Planning a Visit To Australia

[Happypaphy7]

I am thinking of staying near Melbourne, Hawthorn East.

I know we have quite a few members from the area.
Any recommendations regarding what to see and do, and warnings as to watch to watch out for and to avoid, what you hate about common mistakes/different manners exhibited by visitors.

Would I need to rent a car within the city area, and to get to famous places like the outback and such. Is Sidney too far too drive to during one week stay? Is it worth visiting with the distance?

All input welcome!

Oh, I'm thinking only one week. can't go away too long with my orchids home. haha

 

[troy]

My brother went there and told me he beiing a yank, got discriminated agianst, but that was 7 years ago, everybodys experience is different, just a heads up

 

[abax]

There's a lot of there there to Australia? Where was he?
Discriminated for what??? I found Aussies to be just about
the most open, friendly people I've ever met. Fantastic
sense of humor too.

Happy, try not to misjudge distances in Australia. Everywhere is
further away than you think when you're driving. Stay away from
the Outback unless you have a very experienced guide. Read
Bill Bryson's IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY before you go.

 

[ehanes7612]

You will need a car...you think the US is spread open?..Australia is even moreso.If you are going to visit the Outback..best to fly into a close city and rent a car, for sydney best to fly in and take the tram to central area ...especially for only a week's stay. Guess you could drive up to sydney but its a long drive and they dont have freeways like we do

For Melbourne, you will need a car if you want to explore the best part..The Great Ocean Road, which can be done in a day

 

[emydura]

Australia is a long way to come for a week. I'm not sure I would bother myself. There is so much to see and as others have said this involves a lot of driving. Australia is a country where you have to drive large distances to see things. It is not like New Zealand where you can see so much packed within small areas.

If you are based in Melbourne I would forget about driving to Sydney. That will chew up almost two days to get there. And I would definitely not consider going to the outback. You just don't have the time. If you want to do those sort of things you will need at least a month.

I'm not from Melbourne so others may have better advice of what to see there. But you could spend a day driving the Great Ocean Road. Another day going to Phillip Island. Then there is Wilsons Promontry. Melbourne itself of course. Maybe Mike can offer you some suggestions.

My brother went there and told me he beiing a yank, got discriminated agianst, but that was 7 years ago, everybodys experience is different, just a heads up

Like anywhere in the world you will find elements of racism in Australia. But it is not entrenched to the stage were Australians would elect a leader who promotes racial hatred and intolerance.

 

[ehanes7612]

I was in Mebourne for 12 days...spent five of those days in Tasmania...which you can do for three days with one day in Hobart visiting the really cool, art museum and one day at Cradle National Park...amazing place

 

[emydura]

I was in Mebourne for 12 days...spent five of those days in Tasmania...which you can do for three days with one day in Hobart visiting the really cool, art museum and one day at Cradle National Park...amazing place

Tragically Cradle Mountain was permanently damaged by bush fires earlier this year, so I'm not sure how good it is looking at the moment. The vegetation in this area is very fire sensitive as fire is not a natural part of the ecology. The soils/peat bogs are normally permanently wet so fire can never take hold. There hasn't been fire there for thousands of years. Climate change has totally changed the natural rain patterns of the area. The summer was so hot and dry the soils totally dried out. Lightening strikes started bush fires and the dry peat bogs caught fire and just kept burning (for weeks). A lot of the vegetation will never recover.

I see the US President elect says climate change is a Chinese conspiracy. So the progress made in Paris looks like going down the drain. Not that the Australian government is doing anything positive. Per person, we are the worlds biggest CO2 polluters but the government is doing bugger all about it. They are only interested in playing politics.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ve-world-heritage-area-devastated-in-pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...-crisis-in-decades-for-world-heritage-forests

 

[ehanes7612]

Tragically Cradle Mountain was permanently damaged by bush fires earlier this year, so I'm not sure how good it is looking at the moment. The vegetation in this area is very fire sensitive as fire is not a natural part of the ecology. The soils/peat bogs are normally permanently wet so fire can never take hold. There hasn't been fire there for thousands of years. Climate change has totally changed the natural rain patterns of the area. The summer was so hot and dry the soils totally dried out. Lightening strikes started bush fires and the dry peat bogs caught fire and just kept burning. A lot of the vegetation will never recover.

I see the US President elect says climate change is a Chinese conspiracy. So the progress made in Paris looks like going down the drain. Not that the Australian government is doing anything positive. Per person, we are the worlds biggest CO2 polluters but the government is doing bugger all about it. They are only interested in playing politics.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ve-world-heritage-area-devastated-in-pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...-crisis-in-decades-for-world-heritage-forests

That's terrible, that place is the most beautiful place I have ever been.Yeah, we elected the biggest moron. Climate change awareness in this country is going to have to be worked on state by state if we want to get anywhere. We have fires out fo control in the southeast and south and fires have destroyed forest ranges in the sierras, even the seed has been destroyed, they burned so hot.

 

[Marco]

Sounds like an exciting trip. I'm sure you will have tons of fun!

 

[Ozpaph]

You will need a car...you think the US is spread open?..Australia is even moreso.If you are going to visit the Outback..best to fly into a close city and rent a car, for sydney best to fly in and take the tram to central area ...especially for only a week's stay. Guess you could drive up to sydney but its a long drive and they dont have freeways like we do

For Melbourne, you will need a car if you want to explore the best part..The Great Ocean Road, which can be done in a day

Forget Sydney if you have a week unless you fly into Melbourne and fly out of Sydney.
Ballarat, Mornington peninsula, Great Ocean Rd etc etc

 

[Ozpaph]

what time of the year???

 

[Happypaphy7]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I would go during the warm months.

I don't ever travel to winter destinations. lol
I don't do sizzling hot, either.

 

[ehanes7612]

Forget Sydney if you have a week unless you fly into Melbourne and fly out of Sydney.
Ballarat, Mornington peninsula, Great Ocean Rd etc etc

I flew in and out of sydney with am 10 hour layover on way back...enough time to see sydney for a few hours....but flying over it was the best part, right at sunset

 

[Ozpaph]

I flew in and out of sydney with am 10 hour layover on way back...enough time to see sydney for a few hours....but flying over it was the best part, right at sunset

Its an amazing city esp from the air

 

[Ozpaph]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I would go during the warm months.

I don't ever travel to winter destinations. lol
I don't do sizzling hot, either.

Be warned Victoria can be sizzling hot in summer and cold the next day!!

 

[emydura]

Its an amazing city esp from the air

Paul Kelly even wrote a song about it ('Sydney from a 727')

Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night?
Sydney shines such a beautiful light
And I can see Bondi through my window way off to the right
And the curling waves on a distant break
And the sleeping city just about to wake
Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night?

 

[Ozpaph]

Ill have to listen to that. He's (?) THE quintessential Australian song writer.

 

[troy]

I would make it a point to catch up with the latetest aboriginee news from the abs!!!! They seem like very cool people

 

[Happypaphy7]

Be warned Victoria can be sizzling hot in summer and cold the next day!!

Ok, thanks for the tip.

I'll be sure to pack in clothes for different weather conditions.

 

[Marco]

Attica in Melbourne. Ive never been but heard tons of good stuff about it. You have to reserve for seats a month or two in advance.