Twelve Apostles is further than Apollo Bay, but go that far and you probably want to stay overnight.
Werribee is still relatively species-poor: it's focused on big mammals, and Australia doesn't have many big mammals!
Top tips for trip down under
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Twelve Apostles is further than Apollo Bay, but go that far and you probably want to stay overnight.
Werribee is still relatively species-poor: it's focused on big mammals, and Australia doesn't have many big mammals!
The tour buses do the Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles in a day, but it is a long day - 12 hours. I would not like to drive it myself. If doing it myself I would defiantly do it as a 2 day trip, this would give you a chance to explore a little more, especially in the Otways. It would also give you a chance to see the glow worms, I believe the only species of glow worm that exists outside caves.
Half way would probably be Apollo Bay,the caravan park there has decent cabins for rent, and off season seemed to be a reasonable price.
Going home you would use the inland route, which is much easier and faster than the coast.
Does anyone know of rare and unusual species to look out for at Featherdale and Caversham? Taronga, Heallesville and Perth have pretty good online lists but I'd love more info on these places.
As for non-animal related sights and activities in Sydney are there any must dos?
As for non-animal related sights and activities in Sydney are there any must dos?
Komodo99
Well-Known Member
I would recommend the Australian Museum as a good choice for a day out as it has plenty of interesting and interactive exhibits.The best part is the dinosaur section as it has realistic models and authentic fossils that may be of interest.Plus they have plenty of dino skeletons on display including a battling Jobaria and Afrovenator.
I posted species lists from my visits to Perth and Caversham in July 2016 so they will be slightly out of date but should still include most things:
Caversham Wildlife Park On Show Species List, July 2016
Perth Zoo - Perth Zoo On Show Species List, July 2016
Some of the things to look out for at each place:
Caversham:
Numerous Australian birds, many you will be able to see elsewhere in Australia but there are a lot of quite unusual species that are not held outside the country.
Some particularly cool species:
Spotted-tail Quoll (you should be able to see four quoll species in the zoos that you plan to visit)
Northern Nailtail Wallaby
There are a few quite unusual reptiles too.
Also, if you are interested in seeing some animals up close (like the Quolls and golden morph Brushtail possums etc.) then look at the 'Meet the Wombat and Friends' show.
There is an obvious route around Caversham organised into geographical regions of Australia (apart from the reptile house) with a big central kangaroo walkthrough, you shouldn't miss anything.
Caversham is located in a large park which should have easily visible wild Western Grey Kangaroos as well as some common wild birds but ones that you probably won't see in the city centre (like Scarlet Robin).
Perth:
Allow plenty of time in the nocturnal house - lots too see here
Don't miss the Dampier Peninsula Monitor in the reptile house
Quite a few nice species in the Australia section including some unusual birds in the wetlands aviary (Western Swamp Tortoises are near here) and mammal species like Western Brush-wallaby and of course Numbat.
The Orangutan enclosure is also very interesting from a design point of view.
As another ex foreign 'tourist' I'd advise;
1.The Sydney Harbour Bridge obviously. There's a famous fish and chip restaurant nearby- forget its name.
2. Take one of the Boat Ferries from Circular Quay to e.g. Manley- you see the whole harbour and go past the Opera House (it looks better from the water...) and its an easy walk to Manley Beach when you get there- but you might use the Ferries to get to Taronga Zoo...
3. Botanic Gardens are nice (fruit bats in the trees). In the city there's a high lookout Tower you can go up too. Sydney City Centre is quite small really- easy to walk around.
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Dannelboyz
Well-Known Member
As a Melburnian having visited Sydney recently, I would thoroughly agree with the suggestion above to take the ferry trip from Circular Quay to Manly. I went in winter, so while it wasn't cold like Melbourne, the beach wasn't an important part of my day, but I imagine in warmer months, Manly would be a great place to go to the beach, albeit a very busy spot. The beach is a 5 or so minute walk from the dock down the main road. The trip is about a 30 minute ride each way and if I remember correctly, it was something like $10 return. On the Manly ferry, you go right past the Opera House on both sides, so you should be able to get decent lighting for photos regardless of the time of day, and on the way back you get a good view of the bridge and opera house as well.
There are plenty of cruises available at Circular Quay (which is where the opera house is located btw), but unless you're really keen on paying extra for slightly more comfort, food or a voice-over tour guide, the ferries are more than enough for a good view of the key sights. You pay using Opal cards for public transport in Sydney (including ferries), but it is important to note that other cities don't use the same cards (Melbourne uses myki cards for example). You may want to take a ferry to Taronga depending on where you stay, in which case you go right past the Opera House on the way from Circular Quay anyway, and may not need to take a different ferry.
I don't know too much else about what to do in Sydney, but if you're looking for other ideas in Melbourne:
- If you're a fan of coffee, try any of the city's cafes: they tend to be very good quality
- National Gallery of Victoria if you're an art fan
- Eureka Skydeck for a view of the city (photos are not good though due to the tinting of the glass)
- Melbourne Museum
I'm planning to go to Australia in early 2018. It will be with an organised tour, but with some free time that I want to use to visit some zoos.
As an European, my main targets are the native mammals. Perth Zoo is definitely a zoo I want to visit. Taronga is on my wish list as well. Would someone recommend to go to Wildlife Sydney, beside Taronga? Is Melbourne Zoo worth a visit?
Out of Taronga, Wildlife and Melbourne, in which one do I have the best chance seeing platypus?
As an European, my main targets are the native mammals. Perth Zoo is definitely a zoo I want to visit. Taronga is on my wish list as well. Would someone recommend to go to Wildlife Sydney, beside Taronga? Is Melbourne Zoo worth a visit?
Out of Taronga, Wildlife and Melbourne, in which one do I have the best chance seeing platypus?
Dannelboyz
Well-Known Member
I would say the Melbourne Zoo's native animal collection is a bit sparse. If you're in the area, go to Healesville Sanctuary for native wildlife instead: almost a certainty to see Tasmanian devils, platypuses and a number of very rare species (helmeted honeyeaters, orange-bellied parrots, mountain pygmy possums, leadbeater's possums), not to mention the key native species which you'll find at any Australian zoo. The only Australian species which Melbourne Zoo beats Healesville in are southern hairy-nosed wombats, frogs (only corroborees at Healesville) and perhaps some birds and reptiles. I haven't visited Wildlife Sydney, but as far as I'm aware, the species list isn't too exciting.
Out of Taronga and Melbourne, I think it's a hard pick. I personally don't find either zoo's platypus exhibit particularly good and I actually completely missed the platypus when taking my American girlfriend around Melbourne Zoo because the exhibit is not part of any themed tracks. That said, I've probably seen the platypus 80% of my visits to the exhibit. Despite Taronga being one of only two zoos to have bred platypuses, I barely saw them the two times I've been there and the building was quite crowded. It did have multiple tanks though, if I recall correctly, unlike Melbourne which is only home to one platypus.
As I stated above, my choice for platypuses would be Healesville Sanctuary - two separate tanks in the main building hold a female and male platypus currently + the Tales from Platypus Creek show twice a day (11:15 AM and 1:30 PM) where it is an absolute certainty you will not only see a platypus swimming in daylight, but can go right up to the tank to take photos after the show. In addition, the building is on the main loop so it's hard to miss.
The major downside for Healesville is that it is fairly difficult to get to by public transport - I believe it would take almost 2.5 hours by public transport, including a train and bus ride from the city.