# Planning a Visit To Australia



## Happypaphy7 (Nov 11, 2016)

I am thinking of staying near Melbourne, Hawthorn East.

I know we have quite a few members from the area.
Any recommendations regarding what to see and do, and warnings as to watch to watch out for and to avoid, what you hate about common mistakes/different manners exhibited by visitors. 

Would I need to rent a car within the city area, and to get to famous places like the outback and such. Is Sidney too far too drive to during one week stay? Is it worth visiting with the distance?

All input welcome! 

Oh, I'm thinking only one week. can't go away too long with my orchids home. haha


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## troy (Nov 11, 2016)

My brother went there and told me he beiing a yank, got discriminated agianst, but that was 7 years ago, everybodys experience is different, just a heads up


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## abax (Nov 11, 2016)

There's a lot of there there to Australia? Where was he?
Discriminated for what??? I found Aussies to be just about
the most open, friendly people I've ever met. Fantastic
sense of humor too.

Happy, try not to misjudge distances in Australia. Everywhere is
further away than you think when you're driving. Stay away from
the Outback unless you have a very experienced guide. Read
Bill Bryson's IN A SUNBURNED COUNTRY before you go.


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## ehanes7612 (Nov 12, 2016)

You will need a car...you think the US is spread open?..Australia is even moreso.If you are going to visit the Outback..best to fly into a close city and rent a car, for sydney best to fly in and take the tram to central area ...especially for only a week's stay. Guess you could drive up to sydney but its a long drive and they dont have freeways like we do

For Melbourne, you will need a car if you want to explore the best part..The Great Ocean Road, which can be done in a day


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## emydura (Nov 12, 2016)

Australia is a long way to come for a week. I'm not sure I would bother myself. There is so much to see and as others have said this involves a lot of driving. Australia is a country where you have to drive large distances to see things. It is not like New Zealand where you can see so much packed within small areas.

If you are based in Melbourne I would forget about driving to Sydney. That will chew up almost two days to get there. And I would definitely not consider going to the outback. You just don't have the time. If you want to do those sort of things you will need at least a month.

I'm not from Melbourne so others may have better advice of what to see there. But you could spend a day driving the Great Ocean Road. Another day going to Phillip Island. Then there is Wilsons Promontry. Melbourne itself of course. Maybe Mike can offer you some suggestions.




troy said:


> My brother went there and told me he beiing a yank, got discriminated agianst, but that was 7 years ago, everybodys experience is different, just a heads up



Like anywhere in the world you will find elements of racism in Australia. But it is not entrenched to the stage were Australians would elect a leader who promotes racial hatred and intolerance.


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## ehanes7612 (Nov 12, 2016)

I was in Mebourne for 12 days...spent five of those days in Tasmania...which you can do for three days with one day in Hobart visiting the really cool, art museum and one day at Cradle National Park...amazing place


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## emydura (Nov 12, 2016)

ehanes7612 said:


> I was in Mebourne for 12 days...spent five of those days in Tasmania...which you can do for three days with one day in Hobart visiting the really cool, art museum and one day at Cradle National Park...amazing place



Tragically Cradle Mountain was permanently damaged by bush fires earlier this year, so I'm not sure how good it is looking at the moment. The vegetation in this area is very fire sensitive as fire is not a natural part of the ecology. The soils/peat bogs are normally permanently wet so fire can never take hold. There hasn't been fire there for thousands of years. Climate change has totally changed the natural rain patterns of the area. The summer was so hot and dry the soils totally dried out. Lightening strikes started bush fires and the dry peat bogs caught fire and just kept burning (for weeks). A lot of the vegetation will never recover.

I see the US President elect says climate change is a Chinese conspiracy. So the progress made in Paris looks like going down the drain. Not that the Australian government is doing anything positive. Per person, we are the worlds biggest CO2 polluters but the government is doing bugger all about it. They are only interested in playing politics. 

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ve-world-heritage-area-devastated-in-pictures

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...-crisis-in-decades-for-world-heritage-forests


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## ehanes7612 (Nov 12, 2016)

emydura said:


> Tragically Cradle Mountain was permanently damaged by bush fires earlier this year, so I'm not sure how good it is looking at the moment. The vegetation in this area is very fire sensitive as fire is not a natural part of the ecology. The soils/peat bogs are normally permanently wet so fire can never take hold. There hasn't been fire there for thousands of years. Climate change has totally changed the natural rain patterns of the area. The summer was so hot and dry the soils totally dried out. Lightening strikes started bush fires and the dry peat bogs caught fire and just kept burning. A lot of the vegetation will never recover.
> 
> I see the US President elect says climate change is a Chinese conspiracy. So the progress made in Paris looks like going down the drain. Not that the Australian government is doing anything positive. Per person, we are the worlds biggest CO2 polluters but the government is doing bugger all about it. They are only interested in playing politics.
> 
> ...



That's terrible, that place is the most beautiful place I have ever been.Yeah, we elected the biggest moron. Climate change awareness in this country is going to have to be worked on state by state if we want to get anywhere. We have fires out fo control in the southeast and south and fires have destroyed forest ranges in the sierras, even the seed has been destroyed, they burned so hot.


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## Marco (Nov 12, 2016)

Sounds like an exciting trip. I'm sure you will have tons of fun!


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## Ozpaph (Nov 12, 2016)

ehanes7612 said:


> You will need a car...you think the US is spread open?..Australia is even moreso.If you are going to visit the Outback..best to fly into a close city and rent a car, for sydney best to fly in and take the tram to central area ...especially for only a week's stay. Guess you could drive up to sydney but its a long drive and they dont have freeways like we do
> 
> For Melbourne, you will need a car if you want to explore the best part..The Great Ocean Road, which can be done in a day



Forget Sydney if you have a week unless you fly into Melbourne and fly out of Sydney.
Ballarat, Mornington peninsula, Great Ocean Rd etc etc


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## Ozpaph (Nov 12, 2016)

what time of the year???


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 12, 2016)

Thanks for the input, everyone.

I would go during the warm months. 

I don't ever travel to winter destinations. lol
I don't do sizzling hot, either.


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## ehanes7612 (Nov 13, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> Forget Sydney if you have a week unless you fly into Melbourne and fly out of Sydney.
> Ballarat, Mornington peninsula, Great Ocean Rd etc etc



I flew in and out of sydney with am 10 hour layover on way back...enough time to see sydney for a few hours....but flying over it was the best part, right at sunset


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## Ozpaph (Nov 13, 2016)

ehanes7612 said:


> I flew in and out of sydney with am 10 hour layover on way back...enough time to see sydney for a few hours....but flying over it was the best part, right at sunset



Its an amazing city esp from the air


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## Ozpaph (Nov 13, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Thanks for the input, everyone.
> 
> I would go during the warm months.
> 
> ...



Be warned Victoria can be sizzling hot in summer and cold the next day!!


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## emydura (Nov 13, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> Its an amazing city esp from the air



Paul Kelly even wrote a song about it ('Sydney from a 727')

_Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night?
Sydney shines such a beautiful light
And I can see Bondi through my window way off to the right
And the curling waves on a distant break
And the sleeping city just about to wake
Have you ever seen Sydney from a 727 at night?_


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## Ozpaph (Nov 14, 2016)

Ill have to listen to that. He's (?) THE quintessential Australian song writer.


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## troy (Nov 14, 2016)

I would make it a point to catch up with the latetest aboriginee news from the abs!!!! They seem like very cool people


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 14, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> Be warned Victoria can be sizzling hot in summer and cold the next day!!



Ok, thanks for the tip.

I'll be sure to pack in clothes for different weather conditions.


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## Marco (Nov 17, 2016)

Attica in Melbourne. Ive never been but heard tons of good stuff about it. You have to reserve for seats a month or two in advance.


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 18, 2016)

Thanks for the tip!

Is the restaurant culture similar to US? tip and all??


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## Marco (Nov 18, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Thanks for the tip!
> 
> Is the restaurant culture similar to US? tip and all??



Unfortunately - that I can't speak too. Maybe some Aussie members can chime in on dining etiquettes?


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## Linus_Cello (Nov 18, 2016)

Marco said:


> Unfortunately - that I can't speak too. Maybe some Aussie members can chime in on dining etiquettes?



My recollection from talking to an Aussie was that certain food items had different names. The USA's "lemonade" is what Aussies would interpret as "Sprite."


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## ehanes7612 (Nov 18, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Thanks for the tip!
> 
> Is the restaurant culture similar to US? tip and all??



Things I learned in Australia

No tipping, although it's not frowned upon..my friends told me restaurant employees are well paid (min wage is fairly high)..i think there is a joke that only Americans tip..sort of the perception anyway


they dont have drip coffee


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 18, 2016)

That's good because I don't like tipping culture.  
America might be among the few countries. 
I think restaurant workers should be paid more and the employers should do that not relying on customers.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 19, 2016)

I only tip in a high-class restaurant if the service is extra-ordinary. Then maybe $20 or 5% (if $1000 total bill (bill=cheque)). Good wait staff in good restaurants get paid well. In fact most places bring the credit card machine to your table and insert the bill amount, PIN and OK........done.

Have great coffee! Its not cheep. Yes, not drip coffee.

We have Sprite, which is what you get if you ask for lemonade.
Shrimp=prawns.
Gas=petrol

I could go on............Aussies watch enough USA TV to understand American idiom.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 19, 2016)

You need a PIN number for credit card use - generally, signatures are no longer accepted. NOBODY uses cheques to purchase anything in a store etc.
Get a travel card to withdraw cash from an ATM in $A (load in USA)


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 19, 2016)

Credit cards don't have pin number. It is for debit card.
So, no credit card accepted? really?? I find that hard to believe. 
Debit card, then.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 19, 2016)

Credit cards in Australia (mostly) require a PIN number to make a purchase. It is more fraud resistant than signatures (which nobody checks). It may be very difficult to use your credit card if you dont have a PIN for authentication.

How do you withdraw cash from an ATM in the USA without a PIN ???(when Im in the USA I use my creditcard which is also linked to my bank account ie the credit card can be a credit and debit card - but need a PIN)


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## cattmad (Nov 19, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> Credit cards in Australia (mostly) require a PIN number to make a purchase. It is more fraud resistant than signatures (which nobody checks). It may be very difficult to use your credit card if you dont have a PIN for authentication.
> 
> How do you withdraw cash from an ATM in the USA without a PIN ???(when Im in the USA I use my creditcard which is also linked to my bank account ie the credit card can be a credit and debit card - but need a PIN)



Actually you can still sign for everything on credit card, it's a myth that it is now illegal, my father in law refuses to use pin. If u hit OK without pin it will just print out for signature, but they don't tell you that.


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 20, 2016)

I use debit card for ATM. 



Ozpaph said:


> Credit cards in Australia (mostly) require a PIN number to make a purchase. It is more fraud resistant than signatures (which nobody checks). It may be very difficult to use your credit card if you dont have a PIN for authentication.
> 
> How do you withdraw cash from an ATM in the USA without a PIN ???(when Im in the USA I use my creditcard which is also linked to my bank account ie the credit card can be a credit and debit card - but need a PIN)


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## Ozpaph (Nov 20, 2016)

Its not illegal to sign but its not offered at many places now. I believe the CBA 'specify/demand a PIN, now.


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## cnycharles (Nov 21, 2016)

Many if not most American credit cards have a pin for cash withdrawal. There often can be more interest for cash advances that can start the millisecond after use rather than when your bill statement or 30 days after if you don't pay your bill on time. For this reason I don't memorize or hang onto my cc pin so I'm not tempted to use it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Happypaphy7 (Nov 21, 2016)

I didn't know that. Debit cards are used for taking cash out. no interest.
Cash advance using credit card account will incur high rates. I don't know who would do that. At least I wouldn't.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 21, 2016)

Put cash onto the credit card prior to ATM withdrawal or withdraw cash using the credit card and internet bank transfer the money back the same/next day from your 'parent' account.


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## silence882 (Nov 23, 2016)

I was only in Melbourne for a couple days on vacation, but I strongly recommend the Royal Botanic Gardens. Lots of cool trees and plants and it's meticulously maintained.


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