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This week's question:

I'm planning a three-week trip to Australia. I've never been before and would like to see at least one city, a couple of great beaches and a bit of nature/wildlife, but want to have time to enjoy each place rather than rushing madly around. A tentative plan was to aim for Sydney, then the Whitsundays and maybe a few days in the Outback.
Jenny

You'll want to experience the difference between the UK and Australia, so don't bother with Melbourne, which is Manchester down under. Sydney can offer you the three things you seek: a city, great beaches, and nearby great bush country. But it's as crowded as Spain in summer.

Brisbane is your best bet. Big enough for culture and good eating, great river and gardens full of exotic tropic plants and odd houses on stilts, fabulous beaches one hour north or south, and it offers a loop of two or three days where you drive to the western plains and back, visiting pioneering villages, actual sheep shearing and cattle mustering, and sun-baked pubs where time stands still. The kangaroos aren't in zoos and the activities aren't made up for tourists... it's all real.
Gordon

I think you have the right idea with the Whitsundays for beaches, as Whitehaven beach is one of the best in the world. You can cruise around the Whitsundays and even snorkel or dive the Southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. But a lot of Australia has great beaches.

I'd suggest starting out with Brisbane as your city. Brisbane is more laid-back; it still has a few cultural and historic gems up its sleeve and won't take forever to explore - maybe only a day or two.

For your nature and wildlife you could try one of the many sanctuaries such as Lone Pine in Brisbane or Currumbin on the Gold Coast. You could still take in the Gold Coast as part of your trip, as it too has some wonderful hinterland scenery and activities, great beaches and glowworm tours at night!

From either Brisbane or the Gold Coast you could try Cairns. It's more tropical and warmer than Southern Queensland - Cairns too has some nice beaches, great hinterland and you can see the Great Barrier Reef proper from there.

And if it's Outback proper you want to see, then Western Australia is great. Just bear in mind that from one side of Australia to the other can be around five to six hours flying so you'll have to put a few days aside for it. Kalgoorlie and Southern Cross are real Outback but they're not for the faint hearted. You'd probably want to go with something a touch more sanitised such as booking a couple of days at Ayers Rock as they have a hotel and facilities out there.
Dan

As a Sydney-sider, can I first suggest that you think about what time of year you're coming? Sydney is a brilliant city, but it also has brilliant beaches, so the Australian summer (or just before or after) is ideal. Remember to try the harbour beaches - Camp Cove, Neilson Park - not just the famous ocean beaches - Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Coogee, Curl Curl, Palm, etc.

While Melbourne is an interesting and sophisticated city, you might want to fly north. Brisbane is a city on the up, but going there also gives you access to the Queensland coast - the Whitsundays, the Great Barrier Reef etc.

I don't know a great deal about seeing the Outback - but keep in mind that Uluru and similar attractions are a long way away from the coastal cities. Many people have spoken positively about combining this with a trip to Darwin.
Douglas Wilson

A plan of three weeks is feasible - Whitsundays and Sydney are OK. For the Outback, head west from Sydney to Broken Hill - take the Ghan part way, and from Broken Hill you have ready access to the Outback. I'd go to Mootwingee National Park to see the Aboriginal art and stark, red-rock cliffs and shelters; Sturt National Park and Tibooburra for red sand dunes and jump-up scenery and kangaroos; then White Cliffs for opal mining, and the Paroo-Darling National Park (the Paroo being the last wild running river in the Outback, and the least spoiled). Or I might head to Kinchega National Park to camp by the River Darling and to see the massive old woolshed, a former sheep station the size of Yorkshire (but check first whether the Darling is flowing, or is dry).

Broken Hill has a thriving arts culture and the locals are used to travellers. It is off the main tourist beat, but lots of Aussies go there for their holidays.
Hire miners’ cottages, stay on sheep stations, take your camping gear or just go on day-tours from Broken Hill. After that, head back east to Sydney and to the Whitsundays.
Michael J Brisco

As an alternative to Sydney, why not head for Melbourne? It's a wonderful city with a rich cultural life, lots of sporting events, excellent cafes and restaurants, friendly, helpful people and it is easy to get around. What's more, the state of Victoria is compact: Melbourne is no more than a day's journey from the furthest point. The Great Ocean Road, Sovereign Hill in Ballarat and other gold-rush towns, the Victorian Alps, Phillip Island, the Yarra Valley, Bellarine Peninsula and Mornington Peninsula wineries - there's immense choice. A good starting place is Melbourne Museum with its exhibitions about the fascinating history of the city, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal centre etc.
Patrick G

There are great beaches in Sydney, but Bondi isn’t one of them. On the south side, try Tamarama or Bronte, just south of Bondi. Better still; go north of the Harbour - Manly, Harbord or (farther north) Palm or Whale Beaches. If you’re not a strong swimmer, harbourside beaches like Balmoral, Neilsen Park and Parsley Bay are good for picnicking and a paddle. Three hours' drive south of Sydney is Jervis Bay, which reputedly has the world’s whitest sand.
David Morgan

A place that is mainly overlooked by many overseas travellers as they head for the better-known eastern states, to cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, is Western Australia. I am a local West Australian so of course have a little bias, but it's a fantastic place to get a real taste of Australian life. The state has everything iconic you'd expect in Australia: the beaches, the bush, the Outback, kangaroos and the forests. Of course it is all spread out over a rather large area.

Fly into Perth, which is the first port of call when flying to Australia. The city itself is modern, clean and cosmopolitan. It is easy to get around and has a bustling nightlife and arts and culture. But many people come to Australia to see the natural landscape, bush and the Outback, and in these Western Australia abounds. I would suggest staying in Perth a couple of nights and, if you can, try to get to Rottnest Island - a beautiful island about a 30-minute ferry ride west of Fremantle (the Perth port). Stay there a couple of days and swim, sunbake, relax - it’s what the island is about.

Then hire a car and head south. Visit the towns of Bunbury (swim with some dolphins), Margret River (wine region and fantastic beaches and forest), Augusta (where you might see whales), Walpole and Denmark (where there's a massive eucalypt forest), Albany (an historic small city and the first European settlement in Western Australia), then back on through to Perth. The entire trip will take a good 7-10 days depending on how long you want to stay in each place. It can be done faster, maybe three to five days if you are in a rush.

Once back in Perth, head north to vast empty spaces, long roads and few people; it is beautiful. Again you can hire a car and think about heading to places such as Kalbarri, Shark Bay and Coral Bay (Ningaloo Reef). These places are a long drive though (eight hours, 10 hours and 14 hours, in that order). Or you could fly to somewhere like Broome or Kununurra and experience real Outback life (to drive to these places it would take three to four days). In Kununurra get yourself out to a cattle station called El Questro, which is about 1 million acres in size (pretty normal for this part of the country), and has a beautiful collection of amazing waterfalls and hikes. This area is season dependent (the best time is May to September, though January is great too as it is mid-wet season, but you cannot get far out of the towns due to flooding).
Peter

As a native Australian, I wanted to show as many parts of the country as I could to my husband and children. It depends on whether you fly or drive between destinations, as driving also shows you the variety of countryside that you can see. We spent a day in Melbourne, drove along the Great Ocean Road (a must, it is so spectacular), stayed a couple of nights in the Grampians, which is a small mountain range with lots of beautiful hikes, wallabies running around and lots of gorgeous vegetation. Then we drove to Canberra, then two days in the Blue Mountains just west of Sydney (again very spectacular scenery!) and then two days in Sydney, which we really enjoyed.

If you want tropical scenery though, head off to North Queensland. We also did a day trip to Fraser Island, about 400km north of Brisbane, and that was fantastic - you can swim in freshwater lakes adn explore huge beaches and forests.

It's possible to see lots in three weeks, especially if you can fly, and you don’t need to stray far from the towns to feel like you are in the bush.
Adrienne Tommy

Here are a few suggestions for places visit:

- Sydney Capital (a good place to get over the jetlag): Stay in Sydney and see the various tourist sights

- The Blue Mountains: there's great trekking here which can be done without guide (it's well signposted)

- Fraser Island: You can hire a Land Rover jeep (rented out on the mainland), catch a ferry and do your own thing or you could arrange a group tour

- Atherton Tablelands: You can rent a car in Cairns (Atherton tablelands are about one hour’s drive away). The rainforests have spectacular fig trees (eg Cathedral Fig Tree, near Yungaburra). Dotted around are lakes where you can swim.

- Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and surrounding areas: this is magical desert. Also around the centre region are some refreshing water holes (right in the middle of nowhere) with very fresh and cold water.
Julian I

Australia is a very big place… a tad bigger than the United States. In three weeks you will barely touch any part of Oz. A quick trip will cover a few days in Sydney (sun and harbour), Melbourne (art food and shopping), and maybe Hobart (or Adelaide for culture), then off to Alice Springs and then Uluru for the Outback experience, finishing with Port Douglas or Cairns for a tropical experience (beware the season though as monsoons are not the best).

I'd suggest you stay around the cities (especially Melbourne). If you want more Outback, include a trip to Broome or the Kimberleys. Watch what time of the year you tour as summer is hot and very sticky up north. Also allow time to travel - it’s nearly five hours from Cairns to Melbourne and you are still in the same country! General tips... Aussies speak English (well, a mangled version!), drive on the same side of the road and like food and drink plus their sport and a bit of culture. Just remember, Oz is a big place!
I Smith

I too went to Australia for just three weeks and managed to squeeze a fair bit in - so it can be done! I think your plan to aim for Sydney is the safest bet. City-wise it's Australia at its best and its great location and travel links make it the perfect base. When I went I spent most of my three weeks in Sydney. But I also managed to fit in two separate journeys to the Blue Mountains, north of Sydney, and Burleigh Heads, a wonderful little town on the Gold Coast, just outside Surfers Paradise.

Sydney will satisfy your city needs - the shops, bars, sights and people are all fantastic. What's also brilliant is that the beaches are in Sydney itself. Get the ferry over to Manly and also head up to Palm Beach. Bondi is okay but overcrowded and, to be frank, overrated. If you like shopping, get yourself over to George Street and do drinks at the Opera House, just so you can say that you did. The Blue Mountains are breathtaking and will more than satisfy your desires for nature/wildlife... I stayed pretty much in the Outback for a couple of days and managed to fit in some great bushwalking. And Burleigh Heads will satisfy you in both respects - the beach and ocean are unbeatable, even better in terms of warmth and surf than Sydney - and there is also a superb national park to explore. The town is also very chilled out and will give you a welcome break from Sydney... you'll only need two or three nights in my opinion.

The downside is you'll have to fly into Brisbane, but you can get flights for pretty reasonable prices - they're even cheaper if you book them in Oz. It'll take you too long to drive if you've only got three weeks. If you take out travelling time as well, all this should give you just under a fortnight to explore Sydney and its immediate surrounds... which you'll need but should be enough. Hope this helps!
Ian

My suggestions:

- If you are interested in fine dining, culture, arts and theatre, then Sydney is the place for you. The Sydney Opera House is a must. Down by the Pier, there are lots of good places to eat. The Blue Mountains are within easy reach by public transport.

- On Sydney Pier, I'd suggest the Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Wildlife World. On the outskirts of Sydney is Featherdale Wildlife Park - this place is top notch, showcasing more than 2000 animals belonging to 300 species, all native to Australia. You can buy some food and hand-feed the kangaroos and wallabies.

- Uluru (Ayers Rock) gives you an unforgettable taste of the Outback.The best way to appreciate this place is to join a coach tour. AAT Kings and Australian Pacific Tours offer a variety of tours, and excursions to nearby Kings Canyon and Alice Springs.
Caroline G

I found Sydney to be a fantastic city - loads to see and do. I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed sights such as the Opera House which, previously, had never really appealed... actually being there proved pretty awe-inspiring. In addition, I highly recommend the cliffside walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee beach - gorgeous, with some lovely beaches on the way.

For wildlife, shark-free waters, wonderful beaches and the most incredibly huge skies, Fraser Island is an absolute must. Only problem is the hordes of backpackers - a problem of the entire east coast...

Avoid the Whitsunday Islands during January and February at all costs. I didn't do my homework and arrived to discover it was monsoon season. I paid a lot of money to go on a three-day tour of the islands on a catamaran and spent three days barfing overboard, due to the seriously averse weather conditions.

I regret not making it to Melbourne, which I've also heard excellent reports of. I hear that Melbourne is more arty and 'indie', whilst Sydney is more 'glitzy'. Not being a huge fan of 'glitz', I can safely say that Sydney knocked me out.
Joanna W

Try the friendly city of Perth (two days is enough), pretty and quiet Busselton, and Margaret River where there's wine tasting and clear beaches. Fly up to Exmouth to experience back-to-the-50s Oz, complete with Tin Hut book shop, roads to nowhere and emus sharing the pavement with you, but where you can snorkel onto the reef straight off the beach. Then fly over to dirty city Sydney and drive down through New South Wales.

Car hire is reasonable, the roads clear and the flies are bloody everywhere - no wonder the beaches are so empty! The only advice I can give is to check distances; it really is a long way from anywhere to anywhere else in the country!
Suzanne Kuyser

If you’re going to Australia in their summer season, do go to Tasmania. I planned a similar trip to you two years ago and I was advised that the Outback would be too hot (over 40 degrees) and to try Tasmania - it was good advice. Tasmania is relatively unspoilt, has few tourists and some parts are very remote and good for wildlife. It’s the undiscovered jewel of Australia.

I flew from Sydney to Devonport (you could get the ferry either from Sydney or Melbourne to Devonport) and hired a car for a week, returning from Hobart. The west and central area of the island is very wild and unspoilt. The Tamar Valley from Launceston is beautiful and has vineyards so you could do some wine tasting. Hobart makes a pleasant place for a couple of nights at the end of the trip. And the roads are pretty quiet.
Tasmania is superb - not to be missed.
David Lloyd

I found Perth to be more accessible than Sydney. Perth itself and Fremantle are compact(ish) and easily manageable with a truly laid-back vibe. The coast is just as good as on the east, if a little less-developed and the deserted interior is that much closer at hand. A trip north up the coast to Shark Bay or Exmouth will give a good flavour of what this vast country is about.

Alternatively going south to Margaret River or Albany has some superb contrasts between coast and forested interior. It's cooler down there too.
It's also an easy trip east to Kalgoorlie, which is a delightful throwback to frontier days - well nearly! The wildlife is fabulous and very accessible, especially if you drive (carefully) at night.
Ian B

I would recommend three stops: the Whitsundays, Sydney and Tasmania. I have replaced Tasmania with your suggestion of the Outback as it's off the tourist path, yet has some spectacular scenery that you will not see anywhere else in Australia. At the start of the year the weather will be perfect, with sunny and dry conditions and temperatures in the late 20s. The water will be warm then too, so there's plenty of opportunity to go diving, surfing, swimming and fishing in the beautiful weather.

Start at Hobart (Australia's second oldest settlement) and experience the local cafes, bars and restaurants on the waterfront (the local food is brilliant). Try T42, Maldini and Retro Cafe. Drive up the east cost past Mariah Island and stay at Meredith House, Swansea for a beautiful B&B with homemade port and cakes, and the biggest home made breakfast known. Spend half a day at Freycinet Peninsula (voted the world’s second best beach) and then drive up into the Bay of Fires. With its brilliant white sands, turquoise beaches and beautiful red rocks, you can find an entire beach to yourself at any time of year.

Drive over the mountains, through the rainforests and vineyards (try 9th Island Vineyards, Bay of Fires winery) and lavender farms to Launceston. Have a picnic and a swim at the spectacular Launceston Gorge and gardens, and then head to Mudd on the waterfront for a five star dinner with local produce and wine. Such a trip will take three to five days and will be relaxing, but also fulfilling, and you see a side of Australia many foreigners don't see. You can also fly out of Launceston to Sydney/Melbourne.
Ebonee

For the best of the city life it’s got to be Sydney. This is a superb cosmopolitan city where one feels safe and the transport around is a breeze. The ferries from Circular Quay were excellent and cheap. Take the River Cat down the Parramatta River into the city, under the harbour bridge and past the Opera House. We also did the bridge climb and it was worth every penny, well organised with superb views. This took almost a whole afternoon had a witty and informative commentary all the way round. We found Bondi to be very busy where everyone seemed to be under the age of twenty - Manly beach was much better and less crowded.

We took a few days break at Eaglereach Wilderness Reserve (about two hours' drive north of Sydney, in the Hunter Valley), which was great for the closeness to wildlife. There's also the vineyards in the Hunter, where you can taste some of the best wines in the world.
Chris Bond