Hi, my husband and I are making our second visit but our first one for our two teenages. We were planning on flying to Sydney for a few days then flying to Cairns for a week, to see everything, drive to Cookstown. Then we are renting a car and driving down the coast back to Sydney for another 5 days to do the bridge climb and see something at the Opera House, Blue Mountains...any other suggestions? I read the posts weekly and wonder if we shouldn't fly to another area for a few days!! Thanks for any suggestions

By the way we are going this July!!

Hi Diane: <BR>You might consider Melbourne and/or Hobart, Tasmania. We did both of these places on our second visit last November and fell in love with them. <BR>John

I would agree with John. The Melbourne area/Victoria, and Tasmania are my favorite areas in Australia. But in July with teenagers, maybe not the best time to make them a special trip. However, my teenager is in Melbourne now and loves it, and just visited Tasmania and loved it---but it will be colder still in July. Do your kids like snow? The Victorian Alps are beautiful and there is more skiable snow there than in the Swiss Alps. Driving down the Coast to Sydney should be great. While I don't like the Gold Coast myself, there are places along the way from Cairns that teenagers would love like Byron Bay---a real young person's hangout--and Surfer's Paradise. Anywhere where there is surfing would be fun for them, I think, and the weather should be great. Would they like going to the Red Centre. July is a good time to go see Uhluru, Broome, King's Canyon, McDonnal Ranges-- <BR>but out of your way. Also Western Australia is supposed to be wonderful for younger people (Perth). Personally, I think you have very fortunate kids who should have a great time unless they are stuck too long in the car!!! Have fun!

Thank you so much for the information, my son does love to surf and has just started snowboarding.....diane

<BR>I would suggest Fraser Island & Noosa Heads north of Brisbane, and Surfer's Paradise & Byron Bay to the south of it. There's also a beautiful rain forest in the Gold Coast hinterland called Binna Burra that's a very easy drive between Surfers and Byron. <BR> <BR>If I were you, I might re-think driving all the way from Cairns to Sydney. It's a very long way and the highways are probably not what you're used to. Between the cities, there's really very little to see or enjoy. <BR> <BR>Not to be a downer -- I love Australia & think 30 days will be great. Consider the Great Ocean Road between Melbourne and Adelaide.

Thanks Steve,,,That's the route my husband and I drove 11 years ago by ourselves. I was wondering about the distance and was thinking of flying now from Brisbane back to Sydney but I would miss Surfer's and Byron Bay. We are staying in Noosa for 3 days after staying in the Whitsundays for 4 days.

<BR>How about flying from Cairns to Brisbane & driving up to Noosa & then down to Sydney from there. <BR> <BR>That way you can hit the Gold Coast & Byron and skip the unpopulated rural highway of mid-Queensland?

How about flying from Cairns to Brisbane & driving up to Noosa & then down to Sydney from there? <BR> <BR>That way you can still hit the Gold Coast & Byron but skip the unpopulated rural highways of central Queensland.