Kangaroos, Koalas, & Kookaburras, Oh, My: A Songdoc Aussie Trip Report
Jun 9th, 2013, 01:26 PM
#1
Original Poster
Kangaroos, Koalas, & Kookaburras, Oh, My: A Songdoc Aussie Trip Report
This was our fifth trip to Australia to teach songwriting workshops. I travel with my life partner who runs my business. I teach all day on the weekends—and we have Monday thru Friday to vacation and get to the next city. On previous trips we’ve worked in Sydney & Melbourne—and vacationed in North Queensland. This time we added Brisbane to the mix.
We really only had one full day to explore Brisbane. Our hotel was the Riverside in South Bank. It was a budget hotel—basic but fine for our needs—and an excellent location.
Southbank was a great area to stay in. It’s in the heart of the museums and theaters, and an easy walk to wall-to-wall restaurants and cafés, street musicians, and even its own manmade swimming beach! Perfect for people-watching and views of the skyline across the river. We enjoyed browsing the Friday night market that featured stalls with crafts, clothing, and souvenirs. It’s a bustling, vibrant area with live music at many of the restaurants.
We wandered through the pretty botanic gardens then enjoyed seeing the beautiful old mansions and government buildings. Stopped in briefly at the Treasury Casino.
Breakfast at the Gunshop Café was an experience. It’s in the very trendy “West End” area, and is a very popular place for breakfast and brunch. This is not a “bacon & eggs” kind of menu. We both ordered the spinach & feta potato cakes with crème fraiche. Delicious, but not what we expected. These were fried potato cakes—we didn’t taste any feta—and the spinach was a few leaves that the potato cakes sat upon. Expensive—but so are all the restaurants in Australia. It was very tasty. (around $20 pp – not including beverages.)
Before working in Brisbane our plan was to explore the Lamington National Park area in the Scenic Rim—specifically, O’Reilly’s. We’d considered staying there or Binna Burra, but didn’t really want to spend those prices.
We settled on Clandulla Cottages, about an hour north of Brisbane in Boyland—about ten minutes from Mt. Tamborine. It looked like a central location from which to explore the hinterlands. The big attraction was that it was a “farm stay”—and we’re animal lovers. We like self-contained units, so that was a plus.
We arrived quite early and hoped to store out bags. But our cottage, the Rose Cottage, was ready and our hostess Lorna welcomed us. The setting was exceptional—bucolic, beautiful, and peaceful. There were enormous cages filled with pastel colored Indian ringneck birds—powder blue, pale greens, and yellows. They were so pretty. Lorna said she’d be right back, and returned carrying a pillow case. A moment later the most adorable fuzzy little face was poking out. We were introduced to Abby, the baby wallaroo they’ve been raising since she was a tiny hairless joey (or is it a Josephine? hehe).
It was love at first sight. Abby sleeps in bed (wearing a “nappy”) under the covers with the owners. They bottle-feed her every two hours—including through the night. Playing with, bottle feeding, and cuddling with that baby was a highlight among highlights. They have a resident kangaroo (that they raised from a baby twelve years ago); sheep (yes, “Mary” did have a little lamb); little piggies; chickens (who generously provided the fresh eggs for breakfast); turkeys; geese; cows; horses; and a pony. John was amazing with the children who arrived a day or two after us. These people were born to run a farm-stay, and their warmth, and friendly personalities made our stay very special.
It was time to tear ourselves away from the baby wallaroo and see some of the scenery. Our first stop would be a hike at Tamborine Mountain. But when we reached the turnoff in Canungra we found it had been closed due to dangerous road conditions after storms several months earlier.
We were still jet lagged and tired and decided just to browse the Gallery Walk in Tamborine. There weren’t many galleries, but it was a pretty, quaint town with wall-to-wall shops, candy stores, cafés, and restaurants catering to tourists. We took a peek into one of the several wineries, and the cheese factory shop. I’m a cheese lover but that cheese shop was way too expensive for me. DP was getting too hungry so we rushed through to find a place to eat. The choices were overwhelming. We made a great choice: the Gallery Café. We both loved our meals. It was expensive (as are all the restaurants in Australia)—but very good.
The following day we got our walk at the Cedar Creek Falls section of Mt. Tamborine with beautiful views of the falls, and the stunning the rock pools. Took lots of photos.
At our host John’s suggestion we headed to Natural Bridge Park—about a 90-minute drive. Absolutely beautiful scenery! Backtracked to Springbrook Mountain for more beautiful views and several walks. Purling Falls was spectacular, as was the aptly named Best Lookout.
We lunched outdoors at the nearby General Store while an enormous gentle giant of a dog (Great Dane/German shepherd mix) kept us company, hoping for a handout. Our sandwiches were served with a flourish by a sweet older woman who topped them with a stick festooned with bright green feathers. Delicious coffee, too—and a quaint, relaxed atmosphere.
On our final day we’d have an hour drive back to Brissie (as the locals called it) so rather than add two hours by driving out to O’Reilly’s in Lamington National Park we returned to Tamborine Mountain—but this time to the Knoll section to walk to Cameron Falls. The trail was a little muddy and slippery, and ahead of us a tourist fell and suffered a compound fracture. Eight emergency medics hiked about a mile down the windy, slippery trail to carry her back up on a stretcher. So sad, but a reminder that this is not Disneyland, and Mother Nature can be dangerous.
We were enjoying some very pretty views of the falls and the dense rainforest canopy when it started doing what it does in the rainforest—raining! I loved the sound and ducked inside an enormous hollowed tree until the worst of it passed. Under a pavilion we enjoyed the picnic lunch we’d packed and soon the rain had passed.
Spent the weekend working in Brisbane then back to vacation mode. Our next 2 nights would be in Noosa Lake. We stopped en route at the Glass House Mountain Lookout and were surprised to spot a kangaroo right at the lookout. The mountains are lava plugs that are quite dramatic, but the views and the short nature walk were pleasant, but not “wow,” although we did see some very interesting birds.
Stopped for lunch a few minutes back down the mountain at the Lookout Café. From there the Glass Mountain views were truly stunning. It was so peaceful and beautiful we could have happily spent the entire day drinking coffee, photographing the vistas, and watching the kangaroos laze under the trees and hop around. Lunch and coffee were tasty, too. I think we spent at least an hour-and-a-half chatting with another tourist and avoiding leaving.
Next stop: The Ginger Factory. It’s an enormous store surrounded by pretty walking paths, and more stores and restaurants. It was perfect for the elderly tour bus crowd who were the primary patrons. There was a tour and a mini train ride, but we passed. Did some tasting and buying across the street at the nut and chocolate shops. The coffee roasting place had just closed for the day ☹.
After what seemed like a full day of driving, we finally arrived at Tewantin. It should have been less than a 2-hour drive—but the Glass House Mountains, lunch, the Ginger Factory, and other shops stretched it into what felt like a long drive.
Unfortunately, the Sunshine Coast was not looking very sunny. Our tiny studio apt. at the Australis Noosa Resort was fine for us. We had a little balcony overlooking the beautiful swimming pools. We’d booked the room for $89/night (all inclusive) as a “mystery” hotel at a last-minute travel site. Great deal. It was an eight-minute drive to Noosa.
In Tewantin, in addition to the upscale dining at the marina there’s a little strip of casual restaurants where we had an exceptionally good Turkish pizza at Kebabylon. There was a Woolworth’s grocery store nearby where we bought things to enjoy breakfast on our balcony. Brush turkeys, ducks, and some other stunning birds stopped by hoping for a handout.
The resort is sandwiched between Lake Doonella and the Noosa River. Both offered beautiful views, enormous pelicans, and lots of beautiful birds. The corellas (white parrots that looked like cockatoos—but without the crests) made an unbelievable racket at sunset. It was great fun watching as hundreds of them perched in the trees and fed their babies. We got a good laugh as a fisherman fought three pelicans who tried to snatch the fish he’d caught. It was a peaceful, very pretty place for a long walk beside the river.
We would have loved to go to Fraser Island, but the tour pickups began at 5:30AM – and this was supposed to be our time to recoup and relax. Maybe next time. Instead we took the short drive to Noosa. Parking was really hard to find – and this was a cloudy, drizzly weekday. Can’t imagine it at the height of tourist season. The chatty volunteer at the visitor center suggested we walk the Coastal Track, and said it would be about 45 minutes each way. With photo stops and jaunts down to the beaches, it was closer to 2-1/2 hours RT.
There were some very pretty views. We walked to Hell’s Gate. This was described in brochures and travel guides as “stunning” scenery. It was really nice, and we enjoyed it. But I wouldn’t quite call it stunning—and the sapphire blue water shown in the brochures was a greyish green when we were there. Still, a lovely walk.
Wait! What’s that? Sun? By the time our walk was through it was a brilliant sunny day and the beach and ocean were filling up.
Lunch was exceptionally good – spinach/feta pie for me; meat pie for DP—at the Laguna Café recommended by the volunteer at the Visitor’s Center. After a short rest back at the apartment we took a sunset stroll at Noosa Beach. It was one of the most incredible sunsets I’ve ever seen (and that says a lot because I spend about four months of the year in Kauai.)
On our last day in Noosa we checked out of the resort and headed for the Eumundi Market—about a twenty-minute drive. Wow! It was enormous—like a massive flea market with a wide range of crafts, tourist souvenirs, entertainment, and unusual ethnic foods that all looked amazing. I’d have liked to have eaten at least five meals there—to try all the tempting options that were calling my name. For lunch we started with “Momos”—delicious Tibetan dim sum. Fantastic! Finished with chicken satay skewers.
Listened to a didgeridoo player and bought his album. Then bought opals for several of those on my Christmas list.
On the way back to the Brisbane airport we stopped at Peregian Beach. It was miles and miles of pristine, perfect beach—with barely a soul around. I took a long walk along the surf, and bid a sad farewell to the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
to be continued …
We really only had one full day to explore Brisbane. Our hotel was the Riverside in South Bank. It was a budget hotel—basic but fine for our needs—and an excellent location.
Southbank was a great area to stay in. It’s in the heart of the museums and theaters, and an easy walk to wall-to-wall restaurants and cafés, street musicians, and even its own manmade swimming beach! Perfect for people-watching and views of the skyline across the river. We enjoyed browsing the Friday night market that featured stalls with crafts, clothing, and souvenirs. It’s a bustling, vibrant area with live music at many of the restaurants.
We wandered through the pretty botanic gardens then enjoyed seeing the beautiful old mansions and government buildings. Stopped in briefly at the Treasury Casino.
Breakfast at the Gunshop Café was an experience. It’s in the very trendy “West End” area, and is a very popular place for breakfast and brunch. This is not a “bacon & eggs” kind of menu. We both ordered the spinach & feta potato cakes with crème fraiche. Delicious, but not what we expected. These were fried potato cakes—we didn’t taste any feta—and the spinach was a few leaves that the potato cakes sat upon. Expensive—but so are all the restaurants in Australia. It was very tasty. (around $20 pp – not including beverages.)
Before working in Brisbane our plan was to explore the Lamington National Park area in the Scenic Rim—specifically, O’Reilly’s. We’d considered staying there or Binna Burra, but didn’t really want to spend those prices.
We settled on Clandulla Cottages, about an hour north of Brisbane in Boyland—about ten minutes from Mt. Tamborine. It looked like a central location from which to explore the hinterlands. The big attraction was that it was a “farm stay”—and we’re animal lovers. We like self-contained units, so that was a plus.
We arrived quite early and hoped to store out bags. But our cottage, the Rose Cottage, was ready and our hostess Lorna welcomed us. The setting was exceptional—bucolic, beautiful, and peaceful. There were enormous cages filled with pastel colored Indian ringneck birds—powder blue, pale greens, and yellows. They were so pretty. Lorna said she’d be right back, and returned carrying a pillow case. A moment later the most adorable fuzzy little face was poking out. We were introduced to Abby, the baby wallaroo they’ve been raising since she was a tiny hairless joey (or is it a Josephine? hehe).
It was love at first sight. Abby sleeps in bed (wearing a “nappy”) under the covers with the owners. They bottle-feed her every two hours—including through the night. Playing with, bottle feeding, and cuddling with that baby was a highlight among highlights. They have a resident kangaroo (that they raised from a baby twelve years ago); sheep (yes, “Mary” did have a little lamb); little piggies; chickens (who generously provided the fresh eggs for breakfast); turkeys; geese; cows; horses; and a pony. John was amazing with the children who arrived a day or two after us. These people were born to run a farm-stay, and their warmth, and friendly personalities made our stay very special.
It was time to tear ourselves away from the baby wallaroo and see some of the scenery. Our first stop would be a hike at Tamborine Mountain. But when we reached the turnoff in Canungra we found it had been closed due to dangerous road conditions after storms several months earlier.
We were still jet lagged and tired and decided just to browse the Gallery Walk in Tamborine. There weren’t many galleries, but it was a pretty, quaint town with wall-to-wall shops, candy stores, cafés, and restaurants catering to tourists. We took a peek into one of the several wineries, and the cheese factory shop. I’m a cheese lover but that cheese shop was way too expensive for me. DP was getting too hungry so we rushed through to find a place to eat. The choices were overwhelming. We made a great choice: the Gallery Café. We both loved our meals. It was expensive (as are all the restaurants in Australia)—but very good.
The following day we got our walk at the Cedar Creek Falls section of Mt. Tamborine with beautiful views of the falls, and the stunning the rock pools. Took lots of photos.
At our host John’s suggestion we headed to Natural Bridge Park—about a 90-minute drive. Absolutely beautiful scenery! Backtracked to Springbrook Mountain for more beautiful views and several walks. Purling Falls was spectacular, as was the aptly named Best Lookout.
We lunched outdoors at the nearby General Store while an enormous gentle giant of a dog (Great Dane/German shepherd mix) kept us company, hoping for a handout. Our sandwiches were served with a flourish by a sweet older woman who topped them with a stick festooned with bright green feathers. Delicious coffee, too—and a quaint, relaxed atmosphere.
On our final day we’d have an hour drive back to Brissie (as the locals called it) so rather than add two hours by driving out to O’Reilly’s in Lamington National Park we returned to Tamborine Mountain—but this time to the Knoll section to walk to Cameron Falls. The trail was a little muddy and slippery, and ahead of us a tourist fell and suffered a compound fracture. Eight emergency medics hiked about a mile down the windy, slippery trail to carry her back up on a stretcher. So sad, but a reminder that this is not Disneyland, and Mother Nature can be dangerous.
We were enjoying some very pretty views of the falls and the dense rainforest canopy when it started doing what it does in the rainforest—raining! I loved the sound and ducked inside an enormous hollowed tree until the worst of it passed. Under a pavilion we enjoyed the picnic lunch we’d packed and soon the rain had passed.
Spent the weekend working in Brisbane then back to vacation mode. Our next 2 nights would be in Noosa Lake. We stopped en route at the Glass House Mountain Lookout and were surprised to spot a kangaroo right at the lookout. The mountains are lava plugs that are quite dramatic, but the views and the short nature walk were pleasant, but not “wow,” although we did see some very interesting birds.
Stopped for lunch a few minutes back down the mountain at the Lookout Café. From there the Glass Mountain views were truly stunning. It was so peaceful and beautiful we could have happily spent the entire day drinking coffee, photographing the vistas, and watching the kangaroos laze under the trees and hop around. Lunch and coffee were tasty, too. I think we spent at least an hour-and-a-half chatting with another tourist and avoiding leaving.
Next stop: The Ginger Factory. It’s an enormous store surrounded by pretty walking paths, and more stores and restaurants. It was perfect for the elderly tour bus crowd who were the primary patrons. There was a tour and a mini train ride, but we passed. Did some tasting and buying across the street at the nut and chocolate shops. The coffee roasting place had just closed for the day ☹.
After what seemed like a full day of driving, we finally arrived at Tewantin. It should have been less than a 2-hour drive—but the Glass House Mountains, lunch, the Ginger Factory, and other shops stretched it into what felt like a long drive.
Unfortunately, the Sunshine Coast was not looking very sunny. Our tiny studio apt. at the Australis Noosa Resort was fine for us. We had a little balcony overlooking the beautiful swimming pools. We’d booked the room for $89/night (all inclusive) as a “mystery” hotel at a last-minute travel site. Great deal. It was an eight-minute drive to Noosa.
In Tewantin, in addition to the upscale dining at the marina there’s a little strip of casual restaurants where we had an exceptionally good Turkish pizza at Kebabylon. There was a Woolworth’s grocery store nearby where we bought things to enjoy breakfast on our balcony. Brush turkeys, ducks, and some other stunning birds stopped by hoping for a handout.
The resort is sandwiched between Lake Doonella and the Noosa River. Both offered beautiful views, enormous pelicans, and lots of beautiful birds. The corellas (white parrots that looked like cockatoos—but without the crests) made an unbelievable racket at sunset. It was great fun watching as hundreds of them perched in the trees and fed their babies. We got a good laugh as a fisherman fought three pelicans who tried to snatch the fish he’d caught. It was a peaceful, very pretty place for a long walk beside the river.
We would have loved to go to Fraser Island, but the tour pickups began at 5:30AM – and this was supposed to be our time to recoup and relax. Maybe next time. Instead we took the short drive to Noosa. Parking was really hard to find – and this was a cloudy, drizzly weekday. Can’t imagine it at the height of tourist season. The chatty volunteer at the visitor center suggested we walk the Coastal Track, and said it would be about 45 minutes each way. With photo stops and jaunts down to the beaches, it was closer to 2-1/2 hours RT.
There were some very pretty views. We walked to Hell’s Gate. This was described in brochures and travel guides as “stunning” scenery. It was really nice, and we enjoyed it. But I wouldn’t quite call it stunning—and the sapphire blue water shown in the brochures was a greyish green when we were there. Still, a lovely walk.
Wait! What’s that? Sun? By the time our walk was through it was a brilliant sunny day and the beach and ocean were filling up.
Lunch was exceptionally good – spinach/feta pie for me; meat pie for DP—at the Laguna Café recommended by the volunteer at the Visitor’s Center. After a short rest back at the apartment we took a sunset stroll at Noosa Beach. It was one of the most incredible sunsets I’ve ever seen (and that says a lot because I spend about four months of the year in Kauai.)
On our last day in Noosa we checked out of the resort and headed for the Eumundi Market—about a twenty-minute drive. Wow! It was enormous—like a massive flea market with a wide range of crafts, tourist souvenirs, entertainment, and unusual ethnic foods that all looked amazing. I’d have liked to have eaten at least five meals there—to try all the tempting options that were calling my name. For lunch we started with “Momos”—delicious Tibetan dim sum. Fantastic! Finished with chicken satay skewers.
Listened to a didgeridoo player and bought his album. Then bought opals for several of those on my Christmas list.
On the way back to the Brisbane airport we stopped at Peregian Beach. It was miles and miles of pristine, perfect beach—with barely a soul around. I took a long walk along the surf, and bid a sad farewell to the beautiful Sunshine Coast.
to be continued …
Jun 9th, 2013, 03:11 PM
#2
Ah .. few things cuter than a joey in a pillow case. They flap those eyelashes, gaze into your soul with those limpid eyes & you're a gonner!
I'm so glad you had such a goood time, Songdoc. That's an interesting loop and you seem to have seen a lot at a leisurely pace. Looking forward to more of your trip.
I'm so glad you had such a goood time, Songdoc. That's an interesting loop and you seem to have seen a lot at a leisurely pace. Looking forward to more of your trip.
Jun 9th, 2013, 10:30 PM
#6
Original Poster
<There's an echo in here...>
hehehe
<Can I be your friend?>
You already are my friend. The opals are for relatives ;-).
<few things cuter than a joey in a pillow case. They flap those eyelashes, gaze into your soul with those limpid eyes & you're a gonner!>
Yup. And once you give them a bottle you're bonded for life!
hehehe
<Can I be your friend?>
You already are my friend. The opals are for relatives ;-).
<few things cuter than a joey in a pillow case. They flap those eyelashes, gaze into your soul with those limpid eyes & you're a gonner!>
Yup. And once you give them a bottle you're bonded for life!
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Jun 10th, 2013, 02:24 PM
#9
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Hi, songdoc.
You brought back memories of meeting a very young joey years ago. He lived in an old-fashioned leather school bag, such as boys used to wear 50+ years past. I have lots of photos because he was so cute - all gangly legs and huge eyes. Who could resist?
I have really enjoyed reading your report so far. You have made me reconsider the Noosa area, a place we have not spent more than half a day in, and did not particularly appreciate.
Mt Tamborine, Glasshouse Mountains and the Ginger Factory in
Yandina are all places we have visited and enjoyed, Mt Tamborine several times. Yummy fudge shop there.
Looking forward to the rest of your report.
You brought back memories of meeting a very young joey years ago. He lived in an old-fashioned leather school bag, such as boys used to wear 50+ years past. I have lots of photos because he was so cute - all gangly legs and huge eyes. Who could resist?
I have really enjoyed reading your report so far. You have made me reconsider the Noosa area, a place we have not spent more than half a day in, and did not particularly appreciate.
Mt Tamborine, Glasshouse Mountains and the Ginger Factory in
Yandina are all places we have visited and enjoyed, Mt Tamborine several times. Yummy fudge shop there.
Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Jun 10th, 2013, 02:32 PM
#10
yes, thanks, songdoc. I'm particularly interested in what you have to say about the southbank in Brisbane as we have booked an apartment there for our stay in November - at least I'll know to avoid the Gunshop cafe for breakfast!
Jun 11th, 2013, 10:25 AM
#12
Original Poster
Thanks for the nice comments.
Annhig: Southbank is the perfect place to stay in Brisbane. FYI, Gunshop Café is the #1 rated place for breakfast. I wouldn’t avoid it—just beware that it’s expensive, and not offering your typical breakfast fare. I think “foodies” would love it.
FYI, I’m working on getting my photos ready to post. Wait till you see the pix of the joey!!!
And now … back to our regularly scheduled trip report …
Our next stop was Sydney. During previous trips we’d seen a great deal of Sydney—and loved it. We’d already toured the Opera House, Hyde Park, and the Barracks, and visited the Blue Mountains which were fantastic, as well as Manly, Bondi, and areas north of Sydney on the Central Coast. This time, we didn’t schedule much free time, because we’d already seen so many of the highlights.
Our hotel, the Great Southern Hotel across from Paddy’s Market in the Hay Market/Chinatown area reminded us of a NYC deco-era hotel. Our only complaint is that we felt nickel and dimed. It was $3.00 per day to use the room safe; $10/hour for late check-out; $2.00 per bag to store in the lobby; expensive Internet ($90 for the “special” 5-day rate), etc., and the instant we clicked to charge the Internet to our room we received a phone call asking us to come to the lobby and arrange payment. It just seemed petty, but wouldn’t stop me from staying there again if I needed to be in that area.
In the past we’ve stayed closer to Wynyard Station and preferred that area. This was chosen for proximity to the teaching venue and it was fine. We did like being close to Darling Harbour and Chinatown.
Highlights:
Friday night we walked through the botanic gardens to the Opera House. The gardens are beautiful and we love seeing the “flying foxes” (bats) hanging from the trees. We sat at the harbour at sunset and listened to jazz while watching the sun sink down and the boats sail by with those great views of the bridge and the Opera House.
We walked through Darlinghurst to get to the Jewish Museum where we took a guided tour of. It was interesting to see a different neighborhood, but it’s not something I’d recommend unless you have unlimited time, and had already checked everything off your list. There was an art college across from the museum. It had previously been a prison, and the architecture was fantastic. The Jewish Museum focused primarily on the Holocaust. It was well done, but very disturbing.
Saturday and Sunday evenings we enjoyed strolling through Darling Harbour after work. It was bustling with people enjoying the live music, restaurants, and fountains.
Food:
Breakfasts were in our room, and most other meals were at stands in Paddy’s Market. We’re not “foodies” and prefer inexpensive, authentic ethnic foods. We found a new favorite: gozlemes: a Turkish/Armenian dish that starts with dough being rolled out by a kerchiefed woman. (We saw this in several places and decided that the kerchief must be mandatory ;-). The dough is baked on a griddle, topped with cheese and whatever toppings you choose (i.e., chicken, lamb, sausage), then folded over and sliced. Delicious! We returned several times!
Ate “floaters”—meat pies topped with layers of mushy peas and mash—crowned with rich gravy, and a couple of other meat pies. Yum! Also enjoyed a meal at a Chinatown food arcade. But my favorite Sydney meal was the amazing dumplings at Ding Sun—recommended on this forum. There must have been 20 dumpling makers in a glass-walled room dressed in what looked like Haz-Mat suits and masks. They made each dumpling by hand—crimping them to perfection. I understand why this was named the best dumpling in Sydney—a city where there are dumplings in every dump. Fabulous.
Walking through the lobby of the building at 350 George Street is always a highlight for me. The deco-era design is OMG extraordinary. As always, we enjoyed browsing in the beautiful Queen Victoria Bldg. with its exquisite architecture, awesome clock, cafes, and designer shops, and in the Strand Arcade. A favorite thing to do in Sydney is just to wander and soak up the atmosphere.
To be continued …
Annhig: Southbank is the perfect place to stay in Brisbane. FYI, Gunshop Café is the #1 rated place for breakfast. I wouldn’t avoid it—just beware that it’s expensive, and not offering your typical breakfast fare. I think “foodies” would love it.
FYI, I’m working on getting my photos ready to post. Wait till you see the pix of the joey!!!
And now … back to our regularly scheduled trip report …
Our next stop was Sydney. During previous trips we’d seen a great deal of Sydney—and loved it. We’d already toured the Opera House, Hyde Park, and the Barracks, and visited the Blue Mountains which were fantastic, as well as Manly, Bondi, and areas north of Sydney on the Central Coast. This time, we didn’t schedule much free time, because we’d already seen so many of the highlights.
Our hotel, the Great Southern Hotel across from Paddy’s Market in the Hay Market/Chinatown area reminded us of a NYC deco-era hotel. Our only complaint is that we felt nickel and dimed. It was $3.00 per day to use the room safe; $10/hour for late check-out; $2.00 per bag to store in the lobby; expensive Internet ($90 for the “special” 5-day rate), etc., and the instant we clicked to charge the Internet to our room we received a phone call asking us to come to the lobby and arrange payment. It just seemed petty, but wouldn’t stop me from staying there again if I needed to be in that area.
In the past we’ve stayed closer to Wynyard Station and preferred that area. This was chosen for proximity to the teaching venue and it was fine. We did like being close to Darling Harbour and Chinatown.
Highlights:
Friday night we walked through the botanic gardens to the Opera House. The gardens are beautiful and we love seeing the “flying foxes” (bats) hanging from the trees. We sat at the harbour at sunset and listened to jazz while watching the sun sink down and the boats sail by with those great views of the bridge and the Opera House.
We walked through Darlinghurst to get to the Jewish Museum where we took a guided tour of. It was interesting to see a different neighborhood, but it’s not something I’d recommend unless you have unlimited time, and had already checked everything off your list. There was an art college across from the museum. It had previously been a prison, and the architecture was fantastic. The Jewish Museum focused primarily on the Holocaust. It was well done, but very disturbing.
Saturday and Sunday evenings we enjoyed strolling through Darling Harbour after work. It was bustling with people enjoying the live music, restaurants, and fountains.
Food:
Breakfasts were in our room, and most other meals were at stands in Paddy’s Market. We’re not “foodies” and prefer inexpensive, authentic ethnic foods. We found a new favorite: gozlemes: a Turkish/Armenian dish that starts with dough being rolled out by a kerchiefed woman. (We saw this in several places and decided that the kerchief must be mandatory ;-). The dough is baked on a griddle, topped with cheese and whatever toppings you choose (i.e., chicken, lamb, sausage), then folded over and sliced. Delicious! We returned several times!
Ate “floaters”—meat pies topped with layers of mushy peas and mash—crowned with rich gravy, and a couple of other meat pies. Yum! Also enjoyed a meal at a Chinatown food arcade. But my favorite Sydney meal was the amazing dumplings at Ding Sun—recommended on this forum. There must have been 20 dumpling makers in a glass-walled room dressed in what looked like Haz-Mat suits and masks. They made each dumpling by hand—crimping them to perfection. I understand why this was named the best dumpling in Sydney—a city where there are dumplings in every dump. Fabulous.
Walking through the lobby of the building at 350 George Street is always a highlight for me. The deco-era design is OMG extraordinary. As always, we enjoyed browsing in the beautiful Queen Victoria Bldg. with its exquisite architecture, awesome clock, cafes, and designer shops, and in the Strand Arcade. A favorite thing to do in Sydney is just to wander and soak up the atmosphere.
To be continued …
Jun 12th, 2013, 01:32 AM
#13
Annhig: Southbank is the perfect place to stay in Brisbane. FYI, Gunshop Café is the #1 rated place for breakfast. I wouldn’t avoid it—just beware that it’s expensive, and not offering your typical breakfast fare. >>
that's lucky, I found a reasonably-priced apartment on the Southbank a little while ago and booked it as a "banker" but I doubt that I'll find anything better especially as it's during the Test match, so Southbank it is! thanks!
Thanks too for your info about Sydney as it's our last stop [5 nights] before we head home at the end of our trip.
that's lucky, I found a reasonably-priced apartment on the Southbank a little while ago and booked it as a "banker" but I doubt that I'll find anything better especially as it's during the Test match, so Southbank it is! thanks!
Thanks too for your info about Sydney as it's our last stop [5 nights] before we head home at the end of our trip.
Jun 13th, 2013, 06:50 PM
#14
Original Poster
From SYD we flew into Avalon (close to Melbourne, but closer to the GOR), picked up a rental from Europcar, and drove about 90 minutes to Colac where we’d spend the night at the Otway Gate Motel. We had about an hour of daylight left, and the motel proprietor suggested we check out the views at the Red Volcanic Rock Reserve. It was quite chilly, but the beautiful views were worth it.
The next morning we headed for the Great Ocean Road via a back route that would take us on Grey River Road, where we’d done some good koala spotting on our previous trip—a few years ago. It was a pretty drive, and lots of wallabies were along the roadside (and hopping across it), but alas, our only koala sighting was comprised of one barely-visible, fuzzy butt very high up in a tree.
But … someone on this forum had posted that he’d seen “dozens” of koalas on the road to the Otway Lighthouse. It was only about 20 minutes out of the way, so we decided it was worth a shot. Wow, was it ever!!! We literally did see dozens of them, including a baby (!!!), and I got some great photos. The sound they made was amazing—nothing like what I would have expected; something in between a bark and a growl. It was awesome to be so close to so many koalas in the wild.
Along the way, we had stopped to pick up sandwiches in Apollo Bay at George’s food arcade. My chicken sandwich was excellent—made from fresh rotisserie chicken. We wound up eating it on the side of the road while koala-watching.
This report will soon rival “War and Peace” if I don’t pick up the pace, so just the highlights … Loved the Gibson Steps (one mile from the 12 Apostles). Gorgeous views & great photos were the reward for the steep stairs down to the beach. The late afternoon light was mostly wrong for photos at the 12 Apostles, but we still enjoyed the stunning views. Morning would be the best time for photos—as long as it’s not fogged in.
As much as we enjoyed the iconic 12 Apostles, we liked some of the other rock formations even better. Heading west from the 12 Apostles we stopped at the Arch, and the Grotto, and we took some of our favorite photos there. We shared those views with only a handful of people, as opposed to the tour bus hordes at the 12 Apostles. On a previous trip we’d also enjoyed the London Bridge, and the Loch and Ard, but it was getting late and we hoped to make it to Port Fairy (where we had a reservation) before sundown.
Our hotel, the Pt. Fairy Boutique Accommodation was very tough to find, but well worth it. It was a big cut above the budget motels we’d been staying at—very romantic. We had an excellent Turkish-influenced meal at Ramella’s Café.
Enjoyed Port Fairy’s beautiful 1800’s architecture, and strolling around Griffith’s Island. The views and the bird watching were excellent—and we spotted several wallabies. Lunch and coffee at the Belfast Café (established in 1864) was good—but the scones we took with us were fabulous!
The next morning we drove the short distance to the Crags. On the way we saw the cutest little lambs nursing on their mummies. The views at the Crags were very pretty, and we enjoyed them—but the rock formations were similar to, but not as dramatic as those we’d seen the previous day on the Great Ocean Road. For those with a limited amount of time, who want only the highlights, Port Fairy’s not a “must,” but we did enjoy it.
From Pt. Fairy we had about a 3-hour drive to Hall’s Gap in the Grampians. We had been there several years ago, and enjoyed it enough to schedule a return visit. For those hoping to glimpse kangaroos and kookaburras the Grampians is the place to go. Kangaroos were everywhere—lounging on lawns, hopping around the park, and lazing on grasses patches outside the restaurants. A kookaburra greeted us with a song as we pulled into our motel, Kingsway Holiday Flats—where we’d booked a self-contained one-bedroom unit. The unit was fine, but we preferred the Kookaburra Motel where we’d stayed previously, because it had great views, and lots of ‘roos & cockatoos. We passed on it this time because we wanted a self-contained unit. For such a long trip we like to be able eat some healthy meals on our own.
We had perfect weather to enjoy the stunning views. It was a short hike from town to the gorgeous rock pools known as the Venus Baths. I took beautiful photos of the mountains and sky reflected in the clear pools. Beyond the pools, the hike got pretty strenuous, but the scenery was so breathtaking we didn’t mind.
The next morning was quite cold and windy when we visited the Boroka Lookout, but the sky was a brilliant blue and views were “WOW.” Loved the walk to “the Balcony” lookout as well.
We had a fantastic dinner at Livefast Lifestyle café that offered free Internet—which was a big plus because our hotel did not offer Internet, and there were no Internet cafés. The chef made a special effort and created something exceptional and quite artistic when I asked if he could incorporate vegetables into an existing dish. It was very impressive. We enjoyed it so much we returned for lunch.
It was time to drive the three hours to Melbourne and go to work. We rented an apartment at the Zara Apartments in South Melbourne—chosen for its proximity to the venue where I’d be teaching. The apartment was nice, but we paid an additional $18/night for a quieter location—and being right off a main road, it was still noisy. We used ear plugs to sleep—and that worked fine.
We loved South Melbourne’s marvelous old buildings—especially the “iron houses” with their intricate ironwork fronts and gardens, the restaurants and shops along Clarendon Street, and eating our way through the South Melbourne Market. Also enjoyed strolling through the peaceful botanic gardens and visiting the Shrine of Remembrance—a stunning memorial to Australia’s fallen soldiers.
We had some great, inexpensive meals: kebabs on incredible freshly-baked Turkish bread on Clarendon Street; authentic Asian dishes at Noodle World; and killer dim sum at the South Melbourne Market. We also love Nando’s—a chain that specializes in grilled chicken. (But be forewarned: their idea of “mild” is spicier than I’d expect—but soooo good.) We ate there several times. Our one somewhat upscale dining experience was an excellent meal at the Olive Tree Bistro.
Because we’d spent so much time in Melbourne (and surrounds) previously, this time, our time in Melbourne was pretty limited to work—and visiting a cousin who had found me on Facebook! We had never met, but her grandmother and my grandfather were brother and sister—and I’d often heard my mother talk about my cousin’s father. It was wonderful!
In the past we LOVED doing a day trip to beautiful Phillip Island to see the penguins and the koala reserve. That trip—and the Great Ocean Road should not be missed.
We hated to leave Australia, but beautiful New Zealand awaited—and that’s a different trip report ;-). I hope this info will be helpful because this forum has helped me tremendously.
And ... as your reward for reading this entire report you get to see the photos:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=2QctG7hu0ZMNM
The next morning we headed for the Great Ocean Road via a back route that would take us on Grey River Road, where we’d done some good koala spotting on our previous trip—a few years ago. It was a pretty drive, and lots of wallabies were along the roadside (and hopping across it), but alas, our only koala sighting was comprised of one barely-visible, fuzzy butt very high up in a tree.
But … someone on this forum had posted that he’d seen “dozens” of koalas on the road to the Otway Lighthouse. It was only about 20 minutes out of the way, so we decided it was worth a shot. Wow, was it ever!!! We literally did see dozens of them, including a baby (!!!), and I got some great photos. The sound they made was amazing—nothing like what I would have expected; something in between a bark and a growl. It was awesome to be so close to so many koalas in the wild.
Along the way, we had stopped to pick up sandwiches in Apollo Bay at George’s food arcade. My chicken sandwich was excellent—made from fresh rotisserie chicken. We wound up eating it on the side of the road while koala-watching.
This report will soon rival “War and Peace” if I don’t pick up the pace, so just the highlights … Loved the Gibson Steps (one mile from the 12 Apostles). Gorgeous views & great photos were the reward for the steep stairs down to the beach. The late afternoon light was mostly wrong for photos at the 12 Apostles, but we still enjoyed the stunning views. Morning would be the best time for photos—as long as it’s not fogged in.
As much as we enjoyed the iconic 12 Apostles, we liked some of the other rock formations even better. Heading west from the 12 Apostles we stopped at the Arch, and the Grotto, and we took some of our favorite photos there. We shared those views with only a handful of people, as opposed to the tour bus hordes at the 12 Apostles. On a previous trip we’d also enjoyed the London Bridge, and the Loch and Ard, but it was getting late and we hoped to make it to Port Fairy (where we had a reservation) before sundown.
Our hotel, the Pt. Fairy Boutique Accommodation was very tough to find, but well worth it. It was a big cut above the budget motels we’d been staying at—very romantic. We had an excellent Turkish-influenced meal at Ramella’s Café.
Enjoyed Port Fairy’s beautiful 1800’s architecture, and strolling around Griffith’s Island. The views and the bird watching were excellent—and we spotted several wallabies. Lunch and coffee at the Belfast Café (established in 1864) was good—but the scones we took with us were fabulous!
The next morning we drove the short distance to the Crags. On the way we saw the cutest little lambs nursing on their mummies. The views at the Crags were very pretty, and we enjoyed them—but the rock formations were similar to, but not as dramatic as those we’d seen the previous day on the Great Ocean Road. For those with a limited amount of time, who want only the highlights, Port Fairy’s not a “must,” but we did enjoy it.
From Pt. Fairy we had about a 3-hour drive to Hall’s Gap in the Grampians. We had been there several years ago, and enjoyed it enough to schedule a return visit. For those hoping to glimpse kangaroos and kookaburras the Grampians is the place to go. Kangaroos were everywhere—lounging on lawns, hopping around the park, and lazing on grasses patches outside the restaurants. A kookaburra greeted us with a song as we pulled into our motel, Kingsway Holiday Flats—where we’d booked a self-contained one-bedroom unit. The unit was fine, but we preferred the Kookaburra Motel where we’d stayed previously, because it had great views, and lots of ‘roos & cockatoos. We passed on it this time because we wanted a self-contained unit. For such a long trip we like to be able eat some healthy meals on our own.
We had perfect weather to enjoy the stunning views. It was a short hike from town to the gorgeous rock pools known as the Venus Baths. I took beautiful photos of the mountains and sky reflected in the clear pools. Beyond the pools, the hike got pretty strenuous, but the scenery was so breathtaking we didn’t mind.
The next morning was quite cold and windy when we visited the Boroka Lookout, but the sky was a brilliant blue and views were “WOW.” Loved the walk to “the Balcony” lookout as well.
We had a fantastic dinner at Livefast Lifestyle café that offered free Internet—which was a big plus because our hotel did not offer Internet, and there were no Internet cafés. The chef made a special effort and created something exceptional and quite artistic when I asked if he could incorporate vegetables into an existing dish. It was very impressive. We enjoyed it so much we returned for lunch.
It was time to drive the three hours to Melbourne and go to work. We rented an apartment at the Zara Apartments in South Melbourne—chosen for its proximity to the venue where I’d be teaching. The apartment was nice, but we paid an additional $18/night for a quieter location—and being right off a main road, it was still noisy. We used ear plugs to sleep—and that worked fine.
We loved South Melbourne’s marvelous old buildings—especially the “iron houses” with their intricate ironwork fronts and gardens, the restaurants and shops along Clarendon Street, and eating our way through the South Melbourne Market. Also enjoyed strolling through the peaceful botanic gardens and visiting the Shrine of Remembrance—a stunning memorial to Australia’s fallen soldiers.
We had some great, inexpensive meals: kebabs on incredible freshly-baked Turkish bread on Clarendon Street; authentic Asian dishes at Noodle World; and killer dim sum at the South Melbourne Market. We also love Nando’s—a chain that specializes in grilled chicken. (But be forewarned: their idea of “mild” is spicier than I’d expect—but soooo good.) We ate there several times. Our one somewhat upscale dining experience was an excellent meal at the Olive Tree Bistro.
Because we’d spent so much time in Melbourne (and surrounds) previously, this time, our time in Melbourne was pretty limited to work—and visiting a cousin who had found me on Facebook! We had never met, but her grandmother and my grandfather were brother and sister—and I’d often heard my mother talk about my cousin’s father. It was wonderful!
In the past we LOVED doing a day trip to beautiful Phillip Island to see the penguins and the koala reserve. That trip—and the Great Ocean Road should not be missed.
We hated to leave Australia, but beautiful New Zealand awaited—and that’s a different trip report ;-). I hope this info will be helpful because this forum has helped me tremendously.
And ... as your reward for reading this entire report you get to see the photos:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=2QctG7hu0ZMNM
Jun 13th, 2013, 08:07 PM
#15
Thanks Songdoc! The Grampians area is really something special, isn't it?
Glad you caught the koalas - and even happier that there is still a few flourishing colonies of them.
I like Port Fairy - charming little township. If you're there at the right time, you can see mutton birds coming in to burrows in the sand on the beach. My Mum & I were down there one December/January and they made quite a spectacle.
Good travelling to you both & I'm looking forward to your Tales from the Shaky Isles.
Glad you caught the koalas - and even happier that there is still a few flourishing colonies of them.
I like Port Fairy - charming little township. If you're there at the right time, you can see mutton birds coming in to burrows in the sand on the beach. My Mum & I were down there one December/January and they made quite a spectacle.
Good travelling to you both & I'm looking forward to your Tales from the Shaky Isles.
Jun 15th, 2013, 09:49 AM
#16
Original Poster
Thanks for the nice comments.
Bohkara2: Yes, the Grampians are gorgeous--and don't seem to be on a lot of itineraries.
I'd have liked to see the mutton birds--but it was the wrong time of year
.
I forgot to mention my little adventure in the Tamborine Mountains ... I got a leech on me. Yuck!!!
Better get back to work on my NZ trip report!
Bohkara2: Yes, the Grampians are gorgeous--and don't seem to be on a lot of itineraries.
I'd have liked to see the mutton birds--but it was the wrong time of year
.I forgot to mention my little adventure in the Tamborine Mountains ... I got a leech on me. Yuck!!!
Better get back to work on my NZ trip report!
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