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Question for the Aussies out there


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Now that we know what your itinerary is, it makes even more sense to make the most of Sydney. You will see plenty of outback samples from Darwin, Port Headland or Geraldton.

As others have said, Port Headland is a mining town. Many of the mines are 100s of miles out in the dessert. Dont listen to some people who say this port is a waste of time. This port has some of the largest ships in the world visit it. Extremely important to our economy. Will be very hot.

 

Look out for Oil rigs on your cruise down the west coast from Darwin.

 

Geraldton is sometimes bypassed if the wind is too strong, so just be prepared for that. Has a town shuttle bus. Take a visit to the local memorial of the warship HMAS Sydney, sunk in the Indian ocean and lost fir 60 years.

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You will see plenty of outback on your cruise, the outback is not necessarily in the centre of Australia, it can be around the edges as well.

 

I was taught that the outback was anywhere west of the Great Dividing Range (on the east coast). All my relatives lived in the outback in Queensland. :)

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I was taught that the outback was anywhere west of the Great Dividing Range (on the east coast). All my relatives lived in the outback in Queensland. :)

 

I was taught I had to go past Bourke.

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The jumping crocodile tour in Darwin is fantastic, that takes a half day so you'll be able to do a second tour as well.

 

In Sydney take a day tour to the Blue Mountains, its just beautiful, I spend a lot time here, lovely Australian bush. The Jenolan Caves is another great day trip you could do from Sydney.

 

If you want to see Australian wlldlife then a visit to Featherdale Wildlife park in Sydney would be good, you'll get to see the animals close up.

 

Geraldton will give you a taste of the outback without having to spend all that time flying.

 

January will be stinking hot here, cover up, bring sunscreen, roll on insect repellent and a good hat, you will have a wonderful time :)

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It's beyond the black stump. The trouble is that the damn thing keeps moving.

 

 

I knew I'd been beyond the black stump -

 

Coolah is one of several towns to claim bragging rights as the home of the legendary Black Stump. It was here that the colloquial saying ‘Beyond the Black Stump’, meaning ‘beyond the limits of civilisation,’ is said to have originated.

 

Supporting Coolah’s claim is a document showing land boundaries declared by Governor Darling in 1826. This boundary line passes through the centre of a property known as ‘Black Stump Run’. The local Aboriginal Gamilaraay people were said to have called the area ‘Weetalibah-Wallangan’, meaning, ‘the place where the fire went out and left a burnt stump’.

 

http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/warrumbungle-area/coolah/attractions/black-stump-rest-area

Edited by MMDown Under
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Embarrassingly, I thought that the black stump thing was just a saying until I was in my mid 20s and heading a long way inland for the first time. On the way to Mudgee we stopped ... and imagine my surprise to see a literal black stump!!

 

OP I think you'll have plenty to do in Sydney: Taronga, the Opera House (see if you can catch a show - anything is better than missing out), the botanic gardens, the Blue Mountains, and the beaches. I would recommend Bronte beach because it has nice shade, parks and great coffee shops nearby. The Rockpool and cliff caves on the Bondi-Coogee walk are really lovely.

 

If you wanted to do a short overnight trip, the Hunter Valley is lovely. My mum, sister, sister in law and I recently took time out at the Golden Door and had a wonderful time. We stayed at the Grand Mercure apartments at Cypress Lakes resort and we all loved it.

 

Another option, if you can get a flight to Coffs Harbour, is to go inland to the Dorrigo rainforest. It will probably be very humid though. I personally think Sydney is a better option but I thought I'd throw out thidea.

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