Getting there
Fierce competition among airlines has virtually halved the cost of flying to Australia and New Zealand in the last decade. The best fares are available from April to June, during the antipodean autumn, when flights go for as little as £450, while the most expensive time is between 10 December and 23 December, when expatriates return home for Christmas, and fares can cost more than £1,000. Booking through flight consolidators such as Trailfinders, Travelbag, Bridge The World and Travelmood can be cheaper than buying direct from the airlines. Bridge the World is offering a return BA flight to Sydney from £634 including taxes in May.
British Airways (0845 77 333 77) and Australian carrier Qantas (0845 774 7767) have a codesharing partnership on routes to Australia, which means you could fly to Hong Kong on BA and then complete the journey on Qantas.
Most of the Asian carriers which fly out of the UK offer fares to Australia and New Zealand with the option of a stopover in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. Cathay Pacific Airways (0207 747 8888), Singapore Airlines (0870 608 8886), Garuda Indonesia (0207 486 3011), Malaysia Airlines (0870 607 9090)
Alternatively you can fly via Los Angeles or Fiji withAir New Zealand (0208 741 2299) Flights from £746.10 including taxes to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Cairns between 16 April and 30 June.
Getting around
Air passes are a good way of seeing a lot of Australia or New Zealand for a fraction of the normal price. Remember tobook them before you travel.
Qantas (0845 774 7767): the Boomerang Airpass divides Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific into six zones. A flight within a single zone costs £95 and a multi-zone flight, such as Sydney to Perth, is £120. Prices valid until 31 March.
Ansett Australia (020 8741 2299): The G'day Airpass splits the country into two zones. Any flight within one zone costs £100, if you cross over zones it's £125.
Virgin Atlantic launched low-cost carrier Virgin Blue in Australia last year. The airline operates domestic flights within Australia and joins established player Impulse Airlines. UK travellers have to book online.
Air New Zealand (0208 741 2299): Explore New Zealand Airpass offers travel across three sectors for £153, and is available year round. The journey from Auckland to Christchurch via Wellington would count as two sectors. Travellers are urged to book early to secure a non-stop service.
Tour operators
All Ways Pacific (01494 432747)
Tailor-made and escorted tour specialist. Accommodation ranges from moderately priced inns to five-star resorts.
Austravel (0870 055 0215)
Accommodation, car hire, coach tours, cruises and day tours. Nine outlets across the UK.
Bridge the World (0870 444 7474)
Tailor-made options plus the Little Gems collection of B&Bs and boutique hotels in Australia and New Zealand.
Kuoni (01306 741111)
Long-haul specialist offering tailor-made and escorted tours.
Quest Travel (0870 4445552)
Holiday ideas ranging from outback safaris to diving at the Great Barrier Reef are detailed in a 150-page Australia and New Zealand brochure.
Travelbag (0870 730 3201)
Flights, car hire, tours and active holidays such as camping safaris and whitewater rafting.
Tailor Made Travel (01386 712050)
Upmarket personalised itineraries. The Hidden Wonders brochure features luxury lodges with gourmet food and wine.
Trailfinders (020 7938 3366) Flights, hotels, tours and car hire. Seven outlets in the UK, including the Kensington High Street branch, in London, which has a travel clinic, maps, books and a visa processing service.
Tradewinds (0870 600 4001) Escorted coach tours, self-drive and tailormade itineraries.
Travelmood (08705 001 002) A Hot Deals brochure features stopovers and short breaks, plus an Australia/New Zealand programme offering tailor-made itineraries.
Health
No vaccinations are required for Australia or New Zealand, but travellers stopping over en route should consult their doctor about the places involved. Both countries have a high rate of skin cancer, so visitors should apply maximum-protection sunblock.
Tourist visas
Australia: All visitors to Australia, including children, require a visa or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). If you book your flight directly with an airline it will process your ETA over the telephone free of charge. Travel agents and tour operators can also process ETAs, but they generally charge between £5 and £15. Two firms, Australian Visas (01233 211800) and Visas Australia (01270 626 626), offer a specialised service for a small charge. Travellers may visit Australia House, in the Strand, London, to make a free personal application, but this can take several weeks to process. Postal applications can be made for a small charge but can also take weeks. Further information is available by calling 09065 508900 (at £1 a minute), or visit www.australia.org.uk.
New Zealand: All visitors to New Zealand need a passport valid for at least three months after their departure. British citizens are automatically issued with a visitors' permit allowing stays of up to six months.
Further information
Australian Tourist Commission, Gemini House, 10-18 Putney Hill, London SW15 6AA. Tel: 09068 633235 (calls cost 60p a minute) for the Australia Travellers Guide or visit www.australia.com.
Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TQ, tel: 09069 101010 (premium rate) or visit www.purenz.com.
March 4: Australia and New Zealand special
My mother and father of a journey Kathryn Flett samples the wild, open roads of her parents' nation, driving 1,400 kilometres through bush, peaks and plains where floods cover land the size of England.
Miles of style It's smart, chic - and home to Neighbours. Mike Bradley guides you around elegant Melbourne.
Sydney sensations Mike Bradley tastes five alternatives to city life.
Secrets of a sunshine city It's not just the breadth of a continent that separates Perth from the East coast. Mike Bradley tours the cosmopolitan capital of a state with blissful beaches, unique wildlife and Aboriginal culture.
Jump and jet ski - then sleep in a wagon Jacqui MacDermott gets a taste for adventure on South Island.
Boiling point as ancient collides with modern Miranda Sawyer enjoys New Zealand's North Island, where trendy bars sit alongside natural 'hot bath' beaches.
