Discussion
G'day (sorry!)
I'm going to be in Australia from the 27th Dec to 19th Jan and I'm after some travel advice.
We'll be in Sydney until the 3rd Jan, but after that want to travel north up the east coast towards Cairns. Is this too much to do in 15 days?
We're prepared for internal flights if necessary but would like to do the backpacking thing properly as much as possible.
The things we definitely want to do is visit Brisbane, the barrier reef, Australia Zoo, Fraser Island. Would it be a good idea to fly from Sydney to Brisbane and then make our way up to Cairns from there? That would save time but would we miss anything we really shouldn't?
Thanks for any advice!
I think what you're planning is pretty easy. However, it will be the middle of the summer school holidays, so you'll probably want to book some of the trips, like Fraser Island. While you're in that neck of the woods, a 3-day trip around the Whitsundays might be worth it - if you like being on a small'ish boat - beautiful beaches and a relaxing few days. Prosail are one of the companies doing these trips - but there are others.
Look for flights from Virgin Blue, Qantas and Jetstar.
www.virginblue.com.au
www.qantas.com.au
Hope that helps.
Look for flights from Virgin Blue, Qantas and Jetstar.
www.virginblue.com.au
www.qantas.com.au
Hope that helps.
I spent 10 years operating tourist boats in the Whitsunday Islands area, & all my visitors loved it.
I spent 6 years on the coast opposite Fraiser Island, & all my visitors were disappointed.
Cairns is also good.
Just be aware that you have timed your visit for the wet/cyclone season. The weather can be, [& usually is] great, but it will be hot & very humid. For those not used to it, air conditioning is pretty important at that time of year. Chose where you will stay carefully. A night in an un air conditioned motel can be like spending a night in a sauna.
Its over 1000 miles from Brisbane to Cairns. If driving you can, at this time of year, run into flooding, which may hold you up, for a few hours, or a few days.
It is easy to fly from Brisbane to any of the larger centers, but it can be more difficult flying between those centers. It would still probably better to fly to your chosen areas, & hire a car at each place, for your stay there. Driving can be boring when, sometimes, the only thing within 50 miles of you, is a copper with a radar, making sure you stay under 60 MPH.
Don't be put off by any of the above. You'll have a ball.
I spent 6 years on the coast opposite Fraiser Island, & all my visitors were disappointed.
Cairns is also good.
Just be aware that you have timed your visit for the wet/cyclone season. The weather can be, [& usually is] great, but it will be hot & very humid. For those not used to it, air conditioning is pretty important at that time of year. Chose where you will stay carefully. A night in an un air conditioned motel can be like spending a night in a sauna.
Its over 1000 miles from Brisbane to Cairns. If driving you can, at this time of year, run into flooding, which may hold you up, for a few hours, or a few days.
It is easy to fly from Brisbane to any of the larger centers, but it can be more difficult flying between those centers. It would still probably better to fly to your chosen areas, & hire a car at each place, for your stay there. Driving can be boring when, sometimes, the only thing within 50 miles of you, is a copper with a radar, making sure you stay under 60 MPH.
Don't be put off by any of the above. You'll have a ball.
If you get chance go a bit further north from Cairns, Palm Cove is nice and Port Douglas is a great place to visit, around 1 hour drive from Cairns, you can get all sorts of boat trips from Port Douglas to the barrier reef, just try not to get one after a storm or you will find the visibility in the water not so good.
If you like boats then you can crew in Cairns harbour for an afternoon on a local's sailing boat, you have to go to Cairns Yaught Club and they have something called "WAGS" (Wednesday afternoon gentlemans sailing), you pay $10 and you get to help crew a yaught for the afternoon, it is open to all not sure about children but ladies go also despite the title.
It is mainly for local people to have a great time sailing with a bit of competition, it was a local who told us about it, I think it starts at 12:00 and runs dependant on the weather. I had never sailed before and I had a fantastic afternoon.
We did what you are doing but decided to fly internaly, we went for a bit longer and that was still not enough time to see all the great things Australia has to offer.
Fantastic place.
Hope you enjoy your trip.
Nick.
If you like boats then you can crew in Cairns harbour for an afternoon on a local's sailing boat, you have to go to Cairns Yaught Club and they have something called "WAGS" (Wednesday afternoon gentlemans sailing), you pay $10 and you get to help crew a yaught for the afternoon, it is open to all not sure about children but ladies go also despite the title.
It is mainly for local people to have a great time sailing with a bit of competition, it was a local who told us about it, I think it starts at 12:00 and runs dependant on the weather. I had never sailed before and I had a fantastic afternoon.
We did what you are doing but decided to fly internaly, we went for a bit longer and that was still not enough time to see all the great things Australia has to offer.
Fantastic place.
Hope you enjoy your trip.
Nick.
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