Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start in The Rocks, allowing about 1½ hours to wander its cobbled lanes, sandstone buildings and waterfront. The weekend Rocks Markets are a bonus if they’re running on your visit; otherwise, the neighborhood is still lovely for a quiet morning stroll. From here, follow the harbour-side walkway to Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House—about 15–20 minutes on foot, with plenty of spots to pause for photos.
Admire the Sydney Opera House from outside, or book a guided tour ahead of time; tours run on a changing schedule and depend on availability, so check the official site before building your day around one. Allow 1–2 hours, then walk about 10 minutes to Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Spend roughly 1½ hours among the harbour-facing lawns and paths, heading toward Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for one of the classic views across the water. The gardens are generally open daily and admission is free; bring water and sun protection, especially in summer.
Head back toward Circular Quay for dinner at Midden by Mark Olive, where Indigenous Australian ingredients and cooking take the spotlight alongside harbour views. Budget around A$40–80 per person; check current opening hours and book ahead if you have a particular dinner time in mind. It’s an easy walk from the garden’s harbour-side paths, though allow extra time to return from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.
Leave Sydney early for Canberra; allow 4–5 hours door to door, including a break, so you can reach Acton Peninsula in the early afternoon. At the National Museum of Australia, give yourself about two hours for its galleries on Australian history and culture. General admission is usually free, though special exhibitions may charge; check the museum’s current hours and exhibition details before setting out.
Drive about 10–15 minutes to the National Gallery of Australia in Parkes. Allow 1½–2 hours to browse its Australian and international collections; general entry is usually free, with some exhibitions ticketed. The gallery is typically open daily, but check for current hours and any exhibition bookings. Parking is available nearby, though it can fill up during busy periods.
Head to NewActon for dinner at Rebel Rebel, a short drive from the gallery. Set aside around 1½ hours for its seasonal menu and budget about A$40–80 per person; book ahead and check the menu and opening hours, as both can vary. If you have time before your reservation, take a relaxed walk around NewActon’s public spaces and laneways.
Fly from Canberra to Melbourne; allow roughly 5–6 hours door to door for airport transfers, check-in, the flight and getting into the CBD. A morning service is essential if you want a realistic chance of fitting in the afternoon stops, and the flight schedule needs confirming before you commit. From Melbourne Airport, the SkyBus to Southern Cross Station takes about 30–45 minutes, then a tram or short taxi ride gets you into the city.
Head first to Queen Victoria Market for a browse and a casual bite. It’s usually open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and weekends, but hours vary and it closes by late afternoon; check the day’s hours before planning around it. If your flight arrival leaves too little time, don’t count on squeezing in a proper visit—an extra night in Melbourne is the sensible fix. Then walk about 15 minutes, or take a short tram ride, to State Library Victoria. Allow an hour for the grand La Trobe Reading Room and exhibitions; opening hours vary by day, so check ahead.
Finish at Chin Chin on Flinders Lane for modern Southeast Asian dishes; budget about A$35–70 per person, and expect a lively, busy room. It’s an easy walk from the library. If the flight runs late or you add the extra night, keep dinner flexible rather than trying to rush through the city’s stops.
Set off from Melbourne at first light for the Great Ocean Road; allow a full 8–10 hours to reach Warrnambool with the planned stops, and longer if traffic or roadworks slow you down. Keep the drive unhurried, take breaks, and check road conditions before leaving. At Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch in Eastern View, pull into the signed car park for a quick photo and a look at the memorial—about 20 minutes is plenty. Continue to Lorne for coffee and a short stroll along the foreshore; allow around an hour, and keep an eye on the clock so the afternoon stop doesn’t feel rushed.
From Lorne, continue west to Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park. The drive takes a few hours, so plan for a late-afternoon arrival rather than assuming you’ll have time for extra stops. Allow 1–1½ hours for the viewing platforms and parking; the car park can be busy, and daylight and weather affect how long you’ll want to stay. Then drive on to Warrnambool. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is a worthwhile waterfront visit if you arrive during its opening hours and have 1–1½ hours to spare; check the current hours and admission before setting out. Given the long route, it may be closed by the time you arrive, so treat it as a bonus rather than a sure thing.
Have dinner at Pavilion Café & Bar near the Warrnambool foreshore; budget about A$25–50 per person and check current service hours, especially after a late arrival. If you’re running behind, prioritize a relaxed meal over trying to squeeze in the maritime village—this is a substantial driving day, and you’ll appreciate an early night.
Leave Warrnambool in the morning for Adelaide via the Princes Highway. The drive takes roughly 6–7 hours without long stops, so allow most of the day door to door; plan a proper break and don’t try to make up time on country roads. Confirm your rental allows a cross-state drop-off and check for a one-way fee. In Adelaide, park near the CBD or drop the car before exploring on foot.
If your arrival lines up with its trading hours, spend about an hour at Adelaide Central Market for a snack and a first taste of the city’s food scene. The market’s usual trading days are Tuesday to Saturday, but hours vary by day and can change around public holidays, so check before setting out; if it’s closed when you arrive, keep this stop brief rather than counting on stalls being open.
Walk from the market towards Rundle Mall for a relaxed 45-minute leg stretch among the shops and public sculptures; it’s an easy browse, though individual stores begin closing in the early evening. Then continue east to Africola for dinner—book ahead if you can, and allow around 1½ hours. Expect boldly spiced South African-inspired dishes and roughly A$40–80 per person, before drinks.
Allow most of the day for the flight, airport formalities and getting to your accommodation at Ayers Rock Resort; arrange the airport transfer in advance and check your arrival time before committing to evening plans. If you arrive with enough time, head to Wintjiri Wiru for its outdoor cultural storytelling experience, about 1½ hours. It operates on selected evenings and requires a confirmed booking, so check the schedule and ticket price with the resort before you travel; don’t assume a same-day place will be available.
After the show, settle in for dinner at Ilkari Restaurant in Sails in the Desert. Allow around 1½ hours and budget about A$50–100 per person; check current opening times and reserve ahead, especially if your show booking makes dinner timing tight. If you still have energy, finish with a 30–45-minute orientation stroll around Ayers Rock Resort Town Square. It’s an easy way to get your bearings and spot useful services, though by then it will be dark, so save any longer walk for daylight.
Allow most of the day to fly from Yulara to Darwin, including airport transfers, check-in and any connection. Check the full flight itinerary before making evening plans: a late arrival could mean missing the market and rushing dinner. If you land with time to spare, take a taxi or rideshare to Mindil Beach and allow 1½–2 hours to stroll the foreshore and browse the stalls if they’re operating. One important seasonal catch: the market generally runs during the dry season and is usually closed in December, so confirm its calendar rather than counting on it.
From Mindil Beach, take a taxi or rideshare to the Darwin Waterfront Precinct for an easy hour-long wander around the lagoon and boardwalk; allow roughly 10–15 minutes by car, depending on traffic. If you’re keen for a swim, check the lagoon’s hours and conditions on arrival. Finish at Chow! A Taste of South East Asia nearby for dinner—budget around A$25–50 per person and check current opening hours and book ahead if you’re arriving during a busy period. If your flight runs late, skip trying to fit in every stop and head straight to dinner.
Allow most of the day to get from Darwin to Cairns, including airport access, check-in, any connection and the transfer into town. Flight schedules vary, so confirm the itinerary before counting on an afternoon arrival. If you reach the city with daylight to spare, head to the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon for a relaxed hour by the waterfront; it’s free, but check the lagoon’s current opening hours before setting off.
From the lagoon, stroll along the Esplanade to the Cairns Night Markets for a browse and an easy dinner if they’re operating that evening; hours can vary, so check ahead. Then walk roughly 10 minutes north along the waterfront to Salt House at the marina for a slower meal by the water. Budget about A$30–60 per person, and book ahead if you have a particular evening in mind. If your flight arrives late, don’t try to squeeze in every stop—check the markets’ hours and make dinner the priority.
This is an exceptionally compressed route: the long drives and cross-country flights leave little practical time for sightseeing on several days. For a more comfortable pace, add overnight stops—especially between Warrnambool and Adelaide—and extra nights around Uluru and the flight legs.
The Cairns–Perth flight takes about five hours nonstop when a suitable service operates; otherwise, a connection can make this a most-of-the-day trip door to door. Check the full itinerary before counting on sightseeing, and allow time to collect your bags and get into Perth. If you arrive with daylight left, head to Kings Park and Botanic Garden for an easy 1–1½-hour wander among Western Australian plants and sweeping city views. The park is free to enter; check closing times for the gardens on your travel day. A taxi or rideshare from the city is straightforward, or take a bus toward the park and walk the final stretch.
From Kings Park, return to the CBD for a roughly 45-minute stroll around Elizabeth Quay—the waterfront bridges and river views are especially lovely as the light fades. Then finish at Wildflower, in the city, for a seasonal Western Australian dinner; budget about A$60–120 per person before drinks. Book ahead and check the restaurant’s current opening days and service hours, as both can vary. If your flight arrives late, keep the evening flexible: the park visit is the easiest stop to drop rather than rushing dinner.
No packing list attached yet.