Holiday in Brisbane-Sidney

[Happy Camper]

My wife and I are going EC Australia from 19-31 Dec. We are arriving in Brisbane and departing from Sydney. Plan to rent a car and check out the coast, but since the holiday came up a bit sudden, we haven't had the time to plan much. Any tips on where to go and stay? Should we book the car and hotels before leaving Singapore, or would that be more expensive? This is our first time to Australia.

Thks

[John from Syd, Oz]

You're travelling in peak holiday period so best to have some accomodation booked - I suppose it comes down to how much you're prepared to shell out...

Make sure you're in Sydney on NY eve for the fireworks - not to be missed

regards

[scooby doo where are you]

Yes have to agree with previous post, you've hit peak time any where down the east coast, Byron Bay and surrounding area is beautiful but i would imagine at this time of year you'll be hardly beable to move around there let alone find accomodation, There are numerous bays and town ships on your way down the coast. Fire works in Sydney harbour for New Years eve are great and well worth getting to Sydney for. Perhaps on you way down the coast head inland and visit the Hunter vally (wine area) Port Macquarie is also nice.  

[Buffy]

just did the same trip (both ways)

perhaps you would care to share your experience now that you are "home" ..?

What did you do for accomodation? where did you stop, what did you enjoy the most.

We were impressed by the NSW policing of the roads..very consistent reminders the entire way (on both inland and coastal highways) of the dangers of speeding/tiredness etc. We hit no major delays and saw no accidents.

we travelled only during the day with a good  number of rest/eat/play stops as we had a busy 3 year old and only one driver. The trip took us  2 reasonably easy days each way (as I am non driver you may say..."yeh easy for YOU" but be assured that entertainment director was the short straw) .We stopped in Armidale on the way up and Port Macquarie on the way down...accomodation in moderately priced motels (Country Comfort) booked either on the day or the night before without any drama although it was certainly busy.

Port Macquarie impressed us too...it would be lovely to stay at the new Sheraton there sometime soon...but the caravan park had THE  best location...a little cabin there would be just fine too.Very kid friendly atmosphere.It helped that the weather was perfect...and the dolphins just capped it off.

On the way up we lunched at the the Telegraph (?) on the New England Highway...lovely spot and good food.

Coffs Harbour (lunch break) also had some great looking beach resorts but that Big Banana needs help! but perhaps its tackiness is an essential part of past and future childhood memories.We saw lots of BIG things (prawn, guitar,rock)...essential part of the experience.

this trip has certainly made us keen to take more time to explore  the area more in future.For us both Sydney and the Gold Coast are "home" so our curiousity was more about the trip than the destination. it has been some 25 years since I had last done it.