Southeastern Australia: Things to Do
Read time | 5 min
Sydney, Australia
Botanical Gardens
This beautiful garden has a crazy good variety of Australian plant life and even some local wildlife! You can see a variety of birds, small creatures, and even a koala...ok, the last one isn't a "real" koala, but this green shrubbery is adorable!
Continue walking through the Botanical Gardens to get to Mrs. Macquarie's Chair.
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I can't leave this touristy spot off my list, because it's worth the hype! You can enjoy the walk by the water to get to this beautiful view, or stop to cool off by grabbing a beer at Busby's Bar on the way!
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| Check out that view of the famous Sydney Opera House! |
Barangaroo Reserve
This adorable area is perfect for a little picnic or just a moment of rest to enjoy the view. There are also a plethora of cool plants, especially this one pictured below that we thought looked like corn on the cob!
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| I believe this is a yellow protea banksia -- botanists please confirm! |
Luna Park
Talk about nostalgia; this adorable theme park takes you back to a simple time of carnival rides, summer nights and added perk? Right by the water!
Chinatown
This is a must if you enjoy delicious Chinese food! We were craving dumplings and potstickers so came to the right place! Whatever you do, you HAVE to stop at Emperor's to get an order of their custard filled puffs...they are soft, pillowy puffs of heaven and only 30 cents each! Plus it's fun to watch how they make them!
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| Custard filled puffs from Emperor's Source |
Manly (Beach)
A short ferry ride from Sydney, this adorable town offers a beautiful harbor view and some gorgeous beaches! We took a bike tour around the area to explore its history -- from its rougher past and abandoned areas, to adorable cafes, and a chill afternoon on the beach. This spot is a great day trip!
Melbourne
I have to admit, I was more impressed with the activities outside of Melbourne than the actual city itself, BUT just my personal opinion -- to each their own! The foodie scene was great here though and the day trips were awesome!
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| This view though! |
Degraves Street
This street is full of awesome restaurants! You really can't go wrong, and there's so many choices for cuisine! Stop by one of the many doughnut shops to get the famous Melbourne jelly-filled donut...yummmm. Also check out the ones at American Doughnut Kitchen over in Queen Victoria Market!
Queen Victoria Market
We took a foodie tour in this market and it did not disappoint! Not only a great way to get fresh, local produce, but they also offer a variety of cultures and cuisine inside! My faves: the feijoa (fruit) and the assortment of jerky from the South African shop - delish.
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| Trying different spice-rubbed jerkies - soooo good. |
Lune
Unfortunately we ran out of time, but heard from a local that this croissant bakery is a MUST! However, make sure to get there early as there's usually a line and they sell out quick!
PS their website is pretty cool, just sayin'.
Great Day Trips from Melbourne
Great Ocean Road*
Prepare yourself for beautiful coast lines, along with a variety of not only beaches but a Californian-style redwood forest! We lucked out and saw a mob of kangaroos in the wild relaxing in a field as well as a koala perched up in a tree! :)
Breathtaking. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
*I recommend a tour unless you want to rent a car.
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| Click the photo to zoom in :) |
Koala & Kangaroo Wildlife Experience
Less than an hour train ride away from Melbourne, see the real Australia and its wildlife! I cannot recommend Kangaroo Jack Tours enough!
David was the BEST tour guide ever! He truly cared about each person's interests, and tried to make the tour super interactive. He's also just a wonderful guy!! With our super small group, we started at Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre where we were able to feed/pet a kangaroo, wallaby, and emu! Plus you can learn to throw a boomerang...how much more Australian can you get ;)
Next we headed to Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary where we got to see other Australian-native animals, pet some lizards/snakes and then my favorites, a koala and wombat!
I loved seeing such beautiful creatures being looked after by a staff that truly cared. It was such a wonderful experience; I can't recommend enough!
PSA: It is now illegal to cuddle a koala in Australia, but you CAN pet one! If they catch a disease or even a cold and therefore can't smell, they won't be able to smell the eucalyptus leaves which make up most of their diet. These leaves contain water and without them, they'll dehydrate themselves to death, because they don't drink water unless in extreme heat waves!
So please don't try to cuddle a koala as cute as they are!
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| Hi Joey! |
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| This was my favorite adventure in Australia! What a sleepy nug <3 |
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| This cute, little wombat followed me on the train back to Melbourne! |
One Last Fun Tidbit!
For all you non-Australians, while there you MUST try Tim Tams. If you haven't had them, they're Australia's typical supermarket cookie (like US' good ol' Chips Ahoy). They are like a chocolate-y wafer, but so much more! You can even get a raspberry-filled one! Check out how to eat them like a true Australian here.
As always thanks for reading, and drop a comment if you have any other recommendations or favorite spots in Australia I must check out! :)
bisous,
Lyndi
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