Australia...Anyone ever been?

[License2Bill]

Like the title of the thread says, has anyone here ever lived in or vacationed to Oz? I'm looking at going for my 25th birthday, compete in my 6th Tough Mudder event in Perth, a bit of scuba diving and a shorter stay in Queensland to visit Australia Zoo and Reptile Park to pay respects to one of my personal heroes, Steve Irwin, would probably stop in Sydney and do the tourist thing for a bit also. Basically I'm looking for suggestions for things to do, places to see etc. It would be one heck of a vacation and the trip of a lifetime. Accommodations are set as I would be staying with the older daughter of the coach of the previous Olympic Record Holder in Men's Pole Vault.

The catch(es): I would be missing Marauderville and may have to cancel (or at least postpone) my Eaton Swap and sell the parts to fund the airfare portion of the trip.

[wannaMM]

I wouldn't skip New Zealand if you were that close....
I regret not going to ajoining countries when I went to Germany in 2000...

[RF Overlord]

Been there twice. It's every bit as awesome as you think. Go for it!

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

That sounds like quite the BA vacation man. Would love to go someday. Just stay out of the water, and desert. Every wild animal there seems to be poisonous.

[rayjay]

I have not, but worked with a girl that lived there for a year and absolutely loved it. Always said she'd go back in a heart beat.

[whitey]

Personally, id rather take an eaton swap than go on a vacation....anywhere. never been there but id love to go one day.

[MM03MOK]

In '91 and '94, RF and I started and ended in Sydney on both trips; Blue Mountains; Melbourne VIC; Philip Island with all the penguins coming in from the sea; Tasmania; Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, Queensland; Hunter Valley wine region. You have to tour the Opera House, climb on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and take a high speed catamaran ride to Bondi Beach. We hit zoos and wildlife reserves everywhere we went. We saw baby Tazmanian Devils and held Koalas and Wombats!! No speed limits between towns but the roads aren't that great. Watch out for the Road Trains!!

[RF Overlord]

What Mary said, plus:

The Hunter Valley (wine region)
Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran
Canberra Deep Space Communications Centre in Tidbinbilla
Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo
Katoomba Scenic Railway in the Blue Mountains (world's steepest railway)
Buderim Ginger Factory in Yandina
Sydney Tower (second tallest observation tower in the southern hemisphere)

[Haggis]

This is where you need to go.....Ayers Rock. (http://uluru-australia.com/)

[MM03MOK]

Uluru! In the middle of nowhere. What about Pine Gap, Australia's Area 51? Does it exist? ;)

[Haggis]

Uluru! In the middle of nowhere. What about Pine Gap, Australia's Area 51? Does it exist? ;)

It is a holy place for the aborigines and one day I would like to take a pilgrimage there.

[RF Overlord]

It is a holy place for the aborigines and one day I would like to take a pilgrimage there.Uluru or Pine Gap? ;)

[Mebot]

Just watch Yahoo Serious' "Young Einstein" and listen to Icehouse - Great Southern Land

You'll be fine

[lifespeed]

I recommend you rent a Falcon XB coupe to tour the open road between towns. Watch out for The Humungus and Toecutter.

[RF Overlord]

If I could rent an XB, I'd go back in a heartbeat.

FWIW, when we were there in '91, I did rent a Falcon and it was literally the best car I'd ever driven, overall. Good power from the RWD straight six, handled decently, and didn't do in my back on long drives.

The Holden Commodore we had in '94 was.......not as good.

[STEPS]

Was In Perth last year sent at travelog to the sit I'll see if I can find it.
A onc3 in a life time trap

[STEPS]

Just go to search and type in Australia and my travelog will come up
they are in the Lounge

[MyTMerc]

I spent a week in Perth and a few days in Tasmania back in the late 90's. It was a little unusual in that it rained almost every day. Don't forget to try a vegemite sandwich while you are there. Horseback riding tours were pretty popular in the outback. I liked the beaches and the people. The folks I met were very friendly toward Yanks.

Safe travels mate!

[Marauder_Santa]

Spent several 5 day TDY's in Darwin with USAF. Loved it and the people are great. Advice: don't try to out drink an Aussie.

[License2Bill]

Thanks for the helpful input so far everyone. This should be quite the trip if I can get everything in order.

[99SVT]

Fraser island and rent a 4x4 for a couple days looking for dingos.

Surfers paradise, bikini clad meter maids and if timed right watch a f1 or v8 supercar race though town.

Just a couple suggestions...

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