Australia help
 

We just booked tickets flying into Sydney and leaving Melbourne. We arrive early on 9/3 and will be taking the train to Perth on 9/7 arriving in Perth on 9/10. We're thinking of visiting the Blue Mountains on those days prior to the train. Any suggestions? In addition our plan currently is to fly back to Melbourne on 9/10 then rent a car to drive a little ways on the Great Ocean Hwy. our flight home leaves on 9/13. Should we see a little of Perth or go straight to Melbourne and do the drive? Thanks in advance for any advice.

September in Western Australia is wildflower time and WA is noted for it's magnificent range of flowers, so I'd definitely allow some time in Perth. If you can't get out of the city to the countryside, at least take a day to walk through Kings Park which usually has great displays of flowers.
Can you stretch your holiday to allow more time in WA and still have at least four days to do the Great Ocean Road, visit the Grampians (kangaroos and koalas and great scenery) and have some time in Melbourne.

I agree with Marg. unless your primary purpose in coming to Australia is to take the Indian Pacific, I'd recommend flying and seeing more of each place & surrounds.

For ease of date recognition - you may wish to use dd/mm format, as used here & the rest of the world - or 7 - 10 October, etc.

The Great Ocean Road needs at least 2-3 days to really so it justice. If you only have one day, I'd suggest you let someone else do the driving & take a tour. It will be a long day, but at least you can relax & see as much as possible & then rest on the way back to Melbourne.

The Blue Mountains is a good choice, can easily be done as a day trip independently - but well worth an overnight or two if you have the time and want to do some bushwalks/ see Jenolan Caves or explore a little more.

October is a great time to be in Australia - hope you have a wonderful time.

Holy smokes, you're going to spend nearly 30% of your trip on a train?

JayZeezus, I'd rethink and spend more time in Perth or Melbun (that's how the Aussies say it) or Sydney or somewhere other than traveling across a sandy limbo for 2.5 days.

Sheeyoot, we love Adelaide but I won't suggest you go there because we want to retire there and you might get the same idea and inflate the real estate market . . . but all that said, you could also visit Adelaide or SOMEWHERE other than the train tracks.

Go to your local B&N (guessing you're American and that's basically the only bookstore now) and read Bill Bryson's chapter on taking the trans-Aussie train to Perth. Made it seem riotously dull.

Good old Bill also gave WA short shrift!

I can't imagine going all the way to WA and not seeing some of it - it's a third of the continent!

I lived in Perth for seven years - loved it - there is so much to see and do. At the very least, get yourself to Kings Park, Cottesloe Beach and the Swan Valley.

Sounds like you're spending all of your time getting to places, and not spending any time in the places you're going so far to see.

<<Good old Bill also gave WA short shrift!>>

He gave much of the country short shrift.

And yeah, I'd limit the travel to and from and hike the amount of time "IN." By "in," I don't mean in your seat on a train.

<He gave much of the country short shrift.>

Indeed he did.

My mum recently told me of the her Indian Pacific adventure but was somewhat underwhelmed by it. However, if you are committed to it or like train travel in particular then enjoy it to the fullest extent.

Perth is the worlds most remote capital city and has a lot to offer, if you are going all the way there, definitely hand around for a few days. Rent a car and head to Margaret River if you like wine and food (or head out to Swan Valley if you want a day trip out of perth). Spend some time down by the river, wander the city. Go the the gardens. You can easily spend some time in what is a beautiful place before flying back to melbourne

In Australia, 9/3 means 9th March. 9/10 means 9th October.

Just saying .......

@Peter_S

Yes - it would appear they have several months for this trip = 9 March to 9 October at least.