thursday (excluding public holidays)

We are part of the #1 community and we are happy to accept a $25 voucher for each person on our tours. Scanning your voucher is easy, it will have a QR Code. Once it has been approved we are good to go. The difference will have been paid before the ride – with direct deposit or credit card. Cash is fine before the Harley or trike tour starts. We will ask for a back up payment type just in case it doesn’t work.

Customers

From March, NSW residents aged 18 and over can apply online for Dine & Discover NSW Vouchers. 

You can download the Service NSW app now, before the vouchers become available from March. https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

However, if you look at our tour page, https://www.trolltours.com.au/tours-and-prices/ you will see there are so many choices. The prices are also shown and remember, if there are 3 or more people you will pay the corporate price, which is lower. All our tours can be changed to suit your personal requirements. Or, create your own Harley or trike tour. We are happy to take you on any tour (which is legal ?).

Valentine’s Day – show your love to that special one!

Valentine’s Day – show your love to that special one! Don’t forget, it is on Sunday 14 February this year (2021).

If you are stuck for ideas just look at what we have. Harley and trike tours around Sydney! Isn’t that more fun than red roses? Our tours sure are more fun and way more memorable. You won’t need to dress to impress ?. No need to book for actual Valentine’s Day, we can email you a gift voucher. This means the love of your life can book for you both, when it suits.

All of our tour routes are flexible, the ones on our website are just ideas. You can choose to do one of them, change one of them or design a completely new route.

Troll Tours provides everything

Troll Tours provides everything – accredited trike and Harley riders, Harbour Bridge toll x 1 per bike, GST, photos, helmets, jackets (if needed), insurance and a fun time. It also includes the Passenger Service Levy and government taxes. 

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a minor Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

Court of love

The earliest description of February 14 as an annual celebration of love appears in the Charter of the Court of Love. The charter, allegedly issued by Charles VI of France at Mantes-la-Jolie in 1400, describes lavish festivities to be attended by several members of the royal court, including a feast, amorous song and poetry competitions, jousting and dancing. Amid these festivities, the attending ladies would hear and rule on disputes from lovers. No other record of the court exists, and none of those named in the charter were present at Mantes except Charles’s queen, Isabeau of Bavaria, who may well have imagined it all while waiting out a plague. Thanks to Wikipedia for this information.

So don’t forget Valentine’s Day – show your love to that special one!

https://www.trolltours.com.au/tours-and-prices/

Happy Australia Day 2021 from all of us here at Troll Tours

Happy Australia Day 2021 from all of us here at Troll Tours. We are a proudly Australian owned and operated company. Troll Tours gives the best Harley and trike tours, if we do say so ourselves. Sydney and the greater Sydney area, such as the Blue Mountains and The Royal National Park (southern Sydney). Did you know the Royal National Park is the second oldest national park in the world? We do hope you enjoy our Australia Day Celebrations, whether you are here in Sydney, somewhere in Australia or overseas and looking on.

Australia Day history

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in New South Wales. It marks the raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip. The date of 26 January 1788 marked the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia (then known as New Holland). Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808. With the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. On New Year’s Day 1901, the British colonies of Australia formed a federation. This marked the birth of modern Australia. A national day of unity and celebration was looked for. It was not until 1935 that all Australian states and territories adopted use of the term “Australia Day” to mark the date. It was not until 1994 that the date was consistently marked by a public holiday on that day by all states and territories. Thanks to Wikipedia for this paragraph of the history.

present-day Australia

In present-day Australia, celebrations aim to reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation. It is marked by community and family events and reflections on Australian history. There are official community awards and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members of the Australian community.

So, happy Australia Day 2021 from all of us here at Troll Tours. https://www.trolltours.com.au/

The Gap Sydney NSW – Part 2

Following on from Part #1 : The Gap, Sydney NSW

Suicides

The Gap is also infamous for suicides and accidental deaths.

The tall cliffs have made it a location for those wishing to end their lives. The Tasman Sea is the body of water here, east of Sydney and all the way to New Zealand. Between 2008 and 2011 numerous measures have been implemented to dissuade those at risk of suicide, these include security cameras to monitor the area, several purpose-built Lifeline counselling phone booths, and information boards from the Black Dog Institute and Beyondblue. An inward-leaning fence has also been erected to deter people from jumping. The Gap, Sydney NSW is a seriously interesting place.

William Albert Swivell

On the afternoon of 20 April 1936, noted Australian diarist Meta Truscott recorded how she and her uncle, Christopher Dunne, witnessed a suicide at The Gap. By chance, the pair shared a bench with a well-dressed, middle-aged man who was later identified as William Albert Swivell. As the three watched a ship sail through the Sydney Heads, her uncle asked the man if he knew its name, to which Swivell replied, “The Nieuw Holland.” Soon afterwards, the smartly-dressed man stood up and walked away; he climbed to the top of the cliff and jumped to his death.

Caroline Byrne

Feeling old! We remember this one – in June 1995, a 24-year-old model, Caroline Byrne, fell to her death at The Gap. Due to the notoriety of the area, police did not initially suspect foul play. However, in 2008, her then-boyfriend was convicted of pushing her over the edge, but in February 2012, he was acquitted of her murder on appeal.

Charmaine Dragun

We remember this one – it’s so sad. In November 2007, Charmaine Dragun, a 29-year-old newsreader who worked for 10 News First, jumped from The Gap after battling depression and anorexia.

In conclusion, Troll Tours finds The Gap, Sydney NSW very interesting. We love taking our passengers here, to show them the view and to tell them the haunting history.

Photo by ConstantZero
https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

The Gap Sydney NSW – Part 1

The Gap Sydney NSW – Part 1 – hopefully this article will give an insight into a little known but beautiful area of Sydney. We can take you here on a Harley or trike tour. Just ask us!

The Gap is part of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, just 7kms north of the famous Bondi Beach. It is an ocean cliff on the South Head Peninsula. It is formed from Sydney sandstone making it part of the Sydney basin. More on that later. The Gap has a spectacular view to the east, out to the Tasman Sea. It’s not possible to see NZ but the north island is 2,154 km from here, straight ahead.

Prior to European settlement, The Gap was inhabited by the Birrabirragal Aboriginal clan.

A short European history:

Shortly after the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, the British established a makeshift signalling station on the ridge above The Gap. Its role was to give early warning to the colony of any approaching ship. A formal signal station was established in 1790, serviced by a bridle trail that developed into the Old South Head Road by 1811. Pilots based at Camp Cove in Watsons Bay would meet ships at the entrance to Port Jackson in order to guide them safely into Sydney Harbour.

In 1871, a year after the official withdrawal of Imperial British forces, the headland around The Gap became a military garrison when work began to build coastal artillery emplacements to defend the Port of Sydney. Construction was undertaken by the colonial government’s militia under the command of British military engineers. The first barracks, which were occupied by members of the New South Wales Artillery, were completed by 1877. Extensions were added in 1880 to accommodate additional personnel. Many of the early barracks are still standing near The Gap.

By 1895, the area was being used by the fledgling Australian Army as a gunnery school. In 1942, the Royal Australian Navy had established a radar training school nearby. The facility was initially named HMAS Radar, but was later commissioned as HMAS Watson on 14 March 1945. Torpedo and anti-submarine warfare training were relocated to Watson in 1956.

The Gap has been part of Sydney Harbour National Park since 1982. In 1990, the area was opened to the public to offer access to the spectacular cliff views and walks.

Ship wreck

In 1857, the sailing ship Dunbar carrying 63 passengers and 59 crew struck the rocky cliff at the foot of The Gap. The Dunbar, which was captained by James Green, had left England on 31 May 1857 arriving off Botany Bay shortly after dark on 20 August 1857. In poor visibility and stormy weather, Captain Green misjudged the entrance to the harbour. The Dunbar drove into the rocky cliff at the foot of The Gap causing the ship’s topmasts to snap and the ship to turn broadside against the rocks because of the pounding of the waves.

By light next day, crowds watched as breakers pounded victims’ corpses against the rocks. Other bodies amid cargo and wreckage were washed inside Sydney harbour with the incoming tide; many of the dead were naked and had been mutilated by sharks. The funeral of the Dunbar victims was one of the longest processions ever seen in Sydney. The unidentified dead were buried in a common grave at Camperdown cemetery.

A young sailor named James Johnson was the only survivor. He was rescued after clinging to a rocky ledge below The Gap for 36 hours. Johnson, who was later employed at the lighthouse near Newcastle, rescued another lone survivor from the wreckage of the steamer, SS Cawarra, in July 1866.

More than fifty years later, The Dunbar’s anchor was recovered and placed on the cliffs at Watsons Bay with a memorial tablet.

We hope you have enjoyed The Gap Sydney NSW – Part 1. Part 2 will be about some of the sad (but interesting) suicides and accidental deaths. It’s really why The Gap was in the news often. Not so much any more, thankfully.

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/

Thanks to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gap_(Sydney) https://sydneycitytour.com.au/attractions/the-gap/ https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/the_gap

Troll Tours is COVID Safe! Your health is in good hands.

Troll Tours is COVID Safe! COVID Safe businesses and organisations are committed to getting back to work. At the same time, protecting the community and preventing the spread of COVID-19. We are an officially registered COVID Safe business.

COVID Safe businesses and organisations

COVID Safe businesses and organisations have:

  • a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan in place.
  • registered as COVID Safe.
  • COVID Safe businesses and organisations are easily recognised by the blue tick badge displayed on their premises or online. 

However, for some industries it is mandatory to register as COVID Safe under the Public Health Orders. Troll Tours doesn’t have to mandatory register. In the interests of doing the right thing for our customers, we registered voluntarily. For our passengers and all the population of Sydney (and Australia).

COVID-19 Safety Plans

On the NSW Government website, it says, COVID-19 Safety Plans are comprehensive checklists designed by NSW Health and approved by the Chief Health Officer. The plans provide clear directions on how businesses and organisations should fulfil their obligations under Public Health Orders to minimise risk of transmission of COVID-19 on their premises. 

Businesses should review the COVID-19 Safety Plan for their industry to see if completing a plan and registering is compulsory under Public Health Orders. All other businesses are encouraged to complete a COVID-19 Safety Plan voluntarily. This is exactly what we have done. We have a COVID-19 Safety Plan registered company. Troll Tours keeps a record of all our passengers. If there happens to be a COVID-19 outbreak somewhere, we can give the government/COVID tracers the details.

So, be assured that Troll Tours is COVID Safe! Your health is in good hands.


https://www.trolltours.com.au/tours-and-prices/
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/covid-safe

Holiday Here This Year – Harley and trike tours

Holiday here This Year. An Australian Tourism campaign. This post is also about Trike and Harley rides, Sydney Australia.
with Troll Tours – Harley and trike tours.

Holiday Here This Year

The Holiday Here This Year campaign encourages Australians to support tourism operators around the country. You can do this by booking and planning a domestic holiday. The ‘Holiday Here This Year’ platform launched in January. It’s the first significant domestic marketing push since 2013 in response to the bushfires.

Get out and explore Australia

But a couple of months after Tourism Australia first asked locals to ‘Holiday Here This Year’, the pandemic’s impact hit. It closed not just international, but domestic borders. Any kind of travel was rendered not only risky, but forbidden.

Australia’s tourism industry is suffering through an incredibly challenging period. Australian businesses needs support more than ever. While international borders remain closed, domestic tourism will lead the recovery.

There’s never been a better – or more important – time to get out and explore Australia. Specifically Sydney (for us). Troll Tours is a company that is based in Sydney NSW, Australia. We have felt the effects of COVID19. Like almost every company and business in the world. Like everyone, it hit us by surprise. The world will never be the same again.

Things are picking up

Things are picking up and in Australia the virus is not doing nearly as much damage as overseas. This is for a few reasons. We are a wonderful island so it is easier to police. Our politicians went in and went hard. Yes, it’s hard for so many people especially those in Victoria. But, we are finally seeing success. The numbers of infection are under control. Slowly the borders between states in Australia are opening up.

Troll Tours is open for business. Things are starting to look up. We are COVID safe (blog coming) so there is no reason to not have some fun. Feel the Freedom!
https://www.trolltours.com.au/ https://www.australia.com/en

Father’s Day in Australia – celebrate with a tour!

Father’s Day in Australia and New Zealand is different to the rest of the world.

There is no real reason why!

There is no definitive explanation why Father’s Day is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand on the first Sunday in September, though it is clear that the custom of the September date began in the mid 1930s.

maximise its commercial value

An article in the Western Herald in 1964 said the day was officially designated as the first Sunday in September across the Commonwealth in 1964 and that the date was chosen for commercial reasons to distance it from other celebrations. This is similar to the date selected in Scandinavia, where November was also chosen to maximise its commercial value.

Father’s Day is a celebration that honours the role of fathers and forefathers. It is a modern holiday, though the ancient Romans did have a tradition of honouring fathers, every February, but only those who had deceased.

Celebrate!

One thing is for sure, it is a day to celebrate your relationship with the best males in your life. Whether it be your dad, grandfather, uncle, son or a good friend, it’s day of celebration and remembering how they have had such a positive influence on you and your life.

Father’s Day present

The question is, what do you give your favourite male(s)? How do you show them you love them? Well of course, you can tell them but, if you aren’t good with words a present certainly shows them. Troll Tours provides an experience he won’t forget. Buy a Harley Davidson or trike tour for him and if you are feeling adventurous, go with him. We promise you will both have a fun time. This year in 2020, we have another special offer. This time it is “buy a one hour tour and get half an hour for free”. A saving of $20 per person.

Ring or email us and we can either book a ride with you or email you a Gift Voucher in time for Father’s Day!

https://www.trolltours.com.au/product/design-your-own-ride/
https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/australia/fathers-day

Sydney Harbour – 8 interesting things you should know!

Sydney Harbour – 8 interesting things you should know! A report by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, reveals some very interesting secrets lying in Sydney Harbour.

One Sydharb

1: One Sydharb is an official Australian unit of measurement. It is used to measure volume and is equivalent to 500 gigalitres. Incredibly, this is the volume of water in Sydney Harbour.

The beautiful Sydney Harbour – One Sydharb is an official Australian unit of measurement.

2: Sydney Harbour is also known as Port Jackson. It is 19 km long with an area of 55 km². A source of confusion has been the definition of “Sydney Harbour”. The estuary (see point 4) does not have one official name; instead, there are five formally defined parts, of which Sydney Harbour is one. All five together are sometimes called greater Sydney Harbour, while the combined parts of Sydney Harbour, North Harbour and Middle Harbour are collectively known as Port Jackson.

Fishing

3: Over 586 species of fish are found in Sydney Harbour. This is more than you would find off the coast of the United Kingdom. During summer, recreational fishers caught an estimated 74,000 tonnes of fish. Interestingly, the NSW Government has a recommended maximum intake. No fish or crustaceans caught west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge should be eaten. Release your catch. For fish caught east of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, generally no more than 150 grams per month should be consumed. Interestingly, I read interviews with locals who live on Sydney Harbour. Many people catch and eat more than the guidelines with no adverse effects. Sydney Harbour is getting cleaner by the year.

A Dusky Flathead, one of many species of fish found in Sydney Harbour.

drowned river estuary

4: Amazingly, the harbour is a drowned river estuary. It was carved out of the sandstone about 29 million years ago. About 17,000 years ago, the sea level rose flooding the river and creating the harbour. As a result, we have the beautiful Harbour we all know and love. The Sydney Harbour Estuary comprises Port Jackson and its major tributaries – Parramatta River, Lane Cove River and Middle Harbour.

Looking across Sydney Harbour to the city. This is one view Troll Tours takes our passengers to see.

5: 20,000 boats (approximately) are registered in the harbour, which is about 52 boats per square kilometre.

swimmable beaches

6: There are over 20 swimmable beaches nestled in the harbour. 77km of the original 322km of shoreline has been reclaimed.

The famous Bondi Beach. ©Tourism Australia

Sydney’s Bridges

7: Five bridges cross the harbour: the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the ANZAC Bridge, the Gladesville Bridge, the Ryde Bridge, and the Silverwater Bridge. However, on our 3 Bridges ride we take you over 3 of these bridges. Also included are a couple of minor bridges. Most Sydneysiders don’t know these minor bridges. All bridges have spectacular views!

The ANZAC Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Two of the bridges we ride over on the 3 Bridges ride.
©Tourism Australia

A secret reef

8: An unpublished NSW government report, reportedly, has mapped a secret reef in the harbour. Also, marine scientists have been examining the little known coral reefs of Sydney to try and understand more about coral survival. Mangroves are often known as ‘nurseries of the sea’ for the role they play in supporting small fish and other marine creatures.

Mangroves are an extremely important part of Sydney’s waterways.
Source: UNESCO https://es.unesco.org/node/293694

In conclusion, we hope you have enjoyed this blog, Sydney Harbour – 8 interesting things you should know!
With thanks to www.abc.net.au/news

https://www.trolltours.com.au/tours-and-prices/
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-skills/fishing-in-sydney-harbour