The Big Three, Plus One

After watching the Penguin Parade, our guide Steve told us that we had just seen one of the top three attractions in Australia. People asked what the others were, of course, and he named the Great Barrier Reef and the Rock as numbers one and two. Fortunately, we had already seen the other two. It was our last day in Australia, and I think we would have been really bummed to find out that we had missed something big.

I was surprised, though, that no mention was made of the Sydney Opera House. Other people told us that it was the most photographed building in the Southern Hemisphere, so that makes it kind of an attraction, right? So I think that needs to be the plus one.

Here is an itinerary that will get you all of the "Big" ones, with some room to work in others:

We start out in Sydney. It is worthwhile to grab a performance inside, and there is plenty of variety available, with eight different performance halls. Check out schedules online:

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/homepage.aspx

Even if you decide not to, you can tour the house during the day as well. That won't take an entire day, so think about working in another activity. You may wish to check out the Royal Botanical Garden, and get a picture at Mrs. MacQuarie's Chair. For more of a sense of history, tour the Rocks. It's kind of like Colonial Williamsburg, but with more pubs! (Well, I'm kind of assuming that; I've never been to Colonial Williamsburg). Or, to see the broadest selection of animals, head on over to Taronga Zoo. You can also get a great view of Sydney Harbor on your way up. Get your access to any of those points from the Circular Quay.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Macquarie%27s_Chair
http://www.therocks.com/
http://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo.aspx
http://www.sydney.com.au/quay.htm

Your next stop will be to fly up to Cairns. Although the Great Barrier Reef stretches for about 2600 kilometers, most people get to it from Cairns. At Cairns, it is only three miles from shore, and that is as close as you get unless you go to one of the resort islands.

Your big decision will need to be how you want to experience the reef, with the most common options being by snorkel, scuba, or glass-bottomed boat. We were very pleased with Ocean Free tours, and they offer all of those options, but you will see that there are many companies providing those services. It's the main reason tourists come to Cairns. Just remember to put on lots of sunscreen and keep reapplying--that sun is fierce!

http://www.oceanfree.com.au/

If you want to add in here, you may wish to consider driving an hour up to Port Douglas. Here you have easy access to the Daintree Rainforest (a world heritage site), the Rainforest Habitat (the only place where we were able to hold koalas, and also where we first pet kangaroos), and Kuranda, the rainforest village.

http://www.daintreerainforest.com/
http://www.rainforesthabitat.com.au/
http://www.kuranda.org/

Once you are done with Cairns, it is off to the Red Center for Ayers Rock, also known as Uluru. I don't necessarily suggest that you climb the Rock, but you can look at it. Because of the vibrant reds, a lot of people like to watch the sunrise or sunset there. There are many different touring options, not just for Uluru, but also for Kata Tjuta and Mt. Connor.

You will pretty much have to end up staying at the resort. There is camping at the cattle station, but those people have their own transportation, and you will be driving for miles of desert to get there. Take the plane and stay at the resort. There's some gouging, but it could be worse, and you don't need to stay long. Unless you want to spend time exploring hiking and exploring all three formations, you can arrive one day, see what you want, and leave the next.

http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/

On leaving Ayers Rock, you will head to Melbourne. Now, any where there are fairy penguins (also known as little penguins and blue penguins), there will be a parade where they will cross the beach in groups at sundown, trying to get safely ashore. This spot is the best known, and they have bleachers and park rangers, and you know that you will see plenty of penguins. This actually happens on Phillip Island, not in Melbourne proper.

There is a lot you can do on the island. We were actually not impressed by the Nobbies. Yes, there are seals out on that rock, but you can't see them without a telescope. However, there is also a koala area, farm area, and a racetrack. The penguins don't start coming ashore until dusk, so even though you do need to get there and find your seat, they are a nighttime activity and you have the whole day.

We went with adventure tours, which picked us up in Melbourne and drove us to the island, stopping at Maru along the way. Maru is a nature park just before you hit the bridge to Phillip Island. If you have not seen a kangaroo or koala at this point, Maru is a good choice. You can pet and feed the roos and wallabies, and feed the emus as well, and you can see many of the other animals even if you cannot touch them. They also had a good selection of birds.

Remember, this tour is the one where you are making sure to cover the basics, and you will feel silly if you have not seen the main marsupials. Fortunately, your odds are good. We saw kangaroos in Port Douglas, at Taronga, and in the wild at Mt. Connor, and then at Maru. Koala do not spread quite as far in terms of natural habitat, but every zoo and wildlife park has some. Just remember to get them in.

The adventure tour did not visit the koala conservation center or Churchill Island for the Phillip Island trip, and I had not realized they would not, so if you book with a tour, make sure you understand the complete itinerary.

http://www.penguins.org.au/

Since you are going to be in Melbourne, you may also want to visit the Victoria Market. Everyone said this was the best place to get souvenirs. I wish they had mentioned that it was closed on Wednesdays. Because we tried going on a Wednesday, we can't really vouch for it. Keep that in mind.

Melbourne does have an international airport, so you can arrange your departure home from there, without needing to go back to Sydney. You can easily cover the basics within a week, adding more time if you want to do more of the add-ins mentioned, but you know, there is always more to do.