8 Week Australia Trip

gavinrace

Hello to you all,

I wonder if some of you might be able to help my girlfriend (26yrs) and I (28yrs) get to grips with organising our planned trip to Australia next year?

We intend to go between mid-February and mid-April 2010 (8 weeks).

We're still unsure of where to start, probably Melbourne or somewhere along the south-east coast but we're open to suggestions. We then think we'll possibly head up the east coast to Cairns.

We don't know whether it's worth visiting New Zealand, Tazmania or some of the west coast (Perth etc.)

We have a budget of around £7000-8000 which will need to pay for our flights out there (and back) and any internal flights we take. We intend to travel around and stay in hostels - preferably our own rooms but the standard of the hostel is not that important.

We're not intending to work.

Do people advise hiring a car to travel up the east coast or would you advise another form of travel?

When purchasing flights, is it easier/cheaper to buy flights coming in and going out of the same city or is it just as easy/cheap to flight out of a different city to come home?

Any help or advice anyone can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance folks.

loveabargain13

Well February- April is going into there Summer / Autumn, so you might be best to start in Melbourne before it gets chilly, Melbourne can have 4 seasons in 1 day!
I definitely recommend Rainbow Bay, Coolangatta a must-have stop! Beautiful beach, ( I think Noosa is a bit over-rated and not particularly "exclusive" as some like to think ) I've always travelled internally with Virgin Blue, there is also Jetstar for internal flights.
I've heard a lot about travelling along Ocean Road, but never done it.
I'm hoping to travel the end of this year out there! few starters for you.....

gavinrace

Thanks lovebargain.

It certainly is a start. Thanks for those pointers.

The weather was certainly a factor when we looked into where to start. The more northern cities were very hot in February and although we love the heat, it might be a bit too much whilst 'backpacking' around.

Virgin Blue seems to come recommended.

Cheers again for your help and advice.

tummy_tank

We have been jan/feb few years ago and are just back a few weeks ago from melbourne and perth this time. It is hot in Perth also in feb so i'd 2nd doing melbourne 1st too. we also used virgin blue and used one way flights. If you fly into melbourne it gives you good choice of airlines. We flew into peth and out of brisbane 1st time and into melbourne and out of perth 2nd time. Both with emirates but the decider was they go direct to dubai from glasgow. I didn't have time for the ocean road but would have loved to do it. We did airlie beach as a base for the barrier reef/ whitsunday islands(it was spectacular) and a few days in brisbane (friendly city). i'd advise to book long haul flights asap that's 11 months ahead , so not long away. Enjoy when the time comes, i am so jealous~!

Generali

The drive from Adelaide to Melbourne (Great Ocean Road) is one of the most beautiful in the world, e.g.:



It could be done in a couple of days.

I'd do something like fly in to Adelaide, drive to Melbourne over 3 days then fly to NZ for a week. Fly back Sydney for a week then fly on to the Gold Coast for a few days. Then drive up to Cairns over the course of a week or two (make sure you check out the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef) and maybe even on to Darwin.

Try to make time to check out one of the wilderness areas for a couple of days, perhaps as part of a tour. There isn't any wilderness in the UK and it is spectacular.

Feel free to PM me if you want any answers to specific questions as I'm not on this board much.

All the best,

Generali,
Sydney,
NSW.

gavinrace

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond.

It's funny you should say that Generali; my partner and are edging towards flying into Adelaide initially (she wants to visit Kangaroo Island - anybody visited here?), then travelling to Melbourne and then up the east coast.

I think after a number of people commenting on the Great Ocean Road, we may have to heed to the advice and drive from Adelaide to Melbourne. The picture certainly looks like it could be awesome.

Generali, your advice about flying to New Zealand is a very good call and we may again accept your recommendations.

Tummy_Tank, I think I'll be stuck on the airline websites next month trying to find the best deal and day to fly out next year.

I know it's horses for courses but what is a rough "average" amount to put aside for internal flights over the course of an 8 week stay (including perhaps a trip to NZ?)

Again, a huge thanks to you all for your help. It's making the fun but overwhelming task of organising this trip a lot easier.

jeffy22

I spent a year out there, didnt work and spent a total of £5000 (and partied alot!)
dont hire a car, best way to get up the eastcoast is either on the greyhound bus (get a hop on hop off ticket)
or hire a campervan (we hired a wicked van, they are huge out there, you see them everywhere and there are depots all over Oz so you can drop it off at your journeys end and dont have to drive back to where you came from)
i really recoomend doing the east coast and the great ocean rd which has amazing views.
if you stay over in melbourne stay in st kilda, its by the beach (not much of a beach) but it has a great hippy, muso vibe.
I wasnt too keen on Perth as a city but if you travel upwards the scenary is amazing.
As you are only there for 8 weeks though i wouldnt bother as to do east coast and great ocean rd properly your gonna need all you 8 weeks.
tasmania is like england, i'd give it a miss if your short on time
best places to visit on east coast:
agnes water/town of 1770 - little known town, amazing beach, just starting to get on the tourist map, so nice and quite but loads of activites to do and very cheap!
airlie beach/ great barrier reef - a must do! take on of the 3 days boat trips around the reef, you can snorkle, scuba, sleep on deck, loads of different types of trips for every budget from party youth boats to luxury ones
coolangatta - not really touristy but amazing beaches, i saw alot of whales here
fraser island - another must do, whole island made of sand, hire a jeep and bomb round it, beautiful lakes in the middle to swim in
if i were you, i'd fly into melbourne and head off up the great ocean rd to adelaide (takes about a week to do it properly)
then fly to sydney (internal flights are very cheap and the virgin blue site has a sale every day on at 1pm)
then hire a van and head on up the coast!
enjoy!!

gavinrace

Jeffy - Wow, thanks for that info.

I must say, the campervan idea sounds great if it's affordable. I like the idea of the flexibility. How much are they to hire (roughly)? I take it is something you would arrange once you get over there?

I'll also look into those places you've mentioned. Some of them sound amazing.

Cheers mate.

jeffy22

www.wickedcampers.com.au
basic ones start from $39 a day, will be better deals for longer time spans
there basic but clean and i've never known anyone have a problem with them.
you just book em over there, most hostels, internet cafes, travel/backpacker places can help you
you gonna be staying hostels or hotels
hostels in Oz arent like the rest of the world, some can be quite luxurious and nearly all hostels have private rooms, so you dont have to stay in a dorm
plus hostels are a great way of meeting people from all round the world.
when i went to Oz i was 29 and pretty worried that everyone else travelling would be 18years olds, but theres a huge variety of ages, infact most people i met were 25-35
try this site
www.bugaustralia.com
everything you need to know about travelling round, it was a great help to me

pm me if you have any questions

gavinrace

We'll definitely be staying in hostels over hotels.

We're not too worried about luxury but would like our own privacy.

Thanks for the link to bugaustralia.com. I'll take a look.

Cheers once more.

cymrugirl

If you get time and like national parks then I'd recommend wilsons prom. It's the southern most point of the australia mainland. You can hike, camp, bum about on the beach and maybe spot a kangaroo, wombat or an emu.