Australia Private Tour and Charter: Sydney, the Reef and the Outback

Australia is continental, not national. Sydney and Melbourne are an hour apart by air and a day apart by road; the Reef is a flight north; the west coast is another country in spirit. A private tour works here because the transfers are long and the good stops are between the airports, not at them.

包車 — charter, car and driver

A charter suits the days around a city: the Blue Mountains from Sydney, the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne, the Hunter or Barossa wine valleys, and the coastal roads where the stops are the reason you came. It also solves the rental car problem — long distances, unfamiliar roundabouts and wildlife on the road at dusk.

包團 — private tour, the route planned too

A private tour adds hotels, internal flights and the timing that makes a two-week Australia trip possible: three nights Sydney, four on the road to Melbourne, a flight to Cairns for the Reef, then home. Without planning, most first trips spend too long in one city and miss the coast.

Routes that work

• 7 days east coast: Sydney with the Blue Mountains, then Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road.
• 10 days: add Cairns and the Reef, or Tasmania for four nights.
• 10 days west: Perth, the Margaret River and the Coral Coast north toward Exmouth.

Getting around

Sydney to Melbourne is about nine hours by road, or an hour and a half by air. Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles is roughly four hours on the Great Ocean Road. Cairns to Port Douglas is about an hour by road. Perth to Margaret River is about three hours.

When to come

September to November and March to May are the sweet spots in the south; the north (Cairns, Darwin) is best in the dry season from May to October. December and January are hot, busy and expensive on the coast.

Frequently asked questions

Is a car needed in Sydney?

No, but it is the easiest way to reach the Blue Mountains and the wine valleys in a day without a coach schedule.

How long for the Great Ocean Road?

Two days is right: one to drive it properly, one to come back inland. A single day means six hours in the car and twenty minutes at each stop.

Can we do the Reef from Cairns?

Yes — the outer reef platforms leave from Cairns and Port Douglas. We arrange the transfer and the boat, and keep the day after free because the diving takes it out of you.

Do you cover Western Australia?

Yes, including Perth, Margaret River and the Coral Coast. Distances there are large, so it is best planned as a single loop rather than day trips.

What about the wildlife on the road?

It is a real hazard at dawn and dusk, and one of the better arguments for a driver who does those roads daily.