WEEBOBBY

I am looking at spending around 3 nights based in Noosa (Sunshine C.) and 3 nights Main Beach (Gold C) for exploring EAST COAST as part of 3 weeks in Oz in January.

I will be flying into Brisbane from Hamilton Island and flying on to Melbourne after.

I am landing at Brisbane and looking at spending around 3 nights based in Sheraton Noosa including a day trip to Fraser , Australia Zoo , and taking in the Sunshine Coast.

I then plan to base myself at Main Beach (Versace or Sheraton) for 3 nights to explore the Gold Coast (Surfers down to Byron etc)

I will then be flying on to Melbourne after.

Any advice ??

Is it worth a day spent in Brisbane or just bypass it ??

Is it much more expensive to rent a car at Brisbane Airport and drop it off at Gold Coast or Ballina Airport?

Otherwise would I be better to fly in and out of Brisbane and just do a "loop" - Brisbane - Sunshine - Gold - Brisbane ?

Dredgy

Hi there.

Look forward to having you here soon, I haven't been to the Sunshine Coast in a few years but Noosa is definitely the place to stay, though Coolum is quite nice as well. Australia Zoo is worth a visit, but if you're doing Melbourne as well, I'd probably prefer the Melbourne Zoo.

Brisbane is worth spending a day or two, it's a lovely city and has some good eats.

I live in the Gold Coast and would definitely recommend a few days (longer than 3 if you intend to go all the way down to Byron). One thing you should definitely do is go visit Skypoint in the Q1 building - the view is one of the best in the world (comparing to CN Tower, Empire State and Burj Khalifa) and is a good place to have a coffee. I live in the Q1 and still go up at least once a week - never gets old.

If you want to go out to the Hinterlands (Lamington National Park, Mt Tamborine etc) prepare for a whole day for that. If you can, definitely go and see "Natural Bridge". Which is like a natural bridge (duh), but a waterfall runs through it, and from the top it looks like the river is just disappearing down a sink hole. From the bottom there is a glowworm cave.

Both Versace and Sheraton are further out then I would like, but if you have a car it won't be a problem. I'd probably stay at Sheraton, but eat at Versace (Vanitas is gorgeous food).

Unless you're young, you porbably only need a few hours in Surfers Paradise - go get lunch somewhere in the more "upscale" Chevron Renaissance or at a restaurant on the beach. Surfers gets a bad rap, but it's rather a lovely city. Broadbeach is also a great place for restaurants and even the Pacific Fair shopping center is worth checking out.

Theme parks are good - Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet n Wild would be the places with the best rides, but be extremely busy in January.

Can't answer you're car rental question, but it's just as easy to fly out of Gold Coast as Brisbane, no need to loop. Qantas will begin full service flights from Gold Coast in October, else you have the budget carriers. No point flying out of Ballina unless you spend the night in Byron.

Look forward to you coming. Enjoy the trip!

Vidic15

Hi there..

I'd definitely use Brisbane as the base. Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast are about 90 minutes either side of Brisbane.

Main Beach is a nice area...but you will definitely benefit from hiring the car when you are there.

tt7

Although I wouldn't normally suggest Brisbane over Melbourne or Sydney, if you're going to be there anyway, it's certainly worth taking a day to explore and it would be a shame not to. Drive up to the Mount Coot-tha Lookout, maybe visit the Lone Pine Sanctuary, take a ride on the river on the City Cat, have a wander around downtown, go over to South Bank if you have time and then find somewhere nice for dinner (maybe around Eagle Street Pier).


Some of us believe Surfers has more in common with an over-grown concrete jungle (think endless high-rise apartments) and, as such, its "bad rap" is well deserved. As for the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre .... hmmm, been there numerous times and I'd have to say it has absolutely nothing to recommend it - obviously YMMV .

Everyone has their own opinions, of course, but I would consider Noosa far, far nicer than the Gold Coast/Surfers Paradise. We go to Noosa every year. We only go to the Gold Coast because my mother-in-law lives there (which is why I've been to Pacific Fair numerous times...). Unless you're going to Byron Bay, I would skip the Gold Coast and spend the time in Noosa and Brisbane.

In Noosa, try Bistro C (on the beach) for lunch. For dinner, try Lindoni's (as you come out of the back of the Sheraton on Hastings Street, it's across the street on the left) or Sails (on the right-hand far end of Hastings Street from the Sheraton).

tt7

... but only to Sydney. If you're flying to Melbourne, your choices out of Coolangatta are Virgin, Deathstar or Tiger. Alternatively, drive to Brisbane and fly Qantas (which is what we do)

Dredgy

Gold Coast is a love it or hate it destination. With PacFair in particular, (I ironically first read your post while lunching there) is not a great place to shop, but its not a style of mall common in Australia. Most tourists I know (whom are mostly Asian) love it.

Now see, this is the exact opposite to why I chose to live here. I live (in a highrise, admittedly) in Surfers and I bought the place because I find the city much less concrete jungly than Brisbane or Sydney. The streets are immaculate, there's always sunshine and you can usually see water from wherever you are. In addition most of the newer skyscrapers (Q1, Soul, Hilton, Circle) are actually quite attractive, making the Gold Coast skyline rank highly among my favourites.

Yea that depends how fussy you are. I fly BNE-ROK every second day and OOL-MEL every week or so. As such, I've begun to hate the commute between Surfers and BNE, and would much rather fly Jetstar and avoid the commute.

But that's getting way off topic. I highly recommend the Gold Coast and I think you will have a great time for a couple of days, but then again it might not be your cup of tea. Only one way to find out though...

PICA

I spent 3 weeks in Oz last December visiting Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Port Douglas, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. I loved Sydney but I also really liked Brisbane, there's something about the city which got me, as opposed to Melbourne which I found disappointing. Brisbane is a good base (I stayed at the Marriott) and the Gold Coast has plenty to keep you occupied for a few days. I stayed in Surfers Paradise as the Marriott there which was also very impressive.

Leumas

Uh oh... Just wait for the Melbourne fans to flame you now...

Kidding...!

Or am I...

PICA

I'm ready

medic51vrf

I thought all the "flamers" were in Sydney.

WEEBOBBY

thanks for all the posts!

just managed to pick up the Versace for 265AUD/Ł175 a night for 3 nights on Hotelopia which seems a steal for time of year - January ( Mon to Thurs stay )