rachd5332

Hi All,

First blog and first trip to Australia

Me and my partner (23 and 24 years old) have hired a campervan (car with a bed and kitchen - nothing too fancy!) and although I have read up about each place there is just too many things to choose from so I am hoping you can tell me some of the best (not just touristy) places to go.

We are also wanting to do the Fraser Island tour and the Whitsunday - Whitehaven Island with Great Barrier Reef tour - I would like advise on whether you think different Islands are better to visit.

The itinerary so far is:
- Land in Melbourne - 27th December
- Drive from Melbourne - Apolo Bay - Port Cambell 28th - 29th December
- Port Cambell - Geelong - 29th - 30th December
- Geelong - Wagga Wagga - 30th - 31st December
- Wagga Wagga - Sydney - 31st December
- Sydney - 31st - 3rd January

So we only have 2 days really for the GOR and then travel to Syndey for NYE

Then we are left with 16 days to see sites travelling up the East Coast to Cairns where we fly back to Melbourne on 20th January.

I know this isn't a lot of time but I think we need to try and cover:
Gold Coast - Hinterland
Brisbane
Sunshine Coast
Hervey Bay (Fraser Island)
Airlie Beach (Whitsundays)
Atherton Tablelands
Port Douglas

I realise we may not be ale to do all this but if you could advise on each any way it would really be appreciated so we can choose more wisely

From other blogs I read that gold cost is better than Sunshine, Bryon Bay isnt great and neither is Cape Tribulation, but please comment if you think differently to this!

Then our final 4 days are in Melbourne before we have to go back to the UK

We have hotel accommodation booked for Sydney and Melbourne but please recommend any other campsites for any other locations.

Thanks to any one who helps

Rach
xxx

michelhuebeli

I would rearrange the first few days a bit.

The day after you land in Melbourne, after having walked off the tiredness (it’s a l-o-n-g trip down, with the loss of a calendar day) and had a hopefully good night’s sleep, take off for the Great Ocean Road - it takes you through Geelong at first, a very boring drive until well past Geelong.

Then stop and look around in places like Lorne and Otway (national park and lighthouse etc.) and check out some of the waterfalls and hikes - drive as far as it’s comfortable then spend the night, it doesn’t have to be as far as Port Campell, there’s a lot of good stuff before.

http://tinyurl.com/7mwcg8y
http://tinyurl.com/madbfju

Then don’t make Geelong a stop on the way back or anything, keep going, if Wagga Wagga is your target, you have a long day’s driving to do from Port Campbell - a good eight hours just driving.

Are you sure Wagga is the place? It’s the height of summer and hot hot hot. Maybe drive up the coast instead? Via Lakes Entrance, Eden, Ulladulla, stop at the 7-mile beach near Berry and other such gems.

Try to be in Sydney on the 30th and settle in somewhere and find out where you should go to see the NYE happenings on the harbour. Ask locals and be early, plan it well - you’ll need to be prepared to walk a long stretch home that night because, well, that’s how it is. But everybody I’ve ever talked to found it worth their while.

Then plan nothing much for the 1st because you’ll need to chill (manner of speaking - it will be hot...).

Then I suggest you drive the faster route (New England Highway) to the Gold Coast hinterland, via Tamworth (Australia's Nashville... - YeeHaw...) and Armidale rather than the coast road where there is one town after another with speed limits etc.

Tamborine mountain and that region is indeed nice.

These websites might be useful:
www.qld.gov.au/transport/
www.racq.com.au/travel/drive_travel/road_trips
www.drivenorthqueensland.com.au/default.aspx

Respect the road trains - don’t just slow down but get out of the way, they can’t and won’t stop for anything - see http://tinyurl.com/lgghs3j

Happy trails!

RalphR

On the surface 28 days seems like quite a lot of time, but then, seeing how much distance you want to cover, and the fact you are planning multi-day stays in Sydney and Melbourne, it's clear you are spreading yourselves pretty thin and won't have much leeway if you want to spend extra time in any particular place.

A few comments on places you cite:
- Gold Coast vs Sunshine Coast - the former is much more built up and urbanized, however the GC hinterland (Lamington NP, Springbrook, Tamborine) is very beautiful and shouldn't be missed.
- I haven't been to Byron in several years, but it has always been a top spot in my mind, if only for the spectacular cliff walk from the lighthouse with gorgeous views up and down the coast.
- Brisbane. Nice city, but with the time you have, give it a miss.
- Hervey Bay is nothing special but Fraser Island is truly special. Ideally it would be good to spend more than a day there - it's so big! It will be a busy place during the summer school holidays.
- Don't waste any time between Hervey Bay and the Whitsundays - not much to see along this stretch without making significant detours.
- Best part of the N Queensland Coast is between Townsville and Cape Trib - lots to see and do. The Atherton Tablelands are lovely, worth spending a full day or two there.
- I liked Cape Trib. Low key not commercialized like Port Douglas.

I quite like the suggestion made my michelhuebeli regarding the inland route (New England Hwy) to the Gold Coast - a chance to see some great out of the way places like Bald Rock and the Pyramids in the Granite Belt region. The route also brings you close to Lamington National Park on the way down to the coast.

peterSale

We own a camper, so welcome to the best way to travel! You have picked the busiest time to travel but that is not such a big deal.

You do not have to stay in caravan parks. This will save you heaps.
Buy Camps Australia 7. It costs about $50 but will pay for itself after two free nights!
http://www.campsaustraliawide.com/

Be sensible when free camping and don't be obvious about it. We have never stayed in a commercial caravan park, but we haven't been to Queensland in Summer!

If you camper has a toilet all the better. Some places will be for self contained only. You need a toilet but not a shower.

The Campervan and Motor Club will give you lots of info.
www.cmca.net.au/

Let me know if you have any specific camper questions.

dreamon

A few points about your plan.

Distances are long so you will be doing a lot of driving. You are attempting a lot in the time you have.

It is peak holiday season so traffic and camp sites will be very busy. Paid camp sites are likely to require bookings in advance along the Great Ocean Road and probably other places.
Is that one day to travel from Melb-Port Campbell and one day back to Geelong? That is extremely rushed. Can you fly direct to Sydney and then combine your time in Victoria into one block?

You could consider flying from Avalon or Melbourne to Sydney instead of driving and then pick up your camper in Sydney.

I think the Sunshine Coast is much nicer than the Gold Coast - especially the mountains behind the coast. Cape Tribulation was beautiful, I thought. Brisbane is a bit dull for tourists.

Good luck!

marg

Here are websites for two chains of caravan parks - toptouristparks.com.au and big4.com.au
As you are travelling in our peak (very peak) holiday period, you may have difficulty in getting camping sites but there are plenty of 'rest areas' where you can pull over for the night. Try to avoid truck parking bays where you will be disturbed by trucks coming and going, and also you may be stopping truckies having their rest break by impeding their parking area.
Are you driving from Geelong to Wagga Wagga? If so, better to go directly north from Port Campbell.
In major tourist areas, you will find it difficult to find overnight free parking areas. Better to stay out of town and drive in for the day.
My personal preference is the Sunshine Coast over the Gold Coast - the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin) is on the Sunshine Coast and you may want to visit. Both coasts have magnificent hinterland scenery.
Good luck with your planning. Obviously you will only have a taste of Australia but hopefully that will lead to other holidays here.

wallaby

IMO, at that time of year you would be best served by
avoiding the coast road (Pacific Highway) between Sydney and
Brisbane, it will be busy busy busy everywhere.
Take the New England Highway and arrive on the Sunshine
Coast via Scone/Tamworth/Armidale/Tenterfield/Warwick/Kilcoy.
Way less traffic and far better views, beautiful countryside
and lots of nice little towns. Plenty of free-camping spots
along the way.

WineAroundOz

When planning, you should factor in only travelling 80km/h. Even though the speed limit is normally 100 or 110km/h you will be slowed down by roadworks, toilet stops, photo opportunuties, lunch breaks, leg stretches etc. So plan your route out on google maps and calculate how many hours you will be driving by dividing total distance by 80. Then ask yourself if you really want to spend that much time driving?

If you want to see what other options there are for your campervan hire go to http://ecampervanhire.com.au which lists pretty much every campervan hire company in Australia. It will give you a price on most of them too.

have fun

peterSale

Buy a copy of Camps Australia Wide 7
http://www.campsaustraliawide.com/camps-7/

It will give you most of the places you can camp free or for little charge.

Remember that you are under no obligation to stay only in commercial caravan parks. You can stay in other places such as lookouts, rest areas etc.

We own our own camper if you have any specific questions about campers.

WineAroundOz

Ditto on buying a copy of camps. It s great book and you can keep it in the cupboard at home and bring it out as a reminder of the journey 10 years now. Just remember to mark the route you took with a highlighter on the map.