JoanneH

4 of us are planning a month+ down under.
We know we can’t do it all but would like to get a good taste of the country. We would be flying in from San Francisco to Sydney. We have a voucher for 4 flights in Country.
We can go either in May or November, which would be better? We are kicking it around trying to decide what to do.
SFO-Sydney spend 3 days there
Sydney to Perth spend 4-5 days there
Perth to Darwin 3-4 days there
Darwin to Carins 3-4 days there
Carins to Alice Springs couple days there
We have been told there is a great train that now runs through the center so we thought to take train from there to Adelaide. Not sure how long this would take assume from distance about day or two or would it be smarter to fly to Adelaide?
Adelaide to Melbourne 3-4 days there
Melbourne back to Sydney where we plan to get ship to New Zealand
So it would be 30-35 days Australia and then on to New Zealand and Tahiti.

So what I am hoping for from you Australian experts is best way to make use of flights and train transport or perhaps Camel (Just joking) and how to make the best use of our time. While still seeing what we should see.

Thanks

LizzyF

OK JoanneH this is the weather situation:
May - you might as well just "do" Sydney, Cairns, Darwin, Alice Springs/Uluru because it is winter and the other places would not be in holiday condusive mode weather wise. However having said that you are missing a lot of wonderful areas of Australia if you just stick to the cities so I would suggest the following: Sydney about 6 days or so and take in the hinterland/ hunter wine area/ Canberra, take the train to Brisbane and thense to the Gold Coast and explore that area particularly the hinterland as there is much to see and many places to go. Train back to Brisbane ( 1 hour) and then to the Sunshine Coast and/or out to Morton Island. Fly to Cairns and spend about 6 or more days there seeing the GBR, the Atherland Tablelands, the Daintree. Fly to Darwin for about 6 days or so and "do" Kakudu, Kathrine Gorge, Mataranka Springs, Lichfield National Park, perhaps a trip to the Tiwi Islands or Arnham Land, spend time in Darwin when the Mindal Beach markets are on where you plane to eat, drink and watch the sun set over the Arafura Sea ( quite beautiful). Then FLY to Alice Springs and see Uluru and the area before flying back to Sydney. If there is time you could also stop over on Hinchinbrook Island ( 2 hours south of Cairns) and explore that most beautiful place.
November: Do Sydney as above, Gold Coast and Cairns as above, forget Darwin, Alice Springs ( too hot with flies) - you could take the train to Adelaide BUT it is very expensive and that particular desert is only for those people who absolutely love deserts as there is nothing really fantastic in it. Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide is, in my view, not fantastic International destinations while for instance Tasmania is - Tasmania is Australia's best kept secret and the Channel / Huon area is Tasmania's best kept secret. It is quite different from the mainland with different scenery, food, historic villages, lots of places to sight penguins, seals and perhaps whales still, and in November is should still be at it most beautiful. If you added Tasmania you could include say the Dandenongs behind Melbourne, the Yarra Valley for wineries, Melbourne for International restaurants etc.
As for Perth, the best time to go there is in late September ( if I remember correctly) for the wild flower season, also it is not too hot or too cold then. The Northern parts of the State which have the best of the best outback areas are getting a tad too hot for me in November BUT would be fantastic in May by the way i.e. Ningaloo reef, Broom, Kimberleys, Bungle Bungles and the biggest Rock in Australia ( forget Ayers Rock/Uluru as it is not the biggest). Hope this helps with your ideas.

Peteralan

Good suggestioins from Liz, Joanne especially the mention of Tasmania as it is quite lovely and different from the mainland. However if you are set on doing the things you mentioned and only want to know when to do them, I would say May rather tham November as many of those places are just too hot and uncomfortable in November. As for the train to Adelaide,we did it and it takes about 24 hours from Alice Springs. We quite enjoyed the experience but,if I remember rightly a lot of it was overnight.

DownUnder

30 days 4 flights, this is the way I would go. Sydney (3 days), fly to Cairns for GBR etc. (6 days), fly to Darwin for Kakadu (3 days), fly to Uluru (2 days), fly to Adelaide for Barossa etc. (3 days). Hire car and drive via Grampians and Great Ocean Road to Melbourne keep car in Melbourne for day trips www.visitvictoria.com.au and take car to Tassie on Spirit of Tasmania (total 10 days). Take train Melb.to Sydney or drive up the East Coast on Highway 1. Stay in Sydney for 2 days before return flight.

1. That leaves out Perth. Now Perth is a lovely city, but it is very isolated and there is so much to see on the East Coast that you might want to keep it for another trip.
2. The Ghan is a very popular trip if you love train travel. It is expensive and with your limited time I would consider flying that distance. You will see much of the outback from the air and with Kakadu and Uluru you experience something very unique.
3. The Barossa is the best vineyard and wine experience in Australia. Just ask the designers of the new Monopoly board!!!!
4. Tassie is beautiful and quiet. I would recommend it ahead of Western Australia.
Now if you don't want to hire a car you can travel between Adelaide and Melb. by train, but you really need a car for Tasmania.
I would travel in November.
Hope this helps and have a great trip Downunder.

RalphR

Joanne: knowing a little about your interests and preferred style of travel would help regarding recommendations for your itinerary.

May and November are good months for Australia in general, though if you end up spending the bulk of your time in the south, I'd go in November. On the other hand if you focus more on the north, I would go in May.

I'm always telling people to go more for quality time in each place rather than going to more places (quantity). Your proposed itinerary is no exception. Think I'd cut out one destination to avoid spreading yourself thin. As to where I'd use that saved time...that's where knowing your interests comes in.

chimani

Hoping to hear more about that ship you wish to take to NZ. How are you getting on with that?

Flight vouchers are sometimes a big roadblock to actually making the best of your time. You are going to whizz around and not be anywhere long enough to really enjoy (unless you just want to see the cities - which is fine, but they are just cities, and not what Australia is really about).

Just my humble opinion of course. Others will differ.

You've picked two awkward cusp months for circling the continent.

I'd fly Sydney - Cairns - 4 days.
Cairns - Darwin - 10 days to see Kakadu and get yourselves overland to Broome and spend a day there.

Fly Broome - Perth - couple of days there.

18-19 days so far given the time you lose moving around.

Fly Perth - Uluru (you can do this direct). Spent at least 5 days in the Centre.

Now all four flights used. Take the train to Adelaide (for the fun of it) and buy a Virgin Blue cheapie back to Sydney. Or fly direct Alice to Sydney with Qantas who are now the only carrier on that route.

Alternatively, skip Broome (well it's not Broome so much as the getting there) - and take the train to Alice if it fits your schedule, or take a bus; or an organised road trip (they exist).

Spent time in the Centre. You've now only used two flights. But where can you fly to from Alice?

Melbourne. I'd go for option one but you could go to MLB - three flights down. And spend time there and fly back to Sydney. if you wanted to visit Tassie (might be cold) then do that by getting a cheapie Virgin Blue return.

Or you could travel overland to Sydney with Wayward Bus.

The possibilities are endless.

So what are your priorities? What are you coming for, and how do you like to travel?

JoanneH

We are open as to time to go, we are all retired well I am not but will be by next year. We were told May or November to miss the crowds and it would be easier to get around.We are use to it being hot as we all are in the central valley of Ca. think 107-155 most of summer.
We generally go to country do a off the top type trip to see whats there then go back the following year to do in depth the places we want to spend more time.
Example last year we hit the west coast of South America then later in the year we went back and spent time in the three areas we liked the most.
This past spring we did Southern Italy and Greece.We wanted to spend more time in southern Italy along the east coast and Greece happened to work out in the mix.
I am copying all your posts so keep the ideas and suggestions coming. Thanks

DownUnder

"To miss the crowds". I am not sure what you mean by that. Australia is a huge country with only 21 million people. We don't get anywhere near the throngs that invade Europe. The big holiday months are January and February when the coastal towns are "crowded" i.e. that is when most accommodation is hard to find although never impossible. The best month downunder is March. Now I know that "best months" can vary as in a vast country the climates do change. May this year was also a fantastic month in the south. Travel can be tiring and because of the distances Australia is no exception. Don't try and see everthing in one trip unless you are prepared to spend a couple of months downunder. We don't have the Castles and Cathederals, but we do have wonderful natural beauty areas and they take a bit of travel to experience. So if this your first trip I would suggest you see the east coast on this occasion and then keep the remote areas of Western Australia including Perth for a future journey. I know you will want to come back!