Itinerary for Reccie Trip

[Cheery Thistle]

So, flights are booked and have been for ages, fly in to Sydney 25th Feb and back again 16th March via Doha. Starting in Sydney and driving up to Brisbane/Sunny Coast.

Rough itinerary: 

25th Feb - 2nd March - Sydney. Have booked Coogee as we prefer it more chilled and want to recover from jet lag etc. Plan on doing Taronga, the bridge climb and just chilling and recovering from travel. Also allows a day or 2 to catch up with hubby’s cousins. 
2nd March - 5th March - Newcastle. Want to rule this in or out as a potential destination for living in. Feel it’s an itch we need to scratch! 
5th - 6th March - Byron? Need To break up the journey to Brisbane. 
6 - 11th March - Brisbane 

12th - 15th March Sunny Coast (Caloundra?)

15th - internal flight back to Sydney, stay in city centre for last night before flying back on 16th. 
 

Sydney is not on the list of possible places to settle but we’ve never been before and conscious that we will be jet lagged so need to chill a bit before the driving. 
 

Any glaring disasters in there or anything we have really missed? Not staying in GC but will likely day trip it to one of the theme parks whilst in Brisbane. 

 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

So, flights are booked and have been for ages, fly in to Sydney 25th Feb and back again 16th March via Doha. Starting in Sydney and driving up to Brisbane/Sunny Coast.

Rough itinerary: 

25th Feb - 2nd March - Sydney. Have booked Coogee as we prefer it more chilled and want to recover from jet lag etc. Plan on doing Taronga, the bridge climb and just chilling and recovering from travel. Also allows a day or 2 to catch up with hubby’s cousins. 
2nd March - 5th March - Newcastle. Want to rule this in or out as a potential destination for living in. Feel it’s an itch we need to scratch! 
5th - 6th March - Byron? Need To break up the journey to Brisbane. 
6 - 11th March - Brisbane 

12th - 15th March Sunny Coast (Caloundra?)

15th - internal flight back to Sydney, stay in city centre for last night before flying back on 16th. 
 

Sydney is not on the list of possible places to settle but we’ve never been before and conscious that we will be jet lagged so need to chill a bit before the driving. 
 

Any glaring disasters in there or anything we have really missed? Not staying in GC but will likely day trip it to one of the theme parks whilst in Brisbane. 

 

If you have the time and the energy, a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly is a nice trip on a sunny day.  When you get off the ferry walk up the Corso then turn right past the Surf Club and take the walk to Shelly Beach.  It's a pretty walk and there's a place at the end practically right on the beach where you can relax with a glass of wine.

Forgot to say    .................  this is in Sydney.

Edited January 2 by Toots

[Cheery Thistle]

Thanks! I was looking at staying in Manly but couldn’t find anything I liked in budget. So, Coogee it is. Would love to see Manly whilst we’re there. We don’t have a huge to-do list so hopefully we’ll make it. 

[ramot]

4 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

So, flights are booked and have been for ages, fly in to Sydney 25th Feb and back again 16th March via Doha. Starting in Sydney and driving up to Brisbane/Sunny Coast.

Rough itinerary: 

25th Feb - 2nd March - Sydney. Have booked Coogee as we prefer it more chilled and want to recover from jet lag etc. Plan on doing Taronga, the bridge climb and just chilling and recovering from travel. Also allows a day or 2 to catch up with hubby’s cousins. 
2nd March - 5th March - Newcastle. Want to rule this in or out as a potential destination for living in. Feel it’s an itch we need to scratch! 
5th - 6th March - Byron? Need To break up the journey to Brisbane. 
6 - 11th March - Brisbane 

12th - 15th March Sunny Coast (Caloundra?)

15th - internal flight back to Sydney, stay in city centre for last night before flying back on 16th. 
 

Sydney is not on the list of possible places to settle but we’ve never been before and conscious that we will be jet lagged so need to chill a bit before the driving. 
 

Any glaring disasters in there or anything we have really missed? Not staying in GC but will likely day trip it to one of the theme parks whilst in Brisbane. 

 

3 days on the Sunshine Coast isn’t very long . Caloundra is fine, Noosa is popular good beach and shops, but Mooloolaba would be my choice,  has a better beach, than Caloundra, can’t remember your daughters age? Underwater World is there, and if you have time you should go to Australia Zoo. Montville and Maleny on the range in the hinterland about 25 mins from Mooloolaba are worth a visit, I prefer Maleny. Takes about 1hr 15mins from the centre of Brisbane to the S Coast on a clear run, but there are lots of road works which can affect the time. 
Theme parks from Brisbane doable, Recommend The Outback Spectacular, it’s a great fun show, you could spend a night near the Theme Parks and Outback Spectacular before Brisbane.  
Have fun whatever you do.
It will take about 7hrs Newcastle to Byron, and 2 hours Byron to Brisbane, we tend to stop in Port Macquarie, can let you know where if need it.

Edited January 2 by ramot

[Cheery Thistle]

Great thanks. Will give that some thought. 3 nights not long enough in SC but something has to give! Trying to cram a lot in. Eek. Daughter is 10. We are almost discounting SC as an option for living in, mostly due to the lack of job opportunities really. So it’s more of a fun visit than a reccie. But you never know.

[ramot]

10 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Great thanks. Will give that some thought. 3 nights not long enough in SC but something has to give! Trying to cram a lot in. Eek. Daughter is 10. We are almost discounting SC as an option for living in, mostly due to the lack of job opportunities really. So it’s more of a fun visit than a reccie. But you never know.

 

10 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Great thanks. Will give that some thought. 3 nights not long enough in SC but something has to give! Trying to cram a lot in. Eek. Daughter is 10. We are almost discounting SC as an option for living in, mostly due to the lack of job opportunities really. So it’s more of a fun visit than a reccie. But you never know.

My son would move back from Brisbane in a heartbeat if there was more work here. I know you want to look at Newcastle but you would save so much time if you flew to Brisbane or the S Coast. or Newcastle to Brisbane? Just a thought, as  it’s quite a long drive.

Edited January 3 by ramot

[Cheery Thistle]

Just now, ramot said:

 

My son would move back from Brisbane in a heartbeat if there was more work here. I know you want to look at Newcastle but you would save so much time if you flew to Brisbane or the S Coast. or Newcastle to Brisbane? Just a thought 

Newcastle to Brisbane will only save us one day really - we’re going Newcastle-Byron for one night, then Brisbane. 

[rammygirl]

I second Maloolaba over Caloundra. 

[InnerVoice]

23 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Newcastle to Brisbane will only save us one day really - we’re going Newcastle-Byron for one night, then Brisbane. 

I'd spend a day less in Newcastle and a day longer in Byron, or somewhere else on the way up like Coffs Harbour.

I don't think it will take you long to scratch that itch. Newcastle is a nice enough town but it's mostly folks who can't afford to live in Sydney, yet can't bear to be too far away from it. Australians are a little odd in that respect. Traditionally they don't like moving interstate, particularly New South Walians who believe their state is better than everyone else's. That attitude has waned somewhat in the younger generation, with many from NSW and VIC having moved up to SEQ for a better lifestyle.

A week is a long time to spend in Sydney considering you don't intend to live there. If I'd been in the situation where I needed to spend a night in Sydney before flying home then I'd have stayed there at the end of my trip, and done the whole thing in the opposite direction. Chilling out on the Sunshine Coast for a few days would be a much nicer way to start your holiday than the hustle and bustle of Sydney.

You're going to miss all the school holidays so you shouldn't have any difficulty booking accommodation. I know some people like to book everything in advance, but I think it's good to have a spare day for contingencies. You never know what the weather is going to bring at that time of year. Two years ago SEQ and northern NSW had phenomenal amounts of rain at the end of February, with many roads cut off for several days. If your internal flight to Sydney is from Brisbane, then bear in mind that the Bruce Highway between there and the SC can get flooded.

[ramot]

1 hour ago, InnerVoice said:

I'd spend a day less in Newcastle and a day longer in Byron, or somewhere else on the way up like Coffs Harbour.

I don't think it will take you long to scratch that itch. Newcastle is a nice enough town but it's mostly folks who can't afford to live in Sydney, yet can't bear to be too far away from it. Australians are a little odd in that respect. Traditionally they don't like moving interstate, particularly New South Walians who believe their state is better than everyone else's. That attitude has waned somewhat in the younger generation, with many from NSW and VIC having moved up to SEQ for a better lifestyle.

A week is a long time to spend in Sydney considering you don't intend to live there. If I'd been in the situation where I needed to spend a night in Sydney before flying home then I'd have stayed there at the end of my trip, and done the whole thing in the opposite direction. Chilling out on the Sunshine Coast for a few days would be a much nicer way to start your holiday than the hustle and bustle of Sydney.

You're going to miss all the school holidays so you shouldn't have any difficulty booking accommodation. I know some people like to book everything in advance, but I think it's good to have a spare day for contingencies. You never know what the weather is going to bring at that time of year. Two years ago SEQ and northern NSW had phenomenal amounts of rain at the end of February, with many roads cut off for several days. If your internal flight to Sydney is from Brisbane, then bear in mind that the Bruce Highway between there and the SC can get flooded.

The rain was so bad on Tuesday, verging on monsoonal, almost 6 inches in less than 24 hours, that we made a really hard decision that it was foolish to drive to Brisbane and missed out on a special family celebration, and as several live out of state it will be a while till we catch up again.

The floods in late February in North NSW (Lismore Byron area) last year were horrendous, closing so many roads, so the unpredictable weather at that time of year, should be factored in to your plans of driving long distances.

Edited January 4 by ramot

[Marisawright]

6 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

I don't think it will take you long to scratch that itch. Newcastle is a nice enough town but it's mostly folks who can't afford to live in Sydney, yet can't bear to be too far away from it. ...

A week is a long time to spend in Sydney considering you don't intend to live there. If I'd been in the situation where I needed to spend a night in Sydney before flying home then I'd have stayed there at the end of my trip, and done the whole thing in the opposite direction. Chilling out on the Sunshine Coast for a few days would be a much nicer way to start your holiday than the hustle and bustle of Sydney.

I think that's very unfair on Newcastle.  It used to be a boring place, but these days I know several people who much prefer it to Sydney -- better access to great beaches, wineries on your doorstep, dolphin-watching and dune-riding close by, housing half the price, good schools, more laidback lifestyle.  It may not be an exciting place to visit but it's very liveable.  

For me, it would be like when I lived in Stirling instead of Glasgow or Edinburgh.   Easy enough to take the train to access all the big-city amenities when I wanted it, but I didn't have to put up with the hustle and bustle and expense.  That didn't mean Stirling felt like a compromise or second-best to either of those cities, far from it. 

I agree that a week is a long time to spend in Sydney.  The harbour is spectacular but it's the only tourist sight worth seeing.   Aussies make a big thing out of the Blue Mountains but coming from Scotland, @Cheery Thistle would be wondering what the fuss is about.   The best thing about Taronga Zoo is the great views of the Harbour, but otherwise it reminds me of Edinburgh Zoo, only with better weather.  

Again, Sydney is a great place to live (if you can afford it) but once you've seen the harbour, there's not much to see.  The beaches are lovely, but they're no better than all the other lovely beaches all the way up the East Coast, and the ones outside Sydney aren't nearly as packed!

Edited January 4 by Marisawright

[ramot]

56 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I think that's very unfair on Newcastle.  It used to be a boring place, but these days I know several people who much prefer it to Sydney -- better access to great beaches, wineries on your doorstep, dolphin-watching and dune-riding close by, housing half the price, good schools, more laidback lifestyle.  It may not be an exciting place to visit but it's very liveable.  

For me, it would be like when I lived in Stirling instead of Glasgow or Edinburgh.   Easy enough to take the train to access all the big-city amenities when I wanted it, but I didn't have to put up with the hustle and bustle and expense.  That didn't mean Stirling felt like a compromise or second-best to either of those cities, far from it. 

I agree that a week is a long time to spend in Sydney.  The harbour is spectacular but it's the only tourist sight worth seeing.   Aussies make a big thing out of the Blue Mountains but coming from Scotland, @Cheery Thistle would be wondering what the fuss is about.   The best thing about Taronga Zoo is the great views of the Harbour, but otherwise it reminds me of Edinburgh Zoo, only with better weather.  

Again, Sydney is a great place to live (if you can afford it) but once you've seen the harbour, there's not much to see.  The beaches are lovely, but they're no better than all the other lovely beaches all the way up the East Coast, and the ones outside Sydney aren't nearly as packed!

Australia zoo a much better zoo

[BendigoBoy]

 

Edited to remove content: off topic

Edited January 4 by BendigoBoy

[Ausvisitor]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

I think that's very unfair on Newcastle.  It used to be a boring place, but these days I know several people who much prefer it to Sydney

Newcastle isn't a bad place but saying people prefer it to Sydney is a bit like the fox who lost his tail.

Those who say it's better are basically trying to convince themselves

I know of no one who (if they could afford the same house in both places) prefers Newcastle to Sydney, what people mean to say when they say they prefer Newcastle is that they can afford Newcastle and in Sydney they can only afford a shoebox 

[Toots]

10 minutes ago, Ausvisitor said:

Newcastle isn't a bad place but saying people prefer it to Sydney is a bit like the fox who lost his tail.

Those who say it's better are basically trying to convince themselves

I know of no one who (if they could afford the same house in both places) prefers Newcastle to Sydney, what people mean to say when they say they prefer Newcastle is that they can afford Newcastle and in Sydney they can only afford a shoebox 

Yes but a lot of people would also be thankful to get away from the rat race, crowds and godawful traffic.

[BendigoBoy]

6 minutes ago, Toots said:

Yes but a lot of people would also be thankful to get away from the rat race, crowds and godawful traffic.

Not to mention the up-themselves-upper-classholes.

[Marisawright]

28 minutes ago, Ausvisitor said:

Newcastle isn't a bad place but saying people prefer it to Sydney is a bit like the fox who lost his tail.

Those who say it's better are basically trying to convince themselves

Rubbish.    I can understand why you think so, because you're on record as thinking London is a wonderful place to live, and you wouldn't live anywhere else in Australia but Sydney (or maybe Melbourne at a pinch).  Clearly, you're a big-city gal who can't imagine anyone not liking big cities.    I am a bit like that myself, but I'm not so closed-minded that I can't understand other people's point of view. 

Believe it or not, a great many people hate big cities and couldn't think of anything worse than living there. 

[Cheery Thistle]

I can’t afford to live in Sydney or London and I don’t want to either. I literally can’t stand London. It’s OK to visit for a day or 2 but I can’t wait to leave. The way that everyone ‘accelerates’ immediately when you get off the plane and goes into London gear. I mean, nothing is important enough to shove folk out of the way, surely? The dirt, the mix of people all so close together, the lack of connection.
One thing I would say is that, with the exception of housing, I didn’t find London materially that much more expensive than Edinburgh or even Glasgow last time I was down (end of November). Hubby is worse than me, he would happily never go back! 

I thought Newcastle was worth a look - big enough population to have amenities and jobs, coastal, environment looks good, growing and attracting investment. Close enough to Sydney for flights and travel not to be too difficult. Should be less traffic and congestion than Brisbane. We have never really lived in a big city and I’m slightly concerned that we might not like it. We are townies though, no 2 ways about that. Not into rural/remote. 

It’s only really 4 nights in Sydney which I didn’t think was excessive as we don’t arrive until evening on 25th. Then possibly one day/night catching up with cousins (if we and they can). Will spend the first day chilling and recovering, want to do the bridge climb, the harbour, Taronga. Will easily fill the time in each location I’m sure! 

[Bulya]

47 minutes ago, Ausvisitor said:

Newcastle isn't a bad place but saying people prefer it to Sydney is a bit like the fox who lost his tail.

Those who say it's better are basically trying to convince themselves

I know of no one who (if they could afford the same house in both places) prefers Newcastle to Sydney, what people mean to say when they say they prefer Newcastle is that they can afford Newcastle and in Sydney they can only afford a shoebox 

I’ll take Newcastle over Sydney every time.  One of only two places I’d live in Australia and have done. 

[FirstWorldProblems]

In Sydney, a drink or snack at Opera Bar is a favourite. Great views of the bridge day or night. 
 

Bridge walk, try and get the sunset if you can. Have done it twice and it’s great. You go up in daylight, watch the sun come down and then see the city lit up. 
 

Dont bother with the aquarium.  We’ve probably been ten times over 22 years. This year was v disappointing. It’s tired, tatty and needs a refresh. 

Taronga Zoo is a great location. But don’t go on a very hot day.  Not much shade and it’s hilly and hard work.  The new Sydney Zoo out blacktown way is very well done.

The manly ferry is one of the best views you can get of the harbour.  Manly itself is ok to potter around for an hour.  The Parramatta river cat also offers great views of the inner harbour and Paramatta itself has a vibrant cafe & restaurant scene these days. 

The jet boats (circular quay or darling harbour) are awesome fun  

Bondi is iconic and the beach is nice but it’s very busy, hard to park and the town itself is edging Blackpool way with more and more tat shops each time I go.  My girls enjoyed spotting the lifeguards that they see on the TV show! 

A walk around the botanical gardens (next to the opera house) is always nice.  I like pottering around the shops on the other side of the harbour (The Rocks) where the independent shops are - that’s where you will be for the bridge climb. 

West Head Lookout is closer to the city than the blue mountains, is photo beautiful and has a few nice but short trails to walk.  We saw a metre long goanna (spelling?) ambling along which was a treat. 
 

The new development at Barangaroo is really nice. Would be a good dinner location one night. It looks to have hurt Darling Harbour/Cockle Bay which had been a really popular bar & restaurant area for 25 years but was quiet this December. 
 

Balmoral beach is one of the prettiest beaches I’ve ever seen.  You can rent kayak’s and single sail toppers.   The fish and chips at the boat shed is always good. 
 

Clontarf beach is my pick if you want somewhere relatively quiet, plenty of shade and free public BBQ’s (a great Aussie favourite). 
 

I am aggrieved that they tore down the old IMAX building as I had my wedding reception at their function room…..but  the new IMAX is a stunning building. We didn’t get to watch a show there but I am sure it would be amazing. 

 

[InnerVoice]

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I think that's very unfair on Newcastle.  It used to be a boring place, but these days I know several people who much prefer it to Sydney -- better access to great beaches, wineries on your doorstep, dolphin-watching and dune-riding close by, housing half the price, good schools, more laidback lifestyle.  It may not be an exciting place to visit but it's very liveable.  

For me, it would be like when I lived in Stirling instead of Glasgow or Edinburgh.   Easy enough to take the train to access all the big-city amenities when I wanted it, but I didn't have to put up with the hustle and bustle and expense.  That didn't mean Stirling felt like a compromise or second-best to either of those cities, far from it. 

I agree that a week is a long time to spend in Sydney.  The harbour is spectacular but it's the only tourist sight worth seeing.   Aussies make a big thing out of the Blue Mountains but coming from Scotland, @Cheery Thistle would be wondering what the fuss is about.   The best thing about Taronga Zoo is the great views of the Harbour, but otherwise it reminds me of Edinburgh Zoo, only with better weather.  

Again, Sydney is a great place to live (if you can afford it) but once you've seen the harbour, there's not much to see.  The beaches are lovely, but they're no better than all the other lovely beaches all the way up the East Coast, and the ones outside Sydney aren't nearly as packed!

On reflection it probably was a bit harsh. I've visited Newcastle a few times over the last 30 years and seen the gradual gentrification steal away the character of a place, but if you've never been there before then you'd think it was pretty nice. The median price for a 3-bedroom property is currently around $1.5 million, so unless you're moving there with a bucket-load of cash, you're going to need to be on a decent whack. There can't be too many jobs in Newcastle commanding those kind of salaries, but that's becoming the problem Australia-wide in the more desirable regional areas.

 

[Marisawright]

38 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

On reflection it probably was a bit harsh. ... The median price for a 3-bedroom property is currently around $1.5 million, so unless you're moving there with a bucket-load of cash, you're going to need to be on a decent whack.

Haha, being used to living in Sydney and Melbourne, that median price sounds delightfully cheap. 

[InnerVoice]

13 hours ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

In Sydney, a drink or snack at Opera Bar is a favourite. Great views of the bridge day or night.

Bridge walk, try and get the sunset if you can. Have done it twice and it’s great. You go up in daylight, watch the sun come down and then see the city lit up. 

Dont bother with the aquarium.  We’ve probably been ten times over 22 years. This year was v disappointing. It’s tired, tatty and needs a refresh. 

Taronga Zoo is a great location. But don’t go on a very hot day.  Not much shade and it’s hilly and hard work.  The new Sydney Zoo out blacktown way is very well done.

The manly ferry is one of the best views you can get of the harbour.  Manly itself is ok to potter around for an hour.  The Parramatta river cat also offers great views of the inner harbour and Paramatta itself has a vibrant cafe & restaurant scene these days.

The jet boats (circular quay or darling harbour) are awesome fun  

Bondi is iconic and the beach is nice but it’s very busy, hard to park and the town itself is edging Blackpool way with more and more tat shops each time I go.  My girls enjoyed spotting the lifeguards that they see on the TV show! 

A walk around the botanical gardens (next to the opera house) is always nice.  I like pottering around the shops on the other side of the harbour (The Rocks) where the independent shops are - that’s where you will be for the bridge climb. 

West Head Lookout is closer to the city than the blue mountains, is photo beautiful and has a few nice but short trails to walk.  We saw a metre long goanna (spelling?) ambling along which was a treat.

The new development at Barangaroo is really nice. Would be a good dinner location one night. It looks to have hurt Darling Harbour/Cockle Bay which had been a really popular bar & restaurant area for 25 years but was quiet this December.

Balmoral beach is one of the prettiest beaches I’ve ever seen.  You can rent kayak’s and single sail toppers.   The fish and chips at the boat shed is always good.

Clontarf beach is my pick if you want somewhere relatively quiet, plenty of shade and free public BBQ’s (a great Aussie favourite). 

I am aggrieved that they tore down the old IMAX building as I had my wedding reception at their function room…..but  the new IMAX is a stunning building. We didn’t get to watch a show there but I am sure it would be amazing. 

@FirstWorldProblems that's an excellent Sydney guide, and the one thing I might add would be visiting the Northern Beaches (Avalon/Bigola/Palm Beach) and the walk to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, which is surely one of the most stunning areas in metropolitan Sydney. It would require a car though, so maybe an option for @Cheery Thistle on their way up to Newcastle.

I agree that the aquarium needs a new lease of life, but if you've never been before and you hit an unusually poor spell of weather, it could be an option.

Taronga is decent enough city zoo if you like that kind of thing (personally, I don't) but Australia zoo on the Sunshine Coast is a much better experience.

The Sydney bridge climb has to be one of the most over-rated and expensive attractions in Australia, but some people just have to do it - and I admit to have been one of them. My advice would be unless you feel your life will somehow be incomplete, then save your money. And don't bother unless the weather is spot on.

 

Edited January 5 by InnerVoice

[InnerVoice]

1 minute ago, Marisawright said:

Haha, being used to living in Sydney and Melbourne, that median price sounds delightfully cheap. 

Fortunately humans are incredibly adaptable, and it's amazing what we can accept as 'normal' after a while.

[pinkpom]

OP has already said Sydney’s not an option to live, so therefore I agree they’d be better off spending time elsewhere to decide where they want to live, no question.

 

For those who NEED to live in Sydney due to jobs/family support/just damn familiarity it gets a bit depressing and samey, tbh.

Otherwise yeah go look around OP. Where do you want to live/ where are the jobs for your family? Concentrate round there.