Australia – flat hot and racist
I know the history is pretty bad, bu the only racist I've encountered on my three trips there was the taxi driver taking me back to the aiport on my first trip. He had a lot to say about immigrants.
Which was odd for a white guy in Oz...
The obvious problem with coming to NSW or Victoria in Winter is all the really good mountain bike areas are closed because of the Ski season (Thredbo, Falls Creek, Buller etc) and it might be a bit chilly in Tassie. I'm surprised no-one has suggested the NSW north coast - from Coffs Harbour Down to Newcastle there are so many great little towns and beaches to stop at. Newcastle itself is worth a look too with some amazing beaches good bars and restaurants (I lived there for 10 years so a little biased). I also don't get all the hate for Melbourne -it's a bit like a hipster version of Glasgow. Great location, night life, museums, restaurants, public transport and a couple of hours drive down to the surf coast to Torquay, Anglesey, Bells Beach and Lorne.
For Cairns, we did white water rafting on the Tully river which I'd highly recommend (you might have to check if there's an age restriction I don't recall any children)
Sydney, as others have said, northern beaches (Manly upwards) are much nicer than Bondi. Palm Beach was really nice, but Curl Curl, Dee Why, Manly etc are all good (eldest sister lives in Collaroy). A day trip out to the Blue Mountains.
One year we spent a week driving from Sydney to Surfers Paradise for Christmas and stayed on some fantastic beach campsites on route.
I also don't get all the hate for Melbourne -it's a bit like a hipster version of Glasgow.
I wouldn't fly to the other side of the world to visit the hipster version of Glasgow!
Again, thanks everyone for the input. I am monitoring everything!
SWMBO announced two days ago, when my finger was poised on the button to buy flights, that she's "always wanted to go to Bali". Cue a day's worth of running around trying to make it fit.
Anyway, Melbourne isn't an option. We need to be Brisbane and Sydney is a good idea for various reasons. I know it'll be chilly, but not cold there.
Kids have asked about going to Bondi but we know from last time that the locals are at Manly etc. What will the water be like north of Sydney? Just wondering whether to train from Brisbane and stop off en route?
I need to defend Melbourne in this... I lived in Sydney for many years and will retire back Down Under. Melbourne is the top of the consideration list.
Sydney is great as a tourist, but there is nothing that would make me live there again. Melbourne on the other hand - it's beautiful and civilised and easy and all the good things. It has a distinctive character, whereas Sydney would be an anonymous city without the harbour.
Sydney is shiny, shallow and vacuous. The pretty blond everyone wants to take home.
Melbourne is enigmatic, warm, interesting. The sultry brunette everyone wants to marry.
What will the water be like north of Sydney? Just wondering whether to train from Brisbane and stop off en route?
There's one train a day from Brisbane to Sydney, dep 0600. It's a slow and unreliable ancient 125. The only place you could stop realistically without needing to hire another car would be Coffs Harbour, which is not the nicest place in that 1000km strip.
If you've already rented a car in Brisbane, keep it to drive to Sydney. It'll give you more flexibility, will be cheaper, and will let you stop off at tiny beach towns along the way...
...imvho.
What will the water be like north of Sydney? Just wondering whether to train from Brisbane and stop off en route?
There's one train a day from Brisbane to Sydney, dep 0600. It's a slow and unreliable ancient 125. The only place you could stop realistically without needing to hire another car would be Coffs Harbour, which is not the nicest place in that 1000km strip.
If you've already rented a car in Brisbane, keep it to drive to Sydney. It'll give you more flexibility, will be cheaper, and will let you stop off at tiny beach towns along the way...
...imvho.
What will the water be like north of Sydney? Just wondering whether to train from Brisbane and stop off en route?
There's one train a day from Brisbane to Sydney, dep 0600. It's a slow and unreliable ancient 125. The only place you could stop realistically without needing to hire another car would be Coffs Harbour, which is not the nicest place in that 1000km strip.
If you've already rented a car in Brisbane, keep it to drive to Sydney. It'll give you more flexibility, will be cheaper, and will let you stop off at tiny beach towns along the way...
...imvho.
Hahaha...I lived in Melbourne a d there's nothing that would make me live there again. It's flat. It's grey. It doesn't even have the ferry to Devonport any more.
Swimming in the Ocean in Sydney and north New South Wales in July will be a little bracing - but no worse than the North Sea in Summer 🙂 I'd recommend getting your photos at the Bondi Lifeguard hut then piss off to a nice beach like Coogee about 5kms further south. Manly is OK but a pain in the ass to get to by road - the ferry trip out there from Circular Quay is pretty cool though and there is a sea life centre and a few other things once you get there. The Gold Coast is worth avoiding unless you like strip bars, casinos and tower blocks but if you head south a few kms you get to Tweed heads, Kingscliff and Cabarita beaches which are definitely worth stopping for. Heading north of Brisbane, the Sunshine coast is definitely worth a visit - Noosa and Mooloolaba are both great little towns with beautiful beaches.
Swimming in the Ocean in Sydney and north New South Wales in July will be a little bracing - but no worse than the North Sea in Summer 🙂 I'd recommend getting your photos at the Bondi Lifeguard hut then piss off to a nice beach like Coogee about 5kms further south. Manly is OK but a pain in the ass to get to by road - the ferry trip out there from Circular Quay is pretty cool though and there is a sea life centre and a few other things once you get there. The Gold Coast is worth avoiding unless you like strip bars, casinos and tower blocks but if you head south a few kms you get to Tweed heads, Kingscliff and Cabarita beaches which are definitely worth stopping for. Heading north of Brisbane, the Sunshine coast is definitely worth a visit - Noosa and Mooloolaba are both great little towns with beautiful beaches.
Swimming in the Ocean in Sydney and north New South Wales in July will be a little bracing - but no worse than the North Sea in Summer 🙂 I'd recommend getting your photos at the Bondi Lifeguard hut then piss off to a nice beach like Coogee about 5kms further south. Manly is OK but a pain in the ass to get to by road - the ferry trip out there from Circular Quay is pretty cool though and there is a sea life centre and a few other things once you get there. The Gold Coast is worth avoiding unless you like strip bars, casinos and tower blocks but if you head south a few kms you get to Tweed heads, Kingscliff and Cabarita beaches which are definitely worth stopping for. Heading north of Brisbane, the Sunshine coast is definitely worth a visit - Noosa and Mooloolaba are both great little towns with beautiful beaches.
Swimming in the Ocean in Sydney and north New South Wales in July will be a little bracing - but no worse than the North Sea in Summer 🙂 I'd recommend getting your photos at the Bondi Lifeguard hut then piss off to a nice beach like Coogee about 5kms further south. Manly is OK but a pain in the ass to get to by road - the ferry trip out there from Circular Quay is pretty cool though and there is a sea life centre and a few other things once you get there. The Gold Coast is worth avoiding unless you like strip bars, casinos and tower blocks but if you head south a few kms you get to Tweed heads, Kingscliff and Cabarita beaches which are definitely worth stopping for. Heading north of Brisbane, the Sunshine coast is definitely worth a visit - Noosa and Mooloolaba are both great little towns with beautiful beaches.
Noosa and Mooloolaba are both great little towns with beautiful beaches.
Noosa's pretty, but it has become a shopping strip overrun (by local standards) with tourists really. There's a good ferry trip you can do down the Noosa River - or if you're more adventurous overnight kayak trips up the river.
You'll also find the places between those places are often a bit quieter but also have brilliant beaches (if that's your cup of tea). But as I said in my first comment, it depends on what you value. I tend to avoid the coast in the more populated areas. Inland trips might be interesting if you like forests - Eungella up near Mackay, Bunya Mountains further south, Waterfall Way west of Grafton. Dorrigo. All great spots.