Brisbane, Australia - have you been?

[Anonymous]

I would see Sydney and Uluru (Ayers Rock, in the Outback). When I went I did Sydney, Uluru, and Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef. Maybe there are better places for the reef, but I enjoyed it.

[Anonymous]

What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

[Anonymous]

[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

Mid-July will be the middle of school holidays so much busier and more expensive. I would go mid-June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

If you want outdoorsy activity but don’t need beach swimming weather (too cold for beach), you could take the bus to Noosa and then cycle around there. And kayak and walk. There’s a bus tour to k’gari from Noosa.

Port Douglas is better with car but you could book tours. Good area for snorkeling in winter.

Or you could fly to Sydney and/or Uluru, depending on interest. You don’t necessarily need a car at Uluru but you won’t find easier driving than that.

[Anonymous]

If only staying one week, I would go to the Sunshine Coast, probably based in Noosa. There are lots of organised day trips from there including kayaking, hiking, K’gari, Rainbow Beach, biking in the hinterland, etc so you can access some beautiful places without needing a car and it might otherwise be hard to do solo. The national park walk over the headland in the heart of Noosa is wonderful. Food is excellent. If going for two weeks, I’d be tempted to do same but combine with up to a week in Sydney for the contrast of being in a big buzzing multicultural city with a spectacular setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If only staying one week, I would go to the Sunshine Coast, probably based in Noosa. There are lots of organised day trips from there including kayaking, hiking, K’gari, Rainbow Beach, biking in the hinterland, etc so you can access some beautiful places without needing a car and it might otherwise be hard to do solo. The national park walk over the headland in the heart of Noosa is wonderful. Food is excellent. If going for two weeks, I’d be tempted to do same but combine with up to a week in Sydney for the contrast of being in a big buzzing multicultural city with a spectacular setting.

Forgot to add the last time I was in Noosa, there were scores of people (including scores of people over 40 or 50 yrs old) surfing in wetsuits. You can definitely do surf lessons there. And I saw humpback whales about 200 feet away from the top of the headland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

Mid-July will be the middle of school holidays so much busier and more expensive. I would go mid-June.

This. Here are the main school holiday dates to avoid. The Qld dates will primarily affect Qld while Vic and especially NSW will muck up almost everywhere you want to go.

New South Wales: 7 July to 18 July
Queensland: 30 June to 14 July
Victoria: 7 July to 21 July

[Anonymous]

In Brisbane: Botanic Gardens, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

You can drive south to O'Reillys. It is a tourist trap, but the rainforest canopy walk and the butterflies are astounding.

Another vote for Noosa. If you want something a bit less upscale, you can visit Hervey Bay: whales, access to Great Barrier Reef.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

Mid-July will be the middle of school holidays so much busier and more expensive. I would go mid-June.

This. Here are the main school holiday dates to avoid. The Qld dates will primarily affect Qld while Vic and especially NSW will muck up almost everywhere you want to go.

New South Wales: 7 July to 18 July
Queensland: 30 June to 14 July
Victoria: 7 July to 21 July

Ok,that’s good to know. So I’ll plan to go earlier in June.
I’ll read about Noosa, that sounds amazing. And will probably fly to Sydney.
Is the Australian Zoo day trip from Brisbane worth it? I’m not a zoo person but if that’s the only way to see kangaroos and koalas, I’d go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

Mid-July will be the middle of school holidays so much busier and more expensive. I would go mid-June.

This. Here are the main school holiday dates to avoid. The Qld dates will primarily affect Qld while Vic and especially NSW will muck up almost everywhere you want to go.

New South Wales: 7 July to 18 July
Queensland: 30 June to 14 July
Victoria: 7 July to 21 July

Ok,that’s good to know. So I’ll plan to go earlier in June.
I’ll read about Noosa, that sounds amazing. And will probably fly to Sydney.
Is the Australian Zoo day trip from Brisbane worth it? I’m not a zoo person but if that’s the only way to see kangaroos and koalas, I’d go.

There are many places with kangaroos and koalas.

[Anonymous]

[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What month are you going? Makes a huge difference. Also, are you comfortable renting a car and driving several hours? And open to flying somewhere?

Skip the Gold Coast. Very built up and feels like Florida. If you want to do something within a two hour drive, head to Noosa. You can also visit k’gari (nee Fraser Island) from there.

Depending on season, budget, etc., Heron Island, Port Douglas and/or Whitsundays would be my top picks.

School holidays will greatly impact prices so try to avoid.

Australia Zoo is a day trip from Brisbane.

Around end of June, to mid July. But could go in mid June if it makes a difference.
I wouldn't rent a car. I'd cycle if that were feasible.
I'd fly if it's worth going to.

Mid-July will be the middle of school holidays so much busier and more expensive. I would go mid-June.

This. Here are the main school holiday dates to avoid. The Qld dates will primarily affect Qld while Vic and especially NSW will muck up almost everywhere you want to go.

New South Wales: 7 July to 18 July
Queensland: 30 June to 14 July
Victoria: 7 July to 21 July

Ok,that’s good to know. So I’ll plan to go earlier in June.
I’ll read about Noosa, that sounds amazing. And will probably fly to Sydney.
Is the Australian Zoo day trip from Brisbane worth it? I’m not a zoo person but if that’s the only way to see kangaroos and koalas, I’d go.

There are many places with kangaroos and koalas.

For native Australian animals, I’d go to either Lone Pine in Brisbane (only native animals) or Taronga Zoo in Sydney (spectacular setting on harbour and reached by ferry). I believe LP may have ended the option of holding a koala though (welfare grounds?).

If you go to Sydney and love hiking, you could go the Manly to Spit walk. Gorgeous.

[Anonymous]

I would get a book on cycling in Australia. It's a good place to do it. Good roads, few people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would get a book on cycling in Australia. It's a good place to do it. Good roads, few people.

The east coast of Australia is very densely populated. Doing a cycling holiday there would require more time to get to less populated areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would see Sydney and Uluru (Ayers Rock, in the Outback). When I went I did Sydney, Uluru, and Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef. Maybe there are better places for the reef, but I enjoyed it.

For the GBR, I flew to Cairns but the traveled to port Douglas (by van I think). I like that base for the GBR and Daintree Rain Forest.