Tree Removal: The Last Resort in Australia

Beneficiation of land through tree removal for the purpose of making habitat in the ancient times and later for all types land remediation and development has been rampant all over the world. But not now. Trees are considered to be the heartbeats of a sustainable, equitable and appropriate  environment. 

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) of Australia recommends and encourages remediation to be undertakn where site contamination has occurred but is very particular about conservation of its flora and fauna. It stipulates under the Development Act 1993,” Areas of sensitive vegetation and significant trees have substantial environmental value and should be protected, even where site contamination may exist. Significant trees are specifically protected from tree damaging activities under the Development Act 1993. Threatened flora and fauna are also protected under Federal Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation legislation. Threatened species schedules are found in the National Parks and Wildlife Act and referred to under the Native Vegetation Act.”

Tree Removal – ACT

Under the Tree Protection Act 2005, trees are registered if they have aesthetic or heritage value. They are regulated if they are 12 meters high and have girth over 1.5 meter or crown width is 12 meter or more. One must obtain governmental approval for tree removal both for registered and regulated tress.

Though it does not require a trade license but the service should be professional and competent having the following attributes:

1. carry liability insurance and workers compensation insurance (WIC code 95250),
2. hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and
3. have the appropriate business license and have Certificate II and/or III training in Horticulture (Arboriculture).

The Reasons

Removal of trees is envisaged in situations like dead trees, nuisance trees that may endanger useful flora, tree that cause danger, tree interfering with power line, fallen trees from storm etc. The council is very selective about removal to pave the way for a construction project. It should not be only for aesthetic consumption.

State wise Status

Almost all the states in Australia adhere to norms and rules as mentioned above but a few have their own reservations.

NSW issues three different licenses for individual, partnership and company.

In Queensland, the Nature Conservation Act protects all native trees. An extra-ordinary license has to acquired for tree removal for commercial purpose. Trees in personal property do not normally require permission in Brisbane and large urban cities. The removal in emergency situations like flood and storm do not attract permission but some evidence like photographs etc., has to be provided

Tasmania is more rigid in protecting tree-lined suburbs and forests. They do not easily grant permission for tree removal on private property if it’s height is 10 meter and crown spread is over 6 meters. Most of the times, permission needs to be sought from the Department of Justice.

If people are fully aware of the role of trees in protecting the environment, they would not love to indulge in damaging trees. They may envisage a plan for a by-pass or restoration of trees to some other places.

Retaining walls : The Australian Norms

A retaining wall structure is constructed to withstand the lateral pressure of soil. The term is generally used for cantilever as it is a freestanding structure without lateral support at the top. The International Building Code demands the design of retaining walls to be stable against sliding, overturning, water uplift and foundation pressure having a safety factor of 1.5.

Retaining Wall Types

Retaining Wall is of various types. Gravity retaining walls is mass oriented. It uses heavy materials like stone and concrete to withstand pressure from behind.  Cantilevered Wall has the shape of inverted T. It is built with steel reinforced internal stem covered with mortared or concrete masonry. Sheet-pile walls are built from vinyl, wood planks or steel. It is used in tight spaces with soft soil. Bored pile retaining walls are assembly of a sequenced bored piles followed by digging out excessive soil. Anchored walls are basically walls of the aforementioned types but are given additional strength through cable or some other stays anchored in the soil behind or the rock.  Such slender wall is used in areas of high load by integrating additional strength through anchoring.

Alternative Retaining Techniques

There are alternative retaining techniques also. In soil nailing, the retaining walls are reinforced by inserting slender steel bars.  Gambian wall is a free draining retaining structure and consists of wire mesh filled with stone or some other hard material.  There are several other systems by which soil is strengthened to reduce the earth pressure on the wall.

Besides the above, soil has to be constructed with artificial reinforcing using horizontal steel mats or steel straps in layer duly fixed at the end. This is known as mechanically stabilized earth (MSE). This is done to provide additional internal shear strength to the simple gravity wall structure. Cellular confinement system called Geocells are employed for stabilization of steep earth in reinforced as well as gravity retaining walls. These walls become more stable under its own weight together with external loads offering great seismic strength.

Some Important Standards

There are some important Australian standards to be religiously followed while constructing  retaining walls failing which there may be catastrophe if the wall is unable to hold against a flood resulting in subsidence of nearby structures and buildings.

AS4100 prescribes minimum requirements for design, erection, fabrication and modification of steel structures. The standard stipulates various qualities that the steel must have regarding its tensile strength, percentage elongation and compression, hardness and brittleness, toughness and impact value.

AS4680:2006 is the latest Australian standard for galvanizing steel. This specifies the minimum adequate coating thickness based on the type of steel being galvanized. For example a steel of 65-85 micron thickness must have a coating of 500-600 gram per unit area.

AS 3600:2009 standard is about the minimum requirements for the design and construction of plain and reinforced concrete structures and members.

Weak or damaged retaining walls may lead to wall failure due to saturated backfill, subsidence or  wall separation at the corners. An improper design or substandard material used in the construction may also lead to such failure.

Different type of Photo Booth Hire

With the advent of digital cameras, photo printers, computer monitors and their wide availability, photo booth hire has become a craze where people can reproduce opinion about themselves more freely. 

Nature is the greatest variety spinner, so is the man. There is no reason why there could not be several types of photo booth hire to cater the need and taste of millions of customers. Slight variation in the setup and getup coupled with mobility give a new type of photo booth. 

There are two main types in which most of the photo booths hire can be subdivided. These are enclosed and open type under which different formats are available. 

1. Enclosed 

The enclosed type of photo booth has curtains, panels, walls or their combination to maintain privacy. Such booths can accommodate around 16 persons at a time. There is space for doing make-up. Photo session can be taken up with sitting option on chair or benches or simply in standing pose. 

2. Open 

The open photo booth hire has no scope for privacy but there is an added fun from the viewers all around. This type can accommodate a good crowd in the photo session. 

The Traditional type comes in Vintage style, Retro Style and Modern Style. 

1. Vintage style 

The photo booth hire has identical peripherals such as latest printer, monitors and an assortment of cameras and stands. The background screen and the ambiance to be captured are carved out from some “once upon a time” days taken from classic books or old Hollywood classics. There may be an attendant outside the booth.  

2. Retro style 

Retro style of photo booth hire has everything that vintage photo booths offer. The only difference is in the backdrop and ambiance that depicts historical personalities and events. The visitors may come all dressed-up or the costumes are provided at a nominal cost. These photo booths are transportable. 

3. Modern style 

The modern photo booths are bigger. The fixtures are detachable so that the booth can be fitted upstairs or at some other pre-determined setup. This photo booth hire comes with a hidden internal camera that can take snaps and videos without the knowledge of visitors. This becomes a great surprise and fun for the viewers of print material sometime in the future. 

3. Kiosk 

Kiosk can accommodate good number of people. Some kiosk may have computer screen or mirrors for viewing by others present. It comes with mobile printers to generate prints of ordered size and number instantly. 

4. Novelty 

The Novelty type has numerous features to carve out interesting images and videos. There is moving car background or a caravan in the backdrop. There may be a fitting music to go with the video. Some incorporate cartoon software. The cartoon characters and the children are so get blended beautifully like a Disney classic animation. 

Most of the photo booth hire have an expert photographer. He assists the visitors in posing and snapping quality photographs. Sometimes, these photographers do everything on request. 

Photo Booth Hire for any Budget

Photos are an integral part of any event. Any occasion or event is incomplete without a perfect picture album. In the present times, trends change frequently. Photo booth is one of those few trends which has always remained in constant demand. Australia loves and celebrates life. Every occasion is treated as special by the Australians. They love to capture and record the special events. Photo booths play a major role in creating memories. In Australia, photo booth hire for any budget is readily available. 

While choosing the photo booth hire for any budget certain aspects should be considered. 

• The photo booth service should be a specialist. They should be available to offer services better than the most of their counterparts. They should be able to cater premium photo booth services to their customers at reasonable prices. In Australia, the photo booths have really raised the bar beyond expectation in terms of budget, quality, and service. A careful assessment should be made before finalizing the service. 
• The photo booth hire should have authenticity. A good photo booth should always deliver what it promises irrespective of the budget it offers. The websites and the samples which they display should have authentic pictures of people and events created by their unique photo booths. 
• Customized approach is essential for capturing the best pictures. The customer should be completely satisfied with the products. The photo booth hire for any budget should be such that they are able to deliver an unforgettable photo experience for the clients and the guests. 
• The photo booth hire for any budget should give a real deal. They should not make empty claims about their products and services. A reliable photo booth hire service will always encourage its customers to come out with their experience and feedback. Most of the photo booths have websites with dedicated section on customers’ feedback, testimonials, and trophy cabinet. 
• The photo booth which you are considering to hire should have a wide coverage. There are plenty of excellent photo booths across Australia. A prudent choice would make the experience wonderful. 

The photo booth services are worth investing on any occasion. While deciding on the budget of the photo booth hire ensure about its entertainment value, theme adaptation aspects, and uniqueness. The quality and variety of their backdrops, props, colour palette, and finally the presentation matters a lot in creating one of the most amazing collection of memorable photos. Every photo booth has something unique to offer that makes it different from its competitors. It is very important to decide the budget you want to allocate on hiring a photo booth. After ascertaining the budget, finalize a service that suits your demands perfectly. 

In Australia, finding a good photo booth hire for any budget is not at all difficult. The budget may vary from $350 to $690 depending upon the quality of the photo booth. Some of the premium services may charge a little more than the others. The services are charged and provided on an hourly basis. 

  

Logo Design for Lifetime

Logo design is a method of visual communication by blending typography, image, space and color. It is part of graphic design. The logo or ideogram is a way to visually represent profile of an organization. A logo remains for a lifetime of the organization. Its frequent change may be counterproductive. People attach themselves just like they are with the sun and the moon. Just imagine if logo ABC affectionately called “Worm” is changed.

Three designer of the United States are considered to be the pioneer of logo design, a part of the modernist movement in the 1950s.  They are Chermayeff & Geismar, Paul Rand and Saul Bass. We connect them respectively with logos of National Geographic, ABC and AT&T Corporation. Canva, the online graphic design platform, founded in 2012 in Sydney by Perkin, Obrechi and Adams is also gaining immense popularity.

Logo designing is difficult to perfect. It is no less than a painting. Like painting, it is also a form of creative expression. One has to be very particular about the font, layout, color and the icon. Each of these should fuse with each other to generate simple yet popular  artistry and attractiveness. 

A well-chosen and crafted font brings life to the logo design of a brand.  The color has a way of its own. It is not a draw from the combinations of three basic colors. The color should also take into account for the kind of people who are going to look at. The color should also think about the region, gender and age of the population under consideration. For example, the Islamic countries love green, the Indians are proud of the saffron and the Australian would love to watch a logo splashed with gold and green. The selection of an icon could be very simple. It may be the one already used by the brand. Finally the layout says it all.in its unified entity.

Most of the time, simple is beautiful. It is easy to understand. It conveys an idea that a layman can comprehend. Trying to convey too much may be as confusing as a beautiful song fast-fast forwarded. There is no need for rich dose of enthusiasm. A logo should not be a puzzle. 

Versatility has its own uniqueness. A logo design should look great when displayed from a height, look beautiful when a tiny logo is imprinted on a book and look amazing on a life-size signboard. The logo should look beautiful in natural light. It should look majestic in multi-colored illumination of the night. The logo should be understood to everybody irrespective of language indifferences. 

Romeo and Juliet are still relevant and real, so should be a logo design. It should be relevant with the passing time. It should be relevant to the organization and its prospects. It would be idiotic to show a lady running a safety razor on her cheek. It must convey the message.

It is worthwhile to repeat that a logo design is a piece of art. It is a painting but different from a great painting. Picasso is understood and appreciated by a handful of person. The logo design, on the other hand, is for mass consumption.

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Campervans for Hire: Luxury Redefined

 Australia is a large place with hundreds of places of tourist attractions. If anybody wants to enjoy their outing with family comfortably, it is only possible with campervans for hire. It would be a smart decision to holidaying at wonderful destinations that beautiful Australia has in abundance.

Campervan hire business has resonated over the time in Australia as if both are made for each other. The vast territory of Australia with unimaginable places of historical and geographical interest for the tourists coupled with the holidaying and exploring mindset of the Australians has found its match in the campervans for hire. Both complement each other amazingly.

Australia has beautiful destinations in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia, Tasmania and Australia Wide. Campervan comes in various sizes with multitude of styles and sleeping configurations. It has to offer vehicles that suit budget minded family as well as persons with taste of luxury.

Campervans for hire has expanded its business to accommodate every segment of the society. For the budget minded persons or families, they offer low-end vehicles furnished with items of necessity. These vehicles are more than 6 years old. There are enough beds and spreads. They do not include bathroom and shower facility. It is not worry some. Australia has restrooms and restaurants at very 50 km or less. Moreover all tourist spots are covered by civic authorities that provide such comfort. The economy class of campervans is less old. These have been designed for persons and families having both comfort and economy in mind. Such vans may have bathroom facility and number of berths would be more. The premium campervans are more near to luxury. The vehicles are 1 to 4 years in running. These have bathroom with shower facility. The luxury class of campervan for hire is furnished with state of the art accessories and appliances. They are almost brand new. All the vehicles have air conditions in good order.

Such campervans for hire come in various sizes in almost all the categories. The largest has sleeping berths for 6 persons. The smallest has such facility for 2 persons. Most of the campervans have bathroom and shower cubicles. Some vehicles have anchors for baby seat. The selection of a van depends on the number of travelers, the sleeping arrangements and various facilities that they have in mind. Everything is possible with little extra expenditure.

These campervans for hire are available at daily rate, one way and both ways. Bedding and linen kits could be optional for the budget class and integrated in the package for higher class. Outdoor fixtures such as table, chairs, kitchen equipment and tents are provided on payment basis. GPS facility is available. One can hire a driver for the tour also.

There is invariably a security bond that has to be paid while booking. This could be something between $250 and $7000.  If the vehicle undergoes any damage due to mishandling or an accident, the same has to be compensated. Both the above conditions are a necessary evil as there had been stray incidents.

The Lucrative Coffee Van Business

 Coffee Van Business has an immense possibility to prosper and flourish. At present, North America and the entire European nation has replaced one-third of drinking water consumption with coffee drinks. This habit has become a favorite in Australia also.

The advent of Gaggia machine has added to the popularity of coffee drinks. Every corner of a city-big or small began to be known for their coffee houses. It took a little time for big and small business houses to run coffeehouse chains. As if such mushrooming was not enough and with added advantage of business on wheels, coffee van business has overtook its predecessors by logarithmic speed.

Of course, such duly licensed Coffee Van Business undertakes a thorough market research for its viability and success. These mobile café, cater for business functions, corporate events and launches, school, community, sporting & charity events, private family functions and work places. They have trained baristas that help a lot in boosting the business. One may hire a coffee van with or without a barista. There are several discounts for such hire, if it is for a big order, event or function. Permanent customers are given some privileges of their liking. Payment by credit card is accepted.

Corporate Events, Business Functions & Launches

Such activities are either planned or unplanned. In the later case, mobile coffee vans come to the rescue. They have  immense flexibility. They offer variations in coffee drinks so are the guests attending such functions and events.

They may value add any item of choice such as cold beverages, snack including branded hot foods

The cost of a package would depend on duration, quantity, variations in coffee drinks and to-and-fro mileage.

Coffee Van Business   also looks for branding and marketing opportunities that such big house might offer.

School, Community, Sporting & Charity Events

Such events are supposed to be a social service. The schools provide education. Community events are get-togethers where emotional and social issued address themselves most amicably. Sporting events are to bring beneficial competition and keeps people in good physical shape. Charity events are to bolster some neglected segment of the society.

The mobile coffee van also keeps their rates low. Most of the times, they return some percentage of sales to the coordinator of such events.

Private and Family Functions

Such functions are generally of a few hours duration with demand of 50 odd cups of some choice brand of coffee together with some snacks.

Coffee Delivered to Work

The mobile coffee van takes up order on their favourite routes to make the business profitable. They maintain roasters of such orders. They pass through such work places at a pre-determined time and serve coffee through the counter or carry them to the work tables.

Coffee Van Business   has a way to value add. They keep dry beans or grinded fresh coffee bean bags in different amount for sale. In such a competitive business times, those with determination, long vision, hard labour with ingenuity, are bound to survive and prosper.