My husband and I (in our 40s) are planning a first time trip to Australia.

Unfortunately, we only have about 7-8 days. As we are traveling from New York, I imagine that the flight will take up a chunk of time.

Can anyone suggest an itinerary that might give us an overview of the region?

We plan on going Nov-Dec.

We like: good dining and would like to experience local flavors; natural wonders, beach, mountains or other; anything that says Australia!

We don't need: fancy, touristy restaurants; Broadway-like theater (unless it's something unusual)

Hotel-wise, we like clean, upscale, but not super-fancy. Marriott is fine, Super-8, not.

Can anyone offer some advice?

candygrrl, the first thing you need to do is recognise that in the time you've given yourself (deducting travel time, 5-6 days?) you can't possibly gain an overview of an entire continent. This is on par with seeking an overview of the United States in a few days, adn I'm sure you're aware that Australia is the size of the "lower 48" states of the USA. You'll have to set yourself a more modest goal.

You might be able to squeeze two regions into the time you have, but it's difficult to see how you could do better than that. You could consider a few days in and around Sydney and a few days in and around Cairns, the jumping-off point for the Great Barrier Reef - but I say even this with reservations, as you'd lose another precious day, all up, flying there and back.

Sydney plus Tasmania would be another option, but with precisely the same reservation.

If I were in your shoes I'd take the problem to an "Aussie specialist" travel agent and have them construct a suitable itinerary. You can find one near you at the official tourism site, www.australia.com.

I'd also invest in a good guidebook so that you can get a better idea of your options.

My apologies!

I should have specified that we really just want to concentrate on one region. Maybe Sydney, Melbourne?

I think what I meant to ask was what would give the first-timer a moderate flavor of Australian life.

I will get a guidebook, though!

Not that I want to stop you from visiting but have you worked out how much your airfare will be costing you per day in Australia?
Isn't there somewhere closer you can go this time and visit Australia when you have at least two weeks so you can get a taste of two or three regions.
That said I would fly into Sydney and spend all the time there and the Blue Mountains. There are plenty of posts here on what to do around there.
If you want a guide in the bush I recommend Carol Probets who is also spoken highly of by other Fodorites.

If spending time around Sydney you could also visit the Hunter Valley (great food & wine). Not sure what Super-8 hotels are, but there are two Marriotts in Sydney (they have the BEST beds). Loads of bargains to be had at the moment with the global downturn ~ maybe the only good thing about it is that those of us still with jobs can travel more cheaply than in the past with quality airlines/hotels having reduced their prices.

You are in a similar position to other travellers with limited time and concentrating on one area is fine, though with Sydney and Melbourne only an hour apart by air you could possibly cover both to some extent as they both have their Australiana.

Sydney is the nominal birthplace of British entry upon the land with The Rocks precinct of early buildings being accompanied by the Circular Quay ferry terminal synomonous with the grand harbour and nearby standout structures such as the Sydney Harbour bridge and Opera House all emphasising that harbour which is a great feature of Sydney even if shores are hugely developed but still some wooded parks about headlands.
The total package making it more the tourists city.

Melbourne on the other hand established at the head of a bay has no grand harbour but is often regarded as a more livable if slightly cooler in temperature city, it having a great reputation for dining opportunities and other nightlife, it is also regarded as the sporting capital of Australia, something that runs in the blood of our nation much as it does with the US too.

Though Melbourne also does not have the blue mountains as a backdrop nor national parks on southern and northern doorsteps as Sydney does, it does have many other attractions within easy reach and winery areas in particular you'll find much closer to Melbourne than you do for Sydney.
With most of Australia running from open undulating farmland into barren desert like areas, Melbourne is surrounded by country more akin to that than Sydney is.

A few more highlights of both:

Sydney
has surf beaches close by and can likely be a tad warmer, great seaside villages down the south coast, more urban on north coast but still some great locations.
Houseboats on the Hawkesbury River just to Sydneys north.
The Blue Mountains can be done as a day trip using public transport though hiring a car for a couple of days may be far more rewarding and south or north coasts would also be best done over at least a couple of days by car.

Both cities have some good walking around interesting landmarks or in Sydneys case an Ocean cliffs walk if you head over Bondi way.
Great Visitors Information Centre in Rocks area, just across from ferry terminal has historical walking trails maps to meander about the city, a loop from the Rocks around to Darling Harbour and then across through City/Hyde Park to Wooloomooloo [Lunch at the finger wharf or Harry's famous Cart de Wheels for a pie] and back around past Mrs Macquaries chair and Botanical Gardens/Opera House, a ferry across to Milsons Point to walk back across the Harbour Bridge will be a good days outing and there are what they call explorer buses to use.

Melbourne
does not have NPs as close of the same ruggedness but Dandenong Ranges NP can be reached by suburban train to the east, a car trip down to the Mornington Peninsula will offer some good walks down around Port Nepean and Hanging Rock/Mt Macedon to the NW likewise, and Lerderberg NP/Gorge out to the west is supposed to be an interesting walk though haven't done it myself.

If you're here in snow season and you're interested, you should be able to pick up a day trip to Mt.Baw Baw for some skiing amongst the snow gums or Mt. Buller [larger snowfields] or drive yourself as far as Mansfield for the latter and get a bus up the mountain.

Another extended day trip would be a drive down to Wilsons Promontory NP for some great walks though there was a large bushfire there this summer just gone and it will not look its best, and on way back you could schedule in the Phillip Island where there is a Koala sanctuary and evening Fairy Penguin parade/surfing ashore before a late night drive back to Melbourne or better still enjoy a B&B overnight out of town and you can make for some interesting loop tours that might have you seeing even more of an overview.

In particular
Ballarat forms part of what has always been known as the Golden Triangle of Victoria, Ballarat to Bendigo to ?, still mine shafts in the heart of Bendigo and gold still to be extracted from some workings or tailings about and a place called Maldon is a kind of historical if touristy place.
Whereas Sydney may be the birthplace it was Ballarat with the Eureka Stockade Miners Rebellion that is often thought of as forming our character.
Sovereign Hill at Ballarat would make an interesting outing, particularly as they have overnight staying in the village that you may be able to couple with the dinner show - "Blood on the Sovereign Cross" - all about Eureka and that rebellion.

Melbourne has a Visitors Information Centre right in heart, downstairs at Federation Square where you'll see some extraordinary looking buildings, extraordinarily ugly to some but sort of growing on you with the full effect there now and distant parklands/government house/MCG/Tennis centre sporting precincts backdrop about the Yarra all having a great impact.

In Melbourne you ought to catch a free city circle tram for about a 45 minute circuit of the CBD and rebuilt docklands area to get a feel for what's about and then as with Sydney, you can spend a good day on foot if you wish, there being a good belt of parklands on eastern edge of CBD from Carlton Park with old Royal Exhibition Building and down over to Fitzroy Gardens, across to MCG, across the footbridge to Tennis Centre and then across the Yarra to Botanical Gardens, through them to near Government House and back through adjacent Kings Domain and parklands about the Myer Music Bowl, take care crossing road to Yarra walk and head down stream to Southbank precinct, Casino, new exhibition centre and developing area
and on if you wish to Polly Woodside/dry dock and a footbridege over to docklands for some lets say unusual sculptures about and often something of interest on at docklands.
A further 1-2 km. walk back towards the city up Latrobe Street will get you close to Victoria Market or use the free city circle tram if feeling weary, but another good days outing.

If you're hiring a car, getting out of Sydney could be fun![not], and Melbourne not so bad, more of an open feel with wider streets to it, though probably a good idea to be walking rather than driving to get you time adjusted whichever city you fly into first. .

Another option you may want to consider after a few days is to hire yourself a car and drive between the two cities as there are some great routes you can take over about three days and perhaps even combine with a couple about Melbourne to do a Ballarat and Great Ocean Road loop - a great way to see more about Australia than what just either of the two major cities offers.
Can provide greater insight if that appeals.

Meanwhile a site like www.travelmate.com.au might help with getting a feel for distances/times more so than a guidebook.

I have been to Australia a few times, but my first visit was on a return to New York from Hong Kong, where I was on a business trip. Like you, I had a short time, and spent two days in Sydney and two days at Ayers Rock, which you can reach by direct flight from Sydney. If I had a week, I'd spend time in Sydney, but also make a short visit to Ayers Rock by plane -- there are direct flights from SYD to Ayers Rock.

I have been back twice, once to attend the Australian Open in Melbourne and once on business to Brisbane, and I would skip both of those places on a first trip.

I personally would not recommend a visit to Ayres Rock in Nov/Dec because of the extreme heat. Your time available is very brief and I think ,as has been suggested, stay in Sydney and do a day trip to the Blue Mountains.

Well we stayed in Sydney for 5 days and the Blue Mountains for 3. Sydney-pensione. The owners knew everything and made great suggestions that suited us. I'm sure the hotel you stay at will do the same. (We wanted to feel like we staying in a home) Blue Mountains-The Jemby Rinjah Eco Lodge was fantastic. Remote but accessible. We explored on foot and had a great cabin at night to sleep in. (Cabin++++-a little more upscale than the word implies) You will love Bondi beach-access-ferry. It was a lot of fun

That's Manly you get to by ferry BarbSG or Watsons Bay but Bondi which gets a mention just as much if not undeservedly more is a nice stretch of sand also and being squeezed in between to headlands is not a problem either but for me it just has too much of a developed backdrop.

Manly for the total package.

And if any visitors want to get out to some other nice beaches, it's just a case of taking a suburban bus from either the CBD or Manly and you get a nice ride up to the top of Pittwater and it'll not only seem you're away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney, you really are.

ahhh yes you are right Bushranger. Thks. It is Manly Beach.

Or catch the Illawarra train line from the city and head south to Cronulla beach (the station is only 5 mins walk). Or head in the other direction from Cronulla and catch the ferry to Bundeena, which is in the Royal National Park. It is an artist's enclave and is a lovely spot for a picnic. Much less crowded too!