Australia - first time
 

Hi everyone

Considering a trip to Australia at the end of November for two weeks.

Nothing is settled yet, this is idle looking at this point. I imagine it will be two weeks, although I don't know if that is door to door or in-country (which then means it's actually 16 days).

I have friends in Sydney I've been promising to visit since last year. So I will be spending more time there than I might if I were going solo. Well, one couple lives in Manly. The other family is in Sydney or at least closer to it than Manly.

Another couple lives near Tuggerah lake but they might be in Europe when I am there.

Other friends live in Melbourne but I am not sure I will venture down there this time. Given the amount of time I'm planning, it might amount to deciding "Ocean Road, or, Great Barrier Reef, or Uluru, pick two of them". I don't think I can visit four places in two weeks but I can fit three I believe including Sydney.

Any tips? Especially picking one place over the other, and, is traveling between places in Australia very expensive or the typical cost I am used to spending when moving about in Europe or the USA for instance?

I am good with either driving myself upon landing at various spots, or, tour operator for the visits such as Uluru or GBR. I don't mind a package for the outings, each foray I expect would be a three night trip and then on to the next one. Right?

I haven't looked into lodging yet, although I am guessing when in Sydney I have a place to stay. I don't want to assume that, but possibly a night or two with each set of friends there.

Anyway, my first posting for my first time there! Thank you for any thoughts.

Welcome to the Australia-Pacific forum flygirl.

I'm afraid I won't be much help, as I have more experience with WA, SA and TAS than the part of the country you're considering.

You're in good hands though, as there are several posters here who will set you up.

I'll just say that Australia is quite expensive compared to Europe and the US, but the public transport is surprisingly inexpensive and quite good.

Oh, and enjoy those lovely Jacarandas!

The jacarandas are out, Melnq8 :)

Flygirl, if you come, as you swoop into Sydney you will see glorious pops of jacaranda amongst the green trees. And a carpet of purple on the footpaths & grass underneath them. Watch out if you walk in the flowers - they are slippery.

Just a couple of things that may help in your planning.
Manly is in Sydney - it’s a suburb on the northern beaches. Best reaches by the Manly ferry, 30 mins from Circular Quay. Or fast ferry I. 15 mins. From your post I thought you might be under the impression it’s a town on the central coast or somewhere away from Sydney.

Have a look at Sydney.com; Australia.com and the destination tags here and on Trip Advisor. TA is a much more active forum than Fodoes, BTW.

As Mel says, public transport within the major cities is excellent & accesses by the Opal Card in Sydney. Just google it - there is a wealth of information.

Before you do anything & especially before you start booking flights - get your ETA ( electronic Visa). Use the Australian government website.

November isn’t the ideal time to go to the Great Barrier Reef because it’s marine stinger season north of about Rockhampton, but if you’re keen, the dive & snorkel operators will supply stinger suits. Don’t go in the ocean without one.

Once you’ve had a look to see what’s available that fits your interests & time frame, by all means come back & we can help you refine your Itinerary.

Booking.com & Airbnb are useful resources for accommodation.
Webjet for flights - but book direct with the carrier.
Domestic airlines are Qantas & Virgin ( full service);
Jetstar & Tiger (Low cost ). Watch the pricing on the latter two, the full service carriers are often just as cheap once you ass all the extras into the LCCs.

You won’t need a car in Sydney or Melbourne unless you want to do a day trip out of town, but you will get the most out of Cairns & environs with your own wheels.

As for choosing...

Having snorkeled the Florida Keys, we were very disappointed in the GBR. leave that off your itinerary. But add New Zealand is you do have more time.

As for choosing...

Having snorkeled the Florida Keys, we were very disappointed in the GBR. leave that off your itinerary. But add New Zealand is you do have more time.

<<Having snorkeled the Florida Keys, we were very disappointed in the GBR. leave that off your itinerary>>

The GBR stretches for about 1500 miles, for some perspective it's the equivalent of the distance from New York to Key West, maybe you can be a little bit more specific about where you snorkeled before dismissing it for the OP

FWIW I would include a trip to Port Douglas or Cairns as its not just about the reef, but also the rainforests and the hinterland

Uluru will be extremely hot - it's the build up for the wet season and the fly season - not the best time to go there.

Melbourne - what are you interested in ? I can help you for that or even for GOR . Given your very short amount of time I would fly between cities or wherever you are going eg Sydney to Melbourne - hundreds of flights and then you could drive GOR if you wanted .

Hi everyone

Thank you so much for your replies. Bokhara, great tips and links! I did know Manly was nearby, her boyfriend works in Sydney but I got the sense from her that it can be a pain to get "into town" for dinner for instance.

The more I think about this, the more I am thinking maybe for this first trip keep it to Sydney and nearby - see my friends - and maybe down to Melbourne and the GOR. Also some friends down there...

I did a tiny bit of reading and apparently the drive north of Sydney along the coast is gorgeous. Plus some friends live along that way, too.

Also: both near Sydney and Melbourne are some great wine areas so I can visit each of those too.

I don't want to make this a marathon so I think picking those two areas for two weeks is a good idea. It will still be a lot of moving around especially if I do the drives...

I am not a fan of hot! As it is, I suspect it's going to be mighty warm where I will be anyway.. but probably not oppressive in late November/first week of December.

Thanks again... still reading...

Whoa that was fast. Applied for the ETA and by the time my payment processed I had the ETA.

I think a week in & around each Sydney & Melbourne would be a great choice for you, flygirl. As you’re finding out, there is lots to see & do in both, with day and overnight trips excellent options.

Your friends are right, it can be a bit of a pain getting in & out of town for dinner when you live in Manly. For perspective though - it takes 30 mins by normal ferry, 15 by fast ferry from Manly & 45-50 mins from Bondi by bus/bus & train to Circular Quay ( I’d rather take a ferry, but there are fewer of them from Manly than there are buses & trains south of the harbour ).

There’s some good local dining options, Pilu is one of my favourites. Also like Hugo’s, The Boathouse on Shelly Beach, Garfish, The Pantry, sitting on the deck at the Manly Skiff Club with a beer & a bucket of prawns, Four Pines, Manly Pavilion, Papi Chulo & the Manly Wharf Hotel.

You could spend a few days with each set of friends & have the perfect match of Beach & City.

My favourite day &overnight trips include

1) Blue Mountains - in your case, I’d drive. Overnight is good, but you can just do a day trip. Go up via the Great Western Highway & explorers’ mountain towns, Blaxland, Wentworth & Lawson - and back via the Bells Line of Road, Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens, wonderful orchard areas of Bilpin, Kurrajong, Nepean & Hawkesbury river flats & towns of Richmond & Windsor.

2) You can extend this to the Central West - Orange is 2 hour’s drive from the Blue Mountains & a great wine & food region. Charming small towns ( Canowindra, Carcoar, Milthorpe) rich farming, grazing, historic & current gold mining. Make it a two nighter & you have a great trip.

2) Palm Beach ferry to Woy Woy. Lunch at Fishermen’s Wharf.

3) South Coast via the Royal National Park, Scarborough, Sea Cliff Bridge, Geringong. Wineries. Back through the Southern Highlands. Overnight.

4) Canberra - either as an extension of the South Coast, or down the highway, calling into some of the Southern Highlands towns. Definitely an overnight. Two if you have time.

Great that you got your ETA so quickly! Anyone else reading this who needs one, don’t assume you will have the same instant approval.

Flygirl, I just know you are going to have a fantastic trip :)

Bokhara, thank you so much! Great ideas! This gives me an anchor to start looking.

I see I will be near four UNESCO sites among the two locales so I will try to see them.

I was surprised at how fast that ETA came through. Boom! Done.

Yes, anyone reading this, don't assume this happens all the time. I have Global Entry, though, so maybe that is why.

Hi again

Do you think seeing Melbourne and the GOR with 5 overnights is sufficient?

Sorting details with my Sydney and Sydney area friends.. I might need more time in Sydney to see everyone...

Thanks!

Yes. You could have 2 nights in Melbourne & 3 along the Great Ocean Road.

Thank you Bokhara

One of my Sydney friends told me to see the GOR one way and drive back via the rainforest. I hope I can fit that in. I think I'll have the rental car 72 hours.

If you can get a convenient time & good $ flight, flying in & out of Avalon instead of Tullamarine gets you a little closer to the Great Ocean Road entrance.

If you’re tryi)g to maximise your time, you could take a night flight to Avalon, the Express to Geelong. Stay overnight there, pick up a rental car next morning

https://www.skybus.com.au/avalon-geelong-express/

flygirl - there's only a small part of GOR in the forest , the rest is through farm lands