Planning a family holiday to Australia

first78

I'm in my final year of a postgrad degree at uni which finishes in 2016. My wife and I want to have a 3 week holiday to Australia around January/February 2019 as we are considering whether we may want to emigrate.

There would be the two of us plus our kids who will be aged 3 & 4. I'm really not sure how to even start planning this holiday, obviously I'll need to make sure the kids have passports, but I'm not sure how to find self catering accommodation, plan flights etc.

We'd like to see Sydney and maybe Brisbane too and I'd love at least a few days at the Great Barrier Reef.

Can anyone offer any advice on where to start with planning, or give me any idea how much this trip will cost. Thanks.

GwylimT

I spent four weeks around fifteen years ago when my son was 11, well ten days were spent in NZ, the first five days I pre-booked so we had somewhere to stay in Brisbane, after that we generally just used hostels. The only other thing we booked in advance was a night on Fraser Island and a night at the airport hotel in NZ.

I booked online, which was more in its infancy back then, I flew with Quantas I think. I can't remember the exact costs for flights etc, but I know it would be more expensive now!

agrinnall

Do you really mean 2019? If so that's an awfully long time in advance to start to plan. There's no chance of getting flight prices for then, even if it's 2017 many airlines won't have released flights yet.

zagfles

Jan/Feb is the worst possible time to go to the barrier reef - it's the peak of the rainy season and box jellyfish season. If you go at that time I'd stick to the south.

It's a massive country so don't try to see it all in one visit anyway, if you're seriously thinking of emigrating then stick to the part you might be emigrating to.

As above hostels are excellent and you'll meet loads of people who can give you advice on where to go what to see plus even experience of living and working in Australia as you'll meet a lot of backpackers on a working visa who are there for a year working and travelling. Most hostels have private family rooms.

HappyMJ

first78 wrote: »

I'm in my final year of a postgrad degree at uni which finishes in 2016. My wife and I want to have a 3 week holiday to Australia around January/February 2019 as we are considering whether we may want to emigrate.

There would be the two of us plus our kids who will be aged 3 & 4. I'm really not sure how to even start planning this holiday, obviously I'll need to make sure the kids have passports, but I'm not sure how to find self catering accommodation, plan flights etc.

We'd like to see Sydney and maybe Brisbane too and I'd love at least a few days at the Great Barrier Reef.

Can anyone offer any advice on where to start with planning, or give me any idea how much this trip will cost. Thanks.

You are planning to see too much in too short a time. Australia is big...very big. In 3 weeks I'd make plans for 2 mini holidays seeing 2 places that you might consider living in for around a week each so maybe a week in Sydney and a week in Brisbane. At that time of year I would skip the Great Barrier Reef.

You are also flying in the peak season so flights will be at their most expensive. The last time I flew to Australia I flew on the 9th December which is one day before the peak season starts and saved a couple hundred pounds per person.

Most accommodation in Australia is self catering. Breakfast is not included in the room rate. Most holiday apartments come with a kitchenette with everything you need. Hotel rooms do not but you will get a kettle and sometimes a toaster (maybe on request from the reception) and a fridge.

I would budget at least £10,000 for a family of 4 for 3 weeks in January and that will give you plenty of money for your flights (economy on a full service airline), accommodation, meals out every morning, lunch and dinner, enough either for a hire car or public transport (which is quite good in the cities mentioned) and enough cash for an activity on every day of your 3 week holiday.

ibizafan_2

We went over last September for one month, staying with my son in Brisbane. We flew to Cairns, did a Great Barrier Reef trip (amazing!) and did weekend trips to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, staying mainly in apartments as most Australians do. We also drove to Byron Bay and then flew to Sydney for a few days at the end of the holiday. We spent around £3500 each, even though we mainly stayed with my son. This included everything, all flights etc and spending money. That's all we managed to do in a month, as we didn't want to knock ourselves out. Going again next March but this time won't be spending as much as son and girlfriend are having a baby, so I want to spend all the time as proud Grandma!

first78

Thanks for all the information and advice, it is very much appreciated. I like the idea of staying in apartments...are the any websites to look for holiday accommodation?
Do I need visas to go to Oz for a holiday? If so do people know how far in advance I'd need to apply?
I'm hoping that by 2019 I'll have looked into where we are most likely to find work so maybe it would be better to concentrate our holiday in one or two areas.

lady1964

We're going to Sydney this coming January and have booked a serviced one bed apartment at https://www.meritonapartments.com.au
We personally found the prices were similar to that of an hotel but we get far more space and the location of the one we chose (Kent St) is really central.
You do need a visa but I'm not sure how much in advance you need to apply, we haven't applied for ours yet, that's next on my 'to do' list for this trip.
Hope that's of some help.

PennyForThem_2

Yes you need a visa for holidaying in Australia but it can be done on-line is valid for a year and costs nothing if you are UK citizen. As long as nothing untoward in your past it takes less than a week to approve. However if first time I would make sure that you do not apply at the very last minute...!

Web site is very helpful and you will get an email answer.

dawyldthing

I'm going in December. I paid £660 ish but that's from Dublin then a flight from East Mids to Dublin, but the exchange rare is brillant so it depends what it's like at the time.

Visa was granted within a day and was free. Cost wise, depends really. To keep costs down I'm staying in youth hostels as hotels are well expensive.

littlereddevil

More than 3 years away?
Who knows what the prices will be then.