I have a tentative home exchange in Brisbane, Australia, for August 2008. They are always tenative until both sides buy tickets (generally done simultaneously when one of us notices a good price).

If you have been to Brisbane, I'd appreciate some comments. I have never been to Australia before. My tenative plan would be to fly to Brisbane and stay there most of the time with a fly or drive trip to Mackay on the Great Barrier Reef. The point of a home exchange would be to maximize your location in the other country and not to spend a lot of money in hotels.

Sydney would have been my first choice, but, in exchanging, you take what you can get.

Hi, I lived in Brisbane for six or seven years when I was young, and went up twice last year. I have gone there countless times for holidays, as all of my relatives live up there.

I also lived in Mackay for a year when I was eighteen, and I've had three (I think) trips to the Great Barrier Reef area.

It's all warm, scenic, relaxed and actually unlike the rest of Australia.

Can you give us an idea of a suburb in Brisbane or at least an area? It's a jolly big place. I have rellies around Logan and one over past Redcliffe. I lived in Scarborough, then Woody Point, then Everton Hills - a long time ago.

Queensland - beautiful one day, perfect the next!

I have lived in Brisbane.

What sort of things do you want to do while you are there?

Here is a link to a North America/Australia comparison map I posted on another thread.

Mackay is about 1000km (600 miles) from Brisbane. Quite a drive. I would recommend the Whitsundays for a Barrier reef visit.

Hi again, apart from giving us an idea of location, can you give you an idea of what some of your interests might be so that we can help you further?

Also, will you have children with you or family members?

What kind of things do you like to do? Art galleries and museums or hiking and National Parks? Antique shops, beaches, fishing spots?

Then we start thinking about day trips, like Toowoomba - the Garden City of Queensland. They've got a lovely Carnival of Flowers there each Spring. I remember having picnics there.

Then there's the Gold Coast hinterland, with National Parks, wineries, wildlife and scenic views.

We visit Queensland regularly and believe me that's quite a distance from our state.

I love Brisbane and surrounds, but second John's opinion of The Whitsundays as the best place to visit the GBR.

I agree with Leslie, in that we would like to know more about your interests etc. so more suggestions can be given.

Elly

Elly, tell me that you fly! It's a jolly long way from WA to Queensland.

We used to drive up there regularly three times a year. Now I fly up, on occasion, if I can get a cheap Virgin flight and when I don't have a new kitten!

Elly and John, what do you think of Airlie Beach? It's an old favourite of mine.

LSKahn, why Mackay? Do you have friends or rellies there? I've never really heard mention of it asociated with the reef, that's why I mentioned Airlie Beach and the others mentioned The Whitsundays. That's up a bit to the north. Having spent a year there, I still think of it as a big rural town.

Oh my gosh! There are Virgin flights to the Whitsundays from Brisbane right now, and also in March next year, for A$89 each way. You might like to bookmark the site - it's great to use for a long weekend away somewhere.

Leslie, We used to travel a lot by car and caravan around Australia (over 30 years) with the last trip taking nearly two years. That's really slow travel of a different nature. We stayed in Cairns for 3 months and I agree with you that Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays are wonderful. We also spent a lot of time in outback Queensland for a different experience.

However, the last couple of years we have been going by air. We are going again this coming November. We have lots of friends and rellies living in Queensland, so it's great to catch up. Actually we have lots of friends and rellies all over Australia...well my hubby does, as he comes from a long line of pioneers and gold seeking forefathers.

Elly

I don't have all the details on the location of the house yet, but the deal is fairly firm--as firm as a deal cut over a year ahead of time can be. As of now, the trip would just be me solo. My kids are grown and gone. Sometimes a friend joins me but it is too far ahead to know.

I like just about anything in the way of recreation. I did bookmark that website for the low cost airline. My home exchangers did recommend the Whitsundays as well. Flying looks like a good option. I would imagine I would go for 3-5 days to have plenty of time there. The balance of the time would be spent in Brisbane and on day trips hither and yon.

I do hope to have a look at the bush and some of Australia's unusual animals and flora. Of course, some relaxing would be part of the trip. I would also visit local museums and the like and sample Australian wine. I'll try not to structure the trip too much (aside from the Great Barrier Reef) because I sort of like to go with the flow. Often people structure things so much that you get over pressured by a schedule you need like a hole in the head.

I also enjoy theater and would love to see some theater--especially if it was Australian plays. I look for things I cannot see at home. I would also like to learn more about the Aborigines. I have seen some of their art at exhibitions in the US and find it very interesting.

I really will not start to work on the details until the fall. I do appreciate all the comments and will be back to ask questions as the trip evolves. I hope to sample a little bit of everything.

Thanks to everyone.

Good oh.

One of my favourite Australian playwright's is David Williamson. His plays sure give you an insight into the Australian culture. Luckily, a number of them have been made into movies, so perhaps you can get to see some of them, or read them, or even see a play when you come here.

There is a great website that lists them all. I have included some of them in a piece I am working on for Slow Travel about movies set in Australia which show off our beaut scenery.

Wow, you guys are great.

I do have the address of the people I will be swapping with. I do not like to give the full address online to respect the privacy of my exchangers. I can tell you, however, that they live in Red Hill, Queensland, Australia, 4059. I gather from google earth that it is west of Brisbane.

Heck no - very good idea to keep addresses to oneself! So I will go and look up Red Hill as I'm not familiar with it.

Ok, so I looked on Google Maps - right, it's near Kelvin Grove. Looks like a good location, and it's described on Google as being in a 'green' area and having a lot of 'Queenslanders' in the area.

Lucky you! Will you have a car?

Yes, home exchanges almost always involve a swap of cars. Exchanges are designed to keep the cost to both sides to a minimum.

I do expect to take it easy for a few days until I adjust to driving "on the other side". I find that I get used to that after a few days--and when I go home I often walk around to the wrong side of an American car. Ha!

I have driven on the "wrong" side in Britain before but Australia is a new country for me.

Red Hill is an inner suburb. A good location. You will be close to good restaurants in the Paddington area.

Mt Cootha will give you a good view over Brisbane during the day or night. There used to be good restaurant up there, but the lease changes hands from time to time so I would check it out first. At the base of Mt Cootha are the botanical gardens, which is worth a visit. They have a perfumed plant walk oriented to allow blind people to enjoy the gardens. There are guided tours given by the park rangers.

A taste of the outback can be had at the Woolshed at Samford, where they also have Australian Wildlife. There is sheep shearing and an aussie outback BBQ.

Drive up to Mt Glorious and walk through the rainforest. Brisbane has been dry of late, but you should see bower birds, among others. If it is raining, then leeches may come out.

There are boat trips up the river, and it is rather pleasant to take a river-cat through the city.

August is our winter so the days will be short- daylight 6am to 5pm. The mornings will mostly be cool, but days are mostly warm.

West End also has a good selection of restaurants, and the Queensland Cultural Centre at the South Bank, with the Art Gallery, Museum and theatres, is close by.

The Gold Coast to the South and the Sunshine Coast to the North are an hour to 90 minutes away. Tambourine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterlamd, and Montville in the Sunshine Coast Hinterlamd are artistic and craft areas worth a visit.

I had a great time at Airlie beach. One day we went out to the Barrier Reef on a Maxi Yacht from which we did scuba diving. We had a great holoday unit with a pool. and the restaurants were within walking distance.

I do not have scuba certification. Can you still "dive" the reef near the surface or do you have to snorkel? I almost am old enough to qualify for Social Security and do not anticipate getting dive certification before going. I am looking to see some interesting fish, reefs, etc., but do not think scuba is something I would like to try at my age.

I can swim but not really good a long distances.

I have read some things about flying to somewhere along the reef and staying on a "live aboard". I presume that means the boat is your hotel and you dive and snorkel from the boat. Any recommendations? I am thinking in terms of going to the Whitsunday Islands rather than all the way to Cairns. I am trying to do the Reef without killing the budget.

And now someone has contacted me from Cairns telling me that there are cheap flights there sometimes. Maybe I'll go there. Well, I'll have a year to plan after coming back from Vienna.

All in good time.

quote:

I lived in Scarborough, then Woody Point - a long time ago.

"a long time ago" is somewhat relative. When did you live there? Not the mid 70's by any chance? I was born there in '47 (lived there for a year) and returned in '72 for six years. I return every year to visit friends.

"I am looking to see some interesting fish, reefs, etc., but do not think scuba is something I would like to try at my age"
LSKahn, a number of diving platforms off the coast have boats with deep drafts. You can sit deep inside and view the reef and fish through the portholes. Probably a better option than snorkling for the inexperienced and non-strong swimmer.

Hello Gavin.

Was that Scarborough or Woody Point that you lived in?

I lived in Scarborough in a rental, for just a few months in the late 60s while our house was being built in Woody Point. I went to primary school at Clontarf Beach. We launched our 41 foot trimaran that dad built in the back yard - at Clontarf Beach.

I lived in Woody Point until 1970 when we moved to Everton Hills.

I love the Redcliffe area. That is where we shopped, went to the beach, and hung out. It is still special to me.

I last went to Scarborough to stay with a friend in 1979. My grandparents were living there at that time too.

I've thought about Scarborough and Woody Point a lot lately. There was a thread in Everything About Travel called Google's new MyMaps Is Molto Bene back in May where I posted a pic of my Woody Point house and yard, and I just wrote another article about it the other day in Kaleidoscope.

It's like if someone says Poughkeepsie - I hear it twice more in one day.

Hey, I have snorkeled before but usually end up with water up my nose!

Sorry LS, didn't want to offend, however given that there have been a couple of people lost on the reef (which is many, many miles out into the Coral Sea), I thought it best to caution against the inexperienced or non-strong swimmer thinking it would just be a comfortable drift over a shallow reef. I always figured I was big, strong and fit and yet have scared myself witless on several occasions.

I can't snorkel either. Can't seem to get the hang of breathing through my mouth. I much prefer just to hold my breath and use goggles without the nose piece.

I'm with Gavin on this one....just stick to the shallow reefs. The Whitsundays is perfect for this.

Elly

Leslie
I lived at Queens Beach in 1947. We lived in Eversleigh Rd. Redcliffe in the 70's; fished off the spit at Scarborough and bought prawns at the Fishermens Co-op to eat under the mango tree of a balmy evening, Ches taught at Clontarf High. At the rugby club, one of the guys was building a yacht to sail around the world. Was that your father?

No one would listen to me in the 70's when I predicted that Scarborough would eventually become a very expensive place to buy a property. Nothing under $1m these days.

My goodness it's a small world.

One of my sisters went to Clontarf High until mid year 1970, when we left to go to Everton Hills. I remember her playing hockey.

My dad was an American. Yes, he had plans to sail the trimaran around the world. It was launched at Easter in 1970 and we entered it in the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race and came third.

My friend I stayed with for the last time in the seventies - actually it was December 1977, lived over in Endeavour Esplanade. I'm sitting here with the Google Map My grandparents were somewhere in between there.

The house we built in Woody Point was in Clifford Street, off Victoria Avenue. Gosh Google maps are great!

We used to be at the beach at Redcliffe every weekend.

I have plenty of time to plan this trip--over a year. I did some preliminary looks at airfares and one option is Air New Zealand via Auckland (as opposed to going Quantas via Sydney). If I went Air NZ, I would fly to the Whitsundays or Cairns and then on to Auckland where I can stay over, I think, without extra charge. I would stay in Auckland 2-3 nights and go to Rotorura and maybe the Bay of the Islands. I would then fly home.

This is my thinking on this one right now. you simply cannot do everything in 4 weeks. If I get an exchange in Sydney or NZ at some point, I will then do a trip focusing on SE Australia or both islands in NZ. I do want to focus on the Brisbane area in August 2008 because that is where my free housing is.

In any event, I am going to be off on this year's exchange to Austria soon and need to focus on that. Australian planning begins when I return.