Okay, now crazy man is talking about snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. Neither of us has snorkeled in a coon’s age, though we could get some practice between now and then… has anyone done this? Would we be able to see amazing stuff despite being only ordinary swimmers?
Also, which is worse, sea snakes or drop bears?
Are you going to Queensland too? There’s about 2,000 miles between Lorne and the Great Barrier Reef.
Time is not going to be on your side if you only have a week. As Eliahna says it’s a long way from Lorne to one of the jumping off points to the reef. It’s about a three and a half hour flight from Melbourne to Cairns (which I would recommend as your starting point for a trip to the reef*).
Once you are at Cairns there are any number of operators taking trips out to the reef of various lengths and types, all of which offer snorkeling (and usually include side trips on semi-submersibles and glass bottom boats). The last time I went, we went with Reef Magic (http://www.reefmagiccruises.com/) because at least at the time they seemed to be the operator that offered the longest time on the reef. Some of the operators pick up and drop off at more than one place, or start later and come back earlier to suit package tour flight schedules but that all eats into your time, and Reef Magic seemed to be the best in terms of just giving you a good long day on the reef. That may have changed, I don’t know.
I think pretty much all the tours include all snorkelling gear. The snorkelling isn’t physically demanding. You typically only have to swim a few yards and then float about above the coral.
If you go with one of the operators that goes to the outer reef, you’ll see large numbers of colourful fish, probably turtles, maybe little reef sharks (they’re harmless), giant clams and of course vast amounts of coral. Last time I went on one of their outer reef wall snorkel trips (which is a little side trip off the main thing) and really enjoyed it. You can see the outer reef wall dropping away into the depths, and schools of larger pelagics. You have to be able to swim a few hundred yards to do it (with fins and a buoyant wetsuit it’s a doddle) but well worth doing.
I’ve done quite a few trips to the reef, PM me if you want to run ideas past me.
*There are jumping off points to the reef further south, but the further north you go the better the reef gets, and the closer in to land it gets. So jumping off from Gladstone or Mackay or Townsville is possible and would mean a slightly shorter flight but would be a false economy
Remember to check the toilet to see if the water spins the other way. 
And I thought you were going to advise to check for spiders. Isn’t that standard in Australia: checking everything for spiders and other bitey creatures?
Please, Please PLEASE post a message after you come back.
The country does get into your soul, and it’s a wonderful place to live, but I have trouble imagining it as a tourist destination.
I’ve only been to Sydney and I would love to go back Down Under, so color me jealous. 
Since we’re in the planning stages, everything is flexible right now except a couple days in Lorne. I think the current idea is Lorne, to the Reef, drive back along the coast.
Thanks for the informative post, Princhester. I might have more questions later, but you’ve been helpful already.
Oh, we might put *that *on video. 
So far, my list is: stars, toilet, vegemite…
Funny, I think most Americans would see it as a fantasy trip!
Drive back to…?
Avoid the “Swim with the Box Jellyfish” attractions.
If you want to go up to the reef I suggest you fly.
With the reef, as others pointed out it’s the opposite end of the east coast, around 3000 km away. Before you consider it, check availability as December is coming into the rainy season and a lot of stuff shuts down.
If you can get out to the reef, do it. I’ve done it several times and it’s great. You don’t even need to be able to swim, as long as you can lay face down in the water, breathe through the snorkle and float around. They have things called “Noodles” which is a flotation device you put under your stomach and you just cruise around. On a sunny day, it’s quite breathtaking.
drop bears are definitely worse.
I recommend getting one of these if you’re worried about drop-bears. 
You know how giraffes and donkeys and so on can just eat thistles without the slightest pain? Well…
You also should put some Vegemite on your neck to help repel them.
All the helmet does is give you enough time to make peace with whichever god you believe in before the screaming starts.
^
When 120kg of carnivorous ranga lands on your head not much is going to help.
Don’t read the comments on that article; they’ll make your head explode.
(Drop bears can’t be as dangerous as the snow snakes of Canada, can they?)
Australia is the same size as the continental United States. The distance between Lorne, Victoria, and the Great Barrier Reef (lets choose Mackay as a town at the southern end) is approximately 1800 miles or 3000km. It’s the equivalent of travelling from Niagara Falls to Miami.
Agreed. As a Canadian who has travelled across his own country, I’m familiar with how big Canada is. But I couldn’t translate that to Australia, and I endured a rude awakening.
My flight from Sydney to Perth took six hours. I boarded a train in Perth, and seven hours later, found myself halfway through the state of Western Australia (Kalgoorlie, for those who are interested). Another seven hours, and I would have found myself in South Australia, but nowhere near Adelaide, its capital city. In other words, Australia is huge, and you might not be able to get to everything you want to see.
But I would suggest that you go with the flow. Australians are, IME, a wonderful, welcoming people, and you may well find that you like getting to know them where you find yourself. And you may find that you’re planning your next trip there, while you’re already there.
I certainly plan to return to Perth someday. I found that I rather like that city, and I’d like to see it again.
