Melbourne

Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, the 'cultural capital of Australia' and second largest city in the country with a population over 4 million, is definitely worth a trip to see and experience.  As a destination, it's very easily accessible, with plenty of international and domestic flight options.  The city has an integrated public transport system with buses, trains, trams and taxis.  Let me tell you though, if you're not used to being around trams, you really need to pay attention, both as a pedestrian and as a driver.  The CBD is laid out in a grid pattern, so navigating your way around is pretty easy, although not without its quirks.  If you get verbal directions from someone, make sure you really pay attention, as many of the main roads have a second 'little' road...for example, there's Collins St, then Little Collins St; or Bourke St, then Little Bourke St; it sounds confusing, but when you look at a map of Melbourne, it's laid out very logically.

Map of Greater Melbourne

One of my favourite things about Melbourne was the mix of historic and contemporary architecture.  I spent hours wandering aimlessly around downtown, watching the people and admiring the buildings (and dodging the trams).  An iconic piece of history, Flinders Street Station is a great place to meet up with mates, or use as a landmark if you get lost, as you simply can't miss it.  On the corner of Flinders and Swanson Streets, next to the Yarra River, it covers 2 city blocks.

Flinders Street Station

Without really paying attention to where I was going, I walked from Flinders Street Station to China Town.  Incidentally, it's the oldest China Town in Australia, established during the Victorian gold rush in 1851.  After getting the requisite souvenirs, I continued along Russell Street in search of the Old Melbourne Gaol.  Initially, my purpose was to see where the famous (or should I say infamous?) Australian bushranger, Ned Kelly, was jailed and hanged.  Honestly, I was a bit surprised to find the building and the exhibits were really interesting.  It's a good thing that I wasn't on a tight schedule for a change....

Feeling a bit peckish and parched, I decided to find a cafe.  That was not a problem, as there were restaurants and street cafes aplenty....the issue was trying to narrow down the options.  Melbourne is such a multi-cultural city, there seemed to be an endless choice of cuisines.  I finally decided on an Italian place on Lygon Street and sat down to rest my weary feet.

Hopping on a tram, my next stop was the Shrine of Remembrance.  Located in Kings Domain, an area of parkland that also includes the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Shrine is an elaborate memorial to all Australians who have served in war.  I thought it was beautifully laid out and definitely recommend climbing the stairs to the lookout on the Shrine and visiting the vaults to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Shrine of Remembrance

If you have the time, consider a visit to Phillip Island to watch the Fairy Penguin parade. Check out the great write up my colleague, John, did on his blog about Phillip Island.

Another great excursion if you have room for it on your schedule is the Great Ocean Road.  It's a full day trip from Melbourne, but the scenery is definitely worth it and you'll get plenty of great photo opportunities, including the iconic Twelve Apostles rising majestically from the ocean.  Pass by quaint beach townships, limestone cliffs, rainforests and discover the rugged Shipwreck Coast.  You can book your trips to Phillip Island or the Great Ocean Road on our Melbourne tours sightseeing and activities page.

Twelve Apostles

On this trip I was lucky enough to stay with some mates, but you can find hotels and accommodation in Melbourne on our website.

Adelaide

Adelaide, a city often overlooked by the international traveller, has a wealth of attractions to make it appealing to a wide variety of people.  As the capital city of South Australia, it's the perfect size - large enough to lots of culture, infrastructure and service, while being small enough to have character, the chance to bump into some locals and not be totally overwhelming the way a massive city can.

One of the nice things about the downtown area is that the major streets are laid out methodically in a grid pattern, so you shouldn't have too many problems finding your way around, and then it's surrounded by parkland.  It's a good city to get around on foot, or you can hop on a tram or bus.

Aerial view of Adelaide

Due to its location on the eastern side of the Gulf St Vincent, Adelaide has many easily accessible beaches that are only 20 minutes or so from the city centre.  You can even take the tram right from the heart of the city to the nearby suburb of Glenelg and wander on the beach near Jimmy Melrose Park.

If art and culture are more to your liking, you'll be glad to know that Adelaide has plenty of both to offer.  Held every March since 1960 is the Adelaide Festival of the Arts, internationally renowned and considered to be one of the world's greatest art celebrations.  It showcases theatre, opera, cabaret, dance, contemporary and classical music and new media.  If you're going to visit during this time frame, make sure you book your Adelaide Hotels well in advance.

I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I always love the countryside where you find the vineyards and South Australia is no exception.  In this instance, the hard part is deciding which direction to go.  The most well known region would probably be the Barossa Valley about 60 km (40 mi) north of the city, the Wine Coast (or McLaren/Southern Vales) south of the city, or the Murraylands in the southeast.  There's also the Clare Valley, even further north than the Barossa Valley, but you could always find a hotel out of the city and combine the two regions.

Another 'must see' destination when you make it to Adelaide is Kangaroo Island, Australia's 3rd largest island.  It's only about 13 km (8 mi) from the tip of Cape Jervis, or about 112 km (70 mi) southwest of Adelaide.  You can either do a day trip from the city, or if you want to really explore and enjoy, you can book accommodation on Kangaroo Island itself.  At least a quarter of the island is protected and conserved, so it's a great place for wildlife.  Obviously the first one that comes to mind is the kangaroo, but you can also find goannas, bandicoots, wallabies, possums, echidnas, koalas and platypus.  It's also listed as an Important Bird Area due to some of the bird-life that is supported.

Feeding the wallabies on Kangaroo Island

What could be more Australian than feeding some furry critters on Kangaroo Island???  For a great list of bookable things to see and do, please check out the Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Barossa Valley Tours Sightseeing and Activities page on our website.

The Hunter Valley

Being a mere 2 hours drive north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is a great option for either a day tour, or a place to stay and enjoy a bit longer at one of the Hunter Valley Hotels, Lodges or Retreats.  The region is most commonly known for its wineries, but you don't necessarily have to be a wino to appreciate the beauty of the area.  It is also known for its thoroughbred horse breeding, so horse riding options are quite plentiful.

The early stages of wine....

The region is named for the Hunter River - the main river that flows through the area, although there are several smaller ones also.  The mouth of river is found at Newcastle, the largest city in the vicinity, and the second most populated area in New South Wales.  The Port of Newcastle is of vital importance to the area, especially to facilitate the coal exports for which the area is also known.

There are a number of cultural festivals held each year in Newcastle, as well as a wide range of art galleries and theatres.  The area has a very active music scene, which spawned two popular Australian bands, Silverchair and The Screaming Jets.

Although the Newcastle metropolitan area has an extensive public transport system, to get a really good look  at the region I would suggest hiring a vehicle from our Car Rental page.  However, if you're going to be touring the wineries...do a booze cruise so that you don't have to worry about drink-driving.

The Hunter Valley

If you don't have a lot of time to spare and want to combine The Hunter Region as part of stay in Sydney, consider doing the spectacular Hunter Valley Luncheon Tour by Helicopter (you can find the link for it on our Sydney Tours Sightseeing and Activities page).  You'll be picked up and dropped back at your hotel, so you don't have to worry about transfers.  It takes approximately 6 hours, but you get a breathtaking aerial view of Sydney Harbour, the city and the northern beaches before landing in one of the vineyards for a scrumptious three-course lunch.  Sit back, relax and absorb the peace and tranquility before heading back to the big city.

Should you choose to drive from Sydney to the Hunter Region, make sure you stop at Somersby (about 50km/31mi north of Sydney) to visit the Australian Reptile Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.  A great place for the kids, it's a hands-on zoo with lots of animal interaction and wildlife shows.  You can even have your photo taken with a python, koala or wombat - just not all at the same time!

Start planning your trip today!

The Blue Mountains

If you've already spent time in Sydney checking out the glitz, glamour, nightlife, attractions and all of the wonderful things to experience, perhaps you're ready to venture outside of the city for a while.  One of my favourite nearby regions is the Blue Mountains.  They got their name from the distinctive blue haze that surrounds the area, created when the oil dispersed by the eucalyptus trees, combining with dust and water vapour, scatter short-wave length rays of light that are predominantly blue.   Incidentally, the region was listed as a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 2000.  

The Blue Haze the area is known for

I took a train from Sydney to Katoomba, the largest city in the area, taking only 2 hours.  It was nice to sit back, relax and watch the scenery change from large, bustling metropolis to virtually untouched landscape in the Blue Mountains National Park.  It was June when I visited, and although the weather in Sydney had been quite nice, it was considerably cooler by the time I got to Katoomba, making me grateful for the jumper I had brought with me.  The main reason for my trip was to get a first hand look at the biggest drawcard of the area - The Three Sisters.

View of The Three Sisters from Echo Point

From the Echo Point lookout, I had a wonderful panoramic view of the Jamison Valley.  After taking a bunch of photos, I made my way around the other side of the gorge to Katoomba Scenic World, where I just had to ride the Scenic Railway and the Skyway.  The railway is the steepest cable-driven funicular railway in the world, with an incline of 52 degrees at the steepest section.  The ride was great and took us through some very dense rainforest, giving a completely different perspective of the area than I got from the lookout.  After getting off the train, I noticed that the wind had picked up considerably but thought "what the heck" and decided to give the Skyway a go.  Boy, am I glad I did!  The view was spectacular and the feeling of being suspended over the gorge and Katoomba Falls was heart-pounding (in a good way)!  As the cable car was returning, a huge cloud of mist started moving up the valley.  It didn't take long before The Three Sisters were obscured from view, so my timing was perfect.  Due to time constraints, I didn't get a chance to experience the Scenic Cableway or do any bushwalking (of which there are lots of options).  If you want a good workout, try the Giant Stairway walking track - it makes my legs hurt just thinking about it!

If you're thinking about visiting and looking for a place to stay, we have a section dedicated to this region on the Blue Mountains Australia Hotels page on our website.  From this page, you can also link to Day Trips & Excursions to the Blue Mountains.  Although Lilianfels is probably the most well known accommodation, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

My trip back to Sydney was uneventful, which I guess isn't all bad.  I have to admit, I did smile smugly as we got closer to the city centre and saw the gridlocked traffic as we glided by on the train.  Sometimes public transport really is a great option.  Stay tuned for my next Australian adventure....