Self-driving Tour in Australia: Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast, Cairns, and More (Part 2)

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Melbourne - Cityscape

Melbourne - Federation Square

Melbourne - Yarra Valley - Vineyard

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Twelve Apostles

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Loch Ard Gorge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay - Bells Beach

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Loch Ard Gorge

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin

Sydney - Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney - Sydney Opera House

Sydney - Cityscape

Gold Coast - Coolangatta Beach

Gold Coast - Surfer's Paradise Beach

Gold Coast - Suburban Scenery

Brisbane - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - Koala

Cairns - Port Douglas

Australia boasts world-renowned attractions such as the Sydney Opera House, the Great Ocean Road, and the Great Barrier Reef, along with unique flora, fauna, and natural landscapes. Its abundant tourism resources make it a popular overseas destination for Chinese travelers.

May is autumn in Australia. In this pleasant season of golden autumn, we were fortunate to visit this picturesque country, embarking on a 16-day free-and-easy trip with a rental car self-drive tour, covering over 2,400 kilometers.

Along the way, we visited many scenic spots in Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Canberra, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and the Great Barrier Reef. The delicious food and beautiful sights along the journey truly satisfied our taste and eyes. The local customs and cultures of this foreign land were unforgettable, and everything left us with wonderful memories.

Sydney - Cityscape

Melbourne - Yarra Valley - Vineyard

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - London Bridge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Loch Ard Gorge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Twelve Apostles

Canberra - Suburban Scenery

Sydney - Sydney Opera House

Sydney - Queen Victoria Building

Gold Coast - Coolangatta Beach

Gold Coast - Surfer's Paradise Beach

Gold Coast - Suburban Scenery

The detailed itinerary is as follows:

D1 (May 1) Christchurch - Melbourne

Qantas flight QF204 20:30-22:15 from Christchurch, New Zealand to Melbourne (direct, about 4 hours including time difference)

Accommodation: Oaks on William Melbourne - Studio (35 sqm), paid parking, paid WiFi

D2 (May 2) Melbourne

Visit: Victoria Arts Center - not only the most striking building in the city but also the best place for opera, ballet, symphony, fine art, and installation art; Yarra River - Melbourne's mother river; Federation Square - the most iconic building in Melbourne and a microcosm of Melbourne's art, with profound connotations hidden beneath its grand exterior; St Paul's Cathedral - a representative work of Australian Gothic architecture; Carlton Garden - a World Heritage site; Royal Exhibition Building - a World Heritage site; Fitzroy Gardens - filled with tall elm trees, covered with yellow fallen leaves on the paths and lawns in autumn, full of poetry; Cook's Cottage; The Block Arcade - a renowned local building and one of the best-preserved 19th-century shopping arcades; strolling through Melbourne's streets

D3 (May 3) Melbourne

Visit: Yarra Valley - located about 40 km northeast of Melbourne, famous for its wineries, a green kingdom with winding valleys and orderly arranged grapevines, like a fairy tale world away from the hustle and bustle; leisurely wandering in the Melbourne suburbs, visiting friends and relatives

Car rental procedures (Hertz rental car company)

Melbourne - Victoria Arts Center

Melbourne - Federation Square

Melbourne - Yarra River

Melbourne - Cityscape

Melbourne - Flinders Street Station

Melbourne - The Block Arcade

Melbourne - St Paul's Cathedral

Melbourne - Carlton Garden - Royal Exhibition Building

Melbourne - Fitzroy Gardens

Melbourne - Fitzroy Gardens - Cook's Cottage

Melbourne - Yarra Valley - Vineyard

D4 (May 4) Melbourne - Apollo Bay (190 km)

Visit: Great Ocean Road - a winding coastal highway nearly 300 km long, officially opened as an Australian national park in the early 1980s, Australia's most famous self-driving route and one of the world's best tourist destinations, with tranquil beaches, lush rainforests, magnificent waterfalls, and the world-famous "Twelve Apostles"; exploring it offers a perfect visual feast; Split Point Lighthouse Tours; Eagle Rock; Great Ocean Road entrance; Apollo Bay - located in the middle section of the Great Ocean Road, offering excellent views of the vast bay

Accommodation: Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn - Two-bedroom Apartment (50 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

D5 (May 5) Apollo Bay - Port Campbell (90 km)

Visit (Day 2 of Great Ocean Road): Great Otway National Park; Cape Otway Lightstation - eucalyptus forests along the road with many cute wild koalas; Gibson Steps; Twelve Apostles - the most representative attraction on the Great Ocean Road, sedimentary rocks forming 12 uniquely shaped independent rocks that look like human facial profiles from a distance, a masterpiece of nature; Loch Ard Gorge; The Arch; London Bridge - not a real bridge but a natural sea-eroded cliff formation, with huge waves passing underneath sculpting a giant arch-like hole, a spectacular sight

Accommodation: Southern Ocean Villas - Deluxe Villa (99 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

D6 (May 6) Port Campbell - Canberra (880 km)

Visit: Scenery along the way

Accommodation: BreakFree Capital Tower Apartments - Two-bedroom Lake View Apartment (109 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Entrance

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay - Eagle Rock

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay - Split Point Lighthouse

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Gibson Steps

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - London Bridge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Loch Ard Gorge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - London Bridge

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Port Campbell National Park - Twelve Apostles

Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Great Otway National Park - Wild Koala

D7 (May 7) Canberra - Sydney (290 km)

Visit: Parliament House - a world-renowned building; Lake Burley Griffin - located between Capital Hill and Parliament House, a symbol of Australia's capital Canberra

Accommodation: Meriton Serviced Apartments Zetland - Two-bedroom Apartment (82 sqm), paid parking, free WiFi

D8 (May 8) Sydney

Visit: Sydney Harbour Bridge - an iconic building of early Sydney, known as the world's largest single-span arch bridge; Mrs Macquarie's Chair - a must-visit spot for tourists in Australia, the best place to view the Sydney Opera House; Sydney Opera House - not only the殿堂 of Sydney's art and culture but also the soul of Sydney, recognized as one of the 20th century's top ten wonders of the world, this white building exudes breathtaking beauty against the blue sky and sea; Martin Place; Queen Victoria Building - Sydney's largest shopping center, where on the second floor you can appreciate unique historical artifacts such as the Royal Clock; Pitt Street Mall; Hyde Park; St Mary's Cathedral - located east of the musical fountain in Hyde Park, a magnificent Gothic Revival church; Royal Botanic Gardens - with a stunning variety of plants from around the world, also a great place to view the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge; watching a symphony concert at the Sydney Opera House concert hall

D9 (May 9) Sydney

Visit: Darling Harbour - composed of port docks, green spaces, flowing water, and various building complexes, Sydney's most vibrant tourism and shopping center; Sydney Fish Market - Sydney's largest fish market, selling a variety of freshly caught seafood

Canberra - Parliament House

Canberra - Suburban Scenery

Sydney - Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney - Sydney Opera House

Sydney - Cityscape

Sydney - St Mary's Cathedral

Queen Victoria Building

Sydney - Fitzroy Gardens - Conservatorium of Music (or greenhouse? Original says 温室植物园, likely conservatory or greenhouse)

Sydney - Cityscape - Night View

D10 (May 10) Sydney - Grafton (640 km)

Visit: Scenery along the way

Accommodation: Clarence River Bed & Breakfast - Three-bedroom Cottage (approx. 120 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

D11 (May 11) Grafton - Gold Coast (250 km)

Visit: Surfer's Paradise Beach - almost as famous as the Gold Coast itself, a must-visit for tourists, with endless golden beaches and excellent surfing conditions, combined with luxurious apartments and shops along the coast, forming a perfect paradise; strolling through the city streets

Accommodation: Meriton Serviced Apartments Broadbeach - Sea View Two-bedroom Apartment (99 sqm), paid parking, paid WiFi

D12 (May 12) Gold Coast - Brisbane (85 km)

Visit: Coolangatta Beach - charming beach, clear surfing waters, and bustling shopping area make it an ideal travel destination; Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - the only place in Australia where you can hold a koala, and the largest koala sanctuary in the world

Accommodation: The Summit Apartments Brisbane - Two-bedroom Apartment (75 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

Grafton - Bed & Breakfast

Grafton - Scenery along the way

Gold Coast - Scenery along the way

Gold Coast - Coolangatta Beach

Gold Coast - Surfer's Paradise Beach

Gold Coast - Suburban Scenery

Brisbane - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - Koala

Brisbane - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Brisbane - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - Kangaroo

D13 (May 13) Brisbane - Cairns

Visit: South Bank Parklands - site of the 1988 World Expo in Australia, later transformed into a waterfront park

Car return procedures

Virgin Australia flight VA791 16:50-19:20 from Brisbane to Cairns (approx. 2.5 hours)

After arriving in Cairns, complete car rental procedures again

Accommodation: Mantra Esplanade - City View Two-bedroom Apartment (95 sqm), free parking, free WiFi

D14 (May 14) Cairns

Visit: Port Douglas - a place combining ocean, tropical rainforest, and desert, with picturesque scenery and a serene environment, attracting many travelers with its unique charm; shopping

D15 (May 15) Cairns - Great Barrier Reef

Visit: Great Barrier Reef - one of the seven natural wonders of the world, a World Heritage site, the world's largest and longest coral reef system, stretching along the northeast coast of Australia, a natural landscape Australians are most proud of, also known as the "transparent clear sea wild kingdom"; outer reef day trip: Moore Reef, snorkeling, underwater walking

D16 (May 16) Cairns - Hong Kong - Shenzhen - Shantou

Visit: Leisurely wandering in Cairns

Car return procedures

Cathay Pacific flight CX146 12:45-17:55 from Cairns to Hong Kong (direct, approx. 7 hours including time difference)

Hong Kong - Shenzhen - Shantou

Brisbane - South Bank Parklands

Cairns - Port Douglas

Cairns - Kuranda

Cairns - Great Barrier Reef - Moore Reef

Cairns - Great Barrier Reef - Moore Reef - Snorkeling

Cairns - Great Barrier Reef - Moore Reef - Briefing on Underwater Walking

Cairns - Great Barrier Reef - Moore Reef - Underwater Walking