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Author Topic: Down Under!  (Read 3489 times)

flash

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Down Under!
« on: January 21, 2004, 01:11:21 am »

Well I used to live in mid north queensland and now I live 1/2 way between Sydney and Newcastle.

For access to the GBR you have a few options. You can get to Cairns or Airlie Beach and take one of the commercial companies out to the big pontoons on the reef (Quicksilver or Fantasea) or you can stay on an Island. Heron Island is part of the barrier reef and would be my preference. Snorkel or dive from your back door. Gret Keppel is also a great look and is the southernmost point of the reef.

Cairns is a big Tourist town. Hot and humid but fairly friendly. The whitsundays are great and you can stay on the mainland or one of the islands. Airlie Beach, in the Whitsundays, is the biggest backpackers town on the whole east coast and so is geared more to the budget market. Both have trips to the reef daily (two hoursish travel each way) but the sites are a bit abused by the sheer numbers of people (up to 300 per day) who use these facilities.

If in the Whitsundays and with a bit more money you could opt to stay on an island like Hayman, Daydream or Hamilton where I lived for two years. You can still take the Fantasea boat each day but a better option is to go with the Hamilton island dive shop H20 to bait reef. (about the same two hours travel) which is much nicer to snorkel and dive on. Hamilton Island is a big resort with lots to do and a beach you can swim at all year round (no box jelly fish (which can kill you) like the mainland).

If you go to the whitsundays a 1/2 day at Whitehaven is a must. In fact if you can afford it I would spring for a charter flight or helicopter ride over Whitehaven. Take lots of film. If I knew how to post images I could show you what I mean.

Sydney is about 3 hours ride from Newcastle. 4wding on Stockton beach is fun and Newcastle is a steel city so some great industrial photography is posssible. Australia has the best beaches in the world and here is no exception. The Hunter Valley has some of the finest wines in the world at ridiculously cheap prices. Wine tours are brilliant, a hire car is better. But be warned drink and drive and you will be caught.

One hour south of Newcastle is the Central Coast, my home, where there is heaps to do. try the Australian reptile park to see all the deadly critters were so proud of and you can cuddle a koala and feed a kangaroo. Ken Duncan has a gallery here and his photos are awesome.

Have a look at www.kenduncan.com He lives 15 minutes from me and a lot of his work is shot between Sydney and Newcastle.

How long have you got. There's plenty to do.

Hope this gives you a start.

Gordon
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d2frette

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Down Under!
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2004, 07:02:35 pm »

My wife and I will be taking a vacation to Australia in the next week. Any suggestions on where to go/stay for snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef???

Beyond that, any "can't miss" photo places nearby?
Any suggestions for the Newcastle area (Newcastle is north of Sydney by a long trainride, maybe 2 hours)?

Sure would appreciate any help!

- Dave
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David M. Frette.  
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Bill

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Down Under!
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2004, 02:15:45 pm »

In the fall of 2002 I drove the whole east coast from Sydney to Airlie Beach.  Long drive, but that is another story.

The Whitsunday's are amazing.  I would also recommend Fraser Island.  I was backpacking so we stayed at a backpackers on Fraser.  Granted it was brand new, clean, and it was part of a very nice resort that we took avantage of.  We did a 3 day tour, saw the whole island.  

www.kingfisherbay.com is worth checking out if you are interested in Fraser Island
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