Rating: 
Summary: I Think You Need More Than One Book
Review: It is not a travel book like this Lonely Planet Series but I love Bill Bryson's book "Down Under". It is his personal story of a very detailed and lengthy trip around Australia. Buy it!!Okay now for this book. You will fly for 24 hours - be prepared. Buy this or a similar book. There are two books that I like. They are similar. One is this book and the other is the Eyewitness Travel book. The latter I think has better photos. This book to be fair is longer and has more information. So take your choice more visual or more text and more places (this book). Australia is a complicated geographical region and I would also recommend more maps and maybe a book "Outback Australia" by Little Hills Press if you venturing out there. In any case spend some money and go prepared. That is my humble opinion. Jack in Toronto
Rating:
Summary: The world of OZ -- from the source
Review: The new 11th edition (May 2002)of this Lonely Planet Guide is excellent. I grew up in Australia and travel back frequently. The publisher is based in Melbourne, so this book has unique "at the source" information and tips. This updated edition solves most of the problems of previous editions. Yes, things change -- so always refer to the most recent edition available. Australia is a fascinating island continent.
Rating:
Summary: very thorough book
Review: This book had excellent maps to use while in the country. It was also very useful when planning because it had phone numbers for everything so I was able to book in advance. It had very good advice when it came to planning itineraries. I especially liked that it had all the main tourist attractions as well as numerous off-the-beat-and-track (and wonderful!) suggestions. Use THIS book to plan in advance and to guide you while you're there. It covers EVERYTHING.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy this mistake riddled thing
Review: This edition is a very poor effort by the Lonely Planet series. Year after year they get a lot of information completely wrong and no one seems to update it with the correct information. For example this edition lists Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta, Burleigh and practically every other suburb of the Australia's sixth largest city Gold Coast as towns. Obviously they are getting confused with the region north of Brisbane which is known as the Sunshine Coast which is made up of a lot of individual towns. Obviously the editor has never travelled to southern Queensland or this error would be corrected. The misleading thing then about this book is that it implies it is written by backpackers who have visited these places when clearly with such obvious mistakes someone just read a mistake somewhere while researching and reprinted it. This book also does not contain the majority of hostel listings in Australia which is the main reason most people purchase these books. There are many free backpacker publications in nearly every Australian hostel so I would recommend not purchasing this book. It does have some background information (although not entirely accurate) and some colour photographs. There are better books to buy to do research on Australia if planning a trip here then this mistake riddled thing.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this mistake riddled thing
Review: This edition is a very poor effort by the Lonely Planet series. Year after year they get a lot of information completely wrong and no one seems to update it with the correct information. For example this edition lists Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta, Burleigh and practically every other suburb of the Australia's sixth largest city Gold Coast as towns. Obviously they are getting confused with the region north of Brisbane which is known as the Sunshine Coast which is made up of a lot of individual towns. Obviously the editor has never travelled to southern Queensland or this error would be corrected. The misleading thing then about this book is that it implies it is written by backpackers who have visited these places when clearly with such obvious mistakes someone just read a mistake somewhere while researching and reprinted it. This book also does not contain the majority of hostel listings in Australia which is the main reason most people purchase these books. There are many free backpacker publications in nearly every Australian hostel so I would recommend not purchasing this book. It does have some background information (although not entirely accurate) and some colour photographs. There are better books to buy to do research on Australia if planning a trip here then this mistake riddled thing.
Rating:
Summary: Complete Guide
Review: This is the crown jewel of the Lonely Planet series. It's no wonder since Lonely Planet is based in Australia. This guide is much more comprehensive than any of the other Lonely Planet guides I have used. To get an idea, the Lonely Planet Australia guide is about the same thickness as the Lonely Planet Western Europe guide. Is there really as much to see in Australia as in Western Europe? I don't think so, but I'm not complaining. I just wish the other guidebooks were as complete as this one. This guide goes into great detail for every region of Australia. There even listings for minor towns with populations of 200 or 300. I don't think anything is left out. As is usual with Lonely Planet guidebooks, this give great listings for reasonably priced hotels and restaurants. Also it gives you great information on how to reach each location. Oh, and it covers all the main sights, and a lot of the minor ones as well. Basically, if you're going to go to Australia, you should pick this up. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Complete Guide
Review: This is the crown jewel of the Lonely Planet series. It's no wonder since Lonely Planet is based in Australia. This guide is much more comprehensive than any of the other Lonely Planet guides I have used. To get an idea, the Lonely Planet Australia guide is about the same thickness as the Lonely Planet Western Europe guide. Is there really as much to see in Australia as in Western Europe? I don't think so, but I'm not complaining. I just wish the other guidebooks were as complete as this one. This guide goes into great detail for every region of Australia. There even listings for minor towns with populations of 200 or 300. I don't think anything is left out. As is usual with Lonely Planet guidebooks, this give great listings for reasonably priced hotels and restaurants. Also it gives you great information on how to reach each location. Oh, and it covers all the main sights, and a lot of the minor ones as well. Basically, if you're going to go to Australia, you should pick this up. You won't regret it.
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