Australia

We visit Australia every year from the states to see Tim’s family and I figured it was about time I start documenting what we do while we’re there. This guide will not cover all of Australia and all it has to offer, it’s simply showcasing the highlights of our trip in Canberra, Coledale and Melbourne.

Each trip includes time in Canberra since that’s where his family is located. I know that the capitol city may not be your first choice to visit but it has some really nice things to do and see. Give it a chance!

CANBERRA

Here’s what I recommend:

Visit the National Gallery of Australia.

There’s a little bit of something for everyone there and usually a great exhibition. You could spend hours exploring this museum and you should!

Take a walk around Lake Burley Griffin. You can spend several hours walking the paths along the lake, go on a cruise or have a picnic in the grass.

Go have a drink or eat at Kokomos. This place is extremely photographable and the foods pretty good too! It’s right downtown and next to a ton of shopping, bars, and other restaurants.

My FAVORITE restaurant is Marvie and Wolfe. Yes, the owners happen to be our very good friends but I promise you the food is exceptional!!

Another yummy spot to try is Baby Su. Unique food and delicious!

The last spot I’ll recommend is Hotel Hotel Nishi. More great photo opportunities to be found here, good food, a movie theater and it’s a hotel if you need a place to stay.

After Canberra we drove to a town just north of Wollongong called Coledale. It’s amongst several small towns along the coast and a perfect quiet getaway.

COLEDALE

Here’s what I recommend:

Enjoy the many many beaches. Very few people around, lots of sunshine.

We stayed at the perfect Airbnb. Secluded, views of the ocean and decorated nicely. Perfect.

We ate a several places but this one stood out because of it’s sustainable menu and decor, Earth Walker.

Enjoy the good hiking trails. We opted for an easy one, the Gibson Track which branches off of Sublime Lookout, it offered a lush and beautiful experience of the plants and trees of Australia.

Next we flew to Melbourne for the last few days of our trip. The city is known for great shopping, food and graffiti.

MELBOURNE

Here’s what I recommend:

If you’ve never been to Melbourne before I would recommend a walking tour. I know it may seem like a touristy thing to do but it can be a fun way to learn more about the city while on a stroll. Plus I know of a great one: Walk This Way. One of the tour guides, Shanan, is our friend and he offers such a fun and unique experience of the city.

Visit Dejour Jeans. It is such a cool concept. You enter the store which has shelves and shelves of jeans in different sizes, styles and colors. You choose a pair that is close to what you want and then they custom tailor the pants to fit you in 1 hour, all for $50. Great deal and I’m going back for more next time!

Thrift shopping is also high on my list of recommendations. They are actually called Op Shops and are all over the city. My friend Meg offers a guided thrift tour that offers meals and transportation. I thrifted with her while we were there and found some major scores!