Another Australia Thread!

Smurf71

Just another quick question.

Is it worth booking the excursions before we go out to Oz? We'll be in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in late November and we'll be in Melbourne & Sydney from the 15th December-3rd January. We're were particularly hoping to do the Great Ocean Road, touring around Melbourne and its activities as well as the Blue Mountains, Bridge Climb, Wine Tours etc when in Sydney.

Again many thanks for all of the help so far.

laughing_cow

Smurf71 wrote: »

Just another quick question.

Is it worth booking the excursions before we go out to Oz? We'll be in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in late November and we'll be in Melbourne & Sydney from the 15th December-3rd January. We're were particularly hoping to do the Great Ocean Road, touring around Melbourne and its activities as well as the Blue Mountains, Bridge Climb, Wine Tours etc when in Sydney.

Again many thanks for all of the help so far.

There's a tourist office in The Rocks with helpful staff - I wandered in the at the end of a day looking for info on the Blue Mountains and they got me on a trip the next morning. They had a lot of tour brochures and leaflets and they were able to help me select the right trip - there was a huge choice so their advice was really useful. The Bridge Climb office is not far away however, this is popular and you are going over Christmas so it might be best to book it in advance? I went in April so it was relatively easy to walk in and book for the same or next day.

http://www.visitnsw.com/town/The_Rocks/Sydney_Visitor_Centre_at_The_Rocks/info.aspx

Smurf71

laughing_cow wrote: »

There's a tourist office in The Rocks with helpful staff - I wandered in the at the end of a day looking for info on the Blue Mountains and they got me on a trip the next morning. They had a lot of tour brochures and leaflets and they were able to help me select the right trip - there was a huge choice so their advice was really useful. The Bridge Climb office is not far away however, this is popular and you are going over Christmas so it might be best to book it in advance? I went in April so it was relatively easy to walk in and book for the same or next day.

http://www.visitnsw.com/town/The_Rocks/Sydney_Visitor_Centre_at_The_Rocks/info.aspx

That website you posted is brilliant. Not only can we see all the tours that are on offer near Sydney, but theres a mini-site there about New Years Eve 2009 (We'll be there!!:T)

Many thanks for the advice

Smurf71

Just one more question.

Going back to the first reply, am starting to be wary that it is schoolies week on the Gold Coast, the same week that we are there.

Is it really that bad?:eek:

Generali

Smurf71 wrote: »

Just one more question.

Going back to the first reply, am starting to be wary that it is schoolies week on the Gold Coast, the same week that we are there.

Is it really that bad?:eek:

It's bad enough that the QLD government has a specific website about it:

http://www.schoolies.qld.gov.au/

It's like Benedorm or something: fantastic if you want to get as drunk as you possibly can and catch the clap. Not so great if not.

If you want to go to QLD and see the Great Barrier Reef then Airlie Beach is a good base. I stayed at The Airlie Beach Hotel a few years back and it was excellent value I thought at the time. The town is a bit backpackery but not so bad for all that as it means you get good value facilities.

kazc_2

Hi,
My parents live in Melbourne and we have visited numerous times.

We went last December for five weeks and flew up to the Gold Coast for a week. There was twelve of us in the group ranging from 9 yrs to 63 yrs old and we had a fantastic week. The weather was great as unfortunately it wasn't too good in Melbourne when we arrived. We went to the sealife park and had a great day (especially the helicopter ride along the coast) . Loved Surfers Paradise - to have a look around and go to the beach. We ate out there a few times and had a look round the shops (some nice shops) My parents have been a few times and said it can be a bit manic at night in December as theres quite a few bars etc but we all thought it was great - no hassle or trouble. !! We rented a fab house with a pool on Mermaid Waters which was in a really nice area and a good location to see the Gold Coast.

Port Douglas is a fab place to see, the beaches are gorgeous and theres loads of places to visit. The Radisson hotel there is lovely.

Sydney is great too, we stayed at the Rocks hotel and it was in a really nice area. Loads to see but we ran out of time to do all the things we wanted too. You need to plan what you want to see/do really to get it all in !

Melbourne is a great place to see and theres loads do. Philip Island is nice and we usually have a week there when we visit. The penguin parade is great and definately worth seeing but take a coat as it gets a bit chilly later on at night. The twelve apostles are brill to see as well and the coastline is beautiful. On the way there you could stop at San Remo at lunch time and watch the pelicans being hand fed by the man who has the chippy there ! The fish is to die for !!
The Chandon winery is worth a visit and Healsville animal sanctuary is if your into that sort of thing.
The city itself is nice, theres some lovely places to eat and its worth going to see Southbank at night, the casino is there and some really nice designer shops and it looks pretty impressive lit up at night.
No matter how many times you go to Australia you always seem to run out of time as theres so much to see !!
Hope you have a fab time and just wish we could go every Christmas !!!!

Forgot to say that everywhere is quite busy as the schools finish in December for their Summer holidays but it has never spoilt our holidays.

laughing_cow

Smurf71 wrote: »

That website you posted is brilliant. Not only can we see all the tours that are on offer near Sydney, but theres a mini-site there about New Years Eve 2009 (We'll be there!!:T)

It's useful isn't it - I wish I'd seen it before I went!

Generali wrote: »

If you want to go to QLD and see the Great Barrier Reef then Airlie Beach is a good base. I stayed at The Airlie Beach Hotel a few years back and it was excellent value I thought at the time. The town is a bit backpackery but not so bad for all that as it means you get good value facilities.

I thought Airlie Beach was fine - a bit backpackerish like you say, but it's pleasant enough, I felt safe there on my own and it's a good base for the GBR and Whitsunday Islands. I stayed at the Whitsunday Organic B+B which I can highly recommend http://www.whitsundaybb.com.au/ If you do go and visit this area you should go on a trip to Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island - it's stunning, just google for pics. Airlie Beach has a little airport very close by (Prosperine) - IIRC, I got a very cheap ticket from Sydney with Jetstar airlines in their sale.

If you can get further north, I would recommend Port Douglas. Again, a great base for the GBR but it's a lovely town with lots of good restaurants, a good beach etc. I'd go back there like a shot!

I am jealous Smurf71 - I've been to Australia twice and this thread has got me thinking about another trip. Time to start saving!

Smurf71

laughing_cow wrote: »

I am jealous Smurf71 - I've been to Australia twice and this thread has got me thinking about another trip. Time to start saving!

Worst thing is that I know that theres loads that we wont be able to do on this trip, but am hoping that we'll have a second bite of the cherry-and thats before we even visit the place!!:rotfl:

Really looking forward to visiting, but am just a bit concerned that we'll be on the Golad Coast at the same time as Schoolies week. By the sounds of it, its gonna be near impossible to avoid it!:eek:

Safiya_2

Hi Smurf

I live in Brisbane and wouldn't dream of going anywhere near the Gold Coast during Schoolies Week - nightmare. What you like doing depends on where you would be best going - Caloundra/Maroochydore/Mooloolabah etc on the Sunshine Coast have some gorgeous beaches and are much more laid back and less glitzy than their Gold Coast cousin (and much more preferable some would say). The Sunshine Coast hinterland has some beautiful little crafty villages worth a day out (Montville/Maleny) and there are fantastic markets on a Wednesday and Saturday at Eumundi, also round the same area. It really depends on what kind of things you like doing. I personally think the Gold Coast is completely over-rated and is after all a few nice beaches, theme parks and lots of high rises and tourist shops - but I guess as locals we don't get into that holiday spirit down there.

There are also some beautiful spots north of Melbourne worth the drive - if you want to know a bit more about Australian history you can't go past Ballarat and its 'historic theme park' Sovereign Hill. The night show is simply fantastic. Well worth spending a night there. There are lots of beautiful little towns round there as well - Daylesford in particular.

Great Ocean Road - give yourself enough time to sit and enjoy and take plenty of photos.

Have a wonderful time - but yes, stay away from the Gold Coast if you can amend your plans at all, just won't be pleasant.

Saffy

ceejayblue

Safiya wrote: »

Hi Smurf

I live in Brisbane and wouldn't dream of going anywhere near the Gold Coast during Schoolies Week - nightmare. What you like doing depends on where you would be best going - Caloundra/Maroochydore/Mooloolabah etc on the Sunshine Coast have some gorgeous beaches and are much more laid back and less glitzy than their Gold Coast cousin (and much more preferable some would say). The Sunshine Coast hinterland has some beautiful little crafty villages worth a day out (Montville/Maleny) and there are fantastic markets on a Wednesday and Saturday at Eumundi, also round the same area. It really depends on what kind of things you like doing. I personally think the Gold Coast is completely over-rated and is after all a few nice beaches, theme parks and lots of high rises and tourist shops - but I guess as locals we don't get into that holiday spirit down there.

There are also some beautiful spots north of Melbourne worth the drive - if you want to know a bit more about Australian history you can't go past Ballarat and its 'historic theme park' Sovereign Hill. The night show is simply fantastic. Well worth spending a night there. There are lots of beautiful little towns round there as well - Daylesford in particular.

Great Ocean Road - give yourself enough time to sit and enjoy and take plenty of photos.

Have a wonderful time - but yes, stay away from the Gold Coast if you can amend your plans at all, just won't be pleasant.

Saffy

Your post reminded me of our wonderful holiday in Brisbane in 2001! We spent the night on the beach at Double Island point and I've never seen so many stars in the sky before or since! We camped out and collected pippies and cooked them over the camp fire - pure heaven.

Eumundi is an amazing place, well worth the drive to go to the market - lots of fantastic crafts and food and demonstrations of aboriginal dancing and a guy explaining the way the didgeridoo can tell a story. Just a wonderful day.

We visited Caloundra/Maroochydore/Mooloolabah with our family and they are brilliant places - wonderful beaches and watched whales and dolphins out at sea.

Also recommend Stradbroke Island - wonderful - amazing scenery and a great day out.

Hope to go back in a couple of years and spend 3 months there.