We've been reading these posts and travel guides and see that “wet season” is quoted as Feb and March and some also include April. This REALLY concerns us.<BR><BR>Starting around March 6th my husband and I are allocating 10 days to Queensland after 14 days on NZ South Island and 3 days in Sydney. We’ll most likely fly to Brisbane, check out Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and possibly the respective hinterlands and also Fraser Island. From there, around March 11th, we thought we’d fly to Cairns to experience that area; PD, Daintree, Kuranda and snorkeling GBR. However, based on what we’ve read about rainy season, we are discouraged from going that far north. Are we talking about days of rains or just intermittent downpours? I would hate to eliminate Cairns area because of weather as most everyone has referred to it as a “must see” but we don’t want it to be cloudy and rainy the whole time either.<BR><BR>Just to confirm, would the outer reef excursions from Cairns be dampened by the same weather as the coastland?<BR><BR>Perhaps it would be better to do Whitsunday’s or Heron Island but again would hate to miss Cairns. Please advise. Thanks!<BR><BR>P.S. We are independent travelers and would like to keep Queensland flexible so based on what we’ve read on this post about standby rates we are considering waiting til we get to Australia to book most of the accommodations. Any comments?<BR>

Here is an excellent site for the weather in Australia - www.oztravel.com.au. On the left side select the region you are interested in and then the area and then select "weather".

Louise this is a great site! Not just for weather but for what to do recommendations, etc etc. Thankyou.

Thanks for your reply, Louise. Yes, we've seen these charts and other weather websites but was hoping for information/experiences from people who have traveled to the GBR in March.

Ask Royd ( see the post about renting a motor home) he has been to NZ in April and surely he would know what its going to be like in the GBR in March!

We've been in south-east Queensland in February - it's not so much the rain but the humidity that we found oppressing. <BR>You shouldn't have any difficulty in finding good standby rates for accommodation etc. We spent three months travelling in Queensland last year in the peak of their tourist season and noticed standby rates advertised everywhere, including trips to the islands in the Whitsundays. Don't book ahead - with the exception of the Easter holiday break, you should be able to get what you want where you want.

Thanks, I appreciate this additional information.<BR><BR>Is Easter holiday considered to be the weeks before and after Easter? March 23 thru April 7? (In the states, it's just a long weekend for most of us.)<BR><BR>Are standby rates typically available for Heron Island?

Your main problem will be humidity. For the last few years March has been very humid. You will find this quite tiring if you are not used to it. Rain is not too much of a problem in the Brisbane, Gold and Sunshine coasts. However as its sort-of cyclone season if one forms up Cairns way forget it. It'll rain for days and days. Keep your trip flexible if possible in case of bad weather conditions. Normally though you should'nt have too many problems, I'm in Brisbane and it has been very dry here. If it rains it's usually a lovely summer storm in the evenings.<BR>I visit the Sunshine coast regually and recommend going to Caloundra, mooloolabah, Noosa, Montville. Don't book ahead as there is plenty of accomodation except for perhaps the hinterland areas. These are easily reached by car however in less than an hour. The Gold Coast is nice too but much more touristy. Visit Montville on the Sunshine coast hinterland rather than Mt Tamborine on the Gold coast hinterland.

Wet seasons come and go and sometime they don't come at all. There is plenty to do in the Daintree/Cairns/Port Douglas area that a few downpours won't spoil things for you. To give you some idea of humidity - it would be no more humid as New York/Florida/New Orleans in summer. <BR>You can fly into the Gold Coast but its not easy to get into the Sunshine Coast and there is far more diversity in say, Tamborine Mountain than Montville which his only got a few art and craft shops. The hinterland on the Sunshine Coast does not have the many and varied National Parks as does the Gold Coast and neither is it has high and therefore it can be just as stinking hot as the coast up that way. The Gold Coast Hinterland affords a break from the coastal heat and there is lots to do. <BR>Forget Brisbane too as its not much of a place for tourists. <BR>It is also an expensive exercise to go just to Heron Island, particularly as you will be up in the many islands in the north. <BR>I am an old timer from Queensland and I know the place well as for the poster who said not to come up here, I think he is from Melbourne and let me tell you that when it is hot in Melbourne you really know it and it can be hotter there than anywhere in Queenland gets and more unbearable because there are no lovely beaches at your doorstep to cool down with, and if they are they will either be too polluted or too overcrowded to be nice.