Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Suggestions on itenary LAX-MEL 11 days

Would appreciate any help for a first time visitor. Took advantage of the A380 sale and now have a 11 day trip from LAX to MEL planned for December. I am trying to plan using this website even though we will not be backpacking because it seems to have a good summary of things to see without having to read a 200 page guidebook. (http://travelindependent.info/oz_pacific.htm)

I guess we can do MEL - Ayers Rock - Sydney - Great Barrier Reaf and back to MEL. Any suggestions? Need help with how many days would be enough at each location.. does the order of these make sense?

I guess we can do MEL - Ayers Rock - Sydney - Great Barrier Reaf and back to MEL. Any suggestions? Need help with how many days would be enough at each location.. does the order of these make sense?

That's an awful lot to try to accomplish in such a short time. I was there for 21 days this past November, and it was barely enough time to see Melbourne (5 days), Tasmania (5 days), Sydney (6 days) and driving to Brisbane (5 days).

I'd suggest choosing 2 locations, or three at the very most.

Honestly? I'd think about doing Melbourne and Tasmania, and then come back another time for an east coast swing of Sydney/Brisbane/GBR.

Take a look at my Trip Report (http://www.alanstarr.com/australia.htm) for an idea of what I was able to do in three weeks time.

I guess we can do MEL - Ayers Rock - Sydney - Great Barrier Reaf and back to MEL. Any suggestions? Need help with how many days would be enough at each location.. does the order of these make sense?I'd take out Uluru. MEL-CNS-SYD-MEL would be more than enough during the time you have available or you'll be run ragged. alanstar is correct - you can only do so much and trying to cover too much ground will just be a rush and a grind.

The more time in each place the better but a couple of days in MEL, then up to CNS to go to the reef (but don't stay in Cairns, stay in Palm Cove or Port Douglas), then down to SYD for a couple of days and then MEL and home.

A lot of this, of course, depends on how much you want to spend (or not spend, as the case may be) and what you like to do. It also depends on the definition of "11 days" - you leave on day 1 and it's day 3 when you get to MEL. You'll have flown for 14+ hours and experienced a 17 hour (from LA) time change - you may not be too lively on arrival.

Day 4 in MEL, day 5 maybe up to the Yarra Valley for the day or down the Great Ocean Road - but you can't really do that in a day. Day 6 up to Cairns, day 7 out on the reef, day 8 down to SYD, days 9 and 10 in SYD (take the ferry to Manly, climb the Harbour Bridge, take the bus to Bondi etc.), day 11 back down to MEL and then home.

I'm exhausted already ... :)

That's an awful lot to try to accomplish in such a short time. I was there for 21 days this past November, and it was barely enough time to see Melbourne (5 days), Tasmania (5 days), Sydney (6 days) and driving to Brisbane (5 days).

I'd suggest choosing 2 locations, or three at the very most.

Honestly? I'd think about doing Melbourne and Tasmania, and then come back another time for an east coast swing of Sydney/Brisbane/GBR.

Take a look at my Trip Report (http://www.alanstarr.com/australia.htm) for an idea of what I was able to do in three weeks time.

Thank you alanstar. Enjoyed reading your trip report. Very detailed :)

I'd take out Uluru. MEL-CNS-SYD-MEL would be more than enough during the time you have available or you'll be run ragged. alanstar is correct - you can only do so much and trying to cover too much ground will just be a rush and a grind.

The more time in each place the better but a couple of days in MEL, then up to CNS to go to the reef (but don't stay in Cairns, stay in Palm Cove or Port Douglas), then down to SYD for a couple of days and then MEL and home.

A lot of this, of course, depends on how much you want to spend (or not spend, as the case may be) and what you like to do. It also depends on the definition of "11 days" - you leave on day 1 and it's day 3 when you get to MEL. You'll have flown for 14+ hours and experienced a 17 hour (from LA) time change - you may not be too lively on arrival.

Day 4 in MEL, day 5 maybe up to the Yarra Valley for the day or down the Great Ocean Road - but you can't really do that in a day. Day 6 up to Cairns, day 7 out on the reef, day 8 down to SYD, days 9 and 10 in SYD (take the ferry to Manly, climb the Harbour Bridge, take the bus to Bondi etc.), day 11 back down to MEL and then home.

I'm exhausted already ... :)

MEL-CNS-SYD-MEL is the itenary I am coming up with based yours and alanstar's trip report. Our exact trip date is Dec 1 - Dec 15th so we will have ~12 days.

My plan for now looks like

Dec 1st - Leave LAX

Dec 3rd - Arrive MEL

Dec 3rd - Dec 7th - Spend time in MEL...day tour of Great Ocean Road (http://www.gowest.com.au/great-ocean-road.html)

Dec 8th - Dec 10th Cairns - We plan on just snorkeling and taking a glass bottom boat tour of the reef

Dec 10th - Dec 13th - Syndney

Dec 14th - back in MEL

Dec 15th - flight back to LAX

I will be looking up the destinations you mention in your reply to add to our list of things to see. As you can see from above my knowledge of things to see in AUS is very limited :-)

If you have any suggestions on tour operators for great ocean road or the great barrier reef pls let me know.

Why Palm Cove or Port Douglas?

Why Palm Cove or Port Douglas?Palm Cove is about 20 minutes up the coast from Cairns, Port Douglas about 50 minutes. I think it's fair to say they're generally regarded as much nicer places to stay than Cairns itself. If you search for 'Palm Cove' or 'Port Douglas' you'll no doubt find a number of threads with commentary etc. This one in the QF forum was fairly recent -

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=823859&highlight=cove+palm

As I commented in that thread 'In addition to the reef, the 'usual tourist trip' to Kuranda is well worth it - take the train up and the SkyRail back (or vice versa).'

For that, see http://www.kuranda.org/

Just remember that December in far north Queensland (Cairns etc.) is VERY hot. If you don't like the heat, stay clear.

Based on the suggestions here and some threads I have come up with the following. From everything I have read Kuranda seems to be the most recommended tour. We are travelling with a 5 year old so most of the items on the list are family friendly.

Just posting it here for comment and other suggestions. Any other must see's in Melbourne, Cairns or Sydney I am missing?


3-Dec Arrive in MEL Rest
4-Dec MEL Great Ocean Road
5-Dec MEL See City
6-Dec SYD See City
7-Dec SYD Blue Mountian
8-Dec SYD Featherdale
9-Dec SYD Bondi-Manly
10-Dec CNS ??
11-Dec CNS Great Barrier Reef
12-Dec CNS ??
13-Dec CNS Kuranda - train up - skyrail back
14-Dec MEL ??
15-Dec Leave for LAX 1/2 day

Threads reviewed
10 Day Itinerary - Australia - Suggestions? (http://flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=841004)
Four nights in Cairns - advice. (http://flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10015885)
Travel to Great Barrier Reef (http://flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10242169)
Australia itinerary suggestions - no driving (http://flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=780965)