Planning a trip to Australia

[nwsteve]

We flew from Melbourne to Hobart mid-Feb, 16 and had no issue getting a vehicle, albeit we reserved several weeks in advance.
Oddly, AutoEurope offer the best deal, including second driver at no cost.
Nwsteve

 

[nwsteve]

BTW, ferry from Melbourne is pretty pricey and unless you return to Melbourne, expect a drop fee which will be not cheap! OTOH, you can rent at any of the airports on Taz and leave from another with no drop fee.

 

[Cap_Scarlet]

Does anyone have any input to this tentative trip agenda for Australia:

Wednesday, February 1st arrive in Sydney and stay for 1 week.

Thursday, February 9th Cruise from Sydney to Perth (16 days) northern route Discount Cruises, Last-Minute Cruises, Short Notice Cruises - Vacations To Go

Saturday, February 25th arrive in Perth and stay for 1 week.

Saturday, March 4th leave Perth and drive to Melbourne along the coast - 10 days

Wednesday, March 15th, arrive in Melbourne

Friday, March 17th, arrive in Hobart (either fly or take an evening ferry)

Saturday, March 18th depart on a seven day tour of Tasmania https://www.lonelyplanet.com/austra...-the-tahune-airwalk/a/pa-tou/v-5703P14/362437

Sunday, March 26 return to Melbourne

We would spend a few days in Melbourne then fly back to the states.

We plan to take public transportation, rent bicycles and hire cabs in the cities. We would possibly take some day tours outside of the cities.

My one concern is the (wet) weather to be cruising around the Northern Territory in February, it could make for some rough water.

Can anyone comment about the length of time we are spending - for example, is 10 days too long to drive from Perth to Melbourne (2,122 miles) taking our time along the way? Should we spend more time in Tasmania? Would we be mistaken not to travel from Melbourne back to Sydney?

Any sights we shouldn't miss?

Also, is there any advantage/disadvantage to using a travel agent vs. booking this on our own?

Thank you for any suggestions!

-helen

Hi

We lived in Australia (Sydney) for a year back in 2008 and have been on a few other trips.

In 2014 we visited Western Australia and Melbourne as part of a long trip to Australia and New Zealand, you can read about some of our experiences on my blog:

Adventures in Austria – Living, learning and having fun in the Styrian mountains

My thoughts based on what you've said above:

1. A week is a decent amount of time in Sydney - You might go to Bondi or Manly beach which are mentioned in the tourist guides but in my view they are not that nice and can be very crowded. Make sure you get out of the city into the Blue Mountains, south of the city to the coast and north of the city to the great beaches there as well.

2. A whole week in Perth is a lot, a couple of days maximum. There are some lovely places south of Perth (see my blog) so I would be tempted to only spend a couple of days in Perth and then head south via the wine making areas if that's your fancy (see my blog). In my view Denmark is really nice.

3. i would not drive from Perth to Melbourne - there just isn't that much to see and its deserted! Better to fly and spend some more time in and around Melbourne (my favorite Australian city).

4. I would not use an agent to book as using a site like trip advisor is perfect, there are so many great B&B's in Australia that you will be spoilt for choice.

Whatever you decide you are sure to have a fabulous time!

 

[Alan]

Minor threadjack, but on topic.



Alan, I've been thinking about a visit to Tasmania in the next year or so and was wondering: Do you think that the greater availability of car/van rentals in Melbourne makes taking the ferry with a vehicle preferable to flying in and trying to rent in Hobart?

We stayed in Hobart for a month and knew that we wouldn't be renting a car for the Hobart area as the buses are very good and affordable. We had no trouble renting a car in Hobart when needed but don't really know price and availability options versus Melbourne.

We stayed in Melbourne for 2 weeks without a car and then rented one for a week to drive along the Great Ocean Road and then back to Melbourne airport to drop off the car and fly to Hobart.

 

[Alan]

Helen,

When you arrive in Sydney immediately buy a 1 week ticket for the ferries/urban rail. I think it also includes the buses but we got around everywhere on the ferries and trains, including a day trip to visit my Aunt and cousins in West Dapto which was a 2.5 hour train ride south of Sydney and was still included in the price of the all-you-can-ride ferry ticket.

We stayed on Cremorne Point in a B&B that we had stayed at before. Right by a ferry terminal that runs very frequently.

 

[LOL!]

Just saw this thread and the itinerary. I've been to Australia a few times. I am not a big fan of driving around nor cruises. I like to do hiking and getting out there.

I've been to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Uluru. Local friends helped me everywhere except Uluru which I understand many white Australians don't like to go to. A friend and I drove from Melbourne to the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road which is all the driving that I would want to do. She had relatives along the way, so we diverted to places to see animals in the wild up close, such as koalas and parrots who would land on your head and arms.

In Melbourne, there is Healesville Sanctuary which is a wildlife park.

In Sydney, you can rent kayaks and get around the back harbors.

I would highly recommend going to Uluru / Ayers Rock and the area around it for at least 3 days. Rent a car after landing there and drive yourself rather than take tours.

Perth, I would not spend so much time in, but maybe try to go swimming with whale sharks up the coast. At least you can put your toes in the ice-cold Indian Ocean.

But perhaps you all are not mobile and cannot do the hikes that I would do, so your idea of a vacation is completely different from mine.

Also read Bill Bryson's book on Australia, too, before you go.

tripadvisor.com is the place for travel information, tours, etc.

And finally, superimpose a map of the US on the map of Australia to the same scale: https://www.anbg.gov.au/maps/aust-usa-map.jpg

 

[stepford]

I would highly recommend going to Uluru / Ayers Rock and the area around it for at least 3 days. Rent a car after landing there and drive yourself rather than take tours.

The whole whether or not to climb Uluru issue is highly politicized. The native peoples strongly discourage it yet many others seem to almost militantly assert their right to do so. I won't step in on either side, but encourage any visitor to take a look and decide for themselves. In the same general vicinity Kata Tjuta and King's Canyon also provide some very pretty hikes without the politics and guilt trip of Uluru.

 

[LOL!]

The whole whether or not to climb Uluru issue is highly politicized.

I did not climb Uluru, but did hike around it and also visited the other places you mentioned and hiked. I didn't see many Australians, but did see some foreigners.

Oh, I visited this area when temps were above 35 deg C (in the high 90's F), but I am from south Texas (have done lots of desert camping) and the heat did not bother me.

 

[Starbright]

I'm an Aussie and won't recommend the drive from Perth to Adelaide or Melbourne. Vast tracts of land and no one to help you if your car breaks down.

When in Perth, the Margaret River region would be nice to visit if you have a week to spend there.

I would also recommend Uluru (maybe combined with Kakadu or Katherine Gorge) as others have suggested, but a few days tour could be easier than driving yourself. Long hours on the road in between places.

The Great Barrier Reef or Whitsundays would also be nice if you have time in Qld and like the water.

 

[Nemo2]

I'm an Aussie and won't recommend the drive from Perth to Adelaide or Melbourne. Vast tracts of land and no one to help you if your car breaks down.

+1 Driving the Nullarbor isn't a breeze......I know a guy who crossed it by motorcycle years ago, but he was younger (and dumber) at the time....but if the OP likes it, why next stop the Birdsville Track.


(In 1962 three of us drove from Kununurra eastwards, down to The Alice, across to Mt. Isa, up north of Cairns then down to Sydney...but we were younger too.)

 

[orangestreet]

Another Australian here. Ditch the insane drive from Perth and fly to Adelaide. In fact, if it were me, I would fly straight to Melbourne and do the great ocean drive from there.

 

[Helen]

Thank you all for the fantastic recommendations!

I have booked the first month of the trip so far. We fly out of Portland, OR on January 31st and will stay for a week in Sydney. Then we catch the cruise out of Sydney and end up in Perth 16 days later. We will stay two nights in Perth and one night on Rottnest Island then back to Perth where we flight out the next morning to Adelaide.

I need to get back on this and book the rest of the trip. We will probably spend five days to a week in Adelaide, a week in Melbourne, a week to 10 days in Tasmania then a few days in Canberra before returning to Sydney to fly out on the 28th of February.

You have all be very helpful and I greatly appreciate your input!

-helen

 

[Nemo2]

We will probably spend five days to a week in Adelaide

It's been close to 55 years since I was in Adelaide, and even if it's changed dramatically I suspect a week might be a tad long.....look forward to seeing your pics when you return!

 

[Alan]

In Adelaide I would look into hiring a car and dropping it off in Melbourne. That way you can spend a little less time in Adelaide and a little more time on the Great Ocean Road. Driving direct to Melbourne is about a 9 hr drive so you could go the coast road, stopping 2 or 3 or 4 nights along the way.

When we drove from Melbourne in September 2014 towards Adelaide we didn't even book places to stay along the Great Ocean Road, there were plenty available. However I don't know about school holidays etc in January, which is their summer, so booking ahead may be wise.

 

[Nemo2]

In Adelaide I would look into hiring a car and dropping it off in Melbourne.

Great idea.....and don't forget the penguins at Phillip Island:
https://www.google.ca/maps/uv?hl=en...d=0ahUKEwjNtPTx-ezQAhUL9WMKHUJ6AwMQoioIlQEwDg

 

[orangestreet]

Ha ha Nemo2, I quite like Adelaide. But a week there as a tourist would drive me mad. 2 to 3 days should be more than enough.

 

[Nemo2]

Ha ha Nemo2, I quite like Adelaide. But a week there as a tourist would drive me mad. 2 to 3 days should be more than enough.

After all...how long can it take to eat a Pie Floater?

 

[nwsteve]

Ha ha Nemo2, I quite like Adelaide. But a week there as a tourist would drive me mad. 2 to 3 days should be more than enough.

We were in Adelaide this last February and had a grand time for five days and left with things we wished we had more time to see. A few of our favorites were:
*National Wine Centre of Australia at the Botanic Gardens--120 different wines can be sampled from their special dispensers that allow you taste some exceptional wines by the glass. Many of the wines are never available unless you buy an entire bottle. Decent restaurant for lunch with a great patio. Wine Education | National Wine Centre
*Botanical Gardens--restaurant in center of park, was recognized as one Australia's top choices. We enjoyed their tasting menu including their wine pairings. While a bit pricy, no tipping and a great exchange rate made it almost reasonable. (could have been posted on the current special luxuries thread ) If time also check out Sydney's Botanical Gardens. Being So Hemisphere and all, most plants are not ones you will see in NA.
* South Australian Museum--a fantastic floor devoted to their Aboriginal population. South Australian Museum - Home
* City market--good for a rainy day, one best breakfast spots in city is located there.
Airport is close to center of city and good city transportation.
Have a great trip.
Nwsteve