miamatusow

Greetings! Our family of four (two adults, two boys ages 12 and 8) will be traveling to AU in August. We are starting to look more closely at our reservations and have realized that we have a rather long (8 hours total, but we'll need some time for customs, etc.) layover in Brisbane between our arrival from the US and our flight to Cairns. We'd like to get out of the airport, and I was thinking about a quick trip to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

1. Does this seem doable?
2. Does it make more sense to take a cab or rent a car?
3. From the little I've read, it appears that the international terminal may not be in the same location as our eventual flight to Cairns. Will it present a problem if we store our baggage at the airport, or do we just need to allow a little extra time to collect our things and make the transfer?
4. Is there some other destination that makes more sense, given our limited time?

Any recommendations or suggestions would be most welcome. Thank you!

Susan7

I'm not sure how frequently the ferries go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Stormbird who is a local will know), but that could be an option.

Other alternatives: Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery both have excellent exhibitions. They are on South Bank with a glorious position on the river.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Do you know what day of the week it will be?

miamatusow

It will be a Monday morning. Does that make a difference?

ElaineAust

I do not think there is a luggage storage facility at the Brisbane airport, domestic or international. Maybe a more frequent user can confirm this.

Bokhara2

Luggage storage is available at the International Terminal.
Ground floor, near the public parking entrance.

http://bne.com.au/visitor-guide/freq...stions#Lockers and baggage

miamatusow

Thanks so much!

aussiedreamer

I think arriving from the US and hiring a car and attempting to drive through a new city (even if it is Brisbane) would be very stressful. I see their website www.koala.net/index.php/English/bus.html says its only about $40 to take a cab, I'll presume that’s from the city. Maybe store your luggage, catch the airtrain to central station, catch a cab to Lone Pine and then do the same in reverse. You'd need to collect your luggage then catch the airtrain to the domestic terminal. And as you'll be flying domestically to Cairns allowing a good hour for check in etc should be plenty of time.

Or you could store your luggage, jump on the 'air train' to the city & have a look around the Southbank area, very pretty part of the city. You would then have to get the airtrain back to the international airport, collect your luggage, get back on the airtrain to the domestic, literally just down the road.

I've lived in Brisbane for 30+ years and I've still not been to Lone Pine..... oops.
Ps. arrival through customs & immigration is usually pretty speedy.

miamatusow

@aussiedreamer - Thanks so much! I think a cab probably does make more sense. I think we'll keep Lone Pine and Southbank as options and see which one appeals more to our jet-lagged bodies once we arrive. I appreciate the help!

(And, if you finally make it to Lone Pine between now and August, let me know what you thought of it!)

aussiedreamer

Ha ha, probably not much chance of that. But don't take that as a reason not to go, its supposed to be really good. I meant to add a link I found to the International airport re lockers etc, I'll add it now.

http://bne.com.au/visitor-guide/freq...kersandbaggage

I also meant to say that August/Sept is a great time to visit Qld, August can get a bit windy, but warm and dry 'usually'.