Need help on planning 14-15 days trip to Australia
 

Dear Fodorites,

After having thought for months, we (my family includes my wife, father and close to 2 year daughter) have finally decided to visit Australia in October. We have read a few articles and posts online, post which we have thought of the itinerary detailed below.

02-Oct-17 Reach Melbourne at 6.10pm
03-Oct-17 Melbourne
04-Oct-17 Melbourne
05-Oct-17 Melbourne
06-Oct-17 Melbourne
07-Oct-17 Leave for Gold Coast around 7 am
08-Oct-17 Gold Coast
09-Oct-17 Gold Coast
10-Oct-17 Leave for Cairns around 7 am
11-Oct-17 Cairns
12-Oct-17 Leave for Sydney around 7 am
13-Oct-17 Sydney
14-Oct-17 Sydney
15-Oct-17 Leave for India at 7.10pm

We would request your invaluable help to understand if the itinerary looks doable. We don't want the trip to be hectic anywhere. Also, please let us know if the sequencing and number of days stay at each location has been though of appropriately.

Also, please guide about the not to be missed experiences, especially in Gold Coast and Cairns. Which company should we contact for scuba diving in Great Barrier Reef. Which are the best entertainment parks to visit in Gold Coast.

Thanks a ton in advance

Too much time in Melbourne and not enough for the GC and Cairns. Write off 2 Oct and 15 Oct as travel days which leaves you with 12 whole days.
Spend them in 3 places giving you 4 days in each.
Do you have to fly into Melbourne? What did you want to do there? I like the city but for me it's more of a weekend away type of destination for shopping and eating out rather than seeing iconic Australian sights.
On the Gold Coast the best theme park is Sea World and would be a great choice for your little one. It's closer to Surfers Paradise as well. The other 3 are not so handy and you'd need a car or take the theme park shuttle.
We did a GBR trip with Quiksilver. This was to the outer reef and about 3 hours boat ride out into the Coral Sea. It was great but a long way to go if you get seasick.

Only one full day in Cairns is not enough.

Gold Coast - what are you planning to do/see?

Too long in Melbourne and short-changing other places. Ideally, drop one destination and spread those days.

Agree with the others - drop a couple of days from Melbourne & add to Cairns.

Thank you so much for the suggestions, so here is the revised itinerary

20-Oct-17 Reach Sydney at 8.20 am
21-Oct-17 Sydney
22-Oct-17 Sydney
23-Oct-17 Sydney
24-Oct-17 Leave for Gold Coast at 7am
25-Oct-17 Gold Coast
26-Oct-17 Gold Coast
27-Oct-17 Leave for Cairns at 7am
28-Oct-17 Cairns
29-Oct-17 Cairns
30-Oct-17 Leave for Melbourne at 7.10 am
31-Oct-17 Melbourne
01-Nov-17 Melbourne
02-Nov-17 Melbourne
03-Nov-17 Melbourne

The reason for more days in Melbourne is that I have a very close friend who stays there and he has been persistent that I stay for that many days.

How does my itinerary looks now, all travel between cities is via flight. Is it relaxing because we want it to be that ways, especially with a 2 year old baby. In Gold Coast, we want to stay in a nice ocean view resort, chill at the beach, go to various entertainment parks etc.

Also, please suggest the must do sites in Australia that I am missing, may be we can cut days in Melbourne and attempt to do that. As of now, we will be doing Blue Mountains, GBR, Great Ocean Road, Rain Forest in Cairns. Where can we see Kangaroos and other wildlife in our itinerary.

Thanks in advance

I am not a local as the other posters are so I think my perspective may be a bit different. I visted Australia last winter and I think you're fine with your time in Melbourne. First you have a friend there and will likely spend time with him/her and be shown around. You're going to spend one day driving to the GOR I assume and that leaves you 3 days. Plenty to see & do for 3 days. You have a toddler and as you say you want your trip to be relaxing. Have a great trip!