“The white shoe brigade” – a different time. A police state, practically.

Sydney is nice to visit, but pretty dull to live in, as said above away from the hsarbourside it’s nowt special. (The matrix was filmed in Sydney, the film-makers wanted a bland, stereotypical city)

People are entitled to their own opinion about Sydney but as a point of order: The Matrix was filmed in Sydney because Fox had just built a whacking great studio here, because the AUD was weak, and because the Australian government was offering a subsidy of 16.5% of all local expenditure.

Not exactly sure how someone can describe Sydney as a bland, stereotypical city with a straight face but whatevs…

If you have the time hire a car and drive down the great ocean road swinging back inland for the otway forrest. I am a big fan of Chinese and Japanese food and we have in melbourne a great china town, yum cha at the dragon boat on a sunday is a treat. That and seafood by the bay it’s a little touristy but my English outlaws love the beach comber in st kilda along with a beer at the espy.

Mission beach got nailed in the cyclone btw.

Looks OK this week, judging by a mate’s holiday pics…

Whales should be migrating about the end of October I think. Google for places to view them. Jervis Bay is where I’ve been, about 3hrs south of Sydney. Dolphins there all year round, plus it’s got some lovely empty beaches if you go to the right places.

I’ve been 4 times to visit family, my favourite bits so far are:
Tasmania, small enough to do a good tour quickly, varied scenery, stunning.
Fraser Island, very relaxing
Budawangs in NSW, better than Blue Mtns if you like isolation
Hunter Valley for wine tasting
Blue Mountains for a bit of biking

But Gt Ocean Road has had a number of landslips recently. With limited time in Melbourne I’d stick to eating and drinking – Vic market, Seven Seeds coffee, yum cha, tapas at Movida, the Everleigh on Gertrude Street etc.

Sydney was boring after 2 days.
Uluru was good for 24hrs. Fly-in, watch sunset, see sunrise, fly out. The Olgas were nicer than Uluru.
Cairns was great. Loved it there. The Atherton table lands (I think it was called), being nice & cool compared to the coast. Very humid. Snorkelling the Barrier Reef was a bit touristy, but had to be done. Visited lake Tinaroo also, cant recall where it was near, might have been Cairns, but looked good for biking etc.

But I fell in love with Brisbane. Almost moved to tears when had to leave. In particular the Sunshine Coast. Noosa was lovely.

I’d be living there right now if I had my way, but Wife couldnt leave the family we see once in a blue moon, & spends most of her time moaning about.

I was trying to remember Movida. Great little place and its close to Fed Sq. Remember going to see the Killers after our last meal there. Happy times.

Tasmania, small enough to do a good tour quickly, varied scenery, stunning.

F off it’s crap here

I was living in Sydney when they were making the Matrix, I remember the outrage from the locals when they explained why they had chosen Sydney.

If you’re looking for a drink in Melbourne, try & find the Croft Institute.
It’s not easy, but worth it.

I remember the outrage from the locals when they explained why they had chosen Sydney.

Smells like the Daily Telegraph (I was here too).

Edit: although in fact that wouldn’t make sense because the Telly = Fox = Murdoch. So sounds like Fairfax instead.

Just to balance things out, I’m not trying to run down Sydney,I enjoyed my 2 years there, but the CBD is dull (like the City of London at a weekend), everything on the waterside is lovely and some nice suburbs. Definitely worth a visit.

I can get over-critical becasuse I get bored of (mostly idiot) people saying they’d love to emigrate there simply because they’ve seen some pretty pictures of the harbour and the weather is nice.

Melbourne
Try and book a meal on the night tram from the centre of town to luna park – good food and all the booze you can drink.

Puffing Billy is an old steam train ride in the Dandenong hills which was a nice way of seeing the scenery

Also, you can fly to Tasmania from Melbourne quickly and cheaply – nice place and plenty to see and do there.

the CBD is dull (like the City of London at a weekend)

The CBD has improved a little bit under Clover Moore but OMFG is it a waste of space after 8pm and on the weekends.

what are you doing with podge?