Originally Posted by
mcbg1
I've been all over Australia aside from the west coast.
Gotcha. I interpreted your second paragraph as you've been to Australia many times and each time to Melbourne.
I have no input on Australia, but I would suggest spending a bit more time in the South Island of NZ. Last year, I started out in Te Anau and then over the course of 2 weeks, drove to Queenstown, Wanaka, Franz Josef, Arthur's Pass, and Christchurch, doing 3-6 hour long day hikes 2 out of every 3 days (using the 3rd day to rest). If that's something you're interested in, I could definitely make suggestions.