1st trip to Australia - help needed
 

Hi all,

My husband and I are planning to go to Australia and New Zealand sometime between Dec 19 - Jan 17, for a maximum (including travel days to/from NYC) of 21 days. On our must-do list we have Sydney (which we plan to be in during New Year's), Melbourne and the South Island of New Zealand (skipping Auckland).

We're not huge outdoorsy people and we've decided not to go to the Outback. We had wanted to go to the Great Barrier Reef, but then started reading about monsoon season and the heightened risk of jellyfish around that time.

My questions are:
1) Should we skip the reef?
2) As of now, we are not including the reef in our itinerary and are planning to go from NYC to New Zealand, Sydney, Melbourne and home. Any suggestions on order of places and length of time we should spend in each?
3) If we go to the Reef, what you you suggest in terms of order and time at each?

I know 21 days is very short, but I have never had 3 weeks off and don't when I will again. Thanks for your help.

you need to remember it's peak holiday season in Australia at this time.I would not go to the Barrier Reef around this time because of humidity, stingers and cyclones.
Perhaps fly into Melbourne first explore the city , then maybe do the Great ocean road, then come back to the city for Xmas-those beach areas won't be as crowded before Xmas as after, then go to Sydney for New year, then go to Christchurch, not sure if you can fly to US from there-you may have to fly to Auckland to go home.Of course this is a barebones idea as I do not know what you want to see.

We've been doing research on flights for the past few hours and have concluded that it's most cost efficient for us to fly from NYC to Sydney, then Melbourne, then New Zealand and then back to NYC. I think we're going to rule out the reef and get our nature portion in NZ.

Of our 21 days, if we take out 2 days for travelling, 8 days in NZ, that leaves us 11 days for Sydney and Melbourne. How should we split it? Thanks again.

I've lived near Cairns for 18 years and have never experienced a hint of a cyclone in December. Neither have I experienced the weeks of torrential rain we've had here lately in the so-called "dry season". So, who knows? I do know from experience that December is one of my favourite months to go out to the reef, seas are usually calm (as opposed to winter months with prevailing south easterlies).

Yes, it will be hot and humid, (mean max temp for Dec and Jan is 31.4) its summer in a tropical area. Mean rainfall for December is 180mm, compared with a whopping 450mm for February. But everything is airconditioned, all resorts etc have pools, and evening beachside dining with a sea breeze is a real pleasure.

All operators on the Great Barrier Reef are more than aware of the marine stinger situation and provide stinger suits, which will protect you from sunburn as well, a far likelier danger when out on the reef. Marine stingers are coastal, they breed in mangroves around creeks and rivers, and you should not swim at any un-netted coastal or nearby island beach during stinger season.

Heat and humidity aren't really a concern for us, but the safety is because neither of us are strong swimmers. But thank you for your input. I think we'll have to take it into consideration.

You don't need to be strong swimmers to go to the GBR in fact you can just go on the semi subs to see the reef and not swim at all. Weather is usually rather good at that time of year in that the winds are not around. There is much, much more to do in and around Cairns than just the reef as well and that area has some of the most unique flora and fauna in the World. Cool off and go up to the Atherton Tablelands as there is some fantastic sights up that way. I am not at all sure about going to Melbourne at that time of year though - too much like a big city and too many school holiday makers around. Its not Melbourne's best time of year either I think.
I would most definately go to the reef and you will get some great deals at the resorts too at that time of year.

Agree with northie about New Year's Eve - Sydney is a must for this. Make sure to get a hotel room facing the harbour, you won't regret it.

Lavandula

Hi all, you've convinced us, we are going to the Reef. We'll probably have to cut short our time in Sydney, but we were being generous there anyway. We have friends in Sydney and Melbourne, so it wouldn't feel right going all the way there and not seeing them. Who knows if/when we'd go back.

So here's our tentative itinerary - feedback please!
Dec 23 - leave NYC
Dec 25 - arrive Cairns - doing this on purpose so we can rest on the day everything is closed
Dec 26 - 27 - see Reef and Kuranda
Dec 28 morning - Fly to Sydney
Dec 28 - Jan 2 - See Sydney
Jan 2 - Fly to Melbourne
Jan 5 - Fly to New Zealand, South Island
Jan 5-12 - Drive around -- -- we're planning to fly from Melbourne into Queenstown. This way we can do Te Anau/Milford first, and work our way up to Franz Josef, maybe Mt. Cook and then end in Christchurch. Thoughts?
Jan 12 - End in Christchurch, fly back to NYC

Small change to this, looks like it's very hard (and long and $$) to get from Melbourne to Queenstown, so we'll have to fly into/and out of Christchurch. New itinerary:

Dec 23 - leave NYC
Dec 25 - arrive Cairns - doing this on purpose so we can rest on the day everything is closed
Dec 26 - 27 - see Reef and Kuranda
Dec 28 morning - Fly to Sydney
Dec 28 - Jan 2 - See Sydney
Jan 2 - Fly to Melbourne
Jan 5 - Fly to New Zealand, South Island into Christchurch
Jan 5-12 - Drive around -- We would like to hit Te Anau/Milford, Franz Josef, maybe Mt. Cook and then end in Christchurch. Thoughts on order and how many days to spend in each locale?
Jan 12 - End in Christchurch, fly back to NYC

"I think we're going to rule out the reef and get our nature portion in NZ"

I love both Aus and NZ. They compliment each other nicely. Australia's strength is the "nature portion" - so it seems crazy to me to just see the big cities. If you do go to Melbourne, dont miss out on a trip out to the Otway Peninsula and the Great Ocean Rd. I would allow at least a couple of days for that.

We're not skipping the Reef anymore. We actually just booked out hotel in Cairns! We just need to figure out New Zealand now, which is proving more tricky. Too many options and such limited time. Hopefully I get some help in the NZ forum!

Suzy_Q - Am trying to get my head around a trip to Europe, so understand what you are going through. So glad you are going to the reef. Be aware it's possibly disappointing in rough weather and when it's overcast and raining (colours aren't as good). Do you snorkel or dive? You need to consider this as some reefs are shallower than others. The reef trips out from Port Douglas, north of Cairns, I am told are much better for divers as they are deeper so not as good for snorkeling. Not sure about shallow reefs out from Cairns but am told Eddy Reef, out from Mission Beach, 1hr 40min south of Cairns is apparently very good for snorkeling. Ditto the comments above about stinger suits. The beauty of Cairns is not only the fantastic mountain and sea backdrops but the fact that within a one - two hour radius you can experience so much diversity - beautiful and changing scenery and things to do from coastal/sea/reef/lowland rainforest environment to upland rainforest, crater lakes, old growth rainforest, savannah. (Rainforest meets the reef). If you have time check out www.missionbeachtourism.com Hope you have a great holiday!
PS: Melbourne has a bit of a reputation for 4-seasons in one day weather. But you're going to NZ so you'll have a coat!

Hi Suzy-Q - forgot to add - we have had many complaints from young backpacker friends that Vodaphone is not good for many regional parts of Australia. Not sure about Melbourne and Sydney and NZ, so ask your friends if you were planning on using that network.

Go to the reef, so worth it See the outer reef it is mind blowing once in a lifetime experience.

Elvtee has a point as Agincourt Reef (ex Port Douglas) is not good for snorkel but from Port Douglas they also have a trip to opal reef with wavelength which is very good for snorkel. Port Douglas steals your money though. Cairns has many reef trips just make sure they go far enough out, some sneaky and only go a little way out and the vis is not great. Demand outer, outer reef!! Passion of Paradise is very good.


In December the weather is usually only on the mainland. It will be a blast.

Also agree with Elvtee for the diversity of the area worth a trip away from Cairns. Cairns is the best place on earth because there are so many places to leave town to go and see. So leave town is the key! This way or that way, makes no difference as every way has a new surprise. So good base, not much in town apart from me busking for potatoes on the nature strip outside the fruit market.:)

Hi guys, thank you all for your wonderful tips on Cairns. I am glad made the decision to go - you can't predict or control weather, but I knew we'd regret it forever if we just simply skipped it. My husband and I are not strong swimmers and also not very adventurous when it comes to water. So we'll snorkel, but we definitely won't dive. Since we'll be staying at the Sheraton Port Douglas in Cairns, I'll make a note of it to look for shallower areas for snorkeling.

And we'll be staying the Sheraton Four Points/Darling Harbor in Sydney and the Westin in Melbourne -- as you can probably tell, we had some Starwood loot racked up. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a harbor view room for our stay in Sydney, but I have a feeling we'll be out and about on New Year's Eve! Being in Sydney on NYE has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl!

Being in Sydney around Darling Harbour will be a great base too. There will be lots happening around that area. You will enjoy it very much. The cities are a great over that time of the year. The Westin in Melbourne is also one of the better hotels and it is in a good location so you will enjoy it very much.
Cairns will be very humid and very hot. You can do day trips out to the reef. If I were you I would go ahead and do one. I am not a strong swimmer either, but some of the tours will take you on the water in glass bottom boat, or you can view the reef from a small submarine. Totally recommend this.

Hi - I've been to Aussie about 17 times in 30 years and specialize in planning travel. One thing about the reef is that much of it is in the Wet and Cyclone season from Dec-March. You need to be careful about where to access it or end up in miserable weather. The Aussie summer is brutal and some parts of Australia - such as the Outback - almost undo-able, unless 114 degrees and billions of flies are fun.
Let me know if I can help
Carol [email protected]

Carol, this is NOT a place to tout for business and let me say here that I have looked you up and you are touting for business from Chicago yet. There is no suggestion that the poster is going to the outback and by asking questions on this forum she is wanting "genuine & knowledgeable answers".
We have been over the information about the GBR and from someone who LIVES there and others who have been many, many times and who LIVE in Australia, so butt out! Accessing the reef from one part or another to somehow get better weather is crap and it makes no difference where it is accessed weather wise.

PS Carol:
What a stupid name, KoalaKiwi, that about as silly as calling yourself Maple Syrup Gumbo

Suzy_Q - you do realise that Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas is in Port Douglas, not Cairns? Port Douglas is about an hour's drive north of Cairns.

If you're staying in Port Douglas suggest you use Wavelength or Calypso out of there for your reef trip. Wavelength takes only about 30 people and is snorkel only, Calypso is snorkel and dive, but have never experienced any inconvenience as a snorkeller because of its diving option.