FRIENDS and family of five Australians sentenced yesterday to two years' jail for illegally landing a plane in the politically sensitive Indonesian province of Papua have lashed out at the severity of the sentence.

FRIENDS and family of five Australians sentenced to at least two years' jail for illegally landing a plane in Papua have lashed out in anger and disbelief.

There's no better place for a summer holiday than Marvellous Melbourne, writes Paul Edwards.

north Thursday Island lies 35km north west of the tip of Cape York, and there is a ferry cruise from the cape to the island which holds some great Australian history. In 1880 it was a defence centre for Australia and evidence exists in the cannons that remain in place.

Australia has never looked so good. Bruce Elder nominates 10 great holidays at home. All right, so there's been a sudden change of plan. You have holidays coming up and you were dreaming of a few weeks in New York, London, Paris, Munich. Then along came September 11. If..read more