Gurpreet

Hi,
We are a family of 5(Dad,Mom,Grandma(senior)and 2 kids(now 12 & 6)- living in Canada
VERY FLEXIBLE AND OPEN TO ALL SUGGESTIONS
Planning to visit AUS & NZL
when is the best time?in 2008
what is a good duration? upto a month max
Is it better to get a aus air pass or drive or a bit of both
would like to see -- I think --
-Sydney -- have family there
-Great Barrier reef - snorkel YES. Is it worth to learn to scuba?Can you see equally at snorkelling depths - kids need to go in too
-Day at a sheep farm - see/do shearing and round up the sheep - kids would like that
-australian animals experience
-theme parks - are they like USA - not much intertesed in rides -something different or unique-if we were to choose only one- which?
best beach experience
- whats the best to experience in NZL
WE DEFINATETELY DO NOT WANT TO ONLY JUST TRAVEL BUT HAVE TIME TO ENJOY -- ITS TOTALLY OK TO EXPERIENCE A FEW BEST + UNIQUE PLACES/EXPERIENCES of AUS/NZL THAN TO SEE ALL JUST A LITTLE OR IN A RUSH - and fight all the time or are we there yet??

Gurpreet

AND THANKS A LOT FOR ALL YOUR IDEAS AND COMMENTS
MUCH APPRECITED
GOODLUCK
Gurpreet

longhorn55

If you are going to visit both Australia and New Zealand, you must allow a minimum of 3 weeks and a minimum of 4 weeks would be better. If you are going to both NZ and AUS, you really need to go in their summer (Dec - Feb). The reason for this is that NZ is so far south that in their summer (June - Aug), it is quite cold and there's fewer outdoor activities available. If you were just going to AUS, then you could go anytime. In their summer, the southern part of the country is great and in their winter, the northern part of their country is great.
The distances are so great in AUS that you really need to fly between cities or you will be spending all of your time on the road and some of the roads just aren't that interesting. Once you fly to a city, you can always opt for a car for day trips.
Don't bother going to the theme parks on the Gold Coast if you're not interested in rides. The 3 main ones are Warner Brother's Movie World (theme rides), Sea World and Wet n' Wild water park. They are fun if you like these sorts of things but they are just like their counterparts in the States. The only one I know nothing about is the Paradise Country Farm Tour.
I don't think you need to learn to scuba to enjoy the GBR. You can see a LOT of sealife just by snorkeling. Many boats offer an introductory scuba dive (some charge extra, some don't) if you want to give it a try. My daughter wanted to try it, but said that she liked snorkeling better--scuba was too much work.

pat_woolford

Most reef trips offer introductory scuba dives (at extra charge) as well as snorkelling; you can make your mind up on the day. Minimum scuba diving age in Queensland is 12 years. If you're not certified divers and choose to take an introductory dive, you'll be asked to fill in a medical form and if health doesn't meet requirements you won't be allowed to dive. As mentioned, there's plenty to be seen with just snorkelling.

ElendilPickle

I can't help with Australia, but we went to New Zealand in April 2004, and the weather was lovely. Unless you are a home school family, though, I guess you are limited to traveling during your children's school holidays.

You can see how we spent 10 days on the North Island of NZ at http://community.webshots.com/user/ElendilPickle

Lee Ann

Gurpreet

so snorkling will do just as good
but where - town?
good CLEAN hotels/B&Bs - for 5
thanks

pat_woolford

Well I don't know of any dirty hotels or B&B's, standards set out by local Health Departments would soon put a stop to these.For Great Barrier Reef snorkelling you have enormous choices as to which point you depart, its 2,000km long. Suggest you avail yourself of a guide book with Great Barrier Reef information, Fodors, Frommers, Lonely Planet can help.

Gurpreet

thanks pat we had the misfortune of staing in a urine smell/stained carpet room booked via travel agency and 60 days up ahead - maybe freak accident but very inconvinient changing HOTELS IN PEAK season -- we got a refund 7c but apology etc but thats not the point
soooo .... last trip i booked after reading travellers reviews -- it worked -- yes i looked thru guides but as u say GBR IS 2000KM
so anyone?
which would be the best town
which would be the best hotel/b&b
any suggestions

Gurpreet

its me again
we are planning our ONCE IN A LIFETIME trip so we will book whereever its the best to see and do for
GBR
Sheep farm / sheer - whens the season or is it year round
wild life/ zoo
unique aus/nzl time
we can fly/drive/day trip/horse ride/bus tour - FLEXIBLE

margo_oz

For a comfortable B&B, near the GBR, with decent local information, in Cairns, I'd suggest Pat's own place, Lilybank.
http://www.lilybank.com.au/

It's clean and comfortable, and great breakfasts!

It's a bit out of town, but all the tours collect from the door - and you can hire a car relatively inexpwensively, for those trips further afield (which may be a good idea for 5 of you)

longhorn55

For a family of 5 like yours, I would recommend staying in a serviced apartment. You could get either one with two bedrooms and a pull-out sofa or one with three bedrooms. We like serviced apartments for our family of 4 because you have a sitting room/TV room, kitchen (for making meals-helps keep down the costs) and often a washer and dryer. You can go from luxury to budget, but you will find many in your price range, I am sure.
When we go to the GBR, we always go to Port Douglas. We like the feel of this small town, but it also has lots of amenities like shops, restaurants and the boats to the Reef. There's also the lovely 4-Mile Beach. On our last two visits, we stayed in a serviced apartment at At the Mango Tree and liked it very much. I'm sure if you check the accomodations in Port Douglas on tripadvisor, you'll find someplace you'd like to stay.

Gurpreet

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Naplo999

Get Scuba certified. Snorkling is definately not the same as Scuba diving. You can thank me later. Snorkling is a lot of fun also though - so its up to you. But if you are interested and have the means - you don't want to come home and wish you had gone diving.

Sounds like you have a lot of time for your trip. I have not been to New Zealand but in Australia I would spend time in Sydney, Queensland (GBReef), Melbourne, and Uluru (Ayers Rock).

If you had time you could go to Perth. There is a train that you can take across the country to Perth which would be pretty cool.

Must do's/see's are - Climb Sydney Harbor Bridge, Visit Featherdale Park (pet kangaroo's and wallaby's), see a symphony or Opera at the Opera House, Drive the Great Ocean Road in Melbourne, GB Reef, the gondola up the mountain in Cairns, sunset dinner at Uluru.

Those are some real highlights - there's tons of other things to see and do - ferry's around Sydney harbor, Manly beach, Blue Mountains...

But that should keep you guys busy for two weeks. I'd come up w/ a basic itinerary of what you want to see in those areas then worry about the hotels and inter Aus air and driving after that.

Gurpreet

'

caligirl56

Gurpreet,

Here's the itinerary you asked for! As I mentionned before, it is my husband and me travelling alone--there are lots fun, kid-friendly things that I would probably do if I had my children with me. Also, my husband and I like to hike--so we are doing a bit more of that than may interest you (especially if you have an elderly grandma and a 6 year old in tow!). But, here goes:

3 Nights at Ayers Rock: we will visit the cultural center, hike the Olgas, do a basewalk around the Rock, visit it at sunrise and sunset, and go to the Sounds of Silence dinner.

2 nights Alice Springs: Drive from Ayers Rock (during that drive make a BIG detour to King's Canyon and hike the rim trail). Also stop in Stuart's Well to see Dinky singing Dingo. Visit Desert Park in Alice Springs (this sounds GREAT for kids), the telegraph station, "Take a Camel to Dinner". If we had more time we'd go to Ormiston Gorge and Standley Chasm in the MacDonnell Range.

5 nights in Darwin/Kakadu: Fly to Darwin. Visit Litchfield National Park for termite mounds, swimming holes, water falls (although these may be dry in September). Visit Kakadu and spend 1 night there to see Fogg Dam, Ubirr Rock,
Nadab Rock, Yellow Water Billabong Cruise at dawn, rock art at Nourlangie.
In Darwin: Mindil Market on Thursdays, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (this might be kid-friendly--I think they have a huge stuffed crocodile named Sweetheart--also a simulated cyclone--well, that might be too scary?), Deckchair Cinema, Aquascene (feed fish at hightide--should be amazing for kids!), Australian Pearling Exhibition. There are lots of other things that kids might like: Berry Springs, I think there is a Wildlife Park, Crocodulus Park (maybe), etc.

10 nights Palm Cove, Lizard Island:
Fly from Darwin to Cairns (advance warning--flight times can be very early or late--check this out in advance!). We will spend 3 nights on Lizard Island (I think there would be much better choices if you have children--more fun for them). The rest of the time, we will go on a Reef Trip with one of the big operators, visit Atherton Tablelands, take the train up to Kuranda to see butterfly sanctuary, koala park, etc., drive to Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation, take several Rainforest Tours to see wildlife at night and in the early morning--Hartley's Crocodile Adventure looks fun!

6 Nights in Tasmania: It takes a LONG time to fly here from Cairns. You basically need to plan on it taking a whole day. You've seen our Tasmlania itinerary. But, it is now 2 nights Hobart, 2 nights Freycinet area, 2 nights Cradle Mountain (a bit more rushed than we'd like--we cut out visiting Mt. Field National Park).

6 nights Sydney: Fly from Devonport, Tasmania. Day of arrival, take Ferry to Watson Bay to walk around and eat at Doyles. Next day do walking tour (on our own) to include Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Hyde Park, Darling Harbour area, Fish Market, the Rocks...etc. On Day 3, we will go on a Day Trip to the Blue Mountains (we have been warned NOT to do this on a weekend). Day 4 we will take a ferry to the Taronga Zoo (the giraffes are supposed to be very photogenic with the Sydney skyline behind them!) We may also tour through the Rocks a bit. Day 5: Bridge Climb in morning and 3-hour sail on the America's Cup Yacht in the afternoon (my husband is into sailing--otherwise, I think you can really just tour the harbour on a ferry!). Day 6: Do Spit Bridge to Manly Scenic Walk. Take ferry back.
At some time while we are in Sydney, we plan to go to a show at the Opera House--hopefully it will be an opera so we will be in the big theater! And again, in Sydney, I know I've seen some more fun things for kids. I think the Aquarium is supposed to be kind of fun.

One thing: we are going in the second half of September on into the first half of October. Through advice off of this forum, we are going to the Red Center (Ayers Rock) and Darwin first--because it won't be quite so hot as it would be a bit later. And, then Sydney will be a bit warmer in October, than it would have been in September (although I don't think this is a huge issue). Anyway--if it weren't for this, I would have planned the itinerary differently: it would have been Sydney, Tasmania, Ayers Rock, Darwin, North Queensland, and fly out of Sydney.

Hope that helps!

Gurpreet

caligirl56
wow that looks awesome
let me absorb in 'some quiet time?
thanks