btheld

Hi,

Thanks for all the suggestions in my previous posting.

Here is out updated plan, please comment!

4/16/05 - Leave ORD
4/18/05 - Arrive in ADL at 12:00 noon, spend night in Adelaide
4/19/05 - Spend day and night in Adelaide exploring
4/20/05 - Depart for overnight tour on Kangaroo Island
4/21/05 - Spend day on Kangaroo Island tour and return in evening, stay overnight in ADL
4/22/05 - Pick up 4x4 rental and drive up to Wilpena Pound Resort, exploring on the way. Spend 3 nights at Wilpena Pound, hiking during day, etc.
4/25/05 - Drive back to Adelaide, drop off car, and spend night in Adelaide
4/26/05 - Fly to Cairns, pick up 4x4 in Cairns and drive to hotel in Port Douglas. Spend 6 nights in Port Douglas, including a 1 day tour to lizard island, a daintree/rainforest tour, snorkelling trip, etc.
5/2/05 - Drive to CNS airport, drop off car, and fly to Sydney. Spend 5 nights in Sydney. Try to visit the Blue Mtns.
5/7/05 - Fly back.

Does this distribution seem reasonable?

Thanks,

Judy_in_Calgary

Hello btheld,

That distribution looks beaut, as Aussies say.

The only thing I would say, and here I'm talking from experience, is that I don't see the need for a 4x4 in Far North Queensland. The only reason you'd need one, that I know of, is if you went on the Bloomfield Track, north of Cape Tribulation, to Cooktown. But that in any case is not the sort of thing you'd do as a day trip from Port Douglas. As far as any day trips from PD are concerned, I'm mystified as to where you would need a 4x4. Of course if you actually WANT a 4x4, just for the fun of it, that's another matter. But they are more expensive. So, speaking for my family, we don't rent them unless they're necessary.

JenLPeter

As far as your trip to Kangaroo Island is concerned, have you booked a tour yet? Check out this B&B and tour company. www.the-lookout.com.au

RalphR

Seems like a good plan. If this is your first trip Down Under, this is definitely a distinctive itinerary, not your standard Sydney/Cairns/Ayers Rock. I've always wanted to go to Wilpena Pound and the Flinders Ranges. So hope you'll post a trip report when you return and tell us all about it. I agree with Judy vis a vis 4WD in Cairns...it will be overkill unless you have some off-the-beaten-track destination in mind. Drove to Chillagoe Caves from Cairns a few years ago in a car.....it would have been nice to have had 4WD for that.

pat_woolford

I live in area and must confess we do have a Landrover 4WD but no need to use it as 4WD around Port Douglas. It's handy for flooded roads in wet season, visiting friends who live perched on hilltops with driveways somewhat akin to goat tracks. The inland road to Cooktown is mostly sealed, there's about 30km of dirt easily negotiated with conventional car, however the much more scenic Bloomfield Track (coastal route Cooktown-Cape Trib) needs 4WD - a lot of this "road" is sandy, steep and hilly, and there's no bridge over Bloomfield River. 4WD is necessary to visit Cape York, (dry season only) where there are again no bridges over rivers and not much of a road. Also handy for some outback areas, Undara is OK with conventional car as is Chillagoe although part of the road surface to Chillagoe can be very corrugated and bumpy. If renting a conventional vehicle, check your rental car company's contract - there's often a clause in there prohibiting driving on unsealed roads.