Sorry to hear about the availability, award seats to Oz have always been hard to come by. I'm hoping that the launch of Virgin Pacific along with additional A380 capacity will help break the stranglehold.
If you do make it to Oz in the future, my 2c
Originally Posted by
Sam - DFW
abundant activities from adventure/hiking etc to less active activities like breathtaking scenic drives
Originally Posted by
Sam - DFW
melbourne or brisbane or hobart as third city
any advice on choosing between the three?
With that criteria I'd highly recommend Hobart as the preferred destination. All three cities are nice but Tasmania offers much more scenery, wildlife and a more laid-back experience. Cradle mountain, Freycinet National Park, and The Overland Track are wonderful places to visit. One of my favorite experiences is on the Northern side of the island where just after dusk you can watch the little blue penguins return from feeding all day at sea. Go to Latrobe at dusk or dawn and see if you can catch a glimpse of the elusive platypus in the wild. Dine in the Salamanca area of Hobart. Tassie is a magic experience and shouldn't be missed.