You must go to the Austrailia Zoo in Brisbane. It was the most amazing part of my trip to Austrailia and I also snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef.
It is worth it to hire a guide (~$400 about I think...) which isn't actually a guide so much as one of the Zookeepers that has time. They literally drive you around in a golf cart with drinks and show you everything up close and personal (got to stand right next to 2 of the adult Cheetah's that were going for a walk and eating tuna lollipops). The zoo is soo much better than any I have ever gone too, and the insider tour just made it so much better. You have to book the guide ahead of time and there are only 3 available per day... but it was literally the best money I spent in the whole country.
Also, drink the beer... there is good wine down there, but the beer I tried down there made me lament that most were not exported. Man I would love to get more from the Blue Tongue brewery.
Also... +1 for the Sydney Harbor Bridge climb... best view you can get, we decided to not even go to the opera house afterwards because our view from there was obviously better than any other we could have gotten.
My Lao friends who recently visited Melbourne enjoyed Eureka Tower skydeck, National Gallery of Victoria and ACMI and the general riding around in a trams vibe.
You should be glad you are not in Melbourne today. It is a scorcher.
So, how is/did the trip go?
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