What to do on an Australian East Coast Holiday?

[Moon]

A colleague of mine is visiting Australia for the first time next week. He will arrive in Melbourne, rent a campervan and drive all the way up to the Gold coast with his wife and young family.

I'm searching for some "must see" tourist attractions along the way - any interesting suggestions for him?:help:

James

[Ric]

There's the "Big Prawn" at Ballina. :D

[TrevorW]

Tell him to bring an umbrella ;)

[jenchris]

Hunter Valley
Tamworth - Home of Country Singing.
Avoid Canberra (it sucks)
Port Macquarrie is nice for a stopover
Byron Bay
Nimbin - home of Ozzie THP
Lamington National Park
That'll account for a few days

[Louwai]

Get onto www.travelmate.com.au (http://www.travelmate.com.au)

Lots of travel advice & places to visit. Can create your own trip maps & print.

On the left hand side, go down to On the road - tips & tricks. Lots of info.

[torana68]

just drive up the highway with stops for coffee at at albury, gundagai, overnight at Canberra (doesnt suck- war memorial , Aust Museum , Nat gallery etc), overnight sydney (darling harbour etc) skip Tamworth (it sucks) up the highway to gold coast (also suckie) and Brisbane

[sheeny]

No idea what he'd like, or which route, but here's a few ideas (in no particular order):

Blue Mountains / Three Sisters
Jenolan Caves
Kanangra Walls
Jacaranda Trees in Grafton (should be out now)
The Big Banana at Coffs Harbour
The Reptile park at Somersby
The Harbour Bridge / Opera House (if its not too big a drag driving through Sydney)
Kiama Blowhole
Fraser Park on the NSW Central Coast
Woolgoolga beach, mosque and Indian Restaurants
Wooli (Shhhh! Don't tell anyone!)
Parkes Radio Telescope
AAT at Coonabarbran and the Warrumbungles
Timbertown at Wauhope (Is it still going?)
There are motorcycle museums at Nabiac and Tamworth
Mount Panorama and Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst
Sofala
The Bylong Valley Way
The Japanese Gardens at Cowra
The Snowy Mountains
The Dog on the Tuckerbox at near Gundegai
Hot Springs near Moree

Al.

[Octane]

Speak for yourself.

H

[Moon]

Thanks for all the suggestions. :thumbsup:

There must be some nice Fish 'n Chips shops somewhere along the coast?

What's the equivalent of 'flake' when you get into NSW?

James

[dannat]

i reckon you should tell him to avoid the hume from melbourne & take the rd thru healesville -the big tall forests are terrific.
Canberra is good i reckon -i dislike tamworth & country music so would avoid that, the rd from armidale to coffs is a good one with small waterfalls, if he wanst to see sydney then he can get on the brindabella rd after newcastle & cross the brindabella mountains. beechworth /glenrowan is worth a look in VIC.

[sheeny]

"Flake" as far as I know...:P

Al.

[jenchris]

Octane - I don't....

Timbertown is still going, I was there a couple of months ago.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

If going up the coast, Jervis Bay with the white sands of Hyams Beach, and a half day cruise to Point Perpendicular from Huskisson.

In Sydney, all the usual suspects like North Head, and one of the best-kept secrets there, the lookout vista up all the northern beaches of Sydney from the Bluefish Track between Bluefish Drive and Shelley Beach. I'd always take visitors to see this when at North Head.

Access is from Bluefish Dr, about 100m North of Gate A to the sewage works, and then about 150m along the walking track past the old concrete revetments from WWII. It is quite level to this vista, but then goes steeply downhill to Shelley Beach.

Cheers

[troypiggo]

:lol:

[Colin_Fraser]

I agree.
Best holiday I've had in the last 30 years was in this area.
And the nations capital is a must see.

[Octane]

I've been here five years and love it. Wouldn't live anywhere else. Except New Zealand.

H

[Ric]

There are some nice ones in Eden & Merimbula.

Don't worry about the Flake, try some Orange Roughy or some Ling. They have more flavour.

Cheers

[batema]

I would definately suggest at some point head up along the mid NSW coastline and stay at some places. Lots of caravan parks but as far as a MUST SEE I would say they must go and see the PORPOISE POOL AT COFFS HARBOUR. It has one awards and everyone who goes can pat a dolphin, get kissed with a seal, feed little penguins watch a greatr show. There is no theme parki like Sea Would but I have been to both and much preferred this one. Cape Byron The most easterly point of Australia and if the can they should do a day trip from the Gold Coast to Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

Mark

[chrisp9au]

A favorite of ours is Pebbly Beach, a few km north of Batemans Bay.
Feed the kangaroos on the beach!
Check it out at: http://www.southcoast.com.au/durras/index.html
Great spot to park the van for a couple of days.

Cheers :thumbsup:
Chris

[AstralTraveller]

I reckon the waterfalls in the New England area would be great at the moment. With the rain we've had they should be flowing well.

Apsley Fall 20km east of Walcha on the tar has a short (2.7km) walking track and a camping ground with some tables, toilets and water on tap.

Tia Falls is about 40km east of Walcha but has 6km or dirt, which may not be OK for 2WD if it's wet. Facilities are more basic and water has to be hauled up from the creek. There is a walk on either side of the canyon below the falls.

Dangar Falls is about 30km from Armidale on tar. There is a small camping ground and near one of the falls lookouts (about 100m from the camping area) is an undercover kitchen with electric BBQs. Lots of walks start from the camping area and there is a viewing platform right over the falls. I was there when it rained steadily for a couple of days and the falls were really flowing hard. NB There is also a Dangar Falls near Dorrigo. Quite OK but not a patch on the Armidale ones.

Wollomombi Falls is about 45km east of Armidale and it should be spectacular but I don't remember it. There appears to be no camping.

[RickS]

My son has been down there for four years and seems to like the place, but he's kinda weird. He's a mathematician :lol:

[Octane]

Rick,

It's very easy for some people to say that this place is a hole. It isn't. It's a wonderful place to bring up a family.

Nice wide open roads, clean, no traffic, no pollution, blue skies during the day and when La Nina isn't calling, dark skies at night.

H

[RickS]

H,

I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I have spent a fair amount of time on business in Canberra in the past and have rellies and friends that live there. Apart from the cold/heat/flies it's a nice place and certainly interesting to visit...

Cheers,
Rick.

[Octane]

Oh, I wasn't referring to you. : )

H

[GrahamL]

I dont travel much , but picking up around (grafton )the north coast where I've been having a little look for many years . a couple of days or so around these parts

As Al mentions yurrigar national park around Wooli
is a very pretty and unspoilt part of our coast
dingos,coastal emus
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0040

diverting inland from grafton the granite country is very pretty gibralter and washpool side by side present a very stark contrast to each other... the standing stones at Glenn Innes are worth a look.. north to tenterfield.. The museum has One of Peter Allens marracas encased in
glass.:eyepop:
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkhome.aspx?id=N0012

Bald rock near tenterfield is stunning
http://www.halenet.com.au/~jvbryant/natpark.html

Back towards to the coast and ballina
Yes the one and only big prawn is very popular for photos
best taken from the easternside as kids have graffitied the other with a
less than photofriendly representation.
(its getty flattened shortly so It will soon be no more)

Ballina to byron bay very picturesque coastal drive.
Byron bay is a pretty big tourist destination
Best to travel from ballina at xmass ..the exit from the motorway at ewingsdale banks traffic for miles .

byron north, mount Warnings a great view . not sure I'd ever drag young kids up there again

Onwards to the gold coast , dreamworld , movieworld , waterslides etc


hope they have a great time

[Jen]

:) oh a holiday would be lovely right now ;) with the way this weather has been tell them to bring an umbrella and a rubber dingy :lol:

[GeoffW1]

Hi

Back on topic :P :lol: Not like I'd ever stray :rolleyes:

If they have a day or two to spare for the Blue Mountains, a drive along the Great Western Highway is good, to Katoomba etc, where they can see the well known sights like the Three Sisters, Govett's Leap etc, then to the Darling Causeway, Mt York lookout, and on to Bell's Line Rd.

From here you can find one of the best kept secrets in the Blue Mountains, the Walls Lookdown on Grose Valley. Take the dirt road turnoff to the Pierces Pass carpark, the lower carpark, not the first one. Right behind the small toilet block is a very clear but unmarked track. The grade is flat to easy, but sometimes rough and stoney. Take that for about 15 - 20 min to the lookdown, where you can see stunning views of the Grose Valley far below, and the far side around Anvil Rock and Perry's Lookdown. There are no paved areas or railings at the edge, so keep control of children. The immediate area is a favourite with abseilers, and you may see them on the walls, like little coloured geckos.

A good break can be had at Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens if they like that sort of thing.

Cheers

[space oddity]

I would think the itinerary would depend on what sort of things they like and how much time they have. If they like the astro stuff, Parkes ,Siding springs and Narrabri are all in a row and on the "short cut" via the Newell Highway with Mt Kaputar as a side trip. Mount Warning and Lamington for those who like nature. I would have thought a detour to the swollen New England waterfalls would be nearly mandatory. A detour via the Great Ocean Road first although a there and back would give good value. One zoo with Australian animals needs to be on the menu. Glenrowan may or may not appeal to overseas visitors-trust us Aussies to idolize a bushranger. Wilson's Promontary if time. How about Phillip Island before heading north? The countryside around Tumbarrumba is only a small detour if going along the Hume Highway. Of course, the coastline is great, but they should see more than just the coastal areas.
I am getting jealous. This is something that I reckon could only be done at retirement if only I can live long enough to be able to retire with any health still intact the way things are going.
To see everything worth exploring on this route would take 2 months and use a lot of petrol. To see all of Australia would take a full year- grey nomad stuff.

[duncan]

AH Dammit go the extra 100KLMS and see the ETTAMOGAH PUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As well as NOOSA and everything else there.
Just my thoughts.:thumbsup:

[Davros]

Love Timbertown, I was down there last month. Nothing like working steam engines / sawmill and collections of Massey Fergusson tractors.

[M110]

They should stop 1st big thing in Coffs, the big banana. Being going right through Coffs on the way to the gold coast.
Definitely the 3 sisters, they are stunning.