About Australia Travel Agency Reviews

From folks just like YOU!

“We were very pleased with the travel arranged by About Australia and I would use them again in the future. All our arrangements came off perfectly. The hotels were of very good quality and in convenient locations. I cannot think of anything I would have changed.” – Pat Hines (February 2018)

“The trip was FANTASTIC!! everything went perfectly and the vouchers were easy to use. The hotels were close to city centers so we could walk everywhere! Highlight was the Penguin Parade and the Barrier Reef, as well as trying 63 different New Zealand and Australian beers! ONE problem was our trip to Kuranda on January 6: a person from About Australia told the Down Under Tours we were NOT signed up for lunch and the Aborigine Show; however, that IS what was on our itinerary…Other than that one problem (and none of us starved!) the trip was PERFECT!!!I have told everyone to contact About Australia if they want an AMAZING trip, so thank you ALL for everything!” – Marianne (January 2018)

“The trip was really great, especially due to spending quality time with my son. The only negative was all the down time/waiting (for flights..especially those night flights whereby the hotel check out was at 11am).” -Michael D. (January 2018)

“We want to thank Mandi and About Australia for providing us with an outstanding vacation. Your help was invaluable. We couldn’t have had better service than you provided. The accommodations you got us in Sydney and Melbourne very nice. The locations were excellent. We could walk to most everything and rooms were the best. The 14 day tour of New Zealand was everything we hoped for. We would not hesitate calling on you for any trip About Australia has to offer. Thank you for your help setting up a great month for us. Even the weather was perfect.” – Pete and Diane D.

“…My trip to Sydney went well and you arranged a van service to take me to hotel…We were in the Darling Harbor area which I came to truly enjoy…Wednesday evening you arranged my flight to Cairns and then a van to Port Douglas and the Meridian Hotel on Davidson Street. I arrived quite late and the Hotel was closed, but you had thoughtfully arranged for the key to be in their outside lock box and I was able to access my room.  Early the next morning a van arrived on schedule and took me to the large marina and the AquaQuest.  A day of amazing scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. The dive company and the boat were quite new and the international staff very supportive.  I recommend them highly as I spent two days with them. In those two days I dived or snorkeled at 4 different reef locations and was in the water on at least 7 different times. Exhilarating.You also arranged a day for me with Daintree Dreaming tour, starting at Cooya Beach with aboriginal leaders. We hunted with spears on the beach and in the dense mangroves then cooked and ate what we caught…We also had a terrific female guide who then led us to mossman gorge where we ate, participated in a smoking ceremony, hiked, and then had a great swim in the river. Would recommend this activity. While I was at Port Douglas I swam daily in 4 mile beach, swam in hotel pool, hiked to the marina, shopped, ate along beach, and filled myself with fish. Meridian hotel is in a perfect location.My return with a 4 am van pick up, flight from cairns to Sydney, than to US went well…..In summary, a wonderful trip and your recommendations for the trip to Port Douglas was perfect. This was my first trip to Australia, I went solo, and I am 71. Your advice and assistance made it a memorable trip.” – John C. (November 2017)

My favorite activity was the surfing at Bondi….snorkeling was also great. The rainforest adventure/accommodations were good too but 1 night was plenty (just feedback if you put other families there…..adults/couples who are looking for a remote/relaxing time might want to stay longer).  In Port Douglas, the best food we ate was at Hemingways in the Marina….definitely send your people they will be in Port Douglas! – Jill D. (November 2017)

We had a great time in Melbourne, able to navigate the free tram zone easily to get around…We really liked the beach / harbour location at Pacific Hotel in Cairns..Linda did the glass-bottom boat and I did snorkeling, and we both enjoyed the semi-submersible. However I would suggest tailoring itineraries to add another day+night in Cairns, to better allow for a full day trip to one of the farther Reef locations. We were able to switch our days again onsite for Opera House tour since our first full day was windy/cloudy/cold, and next day was sunny / warm for harbour tour. We enjoyed Manly Beach and cruising the harbour for water views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. It was great to have both of these excursions included in our itinerary. Lastly, the 6+ hours layover at LAX was problematic, and again maybe we could have worked out an alternative in advance if I looked more closely. All in all the trip was an enjoyable and memorable experience. I would recommend About Australia in the future for our friends + family if the opportunity arises. – David & Linda (November 2017)

We had an amazing time and we didn’t have any real problems with any of our connections, vouchers, tours or flights. The weather was generally good and all the tour guides were great. We had a great time and loved Sydney, Melbourne & Uluru. We had perfect weather and had a great time in Queenstown and what a spectacular area to visit. Rotorua was a pleasant  surprise and we enjoyed it very much. By the time we got to Auckland we were pretty well exhausted but enjoyed it none the less. Overall, we are extremely satisfied with our decision to visit AU & NZ and with the service we received from About Australia. – Bill C (November 2017)

About Australia was a great way to learn how to travel outside the United States and everything they set up was an exceptional experience. They listened to what we wanted to do and made it happen. The GHAN Train ride was an experience to have. – Frank C. (July 2017)

Phillip Island I was so impressed with how smoothly our trip flowed. All the transfers to and from the airports were seamless. The tours included were excellent. I loved that they used a locally owned company Reef Magic for our great barrrier tour, which was amazing. All the tours included were top notch. It was so nice to have everything planned and not have to do anything but enjoy our trip. Darin, our travel planner, was outstanding with communication from start to finish. I would plan another trip with About Australia in a heartbeat. – Joanna L. (July 2017)

From beginning to end, our trip was perfect. The hotels were superb and the location of each was central to the activities we were interested in. We asked for small eco-friendly tours and that’s exactly what we got; each guide was knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic. Darin suggested staying at a treehouse retreat that was a delightful surprise. He took all of our requests (small tours, scenery, animals and hikes) into account and planned the perfect itinerary, with enough unplanned days for us to explore cities on our own. A++ vacation! – Marianne M (June 2017)

Trip went off without any issues. The ease of the travel made for an incredible adventure Down Under! – Will H. (June 2017)

Darin did an awesome job with hotel accommodations,transfers,and tour suggestions. – Janet Y. (June 2017)

Australia has always been the number one place on my family’s bucket list and when my husband and I decided to go for it and make our dream came true we decided to go with a company that specialized in Australia which brought us to contacting About Australia. Darin helped my famyplan be perfect itinerary that got us to each of the cities and places we wanted to visit. When my husband mentioned he wanted to visit a beach he had heard was one of the top ones in the world, Darin recommended Hamilton Island, an island we hadn’t even heard of, but turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. From Australia Zoo in Brisbane, Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays, Port Douglas for the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, Uluru in the Outback and Sydney, out family of four, had an absolute dream come true. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts!!!! – Diana V (June 2017)

Josh and Darin are both very professional, pleasant, accommodating and very knowledgeable of the business. We had an awesome vacation and highly appreciate everything to make it a memorable one. Thank you very much!  – Aurora and Norma (June 2017)

We had a great trip. Having all the transfers set up and using the recommended hotels made it easier to relax. We loved Australia. – Monique D (June 2017)

I found this company by accident. When I called to get a quote Stephanie was very helpful and not pushy. We had seen a package that we liked but wanted to add one extra day to the package. The price of adding the extra day was minimal so we added it! We kept to their recommendations for one tour but it was easy to switch for tour for another!This was our first time and we spent 4 days in Melbourne, 3 in Cairns and 4 in Sydney….the hotels were located in the center of everything and we did not need to rent a car! They arrange the shuttles to pick you up and drop you off at the airports. They arrange for the shuttles to pick you up at your hotel to take you to your tours/activities and they drop you off at the end of the day! So nice to not have to rent a car! I highly recommend them! We had a memorable and fun vacation thanks to About Australia! – April J (June 2017)

Amazing trip to Australia and New Zealand! It was planned so well and everything was seamless. So easy to follow the vouchers. All the hotels, flights and shuttle transfers were right as planned. We loved the suggested day trips! – Oana H (June 2017)

I have already made recommendations to friends! Everything was so easy, smooth, and affordable!! I appreciate the vouchers that had every step spelled out!- Janet S. (May 2017)

 I was very pleased with my experience with About Australia. Everything I was interested in doing was included in my trip at my request. JoAnne did an excellent job in helping us plan our big 50-30-20 birthday trip!- Janae H.(May 2017)

At the Twelve Apostles

My fiancé and I booked our Australia trip almost a year ago with the help of our About Australia specialist. She helped us put together an awesome custom itinerary within our budget and she was so knowledgeable and helpful in the whole planning process. We were so excited after working with her and couldn’t wait for our trip.

Flash forward 10 months and we have just returned from the most amazing vacation of our lives! Everything was scheduled perfectly; we didn’t have to worry about any flights, hotels, transfers or excursions when we arrived. All of the vendors and partners were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, fun and very timely! We couldn’t have planned a trip like this on our own without a lot of headaches and time. I am so glad we worked with About Australia! We hope to go back someday and when we do, we will definitely book through AA again! Thanks so much!

-Ashley M.

 Stephanie was friendly, knowledgeable and extremely accommodating to our requests. Would definitely work with her again. Have mentioned her and “About Australia” to a number of my friends.-Yvonne Z.(May 2017)

 Would definitely advise anyone considering this type of trip to check your company out.-Norris D.(May 2017)

I never thought that such an involved trip could run so smoothly. All flights went well. Our tour guide was amazing. She took care of everything for us and was always around to keep us on the right track. Hotels were great and the special things like the sunset party at Aluru were just the best. I also liked all the excursions that were included in the package. I have already told friends to go with About Australia if they ever want to travel there. My husband and I were VERY impressed about how everything was handled.-Linda W(May 2017)

Everything was exactly as promised and scheduled. The forms, information, and materials were accurate. We liked flying Virgin Australia. All vendors were polite, kind and professional. Accommodations were, in both destinations, very nice and nicely located. Everything ran so smoothly we were able to relax and enjoy our trip instead of dealing with last minute upsets and difficulties. I would feel comfortable recommending About Australia to my friends and family.- James H.(May 2017)

I was initially worried scheduling a huge trip like this online but I can honestly say, we were duly impressed with the entire trip. The price for everything that was included was phenomenal, there is no way I could have planned all of that myself for the same price. It took a lot of the stress of going on the trip off of me by allowing someone who knows what they are doing do all the legwork. We never had an issue with any of the bookings or scheduled activities; everything was on time (shuttles, flights) and almost everyone that we interacted with was helpful, kind, and fun! Seriously, most of the shuttle drivers were simply fantastic; they were informative and pointed out interesting facts as we drove along and answered any questions we had as well.
The amount of activities that were scheduled was just right, it gave us plenty to do, but also plenty of down time to explore on our own.
By the end of the trip my Aunt and Uncle were asking if this company did trips to anywhere else because they thought it was so well managed.  If I ever go to the South Pacific area again, I will definitely try and use this company again.- Jennifer J (November 2016)

 Well planed and guided after i called to discuss the detail about how to go with the plan before departing to Australia.  Some unexpected frustration with transfers may need improvement.- Christina C (November 2016)

 Let me start by saying we had the time of our lives on our trip to Australia and New Zealand!  We started to plan it ourselves but were discouraged to find all the flights alone were going to eat up all of our budget!  So I started to search the web to find a travel agency that could help us and came across About Australia!  And boy are we glad we did!  Tiffany was our destination specialists and was able to help us plan our trip AND keep within our budget!  We tweaked our itinerary a couple of times before we got it perfect!  Tiffany was very accommodating and I always felt like I could contact her with any changes or concerns I had!  Which I did!To make our lives more interesting, the day before we were to fly out to begin our adventure, we had a hurricane tracking straight for us.  Our airports got shut down!  While we were securing our home, Tiffany and Melanie worked hard to get our flights changed to a different airport on the other side of state!  So in the morning after the hurricane had passed (it had taken I slight turn in the middle of the night which lessened the impact we received) off we were to board our new flight out!We can not say enough about how well everything that Tiffany had set up for us went!  We loved all of our accommodations!  Our transfers to and from the airports went great!  They provided a lot of useful information too!We would highly recommend About Australia to anyone looking to plan a fantastic, stress free vacation Down Under!-Tammy B (October 2016)

Leah and a Kangaroo!

For my first trip to Australia, I definitely picked the right travel agency to get there. The experience from start to finish was all about me what I wanted to do on my custom trip. I didn’t have to pay anyone to ask questions or get a quote either. My destination specialist worked within my budget and completely nailed everything spot on. Layla was very patient and accommodating. I certainly plan to be a repeat customer!- Leah S (October 2016)

 This is an easy way for first timers to the South Island to see the major sights.. prompt pick-ups…convenient locations..all went very smooth. Very professional operation….loved all the bus drivers…..super friendly…-Jan N (October 2016)

My recent trip to Australia was a once in a lifetime Australian adventure. I have always wanted to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and for my 65th, I did! Since it’s a loooonng flight down under, we also added Uluru, the rain forest, King’s Canyon, and the Sydney Bridge Climb, all adventures worth doing and we’ll be going back because there is more to do!Thank you for attending to the details, About Australia!-Ann T. (October 2016)

About Australia had us positioned perfectly in all four city locations. I would have never picked these locations on my own and I was concerned before I left. But it turned out awesome. Great Job!-Bob F.(October 2016)

About Australia made our trip planning easy. I normally do all my own vacation planning, but since I was so unfamiliar with Australia, we decided to go with a tour package this time. Everything went so smoothly, from the flights to the transfers to the tours.  It was nice to have several tours included, so we didn’t have to research what things would be most interesting to do  at each destination.  Also, we didn’t have to figure out flight times and how to get to and from the airport in each location. We just looked at our vouchers and knew where to be and when.  Joanne Palanuik was very helpful in providing information and in answering questions we had before the trip.  We especially liked the hotel that was booked for us in Sydney, the Pullman Sydney Hyde Park.  It is in a great location — easy to walk to the subway and to many of the best sites of Sydney.  The Desert Garden Hotel at Ayers Rock was a little rustic, but I realize there aren’t a lot of options there.  The tour we took with Quicksilver Cruises to the Great Barrier Reef was outstanding. They had all the equipment we needed for snorkeling (even eyeglass prescription masks) and a variety of facilities to make the day wonderful.-Marry W.(October 2016)

The Happy Honeymooners, Jeanette & Ryan

This agency is amazing! She helped me put together our honeymoon package for Australia and it was perfect! We loved it so much that we didn’t want to leave.  It was an amazing experience and we will come back!-Jeanette H(September 2016)

About Australia provided excellent professional services that enhanced our travel experience. They arranged the flights, visa requirements and provided tips and insights on how to make the most of our time in Australia.-Danny F.(September 2016)

Going to Australia is a challenging trip to plan and I must say I was a little nervous about all of the domestic travel but every trip , connection and pick up was like clockwork . This trip exceeded my expectations.-Debi A(September 2016)

I had a great experience booking a last minute trip to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji.  Joanne was incredibly helpful and efficient in planning the trip over the course a few days. Overall the trip was a once in a lifetime experience.-Conor M.(August 2016)

The trip was well planned and everything we needed such as tickets and places to eat were provided.-Peter C.(August 2016)

Oscar and Rebecca on Kangaroo Island

We do want to thank you for all the arrangements you made for us. It was pleasant working with you to fit in all that we were able to do on this huge continent. It was great not to have to worry, work and plan while we were taking in all the sights and sounds of being in Australia. This was a trip we had hoped for and dreamed about for 40 years.We saw everything we had hoped to see. Thanks to the flexibility your plan gave us we also enjoyed a great week with our farm friends where we saw the Grampiens and the Arapolies. One of our most enjoyable times was our arrival in Sydney and our days spent there –the opera house ,of course, the Taronga Zoo and our walks to other places in the city. There’s a lot we could mention.  We especially wanted to be sure you were aware of “vivid” Sydney and the great light show on the harbor in the evenings of that particular week in June. That was amazing! We hope others who come to Sydney during that week can enjoy it also. Amazing would be our customer rating for satisfaction.

– Oscar & Rebecca

(August 2016)

A memorable time in Uluru

Everything was wonderful.  Enjoyed it all….After we did the harbor cruise in Sydney, the captain drove us over to the Opera House and put us out for our tour there.  Just some examples of how nicely we were treated.  The tours were fun and the driver always found a place for Pop to stay if he could not walk the distance with us.  The scenery was spectacular and had a fun drive with the kinfolks on the ocean road.  Troy never stopped grinning the whole time we were there.  They were happy to see us – not much company from home.  The field of light was awesome as was Uluru…. Such a memorable trip.  Thank you so much for making the arrangements for us.  Would recommend you anytime.

Might be good to warn people walking into the field of light that is in deep sand, hard to walk, and too long if you have difficulty walking.  Should have a short cut for old folks to get out and not go the whole way.

Oh, and the hotels were fine; right in the middle of the action.  If Pop was able, we could have walked most anywhere we went in Melbourne and Sydney and the resort in Uluru.  Thanks again.

-Gayle

(July 2016)

 What an awesome time in Australia! Had a great place to stay in Sydney, a fabulous ride on the Indian-Pacific, and all the flights, transportation, and connections were taken care of! Thank you for your excellent service!- Phil C(July 2016)

A trip to Australia has always been on the top of my bucket list. I recently decided that if you’re going to attempt your bucket list you should probably work from the top down. that is exactly what I did. This trip exceeded my expectations and I know I will never have an experience like this one.I had a dedicated representative who was always quick in responding to me and answering my questions. She took time to find out exactly what we were looking for in our visit and tailor made our trip to our specifications.   Our accommodations were amazing. Our limo services were top notch.  The tours were all so amazing. I can’t recall my snorkeling experience on the Great Barrier Reef without a smile appearing on my face. We had just enough free time to find other things that we were interested in or to just stop and catch our breath for a couple of hours we honestly stayed on the go from early morning till late evening every day that we were there.-Shirley M(June 2016)

Working with About Australia has been an absolutely great experience!  About Australia worked with us to create our dream vacation!  We had very specific needs because we were planning our wedding, honeymoon and 10 year anniversary trip, with several friends from the States joining us.  About Australia staff were wonderful, knowledgeable and this trip exceeded all of our expectations!  Every excursion that they booked for us was amazing, and all of the transfers and flights were seamless.  About Australia has got this vacation thing DOWN and we would highly recommend that anyone book with them!-Lisa S.(June 2016)

We had an awesome experience in Sydney and  Cairns!  The Itinerary was very easy to follow and got us around with lots of ease.  All events were scheduled well from day to day.-Jamilah W.(June 2016)

About Australia met all expectations!  They were timely, informative, knowledgeable and accommodating.  For most people, this is the trip of a lifetime – the orchestration of the travel and itinerary was a well oiled machine and unique to the destination – am highly recommending your services to all of my family, business acquaintances and friends!  I felt completely taken care of.  It is obvious that About Australia has the resources to make truly make these types of trips memories for a lifetime.  Speaking for the “Type A’s”, I never had to worry or double check or wonder – detailed itineraries, perfect mix of scheduled tours and down time, all contact names and numbers – amazing!  On a related note, I missed my ride and subsequent flight back to the States (my fault).  I was in an absolute panic.  I immediately contacted About Australia via chat (thank you for that option!!) and within a few hours had 3 options to choose from and once again About Australia came through.  Melanie went above and beyond – keeping me informed, contacting me and making sure all subsequent arrangements were made, even after hours and over the week-end.  Also, a shout out to Ashley, who is no longer with the company.  She orchestrated the trip and did an absolutely fantastic job.  So sorry to see her leave.  Jason picked up the reigns and made sure all was taken care of.-Tammy K(June 2016)

My trip to Australia and New Zealand was the best trip I have been on to date! Going to a new place seemed daunting at first, but the help I got from the About Australia team made everything easy. I didn’t have to worry about a thing! Travel and accommodations would have been a huge hassle if I tried to do this on my own. I don’t think I could get past the driving on the left side of the road.
As they suggest, it is good to reconfirm each event the day prior at the latest. There was one event that got cancelled. I was able to work the details out and even find something else to do with their help.All in all, I think About Australia did a great job and would definitely use them again!-Daniel Parker(May 2016)

I just returned from a trip of a lifetime – 72 nights in Australia! I did the whole East and South coasts, Tasmania and the Outback. I did hikes, scuba diving and camping. I saw wildlife and fine dining restaurants. I rented a car, flew, took boats and ferries, tours and guides. I stayed anywhere between under the stars to hostels to hotels to boats to a bungalow. And it was all arranged through you guys and Bekah.I can’t believe everything worked out so well! I loved travelling so care-free – everything was pre-booked and pre-paid. I don’t like surfing the net or trying to figure out details like ferry timetables or hostel bookings so this was such an easy way to organize everything!Nothing failed. Nothing was impossible to organize. Changes were possible and I got a trip that looked excactly like me.Thank you so much for making my dream come true! – Essi Keskinen(May 2016)

Just got back from Australia. My wife and I had so much fun! Everything was the way it was stated on the itinerary. No glitches at all! Everything was perfect! Good international and domestic airlines, centrally located hotels, great tours and meals and above all, your excellent customer service. Thank you so much. Continue your good work making great plans and helping people’s dream come true. God bless – Daniel Dirige(April 2016)

Rose, Sampson & Keith

My husband planned to retire the end of 2015. He had been to Australia many times for business, but wanted to see this unique country as a tourist – not have to deal with business. We knew we wanted to travel when it was Australia’s fall, so we began to look for a Travel Agency that specializes in Australian travel. We called several agencies and did not get the right connection with the agent. We called About Australia in March 2015 & Bekah picked up the phone. We felt comfortable talking with her and proceeded to discuss the places we wanted to go and things we wanted to see. We wanted a customized tour where we were able to pick what we wanted to do, not follow a canned itinerary. A couple weeks later Bekah had our rough draft. We tweaked a few items; she offered some guidance on other items. We settled on a 30 day trip so my husband and I could “Explore Australia”. What Bekah put together for us was beyond extraordinary. The package she created for us utilized over 40 different tour operators and service providers. Included were our hotels, lodges, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Rainforest Tours, Camel Rides, Specialty Dinners, and our shuttle drivers. All of our internal flights had also been arranged. We had given Bekah our budget and she actually came in under the budgeted amount!! Bekah worked with us so we could meet up with friends in Melbourne and tour with them. When our personal time was completed we picked right back up and never missed a minute of our itinerary. We were able to spend quality time in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Port Douglas and Sydney. We would tour most of Australia’s major landmarks including the Great Barrier Reef, The Ghan Railway, Uluru, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. We were able to hold a koala, feed wild cockatoos, ride a camel to the most incredible dinner in the outback, hike in places that onl y exist in dreams, go spear fishing with aboriginals and see the most incredible wildlife in the world. We did not have 1 glitch on this trip. Literally ~ NO worries!! My husband & I have traveled all over the US and to 20 foreign countries. NEVER have we received the amount of attention to detail that we got from Bekah of About Australia. When we got home, I couldn’t wait to talk to her, I wanted to let her know just what an incredible job she had done. We thanked her daily as we went on this incredible journey. We loved the list Bekah included with our itinerary of Aussie things to try whilst down under!! We accepted the challenge and had fun learning about Australia as we attempted to complete as many things as possible on the list ~ even offered a couple of new items when we got home!  – Keith & Rose Hines

(April 2015)

Ayers Rock at sunset

It was an amazing adventure; 5 different venues and 12 separate flights. Yet even so, everything went like clockwork. All of our connections were flawless. In Aussie terms we had “no worries mate.” Lodging was great and centrally located to public transportation and major tourist attractions. Day tours were delightful and food was excellent. We truly saw Australia from many different perspectives and loved every minute of it. Best part was not having to worry about any of the details. Just show up and go. It was great. Thanks to all at About Australia! – John Hyde

(March 2016)

It was a fantastic vacation to both New Zealand & Australia (Melbourne area). Bekah arranged a self drive tour in NZ with all the tours/hotels to fit into our schedule. Amazing views of the coast, mountains, glaciers, country side & city. We especially liked Queenstown. Poppies Cafe in McKenzie for the best breakfast. Ferburger for the Lambburger.Australia, we connected with a four day (3 night) self drive (Motorcycle) on the Great Ocean Road & Grampians Mountains. Hundreds of Kangaroos, wild Koalas near Cape Otway Lighthouse, & Emus.All transportation was handled expertly with quality airlines, car rental & Bike Round Oz(cycle rental).We met very friendly people in both places. Now everyone thinks that I have an accent??What a great way to spend our 40th Anniversary! Thank you!!- Scott Nowak(March 2016)

I wanted to reach out in regards to our recent trip to Fiji, Auckland, and Queenstown! What an absolute pleasure it was to have this experience! We had the most amazing honeymoon I could have ever imagined! And what a perfect time to go away due to the fact that there was a blizzard in New Jersey!  The flights were right on time! No delays, no luggage concerns, no shuttle pick up or drop off issues! Absolutely perfect! And I only have you to thank! The weather was so beautiful as well! Not an ounce of rain! Beautiful weather from start to finish! Please know that if we ever decide to take a trip around the world again, that you will be the first person we contact to do so! Australia is now on our list for travel! So be prepared! Please pass this email to your manager/supervisor or whomever this email will be an asset to! I appreciate your time and effort in making our honeymoon the most incredible experience we could have ever imagined! We will never forget the moments we shared over there and only hope to experience it again! – Nicole Cilento(February 2016)

My wife and I really enjoyed our 3 week vacation in Australia last Nov 2015. November, springtime down under, is a good time to visit Australia. I worked with Melanie Brown, who put together a great itinerary based on our requirements and feedback. All our airline connections, car rental and tours went smoothly. We traveled to Melbourne, then along Great Ocean Road to Kangaroo Island, then Adelaide, Ayers Rock/Red Center, Darwin/Kakadu, Cairns/Port Douglas & Great Barrier Reef, then Sydney. Melanie was great to work with, and we had a very enjoyable, active vacation. – John Lutjen(January 2016)

The BEST Family Trip!

Our family of 5, took an 18 day trip over the 2015 holidays to Australia and it was unbelievable. We gave Joanne, our About Australia travel agent, a compliment every day of vacation. Our hotels were stellar, especially our Christmas hotel at Peppers Soul in the Gold Coast .The excursions were wonderful and every reservation was without any question or confusion. We loved the Great Barrier Reef on Quicksilver in Port Douglas. Hamilton Island and Whitehaven Beach is a MUST-SEE! The eastern coast towns from Port Douglas to Sydney were all so unique, especially Byron Bay. The people were amazing and super friendly ! Australia Zoo was a very special place thinking about Steve Irwin and all he has done for the animals of Australia. Watching New Years Eve from the Sydney Metropolitan Roof Top was a New Years we will never forget! There were so many great highlights it is hard to pick just a couple.We would highly recommend Joanne and About Australia if you are planning a trip to the “Down-Under” soon! It was a trip of a lifetime!

(January 2016)

Several of our friends had visited Australia and told us that it was a “must see” destination. Some of these people had gone on sightseeing and cultural tours, while others had gone on nature and bird watching tours. We wanted all of it, so we contacted About Australia and asked them to put together an itinerary for us that would meet our needs. We wanted to tour for 30 days. We dealt with both Bekah and Paul, and what they managed to put together for us was extraordinary.The package they put together, utilized more than 40 different service providers. These included hotels, lodges, birding guides, naturalists guided tours, and drivers. They also arranged all our internal flights. When we saw the completed itinerary it looked too good to be true. We would be spending time in major cities such as Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney. We would tour virtually all of Australia’s major landmarks including the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. We would also travel with private guides to some of the areas richest in birds and other wildlife. Areas like Kangaroo Island, Bruny Island (in Tasmania) and Kakadu. They say that when something seems too good to be true, it usually isn’t true, so it was with a sense of trepidation that we agreed to the itinerary and set out on our adventure.How did it turn out? In a word “great”. The lodges were incredible. We saw and identified well over 300 species of birds. We saw kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypuses, dingoes and many other animals in the wild….not in zoos. We also got to see all the cultural attractions that were on the itinerary. Of course, in a 30 day trip, there has to be at least one glitch. The one scheduled event that didn’t take place, was a light airplane flight to try to see a certain rare parrot. The vendor had to cancel at the last minute. About Australia showed their integrity by immediately offering to refund the money we had paid for that tour. They are a company that truly stands behind their product.Every time we go on a trip, somebody says, “That’s really the trip of a lifetime”. In this case we must agree with them. – Linda & Steve Strauchler(December 2015)

Ashley at About Australia was a wonder. Not only did she plan the trip exactly as I wished, but she came in under my budget! All the transports and tours showed up on time (sometimes even early) and accommodations were ready and waiting for us as advertised. And then, when we were actually on the vacation, Ashley was available to handle little situations as they came up, via email. I have never had such personalized service from a travel agency! I’m already planning my next vacation to Australia and About Australia will be handling the details. I trust them and love their service! – Sabra House(December 2015)

I went to Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney. Thanks to Melanie Brown I got to hold a Koala, saw a Tjapukai Dinner Show and visit the Coral Reef in Cairns. I spent 4 days visiting friends saw a Penguin Parade and Phillip Island and other amazing sites in Melbourne. Went on a Wine tour in Sydney. The staff at About Australia will not only make sure you have fun but they are soo detailed oriented you won’t have to worry about anything. Just pack and get ready to go on the trip of your life.My next trip will be Australia’s neighboring city New Zealand and I know exactly who to call.Thanks to Melanie and About Australia for making my first trip to Australia the best trip I have had in a long time. – Zaire Brittern(October 2015)

About Australia constructed a vacation program for us in New Zealand and Australia which matched our interests precisely. Ashley Donaldson worked with us to ensure that every minute would be memorable, and the results far exceeded our highest expectations. Every detail worked exactly as planned despite the fact that About Australia has no staff in either country. We had the most magical vacation we will ever experience, and are truly indebted to Ashley and About Australia for doing such a marvelous job.- Jerry and Marilyn Feldman(October 2015)

Melanie just a note to tell you that your About Australia trip for us was wonderful. The vouchers worked great, all pick-ups were on time. Again thank you for your service.-Marie Janecek(Oct 2015)

We had such a wonderful time! I didnt want to come home. You helped us gain memories for a lifetime. You also helped me accomplish some life goals/dreams.
Thank you so much for all of your hard work for getting this all together for me and then your extra help adding in another location and my mom.  She really enjoyed herself and was very impressed with every thing you did.I cant say it enough. Thank you!- Lisa(September 2015)

My trip was fantastic! The hotels were wonderful and the side trips you arranged were perfect.
The Opera was a once in a lifetime experience. The cruise around Sydney harbor was all I could have wished for. The breakfast with the Koala Bears was delightful and I fell in love with the city of Sydney. The resort in Fiji was an excellent choice and perfectly located. I did not want to leave and I will definitely visit both locations in the future. I would recommend you and your agency to anyone who wants to visit these places.Thank you for everything,
Isabelle Smith(August 2015)

Kristen, Erin & Sarah Allred at The Kuranda Koala Gardens

We had a great trip! Our stay in Melbourne was wonderful. The tour along the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles was very fun. The scenery was beautiful and the Apostles were stunning! Our favorite thing about the tour was Loch Ard Gorge because we were able to go down to the water. The only disappointing thing about the tour was that there was a marathon that was going on, so the driver had to take a detour from the Great Ocean Road, which was still beautiful, just not what we were expecting. The Mantra hotel on Little Bourke St was in a great location and fun to stay at. We were within walking distance of so many things, like the Queen Vic market and all the malls and cafes, so we had a blast!

Ayer’s Rock was probably one of our favorite stops. The Outback Pioneer was a great hotel. The food was pretty tasty and the accommodations were really nice all around. Both the sun rise and sunset tours were a lot of fun! The tour guides were really friendly and informative. The sunset tour was our favorite-at first we didn’t think it would happen because it had been cloudy throughout the day, but it took us by surprise and the sunset was absolutely stunning.  

I do plan on calling to speak with you directly, but decided to send an email too so you have documentation of how pleased we were with our trip and everything you planned. You clearly understood what our tastes, concerns, and interests were and made the most of them!The trip started out great, all our flights were on time and hassle free. We even made the most out of our long layover in LA by taking a local bus to Santa Monica beach and pier. We had a lovely lunch at a beautiful hotel (Shutters on the Beach) then strolled the pier, and walked all around the area. Then that evening my niece who lives in LA picked us up and we drove to Malibu, saw the sights, and had a great dinner together. Then she drove us to the airport for the long flight to Brisbane which wasn’t too bad as we were quite tired and able to sleep for a decent part of the trip. I think we both enjoyed catching some of the movies, something we rarely do!Brisbane was so beautiful and fun! Of course the reunion with Grace was epic, and we really loved our beautiful hotel and it’s wonderful location. 

Thank you so very much! Using your company for our vacation was the best thing I ever did! I would definitely recommend this company for all travel arrangements. My husband and I celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary and enjoyed every minute. All of our travel arrangements from flights to shuttle bus were extremely punctual! We loved every experience that we enjoyed on our vacation. Everyone should use About Australia! Again, thank you so much!Estella
(July 2015)

 We had a 19 day trip to Australia and the North island of New Zealand for our honeymoon in April. We worked with Bekah, who we cannot thank enough. She made the entire process of tailoring our trip to our wants easy and stress free! She provided suggestions for tours and places to go, and was always willing to answer questions in a very timely manner. We had a fantastic time and memories to cherish for a lifetime. We traveled around Australia to Melbourne, Sydney, Port Douglas, and Brisbane. Then we crossed over to New Zealand in Auckland and Hamilton for the end of our trip. Every place we went to was a new adventure! About Australia had everything done for us, from the flights to hotels, transportation and even tours (which were small groups and fun!). We just sat back and enjoyed the trip! We highly recommend talking with About Australia for your travel! Andrew & Pamela

(June 2015)

Our trip went flawlessly. Tiffany (our travel agent) arranged all the flights (nine airplanes total), every shuttle to and from our hotels, all of our accommodations, and most of our tours. Everything worked like clockwork! From picking up our rental car, to catching the ferry… I couldn’t believe with all the moving around we did in Australia how perfectly thought out and well timed everything was! And all within our budget! Every room even had an ocean view! I loved the airline and everywhere we stayed. I would highly recommend About Australia and Tiffany Hans to ANYONE planning a trip to Australia. Thank you so much for taking all the leg work out of traveling. Your preplanning left me free to just enjoy Australia. Thank you! Olivia
(June 2015)

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We tried to book this vacation ourselves and were not able to come out with a successful plan. We then sent an email to several online companies that book Australia/New Zealand tours. You were the only one that got it right!!! One company berated us for planning so late. Another told us what we wanted to do was impossible. Another company sent back an itinerary that didn’t include what we requested. Getting your email back was a sigh of relief that someone was paying attention. You were professional in every respect dealing with ALL our questions and changes we made after the initial quote.  Even when the weather in Cairns disrupted our plans, you responded to our email with other options for the day. Roseann
(May 2015)

Swimming at Josephine Falls

Wasn’t even sure where to begin planning at trip to Australia so of course I searched the web for a travel agent. I found About Australia and read all the great reviews. I called them and they took care of my plans so graciously. I was meeting my husband in Brisbane because he was coming from India after working there, and they coordinated with all of his prearranged flights. I told Rebekah what we liked and were wanting to do (so many choices…can be overwhelming) and she sent me info and answered all my MANY questions. We only had about 10 days to spend there and so we crammed a lot of things into those 10 days. We traveled from Brisbane to Cairns, then to Sydney and finally back home to Texas. We snorkeled at the reef and saw lots of sea turtles, blue starfish, giant clams and much more. We sand surfed at Tangalooma and fed dolphins. We held koalas, we fed kangaroos and lounged with them too! We jungle surfed (zip line) in the rainforest, we did the canopy walk at Daintree. We stopped to see Malanda Falls and then swam at Josephine Falls…that is a MUST DO! We saw the giant Curtain Fig (must see). We went to 3 different wildlife zoo/sanctuaries and they were all wonderful. We had amazing guides while we were there that were very personable and helpful. They made stops on our excursions that were bonus stops. Go to The Humpy in Tolga if you are out that way…gourmet peanuts, macadamia nuts and other yummy things. That was all in Queensland. In Sydney, we saw the Opera House and had the 1 hour tour (that building is AMAZING!) It was also the 100th anniversary of ANZAC Day while we were there so that was pretty special. We went to the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves and also did a hop on/off harbor boat tour. We had a great trip and couldn’t have done it without Rebekah and the About Australia group. MANY THANKS REBEKAH!

Jacy
(May 2015)

Our recent vacation through Sydney, Uluru and Cairns was seamlessly organized and executed. There were no surprises and all flights, transfers and tours were as planned and expected. The quality of hotels and tours was up to fine standard. I feel About Australia handled the details and relayed them to us in a professional and most capable manner. I would not hesitate to recommend your services.Paul &Mary
(April 2015)

I’m writing this about a recent trip to NZ ,AUS, & Fiji, First let me start with commenting on your company for the top rate  employees that you have. Our story begins two years ago, I emailed to get info on  this trip, and within a half an hour, receive a two replies. I had the pleasure of talking to Joanne, what a lovely person. Over the course of three months or so I and her put together the dream trip of a life time, She was in constant contact me regarding setting  this trip up for our wants and needs, she went over and above what I expected of her and after that created a  friendship I’ll treasure forever. Unfortunately two weeks before we where to leave my husband had and accident and was told by his doctor that travel was not something he could do, I was devastated. We had to cancel our trip, I called  Joanne to tell her the bad news and she was so comforting, I felt so bad, she had spent so much time preparing this trip for us, and yet made me feel it was OK. I received my money back without any hassles, what a relief. So this year I got I touch with her again, We did a little tweaking on our old itinerary and in March made our trip. We travel quite a bit and I was totally amazed how well she put this all together. We were gone for sixteen days, Three different countries, and never had any problems with anything but mother nature, and even then, when some tours I sign up for got cancelled because of a cyclone , she contacted me, we switch a day so that we still could take one of the trips and the other she set up a tour in our next destination so I wouldn’t miss out on my snorkeling adventure.This was the most beautiful trip I’ve been on , I cannot begin to describe the beauty we saw, I will cherish it forever, For anyone considering doing an adventure like this,I will always recommend they contact your company and Joanne, she knows her job and is excellent at it…Thanks a million.Jan
(April 2015)

We had awesome trip to Australia and New Zealand!!!. We loved the itinerary About Australia made for us so that we could see and do the maximum amount of things in every area we were visiting. All of the tour operators were knowledgeable,pleasant, and polite and went out of their way to make sure we had a great time.We also liked the fact that we got out of the cities and into the country to see animals in the wild, too. It was terrific that all of the hassle of getting places was taken care of. All we had to do is be on time to meet our drivers. The one thing I would like to have changed was to not have to reconfirm all of the tours or flights.It was difficult when we were in isolated areas and our phones weren’t working. Thanks, Bekah, for creating such a wonderful memory for us. We would highly recommend your travel company to anyone.Jim
(April 2015)

The Cavanaughs and Thiels in front of the Opera House in Sydney

Thanks for all your help in making our trip to Australia and New Zealand so easy and enjoyable. We loved the trip and all we saw. With your help we had our own little tour for 4, seeing everything we chose. It all worked with our limited schedule and we feel we saw much of what the two countries had to offer. All we had to do is keep track of our vouchers and be down at the hotel desk on time.Because we were there in the slightly “Off” season there were not large crowds at the attractions. We loved Melbourne with the Colonial Tramcar dinner (so elegant and delicious), the up close and personal connections with the koalas and wallabies at the Moonlit Wildlife Conservation park, and the history and parade of the little penguins on Phillips Island.

We loved Sydney also. Our hotel was in the center of Chinatown and it turned out to be the big weekend of the Chinese New Year. Although it was a bit crowded we saw (and got pictures of) a Chinese “Dragon Ceremony” for luck, at the establishment next door to our hotel. That, too, was unique for us. We loved everything, especially the Opera House, and even saw a show while we were there. We loved Cairns with the Barrier Reef and the Tjapukai night ceremony and the trip to the Outback. Unique!

New Zealand was a real contrast, and had breathtaking beauty. Cooler with gorgeous mountains, lakes and gorges. We enjoyed all our tours, especially Milford Sound and the Shotover Jet Boat trip—beautiful! The area around Christchurch is different from Queenstown but equally beautiful We marveled at the stamina and determination of the people of Christchurch as they rebuild after the devastating earthquake a few years ago.

All our hotels were wonderful, some new, and some century old government buildings made into luxurious rooms. We found all the people we encountered on this trip to very friendly and inviting. All in All, we can’t thank you and About Australia enough for helping us have the trip of a lifetime!

Sylvia & Gary
(April 2015)

We arrived back home in West Michigan on March 31, just over a week ago.  We had a very enjoyable travel experience. The twenty-four day trip throughout Australia that was designed for us by you, performed flawlessly. All of the flights were completed as scheduled and on time and all of the hotels, shuttles, and tours were completed according to each voucher. The hotels that were scheduled were of the high quality that we expected and without exception they were excellently located near the center of the various cities allowing us to walk to the many interesting sites at those various locations. The rental cars that were provided were in excellent condition and just the right sized vehicles for two people to easily navigate the roads and streets in the areas where the cars were used and necessary.  Driving on the left with a right side drive vehicle proved to be much more easy and natural then I had originally anticipated. We had a very enjoyable time.  We probably tried to do too much with the time that we scheduled.  If I were to change anything in regards to my personalized trip, I would have added a few extra days at some of the locations. Thank-you for helping to make this travel experience happen for us.Larry
(April 2015)

At the Sydney Opera House

“About Australia” has to be the most wonderful group of people to deal with. From the beginning to end my trip was wonderful! The flight over there was great ( be it a bit long….LOL ) The hotel was superb and very nice people there. From the moment I arrived they were helpful. And it was near Circular Quay which is where the Opera House is and a whole lot more. Walking distance. All the tours that were set up, and what I did on my own was wonderful. Then off to Ayers Rock. This was my bucket list item I have had for a long time. It was just as I thought it would be and more. That whole tour was well done. Then Alice Springs…. a surprise for as it was a lot larger than I expected….but so educational….I loved it. Then off to Brisbane….. and staying with friends. Also great. All I can say is thank you all for you’re planning for me. It will never be forgotten. PS I met some wonderful fellow travelers…..

Tamara
(March 2015)

Enjoying the sights in Australia’s red centre

We did a 30 day independent custom tour to Australia and New Zealand and booked through About Australia with Ashley Donaldson. She took care of every detail from flights and hotels to transfers and tours and everything went smoothly! To be traveling 30 days and not have a single glitch is amazing! We have Ashley to thank for that. She was fabulous to deal with. She answered all questions no matter how ridiculous with patience and professionalism. She gave us everything we wanted within our budget. I would highly recommend About Austalia and Ashley to everyone who wants to travel ” Down Under”!

Karen
(March 2015)

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Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef

We spent Christmas and New Year’s 2014 in Australia. I must admit it was one of my top 5 vacations thus far. And this is coming from someone who has visited more than 50 countries. We were able to visit Melbourne, Cairns, Yulara/Ayres Rock, and lastly we experienced the best New Year’s Eve fireworks show in the world in Sydney! Thank you so much for helping us put together a memorable vacation. We were able to plan our days and activities in each city as we so desired, but working with About Australia to coordinate and organize all of our hotels and airport transfers as well as some specific tours was flawlessly executed! I would definitely not hesitate to utilize About Australia again.

Yolanda
(February 2015)

Great Barrier Reef Cruise & Tour

We just returned from our Australia vacation, two weeks in Australia two weeks in New Zealand. Joanne with About Australia assisted us in our hotel, airfare and tours while in Australia. I’m very pleased with the choices of our hotels, very centrally located and she pick great tours for us after getting our input. We chose to do independent travel on our tours and loved it. Next time we travel we will certainly call Joanne to assist us again.

Dennis
(February 2015)

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Mark & Brenda’s view from their balcony in Sydney

WOW, what a spectacular trip we had in Australia and New Zealand!!! Our travel agent Melanie Brown in San Antonio was such a pleasure to work with and knowledgeable about what we wanted to do, and not do. She is spectacular, and all of our reservations, accommodations, transfers etc were flawless!!! Sound to good to be true? Well, I speak the truth, she is undoubtably the BEST!!! Our Australian adventures to Melbourne, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, Port Douglas, Sydney were absolutely wonderful! Each destination had its own beauty, uniqueness, and of course memories. Our accommodations were wonderful and of the 5 star lodging we requested. We were blown away by the our hotel in Sydney, as our view of Circular Quay and of course the Sydney Harbor Bridge were breathtaking and right out our window.

Mark
(December 2014)

Cathy and Johnnie and Wiley and I had the MOST incredible trip to Australia EVER……we enjoyed every single minute of the trip and had a such a wonderful time that we are the envy of all of our friends and family.  What an awesome way to celebrate Cathy’s joining us in retirement….we will never forget it…. In that whole trip, we had only one small hiccup that was easily resolved…..I cannot believe how well you could coordinate pickups, drop-offs, plane rides (10 planes during that trip….don’t want to fly again soon :) )   …..  The TOURS were amazing…thank you so much for the small group tour of the Opera House in Sydney…..the tour, dinner, and the King and I was the highlight of our Sydney tour….along with buying some Australian opals before we left to bring home to daughters and granddaughters :)  …..we have a million photos and videos…..a million memories….and a million thank yous to you and your company…..we have sung your praises far and wide….Thank you Thank you Thank you…..Linda (December 2014)

Camel ride on way to Alice Springs

We so enjoyed our trip to central and western Australia. Our route took us to Melbourne, Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayer Rock), Cairns, then Sydney. With 3 days at each major stop (just one day and night at Alice Springs) we had enough time for the group tours, as well as time to do our own ” touristing” within each city. Outside of Melbourne (quite a way) we loved taking the Puffing Billy narrow gauge railroad up into the mountains. Then in Cairns we had a blast at the Great Barrier Reef for one day and another day up in the Daintree Rain Forest. These are not to be missed! While in Sydney our private tour of the Opera House proved to be interesting and not too technical. We also did a Sydney Historical Pub Crawl, which proved to be very interesting and fun. All in all, the transportation to and from Australia was worth the upgrade on Quantas to the International Premium Economy class. With such a long flight the extras made us comfortable and rested when we arrived. The other people we met during the touring portion of the trip were all so nice and such fun to do things with. I highly recommend this trip to everyone! Terese (December 2014)

This trip was AMAZING!! About Australia was wonderful, very helpful and customized my itinerary to my personal preferences. My whole trip, activities and multiple transports were set up for me and the vouchers were very detailed and easy to follow. Dustie and the whole About Australia staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. They made the overwhelming task of planning a vacation to a foreign country easy. I highly recommend them to anyone. I will definitely use them again in the future. Thank you!!Jillian (November 2014)

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Lisa enjoying her camel ride through the Outback.

We started in beautiful Melbourne, then we went to Alice springs, then drove to Ayers Rock Uluru, then to port Douglas, then to Sydney. About australia put us on all the right tours and we stayed in hotels and villas in the perfect location to see everything. It couldn’t have gone smoother. Thank you for your expertise and making our trip a memorable one. A camel ride in the outback, and then greeted by a waiter with champagne and a lovely dinner under the stars. Priceless! Lisa (November 2014)

I cannot say anything but “wonderful” about your company.  Everything was on time. We had vans and busses arriving at our hotels even when we forgot to call the day before as asked.  The hotels and resorts were flawless, the internal flights were on time and dependable Airlines. The tours included were so much fun – camel back riding at sunset to Ayers Rock with plentiful snacks to stay and see the colors change at sunset, snorkeling in The Great Barrier Reef and diving for those that wanted it. Safety measures 110% of the entire experience, great lunch on board. We had a tour  gliding over and hiking in the Rain Forest . A days ride on a comfortable bus from Ayers Rock to Alice Springs allowed us to really see the Outback. And, most of all, I was awed by the Sydney Opera House tour and the Harbor Ride was lovely in the evening.  Wonderful. Highly recommend. Yes, quote all I say anytime, any place. Give my email or phone to anyone interested. I will go back to Australia within a year and want to depend on you.  Thanks ever so much.Maretta (October 2014)

The vacation that we planned, with Dustie’s able assistance, was absolutely perfect. The time spent in the areas we chose was perfect, the flights and the Ghan were perfect, as was the ease of picking up and returning our rental cars. But where she really outdid herself was in the accommodations selected. The locations were always convenient to areas of interest to us, the rooms comfortable, the facilities pleasant. Of them all, the Desert Cave stands out, and will stand out in our memories. The beautiful underground room was a joy! We have stayed in some interesting locations and facilities, but none top the Cave! This treasure in time is followed closely, in my mind, by the Freycinet Lodge. Oh my, the cabin, the views, the National Park. If she hadn’t booked it, we probably would have missed the Jewel of Tasmania. Dustie, we would book thru you again and will recommend you to anyone who asks, anytime!Stephanie (October 2014)

Sea Lions on Kangaroo Island during Ginni & Philip’s vacation to Australia

We had a great time on our trip to down under!!  We enjoyed the little penguins of Phillips Island–No pics as it can blind them.  Had a terrific time on Kangaroo island–we ended up with a tour guide with years of experience and only 6 travelers on the two-day tour which meant we got to see extra places on the island. The trip to Kuranda was awesome.  I even enjoyed the gondola ride and the tropical rainforest.  We also went to the Maori program–the dancing was unique and the demonstration of native skills you should see! The Australian Zoo was a great experience.  We took the guided tour so saw most all of the animals in the zoo—especially those native to Australia.  We attended the crocodile show–what a fearsome creature they are!  Really enjoyed the day! I will definitely recommend About Australia to others.  We ran into many of your clients while we were in Australia–You have been busy!  Thanks again for your assistance.Ginni & Philip (September 2014)

A spectacular view of Sydney during Tom & Elaine’s trip to Australia

What a wonderful trip! Everything from the hotel rooms to the day trips was FIRST CLASS! Weather also was almost ideal; we only had rain in Aukland. Since we had no formal plans in Aukland, the rain did not affect anything. The other stops were perfect; I wouldn’t know how to change anything. Queenstown was spectacular; the view from the top of the gondola could not be beat. The Shotover boat ride was exhilerating. We enjoyed walking around Melbourne and the trips on the Puffy Billy train and to Phillip Island. The weather in Cairns was spectacular, and our trips to the Great Barrier Reef and Kuranda were memorable. Sydney is a great city; the view from the harbour should not be missed. The hotels were wonderful. Location, location, location is key, and all locations were ideal. All planned trips were great; we really enjoyed them. I will never forget snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and the Penguin Parade; AMAZING! Elaine’s favorite moments involved the koalas; she pet one in Melbourne and held one in Cairns. Hey, did you know we were on the FIRST Qantas Airbus A380 flight from Sydney to Dallas? What a plane! They even changed the kangaro logo on the tail (first attachment). Three helicopters filmed the landing, and we even received a water cannon salute (second attachment)! This was a big deal; the largest passenger airline in the world flying the longest non-stop flight in the world. Somehow, we happened to be on that flight! Thanks again; we will never forget this wonderful trip!Tom (September 2014)

The trip went extremely well as you planned. Even the weather at Canberra, Sydney, Ayers Rock and Cairns was nearly ideal! All of the tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Even the tour bus drivers were very friendly and helpful. All of the tours were excellent. And the hotel locations in each place were nearly ideal. In Sydney, Ayers Rock and Cairns we never had to get a taxi as we were in very reasonable walking distances. The other major benefit was how you cheerfully worked around and incorporated my conference/business portion in Canberra into the overall touring program and worked with us on our overall budget. I had originally contacted several other tour programs but they quickly fell by the wayside on several fronts: inflexibility, cost, offerings, etc. Your final packaging of flights, vouchers, timetable, and tours was excellent. The tour more than met our expectations! That indeed is very high praise from us.Al & Molly (September 2014)

Amazing job with our trip, Melanie, and all the folks at About Australia! Hotels were in perfect locations within walking distance of attractions. Flights and shuttles were all on the money. Including optional day trips as part of the itinerary proved greatly beneficial (helped us a couple times during the trip). Huge kudos to the entire organization when our original white shark cage dive was cancelled and all rallied to book new flights/hotel reservations for us (successfully)! Missing the cage dive, especially now that we have done it, would have been a great loss. We are fairly certain, after discussing our situation and outcome, that we would not have received that level of service from other travel agencies. We are looking forward to another trip down under through About Australia.Krista & Mark (September 2014)

Sandy Holding a Koala at Cairns Night Zoo during her vacation in Australia

We went to Australia from July 7-25, 2014. Frank from AboutAustralia.com and I exchanged Many emails to organize the perfect trip for us. We spent time in Sydney, Cairns, Ayers Rock, and Melbourne. We had some different requirements as we are an active family of 5 people. All the lodging booked for us worked perfectly for a family with 2 sons and 1 daughter. All our transfers to and from places were on time. All our paperwork was well organized and easy for me to follow and keep us on track with all our activities! We of course had some highlights. We are animal lovers, so in Sydney, our behind the scenes tour at the Torango Zoo was a highlight! We got to see up close (and often hold) many different Australian Animals like the Bilby! We also did a boutique Tour to see Kangaroos and Wombat – we saw MANY of each! In Cairns, we went Scuba Diving 4 days, 3 of them on the TUSA which we highly recommend. We also did a sailaway cruise to the Low Isles which was a lovely day (and we got to swim with sharks around us…that was optional in case you don’t like sharks). Ayers Rock is a fabulous place to see. We did take opportunity to actually climb Ayers Rock. It was a hike, but we Loved It…and what a view! In Melbourne, we rented a car to drive the Great Ocean Road. It was about a 15 hour day because we spent so much time stopping to see things! We read online about a gravel road to see Koalas. We spent less than 2 hours on that road (mostly walking) and saw 36 wild koalas! It was amazing! We also saw MANY kangaroos everywhere! The flights are long, but Quantas takes VERY GOOD care of you. Personal movie/tv/gaming screens and more food and drinks than you can consume! High praises to Quantas. Our entire experience in Australia was close to perfect because AboutAustralia did a fabulous job with the DETAILS! I highly recommend them!! Sandy (August 2014)

Dart River Safari in Queenstown, New Zealand

We just returned from our wonderful trip to Australia thanks to About Australia. Our trip included stops in Queenstown in NewZealand,Melbourne, Sidney, and Cairnes in Australia, and the island of Fiji. The location of the hotels were perfect and within walking distance to everything. Flying Coach Advantage was a lifesaver for a flight that long. This is by far the best trip we’ve ever taken and I would recommend this company for a memoriable vacation “down under”. Teresa (July 2014)

Vinnie and I had a most fantastic 3 week vacation in Australia! The itinerary was perfect with a great balance of planned and free time. Every connection, admittance, pick up was flawless. Our names were always on their lists so we often did not even need our vouchers. The location of every hotel was ideal so we could walk to many points of interest and oh “The Louise” in the Barossa was certainly the maximum number of stars available! We were surprised at the parking fee in Adelaide. You might just add a note on future itineraries.We wish to thank you for planning our ideal vacation that had no glitches and we wouldn’t have changed anything.Paula and Vinnie (June 2014)

We recently went to New Zealand and Australia and the trip was arranged by Joanne. We went to Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown in New Zealand and Melbourne, Ayers Rock, Cairns and Sydney in Australia. The arrangements were wonderful and were seamless. The pickup shuttles/vans were exactly on time and nowhere we had to wait. We were extremely happy with the arrangements – it was professional and commendable. I will have no hesitation in recommending About Australia to anyone. If I were to rank the places I visited I would put Ayers Rock as the topmost in Australia and Rotorua in New Zealand. Queenstown is a beautiful city.Subramanyam (May 2014)

“Lands Down Under”, The Commercial Appeal, Newspaper, Sunday Featured Article, 18th May 2014Extract: Our first step was to find a travel agency that specialized in the areas we wanted to visit and which would develop our itinerary according to our input. Luckily we found a perfect match in Ashley with About Australia, an agency based in San Antonio. We cannot say enough about how well our trip was arranged and carried off with hardly a hitch.  “Unforgettable” is only one of many words that describes our experiences in New Zealand and Australia — our trip of a lifetime.Read Full ArticleSusan (May 2014)

Before we departed on the trip, I was a little concerned because it appeared to me to be somewhat complicated. But everything went like clock work. You had everything so well organized so we were always picked up on time, the hotels were excellent and all of the other events we had selected went off as planned. We never encountered any problems during the entire trip. I have traveled quite a lot over the years but I will say that this trip was the best one I have ever had and a lot of the credit goes to you Joanne. I would strongly recommend YOU and About Australia to anyone that was considering a trip to that part of the world. And you should know that Janene and I plan to return to New Zealand and Australia in a couple of years. Again, thank you for organizing this wonderful trip.Oren &Janene (April 2014)

Our 28 day trip gave us a chance to see lots of wonderful things in New Zealand and Australia, and we left wishing we could have been there even longer. Melanie Brown at About Australia worked with me for months in advance, building a customized itinerary that was tailored to the kinds of things we were most interested in seeing and doing. In our case, that meant an emphasis on nature and animals, with a few man-made attractions along the way. We got exactly what we hoped for–lots of opportunities to see animals unique to this part of the world (koalas, echidnas, cassowaries, emus, wombats, snakes, dingos, birds) both in the wild and in captivity. We also visited natural wonders like the Southern Alps, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, the Twelve Apostles, and the Great Barrier Reef. I always find planning my trips to be as much fun as taking them, and I was very glad I chose About Australia to assist with a complex trip like this. I felt that they knew what I wanted and were with me every step of the way. They were anxious to answer my numerous questions and even had my back while I was there by booking a flight for me when my scheduled ferry ride across Cook Strait was canceled due to weather. I don’t know whether I can afford to return again (I’d sure like to) but if I do, I will certainly use the services of About Australia.Joe (April 2014)

We want to thank you for the most incredible experience on ALL of the arrangements you made for us during our stay in Cairns. Every bus or driver was exactly on time with our name on his sheet. (We were very impressed by this! And every tour we took, we could not believe how magnificent it was.) ALL plans went without a hitch and ALL drivers where extremely fun, knowledgeable & pleasant! What a beautiful country you have!Lou & Beth (March 2014)

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Nevis Bungy Jumping in New Zealand

My trip was amazing from start to finish! Joanne was awesome throughout the planning. Everything she suggested was perfect. The entire trip was smooth and absolutely perfect. My only complaint was I didn’t have enough time and wished I could have stayed longer. I started out in Cairns and went to the Barrier reef as well as the Daintree rainforest and the night zoo! Then on to Sydney… My favorite stop. You need at least a full week to explore the awesomeness that is Sydney. I did the bridge climb and even saw a show at the opera house. Off to Uluru and Kata juta, sunrise was my favorite. I then flew to Queenstown NZ where I bungy jumped, skydived and rode the gondola. A trip to the North island to Auckland was great. Great night life and the black water rafting through the glow worm caves was fabulous. Hobbition was super cool if you are a LOR fan. Then back to Brisbane for some beach time on the Gold Coast. This is my best vacation ever. I highly recommend About Australia for your trip. They took all the worry out of this trip so that I could sit back and enjoy the ride!! Alison (March 2014)

I’ve been back from my trip to the South Pacific for a couple of weeks now, and I still can’t get over what a fantastic time I had. One of the reasons was the help from About Australia I had in planning my trip. Joanne worked with me to put together an itinerary that allowed me to spend time in New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. It was the trip of a lifetime! All the planning went smoothly with Joanne’s help, and there was a lot to plan for a trip to three countries far from home. I was worried that something would go wrong during the trip, but I really had nothing to worry about. All of my flights, connections to and from the different airports and hotels in 5 different places were all booked by About Australia without a problem. The voucher system was very easy to use. Hotels were located near all kinds of activities and were quite nice. Overall, I was very p leased with About Australia and have been very happily recommending About Australia for anyone making a journey Down Under. Thanks!Tom (March 2014)

The Carter Group in Melbourne

Our South Pacific trip was amazing. The vouchers worked perfectly. Frank did an outstanding job in organizing every single detail. I found him on the internet and did not know anything about him. He was was so patient and reassuring that I felt truly confident in giving him the opportunity to plan our trip. Thanks Frank for doing such an incredible job. It truly was the trip of a “lifetime!”

Barbara & Bobby (March 2014) 

All great, and we are very happy clients. It was a flawless trip all around.  We are already planning what we want to do next year, so brace yourself. Thanks to you and the team, Dustie. We will be happy to sing your praises.Margaret & Richard (Feb 2014)

You planned a fantastic trip and it was flawless, except, as I mentioned, I did not get to meet “Crocodile Dundee” !! Cheers,Ted (February 2014)

I’m writing to you about two of your employees.  Last fall my husband and I were planning our fifth trip to Australia and quite by accident I came upon your website.  I called and talked with Alicia and she referred me to Frank.  Over the next several months Frank planned a trip for my husband and I.  I then had a medical emergency and had to alter our trip and Frank gladly handeled that problem.  My medical problem was diagnosed, treated and healed and Frank then replanned and rebooked our original trip. We were eventually heading to Canberra to visit our son and his  family over the Christmas holidays but we wanted to start out by seeing parts of Australia that we previously had not visited.  With Frank’s expertise and  knowledge he planned a trip to Cairns with us visiting the Rain Forest and the Great Barrier Reef.  (which were both AMAZING!!) I  have to tell you, that I feel, that Frank went above and beyond his job discription.  He was always pleasent and patient with me as was Alicia.  I am a seventy-two year old incapacitated woman with a seventy-five year old husband.  Frank made sure that there was a wheel chair ready for me at all stops, booked us into a fabulous hotel with accessible restaurants and made arrangements for all the side trips for us.  Also, Alicia, everytime I called was professional and polite.  If Frank was  not available she was always ready to take a message and have him call me back later. You should, in some way, acknowledge these two employees with either praise or some sort of bonus.Patricia (February 2014)

The Airlines, shuttles, tours, vouchers etc. were all terrific. We did not even have to re-confirm tickets or rides; although we did anyway. All drivers were punctual. Virtually everything went without a hitch. As usual; the country is beautiful, cheerful, happy, youthful and immaculately clean. The people are as friendly or friendlier than just about any place else I have ever travelled. I would be happy to endorse you and will ask my wife to send you photos.Alan (February 2014)

I had a FABULOUS time in Australia. We visited Cairns, and Brisbane. It was mostly a dive trip. We spent 3 days on a live aboard over night and did one additional day trip to the reef. We were there over two weeks over the Christmas / New Years holiday. We did a tour of Paronella Park, a cruise on Lake Barrine (extinct volcano), We white water rafted on the TullyRiver. We went 4WD on Fraser Island, swimming in Lake McKenzie. We took a tour of the Daintree and went with the Aboriginal Kubirri Warra brothers to hunt for food in the mangroves, mudflats, and on the beach . We also went to Mossman Gorge and met with an Aboriginal artist. My daughter (17) enjoyed the Australian zoo the best. It was so different from American zoos. We both loved the diving, but I would be hard pressed to tell you my favorite. Everything went off without a hitch. It wa s truly a dream come true for both of us. Joanne with About Australia set everything up for us and was wonderful to work with.Stemmer (January 2014)

We had a fabulous trip, I was so worried about making connections, but the flights, transfers, hotels and all planned activities, went off without a hitch. We were so proud of ourselves, then realized it was all so perfectly arranged by you…lol If we had it to do over, we wouldn’t change a thing..The hotels were fabulous, the tours, the ferry, It was a little cool and windy in New Zealand, but everything was beautiful. We saw sooo much. Loved Queenstown, loved it all. Well, our thanks to you, Frank, and everyone from About Australia, that made this a Once in a Lifetime trip.Barbara (January 2014)

We are resting in the Air NZ Premier lounge in Auckland before heading back to LA.  We have had a most memorable and enjoyable trip.  We commented over and over again how great the accommodations were and how easy it was to use the vouchers.  Each checkin was smooth and we were readily recognized and welcomed.  We are thoroughly rested and refreshed after an incredible time.  Despite Milford Sound having a steady rain (which resulted in more waterfalls than normal that were spectacular) the overnite boat ride was a highlite.  My daughter and I went horseback riding in Paradise just outside of Queenstown and that was our favorite likely because of the picture perfect weather day and our LOTR fettish! Thank you again for being such a wonderful partner in an unforgettable family vacation. Happy New Year.Camille, Barry, Lori and Brian (January 2014)

Sunset at Uluru

My husband and I spent our first Christmas holiday away from our families in Australia. We could not have made a better decision! Even though we were technically only there for 12 days, we made a lifetime’s worth of memories. Our trip began in Sydney where we climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge on New Year’s Eve, toured the Sydney Opera House, saw the amazing wildlife at Taronga Zoo, explored the Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour, and enjoyed strolls in the beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens. On Christmas Day we flew to the red centre and spent a few days exploring Uluru and Kata Tjuta national parks. We dined in the desert under the stars for Christmas and watched many a sunrise and sunset over the beautiful Australian outback. Following our desert adventures, we flew to the east coast. We flew into Cairns and traveled along the breathtaking Coral Sea to Port Douglas an exclusive resort town. There we experienced a once in a lifetime opportunity- snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. I was amazed to find that some parts of the reef are only a foot from the surface making for some incredible views. We also climbed into the Daintree Rainforest, traveled to Cape Tribulation Beach, and took a hike in Mossman Gorge. Our final stop was Brisbane- a country town quickly growing into a metropolis. Brisbane had a great deal of character, especially along the Southbank. Our last excursion was to the third largest sand island, Tangalooma where we fed wild dolphins and participated in sand tobogganing. There isn’t one thing we would change! About Australia planned a very efficient and memorable trip. We want to thank Ashley and Erika for planning our once in a lifetime adventure so perfectly. Jacqueline & Tom (January 2014)

Diving the Great Barrier Reef

I had a FABULOUS time in Australia. We visited Cairns and Brisbane. It was mostly a dive trip. We spent three days on a live aboard over night and did one additional day trip to the reef. We were there over two weeks over the Christmas / New Years holiday. We did a tour of Paronella Park, a cruise on Lake Barrine (extinct volcano), We white water rafted on the TullyRiver. We went 4WD on Fraser Island, swimming in Lake McKenzie. We took a tour of the Daintree and went with the Aboriginal Kubirri Warra brothers to hunt for food in the mangroves, mudflats, and on the beach . We also went to Mossman Gorge and met with an Aboriginal artist. My daughter (17) enjoyed the Australian zoo the best. It was so different from American zoos. We both loved the diving, but I would be hard pressed to tell you my favorite. Everything went off without a hitch. It was truly a dream come true for both of us. Joanne, with About Australia set everything up for us and was wonderful to work with. Debra & Amberlee (December 2013)

We had a wonderful trip to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji in December 2013. The weather, the people, the whole experience was incredible and all of the three destinations are a must see. They all offer variety in climate and scenic views. We are very satisfied with booking our trip through About Australia and super grateful for all of Ashley’s help. Not only she has been with us every step of the way, from booking to offering tour options and flexibility on scheduling the trip- according to our preferences, but she has also been very patient, understanding and prompt with us. We definitely recommend for anyone who wants to visit Australia, New Zealand or Fiji to go with About Australia, especially if you want to modify your trip the way you want it and speak to their wonderful, helpful and kind staff. There are a lot of details when it comes down to booking such a long-distance trip, especially when you need to hop from a city to a city, so it feels great to have someone help you find the most convenient, affordable and time manageable deal out there.Thank you About Australia and special thanks to Ashley!Iva, Yordanka & Krasimir (December 2013)

I was very interested in planning a trip to Australia to visit our son who was studying there and to see the sites, but where to begin and how to begin? The task seemed overwhelming. Then as if from heaven I discovered About Australia and in particular Ashley. From the moment of our first contact she was amazingly helpful, friendly and reassuring. Based on input from us, she planned the trip of a lifetime over the recent Thanksgiving holidays which included coordinating flights from two different cities in the US as well as one in Australia, accommodations at three cities, shuttle transfers and a number of wonderful day tours. Our family was overwhelmed with the beauty of the country – the coastlines, the rain forests, the mountains, the beaches, the coral reefs. We have so many wonderful memories of snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, driving along the Great Ocean Road, seeing the Penguin Parade, and experiencing the rain forest as well as observing koalas up close and personal. The urban experiences were just as memorable touring the iconic Sydney opera house and visiting the sites of Melbourne. And all we had to do was show up and follow the vouchers and enjoy ourselves knowing that every step along the way our trip had been perfectly planned for us. We could not have asked for anything more and we will have memories for a lifetime. Now we want to go back, again and again. Thank you Ashley and thank you About Australia!!Marianne, Dusan, Caroline & Jonathan (November 2013)

We just returned from our incredible Australian trip last week and wanted to thank you for arranging our near perfect holiday. Beginning with the flight from LAX thru to the very end of the trip, nearly everything was far more than we ever expected it would be. The hotel location in Melbourne was great as were all the scheduled tours. The “tips” included in our travel packet covered most everything to see that wasn’t already included in the various arranged tours. Every connection with tour drivers, etc. came off without a hitch – the vouchers covered everything. The day tour that culminated in our seeing the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island was truly one of the most fantastic adventures of a lifetime. Sydney was equally astounding – as an architect, seeing the Sydney Opera House was a “bucket list” event for me (the tour there was especially informative). Having dinner at a harbour side restaurant while watching the Saturday night fireworks was a great urban experience and a real contrast with our other nature experiences. The hotel room at the Ibis Sydney was quite small, but the location was perfect (we tried to upgrade the room there but none available.) The assistant manager, Abhinav Sarmah, was especially understanding and helpful. Our final stop in Cairns was, if anything, even better and more fun than Melbourne and Sydney. The hotel there, the Mercure Harbor Side, was spacious with a sea view balcony. The trip out to the Great Barrier Reef where we snorkeled was indescribable and the next day taking the train, seeing the rainforest by land, boat and aerial tram was about 3 trips wrapped into one. Again we really want to thank you for arranging a wonderful adventure…. I think we’ll consider New Zealand next year!Bill and Linda (November 2013)

Megan & Tim, exploring the inner crater of New Zealand’s only active marine volcano, White Island.

We had a fantastic time on our trip to New Zealand and Australia! We spent the first week in New Zealand (Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown) and then went to Australia (Sydney and Cairns) during our second week. Getting to see the glow worm caves was almost a surreal experience. I am so glad we splurged to do the helicopter ride to White Island—it was incredible to see and was an amazing experience. Choosing to take the cruise through Doubtful Sound (rather than Milford) was also the way to go. Even on a rainy and foggy day, the fjords were amazing and beautiful! We had such a good time exploring Sydney, and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef up near Port Douglas was also a highlight! The locations of our hotels were fantastic, even the ones that weren’t in downtown areas. Big thanks to Paul and his team for making our honeymoon unforgettable! Megan & Tim (November 2013)

Our travel agent used About Australia to arranged our three week vacation in Australia. They listened very well to our travel requests (where we’d like to travel and what we like to see and do) while were in the planning stage of our trip to Australia.We were very pleased with all of their efficient airport pick up and drop offs; all of their transfers; and each accommodation we stayed at in each city; all our excursions and tours; and our car rental arrangements.We were very impressed with how well About Australia selected top notched tour suppliers in each of the cities we went to. We had an amazing experience with each tour operator. Everything went very smoothly for us. Especially in the Outback, we were really amazed how well each of our transfer were coordinated so well for us (from one destination to the other) every step along the way. I would highly recommend About Australia to others.Cheryl & Scott (October 2013)

I really enjoyed my trip despite my problems with my hip (I expect to get a hip replacement operation in Nov). The hotels, except for the one in Auckland, were all 4 or 5 star and centrally located. The Mantra hotel in Sydney was a 5 star in my opinion. It had great location, very helpful staff and with full kitchen and living room was outstanding. The included tours of Milford Sound, New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef were fantastic. I even went snorkeling and took underwater pictures! I feel that overall the trip was a bargain and well worthwhile. I was surprised at how expensive food and drinks were in Australia compared to what people told me  it was 8 or 10 years ago before the Australian $ was close to par with the US $ but that’s even true of Europe today. Many thanks for your help, and from the others on your staff, in setting this up and working out the details.David  (October 2013) 

Denny and I just returned from our 32 day trip to New Zealand and Australia. Frank did an awesome job in planning our trip based on our interests. Starting with our flight from Los Angeles until our return, everything went well. There were many highlights, and no glitches. The tours planned and the companies conducting the tours were excellent. Even though we were away for 30 days and on the go, the itinerary was relaxing and enjoyable. Two of the most impressive places we stayed in our travels would be the Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree Rain Forest and Heron Island. Silky Oaks was wonderful with the rooms being nestled in the forest. The meals at the restaurant were delicious. Heron Island was as if you were camping on an island with all of the modern conveniences including great meals at the resort restaurant. The snorkeling was unbelievable. O ur hats go off to About Australia. They were a great company to plan our dream vacation with and Frank was a pleasure to deal with in tweaking our itinerary and making it all work out. It was a comforting feeling knowing that when you were supposed to be somewhere or stay someplace that the folks who Frank arranged with were there to meet you or the accommodations arranged were ready upon arrival. Thanks to About Australia for a terrific vacation. We definitely would recommend using them to plan your New Zealand/Australian adventure.Denny & Alice (September 2013)

David & Daisy snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The whole process of booking through About Australia and the actual trip itself was very satisfactory and smooth. Replies were quick and answers were clear. The trip itself worked out really well for us. The lineup of Sydney then Kangaroo Island then Port Douglas was perfect for us. With our full itinerary we really felt like we got to see everything would have liked to see and enjoy in Sydney especially the Bridge Climb and the Zoo tour. The self drive during Kangaroo Island really let us stay flexible with our plans along with the weather of the day and let us enjoy the great outdoors and wildlife at our own pace. To end our trip in the beautiful and tropical city of Port Douglas really let us enjoy the good life and relax. The Great Barrier Reef was teeming with life with its clear waters and the aboriginal experience in catching our own crabs and fish was hard but very exciting! Definitely a five star experience overall!Thanks, David & Daisy (September 2013)

Jennifer & Noel on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, Australia

We had an amazing time on our honeymoon! We went to New Zealand for the first week and Australia for the second week. It was a perfect blend of fun activities and relaxation for a newly married couple. In a nutshell, we got to get a flavor of New Zealand’s famous wines, tried Venison/Lamb/Kangaroo, saw where Lord of the Rings was filmed at, visited Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, beautiful beaches and checked out the Great Barrier Reef… oh and course the amazing food! Frank from About Australia was a pleasure to work with. He was friendly, professional and best of all provided great recommendations on places to visit, where to stay.. the cool cities to visit for a newly married couple. We’d highly recommend Frank and his entire team at About Australia. Thank you! Jennifer & Noel (September 2013)

We travelled to Australia from NY in September to visit our son who’s studying in New Castle. Over 16 days we saw Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, New Castle in Australia and Queenstown and Auckland in New Zealand. The logistics were flawless (except for my flight to Sydney being cancelled for 24 hours). Dustie made all the arrangements and all we had to do was be there. We feel like we really got to see the cities and country and though we flew a lot (9 flights, including connections) it was a great way to see the countries. When my flight was cancelled (pilot sick, Qantas) I emailed Dustie and she was very responsive so I didn’t feel like I was on my own. Our itinerary was very thorough and organized with descriptions and vouchers including suggestions on things to do. Using About Australia allowed us to not have to worry about what to do but rather just relax and enjoy our vacation and time with our son.Liz & Vin (September 2013)

I wanted to drop you this note to express our thanks in making our Australian vacation such a memorable experience. Your hard work and expertise in Australia paid dividends beyond our greatest expectations.  Each suggestion and arrangement you made turned out exactly as we hoped and your planning made the enjoyment of our time in Australia seamless and without hassle.  All transfers were like clockwork, on time, efficient and first class. The hotels (especially the Cairns Mantra) were gorgeous and accommodating.Due in large part your hard work we fell in love with Australia and the people and know we all will go back again.  There is no doubt that we will visit Australia again and  that when we do we will once again use About Australia’s services. We highly recommend your agency and you personally. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR GREAT ASSISTANCE!Alan & Kay (June 2013)

We wanted you to know the trip was fantastic! Everything went smoothly, everyone was helpful and friendly, and the country is absolutely beautiful! We want to move to Sydney or Port Douglas someday but know that’s only a dream. Thank you for all your help. When we get ready to book our Western Australia trip, we will certainly reach out and contact you.Marsha & Rod (June 2013)

Steve & Leanne’s vacation photo of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia

We had an amazing trip! We spent 5 days in New Zealand, 3 days in Cairns, 2 days on Hamilton Island and 5 days in Sydney and Joanne Palanuik organized the whole adventure to create the perfect vacation! We visited the Hobbiton movie set, the geo-thermal activity ponds and the Waitoma Caves in New Zealand. We went down the Daintree River and through Cape Tributary, went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and saw beautiful beaches in the Whitsundays. We did the Bridge Climb, saw the Opera House and hiked around the gorgeous Blue Mountains. Such beautiful countries and friendly and helpful people all along the way. I would recommend everyone try to travel down under! Thank you to Joanne and About Australia for helping us experience the vacation of a lifetime!

Steve & Leanne (June 2013)

Steve & Melany’s vacation photo of Sydney at night.

We want to thank you for your help in arranging our vacation to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. That was an adventure of a lifetime. We had AWESOME time. We did and saw things that we would never have experience. My personal favorite activity was interacting with the animals – fed the wallabies, kangaroos, and emus; saw dugong playing with a basket, koalas and the penguins. New Zealand is so beautiful and pristine. And it was nice to end the vacation in Fiji. By then, we were getting a little exhausted from all the travelling. Thank you again. We definitely would recommend to friends and family and would do it again. Steve & Melany (May 2013)

John & Holly enjoying Great Barrier Reef, Australia

We wanted to visit our daughter, who is doing a semester in Brisbane, but we also wanted to see as much as possible in the two weeks we had. About Australia worked with us to plan a trip that maximized our time on the ground, minimized our costs, and got us where we wanted to go. They were easy to contact by phone or email, and our agent, Frank, was a great source of info and advice. As folks who haven’t traveled outside the U.S. since our honeymoon (a very long time ago), we’re so grateful to About Australia for helping us have a fantastic experience. Every service they booked for us (hotels, transportation, side-trips, etc.) was right on time, friendly, and just generally nice to work with. They’re on our “do this again as soon as possible” list! Holly & John (April 2013)

Clyde & Sharon at the Hobbiton Tour, New Zealand

It would actually please us greatly if our visit to Hobbiton might be the catalyst for others to visit the Shire. We’ve been Tolkien fans forever and lifting a pint in the Prancing Pony was one of highlights of our trip. Clyde & Sharon (February 2013)

Australia

It was WON-derful!!  I have no doubt that I never would have found it had it not been for you & your resources.  The guide was awesome; the driver was excellent; the accommodations were above average (with one exception which was “only” average–but certainly acceptable; no, can’t remember which off the top of my head*); the bus was clean & comfortable; the tour was well organized.  I can’t say enough good things about it.   I also cannot say enough good things about your service!  You are MOST professional–knowledgeable (and when you weren’t sure of something, you checked!), excellent communication, and answered questions promptly.  I would definitely work with About Australia again, assuming that all agents are like you. Janice (February 2013)

Thank you Frank for the absolute greatest trip of my life!!Some friends recommended Frank at About Australia to me, and I am so happy they did! For years I had been dreaming of traveling to New Zealand, and when the time finally came that I was able to go, I wanted it to be perfect. I had sent Frank a VERY long list of things I would love to see and do, knowing realistically I probably wouldn’t be able to do everything on the list in one trip, but Frank put together my dream itinerary and managed to include just about every single thing I had hoped to do. Everything from SCUBA diving on the North Island to hang gliding on the South Island, he made it happen. Our accommodation in each town was wonderful, and the vouchers they give you make checking in everywhere so easy!I highly recommend Frank and About Australia!Thank you for everything!!Becky (February 2013)

Skydive in Australia

We had an amazing time, best trip so far in my life. Please feel free to share my email. You did a great job on putting the trip together. I would definitely recommend the agency to my friends and family. Thank you once again. 

Karthik (February 2013)

Castaway Island Fiji

The trip was everything we expected and more. All the flights, the hotels, the day tours, and the airport transportation arrangements worked like clockwork, never a hitch. About Australia did a great job translating our desires into a wonderful trip. A total stress free vacation. Jim & Ann (December 2012)

We can’t thank About Australia and Frank for setting up such a great New Zealand & Australia Vacation for us. We saw so much     of both countries and met some really nice people on each leg of our journey. We just told Frank where we wanted to go and what our budget was and he worked his magic. We would have never been able to do it on our own. Frank answered every question we had about the trip and made sure everything was just what we wanted. This is the only way to travel in the Pacific. Contact About Australia first. Thanks again.Chuck & Roger (January 2013)

Chuck & Roger’s photo of Uluru after a rare rain storm.

xlent trip. all hotels were booked along with our flights and sight seeing trips. Everything went like clock work. Wish we would have taken a 12 day trip vs. 10 days. I highly recommend using about austrailia for your travel needs down under. we had a blast and it was the best price we could find. Thank you to all for our trip. We would use your company again in a heart beat. Derek, Tracy and Stevannee (January 2013)

Great Barrier Reef Australia

We went to Australia for our honeymoon and were so happy we decided to book with About Australia. We visited 4 cities in 15 days. All the tours were fantastic. It was super convenient to have all the transfers included we didn’t have to worry about anything. We felt we received great service and the places were amazing. Natalie (December 2012)

Stacy holding a Kangaroo. We’ve never seen a photo like this before!

Hi Frank, We are back from the trip.  What a fanstatic time!  It was such a wonderful vacation and I feel like I saw the best that Australia has to offer. I really appreciate all your tips.  The 12 steps and Otway tree walk were amazing.  We experienced so many wonderful sights it is hard to recount them all. But,  one place that we happened upon that I want to share is the Tower Hill Reserve.  We were driving towards Warrnambool when we saw a little brown sign on the side of the road for the reserve.  Wow! it was about 5:30-6:00pm when we drove in and the flora was breathtaking. Then all of a sudden an emu popped its head up from a patch of grass.  Next thing we saw was a group of Kangaroo hopping by.  We felt like we hit the jackpot! We were the only people in the entire reserve.  We parked the car and just sat there and observed all the wildlife around us.  As we drove a little farther in we saw a sign map and hiked into the reserve farther.  We then saw koalas in the trees. This is one place not to miss.  Everyday we had a new “favorite” place.  I think our time on the great ocean road and Kangaroo Island ended up being the most memorable. Thanks for all your help in planning this amazing vacation! Stacy (November 2012)

Tommi & Cynthia, Bridgeclimb, Sydney, Australia

Hi Melanie, We are here… in Sydney Australia, and standing on top of the world or at least on top of the Sydney Harbour bridge, over looking the World famous Sydney Opera House. We were at least 134 meters high at the summit of the bridge. If it looks like I am holding onto the rail fairly tightly….you’re right!! That’s a long way up and just as far coming down.  But oh, what a dang fine time we had…..including the bats in Cairns.  Yep the fruit bats that were living in the mango tree next to the hotel.  But all they wanted was fruit …not us. Tommi and Cynthia (October 2012)

Hi Frank,We r back fron our wonderful trip to Australia and New Zealand. Thank u so much for all the arrangements u did. Everything was so well arranged with the hotels, flights, pickups and tours. U did a fantastic job!! We enjoyed all the cities and activities. We took a hot air baloon ride in Cairns and climbed Ayers Rock. We stayed so busy but it was well worth it. Glad to b home. I will recommend u to anyone who wants to go there.Thanks again for all your work!Curt & Terri (October 2012)

Rene & Robert, Bridgeclimb, Sydney, Australia

Hi George, Just wanted to share with you the great time we had in Australia and Fiji.  The weather was great and so where the people. We could not have asked for a better experience or people I received your postcard and business card and will be sure to pass it on to my friends that have an interest in going to Australia. We had one hiccup in Fiji, but nothing of the serious nature it was taken care of the next day. By the way does About Australia have other travel locations that it serves? Again thanks for putting this trip together for us. Rene & Robert (September 2012)

Hi,Alison did a great job planning our trip.  It was great.  The only thing I would have changed is the airport transfers to the hotels in Brisbane and Sydney.  With 3 people, a taxi is just a little bit more and would have been much easier and quicker.  After a long flight the last thing you want to do is wait for your transfer and then be the last of 10 stops.  Everything else was great!!!!! Thanks,Kim (September 2012)

Sydney Australia, September 2012.

Hi Frank! Just checking in! First and foremost, we would like to thank you so sooo much! The trip was absolutely amazing…so amazing that we are already planning our trip back! Everything ran so smoothly with the vouchers (aside from when we had flight delays). Delays and all, we didn’t have a problem with anything. I only have 2 suggestions…the first is for Ayers rock. Our hotel was kind of…old? Outback pioneer was the place to be, well, for the younger crowd anyway. The second is that if people try to book for only 11 days/9 nights, do everything in your power to persuade them to book more days because Australia is too good to really appreciate in such a short period of time!We were a little rushed on arrival in Sydney because the flight from LA was delayed, but we were still able to do everything we had planned. We even met a group of girls traveling from the US and ended up going to dinner with them the first night there! The hotel was perfectly located and the concierge at the hotel was so incredibly helpful. We spent the next day in Darling Harbour and then we went to Paddy’s market, the Sydney tower eye, the police and justice museum, the Chinese friendship garden. Our last day we spent the afternoon in Manly where we rented bicycles (a terrible idea for us since we haven’t ridden bikes in 10 years), went to the local brewery for lunch and then did a little shopping before the rain started. Since it was raining when we got back to Sydney, we went to the Contemporary Art Museum, and then in the evening we did a walking tour of the Rocks.Our flight to Ayers Rock was also delayed, so we got to the hotel just at the time the sunset tour was supposed to start and we missed the bus. We were able to work everything out though and the bus came back for us. The sunset tour was nice, but the sunrise tour was really great. Walking around Uluru and hearing all the stories about the different parts of the rock was really fascinating. Our absolute favorite tour there was the sunset camel tour…you should recommend that to EVERYONE! We had such a great time and the guides were fantastic. Cairns…has a lot of bats. The staff at the hotel in Cairns was so great, really helpful, and the hotel was perfectly located once again. It was so easy for us to go out to eat or to get to the bars in the evening. The barrier reef tour was a lot of fun, and it was really different from anything else we had done. The ocean walker part of the trip wasn’t exactly as expected…I expected more walking and less standing, but overall it was still a lot of fun. The heritage tour on the second day was interesting. We enjoyed the show and the demonstration, and we loved the village. It actually would have been nice to spend the whole day there. On our free day we ended up booking a tour at the hotel of the waterfall circuit and Paronella park. That tour was pretty interesting. It gave us a chance to see some of the rainforest and obviously a couple waterfalls. Overall, the trip was just amazing. We did so many different and interesting things, and we learned so so much. We really can’t thank you enough for making this trip so great, except to say that we will certainly be contacting you for our future trip :) Valerie (September 2012)

Feedback via Facebook from Andrew & AlyssaSeptember 2012

Feedback posted on Facebook (August 2012)

Karen & Family in Australia, June 2012

A month in Australia and not a hitch. Everything went exactly as planned, on time and nice. Everyone was so nice. The hotels/lodges were way better than we ever expected. The scenery, animals, climate were perfect. I would go again in an instant! Karen (June 2012)

The Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road

My trip to Australia was one of a kind and wonderful! I was already planning on visiting some friends in Melbourne and decided to make an adventure out of it. I contacted About Australia and the next day George telephoned with a few questions in order to get me a better quote. He was extremely helpful, personable, and quite knowledgeable in every way when helping me plan my trip. Being stressed with work and school was already difficult enough, all I had to do in planning my trip was tell George where I wanted to go, and the things I wanted to see and he took care of everything from booking my flights and hotels (all of which were very nice, clean and well organized) to giving me a list of extra things I could do in my free time. In the end, I was in Melbourne with my friends for 2 weeks. In that time we took road trips to Warrnambool via the Great Ocean Road, went to the Grampian Mts., and visited several nearby towns on day trips. From Melbourne I began the leg of my trip that was planned by myself, but mostly by George. I began in Uluru, commonly known as Ayers Rock where I spent 2 nights and 2 days touring the base of the rock, enjoying the Sounds of Silence dinner, and taking short hikes through the Olgas, and most importantly, where I enjoyed the glorious sunrise at the base of Uluru on my first morning. After Uluru I was off to Cairns! This was the place I was looking most forward to and it did not let me down. The weather was warm and offered a nice change from Melbourne (it was winter in Aus when I visited). Because my life long dream was to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, I did two day tours of snorkeling and one day of the Scenic Railway visiting the city of Kuranda. Kuranda was a beautiful little town with so much to do! The butterfly sanctuary was incredible as was the shopping. As for the snorkeling, I would definitely recommend going on the Sailaway to the Low Isle snorkel day tour. The group was small giving everyone a chance to meet and talk, and there were loads of sea turtles to snorkel with! Sydney was my last stop on my tour, and really an unexpected favorite. My hotel location was wonderful because it was so close to everything I wanted to do in the city. The tour of the Opera House was more than exquisite and well worth going. I would have loved to go to a show, but I had not allowed myself the time to do so. On my last day on Australia I went on the Royal Coast Walks tour, the full day Marley hike as they called it. Ian, the tour guide, was wonderful, very knowledgeable and friendly. The hike was not easy all the time, but very enjoyable. Not to mention, I saw humpback whales breeching, as June is whale migration season. Overall, I would completely recommend About Australia to anyone who wanted to visit this beautiful country. George did a stellar job in answering even my most pointless, trivial questions and was always quick with a response. The day tours were well worth the money and time to do them. I also really enjoyed that with About Australia you’re really planning your own trip, not just going along with a pre-existing group. You have the opportunity to meet loads of people from all kinds of places when you mix and match day tours this way! Would definitely work with About Australia and George again :) Alicia (June 2012)

Hi Paul, I wanted to send this email regarding our Widowed Persons Service Australia Adventure.First, I would like to thank you for the fabulous trip that was put together for us.  We loved everything about it.  We all had a tough time to come up with what was our favorite tour as they were all fabulous.  As a group of women traveling together, we felt safe with all the drivers and tour guides.Frank did a superb  job for us.  He answered my emails, phone calls, and office questions with efficiency and always a great attitude.  I can’t thank him enough for all he did to make this trip a success.Thank you for recommending Flames of the Forest.  It is right at the top of my list for a favorite tour!!!  But, I also loved the Great Barrier Reef, the train and Skyrail in Kuranda, horseback riding in the rainforest, Steve Irwin Zoo, and seeing the Sydney Opera House.This trip was worth the long plane ride, being sea sick on the way to the Great Barrier Reef, aches and pains from horseback riding, and leaving my sunglasses on a shuttle.  I wouldn’t trade a minute of the trip.So thank you again!!!!!Roylynn (June 2012)

Dart River Safari, Queenstown, New Zealand. Carol M, Karen & Carol H (May 2012)

Thanks Frank for the WOW trip to New Zealand and Australia! A totally awesome experience. Everything went like clockwork and more than met our expectations. Thank you for putting together a unique and multi-faceted personalize trip. For 16 days we feasted on vibrant sites and fun experiences. We wanted to explore areas that most tourists don’t experience, and because of your vast personal knowledge of the area, you were able to customize a trip tailored to our wants and desires. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Every aspect of our trip was outstanding. We must admit it was quite a culture shock from one place to another, from the awesome natural serene beauty of Nelson and Queenstown in New Zealand, to Sydney, Australia, with the hustle and bustle of a huge city, with its tall buildings and traffic congestion, but each place had its own special uniqueness which we loved. I have to be honest, we were very concerned that About Australia may be a scam entity as I simply found you on line and knew no one that had ever used you.  But you were so knowledgeable and helpful that we gambled that your company was legit.  But until we actually stepped off the plane, was immediately greeted by our transportation/shuttle person, landed at our hotel and found it much above our expectations, did we feel comfortable knowing that indeed our faith in you was well founded.  We will gladly give testament that you and your company are stellar…in fact, several times we wanted to e-mail or call and tell you that we love you for putting this fantastic package together for us! Since we were three ladies traveling alone celebrating our 65th birthdays, we were originally a bit unsure if we wanted to travel without the security of an escorted tour.  But after talking with you about how we would always have vouchers, transportation taken care of, etc., we decided we could handle it.  Your planning and the reliability of the companies you hired, made it a piece of cake. We found the local people and staff at the hotels to be unbelievably friendly, going out of their way to be helpful.  The hotels were all centrally located so we could walk to see the sites, find restaurants, etc.  We felt safe walking the streets at any time of the day or night.  If a shuttle was suppose to pick us up at 7:25 a.m., it was there at 7:25 a.m. on the dot if not before.  Only once out of 16 days was a driver late, and that was in Cairns; so you may want to check on that company. Almost daily, one of us, if not all, said, “It just does not get any better than this!”  At the end of the trip, the three of us sat down and reviewed our experiences and made a list of our “Favorites”.  They are: Favorite place: Queenstown, New Zealand, with its natural beauty/spectacular scenery.  It is a clean, quaint town surrounded by rugged high mountains and located on beautiful Lake Wakatipu, which is huge.  Our second favorite was Sydney with all the street performers, markets, and interesting people watching.  Two exact opposites but both wonderful in their own way. Favorite experiences: We all agreed that kayaking along the Kaiteriteri coastline in Abel Talsman National Park, New Zealand, was our favorite.  Absolutely beautiful.  Plus we were the only ones that had booked the tour so we had the 23-year old handsome tour guide, Sam, all to ourselves, and we could do everything at our own pace.  Even though the water was deep, we felt very safe.  The kayaks were double seaters with skirts, so we did not even get wet.  Sam was very knowledgeable and helpful.  The day was sun filled, about 65 degrees, and the water green, clear, and calm…and the sack lunch you had ordered for us was an adventure in itself, a chicken leg, coleslaw wrap, apple, orange, cookie, quiche, snack, etc….a real treat, definitely yummy!  It was a perfect day. We also loved Sydney.  Since we happened to be there on the weekend, the The Rocks area outdoor market was open, so we decided to explore that.  We all loved shopping there, in fact, we spent about 4 hours seeing all the locals’ wares and buying cool souvenirs, i.e. sterling silver rings, hand-made scarves and candy, etc.  We also loved the street performers along the harbour. Other favorites: Karen: Doubtful Sound, New Zealand; she loved the beauty and seeing all the animals–dolphins, little blue penguins, and fur seals Carol H: Wildlife Habitat near Cairns, Australia, where she got to hold a Koala and we could walk amongst the animals Carol M: Great Ocean Road excursion near Melbourne, Australia, awesome scenery with spectacular views of the blue/green ocean and the sandstone “apostles” Favorite lodging:  Grand Mercure Monaco in Nelson, New Zealand, outstanding quaint resort with beautiful grounds; we absolutely loved it.  Our “cottage” came complete with kitchen, living room, bedroom, bath, washer and dryer…and a free shuttle into town.  If you go there, try Lambretta’s restaurant and their filo’s with smoked salmon, spinach, and cream cheese! Favorite meal: (We tried to experience the local foods) Karen: the green lip mussel appetizer at the Captains Restaurant in Queenstown, NZ Carol H: the fish in general (we tried the local fresh fish at most every town) and especially at Doyles at Watson Bay; it was one of our stops on our hop-on and hop-off Captain Cook harbour cruise tour in Sydney Carol M: the New Zealand Lamb Rack with Kumara mashed (mashed sweet potatoes) at Captains Restaurant in Qweenstown, NZ Our Tips:  Since meals are horribly expensive in both countries, we went to little convenience stores similar to 7-11s and bought cereal, milk, yogurt, and fruit so we could eat breakfast in our room; it saved both time in the morning and money.  Two of the places we stayed (Nelson and Cairns) had kitchens so we had facilities where we could make eggs, toast, etc.  Other hotels had the little mini bars with refrigerators that the hotels stock with goodies for you to purchase.  We emptied them, and filled them with our milk, fruit, etc.!  When we left, we simply put their sellables back in.  We are so clever/frugal!  We rather spend our money on experiences than expensive breakfasts. Also, for convenience and to save money, we took granola and protein bars from home to snack on.  We took little instant oatmeal packets with us, and in the morning we used the hotel’s coffee makers to heat water and whip up an easy, fast breakfast, served with fresh fruit bought at a convenience store. The only thing I would change is the Dart River Safari Tour.  It was nice but it took a whole day and was just speeding up a river.  I think the Shotover Jet Tour would have been more fun and more beautiful as it went through dramatic, narrow canyons and the boat does 360 degree turns. Also, please advise people staying at the Mantra on the Inlet in Cairns that if they have a room on the second floor, they have to carry their luggage up 48 stairs.  So if you have heavy luggage or have trouble with steps, this can be a challenge. Again, thank you Frank for sharing your insight and knowledge and planning a trip designed with unique, varied experiences that met our interests.  It was a totally great vacation with every detail taken care of, thanks to you.  You arranged 9 flights, 10 tours, 12 shuttles, and 6 hotels, all to encompass our wants and desires.  All we had to do was enjoy every single minute, which we did.  We are recommending you to all our friends who have a desire to experience New Zealand and Australia.  You are great! P.S.  If you would like more pictures, I can send them. Carol M, Karen & Carol H (May 2012)

Hi Frank,

Our adventure around Australia could not have been better.  All your planning and arrangements worked out to perfection and ran like clockwork.  We enjoyed each and every day in Sydney, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, and Cairns.  Each area we visited brought new and exciting experiences. The Cairns diving was an adventure in its self.We met have many people through our travels, but it would take a lot to beat the friendliness of the Australian people.  They helped make our entire vacation a wonderful experience.I would like to thank you and About Australia for all the hard work it took in planning each and every detail.  If About Australia ever needs a recommendation, don’t hesitate to ask us for one.

Regards,

Evelyn & Ronald (May 2012)

Gondola in Queenstown New Zealand. Tyler and Carissa (May 2012)

Our experience with About Australia was one of the best we have ever had with a travel agency. Melanie was most helpful and arranged our trip to exceed our satisfaction. Although we hadn’t originally planned to visit New Zealand, her recommendation was much appreciated, for we LOVED everything about New Zealand. All of the cities and tours throughout Australia were absolutely amazing! We would recommend About Australia to anyone and hope everyone gets a chance to visit down under!

Tyler and Carissa (May 2012)

To George and the AA team, We had the most incredible trip ever! This pic is I with two Dingos at Australia Zoo. I will book my next trip with you guys! Thanks Again! John	Dingos at Australia Zoo. John H.
Dear AA,I’m writing to let you know that we had a fantastic experience with About Australia!  Melanie was fantastic & I would definitely recommend your company and Melanie to anyone who is traveling to NZ or AU. Ryan & I were snowed-in in Christchurch & when we were stuck for two days, Melanie re-booked our flights/activities and changed our trip around so that we didn’t have to miss Sydney all together.  –AND, she faxed all of our new vouchers to our hotel, so we were off & running once we landed in Sydney. I love Melanie.  :) It is absolutely ok to use my email on a limited basis for referrals.  ;)I’ve also attached two pics from my trip.  One from Sydney & one climbing in an ice cave on the Franz Josef Glacier.  (so cool!) Thanks again! Lisa	Lisa in Sydney, Australia Lisa Caving in New Zealand
Hi Steffinie, We had a wonderful time in Australia and were pleased with our experience with About Australia.  I would be happy to be a referral if needed.Attached is a photo from Sydney. We had a great time diving the Great Barrier Reef, plus the Harbor Bridge Climb was wonderful – loved the view. Thanks, Terri	Sydney, Australia
Dear Paul, I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back with you and your associates to THANK YOU so much for the planning and your attention to detail for the Edwards vacation in New Zealand and Australia. It was great; tiring, but wonderful. Carolynn and I appreciate very much your making our life time trip a wonderful memory to last a lifetime. If we can assist with references please don’t hesitate. Thanks again, Phil
Hi Frank & About Australia, We are home and had a wonderful trip. Thank you for all your work. I must say that pretty much everything you chose for us was terrific. So, here I’m going to note the minor things that weren’t perfect, just so you know for the future. Please understand, they are minor and overall the trip was A+.In Brisbane, the Coachtrans from the airport kind of stinks. Way too many people and way too many stops for two families traveling with tired children. I would have been glad to have paid more for a more direct and private ride into town. The transportation in Sydney was smaller and more direct, thus great, and Darwin and Pt. Douglas worked out fine. The only disappointment in our touring was the breakneck schedule of our rainforest day. The skyrail up was great. When we got to Karunda, we had almost no time for the butterfly farm and absolutely none for the town. That was a huge bummer, since the town looks so cool. The Rainforest Centre is neat. However, again the pace was breakneck while we were in there and also we got straight off of the bus from there onto the train without any time to explore town again. Personally, I thought the train was overrated, but that’s just me. However, I think if that tour is going to be a day, there needs to be an earlier departure and a later pickup and more free time. Another idea that we had was staying in Karunda or Cairns overnight afterwards, so the airport would be easier to get to. It is not fun getting back to Cairns from Port Douglas. All in all, though, great trip, and we are truly appreciative. Megan
Hi Steffinie and Kim, We had a G R E A T time on our trip.  Kim was wonderful in helping us plan and book our excursions along with answering our endless questions and giving us the details.  We didn’t really know where to start and Kim had lots of options for us.  The excursions she recommended where just what we wanted to see and the things we wanted to do.Can’t say enough good things.  Even the weather was wonderful!  We opted to skip Sydney and see the animals and the reef in Cairns and Brisbane.  Just not enough time to do it all.  We decided to skip the city (what was manmade) and see the animals (that God made).It was a good choice for us. The only disappointment was the Ibis Hotel in Brisbane.The Novotel in Cairns was nice.  While the Ibis was in a good location we were disappointed in the hotel.  The staff at the Ibis was helpful, pleasant and professional. Best Regards, Rex
Hi AA Staff,Thanks for the care package with the mug and koala.The camper van in New Zealand worked out great. I was happy we upgraded to a large one. We turned it in at Auckland and the employees there made us a hotel reservation and then dropped us off.  Good service!!!! Everything you made plans for worked perfectly.  The hotels were all great, especially the one in Port Douglas.Weather was bad in Port Douglas, so the trip to the reef was in rough seas and the water was cloudy, but we don’t hold you responsible for the weather. All the pickups were there when we arrived. Nice to have that service.  Planes were always on time.All in all, I thank you for helping to make our trip a wonderful experience.  Only thing I would change—–I would stay another two weeks.Sincerely,Jane
Dear About Australia, We had a wonderful trip and wish to thank Frank for making all the arrangements. We would certainly recommend About Australia to any of our friends who may have an interest in a trip to Australia/NZ. However, there were two items on our itinerary that were not first rate. The Mercure’s in Wellington and Dunedin were disappointing. In Wellington, the itinerary described the location as being near the Waterfront. Instead, it was a long downhill walk of about a mile.  The room was small and  not well appointed. In Dunedin, the Mercure, to be honest, is a dump.  The room was only large enough to house a queen bed.  There was no closet. Although the location is close to the hub of the city, it’s in a decrepit neighborhood. There is a derelict office building across the street and many vacancies along that section of the street on which the hotel is located. The facility was described as being a garden hotel near the university but it wasn’t even close. (I did notice another Mercure over there when we did a tour of the city). I would definitely advise any friends not to accept any stays at any Mercure, except perhaps Rotorua. The Millenium in Christchurch is fabulous.One serendipitous thing happened in Dunedin that more than made up for the disappointing lodging.   We noticed in the local paper that Kiri Te Kanawa was giving a one performance concert in the town hall, her first appearance in Dunedin since she won a singing contest that launched her career when she was a teenager, and we were able to get tickets.  She appeared only rarely is NZ ever since.  The other highlight to the trip was the one hour tour of the Sydney Opera House.  Our tour guide was a real pro who knew his stuff and he presented himself and his material better than any tour guide I’ve ever seen and the personal audio system was excellent.  I could hear every word he spoke and I’m hard of hearing. Overall, we had a great time. Thanks again. Joe & Joyce

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