Australia

[Dreams&wishes]

If you have already been on the east coast why don't you try to visit Western Australia instead?

The nigaloo reef is something very special to experience. Exmouth, Coral Bay, Kalbarri, Broome to the north and Esperance, Margaret Rive and Pemberton to the south.

 

[ACDSNY]

I can relate with not wanting to drive on the opposite side of the road, my husband and I tried to cross the big island from Aulani to surf at one point my husband just pulled over till no one else was on the road and immediately gave the hire car back after one trip.

The transport around the cruise terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney is amazing, there is no need for a tour there really.

Definitely fly from Sydney to Cairns the drive is 27 hours without stopping, hence no tour would go to both Cairns and Sydney by road. Adding Uluru (Ayers Rock is on old name for it) would be too long and dangerous, while I have met people who have driven from Uluru to capital cities people generally fly there.

I would:

• Stay in somewhere like/near the Four Seasons Sydney. The Four seasons is a bit dated, but corner suites have amazing views of the harbour and its within walking distance of the cruise terminal and opera house.
• spend 4-5 days navigating Sydney from Circular Quay using public transport, no need for a tour. You can walk to the postcard spots, catch a ferry to Taronga Zoo, catch a bus to Bondi.
• The train leaves from there to the Airport, it is insanely easy, and fly to either the Whitsundays or Cairns.
• If Cairns for 5-6 days you could get an airport transfer for $200 to not drive. I would stay in the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas, like the 4S it is a little dated but because it is beachfront. Book a swim up room. From there you can get a tour pick up to go to the Reef with someone like Quicksilver, they will get you from the resort. Also do a day tour of the Daintree and the Kuranda Express is cool.
• If Whitsundays, I would look at Hamilton Island, like Cairns you can do tours. The Whitsundays are beautiful islands.
• Then I would fly to Uluru for the last 2-3 days, there are direct flights from Cairns. I think from the Whitsundays you would need to come back to Brisbane, but that would be a short flight. At Uluru stay at Sails in the Desert.
• From there you could fly back to Sydney to go home.

Another place you haven't mentioned is around Darwin where Kakadu is which is beautiful, I expect there are tours there, but it would involve another flight and more time.

Wow this sounds like a great itinerary, thank you! I agree Sydney is way easy to get around unless a lot has changed since 1999.

We're also on the waitlist for ABD New Zealand so we'll see what happens with that too.

 

[ACDSNY]

If you have already been on the east coast why don't you try to visit Western Australia instead?

The nigaloo reef is something very special to experience. Exmouth, Coral Bay, Kalbarri, Broome to the north and Esperance, Margaret Rive and Pemberton to the south.

I'll keepbit mind as we build our trip. I'll probably repeat Sydney as my husband has never been there.

 

[Jocelynaus]

If you have already been on the east coast why don't you try to visit Western Australia instead?

The nigaloo reef is something very special to experience. Exmouth, Coral Bay, Kalbarri, Broome to the north and Esperance, Margaret Rive and Pemberton to the south.

Yes WA is stunning, Tasmania is also great that time of year. Bridestowe Lavender farm blooms in December-January, you can also see the little wild penguins at Bicheno, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race ends around new years and they have a great museum of modern art. Tassie also has amazing hiking holidays where you hike as a group between cabins for a few days. That is the other end of the east coast to the Great Barrier Reef though and we drove a lot there though.