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!

Good post - thanks Pat!

Mmmmmmmmmmm elaineobermann I think you have slipped into the "Ugly American" image without even trying too hard. Your comment " 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." Let me tell you that one thing that Australians do know is WHERE anything is in their own country and a lot of the time in other people's countries as well. Perhaps you didn't "listen" or you think you know better - how rude you sound with your overall comment that Australians " have no clue" and "really don't know" . Coming from one of the World's most geographically challanged people that is rich!
FYI Cairns is a port and a working city in that commerce and agriculture is its main reason for being. If you don't like that then, stiff, everywhere cannot be geared to tourists otherwise now that your dollar is stuffed and you cannot afford to go anywhere we would be as badly off as your country is and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
Just think a minute how insulting you are from out point of view. From someone from a country with some of the most ugly cities on this earth you are too much!

New Orleans has a rubbish beach as well.


Soooooooooooooshallow. are some horrid people,

As it takes ages to get to Ayers Rock, if you really want to see it and surrounds - do some Aboriginal guided tours. Quite interesting. Also fly out of there due North as you are already in the centre of Australia. You can then just go upwards to Kakadu and the gorges. Absolutely stunning (yes, I'm an Australian, so biased), but just look at the pictures. I've been to the Daintree and beyond. Walking the tree-top canopy at the Daintree is easy and spectacular. STaying there is good too, but you can go as far as Coconut Beach near Bloomfield. This is where the sea meets the rainforest,truly, and spectacular sunsets. Can do night tour to look at bugs that glow in the dark etc. After this point, it is a very back-breaking bumpy drive for 4-6hours in a a 4wheel drive to get to the tip. Great to say you've done it...but...if take a helicopter out of Cairns or Port Douglas if you really want to visit the tip.
As Australia is vast, look at taking small aircraft (4-6-12 seaters) to travel across the top and any other points of interest. Weigh up the cost. It could be worth it.
Don't do the Sunlander.
Do go to Hamilton Island and stay and snorkle. As Hamilton has an airport it is a good place to arrange small plane flights. Check it out. Another good place to snorkle the Barrier Reef is on a big, commerical boat out of Port Douglas. I snorkled there. The trip is only for a couple of hours so it was a bit short.
Australia is huge, so it always makes you decide..do I go North or do I go south and take in Melbourne and TAsmania. Bushwalking in Tasmania is spectacular and travelling along the river system. But Kakadu up North is also spectacular. You have to choose I'm afraid. You will love it all it is so diverse. Enjoy.

Hi Susie,

I think you've got quite a good itinerary to suit your interests.
Just a couple of thoughts:

Central Australia - April is a great time to go and if you could tweak an extra day or so, I'd be tempted to add Alice Springs to your Uluru & Kata Tjuta leg. http://en.travelnt.com/explore/alice-springs.aspx

It's interesting from historic,cultural & environmental aspects. Architecturally, the original hospital just off Todd Mall, is well worth seeing. School of the Air, Royal Flying Doctor give a glimpse of life in the outback today. The Desert Park has a wonderful collection of Australian natives, including many indigenous to Central Australia.

Depending on your inclination/budget/timing - you could drive (about 4 hours) or fly to Uluru.

If you can, go to the Cultural Centre at Yulara first. It's an excellent source of information on the area; has a very good interactive exhibition and collection of Aboriginal artefacts.
You can arrange to join a guided walk with an Aboriginal guide and/or rent a car and drive yourself/join a tour.

Whichever you choose, I am sure you have the vision, wit, acuity & sensitivity to see what many thousands of visitors & Australians regard as a unique part of Australia. It's a good thing that some others are aware of their limitations and stay away.

Take a jacket/coat as it can be very cold early mornings & nights. And Rid/Bushmens insect repellent, hat, sunscreen & lots of water.

If you decide to rent a car, book it in advance because there are a limited number available, as you'd expect.

Qantas (QF) has direct flights Sydney - Alice Springs (0955 - 1250) and Alice to Uluru (1355- 1445). Leaving Uluru, make sure you're on a direct flight to Cairns. Qantas' budget subsidiary (QF1854) leaves 1525 - ETA 1825

Whitsundays: Suggest you fly out of Hamilton Island (more flights than Proserpine) QF has a direct flight to Sydney 1455 - 1710. Those "white sand" beaches in the Whitsundays are mostly coral. Whitehaven is the sandy one.

Adelaide/Kangaroo Island - you don't have time & will see plenty of wildlife in the FNQ (Far North Queensland) hinterland, Daintree & Cape York.

I love Melbourne, but unless the weather closes you out of some of your FNQ /Whitsunday activities & you re-schedule, I don't see that you have the time, really.

elaineobermann - Oct 14 at 11:40am: "We hadn't any interest in seeing Uluru. It is a long way out there and there is nothing to see but the monolith."

If you didn't go, how do you know this to be true? Of course, one has to have the ability to appreciate an ancient landscape, indigenous traditions and many other subtleties of Central Australia. Or at least to be curious enough to find out.

Your assessment and that of your travel agent may well have been correct - nothing there for you to see. Central Australia doesn't appeal to everyone, but damning what you haven't seen or experienced does not do much for your credibility.

Has your travel agent been there? They saw nothing either?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion of Australia, but let's just inject a fact or two, shall we?

SMOKING: "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"

FACT: 19% of Australians smoked in 2008 and the figure is decreasing. http://www.dassa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=118.

One cannot smoke in restaurants, hotels, clubs, public buildiings, airports, shops, theatres, cinemas, shopping centres, offices or any other indoor venue which does not have a designated smoking area. It is also banned on some beaches, in all forms of public transport; in seated areas of outdoor sporting venues and within a proscribed distance from schools.

Begs the question as to where you were to be so bothered by all these smokers. One can only suppose you have not travelled in Europe, South or Central America.

OTC MEDICATIONS & DOCTORS: "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. "

What nonsense - cold & flu, headache & many other over-the-counter medications are sold in supermarkets, convenience stores as well as in pharmacies/chemists. Your husband could have bought cold tablets at the Hamilton Island supermarket or pharmacy.

There are Medical Centres and/or Doctors in private practice all over the cities, metropolitan suburbs & all regional centres. Where was it that you had difficulty finding a Doctor?

" It is terribly prohibitive to get sick over there and have to be flown back to the U.S."

It is prohibitively expensive to be flown home as a medical emergency from anywhere in the world. At least the Australian medical system is not as expensive as the US, as no doubt you would have noted by the cost of your husband's Doctor's appointment.

Elaine,
I am glad you had some pleasant experiences in Australia also though.

When one has specific expectations despite failing to do one's homework, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Your agent is not the first person unable to 'see' Australia, not because of lack of eyesight but lack of knowledge. Next time get yourself a local guide and recommend to her she does too. I am heading out to the Great Victoria Desert soon and am a little sad that I'll only have a few days. So much to see!

Some people are not very good at giving directions but some are also very poor at listening to them and yet others don't ask properly through ignorance of local geography or custom. A little tip for anywhere in the world, "How will I know if I've gone too far?" In many languages, including this one, the word, 'right' can be used idiomatically to mean 'straight' rather than the opposite of left.

Alan you are a nice person and diplomatic too but I am glad to see that Bokhara picked up on the issues that I did not address, particularly regarding "OTC MEDICATIONS & DOCTORS".
I could ask that poster if she thought that all medications are called the same in all countries. For instance we do not have Tylenol, (sp??) unless of course it has been introduced with that name in very recent times, but we have another product which has exactly the same ingredients but a different name, that is what is called "generic" naming of drugs. Another instance where it could pay to "ask" a Chemist/ drugist ( you see we don't even call them the same here). As for doctors being difficult to see, what a crock of c..p. Our doctors and our hospitals are some of the finest in the World, they are also a lot cheaper than in the USA and will not bankrupt people with their fees.

Elaine, Elaine, Elaine! I'm afraid you've really stepped in it.

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

elaineobermann. I agree with the other posters.

Try using some paragraphs as well.

Bokhara2. You don't need to be able to appreciate indigenous culture to enjoy the outback.

Culture of any sort is at the bottom of my list of reasons to travel.

Each to their own.

SMOKING: "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"

"FACT: 19% of Australians smoked in 2008 and the figure is decreasing. http://www.dassa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=118.

One cannot smoke in restaurants, hotels, clubs, public buildiings, airports, shops, theatres, cinemas, shopping centres, offices or any other indoor venue which does not have a designated smoking area. It is also banned on some beaches, in all forms of public transport; in seated areas of outdoor sporting venues and within a proscribed distance from schools.

Begs the question as to where you were to be so bothered by all these smokers. One can only suppose you have not travelled in Europe, South or Central America."


I wondered about elaineobermann's perception of smoking in Australia too - we don't seem to smoke as much here as some countries in Europe, especially given the prohibitive costs of smoking here. It then struck me that if you are walking through city streets, of course there is no smoking in offices allowed and everyone smokes on the street outside the building. It's very visible. I used to work in an office where the building was shared with an English-language school and all the students used to gather outside in big groups and have a ciggie. I was pregnant at the time and could only try to hold my breath as I picked through the smokers and their clouds of smoke. So if you are suddenly confronted with an image like that, of course you'd be thinking Australians smoke a lot, even if we don't think it too.

Lavandula

Or much of Asia, and Emirates where there are smoking restrictions in some areas, but nowhere nearly as strictly enforced as in Australia. I've seen smoking office workers clustered outside office buildings in streets of Manhattan, so this should hardly be a surprise in Sydney or Melbourne.

Not to mention the prohibitive cost of cigarettes here, a packet of 25 B&H filters where I live is $16.10. Anyone know the equivalent cost in US these days?

Hi, SusieR,

I would like to add my tuppence worth as a non-Australian who has had many wonderful trips and times in Australia over the last 22 years.

It is sad that elaineobermann had some disappointments that she felt she needeed to warn people about. I hope her next trip is a much more positive affair, organised through a travel agent who has experienced Australia and enjoyed her many faces.

Cairns is a great place to visit and relax. The Undarra Lava Tubes are worth a visit, and the Tablelands are amazing, to name just two of many places. Sadly I have still not managed to see a platypus in the wild, so will have to return for a third visit to try again!
We used Cairns as our base for day trips around, as well as enjoying nightly strolls along the boardwalk promenade. The cafes, etc along the Esplanade are a wonderful place to soak up the atmosphere of an interesting place.

In my opinion, Alice Springs is most definitely worth a visit combined with a trip to Uluru. We were there in July for a week, and loved it so much we are going back for another week next July.

Some years ago when in Adelaide we enjoyed a trip to Kangaroo Island but because of the distance to get there I would suggest leaving it out of your itinerary. There are many places in where you can see wild animals
I cannot comment on Sydney as I have not been there for over 20 years.

There are some very informative people amongst the responders to your message, some of whose advice I have taken. Use their collective knowledge to guide you.

Whatever you decide make sure you research the areas well, so you don't miss those things offered that are of most interest to you.

Dotty - high time for a return visit to Sydney! Some of the streets are paved now ;)

Something you might consider for next year's Alice Springs jaunt - a helicopter trip for a bird's eye view of some of the ranges & gorges. You can see a lot in a short time and it certainly gives a unique perspective.

Dotty you are the "Dotty" who visited me in Margate, Tasmania arn't you. If so, how are you and nice to hear that you have returned to OZ. Liz

Hey, Bokhara2 - Now that is great progress!!

As to the helicopter ride - would love to but hate anything smaller than a 747! We took the gondola from Mt Faber to Sentosa Island in Singapore in 1989, and I was a cot case when we landed. Even told the poor people sharing our space to stop moving!! I did take a 10-seater plane to Atiu from Rarotonga last year but needed valium to help me! I promise I will give it some serious thought as I know DH would love it.

Liz, sorry, I am not the person you know. Lamentably Tasmania and WA are the two states we have not yet visited. They are on the longterm plan, though probably now not for another 2 - 4 years.

Dotty, when you come back to the Tablelands I'll promise you a Platypus, guaranteed!

Suzie seems to be too busy planning her European Xmas to visit this thread.

Hi everyone,

A belated thank-you for your replies, which I'm going to read now.

AlanJG is correct - we decided to have a short break at Christmas so the planning for that trip was being prioritised!

Susie

I've now had chance to digest your very helpful replies and think we will miss out Adelaide and the Sunlander train and allocate an extra day to Ayers Rock or Alice Springs. See revised itinerary below!

I hadn't appreciated that 25th April was Anzac Day (although I knew it was Easter Sunday) or that 26th is a holiday. It will be a pity that things are closed but we will have to make the most of it! Also, we have a day there at the end of our trip.

I'll look into the Royal Easter Show, Cape York and the Atherton Tablelands in more detail. What's the name of the company that runs the glow-in-the-dark night tour in Bloomfield? That sounds interesting. And is there anywhere on our itinerary that we might be able to do a hot air balloon ride?

25, 26 April: Sydney [Anzac Day / National holiday]
27 April : Blue Mountains day trip [or do this on 26 April if not too jet-lagged?]
28 April: AM Fly from Sydney to Ayers Rock [3.5 hours]
29 April: Ayers Rock / Kata Tjuta National Park
30 April: Ayers Rock / Alice Springs
1, 2 May: PM fly to Cairns then bus to Port Douglas
3 May: Cape Tribulation
4, 5 May: Daintree Forest and Cape York Pensinsula
6 May: Great Barrier Reef boat trip?
7 May: Bus [or hire a car if the one-way rates aren't too bad] to Airlie Beach
8, 9, 10 May: Airlie Beach / Whitsundays
11 May: PM fly back to Sydney
12 May: Sydney
13 May: PM depart from Sydney

Hi Susie,

You can do a balloon ride at Uluru but I'm happy to recommend our young friend Ben who is a pilot for Hot Air at Cairns - www.hotair.com.au.

Having said that though I'm sure there are hot air balloons out of Sydney as well. It's a matter of personal preference.