Mabel_Heitmeier

My husband and I are making the trip of our dreams to Australia next month, and we are in serious need of some travel advice from all you guys.

We are flying in and out of Sydney and we have 10 days. We will be flying in between the cities. For sure we want to see Sydney + Blue Mountain and Cairns + the Reef. For the rest of the days we are debating between visiting Melbourne or Gold Coast or The Red Centre.

1. What is your suggestion?
2. What are the must-see / must-do in these cities?

Thank you so much!

Mabel

AlanJG

I think Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands and a short stop in the centre will give you a good introduction to Australia.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Melbourne - no - 'cause its not got anything unique. I agree with Alan above on Sydney and Cairns most definately but depending on you timetable I would either stop over en route at the Gold Coast for a short stop but not a quick in and out of the Centre because its expensive to get there and you really don't have enough time to experience it in a short stop over. So either Sydney and surrounds and Cairns and surrounds or add Gold Coast and its hinterland etc.

Susan7

Another vote for the centre! One city is enough, pick Sydney or Melbourne, but with only 10 ten days I would not do both.

peterSale

Ditto - cities are cities. Go to the desert!

Althought Melbourne is better than Sydney - (read my notes of the difference -if you dare) for convenience I would stick with Sydney.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Peter Sale lives in Melbourne I think and therefore would say that it is better than Sydney - in my opinion Melbourne pales into insignificance against Sydney and is - just another city!

peterSale

I used to live in Melbourne and still uphold the interstate rivalry (just for fun). For tourists I would recommend Sydney unless they have a particular interest in Victoria.

If you read my review of the two cities you will find it very informative (for 1893).

I avoid cities when I travel so would not really recommend either (any).

longhorn55

Mabel, if you only have 10 days on the ground, then I wouldn't recommend more than Sydney and Cairns. You'll spend a lot of time going to/from a 3rd destination which I think would be better spent in either Sydney or Cairns.
If you absolutely have your heart set on a 3rd destination, go to Uluru. It takes a lot of time to get there, but you can do a good visit in a mere 1.5 - 2 days. Melbourne is another big Australian city and you don't need 2 of those on your short trip. The Gold Coast is beaches and amusement parks. You can do that in the U.S.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

I have to strongly disagree with longhorn about the Gold Coast as it is NOT just beaches and amusement parks - it has some of the most beautiful countryside in Australia just a few miles inland and a lot of that area has National Parks with fantastic wildlife and interesting flora from Glow worm caves to 3000 yr old Antarctic Beech Trees, to mountains filled with singing Bell Birds. It has the largest caldera in the Southern Hemisphere and beautiful rivers and waterways. A tour around that area and including Northern New South Wales will show a visitor what Australia really has to offer.
You can get to it flying from Sydney, then discover the area before moving on to Brisbane ( 1 hour trip) by either bus or train to catch a flight to Cairns.

RalphR

Agree with longhorn that 10 days is too little time for more than Sydney and Cairns. Totally disagree with longhorn's comment on the Gold Coast. It is an excellent base for exploring one of Australia's most beautiful areas - the Hinterland, the border ranges and the northern NSW coast

surprisealot

10 days to see the eastcoast and the centre....great idea to tick the boxes...but I have to admit it would be a Very rushed trip. which would make you miss out on what makes each place tick or even let you enjoy your 'holiday'. Sure cities are cities, but both Melbourne and Sydney have their own 'vibe' which is worth seeing and experiencing yet perhaps not in a 10 day toe dipping tour. Yes the centre is unique and well raved about - which it deserves - but also expensive to get to, to eat out in and to stay there. again you will need to balance the experience/wonder you'll get with the price and the time you have.

all are great places, but do just pick one 'city' as a base. gold coast has city status yet its feel is beachside and a place to be as a foundation to the hinterland - yet again I think time lets you down here....
just thoughts,its your holiday...to be honest any place in Australia is worth more than a few days - depending on what you wish to do.

surprisealot

sorry, I omitted answering the what to see question.

Sydney has great sights of course the Opera house and the bridge and great walk to start at the gardns then down to the opera house then along the quay and into the 'rocks' precint just under the bridge for restaurants and shops and seeing the cruisliner as well as oozing history.

the blue mountains have the three sisters the cable car and the leura - the sweet shop is a must. then depending on what you are int Jenolan caves shuldn't be missed, the 'adelian' activites are all around you and the natural attraction is a great bushwalking paradise - again depending on time.

perhaps if you could list the type of holiday activites you enjoy we could advise which location have these on offer??/