Australia Travel Blog

Starting 2026 easy, with a transfer from Florida to Melbourne.  No, not Melbourne, Florida .. the other one!!

A month Down Under.  Still chasing that secret.

I’ve visited Australia several times before;  and my backpack has long had a Kangaroo patch …  But like the States;  this country is ginormous.

Melbourne,  Tasmania,  Ayers Rock,  Perth,  Darwin.  The adventure begins.

Melbourne, Australia;  remember to do you eVisa, go thru their famous dog-sniffing Immigration procedure – I’m in … Find a taxi and head to the CBD,  a DoubleTree on Flinders Street.  I’ll be walking the streets and riding city trams at this stop;  no rental car here.

Queen Victoria Market, National Art Museum, Sky tower, Royal Botanical Gardens.  The cafés and bars and people are welcoming.  It’s like home. Easy to relax and explore. The Australian Tennis Open is just finishing as I arrive.. a huge event here.

I spend 4 days downtown, getting acclimated to  time-travel,,,I had a 23 hour transfer.  Not as easy as it looks.

The highlight of Melbourne:  My day tour of the Great Ocean Road,  a 3 hour bus drive outside of Melbourne.  Offering scenic vistas of the Southern Ocean and the Bass Strait.  Including a visit to the photogenic12 Apostles;  with its iconic limestone pillars and Ocean waves crashing.. gorgeous.  This is the first time I’ve seen the Southern Ocean.  Cool.

Pushing on from Melbourne.. It’s Tasmania next.  Lovingly called Tassie.

I’m almost on the bottom of the planet !!  40 degree’s south latitude.  10 days of driving and finding the vibe here.  Only 500k people;  more live in my neighborhood back-home! 15+ hours of sunlight.  It’s summer here.

I Start in Hobart, the historic capital of Tasmania;  with its charming fishing docks, local museums, oysters and outstanding seafood.  Life at the southern edge of the planet.

Everything is slow here. Relax, match the pace of life. Learn the secret of their happy friendly life-style.

To explore Tasmania I have a rental car…  Starting with the near-by region.  Dramatic coastlines,  and a drive to Mt. Wellington – for views of Hobart below.  Charles Darwin climbed Mt. Wellington .. So I had to 😊 .. well,  sorta,  I drove mostly.. hiking just a bit.   I’m Channeling Darwin again !!

Unfortunately;  In Hobart, a severe case of food poisoning finds me;  from a sandwich shop (Liv Food).  I’ll skip their chicken sandwiches for a-while ..  This spot of bad luck forces extra down-time here in Hobart.   Ugg.. power on Bruce, it’s the life of a traveler.

I rally from my bad-luck, and drive north to Freycinet National Park. Located  on a remote peninsula facing the Tasman Sea – spectacular coastline views.  Sun shining over Wineglass Bay.  I stay in Swansea here – a tiny tiny seaside village. The Tassie people are amazingly polite and friendly – everywhere I go.

Continuing my drive North;  to Derby.  I book into a hostel;  Not my normal accommodation.   I end-up loving the place – Dorcet Hotel. Great Experience.

In these inland Northern Tasmanian mountains - it’s all about mountain biking.  Cool..so I bike.   I rent a Mountain Bike from a local shop, $70Aud - and explore the famous Blue Derby tracks for a day.  World Class professional Enduro Races are held here..  Black diamond tracks.  The real deal.

Intense steep tracks..  Scary stuff …  What an adventure – I’ll never forget it.  Best thing I did in Tassie.  I could only handle the Green tracks.

Pushing onto Launceston, my last hotel in Tassie.  I book a room in the CBD – always the plan.  Walk the city café’s and restaurants. Simple, easy, downtown -about the size of Hobart.  Using Launceston as my central hub to explore North Tasmania. I arrange a day trip to Cradle Mountain and Dove lake.. Rain and Sleet greet me at 1500m, and 3c …  freezing. Welcome to summer in Tassie.

Driving is easy here in Tasmania.  I didn’t see any live Roo’s while driving.    But at least a 100 roadkill Roo’s.   They all come out at night.

On another day here in Launceston;   I drive the rolling countryside.  Endless Autum yellow fields.  Stunning gorgeous. Hay and wheat.  And everywhere;  herds of cattle and sheep.  This is a farmers/ranchers heaven.  Reminds me of the foothills of Montana,, in the summer. 

My last day in Tassie,  I visit a local zoo..   to say hi to the Tasmanian Devils 😊 … and the friendly Roo petting paddocks… A required experience.

Pushing on from Tasmania,  it’s a short 1hr flight back to Melbourne,, then a 4hr flight to Ayers Rock. Moving around Australia,, from one part to another.. is like traveling to another country.. Nothing is close.  3-4-8 hour flights and transits. Getting to the Red Centre is an all day event from Tassie.

Ayers Rock.  The Red Centre.  I’m in the real outback now.  Desert land in every direction for 1000miles.  This is isolation.

I stay at the Ayers Rock Resort.. there’s not many alternative accommodation options.  I arrive with no plan;  my normal.

This resort is run like a Disney operation.  Bus arrangement from the airport. Bus to the base of Ayers, to Kata Tjunta, to Kings Canyon.  Tours,, that you pick and chose.. It’s pricey.   But this is why I came..  to see the outback.

Hiking in 110f temps.  Be prepared. Red on Red.  Aboriginal talks on old native weapons, epic night views of the stars.

On the move in Australia.  Had some trouble booking direct onward to Perth.. Western Australia.  So,  end up flying back to Melbourne and onto Perth.. a long day from the Red Centre.

Perth:  is the secret. 

Wow.. I love this city,  and surrounding lands.  A week here;  every day better than the previous.  I need more of Perth !

I book in at the Hilton DoubleTree,  on Barrack Square,, by Elizabeth Quay.  The ideal location, with everything at my doorstep.

Walk downtown Perth’s CBD most days, ride the free buses to Kings Park, take a train to Fremantle, walk the Swan River promenade,  check out the museums …  so much coolness in one place..

Holy crap!!  This is gorgeous and clean and perfect.  If I could build a city, I’d build Perth.

Arranging a ferry to Rottnest island for a day of biking.. a must!!  Take in the vastness of the Indian ocean as it meets the Southern Ocean.

Relax at the coffee houses and breathe.  Western Australia is the place.

All too fast,  it’s onward from Perth.  For one last stop on this down under visit.

One last stop in Australia,  on this month long visit.  Darwin,  The Norther Territory. Remote,  Isolated,  almost primitive in a way.

Darwin has a very modest CDB,  with just 4-5 hotel choices.  I end up at a Hilton for a short visit.  Not enough time to explore outside the city – my loss.  It’s a Crocodile adventure..  but instead, I explore the town.

Walking the Esplanade on the waterfront,  ‘finding’ the heart of the tiny CBD,  taking an Uber to the local Museum.  The Northern Territory Museum was small,, but entertaining  - a worthy visit.   But mostly,, this isn’t a place for visitors..  It’s tropical, hot and raining.  But the coastline has so many Croc’s.. no one can swim or dive these waters…wow,  kinda amazing.

Time to jump again.  A month here flew by.

Perth was by-far the best destination I found on this visit to Australia… If I return,, I will focus on this corner of Australia,, I’ve been told,, it gets more-n-more beautiful as you head south along the Perth coastline.. Next-time 😊

This country is amazing, and I love it… Only New Zealand can top it for quality of life.   Fantastic food, amazing countryside,  friendly people.  Perth is the secret.

Australia Travel Blog

12 Apostles,,The Great Ocean Road