Got eVisa on the Australian Gov website thank you - can't have thought long and hard about it as they were approved in minutes.

Going to stay around airport on arrival as Etihad flight gets in 7.35pm and then get train to Wollongong in the morning so we can take in the scenery, paid through the nose for three night in serviced apartment near Win stadium. Is there any area of Sydney that people prefer please? Seen some good value private rentals near Darling Harbour but may go closer to beaches as we're there for ten nights. I've seen people struggling with ticket master for first game - are we all booking the Hull end as that grassy mound looks like an iconic part of Australian RL that we don't get in UK.

Flights booked today at the flight centre in Leeds. Going out on Friday 2nd Feb back on the 23rd Feb. All internal flights between Sydney / Melbourne / Gold Coast sorted. Result getting the World Club Challenge on the 16th in Melbourne, really hope it comes off. Just hotels to sort now via booking.com tomorrow, though already got our Wollongong hotel sorted. Mega excited about this trip.

All Hotels booked, just need to save up spending money now. When does the tour merch go on sale?

my hotels in sydney booked, like you i'm in Melbourne on 16th so hope the WCC goes ahead. staying with friends in Melbourne so save a bit of money on the trip. going to hire a car and do the great ocean road too

If anyone wants to hire a car whilst over there my friends in Sydney recommend Bayswater car rental

I love reading about all your plans for Australia, whilst I will be back in Hull. Love it.

I've got the sawn-off if you wanna supply the balaclavas?

I
If it makes you feel any better, my missus complained about paying £560 for three nights in apartment in Wollongong and found The Sage hotel for £200 less saying "how did we miss this".
I cancelled the apartment via Expedia and pressed pay to book this hotel with £200 more in the drinks fund.
I was staying in Dundee last night with work,asleep early to be woken at 2.30am by my phone - is it the wife, kids, mother I thought but looked at the number and thought where the hell is +66 so didn't answer it. Up at 6 to see a voicemail, "hello this is Ryan from the Sage Hotel, we were expecting to see you yesterday, can you call us?"
Quick look at email confirmation and she's got November 17 rather than February 18 - to be fair to Expedia, it only cost the one night at £120 but she still won't have it that she got the wrong month!
Thank goodness for Airbnb which I am looking at right now.

Made the same mistake with the SAGE but thankfully spotted it before too late!!
Looked ideal & really cheap but it seems some tourist boards are tour 'partners' & decided which hotels were available - SAGE not amongst them. Either that or it was block booked by Wigan ??
Gave up on Woolongong - now In Sydney for 12 days, currently no sign of the club assisting with transfers so will probably also hire a car for the day, not sure about the public transport back for the evening kick off ?

Anyone else going out on VA7022 from Manchester on the 2nd Feb 19:10 pm?

Melbourne Storm Vs Whino's getting confirmed tomorrow in the WCC on the 16th February. Chuffed about this and I know who I'll be supporting...

WCC now confirmed for the 16th 20.00 kick off local time, will be able to make this as i'm not heading back to sydney until saturday morning, doubt it will sell out

Looks like there are quite a few FC fans planning a visit to Melbourne.

In over 50 years out here I have always supported English/Gt Britain teams. Nothing will change in Melbourne.