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.
Planning Your Trip
The Australian skies have seen many changes in recent years, the most notable being the expansion and growth of new domestic airlines. From May 2004, no-frills carrier Virgin Blue (tel. 07/3295-2296; www.virginblue.com.au), has competition from Qantas-owned Jetstar (tel. 13-15-38 in Australia; www.jetstar.com.au) which servicesthe eastern states and Tasmania. Virgin Blue now flies to every capital, as well as Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, all in Queensland, Broome in Western Australia, Alice Springs in the Red Centre, Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, and Launceston in Tasmania. They've also recently announced new routes between Melbourne and the Whitsundays in Queensland, and between Sydney and Townsville. Jetstar serves flights to Cairns, the Whitsundays, Sunshine and Gold Coasts, Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Launceston and Melbourne. Travelers on Jetstar from Melbourne should be sure to check which airport they are departing from -- the main international terminal at Tullamarine or the new Avalon airport, about 50km from the city.
A Virgin offshoot, Pacific-Blue (tel. 13-16-45 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) brought in budget-style flights from Sydney to Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand in 2004. It already operated flights from Brisbane and Melbourne to Christchurch. All three carriers offer good internet deals.
New Qantas international subsidiary Australian Airlines (tel. 1300/799-798 in Australia; www.australianairlines.com.au) also provides an option for visitors from Asia and links Cairns with Sydney and the Gold Coast. Regional Express( tel. 13-17-13 in Australia; www.regionalexpress.com.au), services regional New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and northern Tasmania.
Getting Around Australia
The opening of the long-awaited Alice Springs-Darwin railway line has given the Top End its first rail link. Great Southern Railway's The Ghan (tel. 13-21-47 in Australia; www.trainways.com.au) runs one weekly return journey between the two cities, leaving Alice Springs on Mondays and arriving in Darwin about 24 hours later.
Adelaide-Darwin
Frugal travelers with time on their hands and the urge to explore might consider the taking the Legendary Ghan train on the new railway line from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the far north. The train stops at Alice Springs and Katherine along the way. The cheapest way to travel is with a Great Southern Railways Pass, which costs A$590 (US$348) for adults and A$450 (US$360) for students. You get unlimited travel in a sleeper-seat on The Ghan, The Indian Pacific (from Sydney), and The Overland (between Melbourne and Adelaide) within a six-month period. Check out the website, www.gsr.com.au) for details.
Brisbane
Brisbane's newest attraction is the small but interesting Museum of Brisbane, in the historic City Hall (www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/MoB). It's a good starting point in discovering the city, and entry is free. Another popular attraction, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium & Cosmic Skydome in the Botanic Gardens, Mt. Coot-tha Rd., Toowong (tel. 07/3403-2578; www.stbp.ramib.net) has reopened after a major upgrade, with new seating and new digital multimedia systems which present real-time digital star shows and computer generated images.
Brisbane's new Cultural Industries Precinct at Kelvin Grove, is the new home to the innovative La Boite Theatre, 6 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove(tel. 07/3007 8600; www.laboite.com.au). Performances are in the new 400-seat Roundhouse Theater.
A new "floating" River Walk winds more than 20km along the Brisbane River -- on the north bank between the University of Queensland at St Lucia and Teneriffe, and on the south bank from the West End ferry terminal at Orleigh Park to Dockside at Kangaroo Point.
Another of Brisbane's historic pubs has been given a new lease of life. The Story Bridge Hotel, 200 Main St., Kangaroo Point (tel. 07/3391-2266), has undergone a A$3.2 million (US$2.5 million) refurbishment which included the creation of a new restaurant and bar built into the base of the bridge, and a new beer garden under the bridge.
On the accommodation scene, the smart, good-value Hotel George Williams, 317-325 George St., Brisbane (tel. 1800/064-858 or 07/3308-0700; www.hgw.com.au) has added another 26 rooms, giving it a total of 81 for you to choose from.
Melbourne
You could walk, or take a tram somewhere, but perhaps the best way to explore Melbourne is by bicycle. With Real Melbourne Bike Tours you get to peddle around some of Melbourne's alleyways, markets, and arcades, scatter the blackbirds in the Botanic Gardens, and follow the trams to St Kilda, where you'll discover street-loads of funky eateries, as well as Melbourne's answer to a beach. Full-day tours on weekdays only, with lunch, cost A$50 (US$40). Contact mobile tel. 0417 339 2032, or log onto www.byohouse.com.au/biketours.
There are so many unreal places to drink in Melbourne that a bar-hopping-virgin might profit from Bar Secrets Melbourne. It's a pack of 52 playing-cards, each one profiling one of the city's hippest, or weirdest, bars. There's a map on the back of each one, which shows you how to get there. All you need to do is shuffle them like a local, pick a few out, and your night's planned. Featured are Frommer's favorites including The Croft Institute, in Croft Alley -- a small, lurid, bottle-green establishment, famous for its powerful cocktails and the city's largest private collection of laboratory apparatus. More upscale is Chaise Lounge, in Queen Street -- a chic boudoir-style place featuring lipstick-colored walls, a bust of a Roman god, diamante-strung curtains, lay-down sofas and glitter balls. Also good is the latest hot place to hang out -- Cookie, on Swanston Street -- which combines Thai eatery, beer hall, and smart cocktail bar. Bar Secrets Melbourne cost A$9.95 (US$8), from newsagents and bookstores.
Perth & Western Australia
Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, Monkey Mia Rd., Shark Bay, (tel. 1800/653-611 in Australia, or 08/9948-1320; www.monkeymia.com.au) has opened a new beachside Dolphin Lodge and a new backpacker lodge, adding to your budget choices. The 24 motel-style beachside units are located at the front of the Dolphin Lodge and offer a more up-market option than was previously available, each with a king size bed with ensuite. The backpackers lodge, with its own bar and communal kitchen, has 4 and 7 bed dormitories as well as shared and family rooms with ensuites.
A major loss to the Margaret River region's dining scene is the demise of the award-winning Valley Café, which burnt down in late 2003.
Queensland
For those short on time, Cairns' latest attraction means you can discover rainforest wildlife without leaving the city center. Cairns Rainforest Dome (tel. 07/4031 7250; www.cairnsdome.com.au), a 20 meter high glass dome on the rooftop of the Sofitel Reef Casino Hotel houses about 100 species, including a huge saltwater crocodile called Goliath. Entry is via lifts in the hotel foyer, 35-41 Wharf St., Cairns.
Sydney
Up until recently the cheapest way to get into the centre of Sydney from the International or Domestic airports was to take an Airport Express bus. But, the forces that matter have decided the main alternative, the Sydney Airport Train Link, which was built for the Sydney Olympics, was losing money. The solution? Scrap the buses and force visitors onto the trains. Now, unless you want to take a taxi into town (which will cost around A$30/US$24), the only way to get there is by train (which costs A$11.80/US$9.40 each way).
The big news on the cheap accommodation front was the June 2004 opening of the YHA Sydney Railway Square hostel. It's located in a historic 1905 building, adjoining 'Platform Zero' at central railway station, in the heart of one of Sydney's backpacker districts. You can stay in a room in a converted heritage industrial building, or even in a former railway carriage. Also here is a swimming pool, an Internet cafe, and indoor and outdoor communal areas, as well as a self-catering kitchen. Dorms costs between A$27 and A$33 (US$21.60 and A$26.40); a double room costs A$78 (US$62.40); and a double room with your own bathroom costs A$88 (US$70.40). The Railway Square YHA is at8A Lee Street, Sydney 2000 (tel. 02/9281-9666; www.yha.com.au).
The Royal National Park, just south of Sydney, offers fabulous coastal walks, pristine beaches and plenty of nature. National Park Tours offers several trips through the park, including two-day bush hikes along the coast with camping gear and food included. One-day tours combine a half-day boat tour along Port Hacking and into the National Park and a walk to discover Aboriginal carvings. Contact National Park Tours at 02/9523-3254 or by email at marccom@bigpond.net.au.
The Top End
The fabulous Deckchair Cinema (tel. 08/8981 0700; www.deckchaircinema.com) has a new home on the edge of Darwin Harbour (opposite Parliament House on the Esplanade). A smart new kiosk sells wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks. In the Wet, the movies screen in the Museum Theatrette, Conacher St., Bullocky Point.