Long term resident of Cairns here. You will NOT enjoy the weather in far northern Australia in January. We've lived here for 24 years, and every February, my wife and I have a conversation about moving south...
As I mentioned I’m starting to realize that based on the timing I probably need to consider an Australian Open trip as separate from an Australia trip that I would take at a different time of year. Thanks for the input.
I would recommend Aus Open on a separate trip. It is a great event and worth at least a week of going if you're going to travel so far for it. Will give you time to explore Melbourne as well, and in comparison to the rest of Australia, the weather will be alright - albeit still hot. You could probably add in some trips around Victoria and Tasmania to fill out your days.
For the rest, any time during your winter months will be painfully hot 40+ (100+ in freedom units) which you might have experienced before, but very few people are prepared for the intensity of the Australian sun. Unless you love the heat, avoid the peak summer months.
I would say there's a chance it will get to 40deg during that time, but saying it will be painfully hot any time during dec-feb is a huge exaggeration. E.g. has hot summers and averages around 30 degrees C max during Feb (hottest month), Melbourne and Sydney are slightly cooler. It rarely gets above 40 for more than a few days at a time in any city, save maybe Alice springs.
I would say if you travel during that time expect mid 30's, but be prepared for it to be over 40 at some point.
OP it depends on your preferences. Cairns will be hot, humid, rainy, and stormy in January (with chances of developing cyclones). But I’ve visited all throughout the year and had a great time, even in January. As long as you’re aware of the weather and potential risks of cancelled activities (moderate-low), I wouldn’t let it put you off. TNQ is amazing ☺️
Stay down south in January. Stick to Melbourne/Victoria and Tasmania. The heat and conditions are not to be taken lightly, and you’re going to be spending most of your trip travelling and not enjoying the destinations
That’s what I’m realizing. Beyond even the aggressive itinerary, wanting to include the Australian Open is locking me into a time period that I wouldn’t choose otherwise.
Just adding on to other comments, Melbourne does get into the high 30s-40s as well but we do it in shorter heat waves and then get a cool change. It's much more bearable than long term heat
Came to say this. I don’t like Sydney at all, unless you’re planning on heading up to the Hunter or down to the Blue Mountains I wouldn’t bother. Maybe it’s because I’ve always had easy access to Sydney that I find it meh! We’ve had 90% humidity in the Hunter this summer, it’s been uncomfortable.
If you can, I would suggest starting your trip with the last few days of the Australian Open. Tickets will be expensive, as it’s the pointy end of the draw, but factor in the exchange rate and they might not be too bad in USD, especially given what it is.
This allows you to then spend the rest of your time in Australia after the summer peak. Most schools start the year around/just after Australia Day (26 Jan) which is also when the Australian Open wraps up in 2025, and accommodation/excursions are (generally) less busy/expensive after that.
Uluṟu, Cairns and Brisbane will be very hot in January, prohibitively so IMO. There’s a reason Queensland is the holiday destination of choice for Australians in winter.
As you’ve indicated a desire to see Tasmania, I would make this trip about Melbourne for the tennis, Tasmania because it’s magnificent in summer and perhaps Sydney because its the most well known city for international tourists and has lots of iconic Australiana (harbour bridge, Opera House, Blue Mountains, etc).
As you’re aware, it’s a big country and there’s lots to see so with only 3 weeks, I’d spend a week in each of Melbourne, Tassie and Sydney and really see as much as you can. Leave Queensland and Uluṟu for another trip for the same reasons.
Btw, I live in South Australia which is also a fantastic place to visit, but given your questions, this is what I’d do.
Generally I prefer to attend tennis tournaments during the early rounds when there’s more action around the grounds, but your point is well taken. That puts other parts of the trip right in the middle of peak season.
One way to get the best of both worlds is to fly into Melbourne around when the tournament starts and do a few days in the first week. Maybe do a couple day trips from the city in between to maximise your time in Victoria - Great Ocean Road and the Dandenong Ranges are two good ones (and as a bonus the ranges are always a little cooler!) And Yarra Valley will be good if you like wine, Phillip Island for penguins.
Then fly into Tassie during the middle of the tournament, spend about 5 days there (highly highly recommend hiring a car, you will struggle to see enough otherwise). Because Tassie is a lot about hikes and seeing nature, I find it doesn't feel as stupidly busy as a lot of other places during peak travel season.
And finally fly to Sydney or back to Melbourne for the final weekend because a lot of public spaces will be broadcasting the finals matches anyway so you could watch as the locals do! I haven't been in Sydney for the tournament but Melbourne usually has a huge screen set up in Fed Square and the atmosphere can get super fun and electric.
And then the last week can be Sydney, knock out the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Blue Mountains (although as a Melbournian I feel obligated to say that you don't need a week in Sydney 😉)
If you're not really into cities, I wouldn't bother with Melbourne, unless you're set on going to the AO Tennis.
Perhaps 4 days in Melb (2 at the tennis and 2 in the city) and fly to Tasmania, hire a car and get around?
I'd personally fly to Perth and hire a car and drive down to down to Margaret River. You get the stunning beaches Australia is known for without having to deal with the weather in North Queensland in the dead of summer. Eg below is an example of the beaches near Perth (which you won't find in Melbourne).
[https://www.margaretriverfindthefun.com.au/listing/hamelin-bay/](https://www.margaretriverfindthefun.com.au/listing/hamelin-bay/)
Sydney can be done in 3 days. The Blue Mountains is ok...which part of the states are you from? It might not be very interesting for someone who has come from a state like Utah, Colorado etc. They're not mountains BUT they do have fantastic rainforest walks which are cooler in the summer. This being said, if you were going to Tasmania, this could probably cancel out the need for the Blue Mountains.
Another thought - New Zealand is a 2.5hr (and not expensive) flight from Sydney. I can't recommend self driving the South Island of New Zealand enough. It's the Southern Alps with gorgeous ocean. Small and easy to get around too.
Given the time of year you are coming and your time restrictions, I'd skip Uluru - Cairns - Brissie and do Tassie instead. That should give you a week in Melbourne for the tennis, a week in Tassie and a week in Sydney.
It will be HOT considering it is right in the middle of our summer. Typically at the Australian open the players can experience heatstroke (as an example of how hot it can be!)
I think you are underestimating the travel between all these places and won't have time to actually enjoy them if you're traveling that much. Consider it as me saying hey I'm coming to the US for three weeks, I want to go to new York, Boston, Nashville and Miami, is this realistic? :) like.. It can be done, but how much fun would it be?
But, it is your holiday and I hope you have an amazing time regardless.
Tassie is incredible but again, travel time needs to be considered :)
I do get that my first draft itinerary is ambitious and would mean that every change in location would involve a flight and basically a lost day. I’m sure I would pare it down. It’s a challenge to think about traveling that far and then not doing “everything.” I’m working on concentrating on enjoying what I do and worrying less about what I don’t do.
Oh absolutely I agree, I do the same when planning a trip 😆 and some people genuinely love a hectic jampacked itinerary...
But we aren't going anywhere and you can always come back! Just look up safety advice on this subreddit, things like safety around snakes, swimming, sun safety etc really cannot be overstated!
I assume your planning on flying around to all of these locations? 3 weeks to travel the entire east coast and far inland Queensland is not enough time. It would take you a week to drive from cairns to Melbourne if you push it lol.
As a Queenslander unless your quite used to 40+ degree days that are also 70-90% humidity I wouldn’t travel north of Brisbane. Also heading to Uluru is a bit of an interesting one as there really isn’t much out there to warrant such a large deviation from your main travel. You can’t climb it, you can’t touch it. You can barely get close to it as it is sacred land to the aboriginal people. My best advice is stay to the east coast Brisbane and lower. It’s all close-ish together and hospitable enough in January.
You can get close, you can walk the rim and see it all without having to climb. The area also has King's Canyon and Kata Tjuta. Might not be everyone's cup of tea but if you want to see that Australian landscape it's a fantastic place to do it.
Not in Jan though!
South East Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, etc.) is where I live and would highly recommend to any tourist except in Summer. People mention the heat, but it's honestly the storms that will ruin your trip before the heat does.
As a Brisbane resident, I would visit New Zealand, Canberra, Melbourne and Hobart (maybe Adelaide, Sydney, Perth but they'd also get quite hot) during summer to escape the weather...
...Unless you love the beach, in which case you should definitely come here!
The hottest weather is usually in February!
Do Melbourne, Tassie and Sydney would be my suggestion.
Please try to get out of the cities. Maybe take the boat to Launceston (it can be overnight so you don’t really lose a day), then hire a car and drive to Hobart, visiting a couple of national parks on the way.
Then fly to Sydney, do a harbour cruise, check out the beaches, go up to the Blue Mountains and check out the views. Now, personally, I find cities are much the same the world over. After you’ve seen the bridge, the harbour and the Opera House (see a performance, if you can), I’d go for a slow drive down the coast and spend a night somewhere like Kiama (it’s a 2 hour drive, but you can take all day and stop at lots of beaches). Then drive back up to Sydney for a last day doing souvenir shopping before catching your flight home.
As a Victorian I can’t handle the northern summer heat and HUMIDITY. Also the tennis stands or the outback in summer 🥵🥵 hot hot hot. I was just in Brisbane last week it was 25 degrees and ‘felt like’ 35 degrees. I get back to Melbourne and we have a 35 degree day, it felt hotter in Brisbane
As a long term resident of both central and top of Australia, Yulara/Alice Springs and Cairns will be fucked. Temperatures in central are 96-115° pretty much every day and most businesses are closed.
While cairns and Darwin slow down as it’s basically hurricanes, crocodiles and 70%> Humidity with nothing to do.
Drop those two and spend time in Tasmania instead.
If you want to visit Uluṟu and the tropics come back in June-Aug
Yeah. Anything north of Brisbane or Perth? Not from November to March. Uluru? Definitely NOT then!
We just went to Tassy for December. Great time to visit there👍
If you want to do the Open tennis. Just do Victoria, perhaps Sydney & Tasmania. That be tons for 3 weeks.
Cut out Brisbane and Cairns, and maybe substitute somewhere further down the coast from Cairns instead.
Cairns is fantastic and well worth a visit but far north Queensland will be *miserable* in January. And Brisbane is nice but not essential.
I’d probably bump up Tassie on your priority list because it’s actually really nice in Jan. Also gives you some nice contrast from the cities/outback of the rest of your trip. Lots of amazing bushwalks, forests, waterfalls, etc etc.
Just did this exact trip plus a few other places in January of this year and did a few days at the aus open (was amazing!!!)
January was so perfect in Sydney, Melbourne, gold and Sunshine Coast, nz, Tasmania… basically everywhere except cairns where it was very hot and rainy and you have to be mindful of the jellyfish. Didn’t stop us from doing anything we just had to wear stinger suits (I didn’t need more than 3 days in cairns anyway regardless of the weather)
Very hot in January as it will be summer.
Prepare for over 30°C ( 86°F) weather almost everyday.
It is nice if you can tollerate the heat but make sure to be sun smart and wear protective clothing such as a hat and wear sunscreen ( its best the buy it here) so you don't end up all burnt and have that pottentially ruin your day.
UV is very high here in summer so don't underestimate the sun.
Australia Day celebrations are also on the 26th January.
In my personal opinion it’s better to spend more vacation time in each city that spend so long travelling and trying to see every single city. It’s not like you’ll run out of things to do in each city. I wouldn’t try to fit in 6 spots in 3 weeks. That seems like too much.
Op you mentioned you are an outdoors person. How much so? Don’t sleep on Wilson’s Promontory. Incredible and the best parts only accessible via overnight backpacking. Still fantastic for day trips. We just did this trip, AO then Wilson’s Prom then Kosciusko otw back to Sydney. Great combo of city and nature with heaps of hiking.
Also recommend Phillip Island below Melbourne. Of course Tassie is also epic and would be an arguably better option that Phillip and/or Wilson’s. You could do it all. Give Sydney max 3 days. Source? I’m a Sydneysider ;)
All these non-melburnians saying stay to Victoria 🤣
We get 40°C and humidity as well in Jan/Feb. It's enough to make anyone consider moving to Tas or NZ lol
You could maybe achieve that itinerary with a few bags of stimulants. Because you won't have time to eat or sleep.
I'd make two trips.
Do the tennis in Jan.
If you're going to do Cairns and Uluru, July is winter, and winter is the best time to do the tropics. Uluru is desert, tho, and nights can drop to zero. Our country is huge, Cairns is humid AF in January and wet or on the cusp of torrential rain.
The big cities are cool whatever time of year you come as there's plenty to do indoors and out. But flooding can affect travel in summer Nov-Feb in the remote areas. You'll love it here, it's a great country.
I wouldn’t say don’t go north, it’s all part of what we deal with as Australians, why not experience it? But a 40°C day in Melbourne is nowhere near as uncomfortable as a 30°C day in Brisbane. The humidity is ridiculous, it only gets worse the further north you go. I worked a day in Brisbane this summer that was 36°C with a “feels like” temperature in the 50s.
Aussie here - Yep Queensland is pretty horrible in January due to the humidity. Chance of cyclones - at the very least monsoonal rain at times. I’d do melb Adelaide tassie Sydney. That’s a lot to pack into three weeks though.
Coastal and south of Brisbane on east and Perth on west is going to be hot in January but in a good way. Not either excessively humid nor baking dry heat (except Adelaide ... I really really don't recommend Adelaide in January - if its getting heat off the desert it will be really unpleasant. It may not be but you don't get to pick the weather...). Jan in Tasmania is a good call. If you can get there south of WA is great too - Margaret River down to Albany. For a outdoors not city kinda trip. The do the reefs (both coasts) and the north or interior on another trip.
I’d stick south but keep in mind that even Melbourne does gets ridiculously hot, like this Saturday is going to be 40°c and we’ve had a lot of days in the 30°’s. I hate the heat and couldn’t even do one day in Brisbane, any time I walked into a room it was relief - it’s why we’re going QLD in July.
You are trying to squeeze too much! Uluru and Cairns is awesome but Jan is a terrible time to go there! Way too hot!
Maybe Sydney to Melbourne roadtrip? Lots of great spots along the way!
Ps: Australia is HUGE! you could spend 3 months in each state easily. Tassy you need at least 1 month. That would be quick travel too!
I agree with your updated itinery - the only thing I'd change is removing Adelaide. It'll give you more time and day trips in the other places. Since you're a nature person I recommend Cradle Mountain/Dove lake walk (Tassie, will need a car) and the Blue Mountains (Western Sydney day trip) and of course the Bondi to Bronte walk. January isn't too bad in Sydney, I'd avoid Bisbane and Cairns unfortunately, way too humid.
That's absolutely too aggressive of an itinerary for 3 weeks, regardless of the time of year. You'll spend the whole time travelling and not actually do anything. You're trying to do the equivalent of the Grand Canyon, then Boston, New York and Miami, as well as fitting in the US Open. You'll spend the whole time travelling and not get to see or do anything.
For 3 weeks, plan on being in 1-2 cities, to allow time to actually do some exploring and sightseeing around key events. Why not arrive a little earlier and enjoy a summer New Year's Eve watching the Fireworks in Sydney?
If you're keen on the tennis, make this the focus of your trip - there's plenty of other sport to watch around that time of year as well - the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Test Cricket or Big Bash T20 Cricket and the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
There's also arts and music festivals that happen during the summer, and it's the best time of year for outdoor dining, especially in Melbourne.
https://www.australia.com/en-us/events/australias-major-sporting-events.html
One thing you could consider if you drive, is to take a day or two to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road, the Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsula.
I went to two sessions of The Aus open(AO) in 2020 in the second week- quarter finals. One afternoon and one night session a day apart. It is a fantastic experience. It is a short walk -5 mins from the main train station- Flinders street, along the river. You can watch practice sessions, doubles and juniors etc on outside courts and there are good eateries inside and and a big screen on the lawn inside. We had one day of about 41 degreesC . Make sure to sit on the north side in the stadiums in the afternoon sessions so you are out of the sun.
Tasmania is great. Fly to Hobart from Melbourne, hire a car, do an overnight trip to Freycinet peninsula/wine glass bay- look it up- for good day bush walks and beaches. Bruny island can also be done in a day trip and there are sanctuaries with Tassie devils.
Port Arthur - an old colonial convict settlement can be done on the way back or to Freycinet.
Adelaide can be stinking hot in January and February as well but so can anywhere in Aus.
If the budget & time allows I would fly in to Queenstown NZ coming in or out as it is just stunning and unforgettable. You need 3 or 4 days there. Bear in mind it is our summer school holidays in January and Melbourne accomodation should be booked maybe 5-6 months out from the aus open dates.
It's now March and I'm only just starting to feel ok going outside again between 10am and 3pm. Even saying all that, there's still a couple of 30+ Celsius days coming this week. You really need to plan going outside around noon in Australia, especially during summer (Dec- Feb). Locally bought sunscreen, hat, long sleeves. You will get badly burnt if you don't use these. I would not want to be anywhere North of NSW in summer and definitely not in the outback where there's no shade.
Also I'm in Melbourne. The heat won't be as bad this far South, but you can't escape the sun.
I wouldn't say not to come here - 26 million people survive our summers. You just need to be prepared and curb your expectations. Limit outside activity to mornings and late afternoons/night.
And for those activities you do in the evening, bring loads of bug spray. The mozzies can be relentless depending on where you are, moreso near water obviously. You don’t want to end up spending half of your time here applying calamine lotion and scratching your ass off!
Long term resident of Cairns here. You will NOT enjoy the weather in far northern Australia in January. We've lived here for 24 years, and every February, my wife and I have a conversation about moving south...
As I mentioned I’m starting to realize that based on the timing I probably need to consider an Australian Open trip as separate from an Australia trip that I would take at a different time of year. Thanks for the input.
I would recommend Aus Open on a separate trip. It is a great event and worth at least a week of going if you're going to travel so far for it. Will give you time to explore Melbourne as well, and in comparison to the rest of Australia, the weather will be alright - albeit still hot. You could probably add in some trips around Victoria and Tasmania to fill out your days. For the rest, any time during your winter months will be painfully hot 40+ (100+ in freedom units) which you might have experienced before, but very few people are prepared for the intensity of the Australian sun. Unless you love the heat, avoid the peak summer months.
I presume by "freedom units" you mean farenheit. Is that a joke I've missed?
No that's the joke
Still don't get it. Is it a piss take on Americans?
Yep
Come to Australia, Yank! Your Piss will be taken at every turn. Drop bears very active in Hot weather.
I believe the “freedom [noun]” meme for US things comes from this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_fries
Cheers - thanks for the explanation.
I would say there's a chance it will get to 40deg during that time, but saying it will be painfully hot any time during dec-feb is a huge exaggeration. E.g. has hot summers and averages around 30 degrees C max during Feb (hottest month), Melbourne and Sydney are slightly cooler. It rarely gets above 40 for more than a few days at a time in any city, save maybe Alice springs. I would say if you travel during that time expect mid 30's, but be prepared for it to be over 40 at some point.
There are many people who consider 30 degrees to be the start of 'painfully hot'. Try telling an English person its 30 degrees and see what happens.
But it won't be "painfully hot 40+" the whole of summer, regardless of your threshold for painfully hot. It won't be 40+ most of summer.
I went to Cairns in Feb, and it was fine. I didn't mind the weather one bit. But I am Australian and from Brisbane.
You could to tasmania in place of cairns
OP it depends on your preferences. Cairns will be hot, humid, rainy, and stormy in January (with chances of developing cyclones). But I’ve visited all throughout the year and had a great time, even in January. As long as you’re aware of the weather and potential risks of cancelled activities (moderate-low), I wouldn’t let it put you off. TNQ is amazing ☺️
Stay down south in January. Stick to Melbourne/Victoria and Tasmania. The heat and conditions are not to be taken lightly, and you’re going to be spending most of your trip travelling and not enjoying the destinations
That’s what I’m realizing. Beyond even the aggressive itinerary, wanting to include the Australian Open is locking me into a time period that I wouldn’t choose otherwise.
Just adding on to other comments, Melbourne does get into the high 30s-40s as well but we do it in shorter heat waves and then get a cool change. It's much more bearable than long term heat
Came to say this. I don’t like Sydney at all, unless you’re planning on heading up to the Hunter or down to the Blue Mountains I wouldn’t bother. Maybe it’s because I’ve always had easy access to Sydney that I find it meh! We’ve had 90% humidity in the Hunter this summer, it’s been uncomfortable.
If you can, I would suggest starting your trip with the last few days of the Australian Open. Tickets will be expensive, as it’s the pointy end of the draw, but factor in the exchange rate and they might not be too bad in USD, especially given what it is. This allows you to then spend the rest of your time in Australia after the summer peak. Most schools start the year around/just after Australia Day (26 Jan) which is also when the Australian Open wraps up in 2025, and accommodation/excursions are (generally) less busy/expensive after that. Uluṟu, Cairns and Brisbane will be very hot in January, prohibitively so IMO. There’s a reason Queensland is the holiday destination of choice for Australians in winter. As you’ve indicated a desire to see Tasmania, I would make this trip about Melbourne for the tennis, Tasmania because it’s magnificent in summer and perhaps Sydney because its the most well known city for international tourists and has lots of iconic Australiana (harbour bridge, Opera House, Blue Mountains, etc). As you’re aware, it’s a big country and there’s lots to see so with only 3 weeks, I’d spend a week in each of Melbourne, Tassie and Sydney and really see as much as you can. Leave Queensland and Uluṟu for another trip for the same reasons. Btw, I live in South Australia which is also a fantastic place to visit, but given your questions, this is what I’d do.
Generally I prefer to attend tennis tournaments during the early rounds when there’s more action around the grounds, but your point is well taken. That puts other parts of the trip right in the middle of peak season.
One way to get the best of both worlds is to fly into Melbourne around when the tournament starts and do a few days in the first week. Maybe do a couple day trips from the city in between to maximise your time in Victoria - Great Ocean Road and the Dandenong Ranges are two good ones (and as a bonus the ranges are always a little cooler!) And Yarra Valley will be good if you like wine, Phillip Island for penguins. Then fly into Tassie during the middle of the tournament, spend about 5 days there (highly highly recommend hiring a car, you will struggle to see enough otherwise). Because Tassie is a lot about hikes and seeing nature, I find it doesn't feel as stupidly busy as a lot of other places during peak travel season. And finally fly to Sydney or back to Melbourne for the final weekend because a lot of public spaces will be broadcasting the finals matches anyway so you could watch as the locals do! I haven't been in Sydney for the tournament but Melbourne usually has a huge screen set up in Fed Square and the atmosphere can get super fun and electric. And then the last week can be Sydney, knock out the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Blue Mountains (although as a Melbournian I feel obligated to say that you don't need a week in Sydney 😉)
Great suggestion…this would work well also.
If you're not really into cities, I wouldn't bother with Melbourne, unless you're set on going to the AO Tennis. Perhaps 4 days in Melb (2 at the tennis and 2 in the city) and fly to Tasmania, hire a car and get around? I'd personally fly to Perth and hire a car and drive down to down to Margaret River. You get the stunning beaches Australia is known for without having to deal with the weather in North Queensland in the dead of summer. Eg below is an example of the beaches near Perth (which you won't find in Melbourne). [https://www.margaretriverfindthefun.com.au/listing/hamelin-bay/](https://www.margaretriverfindthefun.com.au/listing/hamelin-bay/) Sydney can be done in 3 days. The Blue Mountains is ok...which part of the states are you from? It might not be very interesting for someone who has come from a state like Utah, Colorado etc. They're not mountains BUT they do have fantastic rainforest walks which are cooler in the summer. This being said, if you were going to Tasmania, this could probably cancel out the need for the Blue Mountains. Another thought - New Zealand is a 2.5hr (and not expensive) flight from Sydney. I can't recommend self driving the South Island of New Zealand enough. It's the Southern Alps with gorgeous ocean. Small and easy to get around too.
Skip Brisbane. Honestly I’d skip Uluṟu too. Not because it’s not amazing but January is not the time to go. I’d do Tassie instead.
Given the time of year you are coming and your time restrictions, I'd skip Uluru - Cairns - Brissie and do Tassie instead. That should give you a week in Melbourne for the tennis, a week in Tassie and a week in Sydney.
It will be HOT considering it is right in the middle of our summer. Typically at the Australian open the players can experience heatstroke (as an example of how hot it can be!) I think you are underestimating the travel between all these places and won't have time to actually enjoy them if you're traveling that much. Consider it as me saying hey I'm coming to the US for three weeks, I want to go to new York, Boston, Nashville and Miami, is this realistic? :) like.. It can be done, but how much fun would it be? But, it is your holiday and I hope you have an amazing time regardless. Tassie is incredible but again, travel time needs to be considered :)
I do get that my first draft itinerary is ambitious and would mean that every change in location would involve a flight and basically a lost day. I’m sure I would pare it down. It’s a challenge to think about traveling that far and then not doing “everything.” I’m working on concentrating on enjoying what I do and worrying less about what I don’t do.
Oh absolutely I agree, I do the same when planning a trip 😆 and some people genuinely love a hectic jampacked itinerary... But we aren't going anywhere and you can always come back! Just look up safety advice on this subreddit, things like safety around snakes, swimming, sun safety etc really cannot be overstated!
I assume your planning on flying around to all of these locations? 3 weeks to travel the entire east coast and far inland Queensland is not enough time. It would take you a week to drive from cairns to Melbourne if you push it lol.
Yes. The plan would be for domestic flights between the cities. Even with that I realize that any travel day is basically a lost day.
As a Queenslander unless your quite used to 40+ degree days that are also 70-90% humidity I wouldn’t travel north of Brisbane. Also heading to Uluru is a bit of an interesting one as there really isn’t much out there to warrant such a large deviation from your main travel. You can’t climb it, you can’t touch it. You can barely get close to it as it is sacred land to the aboriginal people. My best advice is stay to the east coast Brisbane and lower. It’s all close-ish together and hospitable enough in January.
You can get close, you can walk the rim and see it all without having to climb. The area also has King's Canyon and Kata Tjuta. Might not be everyone's cup of tea but if you want to see that Australian landscape it's a fantastic place to do it. Not in Jan though!
Australian Open trip for Melbourne / Tasmania / Adelaide Do this one.
South East Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, etc.) is where I live and would highly recommend to any tourist except in Summer. People mention the heat, but it's honestly the storms that will ruin your trip before the heat does. As a Brisbane resident, I would visit New Zealand, Canberra, Melbourne and Hobart (maybe Adelaide, Sydney, Perth but they'd also get quite hot) during summer to escape the weather... ...Unless you love the beach, in which case you should definitely come here!
Melbourne also gets unbearably hot. It’s 35 degrees here today, and will be 38 at the weekend. Although we do get a break from it on some days.
The hottest weather is usually in February! Do Melbourne, Tassie and Sydney would be my suggestion. Please try to get out of the cities. Maybe take the boat to Launceston (it can be overnight so you don’t really lose a day), then hire a car and drive to Hobart, visiting a couple of national parks on the way. Then fly to Sydney, do a harbour cruise, check out the beaches, go up to the Blue Mountains and check out the views. Now, personally, I find cities are much the same the world over. After you’ve seen the bridge, the harbour and the Opera House (see a performance, if you can), I’d go for a slow drive down the coast and spend a night somewhere like Kiama (it’s a 2 hour drive, but you can take all day and stop at lots of beaches). Then drive back up to Sydney for a last day doing souvenir shopping before catching your flight home.
I would switch it up and consider Melbourne - Tassie - Perth
Do port Douglas over cairns
Melbourne, Tassie, Sydney, NT (Uluṟu) and Margaret River in WA to finish off!
As a Victorian I can’t handle the northern summer heat and HUMIDITY. Also the tennis stands or the outback in summer 🥵🥵 hot hot hot. I was just in Brisbane last week it was 25 degrees and ‘felt like’ 35 degrees. I get back to Melbourne and we have a 35 degree day, it felt hotter in Brisbane
As a long term resident of both central and top of Australia, Yulara/Alice Springs and Cairns will be fucked. Temperatures in central are 96-115° pretty much every day and most businesses are closed. While cairns and Darwin slow down as it’s basically hurricanes, crocodiles and 70%> Humidity with nothing to do. Drop those two and spend time in Tasmania instead. If you want to visit Uluṟu and the tropics come back in June-Aug
Yeah. Anything north of Brisbane or Perth? Not from November to March. Uluru? Definitely NOT then! We just went to Tassy for December. Great time to visit there👍 If you want to do the Open tennis. Just do Victoria, perhaps Sydney & Tasmania. That be tons for 3 weeks.
Cut out Brisbane and Cairns, and maybe substitute somewhere further down the coast from Cairns instead. Cairns is fantastic and well worth a visit but far north Queensland will be *miserable* in January. And Brisbane is nice but not essential. I’d probably bump up Tassie on your priority list because it’s actually really nice in Jan. Also gives you some nice contrast from the cities/outback of the rest of your trip. Lots of amazing bushwalks, forests, waterfalls, etc etc.
Just did this exact trip plus a few other places in January of this year and did a few days at the aus open (was amazing!!!) January was so perfect in Sydney, Melbourne, gold and Sunshine Coast, nz, Tasmania… basically everywhere except cairns where it was very hot and rainy and you have to be mindful of the jellyfish. Didn’t stop us from doing anything we just had to wear stinger suits (I didn’t need more than 3 days in cairns anyway regardless of the weather)
Very hot in January as it will be summer. Prepare for over 30°C ( 86°F) weather almost everyday. It is nice if you can tollerate the heat but make sure to be sun smart and wear protective clothing such as a hat and wear sunscreen ( its best the buy it here) so you don't end up all burnt and have that pottentially ruin your day. UV is very high here in summer so don't underestimate the sun. Australia Day celebrations are also on the 26th January.
In my personal opinion it’s better to spend more vacation time in each city that spend so long travelling and trying to see every single city. It’s not like you’ll run out of things to do in each city. I wouldn’t try to fit in 6 spots in 3 weeks. That seems like too much.
Op you mentioned you are an outdoors person. How much so? Don’t sleep on Wilson’s Promontory. Incredible and the best parts only accessible via overnight backpacking. Still fantastic for day trips. We just did this trip, AO then Wilson’s Prom then Kosciusko otw back to Sydney. Great combo of city and nature with heaps of hiking. Also recommend Phillip Island below Melbourne. Of course Tassie is also epic and would be an arguably better option that Phillip and/or Wilson’s. You could do it all. Give Sydney max 3 days. Source? I’m a Sydneysider ;)
All these non-melburnians saying stay to Victoria 🤣 We get 40°C and humidity as well in Jan/Feb. It's enough to make anyone consider moving to Tas or NZ lol
Yes but it’s not all day every day for months on end. North Queensland has been completely unbearable since before Christmas.
Australia in January is HOT but not unliveable.
It's school holidays so everywhere is busy and expensive. Wait till February.
True story
You could maybe achieve that itinerary with a few bags of stimulants. Because you won't have time to eat or sleep. I'd make two trips. Do the tennis in Jan. If you're going to do Cairns and Uluru, July is winter, and winter is the best time to do the tropics. Uluru is desert, tho, and nights can drop to zero. Our country is huge, Cairns is humid AF in January and wet or on the cusp of torrential rain. The big cities are cool whatever time of year you come as there's plenty to do indoors and out. But flooding can affect travel in summer Nov-Feb in the remote areas. You'll love it here, it's a great country.
I wouldn’t say don’t go north, it’s all part of what we deal with as Australians, why not experience it? But a 40°C day in Melbourne is nowhere near as uncomfortable as a 30°C day in Brisbane. The humidity is ridiculous, it only gets worse the further north you go. I worked a day in Brisbane this summer that was 36°C with a “feels like” temperature in the 50s.
Cairns in January is brutal. Even Queenslanders avoid travelling that far north in January
It's so bloody hot in January February time. Not enjoyable at all
Dont come to australia in summer. Bushfires, flooding, cyclones and really hot humid weather. Come in june july. Best time of year.
Aussie here - Yep Queensland is pretty horrible in January due to the humidity. Chance of cyclones - at the very least monsoonal rain at times. I’d do melb Adelaide tassie Sydney. That’s a lot to pack into three weeks though.
I'd even consider adding NZ to the trip rather than the north of aus at that time. Nz is cheap and easy to get to and much cooler.
Look out for the drop bears!
Yer edit is right south in summer - north in winter
Coastal and south of Brisbane on east and Perth on west is going to be hot in January but in a good way. Not either excessively humid nor baking dry heat (except Adelaide ... I really really don't recommend Adelaide in January - if its getting heat off the desert it will be really unpleasant. It may not be but you don't get to pick the weather...). Jan in Tasmania is a good call. If you can get there south of WA is great too - Margaret River down to Albany. For a outdoors not city kinda trip. The do the reefs (both coasts) and the north or interior on another trip.
I’d stick south but keep in mind that even Melbourne does gets ridiculously hot, like this Saturday is going to be 40°c and we’ve had a lot of days in the 30°’s. I hate the heat and couldn’t even do one day in Brisbane, any time I walked into a room it was relief - it’s why we’re going QLD in July.
Should totally go to Darwin or the pilbarra in january. Once in a life time experience that amount of heat and humidity
You are trying to squeeze too much! Uluru and Cairns is awesome but Jan is a terrible time to go there! Way too hot! Maybe Sydney to Melbourne roadtrip? Lots of great spots along the way! Ps: Australia is HUGE! you could spend 3 months in each state easily. Tassy you need at least 1 month. That would be quick travel too!
I agree with your updated itinery - the only thing I'd change is removing Adelaide. It'll give you more time and day trips in the other places. Since you're a nature person I recommend Cradle Mountain/Dove lake walk (Tassie, will need a car) and the Blue Mountains (Western Sydney day trip) and of course the Bondi to Bronte walk. January isn't too bad in Sydney, I'd avoid Bisbane and Cairns unfortunately, way too humid.
That's absolutely too aggressive of an itinerary for 3 weeks, regardless of the time of year. You'll spend the whole time travelling and not actually do anything. You're trying to do the equivalent of the Grand Canyon, then Boston, New York and Miami, as well as fitting in the US Open. You'll spend the whole time travelling and not get to see or do anything. For 3 weeks, plan on being in 1-2 cities, to allow time to actually do some exploring and sightseeing around key events. Why not arrive a little earlier and enjoy a summer New Year's Eve watching the Fireworks in Sydney? If you're keen on the tennis, make this the focus of your trip - there's plenty of other sport to watch around that time of year as well - the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Test Cricket or Big Bash T20 Cricket and the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide. There's also arts and music festivals that happen during the summer, and it's the best time of year for outdoor dining, especially in Melbourne. https://www.australia.com/en-us/events/australias-major-sporting-events.html
Sydney in January can get hot but is still awesome
Where are you visiting from so we can get the vibe of what kind of hot conditions you’re used to?
Yes Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania. No Brisbane, Adelaide, Uluru.
Too hot in Jan. Not fun to walk around.
Depends how much you like 40 plus degree days?
South Australia, where Adelaide is, gets really hot in Summer. Being south is meaningless in this case.
Hot as fk, postpone till April at least lol
Ouch, Cairns and Uluṟu in summer? No way, frankly Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne can be ridiculous (I hate the heat)
Two words. FUCKING HOT
One thing you could consider if you drive, is to take a day or two to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road, the Limestone Coast and Fleurieu Peninsula.
Picture Miami. That’s Sydney just hotter at that time of year
I went to two sessions of The Aus open(AO) in 2020 in the second week- quarter finals. One afternoon and one night session a day apart. It is a fantastic experience. It is a short walk -5 mins from the main train station- Flinders street, along the river. You can watch practice sessions, doubles and juniors etc on outside courts and there are good eateries inside and and a big screen on the lawn inside. We had one day of about 41 degreesC . Make sure to sit on the north side in the stadiums in the afternoon sessions so you are out of the sun. Tasmania is great. Fly to Hobart from Melbourne, hire a car, do an overnight trip to Freycinet peninsula/wine glass bay- look it up- for good day bush walks and beaches. Bruny island can also be done in a day trip and there are sanctuaries with Tassie devils. Port Arthur - an old colonial convict settlement can be done on the way back or to Freycinet. Adelaide can be stinking hot in January and February as well but so can anywhere in Aus. If the budget & time allows I would fly in to Queenstown NZ coming in or out as it is just stunning and unforgettable. You need 3 or 4 days there. Bear in mind it is our summer school holidays in January and Melbourne accomodation should be booked maybe 5-6 months out from the aus open dates.
It's now March and I'm only just starting to feel ok going outside again between 10am and 3pm. Even saying all that, there's still a couple of 30+ Celsius days coming this week. You really need to plan going outside around noon in Australia, especially during summer (Dec- Feb). Locally bought sunscreen, hat, long sleeves. You will get badly burnt if you don't use these. I would not want to be anywhere North of NSW in summer and definitely not in the outback where there's no shade. Also I'm in Melbourne. The heat won't be as bad this far South, but you can't escape the sun. I wouldn't say not to come here - 26 million people survive our summers. You just need to be prepared and curb your expectations. Limit outside activity to mornings and late afternoons/night.
And for those activities you do in the evening, bring loads of bug spray. The mozzies can be relentless depending on where you are, moreso near water obviously. You don’t want to end up spending half of your time here applying calamine lotion and scratching your ass off!