In less than one month now, I board a plane bound for Sydney, Australia. As I’ve mentioned here once before, I’m honored to be speaking this year at Web Essentials 04. The first annual conference on web standards will be held at the University of Technology, Sydney. I’ll be sharing the stage with Dave Shea, Joe Clark, John Allsopp, Russ Weakley, and geez, a whole host of Australian natives who I can’t wait to meet.
So I can’t tell you how excited I am to be coming to Australia, and how much I’m looking forward to the conference and the rest of my visit. I’ve never been anywhere near the South Pacific (Hawaii is the closest I’ve come). And Australia has been at the very top of my list of places that I’ve wanted to see and experience for a long time. I’ve been told repeatedly that Australia is filled with the nicest, coolest people on the planet.
When a destination is at the top of your list, and you’re invited to speak as a professional, you can’t just go for the event, then turn around and come back. At least… I can’t. Especially after a 15 hour direct flight which includes crossing the International Date Line. So I’m doing what anyone in their right mind would do…
I’m spending a whole month down there. Since I’m going to be in Australia, I can’t pass up the opportunity to pop over to New Zealand for a bit too.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury of taking off an entire year, traveling around the world, and spending six months of it driving around Australia in a VW Kombi, like some of my friends. Most of my first week will be spent arriving, dealing with jetlag, finding my way around, then closing out that first week with the conference. After that, I have just three weeks to balance out between Australia and New Zealand. Aside from the conference, nothing is really planned yet.
Since the trip is less than a month away, I’m suddenly realizing I need to get off my duff and start some type of planning. I’m not one to have everything rigidly mapped out. But I’d like to have some type of plan so I make sure I take maximum advantage of my short stay.
Last night, I stopped at a book store to check out travel books on Australia. There was so much available, and I didn’t really know what I wanted, so I chickened out, and only walked away with a copy of Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country. Tonight, I picked up Dunstan, and we drove over to the new REI, San Francisco to pick up a few travel essentials. Once again, I was so overwhelmed by everything in the store, to avoid spending a fortune on everything I wanted, I walked away with nothing.
In trying to come up with a game plan, I don’t really want to rely on my own research and guesses at what I should plan to do or see, or where to go. Instead, I’d like to turn to you, an incredible wealth of native readers from these two great countries — or those who have lived in or visited either or both. I value advice from locals and experienced travelers above most things I can read in a travel book.
Where should I go? What cities and destinations should I hit? What should I not miss if at all possible? Where should I stay? Where should I eat? What should I eat? What experiences should I absolutely try my hardest to fit in? How should I get around? Should I keep lugging my laptop with me after the conference? And the flip side: Anything I should skip? What should I avoid?
Feel free to leave as many related comments here as you’d like. Or if you prefer to send me something directly, use the contact form.
I’m open to all ranges of advice — anything you have to offer. You must have all kinds of great info, tips, and suggestions on visiting Australia and New Zealand. I’d be very grateful if you’d be willing to share any of them.
Thanks,
-db
99 comments (Comments closed)
I’ll be following this one closely; I’ve got an extra week to spend, though I doubt New Zealand is in the cards.
Hope you have an awesome trip! It is on my destination list as well. Have fun, ‘mate’!
When in NZ, come to Wellington, not Auckland. Auckland may be bigger, but is full of traffic congestion, air pollution, and Aucklanders. And since—being an American—you’ve probably been to LA before, Auckland won’t be very interesting to you. Wellington is much, much nicer.
Of course, if you want to see our wilderness, which is probably the main reason to come here, then you’ll really need to spend a couple of weeks traveling though the South Island (in a VW Kombi). I can get more specific if needed.
From a purely parochial viewpoint, I have to say it’s likely you may end up missing the best part of Australia - Perth, since it’s on the other side of the country from everything else. But it’s great here!
It’s likely you’re going to just miss the Australian Rules football season, because I would have recommended you try to get to a game. That’s a great Aussie thing to do, and of course you would have to have eaten a meat pie!
I’ll keep thinking, and if I come up with any really good ideas, I’ll post again!
I agree with Justin. Auckland is much like any other big city (although I wouldn’t go as far as to compare it with LA).
Definitly check out Wellington. While you’re there pop into Bar Bodega on Ghuznee Street if you need to replenish your fluids.
Actually Andrew, I hear there’s supposedly a grand finale game of footbal that weekend after the conference. I’ve already asked a few of the conference organizers to look into tickets if they can dig any up. Whether it’s just me, or whether I go with a group, I think immersing myself into a crowd of Aussie rules footbal fanatics would be an awesome way to kick off my time (so to speak) in Australia, post-conference.
Hi. I’m English originally but now Australian (lived in Sydney last 5 years) and Kiwi (lived there for 4 years). Can’t think of two finer places to visit. Lucky you!
For NZ I’d probably say a week touring South Island would be great. Queenstown for all the activities (bungy jumping, jet-boating etc) in very beautiful mountain/lake scenery, plus flights to Milford Sound.
If you have time for North Island then a couple of days in and around Auckland (visit old world charm of Devonport by ferry - used to live there and loved it), the Bay of Islands for relaxed beach and island scenery (may be a bit early in the season for beaches though - NZ doesn’t really get warm till after Christmas) and a drive round Coromandel Peninsula is great (rocky coves, very green: Cathedral Cove is beautiful and you can dig your own spa in the sand on Hot Water beach). Wellington and Christchurch are lovely to visit for a day or two. Food and wine in NZ are cheap and really high standard in cities; very basic anywhere outside them; beware! The sun really burns in NZ too - you definitely need sunscreen. In NZ I always take a rainproof jacket and sunglasses, whatever the day looks like!
For Australia - well its probably too big to try and see too much. I’d just choose a few areas depending on whether you like wild, civilized or in-between. You can’t really go wrong. Its all lovely. very happy to point you at some web sites/give you information if you’d like.
Have a great trip!
I lived in Brisbane for three years and loved it. Here is my must visit list:
You should go up the east coast and check out:
- Fraser Island. The largest sand island in the world. Fabulous.
- Whitsundays Islands. Near the Great Barrier Reef. Go sailing and diving.
- Sunshine Coast. Noosa.
- Never been to Byron Bay, but everyone recommends it so it must be nice.
Sydney and the harbour is fantastic. If you like wine then take a trip up to Hunter Valley (2 hours north of Sydney).
Melbourne is nice as well. If you have the time then take a drive out to Great Ocean Road or to Yarra Valley (wine district).
If you are going to Brisbane then go out drinking or eating in the Valley, funky/trendy places but also cheap asian etc.
Contact me via my blog if you have any questions.
http://sleepyhead81.blogspot.com
see in sydney: harbour, the rocks, circular quey etc.
eat: meat pies, and lots of ‘em :D
Hi Doug.
I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland (Noosa, Mooloolaba etc.) and imho they’re the best beaches on the east coast (word is that it’s a good idea to skip the Gold Coast and get further north). Cairns, with it’s resorts and the Great Barrier Reef, are also top spots in Queensland (Cairns, the city, isn’t all that great, but I’m sure there are plenty of nice places to stay up that way).
Sydney (where I currently live) is tops for a lot of things - lots of classic landmarks (the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach etc.), great live music and clubs plus some great art spots - but you’ll probably catch most of the “big” sights over a couple of days. Heading up to Byron Bay is also worth a shot if you have time - although probably only a short stop as it’s pretty small.
Melbourne is great fun - it has a different vibe to Sydney and has a lot to offer, particularly the music, cafe and art scene. Melbourne is also a bit of a fashion center. I would recommend checking it out.
Everybody I know that’s been to Perth has come back raving about how good it is. And of course, if you’re up for it, you can take a tour “outback” and check out Uluru, which from all reports is simply stunning - haunting and beautiful.
I’ve also been told that the south island of NZ is the best one to tour - although the north was also lovely when I visited. I’m sure regardless of what you do you’ll have a ball here. Keep us posted!
Hey Doug - I spent 9 months backpacking around NZ in 2002. 3 weeks is pretty tight… I wouldn’t recommend going to NZ unless you can spare a week for it (you’ll be kicking yourself for not taking enough time otherwise!). The South Island has (imho) the most beautiful & spectacular scenery - Fiordland, Southern Alps, etc.
I’d recommend flying straight to Christchurch and either doing the northern or southern half of the island in a loop. If you try and cram it all into a week, you’ll barely have time to breathe. Rent a car and take your time - Fiordland down south is incredible - you’ll recognize Milford Sound from Fellowship of the Ring. Try to fit in a day-walk or overnight trek somewhere. (if you choose to go south, stay at Rosie’s in Te Anau and say Hi to her & Alister for me!). I preferred Wanaka to Queenstown, and there’s some awesome scenery along the West Coast as you drive along it. You can cut straight across the Southern Alps back to Christchurch via either of the passes, Arthur’s & the other (can’t remember its name).
I could go on for ages… but I don’t want to crowd things here! ;)
Shoot me an email if you’d like any more details, but I’ll be offline soon, heading to the Himalaya for a 3-week trek in Ladakh.
-Eric, from the Google office in Hyderabad, India
Although I agree with Andrew (4) about Perth being the best place in Aus, now that I reside in Melbourne I feel I must beg you to come here, where the Football Grand Final is held, and enjoy the delights of Federation Square.
Plus, I (and many other melbourne web designers) were devastated when we heard you were speaking in Sydney and not Melbourne - we always miss out!
Flights to Melb from Syd are cheap too, like $99 AUS return.
If you’re after beautiful natural scenery, head around Tasmania… though since you’re heading to new zealand, you’ll probably get your fair share of that there.
Melbourne is to european cities what Sydney is to American cities. Less flash, a more defined culture.
Brisbane & the gold coast is probably not too exciting unless you find florida particularily appealling. A couple of days for the great barrier reef though wouldn’t go astray.
Perth and Adelaide are nice enough, but probably not very interesting for a tourist (except for the wineries around adelaide).
The grand final that you’re talking about is probably the Rugby League grand final (3rd october in sydney), not Australian Rules (25th september in melbourne). I don’t follow either sport, but Aussie rules is generally considered the more exciting game (esp. for tourists).
Doug,
I grew up in the Blue Mountains, so naturally I’m biased, but it’s still one of the best daytrips you can do from Sydney. A piece of advice: skip the thousands of day-tours on offer in everywhere in the city and opt for self-drive in a hire car. It’s only an hours drive, and you’ll see and do a whole lot more. A suggested itinerary…
Get yer butt out of bed early and make it to Euroka Clearing in the Glenbrook National Park by 7 or 8am and check out the hundreds of kangaroos and wallabies grazing in their natural habitat. Beats the hellouta seeing them in a zoo. Drive a bit further up and do the short walk to Wentworth Falls lookout for spectacular views of the Jameson Valley. Have lunch at the amazing Silks in Leura (or if you want to avoid fancy, try Cafe Bon Ton). Drive along Cliff Drive to Katoomba and The Three Sisters. Take the steep rickety ride down to the valley floor via the Scenic Railway, and do one or two of the short bushwalks. Finish the afternoon off with a snack (or an Extra Dry) looking out over the Megalong Valley from comfort of the lounge at the the Hyrdo Magestic before starting the leisurely drive back to Sydney. Oh, and give the traffic and people a miss: avoid Sundays.
Other suggestions: take in a show at the Opera House, and climb the Harbour Bridge. I’d also second the earlier suggestions of a daytrip to the Hunter Valley, and some time spent down in New Zealand’s South Island. Queenstown, Wanaka and the surrounds is still some of the most stunning countryside I’ve seen in all my travels.
Enjoy yourself mate. Have a nice cold beer under the sun for me while I’m soaking up this crap British weather.
As an Aucklander, I feel that I can say (cough, hehe) that the best place to go - in fact the only area you should go (given your time frame) is in fact… Queenstown, Fjordland and Milford Sound. Nothing beats the beauty in that area. Nothing :)
(I’d live down there if I could.)
Just about the Grand Final you speak of. If you are indeed talking about the Aussie Rules game, I very much doubt you will be able to get tickets. Only small percentages go to the general public and they will be snapped up by the mad supporters not long after they go available. Definately should watch some on TV thought.
I’ll be DJing in Canberra the Sunday after WE04 and I’ve heard you’re unstoppable on the dancefloor, so where else would you want to be? ;o]
If you want to spend a bit of money, climb the Harbour Bridge for one of the most spectacular views you will ever get.
Take a ferry ride across the Harbour to Manly Beach and get one of the best meat pies ver there as well.
Go for a drive up to the Blue Mountains for some fresh air and if the weather keeps warming up you have to go for a dip at Bondi Beach.
Enjoy
Doug, if it is the Rugby League Grand Final you are going to, let me know how much you enjoy it.
I’m always preaching the Rugby League gospel and I’d be interested in knowing how a complete neutral enjoys a big match.
I live in the central South Island of NZ, and just come back from a two-day ski holiday to find this!
I may be slightly biased in this regard, but if you have to pick an island in NZ, make it the South. The North Island does have its nice spots — I’d visit the Bay of Islands (very scenic), Rotorua (geothermal, geysers + mudpools) and perhaps the Coromandel (never been there myself) if you do go that way.
As for the South, it depends on how much time you have! Assuming you start from Christchurch or Dunedin, you will definitely want to visit Fiordland + Milford Sound (although sadly I haven’t gone there yet!). Queenstown is quite commercial and expensive compared to Wanaka, which is also scenic but more laid back; you can visit both in a day though, and if you’re just swinging through Queenstown does have more to do (jetboating, bungy jumping, etc.). The West Coast is spectacular, with large native forests and glaciers (the Fox and Franz Josef) and some neat tidal blowholes at a place called Punakaiki.
So as for the ultimate week-long travel plan, do a loop either to/from Christchurch across the Southern Alps via Arthurs Pass, travel the West Coast and Fiordland, swing through Central Otago and visit either Queenstown or Wanaka, and if you have time perhaps visit the Mackenzie Country / Mount Cook region in the mid-east of the island (where I’ve just been) with some neat views and hydro-electric power lakes. The top of the South Island is neat too, but harder to fit into a travel plan.
In conclusion, have fun, and use the NZ Tourism Board website which is full of helpful info and trip-planning utilities. Enjoy your stay with our friendly-but-backwards Australian neighbours too ;).
Come down to Adelaide and I will be your host!
If in Melb check out the National Gallery of Victoria, NGV International/NGV Australia/both, they are free of course.
Museum however I wouldn’t bother with, unless you want to take a quick look at the State of Design Festival exhibit. Anyway there is always a lot of goings on.
If you are in the FedSq/Flinders street stn area then check out Young and Jacksons, if you are with someone go upstairs and ask for a chess board. While on pubs, most are decent but I’ll give you a few random tips, incase you find yourself outside one. Belgian Beer Cafe, Der Raum, Elephant and Wheelbarrow, Prince of Wales, HolliAva, 20 Meyers Place. Oh there are too many, anyway most are decent. Check out MelbournePubs.com. I can’t really recommend any clubs because I don’t know what you would like.
If you feel like visiting some parks, hmm its hard to say. Check out Victoria Parks.
Actually you know what there isa a touristy site that should be good, Visit Victoria.
Ok now I am tired of typing http://… If you want any additional info send me an email.
All the places I wanted to mention have already been listed but I want to make sure you know about them.
- Blue mountains. A great one day (or more) trip, superb scenery.
- Melbourne. My favorite city in Oz, a bit of a european feel, loads of cafes and restaurants.
- Great Ocean road, right outside Melbourne. Again, scenery to die for.
- Whitsundays. I took a 3 day sailing and diving/snorkeling trip, some of the best days of my life.
Whatever you decide on I’m sure you’ll love Australia and the people. Chances are you’ll be asking questions on how to move there within a few days of arriving ;)
I went travelling around the world last year and spent some time in Australia and New zealand. I really enjoyed myself. So much so that I’m going back to Austrlia at the end of Septemebr to start a new life…
Things I would recommend are:
Sydney city life in general, it’s just a great place to be.
Tasmania is beautiful country
See Uluru (I climbed it, but that’s controversial these days)
Go to Coober Pedy for a taste of the Red Planet
Go to Cairns and see the Great Barrier Reef, do some fishing and go microliting (truly awesome)
If you go to Auckland (nothing spectacular) do a base jump off the Sky Tower
Spend more time on the Southern Island of NZ; climb Franz Josef glacier, do a bungee jump, go skiing at The Remarkables (a LOTR film location), do a parachute jump at lake Taupo (a must!), go whale watching or swim with the dolphins at Kaikoura.
There’s loads more I’m sure.
Having lived and travelled extensively in both countries I’ll offer my pseudo-expert advice. What to do depends on what you like. For instance do you like sports?, scenery? , history?, culture?, food?
I suggest picking up the Lonely Planet travel guides for both countries, both books are excellent.
Three weeks isn’t a lot of time, but here is what I would do.
Australia
Sydney - don’t go to Bondi beach too many British backpackers, instead catch the ferry or Jetcat to Manly. Manly has many great restaurants to choose from. Alternatively go to Coogee Beach in the south.
Maybe go for a day trip to the Blue Mountains.
There are some great restaurants (although a bit pricey) at Darling Harbour. The Powerhouse Museum is excellent, it specialises in design, technology and science. The museum is not far from Darling Harbour.
Outside of Sydney
If you are interested in the Outback then either Alice Springs or Uluru (Ayers Rock) is only a two and half hour flight away from Sydney. So you could do it in a day or two day trip.
Perth is a great place but it is a 5+ hour plane trip away, so it is really out of the question. Melbourne is interesting, Hobart is historical, Canberra has monuments and Adelaide has churches.
But I think the best option given your time restraints is to head north from Sydney along the coast, there is some awesome scenery along the coast. Perhaps stop off at Coff’s Harbour or Byron Bay.
Then on the Surfer’s Paradise and the Gold Coast. Surfer’s is a bit tacky, but tacky is good. And obviously it is a good place surf. But you definitely don’t want to go there during Schoolies week.
Next is Brisbane, if you thought that Sydney is laid back then Brisbane is even more so. There are some great open air restaurants on Queen Street Mall.
Now you can either stay in Brisbane or head further north along the Sunshine coast. Towns along the Sunshine Coast such as Noosa tend to have great beaches and they aren’t as tacky as the Gold Coast.
New Zealand
With the amount of time you are really going to have to pick one Island and stick with it. Personally I would go with the North Island. I really think the South Island needs more time to do it properly.
The easiest way to get around is in a rental car. Although you could go on a bus tour if you don’t want the hassle of driving.
Your flight will probably take you to Auckland. Have a look around the city, go up the Sky Tower to get your bearings on the city. Auckland’s many extinct volcanic peaks also give an excellent view of the city.
Go north via the west coast to Hokianga and walk through the Kauri forests. Make sure to see Tane Mahuta, which is a huge 2000 year old Kauri tree. Then go north up Kaitaia. If you like fishing then Ninety Mile Beach is excellent for surf casting. Otherwise catch a tour bus to Cape Reinga, which is absolutely stunning.
Now on the way south go via the east coast. Stop off in the Bay of Islands. As well as being very scenic the Bay is very historic.
The three main place to visit in the Bay of Islands are: Kerikeri has New Zealand’s oldest surviving buildings. Waitangi is the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty house is well worth a visit and will give you some insight into New Zealand’s history. Russell was one of the New Zealand’s earliest settlements, in the 1830’is Charles Darwin described the European inhabitants of the town as the worst refuse of society. It has improved significantly since then. ;-) The Bay of Islands is excellent for kayaking and Scuba diving.
Now head back to Auckland. Perhaps go for a day trip to Rangitoto or Waiheke Island.
Now head south to Rotorua. Breath in the sulphur, watch the mud pools bubble and the geysers explode. Now head back to Auckland, but detour by the Waitomo caves.
What ever you do I’m sure you will have a great trip.
I’m one of those who is lucky enough to be backpacking his way through this part of the world. Just finished ten months in New Zealand, and am now starting a year in Australia. As such, I can’t give many recommendations yet on Australia (other than that in Sydney, the “Glebe” area is an awesomely vibrant and bohemian neighbourhood to spend some time in, and that there are good views of the city (including the opera house) from near Taronga Zoo on the north shore (take a ferry)).
But New Zealand… ah, how do I count thy blessings…
Okay, at the top of the list MUST be Lake Tekapo. It’s not touristy, and most people who only drive through it on their way from Christchurch to Queenstown will, if they mention it at all, say something like “oh yes, that was nice”, but I can safely say that if you spend a bit more time there, you will come to realize it’s the singlemost beautiful place in the world.
If you’re a photographer, it’s heaven. (I dearly wish I had my site back up already so I could link you to some pictures; if you think you’d actually care, contact me and I’ll send you some of those pics.) The light in Lake Tekapo does not observe the regular laws of physics. I don’t know what it does do, but suffice to say, it’s unique. The sunset light brings out the most startling reds and golds and indescribable hues in the surroundings. The snow-covered hills seem to melt into blue, while the air just above them liquefies into purple. Sunrise light (I highly recommend waking up insanely early and trekking up to the top of nearby Mt. John to watch the sunrise) isn’t that spectacular in itself, but what it does do is turn the Southern Alps into pure pink, reflected in the purple water below them (long before you ever see the sun itself, for it remains hidden beyond the hills). During the day, under a clear sky the lake turns a deep azure, which goes amazingly well together with the yellow/brown tussock grass all around it; on the other hand, if it’s a cloudy day (though such are quite rare in Lake Tekapo), you might experience a moment of absolute transquility, when the lake turns into a mirror of silver, and you realize that there are more colors of gray between black and white than you’d ever before seen in the regular full spectrum.
The air in Lake Tekapo is the clearest anywhere in New Zealand - the stars at night are countless. And during any time of the same, if you just sit down and listen for a while, you’ll hear infinity. Absolute silence. Absolute transquility. The perfect place to relax for a day or two. or ten. (It’s that good.)
If you have money to spare, take a scenic flight (with gletcher landing) over the Southern Alps, which you can do both from Lake Tekapo and from Franz Josef and Fox glaciers ont he west coast.
Other places which are highly recommended on the South Island would include the northern part of the westcoast (just drive up from Greymouth to Westport and marvel at the shapes and forms of the coast; make a point to stop and watch the punakaiki blowholes at high tide). Just north of Greymouth, walk to the Point Elizabeth - in my opinion one of the best one hour walks out there, showing you both the intensely rich vegetation of the bush and the stunning shapes of the coast.
Milford Sound itself to me wasn’t nearly as spectacular as it should have been given how much raving it gets (and I’ve seen it both under a clear blue sky and under heavy rain, with the thousands of waterfalls cascading down everywhere), but still definitely worth a visit, and the drive up to it definitely _is_ spectacular.
Christchurch is a very pleasant (and very english) city. Mt. Cook National Park is somewhat boring, but if you’re into walking, the walk up the Hooker Valley (4 hours) is definitely worth it for turning a corner halfway there, and suddenly seeing Mt. Cook really _looming_ over you.
On the North Island, the Tongariro Crossing really _is_ the best one-day walk in existence (although also very exhausting on the climb up) - spectacular volcanic landscapes. I also highly recommend taking a trip up all the way to the very northern part of the North Island, Cape Reinga, for some more stunning scenery.
To satisfy your LotR-fan urges, take the $50 tour through the farm in Matamata which was Hobbiton, and the only LotR set still remaining. It’s expensive, but strangely worth it. The hills really _are_ that green. (On a good day; I imagine that it won’t be worth it if it’s raining.)
Auckland is a very nice city - a large part of it feels just like a park - but as I saw already mentioned while quickly scanning over the other comments, it’s just a city.
As for practical matters: on the North Island in New Zealand, every single city (other than in the Coromandel and north of the Bay of Islands) will have internet cafes which will allow you to plug in your laptop (rates vary depending on city size between NZ$2 and NZ$5 / hr). Auckland is good with wifi along the harbor. In the South Island, every single internet cafe in places other than Christchurch, Dunedin, Lake Tekapo and Nelson will NOT allow you to plug in your laptop, due to “security reasons”. This sucks majorly.
I don’t know about the rest of Australia, but prices in Sydney are a lot less heterogenous than in New Zealand. It’s worthwhile to shop around. Most internet cafes don’t cater for laptops, but some do.
New Zealand is an incredibly cheap place to live in. Food and accomodation are about half the price you’d pay in the USA.
For food, “Roast of the day” makes a very cheap very good meal available pretty much everywhere on the South Island. Also try some “meat pies” and “kumara chips”. Not that either is particular good, but it’s what the locals eat. :)
I don’t expect you would, but just in case: avoid at all cost the turning on of tvs and radios. Commercials suck. They are WAY more annoying than even in the USA. You have not experienced pain until you’ve heard “john and adrian”. *shudders*
If this is your thing, New Zealand also is _the_ place for bungy jumping and sky diving. I haven’t done it myself, but for bungy, I’d recommend the oldest commercial bungy site, an old suspension bridge near Queenstown (I’ve forgotten its name for the moment, but it’ll be heavily advertized), just because of the surrounding scenery.
Doug, I’m not sure if you realise this, but Australia is HUGE. I mean, going from Sydney to Melbourne or from Sydney to any other state is a fair hike. You’ll realise this once you get here. I live in in Melbourne but I’ve been all around Oz a few times and I still reckon Melbourne is the place to be. It’s a bit more down to earth than Sydney and the people are much friendlier.
So where should you go? It all depends on what you’re in to. Do you like doing the nature thing or are you more of a partying night owl? How long will you be around? Are you single ;) ? Maybe you should update this post and let people know. It will give everyone a better idea on what they should recommend.
Australia IS huge, like John says:
USA land size: 9,161,923 sq km
Australia land size: 7,617,930 sq km
Europe land size: 9,938,000 sq km
When I said “How long will you be around”, I meant Australia. I assume you’ve decided how much time you’ll spend here and how much time you’ll spend in New Zealand. Of course my assumptions are always wrong!
Personally I’d skip the whole NZ thing… ;)
Take a look at this Sydney Opera House quicktime panorama to get a taste of how fabulous the harbour area is. I think this QTVR was shot from the Manly Ferry. I can definitely recommend taking the trip to Manly by day or night - it is a wonderfully scenic trip. Don’t forget your camera.
If you enjoy people-watching, then Bondi Beach is a must. Beautiful women, pumped-up men in posing pouches, achingly cool surfer-types and plenty of salmon-skinned Brits. I can also recommend taking the coastal walk from Bondi to the more chilled-out Coogee Beach.
Australia is a big country, so in 3 or so weeks you will only be able to see a fraction of what it has to offer. Realistically, you’ll probably only have time to make one long-distance trip away from your base in Sydney. When I was in Australia I only managed to take in the East coast. I can definitely recommend going on a 4WD self-drive trip around Fraser Island. Brisbane is an attractive and relaxed city. Byron Bay is very beautiful, although a little too touristy for its own good.
I’m glad to see that you plan to take in New Zealand as well. It’s a beautiful country - particularly the South Island. However, I’m not sure that you are going to have enough time to do the place justice. Also, the weather may not be that great during October. I was there in January 2003 at the height of summer - probably the best time to go.
It’s unquestionably a more beautiful land than Australia in my view. If you do go, then fly straight in to Christchurch and explore the South Island. Swimming with dolphins at Kaikoura is a truly inspiring, if very cold, experience. Queenstown and Wanaka are both stunning. I reckon that the view from the top of the cable car in Queenstown is the finest thing that has ever filled my vision.
Have a great time.
Hi Douglas!
In Melbourne,
you might want to check out the Melbourne Observation Desk (525 Collins St). Being a visitor platform at 55th level, it offers 360 degrees panoramic views of Melbourne and surrounding (it actually is the highest office building in the southern hemisphere).
Go there about an hour before sunset, so you will see Melbourne during the day, and then watch the sun set, and you will have Melbourne at night (it is better during the week; At night more office buldings will have their lights lit; Less impressive on Saturdays and Sundays).
A very good working and useful Aussie “Where is this Address” Online-Service is whereis.com.au - that has helped me alot.
Cheers Mate ;)
I worked in Melbourne for 9 months and then took 6 weeks to tour Oz and Nz before returning to Miami. (I should have stayed down under, no hurricanes!). Around Melbourne, Philip island is neat (penguins on the beach). Downtown Melbourne is nice, and St. Kilda pier is memorable for the weekend market. The Yarra Valley (wine country) is worth a trip. The Great Ocean Road west of Melbourne is dramatic. I drove a campervan from Melbourne to Adelaide and then through the Red Centre to Coober Pedy (opal mining), Alice Springs and Ayers Rock and enjoyed that experience. I flew to Darwin and visited Kakadu National Park, in winter might be better, it was hot and sticky in summer. Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef was an area I’d have liked to spend more time in. When I visited Tasmania, it was rainy and did not enjoy it that much, if you are time limited I’d skip it. Get out into the countryside, you will find some great towns, genuine Australian pubs. And of course Sydney is a great city with dramatic scenery, I stayed at Manly Beach and took the ferry to the city centre, a great way to travel. In Nz, I vote for the Bay of Islands if you like to sail, and the ferry trip from North to South Islands was dramatic. Have a great trip.
In Australia, it’s worth taking a short side trip to Cairns to go out and see the Great Barrier Reef. It’s pretty easy to jump on a plane and find a nice beachside resort for a few days. It’s late winter/early spring, but Cairns is still very Hawaii like and relaxing (plus no death jellies at this time of year). I stayed about 20 miles north of the city in a tiny beachtown, but would probably suggest staying in Port Douglas, since everything cool up there seems to be near that town.
If you’re on the fence about if you have time or money for the trip, remember that due to all sorts of sea and climate changes, it’s likely that the Great Barrier Reef won’t be great for very long. See it while you can.
Personally, I’d go straight to NZ’s South Island without passing go or collecting my $200. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, and I dream of going back. Be sure to visit the Southern Alps and take a tour of the fjords. Three weeks won’t quite do the area justice, but it’ll get your toes wet.
As for Oz, without flying, you won’t have much that’s easily accessable in three weeks. The Great Barrier Reef is well worth seeing, if you can make it.
While you’re in Sydney, you must must must see the harbor. Try taking one of the god-awful touristy boat trips of the harbor round about sunset - if you’re lucky, you’ll get a great view of the Opera House and bridge lit from behind by the setting sun. If you’re a zoo fan, check out the Taronga Zoo.
I’m jealous. I went there nearly 10 years ago, and I still miss both Oz and NZ.
Ben + Richie are on the money with the sights close to sydney, but for your convenience Doug I’ve put together a little package:
- Blue Mountains - four short walks and one sunrise
- 30 Meat pies
- Harbour cruise
- slab of Beer
- Bridge climb
- Footy (more beer, more pies)
- Shag a sheila (optional)
- Hang with mates (compulsory)
- Cruise up the coast to Byron and let it all hang out.
After reading all that, I started pining for my home land! Haven’t lived on Oz for 4 years, and had to put up with the sh*tty London weather!
I always hate recommending places in Australia, because the visitor is most likely to start in Sydney or Melbourne. From which a trip to Perth is not only a long time (5+ hrs) but also expensive (unless VirginBlue have started some competition there now!). Perth is my (obviously biased) view, THE place to visit. Beaches are great, people are nice although sometimes so laid back you might think they were sleeping! And wonderful places to visit (as long as you aren’t scared of some long drives!)
Failing Perth (because on that time frame, it probably isn’t worth it) Melbourne is the culture place to visit and some of the drives there (previously mentioned mostly) are amazing. Phillip Island is a bit of fun that hasn’t cracked a mention yet. Don’t miss the coast road to the 12 apostles. Amazing view and fun to drive!
Blue mountains are a definite when in sydney and then a long drive up the coast as suggested earlier, skip surfers paradise (and brisbane for that matter!) and head up to Cairnes and the great barrier reef and it’s associated islands. You’ll love it.
Looking forward to reading your adventures!
Cheers
Paul
Oh yeah another Melb thing, Melbourne Fringe Festival 22 Oct - 10 Sept.
Born and bred in Western Australia, so obviously biased, but realistic. If you can make it over here, it’s truly astounding. Very open, friendly, relaxed etc etc … and October is just a fantastic time to be here.
But flight times conspire against us (though, it’s only 4 hours, so don’t believe everyone above!), so a realistic set of suggestions would be:
Sydney
Main sights (harbour, opera house, blue mountains etc etc)
Melbourne
Just go for the atmosphere. Chapel St, St Kilda .. and head south onto the Great Ocean Road (12 Apostles).
Tasmania
Stunning scenery and environment
Adelaide
Personal recommendation. The food and wine is just phenomenal, and you are only 1 hours drive from 2 of the best wine producing regions in the world - The Barossa Valley and The McLaren Valley. Magnificent. Hire a car. Waste 4 days just tootling around.
Queensland
Not a personal favourite, but the rainforest and the reef are astonishing. Just avoid the Gold Coast and anything near it.
Perth
And if you do get the chance to get over here (highly recommended), there’s an abundance of things to do: Wines, food and scenery in the south west, bizarre alien landscapes in the north.
Just one main bit of advice … don’t even think about driving across the country. Too far, and not a great deal to see in the middle.
Sorry I won’t be able to make it across to the conference. Hope all goes well, and have a great time here.
Well, A buddy of mind just sent me this link and I have to share a little slideshow of mine with you. I traveled Australia, New Zealand and Fiji for 4 months and it was the best experience of my life! I took my TiBook with me everywhere and posted slideshows for friends and family once a week. Check it out here and you can follow my experience to the land down under.
If you want to ask me any personal questions feel free to contact me from my website www.webitosis.com. I highly recommend two places Byron Bay in Australia and a little place called Rotorua in New Zealand and check out “Zorbing”. It is such a cool trip.
Find a Lord of the Rings location guide book. Decide from that.
As someone commented earlier, if you come to New Zealand pick 1 island and stick to it, otherwise you can spend the whole trip staring down the tarmac. If you want crowded cities stick to Sydney or Auckland. If you want outdoors go to the South Island (Queenstown).
I’ll see you in Sydney @ WE04
I found 4 weeks was tight just trying to do the North Island of NZ and not have it become a chore, when I was there a few years back. And given that it’s only just starting to be spring, going south is probably not so wonderful - Melbourne will be cold and wet (it wasn’t great even when I was there in early December, not too many years ago).
Like many others here, I recommend the south Island of New Zealand. I did a two week jaunt through the north and the south islands and too much time was spent in the car driving around. All of New Zealand has its worth, but the South is definitely a must-see. I had a great time in Nelson (at the top tip of the South Island) where I went sea-kayaking. It seems to always be warm and sunny there. Christchurch was a cool city. And I enjoyed hang-gliding over Queenstown which was also gorgeous.
You can check out some pictures here: http://staff.fairfield.edu/jur/photo/nz
I lived for nearly 20 years in Dunedin, so the South Island of NZ got into my blood. For the past 12 I’ve been based in Auckland. This country may be relatively small but it’s so diverse that to do it justice you need months of exploration. So, given time is short, and if it’s stunning scenery you’re after, I’d say head to the centre and south-west of the South Island. From Christchurch through the Mackenzie Country, Lake Tekapo, Mt Cook and so on, through the Lindis Pass to Wanaka and on to Queenstown, Te Anau, and Milford Sound. If you can, see a bit of the West Coast, and the glaciers at Franz Joseph and Fox. And if you’re passing through Auckland, it’s not such a bad place. Auckland’s a maritime city and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t see it from the water. A cruise out onto the Hauraki Gulf on a sunny day - perhaps a ferry to Waiheke Island and a winery tour there - is magic. Food, wine and coffee over here is generally excellent just about everywhere you go. Have a fantastic time Downunder.
Great Ocean Road. Rent a car and drive it slowly. It is absolutely beautiful with lots of great little town along the way.
I wouldn’t miss it. I was in Australia 5 years ago, and that is really the only thing that stands out. Well, that and make sure you get the burger with “the works” :)
Where ever you go in NZ, it will be a quiet place, ideal to relax. As you can see through all the advices, you’re going to miss something amazing anyway. Fustrating aye…
If it’s holidays you’re looking for, I would say just choose one place and stay there for 3 to 4 days, listenning to the wind and look at the beautiful clouds we have down here.
To me, NZ is the ideal place to enjoy not doing anything but looking at the scenery.
To sum up : grab a map, close your eyes and point your finger down on the paper. You’ll be sweet.
Living in sydney for my whole life…
I will back up any suggestions of the Blue Mountains, katoomba is wonderful for a lazy afternoon in any of the wonderful cafes.
Likewise I would second any recommendation of The Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Spectacular scenery, and plenty of lovely B&Bs.
If you are interested in seeing a few sights just out of Sydney. Head south to the Royal National Park (about 45 minutes). Bundeena and Jibbon Head look up and down the east coast, and the bushland and wildlife are amazing
In 2001 my wife and I did a 12-day Qantas vacation to Sydney, Cairns, and Melbourne. We would go again.
When you arrive, go to an airport ATM and use your Visa/Master Card to obtain Australian dollars. Repeat as necessary.
In Sydney..
The Opera House is physically interesting, photographically challenging, and you can people-watch too.
The Powerhouse Museum is a honest attempt to preserve antiquities from, oh, the mid 1980’s. Talk about feeling over the hill! When we visited, there was a live demo on the art of mixing, DJ style, which was pretty cool.
MG Garage is a high-end restaurant in Surrey Hills, well worth the cost in my opinion.
In Cairns..
Uncle Brian’s is the world’s greatest tourist experience, hands down. If you pass this up, shame on you.
Barnacle Bill’s is the place for seafood and a beer or two. Try the bugs.
We liked Kuranda, Tjapukai, and the Great Barrier Reef, though they were tourist heavy.
In Melbourne..
Lush, with stores in Sydney, Melbourne, and world-wide, has the bath bomb for you.
Flower Drum has exceptional service and food.
Queen Victoria Market is, well, a required stop, period.
We liked Puffing Billy.
If you don’t know what MCG stands for, well, you just haven’t been to Australia.
Have fun!
A week in NZ isn’t a lot of time, you can either rush from one destination to the next or choose something you want to do and spend a week doing it. The snow right now in Wanaka is the best in years and the scenery is spectacular. Fly to Christchurch, spend a day driving to Wanaka for the scenery, enjoy, fly out from Queenstown.
Recommended trips in Sydney:
(1) Up into the Blue Mountains to see Katoomba
(2) Up the sydney skytower to have a meal in the revolving restaurant and eat kangeroo (yay for meat!)
Recommended trips in NZ
(1) Free stay at our house (hospitality and good food guaranteed - just email)
(2) South Islands West Coast and Fiordland. A car trip thorugh the Homer (not Simpson) tunnel to Milford Sound is unforgettable
(3) North Islands East Coast if you love the out-of-the-way spots (seen ‘Whale Rider’?)
(4) Queenstown - garishly tourist-ised now, but still a lot of fun.
(5) Invercargill - my old home town and (as far as I know) the only city in the world to forcibly evict the Rolling Stones for being ‘too rowdy’
Having lived in AUS, I’d have a hard time only spending a month visiting (granted, I have friends and what not to visit). Some of my favourite points:
• Great Ocean Road: mentioned by a few others. Lovely. Hit Bells Beach (if only just to say you’ve been there). Torquay and Geelong are nice places.
• Melbourne: Yeah, a bit wide in the scope, but you have to visit Melbourne. I absolutely adore that town. If footy is still on, definitely try to see a game. Worst case scenario, buy a mini foot ball and play a game with some local kids. ;) I just love downtown Melbourne. Shopping is fun, the public transit is great, and… well, I’m just gushing here. It was my fav. place to live.
• Yarra Valley: Simply gorgeous country-side. Much greener and nicer than the west side, in my opinion. Take in a wine tasting.
• Tasmania: maybe just make it a day, since you’ll be seeing NZ. I lived in Burnie for a few months, and only a touch away are the tulip fields. Or maybe hike Cradle Mountain.
Hell, you probably have more than enough suggestions to fill a year or two. Just try and enjoy whatever you can, and don’t overdo it!
I grew up in Auckland and have spent most of my life travelling around NZ and the world. I would say for the time you have, posts 6 and 7 are inspired. Someone also mentioned to eat meat pies in Australia. I would say the NZ ones are many times better as in NZ we don’t have a law that LIMITS the % of actual meat allowed in a meat pie (like they do in Australia).
Have a great time!
We have these great coffee ‘houses’ here in Sydney called Starbucks. Certainly worth a look if you can find them.
A few people have mentioned pies but not where to get them, when in Sydney you have to go to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo get a Tiger Pie you won’t be sorry!
As a Sydneysider I’d have to recommend that you take advantage of the dry weather we’re having and both take a look at the beaches and the harbour.
A cheap way to see the harbour is aboard one of the ferries to Manly - but if you head down to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) at Rushcutter’s Bay on a Wednesday afternoon (say 4-ish) you can ask around to get on a yacht for the weekly Twilight Race - a nice easy race (no spinnakers allowed) around the harbour. It’s a great way to meet people (yachties are very friendly) and a great way to see the harbour from water level without all the noise of a ferry.
From the harbour you can see most of the sights of Sydney, such as the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park etc.
The beaches are all great, Bondi Beach is a classic tourist trap, easy to get to, but crowded and expensive. The other must-see tourist beach is Palm Beach, it’s a long drive from the city (~1.25 hours) but a beautiful beach on the headland of the harbour just north of Sydney. For a good atmosphere but less crowds I’d suggest Manly Beach (accessed via ferry) and then Dee Why. Both have great restaurants, but Dee Why is a lot smaller and more suburban.
If you like food then try the Chinese and Thai restaurants in Sydney - our seafood is especially good. Darling Harbour which is just next to the CBD has some great restaurants around it - but they are pricey.
Don’t forget to visit the Olympic stadium at Homebush, there are often good cultural and sporting events on there, and it was the site of the best Olympics ever!
You should go to Perth via Adelaide and Wilpena Pound (Info on the homepage) and god forbid you should miss out on Kangaroo Island with all its badly maintained roads that could just ruin your car or the Coorong!. Avoid Melbourne as its a sh*te hole.
T get to Adelaide you will drive past the town where I live half an hour before arriving.
Sydney has so many great places to eat. Have a browse through Sydney Food Diary, a blog about Sydney dining. And to find out what sort of events are on in Sydney check out Sydney Citysearch.
You must do the Bondi to Bronte walk. Also a walk from Wooloomooloo (where you can pick up a pie at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels) through the Botanical Gardens to the Opera House is nice too.
See you at the conference :)
As someone mentioned above, the Aussie Rules grandfinal is the weekend before WE04. So, unfortunately you won’t be able to check that out, but as someone else suggested find a park in Melbourne somewhere and there are bound to be a few kids kicking a footy around
I think I’ve been to just about everywhere mentioned in Australia (with the exception of WA locations) and they are all fantastic. Which, of course, leaves you with the dilemma of how to do it all. As folks have said, Australia is big
My solution though would probably be to split my Australian time between Victoria and New South Wales. Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory are too far away and Queensland is more for a sit-on-your-bum kind of holiday.
Apart from that the only thing I can really add is this - don’t assume that the capitals are a summation of the states. Get out into the country
While in NSW I’d probably head down the highway to Canberra. It’s an easy 3 hour drive, or a quick 45min flight (cheaper on weekends, because most passengers travel for work). The car would be my preference though, see the countryside, the canola fields and the rural towns. Besides which, you need a car in Canberra. It is very spaced out. If you go there, definitely go to the Australian War Museum. It is truly amazing and will totally immerse you in the Australian mindset
If in Melbourne, I also recommend jumping in a car and just heading west for a few days. My hometown of Ballarat is only an hour west of Melbourne, but you’ll find things there to be totally different to the city life. Hell, I’ll show you around if you want
As for your laptop, it depends on what kind of holiday you’re after. If you want to keep some decent records of what you’ve been up to, whether for personal reference or your log, then, obviously, you bring it. But don’t expect to necessarily be able to get internet access in hotels or whatever if you leave the major cities
In Melbourne: Eat Italian on Lygon Street. Eat Vietnamese in Richmond. Eat kangaroo fillet or crocodile anywhere you can get it (yuppy restaurants or damn good burger joints). Shop on Brunswick Street. Shop at the Queen Vic Markets. Perv on Chapel Street (all the beautiful people AND their cars). Take a boat cruise on the Yarra
The list goes on forever so just make sure you don’t try to cram too much in at once. Remember, Australia is laid-back. Rushing just spoils it
See you at WE04
Hubba! Where to start!
Being an Aussie in Sydney, I’ll preface my post with warnings of my bias.
Aus is huge. Like REALLY big even. We have a lot of temp backpacker staff from the UK/Euro’ at my place of employ (and my favourite bars!) and all I hear is how long it takes to get everywhere. So that’s my first point. If you’re going to travel, check your travel times - it’s a must do.
At the risk of being to simplistic in descriptions, I’m going to say that each state (6 states, 2 territories) almost has a theme.
Sydney - glamour child of Aus. The famous landmarks, skyline and beaches make for a great Aus sampler - but there is heaps more to Sydney. Get out to Newtown (10 mins from the city) and check out the cafe culture and affordable food - followed up with some of the best bars for live music (don’t miss The Vanguard! http://www.thevanguard.com.au/).
Go to Glebe (8 mins from city) on a Saturday for great markets and the remnants of the University grunge feel. Duck over to Pyrmont for great Aus seafood, then back up around to the Casino, and Darling Harbour for more food and brilliant bars.
There’s more… still interested? Let me know, I gotta kinda dash right now.
Brendan
It’s all been said, but without a doubt, New Zealand has the most awesome, breathtaking variety of scenery one could want, from rain forests to deserts, from white sand tropical beaches to Alpine mountains. And the best part- it feels like you have the whole country to yourself (once out of the cities). And the people are exceptionaly friendly.
Im 2000, I spent two months in .nz and two more trying to see .au, lots of photos and stories that were blogged by hand at http://dommy.com/az2nzau/
I’d agree as cities go, Wellington has a nice edge on Auckland. Check out the museum, Te Papa. Though just a tad out of Aickland are gems like a day trip to Tiritiri Matangi Island or a hike up Rangitoto Island. The Coromandel has incredible isolated beaches. I missed the big volcanic peaks (they were hiding in clouds). But the South Island has it all- get to Milford Sound at all costs, see the lush west coast, watch the spray at Pancake Rocks, and gulp as much wine as you can.
So much depends on your personal tastes.
Nightlife: Sydney or Melbourne.
Tropical paradise: Fly up to Proserpine, Townsville or Cairns.
Australian Alps: Mt Kosiusco is 6 hours drive from Sydney and will probably still have some snow.
Culture: Anything at the big venues you have probably seen in the USA. Look to the little theatres for Australian content.
Bushwalking: talk to locals about the many walks win a day of Sydney.
Architecture: Sydney has a fine collection of Colonial and Victorian buildings. There are a goodly number of Art Deco lurking about and then there is the Opera House.
Plants and animals: The botanic gardens near Circular Quay and Taronga park zoo.
In Sydney: The Powerhouse Museum. The Maritime Museum. The Chinese Gardens (all these three at Darling Harbour).
Within a days drive (each way): The Hunter Valley Wineries. Siding Spring Observatory (optical telescopes). Parkes Radio Telescope. Western Plains Zoo. Canberra: ( Australian Parliment. National War Memorial. National Art Gallery. Tidbinbilla NASA tracking station ). Kosiusco National Park.
More ambitious and like trains? Take the Indian Pacific train to Adelaide, get on the Gahn and go to Darwin. Fly out.
Take the Indian Pacific to Perth. Fly out.
Take the XPT train to Brisbane. Transfer to the Sunlander and go to Cairns. Fly out.
Do the loop Indian Pacific to Adelaide and then back to Melbourne and then Sydney.
While in Australia, among all the other excellent suggestions, you must get into your closest Hogs Breath for the finest piece of steak you’ll eat; it truely is great. Other things to sample, food in general, beer (of course!) and our friendly nature (honest, we won’t bite; pull some of us up when you cross us at a pub and have a chat).
As much as you’ll hate it, you need to pretty much not sleep as soon as the conference is over, or you will simply run out of time. Everytime you have time to think, think what more you can see in that very day. Don’t wait for the next day, do it that day if you can.
If you do get to New Zealand, and for the sake of the most beautiful scenery you’ll lay your clappers on, you must get down to the South Island (as above, around Queenstown is positively stunning). You need to do the Awesome Foursome (which has now expanded) while you are in the down there. If you don’t have the time, make the time for the Jetboat and Bungee, just excellent.
Above all else, have fun and triple check you have got your camera ;)
Doug mate,
Make sure you go scuba-diving at the Great Barrier Reef. If you are not a certified diver, a try-dive with one of them cruise companies is a good idea. Getting to the reef for a dive is easiest from Cairns.
After you see the colourful corals down there at the reef, we might see a new colour-scheme here at StopDesign, with a beautiful reefy banner image. :)
Let us know if you manage to get tickets to the footy Grand Finale. We unfortunate souls who can’t get tickets can at least be jealous, and meet up for a few pots of VB after the game’s over.
I just came back from a trip to Australia this summer (I live in Hong Kong). I’ve been to Australia 7 times and New Zealand 3 times, they are both AWESOME countries to visit.
I would recommend you to visit Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand. It’s a volcanic springs town, not busy at all, but packed full of activities for you to enjoy. Besides visiting the bath houses, going to the National Park and having a look at the volcanoes and geysers, you can also go on some really cool day trips to explore the forests and wildlife there. I also went kayaking and camping last time in the Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island, and the scenery there was magnificent.
Besides Sydney and Melbourne, Cairns would be a fun place to visit, if you’re into beaches, snorkelling and the Great Barrier Reef. Here are a few restaurants in Australia that I recommend highly:
Tetsuya’s Kitchen, Sydney: Western/Japaneses fusion (mostly western though). It’s a pricey restaurant and almost always fully booked, but it’s well worth it. Every single course in the 10 course meal is extremely original and delicious.
Mecca Bah, Docklands, Melbourne: Turkish/Middle Eastern food. The sticky date pudding there is heaven.
Shark Fin House, Melbourne: Best chinese restaurant in Melbourne, out of all the ones I’ve tried. Brilliant seafood.One thing you shouldn’t miss in Melbourne/Sydney is the seafood, try the Antarctic crab or King crab.
Have fun in Australia/New Zealand!
Look forward to the Conference Doug, I would be there hopefully :) Have a pleasant trip.
So um… after 60 odd comments or so, I guess you are thinking it was probably easier to buy that damn book eh? :)
Wow, what a set of recommendations. Thank you. I don’t know if I expected this much, but I knew there had to be a lot of you either from the area, or who’ve traveled there in the past.
I realize three weeks after the conference is over isn’t much time at all. But I *do* have a business to tend to — if I’m not working, no revenue. No revenue, no livelihood for me. It would be different if I had a small consulting gig while I was down there to help afford more time.
But alas, I’ll need to return to San Francisco and continue working. I know this trip will make me want to return. It’s usually expensive to get down there. But I just saw a short-term deal on United to fly direct from SF to Melbourne round trip for only US$549. It was a limited-duration stay, but fares like that would make it easier to return for short bits in one city.
I also realize what a big country Australia is, and that I won’t have time to fit it all in, or do most of it justice. Especially when part of that time will be spent in New Zealand.
I’ll still pick up a guide book (sounds like Lonely Planet is the one). From these recommendations here, I certainly have some ideas about places to prioritize. I may well just pick a small number of destinations, and spend some relaxed time in each to get the most out of them, rather than constantly being on the go.
Scott, coming up from Canberra to see you and the guys, its going to be unreal.
Nothing in Canberra, dont bother.
Sorry, little drunk in Barcelona right now, dont know where Scott came from, how about Doug this time!
Give me a call for your second trip. I’m kinda busy this time, what with a new daugther on the way. I guess, in a way, we’ll both be experiencing the fruits of ‘down under.’
Having lived in Sydney my whole life (23 years), it’s difficult for me to recommend seeing anything in particular, as it’s all Just My Lifestyle. What I’ll do instead is outline the things that I love doing, even as a local. This is, of course, additional to the usual things (Opera House, Bridge Climb, Coogee/Manly/Bronte/Bondi beach (although I really don’t like Manly)).
Things I like doing in Sydney:
* Catching a ferry. This is by far the best way to travel to work in the morning. Nothings wakes you up like sea breezes and fresh air.
* Going to open-air bars and concerts. During spring and summer Sydney is awash with these. Just walk around down by the Opera House the Rocks: there’s always something going on, and generally it has harbour views. Luckily for you you’ll be here before it starts to get really hot.
* Eating a wide variety of food. Plenty of different cultures, plenty of food. I hope you like seafood and chilli. :)
(Tetsuya’s, which was mentioned above, is really good, but exceptionally pricey. Other top-end restaurants include MG Garage (mentioned above), and Est. For a cheaper, but good, dining experience with atmosphere, Longrain or Hugo’s Pizza are good)
* Drinking (cold) beer. There are lots of micro-breweries and pubs which serve boutique beer. If you like variety in your beer, you’re in a good place.
* Drinking wine. Australia’s wine is well and truly up there on a world stage. Our whites are excellent (on a par and often surpassing Napa Valley). NZ whites (particularly Sauvignon Blanc) are also of the highest order. NZ Pinot Noir and Australian Shiraz or Cabernet are also excellent if you want reds. (Disclaimer: used to work in a wine store while paying my way through college)
* Walking around. You can walk almost anywhere in Sydney. It’s fairly clean, fairly safe and most things in the main part of the city can be walked to in under 30 mins. Crowds can be a problem, but since the weather will likely be so nice I’m sure you won’t mind.
* Sporting events. We love sport. ‘Nuff said.
Anyway that’s a short list. I really love living in Sydney. If you need any more recommendations, you know where to reach me. ;)
Nothing in Canberra, dont bother.
I don’t think that’s really fair. Now one could argue that there isn’t as much to do for some one who for lives here as there is in the other capitals, but for a tourist Canberra’s a great place for a side strip from Sydney.
There’s a heap of good places to go, with my highlights being the War Memorial (more of a war museum than just a memorial), the National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery and both Parliament Houses and for the nerdier people places like Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Station and ScreenSound. That’s just me, there are a whole lot of other places that might interest you more (the mint, botanic gardens, questacon, national zoo, cockington green, AIS, and so on).
Spring is probably Canberra’s best season, and you’ll be in the country for Floriade which is a massive floral display (not really my thing but others seem to love it).
Here’s another recommendation for one of Harry’s Pies … and take special note that they are open until at least midnight every night, if not 2am, 3am, etc on the busy nights. Perfect way to round off a long night out :-)
The history is impressive: Harry’s is up there with the Eternity scribblings, undeniably Sydney.
The grouping of Australia and New Zealand isn’t always the best idea. NZ is a quite a flight from Sydney…
Anywhere is NZ is good. Wellington is windy and small. Auckland is big and wet.
I just wish WE04 was touring like the Big Day Out.
Hey Doug,
I’m a huge fan of both Australia and New Zealand. In fact if somebody offered me a job there I’d move out tomorrow.
Sydney is a wonderful city and you could easily spend a week there exploring the sights. The Opera House is a must and everybody recommends doing a Harbour Bridge climb. The beaches are great so you must get the harbour ferry out to Manly Beach. While there I’d highly recommend the cliff walk to some of the less populated beaches, stopping off at the open air swimming pools to cool down and rest your feet.
Back in town, there are some great bars and eating establishments. Check out The Worlds Best Bars Website for more details. One of my favourites is Water Bar in Woolloomooloo. Once you’ve finished sipping your cocktails head outside to the Harry’s world famous pie shop for some for some traditional Aussie faire.
For day trips I’d recommend a visit to the Blue Mountains, Palm Beach or the Hunter Vally.
If you’ve got a bit more time then the obvious Australian tourist destination are Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Great Barrier Ree. I used to work on a Dive Boat out of Cairns (I’m a dive instructor if you didn’t know) and have to say that a dive on the reef is a must. If you don’t already hold an open water dive certificate, Cairns is possibly one of the best places to get one. Go for a 5 day liveaboard course and you’ll get to see some of the best sites on the reef.
I’m afraid my knowledge of NZ is much less. I’ve only been there once, to the south island, but enjoyed in immensely. The New Zealand Tourism website is excellent so I’d recommend checking that out. Christchurch is a great little city and a good place to start. Queenstown is a must, especially if you like snowboarding, hiking, climbing, mountain biking or riding. Whale Watching in Kaikoura is great and the drive up from Christchurch is loads of fun. NZ produce some of the world best wines so a wine tasting trip to Marlborough would be worth it, especially if you visit Cloudy Bay.
I could go on, but you’ve probably got enough suggestions already. If you’d like to see some pics of my last trip to Oz and NZ the are posted up on my photo gallery. Have a great time. I’m sure you will.
Hi Douglas,
I was born and raised in Sydney, but my home is now in Rockhampton, Queensland. A few weeks isn’t very long, but by 2 bob’s worth of advice is get away from the capital cities. Get out, get out I tell you!!! There’s so much to see out here, but time (or lack of it) will get the better of you this time methinks.
Looking forward to catching up with everyone at WE04!
In Sydney, go to Doyles Restaurant at Watsons Bay (in the south head of the harbour). Have something to eat and drink and watch the sun go down over the city skyline, simply awesome.
Enjoy your trip to oz.
I grew up in Wollongong, Australia …it’s an hour south of Sydney. It’s a relatively small town, nestled between the mountainous Illawarra Escarpment and the glassy Pacific Ocean.
Highly recommended!
I have been living in the US now for 2.5 years, and I always get asked “where should I go, when I go to Australia?” I always tell them…rent a car, and drive from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast [N. of Brisbane]. Make it a week trip, there are SO many perfect spots to stop, it’s incredible. Maybe stop at Newcastle the first night. Drive to Coffs Harbour the next day, check out the “Big Banana” stop and get a banana split. You MUST stop at Southwest Rocks and Ballena. Another high point of that trip is Byron Bay! my wife’s fave beaches, she loved it there. And you can finish at Australia Zoo [Steve Erwin’s zoo] on the Sunshine coast. Don’t forget to check out Bris-Vegas [as the locals call it] and Surfers Paradise.
If you’re short on time, don’t even try to do much of NZ.
I reccommend:
FLY into queenstown (via CHCH). The flight in comes down through the mountains, and on a nice day is stunning.
DRIVE the road to Milford sound. The road itself is as important as getting there. The single most amazing piece of road in New Zealand.
If you’re game, the skippers canyon drive (from queenstown) is awesome as well (though you’re not insured if you drive it, so be careful!).
Then head to Christchurch through the Mackenzie valley (incl Tekapo and Mt Cook, as mentioned these are great).
If you’re real short on time then fly out from CHCH but the Whale Watch in Kaikoura is well worth the day or so extra. Particularly spectacular on a fine winters day when the mountains are all covered in snow etc etc.
That’s my 2c (nz 2c so actually not worth that much)
Fun stuff in AU:
Tasmania
- take the ferry from melbourne to tasmania, across the bass strait (overnight, rough seas)
- drive a VW bug around tasmania (is there a better car for windy roads?)
- hike around Dove Lake in the west (pristine mtn lake)
- visit Wineglass Bay on the East Coast (pristine oceanfront)
Northern Territory
- visit king’s canyon, near ayer’s rock. amazing geology. jump in the water at the bottom of the garden of eden.
Fun stuff in NZ:
South Island
- day hike around queenstown for views of the water and the remarkables (snow covered mtns)
- bungee jump off the skipper’s canyon bridge, outside of queenstown. amazing views from a very high bridge. good rush.
- ski treblecone, outside wanaka
North Island
- visit one tree hill and/or mt ida in auckland, for a view
OK, Doug. you know that we’ve been travelling all around Australia and New Zealand, and everything that we’ve experienced as tourists is already up there on our site (http://www.hellomanda.com/). If you have the time (and you’d need a lot of it) you could take a look at the archives page on our site - there are archives for the places that you are interested in (sorted by categories). However, to save you some time, here are a few suggestions from Manda and I (and you can always do a site-specific search on our site if you want to find out more):
Sydney:
- Blue Mountains (a must-do) - allow a couple of days if you can, and visit all the lookouts
- Darling Harbour - a bit cheesy, but the Chinese Garden of Friendship is really nice (you could probably skip everything else there)
- The Bridge Climb is expensive but fun (http://www.bridgeclimb.com.au/). Anyway, you can afford it!
- The Gap - Head up the Old South Road past Vauclause (where you’ll get great views of the city from a distance) and go to the Gap: views out over the Pacific (I think ?) and some amazingly shaped rocks.
- The food courts in Sydney CBD are dead cheap, particularly the Asian food. I never finished a small plate in the food court under AMP Tower
- Oh, and AMP Tower, of course! Go up there, take a look around …
- Bondi Beach - much smaller than you would imagine, but some nice eateries, if a little bit over trendy in places. While you’re there, catch up with John Allsop and Maxine Sherrin from Westciv, say hello to them for me :-)
New Zealand
If you are limited for time, I’d say spend more time in the South Island, but certainly try to cover these places in North Island first (you can fly from Sydney to Auckland)
- Rotorua (a must-see) or Wai-O-Tapu (pick one or the other if you are limited for time)
- Go to the Auckland Museum, see the Maori artifacts and see a Maori show (you can see them in all sorts of places, but this might be easiest for you to get to)
- If time allows, the Bay of Islands further north is a beautiful spot
South Island
- Christchurch is a very pretty city, and you’re most likely to fly from Auckland to ChCh anyway, so should take a look around there.
- Take the tranz-alpine train to the west coast. We drove, but the train is supposed to be a great experience. Seriously, do it!
- A hike or heli hike at Franz Josef or Fox Glaciers - a real experience!
- Whale-watching at Kaikoura - a few hours north of Christchurch. Sperm whales almost guaranteed, but you may see others (and almost certainly lots of Dusky Dolphins).
OK, that’s about it. There’s so much more that you could see. Try not to rush too much, but at the same time, given the distance from home it’s worth doing all that you can.
Hope this is helpful. I’ll be honest, as I write this (offline) I have no idea what others have posted (I’ll copy/paste this next time I get to an Internet place in Thailand). Any questions/comments, best to email me direct as I’ll probably miss anything you post in comments :-) Enjoy.
oh man, i almost forgot.
Melbourne
Naugton’s
not sure if anyone else has mentioned it yet. i went to melbourne uni for a while, and my favorite place for a jug (smallish beer) or a schooner (larger beer) was Naughton’s Pub, on Royal Parade. it’s a classic.
St Kilda, just outside Melbourne
sunday mornings, there used to be free jazz at the prince. the alan brown quintet. awesome. not sure if they’re still doing it.
Brunswick St
nightlife. music. cold beers. good stuff.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
inspired place for melbourne footy rivalries. huge. 100k people. get a meat pie. i don’t know what the meat is, and the label won’t tell you, either. but they’re good.
the smaller footy stadiums are great, too. many of the ‘suburbs’ of melbourne have their own footy teams, and the rivalries are fierce and long-standing. think nyc baseball rivalries in the fifties. tons of spirit. local folk.
I’ve been in Sydney three times and I’d like to share a discovery. If you don’t have time to get to the great barrier reef :
- Do you scuba dive ? Get to Gordon’s beach and do the underwater track.
- Can you snorkel ? Go to the nearby Clovelly beach and check the fish.
Say hello on my behalf to the blue groper you’re bound to encounter, among other inhabitants.
In Sydney, I agree about taking a ferry or two, the Manly one is a good choice. Go to Taronga zoo if you’ve never seen a kangaroo or a wombat :). If you have time, check the Sydney walks brochure you’ll find in tourism offices (in Circular Quay for example) and go walking. Watson’s bay is a good destination as there’s good food to be eaten there, as it was mentioned above.
For the pies, Harry’s Cafe de Wheels in Wooloomooloo is a good place to go…
More ideas in one of my diaries.
I suppose you have to go to Sydney. Even I have to go there sometimes. I lived there for 50 years and I hate going back.
The NSW South Coast is the place to be. There are no crowds. The beaches are cleaner than any in Sydney. Jervis Bay has the whitest sand in the world.
We have whales and dolphins. Seals swim around teasing the fishermen and women.
We have restaurants and coffee shops.
But mostly we have space and clean air. The sun always shines and the birds always sing..
I suggest you have the conference moved to Culburra Beach, then I will be able to come.
You’ve received plenty of advice so I’ll be brief:
1. I second the recommendation to eat at Doyle’s Restaurant at Watson’s Bay while in Sydney.
2. For shopping in Sydney, there are great deals to be had at the open market in The Rocks.
3. Australia: I strongly second the recommendations that you visit Fraser Island. Spend a week there to recharge your batteries - you will not find a more beautiful place on the planet. Take a lot of batteries for your camera; you cannot take a bad photo there.
4. Australia: get a “burger with the lot.”
5. If you end up in Auckland, eat a meal at Vivace Restaurant.
6. NZ: Do not miss Tip Top ice cream, and dairy products in general.
7. NZ: Visit a Maori marae, definitely.
8. Both countries have REAL root beer (with sassafrass root in it), and delicious tomato sauce (as opposed to our ketchup) - consider leaving room in your luggage to bring some home, because you won’t want to go back to the U.S.’s inferior products.
Have a great time. My URL has photos from my visit in July.
I live on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand - originally from Dunedin and now based in Christchurch. The scenery here is amazing - I can highly recommend the train trip from Christchurch over to the west coast (Trans Alpine Express) - you pass through stunning countryside and see the most amazing sites. If you get to Dunedin, explore the peninsula that encloses the harbour - very very beautiful. Enjoy yourself.
You should definately go to Adelaide while you are in Australia. Ignore people saying that it’s not a place worth visiting. While it is a quiet city, it is a beautiful city with very friendly people and fantastic wineries and great cafes. In particular visiting the Barossa Valley is a must! You’re also coming in a great time of the year when the weather will be fantastic. Not too hot or cold, just right.
Course while you are here, you could always come and visit our college (where we teach web design and multimedia) and share your wonderful advice with the students *cheeky grin*
Another place of interest, though not in South Australia would be Sovereign Hill in Victoria.
Auckland really isn’t big at all, it just seems like that to the Wellingtonians.
That said, don’t bother with the cities too much anyway.
Depending on how much time you’ve got in NZ:
* Coromandel (Matarangi and Otama Beach are both great)
* South Island (Go up one side and down the other)
* Go up north (and visit a real Maori Marae, not one of the touristy ones)
New Zealand, definitely do the South Island. Most people only pop over here briefly and skip the south, because the exit point is in the North. There are some great spots in the North, but for the untouched, untamed yet completely diverse and changeable, the South is where it’s at.
You would definitely have to visit Fiordland. Milford Sound is beautiful, but I personally prefer Doubtful Sound. If you were here for any length of time, I would highly recommend Stewart Island (spend the dollars and fly there - the ferry can be a killer!) and once there, don’t pass up the chance to visit Ulva Island.
The Catlins Coast also can’t be beat. A week really isn’t long enough to see it all though - and the summer months are definitely the best, especially if that whole swimming with endangered dolphin thing floats your boat :)
OMG—
I did that trip a few years ago.
I stayed in ChristChurch for 4 days, visited some of the fishing villages (kikora and something else). I recommend that. 4 days in NZ was PLENTY of time. The next few weeks were spent in Aus — and I want to move there. Ayers rock was cool to see, but i won’t go back. Great Barrier Reef is a MUST as well as Sydney. Oh, the food, oh the people!
If you are into thai food, eat at anna’s on oxford street — the best food i have ever eaten in my life.
Manly beach was cool but the zoo depressed me…I felt sorry for the critters!
Have a blast. Aus is a treasure. I would move there today if i could…
A visit to Australia would not be complete without a jaunt out to the Great Barrier Reef. It will cleanse your mind completely…it truely is amazing. When I went there we got a helicopter from Rockhampton - which is North of Brisbane - but you can get a boat too. I can’t really describe in words how amazing it was flying over the reef…how amazing the whole experience was…I can’t reccomend it enough!
We stayed at Heron Island - which has a wonderful (standards compliant) website.
I hope you get a chance to visit - even for a couple of days. You will always remember it!
Doug,
you’ve received lots of good advice here, I can’t comment on New Zealand but here’s what I think you should do in Australia, given the time constraints:
. spend an extra couple of days in Sydney (which you’re doing anyway as you’re coming to the rugby league grand final), get a ferry across the harbour to Manly, come to Bondi Beach and have a drink in the Icebergs on the way back from doing the Bondi-Bronte walk, eat in a few good restaurants. Make the most of the harbour, have a wander around the harbour from the Opera House to the Botanical Gardens. Basically just eat, drink and walk your way around the harbour.
. other than that I think you should avoid the cities. Melbourne and Perth (and the others I guess) have lots going for them but at the end of the day, they are cities, they are a great distance from each other and you will (I think) get more out of really soaking up the unique aspects of Australia’s landscape. You’ll have seen enough city in Sydney. Tasmania is great for rugged mountainscapes, but you’ll get that in New Zealand. Western Australia is stunning, but a long way away.
. so after that I think you should do as Andy Budd suggests, and go up to Cairns and visit one of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef (you can snorkel if you’re not a diver) and also go to Uluru and experience Australia’s red centre. Both are unique, and unforgettable places.
NZ: I live in Wellington, and if you’re heading over for a short time, I’d say spend maybe a day here, go to Te Papa (the national museum) and then go for the South Island — either deep south (Queenstown/Fiordland) or perhaps Kaikoura. Wellington is nicer than Auckland (he says, winding up the Jafas), but South Island is one of a kind. That said, not much Maori heritage in the SI, that’s more in the north. That might be a deciding factor.
For Australia.
Remember we’re the size of North America without Alaska… not a tiny island so, it’s worth looking at this regional airline gives a really good deal to fly all over the place for a flat $499 for a month.
Then go here and it’s got a little about all the destinations.
I’m orginally from Sydney and think Taronga Park is a must and the view of the harbour from the elephants is amazing… so much to see in Sydney.
But it’s worth doing a quicky look at as much as possible and all the capitols are worthwhile, other than Canberra unless you want war memorial etc.
Melbourne wonderful restaurants and beautiful streets… oh for Melbourne city on Sydney’s harbour!
The Northern Rivers (where I now live)… Byron Bay, Ballina, Bungalung National Park with beautiful Blackrocks beach and Jerusalum Creek (beaches on our east more like Mexico) BTW Ballina is the closest airport to Byron Bay… for something way off beat Nimbin (hippies etc) and inland a couple of hours Tenterfield (Peter Allen’s hometown).
Food - Get some king prawns and ‘real’ scampy (if scampy available). I remember some years back ordering a prawn roll in California and was shocked at how small a prawn could be! And scampy there was the size of a king prawn here!
Have a good trip.
Hi there, being an aussie I couldnt help but wanna throw my 2 cents in !
I live in Byron Bay and run a small/medium digital media agency Nextwave Media. Looks like Byron has received quite a few recommendations here as a place you have to visit while in Australia. Let me second those recommendations!
Pristine beaches, age old rainforest, colourful locals and lifestyle all of its own, there really are few places like it. And after living in Sydney most of my life im very happy to be out of the ratrace for a while (although im working just as much!)
Not sure if youve seen much of the Byron Bay region, heres a link to an in-house project of ours where you can take a multimedia tour of the byron bay/northern river region Virtual Byron. You might find it informative! Has local info, virtual tours, video and is narrated by a real live aussie legend!
Douglas, if you are coming to Byron and have the time, we could have a coffee or a beer at the famous Beach Hotel. Certainly email me if you are interested :) Can help you accommodation also as we built most of the acommodation websites/reservations systems in the region :)
One more thing to do in Byron if are mildy fit and keen, is to go on surfing lesson(assuming you havent done it before). Byron Bay is arguably the best place in the world to experience the thrill of surfing. With gentle slow breaking waves, lots of differnet facing beaches and great weather its a perfect combination. In my previous life I was actually a surf instructor (yes it was certainly tough pushing swedish bikini clad backpackers onto waves) but not a day would pass where we didnt get some madly grinning pom or german or amercian! gushing aboiut the fun they had. Do it sir!
Then theres the lightouse tour, rainforest walks, be the first in Australia to see the sun rise, aboriginal culture, swim with dolphins, get a massage, visit the community markets and a heap more…whoah scope creep! id better get back to work!
so there you have it, you ll love Australia, I hope the conference and trip go well wherever you end up!
All the best
Kym Gilham
Director of Internet Services
Nextwave Media Pty Ltd
The Kirketon Hotel in Darlinghurst, Sydney is the design soulmate of your website. Recommended. The website doesn’t really get it, though.
http://www.kirketon.com.au/page/location.html
Forget the North Island and come on down under, down under to the splendid island state of Tasmania.
Whet your appetite at Leatherwood Online and give us a call when you arrive.
Ferget Sydney… Melbourne is the place to be. No contest.
Forget Perth! It’s like a cemetry with street lights.
Don’t forget to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge!!
Have fun…
If you want a unique Australian experience then, like Bill Bryson, you must head for the Outback.
The capital cities are bland and international. Nothing there that you can’t see in the USA or Europe. In the words of the great Australian poet A.D. Hope :
“And her five cities, like five teeming sores,
Each drains her: a vast parasite robber-state
Where second hand Europeans pullulate
Timidly on the edge of alien shores.”
Leave them behind as quickly as possible and experience the vastness of the Red Centre, home to one of the most ancient civilisations on Earth.