If I were to go to Australia...

I have an offer that I may not be able to refuse - airfare to Australia. No, not one adventure in the Great Date Saga, but a friend who feels as if she owes me - and wants to take me to Australia.

We are looking at the first part of September, which is one of my favorite times of year over there - spring. But other than that, I know very little about Australia, and a search for "the great outback" didn't yield results.

So...

If you were going to Australia, where would you go, what would you see, and what areas are NOT good for inexperienced travelers?

Best-
Michele

Originally Posted by noni

I have an offer that I may not be able to refuse - airfare to Australia. No, not one adventure in the Great Date Saga, but a friend who feels as if she owes me - and wants to take me to Australia.

We are looking at the first part of September, which is one of my favorite times of year over there - spring. But other than that, I know very little about Australia, and a search for "the great outback" didn't yield results.

So...

If you were going to Australia, where would you go, what would you see, and what areas are NOT good for inexperienced travelers?

Best-
Michele

Click to expand...

Having been to Perth in Western Australia twice and with friends that have been to a number of places, you won't be disappointed. On the east coast, Sydney has plenty of sights to see. Very large and cultural city. In the middle of the country is Ayers Rock or Uluru (excuse the spelling) which is truly amazing. If you choose to go the barrier reef, careful for the sharks! On the western coast the sunsets are amazing and the wine country is wonderful. I can send you some information on some of the places I went and refer you to some friends. There is a really wonderful resort south of Perth (which is the largest isolated city in the world) that has some very interesting tall tree walkways. All depends on what you like to do?

Are you a hiker and outdoors type?
Museums and cultural things?
Sand, beach, swimming?
Wine country?
Wildlife & critters?

Happy to offer some suggestions. Drop me a PM or email.

Mark
Dancing with Dingos
Cavorting with Koalas
Running with the 'roos

I have had the same offer for next year. I am not sure if the client is serious or not, guess time will tell.

Mark, if you have been to Alice Springs would you please contact me? I would appreciate it. I see you mentioned Ayers Rock-


Thanks

You should include a side trip to New Zealand.

Um you could go see Danielle's (huggles) new baby, I think she's due around the end of August/beginning of September.

Other than that, no clue, I've never been!

If I was going to Australia... I would visit Danielle and Chris and my nephews Tipsy and Cedar... Then, I would visit Tania (Kumbulu) and help her take care of the kittens. Then I would go see Sarah and her bengal boys Max and Chase.

Danielle would certainly be at the top of my list!

Me too!

YAY yes come and see me you too MA
everyone is always welcome

seriously though - I most certainly can offer you lots and lots of advise considering I live here and have also travelled around most of the country.

Mark asks some good questions which will give some ideas on what would be the best areas to go to. Obviously how long you will be here is the first question. Australia is large and can be expensive to get around - or just plain 'long drives' from one city to the next city or destination.

I am happy to offer as much advise as you would like - spring is a good time to come as our summers can be brutal, especially up north, but I wouldnt leave it much longer than September.

Originally Posted by sandra

If I was going to Australia... I would visit Danielle and Chris and my nephews Tipsy and Cedar... Then, I would visit Tania (Kumbulu) and help her take care of the kittens. Then I would go see Sarah and her bengal boys Max and Chase.

Click to expand...

Close, it's Hunter & Chase!
Hehhehe

Yep. definately need some more info on the types of things/travelling you into as there's just SO MUCH here, and huge distances to travel as well. (As Danielle mentioned).

Great questions, Mark.

I am an explorer at heart, although I dont know if my traveling companion is. I definitely want to see Ayers Rock, the Opal mines, and the whale migration, but more than that, I'm not sure. I'd love to see the Great Barrier Reef (although I don't dive), and I know that we need to spend some time skydiving. Neither of us have a ton of time, maybe only 10 days or so, because of work constraints. I also realize that what I want to do is on opposite ends of the country, too. And I'd love to get over to NZ, but I don't think that will happen. We have briefly discussed renting a camper and driving some of the routes, but upon further research, we realize that *may* not be the best idea with so short a time.

I'm not even sure where we're flying in to, you know? It's still all up in the air.

This is going to be fun...challenging, but fun.

Best-
Michele

Yeah you don't want to go during their Summer. I was in Perth in December and the heat was OPPRESSIVE. Darwin is ok but I am not too interested in the Crocodiles and the Australian version of Tropics. Perth again was not too good (at least to me, maybe it was the weather), the "wave rock" attraction was quite a let down and symbolic of my feeling of the place. Those are the places I did not really enjoy but there other three are good:
1) One is to fly into Brisbane, drive down to Gold Coast, stay in one of the hotels where the ocean is just beside you or rather across the road. Drive takes less than a day. Then perhaps move down to Byron Bay or move up past Brisbane to Fraser Island. Driving to Sydney from Brisbane seems far.
2) Personally I see the Sydney-Melbourne and Tasmania as one grouping.
3) Cairns with the gambling (if that rocks your boat) and of course the great barrier reef.

If you have the time and money, one could easily fly into Cairns, then take a domestic to Brisbane grouping. And if you still have time fly to the Sydney grouping. Time constraints: Fly to Cairns stay for about 3-4 days to see the Reef then fly to Brisbane, explore the city 1 day is more than sufficient, drive down to Gold Coast, kick back and relax and watch the beautiful pacific ocean. After it is a holiday one do not want to go back feeling more stressed than you left.

PS: Hope I don't offend any Aussies here but New Zealand is the BEST. A small piece of heavenly paradise tucked away in the lovely cozy corner of the Planet. (By the way this only refers to the South Island)

Originally Posted by huggles

YAY yes come and see me

you too MA

everyone is always welcome

seriously though - I most certainly can offer you lots and lots of advise considering I live here and have also travelled around most of the country.

Mark asks some good questions which will give some ideas on what would be the best areas to go to. Obviously how long you will be here is the first question. Australia is large and can be expensive to get around - or just plain 'long drives' from one city to the next city or destination.

I am happy to offer as much advise as you would like - spring is a good time to come as our summers can be brutal, especially up north, but I wouldnt leave it much longer than September.

Click to expand...

You´re so kind Danielle!!!! Thank you, hope I won the Lottery to realize that dream too!!!!

Having lived in australia my self i can advise you to go to melbourne for your shopping as it is the CAPITAL CITY FOR SHOPPING!! so many people from all over the country come down to melbourne when sales are on...
Then you can go down to the gread ocean road, there is plenty of wild life to see... Down at philip islands there are penguins and seals....
Then i would advise you to go to QLD to the gold coast if you want to go to theme parks and then further up north to the Great barrier reef, snorkling and seeing all the beautiful fishies!
Then you should go to Sydney (havent been there personally) and see the opera house ect...

Adelaide is very boring in my opinion its technically dead.

but id suggest if you like to see the desert and can stand to eat kangaroos and crocodiles and emus as a speciality, then you should go to Alice springs and Hike up the Uluru.....

because ive lived in melbourne my self, id go and find my old friends and Meet danielleeeeeee!!!!

Originally Posted by bumpy

PS: Hope I don't offend any Aussies here but New Zealand is the BEST.

A small piece of heavenly paradise tucked away in the lovely cozy corner of the Planet. (By the way this only refers to the South Island)

Click to expand...

Hey I was getting really excited until you mentioned that last bit.

Michele, what a treat visiting Australia! I've only been to NSW but if you go there then Sydney is a must!

Hi Michele. As Australia is huge and I dont know how long you will have here or how much funds you will have I would suggest Queensland, NSW or Victoria. WA is beautiful but it will be hot in September and it will take you days to drive around ( If you are in Perth and went to Esperance it would take you a day to drive there )Perth to Broome would take 3-4 days and thats with out stopping to see any sites along the way. Iam new to NSW but it is a beautiful part of Australia If you go to Sydney you could see alot of different types of country beaches, mountains, farmland and much more all within a days drive of Sydney. Iam only 3 hours from Sydney and Canberra so if you do come over this way come down to Orange and stay with us. As Sam (wellington cats) has been to Tamworth she knows that this is a lovely place to see.Debbie

Yay for Australia!! Im from South Aus - no doubt the most quiet and boring state, so dont come here lol. Unless you like Wine - South aus is famous for its wine oh and churches :/
"City of churches" is what we always get called.
Having not long come back from Queensland - i HIGHLY recommend it!! The shopping is great and theres ALOT to see and do! Forest walks, theme park, world famous beaches.
Its probably the best place weather wise, sunny nearly every day!! It can get a bit humid though.
You have the main city Brisbane, or the gold coast which is party beach and more beach!

Wow, there are so many amazing places to visit in Australia. I live in Perth so of course I'm a bit biased towards Western Australia!! But Melbourne is just fantastic - we will be moving there soon - and Sydney is exciting and Brisbane is so laid back. It's just a great country! There is SO much to see and do, and we have everything - cities, deserts, countryside, beaches, rough and rugged terrain, you name it! We also have beatiful flora and fauna - and, unfortunately, one of the biggest feral cat problems in the world. Our deserts currently have over 20 million feral cats, which are a hugh threat to the native species of the country. There are government programmes in place to try to control the problem but it is really out of hand and, I think, very sad.

Also, it's kind of considered bad form to call it `Ayers Rock' these days - it is now officially known by its Aboriginal name - Uluru (Oolooroo). A beautiful name, I think, and much more magical and fitting than `Ayers Rock'!!