Australian Trip 1996

Hi there!

Well for the period 1 March to 17 March 1996, Daniel and I travelled around some parts of Australia (refer itinerary below), and I thought that I would put some of the highlights on the Web for your enjoyment. We met some fabulous people while travelling, and visited some lovely places. If you see something that you like and would like more information on it, then why not email me.

Sydney 1 March to 4 March 1996

Capital of New South Wales and home of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras – hence the reason for our visit to Sydney at this time of year!!

ACCOMMODATION – We stayed at the Sydney Marriott (36 College Street, Sydney NSW 2000 – Telephone: (02) 361 8400) and this was one of the highlights of our trip. The Marriott is located just around the corner from Oxford Street, located about a 5-10 minute walk from the city (through Hyde Park) and is pleasant and very gay friendly! The rooms are quite generous in size and are very well set out. The room had a lovely view of Hyde Park, and also the beginning of the Mardi Gras parade. There are other rooms overlooking the eastern suburbs. The bathroom is huge, and has a large spa-size tub fits two comfortably (though it is missing the spa). For water lovers, there is a lovely pool, sauna (both dry and wet) and a spa on the rooftop. Also on the rooftop, there is a mini-gymnasium and cardio-room (bike, treadmill and stepper machines). I love this place, and out of all the hotels we stayed at on this trip, this was the nicest!

EATING PLACES WORTH A MENTION

• Rockefellers Hamburger Cafe
• The Downtown Cafe

Cairns / Port Douglas 4 March to 12 March 1996

ACCOMMODATION – In Cairns, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Cairns (Corner The Esplanade & Florence Street, Cairns QLD 4870 – Telephone: (070) 31 3757). The Holiday Inn is an oldish hotel in Cairns, and is located just across the road from Cairns Bay. Balcony rooms look out over the bay, whilst other rooms can get views of the mountains. The hotel is within a short walking distance from city centre (about four blocks). For those who go into the city centre, be sure to check out Walkers Bookstore. They have the latest edition of Queensland Pride and Brother Sister (the 2 gay QLD papers), as well as a fairly large range of gay literature. Whilst in Port Douglas, we lived at The Torresian Resort Villas (Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas QLD 4871 – Telephone: (070) 99 5577).

EATING PLACES WORTH A MENTION

• Red Ochre Grill Corner Sheridan and Shields Street, Cairns QLD 4870 The Red Ochre Grill specialises in “Australian Style Cooking”. This means, that on the menu are items like Kangaroo & Emu. Don’t be put off by this, they do have other dishes, but be game and try something different. Presentation of meals is superb and the cost is quite reasonable. They also have a large range of Australian wines for you to enjoy with your meal.
• Mango Jam Cafe 24 Macrossan Street, Port Douglas QLD 4871 Telephone: (070) 99 4611 Facsimile: (070) 99 4059 Definately worth a visit!! A bright orange facade greets you (so it is not hard to miss) in the main street of Port Douglas, and the food is great! The menu is changed most days, and I can highly recommend the Nachos. Also, their Mango Daiquari is worthwhile!

PLACES WORTH A MENTION

Turtle Cove Resort – Cairns My motto for this place is – “Your Last Resort” – because this place is not nice – or to steal a phrase from a lovely American friend – “nasty”. The location is kilometres away from anything (at least 30 minutes from Cairns and a good 20 minutes from Port Douglas). As a person who shy’s away from SLEAZE this place is not my cup of tea – and I was only visiting!!

Darwin 12 March to 14 March 1996

ACCOMMODATION – The Beaufort Darwin (The Esplanade, Darwin NT 0800 – Telephone: (089) 82 9911) was the highlight of this segment of our travels! A modern looking building, which spans (it seems) a whole block, it also houses the Darwin Performing Arts Centre. Upon arriving, guests (or at least us) are greeted with a glass of champagne, which after the trip from the airport is a welcome refreshment. The room we had overlooked the swimming pool and jacuzzi.

Perth 14 March to 17 March 1996

ACCOMMODATION– Located approx. 20 minutes from Perth is the Radisson Observation City (The Esplanade, Scarborough WA 6019 – Telephone: (09) 245 1000), our base whilst in the West. Staff at Observation City are “nice” but don’t have a high level of competence, based on our experience. Observation City is located on Scarborough Beach and is minutes away from other major beaches in the area. Beaches worth a visit are Swanbourne and Floreat – both are located along the Great Western Highway. Floreat has a high gay population visiting it and weekends seem the most popular time. Note: The views or opinions contained on this page are mine!!