Visit Australia

[Exotic Life]

Hi,

Don't know if this is the right place for this topic, but did not know were to place it else.

Always wanted to visit Australia for a longer period, and now the moment is here. In a few weeks I will flying to Australia for traveling at least 5 or 6 months and I am really looking forward to this. I don't really have a timeplan but I decided to concentrate mostly on the eastcoast like lots of people do when visiting Australia. Most of the people start in Sydney, but I decided to do it the other way around to skip a little of the australian winter. I'll start my visit in the North and fly to Cairns and going south afterwards. Like I said earlier, I don't really have a time schedule but I would like to be in Sydney somewhere in September. This is because I would like to visit the defqon festival, my birthday and it is very likely that a friend is coming over as well and sydney is the easiest way to fly. If I have time left en specially money left I am thinking to give New Zealand a short visit as well, but don't know yet. Proberly going to work somewhere for a month, for money but also the experience. Working in agriculture (like fruitpicking) is most likely but it would be even better to find a place where I can work with more unsual palms then I do here at home.

Enough talk, as I started this topic to ask something to our Australian members. What kind of places/hotspots I should really visit? Of course I would like to visit more famous places like the barrier reef, national parcs, cities like Sydney and Melbourne, but I mean the more unknown places for a tourist. Are there some nurseries that really worth a visit?

Looking forward to some of your answers.

Kind regards,

Robbin

[Zeeth]

I've heard a lot about the Townsville Palmetum, so that might be a good place to go.

[Tropicgardener]

Flecker Botanical Gardens in Cairns is a standout but as Keith mentioned the Townsville Palmetum is very much worth a visit. Rockhampton Botanical Gardens, Brisbane and Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens and the Sydney Botanical gardens all have good palm collections...........

Palms in habitat................Subtropical world heritage Border ranges, Lamington National Park and Mount Tamborine in southern Queensland to see the 4 palm species native there.

In my local area (wet tropical) there is Eungella National Park (Upland subtropical rainforest) you can see A. alexandrae and A. cunninghamiana intermingled, Livistona australis (Eungella), Calamus australis and moti as well as Platypus in the creeks.......below there in the valley there is the gorgeous Pioneer Valley with Finch Hatton Gorge. Also around here there is the Conway and Whitsunday National Parks with palms everywhere........We have the 74 Whitsunday Islands of the Great Barrier Reef here some of which have resorts but many others are uninhabited and are covered in rainforest. Of course there is easy access from here to the outer Great Barrier Reef as well.

Further north you move away from the wet tropics into the dry tropics around Townsville which has the Palmetum, Anderson Gardens and Queens Gardens.....all worth a visit. If you want to visit the reef and don't want to get your ears wet there is Reef HQ and the museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville.......Massive living reef tank and displays of local tropical marine life.

North of Townsville you again move into the wet tropics and the drive from Ingham north to Cairns is absolutely gorgeous.......There are more palms than you can poke a stick at and some beautiful National Parks and locations. North of Cairns you can take a standard 2 wheel drive car across the vehicle ferry at the Daintree River and explore the world heritage Daintree National Park.

Considering the amount of time you are looking at spending here you are bound to have a good time and will see a lot !!

[Jonathan]

I second Andrews suggestion about Eungella - its an absolutely beautiful place.

If you get up to the Atherton Tablelands near Cairns you should drive up to Mt. Lewis near Julatten to see Archontophoenix purpurea, Oraniopsis, Laccospadix, Linospadix (various species) and lots of Calamus.

On the drive from Cairns to Mossman you can see Livistona muelleri and Cycas media, then onto the daintree for Licuala ramsayi

At Rolling Stone, north of Townsville you can find Livistona drudei.

I would try to make the trip inland to Carnarvon Gorge in south central Qld to look at Livistona nitida and Macrozamia moorei, as well as great scenery and aboriginal rock art.

Make the effort to see as many palms in habitat as you can, because it's so much more rewarding than looking at them in a garden.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[Tropicgardener]

Jonathon I just visited my neighbour a couple of days ago and he has Livistona drudei growing naturally on his property just up the street from me................Sorry I digress but yes the possibilities are endless.

[Jonathan]

Thats interesting Andrew - I didn't know that they made it that far south - not that Airlie is very far south!

Not a bad species to have growing wild in your backyard - one of my favorite Livs.

As you say, the possibilities for Robbin are endless, the hardest choices will be where not to go...

Cheers,

Jonathan

[Alicehunter2000]

I enjoyed the Daintree. Backpacker hostels are a pretty cheap way to go. Loved the Queensland area around Burleigh Heads and Kirra Point but thats because the surf was pretty epic. North Stradbroke Island was interesting as well....I loved Australia. ...could move there easily....felt right at home for me.

[Tropicgardener]

Yep Burleigh Heads is probably one of the few places on the Gold Coast that I would consider living.....it is nice there. I grew up in South East Queensland and have fond memories of Mount Tamborine where I spent time as a child (and where I can trace back my love of palms from).........Now though I don't find the South East Corner anywhere near as attractive as it used to be.....Too big, too commercialized, too many people but it is still a popular tourist destination albeit a bit less relaxed than its northern tropical counterparts.

[richnorm]

Give us a shout if you get to NZ. You can sometimes get cheap deals from Aus. Landsendt takes woofwers sometimes...

cheers

Richard

[O'o Bar Master]

Aloha Robbin,

I spent a month in Australia and in a lifetime of world traveling I have NEVER met more hospitable people anywhere. Get out into the bush and meet the folks who work the land. Drop in to a sheep station at shearing time and let them show you how to shear. There is so much to do that with 5 - 6 months, it will be an experience you will never forget. I was there flying a hot air balloon and because of the travel expense we were shorthanded for crew. At every location where we inflated the balloon, someone would step out of the crowd and volunteer to help. Amazing country and amazing people.

Mike

[Justin]

Not an Aussie, but we visited 5 years ago (wow, that long ago, damn), and here's what I recommend for palmy stuff: 1) the Daintree for Licuala ramsayii, Normanbyas and others, 2) Cairns/Kuranda for Archontophoenix and Calamus, and of course 3) Lord Howe Island for Howea forsteriana, Howea belmoreana, Hedyscepe and Lepidorachis. In addition to those places, we also hit up Adelaide (I liked the Botanic Garden there, lots of stuff you don't often see at Botanic Gardens), Kangaroo Island, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and Lizard Island.

[fan palm]

flecker is a must see if in cairns. not a huge botanic garden but very well layed out and heaps of palms. also paronella park is 90km south of cairns (7km from me) and is worth a visit if your passing through. not that many palms but a cool story and huge waterfall. http://www.paronellapark.com.au/

sounds like an awesome trip!

[hopper]

Not an Aussie, but we visited 5 years ago (wow, that long ago, damn), and here's what I recommend for palmy stuff: 1) the Daintree for Licuala ramsayii, Normanbyas and others, 2) Cairns/Kuranda for Archontophoenix and Calamus, and of course 3) Lord Howe Island for Howea forsteriana, Howea belmoreana, Hedyscepe and Lepidorachis. In addition to those places, we also hit up Adelaide (I liked the Botanic Garden there, lots of stuff you don't often see at Botanic Gardens), Kangaroo Island, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and Lizard Island.

Yep, can vouch for the Adelaide Botanical Gardens, I try to get out from the office at lunch time and take a walk through there as often as I can.

The Adelaide Zoo is also a good spot for some tropical / palm looking settings. I tend to look at the gardens more than the animals.

[comic097]

Hey Robbin If your stopping in at Brisbane, these 3 are a must

https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/the-city/things-to-do/major--attractions/city-botanic-gardens

http://www.romastreetparkland.com/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/parks-venues/parks/brisbane-botanic-gardens-mount-coot-tha

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Hi Robbin

If you are coming to Tasmania we have a spare room for a few nights !

[Exotic Life]

Dear All,

Thank you for the quick responses with the great tips about places to visit. My flight is leaving on the 15th of June and I will be landing in cairns early afternoon on the 17th, just in time to watch the world cup game Australia against Holland.

To travel around the east coast i am going to use mostly busses and will keep the pictures below as main route. However, there is plenty of freedom to go different or more inland if I want. When the moment is there that I am in Melbourne I am going to decide what the next step will be, depending on the time and money I have left.

|

Regards, Robbin

Edited June 3, 2014 by Exotic Life

[Exotic Life]

Hi Robbin

If you are coming to Tasmania we have a spare room for a few nights !

Hi Troy,

Thanks again for your kind invitation. I would love to meet some members of this community and see their gardens. If I coming to Tasmania I defitenely will give you pm or a call.

Robbin

[DoomsDave]

Whoa, that will be an epic journey! 5 - 6 MONTHS??

Good for you!

[Tyrone]

For a palmy holiday in Australia doing the east coast is definitely the right thing to do. Don't forget the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory is epic. Darwin and the surrounds and very palmy. Litchfield NP is a great place to see wild Hydriastele and Carpentarias and virtually everywhere in the natural bush are millions of Livistona popping up everywhere. Kakadu also has it's own palm flora, yet I haven't been there myself. The tropical nature of the NT is really nice.

The west coast has it's own charm, but if you're after palms there are better places to see. It's too expensive as well. If you like wild hostile wide open spaces then the west coast could be worth a visit.

[Kennybenjamin]

Hi Robbin,

Your welcome to pm me and I can show you a private garden or 2 when you are around the Brisbane area.

[Brucer]

Hi Robbin,

Same for Sydney.

Bruce

[Exotic Life]

@ Kennybenjamin and Brucer.

Thanks, and I give you a pm when I am heading your way.

Whoa, that will be an epic journey! 5 - 6 MONTHS??

Good for you!

Yes, it is and I am looking forward to this journey. I have a working holiday Visa for at least one year, but in the first place I decided to go 5-6 months. Proberly I need to get back home then, but if something changes it could be longer as well.

For a palmy holiday in Australia doing the east coast is definitely the right thing to do. Don't forget the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory is epic. Darwin and the surrounds and very palmy. Litchfield NP is a great place to see wild Hydriastele and Carpentarias and virtually everywhere in the natural bush are millions of Livistona popping up everywhere. Kakadu also has it's own palm flora, yet I haven't been there myself. The tropical nature of the NT is really nice.

The west coast has it's own charm, but if you're after palms there are better places to see. It's too expensive as well. If you like wild hostile wide open spaces then the west coast could be worth a visit.

Thanks Tyrone. When I saw my flight from Melbourne to Cairns (3,5 hours) it reminds me again that Australia is incredible big. The east coast has more populair places then the west coast, why I decided to concentrate me first on the eastern part of Australia. However, if I ever get the chance to visit more inland Australia, or the west coast, I defitenely will take that chance.

Besides a holiday, it is also a country experience to see if I really like it compared the feelings now. I would love to emigrate once and on this moment Australia is defitenely on my top 5 list.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Hi Robbin

If you are coming to Tasmania we have a spare room for a few nights !

Hi Troy,

Thanks again for your kind invitation. I would love to meet some members of this community and see their gardens. If I coming to Tasmania I defitenely will give you pm or a call.

Robbin

Ok Robin 0401463347 mobile

[Peter Pacific]

Robbin, you do realize we will be expecting complete documentation, right? Your trip will be incredible, have fun. Read Mutant Message from Downunder before you go.

Peter

[Daryl]

Hi Robbin, If you are ever near the Gold Coast I can show you some of the local gardens/rainforest etc, but would have to be a weekend.

regards,

Daryl

[tropicbreeze]

Robbin, you do realize we will be expecting complete documentation, right? Your trip will be incredible, have fun. Read Mutant Message from Downunder before you go.

Peter

Don't bother reading Mutant Message from Downunder, the woman who wrote that is a total fraud. But a wealthy fraud, because she feeds off the gullible.

[philinsydney]

Give me a PM when you reach Sydney. There are lots of Livistona australis in a valley a few miles from me.

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Hello Robbin

Keep in touch when closer to Sydney, if i am here i will take you to some private gardens and The Sydney botanic gardens behind the scenes tourrega

regards

colin

[Exotic Life]

Hi,

Did not replied to the last people, like Darryl Colin and Phil, but thanks and if I am close by I will give you a pm

I am in Cairns since last Tuesday and needed a few days to get settled, specially because i always seems to get a cold from the airplanes. Going better now and explored the city, flecker gardens and surroundings already. I will stay in Cairns till next Friday before I going further down to townsville and arlie beach. Would like to visit the daintreerainforest area this week as well. The time that I am on Australian ground is quite short but the scenery is amazing already. Have been watching the world cup as well (sorry, but have to say australia played a great game) with maybe 50 Dutchies and lots of aussies, which have been a fun experience.

[Tropicgardener]

Hello Robbin,

Are you staying here in the Airlie Beach area?................If you are and you are interested I could possibly take you to at least one great palm garden in the area. If you are interested let me know and I will see what I can organize.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[aussiearoids]

Robbin I am halfway between Cairns & Townsville , a few good palmy gardens around here ..

and a comfortable couch ..

[aussiearoids]

Licuala National Park ...is really worth a visit .

Edited June 23, 2014 by aussiearoids

[Tropicgardener]

I had the pleasure of Meeting Robbin today as he is currently staying in Airlie Beach.........took him to a Palm Collectors garden today and he found himself a bit lost and bewildered by the variety and number of species on display. Afterwards I took him for a drive and a walk up in the tropical rainforest of Conway National Park. Native palms he saw in habitat were Archontophoenix alexandrae, Calamus australis, Livistona decora, Livistona drudei, Ptychosperma elegans. I think he really enjoyed it and even managed to souvenir a few seeds

[Tassie_Troy1971]

excellent

Great time had by all

Don't forget Robin if you get to Tasmania pm me !

[Walter John]

I had the pleasure of Meeting Robbin today as he is currently staying in Airlie Beach.........took him to a Palm Collectors garden today and he found himself a bit lost and bewildered by the variety and number of species on display. Afterwards I took him for a drive and a walk up in the tropical rainforest of Conway National Park. Native palms he saw in habitat were Archontophoenix alexandrae, Calamus australis, Livistona decora, Livistona drudei, Ptychosperma elegans. I think he really enjoyed it and even managed to souvenir a few seeds

Great to hear.

[NikauNZ]

Hi, If you make your way to the top of South Island, NZ,

Drop me a line, You'll be well taken care of.

Safe journey.

Greg

[Kennybenjamin]

So Robbin has made his way from Cairns down to Brisbane and I caught up with him a couple of times this weekend and showed him some local sights.

Yesterday was a quick look around Palms For Brisbane Nursery, today was a trip to Mt Coottha lookout and a walk around the botanic gardens there. Even though these gardens are 15 minutes from my house I have not walked around those gardens for over 10 years, I was very impressed with the palm variety and specimens there!! I will be back there for another look very soon!

After Mt Coottha he came to my garden for a look,a feed and a xxxx (local beer) then I found him some local wild kangaroos that he could get up close to for a photo opportunity. Robbin seemed happy to see live roos rather than the dead ones on the side of the highway.

Pleasure to meet you Robbin, I hope you enjoyed the little tour and enjoy the rest of your stay in our great country!!

[Tropicgardener]

Great stuff Ben, what a delight it must of been for him to be shown around by yourself and see some of the best of what is on offer in Brisbane......... Robbin is a nice fellow and is very keen on seeing palms in our country. Hopefully he will get to meet some other palmtalkers as he moves further south

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Sounds like a great PRA Ben - I am sure that Robin was impressed with your garden as i was .

Don't forget Robin if you are in Tasmania let me know !

[Phoenix Bob]

Robin,

Hope you get to visit Tasmania. Much of what my wife and I were able to see is still pristine. I'm anxious to return. Also, make certain you stop by Tassie Troy"s place in Old Beach (Hobart). His garden is remarkable! It's hard to believe what Troy is growing at 42 degrees south; as far south from the equator as Toronto, Canada is north. Troy and wife Danylle are super hosts, and Troy's palm-growing expertise is almost intimidating. You won't regret making the detour south of mainland Australia.

Phoenix Bob