"Help the Yankee DISer" Part II-visit Australia/DL-the PTR(8/19 -TR Link Post#263!)

[skier_pete]

Pete - If you're looking at the discount airfare rates, my advice will be to lock those in sooner rather than later. They do disappear very quickly.

Yes, they disappeared mere hours after I saw them...

 

[aussietravellers]

Yes, they disappeared mere hours after I saw them...

They do come back, but can take a while and if you aren't watching them, will go again and the fares can even go up and down over the course of the day.

I fly up and back to Hamilton Island a lot from Brisbane (several times a year) and they will put the specials up, sell a few, so put their prices up. Then as it gets closer, release more cheapies because their planes aren't full. You are not travelling in Aussie school holiday time, so August will have specials to get more people flying. Best fare I've had with Jetstar was $79 2 for 1 sale (so two of us flew up for $79 and two back for $79), bargain! The cheapest day's to fly back from HI are Tuesday to Thurs. Virgin Australia are the other airline that fly to & from HI from Brisbane daily, if I see any sale fares with them come up I'll let you know

They do have one flight daily to Hamilton Island from Cairns, it's with Qantaslink and they are not known to be a discount airline. It's only a small plane and it's an early morning flight (the first flight of the day that flies into Hamilton).

 

[cola]

I'm not so sure about Eungella, though I've not been there (or if I had I was young). Seems like the roads in the park are unsealed, this is a problem for hire cars - you're not meant to take the average hire car onto unsealed roads. It looks like most of what you can do in the park is various walks - are you a walking family?

Also flying out from Hamilton Island will mean getting a transfer from the mainland to Hamilton - that will add to the cost quite a bit. Check for flights from Proserpine (on the mainland)


The other thing you need to consider with doing any driving is the cost of petrol (gas) out here, think Hawaii prices and then add some. Airlie Beach to Brisbane is 1200km (700miles), that means 90-120l of petrol, that could very easily be $150-$200AU for just petrol (our petrol prices jump around a lot). If the exchange rate improves in your favour, it won't help with the petrol prices, since the petrol pricing is based on USD, it will just go up even more. Add the cost of a big comfortable hire car for doing longer distances, and it's getting quite expensive. This is why not many people do the drive compared to flying when there aren't that many places to visit. People drive Brisbane-Sydney a lot because there are a lot of places to break the trip. Arlie Beach-Brisbane not much to break the trip up with. (Cairns-Airlie Beach is about 400miles, so you can do the math on the petrol costs)


With your limited time, I'd suggest Cairns OR Whitsundays/Arlie Beach, they are different, but I'm not sure they are different enough to warrant doing both in the time frame. More time around the Sunshine Coast or even Gold Coast hinterland might be worth looking into, that is getting quite different to the tropical rainforest near Cairns.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

If you go to Eungella for the day a flight from Mackay to Brisbane saves backtracking to Proserpine (and Hamilton is on the island-Proserpine is the mainland airport) and much closer-there is a Jetstar flight currently from Mackay to Brisbane (pity they don't fly into maroochydore airport which is on the sunshine coast) for $79 on Mon Aug 6 departs 10.15am.

 

[aussietravellers]

Yes Cola, Proserpine airport to Brisbane is an option too, as is Mackay airport. Jetstar fly out of both Proserpine and Mackay to Brisbane (There is Townsville airport too, not sure about discount flights from there though)

I don't think those airports get the $49 specials like HI does, but you could keep an eye out as you never know. With the price of petrol and the car rental flying may save you in the end Worth a look

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Personally I agree with Cola I would take one or 2 more days in Cairns, do a reef trip there then fly down to Brisbane and spend 2 days or so in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast (adding Gold Coast just complicates). on Eungella if you did do that though, the road there is all bitumen-just back roads within national park are dirt. To reach accom places its all on the bitumen (unless floods washed it out?) and then you can do short walks from there into the park so no driving on the dirt roads.

 

[cola]

Gee we are making it all very complicated I'm overwhelmed with the options and I'm not even planning the trip!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Gee we are making it all very complicated I'm overwhelmed with the options and I'm not even planning the trip!

I'm trying to follow along and I'm lost in the Daintree!

 

[aussietravellers]

I'm not lost. I'm sitting on the beach at Hamilton Island with a cocktail watching the sunset

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'm not lost. I'm sitting on the beach at Hamilton Island with a cocktail watching the sunset

I knew I should have taken a right turn at Prosepine!

Have another cocktail for me.

 

[aussietravellers]

I knew I should have taken a right turn at Prosepine!

Have another cocktail for me.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

and can't you tell I'm the obsessive over planner who goes commando at Dis

 

[skier_pete]

They do come back, but can take a while and if you aren't watching them, will go again and the fares can even go up and down over the course of the day.

I fly up and back to Hamilton Island a lot from Brisbane (several times a year) and they will put the specials up, sell a few, so put their prices up. Then as it gets closer, release more cheapies because their planes aren't full. You are not travelling in Aussie school holiday time, so August will have specials to get more people flying. Best fare I've had with Jetstar was $79 2 for 1 sale (so two of us flew up for $79 and two back for $79), bargain! The cheapest day's to fly back from HI are Tuesday to Thurs. Virgin Australia are the other airline that fly to & from HI from Brisbane daily, if I see any sale fares with them come up I'll let you know

They do have one flight daily to Hamilton Island from Cairns, it's with Qantaslink and they are not known to be a discount airline. It's only a small plane and it's an early morning flight (the first flight of the day that flies into Hamilton).

I know the fares do vary. (Similar things happen here in the States.) At one point the Monday, August 6th flight Melbourne ->Cairns was $159, now its $219. That’s part of the reason I have been holding off on buying that ticket.

I'm not so sure about Eungella, though I've not been there (or if I had I was young). Seems like the roads in the park are unsealed, this is a problem for hire cars - you're not meant to take the average hire car onto unsealed roads. It looks like most of what you can do in the park is various walks - are you a walking family?

Also flying out from Hamilton Island will mean getting a transfer from the mainland to Hamilton - that will add to the cost quite a bit. Check for flights from Proserpine (on the mainland)

As far as are we a walking family? I would say a qualified yes. I LOVE hiking myself. My wife tolerates it to a degree. My daughter generally HATES it though – anything beyond about 30 minutes is too much for her. I would think we would need to limit to 2-3 km hikes (1.5-2 hours maximum) would be fine. All day or half day would be too much for the family.

I did get that flying out of Hamilton would require a ferry boat transfer, but hadn’t gotten to the point where I would factor that price into the cost. The suggestion of going from Proserpine or Mackay is a very good one!

The other thing you need to consider with doing any driving is the cost of petrol (gas) out here, think Hawaii prices and then add some. Airlie Beach to Brisbane is 1200km (700miles), that means 90-120l of petrol, that could very easily be $150-$200AU for just petrol (our petrol prices jump around a lot). If the exchange rate improves in your favour, it won't help with the petrol prices, since the petrol pricing is based on USD, it will just go up even more. Add the cost of a big comfortable hire car for doing longer distances, and it's getting quite expensive. This is why not many people do the drive compared to flying when there aren't that many places to visit. People drive Brisbane-Sydney a lot because there are a lot of places to break the trip. Arlie Beach-Brisbane not much to break the trip up with. (Cairns-Airlie Beach is about 400miles, so you can do the math on the petrol costs)

With your limited time, I'd suggest Cairns OR Whitsundays/Arlie Beach, they are different, but I'm not sure they are different enough to warrant doing both in the time frame. More time around the Sunshine Coast or even Gold Coast hinterland might be worth looking into, that is getting quite different to the tropical rainforest near Cairns.

Oh, I get the Petrol costs..and I do have that factored into the travel expenses, at least as best I can. (I think I budgeted $300 for fuel from Cairns to Brisbane.) Part of the reason that I didn’t just fly into and then out of Cairns to begin with is that I WANTED to do a bit of a drive. I feel like without it we are just hopping from place to place without exploring at all. (Hop to Sydney, Hop to Melbourne, Hop to Cairns, Hop to Brisbane.) I want to be out in the “bush” a little, if I’m using the right term.

However, the more I look at it, maybe I am not needing to do this so much…I do realize the more time we spend driving the less we spend actually seeing things.

If you go to Eungella for the day a flight from Mackay to Brisbane saves backtracking to Proserpine (and Hamilton is on the island-Proserpine is the mainland airport) and much closer-there is a Jetstar flight currently from Mackay to Brisbane (pity they don't fly into maroochydore airport which is on the sunshine coast) for $79 on Mon Aug 6 departs 10.15am.

Yes Cola, Proserpine airport to Brisbane is an option too, as is Mackay airport. Jetstar fly out of both Proserpine and Mackay to Brisbane (There is Townsville airport too, not sure about discount flights from there though)

I don't think those airports get the $49 specials like HI does, but you could keep an eye out as you never know. With the price of petrol and the car rental flying may save you in the end Worth a look

This is what I am now looking at more is the Mackay to Brisbane flight, which is only $79 each (plus bag fees). It would allow us to get out a little, still see Cairns and Whitsundays, and Eungella, but eliminate the 1000 KM drive from Mackay to Brisbane. Probalby about $300 for the flight, but a savings of $200 on petrol and a little more time for Sunshine Coast Hinterlands. And still we’d get a chance to do a little bit of driving, which actually excites me to do.

Personally I agree with Cola I would take one or 2 more days in Cairns, do a reef trip there then fly down to Brisbane and spend 2 days or so in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast (adding Gold Coast just complicates). on Eungella if you did do that though, the road there is all bitumen-just back roads within national park are dirt. To reach accom places its all on the bitumen (unless floods washed it out?) and then you can do short walks from there into the park so no driving on the dirt roads.

Well, so the choice would be:
Option A: Stay in Cairns Tuesday – Saturday and get a flight out of Cairns to Brisbane on Saturday or Sunday (5-6 days in Cairns) but skip Whitsundays and Eugella (and the drive down), get 4-5 days in Gold Coast Hinterlands Australia Zoo.

Option B: Stay in Cairns 3 days, leave Friday for Airlie, sail in Whitsunday’s Saturday, Eugella down to Mackay on Sunday. Fly to Brisbane on Monday AM, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (almost 3 days) in Gold Coast Hinterlands/Australia Zoo.

(Note flight from Cairns->Brisbane will run us around $150-200 more total, which is probably about what the petrol cost to drive to MacKay will run. Since the cost for dropping off the rental car at a different location is minimal, the TIME difference is really the only difference.)

So let me ask those in the know here, which of the two is more of a “don’t miss”…should we spend the time to see Whitsundays and Eugella, or by spending additional time in Cairns, are we seeing enough of that “tropical” land and Eugelle/Whitsunday’s would be “more of the same”, and we really should take those extra couple of days in the Gold Coast area. It seems that is more of a temperate rain forest area, so I would guess it would look much different.

I guess what I am asking is I am still leaning towards the drive to Mackay and then fly to Brisbane, but sell me on why I shouldn’t choose that! What’s is “can’t miss” within the Gold Coast region. (And realize I am not that interested in the beaches/theme parks.)

Gee we are making it all very complicated I'm overwhelmed with the options and I'm not even planning the trip!

Yeah, it is, but you know what, we are ALL planners here, right? That’s why you show up here on the DIS. I am SOOO appreciative of the advice. There's no such thing as too much, at least I haven't gotten there yet.

I'm trying to follow along and I'm lost in the Daintree!

Oh, the one thing I don’t want to do is get lost in the Daintree!!! At least, not with the Crocs.

I'm not lost. I'm sitting on the beach at Hamilton Island with a cocktail watching the sunset

Nice!

I knew I should have taken a right turn at Prosepine!

Have another cocktail for me.

Is that the Aussie equivalent of forgetting to take the left at Albequerque.

and can't you tell I'm the obsessive over planner who goes commando at Dis

Obsessive planners unite! And I have said it before, but will say it again, if anyone here is planning a trip to the states, feel free to pick MY brain for information. While we have not done a lot of international travel, I have indeed travelled extensively in the US, including the west coast, and would be more than happy to answer questions. And if anyone is coming to the Niagara Falls area in their travels, I would be very hurt if you didn’t look us up! I also can give pretty good advice on Disney World, even though there are lots of that here, we do have over 70 days on property at WDW in the last 5 years, and I know a ridiculous amount of information.

 

[cola]

Since you want to do a drive and it's the middle of winter, the Cairns-Arlie Beach/Mackay/Proserpine drive is probably the best option, then fly south. One major photo op you'd miss will be the Tropic of Capricorn (Rockhampton) Check out the roadside monument in 2005
The other option would be fly Cairns-Brisbane, drive Brisbane-Sydney, You'd be able to go to the most easterly point in Australia (Byron Bay), the Waterfall Way around Dorrigo is beautiful, and very different to tropical rainforests (you wouldn't have to do the whole thing, just around the Dorrigo bit would be enough), and there is a Big Banana at Coffs Harbour. BUT it would depend on the weather - if it's a wet winter, might be best to stick to driving Queensland, but if it is a dry winter you'll probably think it's great in NSW.

Going back to the north Queensland driving option, I haven't been for a long time, but I remember Mt Spec north of Townsville as very pretty. Townsville is in a strange dry belt, Mt Spec is where it goes wet tropical again to the north, close to Bowen to the south it goes wet tropical again. (Rockhampton is another dry belt). Tully, about half way between Cairns and Townsville, is generally regarded as the wettest place in Australia, it has a Big Gumboot (the height of the gumboot is the record rainfall in one year), though nearby Babinda also claims to be the wettest place in Australia. (Dorrigo, mentioned above, is the wettest place in NSW)

I think getting in a good long 'drive' is a great idea for seeing something different to the usual go from airport to airport.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

As a road trip junkie I appreciate your wish to drive-its good to know-earlier on with advice wasn't sure if this was truly 'your thing'. I agree with Cola and not sure what to recommend but for varied 'pretty' scenery (mountains/hills/farmland) Cairns to Proserpine is better than Mackay south though just because we get bored with low scrubby views for 100's kms you might not! and if you want to focus on Australia Zoo for a day I suggest exploring the Sunshine Coast hinterlands not the Gold Coast-whilst O'Reillys and Binna Burra in the Gold Coast hinterlands are very pretty, the time you spend half a day driving down from north coast to south coast (or vica versa) and try to race through one or the other on the same day you might as well be more relaxed and stick to one area and see similar lowland rainforest and rolling farmlands in the sunshine coast hinterland.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

As a road trip junkie I appreciate your wish to drive-its good to know-earlier on with advice wasn't sure if this was truly 'your thing'. I agree with Cola and not sure what to recommend but for varied 'pretty' scenery (mountains/hills/farmland) Cairns to Proserpine is better than Mackay south though just because we get bored with low scrubby views for 100's kms you might not! and if you want to focus on Australia Zoo for a day I suggest exploring the Sunshine Coast hinterlands not the Gold Coast-whilst O'Reillys and Binna Burra in the Gold Coast hinterlands are very pretty, the time you spend half a day driving down from north coast to south coast (or vica versa) and try to race through one or the other on the same day you might as well be more relaxed and stick to one area and see similar lowland rainforest and rolling farmlands in the sunshine coast hinterland.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I have never seen that roadside monument Cola? When you make your decision Pete I am sure Cola and I (and others) can suggest good photos ops/stopping places along the route-though it has been a few years since I went that way as well-before the last big floods which might have changed some things.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Is that the Aussie equivalent of forgetting to take the left at Albequerque.

 

[skier_pete]

Since you want to do a drive and it's the middle of winter, the Cairns-Arlie Beach/Mackay/Proserpine drive is probably the best option, then fly south. One major photo op you'd miss will be the Tropic of Capricorn (Rockhampton) Check out the roadside monument in 2005
The other option would be fly Cairns-Brisbane, drive Brisbane-Sydney, You'd be able to go to the most easterly point in Australia (Byron Bay), the Waterfall Way around Dorrigo is beautiful, and very different to tropical rainforests (you wouldn't have to do the whole thing, just around the Dorrigo bit would be enough), and there is a Big Banana at Coffs Harbour. BUT it would depend on the weather - if it's a wet winter, might be best to stick to driving Queensland, but if it is a dry winter you'll probably think it's great in NSW.

Going back to the north Queensland driving option, I haven't been for a long time, but I remember Mt Spec north of Townsville as very pretty. Townsville is in a strange dry belt, Mt Spec is where it goes wet tropical again to the north, close to Bowen to the south it goes wet tropical again. (Rockhampton is another dry belt). Tully, about half way between Cairns and Townsville, is generally regarded as the wettest place in Australia, it has a Big Gumboot (the height of the gumboot is the record rainfall in one year), though nearby Babinda also claims to be the wettest place in Australia. (Dorrigo, mentioned above, is the wettest place in NSW)

I think getting in a good long 'drive' is a great idea for seeing something different to the usual go from airport to airport.

I've already sort of eliminated the Brisbane to Sydney drive as we already bought our Brisbane -> Sydney airline tickets. I do think that the Cairns -> Mackay drive would be the most interesting to us, as we have seen a lot of temperate forest/rain forest, but never really tropical areas. Hopefully being the dry season we won't run into a washed out road. But I do have trip insurance to help us with any unforeseen delays.

I can't say the Tropic of Capricorn marker would be a "can't miss" on my list though.

And I had to look up the "Big Gumboot" to be sure that it was what I thought it was! Thank goodness for the internet. Check here for other Big Things in Australia.

As a road trip junkie I appreciate your wish to drive-its good to know-earlier on with advice wasn't sure if this was truly 'your thing'. I agree with Cola and not sure what to recommend but for varied 'pretty' scenery (mountains/hills/farmland) Cairns to Proserpine is better than Mackay south though just because we get bored with low scrubby views for 100's kms you might not! and if you want to focus on Australia Zoo for a day I suggest exploring the Sunshine Coast hinterlands not the Gold Coast-whilst O'Reillys and Binna Burra in the Gold Coast hinterlands are very pretty, the time you spend half a day driving down from north coast to south coast (or vica versa) and try to race through one or the other on the same day you might as well be more relaxed and stick to one area and see similar lowland rainforest and rolling farmlands in the sunshine coast hinterland.

I actually meant the Sunshine Coast hinterlands (North of Brisbane). My bad. I really am being drawn to the idea of spending the time in Cairns and driving down to Airlie/Whitsundays and Eugella, but then flying from Mackay to Brisbane. It saves us at least 10-12 hours of driving, so basically nearly two days. If we fly out of Mackay on Monday morning (10 AM flight) we get into Brisbane at 11:30 AM, that leaves us part of the day up in the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands, and pretty much all of the next two days before having to return to Brisbane Wednesday night. As it was, the old plan basically gave us ZERO time for this.

I have to talk it over with DW - but here's where we're at
Tuesday - August 7th (or Monday August 6th if fares drop) - Fly to Cairns
Aug 7th-9th - Cairns, Kurandu, Daintree
Aug 10th - Drive Cairns to Airlie - Prosperine
Aug 11th - Whitsundays/Reef Cruise
Aug 12th - Eungella Forest Reserve
Aug 13th - Mackay -> Brisbane
Aug 13th-15th - Sunshine Coast Hinterlands/Australia Zoo
Aug 15th - Brisbane -> Sydney

Did you have a recommendation for a place near Eungella? My though is to stay Airlie or Prosperine two nights, then Aug 12th drive to Eungella and stay somewhere near there overnight. Then in the morning of Aug 13th, drive to Mackay. (Since Mackay flight is 10 AM, it should be easy enough to get there for the flight.)

Were we separated at birth? Disney, Douglas Adams and Looney Tunes...you know my yotuhful Pop Culture sweet spots. Suppose you like Monty Python as well! (Adams and Python do go hand-in-hand.)

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Hi again. I think your schedule is more doable now. If you stay the night at Eungella (recomended) allow time for the drive back down the mountain and into Mackay to the airport-around 80km. In Eungella we have always stayed at Broken River http://www.brokenrivermr.com.au/accommodation.html in their cabins but there is also accommodation at the Eungella Chalet which has cabins as well as motel rooms. I like Broken River as its only a short walk straight to the river for platypus and forest walks.Both average $125-$150/night. See also this website http://www.eungella.com.au/Facilities.html.

Seems like there is a common theme amongst Disboarders?? I mean honestly the drive south of Sarina to Rocky past Shoalwater is almost as torturous as being forced to listen to Vogon poetry. NB Movie vs original BBC TV series? preferences? ).(I confess though I love Dirk Gently even more