cat

We are a little more than 5 weeks away from our long planned trip to OZ. So excited! I'm finalizing our itinerary and would like any comments or suggestions about things to do along the way or any tweaks we should make. We are interested in seeing cities as well as wildlife and naturally scenic places. Trying to incorporate a good variety of city/beach/bush/mountain etc. We decided to limit ourselves to one internal flight since we really hate airports and enjoy a good road trip. Don't want to be too rushed but also want to see as much as we can while limiting the time in the car to 3-4 hours (5 hrs max) for each leg. Here goes:

9/20/16 - Fly PHL to BNE (via LAX)

9/22/16 - 9/25/16 - Arrive Brisbane stay 4 nights at AirBnB rental

9/26/16 & 9/27/16 - Drive to Byron Bay 2 nights at Watermark at Wategos

9/28/16 & 9/29/16 - Drive to Bellingen 2 nights at Casabelle B&B

9/30/16 - Drive to Harrington - Overnight at Ibis Styles River Lodge

10/1/16 & 10/2/16 - Drive to Katoomba 2 nights at Echoes Boutique Hotel

10/3/16 - 10/6/16 - Drive to Sydney, turn in car, 4 nights at ???? (open to suggestions on where to stay in Sydney, thinking about staying in the Rocks, but would be open to a more laid back Neighborhood/suburb with easy access to ferry terminal)

10/7/16 - 10/11/16 - Fly from Sydney to Melbourne 5 nights at ????? (open to suggestions on where to stay in Melbourne, thinking about a 2 day trip on the GOR with a tour group and an overnight somewhere along the way)

10/12/16 - Fly home MEL to PHL (via LAX)

So, at this point, I would love suggestions on where to stay and what to do in Sydney and Melbourne and anything else that is a must see or do along the way. We are pretty much set on this itinerary. We ruled out red center and GBR on this trip and want to concentrate on the highlights between Brisbane and Melbourne. Would also love any info on where to see wildlife and particularly Koala's and Kangaroo's in the wild.

Thanks all!

marg

You will need to get out into the country to have the chance to see koalas and kangaroos in the wild. The Grampians in western Victoria is a good place to do this - you may be able to combine a visit to the GOR with the Grampians. Otherwise visit the Melbourne zoo which is only a few minutes by tram from the CBD. Another alternative is to visit the Healesville Sanctuary - about 90 minutes from the CBD. This specialises in Australian animals and birds.

di2315

Hi cat

On your way between Harrington and Katoomba you could make a detour to Port Stephens / Nelson Bay.

Early evening there are kangaroos in the paddocks beside the road (I can give you details of exactly where to look); also roaming on one of the local golf courses.

We also have Koalas in their natural habitat - much more difficult to find, but once again, I can suggest the most likely places to find them.

For accommodation and attractions, take a look at www.portstephens.org.au Di

ausadventure

Hi, sorry to clog up your thread without a useful answer! But I am also very interested in seeing kangaroos and koalas in the wild! Are there any areas around cairns (outback?) or Brisbane that are good for this?

rellie2

Hi Cat

A number of years ago I did a day tour to the Blue Mountains from Sydney and that included a visit to the Featherdale Wildlife Park. Here you can cuddle a koala and have your photo taken.

Alternatively you can see koalas in the wild in along the great ocean road in Kennett River. We visited this area earlier this year and followed the advice of fellow travellers and drove past the Koala Cove Cafe for approx 1-2kms and stopped. We just looked up in the trees and sure enough, there they were. We even saw one crossing the road. It was the highlight of our GOR trip. We also saw kangaroos here - but you can see these it lots of places (golf courses etc).

Melbourne is a very walkable city (and the trams are easy navigate if you get tired). A few things that are worth looking into are:

- Street art tour
- Coffee lovers tour (if you love coffee this is a must), Melbourne is famous for its coffee scene.
- Fitzroy has some great eclectic shops and the Rose Street Markets are great
- If you like shopping - Chapel St, Bridge Road or Brunswick street for alternative and different things). There are also a couple of DFO shops in the CBD
- Check out what exhibitions are on at the National Gallery of Victoria (I was there last weekend for the Degas exhibition and it was amazing)

In regards to somewhere to stay do you have a budget and preference to type of accommodation?

If you want to see what's on and the latest news check out www.theurbanlist.com They have lots of ideas on free things to do, festivals, places to eat and drink etc in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

cat

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!

@marg I don't think we'll get as far as the Grampians, but thanks for the suggestion for Healsville Sanctuary. If we don't end up doing a GOR tour, we will definitely go there.

@di2315 I seriously debated doing the overnight at Port Stephens and chose Harrington mostly because it split up the timing on those legs of our road trip a little more evenly. I would still consider doing that and would love any pointers on specific places to see wildlife in the Port Stephens/Nelson Bay area as well as places to stay.

@rellie2 yes! Have already looked into Featherdale and will most likely be stopping there. We did find an amazing AirBnb rental in Southbank Melbourne for our 5 nights with a huge terrace and city view. A little further from laneways and CBD than we wanted to be, but that view! Anyway, THANK YOU for the very specific Melbourne pointers. LOVE coffee, street art and markets, so those are must do for us.

Still trying to decide on an accommodation in Sydney and still debating on whether to do a GOR trip during that 5 days in the Melbourne area. There's a lot to see in MEL and we could easily spend a leisurely 5 days knocking around in the neighborhoods and laneways. Also, given that it's the tail end of our trip, I'm concerned we might be a little too fatigued by two more days on the road before our long journey home. Interested in any opinions on this. Is the GOR a once in a lifetime type (ie. do not miss) experience?

di2315

Unless you want to re-think part of your itinerary, I can't see that a quick stop anywhere will allow you enough time to look for Kangaroos and Koalas in the wild. It takes time and patience to hunt them out.

You'd need the best part of a full day here to be able to have enough time for this, so perhaps better to find them elsewhere on your travels. Di

sartoric

I'd skip the GOR with your schedule. You will have some great coastal scenery in northern NSW, and there is much to do in Melbourne.

If you could handle one day hiring a car, Mornington Peninsula is only a one hour drive from Melbourne and has pristine sea, boutique wineries and local produce, plus stunning views. Drive up Arthur's Seat Road for an almost Amalfi coast vista.

cat

@sartoric Yes, as sad as it makes me, I think we will probably skip GOR and do a day trip somewhere near MEL that's more manageable. At that point, we will have been traveling almost 3 weeks and I think trying to push it before the grueling trip home is not wise.

Still looking for a cool place to stay in Sydney for 4 nights. Looking to spend about $250-$300 USD a night. We really dont love big hotels, but I do love a room with a view. And, we want to be near a ferry terminal for trips to the zoo and Manly. Thinking maybe Shangri-la or Intercontinental. Any thoughts?

BarbAnn

Hi Cat

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Old Sydney (at the Rocks). Loved the view from the pool deck. It overlooks the harbor and the Opera House. On Saturdays, there is a street market right out side the door of the hotel. I have visited Sydney five times and this is my favorite hotel for it's location and cost.

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotel...gs/hoteldetail

Kangaroos in the wild are all over Oz. I've seen them in vineyards, grassy plains, bush areas and golf courses. In Nelson Bay there is an opportunity to see Eastern Bay kangaroos on a golf course. I took this tour this past February as friends I have in Nelson Bay know Kangaroo Phil. It was an amazing tour. I learned a lot about kangaroos and the research being done on them.

http://www.nelsonbaygolf.com/data/up...ters-flyer.pdf

Koalas in the wild are a bit more tricky to see. The majority of the time all you see are their butts up in the trees! At Featherdale Wildlife Park you can pet Koalas and feed/pet kangaroos. It is actually my favorite for seeing animals indigenous to Australia.

Have a wonderful trip!

Bokhara2

Hi Cat,
The ShangriLa & Intercontinental are both very close to Circular Quay. The Shang is up a little rise, if that matters.
Another in that circle is the Four Seasons. With any/ all of them, you'd need to request a Harbour / Opera House view & hope for availability of those rooms.

As you mentioned being close to a ferry terminal & going to Manly - you might consider staying there

http://www.thesebelmanlybeach.com.au/default-en.html

On koalas, you'll be coming past Port Macquarie, where there's a koala hospital & rehabilitation centre. And a very interesting old house, built for one of the surveyors of the area in the late 1800's.

http://www.koalahospital.org.au/hosp...koala-hospital

cat

@BardbAnn and @Bokhara2 thanks for the suggestions. All good ones. I thought about staying in Manly. I was also looking at an AirBnB rental in Balmain. How is Balmain for getting around? Is that too far from the action or is it reasonable if we are near the ferry?

Bokhara2

Balmain is good. Nice suburb - about 3-4 kms to the QVB. Good bus & ferry service. What street is your Airbnb in?

cat

@Bokhara2 actually, just found a beautiful apartment listing on Mona Lane in Rushcutters/Darling Point area. Looks very nice and very reasonable. Doesnt seem like there is ferry access, but I like the idea of being mid-way between CBD and Bondi. Do you know what that area is like for safety etc?

cat

Leaving in one week! Excited but also a little anxious about the 20 hrs of flying and the driving on the left we will do once in OZ. Anyone have any good pointers or suggestions for surviving the long haul flight or how to best adjust to driving over there? Also, we have a 4 1/2 hr layover at LAX before our flight to Brisbane. Is it worth looking into purchasing a day pass to one of the lounges?

Thanks all!

Melnq8

Hi cat -

I never could get used to those long flights. Think comfort - wear loose clothing, wear slip off shoes or remove your shoes shortly after take off - maybe take a pair of old socks to put over your other socks as plane floors can be pretty nasty.

Take whatever makes you comfortable on the flight and keep those comfort items near at hand - eye shades, water, headphones, neck pillow, blanket, lip balm, snacks, ear plugs, toothbrush...whatever works for you.

Get a good night's sleep the night before departure. Stay hydrated. Sleep as much on the plane as you can. Get up and walk around frequently when not sleeping.

When you arrive, get outside for some fresh air - take a walk, breathe deeply.

Which lounge would you try to get into? If it's United, don't waste your time.

As for driving on the left. Read up on local road rules before you go. Remain calm and KEEP LEFT Expect to turn on the windshield wipers instead of the turn indicators for most of your trip. If you're the passenger, you might look up expecting to see the rear view mirror, but it won't be there! Do not turn on red.

And above all else, relax and have yourself a wonderful holiday!

cat

@Melnq8 thanks for all the suggestions. I keep waiting for someone to tell me the flight isn't that bad, but I guess no one wants to lie to me. Lol! I already mostly packed my carry on and have most of things you mentioned, plus Ambien

We're picking up the car the day before we actually have to hit the road, so hoping to get a little practice in on some quiet local roads in Brisbane before hitting the Hwy. Wish me luck!!

Melnq8

Good luck!

BigRuss

<<I keep waiting for someone to tell me the flight isn't that bad>>

It's not . . . if you have business class seats.

We survived longer - DFW to SYD RT, formerly the longest commercial route in the world. Somehow, the flight is shorter if you sleep.

Bokhara2

You will be fine, Cat.

Good advice - read up on Australian road rules, especially about roundabouts (traffic circles). They're an efficient device to keep traffic flowing, but can be tricky for new players. Basics: travel clockwise; give way to vehicles already in the roundabout; indicate your exits.

A couple of other road/ driving points to keep in mind.

1) Watch out for & obey the speed limit signs. There is little or no margin of tolerance for exceeding speed limits; lots of speed cameras and big fines.

Between 8:00 -9:30 & 2:30-4:00, there is a 40kph limit around schools. Some of these areas have flashing lights, but some don't, although they are signposted. Don't mess with these - the fines are HUGE.

Parking: Make sure you read, understand & obey the signs when you park in town & city streets.
It's unusual to find untimed /unlimited parking in urban areas - so expect there to be a time limit and very often, a metered cost, too.

" 1P" means you can park for 1 hour. There may be a meter, from which you either buy a ticket to place on your inside passenger side dashboard, or there may be numbered spaces. In this case, an arrow will direct you to the appropriate meter & you pay for the time you want to park. Read the signage - available time can vary during the day/week. And sometimes residents have longer parking allowances - and stickers to indicate their eligibility.

As you'll be driving a rental car, it's usual that the speeding or other driving fine will be sent to the rental company after your departure. In this case, they will add a processing fee to the fine & forward it to you for payment.

Obviously, if you're pulled up by the highway police, you'll be handed a fine on the spot. Parking fines are tucked under your windscreen wipers.

And yes, you'll find yourself using your wipers to indicate . I do it every time I get into non-European made car.

We're strict on road rules here & have reduced our road accident & death tolls significantly over the years.

Other things to watch out for: seat belts - everyone, any time the car is in motion.

Mobile phones - driver is not to touch while driving. If your vehicle has Bluetooth, the driver can take & make calls - but will be fined if they are caught touching the phone.

Why an I going into all this detail? Because we have a reasonable number of whinges/ moans/ complaints from visiting drivers who have been fined, because they didn't read & obey the signs - in parking or speeding.

And because I want you to have a fabulous trip & time in our wonderful country!

About the flight - it's no big deal If it's a night flight, dinner, a glass or two of wine, read, watch a film, listen to some music - have a sleep ... & they're waking you for breakfast as the sun rises & you're here in an hour!

Drink more water than alcohol or coffee, walk around & stretch when you wake up, to keep your circulation fresh.