Toucan2

I'm doing a little travel planning for next December. We are considering the following:

Canungra Hotel - Canungra, Queensland. Reviews seem to be that is is basic, and good value for what you pay ($99/night). We are considering this as a base to either drive up to Lamington/O'Reilly's or Binna Burra on different days. We felt this might give us some flexibility depending on which direction we wanted to go on which days. We realize it is a very winding drive. Mostly we want a place that is clean, has hot showers, and the bed is okay. Any input here?

There are a number of B&B's but we really wouldn't be spending much time there, and probably wouldn't do the breakfast, so it seems a waste of money.

Leyburn Motel Cabins, Leyburn, Queensland - I can't actually find a web site, only a FB page, so will try contacting them through that. On the off chance anyone here is aware of them, would love to hear your thoughts.

After Canungra, we are considering moving out to Leyburn to centralize for some more birding. We know it is near a place we want to visit, Durikai State Forest.

If you have any thoughts to share on these places, would love to hear them.

AlanJG

When I saw you post about Leyburn I was astounded. That is where the old family property is, though no longer in the family. We always had relations to stay with when there.

No help to you on your requests.

Toucan2

Really?! Indeed a small world isn't it?

AlanJG

I know a lady birder who lives nearby at Karara though I cannot think of her name at the moment. She might be interested in spending the day with you at Durikai as she considers it her back yard and knows it well. If you are interested I'll try and find her name and contacts. Just be warned she talks more than I do.

Toucan2

Sure, we'll take her name and contact info if you find it. If she is as fun to listen to you that will be fine.

The Motel Cabins in Leyburn look to be up for sale, and I haven't heard back on email (although that is not a good indicator as we know, given my email troubles). Leyburn is tiny, so looking at other options.

We are now thinking of Cunnumala as a base out that direction. There looks to be a wider range of lodging options. Bowra station looks really cool for birding, but, it looks like from what we can find out that it may be closed in summer

AlanJG

I've found her name and sent her an email asking if I can pass it on.

Cunnumala is a lot further out. Birds Queensland take the booking for Bowra http://birdsqueensland.org.au/contact.php

Flattery will get you everywhere!

Toucan2

Great site! Thanks for that.

Toucan2

We've decided against Cunnumala. Too far, weather too iffy that time of year.

Back to looking round Leyburn, and maybe Warwick, Leyburn doesn't have many options and we haven't heard back. It's the weekend again, so back to travel planning.

october_fun

Toucan Leyburn would be limited with accomodation as it is fairly small. Next bigger places would be Pittsworth, Clifton or bigger again would be Warwick which has a much bigger choice. I am from outside Toowoomba(warwick is just over an hour away ) so if there is anything I can help with please let me know.

Toucan2

Thank you october_fun. I tried calling last night to the Leyburn Motel Cabins but got voicemail, have not heard back.

I then started looking at Warwick instead as an option, and it does look like there is a lot more available. For this part of our trip we aren't looking for anything terribly fancy, and it seems that maybe the Comfort Inn or Alexander Motor Inn may be possibilities. Clean, comfortable beds, hot showers, not noisy. Those are the main things

We had actually thought of Toowoomba as a base as well, but it does look like we could find something in Warwick. We have stayed at Helidon Spa Resort before and were fine with it, but we did want to stay farther west this time.

Would you happen to also be familiar with Canungra?

october_fun

Canungra is hinterland of the Gold Coast so not so close to me.

Warwick is prob same distance as Leyburn to Durikai but on a better road I would think. Warwick has dams nearby that may be good for birding.

Toucan2

Thanks october_fun, it was worth asking, one never knows

Thanks for the info on Warwick. DH has been looking at a number of resources for birding sites, besides Durikai, and will check out the dams.

It might be better to ask you this question closer to our visit (which is really a rather long ways off) but we would like to take a couple to dinner while there (if they are in town, and would like to go of course) and I think Towoomba would probably be the place to go. Perhaps you could recommend a place?