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Cheaper Excursions in Australia


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I will be cruising from Sydney to Singapore on Norwegian Jewel departing Sydney on 20th February 2018. Australian ports of call are as follows: Newcastle, Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin. I am in my mid 50s and I'll be travelling with my 16 year old grandson. I wonder if anyone knows of cheaper independent excursion options. All advice will be welcome especially recommendations and 'must sees'. Thanks

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It's possible to do self-guided touring in Australia, but what to do depends on your interests and what the hours are in each of the ports.

 

The "must do's" for either Airlie Beach and/or Cairns would be a Great Barrier Reef snorkeling tour. Unfortunately, the ships generally arrive too late in port or depart too early for you to arrange for your own GBR snorkel trip. (For example, the GBR tours out of Cairns generally leave around 8:00 - 8:30 am and don't return until 4:00 pm.) You may have to do a ship's excursion for this activity, but you MUST do it.

 

If you do the snorkeling tour in Airlie Beach, you could do a trip to the rainforest when you are in Cairns, depending on the hours you are in port. Billy Tea Safaris offer day trips to Daintree and they get good reviews on Trip Advisor. If you want to do something on your own, you could take the Skyrail up to Kuranda and back. Don't do the train/Skyrail combo to Kuranda as the train ride is a bit of a snooze. Your grandson will likely be bored by the train, but the Skyrail is a cool ride!

 

At other times of the year, I would recommend a trip to Litchfield National Park for the time you are in Darwin. However, you will be there in the midst of The Wet, so you don't want to be going there, especially on your own. A lot of tour companies close down or offer only limited tours in The Wet. You may have to take a ship's excursion or just to go one of the museums in town if you want to go on your own. Your grandson may find the Fannie Bay Gaol an interesting place to visit. Or if he likes aviation, the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre would be a great choice. And the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is excellent--my kids liked it.

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Newcastle, Great surf beaches, many people love a visit to the Maratime museum or Fort Scratchley

 

 

Brisbane, lots of city stuff to see or a visit to Lone Pine to see some Roos and koalas

 

 

Airlie Beach, Great Barrier Reef tour with snorkelling

 

 

Darwin Crocodile farm not far from the Dock

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