Frommer's^® Australia 2004

by Marc Llewellyn; Lee Mylne

• ISBN13: 9780764538728
• ISBN10: 0764538721
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-01-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

You2ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer2s. It2s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go-they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer2s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You2d be lost without us! Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer2s Australia features gorgeous color photos of the spectacular scenery and amazing wildlife that await you Down Under. This extraordinary and opinionated guide is personally researched by a pair of lifelong residents, who2ll show you how to discover the real Australia. We2ll start off in Sydney, then head off to the Great Barrier Reef, where you2ll find complete details on the world2s most beautiful beaches, magnificent snorkeling and scuba diving, and other eco-adventures. From the urban pleasures of Melbourne to the rustic, untamed Outback, Frommer2s Australia covers it all, with all the advice you need to make the most of your time and money. Whether you want to stay in mom-and-pop motels, wildnerness lodges, elegant B&Bs, or luxury beach resorts, this guide will help you design the Australian adventure that2s right for you.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. viii
What's New in Australia	p. 1
The Best of Australia	p. 4
The Top Travel Experiences	p. 4
The Best Outdoor Adventures	p. 8
The Best Places to View Wildlife	p. 9
The Best Places to Experience the Outback	p. 11
The Best Beaches	p. 12
The Best Diving & Snorkeling Sites	p. 13
The Best Places to Bushwalk (Hike)	p. 14
The Best Places to Learn About Aboriginal Culture	p. 15
The Best of Small-Town Australia	p. 16
The Best Museums	p. 17
The Best Luxury Accommodations	p. 18
The Best Moderately Priced Accommodations	p. 20
The Best Alternative Accommodations	p. 21
The Best B&Bs & Guesthouses	p. 21
The Best Restaurants	p. 23
Planning Your Trip to Australia	p. 25
The Regions in Brief	p. 25
Visitor Information	p. 29
Entry Requirements & Customs	p. 29
Australia: Red Alert Checklist	p. 30
Money	p. 33
The Australian Dollar, the U.S. Dollar & the British Pound	p. 34
When to Go	p. 36
Australia Calendar of Events	p. 38
Travel Insurance	p. 40
Health & Safety	p. 41
Specialized Travel Resources	p. 44
Planning Your Trip Online	p. 48
Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource	p. 49
The 21st-Century Traveler	p. 50
Online Traveler's Toolbox	p. 52
Getting There	p. 53
Flying with Film & Video	p. 57
Packages for the Independent Traveler	p. 58
Escorted General-Interest Tours	p. 59
The Active Traveler	p. 60
Getting Around Australia	p. 66
Tips on Accommodations	p. 78
Recommended Books & Films	p. 82
Fast Facts: Australia	p. 83
Sydney	p. 89
Orientation	p. 90
Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 94
Getting Around	p. 97
Fast Facts: Sydney	p. 105
Where to Stay	p. 108
Where to Dine	p. 124
What to Know About BYO	p. 125
Something Fishy	p. 138
What to See & Do in Sydney	p. 143
Great Deals on Sightseeing	p. 146
Harbor Cruises & Organized Tours	p. 161
Staying Active	p. 163
Spectator Sports	p. 165
Shopping	p. 166
Sydney After Dark	p. 173
New South Wales	p. 180
The Blue Mountains	p. 181
The Hunter Valley: Wine Tasting & More	p. 192
Bunking Down in a Caravan, Man	p. 197
Something Special: A Cattle Station in the Upper Hunter	p. 199
Port Stephens: Dolphin- & Whale-Watching	p. 201
North of Sydney Along the Pacific Highway: Australia's Holiday Coast	p. 204
South of Sydney Along the Princes Highway	p. 214
The Snowy Mountains: Australia's Ski Country	p. 221
Outback New South Wales	p. 224
Brisbane	p. 231
Orientation	p. 231
Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 235
Getting Around	p. 235
Fast Facts: Brisbane	p. 239
Where to Stay	p. 241
Where to Dine	p. 243
Exploring Brisbane	p. 246
Organized Tours	p. 249
Enjoying the Great Outdoors	p. 250
The Shopping Scene	p. 251
Brisbane After Dark	p. 253
Brisbane's Historic Pubs	p. 255
Brisbane's Moreton Bay & Islands	p. 255
Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef	p. 260
Exploring the Great Barrier Reef	p. 264
Cairns	p. 270
Port Douglas, Daintree & the Cape Tribulation Area	p. 290
The North Coast: Mission Beach, Townsville & the Islands	p. 301
The Whitsunday Coast & Islands	p. 314
Come Sail with Me	p. 318
The Capricorn Coast & the Southern Reef Islands	p. 328
Up Close & Personal with a Turtle	p. 335
Fraser Island: Ecoadventures & Four-Wheel-Drive Fun	p. 337
The Sunshine Coast	p. 341
The Gold Coast	p. 349
The Gold Coast Hinterland: Back to Nature	p. 358
The Red Centre	p. 363
Exploring the Red Centre	p. 363
Alice Springs	p. 366
Earning a Degree from Didgeridoo University	p. 370
Road Trips from Alice Springs	p. 379
Road-Trip Tips for the East & West Macs	p. 380
Kings Canyon	p. 382
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock/The Olgas)	p. 384
Dinner in the Desert	p. 388
The Top End	p. 393
Exploring the Top End	p. 393
Darwin	p. 396
Cheap Eats & More!	p. 405
Kakadu National Park	p. 408
Never Smile at a You-Know-What	p. 410
Katherine	p. 415
Perth & Western Australia	p. 420
Tiptoeing Through the Wildflowers	p. 423
Perth	p. 424
Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 427
Take a Free Ride	p. 428
Fast Facts: Perth	p. 429
Side Trips from Perth	p. 447
Margaret River & the Southwest: Wine Tasting in the Forests	p. 453
Taking a Dip with Flipper	p. 454
The Goldfields	p. 459
The Midwest & the Northwest: Where the Outback Meets the Sea	p. 463
The Kimberley: A Far-Flung Wilderness	p. 469
Adelaide & South Australia	p. 483
Adelaide	p. 484
The Adelaide & Womadelaide Festivals	p. 486
Fast Facts: Adelaide	p. 490
Side Trips from Adelaide	p. 503
So Much Wine, So Little Time	p. 503
Kangaroo Island	p. 511
Culling Koalas--A National Dilemma	p. 517
Outback South Australia	p. 520
A Fabulous Four-Wheel-Drive Adventure	p. 525
The Coorong	p. 526
Melbourne	p. 528
Orientation	p. 528
Neighborhoods in Brief	p. 531
Getting Around	p. 533
Fast Facts: Melbourne	p. 534
Where to Stay	p. 535
Where to Dine	p. 543
Seeing the Sights	p. 550
Enjoying the Great Outdoors or Catching an Aussie Rules Football Match	p. 555
Shopping	p. 557
Death by Chocolate	p. 560
Melbourne After Dark	p. 560
Side Trips from Melbourne	p. 565
Victoria	p. 575
Ballarat: Gold-Rush City	p. 575
The Great Ocean Road: One of the World's Most Scenic Drives	p. 580
The Murray River	p. 584
The Southeast Coast	p. 587
The High Country	p. 588
Canberra	p. 594
Orientation	p. 594
Getting Around	p. 597
Fast Facts: Canberra	p. 598
Where to Stay	p. 599
Where to Dine	p. 602
Seeing the Sights	p. 604
Up, Up & Away	p. 604
Outdoor Pursuits	p. 607
Canberra After Dark	p. 608
Tasmania	p. 609
Exploring Tasmania	p. 609
Hobart	p. 613
Port Arthur: Discovering Tasmania's Convict Heritage	p. 624
Freycinet National Park	p. 626
Launceston	p. 629
Cradle Mountain & Lake St. Clair National Park	p. 634
Hiking the Overland Track	p. 636
Australia in Depth	p. 638
Australia's Natural World	p. 638
The People Down Under	p. 640
Australian History 101	p. 642
Dateline	p. 642
Aussie Eats & Drinks	p. 645
Index	p. 647
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