My friend and I are planning a long trip to Australia and New Zealand next April and I'm starting to put together an itinerary based on lurking around this forum. We hope to somehow include diving, adventure, and the big cities. Here's what we have so far:
Day 1-2 - arrive afternoon in Auckland, tour one day
Day 3-5 - Sydney, Blue Mountains
Day 6 - Surfer's Beach through Brisbane
Day 7-10 - Diving Great Barrier Reef
Day 11-13 - Uluru/Olgas, outback camping
Day 14-15 - Ningaloo Reef whale sharks through Perth
Day 16-17 - great white shark dive from Port Lincoln through Adelaide
Day 18-19 - great ocean road to Melbourne
Day 20-21 - Queenstown, NZ, bungee jump
Day 22-23 - Fiordland, Milford or Doubtful Sound
Day 24 - return home
I'd love specific comments about diving, travel between places, accomodations (moderate, B&Bs), city not-to-miss, clockwise vs. counterclockwise Australia travel, is this even close to feasible?

ecbowen - phew, I got exhausted just reading that itinerary. You're going to spend an awful lot of time on planes an airports - you're trying to cover a vast distance in too little time. I'd have another look and cut out what you're least interested in.

Ecbowen: I agree with Pat. This would be ambitious even you if you had your own private jet. In just over 3 weeks I'd stick to NZ and just two or three regions in Australia.

Second Pat and Ralph, we just returned from a month only in Australia, did half of what you propose and still felt a bit rushed.
If you get to Cairns, Pat and her husband operate a smashing bed and breakfast ( Lilybank B&B) near the fabulous Garden Room Restaurant.
AndrewDavid

I agree, I'm hoping to cut Auckland, Surfer's Beach,and Adelaide out. This would give us five days to distibute among the other destinations. Better?

Hi, ecbowen1!

I don't know if I'd cut out Auckland, if that's where your flight takes you... but I so agree with cutting out Brisbane and Surfer's Paradise. And, much as I enjoyed my recent visit to Perth, I think I would let that go, too.... after all, it's on the other side of the continent, and after your camping trip in the Olgas you would probably find it more pleasant to head straight down to Adelaide for a couple of nights of "spoiling yourself" before embarking on the Great Ocean Road drive.

So, for the first 19 days of your itinerary, I think I would do something like this:

Day 1-2: Auckland
Day 3-6 Sydney
Day 7-10: Barrier Reef
Day 11-14: Uluru and Olgas
Days 15-17: Adelaide/Port Lincoln
Days 18-19: Great Ocean Road.

Not being overly-familiar with New Zealand, I don't know whether the last week is feasible or not.. I do recall that the road to Milford Sound closes temporarily on frequent occasions because of adverse weather conditions in winter (and, I'd imagine, April in the south island of New Zealand is getting pretty cold!)so you could easily be held up for a day there.... but do go, as it's a wondrous sight, and such a contrast to what you will have seen in Australia.

Have a great trip!

Hi, ecbowen1,
I presume you are flying into Christchurch New Zealand from Melbourne. Stay the night in Christchurch then next day I suggest you fly from Christchurch to Queenstown - will save time. April in NZ is autumn, and so the road to Milford Sound is rarely closed at this time. Well worth doing an overnight trip in Doubtful Sound. Would also suggest you check your dates and the dates of the school holidays in both Australia and New Zealand. This could have a bearing on accommodation and travel availability.
Good luck.

I really would like to go to Ningaloo Reef, but if on one big trip would probably choose between the Great Barrier Reef or Ningaloo, unless you are mad keen diver then you would have the problem of not flying after a dive for a day or two.

Ningaloo reef would be awesome though, it comes right up to the shore. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef that is out to sea up to 100 hundred miles. It would be an adventure for sure but I have never been, can I tag along?