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My Great Australian Adventure..

Strawdermangrl

Brilliant_Rock
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So, I am heading out Dec. 28th (yeah, I am exactly 3 months out :appl: :appl: :appl: :appl: :appl: ) to Sydney and then off to Kalgoorlie and finally Perth and Rottnest Island. So what I am hoping is that I will get some pointers of places I should/have to hit up? I will be in Sydney for New Years Eve, has anyone ever done Sydney for NYE? I guess I want to know what is the best for Sydney and what I need to see/experience aside from the most obvious? And the rest, if there is anything that you want to throw in- toss it in!! I would rather have too much to check out than not enough! Thanks y'all! :bigsmile:
 

arjunajane

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Very exciting for you Strawgirl! :appl: I know that many folks from the US would like to travel in Au.

As a Perth-ite born and bred, I would be more than happy to answer any of your questions, and will make a point of keeping an eye on your thread as it develops..
Do you mind if I ask, why Kalgoorlie?..it does have historical significance and all, but I can think of many destinations I would rather visit as a tourist..it may not be, quite what you expect ;))
If you have family or another connection there, please feel free to ignore! ;-)

How about, if you want to list some things you already have planned /have been recommended for your stay in Western Australia, than I can make suggestions that aren't doubling up?

How long will you be here for?
 

Strawdermangrl

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arjunajane- I am SO excited!! Are you still in Perth? I have a lot of friends that are from Perth and we are all actually coming to meet me there. Except for the few that are in Kal- they want me to come see 'real Australian brush' LOL. In Perth, I am not sure what we are going to do but I know that there is going to be some time spent diving around Rottnest and something about a Shark cave? LOL, I am not really game for anything that might result in the loss of a limb. :errrr:

In all honesty? I have a friend coming down from Dampier to meet up in Perth and one other friend that lives there. There isn't a lot that has been relayed to me in terms of what we are doing but I thought if I had some ideas of good things to do, that would be good. :) I know that I am going to see the 'sights' in Sydney but I honestly have NO idea what to do. :) I was hoping to have you all be my list makers. LOL, is that lazy or is it just saying how much I respect y'all and your opinions? :D
 

diva rose

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Apr 9, 2010
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I would recommend the following for Sydney -

- Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb - amazing experience.
http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

- Dine at Quay - best view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House while dining. It is also considered one of the best restaurants in the world.
http://www.quay.com.au/
Ask for a table with views and book in advance. A MUST - order the Snow Egg. So delicious and the most interesting dessert I have ever had and trust me - I've had a lot. :D

Sydney has one of the finest restaurants in the world and some of the places are to die for.
I would highly recommend trying some of these places - at least the Quay. Below are lists of places I recommend with views.

Cafe Sydney at Circular Quay (which is the area where Opera House is) - more casual than Quay and more affordable.
http://www.cafesydney.com.au/

Icebergs at Bondi Beach
http://www.idrb.com/icebergs/index2.htm

The Tea Room at QVB building and Gunners' Barracks - for high tea. I got married at Gunners Barracks - it's beautiful there however a bit diffcult to get to if you don't have a car.
https://www.thetearoom.com.au/

Other good eats:

Din Tai Fung - The world famous Taiwanese dumpling place. Once you have dumplings here - you can't go back to normal ones.
Yes, it does feel weird coming to Australia for dumplings but unless you decide to go to one of the branches in Asia or LA, this is your best shot of having a taste of what people fly half way around the world for. The main store in Taiwan get buses full of tourists coming in from around the world.
http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/index.asp

The famous Harry's Cafe de Wheels - pies/hotdogs at Woolloomooloo (city)
http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/Home.aspx?element=1&category=1

Umi - sushi train in the city near Capitol Square
http://www.umikaitenzushi.com.au/

Adriano Zumbo cafe. I think they should have the cafe ready by the time you visit Australia.
He is the famous chef in Australia that specialise in desserts.
http://adrianozumbo.com/

Prime - one of my favourite steak places to eat. So good..mmmm!
http://www.gposydney.com/Sydneys-Best-Steak-Restaurant-and-Steakhouse---Prime-15.html

Fish market - go gorge yourself out on great seafood.
http://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/

** I can recommend more food places - let me know what you like and I'll post some more.
Sydney tends to be a hit and miss. A lot of the places are over priced but some are really worth it.

Places to visit:
- Bondi Beach
- Opera House/ Harbour Bridge
- The QVB http://www.qvb.com.au/
- shopping at Paddington
- The Rocks http://www.therocks.com/
- Art Gallery http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/
- Darling Harbour http://www.darlingharbour.com/ - Warning food is overpriced and not so great in the area. If you decide to eat there, I recommend just doing food court. Price you pay is not worth it.

***NYE in Sydney is all about the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge.
If you can, try to get accommodation in a hotel with views of the Harbor Bridge at least for the few days during NYE/NY.
Or stay somewhere that is central/easy access. It gets packed in the city during that time of the year.

http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/sydney/shangrila

snow egg.jpg
 

Strawdermangrl

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Divarose- WOW!!! :love: :love: :love: :love: You rock! I am SO afraid of heights but I think that I might have to face my fear and climb the bridge, I have heard nothing but AMAZING things about it...I would hate to make it all the way out there and NOT go...I would also hate to have a HA doing it. LOL, best way to get over it is to face your fears, right?


Din Tai Fung- done.done. and done. I will probably be eating there more than once! LOL. I will hate being so far from what I am sure I will be craving for the rest of my life, but I will enjoy while I can!!

Adriano Zumbo cafe- Desserts? Yes, please. I LOVE sweets. Sigh, that is why I have to run so much. HAHAHA.

The only thing that sucks is that I am allergic to shellfish, horrible. I know. I was on a date a few years ago and ended up being rushed to the hospital so I will have an epi pin handy...but I see all the oysters, prawns, lobster...and I hate that I can't have it. :nono:

What about night spots? Anything that I have to do/go see?

I really appreciate everyone being so great!! I am SO excited and if I have my little 'must do' list, I will feel like I really get a lot more out of it.

I better get to REALLY running, LOL, I need to be about 10 lbs under weight before this trip! I am going to see if we can get reservations for Quay- I am not sure I have enough of an advance. I also am going to check out a few more, my friend is flying in from Perth now to play, apparently, he doesn't know that much to do there, either.
 

diva rose

Shiny_Rock
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My pleasure! :D

There are heaps of nights spots in Sydney, depends on what you are looking for and age groups/nights.
I don't go out anymore but I've listed some places that are recommended by my friends also places with views.
For pubs - there are a lot of them at the Rocks - so stroll down one of the nights to check them out. :)

The Ivy - 'the' place at the moment. I haven't been here but since it's opened up I've heard it's the place to be however they have a very strict door policy.
http://www.merivale.com/#/ivy/ivybar

Establishment - old time pick up place especially on Friday nights - lots of men in suits.
http://www.merivale.com/#/establishment/mainbar

The Argyle - bar at the Rocks
http://www.theargylerocks.com/
link below has better photos:
http://www.bestvenues.com.au/Venue/the_argyle/default.aspx

Cargo - King St Wharf (near Darling Harbour). Sometimes can be a very 'young' crowd (university age group) so head down to Bungalow 8 depending on what you see inside. :)
http://www.cargobar.com.au/

Bungalow 8 - King St Wharf
http://www.bungalow8sydney.com.au/home.html

This is the link to King St Wharf - also an area to check out.
http://www.ksw.com.au

Another place to check out at King St Wharf is - James Squire Brewhouse & restaurant.
http://www.jamessquirebrewhouse.net/sydney/index.php

Opera Bar
http://www.operabar.com.au

Cruise Bar
http://www.cruisebar.com.au/

Below are my personal favourite places:

Blu Bar on 36 - amazing amazing views!!!
http://www.36levelsabove.com.au/#/|default-en.html

Another restaurant to try with breath-taking views - Altitude Restaurant
http://www.36levelsabove.com.au/#/|default-en.html

*Both places are in the Shangri La Hotel at Circular Quay/Rocks.
If you check on the link above - there is a view of the bridge and opera house.
That is the view my husband and I had while staying at the Shangri La Hotel for a special occasion. It was amazing and I didn't want to leave the hotel room! kekeke :D

Zeta Bar at the Hilton Hotel
http://zetabar.com.au/

**I'm a cocktail/lounge person and prefer places where I can sit down. :)
 

softly softly

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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605
Strawdermangrl I hope you have a wonderful time in our country. I think it is very cool that you are spending some time in Kal as it will definitely be a 'unique' experience. Just curious - do your friends who live in Kal work in the mining industry? My husband currently works at a gold mine about an hour outside of Kalgoorlie and flys between there and where we live. He spends a bit of time in Kal so I would be happy to ask him about places to go, but I suspect your friends are probably far more well versed on Kalgoorlie night life than he is!

Hope you have a great time!
 

hawaiianorangetree

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Jan 17, 2009
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Hi Renee! :wavey:

I replied to you in the 'Oprahs coming to Australia!" thread, but i am thinking you didn't see it.

So exciting! Exactly when do you hit Perth?

Are you flying to Kal? (long drive on a straight road with not much to see).

And how long are you in Sunny WA for? :sun:

I am not going to write anymore right now because it's late and i am supposed to be going to bed and if i keep going i wont sleep ::)

So what are you in to? Do you like food/ what kinds of drinks do you like? Outdoorsy, artsy, up for anything? ;))

I'll check in tomorrow afternoon and give you a 'must see' suggestion list for Perth/kal based on what you like. :wavey:
 

Strawdermangrl

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Ladies!!! I am so excited to get back to you all, running into a meeting but will be back in few- I will be getting back to you all! I am so excited! :appl:
 

Strawdermangrl

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I had a dream about my trip. It was...laughable. I was in the middle of the desert and when we landed, yeah, odd. There were Kangaroos that were waiting greet us that were as big as cars - then I was staying at a trailer ( :confused: ) in the middle of the desert that had a phone that was probably the first cell phone ever made...and to call home? Forget about it. I had to enter a secret code, sing a song into the receiver and then do some sort of dance. It was hysterical. Nothing like what it is going to be like but thought it was funny to put that in before responding to everyone.

Diva- You might have to be my tour guide and join me for a great bottle of wine and a dinner, of course!!! ;)) I am totally a sit and enjoy type girl, too. I am all about meeting people, too. LOL< I am the person they made the statement 'never met a stranger' about.

http://www.36levelsabove.com.au/#/|default-en.html <----- OMG. I totally am SO looking forward to THAT view.

I will have to go here, I am going to be that tourist with my camera. Are you kidding, this is gorgeous. I mean, for real.

Softly- My friends own some type of company in Kal, not sure exactly what they do but I will find out and let you know. My other two friends work for Rio Tinto, one is up in Dampier and the other is in Perth- he too, travels a lot during the week, like your poor hubby. Ross gets really tired of it, he heads up the IT department and has to head all over to different mines. Are you in Kal or Perth?

Hawaiian- OMG, I totally missed that!!! I am sorry! LOL, sometimes I forget where I chime in on posts! ;(

We fly into Perth from Sydney on Jan. 4th and I leave Jan. 16th- so I have 12 full days to do whatever my heart pleases! We are driving to Kal, I am pretty sure, I am looking forward to some silly time in a car with my friends- plus I am sure after 25 hrs to get there a plane is the last thing I will want to see until I have to fly home! HAHAHAHAHA...The only definite plans that we have while I am in Perth is that we are taking the boat out to Rottnest and diving, I am SO exciting about diving. Do you dive?

SDO- <3 I am counting on it...LOL, I think I need to be sedated, I am 3 months out and am this excited......Let's just say...sorry to those that have to hear about it for the next 3 months. :errrr:

Also, so does the 'Texan' accent go as far with the men in Australia as the 'Australian' accent goes with us here in Texas? :lol: I,mean, I can play up the southern drawl if need be.... :naughty:

I have a long lost friend that lives in Safety Beach that I am going to try and get a hold of while I am there, it would be great to be able to make a 10+ year connection. We were co-counselors together in Virginia in 2000 and I would LOVE to find her and see her, it would be NUTS!!! LOL, I am on the hunt for her!
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
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Hey Straw,

I can tell you are going to have a great time - seeing as you are traveling with locals you've also got a great advantage.

Here are a couple tips off the top of my head for my local area.

Night LIfe :
Ezra Pound in Northbridge
The Manor in Leederville.

Leederville is a great spot for shopping local boutiques with Aussie fashion labels, and also good food.
Jus Burgers yum, excellent burgers.

There is a new Asian place getting rave reviews which has opened up just near the Leederville hotel - you will see it when you're there, but the name escapes me right now, I'll look it up for you or perhaps another poster will know.

Just up the road is Mount Hawthorn, where I can strongly recommend The Cabin - good food, great cocktails and a really lovely decor.
You'll be here when its warm, so the outdoors deck area would be a great place to book.
Also, if you are hung over the next day don't miss out on breakfast at New Norcia bakery - best.bread.ever.


As for things to do, make sure you dedicate at least a day or two to checking out Fremantle - you will be getting the ferry from the Freo docks to Rotto.
First thing everyone will tell you to do in Freo is an afternoon at Little Creatures Brewery, and for good reason. Amazing beers, excellent food and unique building / atmosphere.

I would recommend just taking a wander around Freo, the old architecture and homes are really enchanting and there are lots of cool shops, cafes and boutiques.

A little bit back down the coast from Freo, toward the city, is Cottesloe with its world famous beaches (photo below).
As you'll be here in the thick of summer, you'll likely want to spend some time there ::)
Have a beer and people watch from the Cottesloe Hotel or the OBH (Ocean Beach Hotel), but be warned it can be slightly more 'rowdy' than the places I've previously mentioned..

If you are willing to travel south, I would be remiss if I didn't recommend you drive down to Margaret River, which is about a 3 to 4 hour drive from Perth proper. If you're going to go to Safety Bay, you're almost half way there already ;))
Take a day touring the wineries and gorgeous restaurants - its a really special piece of the world.
Actually, if you and your friends are willing to put in to hire accommodation for a night or two, that would be one of the things highest on my list.

I haven't put much in way of 'touristy' attractions - I always find this difficult to do with my own city!
But Kings Park - a very large national park in the heart of Perth comes to mind, as does various spots along Swan River such as Crawley Bay - a great place for you and your mates to set up for the arvo with a BBQ and enjoy the scenery.
If you like 'upmarket' shopping, Subiaco is quite close to Kings Park and has a popular shopping / cafe strip.
For the real upmarket shopping, King St in Perth City is where the most expensive boutiques are...You may like to check out David Jones, also in the city if you're interested in purchasing Australian fashion or cosmetics.

William Street, in Northbridge has sprung up as a destination for 'unique' shopping with quirky boutiques. It is also the centre of our "China Town" which I think deserves a visit in its own right - plenty of cheap and yummy places to eat, and weird and wonderful things to see ::)

Let me know if you'd like anything with a different slant, hth!

cott beach.jpg
 

hawaiianorangetree

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
2,692
Well AJ made it really easy for me and now all i have to do is say ditto ditto ditto!!!! :cheeky:

We had dinner at little creatures tonight and my hubby took a pic of the view and sunset, not the best quality but it is from an iphone and pulled from FB. (See below).

Now when you say Safety Beach... do you mean Safety Bay? Because i live in Safety Bay!! Small world huh? :sun:

AJ, gave you lots of great ideas for her end of the neighbourhood, so i will give you some for mine. :))

Do you like dolphins? You can do a swim with the dolphins tour out of Rockingham, visit penguin island, seal island and go dolphin watching as well.

www.dolphins.com.au

I don't dive and i am a little embarrassed to say that i am 30 years old, lived in Perth my whole entire life and i have never been to rottnest! I am making it a mission to get there this summer. ::) My husband is a surfer though so we do lots of water and beach based activities. We went over to penguin island yesterday to see the penguins. :))

Since you are here for 12 days I would definately try and get down south to Margaret River area. From my place it is about a 1.5 hour drive and absolutely worth it. It's a world class wine region, amazing beaches, caves to explore and the drive through the ludlow forest is worth it just on its own.

If you want to go a little further you can go do a tree top at the valley of the giants.

http://www.valleyofthegiants.com.au/treetopwalk.html

You will have a great time in Kal with your friends! I am a little scared to tell you that your dream does represent it quite well.. only kidding! It's not that bad, im pretty sure iphones work up there. ;)) But yes, you will get a great representation of WA by going up there. There's lots of touristy things like visiting the super pit and watching a gold pour and if you are feeling REALLY adventurous you can do a tour of the first legal brothel in Australia. :shock: I haven't done it myself but have been told that it is great fun and quite interesting to get to see all of the themed rooms. lol (sorry if i have offended you but it is a genuine tourist attraction in Kal) :)

I'm sure that your Texan accent will do wonders for you here too. 8)

If you have any questions feel free to ask, if you need a tour guide let me know! I am on holidays till the 10th of Jan. :))

littlec34409_429242484190_738749190_5069870_7812946_n.jpg
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
9,758
Strawdermangrl said:
arjunajane- I am SO excited!! Are you still in Perth? I have a lot of friends that are from Perth and we are all actually coming to meet me there. Except for the few that are in Kal- they want me to come see 'real Australian brush' LOL. In Perth, I am not sure what we are going to do but I know that there is going to be some time spent diving around Rottnest and something about a Shark cave? LOL, I am not really game for anything that might result in the loss of a limb. :errrr:

In all honesty? I have a friend coming down from Dampier to meet up in Perth and one other friend that lives there. There isn't a lot that has been relayed to me in terms of what we are doing but I thought if I had some ideas of good things to do, that would be good. :) I know that I am going to see the 'sights' in Sydney but I honestly have NO idea what to do. :) I was hoping to have you all be my list makers. LOL, is that lazy or is it just saying how much I respect y'all and your opinions? :D
hey Straw, just realised I missed this message sorry -yep, sure am still here! I hope you dont mind I didnt mean anything derogatory about Kal-not what immediately comes to mind for common tourist attraction was all, but hawaiian has given some great tips about activities there. If your mates are local I bet they'll be able to show you a good time and it will certainly be a unique experience instead of only coming to Perth (although you can likely see the sights in a day, two max).

Can I ask how up for it are you to travel around a bit, as there may be some sights you could see out that way before/after you've been in the city. The only thing is because WA is so huge geographically,it takes a little while to get around -to give you an idea WA is around five times the size of Texas ;))
I thought I should also add the Perth Zoo to my list of attractions, which is in South Perth-I havent been for years, but I thought incase you were interested in seeing local fauna. IIRC, in summer they run night tours which may be more suited to adults.
Not sure if you're interested in posh dining but South Perth is quite a good area for that, such as Coco's restaurant.

Its great that you have friends with cars, because if I'm being honest I dont feel our public transport system is that great -although all of the places I've mentioned in suburbs of Perth (ie Leederville or Freo) are easily accessible by train- buses are not that great when compared to other cities.
oh and to answer your question, I imagine a southern US accent will go over very well with Aussie guys-infact I can almost garauntee it, lol. Hope some of this info is helpful, please do let me know if there's something more specific you're interested in ::)
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
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hawaiian! I am shocked you have never been to Rotto, especially considering you are a water baby! Didnt you have school leavers there? I have some extremely fond memories of Rotto from my youth-infact, that is where Fi and I 'hung out' for the first time together when we were just young teens and our families happened to be staying there at the same time :naughty:
although I will say in the last 10 years it has really been gentrified and isnt quite the same :(sad Still well worth an explore for locals and tourists alike though ::)
I didnt know you were in Safety Bay -one of my oldest friends is from there. I hope you had a great dinner at Lil Creatures! My dearest friend is coming back from years O/S next week, and her home while in Perth is Freo-I'm really looking forward to spending some time there with her, I dont head out of the city nearly often enough these days! Talking about all this has made me desire a break, lol -it has been almost a year since our last visit to Margs-we are fortunate to have number of mates with homes there, I think a visit is on the cards!

Straw, I hope you dont mind the slight threadjack, its just threads like these always make me realise I dont get out enough these days, sigh.
 

Strawdermangrl

Brilliant_Rock
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AJ- Hijack away!!LOL, I love that everyone has been so open about everything- LOL, I sent Ross (buddy from Perth) this thread and he is mapping out my almost 2 weeks in WA so that we can see/do as much as possible. I can't thank you all enough, I am SO excited. And it looks as though I might end up with a pretty fantastic tan during my travels. :naughty:

I am TOTALLY about jetting around, I am not one to sit still and I would rather have my days full of things that I can see and experience than laying around. I plan on getting the most out of the trip, I have been waiting my whole life for a trip like this, I am sure that I will travel to many other places but Australia has always been top of my list, always. :appl:

Hawaiian- You might just have to come out on the boat with us to Rottnest, I am sure that we will have plenty of room for you and your hubby! :) That would be fun, too, being that we BOTH have never been! ;)) I land in Perth on the 4th of January and will be tooling around so it look like our schedules might work! :) Hooray!! :)

It looks like we all might have to meet up for a drink or dinner while I am in Perth, such a HUGE world but then again, such a small one! :)
 

movie zombie

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Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
11,879
my husband is from perth and our foodie friend recommends this place:

http://staraniserestaurant.com.au/

i'm not a fan of the beers at Little Creatures only because i like "hearty" beers but it is definitely a go-to place while in the area.......Fremantle = Freo has a lot going on.

go out to the Swan Valley also for wine and food: we ate at the Black Swan winery in january and there is a german place with sausages that is supposed to be divine in that area also [it was closed on a thurday so that's why we ended up at the Black Swan] as well as other wineries with food venues. the Swan Valley is easy access from perth.

http://www.blackswanwines.com.au/

however, we enjoy the Margaret River area as well....but LOVE the Mt. Barker area for wines.

if you're road tripping i highly recommend the Denmark and Albany area.

and if you have a chance to go out on the Leeuwin II, do so. december will be hot and its a nice way to cool off:

http://www.sailleeuwin.com/

look for "day sails"

there also lots of wharf fish houses just a bit north and within walking distance of Little Creatures. i can vouch for this one:

http://www.cicerellos.com.au/

locals all have their favorites.



we'll be in Perth in November and will be staying in Freo.....will let you know if anything stands out.


MoZo
 

arjunajane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
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movie zombie said:
my husband is from perth and our foodie friend recommends this place:

http://staraniserestaurant.com.au/

i'm not a fan of the beers at Little Creatures only because i like "hearty" beers but it is definitely a go-to place while in the area.......Fremantle = Freo has a lot going on.

go out to the Swan Valley also for wine and food: we ate at the Black Swan winery in january and there is a german place with sausages that is supposed to be divine in that area also [it was closed on a thurday so that's why we ended up at the Black Swan] as well as other wineries with food venues. the Swan Valley is easy access from perth.

http://www.blackswanwines.com.au/

however, we enjoy the Margaret River area as well....but LOVE the Mt. Barker area for wines.

if you're road tripping i highly recommend the Denmark and Albany area.

and if you have a chance to go out on the Leeuwin II, do so. december will be hot and its a nice way to cool off:

http://www.sailleeuwin.com/

look for "day sails"

there also lots of wharf fish houses just a bit north and within walking distance of Little Creatures. i can vouch for this one:

http://www.cicerellos.com.au/

locals all have their favorites.



we'll be in Perth in November and will be staying in Freo.....will let you know if anything stands out.


MoZo

MZ - I didn't know you also had a Perth connection. I too love the Black Swan, great suggestion about the Swan Valley region.
I will have to keep an eye out for that spess of yours when spending time with my friend in Freo ;))
 

geri

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
218
Another Sydney girl here. DivaRose has given you some really great tips. A couple of other things off the top of my head:

- ferry to Manly or Watsons Bay - great way to get on the water and see the harbour and there are a couple of nice bars on the Wharf at Manly where you can sit in the sun and have a drink
- Bondi to Bronte walk - if you get to Bondi this is a really nice cliff top walk (less than an hour at a slow pace) between a couple of beaches with cafes/restaurants at each end
- if you are an outdoorsy person, there are quite a few other nice walks near the harbour or that will take you to quieter little beaches (well as quiet as you could expect in the middle of summer and school holidays!)
- Balmain is also fun for a little aimless wandering, quirky shops, cute cafes and a pub on every corner.

You will be here at a busy time of year so bear in mind that things are likely to be booked up early (and quite expensive) especially around New Years Eve. I don't know your budget but a hotel room with views on NYE will be quite expensive. There are quite a few parks around the harbour that have good views of the fireworks and lots of people will just picnic in the park to watch the fireworks. The streets in the centre of Sydney get very busy, and it can get a little rough once people have had too much to drink, so really depends on what you enjoy as to whether this would suit you. Otherwise, a lot of the nicer bars that DivaRose has mentioned will have functions on that you would need to book a ticket to get into.

Good luck with the planning!
 

hawaiianorangetree

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arjunajane said:
hawaiian! I am shocked you have never been to Rotto, especially considering you are a water baby! Didnt you have school leavers there? I have some extremely fond memories of Rotto from my youth-infact, that is where Fi and I 'hung out' for the first time together when we were just young teens and our families happened to be staying there at the same time :naughty:
although I will say in the last 10 years it has really been gentrified and isnt quite the same :(sad Still well worth an explore for locals and tourists alike though ::)
I didnt know you were in Safety Bay -one of my oldest friends is from there. I hope you had a great dinner at Lil Creatures! My dearest friend is coming back from years O/S next week, and her home while in Perth is Freo-I'm really looking forward to spending some time there with her, I dont head out of the city nearly often enough these days! Talking about all this has made me desire a break, lol -it has been almost a year since our last visit to Margs-we are fortunate to have number of mates with homes there, I think a visit is on the cards!

Straw, I hope you dont mind the slight threadjack, its just threads like these always make me realise I dont get out enough these days, sigh.

I know! It is very unWest Australian of me isn't it? I never did leavers for some reason, and I am not too sure why I have never stayed there, maybe something to do with the fact that a week at Rotto is the same cost as a week in Bali? But I will get there this summer! :sun: That is very cool that you met your FI there! It's a good story to tell people. :))

I have been fortunate enough for the last few years to get one or two trips a year down to the MR area with work, although it is hard to call it 'work' when there are so many fabulous places to visit down there. Last year we called in to Bunker bay for a look and some lunch and got to see some whales frolicking in the ocean, pretty cool! We have a few nights booked with some friends at the end of the month in Dunsborough which we are really looking forward to! You should make good use of your friends down there! I'm sure we would be staying every second weekend if we had people to visit, esp since DH is a surfer! :))

I think its really easy to forget how lucky we are to live where we live. My mum used to tell me that we had the best beaches in the world in WA and i never quite believed her until I went to a few different countries and realised it was all true.
 

hawaiianorangetree

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Strawdermangrl said:
AJ- Hijack away!!LOL, I love that everyone has been so open about everything- LOL, I sent Ross (buddy from Perth) this thread and he is mapping out my almost 2 weeks in WA so that we can see/do as much as possible. I can't thank you all enough, I am SO excited. And it looks as though I might end up with a pretty fantastic tan during my travels. :naughty:

I am TOTALLY about jetting around, I am not one to sit still and I would rather have my days full of things that I can see and experience than laying around. I plan on getting the most out of the trip, I have been waiting my whole life for a trip like this, I am sure that I will travel to many other places but Australia has always been top of my list, always. :appl:

Hawaiian- You might just have to come out on the boat with us to Rottnest, I am sure that we will have plenty of room for you and your hubby! :) That would be fun, too, being that we BOTH have never been! ;)) I land in Perth on the 4th of January and will be tooling around so it look like our schedules might work! :) Hooray!! :)

It looks like we all might have to meet up for a drink or dinner while I am in Perth, such a HUGE world but then again, such a small one! :)

Renee.. I know a Ross in Perth who has spent a bit of time in the US in the last few years... I'll die with laughter if it is the same person! :)) I am off to message him to see if it is... :Up_to_something:
 

Strawdermangrl

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hawaiianorangetree said:
Strawdermangrl said:
Renee.. I know a Ross in Perth who has spent a bit of time in the US in the last few years... I'll die with laughter if it is the same person! :)) I am off to message him to see if it is... :Up_to_something:

OMG, that would be hysterical....because if you did know Ross you would know the rest of the gang I am hanging with while there. LOL, does his last name start with a "D"? I am trying to get him on the phone to ask him right now. :bigsmile:
 

hawaiianorangetree

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Strawdermangrl said:
hawaiianorangetree said:
Strawdermangrl said:
Renee.. I know a Ross in Perth who has spent a bit of time in the US in the last few years... I'll die with laughter if it is the same person! :)) I am off to message him to see if it is... :Up_to_something:

OMG, that would be hysterical....because if you did know Ross you would know the rest of the gang I am hanging with while there. LOL, does his last name start with a "D"? I am trying to get him on the phone to ask him right now. :bigsmile:

D for dammit coz it's not him!! ;( oh well it would have been hysterical! But I guess perths not THAT small :cheeky:

I hope you are still not trying o get hold of him coz it's nearly midnight here!! :-o :bigsmile:
 

Strawdermangrl

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hawaiianorangetree said:
Strawdermangrl said:
hawaiianorangetree said:
Strawdermangrl said:
Renee.. I know a Ross in Perth who has spent a bit of time in the US in the last few years... I'll die with laughter if it is the same person! :)) I am off to message him to see if it is... :Up_to_something:

OMG, that would be hysterical....because if you did know Ross you would know the rest of the gang I am hanging with while there. LOL, does his last name start with a "D"? I am trying to get him on the phone to ask him right now. :bigsmile:

D for dammit coz it's not him!! ;( oh well it would have been hysterical! But I guess perths not THAT small :cheeky:

I hope you are still not trying o get hold of him coz it's nearly midnight here!! :-o :bigsmile:


LOL, he owes me a late night wake up call. He woke me at 5am on Saturday morning!!!!!! Then I didn't answer the text, so my phone rang, then I got another text that just said 'skype,skype,skype...' Needless to say, I was not so thrilled when I thought something was wrong but they had just been out at some pubs and wanted to say 'hi'. :nono: LOL, I love them anyway.

Well, you will know him after my trip- then we will know the same one! LOL ;))
 

softly softly

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Strawdermangrl said:
Softly- My friends own some type of company in Kal, not sure exactly what they do but I will find out and let you know. My other two friends work for Rio Tinto, one is up in Dampier and the other is in Perth- he too, travels a lot during the week, like your poor hubby. Ross gets really tired of it, he heads up the IT department and has to head all over to different mines. Are you in Kal or Perth?

Straw just getting around to replying to this - we live in Victoria (literally other side of the country, so sort of similar to commuting between the west and east coasts of the US), so he does lots of travelling. But we used to live in Perth and although it sounds like you have been given plenty of info, I thought I would chime in with a recommendation for one of my favourite places - The Queens Hotel in Mount Lawley (http://www.thequeens.com.au/) great place for a lazy Sunday session!

Your trip sounds like a great adventure Straw!
 

arjunajane

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softly softly said:
Strawdermangrl said:
Softly- My friends own some type of company in Kal, not sure exactly what they do but I will find out and let you know. My other two friends work for Rio Tinto, one is up in Dampier and the other is in Perth- he too, travels a lot during the week, like your poor hubby. Ross gets really tired of it, he heads up the IT department and has to head all over to different mines. Are you in Kal or Perth?

Straw just getting around to replying to this - we live in Victoria (literally other side of the country, so sort of similar to commuting between the west and east coasts of the US), so he does lots of travelling. But we used to live in Perth and although it sounds like you have been given plenty of info, I thought I would chime in with a recommendation for one of my favourite places - The Queens Hotel in Mount Lawley (http://www.thequeens.com.au/) great place for a lazy Sunday session!

Your trip sounds like a great adventure Straw!

Great tip SS, I second that, and Mount Lawley's (Beaufort Street) is a nice place for a stroll too..



Straw, I was thinking from your avatar you look like someone who enjoys going out? Summer is of course the music festival season here, all of which are held outdoors (for example, there are often ones at the outdoor amphitheater in the Swan Valley), if that is something you'd be keen for.
Unfortunately, you are here just a little early for The Big Day Out, which is by far the largest of any of the outdoor concerts..but there could be others on whilst you're here..

I'll admit I don't go to many myself these days, unless there's an act I'm really keen to see, but the Triple J Gig Guide may be a good resource if you're looking to head out and see live music?
 

movie zombie

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ah, TripleJ, a must listen to while in AU!

MoZo
 

hawaiianorangetree

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You will be here for southbound in busselton for early Jan, could tie it in for your down south trip :bigsmile:

I will link it for you when not on my iPod.

MZ, in my last year of school I was voted most likely to be the president of the JJJ fan club! :))
 

Trekkie

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Australia is AMAZING! I've been all over the world but I've never come across such an amazing place! I can't wait to go back there and I'm so incredibly envious that you are!

Perth is awesome - so much to see and do. I loved King's Park - I was in absolute awe at its beauty. It's so peaceful and quiet... I could stay there forever. I won't add anything to what you've already been told, because these Ozzies have already given you some very good tips...

Instead I'll add some photos of my fun time there. If you're not afraid of heights, the treetop walk is a must! And there are some awesome trees you can climb, if you're so inclined. Australia is a beautiful country and the people are so friendly. And kangaroos are surprisingly cuddly, so be sure to get up close to one so that you can fluff up his fur!

Another wild bird!.JPG

Wild Birds.JPG

Busselton Jetty.JPG

Climbing Trees the Ozzie Way!.JPG
 

Trekkie

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My photography skills are seriously lacking and they're not helped by the fact that when I'm excited, I jump up and down. Needless to say, many of my pics are extremely blurry!

Sleeping Koala.JPG

Stroking a Roo.JPG

View from Kings Park.JPG
 

hawaiianorangetree

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hawaiianorangetree said:
You will be here for southbound in busselton for early Jan, could tie it in for your down south trip :bigsmile:

I will link it for you when not on my iPod.

MZ, in my last year of school I was voted most likely to be the president of the JJJ fan club! :))

Oops! it's happening 1st, 2nd and 3rd of Jan. Oh well. :))
 
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