Miranda

Our family (kids aged 9 to 15) is planning to visit Australia in August. I'd welcome any suggestions on our itinerary as we can still make changes:<BR><BR>Sydney: 5 nights (Is this enough? We love cities and look forward to the zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, maritime museum, powerhouse museum, boat rides, blue mountains, etc.)<BR><BR>Ayers Rock: 2 nights<BR><BR>Alice Springs: 2 nights (allows time to see Desert Park and a cattle station as well as the little museums)<BR><BR>Port Douglas: 5 nights (is this too long?)<BR><BR>Hayman Island: 5 nights (again, is this too long? But resort offers deal where fifth night is free, hard to pass up)<BR><BR>Sydney: 1 final night before flight home<BR><BR>My main concern is are we spending too much time in beach areas relative to cities and other sightseeing attractions, especially since weather might be chilly at the beach, notably at Hayman Island. <BR><BR>Any feedback is welcome! Thanks.

alliegator

If you love cities then 5 nights is good enough for Sydney. We loved the zoo, but the aquarium was really nothing special. The Royal Botanic Gardens were very pretty. <BR><BR>I'd suggest detouring to Kangaroo Island because I think the kids would love to see animals (kangaroos, sealions, seals, koalas, birds, whales) in their natural environment rather than just a zoo.

margo_oz

I think your trip sounds fine! A good combination. You may see more wildlife at Kangaroo Island, but it's a hell of a detour from the trip planned, and probably not worth the considerable extra expense.<BR><BR>You'll probably only miss seals and whales on the planned trip. There are good wildlife parks in Sydney where you can see most animals fairly close up.<BR>

marg

Can you stretch your itinerary to allow an extra night at Ayers Rock and also at Alice Springs? This would allow you time to see the Olgas as well as Ayers Rock, particularly if you intend doing some walks. Yet another night would allow you time to visit Kings Canyon which is worth visiting - great walk around the rim. <BR>There is some beautiful scenery in the MacDonnell Ranges around Alice Springs so an extra day there would allow you to at least visit the West MacDonnells - Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge and Hermannsburg. If you are looking for some evening entertainment in Alice Springs, the Ted Egan show at the Settlers Restaurant is worth a visit. Ted has lived in Northern Territory for many years and sings accompanied by an empty beer carton and tells stories of the Territory - very enjoyable and not expensive.<BR>The weather in Northern Territory and North Queensland should be in the high twenties (celcius) - just warm enough for the beach.<BR>While you are in Port Douglas, consider hiring a car to drive to Cape Tribulation, also visit Mossman Gorge, Kuranda, Palm Cove. Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas has beautiful birds (you can have breakfast with the birds) and Australian animals.<BR>Hope you have a great holiday.

Dean

I agree with Marg. My family and I travelled around Oz last July (with kids 12 and 15). Don't plan to hang around Alice Springs (although the market on Sunday is interesting), but get out to King's Canyon (the AAT Kings tour through the canyon was one of the highlights of our vacation) and, of course, Uluru. <BR>As well, rent a car and drive north from Port Douglas, even if just for one day, into the rainforest. We recommend the skyrail/train trip to/from Kuranda, as well as Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park at the bottom (kids can throw boomerangs and spears, see shows, demonstrations). Port Douglas itself is beautiful, a nice place to relax. You will be able to walk and ferry everywhere around Sydney--so much to do. The kids also liked the tour of the Olympic Stadium at Homebush Bay. Have a great trip.

Miranda

Thanks everyone for your help! Dean, I saw your post and had a pang of regret as we were not planning to go to King's Canyon. Maybe that's a big mistake on our part. What about the tour made it such a high point? Was it the hike around the rim, the beauty, or something else....? It's not too late for us to make changes. Also, I saw you were not too keen on Alice Springs as a place to hang around. Is that due to a large homeless population I've heard of or was it more that it is a small town with not that much to do that interested your family? To us, there does seem to be quite a bit to do (not even counting that we will be there on Sunday, so can go to that market you alerted me to!) We were planning to visit the desert museum, a cattle station, the various small museums, the McConnell ranges, maybe take a camel ride. It seemed like enough to fill two or three days. But maybe I'm dead wrong....

welltraveledbrit

Miranda,<BR>I was in Australia in 2000 and it was wonderful...I don't have kids but I have to say i think 5 nights in Port Douglas would be too long. The town is very small and although the surrounding area is lovely (we did a five day Rock Art trip) Ia couple of days would be plenty. The town is very small. I think 5 nights in Sydney is a great idea there is lots to do and it gives you time to adjust to the time difference.

Nack

Hi Miranda,<BR><BR>Where did you book your vacation if you don't mind answering. Your itenerary looks fabulous! I am looking for something simliar but can't find the right travel agency to set this up.

Miranda

Thank you Nack! I came up with this itinerary on my own. It took a lot of time and research. It would have been much easier to book a tour or some prepackaged deal, but I never found quite the right tour for me. In general, I like to spend a little longer in each location, while most tours understandably try to pack in as many destinations as possible.

Amanda

5 nights on Hayman is a great time. There should be a kids club for all your kids, and plenty of water things to do. It will be beautiful weather in August - fine and warm, about 75-80 degrees F, I think, and a cardigan/light jacket for evening. Go to the reef there ( it may be a few hours on a boat ), and also from Port Douglas - it's closer to the reef than Hayman, but you can still snorkel at Hayman, and there is an observatory at Long Island and a glass bottom boat too for the reef there. Port Douglas and Hayman will be pleasantly warm, but it will be cold in Sydney and FREEZING at Ayers Rock!

AussieJo

I agree with Marg &amp; Dean in there posts.<BR>Depends on what time your flight gets into the Ayers Rock as to needing another day or not. There is a flight down to Kings Canyon which may be worth looking at for a morning excursion.<BR>If it is only the rock then 24 hours is more than enough &amp; you should be able to fit in the olgars.<BR> In Alice we spent a half day at the desert park (we didn't have children with us) found it very interesting.<BR>My husband spent a day on the tourist farm I went hot air ballooning above the farm . Finally got a flight after 4 days of too high a winds.<BR>We come from a farm so I phoned the people direct &amp; arranged for him to go out for the day on their normal cattle station rounds. He enjoyed it very much.<BR>He did see some tourists out there eating damper &amp; cracking wips.<BR>He also went on the Aboriginal Air Mail run which took him over to the West Australia border. Dropping off &amp; picking up mail at the Aboriginal Stations. A real eye opener of a trip. Got to see some very interesting country.<BR>We also did a couple of bus trips out of Alice Springs.<BR>There is a wonderful Art Gallery which is a must visit even if you are not into art..do it. Panorama Guff or something like that.<BR>When there look at hire cars as opposed to taxi's.. much the same price but much much cleaner.<BR><BR>We had a great drive who took us to a private home where the lady had lots of birds &amp; kangaroo's. We spent around an hour there &amp; he came back &amp; picked us up.<BR><BR>The camel ride... take a camel to dinner.. I found far too long... just a hint sit on the back not the front! 1. hour up the Todd river ( a dry bed) very slowly.<BR>5 minutes would have been enough.<BR><BR>This is the real Australian outback so spent some more time there if possible.<BR>I have to tell you as on Aussie I never wanted to go there but have been twice &amp; would go again as I haven't managed to see everything out of Alice yet. Last trip we stayed in Alice 1. week. We will return.<BR>Take safe precations do not walk around the streets at night. Get your driver to drop you off at the door if you need to go into town for dinner.<BR>Dont be tempted to go into the top pub even first thing in the morning unless you are on the main street side.<BR>Be very aware you may be hassled for cigarettes.<BR>\Don't get overly concerned with safety/ just be aware like you should be anywhere in the world.<BR>Sydney 5 nights. Good.<BR><BR>Hayman Island 5 night too good a deal to miss &amp; you will need this time to feel like you have had a holiday.<BR><BR>Port Douglas. Nice little town as the starting point to reef trips etc. Once again depends what time your flight arrives. 5 days okay.<BR>Call in to Silky Oaks retreat for a drink and stroll around.<BR>On your way back from the Daintree River. Plan this part of your trip well &amp; 5 days should be enough unless you wish to go up into the Atherton Table Lands. This area on a quick trip takes a couple of days.<BR><BR>Kangaroo Island is too far off your route. Enjoy