2 WESTERN p273 CENTRAL p239 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND p137 NEW SOUTH WALES p95 SYDNEY p50 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA p191 TASMANIA p305
3 DISCOVER Sydney (p50) Brash, bronzed and brimming with confidence, this city, with its sparkling harbour, won t be ignored. Brisbane & Queensland (p137) Beaches, sunshine and a mighty coral reef; Queensland sizzles above and dazzles below. Central Australia (p239) A quintessential blend of vineyards, mesmerising Red Centre landforms and tropical Top End. New South Wales (p95) From southern snowfields to subtropical northern beaches, this state has all the action covered. Melbourne & Victoria (p191) In a compact state of surprises, the multicultural capital blends coffee ritual, nightlife and sportlife. Western Australia (p273) Majestic forests and vineyards down south; camel trains and marine-life spectacle in the tropical north. Tasmania (p305) A premier bushwalking destination that s also epicurean hub, font of fresh air and antidote to city stress. 00-prelims-dc-aus1.indd 3 27/11/2009 10:46:36 AM
4 CONTENTS THIS IS 10 S TOP 25 EXPERIENCES 12 S TOP ITINERARIES 31 PLANNING YOUR TRIP 39 SYDNEY 50 SYDNEY HIGHLIGHTS SYDNEY S BEST THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW DISCOVER SYDNEY Orientation Information Sights Activities Sydney for Children Tours 54 60 61 62 63 63 67 77 79 80 00-prelims-dc-aus1.indd 4 Sleeping Eating Entertainment Shopping Getting There & Away Getting Around AROUND SYDNEY Botany Bay Royal National Park Hawkesbury River 81 84 86 89 91 91 93 94 94 94 NEW SOUTH WALES 95 NEW SOUTH WALES HIGHLIGHTS NEW SOUTH WALES BEST THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NEW SOUTH WALES ITINERARIES DISCOVER NEW SOUTH WALES BLUE MOUNTAINS Glenbrook to Wentworth Falls Leura 98 102 103 104 106 106 107 108 27/11/2009 10:46:38 AM
5 Katoomba 108 Blackheath Area 112 Mt Victoria, Hartley & Lithgow 113 NORTH COAST 114 Newcastle 114 Lower Hunter Valley 116 Newcastle to Port Macquarie 117 Port Macquarie 118 Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour 119 Coffs Harbour 120 Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay 121 Byron Bay 122 FAR NORTH COAST HINTERLAND 128 Bangalow 128 Lismore 129 Nimbin 129 NEW ENGLAND 129 Tamworth 129 SOUTH COAST 130 Wollongong 130 Wollongong to Nowra 131 Nowra 132 Jervis Bay 132 Batemans Bay 133 Narooma 133 Around Narooma 133 South to the Victorian Border 134 KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK 135 Thredbo 135 Perisher Blue 136 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND 137 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND HIGHLIGHTS 140 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND S BEST 146 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 147 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND ITINERARIES 148 DISCOVER BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND 150 BRISBANE 150 Information 150 Sights 151 Brisbane for Children 155 Tours 156 Sleeping 157 Eating 158 Entertainment 159 Getting There & Away 160 Getting Around 161 MORETON BAY 161 Tours 161 North Stradbroke Island 163 Moreton Island 164 GOLD COAST 164 Surfers Paradise & Broadbeach 165 Burleigh Heads 166 SUNSHINE COAST 167 Glass House Mountains 167 Noosa 168 Sunshine Coast Hinterland 173 WHITSUNDAY COAST 174 Airlie Beach 174 Whitsunday Islands 177 FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND 179 Cairns 179 Islands off Cairns 188 Kuranda 189 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA 191 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA HIGHLIGHTS 194 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA S BEST 200 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 201 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA ITINERARIES 202 DISCOVER MELBOURNE & VICTORIA 204 MELBOURNE 204 Information 204 Sights 204 Melbourne for Children 215 Tours 215 Sleeping 216 Eating 218 Entertainment 220 Shopping 222 Getting There & Away 222
6 Getting Around 223 AROUND MELBOURNE 223 Melbourne to Geelong 223 The Yarra Valley 223 The Dandenongs 224 Phillip Island 225 GREAT OCEAN ROAD 227 Torquay 227 Anglesea 228 Lorne 229 Lorne to Apollo Bay 230 Apollo Bay 230 Cape Otway 231 Port Campbell National Park 232 THE WIMMERA & GRAMPIANS NATIONAL PARK 232 Information 234 Tours 234 Sleeping 234 THE HIGH COUNTRY 234 Mansfield 234 Mt Buller 235 Falls Creek 236 Mount Hotham 236 GIPPSLAND & WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK 237 Information 237 Activities 238 Sleeping 238 CENTRAL 239 CENTRAL HIGHLIGHTS 242 CENTRAL S BEST 246 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 247 CENTRAL ITINERARIES 248 DISCOVER CENTRAL 250 NORTHERN TERRITORY 250 Darwin 250 Kakadu & Arnhem Land 257 Alice Springs 259 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 262 SOUTH 265 Adelaide 265 Kangaroo Island 269 Barossa Valley 270 WESTERN 273 WESTERN HIGHLIGHTS 276 WESTERN S BEST 280 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 281 WESTERN ITINERARIES 282 DISCOVER WESTERN 284 PERTH 284 Information 284 Sights 284 Perth for Children 285 Tours 285 Sleeping 287 Eating 288 Drinking 288 Getting There & Away 289 Getting to/from the Airport 289 FREMANTLE 289 Information 289 Sights & Activities 289 Eating 291 Getting There & Around 291 ROTTNEST ISLAND 291 Information 291 Sights & Activities 291 Getting There & Away 291 Getting Around 292 THE SOUTHWEST 292 Margaret River 292 Southern Forests 293 SOUTH COAST 294 SHARK BAY 294 Denham 295 Francois Peron National Park 296 Monkey Mia 296 CORAL COAST & PILBARA 297 Coral Bay 298 Exmouth 299 THE KIMBERLEY & BROOME 302
7 Information 302 Sights & Activities 302 Tours 303 Sleeping 303 Eating 304 Getting There & Away 304 TASMANIA 305 TASMANIA HIGHLIGHTS 308 TASMANIA S BEST 312 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 313 TASMANIA ITINERARIES 314 DISCOVER TASMANIA 316 HOBART 316 Sights 319 Hobart for Children 321 Tours 321 Sleeping 322 Eating 323 Getting There & Away 324 Getting to/from the Airport 324 TASMAN PENINSULA 324 Eaglehawk Neck to Port Arthur 325 Port Arthur 326 EAST COAST 326 Coles Bay & Freycinet National Park 326 THE WEST 328 Strahan 328 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 329 IN FOCUS 332 ACTIVITIES 334 ENVIRONMENT 338 FAMILY TRAVEL 342 FOOD & DRINK 344 HISTORY 346 SHOPPING 355 SPORT 358 WATCHING WILDLIFE 361 DIRECTORY & TRANSPORT 363 BEHIND THE SCENES 385 INDEX 395 MAP LEGEND 408 WESTERN p273 CENTRAL p239 BRISBANE & QUEENSLAND p137 MELBOURNE & VICTORIA p191 NEW SOUTH WALES p95 SYDNEY p50 TASMANIA p305