hayley

I would like some help planning our Dec. Aussie itinery. We have 20 days:<BR>Plan#1:<BR>Dec. 9-12-Heron Island<BR>Dec. 13-19 Rent car and drive to stay at Broadbeach, in the Gold Coat<BR>Dec. 20-23- Fly and stay in Port Douglas<BR>Dec. 24-28- Fly and stay in Sydney<BR>Plan#2:<BR>Skip Port Douglas portion.<BR>We have 11 and 13 yearolds with us. Concern is Dec. month too rainy and not worth going to Port Douglas and also we will have already been to GBR to snorkel at Heron Isle. But then there are other things to see and do in P.D.? Any advice?<BR>

Alan

Hi, Hayley!<BR>Your plan certainly does seem heavily weighted towards the relentless sun and heat of Queensland... and right in the main holiday period for Australians, too! I think if I were you I might try Plan 2, and head to Sydney earlier. See the main sights of Sydney before the Christmas closedown, and then, perhaps,hire a car and travel south past the south coast beaches, where you will have a choice of pleasant, quiet towns in which to spend Christmas Eve. Then back to Sydney for the last day or two, when you'll go wild at the shops as the stores re-open two days after Christmas with everything reduced to clear. Your two kids will do a year's worth of shopping in two days! Have a great time!

liz

ALan, Alan, dear oh dear That time of year is the Off-season for Port Douglas and you would not have any trouble in either getting a great deal or in finding accommodation. <BR>As I have said before the GBR is much, much more than just snorkling and the reef. If it were me I would skip Heron Island and just go to Port Douglas, Gold Coast and Sydney. There is not a lot to do on Heron for 11 & 13 year olds. <BR>I would be very surprised if December was into the rainy season - it usually is later than that. <BR>

bishop

Well, I spent a week in Cairns over Xmas one year & it poured all week. We never saw the sun & the pounding rain woke us up every a.m. We tried to make the best of it since we obviously couldn't go to the beach or reef, but doing everything in the rain is absolutely no fun. The kids w/ us were bored to tears, and so disappointed. But, that's not to say that would happen to you - friends of mine have gone up Nth in Jan/Feb & never saw a cloud. However the locals told us that Dec-Mar is very hit or miss. I agree w/ the 1st poster & do plan #2.

hayley

Thank you. I have decided to do plan #2. i am thinking of staying at one of the tourist parks in the gold coast area; and also would like to stay in the Lamington park area. The only places i could find were O'Reilly's and Binna Burra(sp?). Are there other choices? And how are these "tourist parks"? The cabins look beachfront and reasonably priced. Do I have to prebook for Dec13?

liz

Yes there are heaps of other accommodation around the Lamington area - try a search for Tamborine Mountain or Gold Coast Hinterland or South East Queensland. Binna Burra and O'Reillys are quite expensive for what you get and there is nothing else to do there at night. <BR>If you stay in a tourist park on the Gold Coast I most certainly would pre-book NOW!!!!!! that is the High holiday season. The best one, although it is not beach front, is Ashmore something or other, which is a 5 star Caravan and cabin park with so many extras. The cabins are air-conditioned and very nice and the grounds are wonderful. <BR>I still think that not to go to the GBR if you are in Australia is a crime... but at least around the Gold Coast you will have heaps and heaps of things for you and the children to see and do.

hayley

Liz, can you recommend any place in particular in the Lamington area that would be suitable for our family? Or ahould we just do a daytrip up there and stay based on the Gold coast? Also, we going to Heron Isle because we heard the snorkelling was great, weather will be better and I thought it was part of the GBR? Thanks!

liz

Firstly Heron, yes the snorkling will be nice there and it is a coral cay which is situated at the very bottom of the reef i.e. in the last 100 miles of it that is, not at the bottom ;0) The only thing about Heron is that you don't have the surrounds of the tropics everywhere and you are compelled to go through Gladstone to get to it. Other than that it is a nice place. <BR>I would do day trips from the Gold Coast to Lamington and the areas around. I live on Tamborine Mountain which is on the range just north of Lamington on another hill, there is a lot of things to do up our way, which includes Lamington. The drive is only about 3/4 hour to get up from the Gold Coast and its a nice drive too - perhaps a bit more to get up the winding roads to Lamington though. Both places have a shop so that you can get drinks and food or you could bring a cut lunch and have a picnic. There are many and varied walks around the plateau but one place that you must go to is Natural Bridge or Natural Arch as some call it. Plan to go about 5pm and take a walk down to the waterfall and have a swim in the fresh water under the fall - come back and get a b-b que and have a nice meal, then when it is dark walk down again to the fall and watch the glow-worms come out. Bring a torch ( flashlight) with you or you can wait for a while till the tourist buses arrive and follow them ( those poor people have actually paid to be taken there ). Make sure that you get dressed for the swim up near the car park as those are the only dressing rooms. The water is spring-fed and crystal clear. Another cheap and fun thing to do on the G.C at night is go to the Village Cinema at Sanctuary Cove - you are allowed to take in a meal or order one brought in. There are tables up the back of the theatre and you can have a bottle of Champers, dinner and watch a movie, at half time you can go out to the cafe and get your liqueur, coffee and cake - very nice. <BR>Take a look at some of the web sites for the Gold Coast as you may find that a weeks accommodation in a self-contained unit is quite reasonable. Stay around the Broadbeach area as that is preferable to Surfer's Paradise which is too touristy and unless you read Japanese, somewhat of a problem with signage. <BR>Make sure you go to Carrara Markets on a Saturday or Sunday - plan to go early for breakfast when you can get a park easily. These are huge, wonderful, markets and there is nothing you can't buy. <BR>Then of course there are the Theme Parks for the kids - again go early and take swimming gear for Sea-World, Dreamworld and Water-World. There are passes for them all you can get - its cheaper that way. <BR>Another accommodation idea would be a house boat. These you can get in about 4 different areas of the Gold Coast. I have been meaning to do this for years and never seemed to get the time. They are fully equiped, have b-b ques, and are really lovely. You can relax, play music, watch TV and fish at the same time. <BR>If you cannot find a good web-site for the Gold Coast then let me know and I will do a search for you. <BR>Have a wonderful time whichever and whatever you choose.

liz

I just re-read my previous post - Natural Bridge is not in the Lamington, you get to it from another road entirely. But if you continue on that road through the Numinbah Valley you come up and over the Border Ranger and into the Tweed Valley which is also lovely. If you go through there make sure you stop for lunch at the pub at Tumbulgum which is right on the river. Don't go to Tropical Fruit World ( I used to suggest this one ) as I was there about 3 weeks ago and the food was absolutely dreadful - gee I hate it when a tourist place feels that they can get away with giving people rubbish and charging heaps for it!! If you are from the USA you may wish to take the drive along the Tweed Valley inland to Numbin as that is like a time warp - if not a complete eye-opener. Its very nice country though.

john

If you do push south into the Tweed stay at the The Mt Warning Van Park..get a cabin there...use the outdoor bbq and feed the wallabies that are about.Climb warning early the next morning.Go on to NImbin..climb the pinnacle..have a swimm in the rain forest pool at the base of minyon falls..stay at the van park at broken head...do the dolphin kayak at byron..go horse riding on seven mile beach close to byron.....etc etc you are well on your way to planning a lovely family holiday....but it would be advisable to book ahead at that time of year.

marg

If you are looking for a tourist park on the Gold Coast, I can highly recommend Tallebudegera Creek park. They have cabins on the river front. You have a choice of swimming in the river or taking a five minute walk along the river bank to the surf beach. Ten minutes walk through the Burleigh Heads national park takes you to the surf club and the shops.<BR>We have stayed there many times. Facilities are excellent and the park generally well run.<BR>The website for further information is www.gctouristparks.qld.gov.au or email - [email protected]

liz

Marg is right about the location of Tallebudgerra Caravan Park but I did not suggest it because you are coming in December when it is our main school holidays and "Tally Valley" Tourist and Caravan Park is so awash with people that its like standing room only ( slight exageration here - but you know what I mean) and may not be what you are after. However there would be no trouble for your children in finding friends to play with at that time of year. The Tally Valley park and surrounds has been used as a school camping area for years and years and has excellant safe swimming around. It is however, too open/sunny situation for my liking. The Main Beach Caravan Park is a terrific spot too because you are so close to Surfer's Paradise yet not really IN IT. So it really depends on what you are hoping for.