Posts Tagged ‘noosa’

Holidays in Queensland

Queensland Holidays

If you are looking for a beach experience in Australia then look no further than Queensland, known by the locals as the Sunshine State.

With its beautiful coastline and tropical islands, it’s no wonder this is a firm favourite with locals and holidaymakers alike. It’s the second largest state in Australia and offers something for everyone.

Choosing where exactly to go in Queensland can be tricky as there really is so much to choose from. There are however some watch outs. Queensland can be split into North Queensland and the rest. The north is often referred to as Tropical Queensland and this area is best frequented between May and October. Outside of this time could mean very hot humid temperatures and lots of rain.

Warmer than its counterparts of NSW and Victoria, the rest of Queensland offers lovely temperatures nearly all year round. It’s probably not warm enough for the beach in winter but Autumn and Spring are certainly very pleasant.

It’s hard to decide where exactly to recommend for a Queensland holiday as there really are so many amazing places. A great option is a road trip from Cairns all the way down to Sydney or even Melbourne. It’s a long trek and you would need at least 4 weeks to complete it.

If a road trip sounds great but you don’t have the time, consider a trip from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, down to Sydney. This will probably take you 2 weeks but could be done more leisurely if you have the time.

A road trip might not be your thing. It’s easy to hop on a plane from any of the major Australian cities up to some of the best destinations in Queensland. The most popular are probably Brisbane, The Gold Coast, The Sunshine Coast, The Whitsundays and of course Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef. The last two are best visited between May and October but you can go outside of these times. Just expect some rain and humid conditions.

Perhaps one of the most memorable trips in Queensland is Fraser Island.. An island made entirely of sand, it’s a chance to get back to nature and enjoy the scenery and some 4 wheel driving. The lakes are beautiful and even if you are not a usual camper, have a go on Fraser Island. You really won’t regret it.

It’s almost impossible to come to Australia and not come to the Great Barrier Reef. Discover a whole new world under the sea near Cairns, in the tropical north of Queensland. Stay in Port Douglas, or better still, Palm Cove, a delightful small beach town just 20 minutes from Cairns.

Whatever you are looking for in a holiday, Queensland is sure to over deliver. From beautiful beaches to vibrant cities, you’ll love the Sunshine State.

Want to find out more about Real Australia Travel?, then visit Jennifer Schellington’s site on how to choose the best Queensland Holiday for your needs.

Visiting Noosa, Australia

If you’re looking for a holiday destination that combines great beaches, great food, stunning natural beauty and quality holiday accommodation then you could do a lot worse than Noosa at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast region in Queensland, Australia.

Here are some of the highlights you can enjoy on a visit to Noosa.

Location:

Noosa is located approximately two hours drive north of the city of Brisbane. A couple of airports serve the Noosa area; Brisbane airport connects with flights across Australia, Asia and the USA while the locall Sunshine Coast airport handles domestic flights from Jetstar and Virgin Blue. The Noosa region is made up of a number of connecting suburbs but the most popular at Noosa Heads with Hastings St and the Main Beach while Noosaville on the river offers good value, high quality accommodation and some of the best dining options.

Beaches and Nature:

There are a number of beaches surrounding Noosa but the suitable named Main Beach in Noosa Heads is where most people head. It is one of the few North facing beaches on the East Coast of Australia which offers it protection from the waves of the Pacific ocean. You can leave your surf board at home and relax and enjoy a gentle swim. The beach is patrolled so ensure you swim between the flags.

If you can tear yourself away from the beach then there are national parks and scenery to explore. On your doorstep is Noosa National park which has some excellent coastal walks or you can drive inland and explore the hinterland regions such as Montville and Maleny.

Dining and Shopping:

Noosa has become known for some of the best restaurants outside of the big cities in Australia. Noosa’s most famous street is Hastings Street with glamourous boutique shops and fine dining restaurants. There are some top restaurants here such as Berardo’s Restaurant but the street does suffer from the usual overpriced restaurants aimed only at the tourist market.  An interesting development in recent years is the rise of Gympie Terrace in Noosaville by the river as an ‘eat street’. This area is now home to over a dozen quality restaurants including fine dining experience at ‘The River House’ and relaxed quality food at Gusto. Hasting St is pretty ritzy and contains some very high end fashion boutiques so watch your credit card. There are major chains in the area as well though and a number of shopping centers nearby. If your around for a few days then head to the well known markets in nearby Eumundi on a Wednesday or Saturday which feature food, arts and crafts.

Noosa Accommodation:

There is no shortage of Noosa accommodation. While there are a handful of large hotels and chain resorts such as the Sheraton the most popular form of holiday accommodation in the area are holiday apartment rentals such as Sebel Noosa Apartments. In Noosa Heads and Noosaville there is a huge range of high quality fully self contained holiday apartments which give you your own living space and full kitchen so you can save some money and eat a few of your meals in your apartment. Overall the standard of holiday rentals are very high in Noosa to suit the upmarket clientele but shop around to find something for your tastes and budget.

Noosa has a lot going for it and it’s no surprise it continues to be popular. Find your idea QLD accommodation at makemystay.com.au

Article by Richard of MakeMyStay.com.au

East Coast Australia Highlights

East Coast Australia really does offer something for everyone from major cities, water sports, scenery and some of the world’s best beaches. If you are considering visiting this wonderful area then you will be pleased to know that when it comes to holiday accommodation rentals Australia has much to offer.

The two cities of Brisbane, with its long colonial history and Sydney with its modern lifestyle are firm favourites with visitors to east coast Australia. Brisbane offers some exceptional centres for the arts including the popular Queensland Performing Arts Complex. Sydney is a very easy city to visit for holidaymakers and Sydney apartments can be rented in almost every part of the city. Sydney combines every modern amenity into one package, world class shopping, excellent tourist facilities, and easy access to the surrounding areas, perfect as a base of operations from which to explore the likes of Hunter Valley and Bondi Beach.  For those who love their sun and sand, few places in the world offer such a great combination of scuba diving, surfing and stunning beaches as Byron Bay.

Hunter Valley accommodation is very simple to locate, there are some excellent deals to be had in this area, allowing the visitor to exploit this exciting area. If you enjoy spending time on holiday exploring new beaches and coastal cities then maybe a tour of the Sunshine Coast might be more to your liking, this allows you to include more traditional destinations such as Montville in the Blackall Mountain Ranges to add variety to your beach holiday. If your travelling as a couple then a few nights in a Gold Coast hinterland cabin is a romantic way to enjoy some peace and quite, great food and stunning natural surroundings.

For the water sports enthusiast one cannot forget the Great Barrier Reef. This is one of the leading tourist attractions along the East Coast. Combine your scuba diving adventure with a visit to the Whitsunday Islands for double the pleasure, world class scuba diving in incredible tropical surroundings. Although these areas are not particularly noted for budge accommodation rentals Australia is still exceptional value for money when we consider the overwhelming natural beauty of east coast Australia, and the myriad of activities which can be enjoyed by the visitor.

Whilst on the discussion of activities available to the visitor to east coast Australia, it is worth mentioning Fraser Island. A world heritage site and the largest sand island in the world this is one of the primary natural areas that east coast Australia has to offer. An incredible variety of animal life can be found along the white sandy beaches, inside the tropical rainforest in the interior of the island and in the seas which surround Fraser Island.

A trip along Australia’s East Coast will provide a lifetime of travel memories and have you longing to return. Rather than staying in hotels it’s very easy in Australia to book short or longer term holiday accommodation rentals right along the East coast.

This Australian travel article is by Richard Greenwood from Australian holiday accommodation booking site MakeMyStay.com.au.com.au