Hi All -

I've been reading and searching the forums for a few days now, hoping I wouldn't ask a repetitive question. I've certainly learned quite a lot here, this is a great resource with many knowledgeable and helpful people. In that spirit, I'm looking for some guidance in planning our trip to Australia.

We are flying in to and out of Sydney in late March for an 8 night stay (not long, I know!). Chief among our interests while in Australia are snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and hiking. Things we are NOT interested in doing (and this is obviously just our own preference, not at all a comment on anyone who enjoys these activities): learning to throw a boomerang, shopping, sitting in a car or bus while it drives through scenic areas with brief stops, climbing Sydney Harbor Bridge, touring Sydney extensively, bungie jumping. This is our chance to be outdoors and explore some nature, that's what we hope to do.

Originally we'd hoped to visit Cairns and Red Centre, but now feel that is over-reaching for such a short stay. Instead, we are leaning toward staying in Cairns and Sydney.

We'd looked into the packages put together by AATKings, and they certainly have a lot to offer. However, they do seem a little "relaxed," and I think the day trip to Kuranda from Cairns is about as sedentary as we'd like to be.

What we need guidance on is this: given our interests and disinterests listed above, how should we divide our time between Sydney and Cairns (ie. how many nights in each)? We'd like to hike the Blue Mountains, but everything I've read so far suggests car or bus tours. What are our options for simply being driven or taking a train to a trailhead and heading off on a day hike on our own (or with a guide)? Is there hiking to be done in or around Cairns if we stay there longer than it would take to see the reef and Kuranda?

Any help anyone could provide would be most welcome. Thanks in advance!

-Alex

Hiking the Blue Mountains is the absolutely best way to go. It is really what they are all about because they are not high mountains but are more of an ecological exerience if you want them to be.
I am sure that there will be other people more experienced in that area who will be able to tell you where and what to do and that will ensure an absolutely wonderful time for you there.
I think that you are wise to only stay in the two areas of Sydney and Cairns and there is no way that anyone could get me on AAT Kings tours to anywhere.

- HiToutSuite - you don't need AATKings for Kuranda, just book it either at your Cairns accommodation or direct on Skyrail's website. When in Cairns go into any newsagent and buy a little book "Tropical Walking Tracks - Cairns and Kuranda", which covers a variety of rainforest walking tracks in World Heritage areas, National Parks, State forest and Conservation Parks. The booklet gives a selection of walks in about 25 areas around Cairns from 15 minutes to a full day's hike.

I would split your time 4 and 4 between GBR and Sydney. I would not automatically assume Cairns is best for the reef.

Put an overnight in for the blue mountains.Get the train up and do a valley walk at katoomba.On the second day plan a more extensive walk at the Blackheath area.

On your first morning in sydney go to

-the national parks office just up George street from the sydney visitors place in the rocks.Get the info you need to plan your mountains walks and select your longer walk for day 2. The blue gum forest is great but a fair hike.

-the sydney harbour national park office at Cadmans cottage just down George in the rocks.Book yourself on a fort denison or harbour island tour. Get the info on the spit to manly walk.

-go to the sydney ferries office at the rear of wharf 4 at the quay and get the sydney ferries walks booklet and make your pick.One I like is the ferry to Watsons bay and walk around south head.

Second everything Johhi says re collecting info from Nt Parks Office and Sydney Ferries. Spit to Manly is a fabulous walk (3-4 hours) and late March/early April is a great time to be doing it. I you find yourselves with less time than that then I would go for a walk that is not featured in the Sydney Ferries booklet cos you have to get there by bus. Info is available at Cadman's cottage about it - Hermitage foreshore walk.

On a general note - hiking and Far North Qld don't go together in my mind. Rainforest at the end of the rainy season. But the Blue Mts are prime hiking territory. You might want to check out:
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

If hiking is your main priority, then I think I'd do 5 days in Sydney and 3 up north (enough to visit the GBR once or twice). Agree Cairns is not the best place to base yourselves. Fave alternative on this board seems to be Port Douglas about which I'll say nothing as I've only ever passed thru. I would recommend staying up at Cape Tribulation, though. And for the hiking part - a nighttime wildlife walk is not to be missed.

When hiking in any remote area, including Cape Trib. where a young, fit, English tourist fairly recently did and was never seen again, always let someone know where you're thinking of going. Too many tourists get lost and cost the community a fortune in retrieving them - don't even think of doing a night time rainforest walk of a decent length without an experienced guide.

March is still wet season in Northern Australia, Port Douglas, Cairns and Cape Trib. are so close geographically that weather is usually very similar - possibly wetter in Cape Trib which is a bit further north - 3 days up north will not necessarily provide optimum reef weather, we're still in cyclone season. Fortunately, so far at least this year there's only been a few days of heavy rain in Feb. associated with a cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria. And that's badly needed to keep the rainforest alive. Right now reef conditions are perfect, best for months, but there's no guarantee of continuation.

Alice as you say you've not stayed at Port Douglas you probably wouldn't know that there's very little opportunity for hiking - the only hill is covered with expensive homes and resorts and the rest which isn't resort-covered is lowland swamp. So you need to move further out for reasonable hiking. But I know some great wilderness areas about 15 mins out of Port.

HI All -

Thanks so much for the prompt, detailed, and informative responses! I must say, you've exceeded my already high expectations for this forum.

We spent the entire weekend looking through every resource we could find, and finally arrived at a decision to take the Reef, Rainforest Walk, and Raft tour offered by The Adventure Company Australia (http://www.adventures.com.au/), a four day package that includes (you guessed it) hiking, white-water rafting, and a reef trip. However, when we called today to make the booking, it turns out the company is no longer in business!

The woman who answered is a travel agent who offered to replicate the tour, but she warned us that late March is the (very) rainy season in Cairns, and many of the activities we'd planned may not even be possible. In fact, she said even a reef snorkeling trip might be questionable.

She offered Brisbane as an alternative for the rainforest activities, and Lady Elliot Island for the GBR excursion.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks again!