Packing for Australia

I'm headed to Australia next week with the family.
- First time flying with my 9 month old.
- First time to Australia.
- Luckily its a new Qantas flight from SFO to SYD direct.
- This should be fun.

Here is my schedule:
- Sydney for 4.5 days
- Melbourne for 4
- Port Douglass for 4
- Sydney for another 2 days.
- We'll be flying Virgin Blue for domestic Australian flights.

I'm planning on bringing my 10-22 and 17-55 for most of the city shooting. I'm considering bringing my 70-200 because we are going to Taronga Zoo is Sydney. Planning on leaving my primes and flashes at home.

I'm also planning on bringing my monopod, but wondering should I check it in with my luggage or can I bring it as carry on?

---------------
UPDATE:

I guess I'm bringing it all.
+70-200 goes in my carry on
+1 flash in my carry on
+monopod goes into my checked baggage.

I would bring at least one flash. It's always useful and not hard to fit in a bag. Monopod would probably be alright in your luggage, just wrap it up in the middle of all your clothes. If you can fit the 70-200 in then bring it along but if you've been to a zoo before, you're probably better off just capturing your family enjoying the day rather than trying to get photos of the animals. Enjoy it though, hopefully the weather's alright Lately it's been sunny but cool and not wet at all in Melbourne.

subscribing, taking the same vacation in about 2 weeks.

I would pack a flash for sure..

When I travel domestically (Virgin blue and Jetstar) I ALWAYS carry my gear on board and never had a drama with air hostesses

The Moose wrote in post #8191803
If you can fit the 70-200 in then bring it along but if you've been to a zoo before, you're probably better off just capturing your family enjoying the day rather than trying to get photos of the animals.

I've been to the San Francisco Zoo quite a few times, but not since I've dived into photography 2 years ago. The 70-200 seems like a lot of weight to carry for the whole trip for one day. In each city that we travel to, we will be using public transportation. Is there anywhere else in Melbourne or Port Douglass that I'll need the 70-200?

Thought about some of the rain forest excursions, but they only allow children over the age of 7. Still debating on doing a Great Barrier Reef tour, but I don't think I'll be bringing any of my equipment out into the open water.

You really wont need the 70-200 I dont think. Mind you, I live on the gold coast...

I'd bring the 70-200! This is clearly not a trip you will be making very often. You don't want to leave it at home and regret it - not even if you only use it for the one day! And yes, I think it will come in handy at other times, too, not just the Zoo. BTW, I also think you should bring at least one flash. Same reason.

Leonard Wong wrote in post #8191775
I'm headed to Australia next week with the family.
- First time flying with my 9 month old.
- First time to Australia.
- Luckily its a new Qantas flight from SFO to SYD direct.
- This should be fun.

Here is my schedule:
- Sydney for 4.5 days
- Melbourne for 4
- Port Douglass for 4
- Sydney for another 2 days.
- We'll be flying Virgin Blue for domestic Australian flights.

I'm planning on bringing my 10-22 and 17-55 for most of the city shooting. I'm considering bringing my 70-200 because we are going to Taronga Zoo is Sydney. Planning on leaving my primes and flashes at home.

I'm also planning on bringing my monopod, but wondering should I check it in with my luggage or can I bring it as carry on?

i put my monopod and tripod in checked luggage but of course carry on my cameras and lenses.

i'd take the F4 IS. one reason you bought it instead of the 2.8 IS was because it's a much better travel lens, right ?

ed rader

bring the 70-200 with you.

it's been raining here in sydney the past few weeks, but it's cleared up. and hopefully by the time you get to sydney, you'll have our usual clear and beautiful winter weather. just be aware it's a lot colder than it seems when you look outside the window! hehe

as for checking your luggage, i would strongly advise against it. I've travelled with a gripped 50D, 17-40, 24-70, 70-200, flash and tripod along with a notebook plus other bits and pieces for inflight travelling and have had no problems carrying it onboard with quite a few airlines.

funnily enough, i choose not to fly with qantas even though I'm australian, so can't comment on their policy directly. but a fully packed lowepro fastpack 250 weighing in at around 15kg hasn't been a problem on my flights.

Remember.... it is winter in Australia so there is less light - especially early morning and late afternoon in Sydney and Melbourne. Some fill with a flash will be welcome and also to take out harsh shadows at low sun.
Put the monopod in your checked luggage. Especially Brisbane Airport is a difficult one (in my experience). Other gear can be carried as hand luggage.
Keep in mind that Virgin Blue and Jetstar are more critical about overweight en number of hand luggage items than international carriers although international flexibility has deteriorated over the years as well.

Leave the 10-22 at home and bring the 70-200! There are crocodile trips on the Daintree river where you can bring smaller children....
Have a great time!

Well bring warm clothes too cause you're coming in winter. Hope you love it here.

I'll bring all my equipment in my slingshot, so that's basically what I'm limited to in space. I can fit the 10-22, 17-55, 70-200, and one flash in the pack. (10 lbs/4.5 kg) which is below the carry on weight limit (15 lbs/7 kg).

I won't carry around the 70-200 daily, as I expect that I will be carrying around my son in his stroller (30" tall and 20 lbs at 9 months!), so weight encumbrance is still heavy (no pun intead) on my mind. (Un?)forunately, he doesn't fit in an infant carrier anymore, so we aren't bringing a car seat for him. He's good in that we've tested that we can carry/sleep him in an Ergo Baby carrier, but that's just entirely off topic.

I expect the "winter" to be as cold as a San Francisco "winter." The 10 day forecast for Sydney looks great, but I'll wait till we get there to really see. We'll ready be for semi-warm weather (warm in the sun, cold in the shade), and wear plenty of layers. Packing will easy so the clothes in the luggage will definitely pad the monopod nicely.

We went several years ago. Here is the big difference, we didn't have small children and no children went with us.

So, disregarding that aspect, I say take everything that you are comfortable shooting with.

We located ourselves in Brisbane. We rented a car and toured as much of the area as we could. Basically we took off in a diferent direction from Brisbane every day and made as far reaching a loop as we could.

We were shooting Cannon SLR's, a good (for the time) digital view finder, and Nikkon 8mm video.

14 days and we used everything we brought. We treated the trip as a once in a lifetime and did and saw as much as we could just in case we never get back. We are now in process of converting all of those images to digital.

One suggestion of a different nature, I suggest you look at how you manage your time changes. We traveled from North Carolina to New York to Los Angeles to Auckland to Brisbane. We worked our schedule so that we arrived Brisbane early in the morning. We did not want to cost ourselves the day. As it turned out, there was an added advantage (IMO) in that we slept the last part of the flight to Auckland and almost all the flight to Brisbane. We arrived and we were right in sync with the local time.

Anyway, good luck and enjoy yourself.

And to all the Austrailian members of the forum, wonderful place you have there and you are some of the most friendly folks I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, even if you did call me a "Sticky Beeker". No worries, I'll be back.

sawdust_128 wrote in post #8192183
We were shooting Cannon SLR's, a good (for the time) digital view finder, and Nikkon 8mm video.

We'll be doing relatively the same thing, but I will be bringing a Canon HV20 instead of a Nikon 8mm.

sawdust_128 wrote in post #8192183
14 days and we used everything we brought. We treated the trip as a once in a lifetime and did and saw as much as we could just in case we never get back. We are now in process of converting all of those images to digital.

Yes. This is an absolutely must that everything we pack have an intended use. I was hesitant to bring the 70-200 figuring it would have enough use value, but if we've already committed to going to Taronga Zoo, then I'll use it.

sawdust_128 wrote in post #8192183
One suggestion of a different nature, I suggest you look at how you manage your time changes. We traveled from North Carolina to New York to Los Angeles to Auckland to Brisbane. We worked our schedule so that we arrived Brisbane early in the morning. We did not want to cost ourselves the day. As it turned out, there was an added advantage (IMO) in that we slept the last part of the flight to Auckland and almost all the flight to Brisbane. We arrived and we were right in sync with the local time.

Unfortunately, this is our first flight with the little one. So we no have no idea how's he's going to react. Forunately, we are landing in Sydney at 6AM. We'll maximize what we can, but we have to be flexible to what we can do to keep sane.

sawdust_128 wrote in post #8192183
And to all the Austrailian members of the forum, wonderful place you have there and you are some of the most friendly folks I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, even if you did call me a "Sticky Beeker". No worries, I'll be back.

I'll go ahead an extend appreciation out to most (if not all) Australians. I've had aussie friends and old co-workers offer up all sorts of information wanting to make sure that my visit to their homeland was a spectacular one.

Hi Leonard....

Good to hear you are coming to visit Down Under Hope your trip is amazing! Im way over the otherside in Perth Western Australia but have visited Sydney and Melbourne - love both cities... lots to photograph in and around Sydney CBD... we always do a good amount of walking when we are there - but this will be weather pending im sure...

Definantly a good idea to see taronga zoo - i dont have alot to compare it with but i really really liked it - you can see alot more of the animals and i travelled there with 70-200f4LIS on 5d... and it was great... youll get great shots with 40d! We went from circ quay on the Ferry (bought tickets at the terminal for ferry AND zoo) so we got to do a ferry ride and taronga all together which was great... the views from the zoo back to the city are simply stunning!

We travelled with our 1 yo on a trip to Phuket... we were lucky - he was an angel... BUT if your bub is less than perfect - DONT STRESS!! everyone with a kid understands and everyone without one can get stuffed - they will have to do it one day... its hard for sure... but life must go on and we are entitled to holidays just like everyone else! good age to travel with bub too - not too old to have to be up and into everything... happy in the pusher...

ill be honest... ive travelled everywhere with a slingshot full of gear... no dramas anywhere... and even with a slingshot 300... no probs...

I - personally wouldnt bring a mono or a tripod .. but thats me... with a young family i usually cant cart it easily and if i cant get a shot with the 70-200 4IS handheld then such is life... it will handhold to 1/15 and thats good enough for me... i like 1 fast prime for lowlight fam stuff - usually never use my flash - thats just me though... i dont find many flash shots to be groundbreaking amazing print to 30" type shots.. and am usually happy with what the 50 1.4 gives me..

Melbourne is great... arty and always something on.. st kilda is really interesting - and if you considered hiring a car... the best thing i ever did on travels to melb is drive to the 12 apostles... we did it there and back in 1 day... big trip... but 1 day there and 1 day back would be awesome... even in bad weather (thats when we did it) - stopping for food and coffees in all the various towns...

also nice is Werribee open range zoo... they drive you through the park and its quite good fun for those who cant make it all the way to africa!! nice grounds and what not - 30min out of the city... http://www.zoo.org.au/​WerribeeOpenRangeZoo

Really hope you enjoy it - i went to both places as a tourist too - the folks who live there im sure are full of ideas and im sure you already have it fully planned... ill PM you a link of some photos you can expect from taronga zoo with 70-200 (mine was 5d mounted though) - the bird show was amazing!!