Europe is set to benefit from a surge in Australian youth travel as Contiki launches a promotion reimbursing the full AUD 412 cost of an Australian passport-the most expensive in the world-for eligible travelers booking select 2026 European tours before December 25, 2025, according to travelandtourworld.com.
The offer targets Australians aged 18–35 who do not currently hold a valid passport, a hurdle that has delayed or derailed overseas travel plans for many. Research shows nearly one in five young Australians lack a passport, despite strong interest in international travel, representing around 1.4 million potential first-time travelers.
By removing the upfront cost of documentation, Contiki aims to unlock this pent-up demand and drive early bookings for multi-country European itineraries. The initiative is designed to accelerate travel decisions, boost forward bookings across Europe, and build long-term loyalty among first-time international travelers.
Eligible customers booking Europe trips of 13 days or longer for 2026 can receive full reimbursement of the passport fee, with the offer capped at 200 redemptions to encourage early action. Popular tours include itineraries such as European Adventurer and Greek Island Hopping, which combine transport, accommodation and social experiences tailored to young travelers.
The passport reimbursement can be combined with Contiki’s existing discounts, including group and loyalty offers, further improving affordability without changing base tour prices.
Surveys indicate 85% of passportless young Australians would book an overseas trip immediately if passport costs were covered, highlighting the scale of latent demand. By addressing the earliest barrier in the travel journey, Contiki positions Europe as the primary beneficiary of renewed outbound youth tourism from Australia in 2026 and beyond.
SoulChef Georgia brings three Christmas cakes that blend Greek soul, festive warmth, and her signature global flair. From the creamy depth of chestnut to the citrus brightness of orange and the rich, spiced indulgence of a vegan Black Forest — these cakes are designed to bring joy straight to your holiday table.
1. Chestnut & White Chocolate Cake (Classic)
Ingredients
200 g Unsalted Butter (softened)
200 g Sugar
4 Eggs (room temperature)
150 g Chestnut Purée
50 ml Heavy Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
250 g All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
100 g White Chocolate (chopped)
Method
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time.
Stir in chestnut purée, cream and vanilla.
Add sifted flour + baking powder and mix gently.
Fold in white chocolate pieces.
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 50–60 minutes.
2. Vegan Orange Cake with Tahini Glaze (Sugar-Free)
Ingredients – Cake
250 g Whole Wheat Flour
150 ml Carob Syrup or Maple Syrup
250 ml Fresh Orange Juice
Zest of 2 Oranges
120 ml Light Olive Oil
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
Ingredients – Glaze
3 tbsp Whole Tahini
1–2 tbsp Orange Juice
1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Mix all wet ingredients.
Mix all dry ingredients separately.
Combine wet + dry mixtures; do not overmix.
Bake 40–50 minutes.
Mix glaze ingredients and pour over the cooled cake.
3. Vegan Black Forest Christmas Cake
Ingredients
250 g All-Purpose Flour
200 g Brown Sugar
50 g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Spice Mix (Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg)
250 ml Almond or Soy Milk
100 ml Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
100 g Dried Cherries or Sour Cherries
100 g Dark Raisins
50 ml Dark Rum
Pinch of Salt
Method
Soak cherries and raisins in rum (reserve excess liquid).
Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl.
Mix plant milk, oil and vinegar in another.
Combine wet + dry mixtures.
Add strained fruit.
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45–55 minutes.
When warm, pierce and spoon the leftover rum liquid over the top.
A message to the Greeks of Australia from SoulChef Georgia
“Even with oceans between us, the flavours of Greece can gather us around the same table. Whether you choose the rustic chestnut cake, the wholesome orange cake, or the rich vegan Black Forest — may these recipes warm your homes and your hearts. I can’t wait to hear your stories and see your festive creations.”
Athens International Airport (AIA) has completed its Route 2025 initiative, achieving Net Zero emissions in 2025-25 years earlier than the global aviation sector’s 2050 target, according to news.gtp.gr
The achievement was officially announced at a high-level event in Athens attended by European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec, along with government and industry representatives.
Introduced in 2019, Route 2025 set out an ambitious objective: to eliminate AIA’s carbon footprint by meeting 100% of its electricity needs through on-site renewable generation and removing fossil fuels from operations. With the program now finalized, Athens Airport joins a small group of airports worldwide to reach Net Zero without relying on offsets.
ACI Europe provided external validation, calling Route 2025 a landmark for Greece and European aviation. “The achievement of the Route 2025 objective with the delivery of Net Zero CO₂ facilities is a major milestone which places Athens International Airport amongst the leading airports globally in terms of effective climate action and carbon management,” said Olivier Jankovec, adding that it is “something not just Greece should be proud of, but also Europe.”
The program was supported by a €70 million investment, backed by EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and NextGenerationEU funding. It focused on infrastructure upgrades, including two photovoltaic parks totaling 51.5 MWp, supported by an 82 MWh battery system, enabling full energy self-consumption. Additional measures included electrifying vehicles, replacing gas boilers with heat pumps, and deploying digital energy management tools.
AIA CEO Yiannis Paraschis described Route 2025 as “a strategic risk that proved right,” emphasizing “real zero emissions, without certificates and without greenwashing.”
EU Commissioner Tzitzikostas said AIA is now “a point of reference internationally,” highlighting airports’ evolving role as energy hubs.
Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni noted that Net Zero at the country’s main gateway strengthens Greece’s sustainable tourism credentials, adding, “Airports are often the first and last impression for millions of visitors – making sustainability part of the travel experience itself.”
Turkish archaeologists have uncovered an exceptionally well-preserved fresco depicting Jesus as the “Good Shepherd,” considered one of the most significant early Christian discoveries from Anatolia, euronews.com, has reported.
The artwork, dated to the 3rd century, was found in August inside an underground tomb near Iznik, a town central to Christian history as the site of the adoption of the Nicene Creed in AD 325. The discovery was made in the village of Hisardere, in a tomb believed to have been constructed during a period when Christians were still persecuted within the Roman Empire.
The fresco shows a youthful, clean-shaven Jesus dressed in a Roman toga and carrying a goat on his shoulders. Scholars note that portrayals of Jesus with distinctly Roman features are extremely rare in Anatolia, making this example particularly important. Before the cross became Christianity’s dominant symbol, the Good Shepherd image was widely used to convey protection, salvation and spiritual guidance.
Only a handful of similar depictions have been found in the region, and archaeologists say the Hisardere fresco is the best preserved to date.
Archaeologists clean and restore frescoes inside a 3rd-century tomb where a rare early Christian depiction of Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” was discovered, in Iznik, Turkey,
Lead archaeologist Gulsen Kutbay described the painting as possibly the “only example of its kind in the region.”
Additional decorations inside the small tomb include bird and plant motifs, as well as portraits of noble men and women attended by slaves. According to Iznik Museum archaeologist Eren Erten Ertem, the imagery reflects “a transition from late paganism to early Christianity, depicting the deceased being sent off to the afterlife in a positive and fitting manner.”
The excavation also revealed the remains of five individuals, including two young adults and a six-month-old infant.
The discovery was recently commemorated when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented a tile artwork of the Good Shepherd to Pope Leo XIV during a visit marking the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
Geelong’s city centre has been transformed into a celebration of global culture this festive season, with a distinctly Greek presence shining through in the Windows of the World exhibition along Yarra Street, according to geelongaustralia.com
Presented by the City of Greater Geelong in partnership with Cultura, the initiative converts 12 shopfront windows into a 24-hour open-air gallery, highlighting the traditions, festivals and creative expressions of local multicultural communities. Running as part of the city’s Christmas in Geelong program, the display reflects the region’s growing diversity while fostering understanding and pride.
Among the featured installations is the Greek Community of Geelong’s window, dedicated to the Panayiri – the traditional village festival often described as the “summer Easter.” Held each August in villages across Greece, Panayiri celebrations are known for their music, dancing and shared feasts that bring entire communities together.
The Greek display recreates the atmosphere of a village festival, showcasing traditional costumes worn by men and women, festive decorations and cultural symbols. It offers passersby a vivid glimpse into a celebration where folk dancers move to rhythmic music, streets come alive with colour, and the air is filled with the aromas of home-cooked dishes and sweet pastries. More than a festival, Panayiri represents continuity, community and the passing of traditions from one generation to the next.
Cultura CEO Rebecca Smith said the exhibition helps the wider community learn about the heritage and customs of cultures that now call Geelong home, while Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM highlighted the way shared celebrations strengthen belonging.
Metlen Energy and Metals, previously operating under the Mytilineos name, has confirmed that its 120 MW Munna Creek Solar Farm near Gympie in southeast Queensland has finished commissioning and is now operating at full capacity, according to pv-magazine.com.
The announcement makes Munna Creek the second solar project in Queensland to reach completion within a week, following Acciona Energía’s confirmation that its 380 MW Aldoga Solar Farm has officially begun operations.
The project reaches this milestone three months after being registered within the market operator’s grid management system and around 18 months after construction work commenced.
Situated roughly 40 kilometres northwest of Gympie in Queensland’s Fraser Coast region, the Munna Creek Solar Farm is forecast to produce around 300,000 MWh of renewable electricity each year-enough to supply the annual power needs of approximately 41,100 average Australian households.
A significant portion of the plant’s output has been secured through power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Telstra and government-owned digital infrastructure provider NBN Co.
Under the agreements, Telstra will purchase 50% of the energy generated by the facility, while NBN Co will acquire 59 GWh per year-around 20% of total expected production-through a 10-year PPA.
This marks NBN Co’s third renewable energy offtake arrangement. The company’s previous agreements are tied to Lightsource bp’s 75 MW West Wyalong Solar Farm in the Riverina region of New South Wales and AGL’s 420 MW Macarthur Wind Farm in southwest Victoria. NBN Co has contracted about 90 GWh annually from West Wyalong and is also buying roughly 90 GWh each year from the Macarthur Wind Farm.
NBN Co regional and remote chief development officer Gavin Williams said the three offtake deals enable the company-one of the country’s largest electricity consumers-to source all of its electricity from renewable generation.
“We set a target in 2021, and with the successful completion of the Munna Creek Solar Farm, we are delivering on our commitments,” he said, adding that “expanding the use of renewable energy sources and investing in energy efficiency, including deployment of fibre, enables us to drive down our emissions and operating costs.”
NBN Co is aiming to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations and value chain by 2045.
An Aegean Airlines flight arriving from Athens touched down at Baghdad International Airport on Tuesday, marking the first time in 35 years that a European airline has operated a direct service to the Iraqi capital, according to amna.gr
Speaking to AFP, Iraq’s Transport Ministry described the flight as a significant milestone, saying it signals the start of a new recovery phase for the country’s aviation sector and its reintegration into the European air network.
The newly launched Baghdad–Athens–Baghdad service will initially run twice a week, with the option to increase frequencies if passenger demand grows, the ministry added.
Earlier in 2025, Aegean Airlines expanded its presence in Iraq by introducing flights to Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in the country’s north.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has visited the site of the deadly terrorist attack at Bondi, paying tribute to the victims and expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
The visit took place on Friday, December 19, when the Archbishop travelled to Bondi to lay flowers at a memorial created by members of the public in memory of those killed during the attack, which occurred on December 14 during a Hanukkah celebration.
Archbishop Makarios was accompanied by His Grace Bishop Christophoros of Kerasounta. State politicians in attendance included Minister for Industrial Relations and Work, Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis, Minister for Finance, Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos, and MP Eleni Petinos.
While at Bondi, the Archbishop met with members of the Jewish community, offering his personal support and condolences. Community representatives thanked him for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia’s immediate and unequivocal condemnation of the attack in its aftermath.
Later, Archbishop Makarios also met with Australia’s Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, conveying condolences on behalf of himself, the Holy Eparchial Synod and the Orthodox Church in Australia.
Ms Mostyn thanked the Archbishop for visiting the site of the tragedy and acknowledged his leadership in promoting peaceful coexistence, solidarity and cooperation between faith communities during a time of national grief.
The Day of Reflection was declared jointly by the Federal Government of Australia and the New South Wales Government as a mark of respect for the victims of the recent attack, which claimed multiple lives and deeply shocked the nation.
In a statement, the Archdiocese confirmed that all festive events scheduled for Sunday, December 21, will be cancelled across Australia. This includes the planned “Christmas Carols” celebrations that were due to take place in Sydney and Northcote, within the Holy Diocese of Chora.
Australians across the country are expected to observe the Day of Reflection in various ways, honouring the victims and reflecting on the impact of the attack on the community.
Members and supporters of Sydney Olympic Football Club have formally moved to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), citing concerns about governance, transparency and the club’s future direction at what they described as a critical juncture in the club’s history.
The initiative, organised by former international footballer Peter Katholos, culminated in a well-attended meeting held at the hall of the Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney and New South Wales on Wednesday, December 17.
The gathering brought together past players, former board members, long-standing supporters and ordinary members, many of whom spoke of their deep personal and cultural ties to the club.
Those in attendance agreed that Sydney Olympic is undergoing a period of transition and that clearer, more inclusive governance processes are required to ensure the club’s long-term sustainability. Participants described the discussion as open and constructive, with a shared emphasis on accountability, member participation and respect for the club’s historical and community foundations.
The meeting took place in the context of recent leadership changes, including the resignation of long-time director and benefactor Damon Hanlin. While no allegations were made, several members said the development had heightened uncertainty around the club’s governance structures, decision-making processes and medium-term direction, reinforcing calls for greater clarity and formal engagement with the membership.
(L-R) Damon Hanlin and Chris Haralambous.
During the meeting, members outlined a range of issues and questions they believe warrant consideration at a general meeting. These included concerns about transparency and accountability, the size and composition of the Board, and the degree to which members are informed and consulted on key decisions affecting the club.
Several attendees said they had sought access to financial information and the club’s updated constitution, which they claimed had not been made available to them. Members stressed they were seeking information rather than making allegations, and argued that access to such documents was fundamental to informed participation in a member-based organisation.
Members say they are seeking clarity about a deed approved in or around 2022, including what obligations it created, how it affected governance and financial arrangements, and whether its implications were fully explained to members at the time. Attendees emphasised they were not alleging wrongdoing, but said clearer communication and disclosure would help rebuild confidence and ensure decisions are properly understood and supported.
In relation to the club’s finances, they said they were seeking clarity around the club’s overall financial position and governance arrangements, including the existence and nature of any loans, securities, guarantees or debts, how bank accounts are structured, and who holds responsibility for financial control and oversight within the organisation. Several speakers noted that understanding these matters was essential before members could meaningfully consider governance reform or board participation.
Some attendees also highlighted the legal responsibilities associated with directorships, noting that clarity around financial and governance structures was important for anyone considering standing for the Board, given directors’ fiduciary duties and potential personal liability under Australian law.
A recurring theme throughout the discussion was concern about the club’s identity and connection to the Greek Australian community that founded and sustained Sydney Olympic for decades. Members spoke of declining match-day attendance, limited community engagement and a perceived disconnect between youth programs and the senior team, arguing that revitalising these links was central to the club’s future.
Concerns were also expressed about the absence of a clearly articulated long-term strategy, alignment between football development pathways and senior performance, and on-field results in recent seasons. Participants said these issues underscored the importance of broader member involvement in shaping the club’s vision and direction.
An official members’ request to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting was presented and read aloud during the gathering. The document was unanimously supported by those present and subsequently signed by registered members in attendance.
The request, addressed to the Board of Directors of Sydney Olympic Football Club Ltd, cites Section 249D of the Corporations Act 2001, which allows members holding at least five per cent of voting rights to require directors to call a general meeting.
According to the document, the proposed EGM would consider the election of additional board members, provide a forum to discuss the club’s vision, strategy and future direction, and address other matters arising within the scheduled two-hour meeting.
Members have requested that the Board announce the EGM within 21 days of receiving the request, with the meeting to be held within two months, in accordance with legislative requirements. The document also seeks formal confirmation of receipt and notification of the proposed date, time and venue.
Several attendees emphasised that the initiative was not intended to be adversarial, but rather a mechanism to restore confidence, improve transparency and ensure Sydney Olympic’s governance reflects the collective interests of its members and broader community.
Looking ahead, members expressed hope that the process would help lay the foundations for a stronger and more unified club, with some pointing to models such as South Melbourne FC as examples of how clear governance, community engagement and football ambition can work together to deliver sustained success.
The signed request is expected to be formally submitted to the Board in the coming days.
The Greek Herald has contacted Sydney Olympic FC President Chris Haralambous for comment.
