Any recomondations ? I will fly into SYD and stay there for two days. After that I will have 7 days to do what I want.
I thought about going up north (Cairns, Brisbane) as I would really like some warm weather and some snorkling. Heard about Fraiser Island and Whitsunday Islands but am not sure where to go?

This is my first trip to Australia and I know a week is not enough to cover this vast country completely so I thought it would be wise to concentrate on one part.

Any hints would be very much appreciated (Is it warm enough around Brisbane at that time of the year?)

Stephan

Cairns & Port Douglas!

Brissie is mild but not warm enough. Besides, there are no real beaches there unless you want to take the ferry to Coochie island, so head for Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast to say the least. Warm weather and water is up in the Cairns region. Make sure you visit the Atherton Tablelands and take the scenic train to Kuranda. Tropical lakes in the area are magnificent with over 10 feet long barramundi fish waiting to be angled out of the water. If you fancy a rodeo then Tablelands are the place for you, not as good as Texas but as good as it gets in Australia. If you want to swim with dolphins then take a trip to Monkey Mia in Western Australia which is a long trip but well worth it. Ayres Rock in the centre is nice but way oversold as a tourist attraction. You don't need to travel thousands of miles to climb a big rock... besides, according to Aboriginal beliefs you lose your soul if you climb that rock. If warmth and tropics is what you're after then head to North Queensland and you won't be disappointed.

I spent 10 weeks in Brisbane 5 years ago. If you want to do some hiking, I recommend going to Lamington National Park. It's a subtropical rainforest about 2 hours south of Brisbane. For snorkeling, Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef is really cool. I don't recall how far it was from Brisbane, but it's a 35 minute flight from Bundaberg.

[This message has been edited by FlyByMike (edited 08-04-2001).]

Read Bill Bryson's book From a Sunburned Country

Due to some advice here I had tickets to Cairns and planned to go to all the places around. Due to some a**holes (Im not saying whom, but I have my suspicions) the airline I was booked on went out of service on the day I flew into Australia. So I never made it to Cairns. Stayed 3 days in SYD and flew back to Europe. Loved SYD but boy that was a short holiday for such a long flight. Maybe next time ....

Stephan

A couple of suggestions. I would definitely do Cairns if you have a chance the next time. The rainforests are amazing. Bring insect repellant! Also, the beaches are sprawling and pretty much uninhabited. If you see 20 locals, that's a lot. The rest are tourists.

If you are in Sydney, I would take the two hour drive to the Blue Mountains since it's nearby. The views are pretty spectacular there. If you like to exercise, there a bazillion steps you can climb.

I've been to a resort on Lizard Island near the Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful tropical isle. If you want to be alone and romance a sweetheart, that's the place to be. If you are looking for excitement, not the place to be. 3 days is more than enough to spend there. Snorkeling/scuba is awesome. Well worth the trip.

[This message has been edited by PhxArisen (edited 10-13-2001).]

curiousity can kill a cat, but i'll bite. you say [ithink] that you'll be in sydney for 2 days & then have a week for goofing around. if you are working in syd, then take 2 or so days to see it . go to cairns,kanes [i have heard at least 6 pronuciations!] for 2 more.....edit to add ... if you dive, just stay in that area.

[This message has been edited by clacko (edited 10-17-2001).]