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Australia

Tasmania, Sydney, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road

By Scott Richardson

When my in-laws took an opportunity to house sit near Melbourne, we seized the chance to go for a visit. Australia had been on our travel wish list, but beyond seeing the Opera House, we weren't sure what else was there to explore. When we realized Melbourne provides easy access to many beautiful places to explore, we easily filled our two week itinerary.

Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania

The Tasman Peninsula has the kind of jagged landscapes you'd expect to see at the edge of the world. With its dark skies and constant drone of waves slapping against shore, it's a mesmerizing place to visit.

Port Arthur

In the early 1800's, Port Arthur served as an industrial camp for British felons to cut timber for shipbuilding. The prison's location on a remote peninsula surrounded by high cliffs and rough seas made escape nearly impossible.

Coles Bay

Further up the Tasmania's east coast is the idyllic Freycinet National Park. Its granite cliff faces are complimented by white sand beaches and cerulean surf.

Sydney Opera House

My wife and I started dating after while working on a documentary film about a local architectural landmark. Naturally, the Sydney Opera House was on our bucket list.

While the building's "sails" are a landmark recognizable around the world, its architect gave little attention to their structural support which led construction to run decades beyond schedule.

Sydney Toronga Zoo

Easily one of the best views from a zoo anywhere.

Blue Mountains

While it's no Yosemite, the valley of the Blue Mountains is a nice retreat from Sydney within a short drive. Firefighters were igniting controlled burns throughout the valley while we visited, which added drama to our photos.

Melbourne

We used Melbourne as our international hub, and as a home base for our 2-week adventure. We stayed a few nights in the Dandenong ranges in the city's suburbs, and got a taste for the city by through its gardens and central business district.

Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges

An hour-long train ride to the east of Melbourne brought us to lush parks full of fern gullies. Nearby we found kangaroos resting amongst the trees near a reservoir.

The Great Ocean Road

Just west of Melbourne is the beautiful Great Ocean Road. We spent two days along exploring waterfalls, hiking along the rocky coast, and spotting koalas along the road.

Travel resources

Tasmania

Flying to Tasmania: "Tassie" is a short 1-2 hour flight from either Melbourne or Sydney, making it a great detour if you're traveling around southeast Australia. Be aware that domestic flights limit carry-on luggage to 15 lbs, and they're pretty strict about it.

Driving: Watch out for roads that turn into trails. We were surprised when our route turned from pavement to gravel, then to a rocky, rutted mess. When in doubt, stick to the "A" routes, especially if you've lost the rental car lottery.

Where to eat: Decent restaurants are few and far between on the Tasman Peninsula, but the cafe at Port Arthur Historic Site serves a decent lunch and the Lufra Hotel is a solid dinner choice. Further north, we enjoyed the Saltshaker Restaurant on the drive to Cole's Bay.

Tessellated Pavement: Rare gridded rock depressions caused by sediment erosion, near Eaglehawk Neck.

Cape Raoul: 8.7 miles roundtrip. The best hike of our trip. Start by traveling through a forest, and after a few km you come to a point overlooking the ocean and cliffs. After walking for a while along the cliffs, you'll wind down a series of switchbacks and out onto a flat portion of the cape with low brush. Finally you'll end up at a jagged point where there are two overlooks of the cape. Bring lunch and enjoy the view.

Tasmanian Devil Unzoo: Awesome place to experience Tasmanian wildlife up close. The "unzoo" has a mix of rescue animals and a few bred in captivity (from it's previous life as a traditional zoo). Definitely catch the Tasmanian devil feedings to learn about the efforts the wild devils safe. Also be sure to see the birds of prey presentation. We enjoyed it so much we visited twice.

Federation Chocolate: Across the street from the unzoo, offering samples of many flavors of chocolate.

Port Arthur Historic Site: Learn all about the country's history as a penal colony and tour the remnants of buildings dating back to the early 19th century. The restored asylum and separate prison give a good idea for how inmates were treated in solitary confinement. The beautiful decay of the penitentiary ruins indicate the close quarters inmates shared. A short cruise through the harbor is included in admission and tells the story of juvenile prisoners who were brought to the colony from Britain for petty crimes.

Port Arthur Lavender Farm: Beautiful place to explore. We recommend the lavender hot chocolate and ice cream.

Freycinet National Park: Take a short hike to view Wineglass Bay. At Friendly Beaches, admire the sparkling white sand and clear blue waters.

Stargazing: Admire the core of the milky way with Tassie's dark skies.

Wineries: Watch for signs indicating a "cellar door," and stop in for a taste. We enjoyed talking with the bartender at Craigie Knowe, and stopped for lunch with a stunning view at Devil's Corner.

Coal River Farm: On a recommendation from the bartender at Craigie Knowe, we made this our last stop in Tasmania. They offer a large variety of cheese and chocolates. My wife ordered a cheese plate, and I ordered a glass of gin to celebrate the end of our Tassie adventure. The tasting room's large windows have an incredible scenic view, and it's a short 10 minute drive to the airport.

Sydney

Sydney Opera House: Undoubtedly the most recognizable landmark in Sydney. While the exterior architecture is the main draw, the interior tour is worth the ticket price. You'll learn all about the architect and the controversy of it's construction.

Harbor Ferry: An inexpensive way to see the city. We took the ferry from Circular Quay across the harbor to the zoo and enjoyed a great view of the harbor bridge and opera house on the short trip.

Toronga Zoo Sydney: Probably the best view from a zoo anywhere in the world. Situated across the harbor from the city center, you can watch an incredibly coordinated bird show while overlooking the harbor bridge, opera house and city skyline. You can tour the zoo from open to close and still miss most of it. Don't miss the deadly spider show.

Blue Mountains: While I expected a more spectacular view, the mountains were a great retreat within 1.5 hours of Sydney. There are a number of great hikes, although a series of controlled burns clouded the scenery and made the air unfriendly to much activity.

Yellow Deli in Katoomba: The best lunch of the trip in what feels like a treehouse. While traveling around the Blue Mountains, we stopped in here for sandwiches. Don't miss the green drink.

Melbourne

Skybus: The easiest way to get from the airport into the heart of the city.

City Circle Tram: A free tram which makes a loop around the CBD. Serves as a good way to orient yourself to the city and view the city's architecture.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria: Hop on a guided tour to learn about the garden's collection of native and international species of trees and fauna.

State Library Victoria: Wonder around the domed reading room and marvel at it's architecture.

Great Ocean Road

Driving: The drive from Torquay to Port Campbell is an attraction itself. Split it into a few days and enjoy the sights along the way.

Grand Pacific Hotel: A cozy, victorian style hotel overlooking the coast.

Kennett River Koala Walk: A detour from the main road leads to a gum-tree lined road where koalas can be found high in the trees. We visited during a downpour, so we drove along the road and spotted koalas from through the windshield. My wife was a great koala spotter, while my eye-spy skills need some work.

Port Campbell National Park: Far from a secret, you'll most likely battle crowds to catch a gimpse of the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge. We hit severe weather on this part of the trip, which made the pictures dramatic, but strong winds and rain cut our touring short.

Narana Aboriginal Cultural Center: Whenever possible, I like to learn about native history when we travel. This small center features a few exhibits, artifacts and an art gallery. You can also walk around a garden and see wallabies, kangaroos and emus.