My husband and I are going to Australia the end of May for 3 weeks. Just wanted to get some ideas if this sounds like a reasonable itinerary - I have already checked into the flights and driving - so that part is ok, but wanted to see if there are better ways to spend my days there or if I am spending toomuch time in one area versus another.<BR><BR>4 days in Sydney<BR>1 or 2 days Blue Mtns?<BR>4 days Port Douglas area<BR>1 day Brisbane (Lamington National Park)<BR>3 days Noosa (includes day trip to Fraser Island)<BR>4 days Heron Island (diving &amp; snorkeling)<BR>3 day sailing in WhitSundays<BR>fly back to Sydney<BR><BR>Thanks for any help on this!!<BR>Jenni

Looks great wish I was coming too.

Jenni-<BR><BR>It actually sounds like you've done a fair bit of research, as your itinerary is very well planned. 4 days in Sydney is great (given you've put the blue mtns as separate) and i'd give the blue mountains 2 days. An overnight there is great, as there are wonderful cabins and places to relax, and the beauty is wondrous. You can then spend a day hiking, etc and not worry about driving back to Sydney.<BR><BR>Are you going to dive in Port Douglas? If not, 4 days might be a bit much given you're doing Heron Island and Whitsundays. Port Douglas itself is nice for the evenings, and during the day there are trips you can do to Cape Tribulation. I might suggest cutting a day or so off Port Douglas and adding a day to Noosa so you can do an overnight on Fraser Island. A full day on Fraser is worth it (I think it's my favourite place in Australia) and you can stay overnight at the Kingfisher Lodge, which is lovely.<BR><BR>As for everything else, you've done beautifully. You obviously are nature people and love the water, as you've chosen to head north rather than hitting Melbourne, which is a very cosmopolitan city but doesn't have the water sports available.

Whilst Fraser Island is nice and relaxed I would not be taking any time off the GBR area for it because there is much more to the GBR than just diving. There is the Atherton Tablelands which is worth exploring and the two beautiful lakes up there together with the waterfalls and swimming holes. <BR>I would be allowing 4 days before I even went to the reef myself. <BR>May will be getting cool for Fraser Island and Noosa unless of course you are from a very cold climate and like to swim in cold water. On Fraser there is the fresh water lakes which are crystal clear and are lovely to swim in but not at that time of year. The reef is further out from the Whitsundays than from either Cairns or PD is is also different. You get the lovely coral cays further north are the marine life around them is different from the reef around the Whitsundays. <BR>I think you have got it right now although you have a bit of tooing and frowing from Brisbane. Lamington is about a 2 1/2 drive south from Brisbane and then the same time to get to Noosa from Brisbane so you may wish to look at that aspect. I don't think you would gain all that much going to Lamington when you have already probably been to the Daintree area or Cape Tribulation in North Qld. You could add that time then to Noosa if you wished and then you could have more time to explore the hinterland behind Noosa.

I went to Fraser Island and the Whitsundays at the end of June (farther into winter) and swam, and the weather was absolutely wonderful for hiking and swimming and the like. Fraser was a lot of hiking and nature, not just relaxing.

I live in Queensland and whilst people do swim in late Autumn and in winter here we refer to them as the blue legged brigade. I put the cut off time for swimming at Noosa at about the end of April at the latest. The Whitsundays are too cool for me June, July and into August. The water is cool though not cold but it sure is if a cool breeze springs up. People from the Southern States i.e. Victoria and Tasmania swim then but anyone from Sydney north would not.<BR>I just want people to know that there are climatic changes and it is not summer all year and the water temp can be about 18 - 20 then. Fine if you like it but when you are planning an expensive holiday it is better to be forewarned than not.

I say the four days in Port are good. One day diving/snorkeling GBR, one day doing David Armbursts all day safari, one day doing the trip to Kuranda to see the markets, experience the skytram and to hold a koala at the heritage zoo. The last day you can go explore the Daintree River area and Atherton Tablelands. <BR><BR>Plus dinners in Port I've heard are great. . . Nautilus, On the Inlet, and Sardis or Salsas -- many to choose from!<BR><BR>Enjoy the trip -- it really sounds good!