Help with Oz holiday itinerary - July 2018

[goingatlast]

Well, we've finally got the trip of a lifetime booked to Australia and now I need some help with an itinerary. We are going in July and starying for 8 days in Sydney and then 8 days in Port Douglas. We've hired a car for Port Douglas but nothing yet for Sydney.

We enjoy historical things and pubs, etc. Also scuba diving and walking. Any ideas for an itinerary would be great!

For Port Douglas I would suggest a few days on the reef. Also the Daintree rainforest.

I would also recommend Hartley’s Crocodile farm (maybe half way between Cairns and Port Douglas, an easy drive and more than crocodiles). I would also do a Karunda day tour at Cairns - sky cable up, rainforest adventure including old army ducks through rainforest including water, aboriginal display, Australian animal exhibit and train back down.

I’m from Sydney but spent a month in Cairns/Port Douglas/Cape Tribulation doing touristy stuff. Happy to answer any questions or be of help.

Sydney it will be winter and not ideal weather unfortunately. Definitely no beach swimming or water sports. However you could still do non water touristy stuff such as bridge climb up harbour bridge if you are into that kind of thing (not suitable for kids, not sure if you have any), harbour cruise, take a ferry to Watson’s Bay and eat fish and chips from Doyle’s. I’d definitely do Taronga zoo (via ferry from circular quay) - animals have amazing harbour views, def catch the bird show, spectacular with harbour as the back drop. Also make sure you go up the Blue Mountains (Echo point, three sisters etc) it’s cold by our standards but great at that time of year. Stay overnight at Blue Mountains or be prepared for it as a very very long and full day trip from Sydney (if have kids I’d def stay overnight). Again, happy to answer any questions or help with info.

Thanks for the information Hopping. We were going to do the bridge walk but at £510.00 for the 3 of us it is a bit much! Going to walk along the footpatch on it instead - for free:)

Will definitely do the crocodile place. The Blue Mountains was already on our list of to do's.

Try Palm Cove instead of Port Douglas. It’s so lovely. Much quieter. Quicksilver does great day trips to the reef from Port Douglas. I also recommend Kurunda. The Aboriginal art there is great. Hartleys is a must-see too.

Darling harbour in Sydney is good for restaurants and the aquarium and wildlife centre in the harbour are good.

Hyde Park Barracks Museum is very good as a living history museum.

If you walk out to Maquiries point you'll get great pictures with the opera house and the harbour bridge in the background.

Have a look at something like this. We've used it in the past and never had any issues.

Were lucky enough to have been 3 times and were planning again for 2019 as we've family out there. Just be prepared for how expensive it is compared to the UK.

I would recommend hoping on the ferry over to Manly for the day, while you are in Sydney, fab beach and fab city view when you walk up the hill .

You can get the train to the Blue Mountains, then you could just taxi to your accommodation.

Lots of ideas so far - thank you!
Has anyone done a wine tasting session in Sydney? Thinking of that as well as maybe a horse riding trek somewhere.

Can't believe it is February already - only 6 months to get myself mistaken for Elle Macpherson when I step off the plane :) :) :)

Maybe you could fit in a wine tasting tour in the hunter Valley north of Sydney. There must be company's around that do it.