Strewth, can anyone help with this 3-week itinerary?!
 

We are planning our first - and only - trip to Australia and are aiming to arrive in Sydney on the evening of Easter Sunday 24 April and leave on 13 May i.e 19 full days.

We're generally quite quick travellers (I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea!) and would like to see as much as possible without exhausting ourselves. We are therefore planning to take a couple of internal flights and rent a car or take the bus for journeys of up to 6 hours drive.

We're in our 30's, like nature/wildlife, beautiful scenery, history, food (but not wine), city architecture, white sand beaches (for half a day!), snorkellying (but not diving) walking (but not full-on hiking).

Our current plan based on research so far is as follows. Any constructive feedback would be most welcome - especially whether we've missed out something cruicial or spent to long/short in a place:

25, 26 April: Sydney [and 12 May - see below]
27 April : Blue Mountains day trip
28 April: AM Fly from Sydney to Ayers Rock
29 April: Ayers Rock / Kata Tjuta National Park
30 April: PM Fly to Cairns.
1, 2 May: Port Douglas
3 May: Cape Tribulation [or will it be too rainy in May?]
4, 5 May: Daintree Forest and Cape York Pensinsula
6 May: Bus back to Cairns
7 May: Southbound 12-hour Sunlander train ? [only departs on Tues and Sat]
8, 9, 10 May: Great Barrier Reef / Airlie Beach / Whitsundays [OR SPEND LESS TIME HERE AND, INSTEAD, FLY TO ADELAIDE FOR KANGAROO ISLAND AND THEN FLY BACK FROM MELBOURNE] [IS DARWIN WORTH SEEING?]
11 May: PM fly from, say, Mackay to Sydney
12 May: Sydney
13 May: PM depart from Sydney

Just a couple of points, you have given yourself 2 days to fly into and out of Ayers Rock which to my way of thinking is a waste of money and your time because it really gives you only one day there and that is not enough time for the expensive trip. Getting there would take up more than half of the day and getting out the same, the flying time is 3.5 hours from Sydney direct so when you factor getting to the airport, being there 90 mins before flight and the flight then you are eating up time. I would take that out and instead add either a trip on the Savanna lander train from the tablelands west of Cairns or go to the Lava tubes, also west of the Tablelands. If you want some Aboriginal experience there is plenty around Cairns for that too. May is the dry season for the GBR.
I most certainly would go to Airlie Beach ( don't stay there though but opt for one of the islands ) as it is a beautiful area and with much to see and do. Perhaps think of renting a boat for yourselves there and island hop.
As for Kangaroo Island, it is an expensive side trip - first to Adelaide, then down to the island and for what? To see some animals that you can see just about anywhere else in Australia and in bigger numbers. I think that greatest con with Kangaroo Island is in its name - everyone thinks that because of its name it is covered with animals - yes, but no more that anywhere else and if you want animals then the Atherton Tablelands is the best place to see that and that is just out of Cairns.
The Sunlander too is not what I would call a "great train trip" because you do not see much of the coast but you do see field after field after field of cane farms. So if that is of great interest to you then take the train by all means. The Sunlander does not go into Airlie Beach but stops at Prosepine and then you would get a bus.
Also be aware that Easter next year will be a BIG holiday time in Australia because during that time we will also have Anzac Day which is another major holiday date and I think that most states will have an extra day on the normal 4 day weekend and perhaps even 2 days so people will take advantage of that time to travel.
The Royal Easter Show will be on in Sydney which would be a bit of a culture difference for you and worth going to I would think.
You have not made mention of any other places like Tasmania which is very diverse and interesting.
Also how much are you thinking of seeing Cape York Peninsular and what there specifically?
Is Darwin worth seeing? That would depend on what you like to see and if that is of interest.

I agree with Ivenotbeen about Kangaroo Island, and the trip to Uluru as you have currently planned it. It is going to be very expensive and time consuming. Personally, I'd take out your side trip to the Blue Mountains and spend longer in the centre, add in Alice Springs and take in Kings Canyon. Allow at least 4 days.

In other words, do the classic itinerary: Reef, Rock and Sydney. Or substitute Melbourne for Sydney, both are interesting cities.

Tasmania would be very high on my list of priorities if you like nature and walking. The wilderness areas on the west coast are so beautiful: Strahan and Cradle Mountain.

ANZAC weekend is also Easter weekend So Eater Monday is a Holiday and Tuesday is a holiday in lieu of ANZAC Day.

Try to get to an ANZAC Parade or a dawn service.

The average tourist spends 1.6 days at Ayers Rock and the Olgas. So go if you want.

If you want to go to Kangaroo Island probably best to go to Adelaide from Ayers Rock. Australia is a big country and you are covering some large bits.

Personally I would stick to Sydney, Ayers Rock and the North.

I haven't been to Darwin, so can't comment. Kangaroo Island is great but needs few days due to the condition of the roads.

I haven't done the train trips, but would tend to agree, that you would be better off flying unless you are train buffs.

Enjoy.

Where on Cape York to you expect to get to and back from in one day? Roads probably still closed or just open and in poor condition in early May.

I suggest that in the Cairns area there is plenty for you to see and do.

For wildlife and scenery base yourself on the Atherton Tablelands and make sure you include a night tour. Much of this can be done self drive but a guide will of course show you much more than you'll see and understand by yourself. Undara and Chillagoe will give you a taste of the outback, some wildlife experiences and of course the underground of their lava tubes and limestone cave.

You need to give yourself a bit of time and flexibility for your reef trips at this time of year whether you are in Cairns/Port Douglas or way down south in the Whitsundays.

Susie, you will arrive in Sydney on Anzac Day, 25th April. Everything will be shut in the morning - everything! See
http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/..._tradition.asp

Against that, you may have jet lag, be awake and very near where the Dawn Service is held . As Peter says, a unique experience. The Anzac March is held mid morning, (I was taken to this as a child sixty years ago, but now find it very sad), then in the afternoon, all the old soldiers go to the Returned Servicemen's Clubs (RSL) for drinks, cameraderie and it's the one day of the year when playing "Two-up" is legal.
You are both young and resilient, and can fit a lot in - but you will not remember much over the years. Far better to concentrate on just a few places, as others have suggested, I think. I wouldn't miss the day trip to the Blue Mountains, am going there next week as a birthday treat!

Lots of good info here, Susie. As for Darwin, I have been there twice and I really like the Top End, but I would not go in late April/early May as it's at the end of The Wet. Lots of the best places to see may still be closed and lots of the best things to do won't be operating yet because of the weather.
Best save this area in Australia for your next visit. You may think this is your only trip to Australia, but at your age, I'll bet you go again. It's an addictive destination.

Hi..susan
I think kangaroo island is amazing nice place..i had a trip at Sydney, kangaroo island and Byron bay and i had a great time there. Byron Bay is also amazing place. I stayed at Byron bay beach house . you must visit. by....

<b>"[IS DARWIN WORTH SEEING?]"</b>
Well, yes, but the real importance of Darwin is that it is the gateway to Kakadu National Park (and Litchfield too). Kakadu is quite a distance from Kakadu and requires a minimum of two days to see, preferably more. I agree with longhorn55 about timing your visit to Darwin as to avoid the wet. I would think May 1st is the earliest I would want to go, although we arrived on April 27th this year and everything was O.K. Some roads in Kakadu were still flooded.

_____________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Calling Suzie, are you out there?

You can see Duck Billed Platypus in the Atherton tablelands, get a local guide to take you out on a day tour including the rain forest.
We flew to Brisbaine / Gladstone and then caught a boat out to Heron Island ,(southern Capricorn group) a three or four day stay is wonderful. great snorkelling, terrific wildlife and a beautiful place to stay.Caught the helicopter back which was an amazing experience itself, with staggering views of islands and reefs below us.
If you do spend time in the centre then Kings Canyon is worth walking around and can be added on to a trip to Uluru/Alice. Be careful not to psend all your time getting to and from places so you don't have time to really experience Oz.

See my travel log: http://www.tabhauser.com/australia%201.htm
That was our perfect 3 week trip.
Good luck

Check out www.tigerairways.com for cheap flights around Australia. With limited time better to fly as the train trips are so long and you really don't see anything.

Hello. My husband and I were in Aus. three years ago. We are planning another trip back there next year. We hadn't any interest in seeing Uluru. It is a long way out there and there is nothing to see but the monolith. You two might enjoy it though. Some of the reviews of it said the people regretted going all the way out there though. Our travel agent talked us out of going there, to the penguin parade and to Kangaroo Island. She also warned us about Cairns. We stayed in Sydney for a week and Melbourne for a week. We also stayed in Cairns for three nights, in order to go up into the rain forest there. We stayed at Port Douglas and flew out to Hamilton Island for a few days. Hamilton Island was lovely. Cairns was a terrible disappointment. We hated it there. All you can see there is some muddy sand and some water. Port Douglas and Hamilton Island were great. You can do a lot of tours out of Port Douglas and bypass Cairns. The ride into the rain forest out of Cairns was beyond awesome. We took a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef, out of Hamilton Island. The next time we will do the trip to the rain forst, out of Port Douglas (more expensive), but it will be worth it to avoid Cairns. Melbourne is really nice. It is totaly different than Sydney. Sydney is loaded with young people like yourselves. I mean really loaded. Everybody is into jogging. The only problem is that they all smoke. The smoke was really bothersome too. Sydney-ites look skinny and healthy. They can't be though with all their smoking. We didn't do the expensive walk up over the Sydney Bridge, but we did walk it. The harbor is beautiful. Australia is extremely clean. That is a plus in our eyes. The people are very freindly. They will tell you though that such and such is right up the road and you can't miss it. Well we missed a lot. Everything to them is just a short distance up the road. It isn't "just up the road". They will also tell you how to get somewhere, but they have no clue. A French tourist expressed that opinion to us, while we were in Port Douglas. We didn't believe her at first Then after that everybody was telling us where to go, but they really didn't know. I'm sure you will love Australia. Make sure you take any kind of cold medicine or regular day to day meds with you. Meds are in short supply. It is hard to find a doctor over there also. My husabnd caught a really bad cold. He was able to see a doctor on Hamilton Island, which was very convenient though. We bought trip medical insurance from American Express before we left the U.S. It is extremely reasonable also. We have bought it a few times when visiting Canada and Europe also. American Express reimbursed us for the office visit and the antiobiotics my husband was prescribed. All we had to do was save our receipts and submit them when we got back. I suggest you definitely get trip medical insurance. It is terribly prohibitive to get sick over there and have to be flown back to the U.S. for treatment. The American Express medical insurance covers you if you have to be transported from Aus. to the U.S. for medical issues. Have a great trip. Elaine

Definitely go on the Blue Mountin trip. We did it through Gray line tours here in America. It is an extremely long day trip though. Elaine

Would definitely be worth your while to spend time at the jenolan caves while at the blue mountains. They are spectacular and well worth the visit. Only problem for you is that it does take time to visit the caves. Tours are around 1.5 hours long and are guided. My husband and I went there earlier this year and visited 2 of the caves and wished we had more time to visit more. Good value as well.

I live in brisbane Australia and I can see from your itinerary you are keen to see as much of aussie as you can in 3 weeks. Please remember that this country is vast with loads to see and do. I would prefer to spend more time in places and really take in the experience of Australia.

I agree that the Sunlander train trip is probably a waste of time. You will not see much of the coast and personally I find the trip long and boring. Much better to spend your time sightseeing as much of the Queensland coast as possible.

Domestic flights in Australia are cheap. Look for real bargains with Jetstar or Virgin Blue.

Hope you have a great time down under.

well, elaineoberman, I'd say your travel agent knows very little about Cairns. Of course it has its ugly parts, as does any city where people from all walks of life live and work, and is not comparable with Port Douglas, a resort/tourist town.

Cairns city doesn't have a beach, nor pretend to have one, it has a deep water harbour for ocean liners and all other craft including boats to take tourists out to reef; Cairns' beaches stretch to the north of the city and include Trinity Beach and Palm Cove, as well as many others. For truly spectacular ocean views try Buchan Point at the northern end of Palm Cove.

Public swimming in Cairns city is at the lagoon on the Esplanade, year round safe swimming devoid of stingers and crocodiles, something Port Douglas badly needs and is still aspiring to. Personally, I'm pleased there is no city beach, the city's fertile and healthy mudflats attract migratory birds from all over the world and is the "must do" list for both local and international birdwatchers - I'd much rather see birds on the shoreline than mobs of people. Mudflats and mangrove systems are essential to the health of the Great Barrier Reef.


There's miles of pristine mangrove waterways on the city's doorstep, Crystal Cascades is Mossman Gorge without the tourists; Lake Placid is good for kayaking and with picnic and bbq facilities; Flecker Botanical Gardens are 4km out of the city in suburb of Edge Hill (lovely B&B accommodation), with adjoining Tanks Art Theatre, and both the Red Arrow and Blue Arrow rainforested walking trails. The tropical street scaping in Collins Ave leading from the ugly main road (Sheridan Street) to the Gardens is unsurpassed anywhere in FNQ, certainly nothing like it in Port Douglas.

What happened to the beach they were building at Cairns? Or was it just for show?

The artificial beach is on one side of the 48,000 square meter saltwater Cairns lagoon, mentioned above, between the Esplanade and the sea. The sandy side is popular with nubile young topless European sunbakers, and the lagoon is used by other tourists, locals, families with little kids - its an absolute saviour on a stinking hot summer's day when very often coastal beaches (even those with stinger nets) are closed due to marine stingers and sometimes crocodiles.

Hear, hear, about the world class mudflats!