When it is summer in the USA, it is winter – the BEST time to visit the outback.  What a wonderful opportunity, to let your children gain first-hand knowledge of nature and culture in a safe, fun way!  The Great Barrier Reef, wildlife spotting in a tropical rainforest, on safari seeing koalas and kangaroos in the wild, camping in remote Aboriginal lands, seeing the world’s oldest rock art – these are just a few of the experiences you can have together.  Here are some winter (June-August) itineraries taken by families recently:

Inside the Outback – 27 days

This family  - parents and two teenage boys - wanted to spend enough time in cities to see urban life, but wanted to concentrate on the outback.  In Sydney they stayed in an inexpensive old pub hotel while exploring on their own, then flew to Cairns.  They took a nighttime animal spotting tour that was a highlight of their trip because of the professionalism of the guide.  Then they spent 4 nights on Dunk Island, where they enjoyed trips to the Reef and the islands’ many free activities.  After a Daintree rainforest trip, they flew to Alice Springs and stayed in a family room at a backpacker lodge – economizing on accommodation but then enjoying a guided tour via King’s Canyon to Ayer’s Rock.  Then off to Adelaide, which was their favorite city because of its small, accessible size.  They had a 2 day tour of Kangaroo Island, then rented a car and drove to the Flinders Ranges for an adventure on their own.  Two nights at the nature resort of Wilpena Pound, then off to Arkaroola, a wilderness retreat.  They then stayed in swags at the Aboriginal camp, Iga Warta, where they had bush tucker walks, a night around the campfire hearing the Dreamtime stories, and a special tour to see the Aboriginal rock engravings.  They ended their trip back in Sydney before going home. 

Camping, Wildlife and Sports  -- 24 days

This family group needed to visit Perth to cheer on a relative who was playing in a major sports tournament.  The parents, an aunt and 2 children enjoyed a trip planned around the Perth events.  After the first day relaxing at a beach suburb of Adelaide, they went to  Kangaroo Island for a 2 day/2 night tour.  After flying to Ayer’s Rock, they had a small group tour to Ayer’s Rock and Kings Canyon via the outback roads, and ended in Alice Springs in time for a flight to Darwin.  After some time relaxing in Darwin, they headed off to a fantastic camping trip in Arnhemland, where the family viewed the rock art and incredible wildlife of that region.  Their tented bush camp offered swimming in a billabong, and barramundi fishing. 

After going to Perth to see the sports events, they flew to Cairns to see the Great Barrier Reef, and have a naturalist-guided trip to the Daintree.  A night in Melbourne ended this whirlwind tour. 

Educational Australia - 25 days

The parents took their 2 boys out of school for six months of travel in the South Pacific.  We planned their 25 day visit to Australia, where they wanted to see the outback in an educational way.  After 2 days at Sydney’s luxurious Park Hyatt hotel, they flew to Brisbane for a night before going on to the Great Barrier Reef.  Heron Island was selected because of the marine biologists on staff, who cater to children.  Then they headed to Darwin, where they took a private safari into Arnhemland visiting the wetlands and Aboriginal rock art sites.  Off then to Alice Springs for a private tour to Kings Canyon and Ayer’s Rock – camping in the outback this time, sleeping in swags under the stars.  In Adelaide, their hotel was an old fire station!   After a 2 day/2night trip to Kangaroo Island they returned to Adelaide, rented a car and began a tour through the southern regions, stopping the first evening in the quaint fishing village of Robe.  Then they drove to a sheep station in the Grampian Mountains, where the family could participate in farming chores.  They visited the sites along the Great Ocean Road before arriving in Melbourne.

A Short Trip: City, Train and Outback - 13 days

This family of parents and two children started in Sydney, where they stayed in a top hotel.   They all 4 climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge and had a guided tour of the Opera House.  They had a 2 day/2nighttour of Kangaroo Island after flying to Adelaide, and then visited a sheep station in the outback north of Adelaide.  Then they took the Ghan train from Adelaide to Alice Springs.  The following day they an Aboriginal cultural tour in the central deserts, before flying to Cairns where they checked into a luxury resort.  Using that as their base, they visited the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest with a naturalist guide. 

Australia Walkabout plus Fiji - 21 days.

This family of parents and 2 boys wanted to see a bit of everything Australia has to offer -- cities, wildlife, and culture.  To save money on dining out, they stayed in serviced apartment-style hotels in the cities.  After exploring Sydney on their own, they drove to an eco-lodge in the Blue Mountains, where their cabin offered them the opportunity to enjoy the natural surroundings.  They drove to Canberra and took advantage of the many free museums before flying to Adelaide for a two day visit to Kangaroo Island.  Then the family visited Ayer’s Rock, using Aboriginal guides and splurged on the Sounds of Silence dinner in the desert.  Then, off to Cairns, using an apartment as a base for a lot of action stuff!   A daytrip to the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafting on the Tully River, the Kuranda train to the rainforest returning by sky rail, an Aboriginal tour to the Daintree, and the grand finale – an early morning hot air balloon ride over the Atherton Tablelands! 

On the way home, they stopped for 2 nights in Fiji at Sonaisali Island Resort - a fantastic little resort near the airport, to relax and get a taste for Fiji as well.