planning vacation in Australia for 12 days
 

Hi I was hoping to get some recommendations on how to spend 12 days in Australia. We arrive in Sydney at the end of July and leave early August out of Brisbane. We have a 9 year old traveling with my husband and I and she definitely wants to see the Steve Irwin zoo. Any thoughts travel from Syd--. Melbourne--fly to Alice springs-->> fly to cairns--> take train to Brisbane. Any recommendations would be great. We may have to give up on Alice Springs due to cost. Thanks. Catoner

If your daughter is anxious to visit Australia Zoo I am sure a trip to Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade would also be an enjoyable experience. Especially if you have Melbourne on your list. A rough itinerary could be Sydney 4 days, Melbourne and the Penguins 3 days then fly to Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane for the remainder. With travel there would be enough to see and do in those 3 areas over 12 days without an expensive trip to Alice Springs. Although flying would probably be the cheapest and best way to cover those distances, the Tilt Train runs between Cairns and Brisbane allowing you to see more of the countryside. There is also a train between Sydney and Melbourne.

The train between Cairns and Brisbane takes neally 2 days and is not that wonderful as it goes through some really boring countryside during the day and the good stuff during the night. It would really take too much out of your already too few days. I think that spending at least 5 days in Cairns would only just touch the surface. Fly to Brisbane from Cairns and take the train to Beerwah ( 40 minutes ride if not less ) to see Australia Zoo or perhaps if you rent a car continue up to the Sunshine Coast and go to the Deer park where without paying an entrance fee you have have a snack and hold a koala, pet kangaroos, see the nocturnal house which is good. Then there is Underwater World at Mooloolaba which is a ton of fun as well. South East Queensland has a lot to offer. The weather in southern parts of Australia will not be at their best but Queensland will be really nice in comparison. I really don't think that you have time to see Alice Springs in the short time because that really needs more than just a fly in fly out and would only take from you short time in the three great areas you have chosen Sydney - Cairns and surrounds and South East Queensland

The penguin parade at philip Island and the deer park near Cairns sound perfect. Thank you for these tips. I will look into it. Can you drive from Cairns to the Australian zoo?

My 9 year old also inquired if swimming with dolphins was an option along the coast this time of year? If so any ideas or recommendations?
Thanks

Cairns is about 1,700 Klms from Australia Zoo and the Deer park - the latter you would do from Brisbane I should think.
Melbourne and Philip Island are between 3,000 - 4,000 klms from Cairns and about 1,000 Klms south of Sydney so to see some penguins it is a very long way to go.
You can swim and see dolphins at Morton Island off Brisbane at Tangalooma resort and/or you can pay to swim with dolphins at Sea World on the Gold Coast which also has a lovely little penguin enclosure. I suggest that you get a map and see where these places are but for my money I would not be going outside the areas that you are doing i.e. Sydney, Cairns and Brisbane because 12 days is not a long time.

Hi Catoner
THis link might be useful in giving you some perspective of the distances & driving times between some of your proposed destinations.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?ie=UT...34961&om=1

I agree that travelling by train would be far too time consuming, however the flight from Sydney to Melbourne takes 1 hour and the flight from Melbourne to Cairns takes 3 hours 15 mins. The Australia Zoo website www.australiazoo.com.au explains how to get there from various destinations.

Australia Zoo's website does not seem to be working at present catoner. However the only way really for you to get there is via Brisbane either by train, bus or rented car.
Downunder does not say how long it takes from Melbourne to Philip Island nor that you really have to be there later in the evening/night to see the penguins. It is a very late night for a 9 year old and a long way to go just to see some penguins too.

Another thing to consider is that since you will be there during Australia's winter, the further south you travel, the colder and wetter it will be. Personally, Melbourne would not be my choice of an Australian destination in winter.

For the record the Penguins return from the Ocean to their burrows at sunset (in August about 6 pm) and the "some" is usually about 700 Penguins. It is considered one of the top tourist attractions in Australia and is especially suited for families.
Phillip Island is about 2 hours from the city and various tour operators offer the round trip.
www.penguins.org.au

Places of interest around Brisbane :

http://www.goldcoasteguide.com/attraction.php