Could I ask a question of our Australian cousins? Next February 2006 I must go to New Zealand for an important family birthday. Either on the way there or on the way back I would like to stop off in Australia for about a week to 10 days. Cities, beaches and deserts are much the same anywhere, and I am aware of the enormity of Australia and the difficulty of my question. However, given the time period, where should I go to see the real Australia? Where would you say, “when you’ve been THERE, you have seen the real Oz?

well i would recomend ayres rock alice springs kangaroo island and the westside 2 c the rock wallabees

If Sydney is your destination, there are a number of options.
Try any number of harbour walks, then the Great North walk from Sydney to Newcastle.
A short distance west, in the Blue Mountains is a large variety of day walks, which can be combined if it suits. This is a Heritage area & well worth the effort

Thanks for the info. Another question: What would be the make/type of maps that I should be looking for?

hi oldun - If you only have 7/10 days in Australia, i would highly recommend heading for Melbourne and hire a campervan - then drive the Great Ocean Road (and it is!) to Port Fairy, then head inland to The Grampians (fine walking country)and then back to Melbourne / Fly up to Sydney (a must!) with Virgin Blue, which is very cheap approx uk pds 20/25 for a couple of days and take the ferry from circular quay (after visting the Opera House of course - the 8th wonder of the world)to Watsons Bay/bus to Bondi and walk the coastal path to Coogee beach - a real treat. There are numerous walks within Sydney which is a beautiful city and very walkable. You will LOVE australia.

Thanks Spud. My niece went to Sydney two years ago for a two week holiday...and has not come back. She bummed around, then got a job, then got a permit to stay. Seems to be loving it.

Wow Oldun, I should get 'her indoors' a ticket!

I live in Melbourne and had two friends from UK visit me for 3 weeks last year. We drove the Great Ocean Road down to Port Campbell (the pub is a gem); walked in the Grampians; spent time at Phillip Island (for the wild life - especially the fairy penguins coming out of the sea at dusk); did a trip to the goldfields of Ballarat, and even managed a day in Sydney by overnight train there and back! We spent the day in Sydney visiting all the 'tourist' spots including Bondi Beach, but the highlight was coming back into Circular Quay on the ferry from Manly in the evening with all the lights of the city and the Opera House reflecting on the harbour. I wanted to do the Harbour Bridge walk (across the top of the span) but they weren't game! I don't know if they saw 'the real Australia' but they said they had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back.

Hi Oldun

As you say, Australia is enormous. It is very hard to say that you have seen the 'real' Australia - we range in climate from tropical to pretty cold on the southern highlands and from desert to rainforest and everything in between. Australia is also one of the most highly urbanised countries on earth. Some say the 'real' Australia is only to be found in country areas but others have a wider definition.

Actually you do not have to go far from Sydney to get into real bush complete with gum trees, koalas and kangaroos - not to mention poisonous snakes and spiders (wear your boots and gaiters - most snakes will keep away from you anyway).

If you want some walking in bush and coast in and around Sydney there is plenty of choice. Here are some suggestions and some links you might like to follow.

Use Google for the following:

* Great North Walk NSW (Sydney - Newcastle)

* Walk Spit bridge to Manly (Sydney)

* Six Foot Track - Blue Mountains

*Walking Blue Mountains NSW

* National Parks NSW - if you follow the prompts you can find details of walks in all National Parks of NSW + map information + tourist information etc.

Suggestions further afield:

* Hunter Valley vineyards - instead of walking you can become legless.

* Google for Kosciuszko National Park - you can say you have climbed to the highest point in the continent of Australia (2229 metres -but you don't have to start from sea-level). The 32 km Main Range Walk is very good as is the walk through Dead Horse Gap.

* If you are interested in caves there are world class limestone caves not far from the Blue Mountains. Website: www.jenolancaves.org.au

We hate to admit it but the Kiwis have some great walking tracks - they call it tramping.

Hope this helps more than confuses.

Thanks all of you for your help.
I think that you have given me enough information to keep my brain chugging over for a while.
All the best,
Oldun