Taking my Koala crazy children to Australia -tips?

Mike,
We were out there a couple of years ago
wonderful place loved every minute of the time there infact didn't want to come back only other half insisted. At the time koala's were in decline due to some virus that was killing them off so we didn't get to see any in the wild ,best place then was the Koala Rescue zoo in Sydney. For internal flights we used a B A promotion called Boomerang [pay for a couple of internal flights and get the rest free] But I don't know if BA still does it. Also check out the web site of AAT King's a fantastic tour company in Australia,that covers the whole of the Country and on local knowledge if their Drivers don't know about it ,it don't exist.They used to have a branch in ,I think Surry.One last thing, do you have some space left in one of your suit cases??
Best of luck, and you all will enjoy the trip it's a wonderful place
oldie.

The best place I have come accross for Koalas was in Tasmania, where there is a wildlife sancturay for them. They are maintaining a healthy breeding stock there against de-population of the mainland animals. It is a wonderful park, with free roaming kangaroos and wallabies. Hand feeding the kangaroos alone is enough of a draw, add handling koals and wombats (my personal favoutite) as well as getting up close and personal with Tasmanian Devils make it an absolute treat. Tasmamnia is easily reached with local comuter flights from Melbourne. By contrast the wildlife park we saw near Melbourne was a far more lack lustre afair with dispirited animals and not the freindlients staff.

Help Bunnys everywhere!!!!!

No Seriously, everywhere!!!!!!!

Yeah that park in Taz was fantastic, near Hobart. I think that the name was Bonorong. There is a pretty good place, imaginatively called Australian Reptile Park, just north of Sydney. They have Koalas, though I don't remember if it was hands on. Can feel up any number of slimey, crawly things and roos. They also have a croc there that's about the size of 8 berth caravan.
http://www.reptilepark.com.au/default.asp

Didn't see any Koalas but Sydney's Aquarium is as wonderful as you might imagine.

Depending upon the age of your offspring I would advise that you focus on the matter of getting there and back without any number of in-flight episodes. If I was doing it again I'd take 6 weeks and leapfrog my way through SE Asia, backpacker style. Or leave the kids with granny, or the wife or the check-in staff. Or send them ahead. They were very long flights and frankly I'm surprised at how much it still hurts.

Ha yes I'd forgoten about the long flights even with stop overs it's 13 or 15 hours in a cramped, unpleasent place with if your unlucky not very nice people sitting/ sprawling by/over you but the end result is still worth it
oldie.

Also recommended is the penguin parade at Phillip Island, south of Melbourne. There is a koala conservation centre near by if you can't get to Tasmania. It's not 'hands on' as apparently the beasties don't tolerate this very well. I also thought Sydney aquarium was amazing, even after diving on the great barrier reef which is wonderful too...

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

Kangaroo Island has lots of wild life including Koalas.

Howard

Slight digression I know but it still amuses.

A friend once deided he had the secret of keeping the kids happy on the long haul to Oz.

Tamagochis !

Surely this couldn't fail to keep his hyperactive amused.

Unfortunately both toys went int immediate hibernation mode for the entire trip !

Ah well.

Fraser island an absolute must, including the worlds 7 most deadly snakes and 3 most deadly spiders a Hotel that has won world wide acclaim for it's sympathetic approach to the eco structure even Charlie thought it was brilliant so I supose that, thats a black mark for it, well we can't win them all. No Koalas though but sugar gliders and dingos in abundance,a inland lake where the waters are a blue that you can only dream about,Coopers bottle conditioned Beer, VB Beers, the real Fosters not that crap they con some people to buy here,You lucky Ba---rd.
Do I like Australia NO I HATED ITif you don't believe me,you have a PT , one last thing,
are you sure you don't have a bit of spare room in one of your suit cases mike
Oh sh-t I suppose Scotland will have to do as second best
oldie.

[This message was edited by oldie on Tue 06 July 2004 at 23:53.]

Sorry Mike and Barry
But I don't seem to be able to get this BL--DY PT thing to work and I didn't want to put this address out in the public domain without permission but as I'm away In Scotland for the next 3 weeks I can't get the ok first, so sorry Barry you can kick my back side when I get back But if you want some first hand info Mike contact another Naimie who lives in Newcastle NSW who I'm sure will give you all the info you need e-mail address:-
barry-s@iinet.net.au
oldie.

Just a note from one who has handled a Koala. They are cute, no doubt, but they are stinky and sometimes quite un-cooperative. The young'ns might have a different image of them after the event.

The biggest problem is sitting on your goulies for all those hours getting there. I would suggest a stopover in Singapore for a few days. Facinating place, magnificent food and shopping to die for. All the Hi Fi shops are in one multi-story building, you can spend an entire day there.

Mike

tips? Yeah, steal a loaf of bread, a jar of jam, and flip the bird to the magistrate who tries you. You'll get a free trip out there, and you'll be able to score a large plot of land in paradise when you've served your time.

Oh, wrong century. Sorry.


Rico - SM/Mullet Audio

thansk for all the tips here, very much appreciated.

What about travel ie book on the Internet or a high street travel agent?

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

It's probably a bit obvious, but if you have any queries or just want to browse threads, this has always been a cracking and reliable source of travel and destination info wherever one is headed.
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/

For travel I always ring around Trailfinders, STA and Travelbag to see what their best offers are and to pick their brains on routes, stopover and any internal flight options. Then I see if Opodo or Expedia can beat it. For long haul Emirates, Singapore or Cathay are hard to beat and worth a bit extra.

Better yet, go to New Zealand.

Much nicer people, landscape, cheaper and well, not full of Australians.

Mike,

Try to include a trip to the centre, although don't get seduced into thinking Alice Springs is anywhere near Uluru (Ayre's Rock) / King's Canyon. In fact there is a dedicated airport , and places to stay. Sydney, the barrier reef, even Koalas and kangaroos are all exactly what you expect of them. The Aboriginal centre is staggering in an other-worldly near-spiritual way. Read up about and explore the visitors centre before deciding whether or not to climb the rock. King's Canyon was where the, er, denoument of "Pricilla - Queen of the Desert" was filmed and is spectacular, as are the "Olga Mountains" a more eroded version of Uluru. The light is like no other on earth, the night sky is so mesmerising it can keep you awake. This has to be the best single place on Earth to take a hot air balloon trip (expensive, mark you). There's more to Australia than just the edge.

On my first trip I held a koala at a wildlife Park (near Adelaide) and it decided to piss on me(!) Since, as far as I can tell, they don't drink water, they wee about once every third year - at least it smelled that way. The colour and consistency of treacle, the "parfum" was so intense I bought a t-shirt in the gift shop and threw away what I had been wearing. But they are cute I suppose. The government strictures on shooting them in the 80s were so successful that now they have become something of a pest again, and can often be seen wild (and shot at).

Remember to dip your children in factor 50 sunscreen the whole time.

G'day

Its booked.

Sydney, then Brisbane.

Could have got a 252......

Thanks to all for the tips - I went to Trailfinders in Oxford, and can recommend them.

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.