yarramar

Before you arrive at your first port in Australia you will be given a customs declaration form to fill out. If you fill it out truthfully regarding your trail mix (or anything else) they may ask to inspect it or if you omit it or lie and subsequently found to be carrying them, you may be heavily fined and/or refused entry to Australia (worst case scenario). To enjoy a happy stress free holiday, just answer any questions truthfully. You also will need an ETA/visa for both here and NZ

I'd go for price but the Intercontinental is a 5 star hotel while the Crowne is 4 star. The Intercontinental is also in a much better location

I was a member of the Maroubra Seals. Little River Band, Cold Chisel, INXS, Mondo Rock, 'Ol 55, just to name a few.

Getting them into the country is the biggest hurdle. If the trail mix does not include seeds, it should be ok but they will need to be declared on your incoming form. Why not just buy them when you get here?

You won't make it to the Cairns station for Kuranda, however I would not do a ships excursion. There are a couple of ways there. Catch a taxi to the Cableway terminal in Smithfield which is approx 20 minutes or take a bus - 1 hour. The cablecar will take you to Kuranda and you could catch the train back.

I suppose this list was construed as a reaction to the recent "worlds most liveable city" list. Melbourne got 3, Sydney - 4, Perth & Adelaide 12th while Brisbane got 16th

The Imperial at Clifton is a good stop for lunch. It is near the Sea Cliff Bridge. I have linked a google map which gives you a nice full day loop. Perhaps do it in reverse, i.e. Bowral first, which is a lovely touristy village where you could stop for morning tea. Shell Harbour and the coast around there is beautiful. https://goo.gl/maps/kLLWT7GSf4b7NuMC7 If you leave really early and have the time, you could continue along the coast past Shell Harbour to the Shoalhaven and return to Moss Vale via Berry and Kangaroo Valley which is incredibly picturesque.

The location of the Intercontinental is about as good as it gets.

CQ/Rocks area of Sydney is the best place to stay. The benefits of being on the harbour (note spelling) is the close proximity to the ferries which you will want to use to get to Manly, Tooronga zoo, Watsons bay and elsewhere. It is also convenient to transport into the CBD and the rail system if you wish to go further afield.

Aussies are very casual and most would rather go to the buffet on formal night. Carry on does not gel with us as we are only allowed 7kg or at most 10kg on domestic flights. I would use a particular TA which I can't name but if you want a cruise or vacation it is the place to go.

Very mixed reviews, depends on if you like novelty and views over food. https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g255060-d2485912-Reviews-SkyFeast_at_Sydney_Tower-Sydney_New_South_Wales.html Maybe better to pay for the skywalk and then head to a decent restaurant for a decent meal at the same overall price

You may wish to add the Melbourne museum, Carlton Gardens and world heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building. Also across the road from REB is Gertrude Street, voted 2nd coolest street in the world.

I have used a card to purchase a coffee for $1.00 at a service station. They have since gone up to $1.50

Don't go to the trouble of getting any cash just to tip. Both tour director and drivers are very well paid and won't lose sleep (and their kids won't go hungry) if you abstain. BTW, they will probably have a mobile card reader. Even the Salvos take them to the pubs these days along with their brass bands when fundraising!

Australia now has a "tap" culture, as in tap & go your credit or debit card on the eftpos machine. Some places allow you to key in extra but mostly people just "tap & "go". Even tip jars are becoming a thing of the past as there is no longer any change to deposit.

Agree with Possum, don't waste time and money on a harbour cruise, ferries will give you a better experience. Especially the trip to Manly with fish & chips on the beach.

If you are spending time in Cairns, take a trip out to the Botanical Gardens. There are many exotic tropical fruit trees that may be bursting with fresh bounty. There are also towns north of Brisbane that have streets lined with mango trees as part of their urban landscaping. As a kid I loved being up there in January

I'm extremely disappointed with their offerings. The cruises seem to be from nowhere to nowhere and just an excuse to be onboard for their signature entertainment, fitness classes and culinary offerings. Staying in a 5* hotel in Melbourne would probably be better value and more entertaining

Any Woolworths supermarket (and probably Coles and others) sell it. https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/113395/moore-s-ultra-pure-still-water Countdown in New Zealand is owned by Woolworths. https://www.countdown.co.nz/shop/productdetails?stockcode=507566&name=pure-dew-water-ultra-distilled

Who decides these things? https://kitchen.nine.com.au/latest/australias-best-pie-and-pastie-competition-2023-winners-country-cob-bakery/6a6bdd0f-cc79-444b-93d6-4ad7e4712761 Doesn't sound dinki di to me.

It will be slightly cooler than in Cairns. Yes, it is worth it. You are at a higher altitude and in a rainforest and it is beautiful.

We did an overnight cruise in The Bay of Islands. It sounded great but it was a backpacker cruise and we felt totally out of place. I wondered why it seemed like such good value!

There never were 12 "apostles". Just nine originally. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Apostles_(Victoria) I always thought that 2 were lost, leaving 7 and then London Bridge collapsed making the 8th. I may be wrong.

A couple of corrections are in order. the distance travelled on a day tour is approximately 500km, not 650km. Someone else does the driving while you relax in the coach seats. The tours are approximately 14 hours, the last 3 can be spent sleeping on the way home. It is only 1.5 hours until you arrive at the GOR when the sightseeing begins. Actual time on the coach looking at the magnificent view is only 3 hours, the other 6 hours are off the bus exploring. That gives you 9 hours, not 4 as suggested above. The reviews of the one day tours are predominantly positive and if you don’t have the luxury of several days and self driving, a tour is a great option.

Whilst the Mornington Peninsula is beautiful (I live there) I would not recommend staying without a car. If you do make some time for a days visit, Rosebud is NOT the epicentre, the most popular spot is Sorrento and towards Point Nepean National Park and the back beaches. The other side of the MP on Westernport Bay is also beautiful with Flinders, Pt Leo and other lovely spots. Of course there is also Red Hill & Main Ridge, famous for their amazing wines and beautiful wineries. Day tours are popular to visit a few wineries for tastings and lunch as well as a tour of some of the scenic areas and outlooks. For the best place without a car, the suggestions of St Kilda & Port Melbourne are good. Also Middle Park, Albert Park and Elwood which are all along the bay. South Yarra would also be a good option but the suggestion of the CWA in Lansell Rd may put you a bit far from restaurants at night. Melbourne has a great transport system with it's trams so getting into and out of the city is very easy and you will not need to wait long for a tram from any of the above mentioned places. You will need a Myki card for travel on any of the trams, trains or buses but this is fairly cheap and has daily caps. If you stay within the CBD, there is a free tram zone that will get you to most of the attractions.