Touring Australia, travelling from Sydney to Melbourne via the coast line was one the most superb experiences I have gone through. Not only was the scenery great, the Australian poeple were friendly and accommodating. There were also a heap of things to do.

With plenty of car rental sydney and car rental Melbourne alternatives along the coast, hiring a car is the best way to make your way around. Car hire agencies are eager to help you arrange the tour of your dreams. I obtained a great one way special to Melbourne at a car rental in Sydney.

After sorting out my car hire, I headed south from Sydney through Royal National Park. I was blown away by the Grand Pacific Drive, it was exciting. I took my time exploring coastal villages and spent a few hours in the busy city of Wollongong before stopping for the night at Jervis Bay.

Jervis Bay is known for their dolphin population, I took a cruise the next break of day to experience seeing the dolphins swimming just meters away from the boat, truly spectacular. I fell in love with the beaches and had a hard time deciding whether to stay or go. Further south I bought some great, high quality craft items in the historic villages of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba.

Mimosa Rocks National Park was beautiful, I even got a chance to swim in the lagoon. I drove a little further to watch surfers at Tathra Beach. That evening I stayed in the classy village of Metung and had a tremendous seafood platter in one of the lakeside restaurants.

Wilsons Promontory National Park is home to amazing scenery and an abundance of wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas and wombats. The place is packed with activities to keep you busy, I spent an entire day hiking through forests, exploring beaches and climbing on granite mountains.

Next destination was Fish Creek, a small, eccentric and thriving township with arts and crafts, books and cafes. I took the bridge over to Phillip Island, a popular family stop. At Nobbies Centre you can watch the penquins strutting up and down the beach and see one of Australia’s largest fur seal colonies.

As initially planned, I ended my trip in Melbourne making my last stop at the heritage farm on Churchill Island. Renting a car was the single best decision I have made, taking the coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne at my own pace was truly an experience that I will not forget. Next time I may get a car rental in Melbourne and do this trip the other direction!

The township of Hayling Island contains the villages of East and West Hayling and lies within the Portsmouth and S.E. Hampshire region.

Hayling Island offers plenty of chances to make the most of your leisure time having pubs, restaurants, amusements, bingo, a funfair and snooker clubs as well as offering many sporting activities such as swimming, sailing, windsurfing, golf, squash, tennis, sea fishing, riding and walking.

Hayling Island is a traditional coastal resort that has suffered as a result of the decline of the traditional seaside vacation.

Salt production was an industry on the island from the 11th century (the Domesday Book recorded a saltpan on the island for this purpose) until the late 19th century. At the northwest corner of the island lies the Hayling Oysterbeds Local Nature Reserve.

Hayling Island is surrounded by Chichester Harbour, Langstone Harbour and the Solent and is reached by a road bridge from Havant, with good road, motorway and rail connections.

The Island is also said to be one of the best Wind Surfing areas on the South Coast.

Haylings beach donkeys are a joy for the young whilst the young at heart stand by and see the pleasure on their faces

Destination Hayling Island will see the refurbishment of the whole seafront, focused on the creation of a new landmark conceptual “modern pier” building, which will be the centerpiece of a re-invigorated seafront.

When you decide to travel to Hayling island then a terrific place to stay would be Cockle Warren Cottage Hotel - it is exactly on the coast and you will be enveloped in the appeal of the cottage with the warm sea breeze tapping on your bedchamber window.

One of the wonderful things about Hayling Island is that it has a unique blend of the traditional seaside holiday town with some of the greatest water sports in England.

If you just want to bring your stress levels down a little and enjoy “Island Time”, then Hayling will give you a range of wonderful scenery and intriguing wildlife to enjoy.

Windsurfing was invented on Hayling Island and as well as events linked to this popular activity there are also many opportunities for sailing.

Hayling Island is the only place in Britain to qualify for two European Blue Flag awards and its excellent beaches have also been awarded a Tidy Britain Seaside Award for their water quality, safety and cleanliness.

You will always find somewhere on the beach to claim as your own for a few hours. There you will be able to play beach games, gaze over to the Isle of Wight or paddle in the sea.

Originally dependent on fishing, farming and salt production, Hayling is now known for its amusement park and holiday centres, which made the island a popular seaside resort from the 1930s onwards.

Nearby Langstone Harbour, situated between Portsmouth and Chichester harbour and linked to the mainland by both road bridge and ferry, Hayling has many hotels, B&Bs, campsites and self catering accommodation and also has holiday centres offering activity breaks for adults. One of the best Hayling Hotel is Cockle Warren Cottage Hotel.

There are plenty of nearby attractions with the Southsea Castle and Staunton Country Park only a short way away, as well as some great shopping centres in Portsmouth, Emsworth and Chichester nearby.