Heading East, where to go?????

Hi Andrew, gee any trip for 4 months with the three littles is going to be a great adventure. Just take it easy and it should be a holiday to enjoy and remember. I take it you are leaving WA in Oct. If so you will be running into hot and rainy weather in Nth Qld. In Tas it can be very wet at this time, particularly the west coast, best time is the Tassie dry season Feb-Mar. That now leaves everything in between northern and southern Aust.
The Great Ocean Rd in Sthn Vic is a must, you could spend 2 weeks between Adelaide/Melb. Any where east Melb in the alps or on the coast is all good value.
In NSW, the whole south coast (very pretty), the sthn alps from Vic to Canberra (via the Barry Way) is real Banjo Patterson country. All of these areas have great National Parks, get a NPWS sticker.
The north coast NSW is more touristy but beautiful also. If you want to stay off the main highways some of the back roads and forest trails are worth a look.
Thats a pretty broad picture. Hope it helps. Also remember you are coming into the main holiday season and a lot of places including National Parks fill up with campers etc.
Good luck and safe travelling.
Cocka

Andrew, It mightn't suit your travel plans, but if you want to hit the Alice etc, do it earlier than later. Because of dry heat round Alice nights can be cool, and pleasant. Days aren't always oppressive, again because of low humidity. Later on towards Christmas, can be a bit much.

If you travelled home from nth Qld, via Alice, need to remember there's a lot of clicks, on red hot bitumen, across Barkly, and down the Stuart Hwys. Mightn't be too bad if there'd been a bit (not a lot) of rain about.

Also how about NSW, QLD coast, with trips up to Great Divide, Blue Mountains, New England, Lamington Nat Park......the list goes on.

Safe travelling. Hooroo...

With the three kids in tow I would be avoiding FNQ at that time (hot, humid, and minimal opportunities to cool off due to crocs and jellyfish), a more suitable time for that would be June/July.

In the east you have got the Victorian High Country, which can be very pleasant from around November, or anywhere near Mansfield. Further east anywhere from Buccan Caves (good for kids) to Jindabyne would be a lovely place to kick up your heels for 4-5 days and do a bit of fishing (WITH PERMITS), bushwalking, etc.

In the west you have got the Ottways which are entertaining driving with plenty of campsites. Further north you could look at Halls Gap which is very picturesque.

One thing that is a must, if you haven't already, the Phillip Island penguin parade. the Kids will LOVE it!

It's not hard, planning and getting it right is half the fun, this stops the trip from becoming a nightmare, it's matter of thinking it through.
Broadly, because of your time constraints, I would try to do most of the Vic / NSW coastal activities on the way up before the Xmas holidays start and then go back on a line which took in the western line of the ranges and western slopes (not the centre), this would allow for easier driving as you only have a month to get home and this would also avoid the coastal traffic which can sometimes be a nightmare at peak times.
Good luck
Cocka

Hi Andrew,

If you're thinking about going across the bottom, why not include the Yorke Peninsular in your itinary. Everyone I know gives it rave reviews. Then you could pop up to the Flinders ranges before heading over to Vic or up towards Broken Hill (this route would be very hot at that time of year).

:o) Melissa

PS: New group you might be interested in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wa_campertrailers

There are some great places at the back of Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road - place called Aire River - bush camping - bit of logging int he area but no problems really - lovely little river to go trout fishing, walking etc. the trip along the coast from Adelaide to Melbourne - takes in some of the best country you will ever see - Victor Harbour - the Coorong(?) - through to Port Fairy - Portland, Warnambool all along there - then head up from Warnambool through the Grampians - maybe along the Murray river across to Echuca - the riverboat town - very historic then amble your way up the Newell going on an off as you feel - go up through Roma, St George - may be even into Carnarvon Gorge in Qld - great spot - up to Emerald in Qld - go fossicking across to the coast from there - the possibilities are endless - come back down the coast roads or even the New England Highway through Glen Innes Tamworth etc - wish I was going now - oh well roll on May - heading the Alice the Darwin - cannot wait!!!!!

September October is rainy season in Melbourne, but about the best time to look at the Centre and northern Australia (dry season).

Go that way and come back along thru Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road East Coast in January...

We done the centre and alice xmas 2001 It is hot, but bugger all people,
After vitoria go straight up to bourke and normanton ( made raods ) over to cairns daintree etc, then townsville for xmas and then head straight over to the Isa and on to the territory, There are some good dirt tracks birdsville, oonadatta. down the centre back to the coast and back over the nullabor. I will see you in the desert we are in the west as well. and are having xmas in vico then off to broken hill innaminka coopers creek and birdsville. if it is not 2 wet i will then go across to alice and the mate back to vitoria. Cooper peddy is hotter than hell and you cant keep cool that time of year. lots of cool cool sleeping pills and you will be Ok the kids should be weary enough to sleep. it is an adventure not to miss out on.Good luck!!