Australia travel boards?

This site is so valuable for vacationers who are cruising - I'm wondering if there are similar boards for those who are visiting Australia but aren't cruising? My husband has a business trip in late March, and I'm going with him - we'll have time in Syndey, Melbourne, and Brisbane. I'm eagerly seeking a resource for non-cruise travelers that will be as helpful as this one is for cruisers. Anybody out there know of any such assistance?

Thanks in advance! Oh, and we're also taking Hugo, my husband's Seeing Eye dog. The paperwork is intense, but we're following all the rules and are thrilled that it's all working out.

We did a month long land trip to Australia a couple years ago and found Cruise Critic was helpful for that trip despite being a land trip. We also found Fodors Travel Talk and Frommers Message Board helpful for all sorts of things. Many of these message boards give you web sites you can visit to get more detailed information about the area you are visiting. Good luck... The planning can be as interesting as a trip on occasion.

tripadvisor.com is another site that provides a lot of info.

Thank you Mike and TripMaven - that is exactly what I'm looking for! I'm also soaking up the info here.

Thanks again -

If you have any questions please post here, quite a few Aussies & kiwis read these posts and we try to help if we can.

We can also give you some links for websites.

If you have any questions please post here, quite a few Aussies & kiwis read these posts and we try to help if we can.

We can also give you some links for websites.

Thanks for the offer! My first question is this: We're going to be there from May 7 - May 17. We'll be in Sydney Sunday - Tuesday, Melbourne Wednesday and Thursday, and Brisbane Friday - Tuesday. Any clues about what the weather will be like?

Thanks in advance!

I used several sites before we went last year. Found them by Googling different phrases and the cities.

My computer crashed a while back so I don't have them bookmarked any more but

http://www.virtualtourist.com/

Fodors has a site.

Fremmers has a site

and there was another one I liked similar to virtual tourist but I can't remember its name.

Sometimes the main home page for each city has information that is helpful.

I used the weather channel (think it was) to find out ahead of time what the weather might be like. It had a trip planner part.

Maybe it was http://www.weather.com

Pretty sure it was.

Word of advice on some of those boards- I got flamed when I mispelled the names of the cities.

When we were there the Seeing Eye Dogs of Australia were having a fundraiser in Melbourne (pronounced Mell-bun) where they had artists decorate items and sell paintings. It was held in Federation Square.

Here's a web search I did for you using "Seeing Eye Dogs of Australia"

http://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/search/web/%2522Seeing%2BEye%2BDogs%2Bof%2BAustralia%2522/1/-/1/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/417/top

Seeing Eye Dogs of Australia had a website but I didn't see it in the results. It may be there; I didn't open all the linkes. Anyway, THEY MIGHT be able to help you cut through red tape to get HUGO on your trip.

Federation Square had a website that was interesting to view.

Maybe it was just part of the weekend fundraiser but we saw statues of dogs in other places in Melbourne. One was inside a building that had shops and historical things in it. Think it was called "Queen Victoria's Building"

Melbourne has lots of cool statues. Look for the three tourists in front of the police station across from the airport. There are three men standing on a corner on one of the roads leading to Federation Square.

There is a really good souvenir shop - good quality caps and shirts on that street across from (I think) Grand Mercure Swanston Hotel. Think the street is Swanston where the store is. If your back is to the hotel, the shop is across the street and to your right. Lots of people in our group bought things there. Unfortunately, we didn't find out about it until we were on the way to the airport.

There is a Farmer's Market type of place that is really cool.

Be sure you take a boat ride around Sydney Harbour.

TOILET flushers are on TOP of the tank rather than in the upper left hand corner on the front face of the tank.

Be sure to order some BUGS in Bisbane. They are a crawfish-like lobster and are delicious. Instead of claws, they have broom-like appendages. After you eat the meat, turn your bug over to see. Interesting!

BREKKY is breakfast... Lots of stewed tomatoes, baked beans, yogurt (spelled yoghurt there), eggs, cereal...

One type of cereal I didn't like but some people in the group did was called Weet-bix or something like that.

People in our group complained about the coffee so I didn't drink it but ended up with some samples of Moccona which I used. Dolloped with French Vanilla whipped cream and loved it. I'm hardly drink coffee at all.

In Australia hamburgers are served with a slice of beet and an egg although if they think you are from another country, they might serve it in a "non-traditional-Aussie-way."

Try the Vegemite. You may not like it but it is an Aussie acquired taste.

TimTam - lots of varieties in the supermarket. Reminded me of a cookie sold in States and I wouldn't have tried it because I figured it would be the same. It wasn't. It was delicious. I had the Dark Chocolate variety and wished later we'd bought more packages to bring home.

Cheerios - not the cereal but the cocktail sausages type of small hotdogs.

If you want more "eating tips" let me know.

You are so lucky to be going! (If you find that Hugo has to stay in the hotel sometimes, I'd be glad to go along to "dog-sit." <grin>)

Have fun.

PS. Take a lot of CD's for the LOOONNG flight over and don't let the person on the aisle seat take a sleeping pill or you'll never get to the restroom! Stretch and do those exercises they suggest on the plane to help prevent deep-vein-thrombosis.

Here's the link to Melbourne weather:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/weather/tenday/ASXX0075?x=15&lswe=melbourne%2C+au&lswa=VacationForecastCommand&GO=GO&y=7&from=Opt2

Thanks for the offer! My first question is this: We're going to be there from May 7 - May 17. We'll be in Sydney Sunday - Tuesday, Melbourne Wednesday and Thursday, and Brisbane Friday - Tuesday. Any clues about what the weather will be like?

 

Thanks in advance!

It's autumn (fall), fantastic weather, still warm days and mild nights in Sydney, a little warmer in Brisbane. Definitely not cold.

In May, Melbourne can be cool but lovely and fresh at the same time. By May I am definately in jeans, boots and warm jacket although it is not unusual to have fine, sunny days with temperatures around the 17 - 22C.

Melbourne is a beautiful place to be in Autumn.

Jane;)

Brisbane in May will be beautiful. Warm (no humidity) and sunny. Probably about 24 degrees. Many locals will still be wearing shorts.

Sandra

Word of advice on some of those boards- I got flamed when I mispelled the names of the cities.

Hi NZYU

I'm sorry you feel you got flamed but I'm sure nobody meant you any real malice.

I would like to share with you my experience of travelling in the USA for a month in 2005 - exciting, very different, & confusing

why ?????

first thing I noticed was the toilets don't flush they suck & refill really really high with water - I thought it was blocked

and the auto matic flushing system at the airport had me in stitches with laughter.:D

I had a hard time trying to find a decent cup of coffee as I don't like brewed and your instant has charcol as its base but I just switched to tea

I could go on here for hours about the differences of our foods, habits and every day commodities but you know what I'm glad I experienced that month because I now know Australia is the best country in the world because we are a multi cultural society and we do cater for international tourists and can adjust to their needs when required, I was starved for international news over there because so much happens in the USA there is no time to show what has happened in other countries except where the troops are.

Please Please don't take this as a flame as its not.

yes we all are different but thats what life is about:eek:

Helen

Thanks to all for the word about the weather. Sounds lovely!

Now, we're arriving in Brisbane on Friday and have the weekend free until my husband has to work on Monday. Is there any hope at all of my seeing any portion of the Great Barrier Reef on that weekend? I don't do scuba diving or snorkling or anything like that - I just want to somehow get to somewhere where I can see some part of it. I know this sounds really naive and it might be hopeless, but it seems a shame to travel so far and not see some part of it.

Thanks again, in advance!

Oh, and Helen - what part of the US were you in?

Queensland is a huge state. Brisbane (the capital) is in the Southern corner of the State. You would have to fly aprox 2,000 klms to get to the Barrier Reef. It is as far from Brisbane to Cairns (which is the best place for viewing) as it is from Brisbane to Melbourne. Townsville is closer but that too is an hour and a half flight. Brisbane-Cairns, Brisbane -Melbourne are both two hour flights. When you are in Brisbane most tourists take a trip to the Gold Coast to see the beaches there. Surfers Paradise is the most famous. They are about an hours drive from Brisbane aprox 80 klms.

Hope this helps.

Sandra

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef are worth the trip in my humble opinion.

Australia is a great place. You'll enjoy yourselves. Have fun.

Hi Hugosmom

The states we visited were California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, back to California, Hawaii & then home to Australia

Helen:D

Recently, there have been news reports about an outbreak of bed bugs. In an attempt not to embarrass anyone from these areas (we also have them here in the US), I will not name the area identified but I am curious, however, if there are any ways that we can protect ourselves other than carrying our own bedsheets and plastic to and from??? Regular pesticide is useless.

The tourism industry is holding a summit to try and address this problem, but I am leaving in 10 days!

Thanks!

We heard that last year, too.

Didn't have a problem. Were in 8-10 different hotels, too.

Hi Hugosmom

 

The states we visited were California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, back to California, Hawaii & then home to Australia

 

Helen:D

It sounds like you "landed" and headed due east! Did you make it to Nashville, Tennessee? That's where we are!

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and I imagine I'll have much the same reactions to the "differences" while I'm down under! I'm prepared for the water going down the drain in reverse and for the temps to get warmer (instead of colder) as we travel north - and I'm expecting to hear English like I've never heard it before! I don't drink either tea or coffee, so that won't be a problem.

I can see where Australia would cater more to international tourists than America would - and I'm looking forward to being catered to! Just wish I had a whole month there like you had here in the States. Ten days just isn't going to be long enough, I'm afraid...

Queensland is a huge state. Brisbane (the capital) is in the Southern corner of the State. You would have to fly aprox 2,000 klms to get to the Barrier Reef. It is as far from Brisbane to Cairns (which is the best place for viewing) as it is from Brisbane to Melbourne. Townsville is closer but that too is an hour and a half flight. Brisbane-Cairns, Brisbane -Melbourne are both two hour flights. When you are in Brisbane most tourists take a trip to the Gold Coast to see the beaches there. Surfers Paradise is the most famous. They are about an hours drive from Brisbane aprox 80 klms.

Hope this helps.

Sandra

Thank you, Sandra - this is very helpful information. I'm looking into ideas for a tour for when we get to Cairns - is anyone familiar with this:

http://www.cairnsholiday.com.au/whattodo/divesnorkel/reefmagiccruises.htm

I'm open to other suggestions as well. I appreciate it!

Dranda

Try this site also, it's got some great pics and good links.

http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/

We were in cairns late last year there are plenty of tours, it depends on what you are wanting to do. The reef is accessable from Cairns & Port Douglas as day trips. The drive to Port Douglas is picturesques but not a great drive if you plan to hire a car and not used to travelling on the CORRECT side of the road! Seriously, it's a difficult drive but lovely to sit back and enjoy the view.

Cairns itself is built on a mud flat but has a fantastic foreshore and lagoon. Anyway the above website has lots of info. Amy more Q's just ask.