Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 4 . NEW SOUTH WALES
Pure Pizza Café, D’Albora Marina (& 02/4984 2800), which offers pizzas for
around A$10 to A$24 (US$6.50–US$15), depending on toppings, pastas for
between A$10 and A$15 (US$6.50–US$9.75), and salads, too.
Rob’s on the Boardwalk CAFE You can pick up a hearty American breakfast
at this busy cafe overlooking the bay, or a snack throughout the day. The
Caesar salad is popular, as are the half-dozen oysters for A$13 (US$8.20). One
of the best mains is the mixed seafood bouillabaisse, while the prime scotch filet
with sautéed forest mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes, gratin potatoes, and a redwine
sauce would tempt the most red-blooded carnivore.
D’Albora Marina. & 02/4984 4444. Main courses A$11.50–A$23 (US$8–US$15). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 8am
until the last customer leaves.
Rock Lobster SEAFOOD Eat inside or out at this peaceful yet stylish restaurant.
The plump Port Stephens Oysters should be enough to tempt you to start,
while main courses such as smoked salmon in layers of wonton pastry with salad
and wasabi sauce, or calamari flavored with chile and coriander in breadcrumbs
with spicy passion-fruit dip should fill you up. There are usually a couple of
meat dishes and a vegetarian option on the menu, too.
D’Albora Marina. & 02/4981 1813. Main courses A$24 (US$16). Seafood platter for 2 A$105 (US$68).
AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12–2:30pm and 5:30–9pm.
4 North of Sydney Along the Pacific Highway:
Australia’s Holiday Coast
The Pacific Highway leads over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and merges into the
Sydney–Newcastle Freeway. It continues to the industrial coast town of Newcastle,
bypassing Tuggerah Lake and Lake Macquarie (neither of real interest
compared to what follows). From here, the Pacific Highway stays close to the
coast until it reaches Brisbane, some 1,000km (620 miles) from Sydney.
Though the road is gradually being upgraded, the conditions vary, and the
distances are long. Travelers should be aware that the route is renowned for its
accidents. Though you could make it to Brisbane in a couple of days, you could
also easily spend more than a week stopping off at the attractions along the way.
The farther north you travel, the more obviously tropical the landscape gets. By
the time visitors reach the coastal resort town of Coffs Harbour, temperatures
have noticeably increased, and banana palms and sugar cane plantations start to
appear.
Along the coast, you’ll find excellent fishing and some superb beaches, most
of them virtually deserted. Inland, the Great Dividing Range, which separates
the wetter eastern plains from the dry interior, throws up rainforests, extinct volcanoes,
and hobby farms growing tropical fruit as you head farther north toward
Queensland. Along the way are a series of national parks, most of them requiring
detours of several kilometers. Those you shouldn’t miss out on include the
Dorrigo and Mount Warning national parks, both of which offer some of the
country’s best and most accessible rainforests.
PORT MACQUARIE
423km (262 miles) N of Sydney
Port Macquarie (pop. 28,000), about halfway between Sydney and the Queensland
border, boasts some fabulous beaches; Flynn’s Beach in particular is a haven
for surfers. Boating and fishing are other popular pastimes.