# How long for trip to Australia?



## GregT (Jul 25, 2011)

All,

We have three young children (11,9,6) and are thinking about taking them to Australia in 2013 when oldest turns 13 -- the timing would be late Dec/early Jan, right after Christmas.  We were planning two weeks, in between school.

However, reading some of the older threads makes me think that a 2 week trip isn't going to cut it and that too much time will be lost in jet lag (and its too big a country to really do it justice in two weeks).

Simplistic/naive thought was to spend time in Syndey, then Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef, and hope to have some time in the Outback.   

Am I kidding myself?

Please advise with thoughts and comments -- we have other (wonderful) beach vacations, so other than the Great Barrier Reef, this isn't intended to be a beach vacation.   

Any suggestions and recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Greg


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## scrapngen (Jul 25, 2011)

It's a big country. I would suggest figuring out what is most important to you to visit, and then remember that it will be more fun DOING than spending a lot of time traveling - especially if your kids are that age. We spent a week in the Sydney area and were plenty busy. (We couldn't go further afield as it was in conjunction w/husband's business trip). We went into the Blue Mountains, (you could spend a couple days just visiting some of the highlights of this area), also visited the Taronga Zoo and the Featherdale Zoo where we could pet kangaroos that were just hopping around in a children's area. (also got to pet a koala) Then Sydney metropolitan area itself with the opera house, the bridge walk, and ferries to beach areas, etc. 

It is a long way to both the Outback AND the Barrier Reef. So trying to pack it all into a two week trip seems a bit much to me. It's hard if this might be a "once in a lifetime" trip, but still, I would rather spend more time at one or two locations, than wasting time in transit. 

I don't know if the Outback is going to be as exciting to your children as the other locations, maybe someone else can chime in. (I think it might sound more interesting than it actually is...) 

My kids were 9 and 11 when we went two years ago, and they would kill to go back!!


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## Margariet (Jul 25, 2011)

You need 3 weeks at least. I think your children will love the Great Barrier Reef and the outback. Much more suitable for children than a city like Sidney. To be honest we even didn't visit Sidney when we went to Queensland cause we don't care much for Australian cities! Sorry, but we were primarily interested in Queensland, in snorkeling which was amazing and in touring the outback. It's like one big exciting adventure. Don't forgert to take a cruise for a couple of days which will bring you to all the snorkeling places at the Reef and remote islands. It departs from Cairns. And take a AWD to do the Bloomfield track. Children will love this. Visit the shore where captain Cook 'landed' and visit a place like Magnetic Island where you can even see koala's in the wild! Enjoy!


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## colamedia (Aug 4, 2011)

Late December/January is the absolute PEAK summer holiday season, all school children are out of school and lots of holidaying going on.   Also it's right in the middle of the tropical wet season in Queensland, which means killer jelly fish, afternoon tropical storms every day when it is not full on cyclones/hurricanes, and very hot and humid in Cairns.  Not the best time of year for far north Queensland, further south the jelly fish aren't quite such a problem and the cyclones are usually less likely, but timeshares are not common.  
Even using Worldmark, because it is Australian school holidays, you would be unable to book anything through them due to the shorter lead time as a US owner, other than possibly Sydney with the silly credit values.  Exchanging would be even less likely.


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## Jwerking (Oct 17, 2011)

We went for a month in July ( their winter)  - which believe it or not is high season for the Great Barrier Reef.  We stayed in Pt. Douglas - which is about a hour north of Cairns - very nice.  It was about high 70s to low 80s - so a bit cool on the water when you take the snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef.  The snorkeling was truly awesome, but this is about an hour+ trip to get to the reef and even a few yrs ago was very expensive - about $100 each I think.

Sydney and Melbourne were pretty cool, but not frigid.  Loved the great ocean drive along the coast outside of Melbourne - this would truly be awesome in the summer when it would be warm.  BUt it was still awesome in the winter - got up to about mid -50s during the day, but could be very windy.  It is like the Big Sur drive in CA - some great scenery.  We really lucked out and even saw koala bears in the trees in one location.  But never saw a kangaroo in the wild.  I take it back, we saw a whole bunch on some gulf course where they all live - not overly exciting.  But loved those wild koala bears - it was great.  Also, there are wild parrots and cuckatoos in Oz - that too was fun to see. 

But it is  big country - pretty long flights from sydney to cairns and then to melbourne.  But as I recall their discount carriers were fairly reasonable.  And if you have never driven on the left - you are in for a treat - it will scare your pants off esp on mountain roads like the great ocean drive.   Weirdest thing in DT Melbourne that you make a right turn from the far left lane.  You just wait there until you get a turn signal - that really took some getting use to.  

Joyce


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## persia (Oct 17, 2011)

Mid summer Christmas to Australia Day is peak travel time in Oz.  Kids are out of school (school year runs along the calendar year).  Tropical North Queensland's rainy season in also in the summer, so it'll be stinking hot and damp (temperatures pushing 40 and humidity close to 100%).  Best time to go troppo is winter (July, August) highs in the upper 20s and dry.  

When you say outback I assume you mean Uluru, since 80% of the country is "Outback."  Uluru is hot in January, probably over 40 during the day and while rain is unpredictable, it's more likely in the tropical wet season (summer).

Sydney is most beautiful in Spring/early summer.  Most of NSW & Victoria are good at this time of year.


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## zora (Feb 29, 2012)

Greg,  
we were in Australia for less than 2 weeks last summer, haw'n air was having a special.  I dont recommend Sydney for more than a couple of days, just to see the opera house, the bridge, the aquarium, and the zoo.  It's a very expensive city.  
We went from Sydney to Alice springs (quantas) and were planning to go to Uluru but our flight was cancelled due to a winter storm.  Quantas offered us a 6 hour bus ride there and, if it was still storming, a 6 hour bus ride back.  Life is too short and we can always go back another day.  So we went to Melbourne, an artists city, sorta, kinda like San Francisco or Paris but not really.  
Our two teenagers really liked Alice springs; we rode camels, learned about the Ghans, about opals, the outback,the aborigines... But it's a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.  I wanted to go to cooper peedy but my DH refused to stay at a hotel/motel under ground.  
If you decide to go, send me a pm and I'll give you more info.


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## KevJan (Feb 29, 2012)

Zora, what did you see and do in Melbourne? We will be there in a couple of weeks, staying at the Kyneton Bushland Resort and thinking of a day trip or two into Melbourne.


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## AKE (Feb 29, 2012)

GregT said:


> All,
> 
> We have three young children (11,9,6) and are thinking about taking them to Australia in 2013 when oldest turns 13 -- the timing would be late Dec/early Jan, right after Christmas.  We were planning two weeks, in between school.
> 
> ...



Can you see Canada in 2 weeks?  90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border (so the inhabited area is rather small) but even then you would be hardpressesd to even make a dent in sightseeing.  There is a standing joke in Canada (but this is the truth) that certain tourists think they can do Canada in 5 days... they land in Vancouver and spend a day there.... then a day in the Rockies followed by an overnight trip to Toronto for a day, another day in Montreal and finally to Prince Edward Island to see Anne of Green Gables. Australia would be no different from a perspective basis.


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## persia (Feb 29, 2012)

Australian peak summer holidays run from Christmas to Australia Day.  Anything you do on the sub tropical East Coast is going to be crowded and a bit crazy.   Driving from Sydney to Brisbane is a bit harrowing.  The road varies between a six lane motorway and a goat track through the Banana plantations.  They've shaved off some of the annoying bits like the roller coaster into Coffs and the run from Byron Bay to the Queensland boarder.  Around Christmas they make parts of the highway north only and then South only around new years.  Distances are long, even for Canadians.  Speed cameras are always in the worst location possible.  Best bet, don't drive between capitals, fly.  Rent a car in each new city.

Melbourne is the classiest city, Sydney the most exciting.  Brisbane and Gold Coast feel like California cities.  Canberra is a study in urban sprawl.  I really like Alice Springs, it's young, and the people are a bit more adventurous.  You'll likely get a chance to meet Aboriginal people there.  White folk are general NOT allowed in Aboriginal Reserves except on tour or if a main road runs through it.


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## zora (Mar 1, 2012)

Kevjan,
Melbourne has a free tourist shuttle and a free city circle tram.  I think the shuttle was every half hour and we rode the shuttle to the museum, the open market, the harbor, and walked around.  The next time we're in Melbourne I want to go watch the penguin parade (Phillip island).  I don't recommend a car rental because there's no parking.  I'm sure you'll have a great time.


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## rossi2021 (Mar 15, 2012)

Hi Greg,
Australia is a big place with not much in between the main attractions, other than the main highways often the road can be pretty average to drive on.
If you can get 3 weeks it is better but 2 weeks is OK you just need to pick your places and not try to do to much.
Not sure who you are flying over with but I know Qantas has deals on flights within Australia when you book them with your flights to Australia.

Here are some recommendations:
- Sydney maybe 1 day either side of flights or day of flights
- Ayers Rock (Uluru) (2 or 3 days) can fly direct to from Sydney, Brisbane or Cairns so you do not have to go to Alice Springs if you don't want to. Spend a couple of days at the Rock and visit the Olga's. Could maybe include a trip to Kings Canyon but it is a long way to drive or inlude it as part of an overnight tour/trip to Alice Springs.
- Alice Springs maybe an afternoon & overnight stop before flying some place else.
- Cairns for Barrier Reef and Tropical Rainforest (Daintree)
- Airley Beach or one of the Whitsunday Islands is another option for Barrier Reef fly into Proposerpine or Hamilton Island.
- Brisbane (where I live) Steve Irwins Australia Zoo is probably worth a visit. - Gold Coast good beaches but give it a miss unless you like Highrise Appartments, Theme Parks etc.
If it was me and I was flying into or out of Sydney or Brisbane I would do the following:
Day 1 arrive Sydney in morning, city/harbour sightseeing etc in arfternoon.
Day 2 fly Ayers Rock arrive lunch time. see rock at dusk etc
Day 3 outback tour around Ayers Rock & Olga's, rock at dusk
Day 4 tour/overnight Kings Canyon on way to Alice Springs
Day 5 Alice Springs overnight
Day 6 Fly to Cairns
Day 7 Cairns Reef
Day 8 Cairns Rain Forrest
Day 9 Cairns Kuranda train/skyrail or rafting trip
Day 10 fly Cairns to Brisbane sightseeing around Brisbane city area
Day 11 visit Australia Zoo.
Day 12 Fly Sydney and Sydney sightseeing.
Day 13 add extra days in Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Brisbane or Sydney
Day 14 add extra days in Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, Brisbane or Sydney

Hope this helps a bit

http://www.cairnsinfo.com/?gclid=CLeF0bLR6a4CFQcipAodKVcrJA

Rossi



Dec & Jan is summer here in Aust and it can get pretty hot on the "Outback", also it is very humid in Cairns and this is also coming into the "storm" season up there so can get bad storms and cyclones (but don't let that put you off)


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## KevJan (Mar 23, 2012)

We just returned from spending a week at the Kyneton Bush Resort which I highly recommend. We flew into Sydney and then on to Melbourne. There was more than enough for us to do from early morning until late at night in the area.
We spent a day driving the Great Ocean Road, a day visiting Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, a day exploring the gold rush towns going to Bendigo, a day in the Macedon Ranges, another day exploring the Dandenong Ranges, and another day  in the City of Melbourne. There just wasn't enough time to see and do it all and we were up and gone before the sun came up and came home after dark every night except one. The night we came home about dusk we found 10 kangaroos right on our front lawn! We felt we were in the best place ever for a REAL Australian experience. Also recommend getting the Eyewitness Travel book on Australia. We rented a car and after the first couple of hours had no problems with driving on the left. We went to Melbourne on Wednesday and parked at the Queen Victoria Market which is closed on that day, no problems. Can also pick up the free tourist transportation there.


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