Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef — Self-Launched
12 days · Australia
G Adventures charges £7,500
No-markup version: ~£1,420 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A backpacker-priced version of G Adventures' premium 12-day Australia trip: Melbourne's laneways and an Indigenous-led walk, Tasmania's east coast (Freycinet, Maria Island, MONA in Hobart), a few nights in Manly using Sydney's harbour ferries, then north to Cairns for Mossman rainforest and a full day on the Great Barrier Reef. Same route, same big experiences — but with hostels and budget motels, low-cost domestic flights booked ahead, and self-booked day tours instead of a private vehicle and CEO. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP, excluding international flights to/from Australia.
Day-by-day
Arrive Melbourne — laneway dinner
Melbourne
Land at Tullamarine (MEL) and take the SkyBus into the city (~£12 one way, 30–40 mins) or the cheaper 901 bus to Broadmeadows + train. Check into a hostel in the CBD or Fitzroy (e.g. a YHA or similarly rated hostel). Do a self-guided wander through Hosier Lane, Flinders Lane and the Queen Victoria Market area, grab a cheap but excellent dinner in Chinatown or a dumpling spot on Little Bourke St (~£12), and sort your Myki transit card for tomorrow.
🚌Airport SkyBus ~£12; walking and trams with Myki
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Melbourne CBD/Fitzroy (~£22–35/night)
- →Self-guided laneway and street-art walk
- →Queen Victoria Market browse
- →Cheap eats in Chinatown
Melbourne: Indigenous stories and city orientation
Melbourne
Book a Koorie Heritage Trust walking tour (the Aboriginal cultural walk along the Birrarung/Yarra runs ~1 hour and is often free or donation-based — reserve online). Then do your own orientation walk: Royal Botanic Gardens, Federation Square and the riverside, plus the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) which is free. Afternoon: Tram 96 to St Kilda for the beach and pier at sunset. Book your Hobart flight and Tasmania car/bus tonight if you haven't already.
🚌Free tram zone in CBD; tram to St Kilda ~£2.50
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Melbourne (~£22–35/night)
- →Koorie Heritage Trust Aboriginal cultural walk
- →NGV (free entry)
- →St Kilda beach and pier
Fly to Hobart, drive to the east coast
Hobart & Swansea, Tasmania
Morning flight Melbourne–Hobart (~£55–85 booked in advance on Jetstar/Virgin). Pick up a cheap hire car at the airport — the best value way to do Tasmania's east coast (roughly £30–40/day; share the cost if you can, or use the TassieLink coach to Swansea for ~£18 if travelling solo on a tight budget). Drive the scenic route up the east coast (approx 2.5 hrs to Swansea via Orford). Check into a budget motel or hostel in Swansea, stock up at the IGA, and walk the beach at dusk.
🚌Flight MEL–HBA ~£55–85; hire car ~£35/day; or TassieLink coach ~£18
🛏Budget motel/hostel room, Swansea (~£55–75/night)
- →East Coast drive via Orford/Triabunna
- →Swansea beach walk
Freycinet National Park: Wineglass Bay
Coles Bay, Tasmania
Drive 30 mins to Freycinet National Park (day pass ~£20 per vehicle, buy online). Hike the Wineglass Bay Lookout track (~1–1.5 hrs return, steepish but short), or continue down to Wineglass Bay beach itself (2.5–3 hrs return). Optional: the longer Hazards Beach circuit. Bring a packed lunch from Swansea (much cheaper than Coles Bay cafés). Afternoon: Honeymoon Bay and the Cape Tourville lighthouse boardwalk. Back to Swansea for a pub dinner.
🚌Hire car ~35 min drive to Coles Bay
🛏Budget motel/hostel room, Swansea (~£55–75/night)
- →Wineglass Bay Lookout hike
- →Honeymoon Bay
- →Cape Tourville boardwalk
Maria Island wildlife day, then Hobart
Maria Island & Hobart
Drive to Triabunna (~45 mins) and take the morning ferry to Maria Island (~£32 return; book ahead via Encounter Maria Island). It's a car-free national park packed with wombats, Forester kangaroos, Cape Barren geese and convict ruins at Darlington. Walk the Painted Cliffs (best at low tide — check timetables) and the Fossil Cliffs loop. Take an afternoon ferry back, then drive on to Hobart (~1.5 hrs) and settle into a hostel near the waterfront or Battery Point.
🚌Drive to Triabunna; ferry ~£32 return; drive to Hobart
🛏Hostel/h Budget hotel, Hobart (~£30–55/night)
- →Maria Island ferry and Darlington convict site
- →Painted Cliffs walk
- →Fossil Cliffs loop
MONA and Hobart waterfront
Hobart
Take the MONA ferry from Brooke Street Pier (~£18 return; entry to the museum is ~£25, book online). MONA is genuinely one of the world's strangest and best contemporary art museums — allow 3+ hours. Ferry back, then explore Salamanca Place, Battery Point's old streets, and Constitution Dock for fish and chips. Evening: check out the Cascades Brewery or a wine bar on Elizabeth St.
🚌MONA ferry ~£18 return; walking in the city
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Hobart (~£30–55/night)
- →MONA museum and ferry
- →Salamanca Place and Battery Point walk
- →Constitution Dock fish and chips
Fly to Sydney — Manly and Q Station history
Manly, Sydney
Return the hire car at Hobart airport and fly to Sydney (~£70–110 booked ahead). From the airport take the train to Circular Quay (~£10) and the Manly ferry across the harbour (~£5 with an Opal card) — the cheapest harbour cruise in the city. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Manly. In the afternoon, walk the Manly–Shelly Beach coastal path and book the Q Station Story Tour if you want the quarantine-station history (~£18–22, book direct via Q Station). Beachside fish and chips for dinner.
🚌Flight HBA–SYD ~£70–110; airport train + Manly ferry with Opal card ~£15
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Manly (~£35–60/night)
- →Manly ferry across Sydney Harbour
- →Manly–Shelly Beach coastal walk
- →Q Station Story Tour (optional, ~£20)
Sydney: Opera House, Harbour Bridge and The Rocks
Sydney
Ride the Manly ferry to Circular Quay (free harbour views past the Opera House and Bridge). Self-guided loop: Opera House forecourt and Botanic Gardens, then walk to Mrs Macquarie's Chair for the classic viewpoint, round into Woolloomooloo and The Rocks. Free option: stroll the Harbour Bridge pedestrian path. Paid option: BridgeClimb (~£180–200, book ahead) if you want the full experience. Art Gallery of NSW is free. Ferry back to Manly in the evening.
🚌Opal card ferries and trains ~£6–8/day
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Manly (~£35–60/night)
- →Opera House and Botanic Gardens
- →The Rocks and Harbour Bridge walk
- →Art Gallery of NSW (free)
- →Optional BridgeClimb
Surf or kayak Manly, harbour-side afternoon
Manly, Sydney
Morning on the water: book a beginner surf lesson at Manly Beach (~£50–65 for 2 hrs via a local surf school or GetYourGuide) or hire a kayak/SUP for a couple of hours on the harbour (~£25–35). Afternoon free — North Head Sanctuary walk for views and WWII gun emplacements, or hop back to the city. Cheap dinner in Manly's Corso or a takeaway and eat on the beach.
🚌Walking; optional ferry to city ~£4
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Manly (~£35–60/night)
- →Beginner surf lesson or kayak hire
- →North Head Sanctuary walk
- →Manly beach afternoon
Fly to Cairns — Mossman Gorge rainforest
Cairns & Mossman Gorge
Morning flight Sydney–Cairns (~£90–140 booked ahead; budget ~4 hrs door to door). Check into a Cairns hostel (the Esplanade/Waterfront area is walkable and lively). Afternoon: take a bus or book a half-day transfer to Mossman Gorge (~£30–45 return with a tour, or public bus to Mossman plus shuttle) and do the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk with an Indigenous guide (~£40–55) or self-walk the rainforest boardwalk and swim at the gorge. Evening: Cairns Esplanade lagoon and night markets for cheap food.
🚌Flight SYD–CNS ~£90–140; Mossman Gorge tour/transfer ~£35–50
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Cairns (~£20–35/night)
- →Mossman Gorge rainforest walk
- →Optional Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk
- →Cairns Esplanade lagoon and night markets
Great Barrier Reef full-day snorkel trip
Outer Great Barrier Reef, Cairns
Book a full-day outer-reef snorkel cruise from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal (~£110–150 including reef tax, lunch, snorkel gear and usually two reef sites; a dive can be added for ~£50–70). Boats like Reef Magic, Sunlover or a smaller operator all work — pick based on reviews and price on GetYourGuide/Klook or direct. Back in Cairns by late afternoon: shower, then a farewell dinner by the water.
🚌Walk to Reef Fleet Terminal; full-day reef cruise
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Cairns (~£20–35/night)
- →Great Barrier Reef snorkel day (2 sites)
- →Optional introductory scuba dive
- →Farewell dinner in Cairns
Depart Cairns
Cairns
Breakfast, a last swim at the Esplanade lagoon, and a shuttle or bus (~£10–15) to Cairns airport for your onward or international flight. If time allows, the Cairns Botanic Gardens and Centenary Lakes are free and a short bus ride away.
🚌Airport shuttle ~£12
🛏—
- →Esplanade lagoon swim
- →Optional Botanic Gardens walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,420 | £7,500 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £6,080 per person (81%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,420
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,420 per person for 12 days in Australia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £7,500 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,420 — a saving of roughly £6,080 (81%) per person.
How long is the Australia trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Australia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, wildlife trip through Australia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.