In fact the culprits, looking suspiciously like cheeky nannas, are being actively encouraged! They are yarn bombing and wool tagging all over the joint – and having serious fun while they’re at it.

Trainworks Museum in Thirlmere, about 90km southwest of Sydney, turns one on April 1^st 2012 and as part of the celebrations the local Picton Knitting & Crochet group have been let loose to brighten up exhibits with scarves for funnels, ‘eyes’ for buffers and spider webs for carriages. That a museum encourages such community involvement and interaction with its exhibits, speaks volumes about its philosophy of engaging the public and indulging in a bit of fun.

Trainworks underwent a $30 million dollar refurbishment in 2011 and the money has been well spent, breathing new life into dusty old trains. The museum is truly engaging for all ages – from Thomas the Tank Engine for little children to Australia’s largest collection of rolling stock for serious train buffs.

Exhibits include the massive 260 tonne 6040 Garrat, one of the world’s most powerful engines, and the elegant timber Governor-General’s carriages. A prison van comes to life with inmates’ stories and the rail pay bus looks like it comes straight from a cartoon.   

Birthday celebrations on April 1^st include vintage steam train rides, Circus Monoxide performers, Dixieland bands and a jumping castle. There’ll be a three tiered birthday cake, to be cut by a mystery guest, with slices for everybody.

Don’t forget to check out the work of the graffiti grannies, which is on display until April 25^th.

10 Barbour Road, Thirlmere NSW Trainworks is open 7 days a week. 10am-4pm Mon to Fri, 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Ph 02 4681 8001 www.trainworks.com.au

The best way to move around to various places and scenic areas at your own rate of knots is to resort to cheap campervan hire Australia. There are several places all over where you can rent a car – depending on the size of your group and luggage. The good thing about having your own car is that once you’re behind the wheels, it is all up to you to decide where you want to take it. And also, it is all up to you if you want to stay a few more moments or want to leave right away.

Cheap campervan hire Australia let you travel at your own pace and at your own sweet time. If you decided to rent a campervan, it’s like having a hotel room in wheels – minus the room service. Another benefit for hiring a van is that you do not need to worry on sticking to a particular schedule and you wouldn’t need to spend time in booking for accommodation and other whatnots.

Doing a couple of research prior to travelling just to know enough where to go and what to expect can make your trip more worthwhile. To save time, all you have to do is make up your mind where to go and your GPS navigator will find your way.

Browsing the internet and looking for various sites to book in advance your campervan puts you “on vacation” right away – as soon as your plane lands. It will take away the hassle of driving downtown and hopping around from cheap campervan hire Australial Company to another to find the car that’s perfect for you and your companions.

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Get more information for your best trip, check out www.camperhire.com.au.

Unfortunately, it’s illegal to hold a koala in NSW – much to the dismay of many tourists, but at Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney’s Doonside, they make it easy to get up close and personal with a koala whose butt is safely wedged in a branch as it munches on fresh eucalypt leaves – you can even give it a pat. All day, every day. And you can take your own photos.

Featherdale has come a long way from its origins as a chicken farm. Now the seven acre site sits like a green oasis in the middle of suburbia, completely surrounded by houses. It was those residents, among others, who saved the park from redevelopment in 1975, something we can all be grateful for. There’s nothing like the excitement of little (and not-so-little) kids feeding their first kangaroo or finding a tawny frogmouth sitting on a branch at their eye-level. 

The award-winning park (also a finalist in the 2011 Great Sydney Tourism Awards - you can vote for the Peoples Choice Award here) brings storybook Aussie animals to life – like jabirus, brolgas and emus. You can scratch a wombat’s back, feed the kangaroos, and hold a lizard. Watch out for peacocks who randomly flash their dazzling feathers, and don’t miss fairy penguin feeding time as they mob the fish-filled esky. 

During the July school holidays you can meet the seven gorgeous little dingo pups, born mid-May, before they are relocated to other parks around Australia. Look out for the numerous albino animals too.