LaurenKahn1

I also saw the koala photo thing at Currumbian. What struck me is the amount of mileage Australia gets out of those koala photo opportunities (holding or next to).

And then there are all those opportunities to feed kangaroos. It got old quickly. After all I was there for 6 weeks, not two. Plently of opportunities for those koala/koala bear inclined and/or kangaroo feeding inclined.

I got to the point where I wanted to shout "Enough already with the koala/koala bears and kangaroos!"

Personally the animal I liked best was the wombat. It's waddle gave me a good laugh.

LaurenKahn1

They do the koala photo at Australia Zoo as well. It's in Queensland north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast. At $53 Australian, it is very pricey and not worth the cost. The shows were not impressive. Australia Zoo has a lot of non Australian animals (tigers, elephants, etc.) that you do not need to go to Australia to see. I found it totally over hyped.

Smeagol

I would suggest they get a lot of mileage because
A) they are cute
B) they are indigenous to Australia

also maybe the fact you were there 6 weeks Laura made you a bit "bored" of the Koalas etc but A LOT of people who visit oz have less time and actually look forward to seeing them.
I personally LOVED the Koalas and Kangaroos, holding a kolala and feeding "roos" was high up on my list of must do's

LaurenKahn1

I enjoyed the koalas and kangaroos the first couple of times. I quickly realized it was pretty much the same thing wherever you went--like Maori shows in NZ.

I am not trashing Australia and NZ by the way. Far from it. I had a great time on my trip. Wherever you go, they beat what they have to death. In Australia it is the marsupials. In NZ it is Maori shows and gloworm caves. Tourism all over takes advantage of what there is and beats it to death. I was a little disappointed that Brisbane seems to have demolished most of the older buildings due to its rapid expansion.

My favorite things were landing in a plane on the sand on Fraser Island and the Opera House in Sydney (I went to the opera and a concert). I also enjoyed a number of great national and regional parks in Australia and the kauri forest in NZ and some good theater in Brisbane.

It was a great trip, but it did go on a bit too long. 2 months is a long time to be away unless you are a student. My bills were a mess when I got back, but they are all straightened out now.

Smeagol

Lauren i do apologies for calling you Laura.
I do hear what you are saying sometimes you can spend too long in a place and some of the touristy thing starts to get a bit samey and jaded. (although i LOVED being away from work for 4 weeks)

LaurenKahn1

I loved being away from home for 2 months even if I had a mess on my hands when I returned. I soon realized that Australia and New Zealand beat what they have into the ground. For example: Those koala photo opportunities are all over. As I said before, this is not a criticism of tourism down under. All tourist locals play to what tourists expect to see and beat it into the ground.

I live in Washington, DC. We have more than most but almost all the tourists take the same photos here as the picture points are obvious. I assume my many photos--ha!--of the Sydney Opera House are not unique. Lots of picture points for that in and around Sydney Harbor and I seem to have taken it from all of them. Ha!