Fine tuning plan for Australian adventure in October 2008
 

Hi all

Having read many postings and taken advice on earlier plans I have had a major rethink and now prepared the plan below for a 25 day (first trip other than 3 nights in Sydney on the way to NZ in 2000) in October 2008 and would really appreciate critical appraisal and comment. I well appreciate the danger in underestimating the distances involved and have looked at flight times/schedules etc in coming up with this plan.

I have tried to build in rest days and other than Tasmania have tried to have a number of nights in one base. In Tasmania I have tried to restrict each day's drive to no more than 4 hours to allow time for stops. My mum who is coming on the trip cannot walk great distances and driving is ideal way for her to enjoy the scenery. (She also may not do all the day trips planned and take more rest days). Uluru we have reluctantly left out as I think it would not be the ideal place for my mum to walk about at and it will be very warm, as would Darwin and the north. I have also left Tasmania until nearer the end of the trip as weather should be warmer.

I would also welome any ideas for improvement. I have indicated where we are thinking of staying and tours we may do and any recommendations on these, or better ones to go on/places to consider staying, would also be helpful. We are looking for 2 bedroomed apartments wherever possible.

I would also be interesting to hear from anyone who has done a similar trip


I look forward to your comments.

Day 1 Leave UK

Day 2 O/night Changi airport (at Ambassador Hotel)

Day 3 Arrive Melbourne at 19-20 on 27 Sept- 5 nights (Quay West suites or Medina Grand)

Day 4 Melbourne city tour

Day 5 Melbourne (evening tour to Penguin Parade on Philips Island)

Day 6 Melbourne at leisure

Day 7 Full day trip along Great Ocean Road http://www.melbournetours.com.au/great_ocean_road.html

Day 8 Tour of Yarra Valley

Day 9 Fly Adelaide -3 nights (Horizons Adelaide or Medina Grand Treasury)

Day 10 Adelaide city tour

Day 11 Tour to Barossa Valley OR full day trip over to Kangaroo Island

Day 12 Fly Cairns, arrive 15-55, hire car and drive to Port Douglas for 5 nights (Shalimar and Mandalay)

Day 13 Rest day

Day 14 Barrier Reef cruise with Reef Magic. Scenic helicopter ride back. http://www.reefmagic.com.au/

Day 15 Daintree and Cape Tribulation rainforest tour http://www.daintree-specialised-tours.com/

Day 16 Day trip driving to Atherton Tablelands -Waterfalls/Yungburra/Kuranda

Day 17 Fly Hobart, arrive 20-30 on 11 October -2 nights (Grand Chancellor)

Day 18 Day in Hobart

FULL PRPOSED ITINERARY FOR TASMANIA AT LINK BELOW*

Day 19 Collect car and drive to Port Arthur/Tasman Peninsula and on to Coles Bay
(approx 200 kms/ 2 hours-30)-2 nights Freycinet Lodge

Day 20 Explore Freycinet Peninsula area

Day 21 Drive through Tamar Valley (wine area) to Launceston (approx 173 kms/2 hours-20 -1 night

Day 22 Drive to Cradle Mountain (approx 200 kms/2 hours 40) -1 night at Cradle Mountain Lodge

Day 23 Drive to Derwent Bridge (approx 200 kms/2 hours 32)-1 night

Day 24 Drive to Hobart (approx 163 kms/2 hours 17) and fly to Sydney, Arrive 18-50 -4 nights at Quay West Suites with harbour view

Day 25 Sydney

Day 26 Blue mountains trip

Day 27 Sydney

Day 28 Leave Sydney at 12-45 for Singapore-3 nights

* http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl...p;z=8&om=1

pituxa: It would be too much city time for my liking. At the very least, I would cut out one day in Melbourne and use it elsewhere - an overnight tour on the Great Ocean Rd maybe? Are there one-way Great Ocean Rd tours between Melbourne and Adelaide?

I think it sounds pretty good. It is good that you have factored in rest days because even though it is well planned out, I still think that it may be a bit tiring (you are flying some pretty big distances and have a lot of organised tours/day trips). For example, I really think that doing days 7-8 back to back could be tiring.

My only other concern would be that you seem to be going a bit of zigzagging around the country (Melbourne - Adelaide, Cairns, Tas, Sydney). Maybe you could change the order of the cities so you do not have to fly such long distances? e.g. Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Tas, Adelaide?

Other then that, it seems like a really good itinerary (too often people do not realise how large Australia is and never factor in rest days to counter the big distances).

I can't understand why you are zig zagging so much. Hobart is only an hours flight from Melbourne as is Adelaide. I would suggest a better itinerary would be: Melbourne then Hobart then Adelaide then Cairns then Sydney. You indicate it is because of the weather. As you are from the UK I would have thought that would not worry you too much(LOL). At that time of the year Hobart is only a bit cooler than Melbourne (today Hobart 17 celsius Melb. 21) and Adelaide and Melbourne are much the same. Melbourne often gets Adelaide's temps. and weather the following day. Air travel in Australia is pretty boring and so I would suggest keeping it to a minimum. Otherwise you have selected some great places to visit and you should have a wonderful trip.

Overall it looks good, but, hey, you are spending a lot of time in Melbourne.

Why so long?

I'd take two days out of MLB - choose Barossa over KI so that missing the Yarra isn't a big deal - you will see one major wine area - do you need to see two?

And instead of doing a day trip to the GOR - which is sort of pointless as it's a huge pile of driving for very little result.

Instead of that - add those 2 days to the one day you've already factored in and do a proper journey from Melbourne to Adelaide, taking in the tiny bit that is the GOR and seeing so much else besides.

There are opportunities on that route to see almost all the wildlife you would by going to KI, with much else besides.

Check out waywardbus.com.au who run a terrific tour along that route (all ages welcome).

I'd also fly to Hobart from Melbourne; then fly back (or even take the ferry one way) - then go overland to Adelaide; fly to Cairns; fly to Sydney.

Could save you a ton of dosh and makes a lot more sense.

Happy travels.