Australia holiday - Melbourne - Kgari

[Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky]

I’m beginning to think about an Australia holiday is feasible. It would be July 27. Tentative Itiniary at the moment is

Melbourne - 4 nights wanting to do ocean road and Philip island
Fly to Sydney
4 nights Sydney - maybe 1 in Blue Mountains or is that better to just do as a train trip?
Road trip up to Kgari - stopping in a few places along the way
Drive back to Brisbane for a flight home

questions - what’s driving / traffic / parking at key attractions like? I am not the worlds most confident driver and a little concerned about having to have a bigger car than my usual small hatchback to fit luggage in!

is that a reasonable Itinary / timeline for 3 weeks?

In want to see the penguins and what places are the best on that route to see Koalas / Kangaroos etc?

I presume you know it will be properly cold down at the Great Ocean Rd / Phillip island etc. not a time I’d do that trip tbh

sydney to K’gari is about 1500kms

I have driven from Brisbane to Sydney many times. It takes me about 10 hours driving non stop on the highway, which doesn’t go through any towns anymore. You have to drive 20 mins off the highway to get to any places. From Brisbane to K’gari is close to 4 hours. However during busy times or just if there is an accident it can take ages longer as there is only 1 road so can get stuck in traffic for hours. It’s a really long way.

its too much for 3 weeks. if you fly from Sydney to hervey bay (the starting point for K'gari) then drive back to Brisbane you would be ok.

Despite saying you're trying to fit too much in, I'm going to suggest something else - Lady Elliot Island. It's right by K'gari so you may as well and its the bottom of the Great Barrier reef. You can snorkel straight off the beach. One side is a lagoon which is waist deep but only doable at low tide. I have never got in the water there and not seen turtles. You can do a day trip or stay overnight.

If you are not a confident driver I would look at tours for great ocean road.

You get the barge over from rainbow beach, it’s still a fair way from Harvey bay. Plus I don’t know about car hire from Harvey bay. I’d probably fly Sydney to the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane, hire a car and drive to rainbow beach to get the barge to K’gari. Then drive back. That way you avoid the one way hire car fee too.

Thanks for the comments - it does sound like it may be too much.

The bits I really liked the look of were Melbourne area and Sydney. The idea of the road trip was to try and see some bits other than just cities and avoid too many flights.

i am not overly fussed on the weather as I prefer cold weather anyway!

any good suggestions for other bits to add on to Melbourne / Sydney if I stuck with that? Is Kgari still worth it but just skipping the driving?

Moreton island is beautiful too and prob easier to get to. You can do a day trip from Brisbane or else stay at tangalooma resort. I’ve been to both Moreton is almost as good but cheaper and easier to get there.

if you have got the money I’d fly to Uluṟu it’s amazing in the outback and perfect time of year to go there. Nice days but cold overnight. It’s absolutely magical out there. But really depends what you want to see.

July is winter. It won’t be nice down the great ocean road/phillip island. I would consider skipping melbourne altogether for this trip. Honestly, you don’t come to australia for the cities, they don’t hold a candle to European cities. (I am Australian and live in Melbourne).

I would skip the Sydney to Bris road trip and Kgari. The roadtrip is long and very boring between Sydney and Bris (have done it many times). Kgari really needs you to have a 4 x 4, or join a tour. It won't be self drive if you have a normal car and if you don't have a 4x4 you can't get around the island.

Melbourne is amazing and the weather this year has been quite mild. I personally find Phillip Island better in winter, it's wild and much quieter.

Sydney for 4 days and then fly to Cairns and go to Port Douglas (give Cairns a skip - it's a gateway town), or fly direct into Hamilton island. It's really great and you can go to some amazing beaches.