Originally Posted by
robr
Cprich thanks for the ecotour recommendation. I booked with Paul. Btw what's the deal with tips for something like that? I've read conflicting info about tipping. Some say don't tip, some say a small tip is ok but a large tip is insulting.
Do not tip, there is no obligation to tip anywhere in Australia. You can round up a few dollars in a taxi, and for good service at a cafe/restaurant.
Some comments on your itinerary:
For Sydney, you have a lot planned for your first day when you may well be quite jetlagged. I would suggest planning a bit less and moving things to another day.
For Melbourne/Victoria, no point hiring a car for the first few days. The Star Wheel isn't a great attraction, Skydeck will give you a better view of things. On Dec 2 you could go from Fed Square, walk along the yarra across to the Botanical Gardens and then loop back around on the other side to Eureka for Skydeck.
What F1 track do you mean to see?
Your Dec 6 day has far too much to do and a lot of driving. I would suggest staying around Portsea area for most of the day to fit it all in, ferry across to Queenscliff end of the day and the next day take your time to do the Great Ocean Road and get to Port Campbell.