John wiley sons frommers australia from 50 a day (2004) 13ed;bm ocr 6 0 2 5 lotb

Australia
from $50 a Day
13th Edition

by Marc Llewellyn & Lee Mylne

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Contents
List of Maps

1

What’s New in Australia

1

The Best of Australia

3

1 The Top Travel Experiences . . . . . .3
2 The Best Outdoor Adventures . . . .5
3 The Best Places to View
Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
4 The Best Places to
Experience the Outback . . . . . . . .7
5 The Best Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . .8
6 The Best Affordable Diving
& Snorkeling Sites . . . . . . . . . . . .9
7 The Best Places to
Bushwalk (Hike) . . . . . . . . . . . .10
8 The Best Places to Learn
About Aboriginal Culture . . . . . .11

2

viii

9 The Best of Small-Town
Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
10 The Best Museums . . . . . . . . . .12

11 The Best Moderately
Priced Accommodations . . . . . . .13
12 The Best Alternative
Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . .14
13 The Best Places to Stay
on a Shoestring . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
14 The Best Worth-a-Splurge
Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
15 The Best Dining Bargains . . . . . .16

Planning an Affordable Trip to Australia

18

by Lee Mylne
1
2
3
4
5
6

7
8
9
10
11

The Regions in Brief . . . . . . . . .18
The $50-a-Day Premise . . . . . . .24

Fifty Money-Saving Tips . . . . . . .24
Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . . .29
Entry Requirements
& Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
The Australian Dollar, the U.S.
Dollar & the British Pound . . . . .34
When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Australia Calendar of Events . . .37
Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Specialized Travel Resources . . . .42
Planning an Affordable
Trip Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Frommers.com: The
Complete Travel Resource . . . . .48

12 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . . .48

Online Traveler’s Toolbox . . . . . .50
13 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Coping with Jet Lag . . . . . . . . .54
Flying with Film & Video . . . . . .55
14 Packages for the
Independent Traveler . . . . . . . . .56
15 Escorted General-Interest
Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
16 The Active Traveler . . . . . . . . . . .58
17 Getting Around Australia . . . . . .63
18 Tips on Accommodations . . . . . .74

Saving on Your Hotel Room . . . .78
19 Tips on Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Witchetty Grubs, Lilli-Pillies
& Other Good Eats . . . . . . . . . .80
20 Recommended Books & Films . . .81
Fast Facts: Australia . . . . . . . . .81


iv

CONTENTS

3

Sydney

87

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . . .92
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Fast Facts: Sydney . . . . . . . . . .103
3 Accommodations You Can
Afford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Super Cheap Sleeps . . . . . . . . .113
4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . .118
What to Know About BYO . . . .118
5 What to See & Do in Sydney . .130

4

6
7
8
9
10

New South Wales

Great Deals on Sightseeing . . .131
A Walk on the Wild Side:
Climbing the Harbour Bridge . . .135
Harbor Cruises &
Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . .148
Staying Active . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Spectator Sports . . . . . . . . . . .153
Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
Sydney After Dark . . . . . . . . . .161

167

by Marc Llewellyn
1 The Blue Mountains . . . . . . . . .168
2 The Hunter Valley:
Wine Tasting & More . . . . . . . .178
Bunking Down in a
Caravan, Man . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
Something Special: A Cattle
Station in the Upper Hunter . . .184

3 Port Stephens: Dolphin& Whale-Watching . . . . . . . . .185

5

4 North of Sydney Along
the Pacific Highway:
Australia’s Holiday Coast . . . . .188
Byron on a Super
Cheap Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
5 South of Sydney
Along the Princes Highway . . . .198
6 The Snowy Mountains:
Australia’s Ski Country . . . . . . .205
7 Outback New South Wales . . . .207

Brisbane

215

by Lee Mylne
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . .219
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .220
Fast Facts: Brisbane . . . . . . . . .224
3 Accommodations You
Can Afford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225
4 Great Deals on Dining . . . . . . .229
Family-Friendly Restaurants . . .231
5 Exploring Brisbane . . . . . . . . . .232

6
7
8
9
10

Cheap Thrills: What to
See & Do for Free (or Almost)
in Brisbane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
River Cruises &
Other Organized Tours . . . . . . .236
Outdoor Pursuits in Brisbane . .238
The Shopping Scene . . . . . . . .239
Brisbane After Dark . . . . . . . . .240
Brisbane’s Historic Pubs . . . . . .242
Moreton Bay & Islands . . . . . . .243


v

CONTENTS

6

Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef

248

by Lee Mylne

1

2
3
4

7

Cheap Thrills: What to
See & Do for Free (or
Almost) in Queensland . . . . . . .252
Follow the Heritage Trails . . . .253
Exploring the Great
Barrier Reef . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254
Budget Snorkeling & Diving . . .261
Cairns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Where’s the Beach? . . . . . . . .276
Port Douglas, Daintree &
the Cape Tribulation Area . . . . .285
The North Coast: Mission
Beach, Townsville &
the Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295

The Red Centre

5 The Whitsunday Coast
& Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
Come Sail with Me . . . . . . . . .312
6 The Capricorn Coast &
the Southern Reef Islands . . . .322

Up Close & Personal
with a Turtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330
7 Fraser Island: Eco–Adventures
& 4WD Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332
8 The Sunshine Coast . . . . . . . . .336
9 The Gold Coast . . . . . . . . . . . .344
10 The Gold Coast Hinterland:
Back to Nature . . . . . . . . . . . .356
11 Outback Queensland . . . . . . . .361
On the Dinosaur Trail . . . . . . . .364

368

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Exploring the Red Centre . . . . .368
2 Alice Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
Earning a Degree from
Didgeridoo University . . . . . . . .375
3 Road Trips from Alice Springs . . .382
Road-Trip Tips for the
East & West Macs . . . . . . . . . .383

8

The Top End

4 Kings Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . .385
5 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
(Ayers Rock/The Olgas) . . . . . .387
Dinner in the Desert . . . . . . . .391

When You See the Southern
Cross for the First Time . . . . . .393

395

by Lee Mylne
Croc Alert! (& Other
Safety Tips) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398
1 Darwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .398
Cheap Eats & More! . . . . . . . .406

2 Kakadu National Park . . . . . . .409

Never Smile at a
You-Know-What . . . . . . . . . . .411
3 Katherine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .416


vi

CONTENTS

9

Perth & Western Australia

421

by Lee Mylne
Tip-Toeing Through the

Wildflowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .424
1 Perth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .425
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . .428
Fast Facts: Perth . . . . . . . . . . .430
2 Side Trips from Perth . . . . . . . .448

3 Margaret River & the
Southwest: Wine Tasting
& Underground Wonders . . . . .455
4 The Goldfields . . . . . . . . . . . . .461
5 The Midwest & the
Northwest: Where the
Outback Meets the Sea . . . . . .464
6 The Kimberley:
A Far-Flung Wilderness . . . . . .471

10 Adelaide & South Australia

486

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Adelaide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488
The Adelaide &
Womadelaide Festivals . . . . . .490
Fast Facts: Adelaide . . . . . . . . .493
2 Side Trips from Adelaide . . . . . .504
So Much Wine,
So Little Time . . . . . . . . . . . . .505

11 Melbourne

3 Kangaroo Island . . . . . . . . . . .511
Culling Koalas—
A National Dilemma . . . . . . . .516
4 Outback South Australia . . . . .519
A Fabulous Four-WheelDrive Adventure . . . . . . . . . . .523
5 The Coorong . . . . . . . . . . . . . .524

526

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .526
Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . .529
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .531
Fast Facts: Melbourne . . . . . . .532
3 Accommodations You
Can Afford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .533
4 Great Deals on Dining . . . . . . .538

12 Victoria

5 Seeing the Sights . . . . . . . . . . .544
6 Enjoying the Great
Outdoors or Catching an
Aussie Rules Football Match . . .549
7 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .551
Death by Chocolate . . . . . . . . .553
8 Melbourne After Dark . . . . . . .554
9 Side Trips from Melbourne . . . .559

567

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Ballarat: Gold-Rush City . . . . . .567
2 The Great Ocean Road:
One of the World’s Most
Scenic Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . .572
3 The Murray River . . . . . . . . . . .575

4 The Southeast Coast . . . . . . . .579
5 The High Country . . . . . . . . . .580
6 The Northwest:
Grampians National Park . . . . .585


CONTENTS

13 Canberra

vii

588

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .588
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .591
Fast Facts: Canberra . . . . . . . .592
3 Accommodations You
Can Afford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .593

14 Tasmania

4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . .595
5 Seeing the Sights . . . . . . . . . . .596
Up, Up & Away . . . . . . . . . . . .597
6 Outdoor Pursuits . . . . . . . . . . .600
7 Canberra After Dark . . . . . . . . .600

602

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Hobart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .606
2 Port Arthur: Discovering
Tasmania’s Convict Heritage . . .617
3 Freycinet National Park . . . . . .619
4 Launceston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .621

Appendix: Australia in Depth

The Plight of Taz . . . . . . . . . . .622
5 Cradle Mountain & Lake
St. Clair National Park . . . . . . .626
Hiking the Overland Track . . . .628
6 The West Coast . . . . . . . . . . . .629

633

by Marc Llewellyn
1 Australia’s Natural World . . . . .633
2 The People of Oz . . . . . . . . . . .635

3 Australian History 101 . . . . . . .637

Index

Dateline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .637
4 Aussie Eats & Drinks . . . . . . . .640

642


List of Maps
Australia 20
Greater Sydney Region 89
Sydney at a Glance 94
Sydney Transportation Systems 98
Central Sydney Accommodations
108
Central Sydney Dining 120
Central Sydney Attractions 132
New South Wales 169
The Blue Mountains 171
The Hunter Valley 179
Greater Brisbane 217
Brisbane 222
Moreton Bay & Islands 245
Queensland 250
The Great Barrier Reef 255
Cairns 267
Port Douglas, Daintree &
Cape Tribulation 287

The Whitsunday Islands 309
The Sunshine Coast 337

The Gold Coast 345
The Red Centre 369
Alice Springs 373
The Northern Territory 397
Darwin 399
Western Australia 423
Perth 427
The Kimberley Region 473
South Australia 487
Adelaide 489
Adelaide Hills 509
Kangaroo Island 512
Greater Melbourne 527
Melbourne Accommodations 535
Melbourne Dining 539
Melbourne Attractions 545
Side Trips from Melbourne 561
Victoria 569
Canberra 589
Tasmania 603
Hobart 607


An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants,
shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share
the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed

with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Australia from $50 a Day, 13th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is
especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held
responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us,
however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a
close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

About the Authors
Sydney resident Marc Llewellyn is one of Australia’s premier travel writers and the winner of several travel writing awards, including the Australian Society of Travel Writer’s
Travel Writer of the Year award 2001/2002. His latest travelogue, Riders to the Midnight
Sun, tells of his cycle journey from the Ukrainian Black Sea to Arctic Russia—in a bid to
escape the Australian heat.
Lee Mylne is a Brisbane-based travel writer who writes for a range of publications, including the national travel trade magazine, Travel Week Australia. Born and raised in New
Zealand, she traveled widely before finally figuring out she could make a living out of it.
She has lived in Australia for the past 16 years and is currently president of the Australian
Society of Travel Writers. She is also a co-author of Frommer’s Australia 2004, and Frommer’s Portable Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Australia
Frommer’s Portable Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Frommer’s Adventure Guides: Australia & New Zealand
The Unofficial Guide to the World’s Best Diving Vacations


Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality,

value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state,
and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices
and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and
regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star
(highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you
to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from
tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Finds

Special finds—those places only insiders know about

Fun Fact

Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips
more fun

Kids

Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family

Moments

Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

Overrated

Places or experiences not worth your time or money

Tips

Insider tips—great ways to save time and money

Value

Great values—where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:
AE American Express
DISC Discover
DC Diners Club
MC MasterCard

V Visa

Frommers.com
Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com
for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly,
we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At
Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car
rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At
Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following:
•
•
•
•

Online updates to our most popular guidebooks
Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways
Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends

Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions


What’s New in Australia
S

ince our last edition, getting to and
around the land Down Under has
changed once again; when you get
here, there are facelifts and updates to
old favorites, and a couple of new
museums you might wish to check
out. Here’s a brief summary, with
more detail in each of the regional
chapters.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP The
Australian skies have seen many
changes in recent years, the most
notable being the growth of no-frills
carrier Virgin Blue (& 07/3295
2296). Rapidly expanding routes now
see Virgin Blue servicing all capital
cities as well as an ever-growing list of
smaller centers such as Maroochydore
on the Sunshine Coast, Cairns,
Townsville, Mackay, the Whitsunday
Coast, Rockhampton and Gold Coast
in Queensland, Coffs Harbour in
New South Wales, Hobart and
Launceston in Tasmania, Alice Springs

in the Red Centre, and Broome in
Western Australia. Stay tuned; this is a
moveable feast.
Another newcomer is Regional
Express (& 13 17 13 in Australia;
www.regionalexpress.com.au), which
picked up the pieces from the old
Kendell Airlines. It flies to many
places; of note are Broken Hill, Ballina, and Merimbula (all in NSW)
from Sydney; Melbourne to northern
Tasmania; and Adelaide to Kangaroo
Island and Broken Hill. Virgin Blue
and Regional Express often have good
Internet deals.
On the ground, early 2004 will see
the opening of a long-awaited rail line

linking Alice Springs and Darwin. It
will be serviced by the iconic Ghan,
operating weekly between Adelaide
and Darwin and twice weekly between
Adelaide and Alice Springs. In
Queensland, the new high-speed Brisbane-Cairns Tilt Train has knocked
hours off the journey.
On Oz highways, an extension of
the M5 motorway south of Sydney
has cut 45 minutes off the road trip to
Canberra and the Snowy Mountains.
You can now make Canberra in less
than 31⁄ 2 hours.

SYDNEY New entrants on the bar
scene in Sydney include the groovy
Cargo Bar & Lounge (& 02/9262
1777) on Kings Street Wharf, on
the city side of Darling Harbour (its
outdoor areas are great on a sultry
evening), and The Establishment
(& 02/9240 3000) on George Street
in the city center.
BRISBANE Brisbane’s pub scene
has taken on new life, with the renovation of several of its historic hotels.
The Heritage-listed Breakfast Creek
Hotel (& 07/3262 5988) on Brisbane’s Kingsford Smith Drive has
undergone a A$4-million (US$2.6million) renovation and restoration,
and the Regatta Hotel (& 07/3870
7063), on Coronation Drive, has also
had a face-lift and become one of the
trendiest places to be seen. Access to
the Regatta has been helped by the
opening of a new CityCat terminal
practically on its doorstep.
The Queensland Museum (& 07/
3840 7555) is undergoing a major


2

W H AT ’ S N E W

revamp, with a new entrance and the

incorporation of an interactive Sciencentre.
The free Museum of Brisbane,
scheduled to open in October 2003, is
housed in the historic City Hall and is
designed to capture the history and
essence of Brisbane. It will include a
small theater showing a short film
about the city and will relate the stories, events, and ideas that have shaped
the city as well as giving practical
information for visitors.
Brisbane’s new Cultural Industries
Precinct at Kelvin Grove, still under
construction at press time, is the new
home to the innovative La Boite Theatre (www.laboite.com.au). La Boite
was due to move into a new 400-seat
theater-in-the-round in late 2003.
QUEENSL AND Queensland
Rail’s (& 13 22 32) fast new Tilt
Train links Brisbane and Cairns, cutting the journey by about 7 hours.
The 160kmph (99 mph) “business
class” trip takes 25 hours.
When you get to Cairns, you’ll find
a city transformed by a major redevelopment of the Esplanade, which
includes a massive new saltwater
swimming lagoon. Nearby is the new
Reef Fleet Terminal from which the
Great Barrier Reef boats leave.
There are also new artificial lagoons
in Airlie Beach and Townsville, resolving the problem of where to swim in
stinger season.

Two of a planned six Great Walks
of Queensland will open in June
2004, in the Whitsundays and Fraser
Island. The Queensland Parks and
Wildlife Service (& 07/4946 7022;
www.env.qld.gov.au) is planning
tracks that will highlight some of
Queensland’s most valuable parks and
forests in World Heritage areas.
THE TOP END From early 2004,
the opening of the long-awaited Alice
Springs–Darwin railway line will give

the Top End its first rail link. Great
Southern Railway’s The Ghan (& 13
21 47 in Australia; www.trainways.
com.au) will run one weekly return
journey between the two cities, leaving Alice Springs on Mondays and
arriving in Darwin about 24 hours
later.
PERTH & WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The Mining Hall of Fame (& 08/
9026 2700; www.mininghall.com), in
the Outback gold town of Kalgoorlie,
continues to expand, with new attractions, including a Chinese garden and
more galleries opening in late 2003.
MELBOURNE The new place to
hang out is Federation Square, which
is on target to attract an estimated 6
million visitors a year. The architecture is weird: a kind of post-industrial

cubic look with a wonky square paved
with stones. There are plenty of cafes,
restaurants, and art spaces around.
One eatery to look out for is the
Chocolate Buddha (& 03/9654
5688), a Japanese-inspired noodle
place that’s well worth a visit.
The latest hotel of note is the
Ramada Melbourne (p. 536), a new
four-star hotel opposite Flinders Street
Railway Station. It’s cozy, friendly, and
has great offers—especially on the
weekends.
TASMANIA Long linked by air,
Sydney and Tasmania were brought
together by the start of a high-speed
car ferry link in January 2004. The
Spirit of Tasmania III is operated by
TT-Line, who also run car ferries from
Melbourne to Tasmania. The ferry
departs at 3pm from Sydney on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday, and arrives in
Devonport at 11:30am the next day.
Then it loads up and ships out back to
Sydney again. Prices for the 20-hour
journey range from A$230 to A$500
(US$150–US$325) per person oneway. Cars will be transported free for
45 weeks of the year.


1

The Best of Australia
M

aybe we’re biased, but Australia has a lot of bests. It’s got some of the wildest
natural scenery, the weirdest wildlife, certainly some of the most brilliant scuba
diving, the best beaches (shut up, California), the oldest rainforest (110 million
years and counting), the world’s oldest human civilization (some archaeologists
say 40,000 years, some say 120,000), the best wines (stop browsing the Napa and
come see what we mean), the world’s most laid-back people (when they’re not
from Melbourne and watching Aussie Rules football), the best weather (ignoring
the Wet Season up north), the most innovative East-meets-West-meets-someplace-else cuisine—all lit by the world’s most pervasive white sunlight.
“Best” means different things to different people, but scarcely a visitor lands
without having the Great Barrier Reef at the top of their “Things to See” list. It
really is the Eighth Wonder of the World. Also high on most folks’ lists is Ayers
Rock. This monolith must have some kind of magnet inside it to attract planeloads of tourists. We’re not saying the Rock isn’t special, but we think the Australian desert all around it is even more special. The third attraction on most
visitors’ lists is Sydney, the Emerald City that glitters in the Antipodean sunshine
on—another “best”—the best harbor spanned by the best bridge in the world
(sorry, San Francisco).
These “big three” attractions are understandably popular with travelers. What
the TV commercials or the travel agent window displays don’t show, however, is
how much else there is to see. There are the World Heritage wetlands and Aboriginal rock art of Kakadu National Park, the second Great Barrier Reef on the
western coast, and the snowy mountain hiking trails of Tasmania. As planes
zoom overhead delivering visitors to the Reef, the Rock, and Sydney, Aussies in
charming country towns, on far-flung beaches, on rustic sheep stations, in villages, and in mountain lodges shake their heads and say, “They don’t know what
they’re missin’.” You will no doubt find your own “bests” as you travel, as well
as ours below, and we would like to hear about them. In the listing below, NSW
stands for New South Wales, QLD for Queensland, NT for the Northern Territory, WA for Western Australia, SA for South Australia, VIC for Victoria, TAS
for Tasmania, and ACT for the Australian Capital Territory.

1 The Top Travel Experiences

• Experiencing Sydney (NSW):
Consistently voted one of the best
cities in the world by almost every
major travel publication, Sydney
is more than just the magnificent
Harbour Bridge and Opera
House. No other major city has
beaches in abundance like Sydney,

and few have such a magnificently
scenic harbor. My advice: Get
aboard a ferry, walk across the
bridge, and plan on spending at
least a week, because you’ll need
every minute. See chapter 3.
• Discovering the Great Barrier
Reef (QLD): It is hard to believe


CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

4

•

•

•

•

God would create such a glorious
underwater fairyland, a 2,000km
(1,250-mile) coral garden with
electric colors and bizarre fish life,
and have the grace to stick it all
somewhere with warm water and
year-round sunshine. This is what
you came to Australia to see. See
chapter 6.
Exploring the Wet Tropics
(QLD): City folk can’t get over the
moisture-dripping ferns, the neon
blue butterflies, the primeval peace
of this World Heritage patch of
rainforest stretching north, south,
and west from Cairns. Hike it,
4WD it, or glide over the treetops
in the Skyrail gondola from
Cairns. See chapter 6.
Bareboat Sailing in the Whitsundays (QLD): Bareboat means
unskippered—that’s right, even if
you think port is just an after-dinner drink you can charter a yacht,
pay for a day’s instruction from a
skipper, then take over the helm
and explore these 74 island gems.
Anchor in deserted bays, snorkel
over reefs, fish for coral trout from
the deck, and feel the wind in
your sails. See p. 312.

Exploring the Olgas (Kata
Tjuta) and Ayers Rock (Uluru)
(NT): Just why everyone comes
thousands of kilometers to see the
big red stone of Ayers Rock is a
mystery—that’s probably why
they come, because the Rock is a
mystery. Just 50km (31 miles)
from Ayers Rock are the round
red heads of the Olgas, a second
rock formation more significant
to Aborigines and more intriguing
to many visitors than Uluru. See
p. 387.
Taking an Aboriginal Culture
Tour (Alice Springs, NT): Eating
female wasps, contemplating a hill
as a giant resting caterpillar, and
seeing in the stars the face of your
grandmother smiling down at you

•

•

•

•

will give you a new perspective on

your own culture. See what we
mean on a half-day tour from the
Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre
in Alice Springs. See p. 374.
Listening to the “Sounds of
Silence” (Ayers Rock, NT): Billed
as a “million star restaurant”
because it’s outdoors under the
Milky Way, this culinary treat is a
fabulous way to soak up the
desert. Sip champagne to the
strains of a didgeridoo as the sun
sets, then settle down to a “bush
tucker” feast of emu, kangaroo,
and crocodile at white-clothed
tables in the sand. Then it’s lights
out, the music stops, and everyone
listens to the eerie sound of
silence. See p. 391.
Exploring Kakadu National Park
(NT): Australia’s biggest national
park is a wild wonderland of lilyclad wetlands, looming red escarpment, Aboriginal rock art, fernfringed waterholes, countless birds,
big barramundi (that’s a fish), and
menacing crocs. Cruise it, hike it,
4WD it, fish it. See “Kakadu
National Park” in chapter 8.
Cruising the Kimberley (WA):
Australia’s last frontier, the Kimberley is a cocktail of giant South
Sea pearls, red soil, crocodiles,
Aboriginal rock art called “Wandjina,” and million-acre farms in a

never-ending wilderness. Cross it
by 4WD on the Gibb River Road,
stay at a cattle station (ranch),
base yourself on the beach in
Broome, or cruise its dramatic red
coastline. See chapter 9.
Rolling in Wildflowers (WA):
Imagine Texas three times over
and covered in wildflowers. That’s
what the state of Western Australia looks like every spring from
August to mid-November when
pink, mauve, red, white, yellow,
and blue wildflowers bloom their
hearts out. See chapter 9.


THE BEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

• Drinking in the Barossa Valley
(SA): One of Australia’s largest
wine-producing areas, this German-speaking region less than an
hour’s drive from Adelaide is also
the prettiest. Adelaide’s restaurants
are some of the country’s best, so
test out your wine purchases with
the city’s terrific food. See “Side
Trips from Adelaide” in chapter 10.
• Following the Great Ocean
Road (VIC): This 106km (65mile) coastal road carries you past
wild and stunning beaches,

forests, and dramatic cliff-top
scenery—including the Twelve

5

Apostles, 12 pillars of red rock
standing in splendid isolation in
the foaming Southern Ocean. See
“The Great Ocean Road: One of
the World’s Most Scenic Drives”
in chapter 12.
• Driving Around Tasmania: The
island-state is one of Australia’s
prettiest, a picturesque Eden of
lavender fields, wineries, snowtopped granite tors, whitewater
wildernesses, and haunting historic prisons. A bonus is that it’s
small enough to drive around in a
few days. See chapter 14.

2 The Best Outdoor Adventures
• Horse Trekking in the Snowy
Mountains (NSW): The film The
Man from Snowy River alerted
travelers to the natural beauty of
these ranges, where you can stay
in bush lodges or go camping
under the stars. See p. 207.
• Abseiling in the Blue Mountains
(NSW): Careering backwards
down a cliff face with the smell of

gum trees in your nostrils is not
everyone’s idea of fun, but you sure
know you’re alive. Several operators welcome both novices and the
more experienced. See “The Blue
Mountains” in chapter 4.
• White-Water Rafting on the
Tully River (Mission Beach,
QLD): The Grade 3 to 4 rapids of
the Tully River swoosh between
lush, rainforested banks. The
guides are professional, the
scenery is pretty, and the rapids
are just hair-raising enough to be
fun. See p. 277.
• Canoeing the Top End (NT):
Paddling down the sun-drenched
ochre walls of Katherine Gorge
sharpens the senses, especially
when a freshwater crocodile pops
its head up! Head downriver with
Gecko Canoeing to meet Aboriginal communities, shower under

•

•

•

•

waterfalls, and camp in swags
along the riverbanks. See “Exploring Katherine Gorge” in chapter 8.
Surfing in Margaret River (WA):
A surfing lesson with four-time
Western Australia champ Josh
Palmateer (& 04/1895 8264) is a
great introduction to the sport—
if only to hear Josh’s ripper of
an Aussie accent! From July to
September, Josh shifts his classes
to Cable Beach in Broome. See
p. 459.
Sea Kayaking with Sea Lions
(WA): Snorkel with sea lions and
watch penguins feeding on a seakayaking day trip from Perth with
Rivergods (& 08/9259 0749).
They also run multi-day sea kayak
expeditions past whales, dolphins,
and sharks in Shark Bay, and over
the brilliant coral of Ningaloo
Reef on the Northwest Cape in
Western Australia. See p. 444.
Skiing in the Victorian Alps
(VIC): Skiing in Australia? You
bet. Where else can you swish
down the mountain between gum
trees? See “The High Country” in
chapter 12.
Learning to Surf (NSW): Head
up from Sydney to Byron Bay on

a surf safari. Plenty of camping


6

CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

and lots of beach stops to flex your
newfound surfboarding skills. See
p. 194.
• Hiking Cradle Mountain
National Park (TAS): The 80km
(48-mile) Overland Track is
known as the best bushwalking

(hiking) trail in Australia. The
trek, from Lake St. Clair to Cradle
Mountain, takes anywhere from 5
to 10 days, depending on your fitness level. Shorter walks, some
lasting just half an hour, are also
accessible. See p. 628.

3 The Best Places to View Wildlife
• Montague Island (Narooma,
NSW): This little island on the
south coast is a haven for seabirds,
but it’s the water around it that’s
home to the main attractions.
Dolphins and fairy penguins are
common, and during the whalewatching season you are almost

sure to spot humpback and southern right whales, some with their
calves. See p. 203.
• Jervis Bay (NSW): This is probably the nearest place to Sydney
where you are certain to see kangaroos in the wild and where you
can pet them, too. The national
park here is home to hundreds of
bird species, including black cockatoos, as well as plenty of possums. See p. 199.
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
(Brisbane, QLD): Cuddle a koala
(and have your photo taken doing
it) at this Brisbane park, the
world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. Lots of other Aussie
wildlife—including lizards, frogs,
’roos, wallabies (which you can
hand-feed), and colorful parakeets—are on show. See p. 232.
• Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
(Kuranda, near Cairns, QLD):
Walk through the biggest butterfly “aviary” in Australia and see
some of Australia’s most gorgeous
butterflies, including the electricblue Ulysses. See many species of
butterfly feed, lay eggs, and mate,
and inspect caterpillars and pupae.
Wearing pink, red, or white
encourages the butterflies to land
on you. See p. 274.

• Wait-a-while Rainforest Tours
(Cairns, QLD): Head into the
Wet Tropics behind Cairns or Port
Douglas with this eco-tour operator to spotlight big-eyed possums,

lizards, pythons, the bizarre
bats—even a platypus, which are
so shy that 95% of Aussies have
never seen one in the wild. About
once a month on average, one
lucky group will spot the rare and
bizarre Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo.
See p. 290.
• Heron Island (off Gladstone,
QLD): There’s wonderful wildlife
on this “jewel in the reef ” any
time of year, but the best time to
visit is November to March, when
the life cycle of giant green loggerhead and hawksbill turtles is in
full swing. From November to
January, the turtles come ashore to
lay their eggs. From late January
to March, the hatchlings emerge
and head for the water. You can
see it all by just strolling down to
the beach, or you can join a university researcher to get the full
story. See p. 330.
• Monkey Mia (WA): There are
several places you can see, handfeed, or swim with wild dolphins
Down Under. If you want an
almost guaranteed dolphin sighting, head to Monkey Mia on the
lonely Outback coast, where they
cruise past your legs (see “The
Midwest & The Northwest:
Where The Outback Meets the

Sea” in chapter 9). Even better is a
cruise on the Shotover catamaran


T H E B E S T P L AC E S TO E X P E R I E N C E T H E O U T BAC K

to see some of the area’s 10,000
dugongs (manatees), plus turtles,
sea snakes, sharks—and more
(p. 467).
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
(The Gold Coast, QLD): Tens of
thousands of unbelievably pretty
red, blue, green, and yellow rainbow lorikeets have been screeching into this park for generations
to be hand-fed by visitors every
morning and afternoon. There are
’roos, wombats, crocodiles, and
other Australian animals at the
sanctuary, too, but the birds steal
the show. See p. 350.
• Lamington National Park (The
Gold Coast Hinterland, QLD):
Every day brilliant black-and-gold
Regent bowerbirds, satin bowerbirds, crimson and cobalt rosellas,
and loads of other wild birds feed
right out of your hand at
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Guesthouse, located in this mountainous national park a 90-minute
drive inland from the Gold Coast.
Hike the trails and soak up the cool
mountain air while you’re here. See

“The Gold Coast Hinterland: Back
to Nature” in chapter 6.

7

• Kakadu National Park (NT):
One-third of Australia’s bird
species live in Kakadu; so do dingoes, snakes, frogs, and lots of
dangerous saltwater crocs. A
cruise on the Yellow Waters billabong is like a wetlands theme
park. It is at its best later in the
Dry Season around September
and October, when wildlife converges around this shrinking water
source. See p. 409.
• Northwest Cape (WA): Go snorkeling with a whale shark. No one
knows where they come from, but
these mysterious monsters up to
18m (60 ft.) long surface in these
remote waters every March to
mid-June. Snorkelers can swim
alongside the sharks as they feed
(on plankton, not snorkelers). See
p. 469.
• Kangaroo Island (SA): You are
sure to see more native animals
here—including koalas, wallabies,
birds, echidnas, reptiles, seals, and
sea lions—than anywhere else in
the country. Another plus: The
distances between major points of

interest are not great, so you won’t
spend half the day just getting
from place to place. See p. 511.

4 The Best Places to Experience the Outback
• Broken Hill (NSW): There’s no
better place to experience real
Outback life than in Broken Hill.
There’s the city itself, with its
thriving art scene and the Royal
Flying Doctor service; a ghost
town on its outskirts; a national
park with Aboriginal wall paintings; an opal mining town nearby;
and plenty of kangaroos, emus,
and giant wedge-tailed eagles. See
p. 208.
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
(Ayers Rock, NT): Sure, this magical monolith will enthrall you
with its eerie beauty, but the
nearby Olgas are more soothing,

more interesting, and actually
taller than the Rock, so make the
time to wander through them,
too. Don’t go home until you’ve
stood still in all that sand and felt
the powerful heartbeat of the
desert. See “Uluru-Kata Tjuta
National Park (Ayers Rock/The
Olgas)” in chapter 7.

• The MacDonnell Ranges (NT):
The Aborigines say these red
rocky hills were formed by the
Caterpillar Dreaming that wriggled from the earth and came to
rest here. To the west of Alice
Springs are dramatic gorges, idyllic (and bloody cold) waterholes,


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CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

and cute wallabies. To the east are
Aboriginal rock carvings, and the
Ross River Resort, where you can
crack a stock whip, throw a
boomerang, feast on damper and
billy tea, and ride a horse through
the bush. See “Road Trips from
Alice Springs” in chapter 7.
• Kings Canyon (NT): Anyone
who saw the cult flick The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert will remember that scene
where the transvestites climb a
soaring cliff and survey the desert
floor. That was Kings Canyon,
about 320km (200 miles) from
Alice Springs in one direction and

Ayers Rock in the other. Trek the

dramatic rim or take the easier
shady route along the bottom.
Don’t forget your lipstick! See
“Kings Canyon” in chapter 7.
• Finke Gorge National Park
(NT): If you like your wilderness
scenic and ancient, come here.
Finke Gorge is home to “living
fossil” palm trees, survivors of the
ice ages, and to what scientists
think may be the world’s oldest
river. Camp, hike, and just soak
up the timeless bush. Visit for a
day from Alice Springs or camp
out. Access is by four-wheel-drive
(4WD) vehicle only. See p. 384.

5 The Best Beaches
• Palm Beach (Sydney): At the end
of a string of beaches stretching
north from Sydney, Palm Beach is
long and very white, with some
good surfing and a golf course. See
chapter 3.
• Hyams Beach (Jervis Bay, NSW):
This beach in pretty, off-thebeaten-path Jervis Bay is said to be
the whitest in the world. You need
to wear sunblock if you decide to
stroll along it, because the reflection from the sun, even on a
cloudy day, can give you a nasty

sunburn. The beach also squeaks
as you walk. See “South of Sydney
Along the Princes Highway” in
chapter 4.
• Four Mile Beach (Port Douglas,
QLD): The sea is turquoise, the sun
is warm, the palms sway, and the
low-rise hotels starting to line this
country beach can’t spoil the feeling
that it is a million miles from
anywhere. But isn’t there always a
serpent in paradise? The “serpent”
in this case is north Queensland’s
seasonal—and potentially deadly—
marine stingers. Come from June
to September to avoid them,
or swim in the stinger net. See
chapter 6.

• Mission Beach (QLD): Azure
blue sea, islands dotting the horizon, and lush white sand edged by
dense tangled vine forests make
this beach a real winner. So does
the fact that hardly anyone ever
comes here. Cassowaries (giant
emu-like birds) hide out in the
rainforest, and the tiny town of
Mission Beach politely makes
itself invisible behind the leaves.
Visit from June to September to

avoid deadly marine stingers. See
“The North Coast: Mission
Beach, Townsville & the Islands”
in chapter 6.
• Whitehaven Beach (The Whitsunday Islands, QLD): It’s not a
surf beach, but this 6km (33⁄ 4mile) stretch of silica sand on
Whitsunday Island is pristine,
peaceful, and as white as snow.
Bring a book, curl up under the
rainforest lining its edge, and fantasize that the cruise boat is going
to leave without you. See “The
Whitsunday Coast & Islands” in
chapter 6.
• Main Beach, Noosa (Sunshine
Coast, QLD): The trendy shops of
Hastings Street line the white sand
and gently rolling surf of this


THE BEST AFFORDABLE DIVING & SNORKELING SITES

pretty beach. Dust off your
designer swimsuit for this one.
When you get tired of the scene,
you can hike the green walking
trails of nearby Noosa National
Park. See “The Sunshine Coast”
in chapter 6.
• Surfers Paradise (Gold Coast,
QLD): All the beaches on the

30km (19-mile) Gold Coast strip
in south Queensland are worthy
of inclusion. Every one of them
has clean sand, great surf, and
fresh breezes. Just ignore the tacky
high-rises behind you. Surfers will

9

like Kirra and Burleigh Heads. See
“The Gold Coast” in chapter 6.
• Cable Beach (Broome, WA): Is it
the South Sea pearls they pull out
of the Indian Ocean, the camels
loping along the sand at sunset,
the surf, or the red earth that
comes down to meet the green
water that gives this beach its
exotic appeal? Maybe it’s the
22km (14 miles) of glorious white
sand. June to September is the
only time to swim here, because of
deadly marine stingers. See “The
Kimberley: A Far-Flung Wilderness” in chapter 9.

6 The Best Affordable Diving & Snorkeling Sites
• Port Douglas (QLD): Many fabulous dive sites can be found off the
shores of Port Douglas, north of
Cairns, including Split-Bommie,
with its delicate fan corals and

schools of colorful fusiliers; Barracuda Pass, with its coral gardens
and giant clams; the swim-through
coral spires of the Cathedrals; and
numerous ribbon reefs renowned
for their variety of coral and fish
life. See p. 285.
• Green Island (QLD): This island
is made of coral, so you’d expect
the snorkeling to be good. Plunge
off the beach just about anywhere
around the island and marvel at
the scenes before you. Come over
for the day from Cairns or stay at
the island’s upscale resort. Divers
will like it here, too. See p. 271.
• Cairns (QLD): In addition to
Green Island (see above), Moore,
Norman, Hardy, Saxon, and
Arlington reefs and Michaelmas
and Upolu cays—all about 90
minutes off Cairns—offer great
snorkeling and endless dive sites.
Explore on a day trip from Cairns
or on a 3-day sailing adventure.
See p. 271.
• Yongala wreck (Off Townsville,
QLD): Sunk by a cyclone in

1911, the 120m (394-ft.) SS Yongala lies in the Coral Sea off
Townsville. Big schools of trevally,

kingfish, barracuda, and batfish
surround the wreckage; giant
Queensland grouper live under
the bow, lionfish hide under the
stern, turtles graze on the hull,
and hard and soft corals make
their home on her. Extended liveaboard dive trips run from
Townsville and Cairns. See p. 264.
• The Whitsunday Islands (QLD):
These 74 breathtaking islands
offer countless dive sites among
the islands themselves and on the
Outer Great Barrier Reef 90 minutes away. Bait Reef on the Outer
Reef is popular for its cascading
drop-offs. The underwater life is
as varied and stunning here as
anywhere else along the Great
Barrier Reef, and when you’re not
diving or snorkeling, the abovethe-water landscape is a beautiful
playground. See “The Whitsunday Coast & Islands” in chapter 6.
• Rottnest Island (WA): Just 19km
(12 miles) off Perth, excellent
snorkeling and more than 100 dive
sites await you in the sheltered
bays of this former prison island.
Wrecks, limestone overhangs, and


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CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

myriad fish will keep you entertained. There are no cars on the
island, so rent a bike and snorkel
gear, grab a map of snorkel trails,
and find your own private coral
garden. See “Side Trips from
Perth” in chapter 9.
• Ningaloo Reef (WA): A stunningly well kept secret is how we’d
describe Australia’s second great
barrier reef stretching some
260km (163 miles) along the

Northwest Cape halfway up Western Australia. Dazzling coral starts
right on shore, not 90 minutes out
to sea like at the Great Barrier
Reef. You can snorkel or dive with
manta rays, and dive to see sharks,
angelfish, turtles, eels, grouper,
potato cod, and much more. See
“The Midwest & the Northwest:
Where the Outback Meets the
Sea” in chapter 9.

7 The Best Places to Bushwalk (Hike)
• Blue Mountains (NSW): Many
bushwalks in the Blue Mountains
National Park offer awesome
views of valleys, waterfalls, cliffs,
and forest. They are all easily

reached from Sydney. See p. 168.
• Whitsunday Islands (QLD):
Most people think of snorkeling
and water sports when they come
to these 74 tropical islands clad in
dense rainforest and bush, but
every resort island we recommend
in chapter 6, except Daydream
Island, also has hiking trails. Some
are flat; some are hilly. Wallabies
and butterflies are common sights
en route. South Molle has the best
network of trails and 360-degree
island views from its peak. See
“The Whitsunday Coast &
Islands” in chapter 6.
• Lamington National Park (Gold
Coast Hinterland, QLD): Few
other national parks in Australia
have such a well-marked network
of trails as this one—160km (100
miles) of them, all up. Revel in
dense subtropical rainforest, marvel
at mossy 2,000-year-old Antarctic
beech trees, watch for blue and
white Lamington Spiny Crayfish in
the streams, and soak up the cool
mountain air 900m (3,000 ft.)
above sea level. See p. 357.
• Larapinta Trail (The Red Centre,

NT): Soon you will be able to
start at Alice Springs and walk this

entire 220km (138-mile) semidesert trail that winds through
the stark crimson MacDonnell
Ranges. The trail is still under
construction, but plenty of daylength and overnight sections are
ready for your boots now. See
p. 378.
• Kakadu National Park (NT):
Whether you want a pleasant wetlands stroll or a tough overnight
hike, you can find it in this World
Heritage–listed park. Hike past
red cliffs, cycads straight from a
dinosaur movie set, lily-filled
lagoons hiding human-eating
crocodiles, and what looks like
Australia’s entire bird population.
There’s some good Aboriginal
rock art here, too. See p. 409.
• Cape-to-Cape (WA): Rugged sea
cliffs, china blue sea, eucalyptus
forest, white beaches, and coastal
heath are what you will experience
hiking between Cape Naturaliste
and Cape Leeuwin, in the southwest corner of Western Australia.
Walk a short section or tackle
the whole 6-day extravaganza. In
season you will see whales and
wildflowers. See p. 455.

• Freycinet National Park (TAS):
The trek to Wine Glass Bay passes
warty pink granite outcrops, with
views over an ocean sliced by a
crescent of icy sand. It’s prehistorically beautiful. See p. 619.


T H E B E S T O F S M A L L - TOW N AU S T R A L I A

11

8 The Best Places to Learn About Aboriginal Culture
• Native Guide Safari Tours (Port
Douglas, QLD): Hazel Douglas,
an Aborigine who was brought up
in the 110-million-year-old rainforest of the Daintree and Cape
Tribulation area, takes you on a
full-day 4WD safari to explain
Aboriginal legends, point out
what different plants are used for,
and teach you stuff like how to
know when a crocodile is in the
water. See p. 290.
• The Umbarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre (Wallaga Lake, near
Narooma, NSW): This center
offers boomerang and spear
throwing instruction, painting
with natural ochres, discussions
on Aboriginal culture, and guided
walking tours of Aboriginal sacred

sites. See p. 203.
• Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural
Park (Cairns, QLD): This multimillion-dollar center showcases
the history of the local Tjapukai
people—their Dreamtime creation history and their often harrowing experiences since the white
man arrived—using a film, a
superb theatrical work, and a
dance performance. Its Aboriginal
arts and crafts gift shop is one of
the country’s best. See p. 269.
• Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre (Alice Springs, NT): You’ll
taste bush food, see traditional
houses, throw boomerangs and
spears, and learn about Aboriginal
family values in a half-day tour of
this Aborigine-owned center. Be
sure to visit the museum and art
gallery where you can take a
didgeridoo lesson. See p. 274.
• Anangu Tours (Ayers Rock, NT):
The Anangu are the owners of

Ayers Rock, or Uluru, as it is
called in their native tongue. Join
them for walks around the Rock
as you learn about the legendary
poisonous snake-men who fought
battles here, pick bush food off
the trees, throw spears, visit rock
paintings, and watch the sunset

over the monolith. Their UluruKata Tjuta Cultural Centre near
the base of the Rock has good displays of cultural and Dreamtime
life. See p. 390.
• Mangarrayi People (Katherine,
NT): Mike Keighley of Far Out
Adventures (& 02/6557 6076 or
04/2715 2288) takes tours to the
beautiful Elsey Station where you
get to visit with the children of the
local Mangarrayi people. You’ll get
to sample bush tucker, learn a little bush medicine, and swim in a
vine-clad natural “spa-pool” in the
Roper River. See p. 420.
• Yamatji Bitja Aboriginal Bush
Tours (Kalgoorlie, WA): Geoffrey
Stokes, who was brought up living
a traditional Aboriginal life out in
the bush near Kalgoorlie, takes
you out tracking animals, foraging
for bush food, and even hunting a
’roo for dinner (with a gun, not a
boomerang!). Explore the bush,
learn about creation myths, and
find out what his childhood was
like. See p. 463.
• Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural
Institute (Adelaide, SA): This is a
great place to experience Aboriginal life through Aboriginal eyes.
You might catch one of the dance
or other performances, although

there are plenty of other opportunities to find out more about Aboriginal culture. See p. 500.

9 The Best of Small-Town Australia
• Central Tilba (NSW): Just inland
from Narooma on the south coast,

this hamlet is one of the cutest
you’ll ever see, complete with its


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CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

own blacksmiths and leatherwork
outlets. The ABC Cheese Factory
offers visitors free tastings, and
you can spend hours browsing for
antiques or admiring the period
buildings. See p. 203.
• Broken Hill (NSW): Known for
its silver mines, the quirky town of
Broken Hill has more pubs per
capita than just about anywhere
else. It’s also the home of the
School of the Air—a “classroom”
transmitting lessons by radio to
isolated communities spread over
thousands of kilometers of Outback. You’ll also find the eccentric
Palace Hotel, featured in the

movie The Adventures of Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert, as well as colonial mansions and heritage homes.
See p. 208.
• Mission Beach (QLD): You’d
never know this tidy village,
hidden in lush rainforest off the
highway, existed if you weren’t a
well-informed traveler. Aussies
know it’s here, but few of them
bother to patronize its dazzling
beach, cute restaurants, and
secluded trails, so you’ll have the
place all to yourself. There’s great
white-water rafting on the nearby
Tully River, too. See p. 295.
• Broome (WA): This romantic
pearling port on the far-flung
Kimberley coast on the Indian
Ocean blends Australian corrugated-iron architecture with red
pagoda roofs left by the Chinese
pearl divers who settled here. The
town combines a sophisticated
international ambience with a
rough Outback attitude. Beautiful
Cable Beach (see “The Best
Beaches” above) is just outside
town. This is the place to add to

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•

•

your South Sea pearl collection.
See p. 471.
Kalgoorlie (WA): Vibrant Kalgoorlie sits on what used to be the
richest square mile of gold-bearing
earth ever. Have a drink in one of
the 19th-century pubs (especially
at night when the miners come on
shift), peer into the open-cut gold
mine (the world’s biggest), descend
an old-fashioned mine shaft and
pan for riches, and wander the
ghost town streets of Coolgardie.
See “The Goldfields” in chapter 9.
Hahndorf (SA): A group of
Lutheran settlers founded this
German-style town, located in the
Adelaide Hills, just outside Adelaide, in the 1830s. You’ll love the
churches, the wool factory and
crafts shops, and the delicious
German food served up in the
local cafes, restaurants, and bakeries. See p. 508.
Coober Pedy (SA): For a fair
dinkum (that means “genuine”)
Outback experience, few places

are as weird and wonderful as this
opal-mining town in the middle
of nowhere. You can visit mines,
wacky museums, and stay in a
hotel underground—which is not
really that unusual considering all
the locals live like moles anyway.
See p. 522.
Launceston (TAS): Tasmania’s
second city is not much larger
than your average European or
American small town, but it’s
packed with Victorian and Georgian architecture and plenty of
remnants of Australia’s convict
days. Spend a couple of days here
discovering the town and the local
scenery, and splurge a little on a
stay in a historic hotel. See p. 621.

10 The Best Museums
• Australian National Maritime
Museum (Sydney, NSW): The
best things about this museum are

the ships and submarines often
docked in the harbor out front.
You can climb aboard and explore


T H E B E S T M O D E R A T E LY P R I C E D A C C O M M O D A T I O N S

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what it’s like to be a sailor. Inside
are some fascinating displays relating to Australia’s dependence on
the oceans. See p. 136.
Telegraph Station Historical
Reserve (Alice Springs, NT): It’s
not called a museum, but that’s
what this restored telegraph
repeater station out in the picturesque hills by a spring—Alice
Springs—really is. From the hot
biscuits turned out of the woodfired oven to the old telegraph
equipment tapping away, this
1870s settlement is as real as history can get. See p. 376.
Australian Aviation Heritage
Centre (Darwin, NT): The pride
of this hangar is a B-52 bomber
on permanent loan from the U.S.
But there’s loads more, not just
planes, engines, and aviation paraphernalia, but detailed stories,
jokes, and anecdotes associated
with the exhibits—put together
by enthusiastic members of the

Aviation Historical Society of the
Northern Territory. See p. 403.
Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural
Centre (Kakadu National Park,
NT): This circular building was
built in the shape of a pignose turtle at the direction of the Aboriginal owners. Exhibits about the
bush tucker, Dreamtime creation
myths, and lifestyles of the local
Bininj Aboriginal people are on
display. See p. 413.
Western Australian Museum
(Perth, WA): Skip the natural history displays and head straight to
the country’s best display of Aboriginal culture. Evocative photographs, artifacts, and display
boards paint a sad and thoughtful
portrait of Australia before and

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•

•

13

after the arrival of Europeans. See
p. 440.
Western Australian Maritime
Museum and the adjacent Shipwrecks Museum (Perth, WA):

Housed in a brand new building
in the historic port precinct of
Fremantle, Perth, this museum
tells tales of the harsh Western
Australian coastline since the
Dutch first bumped into it and
abandoned it as useless in the
1600s. Anyone who ever dreamed
of finding a shipwreck laden with
pieces of eight will relish the displays of treasure recovered from
the deep. See p. 443.
York Motor Museum (York,
WA): This multimillion-dollar
collection of veteran, vintage, classic, and racing cars is one of the
most wide-ranging in the country.
If you’re a car buff, head for the
historic town of York and make a
day of it. See p. 453.
Migration Museum (Adelaide,
SA): This fascinating museum
gives visitors insight into the people who came to Australia, how
and where they settled, and how
many suffered getting here. Full of
interactive activities and exhibits,
the museum gives visitors much
more to do than just look and
read. See p. 499.
Australian War Memorial (Canberra, ACT): Given its name, you
might think this museum is a bleak
sort of place, but you’d be wrong.

The museum gives important
insight into the Anzac (Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps)
spirit, including an evocative
exhibit on the tragic battle of Gallipoli. There’s also a pretty good art
collection. See p. 596.

11 The Best Moderately Priced Accommodations
• Explorers Inn (& 1800/623 288
(& 1800/064 858 in Australia, or
in Australia, or 07/3211 3488)
and Hotel George Williams

07/3308 0700) both in Brisbane,
QLD: These two hotels around


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CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF AUSTRALIA

the corner from each other in
Brizzie are shining examples of
what cheap hotels should be—
trendy, clean, and bright with useful facilities like electronic keys,
and an inexpensive restaurant. See
“Accommodations You Can
Afford” in chapter 5.
• Archipelago Studio Apartments
(Port Douglas, QLD; & 07/4099

5387): They may be tiny, but
these pretty apartments have a
homey atmosphere and are just
seconds from spectacular Four
Mile Beach. Some units have sea
views. The solicitous proprietor is
a mine of advice on things to see
and do. See p. 292.
• Miss Maud Swedish Hotel (Perth,
WA; & 1800/998 022 in Australia, or 08/9325 3900): Staying
here, in the heart of Perth, is like
staying at grandma’s—even if your
grandma’s house doesn’t have a
somewhat Swedish flavor. Friendly

staff members who actually look
pleased to see you and great food
complete the picture. See p. 432.
• North Adelaide Heritage Apartments and Cottages (Adelaide,
SA; & 08/8272 1355): These
accommodations actually consist
of 21 separate fabulous properties
in North Adelaide and Eastwood.
The former Friendly Meeting
Chapel Hall resembles a small
church stocked with Victorian
antiques. An especially memorable unit is the George Lowe,
Esq. apartment done up in the
style of a 19th-century gentleman’s bachelor pad. See p. 495.
• Macquarie Manor (Hobart, TAS:

& 03/6224 4999): As soon as you
walk into this classically colonialstyle manor, you’ll know you want
to stay. Check out the delightful
dining room, and the drawing
room complete with old couches
and a grand piano. See p. 613.

12 The Best Alternative Accommodations
• Underground Motel (White
Cliffs, NSW; & 1800/021 154 in
Australia, or 08/8091 6677): All
but two of this motel’s rooms are
underground in this fascinating
opal-mining town. Rooms are
reached by a maze of spacious tunnels dug out of the rock. See p. 212.
• Whitsunday Wilderness Lodge
(The Whitsunday Islands, QLD;
& 07/4946 9777): The 10 beachfront cabins are basic, but your
vacation at this island retreat will
be anything but. Activities include
sea kayaking, sailing, snorkeling,
hiking trails, dining outside under
the Milky Way, and swimming
with Myrtle, the pet kangaroo.
Considering you won’t put your
hand in your wallet except for
wine and maybe a seaplane trip to
the Reef, this is a great value. See
p. 321.

• Binna Burra Mountain Lodge
(& 1800/074 260 in Australia, or
07/5533 3622) and O’Reilly’s
Rainforest Guesthouse (& 1800/
688 722 in Australia, or 07/5544
0644), both in the Gold Coast
Hinterland, QLD: Tucked snugly
almost 1,000m (3,280 ft.) up on
rainforested ridges behind the
Gold Coast, these retreats offer
fresh mountain air and instant
access to Lamington National
Park. At O’Reilly’s you can handfeed brilliantly colored birds every
morning. See “The Gold Coast
Hinterland: Back to Nature” in
chapter 6.
• Emma Gorge Resort (The Kimberley, WA; & 08/9169 1777): At
this spick-and-span settlement on
the 1-million acre El Questro cattle
station, guests stay in safari tents
with wooden floors and electric