30 Day Australia Itinerary Feedback
 

We are a 60+ couple planning our first visit (a 5 week trip) to Australia next Sept. We've put together the following itinerary and would appreciate feedback. Are we spending the correct number of days in each place. Would you change anything?
Also, we are thinking of renting a car in Cairns/PD. Is it easy to get around the area with a car or should we just arrange tours and leave the driving to others there? We are not scuba divers or snorkelers but would like to see the reef via boat, helicopter or balloon. We want to visit the Daintree and Cape Tribulation area and also Kuranda as well as have a few days on the beach.

Sydney 6 days (7 nights) with a day trip to the Blue Mountains while here
Port Douglas - fly from Sydney to Cairns (4-1/2 days) (5 nights)
Cairns - 2 days/nights
Brisbane - Fly from Cairns to Brisbane (2-1/2 days) (3 nights)
Melbourne - Fly from Brisbane (2-1/2 days) (3 nights)
P/U car in Melbourne and drive the GOR (4 nights) stopping at Apollo Bay, Port Fairy, Robe, Victor Harbor
Drive to Cape Jervis and take ferry to Kangaroo Island (3 full days and 4 nights); plan to spend first night in Kingscote, the next 2 nights in Flinderchase NP and the last night in Penneshaw
Return to Cape Jervis and drive to the Adelaide hills, visit Hahndorf and area; return to Adelaide
2 nights in Adelaide; fly to Sydney late afternoon for airport stay before return to US.

Looks like a good plan on the surface.

I'm wondering what you have in mind for your Brisbane stay? It's a nice city, but I might be tempted to add those days to your GOR - Adelaide drive, so that you could include some of the Grampians. Or have little more time in the wine valleys around Adelaide.

September is a lovely time to be here.
Hope you have a super trip

Thanks Bokhara for our reply.
I was adding Brisbane to see the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Dolphin Adventure. We may need to re-look at this area and evaluate adding more days to the Grampians.

We didn't rent a car in Cairns but after having been there, it appears easy enough to get around and we would rent a car next time. Looks like you're splitting your 7 nights there between PD and Cairns? If you decide to rent a car, I might spend a few nights in the Atherton Tablelands or Cape Trib or both. If you don't rent a car, it will be more convenient to base yourself in PD/Cairns. We enjoyed our helicopter reef trip.

I agree with Patty - we rented a car at Cairns, drove to PD where we spent 5 nights, then drove back to Cairns via the Atherton Tablelands where we did a wildlife tour with Alan Gillanders. it was only one night but we learnt and saw so much and it was one of the highlights of our trip.

We liked Brisbane but unless you are going to be there for the cricket, like we were, 2 nights would probably do it.

Patty & Anhig,
Thanks for your feedback! Sounds like we should take some more time in the Atherton Tablelands or Cape Trib. We were thinking of taking a day tour to this area but will need to re-look at renting car and staying overnight there.

Annhig: Is Alan Gillanders a private individual or was this with a group?

Alan Gilanders is an individual, who does group & individual tours.

Highly recommended

http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/

thanks for posting that link, Bokhara.

Karen, it's possible to do organised day trips to Cape Tribulation from PD but also to do it by yourselves as a trip in a car. but for the Tablelands, you'd need your own wheels.

We did take a private tour to the Tablelands but next time we'd drive ourselves and stay overnight.

Patty & annhig,

Thanks for the great info. So much to think about. We usually have a car in Europe so may rethink renting a car and doing some of these sites ourselves.

Bokhara, thanks for link on Paul. We'll check him out.

Annhig,

Just looked at Alan's website. Which tour did you do with him?

Karen, you may well see koalas in the wild on your GOR - Adelaide drive



http://m.visitvictoria.com/Things-to...leRedirected=1

Karen, I just e-mailed Alan and told him what our rough dates were and what we were interested in [which was animals as well as birds]. He then came back with some ideas, and rough costings which we agreed and then we finalised the meeting arrangements etc.

we spent just over 24 hours with him - we met him off a bus somewhere convenient for both of us at 9am [we were coming from PD] and then he took us on an all day tour, ending up at Yungaburra where he is based, and where he had arranged a motel for us. after checking in and dinner with some people we met in the motel, we met up with him and did a night-time tour of the area, trying to spot the nocturnal wildlife. Then we met up with him again the next morning and spent another 3-4 hours with him working our way towards Cairns where we had a mid afternoon flight out.

all very easy and he is both knowledgeable and good company.

Your trip sounds great!

Agree with the suggestions that it may be a good idea to hire a car for Port Douglas. I was there a few years back for 6 nights (4 nights Port Douglas and 2 nights Kuranda). If I did it again I'd just base myself around Port Douglas as it's an easy drive to see Cairns and Kuranda as day trips. I also wish I'd spent a few nights in Cape Tribulation. Kuranda also has the koala gardens.

The wine region around Adelaide is also worth spending a night of two if you have time. Our last long trip there we stayed 3 nights in the Barossa and 2 nights in Adelaide.

Perhaps even take a night of Sydney (but that's just because I'm not a fan of this city), though you may have something planned for there. I've done a tour in the Blue Mountains and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also from memory the tour I did went to a wildlife park where you can have a photo with the koalas.

annhig, thanks for the info on Alan. We will email him to set up a tour similar to yours. We are interested in wildlife and birds too. It sounds like a great way to see and learn about the area.

Rellie: thanks for your input. From everyone's comments, it sounds like we will rent a car and do some of these sites on our own. Did you stay overnight in the Blue Mountains? We are debating about doing a day trip there with a tour or going there for a couple of days.

It sounds like we will re-look at eliminating Brisbane and spending a night in Cape Trib and Atherland Tablelands. Maybe add another night in Melbourne or GOR.

Karen, if you can swing it, I think an overnight in the Blue Mountains is a good idea.

I'm a local and do day trips if I want to see a garden or exhibition, or just go for a drive, but also like staying the night.

I'm not generally a fan of group tours & especially up there, where there is a good variety of things you might like to see & do - and not necessarily at the same pace as the group.

It's only about 90 minutes drive and I like to go up via the Bells Line of Road & come back via the Great Western Highway through the mountain towns ( or vice-versa).

If you do decide to stay the night, there are several nice restaurants and a good choice of accommodation options. Leura & Blackheath are my choices, although next trip I might stay at The Carrington in Katoomba, just because it's a charming old hotel. And has a fabulous cellar & coffee shop in its old Boiler Room.

Have a look at Airbnb, Stayz & booking.com to get an idea of what's available.

Bokhara,
Thanks so much for your feedback. It's great to hear from locals who have a good insight. We generally do not take tours when we go places but I wasn't sure about driving in the mountains. It sounded like the kind of place we'd like to linger more than a day, so glad to hear your view. We will definitely reconsider and stay overnight. Thanks also for the hotel tips.

Sounds like a busy but good plan to me. Like others have said, I'd ditch Brisbane to allow yourselves more time in other places. Also cuts out a flight. The Grampians are beautiful if you've time. If you do go to the Grampians, if you're interested in wildlife try to get to Zumsteins, where lots of kangaroos come out at dusk. Just don't attempt to touch (not safe) or feed (they need to stay wild) them. Many years since I was there so might pay to check current situation there.

dreamon: Thanks for your feedback. Based on everyone's feedback, we've decided to cut out Brisbane and add some time to Cape Trib/Daintree area and either Atherton Tablelands or Grampians and/or add a night or 2 to Blue Mountains instead of doing it as a day trip from Sydney. Too many places to see and not enough time!

We're still traveling so I haven't posted a trip report yet, but we spent flew into Cairns, rented a car and immediately drove up to the Daintree area where we spent 3 nights. Then we toured for a half and full day in the Mossman and Tablelands area with Del Richards, who was great.

We're stuck on our Blue Mountains visit. We had thought of renting a car and staying one night. But after reading more comments we're now wondering if the hassle of a car is worth it and maybe we just take the train up to Katoomba, spend the first day doing Scenic World's offerings, and some not to strenuous walks, overnight, maybe at Carrington's, then the next day catching up on other sights that can be gotten to without a car, maybe using the the local loop bus, and then return via the train or a river cruise. We even wonder if there's any reason to spend two nights.

Our other option was to use a tour company, like OZ or Blue Diamond, which have mostly day trips, though we were going to check out an overnight option. We tend to like though not doing tours that might limit our ability to spend more time if we like at one spot or another.

On our return we'd stay at SYD airport for an early flight next morning to Cairns.

So we'd like to hear opinions. What would be your recommendations for the Blue Mountains?

I'd drive.

It's very straight forward, about 90 minutes and infinitely more flexible than either taking public transport or doing a tour. Useful to carry your luggage if you're checking out of your Sydney hotel.

I think one night would probably be sufficient. If you wanted to extend to the Jenolan Caves or out to the Central West ( Orange/ Mudgee), you might add a night.

If you really didn't want to drive from Sydney, you could always do as you suggested & take the train - and rent a car in Katoomba. Or use the local buses. I just like the flexibility of having my own wheels.

I can't comment on tours; I'm a local, haven't done one, so have no first hand knowledge.

The "river cruise" isn't all that convenient if your destination is the airport. It's a catamaran from Parramatta to Circular Quay, part of the Sydney Ferry system.

Bokhara2,

Thanks. We're leaning to just one night based on your comments. We also didn't want to complicate the time there by having to worry about the car so we'll look at the local transportation options. Let you know what we decide.

I think we are getting closer to finalizing our plans.
Bokara, we've decided to take your advice and rent a car and drive to the Blue Mountains. We do like the freedom of having our own wheels brings. We basically removed Brisbane and added time in Blue Mountains and Daintree/Cape Trib area. We will look into private tour of the Tablelands while in PD too.

Day 1: Arrive Sydney evening (overnight here)
Days 2-5: Sydney
Day 6: P/U car, drive to Blue Mountains & overnight
Day 7: All day in Blue Mountains; drive to Sydney airport hotel late evening; overnight here
Day 8: Fly early am to Cairns - p/u car and drive to PD
Day 9-12: Port Douglas (reef cruise, Kuranda, beach day,tablelands)
Day 13: Drive to Daintree/Cape Trib for 2 nights
Day 14: Daintree/Cape Trib (hiking, horseback riding)
Day 15: Drive to Cairns airport for noon flight to Melbourne thru Brisbane, arrive early evening
Day 16-18: Melbourne (city tour, Phillip Island, Steam Train)
Day 19: P/U car and start GOR drive; overnight Apollo Bay
Day 20: Port Fairy (GOR)
Day 21: Robe (GOR)
Day 22: Victor Harbor (GOR)
Day 23: Drive to Cape Jervis and ferry to Penneshaw KI am; overnight in Kingscote after touring Parandana, Stokes Bay area
Day 24-25: Drive to Flinderchase NP area, tour this area today and tomorrow; overnight in Flinderchase NP these nights?
Day 26: Drive to American River area and overnight in Penneshaw
Day 27: Early ferry back to Cape Jervis, drive north to Hahndorf and surrounding area; arrive Adelaide late afternoon or early evening
Day 28: Adelaide
Day 29: Return car in Adelaide and Fly back to Sydney airport hotel
Day 30: Fly back to US

How does this look? Also, does anyone have experience on Kangaroo Island? Does it make sense for us to move to different part of the island for days 24 & 25 or should we stay in the same hotel the entire time and drive to the different areas each day?
We appreciate your feedback as always.
Karen

We spent 3 nights on KI and split our stay between 1 night in Penneshaw and 2 nights at Hanson Bay cabins on the western end. I think it makes sense because it does take a while to get from one end to the other. Also we wanted to limit any driving after dark due to the amount of wildlife (I've never seen so much road kill before or since). Make sure your rental car company will allow the car to be taken on the ferry to KI.

Patty: How did you like Hanson Bay? We were considering that place. From what I've read we will be able to take the car onto the island but cannot drive after dark. We need to confirm all this with the rental agency first. Did you rent a car on the island take it with you on the ferry?

We flew from Adelaide to Kingscote and rented a car on the island but had similar restrictions (higher deductible after dark). We really liked Hanson Bay. We stayed in the older cabins which were rustic but had everything you needed and a nice view. We did their nocturnal walk and staying there meant we only had to drive a very short distance from the cabins to where the tour started. We were able to see kangaroos and wallabies on our walks near the cabin.

Patty, thanks for your feedback. We'll put Hanson Bay on our short list.

Karen- you can see (and cuddle) koalas in Adelaide at Cleland Wildlife Park. Many other native animals up close & able to be approached. Cleland is not far from Adelaide, in the Adelaide foothills. Easily accessable by public transport if you don't wish to drive.

Trotsky - thanks for the info - we will definitely put the Cleland Wildlife Park on our places to visit while in Adelaide.