Suggestions for traveling up the East Coast?
 

Hi there folks,

Not long now till we validate our visas. Heading out in June for about 6 weeks and will be based initially in Sydney. We're hoping to spend about two weeks traveling up the east coast area to check out Brisbane and the surrounding.

We're hoping to take about two days to get to Brisbane and I was wondering if anyone has got any suggestions for places to stop over on the way. We're also going to be based in Brisbane for about a week and would be interested in renting self catering accomodation.

Any suggestions on accomodation and things to do (two kids, 5 and 2) would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ginny

Re: Suggestions for traveling up the East Coast?
 

We did the Sydney to Brisbane route over 7 days (6 nights), going a lot off the Pacific highway & staying 2 nights in Mt Warning area (wonderful area).

If you want to do it over 2 days stopping over for 1 night, it is still a lot of driving (957km=580m approx), I suspect will feel longer with young children. You will not get much sightseeing done along the way, so maybe go as far as you can go the first day and stopping in a motel. Remember max speed is 110km and from my experience, there tended to be a lot less people speeding than say on the M4 in UK

Suggestions....
 

When travelling from Sydney to Brisbane you will pass through the Gold Coast which would be good for the kids - plenty of differnt worlds...water,movie etc. Then about an hours north of Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast which is a great place. real nice beaches - we stayed in Mooloolaba. About 40 mins drive inland is Australia Zoo - Steve Irwins croc zoo which sure the kids will love again! Nice relaxed atmosphere and not as built up as Gold Coast.

Enjoy!

When staying in Brisbane go to South Bank, man-made beaches, our kids (5 and 2) love it.

Re: Suggestions for traveling up the East Coast?
 

You`re coming over at the right time - there should be plently of accommodation available as it`s our "low season". If you`re driving up from Sydney, how about a first stop at either Newcastle or Port Macquarie, then drive the next day until you reach, say, Tweed Heads/Coolangatta. Beautiful hinterland scenery, great beaches/river estuaries etc. The children would love poking around in the rock pools at Twin Towns (Tweed/Coolangatta). You`re also not too far away from the theme parks, which are roughly half an hour from Twin Towns.

Plenty of mid-priced accommodation available around this area at the moment - we were there for the day on Sunday and loads of apartments had "vacancies" signs outside.

Another poster mentioned South Bank - yes, it`s very nice - try and get there on a Saturday or Sunday - they have great, although rather "touristy" markets, and the children can have a dip in the man-made beach there (sounds naff, but it`s really quite nice for the little ones). Take a trip on the City Cat across the river, walk through the riverside gardens, great day out.

Not sure about accommodation in central Brisbane - but try the tourist office website, or BCL (Brisbane City Life) site - should give you a few ideas.

Hope you enjoy the trip!

Pick up a copy of Top Parks or Big 4 caravan/cabin parks books. Would be in most tourist places. They actually have Cabins with ensuites, patios etc and we have found them as cheap as $80.00 a night. Usually good places for kids with parks etc to run around in and the kids get a lot of fun out of the cabin aspect.

Hotels, try quickbeds or wotif, both websites with discount hotel prices.

Re: Suggestions for traveling up the East Coast?
 

Hi Ginny,

We have travelled from Brisbane to Sydney and back on the Pacific Highway (ie, coast road). Both 'legs' of the journey took 2 days each - stopping off at Coffs Harbour, birthplace of Russell Crowe (not sure this is a selling point though?). There's a couple of decent hotels (with beaches) in Coffs but the town isn't that interesting. As a stopover it isn't bad.

However, each leg took about 6-7 hours (with 'pit-stops'), which is pretty hard going for the kids - we have 2 little ones. If you can it's probably better to take 3 days stopping at Port Macquarie and the Byron Bay area. You could also stop off at few more places as well. For example on the Gold Coast there's Seaworld, Movieworld, Dreamworld, Wet-n-wild, Tamborine National Park (O'Reilly's), Stradbroke Island, and the beaches, a wildlife park, and more.

P.S. If you keep you eyes 'peeled' you should spot a few children's playgrounds on the Pacific Highway where the kids get run around for a few minutes and you can 'stretch' your legs too.

Have a good drive
AndyH
Brisbane

Re: Suggestions for traveling up the East Coast?
 

I've always liked Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour for stop overs.
The caravan park on the water at Post Macquarie rents out vans per night and is in a great position.

Coffs has a "Big Banana" which is good for an hour or so with kids if just passing through. It has a big banana to walk through, a train ride through the banana plantations and frozen chocolate bananas for afters. It has other attractions for young uns too. If you feel like a splurge stay at www.nautilusresort.com.au (has heated outdoor pool too).

If you are going to a theme park on the Gold Coast, I think Wet and Wild is too old for a 2 year old. Seaworld is probably more suitable, it has a lot of animals including dolphins, seals, penguins, and polar bears with short 20 minutes shows. It also has a section full of rides especially for little kids. Food unfortunately is not great as you may expect of such places.

Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (maybe Wildlife Park now) on the southern end of the Gold Coast is nice to take kids to. Train ride, kangaroos and the highlight is the wild parrots which come for a hand feeding. Food a bit better.

Actually I suggest you stay on the Gold Coast and just visit Brisbane on day trips. Are you checking it out to possibly live there?

All the best
Queenie

Hi there folks,

Thanks very much for your suggestions. I've got a copy of Where to Stay in Australia (AA), which has an abundance of accommodation. I wasn't sure, given that it's low season over there, whether to book from here or wait and see. Any advice on this Pommiesheila? or anyone else.

Also from the replies so far I think we might take a bot longer in travelling up the coast. Seems two days might be a bit tight.

Keep the suggestions coming and thanks again.

Ginny

To book or not to book, that is the question!!!
My hubbie and I always argue about this one - I prefer to know we have a bed for the night well in advance, whereas he says wait and book when we get there - this has sometimes resulted in nights spent sleeping in the car and a few heated words!!!

Perhaps the best thing to do is book the first stop and then book others once over here?

Yeh, we're a bit like that as well. I think what you've said is probably best. At least if we book the first stop then I'll rest a bit easier. Now all I have to do is to decide on what and where!

Thanks

Ginny

Maybe try to find out when the school holidays are, and book for this period as it is always busier then. Just to complicate things the NSW and QLD holidays have traditionally been different so check both.

Queenie

On that drive I like to swing by Port Stephens (Nelson Bay) a bit of a detour and then take some of the tourist drives (especially the ones on the seaward side of the Pacific Highway).

Why not swing by Bellingen, just south of Coffs and when you get to Balina take the coastal diversion via Lennox Head and Byron Bay.

Look for the National Parks enroute.

It's about 1000k roughly that of driving from Cornwall to Scotland. So don't sleep and drive.

Why not stay at the Gold Coast or near Redcliffe or on Bribie Island (linked by Road Bridge) rather than Brisbane City Centre.

Some of my travel musings (work in progress) http://www.joenz.com/content/wanderlust/

Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour defenitley, the big banana's always funny.

Can't wait to see the big marino and the big pineapple when I get out there :D

Graham