When we go to Australia, we go through Dubai. If you weren't going in the summer, I'd suggest doing the Emirate Airlines stayover.

Another cool spot (to see kangaroos in the wild) is Kangaroo Island (off of Adelaide). If you enjoy national parks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I lived in Australia, we went to Bali - it's an easy flight from Australia. There are great places in Australia too - like Cairns.

I second the suggestion to go up to Queensland. The weather is good in our summer and you can visit both the Great Barrier Reef and the rain forest.

Actually this is the best suggestion. Head up to Cairns . See the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.

I went to Bora Bora (though Moorea was my preferred island there, hated Papeete).

New Zealand deserves its own trip I think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I lived in Australia, we went to Bali - it's an easy flight from Australia. There are great places in Australia too - like Cairns.

I second the suggestion to go up to Queensland. The weather is good in our summer and you can visit both the Great Barrier Reef and the rain forest.

Isn’t the Great Barrier Reef gone now due to climate change? I thought it died.

Anonymous wrote:When I lived in Australia, we went to Bali - it's an easy flight from Australia. There are great places in Australia too - like Cairns.

I second the suggestion to go up to Queensland. The weather is good in our summer and you can visit both the Great Barrier Reef and the rain forest.

Make sure you research weather in Tasmania and Victoria in winter. My initial reaction is I wouldn’t go at that time of year.

NZ is great but so is Tasmania and there’s so much to do in VIC and NSW.

And the best part of nz is the south which will be cold. So maybe save for another time.

Stating the obvious but New Zealand in our summer will be their winter.

New Zealand for sure and be sure to go to the south island

I was just in Australia, coming from the eastern US and my number one suggestion is to break up the flight. So either west coast US, Hawaii or Fiji (if you fly Fiji Air). The length of the flight is truly something — saying this as someone who spent 20 hrs in the air yesterday.

I would pick a place based on flights and where you are stopping over. That said there are direct flights from LA to Fiji that are often not too expensive.

Anonymous wrote:When I lived in Australia, we went to Bali - it's an easy flight from Australia. There are great places in Australia too - like Cairns.

These are great suggestions. Fiji is also a close trip from Australia, and a nice change of weather. Australia in our summer will be rather cool outside of Queensland, whereas Fiji is 85 and sunny basically every day.

When I lived in Australia, we went to Bali - it's an easy flight from Australia. There are great places in Australia too - like Cairns.

We have to be in Australia for ten days next summer (Melbourne and Sydney). Planning a trip for a week or so prior with a 15 and 16 year old.
I've heard New Zealand is beautiful, of course, but a little slower paced. Any suggestions? TYIA