Perfect if you enjoy an adventure! We drove in from the road via Katoomba.. was glad to find there was an alternate route through Oberon!! When you drive down that narrow passage down the mountain and through the fog.. don't look down! I don't know how they get those bus coaches down there but I am glad we didn't meet another car on that road!!

We done a total of 5 cave tours on our visit, The Imperial, The Legends, Mysteries and Ghost Tour, The Orient and the self guided tour through nettle cave via the Devil's Coach House.

We found all the guides to be friendly and knowledgeable and each experience was well worth it.

If you are interested in the history or just looking for something different I would highly recommend the "Legends, Mysteries and Ghost Tour" this is held on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Especially if you will be staying on the grounds as it finishes about 10pm. It is really something special! Your tour is dependent on your guide as they can take you into any cave they wish and you do it by "lantern light" all the main lights are shut off and you get to experience something very different, the tour can also include as it did for us off the regular tracks things you don't always get to see on the regular tour.

If you want something visually beautiful, the temple of Baal is it!! It is perhaps the most beautiful of all the "Jewel" caves while it's a lot of steps down... it's well worth it!

The entire experience was wonderful, something for every one!! Highly recommended! Would love to go back and do some of the other tours soon!

Approximate cost: $From $30

We stayed at Caves House and ate at Jeremiah's Bar and Grill while on our honeymoon.

The meals were good value for money, tasty and fresh!

The staff very polite, friendly and helpful. While there two of the girls where in training so this slowed down ordering and paying just a little but it was worth the wait. The food came out quickly.

On the down side the tables were taking some time to clear, when we come into the bar we had to sit at a table which had not been cleared (glasses and bottles etc still sitting there and the table not cleaned and the only available two seater there) our table was not cleared the whole time we were in the bar & grill.

Over all we found it good value for money and a pleasant experience.

Approximate cost: $30

Driving home from our honeymoon I was very much looking forward to taking my first trip to the Australian Reptile Park... Was I ever disappointed.

We walked into see the end of the "Alligator" show from the little we seen I don't think we missed a great deal and what was with that lame music?

We started to walk around the park and what struck me was the lack of exhibitions and the amount of "bush" it was like there is all this land not being used. I come to the park to see animals not bush walk.

Do people in this place supervise there kids? I was seriously disgusted to see 2 small children chasing the free roaming geese, the animals were clearly distressed yet no one was doing anything about it. Another child was pulling on the arms of one of the kangaroos again no one done anything and no parents or park people to be seen.

The exhibitions... Most of the time we found ourselves playing find the animal... I am pretty sure some of them escaped and no one as found them yet or noticed. No platypus, no echidna, no lace monitor... etc

The bird enclosures are nice, stepping inside the enclosures with the birds is nice to get a closer look. But when you see signs displaying birds which aren't in the enclosure... We seen a couple of overseas visitors who were very disappointed when they couldn't find the the Major Mitchell cockatoo... Could really have done without the brats running in and out of the cages slamming doors... the poor birds!!

I can't help but think that the park is purely entertainment for kids under 10 and city people who have never set foot outside the city...

I found the shows over the top and dramatic... And "Elvis" the giant croc... is tiny! If you want to see a real crocodile show and real giant crocs... I recommend you take a trip to Carins and visit Hartley's Creek Crocodile Farm and/or Daintree Wild Zoo.

The spider exhibition was seriously lame! If I could have ripped the legs off that stupid singing spider and shoved them in it's mouth to shut it up I would have... I am assuming it was suppose to be educational but... I went in to see Spiders... I saw a lot of plastic ones and about three real ones..

For a reptile park... I thought the display of reptiles was also disappointing. There seemed to be a lot of animals and few reptiles.

I was also shocked to see three different animals which appeared to be in some distress. A Koala was walking back and forward it's enclosure and at one point looked as though it was attempting to get out. We seen this behavior again with the Tasmanian devil. And later with the goanna in the reptile exhibit. The poor goanna, it's so large and as such a tiny space and nothing at all to do but wonder back and forwards staring back at the people staring at it.

I honestly found the whole experience some what depressing seeing these beautiful animals looking so depressed and distressed. I love going to wild life parks and seeing the animals.. but I don't like supporting places like this were the animals are so obviously unhappy.

A new exhibition!! How exciting! Nocturnal life! "Please come back and see our new exhibition in December" Umm.. yep it is December and I don't see the new exhibition...

The gift shop.. another disappointment...

Maybe if we had kids or were kids the experience might have been more for-filling... But me and my husband walked out very disappointed.. I am not sure if it is a lack of funding or a lack of volunteers but I can see a lot of room for improvement and we surely won't be going back any time soon.

Approximate cost: $25.50

Looking to kill a little time wondering about the streets of Katoomba we come across Macarthur's Arcade.

Intrigued by some of the items scattered about outside we went in for a closer look.

While the space is tight it is actually a well set out establishment. Things are generally set out by theme so if your looking for some specific like a plate and saucer or vintage masquerade mask you will find them all together and not have to wonder around the whole store.

The man behind the counter was quiet and non evasive letting us brows quietly without being pestered which I very much appreciated!

There is a wide range of items, generally what you would expect to find to any antique store. Nothing which stood out for us but it's always worth a look when someone elses junk is another treasure.

All in all a nice experience.

Being a Gothic bride when I came across "Gothic Weddings" I thought my dreams had been answered... I'd already picked my dress out and was looking for bridesmaid dresses... What started off as a dream turned into a nightmare...

I contacted Gothic Weddings for fabric samples to pick the colour for the dresses, had my bridesmaid (my sister) and flower girl (my niece) look over the dresses many many months before the wedding. The fabric samples came quickly and communication was great. I needed to contact them a few times leading up to ordering the dresses as my bridesmaid and flower girl decided to change the dresses they wanted and we asked if they could be altered this way and that everything was great, communication was quick and all the questions where answered.

I requested some more fabric samples so I could be sure on the colour and we chose "Deep Red" this was now our wedding colour and everything we bought for decorations etc was based on the fabric sample I was sent.

Just over 3 months about 16 weeks? before the wedding we ordered the girls dresses... On the website it suggests 8 weeks for a flower girl dress. It took almost 11 weeks for the flowers girl dress to be delivered and when it was it was the wrong colour... Just three weeks before my wedding.. Expecting that the bridesmaid dress would also arrive the wrong colour I immediately emailed the company only to be assured that the dress was made in "deep red" and the bridesmaid dress was indeed the same colour.

I live 500km away from my sister and couldn't see the dress for myself but having my wedding candles made to the fabric sample I was given I knew when my sister said they did not match it was the wrong colour... the dress was shown to 3 other people who all said yes the dress is burgundy defiantly NOT red...

I send the fabric samples to my sister and no surprise the dress was in fact "wine" and not "deep red"

After many emails back and forward (including photos of the fabric sample and dress) to the company eventually they agreed to remake both dresses. Insisting that if the dresses were remade in the "deep red" they would come back the colour of the flowers girl dress and we would be better off having them made in another colour... Uh huh my whole wedding was based around "Deep Red".. I was devastated at the thought that now nothing was going to match... My dresses were the wrong colour....

Than the bridesmaid dress came back... it was in fact "Deep Red" So I quickly emailed the company back explaining that the dress was delivered and it was right colour and please just remake the flowers girl dress in the right colour... I was assured that this would be done and the dress would arrive in time.

Not hearing anything for a week I emailed the company and was told they should be receiving the dress on Monday from their factory... It wasn't finished till the Tuesday and it was not sent to my sister till Friday...

While it was sent Express Post from Sydney my sister lives in a rural town outside the next day delivery... Now it only ever takes 2 days from anything sent from Sydney to arrive there... the dress didn't arrive till Wednesday... After I was guaranteed it would be there by Tuesday...

So 2 days before the wedding we got both dresses... I was relieved by this stage just to have both of my girl's dresses and have them the right colour...

As for the quality... The dresses were packed in boxes not plain boxes more like fruit boxes, they were crumpled and had some machine oil stains... when I told the company this I was told that most people have the dresses dry cleaned before the wedding... well that is all well and good but when you live in a rural town you need drive to the larger next town about 25km and need 2 days to have things dry cleaned... and when you get the dress 2 days before the wedding it's a bit difficult...

Also when the new flowers girl dress arrived it was inside out and crumpled and the shoulder wrap was missing (this turned up the Monday after the wedding...)

The dresses were made to order, but it would appear that the quality did suffer when it was rushed to be made on time. My sister had to have the straps of her dress sewn into place because the "hook" on the adjustable strap kept coming undone, the straps on my nieces dress kept falling down...

All in all the whole experience was very disappointing. While the dresses did come in time the way they arrived and the quality didn't really meet expectations. The cost of postage didn't match the actual costs. The condition the dresses arrived in was very disappointing. Though the situation with the dresses was rectified the company would not admit their fault rather claiming that it was different fabric batches rather than different colours (clearly pointed out with fabric samples... different tones happen when fabric is dyed in different batches but this does not explain 2 completely different colours) I don't know why this mistake was so hard to admit. Nor can I understand how it could take almost 11 weeks to make a flowers girl dress when they say 8 weeks and still have it made the wrong colour... My sister emailed them and was told it would be made in time... quality control? How can a red dress be made burgundy without someone noticing??

Bottom Line - Very disappointed.. Just glad this bad experience didn't ruin my big day... Yes it worked out in the end but something as important as your wedding day... Could really do without the stress!!

Approximate cost: $200+

Absolute Bella is conveniently located in the Coles Complex, parking and access are excellent.

Absolute Bella is my regular beauty salon. It's the place I go when I am in town and need a wee pampering a quick eyebrow wax and tint which is often available as a drop in.

I have always found the girls to be friendly and well experienced but my recent experience had me thinking again. I usually get the same girl which is great because I don't have to tell her what I want and how to do it... But on my last visit I was some what disappointed by my new girl... I was starting to think if I go back... I'll be asking specifically for my regular girl.

I went in for a few things: Eyebrow/Eye lash tint and brow shaping/wax, eyelash extensions and having my nails done. It was 2 days before my wedding so I wanted to take a break, relax and be pampered...

Well it wasn't my regular girl so I had to run over with the new one what to do with my brows and lashes and that all went pretty well... Eye lash extensions... I don't know if she wanted to get rid of me or just didn't want to do it... She told me they only had 10mm and 14mm lashes because the 12mm lashes that "most brides" choose came in the same size as the 14mm which looked like "drag queen lashes"... she pretty much tried talking me out of having the extensions (most people only bother if they are going away they jut use the stick on lashes I was told) but wanting to look my best on my big day I opted for the 10mm option which was closer to my natural length but I wanted it too look thicker at the very least...

So she done all those and I will admit she did do a good job but I didn't find her very friendly what so ever, I've always found my regular girl much more friendly making conversation easily and making me feel very comfortable while the new girl seemed almost bored.

I had inquired with my regular girl on my last visit about having my nails done.. wanting something different I asked about having my nails frenched black, she told me they could do just about anything...

So the next day (day after having brows and lashes done) I have my nails done... get the "new girl again" When I asked the new girl... She pretty much said no.. All she could do was black "glitter" tips... So wanting something different I said ok that will be fine...

Well... to start with I don't think she wanted to do my nails as I have naturally long nails but I had broken a few and thought that having them done would look a lot nicer than a manicure with different lengthened nails... my nails looked nothing like the sample I was shown when they were done... They were not cut to the same length, some where cut uneven, the "glitter effect" is see through, the nails look blue not black... they were left rough with glue around the edges... I had another appointment that afternoon I was already late for so I didn't have time to have them attended too further although she told me I could come back the next day (my wedding day) if I needed any repairs. Uh huh... when do I get time to drive to the next town on my wedding day to have my nails fixed...

She honestly seemed bored and disinterested in what she was doing... I didn't appreciate being told one thing by one girl and something else by another...

Quality and Service very much depends on who you get I am afraid.. this visit tainted what as always till this point been a pleasurable experience...

We had the pleasure of holding our wedding reception at Archie's on the Park. I hope that we will have the pleasure of dinning here again soon.

We were able to choose a menu which suited both our tastes and our budget. We decided to offer a 3 course dinner, with pre reception canapes and drinks. The entrees were beautiful as well as the main. The staff cut and served our wedding cake as dessert (with home made vanilla bean ice cream and raspberry coulis. Tea and Coffee was also offered.

Everyone was very impressed by the meals, we had a lot of comments on how lovely the food was.

One of our guests was allergic to Sulphates (Garlic) and vegetarian, she was well catered for with very little fuss at all, once I noted this we were able to make adjustments were needed to the menu. There was a minor mix up with a guest not being seated at the time and missing out on his main meal but this was quickly rectified when brought to the attention of staff.

Everything was fresh and made from scratch the only exception to this is the damper rolls served with dinner. The meals are fresh, tasty and very impressive. Really something for all tastes and budgets.

The staff were very attentive and polite, everything went smoothly. It was a lovely environment to enjoy the end of the night with family and friends. The restaurant looked beautiful. We were able to come in the night before and arrange decorations etc.

Perfect venue for a wedding reception! We couldn't have been happier. We were very happy and so were our guests!

Approximate cost: $30-$35

Independently owned and managed is what gives Moore Park Inn a difference from the rest. Originally a historic home stead, Moore Park as been crafted into a country style motel with a difference.

Not only does Moore Park offer accommodation for over night stays or holidays they offer long term lodging in their serviced apartments. It is an ideal location for conferences and weddings.

We had the pleasure of holding our wedding on the grounds of Moore Park, Holding our wedding reception at Archie's restaurant as well as staying in the honeymoon suite for 2 nights.

The thing which impressed me the most about our stay was the welcoming and helpfulness of our hostess Kris. I can not speak highly enough of her attentiveness, attention to detail and just general friendly and helpfulness during our stay and during the organizing the months before the wedding.

The cost is perhaps a little expensive for accommodation but it is still very much on par with what else is available. It is one of the more finer establishments in the Armidale area and with the great service it is really worth paying a little extra for.

Approximate cost: $From $130/Night

The Owl's cottage was the first stop of our honeymoon, we had the pleasure of spending the first 3 nights in the Owls cottage it was beautiful.

Firstly it is the first B&B I've ever stayed with enough coffee to last our entire stay, the breakfast provisions provided were tasty and fresh.

The cottage and gardens are exceptionally well maintained, it is truly a home away from home. The cottage is very cozy and while there is enough room for 2 adults and 2 children it is lovely just for 2. We enjoyed a romantic candle lite dinner in the dinning room for 2 nights and enjoyed a BBQ dinner outside on a 3rd night.

If you love owls this is for you! I had a lovely time exploring all of the knooks for owl bits and pieces. It is beautifully decorated and very well equipped for a self contained stay.

It is situated in a very quiet part of Katoomba and is very close (walking distance) to the gym and pool if that is your thing. The stay also includes a parking permit for Echo Point (the three sisters) so this is a great bonus! (Free 8hour parking) it's only about a 5 minute drive to some of the large tourist attractions also like Scenic World, Waterfalls and bushwalks.

A beautiful place to stay. Highly recommended!!

Approximate cost: $From $140/Night