Emirates were having a $ 149 one way deal from Auckland to Brisbane so on the spur of the moment booked a flight in June. The air-fares to get from Nelson to Auckland nearly worked out more than the Aussie tickets.

DH and I have never been to Brisbane before. Need some ideas on the best area to stay, should we stay in the city or go to the Sunshine Coast. Have no real plans except one day I would like to spend at Australia Zoo. We would hire a rental car for that I imagine.

Any tips appreciated.

That seems like a really good price. How long are you here for? I'd suggest staying on the Sunshine Coast, it's not far into Brisbane (about 1.5 hrs max) if you want to drive in for the day.

We think the Sunshine Coast is nicer than the Gold Coast. It is more laidback, no theme parks and far fewer highrises. It seems to appeal to older people whereas families with kids are more likely to stay on the Gold Coast.

Caloundra is nice, Mooloolaba a bit more upmarket and Maroochydore is our favourite area.

Kay

We are only going to be there for six full days, plus another two for travelling!

Thanks for your suggestions Kay.

If you have need of somewhere to stay near Brisbane airport, say you are arriving late or leaving very early, I can recommend an older style motel about 10 mins drive from the airport. We stayed there over a weekend last year. Nothing fancy but easy walk to places to eat.

http://www.racewaysmotel.com.au/

Kay

What about spending some time in the Atherton Tablelands? there are some terrific bird and animal spotting opportunities in the rainforest; we did a great tour with a private guide if you think that would interest you. [It was one of the best bits of our entire 5 week trip to OZ & NZ last year].

Isn't that closer to Cairns than Brisbane Ann?

oops, nelsonian, you're right.

Momentary lapse of geography.

Hi Nelsonian
I'd encourage you to spend a night in Brisbane - somewhere along the river would be my pick.

Brisbane has a lot to offer IMO. Not the least, the fantastic Art Gallery precinct, Southbank, ferries & walks along the river, excellent restaurants. Buzzy bistros, casual oubs & cafes. Charming old Queenslanders ( houses, although most Queenslanders of the human variety are charming too in Indooroopilly,

Like all our Capital cities, it has its own unique flavour & character.

Brisbane is nice and worthy of a few days. We love Mooloolaba which is on the Sunshine Coast. It has a great beach, nice surf club and lots of restaurants, cafes and shops. Mooloolaba is about an hour from Brisbane,

yes, we enjoyed our 5 nights in Brisbane last year, so long as you draw a veil over what was going on at the Gabba.

Good museums, the free ferry along the river, and the buzz of the south bank. not sure if the beaches will be so inviting in June though?

At the moment I think we will stay in Brisbane, and do some day trips along the Sunshine Coast. I was thinking staying in Southbank, is this reasonably central. Is it easy to get too by Air Train?

You might enjoy the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Pretty little towns, lots of craft shops etc and great views from there to the coast. If you are in the area on a Saturday the Eumundi market is good too. That could be an interesting day trip from brisbane.

Southbank is directly across the river from the Brisbane CBD, so very central. There is a train station, and direct line from the airport, so no changes. The train takes about 30 minutes.

You can google Qld Rail for info.

Southbank is an excellent choice to stay.

nelsonian - the Air train stops right opposite the Southbank, so it's very convenient. We stayed in an apartment about 500 metres from the station; it was a bit of a hike with our bags [especially as we didn't know exactly where we were going] but actually it was fine; very well equipped and quiet despite the great view of the railway line that we had from our window.

http://www.thecapitolapartments.com.au

There were some hotels along the main drag opposite the South bank, but i don't know how they compare with price.

Okay time to start doing some research. I was planning to go to Australia Zoo, but have also been reading about the Lone Pine sanctuary which has a lot of koala's, kangaroos, birds etc and is not far from the city. Is it an overkill if we do both, or should we just do Australia Zoo. Are they two totally different experiences?

We are staying at Adina Apartment hotel in Anzac Square, it has been rebranded since we booked. It was called the Rendezvous hotel when I originally booked. Then we are moving on to Mooloolabal for three days.

Any suggestions as to a rental car company. Is it better to pick up and drop off from the airport rather than the city. Our last night we will be staying at the Raceway motel near the airport, as we have a reasonably early flight on the Sunday morning.

Any other sightseeing suggestions.

In recent years we have always used Hertz, they are not the cheapest of the bunch but we have no hassles with them. It is straight forward to collect the car and drop off, you don't want problems with hire car companies on your holiday.

As to whether to get the car at the airport or not, it depends on how far you are flying, if you will have jetlag (in which case, don't drive) and if it's just easier to get a taxi, then get the car later in the trip when you have a clear head.

Also if you don't need the car initially then why pay for the hire, and also for parking, if you aren't going to use it? We are staying in South Brisbane at the moment and if you intend to just explore the city and Southbank areas, you don't need a car. There is a free bus during the week and a free ferry all week. Also a lot is within walking distance.

Kay