Need Help Planning Australia/New Zealand trip

We are 8 active American adults visiting "down under" for the first time.

We are booked on Celebrity Solstice in mid February of 2020 travelling from Auckland to Melbourne. We plan to use Melbourne as our home base and can spend up to 7 days for additional land travel.

We are thinking of GOR to Adelaide, Tasmania, Grampians, Philip Island, Kanagroo Island etc.

Would greatly appreciate your comments and input on how best to spend our time.

Thank you

I doubt in 7 days you would fit this in. Check distances for GOR from Melbourne to Adelaide, at least 3 days. Which part of Tasmania do you want to see? Hobart, or further down south, the west coast or the northern and eastern top area. Kangaroo Island is a plane trip from Adelaide. Phillip island and Grampians are a day trip each. There is also lots to see in Melbourne, a very cosmopolitan city. Google is your friend, research and pick a couple of places you really want to see.

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The only places on your list that you could do as a day trip from Melbourne is Philip Island and the Grampians but the latter would be a very long day as it's about three hours drive each way.

The rest would involve overnight stops. Tasmania and Kangaroo Island would involve air or ferry travel.

If you really to want to do the GOR you could include the Grampians in that trip, they are north from Warrnamboul which is at the end of the GOR. Allow 4 days including sightseeing Melbourne return, another couple of you want to go on to Adelaide.

We are 8 active American adults visiting "down under" for the first time.

 

We are booked on Celebrity Solstice in mid February of 2020 travelling from Auckland to Melbourne. We plan to use Melbourne as our home base and can spend up to 7 days for additional land travel.

 

We are thinking of GOR to Adelaide, Tasmania, Grampians, Philip Island, Kanagroo Island etc.

 

Would greatly appreciate your comments and input on how best to spend our time.

 

Thank you

The GOR doesn't go all the way to Adelaide, it finishes at Allansford, just out of Warrnambool. Coastal views finish just past Peterborough and then the road goes more inland through farming country. To do the GOR justice, you would need at least two days. Warrnambool has plenty of accommodation and would make a good base for a few days to visit the Grampians (2 hour drive), Portland, Port Fairy (both important in the history of this part of Victoria. There is also Tower Hill nature reserve, an extinct volcano with quite a few trailed walks, Australian native wildlife and an indigenous cultural centre with a small cafe included.

Adelaide is close to a day's trip from either Warrnambool or Melbourne.

Melbourne is a fantastic big city with a thriving cafe culture resulting in many great cafes and restaurants. If your group is interested in sport there are tours of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (where international cricket and AFL are played) and Melbourne Park where the Australian Open Tennis is played.

Phillip Island is an hour and a half drive from Melbourne. If you want to see the Penguin Parade, the penguins arrive from sunset (8,30pm in February) and it will take approx.60 - 90 minutes and it is suggested you be there at least an hour before it starts. Once the parade finishes, you then have your trip back to Melbourne unless you stay overnight on Phillip Island.

As suggested above, Google is your friend, work out your group's priorities and research what you decide on.

Good luck and enjoy your trip to NZ and Aus.

Leigh

f you get to Adelaide, Kangaroo Island is fairly close but you would need to book a full day or so there, The drive is around 1 1/2 hours south of Adelaide to then get the ferry (40 mins). I recommend a coach tour that picks up from you hotel in Adelaide's CBD and then drops you off on your return The day trip is full on and involves around 16 hours (6am - 10pm). A two day trip may be better to see everything, it really is worth the effort.

You'll need to pick and choose, that's a bit too much for 7 days

An example for 7 nights:

Melbourne for 3 nights, including a day trip to Phillip Island

Drive the Great Ocean Road as far as the 12 Apostles and surrounding attractions, backtrack and spend 1 night in Apollo Bay

Head back to Melbourne for an afternoon/evening flight to either Tasmania OR Adelaide. Spend 3 nights exploring, including a night or two at Kangaroo Island if you chose Adelaide

We are 8 active American adults visiting "down under" for the first time.

 

We are booked on Celebrity Solstice in mid February of 2020 travelling from Auckland to Melbourne. We plan to use Melbourne as our home base and can spend up to 7 days for additional land travel.

 

We are thinking of GOR to Adelaide, Tasmania, Grampians, Philip Island, Kanagroo Island etc.

 

Would greatly appreciate your comments and input on how best to spend our time.

 

Thank you

From Melbourne, you could visit Grampians and Philip Island.

You can take a direct flight on Qantas from Melbourne to Kangaroo Island. This is a magical place for wildlife and scenery. Recommend three nights, staying at one of the former well equipped lighthouses (there are three cottages at Cape du Couedic, Flinders Chase National Park). If you don't wish to drive (Kangaroo Island is a large island), you can get transfers from the airport to the cottages and back.

7 days goes quickly.

I’d suggest a loop to the great ocean road the Grampians and back to Melbourne.

Then something totally different fly to Ularu and the red Center for a couple of days.its a magical place.

I think they would need more than a week. They are better off picking what they want most and seeing it properly rather than rushing between locations.

GOR, KI, Tasmania, Uluru, all warrant at least a few days or more and travel times would eat another day or so either side.

I think they would need more than a week. They are better off picking what they want most and seeing it properly rather than rushing between locations.

GOR, KI, Tasmania, Uluru, all warrant at least a few days or more and travel times would eat another day or so either side.

Yes you can try to do to much .

Coming from the other side of the world and the expense I would give a bit more time.