Australia

[Jason Topp]

On New Years eve, my family (wife, kids aged  7 and 9)resolved to spend next new years eve in Australia.  What do people recommend as reading material for planning a 10-14 day trip?  I'm the only golfer and I'll play limited golf (3-4 rounds).  Where should I play and where should the family go?  

[Chris Kane]

If you have four rounds, play Royal Melbourne West, Kingston Heath (Melbourne), New South Wales (Sydney) and Barnbougle Dunes (near Launceston).  Spend NYE in Sydney.  

[Sean Walsh]

Jason,

What are you and the family into?

[HamiltonBHearst]

Be very wary of the spiders.  I have heard they are very dangerous.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Jason,

The wife and I went to Australia about 10 years ago. Started in Sydney where I gave a speech to the Australian Club Managers Association.  That group invited us along to their golf outings at Royal Sydney, Australian Club, New South Wales, and a few others. All worthwhile, but I wanted to see the Sandbelt, of course.

My wife wanted to stay in a bed and breakfast in Melbourne, and I was concerned about travel time to the famous courses, but she booked one through the b and b agency there.  We got there, made small talk about two minutes, and then I had to ask where we were in relation to RM. The lady pulled back her curtain and said, "Why its right there out back!"  

So, we lucked out big time. The gent even drove me around to the other courses not within walking distance.

Since many of these are simply retired couples in typical houses just wanting to make some extra money, you might consider the b and b route. We had a great time talking with this older couple at night, and I felt it gave us a chance to learn more about the real Australia.  Wife pleasing and cheaper to boot, especially if you had to rent two hotel rooms for your family!

[Jason Topp]

Jason,

What are you and the family into?

Overall, we prefer to do things rather than observe things.  My goal would be to have a sense of what it is like to live in the country while creating adventures and memories for the kids.  

Past activities in other locales have included beaches, snorkeling, hiking, nature, horsebackriding, very basic surfing, and fishing.  We would be open to any experiences we are not likely to have elsewhere.  I in particular look forward to sharing the spider thread with my son and telling him not to tell the girls (which he will quite quickly).
 
The family activities take priority over the golf, but the underlying motivation for the destination is seeing those courses on the Golf Channel.  Incidentally, those flies must be bad.

[Jason Topp]

bump

[Sean Walsh]

Jason,

First of all the B&B tip from Jeff is probably a good one.  Especially if you get out of the main cities.  

Just a guess but I would say the family would want to do Sydney.  So go there first for New Years Eve.  Then down to Melbourne.  Take two days for yourself playing at RM and the Heath.  

After that I would recommend the Great Ocean Road.  A few hundred kilometres of very nice scenic driving with fabulous beaches along the way.  Apparently there is a coastal drive in California.  Our version is supposed to be in the same league.  Along this stretch of Coast I'm sure we can cater for nature, horseriding, any type of surfing and fishing.

Finish the drive in Port Fairy and a B&B.  You can then duck out and play Port Fairy in the evening. Drive back to Melbourne (3.5hours)the next day.

Then over to Tassie for Barnbougle.

So all up 2 days Sydney, 2-3 days Melb.  3-4 days Great Ocean Road.  2-3 Days Tassie.  Then home.

If you want more details re activities drop me an email.    

[Matthew Delahunty]

Jason,

With a couple of young kids I'm assuming you'd probably want to keep travelling to a minimum while here. If you're going to fly around, then Sydney and Melbourne provide a pretty good base for doing the touristy thing. You can spend 3-4 days seeing the sights just in Sydney without the need for a car. New South Wales is the must-play golf course there.

Maximise your golf on the Sandbelt in Melbourne. If you're here in January and staying in the south-eastern suburbs then you can fit in 36 or 54 holes in a day, or spend you mornings doing something else and head out onto the course at 3pm (it;s light until about 9pm). Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath are the picks, but there's another 8 golf courses on the Sandbelt which are worth the trip (Matt Cohn's piece in the In my Opinion section on this site is a good outsider's overview on some of our golf courses - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/opinioncohn1.html). Good day trips while in Melbourne might be to (a) Ballarat (historic goldmining town with plenty of tourist attractions - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat Wildlife Park [which has a great collection of Aussie snakes, Tassie devils, Koalas, kangaroos,etc.], 1850s architecture), (b) Healesville and Yarra Valley (Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary which is probably the best spot in Australia to go if your kids want to see plenty of Australian wildlife, wineries, dairies), (c) Mornington Peninsula (coastal beaches, golf courses) (d) Sherbrooke Forest, a temperate rainforest which is only an hour from Melbourne and a great place to go for a picnic/bbq and some bushwalking. The Great Ocean Road is also a good idea but it's probably a 2-3 day excursion.

Cramming in Barnbougle and Tasmania is probably only for those who have the enough time but there'd be plenty to see and do there. However, with two kids and a wife it's a day out of your trip to get there and another flight (Remember that the trip home means going back through Sydney or Melbourne airports.)

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

A 2 day trip to Adelaide should be included--great wine region and with Virgin Blue the airfares are super reasonable

[Jason Topp]

I read a guidebook last night that recommended against B&B's with kids.  They suggested there would be too many things for the kids to break in the B&B's.  

With my kids - breaking things is a particular talent they have.  Do you still recommend the B@B route?

[Jason Topp]

Just booked tickets to flying in and out of Sidney, arriving on the 23rd of December and departing on the 4th of January.  I'm still trying to figure out the itinerary, but expect to head South for the first portion of the trip and return to Sidney for New Years Eve and the final portion of the trip.

If anyone is available to tee it up while I am there, either reply or send me an IM.

[David_Tepper]

I would highly recommend reading Bill Bryson's book - 'In A Sunburned Country.'  He is a very good travel writer and he is a big fan on Australia.

[peter_p]

The only books I've read on Australia are guide books and coffee table golf books. Not golf, but I'd recommend two nights at Uluru (Ayer's Rock). I tried for one night and kicked myself. The Great Ocean Road can be done in one day !, but one of the Twelve (now 7 or Apostles collapsed last week. The best wildlife tours are on Kangaroo Island in Adelaide Bay. See if you can book a climb of the Sydney Bridge if not shut down for fireworks. I'm suprised you haven't booked the Great Barrier Reef. I usually figure out trips in three day segments.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Peter,
To include Ayers Rock, Kangaroo Island, and Great Barrier Reef would be a massive undertaking in 12 days, with kids.

I loved Adelaide too, but would skip it on a limited itinerary with kids.

[peter_p]

Ben,
Yeah, just throwing out stuff, didn't think I'd bat 1.000. This might be the only time they go to Australia. I think Uluru is a don't miss. Kangaroo Island would be nice but agreed is far away. I haven't been to the animal theme parks near Sydney or Melbourne. They may be OK and are certainly closer. My biggest waste of time was going to the penguin walk near Melbourne.
     I mentioned the Great Barrier Reef only because they mentioned water sports. I have never been there, but it should be up for their discussion.

[Kris Kerr]

Concur with the Melbourne and Sydney courses mentioned earlier.
Do not waste time going to Adelaide or indeed South Australia.
Sydney fireworks from the Harbour Bridge are spectacular and world renowned.
Queensland is also a fabulous state - the north is quite unique - great barrier reef, tropical rainforests, aboriginal 'history'/culture and a more than a few resort courses.

[JLahrman]

Around Melbourne the kids might like the Healesville Sanctuary or Phillips Island.  Healesville has all native Australia animals, it's a fun place.  Phillips Island is beautiful and has the famous penguin parade every evening.  Both of these would be fun while you're off playing the Sandbelt.  I'd skip Adelaide and Uluru as well.  There's just not enough time for all that stuff in ten or twelve days.