BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Australia Australia - Ever Been? Planning to go?

Bea, I got to meet the cubs last year while I was at the ATE - Dreamworld brought them down to Brisbane for the conference. They were a lot of fun to watch! It was a lot of fun to watch them tumbling around. I'll do a review of Dreamworld soon!

Of the two hotels, I prefer the Observatory - more centrally located, has great service and an amazing pool, and if you are in Sydney over New Years or Australia Day, the hill (Observatory Hill) just across from the hotel is one of the best places to see the fireworks.

I am Australian, I moved to the gran ole USA 4 years ago. Australia is truly a beautiful place and I miss it everyday....not to mention my family! If I can answer anyones questions about the place I call home..... let me know!

I went to Australia in 2002. I may go back someday. If I do, I will see Ayers Rock and Tasmania.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit - We went to Sydney and Melbourne. The cities are very different but so interesting.

Hi Everyone :) As you can probably tell by my user name I'm an Aussie who loves the outdoors :) I'm a stay at home mum of 3 kiddies (4 if you count my husband LOL). We spend most of our spare time travelling around Australia and feel so very blessed to call this country our home. If anyone would like to know any inside information on our amazing country don't hesitate to ask. We've travelled almost all of the East Coast, From the top end of Queensland down to Melbourne, Right through the red centre from Darwin to Adelaide, plenty of inland country places and hopefully this year will be taking a visit to Western Australia, Next year Tasmania will be on our list. We live in a beautiful part of the country in NSW surrounded by gorgeous mountains one side while living a block from the beach on the other... it's heaven I tell ya :) Glad to see so much interest in our gorgeous peace of the world, and as I said don't hesitate to ask if you want to know something. I will have to post some photos and link to them too :)

I've been to Melbourne was a great experience stayed at this hotel on the beach cant remember the name but I found it on gekko.com - was amazing! want to go to the gold coast next - gosh you need so much time! I went for the Aussie open 2009 and i would deff recommend melbourne and the hotel on the basis of the hotel

Haven't been, but really want to. I've heard great things about Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide.

Sydney and Melbourne are wonderful cities. We flew into Sydney to begin our cruise but spent two extra days there. We had a great time.

I'd just like to point out the terrificness that is Brisbane!! People from overseas who want a city experience tend to head to Sydney and Melbourne - but Brisbane has got just so much to offer (Ok - I live here so may be a little prejudiced).

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland - and is situated about an hour drive from both Gold and Sunshine Coasts (two of Australia's most famous beach areas) and on the way to both are terrific Theme Parks (including Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo on the way to the Sunshine Coast).

From Brisbane, you can catch our Travel Trains and tootle either up the coast all the way to Cairns or head out west to some of Australia's most famous outback towns.

Brisbane also has the world famous Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - which has a bus route right to the door or you can catch a City Cat and head there via the Brisbane River.

South Bank is the location where World Expo 88 was held, and is now a parkland right on the river, with some terrific restaurants and cafes as well as a swimming beach (yes - in the middle of the CBD). The Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Museum are across the road from South Bank and are also worth a visit. And if you like Museums, in our City Hall, the Museum of Brisbane has some very Brisbane-centric displays.

Brisbane has some great Aussie colonial buildings and is one of the most haunted cities in the world - if you are into ghost tours, Brisbane has a very long running series of tours that takes in Toowong Cemetary, Boggo Road Jail and many of the old buildings in the CBD.

Please - don't forget Brissy! We're a freiendly and welcoming mob who just love visitors!

Try and make time to visit South West Rocks on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. Pristine secluded beachs, safe swimming and surf beaches within the bay. Trial Bay headland is one of the few beaches you can view a sunset over water on the Australian east coast. Nearby Smokey Cape lighthouse is a great place to whale watch June to November.