-
We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.
Recommendations of things to do in Australia
- Thread starter Exterous
- Start date
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
Spiderback riding. It's kinda like horse back riding, but on a spider. I hear it's pretty fun. Those buggers can go quick but there's plenty of hairs to hold on to.
? Are they good conversatioalists?
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
Sixguns
Platinum Member
http://www.bridgeclimb.com/ if in Sydney
http://www.tangalooma.com/info/home/ here we got to feed wild dolphins and snorkel by a bunch of shipwrecks.
http://www.tangalooma.com/info/home/ here we got to feed wild dolphins and snorkel by a bunch of shipwrecks.
balloonshark
Diamond Member
Go surfing with Carcharodon carcharias.
Box a kangaroo.
I'm actually kind of jealous. I've always wanted to go to Oz to hang out with the people.
Box a kangaroo.
I'm actually kind of jealous. I've always wanted to go to Oz to hang out with the people.
Great to know thanks guys!
Ill have to take a look at the first one but I think I would lose a boxing match to a kangaroo so perhaps not that one. We are pretty excited but getting award tickets for this flight has been a giant pain in the ass. One way tickets there took 5 calls, 7 different people and 1 supervisor until I could get the tickets booked correctly. I still have to do the return flight... 🙁
Griffinhart
Golden Member
I was there this past October. 🙂
How much of the country are you planning on seeing? I generally ranged from the town of 1770 down to Sydney. I stayed with friends in Brisbane.
Australia is about the size of the Continental US, so you need to plan around that fact.
You'll have to immediately knock about 3 days off the 14 for travel time and recovery. I left from Boston, so time in the air was about 23 hours plus the lay-over in Dallas. Fun fact, the complete opposite side of the planet from Boston is a couple hundred miles West of Australia.
It really depends on what you want to see. Ayer's Rock is a popular attraction and a cool place to go, however, It's not near the east coast, where the reef is off of. It's like taking a trip from Boston to the Grand Canyon.
If the reef is your goal, I would stick to the east coast. Cairns is probably your best location for the reef. There are a ton of places to see the reef from, like the town of 1770 as I did, but Cairns is probably the town with the biggest bang for the buck. It's further north, so it's really close to the worlds largest and oldest rain forest. There are a ton of attractions to see nearby.
Sydney is a must. I was there for a couple of days, and I wish I was there for a couple more. There is a ton to see and do there. You will want to spend a few days there at least. btw, a good tip, a great way to see the harbor is to use the water taxis. They are cheap and you can buy a pass for the day. Very worth it.
Between Cairns and Sydney is the Gold Coast. 50 miles of contiguous sandy beaches, including surfers paradise. Plenty of shops and things to do. An hour north of there is Brisbane. And there are several excursions from there. Including Fraser Island.
North of there starts getting pretty sparse. You'll have the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin's zoo), The Glass House Mountains which are a scattering of Volcanic Plugs that rise out of the countryside.
There are also lots and lots and lots of cattle ranches and sugar cane fields. Think the US Midwest with cornfields, and swap the crop with Sugar cane. They go on forever.
Ranging from Cairn to Sydney should let you see around 5 or 6 UNESCO world heritage sites.
I have a few things to mention that struck me when I was there.
-Everything is expensive. Shockingly so. Plan your budget accordingly. Expect 30 to 40% more expensive than in the US.
-you won't need to carry a lot of cash with you. I don't think I went through $200 in cash over two weeks. I just used my Visa card.
-There is no tipping there. Most places I went to were go up to the counter, order your food and wait for the your number to be called.
-Burger King is called Hungry Jacks.
-My first day there, we went to a local mall to pick up some supplies I needed for the week, we stopped at a McDonalds for a quick breakfast. They put "Tomato Sauce" (ketchup) on their breakfast sandwiches. Taking a bite of my egg mcmuffin and getting a mouth full of ketchup was a bit of a surprise.
Enjoy your trip! Feel free to PM me for any info.
Last edited:
glenn1
Lifer
Australia is a big place OP, do you have a basic itinerary set? Personally I prefer Melbourne over Sydney although it depends on what your preferences are. If you do visit the Melbourne area be sure to do the Great Ocean Road and catch a game of footie (Aussie Rules football) if it's in season; it may not depending on when in March you go. The Penguin Parade at Philips Island is nice also.
As for Syndey, if you can afford it definitely go see a show at the Opera House. Blue Mountains and Torango Zoo are fun. If you head north of Sydney the Cape Tribulation tours are nice. Plenty of tour operators for Barrier Reef tours, I'd recommend going with one of the smaller operators.
As for Syndey, if you can afford it definitely go see a show at the Opera House. Blue Mountains and Torango Zoo are fun. If you head north of Sydney the Cape Tribulation tours are nice. Plenty of tour operators for Barrier Reef tours, I'd recommend going with one of the smaller operators.
Griffinhart
Golden Member
I did! The shops near my friends house. It was a convenience thing at the time.
Rough itinerary would be to visit the East\South Coast including Sydney and Melbourne for a couple of days 1-2 days in Tasmania, 1 day on Kangaroo island (Maybe?), the Barrosa Valley, Brisbane\Gold coast and then Cairns and\or Port Douglas with scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef.
What order yet I am not sure. A lot depends on when I can get a return flight and if its from MEL, SYD or BNE. Thanks for the insights!
Last edited:
Why? Part of the fun of traveling to the opposite side of the world is to eat the same food you can get at home right?
Bah - being at the top of the food chain brings complacency. If I don't face off with arachnids and other Scary Things how else am I supposed to hone my girly shrieking voice?
Griffinhart
Golden Member
That's the thing. It's not exactly the same. It was kind of fun to see the differences. A lot of the "American style" choices on the menu were stuff that we don't have here. Now, I didn't eat at these places often, but I did one visit to McDonalds (only place open for breakfast at the time), One to Hungry Jacks and one to KFC, both were for convenience during the 6 hour drive and back to 1770 from Brisbane.
I was fascinated by the culture difference/similarity. At least in Brisbane, I found it to be a very curious mix of English and American. The local mall was a big example. It looks like any other American style mall with the usual type stores, but with butcher shops and vegetable markets mixed in.
Speaking of food. While in Brisbane, I went to a restaurant that billed itself as Australia's worse Vegetarian restaurant. And Don't forget to try the Pavlova. (a dessert)
If you do a lot of driving when you are there, you will see a lot of Kangaroo roadkill. At least in Queensland, it was the equivalent of deer roadkill in the US.
It's often a joke, but there is some truth to the idea that everything there wants to kill you.
Any brightly colored caterpillar you see is likely poisonous (I saw several),
Magpies are aggressive and large. Cyclist have taken to "spiking" their helmets with Zip ties to ward them off. I have seen this too!
You'll likely be warned about Cone Snails as well. Poisonous and potentially deadly.
MongGrel
Lifer
Avoid the Wildlife.
But I guess that's a gimme.
Something that bill's itself as Australia's Worst Vegetarian Restaurant sounds interesting to me 🙂
Cone Snails are very nasty, I was familiar with those from living in Hawaii many years.
Like Rock Fish are also, don't walk on a reef barefooted.
But I guess that's a gimme.
Something that bill's itself as Australia's Worst Vegetarian Restaurant sounds interesting to me 🙂
Cone Snails are very nasty, I was familiar with those from living in Hawaii many years.
Like Rock Fish are also, don't walk on a reef barefooted.
Last edited:
Griffinhart
Golden Member
Ooooh, I almost forgot to mention. You may want to consider booking an emergency row seat. I flew with Qantas and paid about $50 more. It was worth it. I was able to get up and walk around, stretch the legs a bit without people having to move. It made sleeping a bit better too. If you are flying on a 747, just do not take the window seat if you do this. The emergency door bulges out just enough to block half of your leg room.
Griffinhart
Golden Member
It was called the Norman Hotel. And yes I got a shirt from there with that slogan. 🙂
http://www.normanhotel.com.au/index.php
If you're interested, here are some of the photos I took while there:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbalcius/sets/72157652174472530
The last shot in the stream is of the WW1 German tank Mephisto. It's the last surviving tank of its type.
Last edited:
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 25K
-
-
-
