Trip to Australia in December

Jun 21st, 2002, 07:44 PM

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Trip to Australia in December

Hi! We plan to visit Australia in December, arriving Melbourne, visit surrounding towns and places, drive along the Great Ocean Road, head to Adelaide, take a flight to Sydney and back home. We have a few questions that need help: 1. is december extremely hot in Australia? when is the summer really begins? normally what time will it get dark in the summer? 2. we heard there will be alot of insects in the summer, what precautions must we take? 3. we have friends staying in Bellbrae and Goolwa, they invite us to stay there and use as base for day trips. But we are not familiar with these two towns at all, are they good as base? 4. where exactly is the Great Ocean road starts and where does it ends? how long is this route and where can we stay overnight in between? must we pre-book hotel? 5. how far is it from the garden road to Goolwa? 6. where can we get good price for domestic flight from Adelaide to Syney? how much is the fare? any alternatives? 7. is it possible to visit kangaroo island within a day? can we reach there by car? must we join a local tour? or must we stay a night there? 8. is it safe and easy to drive in australia? how about driving at night? which is the best road map available? sorry for so many quetions and we really hope that someone could help us! many thanks and regards, TL and family

Jun 21st, 2002, 11:09 PM

smerf

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Please tell us where you are from because to answer you about how "hot" it is, is really relevant to where you are. Same answer goes for the insects. What precautions were you thinking of? i.e. avoiding them or taking flight from them? Don't know those places mentioned either ....sorry. They can't be too big. Perhaps if you did a search on Google for weather you would get an answer to your first question

Jun 22nd, 2002, 05:33 AM

To Tl

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It is hot in Melbourne in December. There is a fly problem anywhere inland. If you stay close to the ocean on your drive that won't be such a problem. But be prepared to cover your food if you take a picnic. The roads can be bumpy and sometimes flooded depends on where you drive. December tends to be a bit of a wet season sometimes. Driving at night can be a problem since many of the roads are open range...watch for wild animals. We had a bull bar and windscreen protector. We got hit by many birds, etc. Also, some roads are narrow and not well paved. I have not heard of the Great Ocean Road, although I have been to Melbourne many times. Must be the highway up to Adelaide. Adelaide, I am told is a lovely city. Remember, you drive on the other side of the road, many rental cars DO NOT have air conditioning. Good Luck.

Jun 22nd, 2002, 10:24 AM

Jane

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I am working on becoming an Aussie specialist with the Australia Tourist Commission so reading your questions reminded me of the test I recently took! The Great Ocean Road is in western Victoria and is a popular tourist area. It is recommended to set aside a few days to visit historic towns and scenic beauty along the coastline on this road. This road is also known as Hwy.1, check Portland on a map and you find the highway. Popular areas along this Great Ocean Road include Port Fairy, Warrnambool, Lorne and Johanna Beach. Since December is summer and this is a tourist area you will want to reserve ahead of time. Check out the map and pick 2-3 spots you might want to stay at on route. It is usually cheaper to buy domestic fares before you leave home. Distances in Australia are great so flying is a fast alternative. There is also train service to different parts of the country. You can either fly to Kangaroo Island or take a ferry from Cape Jervis or Adelaide. You would probably prefer a tour as many of the roads are not paved. The area is a nature lovers paradise! Summer is Dec.-Jan.-Feb. http://www.gosmartravel.com

Jun 22nd, 2002, 01:45 PM

liz

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Most, if not all, top 6 rental car Companies DO have airconditioning. There are flies in the inland parts of Australia, mainly in South Australia and Western Australia - rarely in the eastern states. December can be a mixed bag for weather but usually it is not the rainy season in the south and summer is not at its peak then.

Jun 23rd, 2002, 07:13 PM

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Thanks everybody! Is it easy to find petrol station alond the highway, especially along the Great Ocean Road? If we need to pre-book our accomodation, then we have to time our journey accurately. Is there any way that we can count the driving time and distance from the web? Thanks! TL