colin lothian

Hi all, <BR>Just back from a three week trip of the east coast from Port Douglas to Melbourne.<BR>I used this site for a number of ideas and would like to offer any info I can to anyone planning their trip out there as I found this site extremely usefull.<BR>I am away for a few days but can be contacted by email. <BR>We visited Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville, Magnetic Island, Fraser Island, Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. Any questions give me a shout.

Jen

Hi Colin,<BR><BR>Would love to know:<BR><BR>what you thought of Melbourne, <BR>how it compared to Sydney, <BR>where you stayed in both Sydney and Melbourne, <BR>and what sites you saw in Melbourne.<BR><BR>Thanks for offering information!<BR><BR>Jen

Marina Noronha

Hi Colin: <BR> <BR>Please advise me about some suitable budget accommodation in Port Douglas as I am making a trip next March with my son who is in a wheelchair. Also I do hope the streets are not cobblestone as it could be difficult to manage a wheelchair on them. What places did you think were worthwhile seeing on the Gold Coast and, again, could you recommend some suitable accommodation. Did you go to the Sunshine Coast? If so to which places and please advise me of the accommodation. Was Magnetic Island and Fraser Island worth visiting. I look forward to hearing from you. You may use the above e-mail address [email protected] for your reply which is much appreciated. Thank you. Marina

Linda Mara

Hi! You're message caught my attention because we are planning a 3 wk trip in Sept/Oct 01. Sydney, Cairns, An Island Maybe, Ayers Rock and South Island, NZ are on our intinerary. <BR> <BR>We are interested in nice hotel in Cairns, suggestions for out of Sydney excursions while staying in Sydney and your Island experience. We are considering: Bedarra, or Dunk for convenience. However, Fraser came highly recommended by local folks. Pls tell more about your trip! Also, did you go anywhere near Uluru?

scurry

<BR>Hi Colin -- welcome back! <BR> <BR>I'd love to hear about your experiences driving down the Queensland coast. How did you find the roads? Too much/not enough driving? <BR> <BR>Did you make it to the Sunshine Coast? What did you think of the Gold Coast -- usually people love it or hate it? <BR> <BR>Lastly, did you have fun? Would you go again?

Colin

Steve, <BR> <BR>We had a FANTASTIC time, what a brilliant country, definetly going back. <BR> <BR>So glad I listened to your recommendation on the driving, the little we did do, Cairns-Townsville and Brisbane-Fraser-GoldCoast, was more and perhaps too much but was worth it. <BR> <BR>I am going to put a travelogue together on what we did and what we thought of each place we visited and would be happy to mail it to you once it's complete. <BR> <BR>To all the other folks who have replied to my post, sorry for the delay in replying but I have been away for a few days on business. <BR> <BR>

colin

Jen, <BR> <BR>To be honest we didn't really do much around melbourne as we were visiting family. We spent a day in the city centre, wandering around and exploring the streets, shops and bars which was good fun, other than that we didn't do much in Melbourne, drives down the coast, visiting other family members. One place to visit is the Crown Casino complex in Melbourne, even if you don't gamble it is worth a visit, what a place. <BR> <BR>Sydney was excellent, lots to do and see and to us had a more vibrant feel about it. If you go I would suggest staying in or around Darling Harbour or close to Circular Quay which will give you access to the many harbour ferries and hence the zoo and beaches. <BR>We stayed at the renaissance(expensive for us 260dollars a night) as a last few days treat, but to be honest it wasn't worth the money and I wouldn't stay there again. <BR>We did the bridge climb which was excellent, the zoo, opera house tour and shopping. <BR>I preferred Sydney but as I said we didn't have accom to find in Melbourne and really only visited there for 1 day. <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>

Colin

Linda, <BR> <BR>When I go back to australia(next year) I will definitely go back to Port Douglas. I don't know what your likes and dislikes are but a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, with excellent resteraunts and pubs is what lies in wait and I am so glad we decided to stay there rather than cairns. It's a quiet little place and you won't find the place pumping with nightclubs etc, but it has some great little pubs to sit out under the stars and wash down excellent food with a few beers. <BR> <BR>We didn't do any excursions out of sydney( see my earlier post) and Fraser Island was one of the Highlights of our trip and well worth visiting. <BR>We hired a 4wd from rainbow beach and went that way to try and save some time driving up to hervey bay from brisbane. <BR>We had a scary drive the first day on the island, a rainstorm with an incoming tide was hairy (as we didn't know how far the resort was)but an experience we'll not forget looking back on it. <BR>When we got to our resort, we went down to the local beach bar, it was a pretty miserable day, but we sat outside under an umbrella with our beers when a old wild dingo wanders past and sits about 4 feet away. That was excellent !, we stared at him and he us as we gingerly made our way to the bar where the locals laughed and explained that they were no threat, so we watched him while we supped our beer until he wandered off again as lethargically as he arrived.The following day we spent driving round fraser in the jeep, what a hoot, then in the afternoon we drove to the gold coast. Two extremes in one day. <BR>I am concious about prattling on here so will mail you my travelogue when it's done, i'll cover recommendations etc in there. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Alice

Colin,I am currently planning a 3 week trip to Aus. in January. I would like to go to Port Douglas. Is it possible to get there without a car? Also, any advice on places to stay while there. <BR>I will also be going to Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

colin

Alice, <BR> <BR>Port Douglas is very easy to get to and you don't need a car to get there nor whilst there. <BR>There are transfer coaches running every hour or so to cairns airport and these can be booked through the apartments or hotel you are staying. It cost us 50 austrailian dollars for a one way trip, it's about a 3/4 to 1 hr drive North of cairns. <BR>We loved the place and would recommend it to anyone, in our opinion a much nicer place to stay than cairns, but then different strokes for different folks as they say. <BR>We stayed at a place called the Hibiscus Gardens, www.hibiscusportdouglas.com.au , this place was excellent. <BR>We basically had the pool to ourselves, the grounds seem to very quiet, I assume because people are out doing day trips. <BR>The rooms are first class, very clean with excellent utilities. It's a self catering complex, not even a 5 minute walk from the local supermarket, a stones throw from the main street and again 3 minute stroll to 4 mile beach. <BR>If you like a relaxing, laid back small town to stay in rather than a bustling city you will LOVE port douglas. We hired a car for a day whilst there and drove to cairns for a day trip and weren't really impressed. You won't/don't need a car when there as most of the trips will pick you up from the hotel/apartment complex. <BR>following on from what others have said, the mirage and treetops are a fair way out of town and not walking distance, what I haven't seen posted so far is that a local bus service basically does a round trip very regularly up till 11-30 pm ish I think so staying out at one of these hotels wouldn't be that big a deal. <BR>We just liked the facility of being close to the town centre. Also it isn't so close as you get any street noise unlike some of the other places directly on Marcrossan ( even here it was only pub/resteraunt chatter not nightclub boom). <BR>Sydney, depends on your likes and budget, we stayed at the Renaissance(after a really nice stay at a sister hotel on the Gold Coast) and were not really impressed. Don't get me wrong a lovely hotel and good facilities but a bit on the pompous side and for me not worth the money we spent 270AUD/night, still had a view of the opera house. <BR>Stayed with relative in Melbourne so can't comment on there. <BR>Hope this helps <BR> <BR>