LILYBANK B&B, CAIRNS
Oct 29th, 2008, 02:28 PM
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LILYBANK B&B, CAIRNS
I have just spent a wonderful holiday in Cairns and the far north and I had the pleasure of staying in 3 places - Lilybank B&B in Cairns, Zanzoo in the outer suburbs of Cairns and Daintree Wild in, of course, the Daintree.
Pat Woolford, the distaff side of the ownership of Lilybank, has been one of the greatest helps to all and sundry on this forum and staying at her B&B is like staying with an old friend.
Don't expect a 5 star Hotel but do expect to be able to relax, feel at home and be yourself and partake in great breakfasts with the other guests around a big table in an outdoor room and have a great time.
There are several configurations of rooms from a private seperate outside suite to a family suite and then the upstair rooms with their own balcony access and lovely lounge room with Cable TV and many books etc. Also there is a kitchenette for guest use and a swimming pool thrown in for good measure.
I have to make mention here that there have been some people who have complained that Pat does not have wireless connection - she does however have computers which can be used by the guests.
I think that people from overseas do not realize that the costs of wireless connection in Australia is expensive and in many cases it MAY NOT WORK effectively thoughout an establishment - this I know as I have wireless and I cannot even sit and use my laptop in the next room. Looks like we have to wait until the 21st Century gets a move on here particularly as we are still waiting for high-speed broadband - let along effective wireless in some places in Australia.
Pat and Mike are a font of knowledge for the best tours and places to eat etc and Pat can make any bookings that you may need. There are heaps of brochures in the dining area to choose tours from and the small railway station which has the train to Kuranda is within walking distance just up the road.
There are very good eateries close by.
We ate at the Garden Room which is an Asian style restaurant with lovely food and its only 100 mtrs down the road. We also ate meals from the fish and chip shop which has to be one of the best in Cairns for seafood and hamburgers. Other guests ate at either the Pub or the Thai restaurant and there were good reports from them too.
Lilybank was built about 1860 and is an old Queenslander in all its glory and apparently was owned by the first Mayor of Cairns. There is airconditioning and fans everywhere throughout the house and the beds are very comfortable.
There is a bus service from Lilybank and the tour busses pick up from Lilybank and drop off as well so distance is not a problem.
Pat and Mike do their upmost to make their guest's holiday as good as it can be so that you will have wonderful memories for years to come.
Their website is www.lilybank.com.au
Pat Woolford, the distaff side of the ownership of Lilybank, has been one of the greatest helps to all and sundry on this forum and staying at her B&B is like staying with an old friend.
Don't expect a 5 star Hotel but do expect to be able to relax, feel at home and be yourself and partake in great breakfasts with the other guests around a big table in an outdoor room and have a great time.
There are several configurations of rooms from a private seperate outside suite to a family suite and then the upstair rooms with their own balcony access and lovely lounge room with Cable TV and many books etc. Also there is a kitchenette for guest use and a swimming pool thrown in for good measure.
I have to make mention here that there have been some people who have complained that Pat does not have wireless connection - she does however have computers which can be used by the guests.
I think that people from overseas do not realize that the costs of wireless connection in Australia is expensive and in many cases it MAY NOT WORK effectively thoughout an establishment - this I know as I have wireless and I cannot even sit and use my laptop in the next room. Looks like we have to wait until the 21st Century gets a move on here particularly as we are still waiting for high-speed broadband - let along effective wireless in some places in Australia.
Pat and Mike are a font of knowledge for the best tours and places to eat etc and Pat can make any bookings that you may need. There are heaps of brochures in the dining area to choose tours from and the small railway station which has the train to Kuranda is within walking distance just up the road.
There are very good eateries close by.
We ate at the Garden Room which is an Asian style restaurant with lovely food and its only 100 mtrs down the road. We also ate meals from the fish and chip shop which has to be one of the best in Cairns for seafood and hamburgers. Other guests ate at either the Pub or the Thai restaurant and there were good reports from them too.
Lilybank was built about 1860 and is an old Queenslander in all its glory and apparently was owned by the first Mayor of Cairns. There is airconditioning and fans everywhere throughout the house and the beds are very comfortable.
There is a bus service from Lilybank and the tour busses pick up from Lilybank and drop off as well so distance is not a problem.
Pat and Mike do their upmost to make their guest's holiday as good as it can be so that you will have wonderful memories for years to come.
Their website is www.lilybank.com.au
Oct 31st, 2008, 02:46 AM
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Sounds lovely though verging on an incestuous post.
Now if Lilybank had a room that is sometimes labelled "heritage" (ie without ensuite) then I would put it on my list.
It would be interesting to know whether Pat does not offer such accommodation because she thinks nobody wants it, or because she would think anyone who does is a member of the hoi polloi, and therefore not the sort of person she would like to be there.
Now if Lilybank had a room that is sometimes labelled "heritage" (ie without ensuite) then I would put it on my list.
It would be interesting to know whether Pat does not offer such accommodation because she thinks nobody wants it, or because she would think anyone who does is a member of the hoi polloi, and therefore not the sort of person she would like to be there.
Oct 31st, 2008, 11:08 AM
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Afterall, I am sure that you could use the garden ( fertilizer ) as a "bog down the back" if that would put your Heritage fears away. It unfortunately also has running water and showers/baths as well which I am sure beats the hip bath on Sunday by a mile - even if you don't need it, seeing you are a POM.
Oct 31st, 2008, 01:09 PM
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Further to my "knee jerk reply" to the poster "Afterall" who replied to my review of Lilybank B&B calling it incestuous, this is just to let you know afterall that I have asked Fodors Editor to delete your reference to incest as I find that comment uncalled for and you one of the most tasteless individuals on this forum.
I have no vested interest whatsoever in any establishment that I write about. I have been writing on this forum for about 12 years now and have written both good and bad reviews on many, many places for no other reason than to alert people to what is good, what is bad and their pros and their cons.
If you had any knowledge at all about Council regulations, the tourist industry itself and the health and safety regulations you would not dare make the remarks that you do because it shows you up as a stupid, stupid woman who is lacking in both knowledge of the behind the scenes laws and the desires of the majority of the travelling public.
We are aware that when you overstep the mark with your replies you then suddenly start using another identity but your posts and the vitriolic comments about people, and in particular Americans, can be identified whatever you call yourself or try and cover your comments. I, and others, as Australians on an Australian forum, find you - an English person with a chip on your shoulder, offensive & racist
and we would prefer that you either spent your time on the English/European forum making your rude comments to people and get off this forum where you make us Aussies look as if we all have your racist ideals - which we do not. You could of course just take life membership of AA and do something about your problem.
I have no vested interest whatsoever in any establishment that I write about. I have been writing on this forum for about 12 years now and have written both good and bad reviews on many, many places for no other reason than to alert people to what is good, what is bad and their pros and their cons.
If you had any knowledge at all about Council regulations, the tourist industry itself and the health and safety regulations you would not dare make the remarks that you do because it shows you up as a stupid, stupid woman who is lacking in both knowledge of the behind the scenes laws and the desires of the majority of the travelling public.
We are aware that when you overstep the mark with your replies you then suddenly start using another identity but your posts and the vitriolic comments about people, and in particular Americans, can be identified whatever you call yourself or try and cover your comments. I, and others, as Australians on an Australian forum, find you - an English person with a chip on your shoulder, offensive & racist
and we would prefer that you either spent your time on the English/European forum making your rude comments to people and get off this forum where you make us Aussies look as if we all have your racist ideals - which we do not. You could of course just take life membership of AA and do something about your problem.
Oct 31st, 2008, 04:58 PM
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On a less inflammatory note - Lizzy, you must have very thick walls. I've connected a cheap ($100) D-Link wireless modem to my desktop PC at one end of the house and I can use the laptop in every other room - and the signal has to pass through several concrete internal walls. Maybe a local tech could advise?
As for broadband internet, it's a big country and there's a high cost to deploying such technology in remote areas. ADSL (asynchronous digital subscriber loop), which uses your existing copper phone line, presently only works within a few kilometres of the telephone exchange, although that distance looks like being pushed out. 3rd-generation mobile services can be used, but you can't get ADSL speeds. At the moment that leaves satellite, which is costly and has its own problems.
The extent to which other taxpayers should cross-subsidise people who live in remote parts of the country is a vexed question. I have a couple of friends in that position who certainly feel discriminated against. I've told them that when the cost of housing where I live drops to what they paid I'll be happy to consider a bigger subsidy of their telecommunications, but to no avail. Bushies are like that.
PS: a comparison with remote parts of the United States and Canada might be instructive. Even in the UK, I recall that some people were told by a newly-privatised British Telecom that they could forget about getting a landline unless they paid the full cost of getting service into their little valleys - a matter of many thousand pounds.
And yes, declaration of interest - I've worked for both major phone companies.
As for broadband internet, it's a big country and there's a high cost to deploying such technology in remote areas. ADSL (asynchronous digital subscriber loop), which uses your existing copper phone line, presently only works within a few kilometres of the telephone exchange, although that distance looks like being pushed out. 3rd-generation mobile services can be used, but you can't get ADSL speeds. At the moment that leaves satellite, which is costly and has its own problems.
The extent to which other taxpayers should cross-subsidise people who live in remote parts of the country is a vexed question. I have a couple of friends in that position who certainly feel discriminated against. I've told them that when the cost of housing where I live drops to what they paid I'll be happy to consider a bigger subsidy of their telecommunications, but to no avail. Bushies are like that.
PS: a comparison with remote parts of the United States and Canada might be instructive. Even in the UK, I recall that some people were told by a newly-privatised British Telecom that they could forget about getting a landline unless they paid the full cost of getting service into their little valleys - a matter of many thousand pounds.
And yes, declaration of interest - I've worked for both major phone companies.
Oct 31st, 2008, 08:47 PM
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Ah Neil glad that you are still with us. I thought you must have been on holiday or something just as interesting. Thanks Neil for the information about wireless.
I am not in a remote region but it could be that the network is not as good as elsewhere. At least living in Canberra you should get the very best of all things. My walls are thick though and perhaps that could make a difference but I am certainly not too enchanted with wireless as other people are.
As I have just bought a new TV which I am going to need to get an expert in too set up I might ask if there is anything about the area that effects wireless at the same time.
I am not in a remote region but it could be that the network is not as good as elsewhere. At least living in Canberra you should get the very best of all things. My walls are thick though and perhaps that could make a difference but I am certainly not too enchanted with wireless as other people are.
As I have just bought a new TV which I am going to need to get an expert in too set up I might ask if there is anything about the area that effects wireless at the same time.
Nov 1st, 2008, 12:27 AM
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Lizzy - totally agree that Afteralls posts are usually posted to rile but not sure that being a POM means they dont wash... most of us do you know and also not sure the English/European crowd would welcome he/she either. I dont think his/her nationality is to blame they are just one of those posters who like to cause trouble, we have them (alas) of every nationality on this board
Nov 1st, 2008, 04:09 PM
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"At least living in Canberra you should get the very best of all things."
Ah, Lizzy, would it were so. Them were the days.
Contrary to popular legend, only our four local MPs (2 MHRs, 2 senators) have any interest whatever in spending money on Canberra (other than a somewhat grudging maintenance of national institutions).
Understandably enough, the other 222 Federal pols would rather see the money spent in their own areas, where there may be an electoral payoff.
Except for our own two MHRs and two senators the pols are blow-ins, jetting in for a small part of the year and with no interest in or contact with the life of the local community. We of course reciprocate this lack of interest.
The national government only looks after a few designated "national estate" areas like the Parliamentary Triangle and the War Memorial precinct. Everything else gets paid for the same way as it gets paid for anywhere else in Australia - local rates, taxes and Commonwealth grants - of which we get considerably less, pro-rata, than Tasmania (or Queensland, for that matter).
We are, by a country mile, the leanest and meanest jurisdiction in Australia when it comes to representation and government services. Not picking on Tasmania, but try this for a comparison...
Australian Capital Teritory (pop. 340,000)
* Federal pols: 2 MHRs, 2 Senators
* Local government pols: 17 full-time Legislative Assembly members
* NO local councils: ACT government handles all state and municipal services.
Tasmania: pop. 480,000 (40% more than ACT)
* Federal reps: 5 MHRs, 12 (!) Senators
* State government: bicameral legislature, 39 full-time legislators
* Local government: 29 municipalities with who knows how many part-time councillors.
I acknowledge that Tasmania's demographics are very different to Canberra's and impose extra costs. The ACT has only a small rural population and while Canberra is a low population-density city even by Australian standards it's still a concentrated population. So yes, the economics of putting in infrastructure are more favourable here than most places.
And population distribution really is the killer in Australia, making it much more expensive than in most other advanced countries to put in roads, railways, power and telecommunications. The USA is about the same size as Australia, but 70% of its 300 million people live in cities and towns of less than 500,000 - a much more even distribution than Australia's mere 21 million, whose proportion would surely be the other way around.
Ah, Lizzy, would it were so. Them were the days.
Contrary to popular legend, only our four local MPs (2 MHRs, 2 senators) have any interest whatever in spending money on Canberra (other than a somewhat grudging maintenance of national institutions).
Understandably enough, the other 222 Federal pols would rather see the money spent in their own areas, where there may be an electoral payoff.
Except for our own two MHRs and two senators the pols are blow-ins, jetting in for a small part of the year and with no interest in or contact with the life of the local community. We of course reciprocate this lack of interest.
The national government only looks after a few designated "national estate" areas like the Parliamentary Triangle and the War Memorial precinct. Everything else gets paid for the same way as it gets paid for anywhere else in Australia - local rates, taxes and Commonwealth grants - of which we get considerably less, pro-rata, than Tasmania (or Queensland, for that matter).
We are, by a country mile, the leanest and meanest jurisdiction in Australia when it comes to representation and government services. Not picking on Tasmania, but try this for a comparison...
Australian Capital Teritory (pop. 340,000)
* Federal pols: 2 MHRs, 2 Senators
* Local government pols: 17 full-time Legislative Assembly members
* NO local councils: ACT government handles all state and municipal services.
Tasmania: pop. 480,000 (40% more than ACT)
* Federal reps: 5 MHRs, 12 (!) Senators
* State government: bicameral legislature, 39 full-time legislators
* Local government: 29 municipalities with who knows how many part-time councillors.
I acknowledge that Tasmania's demographics are very different to Canberra's and impose extra costs. The ACT has only a small rural population and while Canberra is a low population-density city even by Australian standards it's still a concentrated population. So yes, the economics of putting in infrastructure are more favourable here than most places.
And population distribution really is the killer in Australia, making it much more expensive than in most other advanced countries to put in roads, railways, power and telecommunications. The USA is about the same size as Australia, but 70% of its 300 million people live in cities and towns of less than 500,000 - a much more even distribution than Australia's mere 21 million, whose proportion would surely be the other way around.
Nov 1st, 2008, 05:35 PM
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Nearly seems that a bushranging robbery under arms is needed to lead the troopers down upon the reprehensible is it Liz?
And Neil, on a more modernistic note and " At the moment that leaves satellite, which is costly and has its own problems." that paints a picture perhaps too grim for the Government Broadband Guarantee (while it continues) pays for satellite installations where BB is not available and network costs are not too much worse than if having a landline, but certainly skyrocket if opting for greater Mb and/or speed.
On the copperwire ADSL, Telstra can do some boosting depending on customers and at end of our road a chap had ADSL, some 5-6 km. from exchange and I another 250 M, they would not come to the party.
I suspect Lizzy that your lack of wireless functioning ought to be more with the equipment and the set-up more than anything for even the simplest systems like earphones can receive from a transmitter in a bathroom with door closed.
And Neil, on a more modernistic note and " At the moment that leaves satellite, which is costly and has its own problems." that paints a picture perhaps too grim for the Government Broadband Guarantee (while it continues) pays for satellite installations where BB is not available and network costs are not too much worse than if having a landline, but certainly skyrocket if opting for greater Mb and/or speed.
On the copperwire ADSL, Telstra can do some boosting depending on customers and at end of our road a chap had ADSL, some 5-6 km. from exchange and I another 250 M, they would not come to the party.
I suspect Lizzy that your lack of wireless functioning ought to be more with the equipment and the set-up more than anything for even the simplest systems like earphones can receive from a transmitter in a bathroom with door closed.
Nov 1st, 2008, 08:22 PM
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Bushranger, I've been out of the game for a few years and I wasn't a techo anyway, so I'm happy not to be taken as gospel. My satellite comments related mainly to the "propagation delay" (up-and-back transmission), but that's more of a problem for real-time communications (voice and video) than data. Or was. The underlying costs are certainly high, albeit masked from the user if government-subsidised.
With ADSL the age and gauge of the cable between you and the exchange is also a factor.
There are other issues. I have an Optus ADSL2 connection and mostly I get 3.5 Mbps out of a theoretical 20 Mbps (which is plenty for my purposes anyway). While I'm perhaps 4 km from the exchange, I suspect the main problem is that the phone lead-in point is at one end of the house, the modem is at the other and wiring between the two is old and ratty by now. (Nobody so far has volunteered to go under the house and face the redbacks.)
I did read somewhere that new amplification techniques make it likely that DSL can be very substantially extended.
With ADSL the age and gauge of the cable between you and the exchange is also a factor.
There are other issues. I have an Optus ADSL2 connection and mostly I get 3.5 Mbps out of a theoretical 20 Mbps (which is plenty for my purposes anyway). While I'm perhaps 4 km from the exchange, I suspect the main problem is that the phone lead-in point is at one end of the house, the modem is at the other and wiring between the two is old and ratty by now. (Nobody so far has volunteered to go under the house and face the redbacks.)
I did read somewhere that new amplification techniques make it likely that DSL can be very substantially extended.
Nov 2nd, 2008, 02:41 AM
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Nice to see Pat get some good PR as there is no doubt that she is unfailingly generous with her advice on this forum .And what is more ,it is great and accurate advice.
And if in any doubt about Lizzy's bona fides look at her posts and you will see that she does not lightly give her praise to any place or person ( save Tasmania and the Gold Coast hinterland )lol
And if in any doubt about Lizzy's bona fides look at her posts and you will see that she does not lightly give her praise to any place or person ( save Tasmania and the Gold Coast hinterland )lol
Nov 2nd, 2008, 11:26 AM
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John Fitz I do heap praise etc on Darwin, and parts of NSW and Western Australia certainly parts of Victoria at the right time of year - well that goes for just about any place in Australia actually. Thanks for your posting. It is nice to see at least one person appreciates the time and effort put in on this forum. Ditto for Pat Woolford I would think although I suspect that that certain "someone" will chime in a call it nepotism. I am going to put in this following rider in each of my posts in future:
"No birds or animals were harmed in the posting of this review. No money changed hands for this review nor will I get any financial gain from any person, place or thing in writing this review - HOWEVER - I will accept donations to the LizzyF retirement fund from any hotel, restaurant, accommodation place or theme park for any future good reviews - if payment is not received within 24 hours of a review then a second review refuting the first will be posted on every site in the Internet"
Gosh I can see them shaking in their boots now!
"No birds or animals were harmed in the posting of this review. No money changed hands for this review nor will I get any financial gain from any person, place or thing in writing this review - HOWEVER - I will accept donations to the LizzyF retirement fund from any hotel, restaurant, accommodation place or theme park for any future good reviews - if payment is not received within 24 hours of a review then a second review refuting the first will be posted on every site in the Internet"
Gosh I can see them shaking in their boots now!
Nov 2nd, 2008, 07:04 PM
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Hey Lizzy,
Here's this for you and editors: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=3
Seeing as you know how it's done you've got the crown back!
Here's this for you and editors: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=3
Seeing as you know how it's done you've got the crown back!
Nov 8th, 2008, 09:32 PM
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Lizzy
My husband & I stayed at Lilybank B & B August 2008. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a lovely large room with a large ensuite bathroom.
The room opened up to a terrace porch which overlooked their beautiful backyard filled with orange trees, and beautiful singing birds.
The free breakfast was fantastic! And far more than we could really eat. But believe me we didn't let that stop us!
Pat and her husband are wonderful, knowledgable and caring innkeepers. We'd love to go back and stay with them again.
My husband & I stayed at Lilybank B & B August 2008. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a lovely large room with a large ensuite bathroom.
The room opened up to a terrace porch which overlooked their beautiful backyard filled with orange trees, and beautiful singing birds.
The free breakfast was fantastic! And far more than we could really eat. But believe me we didn't let that stop us!
Pat and her husband are wonderful, knowledgable and caring innkeepers. We'd love to go back and stay with them again.
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