3 week Holiday from Brisbane

Hi,

My wife and I have been living in Brisbane for 15 months. Finally we
have managed to get a significant (3 week) time off from work
(January) to do some wider exploring.

I was thinking of driving up to Cairns and back...but wondered if I
may ask some advice:

1) Do you think the holiday is going to be spoilt by rain/flood etc?
Unfortunately we are going to have to go in January. Should we be
going south instead?

2) Any suggestions of budget places to stay. We don't want to 'dorm'
it will need to be cheap if we are going a away for such a long time.

thanks in advance
Jason

On 17 Oct 2004 17:33:21 -0700, (Jay) wrote:

Hi,

My wife and I have been living in Brisbane for 15 months. Finally we
have managed to get a significant (3 week) time off from work
(January) to do some wider exploring.

I was thinking of driving up to Cairns and back...but wondered if I
may ask some advice:

1) Do you think the holiday is going to be spoilt by rain/flood etc?
Unfortunately we are going to have to go in January. Should we be
going south instead?

2) Any suggestions of budget places to stay. We don't want to 'dorm'
it will need to be cheap if we are going a away for such a long time.

thanks in advance
Jason

Hi Jason

I'm no expert on things north of Gladstone, but one thing is certain.
The further north you go in January, the hotter and wetter it's going to
be. In fact anywhere from Hobart to Cairns can be warm at that time of
year, but the far north will definitely be damp.

Also, the closer to the coast that you go, the more difficult it will be
to get reasonably priced accommodation. That doesn't mean it won't be
available, but you'll have to pay a little extra.

Think outside the square; consider transportable cabins in caravan
parks, or towing a camper-trailer, or heading South down through
Tenterfield, Armidale, Tamworth, Hunter Valley to Sydney then back up
via Forster, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Tweed Coast (my place)
towards the end of January when the holiday season is nearing it's end.

If you do decide to go north, consider route 17 via Toowoomba, Kingaroy,
Minto, Cania Gorge (magic wildlife in the caravan park in the National
Park), Biloela then cut across to Rocky and Gladstone to come back down
the coast via the Sunshine Coast, again towards the end of the season.

By starting out inland in both cases, you'll avoid the crowded beach
holiday spots and high prices; there are also some fascinating little
towns and villages. Spend your evenings in the pubs, or RSL or Bowls
clubs, chatting with the locals. Cheaper meals as well:-) If you don't
mind shared facilities, pubs often have cheap rooms.

If you are driving, it's always worth considering non-coastal villages
just a few miles inland at that time of year. A 15 minute drive from the
water can save big dollars at the motel.

If you're interested in chatting, remove weightandcarbs to email.


Cheers, Alan
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