Australia - Tips for visiting down under

cambsno

cambsno

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Am looking at a trip to Oz in 2021 - We like to have a 'big' holiday every couple of years and think this will not be a huge amount more than a Disney holiday.

Plan to go for approx. 3 weeks around the Easter hols, so late March and into April - feel this will be a balance of being warm and not stupidly hot/cold. Obviously, this will probably be the trip of a lifetime so want to get it right. In reality there is too much to fit in, but what have people done in the past and what is a must do! We like to see sights, nature and relax, will be a 13 & 10yo too.

Must do's at this stage is Sydney for around 4 days, a few in Melbourne (plan to spend a couple of days with friends 2 hours away from there) and the Barrier Reef. I would like to do Uluru but it seems its expensive to get to, and Darwin, although our Aussie friends think thats too far. I would like to spend some time in the bush/national parks. Whitsunday Islands look great for the relax few days plus close to the reef. This ignores Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and other places. Thoughts???
 
Sydney > Darwin is 2500 miles / 4.5hr flight (£250 ea one way) / about 10-12 days driving there and back. Perth is about the same distance.
Uluru is now permanently closed to climbers; I don't know how close you're allowed to get to it.
 
I wouldn't bother with Adelaide, as a city its dull, though if you were to hire a car the drive from Melbourne along the great ocean road is great. Perth is pretty isolated however you can get there direct from London if you can cope with the flight. Thats the route I normally take. From Perth the Margret River area is worth a couple of days. Darwin I wouldn't bother with.

Internal flights taking in most of the major cities (draw a line from Adelaide to Brisbane and you'll get most of the population) are cheap and frequent.

I'd be inclined to go to Ningaloo Reef over the Great Barrier. It is a pain in the arse to get to, but really worth the effort. The WhitSundays are good and gorgeous. I would spend a day in Brisbane if you're heading to that coast. Australia Zoo is supposed to be stunning. I do plan on spending a long weekend there when I get a little time.

Uluru is worth a visit not to climb but for the spectacular colours. There is an airport, with flights to the major cities and a modern resort. It gets crowded at sunrise and sunset. You can get pretty close, there is a track round the rock and its about an hours walk round. In places the trek is within touching distance of the actual rock. If you like astronomy or just start gazing then the Aussie outback if something else


At that time of year take a light waterproof jacket. Rain is heavy and you'll get rainy days.

ETA - I forgot to add, take hats and long sleeved clothes. Factor 50 suncream you'll need it. You'll also feel (and look) a right t*** wearing a fly net. Deal with it cause in the bush, around Uluru or in most of the national parks the flies will annoy you like you wouldn't believe without one.
 
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Had just over three weeks in Australia in 2017,had to go in August due to the school holidays.Weather was good between 20-26 degrees most days,we had some funny looks as I was in T Shirt and shorts the locals in Sydney had winter clothes on.
We did Sydney for 8 days then flew up to Cairns for 6 days and finally flew to Brisbane and stopped in Noosa Heads for 7 days.
Out of them all I enjoyed Noosa Heads the most lovely place.
In Sydney we did the bridge climb,Opera House,Manlay beach,Botanical Gardens,Taronga Zoo and the Blue Mountains.Plus others that will. One to me later,all worth doing.
In Cairns we did the Kuranda rail trip, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and of course the Great Barrier Reef.
In Brisbane we had hired a 4x4 to go from the airport to Noosa Heads whilst there we did Noosa National Park,Australia Zoo Steve Irwin’s Zoo,Sunshine Coast,
Wish we had gone for longer too much to do n such a short time,would go back tomorrow if it wasn’t as far.
 
I've lived there for a while (Melbourne) and as above really recommend the Great Ocean Road. Book a few motels along the way and take time to explore it - not only the coast road but also the inland where there are some great forest walks with waterfalls etc.

Sydney is good if you want the tourist things... Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Darling Harbour etc. Can be done in a few days with ease but take your time.

The drive along the coast between Sydney and Brisbane brings some great places to visit too - Gold Coast etc...

Cairns and the region is good if you want a taste of the outback.
 
gremlin16 said:
Oh, we also nipped over to Bali for 10 days from Perth while we were there.
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It‘s not always obvious from a U.K. perspective that Bali is nearer to Perth than almost anywhere else in Australia ;).
 
Yes, that’s what we learned while we were there. The locals treat a trip to Bali almost like a weekend in the Lake District. We just walked into a travel agent and the next day, off we popped. Beautiful country and people.
 
Yes, I have relatives in WA and the first time I heard of them going to Bali for a Winter holiday I think my first thought was something like ‘why go all that way when there are warm places elsewhere in Oz’, then I looked at the map :).
 
If you want something really different, fly up to Timor Leste - beautiful country, if still rather basic outside of Dili. Only 45 minutes from Darwin but rather expensive.
 
Thanks all so far!

Speaking to friends as well, I am thinking Alice Springs is a probable no - the cost to get there is a lot and think I have to accept that we wont see everything in the 3 weeks. May do Darwin instead to get a taste of the outback and national parks - Brisbane and Adelaide I can take or leave - important for us to do Sydney and Melbourne plus around Cairns and reefs. Wont have time to go out of Oz (shame as was tempted by NZ)
 
Not NEED these days. Doesn't get you cheap one way fares either!
 
cambsno said:
Thanks all so far!

Speaking to friends as well, I am thinking Alice Springs is a probable no - the cost to get there is a lot and think I have to accept that we wont see everything in the 3 weeks. May do Darwin instead to get a taste of the outback and national parks - Brisbane and Adelaide I can take or leave - important for us to do Sydney and Melbourne plus around Cairns and reefs. Wont have time to go out of Oz (shame as was tempted by NZ)
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If you go to Alice maybe Pine Gap will have an Open Day for photo opportunities :D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Gap , more 3 letter agencies than you can shake stick at ;).
 
beyond the blue said:
Don't fall for the con that you have to pay for a Visa. They are free online, the fastest I been granted one was 30 seconds. Even my travel agent tried to charge for them.
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Yes, that's true - a simple 3 month e-visa is available to many passport holders.
 
Quoth said:
Yes, that's true - a simple 3 month e-visa is available to many passport holders.
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I wonder if there‘ll be a hiccup in e-visas if Brexit happens since it appears to relate to EU citizens and, according to Wiki, only to British passport holders if they are also British citizens.
 
No idea about it as I have an Irish passport... will be interesting to see what happens visa wise if Brexit happens.
 
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