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The following guide to Australia is from our experience between December1999 and March2000. Obviously it is full of our own personal views and opinions, however we believe it is applicable to all and we believe it is the only guide that any one will ever need .This guide will be updated as and when more of the country is discovered.
When you get to Australia you will realise just how big the country actually is. The journey we made, the route we took, the places we visited and what we did is just one way of seeing such a small part of the country. However we believe that this route is a journey that could be made time and time again. Our trip was unplanned, in fact we booked a flight and a week later we were in Australia. With a rucksack and a tent we thought we could see Australia -then we realized that in 4 months we would only really see the east coast !
This is our advice on how to make the best use of your time whilst being on the east coast of Australia. The following pages will include the things you need to take with you and what to do when you're there. You must remember that we did not see absolutely everything there is to see or do everything there is to do (the country is far too big and has too much to offer and life has too little time). Everything you read and everything you see on these pages are from our personal experience and so therefore it is genuine and fact and doesn't possess the glorified rubbish of a travel magazine.
We offer various TIPS and ideas but we cannot be held responsible for any trouble you may get in to!!!
QUICK REFERENCE LINKS
This list may seem a bit scarce and minimal......but, be warned we learned the hard way! We packed our rucksacks full with all manner of things - jumpers, gloves, sleeping bags, tent, personal stereos etc........only to discover that everything (except chocolate bars and crisps) is cheaper in Australia. We also found ourselves sending boxes of clothes back to the U.K. after the first month when we realized we weren't going to be wearing more than 25% of the stuff we took.
And that is seriously all you need............from tents to towels - sandals to sleeping bags .......all cheaper there !! |
TIP: Take as little as you can - if you find you need something then buy it there. Also the more space you have the more room you will have to carry all the new stuff you buy ! |
NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney - Land of Trains, Taxis & Buses
CENTRAL
Things to do....
Taronga Zoo $12 (all incl.) |
Excellent all round and makes a great day out. Not being a lover of zoos this is about as brilliant as you could wish for. Animals are not enclosed by cages - instead they are kept enclosed by natural boundaries such as water so they don't seem to suffer from that "caged" syndrome. Excellent all inclusive ticket includes ferry ticket and bus ticket together with admission from Circular Quay. |
Amp Tower $10 |
Good views to be seen all around and beyond city. Best to go as it is getting dark so that you can see the city lights. It is a bit expensive for what it is. |
Opera House $15 |
Looks far more impressive from the outside - it is a bit dull inside in contrast. Various tickets offer different tours. We looked all around. TIP: No need to pay?-just find someone with the right colour badge for the tour and join in! |
Wonderland $40 |
Small and simple theme park with a wildlife park also. Good day out but go early when kids are at school. You must take your swimming cozzies. Also the reptile presentations are a must to visit and more interesting than the usual ones - learn how to avoid snake bites by a man that knows! |
Aquarium $10 |
Lots of fish! Interesting walk under the sharks in glass tunnels. You only need an hour though to do the whole thing. |
IMAX 3D $14 |
Expensive for what it is so choose your film carefully. Excellent interior and the seating arrangement is the best you'll probably get in any cinema. |
Blue Mountains $12 + bus |
Get the train to Katoomba from Sydney Central then get the tour bus. Get off and do the bush walk down 2000 steps and then come back up on the World's Steepest Railway - about 2 1/2 mins of a near vertical track.........and no safety barrier should the cable snap! Echo point was disappointing - could not get an echo ! TIP: No need to pay on train? No one checks tickets on train or at station - just need a local ticket to get access to Central Station platforms! |
Fish Opera |
At Darling Harbour each night - cute little laser show worth hanging around for and it's FREE !! |
Manly |
Ferry trips across harbour to Manly where you will find an OK beach and a small shopping centre. It has a CRAZY PRICES. TIP: Avoid the Chinese Massage rip-off : initially good value at $10 for neck and shoulders but beware of being sold some stinky band-aids to suddenly make it $20. |
Cannon House Gallery |
Didjeridoo and boomerang shop. Run by friendly and helpful competent staff who know what they're on about. We spent hours in there trying to play didj - and then got shown properly ! |
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TIP: Whilst in Sydney and around buy yourself a travel pass. At $51 weekly you can travel unlimited on the bus, train and ferry network. |
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TIP: Check out all the free mags and literature for the discount coupons. Save loads on admission charges and get free drinks and food etc. |
Things NOT to do....
Bridge Climb $98 |
Although probably very impressive just seems a big con for the money - after all it was made for vehicles and the walking is a sideline to make money....and a lot of bloody money at the price you are expected to pay. In comparison to most things it aint worth considering. You can see more from the Amp Tower and get a helicopter flight over Sydney for less. |
Olympic Site $10+$15+ + + |
Again a big rip-off. You are expected to pay for a tour bus and then again pay to go in to each building - you cannot go in alone. The tours only operate at certain times and you will never see them all in one day. The leaflets don't mention any of this and you must be mad and have loads of money and nothing better to do if you contemplate this. |
Koala Park |
Not really worth it after paying for train, bus and admission as its only good for an hour. Stick to Taronga Zoo. |
Harbour Tours |
You can see all the harbour and sights on a trip to Manly etc. |
Other Things |
Chinese Quarter is mayhem - full of restaurants and take-aways, none of which are particularly clean. Avoid Banana Leaf Curry House - slow and mediocre service. Look out for all the cheap discount stores. Ideal for prezzies and things to buy that you can throw away before moving on. |
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TIP: Beware the shopping centres - the size and amount of them all over the place is scary. You go inside and find they go on and on like a city in themselves! |
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TIP: Beware the traffic - when the green man lights it is NOT safe to cross as the cars turning left also are given the green light. Bloody stupid idea.....just watch out for the traffic on your right! Also expect to only get half way across the road before the green man goes out! |
Kings Cross - Land of Porn & Internet Cafes
Where to stay....
Plane Tree Lodge $65 night,dble,e/s |
Excellent accommodation situated on Victoria Street. Close to centre of Kings Cross but far enough away not to be bothered by any late night noise! 1/2 hour walk to Sydney city centre. Quiet place with friendly staff. en-suite is well worth any extra $$$. |
Where NOT to stay....
Forbes Terrace $80 night,dble |
Dingy accommodation situated on Forbes Street. No privacy with dodgy locks on room doors and shower. All the local prostitutes do business right outside. Prices seem to vary at their leisure!! |
Where to eat....
Joes Cafe Deluxe Victoria Street |
Excellent all-day breakfasts ! The food here is superb and the staff here are friendly. It is well worth every cent. Also has the advantage of being next door but one to Plane Tree Lodge! |
Out Of India Victoria Street |
Excellent value food especially before 7pm . Again has the advantage of being next door to Plane Tree Lodge. TIP: Take your own wine preferably with a screw top to avoid paying corkage charge. |
Planet Pizza |
Probably the best pizzas in the world. Excellent varied menu particularly for vegetarians (try the sour cream one). Also has specialities of crocodile, emu, kangaroo pizzas etc if you are that way inclined. |
Where NOT to eat....
Avoid cafes on the main street - the food is not particularly fresh. It appears to be the only place in Australia where food isn't prepared in front of you . |
Internet Cafes....
A lot of choice here but the cost varies as does the speed of the computers. The best deal is generally $1 for half an hour |
Things to do....
Walk the streets day and night! There are many different characters to be found around here - from drug addicts to businessman, prostitutes to students, holiday makers to ordinary people! All the shops are open until late and the clubs are open 24 hours a day . |
Walk to the centre of Sydney -it will only take half an hour . |
Walk to Bondi beach via Oxford Street - it takes about one 1 1/2 to 2 hours. |
Go to CRAZY PRICES. It was the first one we discovered and probably the best. |
You'll find pool tables in the club on Bayswater road by the crossroads. |
Take a walk up to the Navy base and see the warships in the dock. 10 minute walk from King's Cross. |
TIP: Avoid the Back-Packer places and especially the tours they offer. These are very expensive and you will find that doing things for yourself is far cheaper -and you won't have to put up with people who will more than likely get on your tits! |
TIP: Cheap photo developing at Crest Hill Pharmacy on Darlighurst Road. |
Bondi - Land of Hair-dressers & a Fruitologist
Bondi Junction
Quaint old Plaza cinema - small and comfortable. Especially good value on Tuesdays - cheap day ! |
Avoid the Internet cafes around here (too expensive) - go to King's Cross. |
There are no currency exchange facilities around here - so use the banks instead. TIP: The banks offer a better deal anyway as most do not charge (use ANZ). |
There are annoying shops around here with sales persons shouting through microphones on the street. Yuck! |
In general this place is only good for it's handy links by bus and train to almost anywhere . In fact you will spend a load of time here - so get to know where the train and bus stations are ! |
Bondi Beach
Where to stay....
Royal Hotel $50 night ($200 week) |
Positioned on Bondi Road and 2 min walk to the beach. Excellent value for money (you can save $150 by booking for the week). The rooms are basic but clean and there is full use of a kitchen and the place has clean toilets and showers. It has the advantage of being over a pub, off-licence and betting shop! Plenty of pool tables in the bar and the drinks are cheap - esp. vodka & coke. |
Where to eat....
Laurie's Vegetarian Cafe Bondi Road |
Great fresh veggie food at great price. A MUST !! |
Chocolate Shop Bondi Road |
Amazing blocks of chocolate - they have to be broken with a hammer! It is the cheapest chocolate in Australia and the choice is endless. |
At the beach |
Along the beach front is a sign offering 'Big Veggie Brekkie'.....excellent value at $7.80 incl. tea/coffee. |
Other....
Take a walk along the coastal path towards Coogee Beach. There are about three more beaches along the way and it is an ideal place to practise the didjeridoo. |
The outdoor swimming pools at the age of the beach get filled up with sea water. Try them if you dare! |
The shops are expensive so use King's Cross. |
Tip: You are advised to not to go on the beach between 11am and 3pm. Be warned - we experienced the sun and can assure you it is worth listening to the advice. Should you get burnt ask the doctor for SILVAZINE. |
Tip: It is extremely difficult to buy alcohol on Christmas Day! We searched fo ages on Christmas morning but all the pubs and off-licences were shut for the day. In the end we had to go to Sydney where we found a pancake shop - so ordered a pancake and then a bottle of wine, then another bottle of wine, then vodka & cokes......(and out-stayed most other customers!). Remember to stock up beforehand! |
Coffs Harbour - Land of Estate Agents
Where to stay....
Park Beach Caravan Park $16 night, tent |
This is really the only place to stay around here. Clean and pleasant enough with all the usual facilities. |
What you need to know....
This a quiet town with a load of empty beaches. There is not a great deal to do around here but it still worth a look at on your way to somewhere else. Be prepared to walk a lot here........bear in mind that as you go north you need to walk more and more!! |
It is about a one hour walk from the beach into the town. The town does benefit from having a CRAZY PRICES and you will discover here GO LO and CLINTS CRAZY BARGAINS. |
The Hoey Moey is worth looking at especially on a Sunday when they seem to have bands playing all day. |
The Big Banana is a working banana plantation and surprisingly enough this makes a good day out and we recommend you go on the train tour with the guide. |
There is a small shopping complex with a video shop where you can play pool and and an excellent Chinese take-away (the best vegetable omelettes!) and a 'cook-to-order' chip shop (serves great corn dogs!). This is down the street opposite the Hoey Moey. |
Tip: Beware of the jellyfish! |
Tip: There is cheap while-u-wait photo developing at Shutterbugs On The Mall in the town. |
Tip: Beware of giant flying stick insect things. They are about 12 inches long - luckily the one we saw was dead! |
Byron Bay - Land of Storms an Sunshine
Where to stay....
First Sun Caravan Park $13 night, tent |
Very clean and in the perfect spot - direct access to the beach and the front gate is in the centre of town! All the people here are friendly and you won't get a better value park. |
Where NOT to stay....
Arts Factory Back-Packers Lodge $ too bloody much |
Muddy, over-crowded, noisey, insect ridden etc. etc. To be avoided at all costs unless you are some kinda teenage jerk who wants to pretend to be hip and cool for a few days. Can't blame the owners for making money out of people who cannot make their own life and entertainment. |
Why you'll find it hard to leave....
Nightlife |
There are bands playing on the street creating a great atmosphere and they don't hassle you for money. There are craft stalls on the streets and telescopes pointing to the stars. |
Creative Tattoo Art |
Get tattooed by the best tattooist in Australia. Go and see Pete Davidson and Zak and get tattooed. |
In The Pink |
The best tasting ice-cream ever and best value too. $2.50 for 2 flavours.......spoilt for choice! |
Shops |
Amongst the rest there is a GO LO and a WOOLWORTHS. |
Lighthouse |
Take a walk up to the lighthouse. It is all uphill but worth the effort. Go to the most easterly point and watch the dolphins in the sea. When you get to the top make the most of the home-made cookies in the shop!! |
Nimbin |
Take a day trip to Nimbin and the waterfalls etc and enjoy! TIP: Go with Peter Pan (opposite Woolworths). Best deal offering a full day tour for $16. |
Camping |
If you haven't done so already - buy a camp stove and save loads of money. |
WARNING |
Just remember if you only plan on coming here for a stop-over it probably won't happen. We got up in the morning and before we knew what time it was it was time for bed. The days just drift by - just sit back, relax and drink boxes and boxes of wine and have fun! We could so easily live here given the chance (maybe one day?). But if you want a city life - live in Bondi (Sydney is only 10 mins by train). |
QUEENSLAND
Surfers Paradise - Land of High Rise
Where to stay....
Delilah Motel Ferney Ave $50 night |
Excellent, clean en-suite rooms with a toaster, kettle and fridge. There's a nice little private swimming pool and the staff were friendly. However this place was up for sale when we were there so it might not be so good in the hands of new owners. |
Main Beach Tourist Park $17.50 tent |
Plenty of caravans and a small but pleasant camping area. Clean kitchen area with the local 'beaky' birds available to eat any cockroaches! Has new toilet and shower facilities, laundry, games room and a great swimming pool. (Get a free night if you stay more than 3 - ask!) |
Where NOT to stay....
Back-Packers in Paradise |
It may sound good in the advertising and be close to the bus station - but the staff and organisation is ridiculous. We pre-booked a room and got there late at night after travelling to find that they'd given our room to somebody else. Avoid this place altogether and go to Delilah if you want a bed. |
Things to do....
It is made out to be some kind of theme park land and we expected it to be really busy and noisey with loads of surfer types (we expected Ibiza!). Its not like that at all.......just miles of golden beaches and they were still empty and this was mid-summer! It has a great shopping town (but then so does everywhere!) and sure you have the theme parks - but they're all way out of town. We enjoyed it here but found the need to hire a car to actually do things like go to Wet n Wild etc.
Ripley's Believe It Or Not $10 |
Interesting museum of strange and unusual things. Sounds a bit dull but worth a visit surprisingly enough. Be careful about pulling too many faces in the mirror!! |
Street Market |
Excellent craft fair style market in the town. You will need a way of getting those purchases home though without breaking them! |
Wet n Wild $26 incl. coach |
Great day out. The best rides are Terror Canyon 1 and Twister. It has a big wave pool and loads of fun stuff. |
Le Mans Go Karts $30 for 10 laps |
700m track. Good fun where you do single timed laps. If you're quick enough you get the chance to drive faster Karts next time. |
Tamborine Mountain |
You need a car for this but it is well worth a drive. See some nice waterfalls and do some real rain forest walks. There's also a cuckoo clock shop here - spend some time in there and wait for the cuckoos (there's hundreds!). |
Network Rental $39 day |
Best value car hire here. The charges are based on 24 hrs from pick-up to return and has unlimited mileage option (we recommend this). Make sure you drive around - you will discover places you didn't know existed right around the corner! |
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TIP: Get a Thomas Cook phone card. We tried loads and this is by far the best. They will also find your PIN number if you lose your card and cancel it and credit you with a new one. |
Things NOT to do....
Although by now you may be used to walking many miles a day - do check before going to play golf that you will be able to play. We walked 2 hours to a golf course and found that it was members only and that you needed to wear all the right clothes and shoes etc - snotty sport anyway, we only wanted a bit of fun. |
Brisbane - Land of No Inspiration
Where To Stay....
Banana Benders Petrie Terrace $38 dble night |
Clean and tidy hostel with reasonable facilities including a pool table and internet access. But even after only two nights here we felt "caged" after camping out and couldn't wait to get back outside. Too many people buzzing around and getting in your face and no privacy. Not a fault of the hostel though (camping is better). |
About Brisbane....
We found this an uninspiring city (maybe we had been spoiled? or just expected Sydney?) that has no signs to tell you where the centre is! You'll find yourself walking in circles looking for things. You will need a map! |
What to do....
Brisbane Beach |
The best thing about Brisbane (?). A real beach with sand and water in the middle of the city. Brilliant idea and works well. |
The Indie Temple (at Rosies Pub) |
Upstairs in this city centre pub is a great venue for bands. It appears to have about 7 bands play every Thurs/Fri/Sat night. Well worth a visit and the sounds don't stop with there being an electric stage and then an acoustic stage (whilst the next electric set is prepared). |
Pizza Hut |
Great place to eat - esp. after we waited so long and got the meal 1/2 price! |
Hervey Bay - Land of The Beach
Where to stay....
Pialba Tourist Park $12 tent |
Clean and quiet and right on the beach. Excellent showers and facilities with great friendly staff (they will look after your stuff if you go to Fraser Island). |
What to do....
This is a really quiet town and we couldn't understand why...it has everything here except people! It even has a CRAZY PRICES! |
The beaches here are the best. They are stinger-free, shark-free etc. due to Fraser Island acting as a kind of barrier. This also means there are no waves so the water is still. Great for swimming or sunbathing (if you like that kind of thing!). This all adds up to a kind of eeriness you feel around here - so perfect but very few people here. |
Try the mini golf at the back of the shops in the Torquay part of street. |
Go to Fraser Island........you can't stay here and not venture there. |
Fraser Island - Land of Dingoes
(PREPARE FOR A TOTALLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE)
What to do....
Aussie Trax 4x4 $560 3days 2 nights |
Hire your own 4WD vehicle and get the best one possible with air conditioning (recommend the Land Rover Defender). Take no more than four people in a Land Rover (you will get squashed!). Hire the camping gear they offer and take out the extra insurance to be on the safe side. TIP: Avoid the group excursion deals - they may seem cheaper but no comparison to being on your own. Also if doing it alone you WILL need a 4WD. |
What you'll find....
It's all totally sand so beware! Driving through sand tracks with pot holes 3ft deep, up and down impossible inclines and over rocks, along the beach where planes land and take off, through water creeks and sand dunes where dingoes wander and eagles fly..................you will never be prepared! Just make sure you watch the video at the vehicle rental place first. |
Follow the Aussie Trax route as a guide and see all the lakes and the shipwreck etc. before you drive off on your own tour. You will not have the time to see much if you don't stick to the route. |
Watch out for the dingoes early in the morning around the campsites and see the big lizards all over the place and the eagles by the beach. |
This is just like going back in time to a past civilisation. Camping in the true sense. It is a shame that the Island has been spoiled by some monstrous resort in one area. Fortunately however it is only a small part and you only need to drive through here to get to the south end of the beach. The resort is for those materialistic, home comfort types who would rather see the Island destroyed just so they can spend a couple of nights in a bed in a hotel. |
TIP: You will need to know how to chop logs for campfires! There are only a handful of camp sites here and most do not have power or hot water. Make sure you get to the camping area before dark or you will not get a pitch. |
Where to stay....
Southside Tourist Park $14 tent |
Clean and tidy park with swimming pool. Excellent camp kitchen/dining area with TV -it is under lock and key for campers' use only. We had the use of this to ourselves as nobody else really seemed to know about it! |
What to do....
Wildlife Park & Zoo & Botanical Gardens (FREE) |
Little zoo with Kangaroos and Koalas etc. Not the best at all - enclosures are poor and unsuitable. As a result there is a lovely Wombat who is screwed up from being in captivity and paces up and down his 4ft log. It would probably be for the best if this place didn't exist. At the minimum this place needs loads of money and an admission charge to aid a complete refurbishment. The gardens and all the rest is fine. |
Tropic of Capricorn |
The monument at the side of the road depicting the location of that point on the globe. Will appeal to geographical types! |
BEWARE |
This place is full of frogs and toads....tiny ones, cute ones, massive ones and ugly ones! They mainly appear at night so watch your step. It is also rife with lizards, flying foxes and snakes. As we were told by camp site staff: DON'T touch toads! DON'T touch snakes! (the brown and black ones are death adders) DON'T upset bats! (flying foxes bite) OK to play with green frogs and little lizards! |
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TIP: There are things to see here if you have transport (farm stays etc). Probably best as a stop-over though. The town is about 5km away and the campsite provides a free bus to and from the town regularly. Town has a CRAZY PRICES. |
Airlie Beach - Land of Low Cloud
Where to stay....
Island Gateway Tourist Park $15tent $20camp-o-tel |
Excellent camping place with swimming pool, pool table, tennis court & sun deck. Current video shown nightly. Has resident possums and daily parrot feeding. Has the luxury(!) of camp-o-tels when the rain gets too much. Site has excellent drainage! |
Where to eat....
Beaches |
Restaurant serving excellent value meals @ $5.50 and has a different $6 jug of beer on offer each night. More food than you can sometimes eat! |
What to do....
Whitsunday Islands $59 - 3 Island Cruise |
There isn't a lot to do at Airlie Beach except for taking a rest so going to these Islands is inevitable. There are loads of tours but this appeared to be the best. Wouldn't really recommend staying on the Island unless you are really bored and have loads of cash! |
Hook Island |
This is where you go snorkelling off the beach and can also go scuba diving. Has a small underwater observatory but the windows need a clean and there's too many people in there. You will get to see some fish feeding from the pier and see fish the size of sharks before going out on a boat and hand feeding the fish yourself over the side of the boat. |
South Molle Island |
Basically a big resort with a serve-yourself restaurant. Food included in price of trip. A typical kind of hotel and leisure complex which does however benefit from a hot spa. This is the closest thing you'll probably get to a bath whilst travelling Australia. |
Daydream Island |
This is the best of the 3 Islands with 2 more resorts and some forest walks. One of the resorts has a great swimming pool with a bar at the side allowing you to sit on the stools in the water and drink cocktails....if only we'd had the money! |
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TIP: Good weather is needed for this trip. Rain means you can't see the fish or coral whilst on the boat or snorkelling. |
Wildlife Park |
This is the home of the Barefoot Bushman. Interesting family run park that specialises in crocodiles. You will learn something here and wonder why this bloke can't resist jumping barefoot in to the crocodile enclosures. |
Other |
On the main road out of town there is a small shopping centre with a small CRAZY PRICES. |
Cairns- Land of Humidity & Cyclones
Where to stay....
City Camping and Caravan Park $14 tent |
This park is probably the closest to the city. It is very basic and set amongst the trees. Toilets are really clean but you wouldn't want to stay here for long. |
Cairns Villa and Leisure Park $14tent $45 e/s villa |
This is the best park in Cairns by far. It has a swimming pool, pool table, table tennis, indoor kitchen and TV area. Very clean and organised with friendly staff. It is a shame it's so far from the city centre. But then again when you're used to walking..............! |
Days out....
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park $24 |
Excellent day out showing the history and cultures of genuine Cairns Aboriginal tribes. It is owned and run by the Aborigines themselves and does highlight how their country has been destroyed by modern intervention. There are dance shows and theatre events and you also get the chance to try your hand at boomerang throwing and spear throwing. Learn all about how to survive in the bush and the nourishment that can be found in ants! It's good to see that this culture still exists. |
Sea Quest Snorkelling & Diving $90snkl $155div |
Great value trip travelling 70km to 2 diving/snorkelling spots on the Great Barrier Reef. Wetsuits etc. provided. You will see loads of coral and fish and it's a tremendous experience jumping off the side of a boat when there's no land in sight! Again loads of trips to choose but this one from Deep Sea Divers' Den appeared the best. |
Aquarium $10 |
Small aquarium with fish! Highlight is the chance to dive in the tank with the sharks - but at $65 you're better off going on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. |
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TIP: Be prepared not to camp in their summer. It is their wet season and it really is wet and have the daily flooding to prove it. Be warned also you will not be allowed to camp when there's a cyclone about - we swapped the tent for a villa during Cyclone Steve. Even we appreciated a roof that time! |
VICTORIA
Point of visit....
We were only here for a short time and went for the first F1 Grand Prix of 2000 at Albert Park but would have stayed longer had time and money allowed. |
Where to stay....
Lamplighter Motor Inn $114 night A.G.P. |
Pleasant and clean motel with en-suite. Offers room service and the rooms are cleaned every day. It's about a 20min train ride to the city centre. It is ideal for Albert Park and reasonably priced for the Grand Prix weekend. |
What to do....
Australian Grand Prix |
A must if you are here for the first race of the season. Excellent seating in the Fangio stand along the pit straight. Take advantage of the great prices compared to other parts of the world and go for the 4 days. You must walk the track after the race! |
The City Centre |
Melbourne is laid out in 'squares' to enable easy navigation. Comprises an excellent tram network to most suburban areas and a free tram that goes around the city circle. The city has all the usual aquariums, botanical gardens, zoos, viewing towers etc. You could easily spend a few days seeing the sights. TIP: Get a travel pass - $19 weekly Zone 1. |
St Kilda |
It is not another Kings Cross as you will be led to believe - but it is full of cake shops! |
Queen Victoria Market |
In the city centre. OK for a few prezzies etc. |
It would appear that many, if not all, countries could learn a thing or to from the Aussies. When they say they are proud to be Australian you can see why - and how many people can really say they are proud to be what they are?They readily admit they are the descendants of crooks and undesirables - but heh what do they care?.....look what they've got! Australia is such a great country with the weather, the land and the people. The people are great and they say what they mean.......no beating about the bush! The atmosphere all around the place is good and like many an Aussie said to us "if we don't do it today, we'll do it tomorrow.........if we bother doing it at all!". They seem to have the country sorted for the future also. They take pride in the cleanliness of the place and also the conservation of things. For example there are litter bins everywhere each one separated for recycling - waste, paper, glass and metal. There is no reason for untidiness there and there isn't. The public facilities are second to none with toilets and showers free-of-charge in the street, free barbecues everywhere etc. They have strict immigration rules over there, and you may wonder why when they have so much land - well it seems quite simple, they just want to keep it the way it should be and not have hoards of people taking over their country and using their resources. They obviously have their problems like everybody else but if they want something done they seem to get on and do it and the Aussies aren't scared or stopped from having an opinion. Other countries could learn so much. The future for Australia is probably the best and we would like to be part of it one day.............sorry U.K. you have a lot to learn. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x |
Copyright © 2000 LeptonFish
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