touring Australia Archives - Tinytrekkers travel the world with kids.

Oceania

Darwin

Darwin A continent away from Sydney, Darwin could be a world away from Australia. This tropical city, home to an abundance of nationalities and white sand lined, palm fringed city, is backpacker heaven. Looking back to our arrival in Sydney where we all froze, it seemed impossible to be in the same country when the car thermometer showed a sweltering 40 degrees. Driving through the streets, music pumping, sun seekers dressed in vests, surfer shorts and flip flops. Music pumping out down Mitchell Street, global cuisines, long hair, coconuts and a pace of life so slow its virtually standing still. Darwin was nothing like we expected, but everything like we’d hoped. Known as the ‘top end’, it is distinctly Asian urban, and, our favourite place in the country. Within downtown Darwin there is loads to do, drink and listen to. Mindil Beach market is an absolute must, we cracked whips,…

Oceania

Tenant Creek

Tennant Creek Headed North, everyone will pass through this skid mark. A dive of epic proportions, Tennant Creek is 5 decades past a facelift and a century behind the rest of civilisation. Due to there being just a handful of places to stay, price fixing is in full force and nothing shy of $150 will get you a rusty bed in a shady, condemnable room with dodgy air con that stopped working a fortnight before it was invented. The whole town was sold out, not a shout out for quality, more a geographical necessity. Between Alice Springs and Katherine the choices are limited. Tennant creek is a nod to the struggles and issues of the indigenous population. Alcohol laws are in full force, loitering prohibited and crime levels high. It came as no surprise therefore that Tennant Creek was also the place we were robbed. Sat relaxing, I heard something…

Oceania

Alice Springs

Centre of a continent, and the biggest city between Port Augusta and Darwin. In Alice you are half way in and out of the outback and yet still a world away from real civilisation. The most dangerous city in Australia, it is a place that I was dubious about visiting. Everyone I had spoken to warned me, “don’t go out at night”. We scuttled into Alice Springs and headed straight for a resort I’d booked us which has suspiciously changed names from booking to arriving. A little research quelled my unease, Alice has quite a high Aboriginal population, and though most are general, law abiding citizens, a pocket love nothing more than getting smashed off their bonce and then fighting. Alcohol laws are strict, as are rules regarding loitering and, seemingly most things. It was the first time we had seen a strong police presence, with a police man stood…

Oceania

Ayers Rock

Erldunda Whizzing north out of Coober Pedy headed for Ayers Rock, and deeper into the outback brought with it phenomenal changes of landscape, wildlife and climate. It seemed to us that every morning was 1 degree warmer and each afternoon a degree warmer still. Erldunda is a self proclaimed famous roadhouse at the cross roads of Ayers Rock, or Uluru. When planning the journey from Coober Pedy I was faced with two possibilities, head all the way to Alice Springs (Alice) and then back track on a day trip to Uluru. I 100% couldn’t be bothered with wasted miles so zoomed in on google maps and came upon Erldunda, some 5 hours north of Coober Pedy. Between the two places is a great deal of nothing. We stopped for lunch in Marla, and then cruised into Erldunda at the new and improved 130kmh. The roadhouse itself looked somewhat different, almost…

Oceania

The Outback & Coober Pedy

Port Augusta is the crossroads for the north and the outback. A self proclaimed South Australian gem, I must have missed something. From what I saw, the only two things going on in the city was the road in and the road out. Added to the fact we chose to pay $150 for a luxury cabin at Discovery Parks Port Augusta and were completely ripped off, I couldn’t wait to leave the place. Leaving Port Augusta I thought of how best to summarise the place and really, Port Augusta is little more than a skid mark in southern Australia, with the most exciting part of the city being the road out of there. Cooper Pedy and the Outback Synonymous with opals, mining, caves and the outback. Rough and ready Coober Pedy was where finally the weather got decent, and where we all stayed in a gorgeous underground cave. Driving north…

Oceania

Adelaide

Adelaide Eventually, having driven through what seems like endless vineyards you drive upon a landscape that looks suspiciously like English countryside. Rolling green fields, rocks, even houses that wouldn’t look out of place in Blighty. You have come upon the Adelaide Hills, a gorgeous respite from busy Adelaide. Rocking up into the city I was aware that there was a high proportion of British expats, within minutes we were stuck in a traffic jam, our first of the trip so far. Eventually, when things got moving we were stuck behind some of earths slowest drivers, definitive proof that the occupants were elderly British, whiling away their lives at a snails pace. Just as they do in Britain. Adelaide is a coastal city boasting its own unique culture, which is a combination of chic, mixed with sexy and wrapped up in chill. It’s an easy place to love, clean, modern and…

Oceania

The Great Ocean Road

The great ocean road is the jewel of Australian road trips. Starting east to west in Geelong, the route traverses some of the countries greatest coastline. I was expecting koalas hanging from trees, whales crashing against the ocean, kangaroos bouncing through fields and tropical birds filling the skies. All this combined with a rugged coastline unmatched in this part of the world. I expected seaside towns decades past their sell by date, hardy Australians celebrating a life of coastal beauty. I envisaged wineries, seafood and quirky attractions desperate to draw some of the masses from the roads. I expected a lot, and we were not disappointed. The Great Ocean Road is clearly marked. The route passes by towns that reminded me of great British seaside, often with a shady looking pier jutting out into the ocean. The sea was violent, isolated beaches were pounded with surf as fog tended to hang constantly…

Oceania

Melbourne

Melbourne Long revered as being the worlds most liveable city (whatever that really means) I was looking forward to Melbourne. I’d rented an apartment with stunning city views and placed us just far enough from the hustle and bustle not to hear it, but close enough that we could walk or hop on the free city tram. I must say, Melbourne wasn’t what I expected. Yes, there was the coffee shops, graffiti scrawled walls and fish and chip shops. But I just felt the city lacked any real identity, which is probably a huge attraction for many. The city itself is modern, chic and walking around the arcades gives a glimpse into student life and $30 breakfasts. Supposedly the best coffee in the world is to be found in Melbourne, something I found out after having left the city so am unable to comment on. We walked a lot in…

Oceania

Canberra

Canberra Legend has it, that years ago Melbourne and Sydney got into an argument about which city was best placed to be the capital city of Australia. Most countries would figure out their differences with handbags at dawn, but not Australia. Apparently, someone pencilled in a place halfway between the two cities and then set about building a new capital city. Everyone was happy and got on with their lives, content that they might not have been awarded capital city status, but then neither had the other. Canberra is in its own state, ACT or Australian Capital Territory which by all accounts, is a poor effort at a state name. My first impression of Canberra was that it felt a bit American, and like it had been designed by a visionary with a knack for what the future might look like. Researching the city, I found I wasn’t far…

Oceania

Sydney to Darwin – Part two; The Outback

Port Augusta and heading north Port Augusta is the crossroads for the north and the outback. A self proclaimed South Australian gem, I must have missed something. From what I saw, the only two things going on in the city was the road in and the road out. Added to the fact we chose to pay $150 for a luxury cabin at Discovery Parks Port Augusta and were completely ripped off, I couldn’t wait to leave the place. Leaving Port Augusta I thought of how best to summarise the place and really, Port Augusta is little more than a skid mark in southern Australia, with the most exciting part of the city being the road out of there. Cooper Pedy and the Outback Synonymous with opals, mining, caves and the outback. Rough and ready Coober Pedy was where finally the weather got decent, and where we all stayed in a…