The BEST of Australia in 4 weeks - Travel Guide for First Timers
As a couple, travelling to Australia was at the top of each of our bucket lists, so, when it came to choosing Honeymoon destinations there really was no other competition.
It was impossible to travel all of Australia and experience everything within our restricted time so I have made a little summary of our trip that can hopefully help you plan yours! And, its a good excuse to show off the photos again.
Day 1 & 2: Belfast - Melbourne
+ We spent two days travelling from Belfast to London, London to Singapore and then finally Singapore to Melbourne
+ It is likely you're going to be travelling quite a distance so try to factor in some time for catching up on sleep/fighting the jet lag.
Day 3: Melbourne
+ Check into Hotel. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Southbank - we found this to be a great location, very clean and modern with friendly staff.
+ Head into the city to find your bearings: Flinder's Street Station, Collins Street Precinct, Queen's Bridge
+ Walk along Southbank Promenade and see Sea Life, Melbourne Museum, Chinatown, Arts Centre Melbourne and St Patrick's Catherdral.
Day 4: Melbourne
+ Grab some breakfast at Lune for amazing croissants or Bench for great coffee.
+ Hozier Lane is worth a visit if you're a street art fan (and even if you're not)
+ Queen Victoria Market is a must; a variety of craft, flowers, clothing, jewellery, gifts and food stalls. Try a Borek for lunch and fresh jam doughnuts for dessert.
+ Plenty of Shopping Malls and Arcades in Melbourne as you wander around the city.
+ Head up the Melbourne Skydeck to get amazing views over the city you've just been exploring.
 |  | |
 |
|
Day 5 and 6: The Great Ocean Road & Yarra Valley
+ Visit & explore the stunning Yarra Valley in the Australia Wine Region.
+ We're not big wine drinkers so we booked an unforgettable experience with Global Ballooning. You can take a flight over Melbourne CBD or over the stunning Yarra Valley Vineyards.
+ Although, if wine is your cup of tea there are plenty of wine tours and tasting on offer too!
|
 |
  |
|
|
+ Next destination is Australia's Red Centre, we stopped over in Alice Springs on our way to Uluru.
+ We stayed in the Mercure Hotel and explored the area. We ate in Pizza Hut and a little coffee shop in the centre. The first introduction to outback coffee & Emu's. Stopping in Curtain Springs and various little 'outback shacks'.
+ We chose to stay at Ayer's Rock Resort as it was our first time here and we didn't have a car to self-drive in the National Park.
+ Accommodation at Uluru is great, there are options for every traveler and budget size. From a campsite to a 5-star hotel you can chose what works for you and enjoy all the you can. You are quite literally in the middle of nowhere so your only option is the shopping and activities on site which can be spenny so be prepared!
Day 9, 10 & 11: Uluru & Kata Tjuta
+ There is an option in the resort to book your activites but we booked in advance with AATKings which I would definitely advice, and had very comfortable & professional trips.
+ We did the Uluru Guided Base Walk, Field of Light Sunrise & Kata Tjuta & Uluru Sunrise. The guided base walk you could look into doing yourself but it worked for us on our first and likely only trip here. The Field of Light was easily the best experience in my opinion.
+ Download the Ayer's Rock Resport App and make the most of all the experiences: Didgeridoo Workshop, Art Gallery, Bush Tasting, Dinner at IIkari Resturant and many more.
+ Make the most of watching the sunsets at the various viewpoints.
+ Unfortunately, the weather can throw a spanner in the works and all the tour companies cancelled one morning as it was too dangerous. For this we were able to change our tour for the next morning just before we were due to leave however, we did lose out on some money here. Something to bear in mind.
  |
  |
|
|
|
Day 12, 13, 14 & 15: Flight from Ayer's Rock to Cairns
+ A plethora of hotels, motels, hostels, campsites in Port Douglas. A beautiful beach town, coastal area with gorgeous shopping, coffee spots and STUNNING views & walks. Four Mile Beach, Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse and Macrossan Street.
+ The deserves it's own bullet point...please please visit Nectar for an Acai Bowl.
+ You must Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef - there are multiple tour operators for all budgets...it was our honeymoon after all. Couldn't recommend Sailaway enough.
+ Cape Tribulation and Daintree Rainforest tour. We had a great time on this tour, we were well looked after by Down Under Eco Tours.
|
  |
|
|
|
Day 16 & 17: Flight from Cairns to Brisbane
+ Check into Hotel, we stayed in Holiday Inn Express, Brisbane. Find your bearings and explore: Story Bridge, Australia Zoo, Brisbane River Curise, South Bank, Beach in the City, Queen Street Mall, New Farm Park, NoDo (donuts, amazing), Adonis Cafe, Happy Pops, Eat Street.
+ Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was amazing, we fed the kangaroos, saw my first Tasmanian Devil and held Major the Koala.
|
|
|
|
+ Pick up rented Van/Motorhome and begin the journey to Sydney.
+ We planned 10 days exploring the east coast of Australia - Brisbane to Sydney Van Life Itinerary
|
|
|
+ We stayed in Burleigh Heads Tourist Park. Catch the Sunrise/Sunset at Burleigh Heads; this was honestly stunning seeing the city skyline on the beach!
+ Currumbin Beach, Snapper Rocks, Surfers Paradise are all stunning beaches and good vibes.
+ Lamington National Park, Purling Brook Falls, Moran Falls & O'Reilly Treetop Walk. Check opening hours for parks and enjoy stunning views.
Day 21 & 22: Byron Bay
+ We stayed in Glen Villa Resort. Important to note there are different options of campsite and we opted for ones with bathrooms, cause we're princesses.
+ Cape Byron Lighthouse and surrounding area is so so pretty, as well as Wategos. Great Scenery and nice walks.
+ We stayed on the beach and watched the sunset while live music was playing and everyone was chilling. Spend time exploring the cute coastal/beachy town.
Day 23: Coff's Harbour
+ On route we stopped off in Yamba and Pippi Beach. Try some local fudge and amazing fish & chips from Yamba's Fisho.
+ Head to the Forest Sky Pier for free on route to the harbour for beautiful views and a few activities if you're feeling up to it.
+ Stay at BIG4 Park Beach Holiday Park.
Day 24 & 25: Port Stephens
+ Stop off at Port Macquarie and have a toastie at Studio 3 Espresso then head to Shoal Bay Holiday Park.
+ Chill or catch sunset at Zenith Beach or hike Tomaree Head.
+ Explore the town of Port Stephens for lots of souvenirs and local shopping after you've experienced a boat trip to search of dolphins and whales. (depending on the season)
+ Then make sure you set aside time to visit Anna Bay and the Stockton Sand Dunes in Worimi National Park. This is where I experienced the most gorgeous sunset I've ever seen and was blown away by the stunning surroundings of the dunes.
Day 26: Blue Mountains
+ Make the journey to Katoomba Falls Tourist Park and set off on a full day of exploring the beautiful blue mountains.
+ Explore Wentworth Falls, the Three Sisters & Echo Point lookout, Botwell Swing Bridge, Evan's Lookout and Lincoln's Rock.
+ Book your tickets to Katoomba Scenic World for the scenic Railway, Cableway, Walkway and Skyway, it is extremely busy but worth it.
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Day 27: Arrive in Sydney
+ You've made it to your final destination and ready to say goodbye to your home on wheels. After dropping our van off in Sydney, we checked into Holiday Inn, Darling Harbour.
+ We set out exploring the city, finding our bearings and people watching while looking forward to a big double bed.
Day 28, 29: Final days in Sydney, Australia
+ We treated ourselves to a Helicopter Ride over the beautiful Sydney with Sydney Heli-Tours through Viator.
+ Explore the CBD with plenty of shopping. Visit the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, where you can do the bridge walk. Go to Hyde Park, Sydney Tower, catch a Ferry or a sunset boat ride.
+ Take a trip out to Bondi, find a spot for breakfast or take a picnic for lunch on the beach and enjoy the vibe. Walk Bronte to Coogee for some beautiful views or have a dip in the Bondi Icebergs.
+ We ended our trip with a visit to Hijinx Hotel for some challenges in interactive game rooms, this was pretty cool and we had lots of fun.
Day 30: Travel Day
+ After our once in a lifetime trip to Australia we headed over to for a week long trip through the North Island.
+ We flew from Sydney to Wellington to begin our next adventure: New Zealand Itinerary
   |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...
We had the most amazing time travelling through Australia, we tried to tick off as much of our bucket list as we could and used our extra spending money from our cancelled covid wedding to add the most amazing experiences.
We would've been lost on this trip without Trailfinders; we did't know where to start and had a great experience with our travel expert. In addition, we planned a lot of bits and pieces ourselves. We researched into things we wanted to do, booked trips we liked the sound of, planned our 'free days' and organised the motorhome leg.
If you're heading to Australia I hope you have the most amazing time and can use any of our experiences as a little guide to help you plan!
Enjoy your trip!
Debbie x
...
Follow my TikTok for lots of travel content and more itineraries!
Most, if not all, pics are taken by my husband Adam
...
Links to trips, experiences and guides:
Great Ocean Road Day Trip, Hot Air Balloon Trip , AATKings Australia, The BEST Acai Bowl you will ever eat, Outer Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel, Daintree Rainforest Tour, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane to Sydney Van Life Itinerary , Katoomba Scenic World, Dolphin Cruise, Blue Mountains Scenic World, Hijinx Hotel - Challenge Rooms, New Zealand Itinerary, Trailfinders - Belfast
Comments
Post a Comment