Travelling from Brisbane to Cairns in 11 days...

Having read quite a few messages and different websites I have a fair
idea of where I want to go but would be interested in people's ideas
about what to avoid or where to stay for a longer period.

We are planning to go early / mid September 2005.

There are 4 of us aged 20 - 25 travelling in a car, prepared to rough
it in hostels or camping.

Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

Cheers

Mugsy

On 25 Jul 2005 05:41:24 -0700, "mugsy" wrote:

Having read quite a few messages and different websites I have a fair
idea of where I want to go but would be interested in people's ideas
about what to avoid or where to stay for a longer period.

We are planning to go early / mid September 2005.

There are 4 of us aged 20 - 25 travelling in a car, prepared to rough
it in hostels or camping.

Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

My website deals with that exact trip, though in reverse.

http://www.australia.plesbit.net

That should offer some information. The diary bit gives a more
"human" feel to how we found the journey.

The places worth seeing along that route, to my mind, would be Hervey
Bay (for Fraser Island, and you might get whales in September too),
Airlie Beach (for the Whitsunday Islands) and Townsville (for the
diving and Magnetic Island).

In terms of what to avoid - well, there's nothing particularly
horrifying on the journey, though there is the odd hostel which
doesn't live up to its promise. There are also a few places which
have very little to offer. I would have to count Mackay amongst them.

"Simon Pleasants" wrote in message
...
My website deals with that exact trip, though in reverse.

http://www.australia.plesbit.net

That should offer some information. The diary bit gives a more
"human" feel to how we found the journey.

The places worth seeing along that route, to my mind, would be Hervey
Bay (for Fraser Island, and you might get whales in September too),
Airlie Beach (for the Whitsunday Islands) and Townsville (for the
diving and Magnetic Island).

In terms of what to avoid - well, there's nothing particularly
horrifying on the journey, though there is the odd hostel which
doesn't live up to its promise. There are also a few places which
have very little to offer. I would have to count Mackay amongst them.
-----------------

Brilliant and informative website! I almost felt as though I was there with
you both, you describe things very well. I particularly liked your
photographs and the way you have laid them out. All the links you provide
are just what I was looking for.
Many, many thanks,

Dribbler (starting in Brisbane in September)

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 18:36:58 +0100, "Dribbler"
wrote:

Brilliant and informative website! I almost felt as though I was there with
you both, you describe things very well. I particularly liked your
photographs and the way you have laid them out. All the links you provide
are just what I was looking for.
Many, many thanks,

I'll take that as a compliment - thanks :-)

Dribbler (starting in Brisbane in September)

And I'll be in Cairns in September. Enjoy your visit.

Cheers
Simon.

"Simon Pleasants" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 18:36:58 +0100, "Dribbler"
wrote:

Brilliant and informative website! I almost felt as though I was there
with
you both, you describe things very well. I particularly liked your
photographs and the way you have laid them out. All the links you provide
are just what I was looking for.
Many, many thanks,

I'll take that as a compliment - thanks :-)

Dribbler (starting in Brisbane in September)

And I'll be in Cairns in September. Enjoy your visit.

Cheers
Simon.

Yes
I agreee , very nice website...and Simon, please, please let me know when
you re visit Brisbane and I will happily point you in the direction of the
things that encapsulates the charm of my city!, afer all I am biased as i
have lived here for my 47 years and wouldn't live anywhere else..

Cheers
Jeff
http://community.webshots.com/user/surfoz

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 19:08:48 +1000, "Jeff"
wrote:

Yes
I agreee , very nice website...

Thanks - it's a pity my webstats are showing me as having no visitors
(other than search engines) in the past few days. In fact hits seem
to have dried up completely recently, so it sounds like something is
not right!

and Simon, please, please let me know when
you re visit Brisbane and I will happily point you in the direction of the
things that encapsulates the charm of my city!, afer all I am biased as i
have lived here for my 47 years and wouldn't live anywhere else..

The Brisbane part of the site is pathetic, unfortunately. But I'd
love to make it a more useful resource so if you can contribute
anything, especially as a local, I'd be very pleased improve on what's
there with your help. Although I wrote the site it certainly is not
intended to be all about me and the more input that I have from other
people the more use the site can be for potential travellers!

Cheers
Simon.

"Simon Pleasants" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 19:08:48 +1000, "Jeff"
wrote:

Yes
I agreee , very nice website...

Thanks - it's a pity my webstats are showing me as having no visitors
(other than search engines) in the past few days. In fact hits seem
to have dried up completely recently, so it sounds like something is
not right!

and Simon, please, please let me know when
you re visit Brisbane and I will happily point you in the direction of the
things that encapsulates the charm of my city!, afer all I am biased as
i
have lived here for my 47 years and wouldn't live anywhere else..

The Brisbane part of the site is pathetic, unfortunately. But I'd
love to make it a more useful resource so if you can contribute
anything, especially as a local, I'd be very pleased improve on what's
there with your help. Although I wrote the site it certainly is not
intended to be all about me and the more input that I have from other
people the more use the site can be for potential travellers!

Cheers
Simon.

I didn;t think it was pathetic, i just noted that you were not quite taken
by Brisbane,. so obviously you didn't feel the need to elaborate on much

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 21:23:00 +1000, "Jeff"
wrote:

I didn;t think it was pathetic, i just noted that you were not quite taken
by Brisbane,. so obviously you didn't feel the need to elaborate on much

We didn't really do anything, that's the problem. When I look back on
it I wonder why we didn't, but we didn't. I can only assume that
after several weeks of travelling around we actually needed to catch
our breath. I was decidedly not taken with Brisbane's roads -
particularly at rush hour, but that's another story (bridge).

I'd love to go back and do what we didn't do before - but because we
loved the rain forests and the reefs so much whenever we go back we
tend to go back there.

I'll be going to Perth in October - that's new territory for me.

"Simon Pleasants" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 21:23:00 +1000, "Jeff"
wrote:

I didn;t think it was pathetic, i just noted that you were not quite taken
by Brisbane,. so obviously you didn't feel the need to elaborate on much


We didn't really do anything, that's the problem. When I look back on
it I wonder why we didn't, but we didn't. I can only assume that
after several weeks of travelling around we actually needed to catch
our breath. I was decidedly not taken with Brisbane's roads -
particularly at rush hour, but that's another story (bridge).

I'd love to go back and do what we didn't do before - but because we
loved the rain forests and the reefs so much whenever we go back we
tend to go back there.

I'll be going to Perth in October - that's new territory for me.

Perth is a nice place, I am sure you will enjoy it.
I have heard many stories from tourists and people from other cities who are
frustrated with Brisbane roads, though I find it no different to any other
city.
Brisbane's traffice has increased dramatically due to population growth and
it s a serious problem.
Did you know there is some stunning rainforest within 30 kilometres of
Brisbane CBD?

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 22:37:00 +1000, "Jeff"
wrote:

I have heard many stories from tourists and people from other cities who are
frustrated with Brisbane roads, though I find it no different to any other
city.

I try to avoid driving in cities if I can though I have experienced
Glasgow during rush hour - probably about half the size of Brisbane
and less traumatic because I am more familiar with its road system and
British road systems in general.

What got me most about Brisbane was the number of roads which go in
one direction only. I don't mean dual carriageways, like we get here,
I mean roads that literally appear to go in one direction and to go in
the other means taking a different road entirely which doesn't
necessarily even follow the same route. A number of roads were shut
for the Goodwill Games at the time I was there as well, which cannot
have helped!

Did you know there is some stunning rainforest within 30 kilometres of
Brisbane CBD?

No I didn't. I used to live (for a short time) in Townsville with an
ex. She was a local girl and felt that the Daintree was the place I
must see. Ever since then it's always been that area which I think of
in terms of rainforest, though I will be visiting some forest areas on
the west coast come October.

So tell me about the rainforest near Brisbane then?