Hi, I don't know if this forum is a proper place for my request, however, I shall try.
Next Fall, I am planning, with my wife, a trip to Australia, rent an RV upon arrival and visit the continent for two or three weeks, then, if we still have money get a cruse for a week around the islands and then come back to Canada in time to complaint for the cold, snow etc. etc.. etc...
Three years ago, we went to new Zealand and drove through both islands with a small RV and it was really interesting as much as we would like to repeat the same thing with Australia, only that, while NZ is small and elongated and we could visit most important things, Australia is rather Hugh and certain parts, in my point of view, are not worth the time to go there , as an example, spending time to visit the big rock could be used to visit other points like the coralline barrier and other places worth for a visit.
THE QUESTION NOW = does anyone in this forum went to that part of the world and , if so, any good suggestion in order to prepare a proper itinerary (namely, where to land, what to visit and if there is any specific place to look for a cruise).
I intend to add that, in our return trip from NZ, we spent a week in Fiji visiting the island there and it is really paradise
Thks. In advance
Galli

IMO, Australia is too large to cover the whole country in an RV in just two or three weeks. Australia is approximately the size of the US so, while you could drive from Sydney to Perth there would not be much time to visit interesting things. I would suggest you should research the major areas, pick a couple areas near each other and plan your visit around those. I personally liked the area around Cairns, the Barrier Reef, and the Northern Territory best. But Sydney is also interesting, as is the Melbourne area. Planning a trip like this is sometimes almost as much fun as the trip itself. Good luck and have fun.

You certainly won't get a cruise that goes around the country of Australia, or at least one that goes around in a week. As my learned colleague above has indicated, research, select a state and perhaps get to tour around that. NSW or Queensland are good for the major cities but Western Australia has the Indian Ocean and Perth. Pick your times carefully and you might avoid having to be in Canada for the coldest portion of our winter while being able to enjoy Aus. During their late summer or early fall. Enjoy the trip. Oh and by the way, you have to try the "Tim Tam slam". My antipodean friends swear by it!

good, please, go ahead withyour suggestions and I wonder if there is any place that I can request pamphlets about Australia, in General, every times that I try to contact the australia tourist office, I got a bunch of trour operaters that promise me the moon in the pit as long as I travel with them.
Galli

Call the Australian embassy/counsulate and ask for help. They will connect you with the tourist office. Or email the national tourist bureau in Australia.

Hi,

I'd travel by train myself. I went from Hobart Tasmania to Cairns. We took a month to do so, staying no place more than one or two days, other than Hobart where we stopped long enough to get over jet lag.

The nice part is that travel by train can be accomplished at night, or at least it was so in 1996.

Hi and thanks for your input, however, we are planning to rent an RV (yes I know in that part of the world are tiny) and travel at our own schedule. If you have any point of contact E-MAIL of the australia tourist office that sends out broshures it would be a big help to organize my trip.
THKS AGAIN
Galli

[quote name='Galli' date='Sep 11 2011, 11:24 PM' post='27557']
Hi and thanks for your input, however, we are planning to rent an RV (yes I know in that part of the world are tiny) and travel at our own schedule. If you have any point of contact E-MAIL of the australia tourist office that sends out broshures it would be a big help to organize my trip.
THKS AGAIN
Galli

Link from Canadian Austalian embassy for Australia Tourism

Thanks to all of you and after so many suggestions, we decided to change itinerary and postpone Australia for a future date.
SOME HISTORY : 15 years ago we went to Belize on the Tobacco Key island which is no more than a 10 acres long in the middle of nowhere to relax and try to collect your sins for a while.
The accommodation is a hut , made in strews with a metallic roof with 3 meals a day all for $ 36 per person.
As far as I remember the food consist of fish, chicken, rice or pasta and fruits, however, if you wish to change the menu with half an hour boat you get to the continent where you may have a choice of restaurants.
activities on this island is sunbathing, fishing , deep sea fishing and/or scuba diving, naturally at extra cost and a small bar to buzz up, if you like it.
the only danger is, if you decide to walk at night, you have to use a torch in order to avoid crabs walking on the ground and hoops, I almost forgot it, stay away from the coconut trees because they are falling down without notice.

I grew up around coconuts and had made enough selling them to "Yankees" to pay for my college by the time I got out of Jr. High. I never had one fall on me. I think that is an old wives tale.

Perhaps you would like to reimburse me for medical expenses to recover from the concussion and broken collarbone when one fell on me in Bora Bora. Maybe rare, but it does happen.

Hi there, sorry to read you have abandoned you Aussie campervan trip. For future reference you could check out www.ausandnztravel.com that have motorhome rental, car rental and a selection of cruises available. We tend to get lots of books out of the library to research our destination which usually have website links. We have just booked a Roadbear for 2012, picking up in Vegas on May 4th, returning July 7th with this company from the USA/Canada website. You would have to really decide on one or two states to tour but Tasmania is a great place for touring for 2-3 weeks. Happy travels.