Australia in June or July
 

Message: Hi again, <BR> <BR>I am planning a surprise trip to Australia for my fiance in June or July (that is the only time we can go - do you think it is a good time to go?) and I only have two weeks. <BR> <BR>We are trying to see Sydney, Great Barrier Reef/Whitsundays, Adelaide/Kangaroo Island, and Ningaloo Reef in this time period. <BR> <BR>My fiance's dream had been to go diving with whale sharks, and I know that Ningaloo Reef/Exmouth is the place to go. <BR> <BR>1) What I would like to know is if anyone thinks that there will really be enough whale sharks around in June to make going all the way to Western Australia worth it, with such limited time? <BR> <BR>2) Also, can anyone provide me with any advice about getting to Exmouth/Ningaloo Reef? Also, Do you have any idea what would be the least time consuming, and more cost-effective? <BR> <BR>Lastly, I know these are a lot of questions, but this is a trip of a lifetime (I am working tons of Overtime to pay for this trip!!), and I want to make sure I do it right... <BR> <BR>4) What are absolute must-sees, in your opinion, in and around Sydney, Adelaide, and the Great Barrier Reef/Whitsundays? <BR> <BR>5) And, what is the best Whitsunday to stay on? <BR> <BR>6) Is there any nightlife in the Whitsundays (by nightlife, I just mean a couple of good places to get drinks and meet some folks)? <BR> <BR>7) Would love to go to authentic Outback Aussie pub! Is this possible from where I am going to be? <BR> <BR>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE!!! <BR>I promise when I come back I will write the most detailed report and answer all questions to try and help someone else like you all are helping me!!! <BR> <BR>Vicki :) <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <BR>

Vicki, you may find it a problem to cover all those places in just two weeks. Put Port Douglas (just north of Cairns) on the top of your list for that time of year. www.looksmart.com.au is a good place to do some searches on some of the places you are asking about. <BR>Peg.

I really think you are trying to fit too much into 2 weeks. You are trying to get to every edge of the continent in 2 weeks! <BR> <BR>Also - you might want to check the weather for the June July period. It's pretty cold here in Sydney then (max around 18C - though can be colder. Temperatures in Adelaide would be colder. Around Cairns/Great Barrier reef will be around mid 20's (78 F for you) <BR> <BR>Given that it is winter, you might be better off sticking to the far north, so Great Barrier Reef, and maybe the Northern Territory (Ayers Rock etc.) <BR>

Weather is so variable. We spent a month in Sydney and Melbourne mid July to mid August this year and the weather was glorious. T shirts most days.

Vicki, are you planning to travel the world??? Australia and South Africa postings???

I agree with other commentators that you are best to stick to more northern areas in June and July, as it will be warmer, and theoretically, anyway, it is their dry season. You can swim the beaches at this time of year in Tropical Queensland, as the box jellyfish are gone. Any of the towns, and cities will have a variety of drinking establishments, including what you probably think of as a traditional Aussie pub. Airlie Beach is a service centre kind of town for the Whitsunday Islands, and has a variety of accomodation, and restaurants. You can book a reef tour here, and/or trips out to the islands themselves. Whitehaven island has the whitest sand beaches I have ever seen, ( bring sunglasses). In addition to Cairns, and Port Douglas, you might want to check out Magnetic Island off Townsville. It has lots of great beaches, and some nice hiking trails.

To Confused: <BR>No, not planning on traveling the world, just OZ and South Africa - is that alright with you? Also, didn't know we were weren't allowed to leave posts for more than one destination... Why are you even thinking about this anyway? <BR> <BR>To Peg, Caitlin, Mary, and Thor: <BR>Thank you for the advice and honest answers - your insight has been extremely useful, and has helped me narrow down my choices. I will certainly let you know how it goes!! <BR> <BR>Please let me know if I can ever be of any assistance in any way!

Vicki, I don't know if you are planning to do these trips at the same time abut I do know it is much more economical to take an around the world ticket. I happen to know these two countries fairly well, having traveled them fairly extensively. I cannot understand why people become so aggressive. It certainly is not conducive to share information.

To confused: If somebody wanted to share some info with you, I think you need a better e-mail address.

Must see: <BR> <BR>Blue Mountains <BR>North Coast of NSW especially Dorrigo national park + Bellinger Valley <BR>Sydney harbour

This may be a bit late but I have some information regarding Exmouth and the Ningaloo reef in July. Last July, we up to Exmouth from Perth and back in about 10 days. It is a long drive with very little in the way of "scenery"...However the outback landscape was different, teeming with wildlife, huge termite mounds, and VERY remote in places. We somtimes drove for hours without seeing any other vechicles on the highway or towns/roadhouses to stop at. Lots of great stops can be made along the way including Kalbarri (great hiking), Monkey Mia, Coral Bay (the best snorkelling in Australia...just a few feet into the water...and the beaches are truly awesome) Exmouth and Cape Range National Park have some of the most beautiful, unspoiled beaches I have ever seen. I think the whale shark season is in May and June but I may be wrong. You can go swimming with the Manta Rays in July though. North Western Aus. may not be for everyone as it is vast, unspoiled and not very "toursity" but those are the reasons why we loved it so much. In my opinion, the GBR and the beaches of East Aus. paled by comparison.