Our first visit to Australia: HK - Melbourne - Sydney - Canberra - HK (Feburary)

Thanks for all the suggestions and here's our revised plan.
Must arrive & leave Sydney at dawn (5 am!).
Skipped Canberra & Yarra or Hunter Valley winneries or split group... can't
possibly please all!
Further comments welcome.

Day 1 Thur Arriving Sydney at dawn
- taxi to city centre (hotel); leave baggage at city centre hotel
- Sydney Explore Bus - whole day city tour - major attractions
- dusk - Sydney Tower
- evening - dinner - back to hotel

Day 2 Fri Sydney
- morning: Darling harbour, monorail, Chinatown, etc.
- noon: Ferry to Torango Zoo (or Manly Beach only if time allows)
- evening - dinner - back to hotel

Day 3 Sat Blue Mountain
- early morning: pick up car, drive to Blue Mountains
- whole day at Blue Mountains
- lodging in Blue Mountains (any suggestion?)

Day 4 Sydney - Melbourne
- early morning: drive to Sydney Airport; return car
- fly to Melbourne
- noon: Arriving Melbourne Airport; pick up car
- drive direct to Phillip Island
- Koala Conservation Centre & Penguin Parade, etc
- lodging in Phillip Island (any suggestion?)

Day 5 Melbourne
- morning: drive to Melbourne city centre - hotel
- City Tour by tram / walk (should we drive around or leave car at hotel?)
- evening: Italian dinner in Carlton or dinner on tram or Crown Casino
- lodging in Melbourne

Day 6 Great Ocean Road
- morning drive to Port Campbell Nat Park, 12 Apostles, etc
- afternoon - evening in Port Campbell Nat Park (helicopter tour
recommended?)
- lodging in Port Campbell Nat Park nearby hotel

Day 7 Ballarat / Soverign Hill
- morning drive back Great Ocean Road up to Ballarat / Soverign Hill
- day tour + evening light spectacular
- lodging in Ballarat

Day 8 Melbourne - Sydney
- morning drive to Melbourne Airport; return car
- fly back to Sydney Airport; check in airport hotel
- still time to go to Bondi Beach by Bay Explorer Bus (or Manly Beach by
ferry)?
- evening return to airport hotel

Day 9 Sydney - Hong Kong
- dawn: fly back to HK

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 06:00:04 GMT, "AlmostBob"
wrote:

|I used to like the Goulburn police, every night for 6 months, after the
|first time, when they did stop me and spend hours checking my story with my
|Unit CO, they let me speed (slightly) through town going to see my girl, coz
|I had to be back at Jervis Bay for reveille at 05:45.
|
|You can be really dumb at 19,
|really really dumb
|--
|Ever wonder why evian Water
|is $3 for a half litre,
|
|spell Evian backwards

How long ago was that? I still remember being on duty at Fairbairn (RAAF
Canberra) the night your lot burnt all the Skyhawks down there in the
late '70s.

Cheers, Alan
--

Many more thanks for excellent advice. I could never imagine what the
traffic conditions is like there. I should perhaps give up driving from
Sydney if public transport / tour transport is more reliable. Jetlag
shouldn't be a big problem for us coming from HK but your flexibility /
weather factors are excellent reminder.

Not sure how to fit in the Melbourne trips. Phillip Island seems too far
off.... does it worth the trip or better spend more time in the city? I'll
check if there is any special events going on there.

Yes, I notice there's a road going north from Otway NP to Colac to Ballarat,
cutting some time.

Any comment on anything to do on my last day in Sydney. I expect arriving
from Melbourne in mid-morning and have rest of the day free. Is there
enough time for a winery tour (which tour) or Bondi Beach or Manly Beach or
what? Can return airport hotel late night.



"Alan" ???
???...
On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:02:27 +0800, "ET" wrote:
Hi ET

I'll interlace some first thoughts at this stage. On driving, I drove
11000km around Europe last year, so I'm not troubled by all the driving
you've elected to do, but I think you'll enjoy a short trip like this
more if you're in the passenger seat a little more often.

|Thanks for all the suggestions and here's our revised plan.
|Must arrive & leave Sydney at dawn (5 am!).
|Skipped Canberra & Yarra or Hunter Valley winneries or split group...
can't
|possibly please all!
|Further comments welcome.
|
|Day 1 Thur Arriving Sydney at dawn
|- taxi to city centre (hotel); leave baggage at city centre hotel
|- Sydney Explore Bus - whole day city tour - major attractions
|- dusk - Sydney Tower
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
Allow for jet-lag, so don't make firm bookings for the bus tour in case
you are zonked; also be flexible so that if the weather is good for
photos then take the ferry to Manly on day 1, and have lunch or dinner
over there. If the weather isn't suitable, do that on a different day.

|Day 2 Fri Sydney
|- morning: Darling harbour, monorail, Chinatown, etc.
|- noon: Ferry to Torango Zoo (or Manly Beach only if time allows)
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
I'd swap this for day 3 (see next), and mix it up with the day 1 ideas
for flexibility.|

|Day 3 Sat Blue Mountain
|- early morning: pick up car, drive to Blue Mountains
|- whole day at Blue Mountains
|- lodging in Blue Mountains (any suggestion?)
|
I suspect you've underestimated the time to drive from the Blue
Mountains to Mascot, particularly if you happen to be doing it in the
morning traffic (which starts early from out there).
Consider making this day 2. Also consider taking the suburban train
(subject to luggage problems?) to the Blue Mountains and picking up a
car or meeting a tour there. Sydney traffic can be "interesting" to a
novice:-)

|Day 4 Sydney - Melbourne
|- early morning: drive to Sydney Airport; return car
See above
|- fly to Melbourne
|- noon: Arriving Melbourne Airport; pick up car
|- drive direct to Phillip Island
You really love to drive:-) I was a Melbourne cabby; you're talking 3
1/2 hours+ for an experienced driver from Tulla to San Remo. However,
it's a much easier drive than the one proposed for Sydney, because it's
mainly freeways/tollways or good straight highways.
|- Koala Conservation Centre & Penguin Parade, etc
|- lodging in Phillip Island (any suggestion?)
I've forgotten when you were going - if it's not Xmas School Holidays or
Easter and there are no bike races, accommodation should be easy to
arrange ad hoc, or to book in advance on the net. However, if the races
are on, go on a different date.
|
|Day 5 Melbourne
|- morning: drive to Melbourne city centre - hotel
|- City Tour by tram / walk (should we drive around or leave car at
hotel?)
Definitely leave car at Hotel
|- evening: Italian dinner in Carlton or dinner on tram or Crown Casino
Not Crown, or any major hotel. Tram Restaurant, Lygon St, Bruswick St
Fitzroy, Chinatown, Chapel St South Yarra, many restaurants in Richmond,
St Kilda - but not a hotel:-) Pick one while you're wandering around to
go back to that night.
|- lodging in Melbourne
|
|Day 6 Great Ocean Road
|- morning drive to Port Campbell Nat Park, 12 Apostles, etc
|- afternoon - evening in Port Campbell Nat Park (helicopter tour
|recommended?)
|- lodging in Port Campbell Nat Park nearby hotel
|
|Day 7 Ballarat / Soverign Hill
|- morning drive back Great Ocean Road up to Ballarat / Soverign Hill
Tere are a few options, depending where you stayed overnight. There is
also a road directly north from Lorne (I think, memory) towards Colac
which cuts some distance off.
|- day tour + evening light spectacular
|- lodging in Ballarat
|
|Day 8 Melbourne - Sydney
|- morning drive to Melbourne Airport
easy drive for a change:-)
| return car
|- fly back to Sydney Airport; check in airport hotel
|- still time to go to Bondi Beach by Bay Explorer Bus (or Manly Beach by
|ferry)?
|- evening return to airport hotel
|
|Day 9 Sydney - Hong Kong
|- dawn: fly back to HK
|
Sleep.......

Cheers, Alan
--

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:02:27 +0800, "ET" wrote:
Hi ET

I'll interlace some first thoughts at this stage. On driving, I drove
11000km around Europe last year, so I'm not troubled by all the driving
you've elected to do, but I think you'll enjoy a short trip like this
more if you're in the passenger seat a little more often.

|Thanks for all the suggestions and here's our revised plan.
|Must arrive & leave Sydney at dawn (5 am!).
|Skipped Canberra & Yarra or Hunter Valley winneries or split group... can't
|possibly please all!
|Further comments welcome.
|
|Day 1 Thur Arriving Sydney at dawn
|- taxi to city centre (hotel); leave baggage at city centre hotel
|- Sydney Explore Bus - whole day city tour - major attractions
|- dusk - Sydney Tower
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
Allow for jet-lag, so don't make firm bookings for the bus tour in case
you are zonked; also be flexible so that if the weather is good for
photos then take the ferry to Manly on day 1, and have lunch or dinner
over there. If the weather isn't suitable, do that on a different day.

|Day 2 Fri Sydney
|- morning: Darling harbour, monorail, Chinatown, etc.
|- noon: Ferry to Torango Zoo (or Manly Beach only if time allows)
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
I'd swap this for day 3 (see next), and mix it up with the day 1 ideas
for flexibility.|

|Day 3 Sat Blue Mountain
|- early morning: pick up car, drive to Blue Mountains
|- whole day at Blue Mountains
|- lodging in Blue Mountains (any suggestion?)
|
I suspect you've underestimated the time to drive from the Blue
Mountains to Mascot, particularly if you happen to be doing it in the
morning traffic (which starts early from out there).
Consider making this day 2. Also consider taking the suburban train
(subject to luggage problems?) to the Blue Mountains and picking up a
car or meeting a tour there. Sydney traffic can be "interesting" to a
novice:-)

|Day 4 Sydney - Melbourne
|- early morning: drive to Sydney Airport; return car
See above
|- fly to Melbourne
|- noon: Arriving Melbourne Airport; pick up car
|- drive direct to Phillip Island
You really love to drive:-) I was a Melbourne cabby; you're talking 3
1/2 hours+ for an experienced driver from Tulla to San Remo. However,
it's a much easier drive than the one proposed for Sydney, because it's
mainly freeways/tollways or good straight highways.
|- Koala Conservation Centre & Penguin Parade, etc
|- lodging in Phillip Island (any suggestion?)
I've forgotten when you were going - if it's not Xmas School Holidays or
Easter and there are no bike races, accommodation should be easy to
arrange ad hoc, or to book in advance on the net. However, if the races
are on, go on a different date.
|
|Day 5 Melbourne
|- morning: drive to Melbourne city centre - hotel
|- City Tour by tram / walk (should we drive around or leave car at hotel?)
Definitely leave car at Hotel
|- evening: Italian dinner in Carlton or dinner on tram or Crown Casino
Not Crown, or any major hotel. Tram Restaurant, Lygon St, Bruswick St
Fitzroy, Chinatown, Chapel St South Yarra, many restaurants in Richmond,
St Kilda - but not a hotel:-) Pick one while you're wandering around to
go back to that night.
|- lodging in Melbourne
|
|Day 6 Great Ocean Road
|- morning drive to Port Campbell Nat Park, 12 Apostles, etc
|- afternoon - evening in Port Campbell Nat Park (helicopter tour
|recommended?)
|- lodging in Port Campbell Nat Park nearby hotel
|
|Day 7 Ballarat / Soverign Hill
|- morning drive back Great Ocean Road up to Ballarat / Soverign Hill
Tere are a few options, depending where you stayed overnight. There is
also a road directly north from Lorne (I think, memory) towards Colac
which cuts some distance off.
|- day tour + evening light spectacular
|- lodging in Ballarat
|
|Day 8 Melbourne - Sydney
|- morning drive to Melbourne Airport
easy drive for a change:-)
| return car
|- fly back to Sydney Airport; check in airport hotel
|- still time to go to Bondi Beach by Bay Explorer Bus (or Manly Beach by
|ferry)?
|- evening return to airport hotel
|
|Day 9 Sydney - Hong Kong
|- dawn: fly back to HK
|
Sleep.......

Cheers, Alan
--

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 16:02:27 +0800, "ET" wrote:
Hi ET

I'll interlace some first thoughts at this stage. On driving, I drove
11000km around Europe last year, so I'm not troubled by all the driving
you've elected to do, but I think you'll enjoy a short trip like this
more if you're in the passenger seat a little more often.

|Thanks for all the suggestions and here's our revised plan.
|Must arrive & leave Sydney at dawn (5 am!).
|Skipped Canberra & Yarra or Hunter Valley winneries or split group... can't
|possibly please all!
|Further comments welcome.
|
|Day 1 Thur Arriving Sydney at dawn
|- taxi to city centre (hotel); leave baggage at city centre hotel
|- Sydney Explore Bus - whole day city tour - major attractions
|- dusk - Sydney Tower
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
Allow for jet-lag, so don't make firm bookings for the bus tour in case
you are zonked; also be flexible so that if the weather is good for
photos then take the ferry to Manly on day 1, and have lunch or dinner
over there. If the weather isn't suitable, do that on a different day.

|Day 2 Fri Sydney
|- morning: Darling harbour, monorail, Chinatown, etc.
|- noon: Ferry to Torango Zoo (or Manly Beach only if time allows)
|- evening - dinner - back to hotel
|
I'd swap this for day 3 (see next), and mix it up with the day 1 ideas
for flexibility.|

|Day 3 Sat Blue Mountain
|- early morning: pick up car, drive to Blue Mountains
|- whole day at Blue Mountains
|- lodging in Blue Mountains (any suggestion?)
|
I suspect you've underestimated the time to drive from the Blue
Mountains to Mascot, particularly if you happen to be doing it in the
morning traffic (which starts early from out there).
Consider making this day 2. Also consider taking the suburban train
(subject to luggage problems?) to the Blue Mountains and picking up a
car or meeting a tour there. Sydney traffic can be "interesting" to a
novice:-)

|Day 4 Sydney - Melbourne
|- early morning: drive to Sydney Airport; return car
See above
|- fly to Melbourne
|- noon: Arriving Melbourne Airport; pick up car
|- drive direct to Phillip Island
You really love to drive:-) I was a Melbourne cabby; you're talking 3
1/2 hours+ for an experienced driver from Tulla to San Remo. However,
it's a much easier drive than the one proposed for Sydney, because it's
mainly freeways/tollways or good straight highways.
|- Koala Conservation Centre & Penguin Parade, etc
|- lodging in Phillip Island (any suggestion?)
I've forgotten when you were going - if it's not Xmas School Holidays or
Easter and there are no bike races, accommodation should be easy to
arrange ad hoc, or to book in advance on the net. However, if the races
are on, go on a different date.
|
|Day 5 Melbourne
|- morning: drive to Melbourne city centre - hotel
|- City Tour by tram / walk (should we drive around or leave car at hotel?)
Definitely leave car at Hotel
|- evening: Italian dinner in Carlton or dinner on tram or Crown Casino
Not Crown, or any major hotel. Tram Restaurant, Lygon St, Bruswick St
Fitzroy, Chinatown, Chapel St South Yarra, many restaurants in Richmond,
St Kilda - but not a hotel:-) Pick one while you're wandering around to
go back to that night.
|- lodging in Melbourne
|
|Day 6 Great Ocean Road
|- morning drive to Port Campbell Nat Park, 12 Apostles, etc
|- afternoon - evening in Port Campbell Nat Park (helicopter tour
|recommended?)
|- lodging in Port Campbell Nat Park nearby hotel
|
|Day 7 Ballarat / Soverign Hill
|- morning drive back Great Ocean Road up to Ballarat / Soverign Hill
Tere are a few options, depending where you stayed overnight. There is
also a road directly north from Lorne (I think, memory) towards Colac
which cuts some distance off.
|- day tour + evening light spectacular
|- lodging in Ballarat
|
|Day 8 Melbourne - Sydney
|- morning drive to Melbourne Airport
easy drive for a change:-)
| return car
|- fly back to Sydney Airport; check in airport hotel
|- still time to go to Bondi Beach by Bay Explorer Bus (or Manly Beach by
|ferry)?
|- evening return to airport hotel
|
|Day 9 Sydney - Hong Kong
|- dawn: fly back to HK
|
Sleep.......

Cheers, Alan
--

"ET" wrote in message ...
Many more thanks for excellent advice. I could never imagine what the
traffic conditions is like there. I should perhaps give up driving from
Sydney if public transport / tour transport is more reliable. Jetlag
shouldn't be a big problem for us coming from HK but your flexibility /
weather factors are excellent reminder.

Not sure how to fit in the Melbourne trips. Phillip Island seems too far
off.... does it worth the trip or better spend more time in the city?
I'll
check if there is any special events going on there.

Yes, I notice there's a road going north from Otway NP to Colac to
Ballarat,
cutting some time.

Any comment on anything to do on my last day in Sydney. I expect arriving
from Melbourne in mid-morning and have rest of the day free. Is there
enough time for a winery tour (which tour) or Bondi Beach or Manly Beach
or
what? Can return airport hotel late night.


Sydney driving isn't that bad. The bigger problem is navigation; what's the
misses like at reading maps?

You haven't got time to do a winery - the nearest real ones are 2 hours
drive away (in the Hunter Valley), and unless you are wanting to buy a ton
of wine, why bother - you can buy Austrtalian wine in bottleshops in HK, and
I can't see that having grape vines outside changes the flavour.

You must really see Bondi and do the ocean walk around to Tamarama. You
might well find on your last day that there is something that you missed and
really want to do - but if this doesn't happen, and its a nice day, relax on
Bondi Beach. There are public showers available free in a big building right
on the beach, so you can clean up a bit before your flight. What a great
(and authentic) way to finish an Australian holiday - soaking up the rays in
Bondi.

Otway National park, colac, Ballarat- saving time?? That road would break a
snakes back.

--
Ever wonder why evian Water
is $3 for a half litre,

spell Evian backwards
Yes, I notice there's a road going north from Otway NP to Colac to
Ballarat,
cutting some time.

"AlmostBob" wrote in
news:EvIGd.91531$nN6.23182@edtnps84:

I used to like the Goulburn police, every night for 6 months, after
the first time, when they did stop me and spend hours checking my
story with my Unit CO, they let me speed (slightly) through town going
to see my girl, coz I had to be back at Jervis Bay for reveille at
05:45.

You can be really dumb at 19,
really really dumb

LOL! Ah yes, it's amazing what one will do for love.

H picked up many, many speeding tickets back in the days when we first
were seeing each other - he was working on Fraser Island and would drive
to Rockhampton to see me, every other weekend.

Geodyne

"AlmostBob" wrote in
news:EvIGd.91531$nN6.23182@edtnps84:

I used to like the Goulburn police, every night for 6 months, after
the first time, when they did stop me and spend hours checking my
story with my Unit CO, they let me speed (slightly) through town going
to see my girl, coz I had to be back at Jervis Bay for reveille at
05:45.

You can be really dumb at 19,
really really dumb

LOL! Ah yes, it's amazing what one will do for love.

H picked up many, many speeding tickets back in the days when we first
were seeing each other - he was working on Fraser Island and would drive
to Rockhampton to see me, every other weekend.

Geodyne

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:57:54 GMT, "AlmostBob"
wrote:

|Otway National park, colac, Ballarat- saving time?? That road would break a
|snakes back.

Yeah - not the dirt track! The one I took (just checked the map) was OK
a couple of years back, from Skenes Creek through Forrest to Colac.
There's another from Lorne via Winchelsea. The first sections are
winding, but sealed, and I was in a motorhome at the time. I wasn't in a
hurry to get anywhere, so winding roads were preferred, not avoided:-)

According to my map there is also a sealed road from Lavers Hill via
Ferguson and Gellibrand, and also direct north from Port Campbell via
Cobden.


Cheers, Alan
--