My friend and I just booked a flight into Cairns for January. We are spending a month in Australia starting in Cairns and working our way down to ending in Melbourne. We aren't quite sure the best way (and most economical) to get from city to city since they are so far apart, but it looks like Greyhound has a good pass. Does anyone have any insight or suggestions?

If you want flexibility then bus could be the way but I would also look at special deals for cheap flights with both Qantas and Virgin Blue. If you don't mind planning ahead the flights on certain sectors could work out well.
Remember that the distances are 'substrantial' and by road can take a very long time indeed.

Hi

I personally wouldn't want to bus it from Cairns to Melbourne - you'll probably need to factor in some extra $$ to do things in the spots you stop at for tours or other hire things.

I don't know whether this appeals, but i would look at hiring a wicked camper, which seem to be reasonably priced. http://www.wickedcampers.com.au/features.asp You would have a lot of flexibility in where you go if you drive yourself.

What dates are you travelling? you will find most of january is school holidays (generally until Australia Day on Jan 26) which makes accom more challenging in certain parts and the coast will generally be busier at that time.

Pluses and minuses!

But first of all, you say "getting from city to city" - if the cities are all you are interested in - then fly.

Once upon a time the Greyhound kilometre pass was a really good deal. That was before Virgin came along (and I'm not knocking them).

I you fly you skip from one place that is sufficiently large or popular to another that is sufficiently large or popular. If you bus it - you can stop wherever they allow you to stop. And seeing as the bus is a service for locals as well as tourists - that means most places along the Pacific Highway. If you hire a camper van you can stop wherever you like and deviate too.

But unless you plan to sleep in aforesaid van then why bother? You will have all the hassle of parking it in the major cities you will pass through; the cost of petrol; the responsibility.

For 3 months maybe a van - for one - I guess you really need to want that independence.

Are you real outdoor types? Do you want the freedom of wheels to take you off the beaten track? If the answer is NO and if you want to get a sense of how backpackers travel who have far more time than you - then take the bus.

There are also hop on hop off buses. The best known is Ozexperience.

Not my cup of tea but it might be yours.

I reccomend OZexperience for certain strips of the trip and then going Greyhound for others. Each is worthwhile in its own way. A whole month with OZexp would drive anyone buggy but they make a good effort to break up the longer stretches with excellent tours and new friends. Then, you can go off the beaten path with those friends you meet.
Have fun!

Nobody has mentioned the train...is there a reason this isn't a good alternative these days? I travelled for 3 months through Australia in backpacker mode many years ago. I combined the train and the bus and the occasional pickup ride from someone I met at a youth hostel. I rode the bus from Canberra to Melbourne and it did seem a long, long trip. I much preferred the train where you could get up and move around and have a drink in the club car and meet people.

Distances in Australia are far, but the train stops (or it did) in lots of the little towns. There was a good network of youth hostels, even in the smaller towns, and I loved staying in them and meeting other travelers. I was doing this trip alone so it was great to hook up for a time with someone else going my way.

Anyway, my advice is to look into the train, too, and see if that might meet some of your needs.

That't good advice from Lyn, and well worth checking out. Maybe you can make the train times fit your wants and desires. I've often looked at taking a train up the East Coast only to find that I would arrive/need to depart at 1.30am ot some such similar.

Train from Canberra to MLB swould be a great way to do it.