Brisbane & Melbourne..
 

I want to take my wife down under for a holiday and would like to know if Brisbane & Melbourne are worth a visit - she likes the beach/sea,scenery,gardens and good restaurants.Not forgetting the shops of course....being a typical woman.

Hi - there isn't really any beaches in Brisbane - the Gold Coast (60 - 80 mins drive south of Brisbane) and the Sunshine Coast (2+ hours North of Brisbane) are where the really spectacular Qld beaches are. Brisbane is coming along in terms of restaurants etc but isn't a patch on Melbourne. Shopping is very mediocre. Melbourne has beaches but the closest ones are part of Port Phillip Bay so there is no surf. If I were to have my choice I would go to beautiful Sydney. Truly Australia's iconic city. Lovely harbour, great beaches (think Bondi, Manly, Coogee etc), Terrific Restaurants, and lots for a tourist to do. Not quite as good as Melbourne in the shopping department but you won't notice (there's still plenty of shopping to do) or the gardens (Melbourne was once known as Australia's Garden State) but Australia is in the grip of a drought so all the gardens are suffering as a result - but Sydney's harbour will more than make up for it.

My wife must be an atypical woman - like me, she was born without a shopping gene. But then, I've never been too sure what makes for a typical woman (or man).

It's difficult to answer this question without more information, like: how much time you'll have in Australia; what other places you're considering (are you looking at Brisbane and Melbourne as add-ons or your primary destinations?); and, at what time of the year?

You can find good beaches, gardens, dining and shopping in many parts of the country but no single city is "the best" in all departments - for instance, Melbourne scores very well on all points, but even its staunchest supporters wouldn't send you there for the beaches.

I have to agree with Neil. Melbourne wins hands down on gardens, restaurants and shopping, probably wins on scenery and it's a nil-all draw on beaches. There are magnificent beaches both north and south of Brisbane and very good but not as spectacular beaches about 1.5 hours from Melbourne.

I'm sure I'll offend a few of the White Shoe Brigade with this but to me Brisbane isn't really a holiday destination, it's just surrounded by them.

Not knowing how long you have, I would suggest a two or even 3 base holiday.
A few days in Melbourne, a few in Sydney then moving up to Queensland or the Gold coast bepending upon what you want.
If its peace and quiet and rest after all that shopping I would like to suggest Palm Cove just north of Cairns.

But if you can tell us when you plan to go and for how long then perhaps we can be a little more specific.

But to answer your question, yes Brisbane and Melbourne are worth a visit but it does depend upon what you want to get from it.

Muck

Melbourne is Australia's most European city and is very different to Sydney. If you like restaurants, gardens, shopping, and coffee, you won't be disappointed.
Brisbane won't offer anything in addition apart from about 5 - 10 degrees Celsius which may come in handy in July or August.

Thanks for the help.

We'd be spending about a week in each place.Would it be worth giving Brisbane a miss and stay on the Gold Coast then onto Melbourne (fly or drive).
I haven't mentioned Sydney because I've been there already.