Planning a trip to Europe for 4.5 months Dec-April 07/08

Also forgot to mention if I start in UK (under an Australian passport, although a citizen of UK), I will have to leave Europe within 3 months, as my flight will depart from London? Even if I finish in Barcelona, it will fly to Heathrow and depart from there?

Maybe it is just easier applying for a British passport straight away

I personally would recommend getting a UK passport if possible, this would save worry, you would also then be able to work in most of these contries without getting a visa (especially useful in the UK and the pound is so strong to the Aus$ and the euro).
With regards to where you leave, flights around europe (even at the last minute) are fairly cheap, or you can catch ferries to the UK from Spain, France and Holland pretty easily although I'm not sure about cost.
You mention at the start your a bit shy, so was I until I went traveling as a solo girl in Europe, it was the best thing I ever did!
Have a great time

Op re #8: None of the Schengen states would care whereever you are born - they ONLY look at the frontpage/outside of your passport -if it says Australia, then you are Australian - and the 90 days in side Schengen will apply for you.
If you enter Schengen in the Airport of Rome or through the chunnel to France or on a ferry to Belgium will not matter the least, unless one of these alternatives will make it possible for you to limit your Schengen stay to 90 days. Same for from where you leave. The situation with the countries that start implementing the Schengen rules while you are in Europe does complicate it a bit. The days in EEurope before they start the Schengen rules (i.e. in early Decenber) may/will probably not count as Schengen stay. But since you seems to be able to get a passport froman EU county, then do that and you can forget thinking on counting to 90!

Re # 13 - unless I am completely mistaken you won't need a visa to any of the countries on the list travelling on an Australian passport (or the UK one) - cannot fugure out which it should be. At least you won't need a visa when all but UK and Switzerland are Schengen members from December.

#14- U mean, Uk and Switzerland is now included in the free passport zone on Schengen countries coming on December? I tried to google all the info related to this one, but I cant find one, even to the schengen website..THIS IS good news .....any link to confirm?

WHen travelling in winter, don't plan too far ahead: If the weather gets really bad somewhere for weeks, it is great to be able to take a long distance bus and go somewhere else. It can soemtimes be really unpredictable

And don't book ahead till you're reeeaaally ready to move on. You won't be back.
And you can't capture a moment or road friend again. We all learn from each other. It takes wonderful time.

#15 - UK and Switerland are NOT in the Schengen zone. No palns for the UK to join, Switzerland maybe/probably soon.
The rest of the countries om OPs list will be in Schengen from Dec - if they arn't allready.
You should be aware of the difference:
A passport form an EU country entitles you to live and stay in any EU country as long as you work there - or have funds (simplifed, but more or less). The only part of Scehengen you see is the lack of 100% passport control between the Schengen countries.
Non-EU passport holder should forget about EU )in this respect), but realize the 90/180 days rule for the active Schengen countries. And norte that this rule applies to both those that have to get a specific Schengen visa before leaving home and to those that do not need a visa for visiting the Schengen area.
EU is different from Schengen which is different from the €-countries.
And you although these areas are different - they ARE deeply connected.
#15 you are from Belgium and must know all this by heart - most of the remarks above are in order to - once again - enlighten the those general non-european potential visitors (not thinking on the OP of this thread), that seems to have so big difficulties in getting this -and who unfortunately does not seem to check the rules before planning unrealistic trips.

BTW - the Schengen area is NOT a passport-free zone - ppl. from many Schengen countries must carry their passports when travelling in Schengen as they do not have a national ID-card with photo. Schengen is a "no passport check AT THE BORDER" zone.

Ok I just figured that it is possible that I may not be able to get the right documentation and attain a British passport in time, being only 5 weeks away! For the sake of counding totally naiive like many non-European visitors do, how does one attain a Schengen Visa> I assume upon arrival as is free to Australian residents for the 90/180day rule?

So if I divide it like this starting Britiain, I should be ok? This is only a very rough example:

UK: 10 days
Belgium: 3 days (Schengen)
Netherlands: 7 days (Schengen)
Denmark: 5 days (Schengen)
Sweden: 5 days (Schengen)
Germany: 10 days (Schengen)
Poland: 7 days
Czech: 5 days
Hungary: 5 days
Austria: 5 days (Schengen)
Italy: 10 days (Schengen)
Switzerland: 7 Days
France 10 days (Schengen)
Spain: 15 days (Schengen)
UK depart: 1 day

There are total 9 Schengen Countries, 75 days (total), allow an additional day travel between each, then 84 days. Non-Schengen countries, 34 days, total 118 days. Then I may have a few days to do say Slovenia or Romania/Bulgaria - Isnt Romania and Bulgaria joining soon?

The only other problem upon entry from the UK, my flight waill say return airfare to Melbourne mid-April from the UK. This means cusoms will think I am overstaying my tourist visa in the UK. Then will I have to book some cheapy from Uk-France before I leave? This should be OK? In which case later on in the trip, I will book my return to Melbourne from London?? If anyone knows thr answer to this, I'd be eternally greatful! :)

Rather should I say book some cheap flight to Belgium (not France) so British authorities know I am leaving. Then later in the trip, book my 1 way back from London to Melbourne

You do not need a Schengen visa, being Australian - you pass the Schengen border like passing any other border -show your passport, the officer swipes it through the OCR reader (he should at least) - and off you go - but the 90/1800days rule still applies to you.

You cannot - by any probability - obtain a "real visa" that could entitle you to a longer stay. And def. not in 5 weeks.
You have, it seems 2 probelms: UK and Schengen
For the UK a booking of a travel out of UK after a short period (as you mention) will probably be all you need - but the UK immigration is notoriously unpredictable - esp. for young people.
Your Schengen probelm is worse than you think: When entering Belgium your passport is scanned and the computer (the "Schengen Information System) register you as having entered Schengen. Since ALL the countries you will be visiting afterwards (minus Switzerland) are Schengen countries from late December (Poland maybe from October 28th!!) your passport will not be registred as having left Schengen at all until reaching Switzerland.
When entering Switserland MAKE SURE that the passport control in ITALY (probably you have to look for the passport control!) - register you as having left Schengen! (if not possible - keep hostel bills!). If you a lucky your passport will NOT be scanned traveling from Switzerland into France.
The day you leave Spain for travelling to UK you MAY be in trouble (or at any contact with authorities during the last days in Spain, when you have passed the 90 days limit).

PROBABLY nothis will happen - no reaction at all - MAYBE you will be told that you have overstayed "don't do that again, the computer now remebers that",
- there is a small risk that you will be interrogated for some hours (make sure to go to the airport early - and that it isn't a cathastrophy is you miss your flight to the UK! - i.e. there must the sufficient time (days) in the UK before the plane to Australia leaves, and you must havemoney to buy a full fare ticket oin another plane!). If your Swiss stay isn't registred you can try to come with "but I was in Switzerland for VERY long - show some bills etc.
- and finally there IS (a VERY, VERY small) risk, that you will be detained - and get a "not allowed to enter Schengen for xx years" stamp in the passport. In addition the those direct probelm it may caurse you in the future - and in ajob(?!) - it also wil lattract a lot of interest oth by the UK immigration later on that day and even by the passport control at home!
But for an Australian - not havng caused any trouble, the risk IS extremely small.
Another thing is that your travel insurance probably won't coveranything when you have reached the "illegal" period.