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1 week or less in Australia

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We will be flying into Sydney. We will hop on a flight to Auckland from wherever we end our Australian portion. This trip is mainly in NZ for about 2 to 2-1/2 weeks, but thought to get a highlights of Australia as well.

We understand Australia is a continent and we won’t be able to see it all. However, we do want to make the most out of it and see the best of Australia if we could, assuming we won’t go back in our life time.

I would like your best advice on how many days to set aside for this portion of the trip, and where should we make it a must-visit. We don’t mind to rent a car and take day trips or a road trip and fly out from wherever we end our Aussie visit.

Kangaroo
Koala bear
The zoo
The beach
Blue mountains

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I wish Rick Steves had an Australian/NZ tour. I usually plan my trips with his tours as my starting point.

Posted by
8545 posts

Vincelanier,
Australia is a very large country. It is comparable in size to the USA.

If you have a week or less in Australia, I would stay in Sydney. You can do day trips to the Blue Mountains and if you like wine do a tour for wine tasting north of the city.

If you decide to go elsewhere, you can go to Melbourne and do a tour that includes the Great Ocean Highway and perhaps the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island. We have been to Australia twice and saw more wildlife on the Great Ocean Highway tour than when we visited the Blue Mountains.

Posted by
11 posts

So, it sounds as though you will be in Sydney mostly. You should be able to do everything on your list while in Sydney. The Taranga Zoo is a wonderful place to visit for several hours and can be reached via water Ferry from the Circular Quay area (the rocks area) near The famous Opera House. There are reasonably priced Ferries that leave from Circular Quay to take you many places, including other beach areas. Sydney is a fabulous place to visit and getting around is very easy there are several public transport plans that are easily purchased, walking is easy, safe and packed with great sight seeing. There area also fun day trips that can be arranged for example to the Blue Mountains. On our first trip to Sydney we did a day trip where the tour van picked us up at the hotel and we had about 5 people total to drive out to see the Blue Mountains and stop several places along the way we stopped in a forest and saw kangaroos, we had lunch in Leura (a wonderful little rural community with lots of shops and restaurants) we had a full day returning to the hotel in late afternoon. Our hotel concierge helped us book this small tour - it was great! One other day we did several beaches (i.e. Manly, Bondi and some others) we totally fell in love with the Sydney area and to date one of our favorite places in the world. On our second trip to Australia we visited Melbourne, Tasmania and Adelaide as well as Sydney again and this time we climbed the Sydney Bridge!! It was terrific! What a great view!
NZ is also a great place (been there twice already and good to go again!) First trip we toured Auckland, drove to Wellington and took a Ferry to Picton. Second trip we drove all over South Island from Christchurch south and over to Queentown and back - wonderful, wonderful....ready to go again there as well!!

You will have fun a make great memories we are sure!!

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