Adelaide can be hot in March and very dry. Coober Pedy is extremely hot, being in the interior of the state. The country will probably look dry and desperate for rain at this time of the year. We have been experiencing a drought and it looks like continuing.

However, if you are interested in wine and walking, then there will be plenty to do in the wine regions - The Barossa, McLaren Vale,Clare Valley and the Coonawarra, which is in the south east of the state (on the way to Mt. Gambier and Melbourne if you like.

The state has many spectacular national parks - some reasonably close to Adelaide - look at the Deep Creek conservation park which has part of the Heysen trail - a 1,200 km walking trail that extends from Cape Jervis to Parachilna Gorge, in the Flinders Ranges. You can stay in the park also - http://www.southernoceanretreats.com.au/ridgetop-retreats.htm

You could combine a visit to the park with a trip to Kangaroo Island as it is on the way (well sort of!) to the ferry at Cape Jervis.

Good luck with the planning!

Thanks Lizzy. That's what I was afraid of.

Would Victoria be a better choice - the Grampians maybe? March is a good time for us thanks to some local holidays that will maximize our vacation time, but we're just not into hot weather.

Sounds like I need to do some more research - will take a look at the site you posted.

I would suggest the Grampians and Goldfields area, Daylesford, Bendigo etc. http://www.bazzani.com.au/warrenmang/frame.htm
alternatively the Canberra, Bega, Merimbula region of NSW

Hi,

seems like you haven't visited the Top End. And you must, you really must! And you haven't visited the Centre either.

Granted March is not the best time to go, but are the temps that different from Indonesia? It would be a dry heat in Uluru and surrounds.

Sad that you can't move that date fwd a few weeks? But if you really can't - then I think I would take a road trip from Sydney.

Did you visit the hinterland of Sydney or Brisbane on your previous visits?

Did you spare the Blue Mts more than a a day?

If not, then hire a car, and set off over the Blue Mts. You could check out the Jenolan Caves, and some of the historic towns like Bathurst, Sofala, Hill End, Gulgong. There's wine in Mudgee and Orange.

Then turn south (probably not) or head north on the inland route. Check out Barrington Tops NP, etc.

And end up in Brisbane, or Byron Bay.

There are hundreds of permutations here - if the idea appeals suggest getting hold of a good road map, and seeing where you can get to from where. Loads of space; not too many roads if you see what I mean.

It would be a huge adventure. Can I come too?

My suggestion would be Canberra and the environs. In Canberra, you'll have wine and wineries, outdoor activities like biking and hiking, Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and wonderful weather--the leaves will changing in March, something you sure don't get in Indonesia. From there you can go down to Thredbo and the Snowy Mountains. Although I've never stayed there, the Lake Crackenback Resort on the lake in Jindabyne looks lovely. There's lots of nice accomodations in and around Thredbo as well. (Our favorite is the High Country Mountain Resort outside of Thredbo.) There's lots of good hikes in Thredbo and you can even hike to the highest point in Australia--Mount Kosciusko. Also, the Australia Institute of Sport has a training center there and many of their facilties (e.g. pool) are open to the public.
You say you don't like cities, but Canberra is not your typical city. It's not called "The Bush Capital" for nothing.

Thanks everyone - you've given me a lot to consider.

My suggestion would be to start in Melbourne and drive down the Mornington Peninsula. It's a really beautiful area and is known for its wineries, of which there are many! There are lots of walks and B&B's aplenty. After a couple of days you can make your way to Phillip Island and have a look around there. Then head east into the Gippsland area where you can look at the lakes area. Metung is a quaint little village worth a look and maybe stay a night or two. From Bairnsdale you can take the Great Alpine Road which crosses the Victorian High Country. You will drive past Dinner Plain which is quite an interesting village set amongst the snowgums and Mt. Hotham, where many Victorians ski in winter. You will descend into a very beautiful valley and Bright is a lovely town with lots of terrific accommodation. Mt. Buffalo is nearby and is worth a look with an old-world hotel right at the top. The views are lovely and there are some good walks. The area was involved in bushfires a couple of years ago, but I am sure regeneration will be well underway. From the Bright area you can visit Beechworth, a lovely old town with lots of historically significant buildings. You know, when I think of it, if you have three weeks, you can probably see the Grampians as well as what I have described. If you go to www.visitvictoria.com.au you can search all the areas you might be interested in.

I would have to agree with two other people on this board...if the heat is a problem, then visit around Canberra and Snowy Mtns of NSW for walking, fishing, boating etc (beautiful time of the year in the Alps), and the other location mentioned was Beechworth, again another great location with heaps to see, and also Mt.Buffalo, and other alpine areas nearby. Suggest staying in Bright, plenty of trout fishing nearby, and some great restaurants in the town.
Rent a car, and make sure you go off the beaten track onto the country roads, ie. get off the main highways, and discover some wonderful towns/villages, scenery etc.

Hi Melnq8
Nice to see you here after chatting on the NZ forum. I so share with you your dislike of heat and humidity and support those posters suggesting the Monaro and the Snowy Mountains in summer. While it can still be hot it is dry heat and cools down in the evening. There are lovely walks and views in the area as well as a number of cool climate wineries.

If you are going through Sydney give me a buzz

I hear great things about Wilsons Promontory National Park in eastern Victoria...worth considering as part of a Victoria itinerary. Haven't been myself but would definitely like to go sometime.

As for Adelaide and Coober Pedy in March, humidity should not be a problem. Average high temps in Coober, Adelaide and the Flinders ranges are ~90 F, 78 F and 86 F respectively (see links below). Significantly milder than earlier in summer. If you left Coober Pedy to later in your trip (i.e., later in March), your chances of extreme heat may be low. A lot of the accommodation is underground, so you can at least expect a great night's sleep in a nice cool (and very dark!) room.

Thus, I wouldn't rule out South Australia in March. And it's not like anywhere else in mainland Australia is that much cooler then.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_016007.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_023031.shtml

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_019017.shtml

Hi Melnq8

Another vote for Victoria. I've just come back from a quick trip & it reminded me how accessible & diverse it is.
My route took me to the Mornington Peninsula,(Lunch at The Rocks, right on the water at Mornington) across to Tyabb, following the coast road to Tooradin,Kilcunda (take the little road around to Inverloch - it's fantastic). Then Venus Bay, Capt Litrop Coastal Park, Sandy Point & down to Tidal River in the Wilsons Prom Nat Park.
There are some lovely walks and ample camping areas within the Park.
Accommodation: Lots of B & B's all along the Coastal & Gippsland areas.
From there I took the road up through Gippsland, Tarwin, Leongatha, Loch, Poowong, Drouin, Neerim, Noojee, Powelltown to Lillydale. The country is breathtakingly beautiful, lush & there are picturesque & historic towns & wineries along the way.

From Lillydale, out to the Dandenongs ....
Make sure you visit the William Ricketts Sanctuary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ricketts

... and the Yarra Valley. Lunch at Bella Vedere www.bellavedere.com.au
within the Badger's Brook winery. (Coldstream).
www.yarravalleysmallerwineries.com.au
My round trip was about 800k from the airport & took 3 days, which was a little shorter than I'd have liked & only allowed a short time to explore here & there. However, I wanted to see some of the bits of Victoria I'd not seen before and it did that & more.

Melnq8, if you fancied it, you could take in some of the Dandenongs, Yarra Valley & then head on up to Lake Eildon National Park. From there you can wend you way up to the high country on the Goulbourn Valley & Maroondah highways. In 3 weeks you could explore a lot of the North & SE parts of Victoria at a leisurely pace.

My head is spinning with all these great ideas. I'm currently researching the areas mentioned as I'm unfamiliar with most. Thank you all for your suggestions.