A request for guidance

Hi.

I did say plane train and automobile in the original post. So means of
travel will depend on distance.

I know ive never been but I do know that driving isnt an option for a
lot of trips !!!!!!!

You missed the best part. 8 hours west of Adelaide and before Ceduna is a
turnoff of 40 minutes and you get to Streaky Bay (I'm sure there is a sign)
with absolutely spectacular scenery, real life fishing village feel, good
Caravan Park with cabins on the water. Go around to Highcliffs, the
"Granites", Scayles Bay, (the locals will direct and there are maps). If you
are there in summer (the water is bloody freezing all year), make sure you
have masks and snorkels and a good strong knife, and you legally pry abalone
off the rocks in the shallows, and have some of the most spectacular
temperate water diving in the world - and consistent visibility of 100 feet.

Streaky Bay is one of the world's "must-see" destinations.


"Gerrit 't Hart" wrote in message
...

"adrian7886" wrote in message
oups.com...
You are so right I did mean West.

Start at Melbourne and head towards Perth. I must go to Perth as yet
another of my friends is emigrating in March next year. I have been
told there are some nice places along the coast road and some superb
beaches around Torquay?
I have also been told that the drive to Broken Hill and the place
itself is a bit of fun. I guess I want to see a bit of everything. I
know that four weeks is not enough to see it all and I really am in the
early stage of planning. That's why I need the help. ;-)


Adrian

As some others have already pointed out Australia is large and from
Melbourne to Perth is more than 3000km. I suggest you hire a car which you
can drop off in Perth.
Drive from Melbourne to (in sort of order) Torquay, Great Ocean Road (take
5
days to get to) Adelaide (stay 3 days see Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills -
incl Hahndorf, and the Fleurieau Peninsula), if you wish a couple of days
on
Kangaroo Island by ferry from the tip of the peninsula, north to Port
Augusta (suggest Broken Hill is too far out of your way), westwards down
the
Eyre Peninsula coast to Port Lincoln and Coffin Bay, up the west coast of
the peninsula to Ceduna then the long haul across the Nullarbor (don't
forget to check out Head of Bight and some of the other lookouts) to
Norseman. Turn southwards to Esperance (good for 3 days incl. Cape Le
Grande
National Park), westwards to Albany (good for 7 days - I grew up there!)
thence via Denmark to Walpole and Pemberton. Westwards to Augusta thence
northwards to Margaret River and Busselton - the extreme southwest corner
area encompassed by these towns is good for 7 days - we spend at least a
week there every summer. From Busselton northwards to Perth via Bunbury.
Then visit friends and have a good time until the time comes to
(reluctantly) go home again.

Ask your friends in Perth for more information about the South West or use
Google or ask us on this newsgroup with more specific queries.

I hope you do something like this as it will give a you a start to seeing
Australia and I am sure that afterwards you will come back!

Gerrit - Perth

"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...
You missed the best part. 8 hours west of Adelaide and before Ceduna is a
turnoff of 40 minutes and you get to Streaky Bay (I'm sure there is a
sign)
with absolutely spectacular scenery, real life fishing village feel, good
Caravan Park with cabins on the water. Go around to Highcliffs, the
"Granites", Scayles Bay, (the locals will direct and there are maps). If
you
are there in summer (the water is bloody freezing all year), make sure you
have masks and snorkels and a good strong knife, and you legally pry
abalone
off the rocks in the shallows, and have some of the most spectacular
temperate water diving in the world - and consistent visibility of 100
feet.

Streaky Bay is one of the world's "must-see" destinations.



You may have noticed that my suggestion included the whole of the Eyre
Peninsula. Down the east coast and up the west coast. Streaky Bay would be
included in the latter bit! :-)
Don't necessarily agree with you on the last statement but SB is nice.

Gerrit

You may have noticed that my suggestion included the whole of the Eyre
Peninsula. Down the east coast and up the west coast. Streaky Bay would be
included in the latter bit! :-)

Whoops, missed that bit.

Don't necessarily agree with you on the last statement but SB is nice.


Streaky Bay was the first town outside of Adelaide to have electricity. I
know this to be true, because my grandfather built the first power station
and operated it for 30 years. My mother was born there. So maybe I'm biased.

On 22 Oct 2005 03:18:20 -0700, "adrian7886"
wrote:

Hi.

I did say plane train and automobile in the original post. So means of
travel will depend on distance.

I know ive never been but I do know that driving isnt an option for a
lot of trips !!!!!!!

In your four weeks, I'd start with your few days in Sydney,
and finish with a few in Perth, for a total of no more than
a week. Spend the other three depending on your interests.

I drive the east coast, wandering NSW, Vic, and occasionally
SA, annually. Let us know your interests , bur a rough
itinerary for an interesting three-week drive would be (I'm
a little biased to dropping in to the occasional winery:-):

Sydney-Newcastle by train. Then collect your car there or in
Cessnock and drive:
Car Week 1:
Hunter Valley
Central Coast
via Hawkesbury (Wiseman's) and western Sydney to Blue
Mountains
Bathurst/Orange/Cowra district
Canberra/Snowy
Car Week 2:
Bateman's Bay
Wander the coast (Eden, Mallacoota, Lakes Entrance) to
Wilson's Prom or Phillip Island
Melbourne
Car week 3:
Great Ocean Road
Mt Gambier
Coorong
Lake Alexandrina/Murray Mouth
Possibly Victor harbour/Kangaroo Island
Adelaide - side trips to Clare and Barossa Valleys.
Fly to Perth.

Broken Hill/Silverton is nice - but it's a bloody long way
to drive for what you'll see in your timescale. And don't
even think of the time you'll lose driving or using the
train to Perth.

Cheers, Alan, Australia

adrian7886 wrote:
I have read the usual books. Rough Guide, Lonely Planet etc etc but
would like some help from the experts.

I am planning to go to Australia for four weeks next October November
with my wife and ten year old son. Flying into Sydney and staying for
three or four days in a pre booked hotel.

From there the plan is to just travel around, train, plane or
automobile.

A friend of mine who comes from Perth recommends that I get to
Melbourne and head east. I might go to Perth as I have some old
friends there but that's not definite.

Any websites or blogs that you know of that could help us on our
travels would be most useful. I'm not on a tight budget but then
again not loaded either. Eighteen months of hard savings may allow us
a few luxuries!

Many thanks in advance
Adrian


You say you are flying into Sydney. Is your international flight out of
Perth?
If not, then why not save Perth and the South West for another trip.?

On our first trip to Austarlia ( 4 weeks), we arrived Sydney,(3 days.)
Straycat bus trip to Melbourne (3) Flew to Cairns,(5 days )then hired car
and camping gear and headed off towards Brisbane via Magnetic Island. Few
days outside Brisbane. Flight to Sydney. last couple of days then home.

2nd trip ( 6 weeks) 7 days SydneyHunter valley etc. Wayward bus trip to
Melbourne ( diff route). Wayward bus to Adelaide.(4 days in Glenelg) then up
to Alice Springs. Over to Cairns ( Palm Cove for R&R) then flew home Via
Darwin

3rd trip (3 weeks) Perth /Freemantle Kalgoolie, Esperance, Albany,
Around the coast to Margaret River back to Perth via Bunbury

That's a total of 13 weeks travelling in Australia and we have to make many
more return trips to see all we want to !!


Jan

Wow Adelaide's got electricity, then the last one up must really have to
turn out the street lights, snore

--
like fu_ a porcupine
1000 pri_ks against one
_
"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...


You may have noticed that my suggestion included the whole of the Eyre
Peninsula. Down the east coast and up the west coast. Streaky Bay would
be
included in the latter bit! :-)

Whoops, missed that bit.

Don't necessarily agree with you on the last statement but SB is nice.


Streaky Bay was the first town outside of Adelaide to have electricity. I
know this to be true, because my grandfather built the first power station
and operated it for 30 years. My mother was born there. So maybe I'm
biased.

Hello another dumb Eastern Stater no doubt!!

"AlmostBob" wrote in message
news:KyM6f.44797$Io.12005@clgrps13...
Wow Adelaide's got electricity, then the last one up must really have to
turn out the street lights, snore

--
like fu_ a porcupine
1000 pri_ks against one
_
"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...


You may have noticed that my suggestion included the whole of the Eyre
Peninsula. Down the east coast and up the west coast. Streaky Bay
would
be
included in the latter bit! :-)

Whoops, missed that bit.

Don't necessarily agree with you on the last statement but SB is nice.


Streaky Bay was the first town outside of Adelaide to have electricity.
I
know this to be true, because my grandfather built the first power
station
and operated it for 30 years. My mother was born there. So maybe I'm
biased.

nope, just a smartass,
and to both the South Australians that can read, sorry to offend

--
like fu_ a porcupine
1000 pri_ks against one
_
"John H" wrote in message
...
Hello another dumb Eastern Stater no doubt!!

"AlmostBob" wrote in message
news:KyM6f.44797$Io.12005@clgrps13...
Wow Adelaide's got electricity, then the last one up must really have to
turn out the street lights, snore

--
like fu_ a porcupine
1000 pri_ks against one
_
"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...


You may have noticed that my suggestion included the whole of the
Eyre
Peninsula. Down the east coast and up the west coast. Streaky Bay
would
be
included in the latter bit! :-)

Whoops, missed that bit.

Don't necessarily agree with you on the last statement but SB is
nice.


Streaky Bay was the first town outside of Adelaide to have
electricity.
I
know this to be true, because my grandfather built the first power
station
and operated it for 30 years. My mother was born there. So maybe I'm
biased.