Perth

claerwen

New Member
Sharon,

If u bringing kids along, can bring them to the Caversham Wildlife Park at Whiteman Park, Swan Valley. Will be very interesting for them as they'll get a chance to cuddle & hold koalas as well as feed other wild animals like kangaroos, lambs & koalas. There's also a Swan Valley Wagon Trial which will be fun for the whole family too. U can also visit fruit orchards like Raeburn Orchard at Armadale or The Old Goldfields at Donnybrook since u driving south. Can handpick some fruits in season for urselves =)

Just 35 mins drive from Perth is Rockingham. Here, u can bring them for the Dolphin Watch/Swim Tour, where they'll get to see & interact with wild bottlenose dolphins. Will certainly be an experience for them.

Further down at Busselton, there's also the famous Busselton Jetty which extends 2km out into the Indian Ocean. There's an underwater observatory at the end where u get to see different species of marine life deep down in the sea below. They will love it too.. =)

Further south at Balingup, there's a lavender farm there which is only opened from Sep to Apr. The lavenders will be in bloom then, very pretty. There's also a Lavender & Berry farm at Pemberton near to Margaret River. Also a very nice place & with lots more things to see. Besides lavender, u can also see raspberry & blackberries. U can also handpick them when in season, which is from Dec-Mar.

For caves, there's a famous Lake Cave at Margaret River, only 20mins drive south. They're opened daily & have guided tours to bring u in. Stunning views inside, really beautiful. And it's suitable for people of all ages..
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claerwen

New Member
Btw, here's the link for these places:

1) Caversham Wildlife Park- www.cavershamwildlife.com.au
2) Swan Valley Wagon Trial - www.swanvalleywa.com
3) Old GoldFields - www.oldgoldfields.com.au
4) Raeburn Orchard - www.visitarmadale.com.au/orchards.php
5) Fremantle Markets - www.fremantlemarkets.com.au
6) Rockingham Dolphins - www.dolphins.com.au
7) Busselton Jetty - www.busseltonjetty.com.au
8) Balingup Lavender Farm - www.lavenderbalingup.com.au
9) Lavender & Berry Farm (Pemberton) - www.lavenderberryfarm.com.au
10) Lake Cave - http://www.discoverwest.com.au/western_australia/margaret_river_caves.html
- www.margaretriver.com/pages.asp?code=101

Forgot to mention, there's also a Tumbulgum Farm at located at Mundijong, just 40 mins drive from Perth. Many activities u can do there, will be interesting for the whole family. Like watching & participating in sheep shearing, milking cow, hayride, tasting traditional billy tea, BBQ lunch.. etc. For more info, u can visit: www.tumbulgumfarm.com.au

Lastly, if u need any further info abt other places or attractions, can always visit www.westernaustralia.com

Hope it helps!
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hulkhogan

New Member
Hi all,

I am looking to stay in a nice place in Magaret river area. I am taggin along 3 generations, so a serviced apartment or farmstay or bed/breakfast type place would be what I am considering. Any recommendations? Thanks
 

coldwinter

New Member
Hi Clarewen, sorry, I miss your last yr question as I didn't come to this thread since my return from Perth. I'm back here again as we are going to Perth this June! LOL. No, we didn't go to Old Goldfields. We covered Dunsborough, Yallingup, Busselton, Margaret River and Augusta.

This time we will only be driving down to Albany and maybe a day at Walpole for the tree top walk.. Any comments about My Colonial Place or any accommodation recommendations (preferably self contained) in Albany? Also, any must visit place in Albany? Is this place colder than in Perth city?
 

hulkhogan

New Member
Thanks Mizicgal, it does look good and clean. And reasonably priced. I guess given that i am planning a farm stay in Swan Valley, a beach resort makes it a fresh change.

I'm planning on River Retreat Farmstay at Swan Valley. Anyone been there before? Or does anyone have any farmstay experience that is unforgettable that he/she would like to recommend?
 

coldwinter

New Member
Yes, intend to visit the wind farm. Ever saw a photo of this farm, it's fabulous. Thanks..

Any more other places that I should not missed? Any weekend markets in Albany? I simply love visiting the markets.
 

claerwen

New Member
Hi Coldwinter,

Sorry din check out this thread for quite some time so din see ur post =)

Yes, the weather gets cooler as u drive further south, esp June is winter period so it'll be even colder, so rmbr to pack more clothings along. And if u're driving down to Albany, do pay attention to the the wind farm just along the coastline. The view is awesome! Also, do visit The Gap & Natural Bridge to see the spectacular natural formation of rocks & granite.. it's a really beautiful sight! And if u hv time, u can also visit Whale World, which used to be an old whaling station & is now a whale discovery centre. It's a very educational & historic place. And if u're lucky, u can even spot some humpback whales near the whale station cos between May-July is their migration period.. so do keep an open eye =)

For markets, u can visit Albany Farmers Market. They're opened every Sat from 8-12pm. They hv a huge range of local produce like fruits & seafood.. which are fresh & cheap: www.albanyfarmersmarket.com.au

For further info on Albany, u can visit www.myalbany.net. Hope it helps!
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claerwen

New Member
Edwin,

Yes hv stayed at the River Retreat on our trip to Perth last year. It's actually a very serence & tranquil place cos Swan Valley itself is countryside & also a wine producing region, so almost all accomodations there are similar in nature. It's a simple but nice cottage equipped with all amenities & neccesities. There's also a children's playground, swimming pool, a swing under a tree & a few farm animals like horse, pigs, sheeps & chickens where ur kid can have a chance to feed them on request. There's also night time entertainment & performance shows like Didge After Dark, Ripping Yarns & the new Outback show, which are all v. interesting.

We stayed there for 2 nights & visited the nearby attractions like Caversham Wildlife Park, Chocolate Factory, Oggies Ice Cream Cafe & The Swan Valley Wagon Trail..etc. Overall, was a great experience =)
 

midas

New Member
hi there,

has anyone tried booking the days tours in perth city? i'm planning a trip to perth in oct...thinking of booking my flights n hotels online n do day tours from perth city...any recommendations for agency/tours?
 

claerwen

New Member
Hi Midas,

U can go to Australian Pinnacle Tours. They hv a wide range of 1/2 & full day tours available. Joined them 5 yrs back on my trip to Perth to places like Albany, Margaret River & Pinnacles. Their guides are v. experienced & friendly & their coaches are also luxury 5 star coaches, v. comfy. Overall, was a great experience =) To find our more, u can visit their website at www.pinnacletours.com.au

Hope it helps!
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coldwinter

New Member
oohh.. Goldcoast! My kids and I love that place.. we were there 2yrs back. hehe.. Have fun!

Claerwen, the farmers market only sell fruits and food huh? Got other stuffs like ornaments, apparels, souvenirs etc?

Also, which car rental company did you use when you were Perth? Planning to rent from M2000? Any comments? Their rates is pretty attractive and makes me wary if there is/are any hidden costs bo?! hehe.. me ks la.. ;P
 

hello

New Member
claerwen and all
I'm going to Perth and am deciding between two farmstays: Ferusgon (Bunbury) & Kerriley (Busselton).

If you have heard of the two farmstays before, can let me have your advice on which is recommended please.

Thanks.
 

hulkhogan

New Member
thanks claerwen and others I've set out my itinery, 2 days in Perth Holiday Inn, 2 days in MR Beach Resort, and 2 days at River Retreat swan valley.
 

claerwen

New Member
Coldwinter,
Yup.. will be 2nd trip for hubby & I but 1st for my gal. Lotsa attractions there for kids so I'm sure she gonna enjoy it keke.. tks!
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And yes, Farmers Market only deals with fresh local produce like fruits, veges & seafood. If u're looking for souvenirs & stuffs, u can prob visit the Frederickstown Markets which is opened every Wed-Sat 9-4pm & 9-2pm on Sun; and also the Amity Markets there =)

For car rental, if u're looking for something cheap, u might wanna consider Bayswater or M2000. For us, we've always booked with Budget all these while cos we liked their wide range of cars & service & there's no hidden costs which some rental firms have (e.g excess damage, max distance u can travel, kms surchage.. etc).

For Budget, they offer unlimited kms/per day & also a wide coverage area for excess. In fact, they offer a lot more protection ranging from single vehicle, windscreen damage to collision with animals.. etc as compared to other rental companies, which mostly don't or otherwise offer only very limited protection.

Also, as compared to the other established rental firms, their rates are considerably cheaper too & they also have a much wider range of cars to choose from, with lesser & very little restrictions. They also offer fastbreak programmes which allows even more savings & added protection at a very low cost. Membership is totally free too. And if u're a fastbreak member, the good thing is excess reduction is already covered within the basic cost of rental, so u need not pay extra for insurance. Basically, everything will be discounted & included for you when u do ur booking. It's hassle free
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Anyway, I think what's most important at the end of the day is choosing a car that meets ur own needs & expectations. Also, one that is reliable & offers a good protection package, which is very important cos seriouly, u never know when u will need it =)


Edwin,
No prob! Enjoy ur trip ya!
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hello

New Member
claerwen
For the fastbreak membership, did you mail the application form to them? Do you remember how long Budget took to revert to you?

For your coming Gold Coast trip, I'm sure your gal will enjoy.
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coldwinter

New Member
Wow! claerwen, I'm glad I've asked you. I tried to google but could not find any information about the 2 markets. Are they in the town of Albany?

Have decided to go back to Ace for the rental car since we booked with them last year.
 

claerwen

New Member
Steve,
Tks =) Yup.. u gotta fill up the application form & mail it back to them. Will take at least 2-3 weeks to process so do send in ur application early b4 ur trip. However, if u need it urgently.. u can also email Tracey at [email protected] for faster process. She's a very friendly & helpful lady so will be able to assist u on that..
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Coldwinter,
Yup they're both in the city centre. Frederickstown is in Peels Place, near to Stirling Terrace. There's no website for Frederickstown but if u hv any further queries, u can call them at 0408 937 728 or 9427 412 076. For Amity Markets, it's just located on the foreshore just off Stirling Terrace right in the city. In fact, they're both located near to the Visitor Centre so if u can't locate them, just chk with the staffs there
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hello

New Member
claerwen
Thanks very much for the info. Wow, you are really our Perth advisor. Can remember the details so well.

May I check with you beside visiting wineries, choco/cheese/fudge factory at margaret river, what else can we do? Is it worthwhile to travel further south to Denmark, Walpole, Albany after visting margaret river? Our schedule is a bit tight so am thinking if I should forgo places beyond margaret river so that I will have sufficient time to visit fremantle and perth city.

Thanks.
 

claerwen

New Member
Steve,

Dun say tt.. juz only sharing what I know. There're many other experts here who know more than me..
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For more info on Margaret River, u might wanna visit this thread:
http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/messages/353635/432665.html?1170392049

We've discussed quite a lot abt it on the attractions & accoms there so u can prob take a look
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Btw, just a note abt the caves at Margaret River we've talked abt in the thread. If u're planning to visit one there, Mammoth Cave wld be the best choice if u hate climbing stairs or if u hv any kids/old folks with u.. cos it has the least number of steps & it's also self guided. FYI, Jewel Cave has approx 500 steps (250 down & 250 up). Lake Cave has 336 steps down & 336 up again, so even though it might be suitable for all ages, it might quite tedious for young children/old folks to climb up & down so many stairs, so Mammoth Caves wld be a much better choice
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As for travelling futher south, it all depends on how much time u have & what u planned to do & see. Denmark, Walpole & Albany regions all offer incredible hinterland & coastal sceneries & they each have their own unique attractions worth a visit if u have more time to spare. e.g Walpole Valley of the Giants Tree Top walk in Walpole, Denmark's William Bay, Wind farm, Gap & Natural bridge in Albany. So if u like nature & scenery walks, then u can prob plan some time to stay over at these places. Otherwise, just concentrate on Perth & Fremantle regions & then plan another trip to the southwest another time. Afterall, Oz is a big place with lotsa things to see & do.. so it's not possible to take in everything in one trip unless u have a long holiday.. so really have to be selective
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hello

New Member
claerwen
Thanks for the link. Will gather more info from there. You are right, there's so many things to see and do and thus not possible to cover everything at one go. Furthermore my group is quite big. Total of 11 pax including elderly and small children, so will be even more challenging if we target too many places. Better that we take a slower pace and enjoy ourselves thoroughly then to rush thru places. Regretted for not going on a longer trip cos we will only be in Perth for 7 days. Only realised there are so many things to cover after booking of air tickets (used to hear people say that Perth is a boring place and hence thought 7 days will be sufficient).

Are you planning for another trip to Oz after your gold coast trip? Are you going on free & easy too for the coming trip?
 

claerwen

New Member
Steve,

Yup there's really nothing much to do in Perth City itself, but if u travel further up north & downwards south, u'll realise there's plenty of attractions & places u can see & do. Cos afterall, Western Australia is the largest state in Oz =) So essentially, u really need to plan out ur itinerary well & decide where u wanna go, cos a rushed/unplanned trip is definitely not enjoyable at all
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Yup.. me planning to visit either Melbourne again or Tasmania on our next trip. Been to Melbourne 5 yrs back & really fell in love with tt place, esp. Great Ocean Rd.. so hope to go back there again. As for Tasmania, been wanting to go there for quite some time so most likely it will be our next target after this.. followed by Melbourne =)

And yes, will be F&E as usual for our upcoming trip to GC.. cos there's no better way to explore Oz than self-drive. In fact, wherever possible, self-drive is still the best option to go on a holiday cos it's own time own target so there's no restrictions at all. There's also more flexibilities & freedom cos u wun be confined to the agenda of a tour group too.. which will be so much more enjoyable
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hello

New Member
claerwen
Agree with you that F&E is the best option when going on holiday. My wife had been to Melbourne more than 10 years ago and she loves the place too. My trip will be in second week of May. Hopefully weather will be nice and cooling.

My wife wants to go shopping at harbour town and fremantle markets. That's why she's afraid there won't be sufficient time if we were to travel to too many places. Some more we don't wish to just 'touch and go' prefer to leisurely tour the place. Afterall it's a tour for the whole family so the most impt thing is for all of us to enjoy the trip
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I would like to bring my girl to GC too when she's older.
 

s__h

New Member
F & E got pro and cons...

own time own target without need to depend on other group members...bad experience if meet those always delay etc

however, do need to plan as much as possible b4 fly over so as not to waste time

Went to Hokkaido F & E via self drive and it was a great experience
 

hello

New Member
S & H
Hokkaido was one of the places we wanted to visit too. In terms of cost, Perth is definitely much affordable. How many days did you go for your F&E trip in Hokkaido? Do you know Japanese? If not, is language a barrier for travelling F&E in Japan?

Actually F&E makes you read up more about the place that you are visiting vs package tour. Hence, you get to have a better understanding too.
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hello

New Member
claerwen
Is it easy to spot supermarket (e.g. woolsworth) in Perth? My mum is worrying about where to buy food, etc especially so when we are not allowed to bring food stuff into Australia.

Thanks.
 

claerwen

New Member
Steve,
Yup, there's a Woolsworth in the city centre located in the City Central arcade, on Murray St Mall. The arcade is opposite the David Jones entrance (Murray St Mall side) & near the Fitness First Gym. If u're lost, the WA visitor centre is just nearby so juz approach them for directions.

There's also another supermarket called called Carlton Fresh ard the corner from Mont Clare Apartments at Hay St, just 5mins walk away fm the apt. They're opened 24hours a day, 7 days a week. And they sell fresh meats & veges too so will be good if u intend to do some cooking.

Btw, there's a large shopping centre called Belmont Forum located at Cloverdale, just 10-15 mins drive from Perth city, ard the corner from Burswood Entertainment Complex. There's quite a few supermakets there like Big W, IGA, Woolsworth, Coles & K-Mart & also a wide variety of specialty stores. There's also many dining outlets, cafes & a foodcourt there as well. So do pop by for a visit if u have time, since ur wife likes to shop
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Here's the website:
www.belmontforum.com.au.

And if u're planning to stay over at Swan Valley, there's a Woodlake Village Shopping Centre at Ellenbrook, just 15-20 mins drive away from town. A gd place (and the only place) to do some grocery shopping cos there's a upermarket there & a few specialty stores as well. There's also bakeries & a cafe there serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. There's also a chinese restuarant lcoated just beside the shopping centre so if ur mum is tired of Western food, can bring her there for a meal =)

Lastly, for bringing of food items into Australia, as long as not fresh & not manufactured in Malaysia, it's not an issue. U just have to store them in airtight containers/ziplock & declare them at custom will be no prob.

If u're still in doubt, juz email them at [email protected]. The quarantine & inspection officer will reply to ur queries accordingly. They're all v. friendly & helpful. That's how I clarify all my doubts with them too.
U can also visit http://www.affa.gov.au/airports to see what can or cannot be brought into Oz.

So how's old ur daughther now? Mine is turning 4 in Aug
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claerwen

New Member
Steve,
Yup, there's a Woolsworth in the city centre located in the City Central arcade, on Murray St Mall. The arcade is opposite the David Jones entrance (Murray St Mall side) & near the Fitness First Gym. If u're lost, the WA visitor centre is just nearby so juz approach them for directions.

There's also another supermarket called called Carlton Fresh ard the corner from Mont Clare Apartments at Hay St, just 5mins walk away fm the apt. They're opened 24hours a day, 7 days a week. And they sell fresh meats & veges too so will be good if u intend to do some cooking.

Btw, there's a large shopping centre called Belmont Forum located at Cloverdale, just 10-15 mins drive from Perth city, ard the corner from Burswood Entertainment Complex. There's quite a few supermakets there like Big W, IGA, Woolsworth, Coles & K-Mart & also a wide variety of specialty stores. There's also many dining outlets, cafes & a foodcourt there as well. So do pop by for a visit if u have time, since ur wife likes to shop Here's the website:
www.belmontforum.com.au.

And if u're planning to stay over at Swan Valley, there's a Woodlake Village Shopping Centre at Ellenbrook, just 15-20 mins drive away from town. A gd place (and the only place) to do some grocery shopping cos there's a supermarket there & a few specialty stores as well. There's also bakeries & a cafe there serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. There's also a chinese restuarant lcoated just beside the shopping centre so if ur mum is tired of Western food, can bring her there for a meal =)

Lastly, for bringing of food items into Australia, as long as not fresh food & not manufactured in Malaysia, it's not an issue. U just have to store them in airtight containers/ziplock & declare them at custom will be no prob.

If u're still in doubt, juz email them at [email protected]. The quarantine & inspection officer will reply to ur queries accordingly. They're all v. friendly & helpful. That's how I clarify all my doubts with them too. U can also visit http://www.affa.gov.au/airports to see what can or cannot be brought into Oz.

So how's old ur daughther now? Mine is turning 4 in Aug
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s__h

New Member
hi Steve,

i agree that perth is much more afforable than hokkaido.

i spend about 8 days there, self drive in car with GPS system (with tour agency). i speak very basic japanese only and language can be a issue at times but usually communicate thru sign language or simple point to the display.

i was stop by a police once and become chicken and duck talk !!! haha

i took out my english -japanese phrase book and the police took his japanese-english book !! funny
 

claerwen

New Member
S&H,
As far as I know, most people in Japan can still understand simple English. But for more exotic countries like Egypt, Greece & parts of Africa, language is really a barrier & u really need to have a guide with u. It is also not safe to go F&E in this case cos security in these places can be really bad, especially in Egypt & Africa.
 

s__h

New Member
steve,

the rate for australia now is very high from norm of 1.21 to 1.27!

Japanese rate on the other is all time from from 1.6 to 1.28
 

midas

New Member
hi claerwen,
any reason for not allowing food manufactured in msia to be brought in? i tot of bringing some packet chili leh...some r made in msia. does declaration at the custom n the checking takes a long time? if not too troublesome n time consuming then i may bring some stuff n declare there
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hello

New Member
claerwen
Thanks very much for the info. At least now I can let my mum know and set her mind at ease. My girl is 2 years plus now. Yesterday, Ch U was showing a tour programme featuring Gold Coast. My girl who is usually not a TV fan actually glued her eyes to the TV when it was showing characters you can see in the movie world. I guess she will enjoy visiting GC when she's older like your kid.

Paiseh, I got another question. Singaporeans don't need to convert our driving licences to an international one when driving in Australia right? I've earlier checked at the Australian booth during NATAS fair and they told me as long as the licence is in English, then don't need to convert. Just want to be doubly sure hence asking you.

Thanks.
 

hello

New Member
S & H
Yalor, the AUD is so strong now. It's about the same as when I went to Australia in May 2004. Lucky thing the rate dropped a bit as at yesterday. It was 1.255. Hopefully the trend continue.

I also noticed JPY dropped quite a lot (USD too). Hence, was very tempted to go Japan. My wife wanted to go for another holiday in Sep/Oct and she's contemplating btw Japan and USA to take advantage of the weak currencies. Heard the security checks in US are very stringent. Hence, will be very troublesome to visit US.

Agree with claerwen that for certain places we really have to follow a tour. I only dare go free and easy in places where language is not a barrier and is easy to travel about via public transport.
 

coldwinter

New Member
Hi claerwen,

I'm so happy to know there is a supermarket near Mont Clare and it's 24hrs somemore... good good..

Between Belmont n Westfield Carousel, which would you recommended?
 

claerwen

New Member
Midas,
Yes all food manufactured in Malaysia are strictly not allowed cos of HFMD issues. If u bring in, they will be confiscated at custom/clearance, so do take note.

Steve,
No prob =) In fact, food is not an issue for older folks there cos there's plenty of Chinese restuarants & takeaways available so if they're not used to western food, u can always bring them there or call for delivery. The only downside is it's much more ex. as compared & dun expect the standard to be as gd as what u get here, cos they still have to cater to the local taste buds there. Over there, a plate of noodles or rice (e.g sweet & sour fish) will easily cost ard A$10-A$12. Here, u can order 3 plates with the same amt & it taste so much better (depending on wat u order). But of cos, when u get sick of eating western food day in day out, it's still better than nothing. Portion wise, it's also much bigger. So cannot hiam liao..
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Yup, my gal watched the programme last nite too. Was also attracted to the few characters shown in the show, esp when she saw Willy Wonker she was extremely excited kept jumping up & down like jelly beans. I guess this is also why GC is also known as a kid's paradise.. they will never be bored for a minute there
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And yes, Singaporean licence are widely recognised & acccepted in most countries, esp Oz & NZ.. so no worries. There's actually an annual fee payable for conversion to an international licence, so unless u travel extensively.. it's really not worth to convert lor.
 

midas

New Member
thks claerwen...i'll juz avoid bringing in msia stuffs lor. hw long is a typical custom clearance for food stuff declaration? will it be longer than an hour?
 

hello

New Member
claerwen.
Thanks. At least now I don't have to ponder over the licence thingy. Save the conversion money too
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coldwinter

New Member
Hi claerwen

Which shopping centre would you recommend Belmont n Westfield Carousel? Thanks thanks...

I've watched the GC programme with my gal too, it brings us good memories, make us wanting to go back again!

Hi Midas

Depending on the queue and the kind of food that people have brought with them, last yr, ours was not so bad, we waited about 30mins or so for our turn. We packed all the food that required declation in a bag, so just need to show that bag to the officer, less hassle this way.
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midas

New Member
thks coldwinter...may i ask wat time u arrived at the perth airport? maybe there's peak n non-peak hrs for customs queues...
 

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