mweiner

Am taking my 14 year old grandson (will turn 15 on the trip!) to Australia on a 17 day trip to Queensland (plus travel time). We will fly in/out of Sydney (frequent flier mile seats).

Besides Brisbane (Steve Irwin's zoo and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary), we also are interested in a bat cave near Rockhampton with a rare bat, Mt. Isa or Riversleigh for fossils, Cairns area with the Draintree Rain Forest, Sydney - zoo and aquarium and bridge walk.

Am trying to decide if Uluru is worth the time and especially the money.

My grandson is a naturalist and works summers at the local zoo. He is science oriented as am I. He is especially interested in viewing wildlife in situ when possible. I am an amateur archaeologist/anthropologist and love rock art and cave drawings and meeting indigenous people.

The Great Barrier Reef is out except for a possible flyby as he gets sea sick.

We have a comfortable budget but not unlimited funds. The cost of traveling around is important to keep reasonable. Moderate pricing on hotels. Have some reward points for hotels in larger cities.

Would appreciate really interesting things to do and see, travel itinerary to reduce travel costs etc. Guides. Special tours. Anything you think would be helpful would be great!

Thank you!!

AlanJG

Out of Cairns you might like to consider a trip to the Atherton Tablelands and include Undara and Chillagoe. The Tablelands is a great place for wildlife viewing as this is where the endemic species occur. Many of the mammals are nocturnal or crepuscular so be prepared to put in the evenings spotting them. There are some Devonian age fossils around Chillagoe and some recent ones at Muldiva. At Undara you can see a range of Macropods and birds as well as the huge lava tubes. Laura has some easily accessable cave paintings. With a medium 4WD (SUV) and a step aboard guide your itinerary could look a bit like this.

Day 1. Leave Carins heading north Kuku Yulangj walk at Mossman Gorge, cors Daintree River, Daintree Discovery centre, Daintree Entomological Museum with breeding cages as well as displays. o/n Daintree

Day 2. Early morning river cruise for crocs, snakes and birds. Drive to Laura for cave paintings o/n Lakeland

Day 3. Lakeland to Mareeba for Frilled-necked Lizard, Mareeba Rock Wallabies and Eastern Grey Kangaroos. Drive to Chillagoe (if your guide knows of it there is a stone working site not far from the road. No sampling of course), evening of star gazing and reptile chasing. o/n Chillagoe

Day 4. Morning fossil hunting and cave tours including some bats. Drive to Undara via the back road. Sunset tour o/n Undarra

Day 5. Morning birdwatching and lava tube tour. Drive to Atherton Tablelands visiting the Ravenshoe information centre which has a good display of local Aboriginal artifacts. Nocturnal tour for possums and tree-kangaroos. o/n Yungaburra

Day 6. Morning viewing of Platypus, Red-legged Pademelons and other rainforest fauna. Drive to Cairns via Lakes and other interesting features. Part with guide, visit Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park for their evening show.

I know a guide who would love to do a tour like this with you and your grandson. He grew up with aboriginal people on western Cape York Peninsula, was a teacher and has a keen interest in at least all the fields you mentioned for your grandson and yourself. If you were to do a search of www.yungaburra.com I am sure that you can find him.

In the limestone caves near Rockhampton there is an interesting bug which is much rarer than the bat. It hides in the guano and ambushes its prey.

longhorn55

I hope you and your grandson will re-consider a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. I, like many others who suffer from seasickness, take preventative measures to combat seasickness in order to see the coral and sea life of the Reef. There is a variety of medications you can take to combat it--everything from simple ginger tablets (which work well for me) to scopolamine patches or Dramamine. It would be a real shame to go all the way to Queensland and then miss out on one of the greatest natural wonders of the world, especially since all coral reefs are in danger from climate change.

Since your grandson is interested in viewing wildlife in situ, there's no better place to view sea life than at the GBR. We have gone snorkeling with our teens at the Reef several times and it is always a highlight of our trip to Australia.

There are a number of boats that go out to the Reef from both Cairns and Port Douglas. We have been out with Wavelength, a snorkel-only boat, many times. However, your grandson might prefer going out with Quicksilver which goes to a fixed pontoon or with Sailaway which goes out to the Low Isles and you can snorkel off the beach. (The reef at the Low Isles isn't as grand as the Outer Reef, but you will still find coral, fish and sea turtles.)

peterSale

I haven't been to Northern Queensland butbr /> There is a lava tube out of Cairns.
http://undara.com.au/

The Glass House Mountains out of Brisbane are great.

Ayers Rock is well worth the time and money.

The replica of Cook's "Endeavour" is great at Sydney.

The Sydney Observatory does night tours which should be good.
http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/

lavandula

>The Sydney Observatory does night tours which should be good.
> http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/


I've done one of the Sydney Observatory night sessions, which we actually won in a competition, so I can't speak to its value for money! I can however report that I enjoyed it quite a lot. The observatory is in an old building in an atmospheric part of town (Observatory Hill, The Rocks, which is our old part of the city), and there were also quite a few children of different ages who all held up well during the session. The presenters had a good manner and I think everyone got involved. For those people who are staying in the Rocks anyway, as many travellers do, it's just a walk away.

Lavandula

mweiner

Thank you for taking the time to add such a wonderful detailed itinerary for us. It sounds perfect. Do you have any idea how much such a trip might cost? Could you pass on the name of the guide?
Have not considered driving myself!

AlanJG

mweiner,
Sorry about he delay in replying, I've been visiting my elderly parents.
Your step aboard guide would be able to drive if you wish. I suggest you register both of you as drivers with the hire company as this will increase your flexibility. Cost will depend on the standard of accommodation required and if your grandson will share a room with you or the guide. The guide I am talking about can be contacted here [email protected] and would be prepared to put together a comprehensive costing for you.

AlanJG

mweiner,
If interested in following up with the guide I mentioned, I suggest you do not delay. I know that he has time in the third and fifth weeks in June for such a tour but that is about it. He might be able to do shorter tours at other times.

mweiner

Alan J, would only be interested in a one day tour in and back to Port Arthur.

AlanJG

If going to Tasmania, which is nowhere near Cairns, have a look at this thread and the book Peter recommends. http://www.fodors.com/community/aust...urmet-tour.cfm