Honestly, you are less than 2 hours from a lovely coast in Canberra. Drive to Bateman's Bay and south to the Sapphire Coast. It's a stunning part of the country.

Or you could drive north to Jervis Bay, Hyam's Beach has the whitest sand in the world. It's also a beautiful spot.

The 'Grand Pacific Drive' is basically going north to Sydney, at which point you could fly to MEL. The GPD is Sydney's answer to the GOR.

It's too hot up in Cairns for me at this time of year. And NSW has just as much beauty not far from where you sit.