Simon on G'Day LA: Australia Week 2006!

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- INXS has been selected as the final honoree at the Penfolds Icon Gala Dinner on January 14, 2006, the opening event of the third annual G'Day LA: Australia Week 2006 in Los Angeles. Hugh Jackman and Olivia Newton John also will be honored at the event.

The Penfolds Icon Gala Dinner at the Hollywood Palladium will bring together and honor Australians who have made significant international contributions across various industries.

The event will feature the best of Australian entertainment, including a special performance by INXS just days before the kick-off of their U.S. tour, and a menu by celebrity chef Neil Perry, one of the country's leading chefs.

The gala also ushers in a week of events with something for everyone, from film and fashion to sport and education.

The public will have a chance to experience Aussie culture first-hand at the Wolf Blass Aussie Festival on Sunday, January 15 at UCLA. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, will kick-off the day with a one-hour live stage show featuring aboriginal dance group Tjapukai and the world's most endangered animals.

Following the show, the public is invited to enjoy visiting food and beverage concessions, tourism booths and Aussie entertainment before the action moves to the UCLA intramural field for the first official Australian Football League clash on US soil between the Sydney Swans and (North Melbourne) Kangaroos at 1:30pm.

Tickets are $15 adult, $10 child (3-15), free for under 3, $40 for Family of four (two adults, two children) and available on Ticketmaster at 213 480 3232 or www.australia-week.com. Event hours are 10:30am-4:00pm.

For those that can't make it to Los Angeles, Australia is coming to the rest of the country via the web. The Great Aussie Auction features over 100 Australian items and vacations for bidding with fun interactive video content and links to learn more.

The site has incredible opportunities for bargains and one-of-a-kind experiences -- including a Maton Guitar signed by Gala honorees INXS, 20 Qantas Aussie AirPasses from $.99, and a renewing stay with another Gala honoree Olivia Newton John at her Gaia Retreat and Spa with proceeds benefiting charity.

The auction starts on January 14, 2006 on www.GreatAussieAuction.com and lasts until March 14, 2006.

Big in LA, the film community will also get a chance to attend the US premiere of "Look Both Ways' at the Rosemount Estate Australian Film Premier on January 17 at Paramount Studios.

And the fashion industry will be in full force when seven designers including Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, White Suede, Gail Sorronda, Wheels & Dollbaby, Dogstar and It Girl show their fashions in the largest ever Australian fashion show in the US at the Australia Designer Showcase at the Palladium on January 18.

The business community has a range of events to look forward to including the Travel +Leisure CEO Golf Day hosted by Ian Baker-Finch on January 16, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) and Austrade briefing, Energy Security in Asia Pacific Policy Forum at UCLA on January 18, and two invitation-only events, the Forbes Dinner and G'day YPO events.

The week has also proven to be a star-studded affair with Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Baz Luhrman, Greg Norman, Anthony LaPaglia, Simon Baker, Melissa George and last year's Gala honorees Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman and country music sensation Keith Urban.

G'Day LA is produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, Qantas Airways and Tourism Australia in conjunction with State Governments and key private sector sponsors.

For more information, visit australia-week.com .


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