Melbourne

Accommodation

• Olembia Hotel – small hostel in St. Kilda. Very well maintained. Shared kitchen was well stocked. Location was convenient for St. Kilda and it was a 20 minute tram ride to Melbourne CBD. 3 stars.

Restaurants

• Lau’s Family Kitchen (St. Kilda) – A fantastic Cantonese restaurant with impeccable service. Restaurant was started by the same family that owned Flower Drum, which is the premiere fine dining Chinese restuarant in Melbourne. Our experience at Lau’s Family Kitchen definitely lived up to the family reputation. The crispy pork belly was particularly fabulous. 3.5 stars.
• Chinta Blues Malaysian Hawker Bar (St. Kilda) – Very tasty Malaysian cuisine. Curry and roti were particularly good. Fast service. 3 stars.
• Il Fornaio (St. Kilda) – Great bakery with lots of different fresh breads. Breakfast of eggs, toast and homemade sausage was simple, but delicious. Breakfast is better than lunch here. 3 stars.
• Grill’d (St. Kilda) – A local chain that is part of the gourmet hamburger trend in Melbourne. Burger was good, but has nothing on Corner Bistro or Burger Joint. 2 stars.
• Acland Cake Shop (St. Kilda) – A local legend of sorts. The window is worth gazing at for awhile, but the pastries were nothing to write home about. 2 stars.
• Stalactites (Melbourne CBD) – Well known Greek restaurant famous for its souvlaki sandwiches, which are available 24 hours / day. Lamb souvlaki was very tasty, albeit a bit greasy… but that’s what makes them popular late night. 2.5 stars.
• Kum Den (Chinatown) – Chinese food that is very well regarded as a basic, but good meal. We didn’t have a particularly good experience, but we might not have ordered well… 1.5 stars.
• Maxims Bakery (Chinatown) – Hong-Kong style bakery. If you happen by the shop when they have warm egg tarts be sure to eat one. A divine experience of butter pastry and delicate custard.

Activities

• Stroll the alleyways of Melbourne – Block Arcade has lots of great cafes. Royal Arcade is worth a walk through to see the impressive formality of the classic arcade style in Melbourne. The chocolate shop and sugar shop are worth a gander too. Centre Place has a large selection of small and tasty eateries. Blufish is particularly good for fish and chips.
• Royal Melbourne Zoo – Supposedly one of the more progressive zoos, however, to the untrained eye it is a lot like your basic zoo. Lots of animals and lots of cages.
• Visit Queen Victoria’s Market – Stroll around the huge QVM market and grab some items for lunch or a snack as you go. There are over 150 vendors in this market that operates most days of the week. (Closed Mondays and Wednesdays)

Philip Island

Accommodation

• Cowes Caravan Park – Basic caravan park with average facilities. Right along the beach, although the beach is not particularly scenic at that spot. 2 stars.

Activities

• Penguin Parade – This is why you come to Philip Island. Every night (all year), little penguins emerge from days or weeks fishing at sea to return to their rookery. There are 60,000 pengins on the island, but you only see a tiny fraction of that during the nightly parade across the beach. This is quite a sophisticated tourist operation, bleachers for 3,000!, but the penguins are still quite cute.
• Koala Conservation Centre – Since you are already on the island, this is worth a stop. They have 2 boardwalks where the koalas can be seen up close, although you cannot touch them.

Great Ocean Road

Accommodation

• Aireys Inlet Caravan Park (Aireys Inlet) – Top notch caravan park, but make sure your tent site is not on a slant. All the facilities were quite clean and the camp kitchen was actually a regular room (rather than an outdoor hut). There was even wireless! 3 stars.
• Glenaire Cottages (Glenaire) – We went up market after camping and feeling a bit under the weather. These are individual lodges in the woods with views of the ocean in the distance. Log fires, hot tubs and a heated blanket for the bed. The lodges are secluded and relaxing. 3 stars.

Restaurants

• Bend Cafe (Glenaire) – Described as a reluctant chef, Paul runs this eatery in Glenaire along the Great Ocean Road. There is no set menu as he only serves what is fresh. His food was quite good and the fact that he brought it to our lodge for dinner was even better. If you get the chance, make sure to try the chocolate mousse. 3 stars.

The Grampians

Accommodation

• Happy Wanderers Caravan Park (Wartook Valley) – This campground is quite basic. It is located in Wartook, which is a bit of a misnomer because the campground is basically the only thing in town. The biggest reason to stay here is to see kangaroos and emus which are plentiful in the area. There is a nightly roo feeding which attracts a lot of hopping visitors. 2 stars.

Activities

• The Balconies – the most photographed site in the Grampians. It is an impressive lookout, but since the fires, access to the area has been limited to a small lookout area, which prevents the most interesting access to the area.
• MacKenzie Falls – This is a steep walk down a couple of hundred steps to the bottom of the falls. The view is quite impressive against the black rock of the falls. It is quite popular, so expect a crowd.
• Hollow Mountain – This is a strenuous but short hike (1.5 hours) among gorgeous rock and rock formations. The variation in the rock is fascinating during the hike and there is a little nook at the top, which makes the perfect lunch spot. Arriving at the trail is a bit of an adventure in and of itself as it is several kilometers down an unsealed road.

Mildura

Accommodation

• Mildura Grand Hotel – Right in the center of town, this is the place to stay in Mildura. It has recently been taken over by Quality Inns, but it has a long and interesting history in Mildura. All of the best restaurants are either in the building or within a short walk. There is quite a variation in the room quality, so ask to be shown around to get the best pick of the lot. 3 stars.

Restaurants

• Stefano’s – This is the reason we came to Mildura. Stefano di Pieri is a local star in the food world including the requisite tv show. He owns several restaurants in town, but this is his flag ship and most formal dining experience. It offers a set 5 course menu of Italian food in the cellar of the Mildura Grand Hotel. The food was about as expected for the cost, but it was enhanced by the 3 hour dining experience. 2.5 stars.
• Pizza Cafe – A casual, above average pizza restaurant in keeping with the Aussie style of offering all sorts of things, all at once on a pizza. 2.5 stars.
• 27 Deakin – Stefano’s cafe and takeaway. Has great sandwiches. 3 stars.

Activities

• Mungo National Park with Harry Ananya Tours – This was the highlight of the week (or several weeks). The tour to Mungo to see the Walls of China is spectacular. The tour offers a view of the park that you could not get as an independent visitor (plus they handle the 3 hour round trip driving on unsealed roads). There is a tremendous amount of archaeological history that has been discovered at Mungo as well as a deep sacred tradition for the Aborigine people. This tour provides insight into both aspects of the land. (Mungo National Park is actually located in NSW if you are looking for it on a map, but Mildura is the closest town.)

Burra

Accommodation

• Paxton Cottages – Simple, spacious self-contained cottages with basic, but clean facilities. 2.5 stars.

Flinders Ranges

Accommodation

• Wilpena Pound Resort and Camping Ground (Wilpena)- This is the only place to stay in Wilpena with the exception of bush camping in the national park. The facilities are basic, but fine with lots of unpowered camp sites. There is an abundance of wildlife in the campground, which is its best quality. No camp kitchen. Bring food supplies from elsewhere because the food here is not good. 2 stars.
• Prairie Hotel (Parachilna) – This is one of our top accommodation experiences to date. The Prairie Hotel is a unique little hotel said to offer a slice of luxury in the harsh outback. There is a range of accommodation types from camping and backpackers to regular hotel rooms. The hotel restaurant is fantastic and has quite an unusual bushtucker menu. The focus is feral meats (kangaroo, emu and camel primarily) done in innovative ways. These are all quite tasty as are the more conventional offerings. This place is definitely worth a stop on your itinerary. 3.5 stars.

Restaurants

• Prairie Hotel Restaurant – If for some crazy reason, you are in this area and are not staying at the Prairie Hotel, make sure to stop in for a meal. The bushtucker is delicious and unlike any other meal you are likely to have! 3 stars.

Activities

• Mount Ohlssen Bagge hike – this is a steep, but very do-able hike which provides a beautiful view of the Wilpena Pound. The rock displays vibrant colors of red, orange and golden as you make your way to the top. And doing this hike avoids the bad omen of the St. Marys Peak hike that the Aborigines have asked people not to do.
• 4WD tour – Several companies offer 4WD tours of this area, which allow you to get a very different view of the scenery here. We took the tour offered at the Prairie Hotel and although it was a bit pricey, we loved it. We traveled through a private sheep station and to a salt lake. Beautiful and a unique adventure.
• Self-drive through Wilpena Pound – This drive is possible with a 2WD car, although it feels a bit adventurous at points on the unsealed roads. Brachina Gorge and Stokes Hill Lookout are both particularly impressive. There is also a self-drive geological tour sign-posted at the northern end of the park. The pound teems with wildlife in the late afternoon, you won’t have to look hard to spot many emus and kangaroos.
• Parachilna Gorge (on the road from Blinman to Parachilna) – This is drive on an unsealed road is possible by 2WD. The gorge area is not enormous, but it is pretty quiet and has some amazing geological significance. An entire geological era, the Ediacaran Period, was identified based on discoveries in this gorge. It was the first new era identified in 120 years and the only one based on rocks found in the southern hemisphere.

Adelaide

Accommodation

• Backpack Oz – Relatively centrally located, but this hostel was quite forgettable. The only thing that stood out is that the common space is right next to the room and there was a group of drunken travelers chatting away including when our alarm went off at 6AM for a flight. 2 stars.

Northern Territory

Western Australia Part 1

Where did we go?
Perth
North of Perth
Coral Coast
Pilbara Region
Broome
Gibb River Road
Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

Perth

Accommodation

• Emperor’s Crown (Northbridge) – A great, lively hostel with modern, clean facilities. Some doubles are even available en suite! Good location. 3 stars.

Restaurants

• Maya Masala (Northbridge) – Average Indian restaurant with fast service. 2 stars.

North of Perth

Accommodation

• Port Gregory Caravan Park – This is a random location that you are unlikely to stumble upon. If for some reason you were going to be drawn to this area, I would look for another place to stay. Kalbarri is only another hour up the road and has many more options. The camping spaces are packed in together and the facilities are quite worn. Having said that, there did seem to be a friendly vibe in the park. 1.5 stars.

Restaurants

• Echo Cafe (Kalbarri) – We only stopped in for a morning snack, but the coffee was good and the ambience on the quiet porch was quite enjoyable. 2 stars.
• Gorges Cafe (Kalbarri) – We only stopped for an afternoon snack here, but the quiche was absolutely fantastic! The pastry of the quiche seemed to have a bit of lemon in it – delicious! 2.5 stars.

Activities

• Pinnacles Desert – This trip is a main attraction about 250km north of Perth. The park gets a lot of visitors, but it is far enough away that it doesn’t seem commercialized. The pinnacles are impressive and the sand is an unusual bright yellow.
• Kalbarri National Park – We did not encounter this park on the right day. The views were not that impressive, but the flies were absolutely oppressive! I am sure it has more to offer than we were able to enjoy, but this stop was not a standout.

Coral Coast

Accommodation

• Monkey Mia Resort Dolphin Lodge (Monkey Mia) – The resort is quite big. It’s the only place in Monkey Mia, famous for the daily visits from the local dolphins. The Lodge is the lower cost accommodation option and the facilities were quite good. We brought all of our food and the camp kitchen was large and easy to share among the many guests. While it does not have the most beautiful beach on earth, the offerings here are great for a relaxing stop along a trip north or south.
• Bay View Holiday Park (Coral Bay) – Coral Bay is a cute, very small town, but this caravan park leaves something to be desired. The sites are very small, the facilities are quite worn and the rates are on the high side. The neighboring campground is supposed to be nicer as is the plentiful camping between Coral Bay and Exmouth in the national park. 2 stars.

Activities

• Dolphin feedings – the dolphins have been coming to this spot for over 40 years. While the crowd can be a bit big, watching the dolphins from knee deep water, it is a great opportunity to get up close to these magnificent creatures. Unlike most dolphin encounters, this is not a separate charge once you are here.
• Catamaran cruise – We did the Dudong sighting trip and were able to spot one of the elusive creatures. Overall, there was not a lot of wildlife visible on the trip, but it was a very relaxing couple of hours on the water.
• Snorkeling on Ningaloo Reef – The snorkeling here is quite impressive and is available just off the beach in Coral Bay. The snorkeling trips are 2 hours and are relatively inexpensive. We took a glass bottomed boat out and were able to get a great view of the coral and the fish as we traveled out. Of the two hours we got about an hour in the water and went to two different sites.

Pilbara Region

Places in this region are often hundreds of kilometers from the next stop, so you need to come prepared to be entirely self-sufficient – food and water included.
Accommodation

• Tom Price Caravan Park (Tom Price)- Basic campground with passable facilities. Nothing to write home about but its the only caravan park for hundreds of kilometers. Tom Price is also a refill supplies. 2 stars.
• Cove Caravan Park (Point Samson) – Newly renovated caravan park with great facilities and grassy sites on the beach in Point Samson. 2 minute walk to Honeymoon Cove. Trees have been planted, but they will need to grow for a few years before shade is available. 2.5 stars.
• Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park – Not really in the Pilbara Region or really anywhere… It is between Perth and Broome. The grounds are nice and have shade, but given the heat, a cabin might be a better option. 2.5 stars.

Restaurants

• Moby’s (Point Samson) – Offers wonderfully fresh fish and good salad and coleslaw to go along with it. 3 stars.

Activities

• Karijini National Park – Huge national park is most famous for multiple gorges with wonderful swimming holes below them. Fern Pool in Dale’s Gorge is refreshing and nearly majestic if you can catch a visit in between tour groups. Having said that, visits to the park are nothing like they would be if it was any closer to a major city. It’s serene nature is protected by its isolated location.

Broome

Overall, Broome is an expensive location to visit. Being 2000km in either direction from another place of its size, it costs a lot to get things here. But the remoteness is also part of its charm…
Accommodation

• Kimberly Klub – An acceptable hostel and the most popular one in Broome. This place is exactly what I imagined popular spring break spots were like when I made sure to avoid them in college. no other place along the way has made us feel so old, but the facilities are fine. That said, accommodation is really expensive in Broome and this is supposedly the best of the low cost options. 2 stars.
• Waterfront B&B – Not an inexpensive option, but a quiet retreat. There are only 2 rooms at the B&B. Breakfasts are very tasty and the bathroom is outdoors allowing you to shower under the stars. 2.5 stars.

Restaurants

• Zanders – A great place to watch the sunset overlooking Cable Beach. The food is good, but a bit pricey. 2.5 stars.
• Town Beach Cafe – A casual quiet eatery overlooking town beach. The barra burger is delicious. 2.5 stars.
• Aarli Bar – Not actually a bar, its a restaurant… Decent pizzas and good breakfasts. 2.5 stars.
• Cafe Carlotta – Reputed to be the best restaurant in town. This place did stand out from the rest serving good Italian food. 3 stars.
• Matso’s Brewery – Great ginger beer and a good chicken salad. There is also a curry bar in the garden that serves up decent Thai food. 3 stars.
• Noodlefish – Thai influenced cuisine. Well reputed in Broome, but we thought it was only decent for the price. 2.5 stars.

Activities

• Red Dirt Photography – An unusual tour… The first we have seen of its kind. Nigel Kelly takes you out on a full day helping you learn more about your camera and also how to improve your composition. 3 stars.
• Willie Creek Pearl Lugger tour – A nice afternoon cruise (including sunset) on a replica pearl lugger. The snacks were very tasty and it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. 3 stars.

Gibb River Road

The Gibb River Road is an unsealed 4WD road stretching 655km from Derby to Wyndham. There is limited accommodation and facilities on the road.
Accommodation

• Mornington Wilderness Camp – This is a very special place located 88km off the Gibb, taking 3 hours to pass. The area is full of wildlife and feels like a real oasis. Camping facilities were basic. They offer other types of accommodation, tours and meals. 3 stars.
• Mt. Elizabeth Station – Basic camping facilities on a working station. Owners were friendly and gave us the night for free because we were the first campers of the season! Homestead accommodation is also available. 2 stars.
• El Questro Wilderness Camp – The million acre property is quite extraordinary, however, the property is unfortunately owned by a huge resort company that tends to overcharge for everything. We stayed at in the private camping area and had our own little private area to camp. The gorges in the area were amazing. 2.5 stars.

Activities
Several of the main attractions, like Bell Gorge, were still closed from the Wet when we drove the road, but we thought it was a great time of year because crowds were limited, the area was still very green and the river crossings were quite exciting.

• Dimond Gorge at Mornington Wilderness Camp – An exciting 4WD track leads out to the gorge. There are swimming holes nearby and canoes available for rent from reception.
• El Questro Gorge at El Questro – If you come early in the season, the swimming homes on this walk are lovely.

Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

Temperatures are extremely hot in the park because the heat gets trapped by all the rock. Be prepared because there is no air conditioning in the park 🙂
Accommodation

• There are two camp grounds in the National Park – neither have any real facilities. The one on the right is closer to the beehive domes that make the Bungle Bungles famous. If you spend 2 nights, it is recommended to spend one night in each.

Activities

• Cathedral Gorge walk – This is the most famous walk in the Bungles. It is an easy walk and allows you to be up close to the rocks, but the gorge itself if not particularly impressive.
• Domes Walk – A short addition to add to the Cathedral Gorge walk gives you up close access to the beehive domes.
• Echidna Chasm Walk – This walk really surprised us. The chasm is quite impressive and was much longer than I expected. It is worth the trip.

Western Australia Part 2

When was the rating made?
We were there April 24 – May 4, 2008

This was part of our return trip to Australia in 2008. We loved WA so much, we decided to go back to see the lovely southwest WA!

Where did we go?
Porongurup
Esperance
Denmark
Margaret River

Porongurup

Accommodation

• Porongurup Caravan Park – This park has basic facilities just outside the boundaries of the Porongurup National Park. The hosts were very friendly and helpful at the park.

Activities

• Hiking in Porongurup National Park – pose with the famous Balancing Rock.

Esperance

Accommodation

• Croker’s Tourist Park – A nice caravan park, but the location is terrible. Our camp site was right next to the highway, which seems like a waste in an area with endless empty beaches.
• Island View Apartments – Across the street from the water near the Tanker Jetty. Apartments are nicely finished, but getting a little worn down.

Restaurants

• Taylor Street Jetty Cafe – A popular local restaurant. While it is a bit over-priced, the location was great.

Activities

• Cape Le Grande National Park – This is one of the great attractions in the area. We hiked Frenchman’s Peak for an overlook the water from many different directions. Lucky Bay is magnificent.
• Drive Great Ocean Drive – This 38km drive is a loop just outside Esperance, bringing you along the coast to many empty gorgeous beaches.
• Visit Fitzgerald National Park – The drive through this park is exquisite with lots of great picnic and camping spots.

Denmark

Accommodation

• Tree Elle Retreat – These are gorgeous houses located outside Denmark. The grounds boast a wonderful garden from where you can pick fresh veggies and herbs for dinner. The fresh bread and homemade yogurt weren’t bad either!

Activities

• Visit Greens Pool – Of the long beautiful beaches on the coast, this one stands out.
• Wine tasting at the tasty local vineyards

Margaret River

Accommodation

• House rental from In House Holidays. This place rents high-end homes in the Margaret River region. We had an ocean view in a modern home.

Restaurants

• Sea Garden Cafe – A great breakfast near Prevelly Beach.

Activities

• Wine tasting – There are so many to choose from – some of our favorites were Eagle Vale vineyard and Cape Grace winery.
• Tour Jewell Cave – See the stalagmites in this large cave
• Visit the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin – Stand at the intersection of the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean at the most southwesterly point in Australia.

Queensland