Kay2

I just found out I will be taking a business trip to Sydney in January--my second trip.
Last time I thoroughly explored Sydney and surrounds, the Blue Mountains, and Canberra.
I am looking for ideas for where to travel for short stay before/after my work.

My free time on this second trip will be limited -- I can arrange to fly into Sydney on a Thursday morning and have to be back in town on Sunday evening (so about 2.5-3 days) and I can stay after from Wednesday afternoon until flying out to US on Saturday or Sunday (another 2.5 days or so).

I love nature, history and local culture. I do not enjoy much beach/resort time, shopping, wine or food. I'll be traveling alone, but will consider rural self-drive or day or overnight small tours.
Highlights from last trip excursions were the duck-billed platypus and kangaroos at parks outside of Canberra. Blue Mtns were OK, but not amazing for me.

My immediate thoughts were to look into Melbourne, Tasmania, or Adeleide for one period and then something closer to Sydney for the other. But I am unsure that I could see that much of Tasmania to make it worthwhile in the time frame? Melbourne with access to GOR or Phillip Island or other natural areas may be more reasonable? Too hot for the interior? I think when I planned my last trip that someone on here recommended a drive south from Sydney for a few days, but I will have to search.

I am probably posting this too soon before doing my research, but too excited when I got the news.

BigRuss

<<Melbourne with access to GOR or Phillip Island>>

That'll take too much time - the GOR is a multi-day drive and that will wipe out your Melbourne time.

Either go to Melbourne or Adelaide straight from your arrival and putter about.

Adelaide is great so don't go there because you'll increase the prices of my retirement house.

michelhuebeli

First things first: Have you read the book The Fatal Shore (by Robert Hughes)? I used to live in AU and know no better book, serious, thoughful, deep, about what made and makes the country. It’s in most libraries.

Then there is Bill Bryson’s book In A Sunburned Country- quite funny and perceptive, but he pulls your leg with his dire talk of dangerous animals...

Here’s an idea that would work: Book a flight to Tassie right after you get in on Thursday. If you fly Qantas, book it all on the one ticket and if the trans-pacific flight is late and you miss your Tassie flight, they’ll put you on the next one.
Sydney-Hobart, Launceston-Sydney.

If you get to Hobart (my first preference) or Launceston by Thursday mid-day or so, you can go for a leg-stretch in the Botanical Gardens, have a healthy fish dinner and pick up a rental car first thing the next morning. Book it for a drop-off at the Launceston airport.

If it’s Hobart, drive down to Port Arthur and spend a few hours. You’ll be glad you read The Fatal Shore. What an impressive (and dark) piece of history!

Then drive to Queenstown, via Bothwell. It will make for a long day, but the sun doesn’t go down til almost 9PM. It’s a beautiful mountain drive. Book ahead, lodgings are not too numerous.

If you think you can’t make it to Queenstown, book a bed in Derwent Bridge.
Saturday you drive up to Cradle Mountain, do a little hike maybe, then drive to Devonport or nearby Penguin.

On Sunday morning drive through the lush agricultural country to Launceston where you return your car and catch a flight to Sydney.

You can do this in reverse, but probably not include Port Arthur, and that would be a pity, you won’t soon forget it id you go and do it right.

Bokhara2

Top suggestions, both of you.

I'd take Michelheubel's - for the opportunity to see our glorious Tasmania, with minimum messing about in airports.

Great tip about " The Fatal Shore". Should be required reading in our schools & for new residents!

BigRuss

If you want to bolt through a founding-of-Oz book that's a bit shorter than The Fatal Shore (620+ pages), you can try A Commonwealth of Thieves by Thomas Keneally. Keneally's written a far larger 3-volume history of Australia but your flight actually isn't that long.

Or take a look at Girt: the Unauthorized History of Australia (I need to check it out too).

Kay2

Looks like I have to start a library.

The Tazmania itinerary looks rather ambitious driving for a solo traveler with some jet lag. I'll look into whether that could be cut down somewhat.

Hope to have some time this weekend to look into the destinations further.