Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - 3 weeks trip to Australia & possibly New Zealand

Hi,

I'd like to get advice and suggestions for a trip I'm planning for December.

I have about 3 weeks. I've never been to Australia or New Zealand. I'm trying to decide if I should spend all 3 weeks in Australia, or 2 weeks in Australia and 1 week in New Zealand.

I have a friend in Sydney who offers housing while I'm in Sydney. So I'm thinking to spend 5-7 days in Sydney, depending on how many places I can go as day trip around Sydney. Other cities in Australia I'm thinking are Melbourne and Brisbane. The trip will be just my wife and I. We are interested in sightseeing in cities, as well as some adventure, such as hiking in National Parks.

I'd appreciate if you can share your experience, and provide your suggestions around following areas:
1. Is it better to spend all my time in Australia, or I can skip one place (say Brisbane) and spend a week in New Zealand?

2. Places to go and days to spend in each places?

3. It looks to me I need to take a lot of flights within Australia and New Zealand, as I'm going from city to city. This would be very time consuming. Am I better off going to less cities and simply enjoy wherever I go?

4. Any suggestions on where/how to book air domestic tickets within Australia and New Zealand, and between Australia and New Zealand?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Big

Hi,

I'd like to get advice and suggestions for a trip I'm planning for December.

I have about 3 weeks. I've never been to Australia or New Zealand. I'm trying to decide if I should spend all 3 weeks in Australia, or 2 weeks in Australia and 1 week in New Zealand.

I have a friend in Sydney who offers housing while I'm in Sydney. So I'm thinking to spend 5-7 days in Sydney, depending on how many places I can go as day trip around Sydney. Other cities in Australia I'm thinking are Melbourne and Brisbane. The trip will be just my wife and I. We are interested in sightseeing in cities, as well as some adventure, such as hiking in National Parks.

I'd appreciate if you can share your experience, and provide your suggestions around following areas:
1. Is it better to spend all my time in Australia, or I can skip one place (say Brisbane) and spend a week in New Zealand?

2. Places to go and days to spend in each places?

3. It looks to me I need to take a lot of flights within Australia and New Zealand, as I'm going from city to city. This would be very time consuming. Am I better off going to less cities and simply enjoy wherever I go?

4. Any suggestions on where/how to book air domestic tickets within Australia and New Zealand, and between Australia and New Zealand?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Big

Welcome to FT mrbig! :)

Late at night here right now so I won't go into detail at the moment (I'm sure plenty will follow), but I'd be inclined in your case to visit Sydney, Melbourne, and either Auckland or Christchurch in NZ. In each case a certain amount of time should be spent outside the city/suburbs, but especially so for NZ, as there is not that much to see/do in AKL/CHC.

You won't spend too much time flying domestically...it's ~90 minutes from MEL-SYD, and around the same SYD-BNE, and ~80 minutes AKL-CHC (and ~3hrs 30 mins between Australia and NZ).

The airlines' websites are as good a place as any to book (Qantas, Virgin Blue, and if you must ;) Jetstar and Tiger (both LCCs)). There is an airpass available for USA visitors but I don't know the details off the top of my head or even if it is good value.

Hiking may require day (or overnight) trips out from MEL and SYD but there is certainly plenty about.

In NZ I'd reckon one or two days in the city you choose maximum, then touring the rest of the time...both islands are good, but I'd choose South over North if had to choose only one.

Not sure who/how you plan to fly, but you could do something like USA-SYD-MEL-AKL/CHC-AKL-USA.

I'm sure this itinerary will evolve in the ensuing days. Will provide some more details when you have a better idea of where you might be going.

Of course, others may suggest something quite different. :cool:

I was in Australia for 14 nights recently.

Did 4 in Sydney
4 in Melborne
3 in Cairns (Palm Cove)
3 in Brisbane

I did a few day trip which included Tasmania, Blue Mountains, Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Rd which I highly recommend! All great cities with magnificient scenery, and people! Have fun! :)

Hi tuapekastar,

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. What is the airpass for US visitors you mentioned? something like railpass in Europe, but for air traveling within Australia?

I'm flying out from SFO. There is direct flight to SYD from United Airline (my preferred choice, as I get their economy plus seat with extra leg room). For AKL->SFO, seems the only choice is New Zealand Airline. It seems the prices for flights between Australia and New Zealand are pretty stiff at around $500 (checked on Qantas). The best price I get for a round trip SFO <-> SYD is about US$1100; an open jaw SFO -> SYD, AKL -> SFO would be $500+ more; SFO -> SYD, SYD/MEL -> AKL, AKL -> SFO would be at US$2K - 3K level. So from economic point, it looks the best to get SFO - SYD round trip, and buy Aus - NZ round trip separately (of course, it costs more time).

For domestic air traveling within Australia and New Zealand, though it's only about 1.5 hours, adding time to & from airport, and waiting time, it costs roughly half day.

Considering all these, I was inclined to spend all the time in Australia, and go NZ in another trip. But your suggestion makes me want to go to NZ again. :-)

I will need to do some more research this weekend to finalize my itinerary.

Other than SYD and MEL and their surrounding area, if I got extra time, where would you suggest me to go? Is Brisbane a good choice?

Again, many thanks for your prompt response.

Welcome to FT mrbig! :)

Late at night here right now so I won't go into detail at the moment (I'm sure plenty will follow), but I'd be inclined in your case to visit Sydney, Melbourne, and either Auckland or Christchurch in NZ. In each case a certain amount of time should be spent outside the city/suburbs, but especially so for NZ, as there is not that much to see/do in AKL/CHC.

You won't spend too much time flying domestically...it's ~90 minutes from MEL-SYD, and around the same SYD-BNE, and ~80 minutes AKL-CHC (and ~3hrs 30 mins between Australia and NZ).

The airlines' websites are as good a place as any to book (Qantas, Virgin Blue, and if you must ;) Jetstar and Tiger (both LCCs)). There is an airpass available for USA visitors but I don't know the details off the top of my head or even if it is good value.

Hiking may require day (or overnight) trips out from MEL and SYD but there is certainly plenty about.

In NZ I'd reckon one or two days in the city you choose maximum, then touring the rest of the time...both islands are good, but I'd choose South over North if had to choose only one.

Not sure who/how you plan to fly, but you could do something like USA-SYD-MEL-AKL/CHC-AKL-USA.

I'm sure this itinerary will evolve in the ensuing days. Will provide some more details when you have a better idea of where you might be going.

Of course, others may suggest something quite different. :cool:

Hi remphish1,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

With the number of days/nights you spent at each of the following places, did you feel the time is about right, or did you feel a bit tight in any of these cities?

If your time is about right, and I have 3 weeks, it's probably too long for East coast Aus only, but a bit tight if I spend a week in NZ.

Also, what's the best way to buy Aus domestic air tickets? And the best way to reserve hotels? Most US web sites have limited oversea hotel selections.



I was in Australia for 14 nights recently.

Did 4 in Sydney
4 in Melborne
3 in Cairns (Palm Cove)
3 in Brisbane

I did a few day trip which included Tasmania, Blue Mountains, Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Rd which I highly recommend! All great cities with magnificient scenery, and people! Have fun! :)

I was in Australia for 14 nights recently.

Did 4 in Sydney
4 in Melborne
3 in Cairns (Palm Cove)
3 in Brisbane

I did a few day trip which included Tasmania, Blue Mountains, Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Rd which I highly recommend! All great cities with magnificient scenery, and people! Have fun! :)

Perhaps I misunderstood remphish1, but I think the reference to "a few day trip" to all of these places might be a bit of leg-pulling. My wife and I are actually planning our own first trip to Australia, but I already know that those places involve more than a few days of travel.

Having been to New Zealand several years ago and now heading to Australia, I can see the desire to do both in one trip--I know that NZ is great and I am sure Australia will be also. But if you think there's a fair chance you'll make a second trip to that part of the world down the line, then I would suggest doing one or the other. As nice as Auckland is, it's probably the least interesting part of NZ, so taking up time there on a short hop over might not be the best. And trying to squeeze NZ and Aust into one three-week trip might be a bit like doing the same for the USA and Canada. Both are pretty big, beautiful, diverse countries.

Still, having said that, combining the two definitely is possible and I'm sure you can have a great time doing so. I just wanted to flag the possibility that you might want to do just one now and the other later.

The SFO-SYD return strategy may well be the best one for you, with a separate OZ-NZ round trip if you decide to go to NZ as well.

As Thunderroad said, if you reckon you'll be in this part of the world again in the not so distant future, then maybe confine this trip to OZ, and save NZ for the next one. Still, that's up to you...NZ is very nice, and well worth 2 or 3 weeks itself.

December is not a cheap time to travel in this part of the world as it is the long school break (starts maybe a week before Xmas) and of course Christmas, and only a month or so out, the specials are probably all gone.

The airpass I referred to was this (http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/visit-australia-airpass/us/en?int_cam=us:qf:27) one but it is tied to travel with Qantas...perhaps UA/Star Alliance have something similar.

As to where else in Australia? Brisbane/Gold Coast have their attractions, as does Far North Queensland (Cairns, Port Douglas etc.) though it's pretty hot and muggy up there this time of the year.

Tasmania is well worth considering, especially if you like bushwalking\hiking. It's only ~60 minutes flight to Hobart from Melbourne. And it should be cooler and less humid than up North.

Thanks Thunderroad and tuapekastar for your input. With your suggestion, I've decided to visit Australia only for this trip. Now I'm fine tuning my itinerary, and need to decide how many days to spend at each places.

Here is my rough plan:
- Day 1, arriving SYD, and fly to Tasmania directly. Stay 2-3 nights. Is 3-day too much, if I try to limit the whole trip to 2.5 - 3 weeks?
- 2-3 days in MEL
- Great Ocean Road: is 2-day enough to drive from MEL and back to MEL?
- I read from somewhere else that a guy took 4 days to drive from MEL to SYD, and stop over at many small towns. Is it worth it?
- 4 days in SYD. How long does it take for Blue Mountains? 2 days?
- 3 days in Cairns

Comments and suggestions? Thanks!

...
- Day 1, arriving SYD, and fly to Tasmania directly. Stay 2-3 nights. Is 3-day too much, if I try to limit the whole trip to 2.5 - 3 weeks?
- 2-3 days in MEL
- Great Ocean Road: is 2-day enough to drive from MEL and back to MEL?
- I read from somewhere else that a guy took 4 days to drive from MEL to SYD, and stop over at many small towns. Is it worth it?
- 4 days in SYD. How long does it take for Blue Mountains? 2 days?
- 3 days in Cairns ...
December isn't the best time to visit Cairns, you might consider going to ADL or PER instead unless you have a specific desire for CNS. You don't mention the GBR but that is well worth visiting, however it is peak season so may have trouble with getting bookings and the cost.

2 days is plenty for GOR (think of it as LAX-SFO up Hwy 1). Drive from MEL to SYD is normally 1 day, so taking 4 days does give a lot of sightseeing in rural towns. Maybe charming, maybe boring, depending on your orientation (I personally like touring rural areas, but most peope do not). Blue mountains isn't that special (lots nicer mountains in Tasmania, for example, so you may be disappointed -- their prime claim to fame is proximity to SYD). I would add an extra day or 2 in Tassie if you are interested in wilderness and low-density rural. Also Wilson's Prom near MEL is another world-class wilderness destination that is worth a special trip but doesn't get a lot of tourists.

December isn't the best time to visit Cairns, you might consider going to ADL or PER instead unless you have a specific desire for CNS. You don't mention the GBR but that is well worth visiting, however it is peak season so may have trouble with getting bookings and the cost.

2 days is plenty for GOR (think of it as LAX-SFO up Hwy 1). Drive from MEL to SYD is normally 1 day, so taking 4 days does give a lot of sightseeing in rural towns. Maybe charming, maybe boring, depending on your orientation (I personally like touring rural areas, but most peope do not). Blue mountains isn't that special (lots nicer mountains in Tasmania, for example, so you may be disappointed -- their prime claim to fame is proximity to SYD). I would add an extra day or 2 in Tassie if you are interested in wilderness and low-density rural. Also Wilson's Prom near MEL is another world-class wilderness destination that is worth a special trip but doesn't get a lot of tourists.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'm still in the preliminary planning stage, trying to decide the dates and get international air tickets first. Forgive me for my lack of detail research on the destinations. That will be my next stage of planning.

- I will take your advice and add a couple of days in Tassie.
- I thought going to Cairns is for GBR. Looks like I was wrong. So what's the best place to go to visit GBR?
- How many days you'd suggest to spend in MEL, including its surrounding area, such as Wilson's Prom you mentioned?
- How about city of SYD, and it's surrounding area, if not going to Blue Mountains?

Thanks!

CNS can be for the GBR but it is a fair ways offshore and the Whitsundays are better places to stay. Personally I think you need a week and it can't be done in a day or 2. For your trip a week in each of Tasmania (need to rent a car), Melbourne and Sydney would work well. GOR and Wilson's Prom can be 2 days each, leaving 3 days in Melbourne itself. Sydney is more tourist oriented than Melbourne so you won't have trouble finding more than a week's worth to do there.

As December is a very hot month in Oz, I would plan one week in Sydney, one in Tasmania, and one on South Island NZ to get a bit of variation and beat the heat.

Sydney - shopping, Darling Harbour, the Blue Mountains, and wonderful beaches.

Tasmania - need to rent a car and spend some time in Hobart, Cradle Mountain, and the Freycinet Peninsula. I also have a soft spot for the little town of Penguin on the northern coast where you can get up close & personal to the little blue penguins when they return home at dusk.

South Island - again a car rental is needed and I would drive a loop from Christchurch > Dunedin > Milford > Queenstown > Christchurch. It is a lot of mileage but the scenery is magnificent.

Just my 2c. Brisbane and Melbourne are great cities but Queensland will be a bit hot and Melbourne has that same big city feel you'll get in Sydney.

Anyway whatever you decide I know you'll have a great time, the Aussies and Kiwis are very welcoming and there's much to do everywhere.

I would agree with most of the preceding posts trying to help out mrbig. It seems that mrbig is very much spinning his wheels and time is running short.

I'd recommend limiting 3 weeks to 3-5 destinations/regions based on likes of mrbig/mrsbig which were listed as site seeing, adventure, and hiking. Google or search on FT for "top things to do" or similar for the following areas .... SYD (AU), Victoria (AU), Tasmania (AU), Fiordland (NZ) , Queenstown (NZ) then try coming up with the specific itinerary.

number_6 and Zarf4 hit on points that came to mind when reading this thread.

Such as:
Blue Mountains - I'd skip. Save your hiking / mountain time for Tasmania or Fiordland

Cairns - Very hot / humid that time of year. Beaches will have issues with stingers; however, if you want to go to the GBR then plan 3-4 days in Cairns / Port Douglas as long as you're able to obtain diving/snorkling accommodations at this late date

SYD - no brainer 3-4 days for site seeing, beaches, visiting with friend

MEL - I'd skip the city.

VICTORIA - You might want to consider 4ish days in VIC ... 1 day for GOR, Phillips Is, Wilson's Prom, ...

Tasmania - no brainer weekish for outdoors stuff / nat parks, port arthur, mount wellington

Fiordland/Queenstown - no brainer week for outdoor stuff / nat parks, adventure activities such as bungy, high speed boats, gondola, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Te Anua

Sample itn:
Fly SFO-SYD - 4 days
Fly to MEL/Victoria - 3 days
Fly to Tasmania - 6 days
Fly to Queenstown/Fiordland - 7 days
Fly to AKL/SFO

For air travel once in the region consider Virgin Blue's Airpass:
http://www.virginblueairpass.com/

For car rentals (AU):
http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au/

For car rentals (NZ):
http://www.jucy.co.nz/

Room rentals (AU):
http://www.wotif.com/

National Parks (NZ):
http://www.doc.govt.nz/

Thanks for all your great suggestions, im-headed-west, Zarf4, number_6. Also thanks im-headed-west for providing all the URLs. Virgin Blue's Airpass looks to be a good value comparing to what I've seen on Qantas.

After reading some more, I decided that NZ deserves a separate trip of 2 weeks. Also, I'd hate to have to run to/from airports 5 days out of a 20-day trip.

I've also decided to skip Cairns / GBR based on what I read here, considering we just went to Maui this past May.

Now that I've narrowed down the trip to 3 regions: SYD, MEL and Tasmania, and adjusted the trip length to 17 days. Does it look like a relaxed schedule that I don't have to spin my wheels? :-)

Here is what I'm thinking now:
6 days in SYD
6 days in Tasmania
5 days MEL, VIC, GOR, Phillips Is, Wilson's Prom

im-headed-west, this is the first time I got suggestion for Victoria. I will certainly google to see what's there. But if you can share your knowledge/experience, that'll be much appreciated.

Victoria is the state Melbourne, GOR, Phillips Is, Wilson's Prom ... are in.

Your big picture itn of 6 / 6 / 5 looks good to me. I agree with the idea of limiting to 3 regions to minimize running to airports.

I love the VB airpass. The basic rules are: Its for non AU/NZ citizens booked from outside of AU/NZ, you must book 3-8 segments, are allow checked bags of 23kg / carry-on of 7kg, and don't pay VAT on ticket prices. I though the best part is flexibility. You are allow unlimited date/time/even city changes before arriving in AU. The changes are fee free but you must pay any difference in fare which will go up closer to departure. I used an airpass on my 3 week trip to QLD in Sep/Oct and made 2 date/time changes and 1 city change and was only charged a fare difference of $80 AUD for one of the changes.

Your trip looks pretty good for a first visit. December in SYD/MEL could be hot. It will be 37 degrees today in the Hunter Valley (200km from Sydney) and next month could be similar. So Tasmania will be a good place to visit as it will generally be cooler. There are good walks at Cradle Mountain and a really good cruise on a rest day http://www.brunycruises.com.au/. The West coast around Strahan is also worthwhile. Motorhome rental in Tasmania is a good way to see the State and solves problems of finding accommodation.
Your time in Victoria looks good but it could be nice to add walking in either Snowy Mountains (only 2000m but good walking - remember it will be hot but still some snow on peaks) or Grampians (near GOR).
Syd is a lovely city (not even a bad place to work) but I would think 2-3 days is enough. Blue Mountains is certainly worth 1-2 days and possibly Port Stephens:only 2 hours from SYD with a bigger harbour and no tall buildings. NSW school holidays start December 18 and accommodation is sometimes hard to get in tourist destinations from then and through January.
Happy travelling!

im-headed-west, VB airpass sounds really good. I'd definitely go with it for my trip.

grussellt, it's 37 degree already? Now I understand why people kept telling me it will be HOT in Cairns in Dec. I thought Nov / Dec would be like May / Jun in Northern Hemisphere. I've moved my trip over a week earlier, arriving in SYD on Nov 27. Looks like summer clothing is all I need in SYD and MEL. How cooler is it in Tasmania early Dec?

grussellt's post reminded me a question I wanted to ask: for remote / rural area, such as in Tasmania, do I have to book all accomodation in advance? Is it safe not to book accomodation in advance in a couple of areas that I'm not sure where I'd be staying for the nights? I've never done this (not booking in advance) in a foreign country. I'd hate to be driving around not knowing if I'd have a place to sleep for the night.

While it's possible to book places as late as the night of your arrival (www.wotif.com is great), make sure there are no school holidays at the time, or you'll find yourself with little or no options.

We did leave a few options open while travelling just after school holidays in NZ and there was no problem in any of the places we had to book; just do your research on dates and availability via the lastminute, zuji, ratestogo & wotif .com.au booking sites.

im-headed-west, VB airpass sounds really good. I'd definitely go with it for my trip.

grussellt, it's 37 degree already? Now I understand why people kept telling me it will be HOT in Cairns in Dec. I thought Nov / Dec would be like May / Jun in Northern Hemisphere. I've moved my trip over a week earlier, arriving in SYD on Nov 27. Looks like summer clothing is all I need in SYD and MEL. How cooler is it in Tasmania early Dec?

Bring a jacket for Melbourne, for sure - the annoying local cliché is "four seasons in one day" - today we had that - sun, rain, wind, and something else.

When you're in Australia, wear sunscreen. You will get burnt a lot faster than in the US.

As far as school holidays, it looks like you'll be fine in VIC & TAS - their terms end in mid-December.

Thanks for the tips, BiziBB & aep! I've booked my international air tickets, and hopefully will finalize my local air / car / accomodations booking in the next day or 2.

are you planning local tours, or self-guided adventures. If you are doing guided day tours, you may want to book while in the US, as if you do multievents, I would suggest APT tours, which offers an SSnS pass.

http://www.aptouring.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=80563

Some are big bus tours and others are much smaller. I used them for 3 day tours while in Aus in June and thought it was well spent (esp as I was late in planning things and left it to the day before I flew out).

Not sure if you are interested in wine, but Hunter and Yarra Valleys may be of interest if you want to compare and contrast with Napa.

Its a shame that Queensland will be sweltering as the Great Barrier Reef is stunning and adjacent is the Daintree Rainforest (near Port Douglas), reputed to be the oldest in the world (110 million yrs).

I agree that it would be too much to do both AUs and NZ in 3 weeks. I spent 18 days in each country and still did not do everything I wanted.

There is also Tiger Airways. I flew Qantas as it was the cheapest of the three for my destinations and itinerary.

Thanks neuron for suggestions on different aspect of my trip. No, I'm planning self-guided adventures. I always enjoy it this way as it gives me flexibility on schedule and time I spend at each place.

Yes, I'm interested in wine, and would check out Hunter and Yarra Valleys if I have time. I heard wines in Tamania is very good and can't be found in other places. Will definitely try it out.

Maybe it's because of the time I'm traveling (Nov 27 - Dec 14). It seems to me Virgin Blue has a better price than Qantas, and price includes checked bags with flexibility to change, as suggested by im-headed-west. Tiger Airways looks to be too cheap to be true for some route I looked at. But I'm not sure if it's a good choice (any reputation on delay/cancellation of flights?), or the price would add up with all fine print.

Tiger Airways looks to be too cheap to be true for some route I looked at. But I'm not sure if it's a good choice (any reputation on delay/cancellation of flights?), or the price would add up with all fine print.

Tiger Airways (TT) is a low-cost carrier that has had some ... uh ... interesting behaviour lately.

Recently, one of their seven planes was delayed in Hobart when a flight attendant became ill. Unable to fly the passengers, many of them were stranded for three days. See story: http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2009/s2725339.htm

There seems to be a similar story every few weeks. If being on time is the key issue, I would look elsewhere.

A couple of hints:

Don't forget that Tasmania is an island. Pretty obvious but if you retain a car from the mainland you will need to take the ferry from Melbourne (and may need to book ahead). It's generally easier to fly and rent in Tassie. Hotel/B & B accommodation is plentiful but in the more rural areas (like Cradle Mountain) you may need to think ahead or finish with the closest (but most expensive choices).

In Sydney one of the nicest restaurant views is from the Park Hyatt on Circular Quay....but it is expensive. However the Harbour Bar (part of the same hotel) has the same views, is pretty swish, and you can have tapas (three plates to share) and a couple of drinks for $50. A real bargain.

We live in the Hunter Valley so if you need tips on vineyards, etc please let me know. It's less than a 2hr to the main vineyards centred around Pokolbin.

aep, thanks for sharing the story. Glad I didn't go with Tiger Airways.

I booked my domestic flights with VB Airpass. I got SYD - MEL - LST - SYD for $79 + $99 + $99, which seems to be a pretty decent price.

grussellt, thanks for the tips. I will definitely try Harbour Bar.

Yes, I will have separate rental cars in MEL and Tasmania. I just found out that rental car companies in Launceston Airport all closed pretty early (17:30?). I have booked a flight that arrives in Launceston at 9pm. Yeah, I'm used to 24 hours car rental in US airports, and took it for granted. Looks like I have to take a shuttle bus or taxi to the city and get a car in the city the next day?

As a wine lover, I'd love to visit some vineyards. Yes, please share any tips you have. Thanks!

I did a similar trip to your proposal two years ago. My 21-day vacation was basically split up with 5 days in Melbourne (GOR, Wilson's Prom), 5 days in Tasmania, 6 days in Sydney, and 4 days driving up from Sydney to Brisbane (through wine country and Sunshine Coast).

You can read the details on my trip report (link is below in my signature). It also has links to some of the apartments/houses we rented along the way, as an alternative to hotels.

Have fun - it was the best vacation of my life, and I can't wait to get back there again!

alanstar, thanks for sharing your detail trip report! It helps for my planning.

Questions:
1. You took 1 day for Wilson's Prom and driving back to Melbourne. Did you feel you have enough time there?
2. GOR: how many hours did it take you for all the driving and stops?

alanstar, thanks for sharing your detail trip report! It helps for my planning.

Questions:
1. You took 1 day for Wilson's Prom and driving back to Melbourne. Did you feel you have enough time there?
2. GOR: how many hours did it take you for all the driving and stops?

One day was sufficient at Wilson's (the days are pretty long at that time of year). Arrived around 10am and had probably 8-9 of exploring before it started getting dark. We did drive back late, which was a bit tiring after a long day. But overall it was still one of the highlights of the trip (along with Tasmania).

GOR was a one-day drive; left Melbourne fairly early (8am), and arrived around dinnertime (8pm) in Warrnambool. No extensive hiking or exploring along the way, other than the basic 30-60 minute stops here and there to see the top sights. I know others recommend 2-3 days to see GOR, but I feel I saw enough of it in the one day to be more than satisfied.


Please don't hesitate to ask my any more questions - other here we extremely helpful when I was planning my trip, and it's the least I can do to return the favor!

alanstar, thanks for your input. Yes, I'm new to FT, and people are really helpful to my trip planning. I have my domestic flights, rental cars and lodging in MEL all booked. Now I have to book my lodging in TAS.

I read through your report. Looks like it took you 5 days just to cover west side of the island?

As a wine lover, I'd love to visit some vineyards. Yes, please share any tips you have. Thanks!

The two main 'large' wine regions closest to Melbourne (~45 - 90 mins depending which wineries you go to) are the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.

MP is slightly cooler, and noted mainly for Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Grigio, and Pinot Noir. Some very pretty wineries ovelooking Westernport Bay and some of those wineries do a very nice lunch (eg. Red Hill Estate)

YV is a little warmer (doh! :)) and is noted for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz and Pinot Noir are also produced. Also some pretty scenery but moreso hills than sea (as it's nowhere near it :)).

My own preference is for fuller bodied reds (mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) and they're better found north of Melbourne in the Sunbury/Macedon Ranges area (Craiglee, 15 mins drive from MEL airport makes a brilliant shiraz) and even further north around Heathcote/Bendigo. Driving distances vary from ~30 mins to 2 hours from Melbourne.

I'm reasonably sure day tours are offered to all areas (maybe not Heathcote/Bendigo), you'd have to google a bit depending on your wine preferences.

That's a very useful trip report from alanstar. I would try and fit Cradle Mountain into your Tasmanian experience, if possible. I notice he stayed in cottages on a few occasions and I can recommend http://www.blackwoodparkcottages.com/index.php if you are visiting the North West. The Hunter Valley (NSW) advice is also good: Audrey Wilkinson for views and a picnic. Lindemans is a large winery and has tours if you are not familiar with the winemaking process. Tyrrells is a family-owned winery with excellent whites - semillon and chardonnay.

Happy tasting.

I read through your report. Looks like it took you 5 days just to cover west side of the island?

Yeah, we did miss some of the big sights in Tassie - particularly Cradle Mountain and the eastern coast, which looked like it had more great sights to see. But I was still thrilled with what we did see and wouldn't change a thing. It just gives me a excuse to back sometime and see the rest of it!

And yes, we did rent cottages and apartments when we could. It was often more economical than getting two hotel rooms. (Neither one of us was interested in being roommates for three weeks; we're good friends but would drive each other crazy!). And it's nice to have a little extra space, and a place to make coffee in the morning. At the bottom of the trip report is a link to a page that lists all the properties and what we paid for them.

Here is my tentative plan for my 6-day (actually it's 6-night, 5-day plus a morning) trip to Tasmania. Your comments are very welcome and they have been very helpful. Please do let me know if you feel any of the following day would be too tight on schedule, and I should skip / add any stops.

First night - arrive in Launceston in the evening and stay in Launceston
Day 1 - spend a couple of hours in Launceston (from what I read, I don't see a lot to see there), then head to Bicheno via A3, stopping at a few places, such as Bay of Fires. Do I still have enough time for Freycinet National Park? stay in Bicheno.
Day 2 - Freycinet National Park if I don't have enough time for it on Day 2, then head to Hobart. Is Port Arthur worth going? If I got Freycinet National Park covered in Day 2, the main activity for the day would be Port Arthur and Hobart.
Day 3 - some morning time in Hobart, then head to Queenstown. I'd be interested to stop and do some walks in Mount Field National Park (the Russell Falls and Tall Trees walks), Lake St Clair, Franklin Gordon National Park. Stay in Queenstown. Is it too much for a day?
Day 4 - Visit Strahan and Cradle Mountain National Park. Do some hiking. Haven't decided where to stay for the night. Rosebery or Burnie?
Day 5 - drive to Stanley and come back, stop at a few places alanstar mentioned (Boat Harbour, Penguin). Stay in Launceston.
Day 6 - a couple of morning hours in Launceston and flying out at 11:20am.

Here is my tentative plan for my 6-day (actually it's 6-night, 5-day plus a morning) trip to Tasmania. Your comments are very welcome and they have been very helpful. Please do let me know if you feel any of the following day would be too tight on schedule, and I should skip / add any stops.

First night - arrive in Launceston in the evening and stay in Launceston
Day 1 - spend a couple of hours in Launceston (from what I read, I don't see a lot to see there), then head to Bicheno via A3, stopping at a few places, such as Bay of Fires. Do I still have enough time for Freycinet National Park? stay in Bicheno.
Day 2 - Freycinet National Park if I don't have enough time for it on Day 2, then head to Hobart. Is Port Arthur worth going? If I got Freycinet National Park covered in Day 2, the main activity for the day would be Port Arthur and Hobart.
Day 3 - some morning time in Hobart, then head to Queenstown. I'd be interested to stop and do some walks in Mount Field National Park (the Russell Falls and Tall Trees walks), Lake St Clair, Franklin Gordon National Park. Stay in Queenstown. Is it too much for a day?
Day 4 - Visit Strahan and Cradle Mountain National Park. Do some hiking. Haven't decided where to stay for the night. Rosebery or Burnie?
Day 5 - drive to Stanley and come back, stop at a few places alanstar mentioned (Boat Harbour, Penguin). Stay in Launceston.
Day 6 - a couple of morning hours in Launceston and flying out at 11:20am.


VERY VERY ambitious... you will be spending ALOT of time in the car.
Day 1 is ok.
Day 2 is ok if you forget Port Arthur. If you want to do PA you will need to forget doing anything else and leave Bicheno quite early, as PA is a fair drive, and its a good 2/3rds of a day if you want to explore properly.
Day 3 -5 are impossible or nearly impossible
You can either do Mt Fields walks and then drive, or drive and stop at Lake St Clair etc. Its a 4 hour drive from Hobart to Queenstown/Stahan on not such good roads. Personally I'd drive straight from Hobart to Strahan maybe stopping in Derwent Bridge and at Lake St Clair to do one of the shorter walks.
So I'd go
Day 3 - Drive from Hobart to Strahan, stopping at Lake St Clair.
Day 4 - Do one of the Strahan tours - if you are coming in the summer season, do an AM tour and then head towards Cradle - stay @ Cradle
Day 5 - Explore Cradle and head back towards Launceston
Day 6 - Fly out.

People forget that although we LOOK small, the time taken to get anywhere is longer than you expect and the roads are not that good. To give you an idea, the Midlands Highway, wich is the national highway which connects Hobart and Launceston THROUGH the middle of the state is currently affectionately known as "The Goat Track".

I have lived down here for seven years, and spent 5 of those driving around the state for work. I went to Strahan at least once a year, and always arrived the day before as I didnt want to rush the roads. The East coast roads are good, but you need to stop and explore. I personally could spend 3 days in Strahan doing tourist stuff quite happily. Never having been to Cradle I dont know what its like, but I'm heading there in December with a friend for a couple of days, so will report back. You are packing ALOT into 5 days, personally I'd pick an area and concentrate on it. So say the NW coast, or the North Coast.
If you have any more questions pls dont hesistate to ask, I love sharing what I know about this place with people.

TIMP, thanks for your prompt feedback. It really helps a lot for my planning. I knew in my plan above, Day 3 looks crazy. I planned it that way mostly because the following tour itinerary I read:
http://www.goway.com/adventure/trip-details.php?trip_id=584

Looks like I will need to skip some stops. Here are some more questions:

1. You said Day 1 is ok. Does it include Freycinet National Park?

2. Day 2 - from what I read, I think I can skip Port Arthur. What's your suggestion for the day from Bicheno to Hobart? How much time can I have in Hobart?

3. Day 3-5, I think I will take your advice, and skip Stanley, etc. I haven't read much into Strahan tours. What tour would you recommend?

4. I'll be there Dec 3 - 9. How is the weather over there in early Dec?

5. For National Parks, can I buy a pass for 2-3 weeks of time for all parks I'm going while in Australia? or pass for Tasmania is just for the parks in the state? I searched online but kind of got confused.

Thanks!

TIMP, thanks for your prompt feedback. It really helps a lot for my planning. I knew in my plan above, Day 3 looks crazy. I planned it that way mostly because the following tour itinerary I read:
http://www.goway.com/adventure/trip-details.php?trip_id=584

Looks like I will need to skip some stops. Here are some more questions:

1. You said Day 1 is ok. Does it include Freycinet National Park?

2. Day 2 - from what I read, I think I can skip Port Arthur. What's your suggestion for the day from Bicheno to Hobart? How much time can I have in Hobart?

3. Day 3-5, I think I will take your advice, and skip Stanley, etc. I haven't read much into Strahan tours. What tour would you recommend?

4. I'll be there Dec 3 - 9. How is the weather over there in early Dec?

5. For National Parks, can I buy a pass for 2-3 weeks of time for all parks I'm going while in Australia? or pass for Tasmania is just for the parks in the state? I searched online but kind of got confused.

Thanks!

1.If you have accom pre booked at Bicheno, you can probably do some of Freycinet.

2. WineGlass Bay is lovely and has some good walks. There are also so lovely resturants and galleries on the way down. Its a good half to three quarter of a day drive, depending on how long you stop at things etc.

3.Look at www.puretasmania.com.au to get an idea about Strahan tours. This is only one company, there is another company that does boat tours whose name escapes me. If I only had 1 day I'd splurge and do Piners and Miners, as you get most of the rail trip but in landrover taht is converted to run on rail tracks, a lovely walk along the Bird River, and a exhilerating boat ride through the harbour on the way home. HOWEVER you might have to O/N in Strahan as it is a full day tour, starting at 7:30am and finishing around 5ish. It includes 2 major meals (breakfast and lunch, as well as morning and afternoon tea).

4. Weather in early December can range from 15C to 30C depending on the day. Layers is the best way to dress, bring a light fleece and a rain jacket. Be prepared for variable weather and breezes.

5. If you are only going to go to Cradle you can buy a park pass when you get there. Each state is administered seperately. As far as I know there is no national park pass, though its a GREAT idea.

Drop me a PM if you want to meet up for drink or something...I think I am free sometime around there!

The two main 'large' wine regions closest to Melbourne (~45 - 90 mins depending which wineries you go to) are the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.

MP is slightly cooler, and noted mainly for Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Grigio, and Pinot Noir. Some very pretty wineries ovelooking Westernport Bay and some of those wineries do a very nice lunch (eg. Red Hill Estate)

YV is a little warmer (doh! :)) and is noted for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz and Pinot Noir are also produced. Also some pretty scenery but moreso hills than sea (as it's nowhere near it :)).

My own preference is for fuller bodied reds (mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) and they're better found north of Melbourne in the Sunbury/Macedon Ranges area (Craiglee, 15 mins drive from MEL airport makes a brilliant shiraz) and even further north around Heathcote/Bendigo. Driving distances vary from ~30 mins to 2 hours from Melbourne.

I'm reasonably sure day tours are offered to all areas (maybe not Heathcote/Bendigo), you'd have to google a bit depending on your wine preferences.

tuapekastar, thanks for the wine tip. I drink a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon. Here in California, we don't have that many Shiraz to choose from. Maybe I should try more when I'm in Australia. For whites, I like Pinot Grigio.

I think I have at least a half day extra time I haven't planned in MEL area. Craiglee may be pretty convenient for me to stop by.

tuapekastar, thanks for the wine tip. I drink a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon. Here in California, we don't have that many Shiraz to choose from. Maybe I should try more when I'm in Australia. For whites, I like Pinot Grigio.

I think I have at least a half day extra time I haven't planned in MEL area. Craiglee may be pretty convenient for me to stop by.

According to Craiglee website:

Cellar Door Hours: Sundays 11am to 5pm. Other times by appointment or by chance.

I've visited on a Saturday ok.

Their shiraz, while genuinely excellent, is actually not your typical really full on Oz-style shiraz you'd expect from areas like Barossa or McLaren Vale, but a little peppery and a little less full-bodied. They make a nice CS as well. Haven't bought any in awhile but suspect you're looking at up towards AUD50 a bottle! :eek:

Thanks for the info, tuapekastar. AUD50 a bottle is kind of steep. That's about the highest I've ever paid for a bottle (except in a restaurant). Maybe I will just try to taste more when I'm in Australia, and pick a couple to bring home.

The two main 'large' wine regions closest to Melbourne (~45 - 90 mins depending which wineries you go to) are the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.

MP is slightly cooler, and noted mainly for Chardonnay, Pinot Gris/Grigio, and Pinot Noir. Some very pretty wineries ovelooking Westernport Bay and some of those wineries do a very nice lunch (eg. Red Hill Estate)

YV is a little warmer (doh! :)) and is noted for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Shiraz and Pinot Noir are also produced. Also some pretty scenery but moreso hills than sea (as it's nowhere near it :)).

My own preference is for fuller bodied reds (mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) and they're better found north of Melbourne in the Sunbury/Macedon Ranges area (Craiglee, 15 mins drive from MEL airport makes a brilliant shiraz) and even further north around Heathcote/Bendigo. Driving distances vary from ~30 mins to 2 hours from Melbourne.

I'm reasonably sure day tours are offered to all areas (maybe not Heathcote/Bendigo), you'd have to google a bit depending on your wine preferences.

Agree that Heathcote produces Victoria's best Shiraz (and probably some of Australia's best Shiraz once you've tired of Barossa confectionery) but Paringa Estate on the MP, as well as producing great pinot noir, produces a stunning shiraz (but it's $90 a bottle). Best restraurants on the MP? Montalto and Ten Minutes by Tractor.

Frankly, I don't think you can buy a decent Aussie red under about $30-40. Below this price point, other countries do it better.

....Frankly, I don't think you can buy a decent Aussie red under about $30-40. Below this price point, other countries do it better.Pizzinni Sangiovese AUD 25. Stunning, esp. with a few years of aging. However your point is valid, there are many good wines that are dirt cheap -- including cask wines -- but the great wines start at AUD 30. Just as they do in California and even Oregon for that matter. There seems to be a world-wide price-point of $30 being what the market will bear for a good wine with chances of greatness. Personally I drink wine at the extremes (dirt cheap and incredibly expensive; my most expensive bottle of Grange in my current cellar is now valued at USD 14,000 for a single bottle, not sure if I will ever get to taste it (actually I am pretty sure that I never will).

Pizzinni Sangiovese AUD 25. Stunning, esp. with a few years of aging. However your point is valid, there are many good wines that are dirt cheap -- including cask wines -- but the great wines start at AUD 30. Just as they do in California and even Oregon for that matter. There seems to be a world-wide price-point of $30 being what the market will bear for a good wine with chances of greatness. Personally I drink wine at the extremes (dirt cheap and incredibly expensive; my most expensive bottle of Grange in my current cellar is now valued at USD 14,000 for a single bottle, not sure if I will ever get to taste it (actually I am pretty sure that I never will).

I have a few Grange's and Hill of Grace's in the cellar but they are surely not every day drinking now they're $500 a bottle at time of release! I'm not saying there aren't some decent "everyday" reds available below $30, but there ain't much worth taking up cellar space below that price point.

BTW. Unless it's part of your superannuation/401k, it's there for drinking buddy. I try to crack a Grange/HOG at least once a year :-)