Coming to Australia

[Powerin]

No worries GDL. If you want a nice relaxing place to stay with great weather and beautiful beaches Caloundra, or any of the Queensland Sunshine Coast towns, are the place to go. We live on a farm so we go to the beach to "get away from it all". We travel (by road) 1400km nearly every year to go to the Sunshine Coast for a vacation!

 

 

[GDL]

Powerin, that is a long ways to go for a holiday. Wow. I have gotten to the point where I don't want to travel anywhere by car, even 50 km. Too much trouble and tiring and ... Anything you can tell me about Caloundra and the area as to sites to see, places to visit, places to avoid. We hope to walk, run, bike, local transport everywhere. Good airports to visit for flights in planes I haven't tried before. Perhaps train trip for further (day trip only) travel. I was warned about the poisonous snakes and spiders. Our nasty animals tend to be much bigger - like grizzly bears - and rarely seen.

 

 

[winsor68]

You gotta go to Australia Zoo... you really get amongst the animals. They have buses from all around the local area (including Caloundra)...

 

http://www.australiazoo.com.au/

 

I have enjoyed going to the Ginger Factory several times...

 

http://www.buderimginger.com/gingerfactory/visit.htm

 

The Queensland Air Museum...

 

http://www.qam.com.au/where.htm

 

You won't get bored...

 

 

[winsor68]

They even have moving picture theatre...

 

http://www.themajestictheatre.com.au/

 

 

[GDL]

Winsor, that is a list of very interesting places to see. And close to Caloundra. Thank you for those. I did not realize that there was an air museum (something for me to see at least) right in Caloundra, and the zoo will be fascinating.

 

 

[.Evan.]

Hi GDL! Both Melbourne and Sydney have their charms...

 

I have lived and worked in Melbourne since 1997, and really love it. It has a vibrant art and food scene. It is also the referred to as the sporting capital of Australia. It is the centre for Australian Rules Football (otherwise known as the AFL).

 

Check out some of these links for more information about Melbourne itself:

 

http://www.visitmelbourne.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.0006117E-D615-1A6B-B64F80C476A901F2/

 

and, the state of Victoria:

 

http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.0C87B211-7571-4281-844BFBDBCED941F0/

 

Melbourne is a very pretty city:

 

http://www.flickr.com/groups/melbourne/pool/

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

[GDL]

Hi Evan. Thanks for all that info. I have heard that Melbourne is a pretty city from some of my relatives. And we will take a look at the links and see what it is all about. So hard from a (long) distance to get a feel for a place. But all the replies back to my original question have helped shape what we are coming to. And makes any decision about what we won't have a chance to see that much harder. Certainly 3 weeks is not enough time to visit every place.

 

How do you find the flying ultralights in the area?

 

 

[winsor68]

I don't know if I mentioned... but the train journey from Brisbane to Sydney is worthwhile and a good way to see some of the country.

 

 

[facthunter]

NO part of Australia is COLD in the real sense of the word, by world standards. Some parts get frosts in winter but I can't recall when Melbourne registered a min temp below zero Celsius. Canberra Armidale and Stanthorpe are colder. Australia is as big as the US so you will have to plan your time. Cairns to Melbourne is about as far as Perth to Melbourne. Airfares between capital cities are quite cheap, if you check what is available on line. Travel light as excess baggage costs.. We drive on the LEFT side of the road here and plenty of road congestion at peak times. ( especially Sydney).

 

Sydney to Melbourne is a 9 hour drive. Check accommodation costs. They vary a lot from state to state. Being close to the city centre is a big advantage , for saving time. Nev

 

 

[Tomo]

Hey GDL!!!

 

Great to have you on here, thanks for joining! :big_grin:

 

It's awesome that you are coming to Australia for a visit! It's a great place, though Canada is nice too I reckon (never been there but family have and it looks nice!)

 

Do you like the country much, or rather the cities...? If you wish, you can come west of Brisbane a bit (300klm) and if I have enough time or notice could organise some sort of farm tour around the area and show you how things are done here in this area of Australia. Or take you flying around the areas.

 

Lots of options! :thumb_up:

 

 

[GDL]

Hi Winsor. I like your suggestion of the train to Brisbane. After some of the long flights to Europe, the train is always a relief because it gets one closer to the scenery, and in more comfort (especially seat pitch). I have suggested to my friend that we take the train to Caloundra. Are Aussie trains comfortable?

 

Incidentally, how do you like your Texan? Me and a cousin are looking around for a faster ultralight than my Rans S6 and are looking at low wing at a reasonable cost.

 

 

[winsor68]

GDL... this is the XPT Website for Syd-Bne trains...

 

http://www.countrylink.info/

 

The Texan is a wonderful aircraft in my opinion and the opinion of everyone I know who has flown one... You may be able to find one to fly in South East Qld while you are in Caloundra. I did my first solo in a Texan and now fly a Savanah S...

 

 

[GDL]

Hi Nev. Yes, Australia is a lot warmer than Canada. I live on the west coast, right on the ocean and we might see -18c once a year and -10 for a week or two. And we are the warmest part of Canada (although miserably wet and windy for a few months). This year has been the worst for weather (and as a consequence flying) and it has triggered the need to see sun and warm weather even if for a brief few weeks. In fact, right now we are seeing highs barely above 10 and about 7-8 degrees below normal. My original question about what to see came about because we need to careful plan where we go with such short time. But to try and not do things in a rush (after all this is a holiday - I have a tendency to try to do too much). Thanks for the info travel times. That also makes it clearer about what is possible and what cannot be done. I hope that I don't have to drive. I would rather use bus and train. Perhaps plane if time is short.

 

 

[.Evan.]

Hi Evan. Thanks for all that info. I have heard that Melbourne is a pretty city from some of my relatives. And we will take a look at the links and see what it is all about. So hard from a (long) distance to get a feel for a place. But all the replies back to my original question have helped shape what we are coming to. And makes any decision about what we won't have a chance to see that much harder. Certainly 3 weeks is not enough time to visit every place.How do you find the flying ultralights in the area?

Yeah, Melbourne is a very pretty city. But, then again, Sydney is too! I also had a wonderful time walking and photographing around Hobart. ...Perth is nice... And Darwin, and Brisbane, and even Adelaide ( oh, and don't forget Canberra!!). I guess you could say that any capital city in Australia is pretty. Each of them has a totally different persona... All likeable in their own way.

 

Canberra is interesting to visit - not only is it the capital - but also because it was a completely pre-planned city, whereas the others grew from large port towns.

 

I live a little over an hours' train ride West of Melbourne in Ballarat. It has a great aerodrome on the outskirts of town. I'm only new to the flying community, but everyone I have met so far has been very friendly. If you make it out this way, I'd love to show you first-hand what the flying is like around here! There are also several other airports that cater for ultralights in the vicinity of Melbourne; Lilydale, Tyabb, Tooradin, Melton, Penfield, Bacchus Marsh, just to name a few.

 

Tomo's offer is very generous! I am finding that the flying community here in Australia is very much like that wherever you go!

 

 

[GDL]

Hi Tomo. Seen some of your posts in the short time I have been on this site (a great site incidentally - enthusiastic with people like yourself). My friend and I would prefer to be outside the city which is why I have looked at Caloundra. Sidney & Melbourne are places we would like to get some sense of, then off to beaches and white sand and sunny weather and suntans. I was talking with JG in Kilcoy and he got me thinking about coming. I hope to meet up with him as well. I would love to come and visit and be shown the area (by real plane - not those aluminum tubes). Farm tour I would love if I can fit it in. Let's exchange email addresses and continue that discussion (mine is [email protected]).I flew a friends Savannah couple of weeks ago. Nice plane.

 

Canada is a beautiful country and I have been lucky to see much of it (most Canadians haven't because of its size). Always glad to get home. But on the other hand, always glad to go to other places to enjoy their lifestyle. I flew in Portugal this spring and loved every minute of it.

 

 

[GDL]

Thanks Winsor for the link for the the trains. I looked at their schedule at one point and it seemed reasonable in cost and travel time. I am hoping that I get a chance to fly many ultralights while in Australia. I have had a chance to fly perhaps 15 different models here but most of my time is in Rans models. Need some new challenges. Your country has some interesting models I have never seen (Jabiru, Texan, and so on) much less flown.

 

 

[GDL]

Welcome Evan to the flying community. I think you will find in most countries that kind of camaraderie (at least I would hope so). I have been flying ultralights for 20 years and have loved it. And Tomo's offer is typical of what I have found with Aussie's. I like to think of the flying fraternity as one big and generally happy family. Unfortunately, in my area flying is dying as the pilots age, and ultralights have not taken hold as much as in the US and Australia and Europe.

 

Thanks also for the info on the various airports and cities.

 

 

[Tomo]

Hi Tomo. Seen some of your posts in the short time I have been on this site (a great site incidentally - enthusiastic with people like yourself). My friend and I would prefer to be outside the city which is why I have looked at Caloundra. Sidney & Melbourne are places we would like to get some sense of, then off to beaches and white sand and sunny weather and suntans. I was talking with JG in Kilcoy and he got me thinking about coming. I hope to meet up with him as well. I would love to come and visit and be shown the area (by real plane - not those aluminum tubes). Farm tour I would love if I can fit it in. Let's exchange email addresses and continue that discussion (mine is [email protected]).I flew a friends Savannah couple of weeks ago. Nice plane..

Sounds good, I'll email you my details. :big_grin:

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

Hi GDL

 

I have done a lot of work in Canada........ Ottawa,Toronto, Thunder Bay, Medicine Hat and Vancouver over a few years of travelling to install lasertag systems there. I love the place except in Winter it was a nasty shock I had to throw away all the clothes I took with me and bought the local stuff as our gear doesnt work at -21 to -35 deg C. Canadians are great people very similar to us aussies. eh

 

There is no train station at Caloundra you would need to get the train to Landsborough then catch a bus or catch a bus from Brisbane to Caloundra its only just over an hour from the Brisbane transit centre. Caloundra is a good base to work from although public transport there is not that great. I had no real issues driving on the "wrong side of the road" when in Canada or the USA the big issue was driving out of the garage (gas station) and turning the wrong way thats really the only difference and a car will give you much more freedom. We are a very spreadout country similar to Canada and similar distances.

 

Caloundra has its own small airport although it will be closed in a few years then you have wehere we are south about 25mins by car to Caboolture airport then you can go north up to Gympie airport about 45 mins from caloundra then if you want to see the jabiru factory its about another 2.5 hrs drive north of caloundra. I am sure if you get on here before you come there will be plenty of phone numbers you will get from people on here that would love to help show you around. I am about 30 mins drive south of Caloundra and will have my Savannah flying by then so would love to take you flying...if I have my Pax endorsement by then but should be.

 

Its winter time here now and its about 9degC at night and 25degC during the day so very comfortable.

 

Mark

 

 

[GDL]

Hi Mark. You've seen as much of Canada as I have. I live about 150 km north of Vancouver, on Vancouver Island. I am not a big city person although I have lived in Vancouver every once in a while. Ours is a cold climate compared to Australia, even Vancouver (although the prairies are much colder). For me, coming to Australia and warmth is heaven after the winters we have had here lately. May is usually nice but this year lows of 3-4 and highs of 9-15 (lately on the low side of that). Miserable. Should be 5-7 degrees warmer. I love the 'eh' although few of us say it, and mostly to annoy the Americans (they call us cheeseheads in return although I never understood why).

 

Thank you for the offer to show me around. I am looking forward to not only seeing Australia but getting a chance to fly in some different machines with different people. You may not need a passenger endorsement. RAA has told me that my licences (Canadian Ultralight and British Microlight) mean I should only need a checkride with an instructor but I will conform that before I come. I hope to get that in Caloundra if any of the flight schools are still left (as of Feb 2012). I flew a friend's Savannah a couple of weeks ago. Nice, very nice.

 

Thanks also for the local info on trains and buses and things. These I need to know if my friend and I are to get around. Keep in touch. My email is [email protected]. I have been rebuilding my Rans the last year (with my partner) and hope to get it flying sometime in the next month.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

GDL I'm hoping to visit the Murphy Aircraft workshop in Chilliwack BC.

 

 

[GDL]

Gnarly, when are you coming to Murphy? I know of them because they are about 200 km from me (and Chilliwack is a nice field - and you have to try the pies at the restaurant there - the woman who runs it is famous for her pies - the banana creme is the best) but I have never been to the factory. Any particular Murphy airplane? I personally like the Moose because it reminds me (and others) of the DH Beaver which I flew in with pleasure many many times.

 

Let me know when you are coming and I will introduce you to some of the local ultralighters. Or you could go out to King George Airpark. That's where I learned to fly many years ago. Grass, short (<300 meters), close to everywhere in Vancouver. One of the few ultralight dominant fields.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Thanks for your kind offer GDL, I don't have an exact date but I expect towards the end of June. I'll send you a PM closer to the date. I hope to fly in the Moose.... and the pies sound tempting too!

 

 

[GDL]

I look forward to seeing you out here. The chief pilot of Murphy (at at least he was 5-6 years ago) used to come to Campbell River a couple of times to see his sister. And bring the Moose. Even more impressive up close. And the sound of that round engine. Beautiful.

 

PS. Nobody goes to Chilliwack airport without eating the pies. Just isn't done :)

 

PPS. I hope the weather has improved by then. Been a sustained 6 months of bad flying. Bring your Aussie sun and warmth with you!