Australian destination recommendations

[Amp34]

It's starting to look like most of my family will be out in Oz next christmas, which is a perfect excuse to finally go over there for a few weeks. I'm looking at either 3 or 4 weeks (max) and my parents will be over there for several months so are currently looking round for locations to go as well.

I was starting to form an awesome plan but it's got stumped by the weather. I was thinking a 3 week trip up the west coast from Perth to Darwin however the north of the country is in full on rainy season and one of the locations I really want to go (Bungle Bungle) is shut in December/January...

The current thinking is maybe do the Blue mountains for a few days, spend a couple of days in Sydney (christmas) then head across the country to Perth (drive the GOR then train it from Adelaide - or just fly sydney to Perth?) and up to Broome, then fly back. There are plenty of places to stop on the west coast (Wave rock, Pinnacles, Kalbarri, Sharks Bay and Millstone) but I'm struggling at the moment to see anything good on the South coast...! Any suggestions?

I'm more of a mountains and deserts kinda guy than a cities and packed beaches person so spending time in all the Ozzy cities is not something I'm interested in.

 

[Unluckyalf]

You are right, many of the roads around Darwin are closed due to flooding in the Wet season and most of the tourist tours close down.

Litchfield National Park and Kakadu National Park usually remain open unless there has been some heavy downpours. Monsoon conditions usually don't start till around Christmas, sometimes later.

If you like storms though then this is the best time of year to visit! Perth to Darwin road should be open all year round, now that they have finished the work building the high level bridges.

 

[momentimori]

The Great Ocean Road is a short drive, ~50 miles, outside of Melbourne and is impressive.

I haven't been to Philip Island south of Melbourne but it is also supposed to be good.

 

[PobodY]

This is a bit like saying "I want to visit Europe, where should I go?". - I'm not trying to be patronising, but people forget how big Australia is; it's about 24 hours driving from Perth to Broome (i.e. 2400km at an average of 100km/h).
It's also worth considering that no rental car is covered by insurance on an unmade road unless it's a full-sized 4wd (usually a Landcruiser or a Patrol).

I'm a sandgroper, so I'm always going to favour the west coast. I've only made that drove across to Sydney once, but we took the most direct route rather than the coast road after SA. - That's quite an adventure, but it's also hours of looking at nothing other than black highway in the nullabor. In fact, if you took it slowly and stopped to explore each place there's probably a good couple of weeks in that trip alone.

 

[oulton]

Oz is the 6th biggest country in the world, so if you are planning to stay a month or less, I would'nt try to do everything in one go. I've done a year in Oz and wen't everywhere but the northern territories, and there is loads to do.

North Queensland will have the worst roads at that time of year, when I ws there a few years back we drove up to Cairns from Harvey Bay (the Frazer Island 4x4 camping trip there is amazing). We left one day before some of our friends - they got stranded by the floods for 2 weeks while we just made it through.

Perth at that time of the year is really booming, summer there is so good, the festival season is just starting and all the party goers are out. I lived for much of my time in Perth and if I was ever to move to OZ that is where i'd go, it is amazing.

 

[[TW]Fox]

3 weeks is nothing like enough to do that sort of itiniary. Pick a more compact area. I think you need to chose either East OR West, rather than both. I had 2 months and it was just enough time to do the East.

 

[TommyV]

Cairns, Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Sydney

I'd do those again if I were to go back, I stuck to just the east coast so cannot comment on elsewhere.

 

[Amp34]

You are right, many of the roads around Darwin are closed due to flooding in the Wet season and most of the tourist tours close down.

Litchfield National Park and Kakadu National Park usually remain open unless there has been some heavy downpours. Monsoon conditions usually don't start till around Christmas, sometimes later.

If you like storms though then this is the best time of year to visit! Perth to Darwin road should be open all year round, now that they have finished the work building the high level bridges.

Interesting, thanks. Maybe trying to go just before christmas may be a better bet and start up north...?

This is a bit like saying "I want to visit Europe, where should I go?". - I'm not trying to be patronising, but people forget how big Australia is; it's about 24 hours driving from Perth to Broome (i.e. 2400km at an average of 100km/h).
It's also worth considering that no rental car is covered by insurance on an unmade road unless it's a full-sized 4wd (usually a Landcruiser or a Patrol).

I'm a sandgroper, so I'm always going to favour the west coast. I've only made that drove across to Sydney once, but we took the most direct route rather than the coast road after SA. - That's quite an adventure, but it's also hours of looking at nothing other than black highway in the nullabor. In fact, if you took it slowly and stopped to explore each place there's probably a good couple of weeks in that trip alone.

That's why I was trying to be a bit more specific with locations. Although my parents are planning on spending several months there as I mentioned so any suggestions of non standard locations (i.e. not the usual places everyone knows) would be great for them.

My 3 week plan was for:

Start in Perth
Wave Rock
Pinnacles Desert
Kalbarri NP
Sharks Bay
Millstone Chichester NP
Broome/Nearby
Windjana Gorge
Bungle Bungle
JimJim Falls
and then Darwin

I had a spreadsheet set up and all, with most of those drives being 3-6 hours between and a couple of days spent at each (with one or two missed out).

We currently have some negotiating within the family to do to work out when and where people are going to be and what transport to use. I would hire a 4x4 or two (up to 6 of us) but my parents may already have a long hire camper van and we may end up in Sydney for christmas, which is why I would then have to travel west to Perth. What is the train like from Sydney to Perth? Bit different from a plane and I've heard good things about it. If I did skip straight to west any other sites worth visiting?

I'm half tempted to leave christmas and go in April as that appears to be the best time for most places west, just after the rainy season. Any experiences/locations you want to share would be excellent!

 

[Amp34]

Cairns, Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Sydney

I'd do those again if I were to go back, I stuck to just the east coast so cannot comment on elsewhere.

That's what I'm finding most people (and tours) do which makes it more "interesting" finding places (and experiences of) on the west side.

I hear the Whitsundays are nice but also a bit crowded, not sure about Fraser Island, I shall look it up.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Most people do Fraser Island because its incredible and you would be daft to miss it. You don't need to do a tour, I hired my own Toyota Land Cruiser and did it myself.

 

[timebomb26]

The Great Ocean Road is a short drive, ~50 miles, outside of Melbourne and is impressive.

I haven't been to Philip Island south of Melbourne but it is also supposed to be good.

Philip Island is great, but really only to see the penguins. We drove around for half a day but didn't really see much worth mentioning. The penguin tour in the evening was amazing though.

If you get a chance to go through Bundaberg (just north of Fraser Island) then you MUST go to Mon Repos beach. They have a turtle sanctuary and research place there and it would be in one of the top 5 things I've ever done. We saw a clutch of eggs hatch, then took them down the beach and got to release them in to the water. Then even though it was late in the season we managed to catch a mother coming ashore to lay her eggs. She laid them too close to the sea though, so we got to dig them up and move them further up. Absolutely incredible evening, and easily the best $10 I've ever spent.

 

[Amp34]

Most people do Fraser Island because its incredible and you would be daft to miss it. You don't need to do a tour, I hired my own Toyota Land Cruiser and did it myself.

By tour I mean tour brochures to get ideas of places to go.

 

[Vanilla]

As already said, focus on one area. If I had 4 weeks I would rent a camper in Cairns and drive all the way down to Sydney.

on the way you have all the major sights such as the great barrier reef, Fraser island, Whitsundays, Stradbroke island, etc. Don't worry about crowds, it's Dec/Jan in Australia, everywhere is going to be quite busy.

3-4 week would be a leisurely pace. I did Cairns > Brisbane in under 3 weeks and was taking my time (3 days on Fraser island, 2 days in Brisbane etc).

PS - skip the Blue Mountains.

 

[Amp34]

Why skip the Blue Mountains? That's actually one of the places my sister has recommended as she found them stunning.

Problem with the east coast is the 4 places I've always wanted to go are:

Sharks bay, Bungle Bungle, Great Barrier Reef and the Devils Marbles. The west coast will get me two depending on the time (and I can come back and do 2-3 weeks just in and around the Barrier Reef itself another time - Diving etc).

 

[[TW]Fox]

Philip Island is great, but really only to see the penguins. We drove around for half a day but didn't really see much worth mentioning. The penguin tour in the evening was amazing though.

I thought the penguin tour was the most over hyped, commercialised and just plain rubbish attraction I ever had the misfortune to be taken in by. The rest of the island is quite nice, the cliffs etc and the race track is cool too. But I only went as I had an entire week in Melbourne, with less time it probably isn't somewhere that should be on the itinerary.

Apparently the blue mountains are excellent. Sadly despite spending 2 days there the fog never lifted so the most interesting thing I saw was Transformers 2 in the cinema in Katoomba

 

[timebomb26]

I thought the penguin tour was the most over hyped, commercialised and just plain rubbish attraction I ever had the misfortune to be taken in by. The rest of the island is quite nice, the cliffs etc and the race track is cool too. But I only went as I had an entire week in Melbourne, with less time it probably isn't somewhere that should be on the itinerary.

I love penguins so maybe my opinion is skewed. We paid a little more than the basic ticket so we got a podium for ourselves and about 20 other people. The penguins came right up the beach about 3 feet in front of us.

 

[Vanilla]

Why skip the Blue Mountains? That's actually one of the places my sister has recommended as she found them stunning.

No, they're 'ok'. People seem to rave about them for little reason in my opinion.

'Oh go and see the three sisters'.

So you go....see the 'three sisters' and feel totally bored. It's a few rocks. So you do some walking on trails....which again are average.

it just feels like it's a tourist spot simply because it's there and not because it deserves to be one.

Source: been there about 6 times.

 

[timebomb26]

No, they're 'ok'. People seem to rave about them for little reason in my opinion.

'Oh go and see the three sisters'.

So you go....see the 'three sisters' and feel totally bored. It's a few rocks. So you do some walking on trails....which again are average.

it just feels like it's a tourist spot simply because it's there and not because it deserves to be one.

Source: been there about 6 times.

Definitely agree with this. They're alright, but considering what else Australia has to offer, they rank very low. If you can go to Tasmania.

 

[Unluckyalf]

Interesting, thanks. Maybe trying to go just before christmas may be a better bet and start up north...?





JimJim Falls
and then Darwin

Very good chance you will find Jim Jim Falls closed due to flooding (Closed on the 27/12). If you do go that way then you really should visit Cahills Crossing/Ubirr Rock art site that aren't too far away. Again, this is subject to flooding (currently open).
Look at http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/roadreport/ and http://www.kakadu.com.au/access to get an idea of what you might be able to get to.

 

[commited]

I've done most of Oz at this stage and it really depends on what you're looking for.

West Coast - the lesser travelled path: I'd recommend Kilbarri, Pinnacles, Exmouth (Ningaloo reef is incredible there) then back down to Perth/Fremantle, Margaret River & Esperance (the most beautiful place we've been to in . People rave about Albany too. I didn't do anything west of Exmouth, but I believe the Kimberlies are meant to be awesome but you'd be tight for time. Realistically to do the west coast in a short space of time, you need to be willing to pay for flights and do 1 way rentals. I loved WA though.

East Coast - the backpacker scene/most chance of meeting people: We did Port Douglas to Brisbane in 2 weeks seeing most of the common sites. Fraser Island was the main highlight and the rest of the tourist traps were very commercialised unlike WA. There are some nice spots between Brisbane and Sydney too for camping/scenery etc, and then hit Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains in Sydney.

Tasmania - the driving enthusiasts choice: The roads on Tassie are ridiculously good, even though I was in an old Ford Falcon wagon, I still had a fantastic time. The scenery is, of course, stunning also and there are lots of small villages etc. It's really quite a nice place.

SA/Vic - a mix of stuff: SA offers outback adventure as well as Adelaide, great wineries and Kangaroo Island. Most people do the Great Ocean Road to get to Melbourne and it's a great drive. Melbourne is an interesting city, but the most European feeling and not one I'd spend a whole heap of time in if my aim was to see Australia. There is the Great Alpine Road east of Melbourne which is a great driving road as well as opening up some diverse scenery..

Edit - We did WA in December 2010 and it wasn't mobbed with crowds at all. We drove across the Nullabor and did SA - Vic in Jan and didn't encounter hoards of tourists either. We didn't do Port Douglas to Brisbane until August 2011 and even though it was the low season, it was still pretty busy.

Edit 2 - I sounded a bit negative about the East coast, but I just found it a bit disappointing over all. Port Douglas was great, but I think it's just because we were all wrecked after a 36 hour straight drive and needed to chill :/