I'm planning a three-week (more or less) trip to Australia at the end of the year, probably arriving a week before Christmas and returning home a week after New Year's.
I'm fairly flexible in where I go, but there are a few definites for me, being in Melbourne for Christmas Eve, in Sydney on both Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, with two or three days in Tasmania in between. (I have an assignment to cover the Sydney-Hobart Race starts and finish.
As there's much more I'd like to see, I thought I'd sandwich my work between a week's vacation at each end. As the country's a good match in size for the mainland 48 states, I know I can't very well see the entire place in that short a time. So, I thought I'd pick two (no more than three) places where I could each spend several days. I have several friends in Perth, but realize that getting there from would require most all of a day, much like from New York to San Francisco, so that may not be in the cards this trip. And, as it's the heat of summer, I'd likely rule out traveling into the interior.
But, I was thinking along the lines of a loop from Melbourne to Adelaide and back, taking in the South Coast (I've long wanted to see the Twelve Apostles and the spectacular coastline) one way and returning along the Murray River (I'm thinking wine country and old-growth forests). Then, flying from Melbourne to Sydney, I might head west to the Blue Mountains, then north through a long swatch of New South Wales and southern Queensland to reach the coast around Gladstone, where I could boat out to the Great Barrier Reef and, after a day or two, drive south along the coast to Brisbane, then fly home.
I'd look to hear any recommendations of places to see and things to do, either along the way I planned or perhaps you might have better suggestions. Since it's a working trip, photo opportunities are a top consideration. And, yes, I'd be carrying a full pack of gear most all the time.
I'm fairly flexible in where I go, but there are a few definites for me, being in Melbourne for Christmas Eve, in Sydney on both Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, with two or three days in Tasmania in between. (I have an assignment to cover the Sydney-Hobart Race starts and finish.
As there's much more I'd like to see, I thought I'd sandwich my work between a week's vacation at each end. As the country's a good match in size for the mainland 48 states, I know I can't very well see the entire place in that short a time. So, I thought I'd pick two (no more than three) places where I could each spend several days. I have several friends in Perth, but realize that getting there from would require most all of a day, much like from New York to San Francisco, so that may not be in the cards this trip. And, as it's the heat of summer, I'd likely rule out traveling into the interior.
But, I was thinking along the lines of a loop from Melbourne to Adelaide and back, taking in the South Coast (I've long wanted to see the Twelve Apostles and the spectacular coastline) one way and returning along the Murray River (I'm thinking wine country and old-growth forests). Then, flying from Melbourne to Sydney, I might head west to the Blue Mountains, then north through a long swatch of New South Wales and southern Queensland to reach the coast around Gladstone, where I could boat out to the Great Barrier Reef and, after a day or two, drive south along the coast to Brisbane, then fly home.
I'd look to hear any recommendations of places to see and things to do, either along the way I planned or perhaps you might have better suggestions. Since it's a working trip, photo opportunities are a top consideration. And, yes, I'd be carrying a full pack of gear most all the time.