Mid-February in Australia - Itinerary Questions

[hubofhockey]

Our cruise begins in Sydney on Feb 22, 2026 and then spends 12 days in New Zealand.  That leaves us with probably 11 days pre-cruise in Australia.  

 

I am wondering if it makes sense to go to Cairns for 3 nights, considering the rainy season then (and the stingers on the Great Barrier Reef).  We were going to do 4-5 nights in Sydney, 2 in Melbourne and could do 3 in Cairns or could go to Uluru instead.

 

Thanks to any Aussies out there or others who have done land vacations in Australia before the cruise.

[yarramar]

Mid Feb is probably the very worst time for Cairns. It will likely be torrential rain every day that you are there. Uluru will be extremely hot and you may have to put off any sightseeing till early morning or late afternoon.

There are other iconic places you can visit in Australia. Kangaroo Island, The Great Ocean Road, Tasmania south of Perth in WA.

[possum52]

7 minutes ago, yarramar said:

Mid Feb is probably the very worst time for Cairns. It will likely be torrential rain every day that you are there. Uluru will be extremely hot and you may have to put off any sightseeing till early morning or late afternoon.

There are other iconic places you can visit in Australia. Kangaroo Island, The Great Ocean Road, Tasmania south of Perth in WA.

It is also cyclone season, so the weather could be really nasty. 

[hubofhockey]

1 hour ago, yarramar said:

Mid Feb is probably the very worst time for Cairns. It will likely be torrential rain every day that you are there. Uluru will be extremely hot and you may have to put off any sightseeing till early morning or late afternoon.

There are other iconic places you can visit in Australia. Kangaroo Island, The Great Ocean Road, Tasmania south of Perth in WA.

 

That’s what I am thinking now and using Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart as bases.  

 

Thank you, I appreciate the advice.  

Edited June 17 by hubofhockey