Australia is becoming cheaper to visit

lynnb

lynnb

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The Aussie dollar (AUD) has fallen significantly over the past few months to most other currencies, apart from the Japanese Yen, in response to economic and political factors - China slowdown, US recovery being the big ones.

This makes Australia cheaper to visit than it's been in years. Of course the reverse is true and it's becoming more expensive for Aussies to travel overseas.

My recommendation for the best time to visit is spring and autumn for the southern parts of the continent (including Sydney), and winter for Central Australia and the tropical north, including the Great Barrier Reef.

If you've been considering a photographic trip or holiday Down Under, now would be a good time to start planning. I strongly suggest BYO film as local prices are outrageous.

Disclaimer: I have nothing whatsoever to do with the tourism industry!
 
Good news, I've always wanted to go there. My maternal great-mother was from some place in Western Australia in the SW, BUT not Perth. I was eventually named after her first husband; who was murdered by aboriginals. I would like to see where she was from: it would have been hard living in the 1880s.
 
Looked up plane ticket prices and found out that I could fly to London and back two times at the same price :(

Maybe I'll head over when I'm in Asia...
 
d.sge said:
Wasn't Abbott backtracking after approval ratings dropped for some political entity trying to ban burkas? I can't imagine this coming as a surprise.
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I think you're drawing a bow that is way too long there. I have no love at all for our dropkick prime minister but from what I gather it wasn't his idea to ban burkas from parliament house, he was the one who reversed the move. At least that seems to be the official spin on the matter. People have been climbing on the USD recently which has seen the AUD drop comparitively.

On the other hand if you know something I don't and have some hard info about a connection between the state of the AUD and Islamic relations in the Australian community please share it as myself and, I am sure, many others, would love to hear it. Over to you.
Brett
 
d.sge said:
Wasn't Abbott backtracking after approval ratings dropped for some political entity trying to ban burkas? I can't imagine this coming as a surprise.
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The Ozzie $ was falling before all that. The AUD is seen as a safe place to park money in bad times but under performs in the good, so a weakening Aussie really signals a stronger USD and increased global optimism. That our primary trading partners are weaker as well also doesn't help.

There are plenty of Hijab-wearing people around not coming to any harm, nor doing any.

It's all a show to appeal to the racist streak. In my more cynical moments I wonder if it's not driven by a desire to distract from the actual economy which the Conservatives here like to think they can control.

We haven't reached to lowest levels, when we jokingly referred to our currency as the "Pacific Peso."
 
YYV_146 said:
Looked up plane ticket prices and found out that I could fly to London and back two times at the same price :( Maybe I'll head over when I'm in Asia...
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Did you also check flight time and /or distance? Distance and demand do hurt the cost of travel here.
 
Thanks for the tip Lynn. I happen to already have a March-April trip planned to the Philippines (with a side trip to Japan), and may be able to squeeze in a few days to visit Sydney. Definitely something to think about.
 
Sounds good. Always wanted to go, but yes high prices was one of reasons never end up going.

BTW. Euro has fallen past month or two as well.
 
I have only been to Australia once, a working trip (had a week long training session to manage). It was in Sydney, I had accommodations in Manley Beach. I rode the ferries around the harbor a lot during my spare time, but there was precious little of that. Since then, I've wanted to return but haven't found the time yet.

Thinking of it, that trip was barely two weeks before 9/11. And I was off to London a week after the calamity. The world had changed in that scant three weeks. :-(

G
 
Indeed things have changed... I used to carry a Spyderco Clipit (folding knife) on flights without question, but after box-cutters were abused, no longer.

I would like to visit Australia and/or New Zealand. As to the cost of airfare, I've found the cost varies widely depending on the timing. Weekend flights are more expensive than mid-week, for instance, and it can inflate to 3x normal on days adjacent to major holidays. So it's worth checking pricing for different dates to find lower fares. We have adjusted our flight dates a couple days this way or that and saved even accounting for a couple extra nights accomodations.
 
lynnb said:
The Aussie dollar (AUD) has fallen significantly over the past few months to most other currencies, apart from the Japanese Yen, in response to economic and political factors - China slowdown, US recovery being the big ones.

This makes Australia cheaper to visit than it's been in years. Of course the reverse is true and it's becoming more expensive for Aussies to travel overseas.

My recommendation for the best time to visit is spring and autumn for the southern parts of the continent (including Sydney), and winter for Central Australia and the tropical north, including the Great Barrier Reef.

If you've been considering a photographic trip or holiday Down Under, now would be a good time to start planning. I strongly suggest BYO film as local prices are outrageous.
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All of which may well be true - 'tis a pity though that it's so damnably expensive to live here. Film isn't the only thing for which local prices are ridiculous.
 
johnny scarecrow said:
All of which may well be true - 'tis a pity though that it's so damnably expensive to live here. Film isn't the only thing for which local prices are ridiculous.
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I'm hoping the change in exchange rate may make it less prohibitive for RFF members elsewhere to consider photographing this beautiful country of ours.

Yes, there will always be people and places that milk tourists. But there are always bargains to be found, like Sydney YHA, overlooking the Opera House. There are often cheaper options for people on a budget who are prepared to do a little research.
 
I live in south-eastern Australia and my wife often suggests that we visit Broome, a touristy place in the north-west. I point out that for an extra $200 we can go to Spain AND eat decent food. I have been winning the argument so far. (3 visits to Spain)
 
Don't know if I'll ever travel to that part of the world in this lifetime. Those who do, enjoy. Post a few pix.

PS: Thanks for the FYI RE exchange rate.
 
Never been (yet?) but I imagine for sure an interesting place, I still remember Wim Wenders movie "Until the end of the world". Yes, only problem it's on the other side of the world and not so cheap or easy to arrive there...thanks Lynn !
robert
 
Does the drop in the AU Dollar imply less expensive Leica cameras and lenses or are prices adjusted ?
 
raid said:
Does the drop in the AU Dollar imply less expensive Leica cameras and lenses or are prices adjusted ?
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In Canada, dealers have to buy from Leica USA in US$. Prices are adjusted, but I just had a peek. And at the current exchange rate, you can get a new Leica M-P for around US$6740. The price at B&H is $7950! Once stock runs out though, I fear so do the bargains.
 
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