Katikati is in the centre of no where and is at least 30 minutes away from anywhere else. Its main street has about 15 shops all of which have nothing interesting in them. Due to New Zealand's under population situation, the place is a ghost town except on Saturdays when all the overly happy people come out to annoy the small proportion of normal people, who should be smart enough to to stay in their homes.
Rainbox Beach was just too lovely to describe with any justice. Anybody who wants a little paradise should definitely go to Rainbow Beach.
I was born and bred in Quirindi, and although I am only 12, I know the Castle Mountain area well, and I would love to stay there. HIGHLY recommended!
Visited Fraser Island in March 2008 with the Cool Dingo Tours. They are a brilliant company to go with. I was traveling on my own but was made comfortable and made lots of friends. Fraser Island is beautiful and is well worth a visit.
I am from Mount Gambier and think it's one of the most beautiful places I've lived. It's humble and a place to relax and take in all the amazing scenery. So close to the sea, the vineyards, and the marvels of the volcanoes.
Visting independently? It'll cost you $35 to get the Uluru Express to Ayers Rock. Get the sunset tour with combined walk, it's the same price as the sunset tour alone. The Olgas are $50, the gorge walk is quite disappointing though. Don't forget you need to add $25 to all this for the park three-day pass. Bring a mosquito net -- flies will drive you mad.
I live in Sydney and have to brag that the Royal National Park is just spectacular - especially if you want to see a diverse range of habitat in one location, within an hour or two of Sydney's CBD. The Royal has rainforest in the south, wet and dry sclerophyl forests in the north, heath along the north eastern coast, moors a little inland, swamps in the west and a myriad of creeks and rivers. Along with such diverse habitats come dozens, if not hundreds of bird species, a variety of mammals, lizards, snakes, frogs and fish.
The park has dozens of walking tracks with all grades of difficulty, from short walks to day walks and overnight walks. To anyone visiting Australia, especially for the first time, be aware that the outdoors environment can be harsh - be very sure you know what you're doing if you plan on any serious walking, and be aware that surf conditions along the park demand that you only swim if you are very experienced with surf. But don't let me frighten you away - the…
Launceston is right next to Cataract Gorge, a 150m cut into the rock with the river at the bottom. Literally 10 minutes walk from the city centre and you're in the heart of nature. The city has an adequate bus system during the week, based at St John Street. Always call taxis from payphones instead of mobiles as the numbers otherwise go back to Hobart! Some company runs a $35 Tamar River cruise which is worth checking out. All in all I'd say Launceston is a much nicer, more relaxed city than Hobart and with no shortage of things to see and do. I used Launceston as a start/stop point for the Under Down Under tour also.
Penrith is a very exciting place to be especially with its beautiful country and ocean views.
The two bakeries in town both claim to be "The Original Lancelin Bakery." My money goes to the one near the park as it has a shadehouse eatery which is nice to sit in and look at your maps while chowing down. Here's my big tip: buy a big round wholemeal roll (better for you) and stick your pie in it :-) with sauce. This goes further, tastes better and no hot dripping split pie oozing drama.
The biggest attraction to Shark Bay is the area of Monkey Mia, which is known for its friendly dophins. Denham is also in Shark Bay and it's the nearest town to Monkey Mia (at about 25 Km away).
Innisfail is a good place for a stop over and to earn some cash on the fruit picking but hard ass work...
Melbourne is a fantastic city, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. There are some beautiful parks in the center of the city, and some lovely galleries and museums. I ended up staying in Melbourne for longer than I originally planned as I found it to be a 'fun' city - great bars and nighclubs, to suit all tastes. Also, Melbourne has some of the best shopping in Australia and the best selection of restaurants, where you can sample food from every corner of the globe. I couldn't believe the selection! If you're thinking about when to visit Melbourne, I would probably recommend going in summer, as temperatures are warmer and a little more stable.
Lautoka is a pleasent enough place. Nice indoor market.
Coral Bay is the most beautiful place I've ever been. I recommend the coral veiwing and snorkelling tour. And go and walk with the sharks at the south point of the bay, it's a great experience.
Turangi is a killer spot for the serious outdoor enthusiast. Tongariro crossing (ranked one of the best day hikes in the world) is just up the road along with tons and tons of fishing opportunities. Just a word of warning, I heard about a lot of cars being broken into here so be mindful of your stuff, especially fishing equipment. The hostels are nothing special but they suffice well enough. Anything you can't find in Turangi, you can find in Taupo up the road. I suggest walking straight to the Tongariro river with a big tungsten bead hare and copper and chucking it into the Major Jones pool!
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