Hi everyone,

I will be in your wonderful country from December 25 until January 15. It has always been my childhood dream since I watched "Malcolm Douglas Documentary" every sunday on the discovery channel. I know it is a very short time for such a huge country, but I just cant afford to stay longer.

I planned to take the Greyhound out of Sydney all the way up to Cairns and then fly back to Sydney. What do you think?

Now, I have read about a dozen travel guides so far but they all seem to tell you the same. That's why I wanted to ask you for some insider tips on some nice places or activities away from the mass tourism.

I am grateful for any input - have a merry christmas and a healthy new year!!!

Cheers,

elwood.

P.S.: Unfortunately, hunting is out of the question since I shall not be bringing my rifle...

Thats not a bad idea, you'll get to see more from the bus than you would if you drove. You will see very little of coastal country till you get north of Mackay but I never get tired of of the trip.

I would travel by train at least some of the way, sitting in a bus is a bit cramped. its a big country

steve

Elwood,

Sydney – Cairns = about 2500 km’s. That’s a lot of traveling in a 3 week holiday but I’m sure you’ve already thought of that. A good trip planner can be found on the
NRMA website

Sydney can keep you busy for weeks, or you can see the main sights in a day or two. Just make sure you take the Manly Ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. It beats paying for a harbour cruise.

What are your plans for Christmas day? The backpacker crowds have a great BBQ and party at Bondi beach if that’s the sort of thing you’re interested in.

26 December is the start of the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Sydney Harbour is always a fabulous sight but on that day it will be spectacular. Watching the yachts race down the harbour is a sight to remember. I’d highly recommend it.

For Australian wildlife try Currumbin Sanctuary on the Gold Coast. It’ll be in your guidebooks for sure.

For bird watching and rainforest bushwalking have a look at O'Reilly's, also near the Gold Coast.

You’ll be traveling at the peak holiday time for both domestic and foreign tourists, so it may be a bit hard to find a quiet place anywhere near the coast. Still there are plenty of places with a beach to relax on for a few days, if that’s part of your plans.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you want any more specific information.

Have a great trip,
- stu

A lot will depend on the route of the GREYHOUND Bus. Does it travel via the coast or head off inland for a while? To get an idea Brisbane is approx 900 klm's from Sydney. Cairns is double that again. My wife has relatives coming all the time from Europe, and all they want to see is sun and surf on the coast. Some of them have said (mind you we are in Sydney ) can we pop over and see Ayres Rock!!!
This is a really big country and our roads are not autobarns where you can travel at 150 klms per hour.
My advice would be, and it includes mass tourism Sydney--4-5 days, and do all the tours, Bronte -Bondi walk, sign up for the HarbourBridge climb, the On---Off bus around Sydney, check out Darling Harbour. While you are here in Sydney ----you must have a Vodka at the
"Minus 5 " bar (it's newly opened). Check out Oxford St, and Paddington at night and head over to Kings Cross---mind you the "Cross" is quite tame to what it used to be, but "when in Rome--do what the Romans do !"--- finish up with lunch at Sydney Tower or a seafood lunch at Doyles Fly up to Hervey Bay and check out Fraser Isle for 2-3days.
Jump on another plane and whiz up to Cairns--just the spot to check out the Great Barrier reef. Don't skimp on travel out to the reef, take the big luxurious jet cats with their own diving pontoons. Absolute heaven!!!!! For a lovely Thai meal, drive up to Port Douglas ( approx 1 hour drive in the hire car ).
From Cairns, fly across to Ayres Rock and yes! the colour of the rock does change all the time. Don't let the travel agent convince you not to climb the rock----- try at all costs to climb the rock-it's only hard for the initial climb.
From "The Red Centre" treat youself to a few days in lovely Melbourne. The shopping is great (if you bring the wife ) the gardens are green and gorgeous, and depending on who you speak--Melbourne is quite civilised.
Try to squeeze in anymore in your short stay and you will go home disappointed.
I know you say "away from mass tourism" but Australia was created for tourists.
I'm sure Malcolm Douglas used to hide creatures "under this little rock"
If you get here e-mail me
Malcolm

Bring a blow up pillow for the loooog bus ride.
Flying would be better you can fly from Sydney to Brisbane for A$89 on Jetstar.

Malcom seems to have a pretty good idea of the what would be good.If you are going to take the bus and drop into many places on the way, then christmas day and 26th in Sydney would be good.Then maybe spend another few days looking around Sydney.
Then get on the bus and head up to Byron Bay about 600km north of sydney. Spend a day/ night here, hit the beach and have a bit of a look around.
Then head up another 200km to Gold Coast for a few days. Cavill Avenue is the main tourist area on Gold Coast. Once you get to Gold Coast ,you will have read about the things you can do there.
If you were going to Brisbane for a look ,(75km north of Gold Coast)then have lunch and a look around at South Bank and take a city Cat ride around. If you are in the area for New Years ,then South Bank in Brisbane and Cavill Avenue in Gold Coast are the main places. If you dont drop into Brisbane ,then break the journey in Noosa for a night.

After that ,take the 1000km ride up to Airlie Beach. From Airlie you can get out to all the Islands for snorkelling and general fun for a few days.
Then after Airlie Beach ,head up to Cairns. In Cairns ,either do snorkelling ,go on rain forest trips,drop into some of the wildlife parks to check out kangaroos, crocadiles and other Ozzy animals. plenty of other things. In Cairns ,it will be the wet season/monsoon season ,so it will be pretty warm and most likely wet(though we havent had a ny rain for a week yet). If I was going to be in town at the time ,I would take you around some of the sites, but I,ll be overseas.
With this itinery you will see the main atrractions and you wont spend too long at a time in the bus
If you have the time and money ,take a flight to Ayres Rock from Sydney or Brisbane which will be the cheaper places. This will get you away from beaches,sand and rain forests ,and show you some outback.

We did the same trip by car a few yrs back.
It is a wonderful drive, albiet long. Can you stop over for a few days here n there to break up the trip at all and see some sights?


There are some wonderful coastal areas enroute.

Do see Port Douglas while your in Cairns.