Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Five nights and Six days in Australia(Melbourne), what should I do?

Hi,

I'm arriving into Melbourne in a few days, and I was wondering how should I spend time. I've been to Australia once so far a few months ago, and I stayed in Sydney and its suburbs only. It was four nights and five days, and I really loved Sydney except for wireless broadband internet. It was Winter, so the climate was perfect for me though day was fairly short. I almost know nothing about Melbourne, and I don't have any trip plan same as my last Sydney trip. However since I won't be able to access Telstra wireless internet after arriving in Australia, I think I should get some rough idea before heading out.

So I thought about it, and these are some plans.
1. spend time only in Melbourne and its suburbs
2. head to Sydney by XPT right after arrving into Melbourne spend one night or two nights then come back
3. visit Adelaide by bus, least likely to happen.

My budget is somewhat tight, about AUD200, but max can be AUD300.

With given expence, what should I do?

I just checked weather forecast of Melbourne area, and it's not going to be nice during Commonwealth Games week, so I might go to Sydney. Instead of spending time in Sydney's suburb area, I'll probably visit Wollongong and Newcastle.

Thank you for your advices.

You are a very brave soul coming to Melbourne in the middle of the commenwealth games.

Pretty much everything that I would normally recomend you do will be more exspensive during this period. However these should be OK.

Lunch/Dinner on Lygon street (carlton) - best foodie strip in Australia

Go to an AFL (Aussie Rules) game - you wont understand the rules but neither do the referees or players so just enjoy the spectacle and watch the crowd. Suggest you try to get to a "local darby" game where two of the older teams based in Melbourne will play in front of fanatical supporters.

Get a (cheap) rental car and do the great ocean road drive - one of the best drives in Australia.

Of course you should have just gone to New Zealand (but I am biased).

Enjoy

You are a very brave soul coming to Melbourne in the middle of the commenwealth games.



I want to know what is this supposed to mean. How Melbourne will be like during Commonwealth Games week? Maybe, should I escape to Sydney? Your comment makes me scared. ;)

if you are up for Outdoors, i'd highly recommend doing the great Ocean drive.
jwhich starts just south west of Melbourne. You can easily spend 2-3 days
doing this. Even the entire week if you like.

Little East of the Melbourne, you can find several parks, mountains, lakes, waterfalls and wineries. Depending on what you like, you can easily spend a
couple of days doing this... even more.

and ofcourse, you have Melbourne.

I want to know what is this supposed to mean. How Melbourne will be like during Commonwealth Games week? Maybe, should I escape to Sydney? Your comment makes me scared. ;)

I think the question is whether you currently have accommodation booked in Melbourne or not? With the Commonwealth Games on - http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/ - , any centrally located accommodation will generally be double to triple the usual price you'd pay. The best bet is to grab a cheap rental and see some of the sights around Melbourne, such as the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island, Mornington Peninsula and the like. You could also then sleep in more reasonably priced locations as well - http://www.big4.com.au/public/ have decent options in more outlaying destinations.

I think the question is whether you currently have accommodation booked in Melbourne or not?


No, and I don't plan to book until I get there. :eek:



With the Commonwealth Games on - http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Channels/ - , any centrally located accommodation will generally be double to triple the usual price you'd pay. The best bet is to grab a cheap rental and see some of the sights around Melbourne, such as the Great Ocean Road, Philip Island, Mornington Peninsula and the like. You could also then sleep in more reasonably priced locations as well - http://www.big4.com.au/public/ have decent options in more outlaying destinations.


I will be staying in Port Phillip city, so will it help me to save bucks?

Hi,


My budget is somewhat tight, about AUD200, but max can be AUD300.

.


AUD200-300, is that per day or for the full time you are here? As others mentioned, lodging during the commonwealth games could prove to be a nightmare. For 200-300AUD per day, I'd make like a baby and head out, of town that is. Hit the great ocean road, or head north and visit the gold field
areas like Ballarat and Bendigo; great country towns.
Head to Echuca and laze about on the Murray river for a few days or take a winery tour of some Victorian vinyards.

Maybe you should just catch a train to Adelaide and see what a wonderfull city it is.
Best of luck to you!

Amazing what a UA cheap oz fare will do...

AUD200-300, is that per day or for the full time you are here? As others mentioned, lodging during the commonwealth games could prove to be a nightmare. For 200-300AUD per day, I'd make like a baby and head out, of town that is. Hit the great ocean road, or head north and visit the gold field
areas like Ballarat and Bendigo; great country towns.
Head to Echuca and laze about on the Murray river for a few days or take a winery tour of some Victorian vinyards.

Maybe you should just catch a train to Adelaide and see what a wonderfull city it is.
Best of luck to you!



Certainly, that would be AUD200~AUD300 for the full time I'm there. Thus about AUD40~AUD50 each day. If I were to spend AUD200~AUD300 a day, wouldn't I be traveling like a royal? :cool:

Thank you for your warm input. :) BTW, your location is a wonderful place.

Certainly, that would be AUD200~AUD300 for the full time I'm there. Thus about AUD30~AUD40 each day. If I were to spend AUD200~AUD300 a day, wouldn't I be traveling like a royal? :cool:

Thank you for your warm input. :) BTW, your location is a wonderful place.

30.00 AUD Australia Dollars = 22.3636 USD United States Dollars

30 AUD a day? :confused: I'm assuming that's not including accommodation. I'm headed to SYD in May and don't expect to be able to live on AUD 30 a day. Can you even eat in MEL, during the Commonwealth Games no less, for AUD 30 a day? :confused:

30.00 AUD Australia Dollars = 22.3636 USD United States Dollars

30 AUD a day? :confused: I'm assuming that's not including accommodation. I'm headed to SYD in May and don't expect to be able to live on AUD 30 a day. Can you even eat in MEL, during the Commonwealth Games no less, for AUD 30 a day? :confused:



Oops, please excuse my mistake. It'll be more like AUD40~AUD50 a day. Moreover, that also includes accomodation. I'm a student/teen, so I stay at hostel when I travel alone. I was able to survive with AUD40~AUD50 on my last trip to Sydney, although I pretty much ended up with eating at McDonald's everyday. :eek: If you're intending to enjoy Sydney, there is no way you can do with AUD50 a day. I basically didn't spend anything for admission fee or whatsoever at all. Thus riding CityRail was almost the only acticity that I could do in Sydney. Though it might sound awful to you, I really liked it. IMO, May is the perfect time for visiting Sydney. I visited Sydney for four night and five days last May/June, and it was awesome. The climate was just perfect, and could't be better than that. I hope that you'll have a wonderful time there. BTW, I'm a budget traveler, like a backpacker.

Oops, please excuse my mistake. It'll be more like AUD40~AUD50 a day. Moreover, that also includes accomodation. I'm a student/teen, so I stay at hostel when I travel alone. I was able to survive with AUD40~AUD50 on my last trip to Sydney, although I pretty much ended up with eating at McDonald's everyday. :eek: If you're intending to enjoy Sydney, there is no way you can do with AUD50 a day. I basically didn't spend anything for admission fee or whatsoever at all. Thus riding CityRail was almost the only acticity that I could do in Sydney. Though it might sound awful to you, I really liked it. IMO, May is the perfect time for visiting Sydney. I visited Sydney for four night and five days last May/June, and it was awesome. The climate was just perfect, and could't be better than that. I hope that you'll have a wonderful time there. BTW, I'm a budget traveler, like a backpacker.

I appreciate your passion for travel, though I'm getting the sense we are very different types of travellers. ;) While not royalty, with staying at a travel agent rate at both Marriott's in SYD and meals, entrance fees, etc., the May trip will likely average easily AUD 200/day and that's okay with me.

Enjoy MEL! ^

I appreciate your passion for travel, though I'm getting the sense we are very different types of travellers. ;) While not royalty, with staying at a travel agent rate at both Marriott's in SYD and meals, entrance fees, etc., the May trip will likely average easily AUD 200/day and that's okay with me.

Enjoy MEL! ^



Enjoy SYD too. BTW, are you a travel agent? Marriott sounds sweet. :cool:

p.s. Do I seem like a pauper? I'm not that bad, I just prefer to save as much as possible and make another trip.

My comment was not meant to scare you. Just make you aware that even people who travel to melbourne at their companies exspense will be avoiding it during the games (due to the extra cost).

Melbourne is a very safe city. But I think you will need to allow a little more money to make sure you enjoy your time there.

Regards
Gazza

Enjoy SYD too. BTW, are you a travel agent? Marriott sounds sweet. :cool:

p.s. Do I seem like a pauper? I'm not that bad, I just prefer to save as much as possible and make another trip.

Yes, I am a TA, one who finds it hard to fathom going somewhere and not seeing the sights, museums, zoo's, etc. I understand you're young and a student, but why go somewhere and not see and do all the destination has to offer? When I'm in NYC in a few weeks, I won't dine at the Waldorf but I couldn't imagine going there and not doing Liberty Island, the Met, MOMA, etc. to save money. To me that laregely the point of visiting another city. But I understand everyone is different and to each his own...

You might want to have a look at this post I made a while back on another thread for my suggestions on MEL

Melbourne suggestions (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4423231&postcount=10)

You could open up that thread as well for some more ideas for ADL and MEL

Enjoy Oz

30.00 AUD Australia Dollars = 22.3636 USD United States Dollars

30 AUD a day? :confused: I'm assuming that's not including accommodation. I'm headed to SYD in May and don't expect to be able to live on AUD 30 a day. Can you even eat in MEL, during the Commonwealth Games no less, for AUD 30 a day? :confused:



Crap, no offense to the citizens of British Commonwealths, but that stupid Commonwealth Games or whatsoever changed even hostel rate. Gee, I absolutely don't see availability nor something below AUD30 per night now.

$A30 (about $US22) is about the going price for a dorm bed at a hostel. How much lower were you expecting it to be? I always stay at the YHA Chapman Gardens, very close to the Childrens Hospital and on a tram line, in a single room which has ran about $US40 a night in the past.

Have you looked at a tour down the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide? I've done Wayward Bus twice, and driven once, and can recommend them $A295 for 3 1/2 days and 3 nights):
http://waywardbus.com.au/classic.html
You can easily return to Melbourne by bus.

I do think your budget is a little on the low side, though, even for a backpacker. You could always go the supermarket route and make your own meals in the hostel (I try to avoid McDonalds when traveling), but you should allocate some money for touring or rail/bus trips.

Speaking of the Commonwealth Games, has Ian Thorpe recovered from his illness? Saw in the weekend NZ paper that he didn't go down to MEL with the Australian team.

Speaking of the Commonwealth Games, has Ian Thorpe recovered from his illness? Saw in the weekend NZ paper that he didn't go down to MEL with the Australian team.

He has pulled out of the games, very unfortunate.

$A30 (about $US22) is about the going price for a dorm bed at a hostel. How much lower were you expecting it to be? I always stay at the YHA Chapman Gardens, very close to the Childrens Hospital and on a tram line, in a single room which has ran about $US40 a night in the past.

Have you looked at a tour down the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide? I've done Wayward Bus twice, and driven once, and can recommend them $A295 for 3 1/2 days and 3 nights):
http://waywardbus.com.au/classic.html
You can easily return to Melbourne by bus.

I do think your budget is a little on the low side, though, even for a backpacker. You could always go the supermarket route and make your own meals in the hostel (I try to avoid McDonalds when traveling), but you should allocate some money for touring or rail/bus trips.



LOL, when I was in Sydney, I stayed at a hostel which had the best rating in Sydney, and it was about AUD24 per night. There was even cheaper room, but no availability at that time. I was planning to stay at a hostel in Port Phillip City on a tram line, but today I found that availabilities are gone. Should have made a reservation. In a nutshell, I should have gone to Sydney, instead of Melbourne.

He has pulled out of the games, very unfortunate.

Sorry to hear that. He had previously stated he wouldn't be coming over for Pan Pacs in Victoria in August. I trust he'll be better and might reconsider swimming there.

In a nutshell, I should have gone to Sydney, instead of Melbourne.

You do have some options. There's a YHA in Ballarat that I've stayed at before, 90 mins out by train from Melbourne. The train is $A17 for a day return trip. Hopefully you can find something closer than that, though (like maybe Geelong--a small town on the water closer to Melbourne). Looking at hostelz.com, there are at least 3 private hostel there, though not a YHA: http://www.hostelz.com/hostels/Australia/Victoria/Geelong
Geelong is an hour from Melbourne by train, and day return trip is $A10.60.

If you do go to Sydney, one of the cheapest ways is probably FireFly Express (http://www.fireflyexpress.com.au/), which I've done before. You could get a deal on a rail ticket (http://www.countrylink.info/) if you book in advance.

Just back from Melbourne.....

They've changed the roads all around, and have special lanes for Commonwealth Games traffic only.

My taxi driver didn't have a clue, and we drove around forever as the Citylink exit was closed.....made for a long trip to the airport!!!

The city was crowded too.....and this was on 3/4 and 3/5, so well before the Games started.