Tezza,

Thanks for your suggestions. Think I need to create a data base and the suggested places state by state. Thanks for your input :)

Having just made the trip you are planning may I make a suggestion? Plan the trip so that you are going across the top in winter, I thought that I could do it and am lucky that I didn't try. I can manage the heat and rain but not the flooding that must occur, almost very road has a flood level marked out and the chance of me going across in a Hi Ace would have been nil.

There are a couple of other considerations, what vehicles are you using 2WD or 4WD and will you be taking pets? I enjoyed Karijini above all other National Parks because I was able to complete the grade 5 trails involving rock climbing and descents as well as swimming in very cold water so fitness and good health are also important considerations.

I enjoyed the south coast of WA, Esperance and the Cape le Grand National Park then across to Margaret River. In another post I have nominated the places that I enjoyed the most as well as the best free camps in my opinion.

All the best for your intended trip,

John

-- Edited by yeoeleven on Sunday 8th of July 2012 06:41:01 PM

HI, enjoy your trip and may every kilometre be happy. We suggest Cobbold Gorge near Forsyth Qld and Elachbutting rock and Berinbooding rock near Mukinbudin WA. Also whalers way near Port Lincoln SA and Mungo National park near Mildura Victoria.

Welcome from me too BobnJen... what a question! Where to start?
Like Ruth, I'm gonna take some time and compile a list... but it might be many pages long! And then after reading all that, you'll find your most memorable, beautiful place somewhere entirely unexpected.

Mataranka NT  has a place called Bitter springs which is a thermal streem with a temp of 32 degrees which I believe is a must.

Here is an excerpt form our blog that Hylda wrote at the time:

I headed for the office to hire noodles (long, thin, foamy thingies for floating around in the water)which we had been told were indispensable aids towards our enjoyment of the springs. Armed with these and our snorkelling equipment, we headed down the 100 metre walk to the water.The water was crystal clear & flowed past at a leisurely pace with mist still hanging in patches to give it an ethereal beauty, The narrow banks were lined with reeds, pandanus, palms and ferns. There were steps down to a large pool where people swam lazily around totally relaxed in the perfect temperature of the tepid water.We set off downstream on our noodles peering down into the water through our goggles totally absorbed in the underwater scene that presented itself. It was like floating over a lush valley with mysterious caves set into its sides and golden rays of sunlight filtering through the greeny water and lighting up clouds of tiny golden fish and beautiful trails of water weed. The current pushed us along quite fast and it was good when you were able to grab onto a submerged log and stick around to enjoy the scene a bit longer as well as the swirl of the water around your body (who needs to pay top dollar for spas?).After 70 metres of total enjoyment, we found a place to clamber out of the water and rush back down a path to start the experience all over again like two little kids

Sorry for the length of the description but it does give a good picture of the place.

Cheers

Jon

The main thing is to know what you want to do, do you like bushwalking, bike riding, sight seeing, - some of which depends on your fitness levels.

No matter how many lists you make, I believe one of the most important things is to be flexible - don't lock yourself into anywhere - i.e. don't book caravan parks, if you are staying in them, or try and do huge mileage in one day - no point in getting somewhere and being too exhausted to enjoy it. If you are on a time limit, be realistic about your timetable, sure you can zip around the country in say three months, and see a lot, but you will miss a lot as well - sometimes it may be best to do a section at a time - i.e. the West coast - then the centre, then the East coast - or whatever you like -

Read Yeoeleven's blog - heaps of great stuff in there - he is now slowing down his travelling, spending more time in places etc.

Most of all - enjoy - it's a great country, with some terrific people!

Include tassie, you will want 3 months to do it any justice
cheers
blaze

OM Gosh, quite an overwhelminng response from everyone, THANK YOU all for your welcome, your input and suggestions. I'm about to start a data base and add all the suggested locations. Excitement starting to well up inside now LOL :) 

Welcome from me too BobnJen.

Of the places I've been, my favourites would be...

Atherton Tablelands Q, 

Paronella Park, south of Innisfail Q,

Seisia, Cape York Peninsula Q,

Undara Lava Tubes, SW of Atherton Tablelands, ( well worth the price, in my opinion)

Winton and Lark Quarry Q.

The Outback in general! Enjoy!

Ok, this isnt in any way a complete list, and in no particular order...

Whale watching at the Head of Bight, Nullarbor Plains
Whale watching on a boat from Hervey Bay Qld
Swiming with the Whale-sharks, Exmouth WA
We liked Kings Canyon better than Uluru, but you must see both... also do a dawn flight over Uluru and Kata Juta
The Flinders Ranges SA
The Bungle Bungles WA ... (do a flight there too)
A dawn birdwatching cruise on Corroboree Lagoon, East of Darwin, then go out to Kakadu
Cape Tribulation FNQ
Chillago, very interesting to compare with Undara, Qld.
The ABT Railway and Franklin River cruise, Strachan Tas. The whole of Tas!.
Any beach in NSW and Vic where there is good surf.
Grafton Jacaranda festival NSW
Buchan Caves, Vic.
Threadbo and Kosciusko and the Snowy Mts NP.
The Kimberley area WA
Canberra in the Spring.
Alice Springs area... the Macdonnell Ranges, East and West.
Coober Pedy mail run
Carnarvon Gorge Qld
Karijini NP WA
Kalbarri NP WA, especially in the Wildfower season.
Broome WA... we loved the bird observatory campground there.

Basically, anywhere in Australia except the big cities, but if its cities you like, go for it!