Looking for some Australia holiday advice/sense check

The main thing I'll say about Aus is that the best places were ones we had no.prior knowledge of and just stumbled across.Crowdy Bay national park and Girraween national park to name a couple

Posted by: ratherbeintobago

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Once had to ring the law in Perth for work related reasons. The person who answered the phone and both police officers I spoke to were all from the north of England.

That's the two poms that live here. You lucked out if you spoke to both of them!

Cairns in July/August is very pleasant. It's not as humid as Dec/Jan and very unlikely to be hit by cyclones at that time of year. I used to ride my motorbike up the Cook Hwy to Port Douglas. Really fun and scenic road. If you fancy it, have a stay on Dunk Island. 
I don't know a lot about Brisvegas but I will later this year 😉 The road trip from Brisbane to Sydney I've done a few times. Tamworth is the heart of country music in Australia. Lots of wineries around Mudgee and the Hunter Valley. 

Sydney used to be a really fun place night life wise but I think the lock out laws changed the character of the place. However, pop into the Rocks area. Where us convicts started the place. 😀 Harbour Bridge climb is worth it, go early though if the temps are looking warm.
Taronga Park zoo is worth a look. Check out our strange critters. Take the ferry from Circular Quay. Likewise, visit Manly via the ferry. 
Darling Harbour has a great selection of restaurants and bars. 

We got back from Oz this morning. It was a remarkably good trip, we did plenty and only ran out of steam in the last couple of days.

Rough itinerary was:

1 day Singapore, staying at the airport Crowne Plaza hotel which was excellent.

Cairns area for 3 nights, we did the railway up Kuranda, sunrise kayak from Palm Cove, 

Then headed through the Tablelands to Airlie Beach over the next few days, wild swimming, Magnetic Island was a great highlight with wild koalas and wallabies tapping on the window to get fed in our apartment.

Private yacht trip around the Whitsundays for a few days. Spendy but absolutely fantastic. Weather was perfect, mid 20s and sea fine for no wetsuits (the locals might not agree but we were fine). Lots of whales including a mother and calf diving under our boat. 

On to Brisbane area to see friends. Gold panning, beach stuff, swimming, Australia zoo and cuddling koalas for some of us. Saw a wombat being taken for a walk! Sand dune surfing at Rainbow Beach, wild dolphin feeding at Tin Can Bay. 

3 days in Sydney to finish off, bridge climb, jet boat around the harbour, Manly beach, stayed for one night at Shangri-La in the Rocks in a suite, which was very nice indeed with a view of the opera house and bridge. 

Home via Singapore, too hot, tired kids and grumpy dad!

We kept the itinerary fairly flexible around a few key points following the advice on here.

As it was winter most places were quietish and the weather was really quite pleasant, if a bit chilly in Sydney and a couple of rainy nights in Brizzy. 

Thanks to everyone who helped with advice - might go again in a couple of years and do another bit of it...

If anyone wants more info about anywhere we went please just ask and I can supply links etc.

Overall, it's a fabulous place to go to. Things like clean loos, excellent food, helpful people really made it work for us 👍

Nice one mate - hopefully the crappy weather in Sydney didn't ruin it!  Wettest August since records began!

The whales have been awesome this year - we were up in the Gold Coast a few weeks ago.

Good luck with the jet lag!