Leumas thanks for writing up your experience in the other thread. It's useful to read how others have found the experience, and that is one of the reasons that I realised a group tour wouldn't be the thing for us. I looked at that thread as part of my research.

Crocodile I will check out the Portsea area for accomodation. That might solve the driving back problem, and then we can just get on the ferry for the GOR.

CHIC SILBER we have already seen the penguins at Taronga zoo. I had forgotten that we have seen them. And I didn't realise that it's the same penguins. We will be going to Sydney again on this trip, and I suspect we will go to Taronga zoo again. I liked the giraffes with the opera house and harbour backdrop behind.

I'm going to ask Mr flyingbee how he feels about driving back to MEL late (he drives and I navigate, and of course blame him if I make a mistake ). I'll check out the Portsea hotels. And I need to find out how much it will cost us to park a car in our MEL hotel overnight.

Thanks for the help.