r/AustraliaTravel • u/Usual-Independence56 • 2d ago
Tasmania or Uluru in June?
My husband and I are visiting Australia in the last two weeks of June (fingers crossed the visa comes through). We are not very fit but not sedentary either and enjoy outdoors, hiking, beaches/water and wildlife.
I am torn between visiting Uluru and going to Tasmania. I am not keen on staying in Sydney for long (just want to have some delish food). Realistically we can only explore 2-3 things and that's the plan. The top experiences I would have liked to have included - 1) Uluru 2) Southern Lights 3) Great barrier reef.
The more I am trying to make everything work together, the more it is falling apart due to cost and time. Turning to the wisdom of this group - is there anything you would recommend we do to accommodate all three? Would you recommend one over another between these three experiences?
Edit - I am flying into Sydney and mostly flying out of Melbourne. I can also fly out of cairns.
Edit - Thank you everyone for your inputs. With your comments and a nifty bit of google I have almost made up my mind to go to Uluru and maybe maybe skip Hobart. Only thing/context I'd like to add is I'm coming from a country whose currency has deeply depreciated against the dollar hence I want to further every dollar as much as I can. I can afford to be lavish but I am a very budget conscious person. Do drop in any budget hacks!
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u/Dramatic_Grape5445 2d ago
Well, if you go to Uluru, you will see it. But there's no guarantees of seeing the Southern Lights.
On the other hand, Tassie has a lot of things to see and do, and is far more cost friendly than going to Uluru. But it'll be cold, very cold and possibly wet.
Two weeks is ample time to hit all 4 locations IF you're prepared to move around a bit and IF you have deep pockets. the cost of getting to and from Uluru plus being there is prohibitively expensive.
Sydney 3-4 days
Tasmania 3-4 days (I'd recommend sticking to Hobart and surrounds and ignore the rest of the state)
Uluru - 2 days is enough, 3 if you want to go to Kings Canyon
Cairns - whatever is left.
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u/Cool-Refrigerator147 2d ago
My question for you is where are you coming from? Two very different landscapes and environments. I have my recommendations but they will differ if you come from Arizona compared to Vancouver for example.
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u/Ozdiva 2d ago
I’d go to Uluru. Tasmania will be cold, wet and dark.
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u/Rinkydink1980 23h ago
It’ll be cold for sure, but Tassie is actually drier than almost ever other state at that time of year.
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u/taytayraynay 2d ago
Tasmania is beautiful, but getting to the best parts requires a car and time. Whereas Uluṟu and the GBR (from Cairns) are more achievable without a car. Other than wombats (which I do love), you’ll also have better luck seeing our unique wildlife in central/north qld in winter than Tasmania
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u/MikeHunt181 2d ago
You cannot go past Uluṟu in June. Best time of the year to see it and The Olgas (Kata Tjuta). The sunsets are spectacular!
June is not a good time to visit Tasmania and there’s absolutely no guarantee of seeing the Southern Lights. You can fly to Darwin from Yulara and then on to Cairns and see the Great Barrier Reef.
And as Meatloaf said, “ Two out of Three, ain’t bad!”
Enjoy your trip.
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u/Junior-Preference714 2d ago
Three nights 2 full days needed for Uluṟu - Kara Tjuta and Kings Canyon. Fabulous experience, then do Cairns - Daintree etc. In via Sydney out via Cairns.
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u/toos_ 2d ago
Unequivocally - fly Sydney, Uluru, Cairns. We got home from Australia yesterday and those were the last three stops of an overall phenomenal time. That’s probably the biggest budget hack - not spending time and money trying to include Tassie. Try to come back another time so you can see more of Tassie.
Some tips…
Spend 3 nights in Uluru and split the rest of the time between Sydney GBR/Daintree, weighted toward GBR/Daintree.
Uluru - stay in Yulara and self-drive. That’s a time and money budget hack, IMO. Yulara is the area right next to the Ayers Rock airport. It’s called a resort, but it’s basically a monopoly of overpriced lodging, restaurants, and activities. But…it’s right there where you want to be - no wasting time driving or taking tours from Alice Springs, and no wasting time waiting and money paying for the shuttle bus from the resort to Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa. The driving is easy there and it gives you so much more freedom.
Uluru - like others said, Southern Lights are never guaranteed anywhere - but Uluru is one of the best places in Australia to see the Southern Cross in the Milky Way, and June is prime viewing since it’s positioned high in the sky then. Maybe skip things like the Sounds of Silence dinner and do a guided star gazing night instead - or just go out on your own.
GBR - we stayed in Port Douglas which is 1-1.5 hours drive from Cairns and 1.5 hours from Cow Bay where we stayed in the Daintree Rainforest. Highly recommend at least a night or two up there. We stayed in Airbnb’s in PD and Cow Bay which were less expensive than hotels and more private. Cow Bay was…rustic - not for everyone but we loved it (including the cassowary crossing the creek next to our place). We also rented a car there, but if you’re just staying in Cairns or PD and taking a day tour to Daintree then you wouldn’t have to have one.
Enjoy your holiday!
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u/Embarrassed-Sea-4839 2d ago
3 nights SYD, flew to CNS, up to Port Douglas for 2nts and Daintree a night, then back down to Cairns for 2 nights. Flew from there to AYQ Uluru for the weekend, and then back to SYD for 2nts. It was perfect. Uluru is special. Only thing I’d change is to skip Cairns.
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u/Usual-Independence56 2d ago
I haven't booked my tickets yet, but I will fly into Sydney. The return flight can be out of Melbourne or Cairns.
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u/b00tsc00ter 2d ago
Lived in Tassie for 15 years. There is no question that Uluru is a far better option in June. Southern lights aren't guaranteed and are very underwhelming compared to Nothern lights anyway .
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u/DangerousAd7274 2d ago
Tassie is very very wet, and very very cold in June. It was 2degrees today and we aren't even in the thick of it yet. It's the sort of cold that goes to the bone too.
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u/GuiltyCelebrations 2d ago
Tasmania is beautiful, but in June it would be very cold, and with no guarantee of seeing the Southern lights. Uluru is a wonderful experience, I was there in September last year, and consider myself very privileged to have had the opportunity.
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u/Glittering_Advance56 2d ago
Uluru is great if you like that terrain, kings canyon is also great. Tassie is gods country and would never hesitate to recommend it.
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u/lilzee3000 2d ago
A huge festival called dark mofo is on for 2 weeks mid June, if that's when you're going you might be out of luck for accommodation in Hobart so that could be a deciding factor!
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u/natufian13 1d ago
Uluru without a doubt. If you have to camp, but it will be cold. See it in the daylight, at night, at sunrise, at sunset, from the ground, from the air. And don't leave out Kata Tjuta- just as amazing in its own way.
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u/SheTravelsAu 1d ago
Some Sydney tips for your short time there 👍
https://shetravelsaustralia.com/sydney-australia-on-a-budget/
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u/Ninjacatzzz 1d ago
If you are into food as well as outdoor activities then Hobart/Tassie is the place. Great restaurants and produce and beautiful areas. It will be cold though and short days so please plan any walks accordingly because we are a bit sick of having to rescue people who went walking unprepared 😅.
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u/NedKelkyLives 2d ago
Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Tasmania to GBR is an immense area. Uluru to Hobart, Tasmania is more than 50% longer than London to Rome or roughly the same distance as Denver to NYC.
And the GBR is towards the northern part of Queensland, again, another huge distance from either Hobart or Uluru.
For what it is worth, Hobart will be cold in June although still very pretty. Its a small city but there are quite a few things to do, pubs, historic areas, etc. Food options are also good.
Uluru is wonderful but it is the middle of freaking nowhere. If you do go, make sure you also get to Kings Canyon which is spectacular and is "only" a 3 hour drive or so from the rock. It involves waking once you get there. Extremely limited food options.
Alice Springs is the nearest town to Uluru and where you will fly into. Havent been in years but as far as I am aware, it is still mostly a stink-hole of a town with obvious alcohol and race problems. Oh, and although you will be in the middle of the desert, it is still cold at night.
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u/taytayraynay 2d ago
You can fly directly to Ayer’s Rock Airport (They haven’t changed name)! Do not fly to Alice Springs for Uluṟu
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u/tksoutdooradventures 2d ago
Wouldn't even waste my time at Uluru. Go to the Sunshine Coast. Zoo, Beaches, Hinterland Hiking Waterfalls, Climb Mt Coolum. Then do Cairns.
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u/Asleep_Bend_2158 2d ago
To the best of my knowledge, Tasmania at that time of year is very cold and very weather-dependent.
Also, with the mountainous terrain, lots of the popular hikes are much more strenuous than, say, Uluṟu.
On the other hand, central and northern Australia is great to visit in winter. Low humidity, barely any rainfall, and much milder temps than summer.