# Australia itinerary - - help needed!



## Conan (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm working on a four-week itinerary to Fiji and Australia, mid-October returning mid-November.  It's our first visit to that side of the world so we want to see a lot, but I'm aware of the risks in trying to see too much.

Our goals for the trip are (i) snorkel and (ii) culture.

Here's what I have so far.  I would appreciate any suggestions or comments.

                     depart New York City arrive Fiji 2 days later
*6 nights          Fiji* (possibly Worldmark Denaru)
(I put Fiji at the front end of the trip because October in Fiji may be less rainy than November.)

  fly Fiji to Cairns
*2 nights          Palm Cove, Cairns* area 

fly/drive from Cairns to Airlie Beach 
(It's too far to drive directly and I'm not sure how the flight connections might work--if there's no practical route from Cairns to Airlie Beach, then perhaps we forget Cairns and instead fly Fiji to Brisbane and Brisbane to Mackay and obtain transportation from Mackay Airport to Airlie Beach?)
*3 nights          sleep-aboard  cruise Whitsunday Islands/Great Barrier Reef 
*
fly/drive from Airlie Beach to Hervey Bay 
(It's too far to drive directly, so perhaps we fly Mackay to Brisbane and rent a car there for four days, driving 3 1/2 hours Brisbane to Hervey Bay and return.)
*3 nights          Hervey Bay / Fraser Island*

fly from Brisbane to Alice Springs/Ayres Rock
*3 nights          Ayres Rock (Uluru)*

fly Uluru to Melbourne
*6 nights          in Melbourne, plus Torquay or Philip Island *(which?)*, and perhaps fly to Tasmania*

fly Melbourne (Tasmania?) to Sydney
*3 nights          Sydney*

fly Sydney to NYC

Thanks!


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## lizap (Dec 12, 2013)

You're going to love the reef.  Of all our world travels, this ranks near the top..  We hired a guide who took us on a walking tour of the rainforest at night, which we greatly enjoyed, as well.



Conan said:


> I'm working on a four-week itinerary to Fiji and Australia, mid-October returning mid-November.  It's our first visit to that side of the world so we want to see a lot, but I'm aware of the risks in trying to see too much.
> 
> Our goals for the trip are (i) snorkel and (ii) culture.
> 
> ...


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## Passepartout (Dec 12, 2013)

We just got home an hour or so ago from Auckland (32 hours traveling). Started in Sydney with 4 days- and could have spent more time there. Went to Melbourne and feel that 3-4 days is about right for there. Be sure to have the Aussie electrical adapter(s). I can't speak to the Northern time or the interior- we went to New Zealand for 2 weeks instead. Great people, beautiful scenery. It is a bit on the expensive side. $8-9 beers, Average lunches $25 pp, dinners $35ish without alcohol.

If we live long enough, we'll go back, but not right away..... maybe after I forget how long the travel takes.

Jim


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## Jimster (Dec 13, 2013)

*NZ*

yes it is expensive but dont forget you get about a 20% bonus from the currency exchange rate.


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## Passepartout (Dec 13, 2013)

Jimster said:


> yes it is expensive but dont forget you get about a 20% bonus from the currency exchange rate.




Not quite. It's about 12% (today $1USD-$1.118AUS), And then there's that 15% GST on virtually everything, and NO rebate of it for foreign visitors.


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## Wings2812 (Dec 13, 2013)

I am sure that you will enjoy yourself. Just remember that it is a long way and a big country - so don't try and do too much. 

Fiji is a great start. I can recommend Worldmark Denaru having stayed there a few years ago.    Alternatively, fly via Hawaii which is a good alternative.

Palm Cove is also nice.   Fly into Cairns but I prefer to stay at either Palm Cove or Port Douglas.   Worldmark has a nice resort there and staying 2 or 3 nights would also be worthwhile.

Whitsunday's and the Great Barrier Reef is a perfect spot.  I would weight time more here than Hervey Bay / Fraser Island. By skipping Hervey Bay / Fraser Island you could spend extra time in the Whitsunday's or Palm Cove and it would eliminate an extra travel leg.

I haven't been to Uluru but told by friends that 3 days is enough.

There are very good Worldmark resorts in Melbourne and Sydney.   I would skip Hobart as I think you are trying to do too much (but Tasmania is nice).  Also, spend some extra time in Sydney and maybe a little less in Melbourne as there is much to do here.

I've flown SYD to NYC before and it's a long haul.  Consider if you could stop over somewhere - we like HNL as it's halfway and breaks the long haul travel.

I'm sure you will have a great time whatever you end up doing. Enjoy.....


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## CarolF (Dec 13, 2013)

The GST (goods and services tax) stands at 10%.  One way to cut costs is to use your timeshare kitchen and purchase good, fresh, healthy food , it is GST free.  

There is no GST on fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, milk or bread.  Packaged foods like cartons of fresh fruit juice will be GST free if they contain more than 90% fruit juice whereas cordials, soft drinks (soda?), beer, wine (processed foods) are not GST free.  Wages are a main component of the cost of eating out.

Don't tip (unless of course, service is exceptional) it isn't routinely done here.  All workers are paid by their employer.  The national minimum hourly wage for a full time worker is $16.37 per hour, a 17 year old trainee earns a minimum of $9.46 per hour.  Casual workers are paid an extra 24% on top of the minimum hourly rate.


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## Jimster (Dec 14, 2013)

*NZ*

When I said 20% I was talking about New Zealand.


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## Passepartout (Dec 14, 2013)

OK. I can see how it sort of got off the tracks. Funny how we N. Americans lump Australia and New Zealand into the came bucket when they are definitely separate and distinct countries with their own currencies, landscapes, and politics.


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## CarolF (Dec 14, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> OK. I can see how it sort of got off the tracks. Funny how we N. Americans lump Australia and New Zealand into the came bucket when they are definitely separate and distinct countries with their own currencies, landscapes, and politics.



Oh well, we all do it.  Australians and Brits use the term Yank to describe all Americans.

Conan, you are going to miss Qld "Schoolies" which is very fortunate.


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## Conan (Dec 15, 2013)

CarolF said:


> Conan, you are going to miss Qld "Schoolies" which is very fortunate.



Yes, I'd looked into that. Airfares might be cheaper if we started even later, November 1 and it would be warmer, but we need to be back for our Thanksgiving holiday the last week in November.


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## Conan (Dec 15, 2013)

Wings2812 said:


> Fly into Cairns but I prefer to stay at either Palm Cove or Port Douglas.   Worldmark has a nice resort there and staying 2 or 3 nights would also be worthwhile.
> 
> Whitsunday's and the Great Barrier Reef is a perfect spot.  I would weight time more here than Hervey Bay / Fraser Island. By skipping Hervey Bay / Fraser Island you could spend extra time in the Whitsunday's or Palm Cove and it would eliminate an extra travel leg.
> 
> ...



Thanks so much for the advice. I have to check on whether there are reasonably direct flights from Cairns to the Whitsunday area, and then from there to Uluru.


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## Conan (Dec 15, 2013)

I've updated my four-week itinerary to Fiji and Australia, mid-October returning mid-November, mainly by eliminating the Fraser Island/Hervie Bay excursion and planning now to fly point-to-point rather than drive.

Our goals for the trip continue to be (i) snorkel and (ii) culture.

Here's what I have now.  I would appreciate any further suggestions or comments.

                     depart New York City arrive Fiji 2 days later
*7 nights          Fiji* (possibly Worldmark Denaru)
(I put Fiji at the front end of the trip because October in Fiji may be less rainy than November.)

  fly Fiji to Cairns
*4 nights          Palm Cove or Port Douglas* 

fly from Cairns to Hamilton Island, ferry from Hamilton Island to Airlie Beach 
*3 nights          sleep-aboard  cruise Whitsunday Islands/Great Barrier Reef 
*
*Overnight in Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island *

fly from Proserpine or Hamilton Island to Brisbane(?), and Brisbane(?) to Alice Springs /Ayres Rock
*3 nights          Ayres Rock (Uluru)*

fly Uluru to Melbourne
*4 nights          in Melbourne, Torquay and/or Philip Island *(which?)

fly Melbourne to Sydney
*4 nights          Sydney*

fly Sydney to NYC

Thanks!


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## Laurie (Dec 19, 2013)

Conan! Thank you for figuring this out for us in advance!  What year are you doing this, so I can pencil it in for the following year?  

Glad you're going to Fiji too - the only thing is, don't you want to include NZ also, while you're in the same hemisphere? You'd just have to start at least 2 weeks earlier...


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## Conan (Dec 19, 2013)

Laurie said:


> Conan! Thank you for figuring this out for us in advance!  What year are you doing this, so I can pencil it in for the following year?
> 
> Glad you're going to Fiji too - the only thing is, don't you want to include NZ also, while you're in the same hemisphere? You'd just have to start at least 2 weeks earlier...



I'm embarrassed to say this is a plan for 2016. (My ongoing searches for a return to Maui in August-September 2015 just came in, and I'm already fully booked from now to then. Is there a 12-step program for timeshare addiction?)

There is space for a week in NZ at the end of the trip, and we'd still get back the weekend immediately before Thanksgiving. So it's a possibility if we're OK being on the other side of the world for 5 weeks.


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## tugnut (Feb 7, 2014)

Just saw your post. Lived in Melbourne and suburb for 2 yrs in 2001-2003 when AUD was 54 cents USD. Local produce was very cheap. Makes visiting Australia now seem expensive.
We tried to see a lot of things there while we lived there and did just that. 
Here's some things to do around Melbourne which may be of interest.
1.Victoria market downtown- if cooking at your accomodations then don't miss the meat market...best lamb products in the world and fresh. grilled lamb tenderloin about the size of your first finger are superb. need at least 2 per person. leg of lamb etc.
2.Old Melbourne jail. Kinda ghoulish but interesting. You'll learn about Ned Kelly bushranger.
3. Tour Melbourne  on free tourist trolly Central Business District CBD. Down to Port Melbourne where ferry to Tasmania docks.
4. SouthBank of Yarrah river. Shopping...National Gallery...near royal botanic gardens
5. Rent a car and drive the Great Ocean Road south and west of Melbourne. Don't miss
6. Unfortunately too late for Southern Right Whale watching along GOR and Warrnambool. April to August
7. Mornington Penninsula; 60 km south of Melbourne near Phillip Island. See fairy penguins and wineries.
Near Portsea  is where then Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared into the ocean in 1967.
8. Rent a car and go North of Melbourne on the Murray River is Echuca . If interested in steam power they have several authentic paddle steamers that you can joy ride on. 
9. On the way back stop at Ballarat a working touristy gold mining operation using antique working steam engines to crush rocks mill and process ore. 5 or 6 huge steam engines. The US scrapped most of steam engines for iron during WWII. Australia still used them.
10. Don't miss the Beach huts along the beach of Phillip bay from St. Kilda, Brighton Beach south to Mornington Pennisula. Very colorful.


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## mjm1 (Feb 7, 2014)

Tugnut, thanks for your post. We are also headed to Australia and New Zealand this fall, spending 3-4 days in Melbourne. We knew of a few of the sites you mentioned, but you added a few for us.  Really looking forward to the trip.


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