nchpmn

When we were over in Dunedin in 2020, we booked the Taieri Gorge Train independently (some hundreds of AUD$ cheaper!), directly with the operator - though on this occasion it was departing from Dunedin Railway Station, and not Port Otago where the ship docks.

Biosecurity rules apply to EVERYTHING you're bringing in... checked bags, carry on, stuffed down your bra... If you're unsure (ie brought your own snacks for the flight, prescription meds, or muddy hiking boots, etc. etc.), just declare it. The officers at the border are decent and there's no penalty for declaring something that's then confiscated (ie if your foodstuff was deemed to be unwelcome in Australia cos it's got seeds in it or something... generally anything processed & packaged is totally fine). If you hide it... and are caught... then you'll see their bad side.

Route 333 is the most express bus route CBD <--> Bondi Beach. It can get busy in peak hour (mornings towards beach, afternoon return to city)! https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/transdev-john-holland-buses/333/30333 You'll end up coming back through Bondi Junction on this route, then onwards to the CBD

Sydney's my local 'big city', so perhaps a jaded response from a local, but I enjoy walking and wandering both scenic and not-scenic routes around cities. From the train station (Bondi Junction) down to the beach is a long walk, with a fair amount (depending on route) the footpath of a 4-lane main road. Not a lot of neighbourhood on that road! Still, it's enjoyable enough. The Google Maps route seems to pick some smaller roads a couple of blocks north so that might be nicer. The killer, is the return walk: it's all uphill (about 1:20 to 1:30 gradient). Now, it's not a mountain or anything but you'll feel it in your calves. The main rise out of Bondi Beach is the main uphill section.

The Opal system is one card per person - whether a VISA, or a preloaded Opal card per person. (Otherwise, it couldn't tell if you're tapping on a second person, or reversing an accidental tap!) Remember to tap on AND off (except at some Ferry wharfs like Manly, where you don't have to tap off). This ensures you get the correct pricing - forgetting to tap off will charge the 'default' maximum fare.