Australia - once in a lifetime trip. Tips please!

[MrsMigginsCat]

After an unexpected windfall, DH and I are going to Oz for just over 3 weeks in October. The itinerary is already set - we've used a travel consultant so all hotels and internal flights are booked - we have 4 nights in Melbourne, 4 nights in Adelaide, 2 nights in Alice Springs, 2 nights at Uluru, 4 nights in Cairns and 6 nights in Sydney.

We've got a few things we definitely want to do; DH wants to climb Sydney Harbour Bridge - I'm not keen on edges, so I'll watch from a cafe below! A trip to Fitzroy Island and/or the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns to Kuranda on the Scenic Railway so I can cuddle a koala at the Koala Gardens and we already have a sunset BBQ booked for Uluru. I'm a bit of a history buff, so any must see museums are right up my street. We're into nice, but not wildly expensive restaurants, live music bars and good coffee.

All recommendations welcome to help with the planning!

Will be a fabulous trip OP. We went to Aus a few years ago and spent time in Sydney, Uluru and Port Douglas - after flying in to Cairns.

We're back this year (hopefully twice) having had a number of flights cancelled during Covid. DS lives in Sydney, so we're looking forward to spending time with him, but really interesting to see suggestions of where else we should visit. Lots to see in Aus!

@Freddofan

If you’re in Oz for the 1st November try and arrange something / book in for Melbourne cup day . We arrived in Sydney that day and hadn’t arranged anything but it was crazy to see all the locals glammed up and celebrating.. hard ! Champagne and fun could be a good way to end your trip.

We are there on 1st Nov! It's our penultimate day so that might be a great end to the holiday, getting glammed up and celebrating with some fizz in a rooftop bar.

I am terrified of heights OP but I did the bridge climb. The staff are brilliant and will help. I was told they could get me down quickly if things got too much. To be honest, at height I can look straight head, I just can’t look down. If I look down that when the fear starts.

Im very similar @okformoreinfo. I'm scared of edges more than being high up so maybe I will give it a go. It's the looking down I don't like - I get a horrible wobbly feeling - so if I can just look ahead I'll hopefully be ok. Will be something to tell the grandchildren anyway!

Following with interest as we are planning a trip to the east coast next year.
We are planning to go for 3 weeks in August.
Anyone who lives in cairns and Brisbane areas, is it likely we can swim in the sea in August?
My husband is worried about the sharks, jelly fish and crocodiles

When you're on the bridge, you're actually walking on really wide metal platforms. And you're fasted to a railing all around it, so there's no way you can fall off!

It's amazing and you get fantastic views of the harbour, so I'd really do it if I were you.

Taronga zoo is great, but there's also an aquarium and (small) zoo in Darling harbour that's worth a visit.

The Bondi-Congee walk is fabulous, but it is a long way and if it's hot (which it may well be in October), it's tiring. Make sure you take water (and sunscreen!). There's a great bar at Congee though, so there will be a very welcome pint of lager waiting for you.

Definitely go to Manly as the others have said .. it’s fantastic and a great boat ride .
Uluru is spectacular too .

Have a great trip and I wish you the best of health x

Bondi to Coogee, not Congee!

details here