NatD1978

Hi!

We are planning a Reccie over Christmas and New Year 2008/2009.

We want to leave the UK around Christmas Day, and fly into Brisbane. Then travel down the coast to Sydney for New Year, and finish off driving to Melbourne and spending most of our time there as that is where we plan to emigrate to.

Flights are coming in at about £900 which we would expect for that time of year. Ideally, we would want to fly out of Manchester and into Brisbane via Dubai (with Emirates) and then out of Melbourne.

We plan to stay for around 3 weeks.

We have contacted Trailfinders / STA but prices that are coming back seem quite expensive.

I know a lot of you guys have already done your Reccie's, so we are just looking for any hints, tips and advice on booking flights, car hire (my brother used Wicked Campers when we was over there!!!!!) and places to stay.

Any posts and information would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Hills Boy

Got kids or just the two of you?

NatD1978

Hi - there will be 4 adults, no Rug Rats!

Hills Boy

Right. Pre kid there was just the two of us so we did as we pleased; now we have to be a little more organised. So this is my pre-kid advice.

Flying on Xmas day: great idea. Most people want to be somewhere by then, not travelling on that day. We've flown on Xmas day a few times and it's worked fine.

We've tended to make things up as we go along. Open jaw flights always seem to be a bit more expensive than a regular return journey but is saves the back tracking. I've normally booked the first night accommodation before we leave and then sorted things the rest out when we get there. For example, there are good transport options from Brisbane airport and if you rent cars from airports (while it's convenient) it's always more expensive than the equivalent rental office away from the airport. Unless you're heading off into the yonder (not a good idea after a long flight) then the car goes from the airport to a hotel and sits there overnight. We always found Trailfinders to be good value, especially when organising open jaw tickets.

However, you'll be heading here at one of the busiest times of year, so places will be booked. Although we did the same thing (ish) many years ago: we flew into Melbourne, landing on Boxing Day and then spent New Year in Sydney (we had to pre-book accommodation there though). Apart from the first night in Melbourne and the nights over new year in Sydney we sorted out everything as we went. We came a bit unstuck with trains heading north from Sydney after new year (everyone seemed to be heading north) and had to go to Brisbane by bus. We always found Thrifty good value for car hire.

Finally, if Melbourne is for you then check out Buzzy's posts for someone who has been there and done that.

If you're treating part of the trip as the reccie then have a holiday until you get to Melbourne and then treat the time there like a job (sounds boring I know). Here's my thoughts, for what they are worth:

• I'd rent a house/apartment (whatever is the closest fit to the type of place you intend to live in when here) for your time in Melbourne (rather than stay in a hotel) and unless you intend to live near the beach don't rent a holiday home by the beach; it will be a false sense of reality;

• If you anticipate working in the CBD, try out public transport/car commute options (at rush hour) from the places you're interested in living;

• Go food shopping, cook and eat in to get an idea of shop prices; eat out too (again think of everything in terms of the $'s you'll be earning here not £ you currently earn and ignore anything related to exchange rates);

• Do things that you would expect to do when you live there - how much is it to go to the cinema, check out gym membership costs, etc. etc.

• Try (as far as possible in the time you have) to live the life you expect to have/can afford here while on your reccie;

• If you can figure out areas you are interested in make a note of the local estate agents in the area for future reference (and you can check out their websites while you're back in the UK); if you plan to rent here first, get a handle on the paperwork they need for renting so you can be prepared. If you plan to buy, work out the stamp duty and other purchase costs; deduct from your budget and look again at the houses that are now in your budget;

• If you intend to buy a car here, check out car prices even visit a couple of dealerships if you can. Don't forget to factor in on the road costs when you look at prices;

• I'm sure there's more but that's my starter for ten off the top of my head.

Good luck with it all.

NatD1978

Cheers mate - very informative!!!

Have read Buzzy's rec report from Australia and that just inspired us to bring our plans forward!!!!!!

Think we are gonna book flights tonight. Emirates are coming in at about £850.00 to fly to Brisbane and then flying from Melbourne, a couple of hundred pounds cheaper than elsewhere.

We are gonna mooch down from Brisbane to Sydney to get there in time for NYE, and have already looked at apartments.

I read that it is about 1000km from Brisbane to Sydney, and then 900km from Sydney to Melbourne. I have driven distance like this before in America, but plan to do this trips over a few days. Are these distances accurate???

Trailfinders are generally really good (I have always used them to travel long distance), but this time they seem expensive!!!!

My Wife had already found a Beach House in Melbourne (Sandringham) that she wanted to book lol, but I agree with your comments.

I am hoping to have a couple of job interviews / meeting lined up for when I visit.

Like you said, we want to holiday first, and then when we get down to Melbourne, try and 'live' as if we lived there!

Hills Boy

No problem - happy to help if I can.

Yes. Those distances are right. It's a big place. I live near Adelaide and it's just over 700kms to Melbourne; over 1400kms to Sydney and the best part of 3000kms to Perth.

Trailfinders: Last time I used them was for our one way flight here over eight months ago, so I'm a little out of touch.

Beach house: Grand plan; I can see the logic and if you plan to live near there then perfect.

Job interviews: You'll be in Melbourne just after the new year/early January. If you've teed up interviews for specific dates before you get here then fine, but be aware it's the holiday season here and it's the equivalent of being interviewed at the peak of the holiday getaway season in the UK. Just something to consider/be aware of.

Buzzy--Bee

I feel terribly responsible for your reccie now!

Did you read both the Brisbane and Melbourne ones? I feel flattered someone actually reads the blurb I spout.

Buzzy

Helen-17

Hello there.

I think you have some excellent advice already from the other posts. I would just again say beware of falling into the tourist trap. The tourist and CBD areas are lovely and exciting, but chances are they are not where you will live your daily life. Before I moved here, I had only done a holiday, sticking pretty much to the tourist stuff, and thought I knew Aussie. Then, 5 years later, my husband got a job offer, and it all moved very quickly. We are doing fine, but the Aussie I am living in is very different to the Aussie I was a holiday maker in.

Good luck.

frazermartin

Hi ,

I was just looking wondering if there is any help out there for us.We do have kids(2) 13 and 7.We are planning on doing a reccie into Brisbane,we have been told the cheapest time to go is May,which would have to be next year now.Can anyone advise us if this is true or would another time of year be just as ok.We really feel we need to see Brisbane prior to making the commitment.

Any help would be apprecciated

thanks

NatD1978

Buzzy - I read the Melbourne Reccie but not the Brisbane one, but will have a read because that's where our mini-adventure is gonna begin!!!!!

Having a nightmare with flights at the moment - Emirates is a no go as the £850 flights disappeared as I was booking, and there next bext rate is about £1400!!!!!!!!!!

At the moment, we shall be arriving boxing day into Brisbane. Gonna take 4 days to travel down to Sydney to spend NYE and then probably 3 or 4 more days there. Then we have a good 10 days in Melbourne, to do a bit of touristy stuff, but to try and get a real feel for the place and how it would be to live there!!!!

flip

You've been given some great advice. Just like to add to book your car early, especially if you want something bigger (with 4 adults and holiday luggage) as it's the main school holidays and a lot of people hire over that period, we couldn't get a people carrier for love nor money by the beginning of December last year and if you're dropping off at a different location it could be even more difficult.

Great choice with Melbourne by the way.

Carolyn

NatD1978

Carolyn - have got a quote from Thrifty for a Mitshubishi Outlander for 20 days at $1029 which I think is great value.

Have only got standard cover (but the extra cover is over $600) which I can't see us needing (touch wood!!!!!!)

Could you recommend any other Car Hire firms?

flip

I've found that Thrifty on-line often gives the best prices. I'll check with my account with them if I can get any better and will get back to you tomorrow - presumably you're collecting the car at the airport as that usually increases the price but makes life easier - unless you're too tired to do much driving the first couple of days in which case taxis may get you round cheaper.

I was told by my travel agent that the extra insurance is often covered by your visa card over here (especially if you can pay with a gold card) - it's worth checking it out though I haven't yet.

Carolyn

NatD1978

OK - flights have just been confirmed!!!!! Came in at just under £1k per person with Etihad including visa.

Flying from Manchester into Brisbane arriving 27th December AM, picking the car up straight away, then travelling down the coast planning to arrive in Sydney for New Years Eve. Spend a few days here doing the Tourist stuff.

Then travelling down to Melbourne where we will probably stay until about the 14th and then travel back up to Sydney for the return flight on the 15th January!!!!!!!

Can't wait now!

flip

Hi - just checked the business rate for the outlander and from airport to airport with 9am pickup and drop off for 20 days starting on 27.12 I got a price of $1158. If your details were the same it looks like you got a good deal.

Just off the top of my head other companies are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Rentabomb - apologies to the ones I've forgotten - you'll find them in yellowpages.com.au.

Enjoy your trip.

Carolyn