Oh the Places to go!


Welcome to your East Coast Australian Guide! 


I put together a list of "Points of interest in..." for each Australian city I've visited, including restaurants, transportation, accommodation, etc. Trust me, it was very difficult to plan all of these itineraries/what to see in each place because there is so much to see in such a short amount of time (yes - even 5 months is still a short amount of time while taking university classes).

Every place I've been to was on the East Coast of Australia (there's not too much on the west coast or in the middle, since the land is mostly desert and destinations are too far from each other). I also did not have a car nor did I want to rent a car* - so I relied on planes, local transportation, and tour groups/buses to get me from point A to point B.

For most of my planning, I used Viator**, Trip Advisor, and The Lonely Planet to find tours or places to visit while I was in each city/area. I used Google Flights and Student Universe (which has many student discounts) when booking flights. For accommodation, I used Booking.com and Airbnb. I also looked up youtube videos on others' experiences in Australia, which inspired me to go to some of the places mentioned.


Any prices I've listed are in Australian Dollars.
The average unit conversion from July-Nov 2017 was: 1USD = 1.25AUD


Points of interest in...




Brisbane Skyline viewed from South Bank

BRISBANE

  • Places to go:
    • South Bank 
      • Ferris Wheel
      • Free public pool/beach area
      • On the weekends there is a food festival of some sort
      • Great river walk - has many picture opportunities of the skyline
      • The BRISBANE sign with the skyline in the background
      • Davies Park Market (farmers market every Saturday) 
    • Botanical Gardens
    • Mt. Coot-tha (nice half day trip) -  nice for short hikes and a great view of the city
    • Springbrook National Park/Lamington National Park
    • North Stradbroke Island (and Moreton Bay)
      • Go here for the beaches, camping, hikes and to see wildlife (koalas, kangaroos, dolphins and whales!)
      • To get to Straddie: take the train headed to Cleveland station. A free shuttle bus takes you to the ferry terminal. Ferry tickets cost $15 (round trip) for uni students. Also bus tickets on the island cost $4.50 (for uni students) for a day pass 
      • Go to the Sea Shell Cafe for Fish and Chips! And near the beach walk, there is a cute little ice cream shop to stop by for a refreshing ice cream cone.
    • Tambourine Mountains
    • Glasshouse Mountains for hiking
    • Bee Gees Road!
      • There is a street that is dedicated to the Bee Gees (since they are from Australia). It has statues of them, quotes, and music playing in the background. It's cute to visit if you are a Bee Gees fan! This is in the Redcliffe area, just a half hour north of Brisbane by car.
      • Theres a lovely little beach, a historical shipwreck and a pier here too, cute area
      • Shorncliffe pier is a little bit south of the Bee Gees Road, which is also another beach and you can go wind surfing there too. 
        • Go to Doug's Seafood Cafe for the most delicious Fish and Chips!
    • Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary 
      • You can hold a koala and hand-feed kangaroos!
      • See the Tasmanian Devil, Wombat, Platypus, and other native Aussie animals
    • Bars:
      • Botanic Bar (college bar)
      • The Stock Exchange
      • Fortitude Valley Area has a lot of nice bars!
    • Restaurants: 
      • Burger Urge, Burger Edge, Getta Burger
      • Eat Street Markets (all kinds of food: japanese, korean, desserts, candy, mexican, burgers, literally anything you can think of besides pizza)
      • There are sushi restaurants literally everywhere
      • New Shanghai for xiao long bas or fried dumplings
      • There are tons of bubble tea places in the city
      • Food Festivals in South Bank
    • Festivals
      • Music: surprisingly a lot of bands tour here! so if you come to Brisbane, (or any other major Aussie city), look for bands on tour. I also attended a local Brisbane music festival called The Big Sound, which I really enjoyed hearing different music groups. This festival is held during early September in Fortitude Valley.
      • Festivals are a normal occurrence in South Bank. Any given weekend there is always something going on, like a food festival or music festival
      • Oktoberfest happens throughout the weekends in October
      • Ekka - which is the australian version of a state fair! This was a lot of fun to go to. This takes place in mid September.
  • Transportation:
    • Translink - you can take the ferry, bus and trains here with a translink card
      • Buy it at a 7-11 convenience store
      • Fairs are normally $2.60 per ride, but for students (that study within Queensland) $1.60 per ride 
    • You can rent a bike through City Cycle - $3 per month 
      • As a heads up - bikes must ride on the same side as the cars travel (which is the left side), it can get very hilly in some areas, and a bike helmet is required by law (some city cycle bikes come with helmets, free of charge)
    • Uber is accessible here. I've seen prices between $9-$20 per ride
    • If you have an early flight (when public transport isn't running or Ubers are expensive) I suggest booking a shuttle bus called Con-x-ion. Median price range is about $20 and will pick you up at/near your accommodation at any time. This is comparable to the train ticket price going to the airport, which is also about $20.
  • Accommodation:
    • I used Airbnb --this was my primary location throughout my stay. This was also the cheapest I've found for long/short-term stays that has wifi and utilities all included. 
    • There are lots of hostels around the outskirts of the city
    • Student housing/apartment accommodation is very expensive - keep an eye out on good housing deals.



Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge (viewed from the Botanic Gardens)

SYDNEY

  • Places to go:
    • Sydney Opera House
      • You can take a tour, attend a concert, or just take pictures of its beautiful architecture from the outside.
    • Sydney Harbor Bridge
      • You can do a bridge climb, although it is [very] expensive and you need to book well in advance. Or you can admire it from The Rocks marketplace.
    • Chinese Friendship Garden and Chinatown
    • Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk - Highly recommend doing this walk, very scenic!! Some of the bluest waters and prettiest beaches are on this walk such as:
      • Bondi beach
      • Tamarama beach
      • Bronte Beach
      • Coogee Beach
    • Sydney Botanic Gardens
    • The Rocks Markets
      • Has local/small businesses sell their craft or food. I had a crocodile kebab that was really tasty and bought a small hand drawn map of Australia/New Zealand.
    • Paddy's Markets (big souvenir mall worth walking around and checking out)
    • Restaurants
      • The World Bar
      • Stacks (dinner) -- really good steak
      • Froth (breakfast)
      • Marcelles (breakfast)
      • Sin Shih Tang (Chinatown) -- Really good Braised Beef Noodle soup!
  • Transportation:
    • We traveled by the OPAL bus system. Bus/train passes can be bought in the airport.
      • Adult fairs are about $2.60 per ride
      • you can buy a bus pass in the airport convenience store
    • We took an uber from the airport (split amongst 3 people), since it was cheaper that way.
      • going to or from the airport, wherever you are in the city, costs about $15 each way
  • Accommodation:
    • We booked a hostel for $20 a night in Potts Point area, which is a short bus ride to the downtown area.



"Travel is Living" --Hosier Lane

MELBOURNE

  • Places to go:
    • Melbourne is famous for it's graffiti laneways! Go wander around Melbourne CBD to stumble upon the great works of art. The graffiti styles varied from political statements to nature/animals, patterns, or just random pictures that give the laneway some character. Just to name a few streets that are a must visit:
      • Hosier Lane
      • Malthouse Lane
      • Duckboard Place
      • Brien Lane
      • Croft Alley
      • Centre Place
    • Architecture 
      • Melbourne has one of the most diverse architectural styles within city limits. Definitely walk around the city to see the modern skyscrapers vs old english style buildings
      • Also walk to see St. Patricks Cathedral and Cooks Cottage. I thought these religious/historical buildings were really cool to visit.
    • Degraves Street
      • The coolest street you'll ever encounter. There are so many restaurants and small dives all on one street that has mainly outdoor seating. It has a hipster vibe and incorporates the graffiti within this street.
      • Go to Il Tempo for delicious pizza! (Myself, A chicagoan/pizza expert, approves of their pizza)
      • Centro Espresso Cafe had delicious sandwiches for only $5! 
    • Hardware street
      • Lots of coffee shops/brunch places are located on Hardware street
      • I went to Hash Specialty Coffee and Roaster to have a hot chocolate served in a chemistry flask to be poured over fairy floss (aka cotton candy) in a mug. Best hot chocolate ever. I really liked the hipster ambiance of this little cafe.
      • Hardware Societé is a breakfast nook that specializes in waffles! Although the waffles aren't as big compared to the standard American waffle size (aka VERY BIG), the taste and presentation exceeded my waffle expectations. Also this cafe gives you an excuse to eat a waffle covered in melted chocolate served with ice cream for breakfast.
    • Chinatown
      • You must go to a restaurant that serves Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings) or the fried dumplings. I've been to Shanghai a few years ago and have been craving xiao long bas ever since. The restaurants that serve these dumplings, here in Melbourne, are just as good as the soup dumplings I had in China!
    • Lyon Street (Little Italy)
    • Queen Victoria Markets
    • Walk along the Yarra river for great skyline pictures
      • Also go to the Shrine of Remembrance (in the Botanical Gardens) and St. Kilda Pier for other amazing skyline photography opportunities
    • Great Ocean Road
      • 12 Apostles
        • You MUST visit the 12 apostles, especially at sunset. It's way too beautiful to not experience. To summarize: very scenic drive next to the southern ocean, plenty of beaches and cool cliffs/rock formations to see.
    • Phillip Island Penguin Parade
      • You can see the Little Penguins (aka fairy penguin) run onto the beach at dusk. 
      • Photography/videography is forbidden; just watch the penguins and enjoy the adorable experience!
      • Go to the Nobbies for great nature photography
    • St. Kilda Beach
      • Cute beach area with piers to visit. Luna Park is also here, if you like going to amusement parks
    • Melbourne Star Ferris Wheel
    • Wilson's Promenade
      • I didn't go but I've heard that there are a lot of good hikes and wild animals there! If I had more time, I would've checked out this National Park.
  • Transportation:
    • Take the Skybus to/from the airport and buy a roundtrip ticket. This was the cheapest option (19 each way, or $36 round trip) when going to/leaving from the airport to go to the Melbourne Central Business District
    • Uber is Accessible here! Useful when going to St. Kilda Beach
    • I didn't buy a bus pass (myki card), instead I walked everywhere. There are also free Trams in the CBD.
  • Accommodation:
    • I stayed in a hostel that cost $23 per night on the intersection of Queen and La Trobe. It's a central location and by the bus/train stations



Harbor right next to Bruny Island

HOBART (Tasmania)


  • Places to go:
    • Hobart Pier/Harbor
    • Mount Wellington 
      • Beautiful place to see the city from above! 
      • The mountain has a hike, where you can hike down (part of the way) of the mountain--very scenic!
    • Bruny Beach 
      • You can see the White Wallaby, a rare wallaby that is only found on this island!
      • Lots of great nature scenery, hikes, beaches, and Australia's Oldest Lighthouse
    • Freycinet National Park 
      • Freycinet NP is about 3 hours northeast of Hobart, so plan accordingly if you want to do a day trip there. 
      • Do the Wineglass Bay Hike! 
        • Very rewarding with the spectacular view of Wineglass Bay
      • Cole's Bay
      • Honeymoon Beach --its just too beautiful to put it into words (you can see more pictures in my other blog post about my Hobart Trip!)
      • There's an ice cream place very close to the NP in Swansea where they have lavender ice cream! Its a cute little dessert shop worth stopping at after a long day at Freycinet NP.
    • Tasman Peninsula
      • Cape Huay and The Totem Pole
        • I like rocks, cliffs, natural wonders and nature--if you like this too, you have to visit Cape Huay. You can spot whales, seals, dolphins and rare birds while taking in the views of the beautiful cliffs on the Tasman Sea. 
        • The totem pole is infamous to rock climbers everywhere. Only a small number of rock climbers have ever successfully climbed the totem pole, and it is just amazing to see in person.
        • I booked a cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys and it is the best tour I've ever taken. I was truly impressed with the entire tour--I highly recommend this tour. You can read about it in my other blog article (Hobart, Tasmania, Spring Break pt.1).
      • Port Arthur 
        • This is an old town/prison area where the convicts lived. It has very interesting architecture and history. I'd recommend coming here for a half day visit.
    • Cascade Brewing Co.
      • Hobart's oldest brewery is definitely worth checking out! They have tours and a beer pouring contest. I participated in the beer pouring contest, and even though I didn't win, I still got a free beer!
    • Restaurants:
      • If you want to eat the most delicious fish and chips you've ever tasted, go to Flippers! It's a cute little food dive that's on a boat in the harbor!
      • Jack Greene Bar 
        • Really good Burgers and Beer!
      • Honey Badger Dessert Cafe 
        • Get the hot chocolate on a cold day; you won't regret it!
      • I didn't eat out too much. My tours included/provided lunch, which was very convenient during the day. I also ate at the aforementioned places twice each, because I really enjoyed the food and each had fairly priced menu options compared to their competitors 
    • Salamanca Markets/Salamanca Square
      • Cute market place with lots of wineries and upscale restaurants
    • The MONA --a different take on the classic museum style. I couldn't go because it was closed on the day I had free time, but I heard spectacular reviews about the different kinds of exhibits that are on display.
    • If you go at the right time of the year (during the winter months) you can have the chance to see the southern lights, aka the Aurora Australis! The lights are a rare sighting, but if you are there at the right place, right time, right weather conditions, then you'll be able to see them! 
    • Places I didn't see but would have liked to: 
      • Cradle Mountain
      • Launceston (city north of hobart)
      • Mount Field National Park
      • Douglas-Aspley NP
  • Transportation:
    • Here I mostly depended on tour buses to take me to the national parks
    • Airport shuttle drop-offs and pick-ups are accessible and cheap (cheaper than a taxi or an uber--if traveling solo). Buy a roundtrip ticket to have a worry-free way to get to/from the airport
    • The city has buses but few and far between. I didn't buy a bus pass here since everything in the central part of town I needed to go to was within walking distance of each other.
    • Uber is accessible here! This was very convenient when I wanted to go to Cascade Brewing Co. and didn't want to take the bus.
  • Accommodation:
    • I stayed at The Nook Backpackers for 5 nights.
    • This hostel is in a central location and is easy to walk to the pier and restaurants.



Cairns Boardwalk

CAIRNS and THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

  • Places to go:
    • Fly into Cairns - closest city for scuba diving/snorkeling opportunities. You could also go to Port Douglas or the Whitsundays.
    • Fitzroy Island - A beautiful island where you can snorkel in Paradise! The Island is right next to the reef/contains coral and animal life just like the GBR. I'd highly recommend going to this Island. I booked with Fitzroy Island Adventures - they give you snorkel gear for the whole day, a glass bottom boat tour (you can see turtles!), provided lunch, and hiking opportunities. I'd go back here in a heartbeat if I could!
    • The lagoon and the boardwalk has great views of the other nearby islands, and is a nice place to eat ice-cream on the beach.
    • Unless you have your own scuba gear, it is really expensive to buy an introductory dive. You also cannot fly and dive within the same day (at least 24 hours between surfacing and flying***), which must be taken into consideration when booking a dive/planning a trip to the GBR. My personal opinion, I think snorkeling is a better way to see the reef.
    • Just north of Cairns by bus, definitely go to Palm Cove! I did not have enough time to go, but I've heard that it has very scenic beaches!
    • Also go to Daintree NP! Again, I did not have enough time to go to this park, but I've heard amazing reviews about it. You can swim by waterfalls and hike through a rainforest.
    • Restaurants:
      • Prawn Star - Restaurant on a boat right off the pier. Options: Fresh Salmon sashimi (it was delicious!!), Fresh prawns (head still attached), Oysters, King Crab, and Lobster. It is expensive, but worth every penny for seafood lovers.
      • Frydays - I've heard that their fish and chips are really good, though I did not have enough time to go and eat there
      • Mooz for delicious Gelato
      • Gilligans has a tasty $5 dinner deal. It's different every night: when I went they served braised beef and potatoes and I was surprised how delicious it was! It is also a good dinner for backpackers on a budget.
      • There's a nearby Woolworths (grocery store) which is convenient to buy snacks/food for cooking.
  • Transportation:
    • Translink is used all throughout Queensland, but a lot of places in Cairns are within walking distance. The buses here aren't reliable, so I would suggest either walking or using uber/taxi. 
    • Going from the airport, I used uber. It's a quick 11 min drive from the airport to the city centre. Uber prices are around $14-16, which is a good deal.
    • Lots of my friends flew into Cairns, rented a car and drove down the coast to Brisbane, stopping at the Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island and other beaches too.
  • Accommodation:
    • I booked my stay at Gilligan's Backpacker Hostel, for $20 a night. It's in a prime location, only minutes away from the board walk and the lagoon! This hostel is also great for young backpackers (18-29yrs old) to meet/mingle. You can relax at the pool, cook dinner for yourself in the kitchen (one on each floor) and meet people from all over the world at the connected bar. I really enjoyed my stay and highly recommend staying here.

White Haven Beach

THE WHITSUNDAYS

  • Places to go:
    • Whitehaven beach, Whitsunday Island, Hook Island and snorkeling
      • I took a 2 day 1 night sailing trip to these places with the Matador sailing group (I booked this through bookme.com). Honestly this is my favorite tour I've taken. Sailing in the bright blue waters from island to island, tanning/listening to music on deck, snorkeling near the GBR, meeting new friends, and watching the stars in the middle of the waters was paradise. The crew was so friendly and very informational, and the food provided was delicious. I would take this cruise again in a heartbeat if I could! 10/10 would recommend!
  • Transportation:
    • Fly into Proserpine Airport, and there are taxis that will take you to Airlie Beach. Everything in Airlie Beach is within walking distance. (Uber is not -yet- available here).
  • Accommodation:
    • X Base Backpackers was in a central location, right next to the boardwalk, the bars and the lagoon.

Byron Bay Lighthouse

BYRON BAY

  • Places to go:
    • Take a hike to the Byron Bay Light House! This is also a great place for whale watching.
      • This is also where you are at the most eastern point of the Australian Continent!
      • You have to see the sunrise at this lookout point, it is absolutely incredible.
    • Byron Bay Beaches are a great place to go surfing or kayaking!
    • Walk around the nearby souvenir shops and restaurants/coffee shops
      • For breakfast I went to the Twisted Sista. Such a cute little cafe with delicious food! (try the banana cake)
      • If you're craving good mexican food, go to Miss Margarita, you won't be disappointed!
      • Three Blue Ducks, nearby farm (going north) that is definitely worth checking out. Lots of great food! and you can say hello to the cows and pigs!
  • Transportation:
    • I took the Byron Bay Easy Bus from the Gold Coast airport and they dropped me off at my hostel. I also took this bus going back to Brisbane.
    • Everything here is within walking distance, no further transportation needed
  • Accommodation:
    • Backpackers Inn was the cheapest option, $30 for 1 night. I really liked the location because it was right next to the beach and in walking distance from the center of the town. Also, the hostel is a 45 minute walk from the famous light house and park areas.



Noosa Beach

SUNSHINE COAST (north of Brisbane)


  • Places to go
    • Noosa National Park
      • There are a lot of nice hikes throughout Noosa! You can spot dolphins/whales in the ocean and koalas chilling in the trees. Unfortunately I did not see any wildlife (besides a few annoying birds) when I was here.
    • There are a lot of nice hikes throughout Noosa! You can spot dolphins/whales in the ocean and koalas chilling in the trees. Unfortunately I did not see any wildlife (besides a few annoying birds) when I was here
        • Hike to Hells Gates
        • Go to the beach
        • Great place to go on a picnic!
        • Edmund Markets
          • think of a high-class flea market. Lots of things to see and buy! The local food stands have amazing food too!
      • think of a high-class flea market. Lots of things to see and buy! The local food stands have amazing food too!
    • Mooloolaba Beach - nice beach to get away from the city and to just relax.
  • Transportation
    • I went to Noosa with my uni, so they provided the transportation, but you can get here by car or the Translink Trains




Surfers Paradise

GOLD COAST (south of Brisbane)


  • Places to go:
    • Surfers Paradise Beach - Going surfing is a must!
      • I went surfing through Surf in Paradise - $59 for a lesson, and definitely worth the money! I'm not gonna say I'm a pro, but I did learn a lot and had a fun time during the lesson!
    • There are amusement parks here that I've heard people enjoyed
  • Transportation:
    • All of Queensland uses Translink, so going round trip from Brisbane to GC via train cost $5 (including bus fair to the beach). The total trip time took about 2 hours one way, which goes by fast (faster than what you would expect).
  • Accommodation:
    • If mainly staying in Brisbane, it is not needed to stay overnight in Gold Coast. This city can be explored at one day MAX, but if you want more time at the beach, you would want to stay here longer or go there over multiple weekends for day trips.




Read my other articles on my blog to know more about my experiences in each place! If you have any questions about planning a trip to Australia, please leave a comment below! 








*I did not want to rent a car, since all of Australia drives on the left side of the road
**Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any travel companies/services/restaurants mentioned in this article.
***Found this in the Lonely Planet: East Coast Australia Travel Guide

Comments

  1. Very informative. Thats a long list of things you've done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought this was a good blog to write. I had a lot of people ask me about what to see in Melbourne and Tasmania. And hopefully this will be helpful for them when they plan their trips. I agree, this is a long list. I think I did a lot during my time here, and hopefully I can see a bit more before I go to New Zealand!

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