Brisbane or Cairns for a free weekend?

I'm doing a RTW buisness trip with a pretty frantic schedule and in it
I have a free weekend in OZ after meetings in Sydney on a Friday in
October (10/13). Before flying on to Singapore the following Monday I
have the weekend off and the agent has suggested that good flights to
Singapore can be had from Sydney, Brisbane, or Cairns and I could spend
the weekend in either (Perth and Darwin were also suggested but beause
of distance from Sydney I scratched them, hey need something to narrow
down the list!)

So the goal of the weekend would be to relax and see some Aussie
sights. I've gone google searching and I think I'm leaning toward
Brisbane because it seems to have a good variety of things to do
nearby, from Koala preserves to beaches and bays, while Cairns seems
more pure resort town and I'm not really into diving so the reef isn't
a huge draw for me.

If you had a weekend off in Eastern Australia in the middle of a hectic
trip, which of these cities would you choose, and why? I guess I'm
trying to make sure I understand the flavor of these cities properly.

wrote in message
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I'm doing a RTW buisness trip with a pretty frantic schedule and in it
I have a free weekend in OZ after meetings in Sydney on a Friday in
October (10/13). Before flying on to Singapore the following Monday I
have the weekend off and the agent has suggested that good flights to
Singapore can be had from Sydney, Brisbane, or Cairns and I could spend
the weekend in either (Perth and Darwin were also suggested but beause
of distance from Sydney I scratched them, hey need something to narrow
down the list!)

So the goal of the weekend would be to relax and see some Aussie
sights. I've gone google searching and I think I'm leaning toward
Brisbane because it seems to have a good variety of things to do
nearby, from Koala preserves to beaches and bays, while Cairns seems
more pure resort town and I'm not really into diving so the reef isn't
a huge draw for me.

If you had a weekend off in Eastern Australia in the middle of a hectic
trip, which of these cities would you choose, and why? I guess I'm
trying to make sure I understand the flavor of these cities properly.

I'd go for Brisbane, especially in October, it can be wet in Cairns and
a weekend of (warm) rain will be just what you want. Cairns is all about
the reef, its inside the Reef and has no beaches - just mud. Inland has
some fantastic rain forest.

There is plenty to do in and around BNE, hire a car as public transport
is woeful if you want to have a good look around.

Bayside beaches are not very good - mud, sandy beaches start on the
Gold Coast and on Bribie Island, or the ocean Islands that form
Moreton Bay. Gold Coast - hmmm if you like high rise, Macdonalds
and crowds I'd avoid it like the plague.

If Brisbane suits you, then by all means spend the time there. Yes, there
are plenty of attractions in Brisbane or the Gold Coast just south.

Geoff

--
The Commissioner

www.the-commissioner.com




wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm doing a RTW buisness trip with a pretty frantic schedule and in it
I have a free weekend in OZ after meetings in Sydney on a Friday in
October (10/13). Before flying on to Singapore the following Monday I
have the weekend off and the agent has suggested that good flights to
Singapore can be had from Sydney, Brisbane, or Cairns and I could spend
the weekend in either (Perth and Darwin were also suggested but beause
of distance from Sydney I scratched them, hey need something to narrow
down the list!)

So the goal of the weekend would be to relax and see some Aussie
sights. I've gone google searching and I think I'm leaning toward
Brisbane because it seems to have a good variety of things to do
nearby, from Koala preserves to beaches and bays, while Cairns seems
more pure resort town and I'm not really into diving so the reef isn't
a huge draw for me.

If you had a weekend off in Eastern Australia in the middle of a hectic
trip, which of these cities would you choose, and why? I guess I'm
trying to make sure I understand the flavor of these cities properly.