# Restaurant suggestions for Sydney, Port Douglas, and Melbourne



## Jwerking (Jun 23, 2007)

After lots of planning and help from Chubby, Sage, and Sydney - our month trip to Oz will start next week.  We will spend 3 days in Sydney, 5 days in Port Douglas, 2 days at Trinity Beach, 3 more days in the Cairns area (driving to the Undara lava tube, etc) , 3 days in Melbourne, 4 days doing the Ocean Road, etc, and back to Sydney for a few days probably to do Blue Mountains. 

Any suggestions on good restaurants that are moderately priced ?  Or ones that we should definitely go to even if they are pricey?  We are staying by Darling Harbour area in Sydney.  In Melbourne, we are by Bourke and Williams about 1/2 km north of Flinders.  How about Pt Douglas - suggestions there?

Also, am I okay without hotel  reservations for my 3 extra days in the Cairns area and 4 days for Ocean Drive/maybe Phillips Island area.  

Honestly, depending on the weather in the Melbourne area, we may switch the days for the Ocean Drive.  Right now, I am booked into a hotel in Melbourne for Wed thru Friday night, leaving Sat morning to drive down to Morning**** Penisula and maybe Phillips Island, over to start the Ocean Drive on Sunday, Finish the Ocean drive on Monday, and do whatever on Tuesday while heading back up to Melbourne to spend the night at an AP hotel ( do have this reservation.)  

If we switch the days, we will do the Penisula/ Phillips Island on Wed/Thurs, start the Ocean Drive on Friday and finish on Sat., drive back to Melbourne on Sun and have 2 days there.  Either way, I am hitting the Ocean Drive on either a Sat or Sun - busy weekend days.  But at least on the first itinerary, I will only start on Sunday. 

Are the penguins at Phillips Island worth the extra time and drive?  Is sounds kind of cool but also very touristy and it may be very cold and damp since it is winter down there.  Should we just skip it?  Also, am I going to have problems getting a hotel there esp. on a Sat. night?

Honestly, I have never walked into a hotel without a reservation.  Do they offer you a good rate or their rack rate?  Are they very negotiable at this point?  

Thanks for any assistance or comments.

Joyce


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## sage (Jun 23, 2007)

Joyce,
You must be excited. Your holiday is finally here.
In Sydney there are heaps of great places to eat. Lots of places at Darling Harbour but the restaurants are expensive.
The buffet at the Sheraton Four Points - city side of Darling Harbour - is about $55 but quite good. Chinatown at Haymarket (about 5-10 mins walk from D/Harbour has lots of excellent Asian restaurants that are quite reasonable. The upstairs restauants are a little cheaper than the ones with footpath dining.
We have a Tony Romas in Sussex Street - awesome and I think the only one in Australia (if you are seriously hankering for ribs). 
In the Rocks area there is Pancakes on the Rocks - main meals as well and most meals are around $14-18. 
Just so you know and don't get confused
your appetiser/starters - our entree
your entree - our main meal


As for reservations for your last 3 days in Cairns - it is peak season and school holidays from the 2nd July so you may find nice accomodation hard to get.
Look on lastminute.com.au or needitnow.com.au. They have great last minute deals - especially if you are looking to stay within for the next 14 days after booking.
Enjoy your stay!
Gillian


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## chubby (Jun 23, 2007)

hi Joyce
Phillip Island it will be cold there and if the south wind is blowing you will be freezeing there at the moment we are haveing it very cold winds blowing in from the south down here if you do go take coats and if you do go and take the ferry across to Queenscliff across the bay becarefull of speed cameras in that part just did $137.00 last week for 4 KLS over the speed limit 
The penguins is a bit of tourist thing all you do is sit on cement seats in the cold and watch these penguins come out of the sea up the beach into the sand hills its all under lights summer time yes winter time if you are brave 
Accommodation there will be plenty of motels available in the major towns the winter school holidays there is not a lot of travelers then try the caravan parks for two bedroom units as there is 4 of you I think do look before you buy they will give you key to look just ask we do it all the time and if they do not come up to our standard we say no thanks and look else where
Restaurants in Melbourne walk down 4 blocks from Bourke Street down William Street to the Yarra river cross the Queen ST bridge you will find restaurants there of all types it is called South Bank the Crown Casino is there if you are late going back to your hotel get a taxie back
 The other place just on the edge of the city square is Lygon Street you will need a taxie there and back just north of the city it is a street of restaurants


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## Jwerking (Jun 23, 2007)

chubby said:


> hi Joyce
> Phillip Island it will be cold there and if the south wind is blowing you will be freezeing there at the moment we are haveing it very cold winds blowing in from the south down here if you do go take coats and if you do go and take the ferry across to Queenscliff across the bay becarefull of speed cameras in that part just did $137.00 last week for 4 KLS over the speed limit
> The penguins is a bit of tourist thing all you do is sit on cement seats in the cold and watch these penguins come out of the sea up the beach into the sand hills its all under lights summer time yes winter time if you are brave



I think you captured the picture quite elegantly, Chubby, exactly as I envisioned it.  Freezing my behind off sitting on some cement stairs in the dark waiting for the penguins - of course, let's make it rain for some real excitement and laughter!  I think that we are passing on Philips Island.  For your info, I did buy new LL Bean Jackets for my hubby and I for this trip that are Polartec and waterproof and lightweight.  

I have spent all day today online at Tripadvisor and the Victoria tourist site - researching and deciding what to do.  I have decided to spend some time - maybe a day at the Otways National Park - doing the Treetop Walk, Maits Rest, and Melba Gully.  Guess we will stay in the Apollo Park area - is that the closest or Lorne.  

Did the Grampians just have some huge forest fires - what a shame?  If so, wonder if we should bother to spend our time there driving from Pt Fairy to Halls Gap???  Is there a more direct back to Melbourne from there?

Don't know if there is alot to do on the drive from Halls Gap back to Melbourne.  I am not into wineries and Soverign Hill does not sound like my kind of thing.  Or is it something I should definitely do?  Anyway, any other suggestions - as we should be doing some type of sight seeing whilst driving back to Sydney. 

By the way, can you please give me the link to those caravan parks again - last time I tried them - it didn't work.  

Thanks again, Joyce.


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## Jwerking (Jun 23, 2007)

sage said:


> Joyce,
> You must be excited. Your holiday is finally here.
> In Sydney there are heaps of great places to eat. Lots of places at Darling Harbour but the restaurants are expensive.
> The buffet at the Sheraton Four Points - city side of Darling Harbour - is about $55 but quite good. Chinatown at Haymarket (about 5-10 mins walk from D/Harbour has lots of excellent Asian restaurants that are quite reasonable. The upstairs restauants are a little cheaper than the ones with footpath dining.
> ...



Does the Sheraton buffet have seafood or do you know of a good seafood buffet in Sydney - our family loves seafood and it is great to have the opportunity to graze and try a variety of items.  Someone on tripadvisor wrote about mud crabs, I think, said they were not impressed - rather small and hard to eat and very pricey.  

Chinatown is definitely on the list and is always cheap.  I could eat there every day and every meal but my family may bulk.  I am American born Chinese - so grew up on the stuff - so can just go down to Chinatown and have some roast duck and crispy pork with a pile of rice and be in heaven.  Will definitely pick up some char sui bows to eat in the morning since we are staying in an apt in Sydney.   We love Thai food also - so we can usually fine those in the area also.  

Wow, this trip is going to cost us a small fortune when I think that I am paying for all the accomodations instead of using timeshares anywhere.  Particularly in the Cairns area with all the excursions.  Tripadvisor folks recommended guided tours of Daintree and Cape Tri - but honestly at $600 for the 4 of us - I think we will just drive and do it ourselves.   I will be spending plenty of money there on other activities.

For my extra 3 days in the Cairns area, I was planning on doing sites in the Alterton Tablelands - just do not have it figured out exactly where yet.  I assume accomodations in these areas will be somewhat limited, but was hoping we could find a place for each night as we are on our roadtrip.  Are the kids out of school for two weeks from July 2-14?  So by the time I am doing these last 3 days from June 15 to 18 - they will be back in school?

Joyce


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## sage (Jun 23, 2007)

Joyce,
I forget to mention a couple of other places.
The Sydney Fish Markets - largest fish markets in the Southern Hemisphere - open early and have a few places that sell fish cooked while you wait. They have outdoor seating (as well as indoor) and it is a nice place to have lunch. Not that far from Darling Harbour. I think the light rail goes down there from the city. Reasonable prices and lots of variety! 
Nicks Seafood Restaurants - there are about 3 I think. The one we went to was the only restaurant right on Bondi Beach. A bit pricey but great food.
They have an all you can eat seafood night (not sure what type of seafood - probably fish, chips and prawns) on Mondays from around 5pm. Costs around $18 per head.
The Sheraton buffet is really good but the best one we have been to (we also love our seafood!) is at Sheraton on the Park on Elizabeth St in the City. It is very expensive $95 per head but includes lobster, crab, peeled king prawns, Balmain bugs (something between a crab and a flat lobster and very sweet), and many other seafood dishes.

You are on the right track hiring a car for up at Cairns. Day trips cost a fortune and if there are more than 2 of you it works out so much cheaper. You also get to see a lot more things that tours won't stop for. 

I know NSW school holiday dates but the states stagger their holidays.
The ACT, Western Aust; South Aust and Northern Territory are all on holiday until the 23rd of July.  Although the coast is more popular and has far more accommodation inland areas may be quieter but also have less available. 
I would start looking at those websites soon.

If I remember correctly, your daughter was on exchange here. If she can get a couple of copies of the Entertainment book ($60 a copy) through the uni or a charity - I think Prince of Wales Hospital has them or the Cancer Coucil shops.
There are coupons for all the main attractions, harbour ferries, Darling Harbour and city eateries and I know that Nicks seafood is in there too.
You'll save more than the cost of the books.


Gillian


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## chubby (Jun 24, 2007)

Hi again 
the web site for camping parks are
http://www.big4.com.au
http://www.toptouristparks.com.au
http://www.familyparks.com.au
These are the groups of parks we use and have found them ok but do ask to look at the units as there are differant types in each park 
Yes Phillip Island you seem to have got the idear it has flood lights and you do not sit in the dark in the summer I would say it is a must see but not now
The Grampians was burnt out 2 years ago but all the trees would all have leaves and the under groth would be going now as all Aussie natives come back to life after a burn Halls Gap is a small town with drives around the back of it in the hills we love it and go the a lot a good Big 4 park just over the bridge in Halls Gap
To get back to Melbourne from there go on the Western Highway Through  Ararat and Ballarat these Gold mining towns 
Soverign Hill is in Ballarat it is very good to see it is all about the gold mining days you can go down a gold mine and see all old shops as it would be in the early days it also has a sound and light show about the miners upriseing about the fees they had to pay at the time at this time of year I would go to Soverign Hill and forget Phillip Island


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## Jwerking (Jun 24, 2007)

sage said:


> Joyce,
> 
> The Sheraton buffet is really good but the best one we have been to (we also love our seafood!) is at Sheraton on the Park on Elizabeth St in the City. It is very expensive $95 per head but includes lobster, crab, peeled king prawns, Balmain bugs (something between a crab and a flat lobster and very sweet), and many other seafood dishes.
> 
> ...



Wow, $95 for a meal- that will take some real thinking - even $55 is pushing the upper end on vacation when we are eating dinner out almost every night.  I could consider cooking some nights - but may be unlikely but monetary necessary when we are vacationing for a whole month. 

Think I will past on the Entertainment Books - they are great when you know where stuff is but I have enough to think about without trying to locate specific restaurants, etc .  

You are absolutely right about the accomodations in the Alterton Tablelands - I am having problems finding availabillity for 3 nights from July 15 to 18 - but are working on it.  I really had my heart set in staying in Yungabarra - but it seems unlikely since most of the places are full per Wotif.  Maybe I should try some other sites. 

I love your selections   - both my girls were cheer leaders in high school and brings back great memories. 

Joyce

Joyce


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## Dottie (Jun 25, 2007)

Joyce

Your trip sounds fabulous!!!!  I am looking forward to hearing about it when you return.

Dottie


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## camachinist (Jun 25, 2007)

Latest trip tried wagamama on Bridge (SYD); very reasonable and good food. Great for a quick bite on the run.

http://www.wagamama.com.au/

Most of the hotel pubs in the Rocks in SYD have good food. In fact, I have yet to have bad food at a pub in Australia, even in the little towns.

In MEL, get off the river parkway and past the casino and there's some good diners and pubs in South Bank. We'd usually window shop the menus and guage the clientele before trying.

The was one restraurant upstairs along the river between Crown and Rod Laver (same side) that had a great bar and food and reasonable. It'll come to me. It's in an otherwise boring 2 level mall.

Haven't been to Cairns. If you ever get to WA (western Oz) I have a few experiences there as well 

I'll be off to AKL and WEL next month, so should have some New Zealand grub up on my blog. 

Pat


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