Oz November 2008 - TravellersConnected.com Travel Forums where Gap Year Travellers, Student Travellers and Mature Travellers all chat online about travel related issues

zoe2008 · 18-03-2008, 09:59 PM

hey I'm starting a gap year this september, and am booking my Round The World ticket next week! I'm planning to book my first stop into Cairns for the first week of November at the end of this year! then will be travelling down the east coast to Melbourne, hopefully meeting people along the way! I will be booking a hop-on hop-off bus to do the route nearer the time.
Just wondering if anyone is going out at a similar time as it would be great to meet someone at the first point as I will be alone! I'm leaving from London...

James2802 · 30-03-2008, 05:43 PM

Hey, I'm doing the same thing - travelling down the east coast around that time so no doubt we should meet up

r6paddy · 06-07-2008, 02:46 PM

Yeah iv got similar plans, just booked up last week. ill be in Cairns in Dec and working my way down to Melbourne. Got 10 months in which to do it

johnnymac · 08-07-2008, 02:00 AM

is anyone doing couchsurfing?

Pat · 15-07-2008, 04:36 AM

Thats a lot of distance on a bus!!

Places of Interest between Cairns and Melbourne (and i'll probably miss a million of them in the process)

Harvey Bay / Fraser Island - believed to be the largest sand island in existance.. if the person who told me that isn't a liar!

Rainbow Beach - Beautiful

Noosa / Sunshine Coast - more beach..

Brisbane - skip this crap-hole. If you must see it, theres some decent pubs in West-End..

Gold Coast - quite possibly worse than Brisbane. has all the theme-parks etc.. some nice beaches down toward Coolangatta. Good bushwalking in the hinterland as well.

NSW has some of the best beaches i've seen. Ranging all the way from Fingal Head to Sydney IMO. I'd stop at Fingal, Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Port Maquarie, Newcastle, Gosford. Some of these are relatively small places with not a lot to do but relax on the beach.

I haven't done much between Melbourne and Sydney, but i would guess you'd go inland via Canberra.. which means you'd get near Jindabyne and the Snowy mountains. Skiing in winter, Bushwalking in summer.
Plenty of "gold-rush" towns in Victoria too.. Bendigo, Ballarat.. cant remember which one i was at when i went panning for gold with my pop many years ago.

FWIW there are some very cheap flights available between some of the larger centres.. i.e. Cairns -> Brisbane; Brisbane -> Newcastle etc.. which might be a lot cheaper than travelling by bus. www.virginblue.com.au and www.jetstar.com.au are the two budget carriers in Aus. I've seen tickets @ $49 one way to Cairns at times.

Brindabella Airlines does a coast hop from Brisbane to Newcastle.. i think its Bris -> Coffs -> Port Mc -> Newcastle. Its a tiny 20 seater plane.. an experience in itself!

18-03-2008, 09:59 PM	#1
zoe2008 Tourist Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 3	Oz November 2008 hey I'm starting a gap year this september, and am booking my Round The World ticket next week! I'm planning to book my first stop into Cairns for the first week of November at the end of this year! then will be travelling down the east coast to Melbourne, hopefully meeting people along the way! I will be booking a hop-on hop-off bus to do the route nearer the time. Just wondering if anyone is going out at a similar time as it would be great to meet someone at the first point as I will be alone! I'm leaving from London...

08-07-2008, 02:00 AM	#4
johnnymac Tourist Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 42	is anyone doing couchsurfing? __________________ Motorhome rental USA RV hire USA USA RV Rental Motorhome rental Australia Campervan hire Australia

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30-03-2008, 05:43 PM	#2
James2802 Tourist Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2	Hey, I'm doing the same thing - travelling down the east coast around that time so no doubt we should meet up

06-07-2008, 02:46 PM	#3
r6paddy Tourist Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 5	Yeah iv got similar plans, just booked up last week. ill be in Cairns in Dec and working my way down to Melbourne. Got 10 months in which to do it

15-07-2008, 04:36 AM	#5
Pat Tourist Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2	Thats a lot of distance on a bus!! Places of Interest between Cairns and Melbourne (and i'll probably miss a million of them in the process) Harvey Bay / Fraser Island - believed to be the largest sand island in existance.. if the person who told me that isn't a liar! Rainbow Beach - Beautiful Noosa / Sunshine Coast - more beach.. Brisbane - skip this crap-hole. If you must see it, theres some decent pubs in West-End.. Gold Coast - quite possibly worse than Brisbane. has all the theme-parks etc.. some nice beaches down toward Coolangatta. Good bushwalking in the hinterland as well. NSW has some of the best beaches i've seen. Ranging all the way from Fingal Head to Sydney IMO. I'd stop at Fingal, Byron Bay, Lennox Head, Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Port Maquarie, Newcastle, Gosford. Some of these are relatively small places with not a lot to do but relax on the beach. I haven't done much between Melbourne and Sydney, but i would guess you'd go inland via Canberra.. which means you'd get near Jindabyne and the Snowy mountains. Skiing in winter, Bushwalking in summer. Plenty of "gold-rush" towns in Victoria too.. Bendigo, Ballarat.. cant remember which one i was at when i went panning for gold with my pop many years ago. FWIW there are some very cheap flights available between some of the larger centres.. i.e. Cairns -> Brisbane; Brisbane -> Newcastle etc.. which might be a lot cheaper than travelling by bus. www.virginblue.com.au and www.jetstar.com.au are the two budget carriers in Aus. I've seen tickets @ $49 one way to Cairns at times. Brindabella Airlines does a coast hop from Brisbane to Newcastle.. i think its Bris -> Coffs -> Port Mc -> Newcastle. Its a tiny 20 seater plane.. an experience in itself!