OZ - so much country, so little time!

Old Mar 27th, 2002, 04:51 PM
  #1  
Karen Chance
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OZ - so much country, so little time!

Just let me say, that as a Canadian (from Calgary) getting ready to visit Australia for the first time, I am already in awe of your island. What a special country and what special people!

So we would appreciate as much 'inside' information as possible to plan our four week vacation. We know that it will be wonderful no matter what - we just don't want to miss a THING!

We are travelling with two daughters, age 9 & 12, from mid-December 2002 to mid-January 2003,(I know, I know, school holiday time, but it's Christmas break in Alberta too!). We arrive and depart from Sydney. We have friends in Brisbane who will be booking a resort condo/apartment over the Christmas week somewhere on the Gold Coast, AND we have friends in Finley & Jerilderie NSW that we met 21 years ago on a European Contiki tour, and MUST visit!

Those are the two 'MUST DO' activities. If we start out of Sydney, can we do it all?

We plan to drive north to Brisbane once we have had a few days in Sydney. One of the stops along the way might be Lamington National Park, and staying at the Binna Burra Mountain Lodge, yes or no? It sounds like such a unique experience to see a rainforest, coming from the Rocky Mountains in Alberta!

After a week in the general area of Brisbane/Gold Coast, we are struggling with the following itinerary:

Should we just book a flight into Hamilton Island (5 days) and enjoy all that the connecting islands/reef can offer? Or do we try to head up the coast more and maybe use CAIRNS/Port Douglas as starting point for access to the Great Barrier Reef?

Either way, we will then head back to Sydney (by plane?) and then off to Finley via a rental car/and a stop in Melbourne.

My main question at this point - have we left ourselves ANY time to head in to a more central/interior part of Australia? I would like to see a more remote part of the country, off the beaten path, but that does sound like such a cliche! Any suggestions as to another piece of the country I could see?!

I realize that I have a rather detailed request, but Australia is a BIG country, and I am finding it difficult to fit everything in. Canada would be equally hard to see in four weeks, but I could certainly offer my opinions on its highlights!

Thank you again for all of your input. I find it hard to believe that I am finally getting to Australia after all these years!
 
Old Mar 27th, 2002, 06:19 PM
  #2  
Rhonda
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Karen I also have a friend in Calgary I met on a European Contiki trip, in '79. You'll have a great trip. With only 4 weeks and your plans so far, there won't be any time for central Australia unless you use one of those airline passes only available to inbound tourists (and X4 I realize could be just too expensive). So, leave inland Australia for your next trip. An island somewhere in the Whitsundays sounds great; remember it may be very wet the further north you go (still very warm but cloudy and NO mainland beach swimming..box jellyfish).

On your drive north from Sydney it would be worth prebooking your accomodation. I know that means being less spontaneous but at least you will be reassured of a bed during peak holiday time. You could always cancel a day or 2 ahead if need be. Suggest you look at:

Byron Bay
climb Mt Warning near Murwillumbah
A look at alternative Nimbin
Mt Tambourine

Do you intend to drive from Qld down to Jerilderie? If so, you'll be seeing a lot of farming country. Make sure the car's airconditioned!

So much to see. Enjoy your planning!
 
Old Mar 27th, 2002, 06:22 PM
  #3  
Rhonda
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Oops, sorry Karen just reread your original message. Yes ,if you can fly south, do so. Are you departing from Melbourne or Sydney?
 
Old Mar 27th, 2002, 06:31 PM
  #4  
Rhonda
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Oops, sorry Karen just reread your original message. Yes ,if you can fly south, do so. Are you departing from Melbourne or Sydney?
 
Old Mar 27th, 2002, 10:40 PM
  #5  
aussiecanuck
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If you think of Edmonton in the winter, temperature wise, then think Australia's interior the opposite way - now would you like to be in that? not really eh!
What you have organized is doable and I would book somewhere on an island on the GBR for a week too. The Whitsundays would be more likely not to have rain then and there are many islands from which to choose. Because you have children I would think of Club Crocodile on Long Island as its more family orientated. You can add reef cruises and the like OR you can rent a Cat or a yacht and do all the islands yourself - you don't need experience. If I were you I would be staying near the coast or in the hills wherever you are.
Also I doubt that you will need to book on the trip from Sydney to Brisbane. IF you like a bit of interesting stop-overs then I would suggest a Pub stays en route. This can be cheap and very interesting and most hotels have accommodation. There is one hotel half way between Sydney and Brisbane at Urunga which 17 klm south of Coffs Harbour. Phone a couple of days ahead and ask for a verandah room. You will have a wonderful spot and quiet. Beach within walking distance and they make great meals on site. Off the main highway is Dorrigo and it too has a great pub with all sorts of accommodation. Nice area too with temperate rainforests and waterfalls.
Have fun
 
Old Mar 28th, 2002, 02:39 AM
  #6  
Alan
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Hi, Karen!
I suppose it all depends on how far off the beaten path you want to get.... I think many Australians would say you are already going off the beaten path if you plan to drive to Finley and Jerilderie! Unlike North America, Australia is a continent whose population lives almost entirely on the coastal fringe.... inland the towns are tiny and the distances between them are often considerable. Around Jerilderie, you will see what the interior of Australia is like, and you will be far from the usual tourist routes. You will feel what the interior of Australia is like too... it's hot! January is the hottest time of the year, and it gets hotter the further you get away from the sea. The clouds of flies on your back get thicker, too. I guess what I am trying to say is you could spend precious days going in towards the centre, but you wouldn't learn much about our country that you aren't going to learn already by visiting the country towns between Sydney and Jerilderie and staying in some of the old pubs you will come across (I think that suggestion from Aussiecanuck is excellent.... in nearly every town of any size you will find one or two grand old (often run-down) places that speak of days when the inland was full of travellers after gold. A room in one is usually laughably cheap, and you could enjoy a full week just staying in a different one every night as you drove from Sydney to Jerilderie and then to Melbourne, leisurely). And I am concerned that if you DID go further inland, you might not think the experience was very exciting at all.. in January, especially, it's just uncomfortable!
I can't tell you what to do with your week on the Barrier Reef, because others know far more than I do about this part of Australia... one thing I can say is, prepare for wet weather up there in January!
I think your trip is quite "doable" if you are satisfied that Jerilderie should be as far west as you want to go.... any further and you are taking valuable time from your holiday that might better be used in Sydney or at the Reef. Whatever you decide to do, welcome to Down Under and I hope you all have a wonderful time. (Make sure you have the Canadian flag on your bags or clothes, or everyone will immediately assume that you come from that country directly south of Canada.)
 
Old Apr 13th, 2002, 10:40 PM
  #7  
kathy
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Hi Karen, One small tip, don't go calling Australia an island, if you want to upset the Aussies. I have been there at least ten times on holiday and lived in Perth and Sydney and I have only scraped the surface so don't be too ambitious. It is a very big country, best to cover a small area and see the rest at a later time. It is a long way from Brisbane to Cairns, you would be exhausted after the rest of your aspirations, keep it tight and you will have a great time. Study the mileages first before deciding on anything.
 
Old Apr 13th, 2002, 10:53 PM
  #8  
??
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Kerry, why should you think that we get upset about being called an island?
In our National Anthum the line says " our land is girt by sea" so we can hardly deny it.
 

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