chiil1974

Hi there,

Partner and I are planning our first trip to Australia for next September. Since it's quite a haul from Chicago we are trying to make this trip count and spending roughly two weeks there. Right now we are leaning towards including Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney on the trip. Does anyone have any other recommendations for us? I know there is much more to Australia than those four cities, but they seem to be somewhat close to each other and a natural foursome for a first time visitor. As far as the gay life in those cities, what should we expect?

Thanks for the tips and info.

saint82

I've been to Australia four times. Besides the places you mention, I particularly liked Kangaroo Island (south of Adelaide) and The Great Barrier Reef and Port Douglas. Ayers Rock is great also.

Just google Kangaroo Island and you can see what it is all about. It was one of the best days I spent in Australia.

I would like to know if anyone has been to Tasmania, and was it worth it?

KenJohn

Would question Brisbane at a destination. If you want to see the Barrier Reef then you need to head much further up to Port Douglas (fly to Cairns). Also gives you access to the rain-forest.

For some great Australian beaches and islands, look at the various Whit-Sundays island (Hayman or Hamilton Island) or even smaller islands like Dunk or Bedarra. You can also access the Barrier Reef from here but it is a tad more pricey There is not a lot in Brisbane itself.

Some folks like the drive from Adelaide to Melbourne around the coast. Again I would question Adelaide itself. Its a reasonable destination if you want to visit the wine region like Napa Valley in California.

Sydney is a definite must. Great gay scene, fantastic introduction to modern Australian life with access to the the Blue Mountains as a day trip.

Melbourne is a the cultural part of Australia is another must.

Depends what you want to get out of your trip - see of the sights (Sydney, Cairns/Ayers Rock) , experience gay Australia (Sydney/Melbourne), a mixture sights and relaxation (Sydney, Hamilton Island, Melbourne).

adr

Sydney - very gay, and a lot of fun (I live there!). Do not miss it. It is a pity you are not travelling Nov- Mar, as these are our summer months, and everyone is out partying. Many will be hibernating in September. But you will still have a great time.

Melbourne - also good, much more suited to winter than Sydney. Also decent gay scene.

Brisbane - will be warmer, but I don't think there is a great scene there (although I haven't really looked for one when I have been there).

Adelaide - never been there but (and I mean no disrespect here) I can't see any reason to go there.

Agree that you should go further north for water & sun. Don't think that you'll find much gay life though, certainly not compared to Sydney.

mondo

I too enjoyed Kangaroo Island, but I'm into looking at wildlife (the traditional kind ).

Since you're going with your partner...

We also spent a few days at Lizard Island (beyond Cairns) and really liked it (scuba, sun, good food). They'll pack a picnic basket in a little motor boat that you can take around the island and find your own private spot.

One place that surprised us (in a good way) was a bed and breakfast called Marae up near Port Douglas, we took tours of the rain forest towards Cape Trib from there, lots of fun. I believe the B&B has changed ownership since. There are some "eco-lodges" as well nearby.

adampenrith

Syd and Mel are a must for the gay scene,

I'd skip Adelaide and Brisbane, you want to head for the Barrier Reef - so either Hamilton Island or Cairns / Port Douglas, plus I would be tempted to do somewhere like Ayers Rock/Alice Springs or Darwin/Kakadu, that way you are experiencing truely Australian experiences which are all different.

Adelaide and the Barossa is not really any different to Napa Valley - nice and if you like food and wine - great - but if u want to experience a couple of unique cities, unique reef and rainforest, and then the outback - this would be the way to do it.

Any questions PM me if you want

JuPe

I went to Tasmania last Easter for a tour of the island in 4 days with a rented car. It's a nice place and you sort of feel that you're far away from everything. From the cities I visited Hobart (espacially the Saturday market) and Launceston. Other places which I visited where Strahan (too much of a tourist industry place), Cradle Mountain and driving along the east coast. The nature was beautifull and the lifestyle relaxed. No experiences of the local gay life.

I would recommend Tasmania if you're after a calm place away from the rest of the world, but still in a very European style environment.

gcollett

I agree that Adelaide really wouldn't be on my list if I only had a short time, there really is nothing to do there. Don't get drawn in to Cairns either if you up north. There is a gay resort near Port Douglas called Turtle Cove, I haven't been there but my partner and I are going to be visiting northern queensland in March 09 and were thinking about it so any suggestions also greatly appreciated.
Bedarra is lovely (would avoid Dunk unless you want a holiday camp style holiday full of kids) although it is very remote so if you want night life that isn't the right place. Port Douglas also gets a big thumbs up from me, Sheraton Mirage used to be a great spot but haven't been back for a while.
Sydney is 100% definite. We stayed at the Sheraton on the Park for 10 days over Mardi Gras last year and it was a great spot. Had previously stayed at the Intercon which is also pretty well located. If you get a chance I would recommedn Iceberg's at Bondi for dinner one evening before heading out to Oxford St for the bars. You will love Australia regardless! Wonderful place with wonderful people!

98103

Can't speak to Brisbane, as I've not been there, but I'd only go to Adelaide to pick up a rental car to go to Kangaroo Island. I spent 3 days there, and got to explore much of the island...as well as meeting I think the 12 gay residents there.

On the same trip I spent a week on Tasmania, and loved it. I stayed in Hobart, Bicheno, and Launceston, and used those as a base for exploring. Didn't encounter any gay life there, but wasn't really looking for it either. I highly recommend Tassie if you're looking for a quiet getaway.

EastbayMike

My partner and I will be in Sydney New Year's Eve. I've read mixed messages about the big fireworks celebration. Some say you should get to your chosen viewpoint by noon, other by 10 am. Any thoughts from locals or folks who have been?

Also, any suggestions for where to spend the rest of the night (bars, clubs, parties, saunas)?

thanks

gtownguy

Just my 2c worth on a couple of things...

Brisbane was a nice enough town, but wouldn't really bother with it. Didn't seem to be much to do there, although it's an easy starting point to visit the Sunshine Coast to the north.

One place I went and found interesting was Canberra, the capital city. Don't think many tourists ever find their way there though. You need a rental car there but easy enough to get around and a really short flight from Sydney. Some good museums there and you can tour the parliament bldg too.

Melbourne - great city but just double check what day you're there. Think it was Tues when I was there and all the museums and markets were closed. Big disappointment - so check ahead for opening days and times.

adampenrith

The best advice I can give u is go out on the harbour on a boat cruise - you should be able to book something still via the net - the good companies are - Captain Cook Tours, or Vagabond cruises.

We used to go out on Vagabond. Cruise from 8pm till 1am - they normally do drinks on boarding with nibbles - then the 9pm fireworks show - then cruising on the harbour while they do a seafood buffet then back to the midnight fireworks .

Expensive but beats staking out a spot at noon - and coping with lots of crowds around u.

Afterwards any of the bars on Oxford st will be buzzing .

Enjoy

Adam

98103

I second Canberra. I stopped there on my drive from Sydney to Melbourne. The Parliament building is interesting, but the Anzac Parade with all of the memorials is excellent. I also liked the war museum. As an American, I enjoyed reading about WWI and II from a distinctly different perspective.

KenJohn

Totally agree - We did the Captain Cook for NYE a few years back - tickets are really pricey but it is worth it. It is cheaper than getting a room with a view of the harbour for the time of year.

You stay warm, get wined and dined and entertained while the boat takes part in the "parade" of lit boats around the bay and look out of the freezing crowds. The top deck is the most expensive on Captain Cook but the food and drink are included in the price (and you get a better band!). There were separate bands entertaining on each deck of the boat. The food was decent too.

I recalling boarding the boat around 7pm - severe restriction of movement around that part of Sydney after that.

All the boats move to the middle of the habour for prime viewing of the fireworks. It was very memorable indeed.

Partner and me were truely celebrating the fact that we could see the New Year in after surviving the Boxing Day tsunami having spent Christmas in Phuket and made it to Sydney in one piece.

Would definitely recommend this.

Morland

Re NYC in SYD:

If you want to view the fireworks from a free area with a good view, then yes, you do need to get there by about noon - 10am for the absolute prime spots like around the Opera House. We were there last year and many areas were closed because they were full from lunchtime onwards. There are hourly events to "keep you amused" but it's still a long day.

As an alternative to a cruise we did Midnight at the Oasis which is a catered event at the Royal Botanic Gardens - details of this year's event here. A decent meal and a great DJ. Finished at 0030 so easy to get on to Oxford St thereafter (we went to the Oxford which was our favourite of the Oxford St bars).

Re: original question

We spent 4 weeks in Australia last year as our honeymoon. We did Bedarra in Queensland, Daintree, Uluru, Melbourne and Sydney. Like others here I would count Melbourne and Sydney as must-dos. Uluru was stunning - we stayed at Longitude 131 which gives you clear views of the rock from your "tent" and some fantastic experiences (sunset up close, not from the main viewing area). Two days is enough at L131 but it is a long way from everywhere. Bedarra Island was beautiful and absolutely my new favourite get-away-from-it-all location: absolute privacy, stunning beauty, great food and fantastic staff. However, it isn't 'quintessentially Australian' so there may be more appropriate places on a shorter trip. Daintree was interesting but I would say could be missed.