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?
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What to do on an Australian East Coast Holiday?
