Aha, but you last two folks piped in a bit too late, I ended up booking (non-refundable, of course!) flights for a one night stay and we are at "Sails," although I did cough up extra for a jacuzzi room. We will get all the isolation we need earlier on the trip when we drive in a rented 4wd from Cairns to Darwin via the Savannah Way, which I fervently hope has ceased being closed due to floods by August.

It wasn't the money budget that ended up being the issue, it was the time budget.

Also, we fly from Ayers straight to Sydney and the Park Hyatt, maybe that will help us recover.