Advice/tips for family holiday to OZ

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Handsomedan

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#3003006 29-Nov-2022 11:38

Technofreak: I'd second the Australia Zoo recommendation. Well worth the whole day. Something for everyone. The bird and crocodile show on it's own was worth it.

I would third it - it's a bit of a drive and takes a whole day of your trip, but it's definitely worth it.

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Dingbatt

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#3003009 29-Nov-2022 11:41

If you are staying on the GC the trip to do Australia Zoo is a full day expedition (but well worth it imo). To do it justice you will need to set out early (shouldn’t be a problem if your body is still on NZ time) and plan to not get back to the GC until late. The roads are good but, depending on the time of day, the M1 can get quite congested.

If you can’t fit AZ into your schedule, Currumbin Wildlife Park is worth a visit. It’s down the Coolangatta end of the GC. I can recommend the behind-the-scenes tour if it’s not too busy.

As others have pointed out, the parks will be awesome, particularly for the 7yo, maybe to a lesser extent for the 3yo.

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Blurtie

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#3003645 30-Nov-2022 15:03

Thanks all!

Quick question for those that have been there/done that - money! What's the best way to manage this? We bank with ANZ so I assume it shouldn't be too difficult to find an ATM to get cash out if we need, and everything else will go on the Credit Card... Should we have some AUD on hand for when we first get there?

Technofreak

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#3003728 30-Nov-2022 16:56

Having a few AUD is useful. Having said that I've been to Oz three times in the last 12 months and I still have the all the AUD I started with. You'll find a credit card will do pretty well everything you need. Your ANZ EFTPOS card may work just as well.

Your need for cash will be pretty much as it is here. Base your need to take AUD on that. Getting cash at an ATM is easy.

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Wombat1

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#3003804 30-Nov-2022 18:38

From a Kiwi perspective (We holidayed here in 2021 and decided to just stay forever). We love it.

As everybody has already mentioned, Sea World, Movie World, Australia Zoo etc .. All fantastic for the kids. Dont forget Wet n Wild which is right next to movie world. You may want to get a combo ticket for the big 3 (Sea World, Movie World, and Wet n Wild). This will give you unlimited access for a number of days as some days some rides are closed. You will want to go back, Mom and Dad will love the superman and Joker rides at MW. Dont miss out on these, but make sure you take your brown undies!

Compared to Dream world, MW wins hands down. If you going to choose just one then give Dream World a skip. It is soon getting a huge upgrade in time for the Brisbane Olympics, so it will be better in the years to come again. its a bit dated now.

Aussie World Sunshine coast is also probably worth it to go and see, though the rides are not nearly as intense as MW. It may however suite you better as your kids are younger.

Edit: Another tip, the theme parks are far less busy after 2pm.

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#3003810 30-Nov-2022 18:48

Batman:

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For good reason. When i moved here I found it a little odd, but now after living here I dont want daylight savings again. We definitely dont need it here.

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Kiwifruta

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#3003853 30-Nov-2022 22:45

Technofreak:
Inphinity:

As a general question to those who've commented, what is Australia Zoo like these days? To be honest we haven't been there since 2007 (have stuck to the Gold Coast-based attractions on more recent trips), and at that time it had gone way downhill and was definitively in 'mourning Steve' mode still - though it was heartbreaking to see a lot of the memorial notes etc at the time, wasn't really the intent of the visit.

We were there about 7 years ago. It was well after Steve's passing. I can't compare with times earlier than 2007 but it wasn't rundown that's for sure. Based on what we experienced I'd have no hesitation in recommending it. The only caveat being any impact of Covid.

I was there in September, so two months ago, it’s normal life no impact on Australia Zoo due to COVID. Storm season might impact it.

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