15

Thanks for the straightforward replies from many folks here--I've been thinking about what you've pointed out seriously today. I've lurked around the Thorn Tree for, well, as long as there has been a Thorn Tree and in all of that time, I've still not developed patience for the nonstraightforward/snarky replies that sometimes happen here--sorry if I came across as a snarkfest to people who were actually trying to help. I just don't have bandwidth for the Too Cool For School, everyone-is-an-idiot replies. The helpful replies, I love, so thanks.

At any rate, you're right, just because you can drive 12 hours doesn't mean you should. At this point, I'm starting to think about the options. Here's what I'm thinking now:

Fly into Cairns, pick up caravan/campervan/whatever suits, do some snorkeling, and stock up for the road.
Drive from Cairns to Darwin (a couple of overnights on this route)--spend several days there seeing Litchfield/Kakadu, etc.
Drive from Darwin to Uluru via Alice Springs (again a couple of overnights along this route)
Leave campervan in Uluru or Alice Springs after seeing both locations and fly to Melbourne.
Pick up new campervan in Melbourne and drive out to the Great Ocean Road/Otway Range.
Drive back to Melbourne and onward to Sydney via Blue Mountains.
Leave campervan in Sydney, fly to Cairns for return flight.

I'm debating leaving out the Melbourne leg and just flying straight to Sydney, getting a campervan there and spending the remaining time in the mountains or along the coast until it's time to fly back to Cairns for our return flight.

16

I reckon if you drop out the Sydney OR Melbourne leg it's getting close. A full day to look around Melbourne and 2 full days to do the GOR is a bare minimum. And then you've got the time in transit and picking up and returning the campervan.

In Sydney you could spend close on half a day picking up the vehicle and getting to the outskirts of the city - not quite as bad for Melbourne.

To emphasize the distances (and nothingness) in the outback. Some acquaintances from Poland took a hire car from Alice Springs to Darwin. They set the sat nav thingy to their address in Darwin and then it said "proceed fifteen hundred kilometers and then turn left"!

17

Fly into Cairns, pick up caravan/campervan/whatever suits, do some snorkeling, and stock up for the road.

I'd suggest Fitzroy Island & Port Douglas for the Quicksilver boat to the outer reef at Argincourt

Drive from Cairns to Darwin (a couple of overnights on this route)--spend several days there seeing Litchfield/Kakadu, etc.

RACQ quote: Total distance:2844.53km Time:about 26 hrs 52 min

http://www.racq.com.au/travel/drive_travel/trip_planner

Then from Darwin to Cooinda/ Jabiru: Total distance:254.66km Time:about 2 hrs 14 min

http://wikitravel.org/en/Kakadu_National_Park#By_car

I would definitely stop in Mt Isa. The Rodeo is August 10-12 but the Riversleigh Fossils Centre & the Mines are other alternatives to see.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Mount_Isa#See

Drive from Darwin to Uluru via Alice Springs (again a couple of overnights along this route)

Katherine, Devils Marbles, & Alice Springs are suggested stops

Leave campervan in Uluru or Alice Springs after seeing both locations and fly to Melbourne.

Alice Springs would be better, as there are no Virgin Flights to Melbourne, only Sydney.

Pick up new campervan in Melbourne and drive out to the Great Ocean Road/Otway Range.

The section from Torquay in the east to Port Campbell / Peterborough in the west is the highlight. It could be done with a smaller hire car, as the roads twist & turn all over the place until you get past the Otway Ranges. The 17 mile drive / Carmel Monterrey Road in California is similar, but much shorter.

Drive back to Melbourne and onward to Sydney via Blue Mountains.

I would get the new campervan then. Rather than the boring Hume Hwy, consider the Princes Hwy. Its possible to go from the Princes Hwy & into Katoomba then Sydney. Others can give more detailed info on that or search the forums. eg Fitzroy Falls, Jervis Bay

Leave campervan in Sydney, fly to Cairns for return flight.

Straightforward. No snags foreseen there.

18

I am wondering if it might be better to leave the campervan in Alice Springs, get a bus to Uluru, fly to Sydney with Virgin, new campervan Sydney / Katoomba to Melbourne, & then fly Melbourne to Cairns?

19

Without knowing precisely where you are flying from, consider an alternate entry and exit point than Cairns. It does have international connections, but not to/from as many places direct. You often end up flying from Brisbane or Sydney on a code-share domestic flight.

Open-jaw flights are a godsend. If you can fly in to Brisbane/Cairns and out of Sydney or Melbourne, it will save you some backtracking.

20

Good point. Flying direct Melbourne to USA makes more sense & saves backtracking.

21

Fly into Cairns, pick up caravan/campervan/whatever suits, do some snorkeling, and stock up for the road.
Drive from Cairns to Darwin (a couple of overnights on this route)--spend several days there seeing Litchfield/Kakadu, etc.
Drive from Darwin to Uluru via Alice Springs (again a couple of overnights along this route)

if you intend to drive from Cairns to Darwin then there is really no point driving again from Darwin to Alice Springs. Except for the Devil's Marbles it's the same road and it is really hard for people that have not seen the road to appreciate that there is NOTHING THERE!! If you can catch the Ghan or even fly from Darwin to Alice and then do a bus tour or something out to Uluru you'll be better off time-wise. Actually, going by how fast you intend to drive through that region i would probably fly direct from Cairns to Darwin and then hire something from there and just do Darwin, Kakadu, Litchfield, Katherine. If you rushed you could probably see those areas in a week.

Leave campervan in Uluru or Alice Springs after seeing both locations and fly to Melbourne.
Pick up new campervan in Melbourne and drive out to the Great Ocean Road/Otway Range.
Drive back to Melbourne and onward to Sydney via Blue Mountains.
Leave campervan in Sydney, fly to Cairns for return flight.

As someone that has travelled that trip that you are mentioning (with a caravan) and has also done similar whistle-stop travels in Europe etc it's a completely different situation. i think you can see the areas that you want to see if you forget the campervan idea and fly between them. Once you try to drive it i honestly honestly think you will regret it.