Australia including Tasmania

I grew up in Adelaide, and I would have said Jan/Feb is the best time of year to visit. It's hot all round, and the weather in Melbourne in particular is likely to be just as hot as Adelaide (Sydney is usually milder and Tasmania definitely will be).

My two cents: You could save yourselves a couple of days if you just continued on to Melbourne by air upon arrival at Sydney airport. While the drive along the coast is pleasant enough I frankly don't think it deserves 2 or 3 days out of your already pinched itinerary. You might also look at flights directly into Melbourne from your gateway city unless you've already booked into and out of Sydney.
In Tasmania I'd suggest skipping Freycinet. Same thought: it's nice enough but not worth the side trip with so much else to see and do in the vicinity of Hobart and Launceston. Port Arthur and Cradle Mtn. NP would be my suggested priorities ... in fact they are my priorities since we'll be there ourselves for 2+ weeks next January.
The Huon Valley and Bruny Island are doable as day trips from Hobart, and Mount Field NP is quite nice for some gentle hikes thru the Tassie bush.
IMHO you're shortchanging Sydney with only 3 nights there. We consider it to be the most beautiful city on earth (it's all about the harbor) and you could spend most of a week there with an Opal pass just riding the ferries around to explore some of the picturesque suburbs dotted around the edge of the harbor.
Ballarat and Bendigo are worth a stop, but be prepared for the possibility of some very hot weather in Jan-Feb.
Personal opinion only, but I wouldn't recommend trying to drive in central Melbourne. The local rules of the road due to the tram system can be pretty confusing.

@Simon, Melbourne, in January, are unfortunately a must, for the Ausi Open. We are hoping to visit Adelaide at a cooler time of year.

@Robert, some great ideas, thanks. Our air is fixed, in and out of Sydney. We do agree we could use more time in Sydney, but, we intend to return. Believe me, we use a car, pretty much at last resort. We will return the car on the edge of Melbourne upon arrival. We'll pick up a car again for the coastal drive, Bendigo, Yarra, etc., and then return it and fly to Tasmania, where we'll rent a car again. We haven't decided about car for the Blue mountains. Glad to hear we are on the right track for Tasmania, appreciate the suggestions. How much time do you think we should budget for Bendigo and Ballarat?

I visited Bendigo and Ballarat from Melbourne by train. Separate day trips for each. Speaking just of the towns proper without exploring outside the towns’ limits, I was content with one long day in each location to see major sites. I did go non-stop and was exhausted on my train ride home!

It will, of course, depend on your interests for sites in the towns. I am thinking, however, that you might move a day from one or both towns and allocate to the Blue Mts. 1 to 1.5 days each may be enough time to explore comfortably. I didn’t have a car and purposely didn’t research any place outside of town and also don’t know the travel time between towns but if you are looking to save a day, I think you can do it here.

I had a real "dumb American" intro to Australia animals experience in Bendigo. You might also be interested in hunting down the flying fox (bat) colony in the in-twon Rosalind Park.

I was strolling through the park - daytime - and heard what I thought were birds nesting and decided to explore. Huge bats hanging from the trees! Actually quite fascinating. I did refrain from walking under them. I was surprised at how active they were. It was probably late afternoon, 4ish, when I was there, but full sun, no dusk in the offing.

This link is a general one about the critters. If you google, you can find lots of other articles about Bendigo's colony. https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/our-wildlife/flying-foxes

ORD I read your post while sitting in Rosalind Park. Until my fairly recent retirement I worked shift work at Bendigo Hospital. One problem we often had at the hospital was the bats making it difficult for the choppers to land on the roof during the night.

I think Tasmania is an excellent choice.
If it was me I would take time away from Ballarat and Bendigo and add a couple of days to Tasmania. Is there a particular focus/sightseeing that you are planning to do in your 5 nights in those towns? IMHO they aren’t as spectacular as the scenery, nature and towns in Tasmania.
In terms of nature in Tasmania, we loved seeing the penguins come ashore in Bicheno. It was a few years ago, but we were able to just go down to the shoreline and wait for them to come in. No tour required. There were also penguins in the garden of the cottage we rented. And Cradle Mountain is great for wildlife - the most wombats I’ve seen. The walks there are nice too. It’s quite busy with tourists during the day, but I noticed that a lot of them don’t actually do the walks, and it’s definitely peaceful if you stay overnight.

@Ethel and ORD Traveler, thank you, so helpful.

In terms of driving vs. flying to Melbourne from Sydney, I totally understand the point. But, last minute tickets are pricey (I never trust my air travel from the U.S. and we have specific days to be in Melbourne for the open. My husband wants to watch the early matches and they start 5 days after we arrive in Sydney.

While we like nature, scenery, wine, etc., we also are very earnest in our desire to learn about the history and culture of Australia. Please excuse my, "sidetrip". I grew up in the midwest of the U.S. We have our urban areas, but also an extensive heritage of farming and related. We were just in England. We went to this wonderful folk museum in Yorkshire. It had a cooper, blacksmith, etc. The small community was gorgeous, but in terms of the folk museum, we felt that we had seen all this multiple times in the U.S. Likewise, when I look at the gold mining heritage in Victoria, Australia, I am now wondering how different it will be from some of our travels in Western U.S., where they also had mining, and gold rush, and similar. It does sound like the smallish cities of Ballarat and Bendigo are quite unique. Would one night in each be enough to learn a bit of the heritage and see unique architecture?

If I cut those days, and somewhere I found a day, I can do 3 nights in the Blue Mountains, 4 nights in Sydney and 8 in Tasmania.

As Simon mentioned there is not a lot of difference between Adelaide and Melbourne weather. Melbourne people use today's weather in Adelaide as a guide for tomorrow's weather in Melbourne.
I remember you mentioning a keenness to experience outback Australia. I assume that is why you are choosing to return to Adelaide at a cooler time.

Flying from Sydney to Melbourne as Robert says is certainly more time efficient than driving the coastal route. Personally I lean more to the journey than the destination and if time allowed I would always choose the scenic drive rather than the flight.
Where to overnight along that route probably doesn't matter too much. See what is available and suitable for you. It will be busy with holidaymakers that time of year but it is a big coastline, plenty of room for everyone. You will want to book ahead though. You mention Fish Creek, as mentioned previously well worth a side-trip into Wilson's Promontory NP.

The Great Ocean Road. Depends on how far you want to go. Tourist buses do it as a crazy fast paced journey from Melbourne CBD to Port Campbell and return in a day. Personally I'd recommend continuing on to Warrnambool and even cute little Port Fairy. Ideally either of those would be a 3d overnight. From there you can make your way back via a few different routes.
Not the quickest way but the most scenic and interesting is to head to Dunkeld at the southern end of the Grampians. The Grampians is a bushwalkers/wildlife lovers paradise. Halls Gap is the main tourist stop. From Halls Gap to Ararat then onto Ballarat.
There are a number of interesting towns between Ballarat and Bendigo.
Daylesford is a tourist hotspots these days. Castlemaine is very bohemian but also has some great gold mining history. Just up the road is little Maldon. Very special streetscape and also a lot oof gold mining history.
Bendigo, the city is architecturally magnificent. In the mid/late 19th century it was one of the World's richest cities thanks to the gold mining.

Yarra Valley. Wineries a plenty. Healesville is surrounded by magnificent sub alpine forests. The Yarra Ranges are magnificent. I am not really a zoo person but I do love Healesville Sanctuary.
My very favourite drive in Victoria is a circuit from Healesville over Mt Donna Buang into Warburton then along the Acheron Way into Narbethong then through the Black Spur back to Healesville. It can be done in either direction and done easily as a daytrip from Melbourne.

@Eatsrootsandleaves , great stuff!!! We are definitely going as far as Port Fairy. For Yarra, so far, I do have the Black Spur, and I will add the rest of your drive, also, Steavenson Falls is looking pretty spectacular. I appreciate your comments on the area around Ballarat and Bendigo. If I do spend one night in each, will that be enough time to see the unique architecture? Or maybe do Ballarat as a couple hour stop and spend two nights in Bendigo, or??

Does anyone have winery recommendations for Yarra and Tasmania? We like smaller, possibly family owned. Not necessarily, the biggest, and "best"wine.

While in Port Fairy consider the short drive over to the Tower Hill Reserve near the town of Koroit - it's an unfenced wildlife preserve located inside an ancient caldera. Lots of native Aussie animals in a natural habitat, and some very nice walking trails to seek them out. You'll typically see emus (with chicks in tow) wandering thru the parking lot upon arrival, koalas in the trees above, and mobs of big grey kangaroos. It really is a magical place - one of my wife's favorites in fact.

Oh Tassie! Where would I start?
From Launceston. Across East and head to Bicheno then the Freycinet NP. Wineglass Bay, The Hazards, Friendly Beach.
Can you squeeze in a trip to Maria Island.
Definitely Port Arthur and Richmond, close to my heart as I am from Tasmanian convict stock. Hobart is quite lovely with mighty Mt Wellington towering in the background. If you get a chance drive up to the summit and do some hiking. The views are to die for.
Bruny Island, particularly South Bruny. Fabulous spot the fairly easy hike up Fluted Cape is awesome. I twice spotted a white Bennett's Wallaby.
Russell Falls in Mt Field NP easy enough to access, beautiful forests and waterfalls.
Cradle and Lake St Clair. I have done the full length of the Overland Track (about a one week hike) so I love this area. You can do some nice easier stuff around Dove Lake below Cradle Mountain.
I have been fortunate enough to do multiday hikes in Tassie's wild west. That West Coast is magnificent wilderness but obviously difficult to access. From the Mt Field area you can get as far as the Gordon Dam via Strathgordon, a decent road in and out.
It is also a decent road from Hobart to Cockle Creek where we exited a week long South Coast Wilderness hike. That road is the most southerly road in Australia.
Further north on the West Coast are Queenstown, Strahan and Zeehan all worth a visit. Queenstown is pretty amazing as it was brutalised by mining and ended up a weird moonscape.
Also Launceston's Cataract Gorge is worth a look.

Good call on Tower Hill Robert. A great spot to get a good dose of Aussie critters.

Yeah, Tower Hill really is a terrific place.
Jules - regarding your question about Ballarat and Bendigo: unless you really want to do a deep dive into the history of Australia's Gold Rush then I'd say that a day in each town would probably satisfy your curiousity, though I do agree that a side trip out to Hall's Gap and the Grampians would be worthwhile.
Also wanted you to be aware of the Qantas low-cost affiliate JetStar that provides a low cost alternative to the major carriers for getting around the country. Their airfares between Sydney and Melbourne are as little as USD$50, for example.

Jules - I think I "get" your question on MidWest USA vs Aussie gold rush and rural life. I grew up visiting Colorado gold mines and MidWest living history and farm museums. Maybe I can give you some impressions and memories of my experiences for you to weigh.

First caveat - I love living history museums and venues. Visiting in the gold mining areas of Australia was fun to me because of the similarities to the US. In some ways, I felt I was re-living my childhood. So, to respond to your musings, yes, I think you would find the Australian experience similar to that you are familiar with in the US. This may well not be your choice when decisions of what to see and where to spend time must be made. One day in each town to "get a sense" may well be enough.

I don't know if Eatsrootsandleaves would agree - please weigh in - but I would say if you are picking between Ballarat and Bendigo, I would go with Bendigo for variety.

Ballarat's "big" tourist venue is Sovereign Hill - a recreation of a gold mining town. I spent the better part of the day - enjoyed the gold museum and the mine exhibit, the rest of the town was very much like what one can find in the US MidWest. As I said, I enjoyed that remembrance of childhood summer vacations, but you may wish to explore something less familiar. The venue is also primarily a re-creation, not even "real" buildings moved to a central location. Not my first choice for an experience, but it is what it is. I know some would reject it out of hand as inauthentic. There is lots of on-line info on Sovereign Hill and Ballarat itself. I recall that what I had researched was accurate to my visit.

Bendigo - Again, I may have different personal interests than you, but there are aspects of the Australia gold rush that weren't in Colorado that I enjoyed learning about. There are a couple venues highlighting the Chinese experience - Joss House and Golden Dragon Museum. Having lived in Asia, I thought this would be "old stuff" to me - it wasn't. I wished I'd had more time; I had left the stops to the last of the day. I had a tour at the Central Deborah Gold Mine - I particularly like old equipment and this sort of thing. Perhaps not much different from US old mines, but the tour was well done if you have any interest. The Military Museum was good - Australia has many moving museums and memorials to their war dead. If you don't make it to Bendigo's and are at all interested in war remembrances - Melbourne war memorial is very good and Sydney's smaller museum is also well exhibited. All moving experiences. I like old factories and love pottery - Bendigo Pottery was interesting with the old kilns and factory floor. Recommend if interested in the topic.

I'm always up for an art gallery, Ballarat's and Bendigo's are small. I don't have outstanding recollections of either.

I hope we haven't sent to "off to the drawing board" again! There is so much to consider and so many options!!

We added part of Australia to our NZ trip a few years ago so we could attend the Aussie Open. We flew into Melbourne and didn't need a car for the Open and sightseeing. We spent 4 nights at the Victoria Hotel so we could walk to the tennis. There is a free tram but we preferred to walk. We took a taxi to an Avis office just outside of Melbourne and rented a car, stopped at Healesville Sanctuary and spent the night at a motel at Philip Island. We saw the Penguin Parade and started our GOA tour (with many scenic stops )the next day. We spent two nights at Lorne Coachman Inn because I wanted to do a day hike in the area. In retrospect, we could have skipped that hike because it wasn't better than hikes in NZ. We spent one night at Loch Ard Motor Inn in Port Campbell. We spent 3 nights at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park, stopping at Tower Hill on the way. We saw emus up close and few koalas in trees at TH. We did a hike and saw a few kangaroos, but not many. At Halls Gap, there was a large field where emus, kangaroos and cockatoos gathered. The mountains were okay---not much compared to those we have in the US and Canada. We spent a day driving back to Melbourne, stopping for a tour at the J Ward Museum and the Daylesford Convent. We spent the night at Melbourne airport and flew to Wellington the next day.

I agree with ORD re Bendigo and Ballarat although maybe biased as I live in the Bendigo region.
From what you have said Jules Sovereign Hill in Ballarat may not be your thing.
ORD visited many of the places in Bendigo I would recommend. We (Bendigo) have an impressive Cathedral as well and also a major wine industry I lived 20 years in Heathcote (near Bendigo) which is the shiraz capital of Australia. Both Bendigo and Heathcote have wine regions named after them. The old Bendigo gaol is now one of the two major theatres. It still has the gaol cells in the foyer. Even the best Thai restaurant in Bendigo is located in an extraordinary building (old bank).
Just a side note as I type this I'm sitting on my verandah being stared at by kangaroos.
So I think there is plenty for you to see and do for a day or two in Bendigo not so sure re Ballarat.

The Cathedral is lovely! I stopped in there also.

Eatsleavesandroots, thanks for the fun comment on Rosalind Park. That was such a fun learning experience for me - flying foxes, not chattering birds! I'm not surprised that those flying bats at night time can disrupt 'copter landings.

I would have liked a 2nd day to explore a bit more leisurely in Bendigo. As I said above, I raced between sites. I had a tight pre-planned itinerary - really enjoyed that day!

Eatsleavesandroots' assessment of more time in Bendigo than Ballarat is mine also. I agree as well as to check Sovereign Hill options online closely - it may not be "your thing". I had a longer timeframe in the area and no car to substitute other options.

For a genuine "gold town" experience, you could look at Walhalla on your drive from Sydney to Melbourne. It is out of the way but is quite a unique insight in what goldmining actually looked like in the 1860's. Other stops to consider on the coastal trip down is Mallacoota and Metung. Worth a visit also is Raymond Island for the koala colony which is hard to miss while there.
Stevenson's falls are in Marysville where there are some beautiful scenic drives besides the one to the falls.
As to Ballarat vs Bendigo, as mentioned Maldon, Castlemaine & especially Daylesford are well worth visiting. Also Clunes which was once the heart of the Gold rush as evidenced by it's many grand civic buildings and banks which are today mostly empty but fascinating nevertheless. Clunes was also used to film parts of the original Mad Max with its streetscape, railway station and rural area including a bridge scene. To me, these places are more interesting than the towns of Bendigo or Ballarat.
On the way to the Yarra Valley, you may also be interested in the small township of Warrandyte. There are still some leftover buildings from the goldrush days as well as gold mines and relics scattered around. The Yarra river was diverted with a tunnel built so the miners could dredge for gold. Pound Bend, where the tunnel was built is now a reserve and popular swimming spot. Koalas can be found in trees overlooking the river, while kangaroos can be seen on the way to Yarra Glen via Kangaroo Ground

If you want to see bats, Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne is a great spot to see them feeding at night. They come from Yarra Bend Park in Kew where they "hang out" during the day before flying off in spectacular fashion at dusk. It is quite an experience to see and hear them.

We have visited Australia twice and love it, but never did Tasmania.

I researched driving from Sydney to Melbourne and decided that the sights available didn't merit spending the days to make the trip.
Instead, we flew into Melbourne, enjoyed that great city, did the wine country near Melbourne as well as a tour that visited the AWESOME Great Ocean Road SW of Melbourne. Also, we visited Philip Island for the Penguins coming home from the ocean. That was great.

Australia is a huge country and driving can be a huge pain.

I am finding it so hard to weed out some of these beautiful places and you all are really helping. We just want to make sure that we have enough time to see and experience these places and not be just driving place to place. I think I'm dropping Ballarat. (EDITED!!)

OK, a few random questions.

Air Travel--If I fly with Jet Star, do I lose a lot of savings when I have to pay for luggage? I think I read 20kg max. That is quite a light suitcase. I will likely have a largish "day" pack, a roll aboard suitcase (22inch??) and a small, long duffel which will contain hiking poles and small items. To fly Melbourne to Tasmania, I see Tasmania has two airports, Launceston and Hobart. Is one preferred over the other? We will also want to pick up a car when we arrive. After Tasmania we'd like to go to Sydney, Blue mountains to be more specific. Is there a better way to do that than flying into the Sydney International airport? Also, we may want a car for the Blue Mountains.

Is parking an issue in any of these towns in Tasmania?

Yarra and Dandenong--We think we are really interested in this area for the natural beauty/features and wineries. We especially want to do the drives some of you have recommended. Might we want four nights?

I think we will spend two nights in Halls Gap. We are interested in animals, waterfalls, The Balconies, any views, unique features that, because of time, that are a short walk or we can drive to. We have been to many mountain ranges, (Alps, Dolomites, Cascades, Rockies, Canadian Rockies, Pyrenees, New Zealand, Appalachians, etc.) so we are looking for places unique to Australia.

We like to carry a small cooler bag for picnicking. Are refrigerators common in hotel rooms? Or at least ice?

Other than Tasmania and possibly the Blue Mountains, will any of these areas potentially have cooler weather than the others?

I may switch the itinerary to spend a few days in Sydney at the beginning of our trip and a few more days at the end. Someone recommended "The Rocks". Do folks concur? When we return should we pick another area to stay?

Recommendations for eSIM? I'm guessing that some areas will have service issues? What do people use for navigation? Sometimes I upload maps for offline navigation.

Really appreciate the help!

Just in answer to a couple of questions.
Refrigerators are commonly found in all hotel and motel rooms. Sometimes they are stuffed with mini bar items in higher end hotels. And electric kettles for boiling water are usual too.
3 pieces of luggage (roll aboard + duffle + backpack), if that’s for one person, would exceed carry on baggage allowance for Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar domestic economy flights, and I don’t believe that you can carry on hiking poles. Also check, because I think Virgin only allows 7kg for carry on, which is probably less than a full roll aboard would weigh. Qantas is the only one with ‘free’ checked luggage but is usually more expensive overall in my experience. Virgin tends to have a ‘lite’ fare and a more expensive fare that includes checked luggage. Most likely you will have to look at particular dates/times and work it out. Jetstar is known for being strict about luggage rules, but I’ve also had my luggage weighed on Qantas.
Hobart is a more spectacular city to visit IMO, but if you are planning a road trip you might fly in to one city and out of the other.

Thanks, Ethel. My daypack is typically considered my personal item. The duffel is small. Hiking poles are now ok as carry on per U.S. TSA, but perhaps not for Australia. The idea of the small, long duffel was so it could be checked containing the poles if necessary. I don’t want to bring a larger suitcase for the poles. What do most travelers do? Compared to many, we travel quite light, but it is over a month.

We normally check a bag with hiking poles. Ours fit crosswise into a 55cm suitcase.
We don’t take more than 10-12 kg of luggage each, even for long trips. Australia is very casual, unless you have plans for very high end places. Especially when you are out of the cities.

Re hotel - The Rocks area is quite convenient and walkable to many central Sydney locations.

There are a number of areas that are popular and convenient. Public transport is good - even getting to places like Bondi Beach is easily done by bus. I was using points during my stay at the Pullman by the War Memorial. I found many sites walkable and subway and bus stations very close. Giving this info just as an example - the area isn’t typically highlighted, but was fine for me and my travel interests.

I would be tempted to look at Booking or your favorite hotel search site and choose based on reviews and budget for areas acceptable to you. (I know that’s what you are trying to figure out, but I suspect many locations will work since transport is so good.). I thought this article with a map of general areas might be helpful:
https://travelaustraliatoday.com/nsw/where-to-stay-in-sydney/

For waterfalls and easy hikes, Lorne on the GOR is a town you should stay the night. There are 10 waterfalls within 10km from the town centre in the rainforest hinterland.
I would just fly in and out of Hobart, much bigger airport, more available flights and likely cheaper from the mainland. You can do a loop of Tasmania or some sort of criss-cross. There will be plenty of itineraries suggested by people on blogs and youtube.
Launceston to Hobart is only 200km, about 2 & 1/4 hours by car. I usually drive over 200km and back home in a day for work. Tasmania is best as a road trip, you could spend a few days in Hobart but doing a loop with nightly stops works better than basing yourself. Highlights for me are Bruny Island, Freycinet, Port Arthur, Strahan, Cradle Mountain and probably Huon Valley.
Take a look through here, https://www.discovertasmania.com.au and after deciding where you wish to visit, try putting it into an AI search with days or nights available and see what route it suggests. Come back here for a critique.

The Rocks would be my suggestion too for a central base in Sydney - it's a short stroll from the transportation hub at Circular Quay, and an easy walk to the Opera House, the Botanical Garden, and the Harbor Bridge. It'll be a bit more expensive but worth it for the convenience I think.
Be aware that it's also where the cruise ship terminal is located and things can get crowded when they're in port.
Anywhere along one of the ferry routes would be a pleasant alternative if you'd prefer to stay in one of the smaller suburbs that dot the harbor. Darling Harbor is a favorite of many - lots of nightlife, great restautants, etc. and only one ferry stop from Circular Quay.
Sydney has a particularly endearing feature called Sydney Harbor National Park - essentially a green belt that hugs the shoreline around northern side which offers a pleasant, flat, walkway featuring some spectacular views of the Opera House and the Bridge. It's directly across from Circular Quay but a world away from the bustle of the city if that's your thing.
Doing a one-way car rental between Launceston and Hobart would provide maximum flexibility without the need to backtrack for part of a day. That's what we're doing ourselves in January.

UGG, in my most recent post, I meant to say skipping Ballarat! It's been edited.

Yarramar, Lorne it is.

Thanks Robert.

I'm seeing there is the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo and a Chinese museum in Melbourne. Wondering what folks considered were the best places to learn about the Chinese experience in Australia? I haven't researched Sydney much, I'm assuming there is something there, too??

Ethel, We don't really do "high end" stuff. Except I may look into seeing something at the opera house. Sounds like what we do for luggage is similar to you, except we've never had a need to weigh luggage. I usually do not travel by air with the poles, but they sure were nice in the Dolomites and New Zealand. Mine do not fit in the suitcase size we typically travel with. I was trying to avoid a midsize bag for a trip that we will be making a lot of transfers. The duffel I was thinking about is the one I use for a yoga mat. I will not have issues to and from Australia, its just those domestic flights.

I hoped it was Ballarat, not Bendigo, that was a miss. I didn't want to ask - it is your trip after all!! The decision makes sense to me.

I wish I could help with the Melbourne Chinese Museum question. I was either unaware of it or dismissed it too easily due to my expat experiences. It looks good! Always choices and too little time. Hopefully, someone who has seen both can compare.

I don't think I was incredibly disappointed with anything I visited in Melbourne - Except the suggestion to ride the City Circle Tram that goes past many tourist sites. I couldn't see a thing and it was crowded and uncomfortable. I literally had to scream my way off the tram - "Out, please, Out please!!" That tram experience was hyped in the guidebooks I used, maybe they've changed.

The Melbourne Zoo was not as good as Sydney's in my opinion (Sydney has terrific Aussie animal displays and ferry ride access is fun), but the Heallesville Sanctuary outside Melbourne was the best for a focus on Aussie wildlife. I liked Melbourne's botanic gardens as much or more than Sydney's.

You haven't spoken about dates.

The AO is from Jan 12 to Feb 1. During your time here School holidays begins in NSW on Dec 22 and in Tasmania ends on Feb 6, Victoria Jan 27. These dates are the busiest times on the coast and all holiday destinations in Australia, Apart from 26th Dec to Jan 2 stretching the weekend till 5th being a crowded madhouse everywhere.

Accommodation during these times is scarce and minimum nights are often required, although motels are usually one night. I would firm up your schedule as soon as possible and start looking/booking. Also make sure you have your ETA's ASAP. They are valid for 12 months so no point putting off to a later date in case they are held for random manual processing.

For GOR 3 nights is plenty, unless you are hit by minimum nights accommodation in Lorne. I would look at Lorne, Cape Otway & Warrnambool or Port Fairy. Yarra Valley/Dandenong Ranges could be done in 2 nights and if outside school holidays, you could also look at Mornington Peninsula & Phillip Island if you are in Victoria after the school holidays.

I feel like another thank is just not enough! So appreciate the help.

So, we'd like to stop in Lorne, Port Campbell and Port Fairy, one night each for the ocean drive. From there we'll stay two nights at Halls Gap, and so on.

It doesn't look like Port Cambell and Port Fairy will not be a problem for accommodations. I'm having a very hard time with Lorne. I know its peak season. Most accommodations are unavailable, plus, ones that have availability want two nights. Looking at what is available around Lorne, we'd really like to stay there. If any one has ideas, I'd sure appreciate them. I don't even care at this point what the accommodation is, just clean would be nice. I've been checking hotels, motels, cabins, campgrounds, not a lot of luck. I'm going back to bookingdotcom, to look again. The last time I looked, the few available were quite pricey.

What date are you planning on being in Lorne?
Worth trying nearby Wye River or even Apollo Bay 45kms further on. You will have maximum daylight that time of year.
Jetstar allow folded rubber tipped hiking poles in carry-on not sure whether retracted poles fit into that policy.

@Yarramar, some how I missed your response and inquiry about our dates. We will be in Sydney January 17, 18,19, Melbourne, January 20-25. Then the GOR, 25, 26, 27, Halls Gap 28, 29, Bendigo, 30 and 31. Yarra 1,2,3, Tasmania Feb 4 thru Feb 11, Blue Mountains 12, 13, 14 and Sydney 15, 16, 17. I have accommodations for our first 3 days in Sydney and then for Melbourne.

Right now, I have 8 nights in Tasmania. I guess if I have to, I can do the GOR 4 nights staying in Lorne for 2 nights. There does look to be plenty to see around Lorne.

@EatsRoots, the plan was to be in Lorne, Sunday, January 25. I did think a Sunday would have slightly less demand.

26 January is a public holiday in Australia. I expect people are taking advantage of the long weekend and that’s why the Sunday is difficult.

Yep Australia Day on Monday 26, schools return Wed 28.

A quick search in Apollo Bay showed a few options inc The Odyssey at around the 200AUD range.

Yes, that weekend for the GOR is the last hurrah for super busy travel. The Yarra Valley, etc is not as popular as the coast, so if possible look at doing that first, then travelling down to the coast.
A wonderful scenic trip, if you do decide to change dates would be from The Yarra Valley to the GOR via the Mornington Peninsula and the ferry crossing to Queenscliff and on to Lorne. This way you can avoid traffic and accommodation restrictions and high prices.
This is a rough itinerary. If you open the map click "avoid freeways" but leave ferries as it wont take you through the scenic countryside. https://maps.app.goo.gl/njy96Tq5zhRuAVJ3A

Thanks Yarramar for some great ideas.

I'm plugging along. Quick questions. I now have two stays for Sydney. One at the beginning and one at the end of our trip. I'm trying to use Delta stay hotel credits. I did want to stay in "The Rocks". I found a hotel, Shangri La, that I'm not sure is in The Rocks, may be on the border. Google maps makes it look like it is surrounded by freeways. Is this a decent location?

Do you have any other options in Sydney? The rooms are large but the hotel is in need of refurbishment. The freeways are mostly overhead so should not be a bother. It is also up on a hill so walking to it is not so convenient. Being in the Rocks, per se is not necessary. Anywhere around Circular Quay, and in particular towards the gardens will be great.

I felt like the Shangri La was my best option if I want to use Delta hotel stay credit. I think I'm going to use another strategy and try to use the credits for shorter stays in smaller cities. I'm seeing Russell Boutique hotel at a decent rate with good reviews?? I'm pretty sure I saw a review about no AC, so I want to be sure there is AC, for February. Also maybe YHA Sydney Harbor? Currently looking at booking.com, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of availability in or near the rocks. Of course, my dates are a weekend. . .

Actually, I think the Shangri-la would be a good choice if you can book there with points. The overhead freeways aren't a problem, and it's a very short stroll over to First Fleet Park, The Rocks, and Circular Quay.
The Russel is nice enough though not our favorite. Haven't stayed at the YHA.
You can anticipate sizeable crowds in the city celebrating Australia Day on Jan. 26th - if you plan to be in Sydney over that period you really need to lock something in pretty quickly to avoid disappointment.

In Lorne, we stayed at the Coachmen Inn. The reviews are awful and I was apprehensive, but it was fine.

wow, Cindy, those are bad reviews. However, I read the responses, and it seemed fine for me for a night. Alas, it was fully booked. Thank you for passing on the suggestion

We have stayed at The Mantra in Lorne. Can't beat the location, being on the beach. My daughter has stayed a few times at the Cumberland, which is probably nicer but The Mantra is historic, starting life as "Erskine House" which is where Rudyard Kipling stayed when visiting the area. He wrote in his poem "Flowers", "Buy my hot-wood clematis, buy a frond of fern. Gathered where the Erskine leaps, down the road to Lorne". He also said that Apollo Bay was "paradise" There is a picnic area in Apollo Bay called Paradise, worth visiting.
If you have any other questions about the GOR, ask as we had a house there for several years

@Robert, thanks for your thoughts. I think I will stick with the Shangi La. There really are not a lot of options, especially in my price range. i"m glad to know you think its fine.

@Yarramar, great Lorne hotel suggestions. They are either fully booked, or I'm bumping up against minimum stay requirements.

*For the GOR, I've booked in Apollo Bay, Port CampbelI, and Port Fairy. I was told by Lorne visitor office that sometimes hotels will have odd single days and will provide those in January. I will keep watching for something in Lorne to pop up for my one night, if one does, I can cancel Apollo Bay.

*I will have another 3 night stay in Sydney at the end of the trip. I welcome any hotel suggestions for that.

*I'm currently working on Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. We will be there Feb 1 thru 4, Sunday thru Wednesday. I have about 2.5 days/3 nights. We will do a couple wineries a day, max, and then nature orientated sight seeing. Looks like Healsville may be the most convenient place to stay. I welcome any suggestions for winery visits. In general we like smaller, family owned although I'm reading that Domaine Chandon has a spectacular setting. Other wineries I'm going to research are De Bortoli, Rochford, Helen's Hill, and Yering Station. We will drive the Blackspur drive with @eatsroots' extensions and Steavenson Falls.

For Dandenong Ranges, we probably can do one garden, max. Cloudehill or Dardenong Botanic Garden?? There is something called Skyhigh Mount Dandenong viewpoint, small parking fee. Anyone recommend this? Other ideas for Dandenong?

Since you would have already spent time in the Sydney CBD, consider staying in Manly, Leura in the Blue Mountains or even on the Hawkesbury River for your 3 days. For the Hawkesbury you will need a car to get there and to get around. Similarly, the Blue Mountains is best via car although they do have the train and a HOHO bus.

My favourite gardens in the Dandenongs is Alfred Nicholas gardens. It is in Sherbrook across from the Sherbrook Forest. If you also do a short hike in the forest, you may get a chance to see, or at least hear one of the many lyrebirds there. (research lyrebirds on YouTube) Cloudehill is nice but quite a formal garden and it can be done in under an hour. The Botanical gardens used to be called the National Rhododendron Gardens. Best time to go is Spring or Autumn, so wouldn't bother in January.

Any of the wineries you picked will be good or you could do a winery tour by mini bus so that you can get home to your accommodation without encountering a boozebus and ruining your holiday. They also have a HOHO bus service. If you are going all the way to Marysville for Steavenson Falls, you must also do Lady Talbot Drive. It is an amazingly scenic drive well worth doing. and stopping at various spots for short walks.

Did you read my previous suggestion for swapping dates of GOR & Yarra Ranges/Valley?

@Yarramar, I did look at doing Yarra Valley first. It was a great idea. It still did not help me with the minimum stay requirements and given the drive time between Yarra Valley and Lorne, we’d lose time in Lorne unless we added a day. It was a good idea and I appreciate the suggestion. Your tips for Dandenongs are extremely helpful. I think the track to the overlook can be shortened, for time constraints, but I'm not quite sure of the route.

After Tasmania, we will fly to Sydney. Our plan is to go to the Blue Mountains for 3 nights then to Sydney for 3 nights.

Forgot to add. Better than Skyhigh, unless you want dinner there in the restaurant viewing the city lights, is Kyeema track and Burkes lookout. This walk is along the rim of Mt Dandenong and has wonderful panoramic views across to Port Phillip and even Melbourne airport on a clear day. You pass the memorial to the Kyeema which crashed into the mountain side in 1938.