micarda

It appears that the trip here is very expensive with hotels, airfare etc. Planning a second visit to Australia (have seen Cairns, Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney) to see as much as possible in 30 days and wonder if Uluru is really worthwhile. Would you spend your time and money at other sites? Appreciate any constructive input.

Susan7

There was a deal recently in the Sydney Morning Herald for Uluru. If you go at an unpopular time (summer) the price is much less.

I think it is well worth the money and there are other ways to economise. You can camp, for example, or we stayed in the cheapest option Outback Pioneer. Or go via in Alice Springs, there's much more to see there and just have two full days and an overnight at Uluru.

AlanJG

Good advice from Susan7. It is a really special place and worth spending some time around. The surrounding desert looks fantastic at the moment too and this will continue for a while yet.

longhorn55

I've been to Uluru twice and enjoyed each visit, but it is expensive. There's a lot more to see and do in Australia that's just as worthwhile as Uluru. Since you have so much time available, depending on the time of year of your visit, I'd look at: Tasmania (loved it!), Perth and Margaret River area, Snowy Mountains, Melbourne to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island, and the nation's capital, Canberra (I lived there and loved the area). There's also lots of interesting small towns in the country worth a visit--Orange, Cooma, and Dubbo in New South Wales and Beechworth, Bendigo and Ballarat in Victoria. Finally, a drive along the coast of New South Wales offers great beaches and more neat small towns.

dotty

Hi, micarda.

We went to Uluru in July, and chose the Outback Pioneer option. Not a large room, but fab shower over the bath, small table with two chairs - enough room for two dinner plates, cups, laptop and a few books, and a comfy queen bed. Well, that's what we had. Good eating places around this part too.
We just loved the Uluru / Kata Tjuts experience, and are very sad we have not got time in our itinerary to go back in July this year. There is so much to do. Next time we would hire a car around Ayers Rock area. We got the AAT Kings coach there on the Monday, arriving at lunchtime and left there about lunchtime on Wednesday.
See if you can find my report "Alice Springs and Uluru in 2010". It might give you some ideas.

Good luck.

micarda

Thanks everyone for your help. Is there a good time of year to see the country knowing that it is large and has multiple climates but we will be making this one trip and want to be as comfortable as possible weather wise.
Again, Forors people are great.

peterSale

It all depends on what you like doing. I know poeple who would never dream of going to the Centre. There are lots of special places out there, but they are separated by very long distances. Plenty love it, plenty hate it.

We went in July with the main goal of the trip to climb Ayers Rock. We also visited The Olgas; Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges. All are very special in their own way. Ayers Rock is particularly special at the top. I would consider it an unmissable part of the country, but I mainly travel to see geological features. I don't travel for art, culture or cities. They are way down on my list
You can view my photographs of Ayers Rock Summit at Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersale1/

There is a free camping spot about 30km before you get to the Ayers Rock Resort. It is on the left hand side just over the dune from a road side picnic spot. We did the maths and it was cheaper in fuel to drive back to there and camp in our van than it was to camp at the resort for $17pp.

If you want to go into the Outback or Northern Australia then the only time really is June/July/August when it is cool(ish). For the rest of the country any time is great as each season has its own merits depending on your tastes.

Tasmania is fantastic! We just spent a month there. (Stay tuned for the trip report.) Likewise the area around Perth and the south west is well worth a visit but not in summer. Victoria is lovely with lots to explore - coasts, mountains, lakes, cities, winerie, food and fashion.

matkinusa1

Uluru is really beautiful at sunrise and sunset. We were there in the fall, and the temerature was bearable. If you go, it is respectful not to climb Uluru, as the aborigines ask you not to. It is a holy place to them. Also going out into the outback after dark is fantastic. I have never seen such a crisp, sharp, starlit sky as I seen there. It is total silence .

Bokhara2

I've been in Alice Springs & Uluru in late March - mid April and thought it was very pleasant. Late morning - mid afternoon in Uluru was hot, but by no means sweltering.

Cold at night and early mornings. There were some flies at Uluru and they're a nuisance, but nothing that can't be overcome/reduced with some Rid or Bushmen's roll on or cream insect repellent. I don't care for sprays and the "All natural" stuff is useless against these chaps in my experience.

I'd really recommend spending a couple of days in and around Alice Springs too. Fascinating place.

peterSale

Alice Springs is an blight that exists because it has to, not because it wants to.

It is a base, not a destination.

Bokhara2

That wasn't my experience, Peter - but I was there for a fortnight, so had the opportunity of exploring at leisure with some locals.

Susan7

Not my experience either, there's lots to see and do in and around Alice Springs, particularly different aspects of indigenous culture.

The Aboriginal artists, Destiny Deacon did an amazing travelogue about Alice Springs pretending to be a reporter, Destiny Attenborough.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/...009T213000.htm

AlanJG

Peter,
I am surprised that someone who likes geology so much would not like the area around the Alice. The geomorphology is right out of a text book. Makes Uluru look rather bland in my opinion.

If you like birds, micarda, go to Power and Water in the Mall and place a $30 deposit for a key to the sewage works. I spent two mornings there last year: fantastic. And as the area dries up there will be even more birds there.

peterSale

I loved the area around the the town. The West Macdonnells are terrific. We had a fantastic time exploring the gorges, ranges and rivers.

It is the town itself that was disappointing. I don't like towns or cities at the best of times but Alice Springs is a very sad case.

The national history museum was very good. If we had more time we would have gone to the telegraph museum.

We were rushed for time as we only had two weeks. Climbing Ayers Rock was the main goal of the trip and the highlight!

The rest was great, albeit rushed - Kings Canyon; Henbury Meteorite Crater; West Macdonnells and The Breakaways and Moon Plain near Coober Pedy. All absolutely stunning.

Given the choice of out and about in nature or in a town - nature will always win.

We have only the briefest of passing interest in any indigenous culture of any culture/country and I certainly take umbrage at the constant bleating that you can only appreciatethe Red Centre from an aboriginal point of view or by getting to know their culture.

The constant aboriginal focus actually detracted from our holiday as every information board had a dearth of information that was of interest to us. The type of information that you would find in most other National Parks in the country.

That's why I said that the Alice is a base not a destination. There is very little of interest there for us, and it does not present a positive image of Aborigines either.

The impression we got from the town was of a town with no community spirit. It struck us as very similar to Suva in Fiji and for much the same reasons.

dotty

I'm also going to bat for Alice Springs. There is so much to do around there - Desert Park, Reptile Centre, Alice Springs Homestead just for starters. Then there are the numerous day trips. There are also a couple of interesting galleries worth a look.
The 4 day trips we had booked prior to our arrival had to be cancelled because of the weather, and we wondered later how we would have fitted them in considering how full our days were!
We are returning for five and a half days after visiting Darwin, etc in July this year, and while this is all we can spare, a further return to Alice could well be on the cards.

peterSale

Each to their own.

But you are all still talking about tourist attractions not the town itself.

AlanJG

The Alice is a country town, 'nough said.

I also, do not think that one can ONLY appreciate the centre or any part of Australia for that matter from one perspective. I did not find that this was the way the interpretation was presented. I appreciated the references to Aboriginal uses of locales and resources and did not find it over whelming. I would have liked more interpretation signage as before this trip I had not done as much homework as I usually do and only carried three field guides with me. None of these related to earth science so like Peter would have benefited from more on that. The standard of geological signage though was good where it was present.

peterSale

I live in a country town. The Alice is totally different. All towns have their own problems (including mine) but Alice Springs and Coober Pedy are two of the saddest examples of country towns I have seen. I felt almost as if I was in another country.

The rest of the area and outback in general I loved and look forward to going again. I am thinking of the Flinders Ranges through to Broken Hill.