If you had 2 months for NZ and Australia

Old Apr 21st, 2015, 07:44 AM
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If you had 2 months for NZ and Australia

Ok, we really are going to go next year, after talking about it for years - and then going elsewhere.
We 4 60 somethings have about 2 months to see some of NZ and Australia. We know Jan and Feb are high tourist season -- but that's when we're all able and willing (it's COLD here in DC then) to go. So be it. We want to focus on nature/scenery and city/culture. 2 of us are pretty ardent hikers/birdwatchers, the other two not as much. We know we have to get cracking on reservations because of high season travel. We are mid range independent travelers who have been around a lot. . . but this will be first trip to A and NZ for all 4 of us. We're up for adventures, but won't likely be doing any extreme sports!

My question - what would YOU Australia and NZ lovers/experts do if you had 2 months?

Thanks
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Old Apr 21st, 2015, 08:59 AM
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If I had 2 months for NZ and Oz, I'd be pretty dang happy.

Dunno about NZ, although I'd like to see Auckland and Christchurch and learn about Maori culture. The kiwiphiles can ring in on that much better.

I've seen a bit of Australia and would like to have enough money and airline miles to see far more. For Oz, I'd blow a good bit of time in the top end and red center/re (although you'd better be fairly heat resistant) from Uluru to Alice Springs to Tennant Creek to Katherine to Darwin and/or Darwin to Katherine and west to Broome and down the coast of Western Australia to Perth (and Fremantle and Margaret River). Just go googling or check out various tour groups regarding ideas for your itinerary. Then to Sydney and the Blue Mountains and its coast.

This would all take a good 4+ weeks and you would still miss out on all of Tazzie, all of South Australia (Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and I like Adelaide a lot), the Great Ocean Road and Melbourne, and the GBR and Queensland (but there are issues with the GBR - it's primarily nearly two hours from shore at the two most common spots tourists visit to access it, Cairns and Port Douglas).
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Old Apr 21st, 2015, 02:55 PM
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Start with 3-4 weeks in NZ. By the time you get to Australia, the school holidays will be over and hopefully it will have cooled down a little.

Have a look at Melnq8's trip reports for NZ, Western Australia & Tasmania.
Toucan2 is a birder & has done some great TRs. As has Songdoc.
Others too, but these are the 3 that spring to mind just now.

And see the destination tags here to help narrow down some of your options.

Kangaroo Island & the hinterland of Cairns, Atherton Tablelands are good bird & wildlife areas, where you can see a lot in a relatively small area.

That's a start - others will have more ideas for you
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Old Apr 21st, 2015, 08:33 PM
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If I had 8 weeks to spend in Australia and NZ, I would:

1. Start with 1 week on the North Island of NZ followed by 2 weeks on the South Island

2. With the remaining 35 days, based on your interests I would do the following:

Sydney 6 days
Canberra 3 days (good location for wildlife and birds)
Melbourne 4 days
Tasmania 7 days
Great Ocean Road 3 days
Adelaide (and environs) 3 days
Kangaroo Island 4 days
Travel Time between these destinations - 5 days

I would skip Far North Queensland (GBR area) due to the heat, humidity, chance of cyclones. Likewise, I would skip Uluru due to the extreme heat and overabundance of flies.
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Old Apr 22nd, 2015, 02:32 AM
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I would also spend ( at least) 3 weeks in NZ -
In the Nth Island- The Coromandel or Mount Maunganui or Bay of Islands will all be magnificent in the Summer but you will need to book accommodation.
Don't bother about Auckland, except to fly in.
I would fly into Auckland, hire a motor home or a car and drive it all the way down the middle of the Nth Island, zig zagging a bit to take in both coasts before going to Rotorua (for the sulphur and Maori culture) and then Taupo, cross on the ferry to the Sth Island, drive down the West Coast then inland to Queenstown- then down to Dunedin and back up to Christchurch to fly to Sydney or Melbourne.

In Oz I would make sure I saw the Red Centre (yes, it will be ridiculously hot but the Outback has to be seen to be believed) and then I'd choose depending on my heat tolerance. As Longhorn says, FNQ will be very hot at that time of the year - Sydney and south will be more comfortable. Tasmania is a neglected highlight of Australia. You could easily spend 2 weeks there but a week will give you a taste of it's beauty.
I'm a bit blah about the GOR , probably because I live so close, but other people seem to like it.
If you do head this way (western Victoria), take a few days in the Grampians. The mountains are beautiful in Summer and full of great walks or restful vistas!
As for cities, Sydney would get my tourist dollar every time.
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Old Apr 25th, 2015, 09:50 AM
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We did 5 weeks in OZ and NZ ad only scraped the surface, so I envy you your 2 months.

In order to avoid the worst of the heat, I would start in the SI of NZ and work my way up to the north [taking 4 weeks or so] then fly to Tasmania, [which we didn't go to but everything I read about it makes me want to go] and work my way north through OZ.

I can't help you with the GOR or the red centre, but unless you think you will be back in OZ soon, I would spend my last week or so in the Atherton Tablelands on a wild-life tour followed by a few days in Port Douglas relaxing and seeing the GBR. not to be missed!

the best accommodation we came across in NZ was the B&Bs - we met some really lovely and friendly people. in OZ we stayed in hotels/motels so we didn't have the same sort of experience but they were nice too.
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Old Apr 25th, 2015, 08:26 PM
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Hello, I live in New Zealand and work in Australia and take every opportunity I can travel around both. It does depend on what you want to see. For coastal areas I suggest you focus on Australia and for NZ the beautiful inland scenery. The South Island is hard to beat and you can easily spend all your time there. If you like wine farms the central North Island is gorgeous in January (my daughter got married in the Hawkes Bay area this January and we had a fantastic time there). I would fly into Auckland and hire a car and drive it down to Napier - stopping on the way in Taupo and Rotorua to see the hot springs (there is an incredible thermal area on the road between Taupo and Rotorua). Once in the Hawkes Bay area there are numerous places to stay - spend a few days - if you like wine NZ is famous (can give you tips on the best ones) - then either pay the extra to leave the car there and fly to the South Island OR drive the car back to Auckland and fly from there. The drive from Napier back can be done via the Coromandel. I do not advise hiring a camper van - it limits where you can go, makes driving slower, unfortunately the roads in NZ are pretty awful, it is not a cheaper option at that time of year and as a previous poster has suggested there are heaps of B and B's. Motels can be reasonable too. We own a campervan and love it in but it is not ideal for newbies in NZ. Once you get to the South Island the choices are endless. What you would like to see will define where you fly into. You could fly to Queenstown and the then travel to see the Milford Sound area (an absolutely incredible place) - you can stay overnight on a boat on the sound - if that is not affordable then it there are places nearby to stay. You could fly into Christchurch - there are beautiful places around to visit and the art gallery is amazing. Auckland is worth a day at the most if you come from a big city. I recommend you fly out of Christchurch or Queenstown to Sydney - if you sit on the left side of the plane the sight for the first time of the opera house and harbour is wonderful.Weather in Sydney in January can be erratic but we stay in Coogee Beach every year for a week if we can (best to have a car). If you prefer to be more central and rely on public transport then the CBD or Rocks area is perfect. Bird life in Australia is absolutely incredible but you would need to get out into the country to really experience them. Once you have decided your main area of Australia then we can advise where to see good bird life. Australia's museums, galleries and cultural places are numerous. I am a big fan of Melbourne as a first time to Aussie place along with Sydney but as a nature lover we tend to get to the many wonderful natural places in Australia. Port Douglas - have not been there in January but a great base for the Great Barrier Reef, tropical forests, wildlife nature reserves and so on. We had an incredible time in Adelaide in January 2013 - temps hit 36 on some days but the Barossa Valley, the people, the coastline, the inland trips, the little towns made it a personal favourite. Enjoy planning and feel free to ask any questions.
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Old Apr 25th, 2015, 08:28 PM
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Hello, I live in New Zealand and work in Australia and take every opportunity I can travel around both. It does depend on what you want to see. For coastal areas I suggest you focus on Australia and for NZ the beautiful inland scenery. The South Island is hard to beat and you can easily spend all your time there. If you like wine farms the central North Island is gorgeous in January (my daughter got married in the Hawkes Bay area this January and we had a fantastic time there). I would fly into Auckland and hire a car and drive it down to Napier - stopping on the way in Taupo and Rotorua to see the hot springs (there is an incredible thermal area on the road between Taupo and Rotorua). Once in the Hawkes Bay area there are numerous places to stay - spend a few days - if you like wine NZ is famous (can give you tips on the best ones) - then either pay the extra to leave the car there and fly to the South Island OR drive the car back to Auckland and fly from there. The drive from Napier back can be done via the Coromandel. I do not advise hiring a camper van - it limits where you can go, makes driving slower, unfortunately the roads in NZ are pretty awful, it is not a cheaper option at that time of year and as a previous poster has suggested there are heaps of B and B's. Motels can be reasonable too. We own a campervan and love it in but it is not ideal for newbies in NZ. Once you get to the South Island the choices are endless. What you would like to see will define where you fly into. You could fly to Queenstown and the then travel to see the Milford Sound area (an absolutely incredible place) - you can stay overnight on a boat on the sound - if that is not affordable then it there are places nearby to stay. You could fly into Christchurch - there are beautiful places around to visit and the art gallery is amazing. Auckland is worth a day at the most if you come from a big city. I recommend you fly out of Christchurch or Queenstown to Sydney - if you sit on the left side of the plane the sight for the first time of the opera house and harbour is wonderful.Weather in Sydney in January can be erratic but we stay in Coogee Beach every year for a week if we can (best to have a car). If you prefer to be more central and rely on public transport then the CBD or Rocks area is perfect. Bird life in Australia is absolutely incredible but you would need to get out into the country to really experience them. Once you have decided your main area of Australia then we can advise where to see good bird life. Australia's museums, galleries and cultural places are numerous. I am a big fan of Melbourne as a first time to Aussie place along with Sydney but as a nature lover we tend to get to the many wonderful natural places in Australia. Port Douglas - have not been there in January but a great base for the Great Barrier Reef, tropical forests, wildlife nature reserves and so on. We had an incredible time in Adelaide in January 2013 - temps hit 36 on some days but the Barossa Valley, the people, the coastline, the inland trips, the little towns made it a personal favourite. Enjoy planning and feel free to ask any questions.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 01:54 AM
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Hi jinz,

That information for the OP looks terrific, but she may have the same problem as me - without breaks between paragraphs I can't read it.

splitting it up every 2-3 sentences makes it a lot easier to read!
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 09:06 PM
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Thank you for the good advice, annhig. Really good tip!
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Old Apr 27th, 2015, 10:03 AM
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Thanks for taking it in the spirit that it was meant, jinz.

why not repost it with some breaks? - we can't put them in ourselves.
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Old Apr 28th, 2015, 01:20 AM
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It was respectfully given and I am new at offering advice. I have been helped a lot for my trip to Europe and I wanted to pay it forward. So here goes. No promises I will get it right!

Hello, I live in New Zealand and work in Australia and take every opportunity I can travel around both. It does depend on what you want to see.

For coastal areas I suggest you focus on Australia and for NZ the beautiful inland scenery. The South Island is hard to beat and you can easily spend all your time there.

If you like wine farms the central North Island is gorgeous in January (my daughter got married in the Hawkes Bay area this January and we had a fantastic time there).

I would fly into Auckland and hire a car and drive it down to Napier - stopping on the way in Taupo and Rotorua to see the hot springs (there is an incredible thermal area on the road between Taupo and Rotorua).

Once in the Hawkes Bay area there are numerous places to stay - spend a few days - if you like wine NZ is famous (can give you tips on the best ones) - then either pay the extra to leave the car there and fly to the South Island OR drive the car back to Auckland and fly from there. The drive from Napier back can be done via the Coromandel.

I do not advise hiring a camper van - it limits where you can go, makes driving slower, unfortunately the roads in NZ are pretty awful, it is not a cheaper option at that time of year and as a previous poster has suggested there are heaps of B and B's. Motels can be reasonable too. We own a campervan and love it in but it is not ideal for newbies in NZ.

Once you get to the South Island the choices are endless. What you would like to see will define where you fly into. You could fly to Queenstown and the then travel to see the Milford Sound area (an absolutely incredible place) - you can stay overnight on a boat on the sound - if that is not affordable then it there are places nearby to stay.

You could fly into Christchurch - there are beautiful places around to visit and the art gallery is amazing.

Auckland is worth a day at the most if you come from a big city.

I recommend you fly out of Christchurch or Queenstown to Sydney - if you sit on the left side of the plane the sight for the first time of the opera house and harbour is wonderful.Weather in Sydney in January can be erratic but we stay in Coogee Beach every year for a week if we can (best to have a car). If you prefer to be more central and rely on public transport then the CBD or Rocks area is perfect.

Bird life in Australia is absolutely incredible but you would need to get out into the country to really experience them.

Once you have decided your main area of Australia then we can advise where to see good bird life. Australia's museums, galleries and cultural places are numerous.

I am a big fan of Melbourne as a first time to Aussie place along with Sydney but as a nature lover we tend to get to the many wonderful natural places in Australia.

Port Douglas - have not been there in January but a great base for the Great Barrier Reef, tropical forests, wildlife nature reserves and so on.

We had an incredible time in Adelaide in January 2013 - temps hit 36 on some days but the Barossa Valley, the people, the coastline, the inland trips, the little towns made it a personal favourite.

Enjoy planning and feel free to ask any questions.
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Old Apr 28th, 2015, 03:03 PM
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jinz -that's very gracious, and I for one am grateful and I hope that the OP is too.
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Old Apr 28th, 2015, 04:08 PM
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In regards to NZ, i've been over there many times. The 2 best trips my family have had is :
1) hiring a motorhome and go around both south and north islands for 3 weeks. 9 days north and 2.5 weeks south during Jan/Feb. Highlights North - Rotorua, Coromandel Peninsula, Hobbiton, Weta caves in Wellington. Highlights South - Christchurch, Trans Alpine railway trip, Fox Glacier, Milford Sound, (best scenic in the world), Dunedin Cadbury World and Dunedin Castle,
2) 14-day cruise leaving Sydney, going around North and South island and Melbourne.
i have a blog which has some pictures of our NZ travels
http://hansellajc.wix.com/hanselltra...f21933cd57f91a


If you like walking, Sydney Blue Mountains have plenty of great walks, check out http://hansellajc.wix.com/hanselltra...f21e26baf280a9 and for other day trips around Sydney.

For our trip to Great Ocean Road check out : http://hansellajc.wix.com/hanselltra...f215f35a4561be

Hopefully plenty of tips and ideas of places to go for you and your group.
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Old Apr 29th, 2015, 10:52 PM
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If you are keen hikers and coming to WA, the Bibbulmun track is an option, if done near the end of your holiday it may not be too hot. It goes through a fair part of south west WA so you could do a small portion of it.

https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/

though everyone has different definitions of too hot, and as a West Aussie who is usually using an electric blanket by April and loves Pilbara summers I may not be the person to decide what would be a nice hiking temperature for someone.
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Old May 3rd, 2015, 07:04 PM
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Maybe split your time evenly - 1 month in New Zealand and 1 month in Australia. I am a kiwi so am slightly biased but Australia is so huge so you need to pick an area to focus on. Where New Zealand is much smaller and 2 weeks for the South Island and 2 for the North would give you a really good look around. It's not so awfully hot in NZ in summer as Australia -just bring your swim suits(togs in New Zealand and cossies in Australia)ready for a swim at all the fabulous beaches.
The big cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are all good with plenty to do in day trips or a few hours drive.
My favourite would be the Sunshine Coast area outside Brisbane and I love Melbourne.
Driving in Australia is much easier than in New Zealand so you could hire a car and do a road trip.
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Old Jul 14th, 2015, 07:21 PM
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Lady Elliott Island may be your kind of place. Just getting there sounds like an adventure! The island is an important site for sea birds, has spectacular snorkelling and the accomodation seems comfortable and affordable.
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Old Sep 29th, 2015, 04:10 AM
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Hi, im not very well informed of the accommodation options available in NZ but I would consider the Oaks Mon Komo in Australia if you are thinking of some laid back time, safety and convenience. It also has some very good amenities!
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Old Sep 29th, 2015, 08:01 AM
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Jan/Feb are the wet season, cyclone season in northern Oz, anywhere north of the triopic of Capricorn, if you are thinking if the Great Barrier Reef, Cape York, Darwin, the Kimberly, it is the worst time of year.

But it's summer holidays and bushfire time in the southern states. You just have to suck it and see.

Book ahead for any coastal accommodation, though, and take a deep breath at the prices,because everyone heads for the beach here in December/Jan.

It is very hot,mostly over 35 degrees during the day, if you are planning on bush walks. which is why most of us go to the beach at that time.
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