Brisbane or Gold Coast??? Reprise with MORE information as Alan requested
 

We are planning a visit to Australia over the Christmas Holiday. We are will spend 8 days in the Sydney area, 6 days in the Cairns area and were looking for a place to spend 3 more days. Our thoughts based on the map would be Brisbane or the Gold Coast(or someplace else). We are a large family consisting of parents and 5 kids. The kids range in age from 19 to 11 and are very active. Recommendations PLEASE.

If it was my vacation, I would devote any spare time to exploring the Atherton Tableland west of Cairns (Undara Lava Tubes, waterfalls, Australian cowboys, old gold mining towns, that sort of stuff).

One of my great regrets is that when we were in the Cairns area we didn't visit the Atherton Tableland, other than to climb the escarpment to Kuranda, which is just on the edge of the Tableland.

The Gold Coast would be great for your children. Great beaches, big choice of accommodation and three or four theme parks within easy reach. There would be much more for you all to do there, rather than in Brisbane.

Hi, again, captainmoroni!

Don't make up your mind just yet; your best source of information on the NICE areas, in the highlands around the Gold Coast(not on the "strip"), is temporarily "off line", as she has left her stamping ground for a quick trip to Sydney. I am referring to LizF, who will be back on this forum within days, and who will give you some tips on places close to the Gold Coast that will enchant your family, but which tourists never get to see. I very much doubt that your kids will be knocked out by the theme parks at the Gold Coast, because they can see all those back home, and probably bigger and better. And the older ones (hopefully the eleven year-old also!) are probably beyond this tacky kind of entertainment anyway. But Liz knows where there are platypuses and bush trails and rock pools and native flora and fauna. If you do decide to head south of Brisbane, this is the kind of place you should be looking at -- and maybe finish up with a couple of hours at the beach, among all the other tourists. Hold fire until she starts to post again.

Hi captainmoroni,
We stayed in Australia for most of December last year and we spent Christmas 23,24,25,26 at Tangalooma Wild dolphin resort off the coast of Brisbane. The kids have plenty to do there and we got to feed the wild dolphins on Christmas day.
Its certainly worth considering.
We had a great time.
Santa even landed on the beach...amazing how he found us there...lol

Muck

I can't wait for Liz to get back.I've still got 2 or 3 days to allocate and think my kids will be voting for Gold Coast.

At 13 and 11,they haven't been to any theme parks worth mentioning,so size wouldn't be an issue but if Liz has alternative suggestions,I'm all ears.

Huli, after they've been to the Gold Coast, they STILL haven't been to any theme parks worth mentioning!

Aww, don't be so hard on the parks, ALan. :-)

I'll have to say that we went to the water world (don't know the actual name) on the gold coast, and had a great time! We'd been doing all sorts of nature things for 10 days, and wanted to go somewhere fun, cool and safe with our daughters and little niece.

Despite having been to much bigger water parks (Las Vegas, Williamsburg) none of the kids complained! I think it was a nice break from all the nature stuff at that point.

Definitely wouldn't recommenddon't this INSTEAD of exploring the hinterland (that is a great place to visit), but with kids sometimes you need a change of pace.

Hi all

I have finally had some sleep after a very hectic week in Sydney and after meeting Alan - which incidently was the highlight of my trip, but more of that later.
If your children are between 19 and 11 then I too would vote for the Gold Coast and surrounds for a number of reasons. 1/ there is a terrific choice of accommodation available 2/ there is enough to do for ALL of the family, whatever their desires are 3/ that time of year is really great because the weather will be wonderful and everything will be open.
I don't think that all of the theme parks are worth going to but I do agree with a previous poster who said that Water World was great even if compared with the US places. I took some friends who were from Atlanta there and who had been to all the theme parks in Florida and we had a ball. Also if thrill rides are your thing then Dreamworld is fine too but not for those who don't have the stomach to face being thrown around. Movie World is pathetic - whether or not you compare it with the USA and Sea World is lovely and good value too. However apart from those parks there are places like Currumbin Bird Sanctuary which also has Australian animals which you can play with and touch and a nice nocturnal house for those night loving little critters. Fleay's Fauna reserve is worth going to if you are interested in talking to Naturalists who can tell you about the habits and habitats of the animals. Then of course you have the places which don't cost anything to go and see. The wonderful spring waterfalls and swimming pool in a rain forest setting at Natural Bridge - take a bbq and flashlights so that you can stay and watch the gloworms come out in the cave and walk about and discovers the nocturnal animals that inhabit the rain forest.
There are many lovely walks in and around the border ranges which you can fill you days with. A walk above the rain forest. Perhaps a bbq boat for yourselves down the Tweed River to Tumbulgum Pub for lunch - lovely scenery and lovely meals. A trip over to Nimbin through beautiful countryside to show the kids the type of lifestyle that was around when you were a teenager - its a town that time has stopped in the 60s and 70s. Then over to Byron Bay for a bit of surfing and checking out the place.
If you were staying for a week then I would suggest getting an Apartment for that time or perhaps renting a Villa at Sanctuary Cove where Mom and Dad could also play Golf it that is what they do, while the kids are doing something else.
Heaps and heaps of things to do.
Well getting back to Alan - I met Alan where I was working for the week and after we fed his horse ( not to mention having to scoop up the unmentionables) we shared a diet coke - because I didn't realize that in Sydney they have different rules for ordering one's coffee - but we had a great discussion about fodors and the like. Alan's passion is to give people the best information he can, as is most people's intention who write on this forum, and he is the most consummate gentleman.
It is terrific to put a face to a name and I am so pleased to have met him after such a long time reading his " always interesting " posts. Thanks heaps Alan for taking the time to visit me.
Back to Captionmoroni, if you could tell us what you and your children would like to do then perhaps we can better help you - also tell us where you are from so we can also get some idea of what you are used to.

What does "consummate" mean?

Alan, it means greatest, perfect or of the greatest finish, in other words you are the perfect gentleman.
Don't tell me that I spelt it wrongly! I never proof read my emails and posts much to my embarrassement sometimes.

HiLiz and Alan,
I always thought it was something done after marriage, perhaps I am mistaken..lol

;-)

Muck

What's that, Mucky? Is THAT what I did when I met Liz?? And I didn't even notice! I tell you, that's the last time I drink diet coke!! Next time I'll order a glass of cherry coke and try not to bust it ... the glass, that is.

The really bad thing about this revelation is that I was about to get back onto this thread and say, "LizF, the pleasure was all mine".... but now you've made me see that the pleasure was mostly hers!

lol
Yes I am sure you are right Alan

Muck
;-)

Silly old bugger, get out your dictionary of etymology - here's a clue, it comes from Latin. Besides Alan has now realized that I am far too old for him!

After marriage, Mucky? You're showing your age, mate - or have all those chapels left their mark?

Hi Neil,
After marriage, you know the first 3 mins of the first night apparently....lol
;-)

Ooohhhh Mucky, 3 minutes!! you people from Wales are sure quick off the mark. I get 100s of spam mail every day suggesting a cure for premature ej........n. Perhaps I could send you some and you could start a whole new money making business down there in Wales.

Hi Neil,
How did we digress to this lol.
I get 100's of those mails too.
also those other pills that last for 36 hrs.
Not much use really other than in hospitals stopping old men rolling out of bed...lol

;-)

Muck

Mucky:
This old guy went to the doctor and asked for half a viagra. "What do you want with half a viagra" said the doctor, " I normally only prescribe one whole one".
Well Doc, I just need to raise a little bit so that I don't piddle on my shoes!