The Travel Thread. Places you've been, places you want to go and recommendations.

[Bring back John Fifita]

My first trip to Adelaide in 1998 my mate picked us up at the airport and took us straight up to McLaren Vale as he he had a hole in his red wine collection that he had to fill, went to Fox Creek and Wirra Wirra, probably went to others but i cant remember, Fox Creek make a sparkling red called Vixen, i was first introduced to sparkling red with this one and fell in love with sparkling red from there on , funny i just started drinking the Vixen just before my trip to Adelaide, my mate who lived in Adelaide at the time bought up big from Fox Creek, went to Wirra Wirra where my mate wanted a few different wines but they were out of the vintages he wanted but it was funny as where i worked in Sydney had a couple of the vintage he wanted and a bit cheaper than the cellar door.

Fast forward to 2017 which was next trip to Adelaide, went for the Roosters game and did a tour of the Barossa, went to a few wineries but the only two i remember off the top of my head is Lambert Estate and Pindarie, had lunch at Lambert along with the tasting and ended up buying up on their red blend called Black Sheep, the setting at Pindarie was just stunning, a beautiful winery, could have just stayed there and drink in the scenery.
I agree i like the Hunter Valley which i am spending a few nights there in May but the regions in Adelaide blows the Hunter away.

I took my darling away for her birthday to the Barossa last year n we had lunch at Pindarie... could have (should have) knocked off another bottle while we sat out under that huge tree and looked over the valley... but I was driving.

Photos never come close to doing any scenery the remotest of justice .. but anyway..

 

[horrie hastings]

I took my darling away for her birthday to the Barossa last year n we had lunch at Pindarie... could have (should have) knocked off another bottle while we sat out under that huge tree and looked over the valley... but I was driving.

Photos never come close to doing any scenery the remotest of justice .. but anyway..

That's exactly how i remember it, it was stunning, sat under the tree and just took in the scenery, the building where we had the tastings was beautiful, would have loved to have eaten there but had already had lunch at an earlier winery as part of the tour. would love to go back to Pindarie again.

 

[mongoose]

damn, was hoping for a closer result.

we have been to Hamilton island about 3 times and we have always loved it, plenty of activities, day trips, shooting, golf, walks to isolated beaches, pubs and driving around in golf carts are all part of the fun, or just snorkeling around catseye beach lazing around.

so apart from the footy, might have to rethink the appeal of spending a week in Townsville over the Whitsundays.

Yeah there's heaps more to do around Cairns/Port Douglas than around Townsville. Magnetic island is okay but nothing amazing....

 

[mongoose]

I know its cool to bash Victorians around here but now is probably a good time to do the Great Ocean Road as it wont be overrun with chinese tourists. Pretty good drive with some nice towns along the way like Torquay and Lorne.

 

[mongoose]

Thinking of doing the same thing as i have a Virgin airfare credit to use, from what i have heard Townsville is not much chop but would be going for the football mainly, would probably have a couple of days on Magnetic Island if i go or might possibly hire a car and drive down to Airlie beach and go to Hamilton Island or drive north to Cairns, have been to Cairns before but the drive up i would call into Paronella Park, a wonderful old ruin in the middle of nowhere, loved it last time i visited. Just not booking anything very far ahead at the moment QLD wise because i don't trust AP closing the borders on a whim.

Paronella Park's got to be the most random thing in QLD. Looks like Mayan ruins in the middle of QLD rainforest but it was only built in the 1920s I think.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

I know its cool to bash Victorians around here but now is probably a good time to do the Great Ocean Road as it wont be overrun with chinese tourists. Pretty good drive with some nice towns along the way like Torquay and Lorne.

I did this two years ago... From west to East (against the norm of east to west that most folk do). Gotta say that I thought it was epic... agree with you.

From west to east, the first "half" of the journey - you don't actually see much of the coast from the main road, there's a lot of turning off down a road, parking, then walking to see the sights. Which is all fine though, loads to see. But when you get past Cape Otway and east of there, some of the driving is absolutely magnificent.... some of the best driving in the country IMO.

Recommendations from me...

Do it out of peak holiday season (eg Christmas) if possible. Will be cheaper, less crowded and most chance to get decent accommodation at placed like Lorne (which indeed is awesome)... February/March or October/November would balance out decent climate with smaller traffic the best.

Get to the 12 apostles as early in the day as possible. To avoid crowds of course, but also to get "the best light" of the day - which absolutely makes the views stunning.... the best you'll get.

Take plenty of Aerogard. The flies are like flying sultanas and they are everywhere on the Western side of Cape Otway. Also expect plenty of bugs smashed on the front of your car.

Allow at least 3 days to to the drive. You can do it much quicker but stop offs will be limited and you'll miss some stuff.

Places to stay - we stayed at Warnambool and Apollo Bay. I highly recommend both. Warnambool really impressed me - loved it there. Apollo bay was quieter, and cheaper than the bigger places like Torquay and Lorne, but still had all everything you want for an overnight stay. We then finished at Geelong - had 2 nights there inc NYE. I'd recommend a stay there if you are starting or finishing in Melbourne - it's only 90 minutes away from Melbourne but I really liked Geelong (reminded me a bit of Wollongong, a big port town) and there are things to see n do there. Ignore any negative stuff you've possibly heard or read.

 

[Twizzle]

PS: Don't do it in winter, you'll freeze your nuts off.

If you're a surfer its no less than 6mm wetty

 

[horrie hastings]

Paronella Park's got to be the most random thing in QLD. Looks like Mayan ruins in the middle of QLD rainforest but it was only built in the 1920s I think.

Yes it is totally amazing, it was built in the early 1930s, the ruins remind me of King Louie's ruins in the Jungle Book from 1967. One place i want to visit again, wonder if the guy was insane building a pleasure ground like that in the middle of nowhere.

 

[horrie hastings]

Tasmania was always one place i thought i would visit only once i retired, don't know i had that impression of the place but when i took 10 weeks off long service back in 2009 i did a few short trips up the north coast, down to Melbourne but also spent almost 2 weeks in Tasmania, totally amazing hired a car from Hobart and drove around most of the island, if you are driving and want to see the whole island 2 weeks is the minimum to do it justice. Totally amazing scenery, towns and food, so many highlights, The Franklin River and Strahan, the somber and sobering Port Arthur, Stanley and the Nut, Cradle Mountain, Wine Glass Bay just to name a few places and then the stunning Bruny Island near Hobart.

Have been back for a couple of short trips since, went down with friends who wanted to see a Swans game in Launceston in 2012 ,spent 5 days in Launceston, then in 2016 went back to Hobart to see Mona which was very interesting and did another trip to Bruny Island while there.

I want to go back and spend at least another 2 weeks driving around the island again and also spend a night or two on Bruny Island eating fabulous food and sampling their fine whisky.

 

[horrie hastings]

I’m sure one of the cowboys supporters posted a bit of a what to do/see when the new stadium was opening, but I could not find the post.

many thanks in advance.

Beave was one of the members who used to post while the new stadium was being built as he had lived in Townsville before hand but i haven't seen him post for a long while.

I have bitten the bullet and booked the airfares, now i just have to fill in the dots.

 

[Bring back John Fifita]

Just come back from a cricket tour to Alice Springs & Uluru. Outstanding.

Recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Kings Canyon - hiked across the top of it..... and while I won't spoil any "surprises", some of the things I saw just blew me away. Eg the Garden of Eden was probably one of the most awesome things I've seen. If you've already done it I'm sure you'll know what I mean - especially if there's been recent rain about (like there had been when I was there).

Uluru - saw it after being drenched in rain and with waterfalls everywhere. Was a very rare sight and something incredible. And hiking around the perimeter... just wow. If you haven't been - yep the sunrise n sunset are brilliant - but hiking around it n seeing it up close, with all the little pockets of ecosystems and unique environments..... that was the most impressive thing about it for me. Absolutely surreal.

Kata Juta (the Olgas) - again another hike around. The Valley of the Winds walk (I definitely know how it got its name...). Again - some of the most stunning scenery about. Jurassic-Park stuff..

A lot of stuff such as the Yulara resorts, and even hotels around Alice Springs have only just re-opened. There were lots of issues with hotel staff (or lack-thereof) and delays, room stuff ups, slow service.... but beyond that... The trip was an absolute jawdropper.

 

[horrie hastings]

Just come back from a cricket tour to Alice Springs & Uluru. Outstanding.

Recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Kings Canyon - hiked across the top of it..... and while I won't spoil any "surprises", some of the things I saw just blew me away. Eg the Garden of Eden was probably one of the most awesome things I've seen. If you've already done it I'm sure you'll know what I mean - especially if there's been recent rain about (like there had been when I was there).

Uluru - saw it after being drenched in rain and with waterfalls everywhere. Was a very rare sight and something incredible. And hiking around the perimeter... just wow. If you haven't been - yep the sunrise n sunset are brilliant - but hiking around it n seeing it up close, with all the little pockets of ecosystems and unique environments..... that was the most impressive thing about it for me. Absolutely surreal.

Kata Juta (the Olgas) - again another hike around. The Valley of the Winds walk (I definitely know how it got its name...). Again - some of the most stunning scenery about. Jurassic-Park stuff..

A lot of stuff such as the Yulara resorts, and even hotels around Alice Springs have only just re-opened. There were lots of issues with hotel staff (or lack-thereof) and delays, room stuff ups, slow service.... but beyond that... The trip was an absolute jawdropper.

Haven't been to Kings Canyon or Alice Springs but did Uluru a few years ago, Uluru was awesome and walking around it was amazing but Kata Tjuta absolutely blew me away, was just something so mystical about it.

Did the Sound Of Silence dinner while we were there, you are taken to a secret location where you have drinks and canapes while viewing Uluru at sunset, when it gets darker you are lead to another spot where tables are set up and you have a buffet style dinner while given a talk on the night sky, could not recommend this more even if some of the food was a bit hit and miss. Its funny, when we were going to the dinner, it was raining but by the time the bus got to the secret location it was nice and clear, so had the canapes and bubbles, we then went to dinner and was having the soup entree before the mains and a huge electrical storm rolled in and everyone had to pile back onto the bus, you could have got a refund or book for another night, seeing we had a couple more nights we re booked and had a perfect night so we really got one and a half Sounds of Silence dinner for the price of one.

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

PS: Don't do it in winter, you'll freeze your nuts off.

If you're a surfer its no less than 6mm wetty

It’s freezing all year round though! I remember I went for a swim in Warrnambool when it was 40 degrees and still freezing! That southern current is a nut shrinker.

 

[Twizzle]

It’s freezing all year round though! I remember I went for a swim in Warrnambool when it was 40 degrees and still freezing! That southern current is a nut shrinker.

yeh, we had many days of 40 degrees plus but its still too cold to swim at the beach, you literally just stand knee deep in the water and that's your day at the beach

 

[crocodile]

Last week in Hat Head. Seeing the belting of the Raiders in Canberra the night before pack up at the local bowlo was the icing on the cake.

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

yeh, we had many days of 40 degrees plus but its still too cold to swim at the beach, you literally just stand knee deep in the water and that's your day at the beach

Hahah. That is exactly what I did too. No wonder the penguins love it there. May as well have a few polar bears wandering around too!