Australia - what's hot & what's not?

[Soton Seagull]

Finally sold my flat (completion tomorrow), quit the job and fly out to Melbourne next Tuesday on a 1 year working holiday visa. Going to visit some Melbourne based friends then 1 in Sydney, after that not a clue!

Can anyone who has been/is there offer any advice on what not to miss, where is best to get a bit of work, and which brand of beer do I need to adopt?

All advice gratefully received.

(Also am I right to feel paranoid about poisonous biting stuff?)

Not looking forward to Seagulls World commentary at really strange times in the morning or watching the World Cup at about 5a.m!

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Quite a few Albion out there, no doubt they'll be in touch when they wake up!
Great place, enjoy! And Seagulls World isn't so bad, you get used to it!

 

[enigma]

Don't miss Neighbours its superb

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Fraser Island is a must. Situated off Hervey Bay. Biggest sand Island in the world. Hook up with some other people and go on a 3 day two night camp, with your own 4x4. Barbies under the stars, swimming in freshwater lakes. Pure heaven.

Coogee is quite a cool place to visit, near Sydney. Good bars etc.

Byron Bay is fun, and worth a look at.

 

[CHAPPERS]

You'll end up there anyway but Darling Harbour is Sydney is BONZA (that means good in Australian)!

Toohies New was my favourite tipple.

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

When in Sydney, definately go to Doyles fish restaurant on Watsons Bay. Go by Harbour taxi too......It really is awesome.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

For beer, just ask for a schooner of VB

And there's better beaches in Sydney than Bondi. Ask the locals where they surf. forget the names, one's called Koogie or something like that.

And deffo do a trip to Byron Bay, the most Easterly point in Australia. An hour's internal flight north from Sydney. Whales migrate to/from there, it's a dort of Southern Hemisphere version of Brighton. And if you're there in November, look out for the fat red-faced bloke in the Palookaville top

(BTW Oasis are playing Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane the back end of November)

 

[perth seagull]

If you end up in Canberra, go and see what Australia have done to their old parliament house on a Friday night.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Don't miss Neighbours its superb

Totally agree.

 

[tricky]

Tooheys new - that was great stuff.

You could check out Manly (in sydney) - the place feels like an aussie version of brighton.

Taronga zoo was quite fun.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

If you want a tour go and check out the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground).

 

[Storer68]

The London inn in paddington served Old Speckled Hen.................
felt like a home from home (once the beer had reached the right temperature...................

Do the cliff walk round from Bondi to Tamarana (spelling) - doesn't take too long and great scenery ending up at aa terrific beach.

Doyles at Watson Bat is a defo and i rather enjoyed the Oyster Bar outside Sydney Opera house.

Otherwise - harbour cruises around Sydney Harb are best done by ferrries

In Melbourne try and catch cricket at the MCG - even half full (ther'l be about 40,000 in!) - eating is best up in Carlton rather than down by the posh nobs dull retaurants around Southbank. And St Kilda isfood for a laugh

 

[MikeySmall]

Manly is class - lived there last year - Manly wharf hotel is wicked for day time drinks. The beach on my avatar is coogee. Go south of Sydney to Batemans bay - beautiful and not too touristy. Majority of the touristy places are around Brisbane - Noosa is well nice. You shouldn't get bored.....

 

[CHAPPERS]

Do the cliff walk round from Bondi to Tamarana (spelling) - doesn't take too long and great scenery ending up at aa terrific beach.

]


Oh seconded, that walk is wicked.

Bondi is rubbish too, dont spend too much time there if you can avoid it.

Coogee is a much nicer area, if you see a big blue jellyfiash please twat it, got a hell of a sting in those waters I did. Excellent for bbq's by the beach though.

If you can afford the Harbour Bridge I would go up there, it is f***ing SUPERB, you won't find a better view anywhere. It is pricey though.

 

[Peter Grummit]

VB is the beer to sup. Tooheys tastes like bubble gum!

1 year working visa, finishing next October just before the Ashes starts!!!! I should put your visa extension in when you arrive...then you can buy me a beer in Sydney on NYE2006.

PG

 

[butchy]

the castlemaine xxxx or forex as they call it is alot nicer than the stuff we get over here,go for the "gold" version-goes down a treat on a hot summer evening.
byron bay on the east coast is great, very laid back place with cool people and good range of bars.
fraser island is awesome,go on one of the self guided tours,camping on the beach with a crate of beer is not to be missed.
go and watch one of the super 12 rubgy games,i went in brisbane,the atmosphere was great

 

[trueblue]

Agreed that Fraser Island is magic and Byron Bay very beautiful. Time your trip to the area for August onwards. That way you can go to Hervey Bay to see the Humpback Whales resting during their migration. Resting, in whale terms, means rolling around, breaching (i.e. jumping right out of the water) and coming right up to the boat to have a damn good look. If you have even the slightest interest in wildlife it's one of the greatest things you will ever do. If you can rustle up the money to go to the Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island near Brisbane, you can also join the marine biologists to hand feed a couple of fish to the wild dolphins who come into the shallows almost every night.

It's also the right time to be in that area weather-wise to head north via the Whitsundays to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. Make sure you get in the rainforest proper too by heading beyond the Daintree River.

Down Melbourne way, the Great Ocean Road is a classic drive.

Perth is worth the trip if you've got the time - Rottnest Island is fabulous, and you can see the surfers ride MASSIVE waves down at Margaret River.

And don't forget Darwin and Kakadu in the far north....

Are you beginning to wish you hadn't asked?? I love Australia - you jammy bugger.

 

[Storer68]

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If you can afford the Harbour Bridge I would go up there, it is f***ing SUPERB, you won't find a better view anywhere. It is pricey though.

Ah but it dos take all friggin afternoon to get kitted up and it aint cheap even if the views are sooooperb

For a cheaper and less vertioginous exprience (altho still great views) try Pylon lookout on the darling harbour side of the bridge. only 10 bucks and its about halfway up(heightwise) to the top www.pylonlookout.com.au/

 

[Skaville]

Oh my god, where do I start!

Melbourne is just fantastic! Visit Sydney, live in Melbourne. Sports wise you have the Australian Open, Aussie Rules, Cricket at the MCG and the Grand Prix. You also have the original Aussie Seagulls. St Kilda or Fitzroy are the places to live. Truly bonza. Too many great pubs to mention. You'll find them. Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula, Phillip Island and the Grampians all on your doorstep.

I am truly jealous.

Fraser Island is terrific. Byron Bay too. Cairns is a dive that is good for diving. Sydney wise - Manly beach not Bondi. The first time you see the Bridge and the Opera House is a moment you will definitely remember for the rest of your life.

Don't drink the Guinness, it's shit. Get to New Zealand, South Island is tops!

 

[Bluejuice]

What's not hot?

Their cricket team