Australia Motor Racing Trip - Advice Sought

[chevronb37]

Hi all,

My girlfriend and I have just booked our flights to Aus in October. We are heading to the Bathurst 1000 and Philip Island MotoGP and hoping to do the Friday practice day at Surfers Paradise for the Gold Coast 600. We are there for three weeks. My girlfriend lived out there for six months and wants to fill in some of the gaps from her last trip, and we want to catch up with friends in Bondi and Melbourne.

So, I just wondered whether anyone can proffer some practical advice on any of the above. At the moment our intention is to spend a few days in Bondi catching up with our pals. We will then hire an RV and head over to Bathurst for three days. We'll return the RV to Sydney and fly to Adelaide where we will hire a car. We will then drive the Great Ocean Road over to Melbourne where we will stay for a few days with our friends and head to PI for the motorcycles. After that we intend to fly up to Brisbane and catch the train up to Surfers for three days before heading back to Sydney and home.

So, can anybody offer any comments or advice on our proposed trip? Is there anything we simply should not miss? Any advice on the race meetings to get the best from them? Any thoughts on places to stay?

Although my missus has a few set ideas based on her experiences we'd be delighted to hear any ideas and take advice on anything which is relevant.

Thanks loads!

Chev.

[Mattt]

No real comments apart from the fact you can fly into Gold Coast airport directly, saving the train trip down from Brisbane.

[chevronb37]

Even better - thanks very much!

[Mattt]

One thing I would say is you seem to be travelling a lot, in different directions.

Aren't you better flying into one point, i.e. Brisbane, then travelling along in a logical order and flying home from say Adelaide?

[chevronb37]

Sadly we can only fly in and out of Sydney. Would've been loads easier otherwise! And of course we're governed to an extent by the motor racing activities. They're my primary reason for heading over. Mrs Chev sees things slightly differently ;-)

[Hasbeen]

To me it is a terrible waste to fly half way around the planet, & not get to see the great barrier reef.

I've done a lot of racing around Bathurst, & dived, snorkeled & cruised the reef. I would not want to chose which is best, but I'd move heaven & earth, [& spend less time socialising] to make sure you see the reef. Just a couple of days at Airlie Beach, or Cairns, with a reef trip would do.

[motomk]

Make sure you have the hire car from Adelaide for the MotoGP as it is quite difficult to hire a car in Melbourne that weekend or book one in Melbourne well in advance.

[chevronb37]

Advice appreciated, thanks, chaps. I think we'll hire in Adelaide and off-hire in Melbourne.

Also interesting re the GBR. I'm one of these awful chaps whose ambition to watch great motor racing far exceeds his ambition to see other parts of the world so we've rather tailored the trip around cars/motorcycles. I wonder whether we could squeeze in a quick squint at the reef. Mrs Chev wants to see Fraser Island too.

[Mattt]

Fraser Island is brilliant, was there over New Years for 3 nights and want to go back for sure.

[Aussie John]

Hi Andy, take lots of money, things are costly; I want to hear your thoughts on driving around Mt. Panorama.

[chevronb37]

I'm trying very hard to save to have enough money for everything, John! Won't be a cheap trip but we're paying for everything we can month on month, so MotoGP tickets one month, Bathurst the next, RV hire the next, etc. Now I need to rely on the Exige not falling to pieces in the interim!

I'll write the trip up and put it on NYLOC, of course :-)

[chevronb37]

Just thought I'd quickly update this thread.

- We have got paddock/grandstand tickets for Bathurst 1000 and ordered our camping spot this morning as soon as they went on sale. That could be a bit raw but we'll see!

- We have camping in a small resort near Cowes for the MotoGP weekend and grandstands booked.

- We have a youth hostel booked for Surfers Paradise and are just waiting for Friday General Admission tickets to go on sale.

We've also got internal flights booked. The next targets are accommodation in Melbourne, car hire and planning a drive of the Great Ocean Road. All fitting nicely into place. I'm so bloody excited!

[Coatesy351]

Just a thought you might want to book the rv early as they nearly all seem to end up at Bathurst that weekend. It's not too feral anymore, Just big queue's for the showers. What campsite did you get? I'm in the chase, the campsites were selling out fast good to get in early.

[chevronb37]

I think we've talked ourselves out of the RV idea. We have a half-decent tent here in the UK so I think we're taking that with us as we'll need it for Phillip Island as well. We're valiantly trying to do a three week holiday to Australia on a budget...

We're staying in the Chase as well. The kind lady from V8 Supercars said that was the most girlfriend-friendly! I'm expecting it to be a bit boisterous but hopefully non-threatening. Give me a shout if you fancy meeting up for a beer and a natter!

[Reardy Mister]

Take warm clothes for Phillip Island. That place is fking baltic.

[Coatesy351]

Yeah will do, what campsite number are you? It gets very cold in Bathurst too. It was -3 overnight last time i was there.

Edited by Coatesy351 on Wednesday 24th April 02:07

[chevronb37]

Thanks, chaps - good advice. We'll make sure we pack our thermals. Get goosebumps every time I think about it!

[smack]

Reardy Mister said:

Take warm clothes for Phillip Island. That place is fking baltic.

+1. Although I have been there and it has been over 40c...

[chevronb37]

Ludicrous thread bump...

So, we're all booked up:

Bathurst for Fri / Sat / Sun, staying in the Chase campsite.
MotoGP for Sat / Sun, staying in a campsite near Cowes.
Gold Coast 600, but only for Fri practice day, staying in a youth hostel near the circuit.

We're just putting the finishing touches to the rest of the trip but we're well excited about it! Anyone who fancies meeting up for a beer anywhere give me a shout.

[555mac]

We are at bathurst staying in the same camp site look for the saltire and come say hello.