The land Down Under continues to change in exciting ways. Travelers have new possibilities for getting to and around the country. Hotel renovations and openings provide travelers with more options. Here's a brief summary of the latest happenings. You'll find more detail in each of the regional listings in our Destinations section starting here, www.frommers.com/destinations/australia.
Planning Your Trip
The Australian skies have seen many changes in recent years, the most notable being the growth of no-frills carrier Virgin Blue (tel. 07/3295 2296; www.virginblue.com.au). Rapidly expanding routes now see Virgin Blue servicing all capital cities as well as an ever-growing list of smaller centers such as Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, the Whitsunday Coast, Rockhampton, and Gold Coast in Queensland; Coffs Harbour in New South Wales; Hobart and Launceston in Tasmania; Alice Springs in the Red Centre; and Broome in Western Australia.
Another newcomer is Regional Express (tel. 13 17 13 in Australia; www.regionalexpress.com.au), which picked up the pieces from the old Kendell Airlines. Its many routes include Sydney to Broken Hill, Ballina, and Merimbula, all in New South Wales; Melbourne to northern Tasmania; and Adelaide to Kangaroo Island and Broken Hill. You can often find good Internet deals on Regional Express and Virgin Blue.
Getting Around Australia
Train travel has also undergone some changes. Australia's Orient Express, the luxury Great South Pacific Express, which traveled from Sydney to Cairns, "suspended" operations indefinitely in June 2003, citing a downturn in international business.
On the positive side, beginning in early 2004, the opening of the long-awaited Alice Springs-Darwin railway line will give the Top End its first rail link. Great Southern Railway's The Ghan (tel. 13 21 47 in Australia; www.trainways.com.au) will run one weekly return journey between the two cities, leaving Alice Springs on Mondays and arriving in Darwin about 24 hours later.
In Queensland, the new high-speed Brisbane-Cairns Tilt Train has knocked about 7 hours off the journey between those cities. The 160kmph (about 100 mph) "business class" trip takes 25 hours. For more details, contact Queensland Rail (tel. 07/3235 1122; www.traveltrain.qr.com.au).
As for road travel, an extension of the M5 motorway south of Sydney has cut 45 minutes off the road trip to Canberra and the Snowy Mountains. You can now make Canberra in less than 3 1/2 hours.
Sydney
The latest newcomer to the Sydney hotel scene is the Sydney Harbour Marriott, on Pitt Street (tel. 800/228-9290 in the U.S.; www.marriott.com). The hotel, which occupies the shell of the former Renaissance Hotel, was opened in mid-2003 after a A$35 million (about US$23 million) refurbishment. Many of the rooms have good Sydney Harbour and Opera House views.
New entrants to the bar scene in Sydney include the groovy Cargo Bar & Lounge, 52-60 The Promenade, King Street Wharf (tel. 02/9262 1777), which has outdoor areas that are great on a sultry evening, and The Establishment, 252 George St. (tel. 02/9240 3000), in the city center.
Melbourne
The new place to hang out is Federation Square, a collection of attractions around a large square, which planners estimate will attract six million visitors a year. The architecture is weird: a kind of postindustrial cubic look with a large piazza paved with very irregular stones. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and art spaces nearby. One eatery to look out for is Chocolate Buddha (tel. 03/9654 5688), a Japanese-inspired noodle place.
The latest hotel of note is the Ramada Melbourne 270 Flinders St. (tel. 1300/726 232 in Australia, or 03/9654 6888; www.ramadainternational.com), a new four-star hotel opposite Flinders Street Railway Station. It's cozy, friendly and offers special deals -- especially on weekends.
Brisbane
Brisbane's pub scene has taken on new life, with the renovation of several of its historic hotels. The heritage-listed Breakfast Creek Hotel, 2 Kingsford Smith Dr. (tel. 07/3262 5988; www.breakfastcreekhotel.com), has undergone a A$4 million (US$2.6 million) renovation and restoration, and the Regatta Hotel, 543 Coronation Dr. (tel. 07/3870 7063; www.regattahotel.com.au), now one of the trendiest places in town, has also undergone a facelift. Access to the Regatta has been improved by the opening of a new CityCat terminal practically on its doorstep.
The Queensland Museum, adjacent to South Bank Parklands (tel. 07/3840 7555; www.qmuseum.qld.gov.au), underwent a major revamp in 2003, adding a smart new entrance and interactive Sciencentre, a kid magnet.
Brisbane's new Cultural Industries Precinct at Kelvin Grove, still under construction at press time, is the new home to the established and innovative La Boite Theatre (www.laboite.com.au), which was due to move into its new 400-seat theater-in-the-round in late 2003.
Queensland
A major redevelopment of Cairns's Esplanade(www.cairnsesplanade.com), including a massive new saltwater swimming lagoon, has transformed that city. Another new addition is the Reef Fleet Terminal, the departure point for Great Barrier Reef boats.
Many island resorts are undergoing major refurbishment programs. Hayman Resort (tel. 800/223-6800 in the U.S. or 1800/075 175 in Australia; www.queenslandholidays.com.au), has completed a staggering A$50 million (US$33 million) refurbishment of its rooms and introduced new accommodations levels.
P&O Australian Resorts opened new "super premium" pavilion-style accommodations, called The Point (tel. 800/225-9849 in the U.S. or 1800/737 678 in Australia; www.poresorts.com.au), at its fabulous Lizard Island and Bedarra resorts in mid-2003.
The Red Centre
Ayres Rock Resort has undergone a revamp and now includes two new places to stay. At the top of the price scale is Longitude 131, Yulara Dr., Yulara (tel. 08/8957 7888; www.wildernessaustralia.com.au), a A$9 million (about US$6 million) development consisting of 15 luxury tents. They're smack-dab in the middle of the sand dunes, with fabulous views of the Rock. It's like being in Africa, only with kangaroos. Staying here is terrifically expensive, though. The other newcomer is The Lost Camel, Yulara Dr., Yulara (tel. 08/8957 7888), a trendy hotel aimed at urbanites who want similar surroundings to back home.
Perth & Western Australia
The Mining Hall of Fame (tel. 08/9026 2700; www.mininghall.com), in the Outback gold town of Kalgoorlie continues to expand, with new attractions, including a Chinese garden and more galleries, opening in late 2003.
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