Queensland

[Prawn_86]

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean. The state is Australia's second largest by area, following Western Australia, and the country's third most populous after New South Wales and Victoria.

[Prawn_86]

I lived up in Far North Queensland in Cairns for nearly a year.

Cairns is a great place, "where the rainforest meets the reef" or something along those lines is the city's slogan. Its up there that i did my dive certificate. Spent 5 days on a boat out on the great barrier reef. Awesome stuff :D

[naked shorts]

If coming to Queensland, avoid the city (Brisbane). We have nothing here except The Valley, which has pretty good night life.

Places worth visiting...

Maleny: If your into bed and breakfast, this place would be for you, views are amazing, there are some really nice parks nearby, wineries to. Population is quite alternative, there was a big uproar when a supermarket chain opened a store there.
http://www.malenyqueensland.com/

Cairns: Visit one of the wonders of the world, the great barrier reef!

Gold Coast: The beach is really nice, theme parks are nearby, tallest residential tower in the world is there (maybe its been overtaken now). The Gold Coast is the most opulent place in QLD.

[Prawn_86]

If coming to Queensland, avoid the city (Brisbane). We have nothing here except The Valley, which has pretty good night life.



Have been out a couple itmes in The Valley. Was always good fun :)

The layout of Brisbane city is pretty poor for driving IMO (too many one way streets!), but i do like how most of the touristy stuff South Bank, Botanic Garden, Museum etc are all within walking distance of the CBD.

[Smurf]

Have been out a couple itmes in The Valley. Was always good fun :)

The layout of Brisbane city is pretty poor for driving IMO (too many one way streets!), but i do like how most of the touristy stuff South Bank, Botanic Garden, Museum etc are all within walking distance of the CBD.
Well my last trip to Brisbane didn't work out too well on either of those points.

Was in the Valley on Saturday night with a list of a few clubs I was assured were worth going to. Assumed it would all be obvious so didn't bother with street names etc. Ended up walking around for probably an hour before I found my way...

Went for a walk over the river the next day. Got a bit lost and ended up walking 2 hours flat out (running at times) hoping to find a bus stop, taxi, train station or some other means of getting back to the city centre. It worked out nicely once I found the ferry wharf though and found it was due in 5 minutes.

So, I think I'll bring a map next time... :D

[chrissylewis03]

i have to say, if you're around the gold coast area, but you don't like the tourist traps then head out to the sunshine coast.

you still have amazing beaches, all the good touristy stuff like shopping and good bars but it's def not as overtaken by tourists. you have a good variety, such as, if you like a crowded tourist beach then head to the main beach on hastings st but if you'd prefer it a bit quieter then pack some food (and maybe your favourite drink) and go for a walk through the national park. before too long you'll stumble accross a nice quiet beach where you can really relax. be warned though, there's a good chance you might stumble apon a naked guy...

i've lived about 10 years on and off of my short life on the sunshine coast so know it pretty well. even tho i've been away for far too long i still love it and will always call it home.

[Prawn_86]

HOW would you like to be paid $150,000 to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, feed ocean fish and live in luxury accommodation?
The catch? There is none


http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,24901025-5014090,00.html

Good little publicity stunt. Imagine how many applications there are going to be!!

[arco]

Hervey Bay

Thinking of spending a week or two in Hervey Bay (around April 11th-25th). Anyone have/know of a nice pad/apartment that we could rent. Must be nicely appointed 4 Star ish, sleep 3 people. (We are non smokers, and have no pets, and treat property with great respect).

Any info on quality apartments in the area appreciated. (We would be prepared to house sit if thats an option for anyone).

Thanks - arco
(My first post here but I'm well known on Aussiestock forum and sharetrader).

[WhatGo'sOnTour]

Hey prawn,
you're so right their website melted with so many people trying to get the job.

Hey Arco,
I havent stayed in an apartment there but did a passage on a boat through the area a year or so ago. We pulled up for dinner on Fraser Island and had dinner at Kingfisher Bay (http://www.kingfisherbay.com/) which was pretty good.

Awesome wildlife, fishing, whale watching (at the right time of year) and Fraser Island is a great place to jump in a 4 wheel drive and go for a drive. There are some companies who do day and extended tours of Fraser Island (http://au.tourabout.com/australia_and_new_zealand/australia/fraser_island) and the area.

Hope this helps.

[Prawn_86]

We are going to Cairns and Port Douglas over Easter. :)

Should be good to get up into the tropics for a few days. Far North Queensland is virtually a state of its own, with Cairns been the same distance from Brisbane as what Adelaide is!

When i lived in Cairns a lot of the locals complained about the politics of QUeensland and how everything is focused on the south-east

[chrissylewis03]

i'm always really home sick when i think about QLD, since i grew up there i thought i'd share my favourite QLD spot with you guys.

Eungella, it's about an hour from Mackay and if you haven't heard of it then understand that that is the very reason why i love it. It's remote and not easy to get to but to me it's perfect.

It's literally a quaint little village nestled amongt the rainforst on top of a mountain, it's amazing. There's a few small tour companies that do tours up there from Mackay but i would recomend hiring a car and driving up there yourself (from Mackay or Proserpine).

When looking for accommodation you HAVE to stay at the Eungella Chalet. I remember it for hang gliding championships but that was a long time ago and it doesn't mention anything on the website. Then from there, explore it yourself, explore hiking tracks, swim in the crystal clear creaks, wake up in the clouds... it's amazing.

I just can't wait to get back there myself!

[Prawn_86]

Just spent the Easter break up in the Daintree in Far North Queensland.

It actually rained a lot of the time, which is unusual for this time of year, but as always up there, its warm rain, although its still annoying to me.

The rainforest is beautiful and its amazing how much it can change with overnight rain. The creeks rise and all the leeches and insects come out. Nice way to get away from it all.

Im sure Chrissy will do an update soon also :)

[kennas]

Yeah, love Queensland.

I worked on Great Keppel Island on 3 different occasions. Kids Club, Security, Bar, Cleaner, Villa Bus Driver. Was a holiday job. Awesome fun.

Love Cairns and the Daintree. And of course the reef. Had a few great liveaboard dive trips there.

Where did you stay Prawn?

[Prawn_86]

Stayed in the Sebel in Cairns, which is a really nice hotel, directly opposite the casino.

In the Daintree we stayed at a place called the Heritage Lodge. It was nice, but I think it was understaffed, so the service wasnt as good as it should have been. We stayed in a really cool little bungalow type thing with a personal path down to the creek.

[kennas]

Last time we went was our honeymoon, so lived it up at the Shangri La on the waterfront and did a dive trip on the Taca to Cod Hole. Great trip.

In the daintree I've stayed at a cool backpackers and also at the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa, which I highly recommend. Awesome huts, and restaurant. Not much to do there though except eat, and get massages..

[Prawn_86]

Here's a few pics from the Daintree and surrounds:

[chrissylewis03]

Hey guys,

yeah, we went up north to cairns and the daintree for easter. it was beautiful as usual, even though it rained the whole time and that enticed the leaches out of hiding.

We stayed at the sebel, cairns which was really nice. in the daintree we stayed at the heritage lodge. i really wanted to be able to recomend the heritage lodge as it was a lovely place with really nice rooms but unfortunately the customer service out weighed the pro's.

we had a short visit to Port Douglas where we had an amazing lunch at the Salsa Bar and Grill on Warf st. It wasn't the cheapest lunch around there but it was worth it...

i can't wait to go back up north, i love the place so much and hope to do more touristy things up there next time!

Cheers.

[chrissylewis03]

Hey guys and girls,

I just recently went to brisbane for a short vacation and i just thought i'd write a quick review for you. We stayed at the Novotel in the city, it was nice, clean and comfortable. The staff were the highlight they were extremely helpful!

We went to dinner at Little Tokyo on Bowen Street which was small and tucked away but fantastic! the food and atmosphere was amazing and really authentic. There was a lovely elderly lady serving us who was really motherly and has been there for ever. I would deffinately recomend it!

I better get back to work!!!

Cheers,

Christine.

[Dredgy]

I have a few properties in Queensland, though all but 2 are around Rockhampton, which is a toilet.

As a tourist, you do have to go to Brisbane - the nightlife and clubbing is really good, though strip clubs aren't particularly easy to find.

Transportation around Brisbane is easy as - taxi's are cheap enough, the skytrain to and from the airport is efficient and I could swear the bus drivers are suicidal. The CityCat/CityFerry is quick and cheap, but the fumes make me sick.

Shopping is great, Queen Street mall is probably the best to spend a day, there's normally live entertainment (which is actually really entertaining) plenty of restaurant's (there's a really good one on the second floor, it's a real expensive food court offering things like wood-fired pizza) and of course, shops. You have the Meyer Center, which should keep you amused for most of the day.

For a nice day out you can't really go past South Bank, there's a (free) lagoon pool, live entertainment, the Suncorp Piazza often plays movies, you can feed the Seagull's or have a go on the "Brisbane Eye".

If you are an adrenalin junkie, go to Dreamworld. Yeah, the MotoCoaster they installed last year is a little short, but the Giant Drop, Tower of Terror, Cyclone, Claw and Wipeout are all excellent rides, though they've taken away some of the special effects in the queues of the rides, which is disappointing.

Movie World has Lethal Weapon and the Batwing which are excellent rides, but not worth the admission. Go to Movie World if you have younger kids who like little rides and to see all their favourite characters.

Wet 'n' Wild is fantastic, or it is if you book the park to yourself, the queues are just not worth it, but I organised a company day there in 2007, with just 100 or so people there - and the rides are awesome. The Tornado would have to be the best, and the Black Hole and Twister are really adrenalin pumping.

White Water World is not up there with Wet n Wild, but it is not bad if you get a dual ticket to Dreamworld. Unlike Wet 'n' Wild, White Water's junior slides are exceptionally fun, especially "The Little Rippers". Their high-thrill struff is pretty good to. The Rip is exciting, the hydrocoaster awesome, the Octopus is good, but not worth the queue and the Green Room is exactly the same as the Tornada at Wet 'nl Wild.


Leaving Brisbane/Gold Coast, Townsville is brilliant. The Esplanade and Rock Pool are fantastic free attractions and a daytrip to Magnetic Island is well worth it.

If you have an off road vehicle - go to Cook Town, it's quaint and a man's town. You fish all day then have a beer in the pub at night.

And my wrists are now quite cramped, so I won't get into the glory of the Daintree.

[buddinghealth]

The daintree/cape trib area is beautiful - not sure if you guys have heard of WWOOF - stands for willing workers on organic farms and I worked on a small property up in cape trib - no pay, but food and board provided and only a few hours work a day - awesome!

Also lived in Port Douglas for a few months a couple of years ago, beautiful place!

[white_crane]

I would suggest that tourists get off the bitumen and visit some of the beautiful natural attractions that this state has to offer. Great Barrier Reef anyone? Some of the islands - Whitsunday Islands, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island. The national parks have cheap camping available, usually with toilets and (cold) showers provided - for less than $5 per person per night.

[EverNothing]

I travelled (for the first time) to the home of XXXX Beer - QLD last Xmas for a week-long sabbatical. Being a born and bred Adelaide boy (one of the driest places on earth :p) I almost fainted when I got off the plane at Coolangatta Airport and felt the humidity hit my face. It was like travelling to another world, so bizzare yet so awesome. The gay male flight attendant gave me a slap on the bum and I was good to go.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my trip there...

[Prawn_86]

Glad to see you enjoyed yourself Ash, you have obviously got a taste for it now :)

If you want to start a gallery of any pictures you might have you can do it here:
http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/album.php with instructions in this thread (http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=159)

[chrissylewis03]

I travelled (for the first time) to the home of XXXX Beer - QLD last Xmas for a week-long sabbatical. Being a born and bred Adelaide boy (one of the driest places on earth :p) I almost fainted when I got off the plane at Coolangatta Airport and felt the humidity hit my face. It was like travelling to another world, so bizzare yet so awesome. The gay male flight attendant gave me a slap on the bum and I was good to go.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my trip there...


Is that the furthest north you've been? i'm in adelaide now but lived in cairns before this. since cairns i can barely even feel any humidity in the brisbane/gold coast region! I hope you get a chance to go up north as well, although it's very humid it's worth it!

[EverNothing]

Is that the furthest north you've been? i'm in adelaide now but lived in cairns before this. since cairns i can barely even feel any humidity in the brisbane/gold coast region! I hope you get a chance to go up north as well, although it's very humid it's worth it!

Yep, it was my first trip to Queensland. I know it's hardly "up north" being so close to the NSW border - which I managed to cross while shopping at Tweed Heads. It's not that I didn't enjoy the humidity (infact it cleared up my sinuses :cool:) but having lived in Adelaide for 22 years, it was really different.

[Aussie Cruiser]

I admit it. I love the Sunshine Coast. Especially compared to the Gold Coast.
It's quieter, far less chaotic and a much more relaxed environment.
Noosa Heads and surrounding areas are my favourite holiday destination.
If you've never been there, do yourself a favour and check it out.

See ya,
Aussie Cruiser.

[take.me.away]

Hi,

This is the first time ive posted something on a wall in a forum, so i hope you guys can help!
I am currently living in Sydney, and wanting desperatly to escape the rat race! Cairns is where i want to head to, and work for a few months enjoying the booze, parties and sunshine!
Im wanting to head up alone, and have only been there once before for a holiday.. Im just wondering if anyone knows how hard it is to get work up there? Has anyone just gone there and managed to score a job in a bar/retail or anything, or is it just as bad as other small towns with no work?
If anyone can give me any tips or anything, that would be great and super helpful!
Thanks so much!

[Prawn_86]

Hi TMA,

Welcome to ATF :)

Cairns is great! I spent 9 months living up there a few years ago, its a massive party town.

With regards to work, the population is about 150000 so its not really a small town (it is compared to Syd i guess), but there are always a lot of backpackers nad tourists coming through so there is a lot of bar positions always available. When i was up there i think we (me and 2 mates) all got jobs within a week or two.

Hope that helps, and if you have any other questons just ask :)

[kennas]

May or may not find work, but if not, just head back to Sydney! :)

Finding work may depend on your skills really. If you have some good expereience in hospitality and look the part then you could get picked up really quickly.

Cairns is a great party town but it's what's around it that is why to go. The Reef, Atherton Tableland, Daintree. Outstanding.

[Prawn_86]

Have booked another trip and will be heading up to Cairns again for a week in November. Been a while since i have been up there

[Prawn_86]

Can anyone recommend some nice places/penthouses in Cairns to stay for a boys weekend away?

Need to be walking/stumbling distance from the city centre

[jayarr]

my mom told me that were going to have a trip in Cairns and i don't know about this place. i just heard it yesterday. can anybody tell me what kind of place is this? i would love to hear it.

[stunshaz]

I lived there for 4 years or so its a nice place except the stinkin humidity the northern beaches are worth a look at and if ya drive up the Kuranda range there are good markets up there and ya can travel to the Atherton tablelands where there is no humidity and plenty to see.

[Prawn_86]

my mom told me that were going to have a trip in Cairns and i don't know about this place. i just heard it yesterday. can anybody tell me what kind of place is this? i would love to hear it.


Hi Jay,

Shaz's advice is good, and if you read back through this thread you will find a lot of info on Cairns as I too used to live there. If you have any other specific questions let me know :)

Personally i love the place and would move back up there again if i could.

[Prawn_86]

My thoughts go out to all those affected by the Queensland floods.

12000 homes in Brisbane are underwater. Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Townsville and many other smaller towns between Sydney and Cairns have been dramatically affected with roads and airports all closed.

I hope all our QLD members and their friends and family are safe

[Philip P]

My thoughts go out to all those affected by the Queensland floods.

12000 homes in Brisbane are underwater. Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Townsville and many other smaller towns between Sydney and Cairns have been dramatically affected with roads and airports all closed.

I hope all our QLD members and their friends and family are safe

Same here. About the only positive is that these type of events bring out the best in people, and bring communities closer together. Still, the loss of life and the physical devastation are horrible...

[annefurlong]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this site as you can see. Just some info I thought i'd share with you guys are travelling all the way up the coast from Brisbane to Cairns. We done it as a group of 4 girls from Ireland.

We had an amazing time, we went to Noosa, Rainbow beach for Fraser Island, 1770/Agnes waters, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Ayr, Magnetic Island, Mission beach and finally Cairns!

We loved every minute of it, this trip took us 6 weeks and we met so many cool people and saw so many beautiful places.

I think it all came down to the weather as we were not use to how hot, sunny and humid it was! Apart from Cairns with the tropical thunderstorms. Our fav place was the Whitsundays, we sailed around the island and went scuba diving which was the best experience of my life!

We would like to finish with how much we love Australia and we are now in Adelaide and hopefully making our way straight up to Darwin, well if money lets us get up!

Wish us luck on our travels!

The Irish girls.

[Peter001]

Queensland is an amazing state. There are several things that one can do. There are even several beaches that one can visit. You never feel like going back once you visit these beaches.

[buddinghealth]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this site as you can see. Just some info I thought i'd share with you guys are travelling all the way up the coast from Brisbane to Cairns. We done it as a group of 4 girls from Ireland.

We had an amazing time, we went to Noosa, Rainbow beach for Fraser Island, 1770/Agnes waters, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Ayr, Magnetic Island, Mission beach and finally Cairns!

We loved every minute of it, this trip took us 6 weeks and we met so many cool people and saw so many beautiful places.

I think it all came down to the weather as we were not use to how hot, sunny and humid it was! Apart from Cairns with the tropical thunderstorms. Our fav place was the Whitsundays, we sailed around the island and went scuba diving which was the best experience of my life!

We would like to finish with how much we love Australia and we are now in Adelaide and hopefully making our way straight up to Darwin, well if money lets us get up!

Wish us luck on our travels!

The Irish girls.

Sounds like you had fun and probably completed your trip before all the nasty weather in QLD lately. You coming back soon?

My thoughts go out to all the people in far north QLD affected by the cyclone, although I hear most places are open for tourist business and back on their feet. Does anyone live in an affected area on the forum?

[white_crane]

My thoughts go out to all the people in far north QLD affected by the cyclone, although I hear most places are open for tourist business and back on their feet. Does anyone live in an affected area on the forum?

Yes. Suffered only very minor damage to the house. Water was out for a few days. Lost power for nearly two weeks. Important thing is that myself and my family are all ok.

Just a note to anyone thinking of visiting this area, due to extensive damage to vegetation and infrastructure, many national parks and state forests are closed or have very limited access. Check the site below or call into the local information centre before travelling to these areas.
http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/park_alerts/index.php

[cj88]

Yes. Suffered only very minor damage to the house. Water was out for a few days. Lost power for nearly two weeks. Important thing is that myself and my family are all ok.


Good to hear your family and you are okay mate.

[cj88]

Hello all,

The gf and I are looking at coming up to *location yet to be decided* about mid April, from Sydney.. To be honest, we can't make up our mind. At this stage, we're looking at Cairns or Airlie Beach. We're after a relaxing couple of days, spa, massage, lie in on the beach, maybe some snorkeling, good places to eat, some tours. Neither of us have been up that way before. I guess the starting point would be whether either of these locations have been affected by the floods or Yasi? Also, do both these locations offer everything we're after or should we be looking at other places? Any help is appreciated. Cheers.

CJ

[Philip P]

Airlie Beach was relatively unscathed by recent weather compared to Cairns, although the resort on Hayman Island has closed for repairs. Both towns have a lively backpacker scene and both are good for visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Both are also good for tours and other sorts of activities.

Airlie Beach is of course ideal for visiting the Whitsunday Islands, and even if you are on a tight budget Hook Island has low budget accommodation and is good for snorkeling. It's also possible to camp on some of the islands, you need a permit, but it is very cheap.

[white_crane]

Hello all,

The gf and I are looking at coming up to *location yet to be decided* about mid April, from Sydney.. To be honest, we can't make up our mind. At this stage, we're looking at Cairns or Airlie Beach. We're after a relaxing couple of days, spa, massage, lie in on the beach, maybe some snorkeling, good places to eat, some tours. Neither of us have been up that way before. I guess the starting point would be whether either of these locations have been affected by the floods or Yasi? Also, do both these locations offer everything we're after or should we be looking at other places? Any help is appreciated. Cheers.

CJ

Both Cairns and Airlie Beach are open for business...and desperate for tourists! Might be a chance to get a good deal. The rain should have stopped by the time you arrive and the peak season won't have arrived yet either. Both of these locations should have everything you're after. You can fly direct to Cairns from Sydney.

[MattyBoy88]

I reckon Queensland is my favourite part of australia too. You can't go past amazing places like noosa or port douglas or cape tribulation and also the whitsunday islands. Totally takes your breath away how beautiful these places are & those Queenslanders know how to party....along with the brilliant Swedes that we met on our ultimate oz group.

All time favourite place still is Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday islands. Google it. Spectacular.

Matt

[SamKajorvic]

Have you guys tried many joints up at Hervey bay? The beach is awesome, stayed with a mob, A1 fraserroving or something, meh, decent rooms, actually, they were pretty clean lol, but I went 4WDing, I'm thinking of going up there again later this year, wanted to know if there was some other good places up there, I'd like to do the tag-along tour again, but, maybe with someone other than Fraserroving. if not, i'll probably go back out there with them again

[MattyBoy88]

Even just the name Queensland sends shivers of the best feeling, reflecting the best times I have ever had in my life, up my spine.

Although I was up in Cairns at the time of Cyclone Yasi this year, which totally freaked me out to be honest, I had the most INCREDIBLE time in QLD. Particularly in Cairns and Cape York.

If there is something you should NEVER miss during your time in Australia, I say hands down it has to be QLD.

Then there's the Whitsunday Islands - my God. Heaven on earth.

Matt:cool:

[Janeth]

If anyone is coming to Brisbane, I recommend you to get on the The Paddlewheeler...a good opportunity to take nice shots of the views: Southbank, Kangaroo Point, Coronation Dve... they are all good spots. A cruise under the night-sky and lights of Brisbane, They also have buffet for 2 if you get a voucher from Citysnatch;)

[Alio]

Might be going on holiday up Cairns way later this year :D

Love reading this forum as it makes me even more excited about going!

[Prawn_86]

We are going to Cairns for the June long weekend next weekend. Can't wait!

[Lindy]

You can't beat tropical Townsville North Queensland at this time of year. Weather is glorious. Temps max 26 min 17. There is so much to do and see in and around Townsville. The Strand, idyllic, barrier reef, skydiving,fishing, its all there for the enjoyment.

[escapesydney]

I really enjoy the pace of Brisbane City, I live in Sydney now and think Brisbane is much better. Still, each to their own :) There are other places than Fortitude Valley unless you're looking for some sort of queensland equivalent of Kings Cross.

----------------------------
Escape Sydney (http://escape-sydney.com.au) - For A Weekend or Forever.

[nicholas12]

Yes, I also agree...

Queensland is the beautiful place to visit and spend some time for vacations. Because, Queensland is One of the major beach-based tourist place, known as the Gold Coast. South East Queensland is one of the fastest-growing areas of Australia.

[beakie]

Hi everyone, I am after some info from people that have done the trip to the top of Australia(cape York peninsula ), what I would like to know is , is there an easy route ? basically not full blown 4 x 4 driving , as I want to take my young family up there and would like to tow a off road camper trailer with my standard Land cruiser, with the family I am not interested in having to do river crossings and rough stuff.
Thanks in advance for any info
cheers
beakie :):)

[Prawn_86]

Ok so we will be moving to Brisbane next year by the looks. What are some good inner city suburbs for living? As far as i can tell Wet End, Kangaroo Point, New Farm & Spring Hill are all pretty trendy. Anywhere else we should be looking?

[Prawn_86]

Interesting to note that Hamilton Island was the most searched tourist destination in google Australia this year. Peronally i think Hamilton is a bit wanky and pretencious. What's other members thoughts?

[Hervey Bay Accommodation]

Yes that was very interesting!! Good marketing and easy access .. there are much better places to go with equally good accommodation (and cheaper) to experience the reef and Qld!

[harrymcg]

This is a great time to visit with beautiful weather. Cairns is magnificent at the moment. Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, what more could you ask for

[pyrocrane]

Hi :)

I'm flying into Brisbane on the 18th (next week Sunday)

I plan to be around for two weeks.

So, yeah, I'm spending xmas and new year there :)

I'm hoping to rent a short-term apartment while there (dont care much for hotels or hostels). Anyone know a good website ?

Or, does anyone need a house-sitter for a couple of weeks?

Cheers ))

[Prawn_86]

Hi Pyro,

I doubt you would be able to get an ultra short term lease for just two weeks. But if you are looking for serviced apartments then i have always found the Oaks brand of apartments good quality for a fair price. I know they have a couple apartment buildings in the heart of Bris

www.oakshotelresorts.com (http://www.oakshotelresorts.com)

[pyrocrane]

Hi Pyro,

I doubt you would be able to get an ultra short term lease for just two weeks. But if you are looking for serviced apartments then i have always found the Oaks brand of apartments good quality for a fair price. I know they have a couple apartment buildings in the heart of Bris

www.oakshotelresorts.com (http://www.oakshotelresorts.com)


Thanks, Prawn 86. I'll check out that website. :)

One last question : does anyone know where and how I can buy/rent a cheap car (a friend of mine called them "backpacker cars")

[Housesitter]

Hi there
I am a housesitter and the author of "Housesitting in Australia".
There are often house sits advertised in this area. You could try Aussie House Sitters or House Carers. (Sorry I can't post links yet)
They both charge a small fee but it is worth it if you get a house sit.
Nikki

[pyrocrane]

Hi there
I am a housesitter and the author of "Housesitting in Australia".
There are often house sits advertised in this area. You could try Aussie House Sitters or House Carers. (Sorry I can't post links yet)
They both charge a small fee but it is worth it if you get a house sit.
Nikki



Thanks, Nikki :)

[pyrocrane]

Hi there
I am a housesitter and the author of "Housesitting in Australia".
There are often house sits advertised in this area. You could try Aussie House Sitters or House Carers. (Sorry I can't post links yet)
They both charge a small fee but it is worth it if you get a house sit.
Nikki


As I'm arriving in a week, it's probably too late to get a house-sitting

[white_crane]

Thanks, Prawn 86. I'll check out that website. :)

One last question : does anyone know where and how I can buy/rent a cheap car (a friend of mine called them "backpacker cars")

For renting 'backpacker cars', these are some of the common ones I see around
Jucy - http://www.jucy.com.au/
Wicked Campers - http://www.wickedcampers.com.au/
Backpacker Campervans - http://www.backpackercampervans.com/
Traveller's Autobarn - http://www.travellers-autobarn.com.au/

As for buying cheap backpacker cars, I believe that there are certain marketplaces in the major cities where people buy and sell cheap cars - especially for backpackers. Maybe some members from the capital cities can help you out with some locations.

Edit: Apparently Travellers Autobarn have a buy/sell service as well, where you can buy/sell cheap cars.

[victoria stiles]

Queensland is a great place to holiday. Queensland is a great place to holiday, and it's tourist spots are right back on track.