3 weeks with my parents (60+) where to go?
 

Dear all,

I am taking my parents (60+) to Australia for the first time. They are reasonably agile and interested in art/ culture, nature/ gardens, food, crafts... not so much into sports/beaches/adventure.

We are flexible with time, is 3 weeks a good length? We don't have to cover everything. We prefer spending a little more time in fewer places rather than cover it all!

Would you give a recommended itinerary please? Any must sees or events for Feb/March 2011?

Many thanks!
Weiwei

Three weeks is fine. For a first trip, you could concentrate on the big three: Sydney, Rock (Ayres Rock or Uluru) and Reef (GBR/Cairns/Cape Tribulation areas in Far North Queensland). Even though you say your parents are not interested in beaches, the Great Barrier Reef is in a class of its own and should not be missed, if at all possible. These three destinations would give you a combination of city life (in one of the world's most beautiful), outback and the tropical north.

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

The Sydney/Rock/Reef combo is always a good one for a taste of Australia. And I agree with Orlando that the Great Barrier Reef should not be missed even if your parents aren't into beaches.

However, with 3 weeks, I would plan on more than Sydney/Rock/Reef. I'd devote about 5 days to Sydney (including a day trip to the Blue Mountains), 3 days for Uluru and 4-5 days for Great Barrier Reef (Cairns or the northern beaches/Port Douglas) including day trips to Kuranda and Daintree National Park. Based on the interests of your parents, I would add Melbourne and/or Canberra. Both will have the art/culture, nature/gardens and food that you mention.

BTW, what do YOU want to see and do?

Sydney and Melbourne, the largest cities offer so much for art & culture and fantastic city life - not only that, they are gorgeous cities to explore with lots to do and see, beautiful gardens and parks, sights and fantastic food (but you get that everywhere in Australia) and you can also do short day tours outside of the city areas for some fresher air and an aussie bush experience...
The Blue Mountains is only an hour or so out of Sydney and worth visiting - so beautiful! and the same with Melbourne - there are some lovely country towns not far out of the city.
i think 5 days in each city would be wonderful!!
Cairns will give you give a whole different outlook and give you time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Australia, ive never been but everyone i know that has says its just so beautiful!

all the above are great but try to include Tasmania,,,many companies run good trips from the north to the south...usually about 4 to 5 days.or visit Hobart,and the surrounding towns in 4 days.take train trip,,,very relaxing on the Ghan....you'll see so much of the inland that way.
moonrise

As you'll most likely go to Cairns for the GBR I suggest that you and your parents will like the Atherton Tablelands.

I have copied something below from another post.

Just west of the Tablelands is Undara with the largest lava tunnels in the world and Chillago with its limestone caves. Either would give a bit more of an 'outback' experience to go with that of the Centre.

On the Atherton Tablelands I would suggest you visit the information centre in Mareeba which has a heritage museum attached. Granite Gorge for the Mareeba Rock Wallabies and walks.

At Atherton the lookout from Hallorans Hill will give you a good overview of the Tablelands. Yungaburra is a good place to stay as it is close to the Curtain Fig and the Crater Lakes National Park. There are walks along Petersen Creek in Yungaburra and around the lakes but there are shorter walks there too. Yungaburra has a market on the fourth Saturday of each month. It has a variety of farmers produce, arts and crafts on sale. Tarzali Lakes fish farm is a great place to see Platypus if you miss them at Petersen Creek.

The Malanda information centre with its wonderful displays will probably not be rebuilt by then.

Herberton has a mining museum and a privately owned photographic museum and a Heritage Village of restored buildings kitted out with paraphernalia fitting their old uses.

At Millaa Millaa there is a little museum created by the Eacham Historical Society which produces excellent little books about various aspects of life in the area. The Falls circuit is worth doing and there are short walks there.

At Mt Hypipamee there is a short walk to a huge hole in the ground. I tell high school kids who are too cool to be interested in geology that this is where the earth farted.

In Ravenshoe the visitor centre has a wonderful display of the culture of the local rainforest Aborigines.

I would most certainly miss out going to Uluru and the Red Centre if you are coming in February/March as it will be stinking hot and certainly very trying so say the least.
Sydney - Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef area and perhaps Tasmania would be my choices. Tasmania has a maritime climate and will be very pleasant and there are many things to see there both historical and cultural plus it has Australia's best food. Cairns will be humid but as there is not just the reef to see but the Tablelands beind Cairns as well you will have a wonderful time in and around that area. Of course Sydney with its harbour and surrounds and that could include a couple of day trips perhaps as well.

You have chosen amazing three weeks. Please concentrate on Garden, sight seen for this and I think beaches are also good for this.

In Sydney don't miss the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The museum building is great and has excellent views. The museum also has a unique collection of Australian art, including an interesting gallery of art by Aboriginal Australians. They also have a special exhibition of terracotta warriors and horse on loan from China through March 13 (advanced tickets recommended):
http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/

The Art Gallery of NSW is next to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain, which is a beautiful garden where you can often see fantastic birds on the lawns and high in the trees. They also host a festival in March, "Autumn of the Arts."
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/welcome...otanic_gardens
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/AutumnOfTheArts

The Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour is a REALLY GREAT aquarium. Plus, if you visit the aquarium, you can actually see the marine life that lives in Sydney Harbor. You can get there by taking the ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbor. There is also a monorail that goes to Darling Harbour, which is kind of fun.
http://sydneyaquarium.myfun.com.au/

The Taronga Zoo is also wonderful. The setting is unbelievable on a hillside overlooking the water.
http://www.taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo

You can take the ferry to the zoo right from Circular Quay:
http://www.sydneyferries.info/upload.../TarongaTT.pdf

Ferry rides in Sydney are often great, day or night. It's such a thrill to see the Opera House from the water.

You might want to attend a performance at the Sydney Opera House.
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

As your parents enjoy art, they might also want to visit Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art. In February/March they are hosting a special exhibition of works by the American celebrity photographer, Annie Leibovitz:
http://www.mca.com.au/
http://mca.com.au/default.asp?page_i...ontent_id=7400

Thank you everyone for the good ideas! I had an impression that Great Barrier Reefs are more for the adventure seeking. Can someone tell me what activities people actually do there and what options do I have if none of us want to dive? Thanks!

There's lots of things to do around the Great Barrier Reef that don't require diving.

First, you absolutely have to see the Reef. There are a number of boats that go to the Outer Reef and you can do everything from dive to snorkel to see the Reef from a semisubmersible (just 3 feet underwater) to see the Reef from a viewing platform. It sounds like the best choice for your group would be Quicksilver which offers all of the above. You could dive or snorkel the reef and your could parents enjoy seeing the reef while they stay dry. See http://www.quicksilver-cruises.com/wavepiercer.htm

Other activities in the area of Cairns/Port Douglas include the train and Skyrail to Kuranda (rainforest, shopping, attractions); Tjapukai Aboriginal Center near Cairns; Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas to see a variety of Australian animals (go for Breakfast with the Birds!); tours to the Atherton Tablelands; tours to Daintree National Park to see a World Heritage Site rainforest.

I agree with Longhorn55, that the Cairns and surrounds have heaps of things to see and do other than adventure seeking. I have been going there for years and never done any adventure seeking and I am as old + as your parents. Some of the World's most unique fauna and flora can be found around that district i.e the tree climbing Kangaroo, White Lemuriod Possum ( beautiful creature ) Many of the most beautiful birds are found only in that area. There are also places like the Lava Tubes on the Atherton Tablelands. Stay at a little zoo which is also has a B&B in the Daintree and play with the Australian Animals - Called Daintree Wild ( Google it and see how lovely it is ).
If you don't want to go that far north then have a look at the special prices on the Gold Coast for 4 people that I have posted - get a car there and tour around the hinterland of that area which is very beautiful. There are craft markets every week at Carrara and many smaller markets with craft all around the surrounding areas. See Gloworms in their natural habitat. Visit wineries, galleries, craft shops on Tamborine Mountain. The list goes on and on.