Sydney and Brisbane in January - ideas of things to do?

[nikki1978]

DH and I are going to Australia in Jan for my best friends wedding and leaving the DCs with my mum for 2 weeks. We will be in Sydney for 3 days then after the wedding (Mount Tambourine) which will take up about 3 days we will have 5 days in Brisbane then 1 final day in Sydney before flying home. I lived in Sydney for 2 months in 2001 and spent about 2 weeks in Brisbane but I didn't do much while I was there as I was always working. We will have £1000 spending to include food so we aer aware we can't do everything as it all seems to be quite expensive. We would love to do the bridge climb and some scuba/snorkelling (not sure where to do that as we don't have time to travel to the reef), maybe a surfing lesson and then see as many sights as we can plus a little bit of relaxing (not much though as we hate lying around on beaches).

Any tips?

Bridge climb is great - but it's not cheap! We did it last year (DH, me and 2 DCs) and it cost around £350!

Also definitely worth going to Sydney zoo (Taronga), and go for a drink here. Absolutely stunning views over the city as the bar revolves.

If you're in Brisbane, try going over to Tangalooma for a couple of days, you can feed the wild dolphins and will probably be able to scuba/snorkel there too.

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Manly surf school does lessons at various locations up the Northern Beaches from Manly itself to Palm Beach (where Home and Away is filmed). Personally I would go for Long Reef for the Aussie surfing experience (remember the beaches will be busy in January).

Also at Palm beach (but on the West side) you can hire boats to pootle around Pittwater for a few hours. You can beach the boats on the little beaches (Mackeral beach etc.) on the edge of the bush, which are only accessible by boat and have a picnic where you feel like a castaway.

If you're outdoorsy there are plenty of places to go bushwalking. Ku-ring-gai national park is pretty spectacular.

Don't pay for harbour cruises, just take the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly instead for the same experience. Manly is great for restaurants and nightlife.

A day trip to the Hunter Valley might be worth it, I would go for small groups that focus on the smaller vineyards personally, unless you want the true backpacker/club 18-30 experience!

Paddington Market on a Saturday morning followed by a wander down the trendier end of Oxford Street is a nice way to spend a Saturday.

The Fish Maket at Piermont is worth a visit. Good for lunch.

The Friday night market in The Rocks makes for a nice wander. Wander over to the other side of Circular Quay for a drink at the Opera Bar.

That's probebly enough!!!!!

Crikey sunnydelight, I see you have settled in well You are a Sydney guru now!

We really should meet up one of these days Astrophe - we've been on the same threads for years!! have you had the baby yet? (Just checking to assess possibility of wine v coffee ). Do you want to CAT me with an e-mail address or phone no?

baby was due yesterday I am bored and grumpy.

Snap I was going to say Tangalooma. LOVED it there we went twice. Hire jetskis. we saw wild dolphins, turtles and rays. Also City beach Brisbane quite novelty value.
In Sydney we got a boat from the harbour- just cheapy ferry and after a few stops were at a lovely quiet beach but totally forgot the name..

Thank you ladies!

We have decided to do the Bridge Climb, surfing lesson, Taronga Zoo and a speedboat ride round the harbour when in Sydney (plus lots of pootling about), then we will definitely do Tangalooma (should we book a day trip for this in advance?) and hopefully some diving/snorkelling from North Stradbroke Island too. DH wanted to go to City Beach as he has been there before and liked it. Seems to be harder to find stuff to do in Brisbane but I think we may head up the Sunshine coast for a couple of days as I love the beaches and the whole laid back atmosphere up there

Just hope the money we have will cover all this - hope the pound gets a bit stronger soon....

Oh also any ideas for good snorkelling/diving near Brisbane?

And does anyone know if they still do outdoor theatre in the Botanic Gardens in Sydney? Saw Midsummer Nights Dream there in Feb 2001 and it was magical!

They do a kids/family performance of Wind in The Willows in Jan every year I think (at the Bot Gardens)...not sure about other performances though.

Here is The WITW from this year but if you keep an eye on the site they should advertise for 2010 closer to the time.

If you have a car, Peregian is just along the beach from Noosa, far cheaper but rather lovelier - my Dad used to have a beach house there. Also try the Spirit House restaurant a little further along the coast from Noosa - it's fabulous. Berardos is also wonderful, in Noosa proper.

Fraser Island is fantastic. And Lone Pine koala sanctuary in Brisbane is a great afternoon's outing, too.

Tbh you need to head up the coast a little further if you want decent diving - the Reef isn't that near Brissie.

Straddie for a day on the beach. Take a car if you have one. There is a car ferry. Much better beach on other side of the island.

Head up to Maleny for the night. Stay in nice b&b.

Head to Nth NSW. Byron Bay. and explore the markets etc.

Sunshine Coast is much nicer then the Gold Coast.

In Brisbane itself, head to the museums and art gallery. Walk along Southbank at night. Go to the gunshop cafe for breakfast one morning. Get a citycat along the river. Go to Lone Pine sanctuary.

Oh, sympathies Astrophe (sorry for hijack OP), all three of mine were overdue, made worse with DD by the fact that I had spent three days in hospital when I was 6 months pregnant trying NOT to go into prem labour! Good luck.

Thanks Sunny. I woke up with contractions this am, but amounted to nothing...so a very frustrating day really.

OP, agree that Byron Bay is lovely, and Maleney too.