Bert'n'Stella

Hi Guys,

We are heading south for a bit of a break towards the end of April, and we want to go to Australia Zoo. So far I see us staying at Broadbeach for a few days, then visiting Australia Zoo on Anzac Day (as they are open early, whereas the theme parks on that day don't open till 1.30pm) before driving back to Brissy and flying home that night.

From what I can glean from the internet it is about a 2 hour drive from Broadbeach to Beerwah, so I am thinking it might be better for us to head up and stay the Monday night up there, as we would already be driving the hour back to Brissy at the end of the Tuesday. But I am not sure where to stay! Can anyone advise? This place looks ok on the internet (http://www.escapetoglasshouse.com/), but if there are some expats who can advise......????

I had looked also at a night on Bribie Island, but the reviews I found weren't very nice!

Ta
Stella

jad n rich

[QUOTE=Bert'n'Stella]Hi Guys,

We are heading south for a bit of a break towards the end of April, and we want to go to Australia Zoo. So far I see us staying at Broadbeach for a few days, then visiting Australia Zoo on Anzac Day (as they are open early, whereas the theme parks on that day don't open till 1.30pm) before driving back to Brissy and flying home that night.

From what I can glean from the internet it is about a 2 hour drive from Broadbeach to Beerwah, so I am thinking it might be better for us to head up and stay the Monday night up there, as we would already be driving the hour back to Brissy at the end of the Tuesday. But I am not sure where to stay! Can anyone advise? This place looks ok on the internet (http://www.escapetoglasshouse.com/), but if there are some expats who can advise......????



Australia Zoo is only a 15 minute drive from caloundra, which is packed full of holiday accomodation, you could walk around caloundra at night, nice broadwalk etc and even on a monday a few restaurants should be open. At glass house there is really nothing there, not sure what you would do there in the evening.

One tip tho, if your driving back to brisbane on a public holiday the traffic could be a bit nasty, loads will be going back after a day on the coasts, allow a bit of extra time and fm 104 does decent traffic reports. wouldnt want you to miss the plane back

Bert'n'Stella

Hey thanks guys - am off to check out Caloundra accommodation! Yer, I thought the traffic might be hellish, but if we don't go on the Tuesday then I am not sure what else to do on that day, as I expect most things will be shut...

S.

killamarsh

Three ways of getting to the zoo

car - boring

train - get to see everything and you can relax and it dosen't cost much and the scenery is brilliant; or

the bus service from brisbane to the zoo - very comfortable and cheap.

JaneandJim

Take lots and lots of insect repellant. I got bit to bits and the mozzies normally ignore me. Australia Zoo is the only place I've been bitten during the day.

Jane
P.S. Steve Irwin might actually be there on Anzac Day.

surfdude

Just a different point of view. I understand why most people want to visit Australia Zoo - Steve Irwin, but most of the time he is not there ! The Zoo itself is quite expensive to get into and for me personally did not live up to the expectation or the cost !

Just a personal view but I would take other opinions before making expensive travel/accommodation bookings for what could be a big disappointment.

If you do wish to stay at Caloundra the Rolling Surf Resort is great, in fact we are staying there at Easter. Its right on the beach but you may find at Easter time it is a two night booking minimum, like most 'holiday' places.

goldcoastblue

BALLLSSSS, THE ZOO IS GREAT,,, i had bigreservations on going, usual tourist crap,i thought it was well worth the cash...

goin with a smile and enjoy it all, pet the kangers, etc, and sit in the crocosium, its all good fun...

surfdude, living in the swamps of the bayside must be making you tight with money or something....

jad n rich

Australia zoo is about $75 for a family, thats quite cheap compared to more like $200 per family at dreamworld. Weve been there numerous times due to visitors, so far all of them have absolutely loved the place, mind you most of them were english familes, or familes from melbourne, the one single we took loved it too, and ran the video cam flat filming it so unless you hate animals or something would definately recommend it. Weve been lucky then because seen Steve irwin all but one occasion weve been, however he lives not far from us so we often see the entire family so its no big deal, the pom guests get excited tho

Forgot to mention, they let the kids line up and feed the elephants, mine (and me ) thought it was so cool, they have huge buckets of fruit and veg and we went back through about 4 times, kids loved it your hands end up covered in elephant slobber

moneypenny20

Two reasons to give it a miss IMO Can't stand the guy. But the cost sounds quite reasonable so will probably give it a go one day.

JaneandJim

We used to like him from the UK, but once we got here and saw even more of him on TV, realised what an arse he was. Him declaring himself an "eco-warrior" did for me.

I was also very disappointed with the place. Unless you happened to see some of the animals on walkabout (like the lions) you wouldn't see them at all as their enclosures weren't open to the public. Also, one croc looks pretty much like another to me. The Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket is much better value and I've never been bitten by a mozzie there. They have a bird of prey show there now so its well worth going back even if you've been before.

Jane

Budgie

I disagree that it is an expensive place - at least, compared to other tourist attractions in Australia. $27 to $29 seems the going rate for most attractions in Oz. Places like the Aquarium in Sydney are much more of a rip-off, as you'd see them in an hour or two - at least at Australia Zoo you can spend a whole day there and there's plenty to do.

I've been to Australia Zoo three times and love it. Steve is supposedly usually there on public holidays (he has been there on both the public holidays I was there), so I reckon on Anzac day there's a pretty good chance he'll be there. I think the free bus goes from Caloundra as well.

racquet

You must see the Zoo. It would be the cheapest in Australia and is a credit to Steve Irwin.Of the people who knock it ,9/10 haven't even been through the gates. I am a wildlife photographer and have several award winning shots from the zoo.
The wetlands section of the zoo is spectacular and very natural.I think if anyone doesn't appreciate Aust. Zoo they have something seriously wrong with them and probably don't enjoy much in lifeat all . Cheers, Paul

JaneandJim

I didn't, I don't and I do. So there.

232Bar

We bought annual passes which work out at great value when you consider we've been 4 times already. Son loves it, it's close to us (about 45 mins) and as we have the passes we don't feel like we have to cram everything into one visit, we can go for a couple of hours and leave, go back again etc. Like someone else said, all the visitors coming over are going to want to go so it saves us paying in everyime and the grandparents can take the boy free of charge. It is commercial, but it seems quite well done and well laid out. The shows are reasonably entertaining and informative and on 2 of the 4 visits the man himself was there. On the first vist he was doing a 'private' croc feeding show for Russell Crowe which gathered a large crowd.

For somewhere to stay, Montville, which is inland in the Blackhall Range has a big old fashioned B&B place and a couple of good pubs if you don't want the commercialism of Caloundra.

MrsDagboy

We have never been to Australia Zoo (mainly because I think Steve Irwin is a complete w*nker, but that's another story ), so Im not going to comment on it, however I can thoroughly recommend Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary if anyone is looking for somewhere to take visiting rellies.


Leaves Lone Pine for dead IMO .