I'd like to thank you all for your input and information.
Now I know more than when I started planning this vacation,
but still undecided.
I am trying to arrange the best first trip to Australia in 12 nights,
chosing from Quantas vacations.

Ross asked: Are you sure you want to visit Melbourne?
The answer is: No, I'm not sure. It may be more attractive to use
those 4 days to visit Adelaide with it's vineyards and Kagaroo Island
to see indigenous wildlife instead.

And David Bennets asked: Are you sure you want to visit Cairns?
And no, I'm not sure. But I think it would be a shame to go to
Australia and not to visit the Great Barrier Reef
(my wife and I enjoy snorkeling).
Deadly jellyfish and weather extremes (plus kids vacationing) are
good reasons not to go in December, but April instead.

The trip as planned by Quantas is: Arriving at Adelaide (2 nights),
then ferry to Kangaroo Island (2 nights); plane to Cairns (4 nights);
plane to Sydney (4 nights); return home. Hotels and transportation
are included in the package and there are optionals such as 1/2 day
sightseeing in Sydney; full day rainforest visit in Cairns; etc.

I'll appreciate any opinions on this new, revised itinerary.
Many thanks!

Paul






"Big Kev - Melbourne Australia" wrote in message
...
Agree with you Jeff and David
And to save confusion the original poster further, the shoulder period
around Autumn (In Oz thats March - May) is the best average calm weather
over the Eastern Seaboard.
If travelling from the tropics to good ole Melb late April would be a good
time to do it.

Big Kev
--
Email - drop the second "s" in "travsubs".



"Jeff" wrote in message
...
who cares about the weather, you will have a great time depending on your
adventurous spirit.
cheers
Jeff
"David Bennetts" wrote in message
...

"Ross" wrote in message
...
Think about this.

It is summer in Oz now!

1st February Melbourne's max. temp. was 36º
2nd February was max. temp. 13º
3rd February was the wettest day in over 150 years. Official fall was
155
mm i.e. 155 litres per square metre. Wild weather with much flooding
and
damage.

Are you sure you want to visit Melbourne?

Ross

You should base your decision on averages rather than extremes.
Average
annual rainfall for Melbourne is 653 mm.
By comparison Sydney is 1217 mm and Cairns 2003 mm (see www.bom.gov.au)
.
So are you sure you want to visit Cairns?

Regards

David Bennetts