Australian visit

My wife and I are taking a trip to Australia this coming winter, Feb17 to March 17, landing and departing from Melbourne. This is our first visit to the country and we are looking for suggestions about things to see and do. Of course my interests are aviation and agricultural and items from those themes would be most welcome.
It would be a real bonus if a flight in a RV or rocket could be arranged it is always nice to see things from the air. Also I have quite a bit of experience building these machines and I would gladly trade a bit of riveting, inspection, etc for a room for a night or two. Our basic plan is to explore the regions between Melbourne and Sydney by car but regional airline flights are also a possibility.
All suggestions welcome!

Hey Tom

Can't help you with local flights, but my wife and I spent September in Oz last year (we're from just outside Ottawa). I had a week of work to do in Melbourne, then a week off, then a week in Brisbane. We rented a car and spent the middle week driving from Melbourne to Brisbane on the coastal highway. It was phenomenal.

We stayed at small hotels/B&Bs on the way plus three days at a small hotel in Sydney (in The Rocks). Didn't get to any aviation related areas unfortunately. However, we REALLY enjoyed it all as I'm sure you and your wife will.

If you enjoy Malaysian food, go to the Coconut House on Elizabeth St in Melbourne (up near Queen Victoria Market). It is a small place, extremely busy, but the food is awesome and cheap.

Cheers

I was in Sydney back in March 2008 for a week of work. I extended my stay for a few days and did a quick side trip up to Cairns (via Virgin Blue) and did a 3 day scuba dive trip on the Great Barrier Reef. Not to be missed! Got to check off one of my bucket list items.

WELCOME

G'day Tom,

We live on the coast about 160km north of Sydney, 2.5 hours by train, 1.25 hours by car once clear of the city traffic.

Currently we are relatively free between 17 Feb & 17 March, and we should be able to plan around the unexpected - four adult children & their families.

You are welcome to stay with us, and we could arrange a get together with the local Chapter of the Sport Aircraft Association at the Royal Newcastle Aero Club airfield at Maitland in the Hunter Valley.

As already advised, I suggest drive from Melbourne to Sydney via the longer coastal route, and then drive back the faster inland route if you are short of time.

Contact us by pm for more information.

Regards,

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. Please feel free to use my email address
[email protected]

Try Tyabb

..on the Mornington peninsula

...has some RVs (..& many other interesting a/c)

My RV4 was born there ! (... & if you get over to NZ, you can have a ride, as thanks for the many happy hours I spent in your 'Raven' RV4, when I co-owned it in the UK)

Tom Martin said:

My wife and I are taking a trip to Australia this coming winter, Feb17 to March 17

Click to expand...

Pack for Summer, it will be hot in February & March

G'day Tom,

You're welcome to stay with us in Canberra, the nation's capital, which is between Melbourne and Sydney.

At home we have:
guest bedroom
RV-7A under construction (very early stage)
genuine Aussie hospitality
cold beer!

In our city and surrounds we have:
some outstanding tourist attractions
the best restaurants in the country
lots of good wineries producing the country's best cool climate wines

Cheers

I had the pleasure of living in Adelaide while resurrecting a 421. So I'm an expert!

But visited other cities. Each varies somewhat from being just another Big City, but between Melbourne and Sydney it's much the same though pretty. I'd return to Adelaide in a heartbeat and skip the others except as ports of entry. Never made it as far as Cairns, but the two represent extremes (well, there's Darwin and Perth) and South Australia is much more diverse and to me more interesting than the SE coast. It's Oz's wine region, there's 'Roo Island and the south coast, the Flinders, desert north and west, and a delightful city.

A year or so ago an RV driver posted a video from Parafield (Adelaide) to Murray Bridge (IIRC).

John Siebold

Tom
I have some info that may help.
I typed out a long reply and then somehow I did something and it disappeared before I could post it!
I will type it again, but before I do can you tell me what sort of farming you are interested in? Crops, cattle, dairy, ??sheep?
I can then add a bit to take into account your farming interests.
John
Melbourne

Tony Middleton

Dear Tom.

A visit to the Temora Aviation Museum is well worth a day, they have scheduled open days and have a wide range of aircraft.

Their a number of Rvs and F1 Rockets based their, most activity is on Sat Sun.

I live in Wagga Wagga which is about 60 mile away and have a RV 8 flying and a Cessna 190, you would be welcome to visit.

Regards

Tony Middleton

Tom
Two basic ways to go Melb to Sydney - inland by Route 31, or Coastal by Route 1

Inland will see a lot of broad acre crops, irrigated crops, some dairy, lot of cattle and some sheep properties, plus some horse studs.
Coastal see dairy, cattle and some horse studs.

Inland - good road, small towns, and at that time of year it will be brown and dry. Not very scenic, unless you deviate off into the mountain forests in the south (well worth the deviation to go from Melbourne via the mountain forests and rejoin the main highway at Benalla, in northern Victoria. (Google "Mountain Ash Forrest", and "Black Spur Mountain Ash" to see photo)

Coastal - beautiful coast. Absolutely magnificent. Road ok, mostly not divided freeway type road. Beautiful beaches that go for miles (90 mile beach is one), small fishing towns, great seafood, national parks. Must sees are Marlo (Victoria), Mallacoota (Victoria), Tathra (NSW), Bermagui (NSW).
I did a flight years ago from Melbourne via coast to Narooma (NSW) - it is one of my most memorable flights ever.

Could go Melb inland to Canberra, and then join coast road at Bega (NSW).

NSW = New South Wales

Hi Tom

We are in the North West of Sydney about 45 minute drive from the City Centre.

I can offer you a Sydney Harbour scenic in my RV7 if your keen.

So please get in touch as it gets closer.

eddie.seve at yahoo dot com

Cheers

Australia Trip

Hi Tom,

I live in Sale, Gippsland Victoria and would be happy to have you and your wife stay a night or two if dates line up. Sale is just over 220klms from Melbourne to the East and is in the heart of the Gippsland Lakes district, National Parks and Alps on the Princess Hwy. My current work commitments look ok for any time after the 27th of February. Could do a flight around Wilsons Prom and or up over the scenic Gippsland Lakes if weather permits. It is our hottest time of the year with local day temps up over 40degC not uncommon. Either way hope you have a great holiday.

Cheers, Greg

Thank to all those who have replied. I am making a list of where we what to go and cross matching that to locations mentioned in this thread. We will make more definite plans early in the new year but you have all given us many good ideas and we do appreciate it.