Is this too ambitious for 3 weeks in Australia?

[MightyAtlantic]

Planning a holiday to Australia round about this time next year. It'll be my fourth trip, and I lived in Sydney for six months so I've already seen quite a bit of the country. For this holiday I want to try and visit a few places I haven't been to yet but they're all quite spread out. Trying to work out if the following itinerary would be doable or a bit much:
Arrive Melbourne and spend a week there (visiting friends).
Fly to Alice Springs/Uluru - main purpose of this is to see Uluru. 4 days.
Fly to Canberra for 3-4 days.
Fly to Byron Bay for remaining time before flying home.
It's a lot of internal flights which I don't normally like but don't have time to travel any other way on this trip. Could probably stretch to 3 and 1/2 weeks if needed.
Melbourne and Uluru are the must dos and another itinerary I've been considering instead of the above is going to Adelaide from Melbourne, then taking the Ghan train to Alice Springs before visiting Uluru.
Obviously still at the very early planning stages but if anyone has any advice that would be great.

Why do you want to go to Canberra?

I definitely sack off Canberra unless you have a specific reason for going. It’s so dull. Plenty of much better places to visit.

Mainly for the museums and national buildings such as Australian War Memorial etc. I'd quite like to see it if possible, but it's probably the first place I would drop from the itinerary if I had to. Hmmmm.

I was trying for diplomacy but that’s pretty much what I think. Half a day would be enough if you really, really felt compelled to go but three to four days in Canberra is three to four days too many.

As above, why Canberra?

Also - while the Ghan would be great in theory - in reality it’s hours and hours of looking at never-ending, dry, dusty land. If you only have limited time, I’d pick flying every time.

What about spending a few days in Adelaide or have you done that already on a previous trip?

OK, I'm getting the message about Canberra!
I haven't been to Adelaide before so a few days there would be good. Is it better than Canberra?

I lived there for two decades. Never been to Canberra. Good place to go if you are a habitual stoner but apart from that it seems to be a bit of a nothing. If you choose to do the Adelaide ghan route Make sure you take a day trip to Barossa/Claire but Adelaide itself is not very interesting. Not much going on. But wouldn’t you get bored out of your mind on the train for three days? What would you even do? Also why Alice springs? Not much there. If you are looking for something naturey Hanging Rock is in Victoria, you could do a day trip and have a picnic . Alternatively Kangaroo Island is pretty cool and has a lot byway of rock formations and neither farm tours etc but a pain to get to. I would avoid betting around in your place and do day/overnight trips never to Melbourne and Byron bay in your place.

Just to clarify on Adelaide it’s great if you go during fringe season/when one or another of the endless festivals is on but otherwise I wouldn’t bother going as a tourist.

I was going to suggest taking the Ghan from Adelaide. Adelaide is fabulous btw - the old trams to the beach are just fab. ...

I took the Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney & got off for a couple of days in Adelaide. Top tip - if you decide to take the train, splurge & go posh class - otherwise you end up eating absolute crap in 2nd class. Take thongs for the shower. It was a wonderful experience.

I wouldn’t spend 4 days in Alice Springs either. 2 would be enough, arrive day 1, early morning trip to Uluru day 2 back to Alice Springs for second night, leave day 3.

cross post - sorry!
I think max 2 days in Canberra would do it. National capital - lovely - tick it off.

Adelaide is fab - it’s really eclectic and cultural but in a ‘big Australian country town’ way. If you’re into food, it’s amazing.

Or - have you been to Tasmania before? It’s one of my favourite places in the world. Just glorious.

Agree, if you want to see the war memorial that's a valid reason but you can probably do Canberra quite adequately in a day or two ...
(doi did a couple of summer camps in Canberra as a teenager, and nearly went to ANU - but didn't!)

The Ghan option sounds good to me if you can make it work.
The one time I went to NT I did a two week coach tour from Alice Springs to Darwin (and ended that trip thinking, I want to do this again next year! - nearly 25 years ago :( ) Now I realise you don't have two weeks, but if Byron is optional I'd seriously look into whether there is a more extensive NT tour you could fit in, some of the other places north of Uluru are pretty fabulous.

Thanks everyone, lots to think about. I would only be passing through Alice Springs on the way to/from Uluru so it's useful to know that 3 days would be plenty.

I think I had 2 days in Adelaide and did a trip to Kangeroo Island (stayed on a farmstead, slept in a swag, Remarkable Rocks).....

My rellies were confused as to why I would want to spend so long on a train. Notknees "it's just desert". It was awesome, the changing light, the shapes, the colours, landscape, train sounds and rocking to sleep at night to the sounds of the wheels on the tracks, waking as the sunrise broke over the desert - it was 15 years ago & I'll never forget it!

Xenakis I love Tasmania too! Maybe I should forget about trying to fit in all the new places and just go back there. I'd be perfectly happy.

Boggles re the Ghan, I quite like the idea of having a couple of days with nothing to do but read and look out the window. Perhaps I am romanticising it though and it would be deadly boring!

Re Ghan - I may be unduly biased after too many neverending car journeys as a child... you may find it relaxing and beautiful!

Canberra is a bit nothingsville. If you had three months I'd maybe go there but there are lots of far far nicer places. You could drive to Adelaide easily and quickly and take in great ocean road etc.

I like Adelaide, especially the coast areas like Glenelg and the Barossa and Clare wine regions are stunning.

The Ghan is pretty cool and it's not too far if you just did Adelaide to Alice.

Alice is fun and proper outback town but not heaps to do. Use it as a jumping off spot for Uluru and the other amazing things in the area. You might want to do a camping tour for 3-4 days from Alice that takes in Uluru but also less touristy and equally impressive features. You could sleep out in a seat under the stars around a campfire, dingoes pottering about. It's really something.

Byron is nice. There's heaps of nice places on the east coast. It depends what you want. If not be fussed about cairns.

There's amazing national parks everywhere. Darwin has the crocs and kakadu and you could continue the ghan all the way but it sounds like you want some coast time and it's a bit much for three weeks!

A swag not a seat!

I lived in Australia for a few years and it's one of my favourite memories.

@RubyBoots7 I loved my swag sleepout on Kangaroo Island. Amazingly good nights sleep, so cosy!

Jetstar has a direct flight to Uluru from Melbourne. 2.5 hours, bypassing Alice Springs.
I'm a fan of Canberra but think a full day would be enough for the War Memorial, national Gallery and Parliament House. The drive from Melbourne to Adelaide is about 8 hours and a bit dull.

two things that come to mind for me: you can fly direct to Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) and hire a car there. That way you can see Uluru and Kata Tjuta without having to make the journey from Alice. There's not much else to do, but that's part of the charm! The Ayers Rock resort accommodation prices aren't cheap but then there's no competition, so not a surprise.

Second thing, why not drive from Canberra to somewhere like Mollymook or Ulladulla for your remaining beach side time? You're still within easy striking distance of Sydney for the flight home (assuming that's where you're returning from?)

Agree with everyone re Canberra!

Also think thats way too long in Alice Springs. Uluru and the big marbles (cant remember the name!) are beautiful but Alice Springs I found quite depressing.

I liked Adelaide a lot. Small but quite charming.

If you can I would try to see some of the far NT. I really regret not getting to see Kakadu or Litchfield national parks.

Mind you all this was over 15 years ago!

A friend just came back from Uluru (we live in Sydney, it was an anniversary celebration) who said that two nights was plenty. I would also limit time in Canberra - the war museum is worth seeing and there are some good restaurants but not much else. Last time I went I ended up in the cinema killing time.

Could you factor in any wine regions? Adelaide Hills are stunning so if you had a car you could see Adelaide then explore for a bit. Handhorf is a pretty little town.

That's way too much time at uluru. 3 nights max.