Going for 6 weeks

[jetcrew]

Mrs Jetcrew and I plus our boys who will be 13 & 4.5 are thinking of going up the gulf country for about 4 weeks before the cape trip.

Thinking of a few of the places on the gulf trip plus some others and arrive in cairns about 5 days before Cape trip departure and stay at the big 4 Kids heaven Van park the Palms I think.

Is Anyone else thinking of going for longer before or after the Cape trip ?

Just in the early stages of planning. Would have loved to go with Mcgirr to gulf this year but I got to go to Weipa to catch some fish around same time.

Jetcrew

[idlegossip]

Hey Jetcrew,

I take it your referring to the 2011 Cape trip? We are planning on 5 - 6 weeks but that is from Melbourne. We were hoping to get 10 weeks but a bit hard with my daughter starting high school next year. ATM we're planning one week to get to Cairns, 2 weeks to Cape and then 2-3 weeks to get back home as slow as possible to avoid the cold.  :'( :'(

Kids want to go to the theme parks on the Gold Coast so we will need to allow a couple of days there, but other than that we will just coast down the coast and enjoy. Lots of great places to stop at along the way but really will be playing it by ear. It's been 10 years since we last went up there so looking forward to it.

Kids can't wait either. My son is already asked when are we going almost every week. He is dying to do the gunshot and he is only 6!!!

Theo

[jetcrew]

Our son starts high school next year too wasnt sure weather before or after school hols would be best to take him out. Wife says they have exams just before June school hols.

If anyone has input regarding this would be great to hear whats best.

Sounds like you will do it at a nice pace Theo,

yeah the kids exited don't they !

I was thinking of Adels grove ,KFC maybe Lorrela springs, King ash Bay ,Normanton, Kurumba and then Cairns and the cape and Home.

[McGirr]

Jetcrew

My daughter is in year 12 and son in year 11. They do have exams prior to the school holidays but as your son is only starting high school the exams are not as important compared to the higher grades. Best would be to talk to the school as the time after the school holidays for the Gulf might be preferable.

The Cape even excites us big kids.

Mark

[SteveandViv]

We will also be relocating from Broome WA back to the East Coast where we will be buying land. We plan to buy up Mackay area. Anyway because of that we will be looking for things to do as this will wind up our two years travelling around Aus. We will have just done the Canning.

So any plans you have will be great to know so we would be keen to catch up for a while after. We will be coming up with Frostd on here.

We are not bothered by the school hols this time or distance ed, we've done that but not this time. They can live for 3-4 Months with out. Ours will be 10 and 6 so no big exams yet....

[jetcrew]

Steve & Viv
I will keep you informed of my travel plans , the only must do's are the cape trip and 5 days min at that kids caravan park in cairns so we are flexible.Should leave 3 weeks to fill in.

Mcgirr, thanks for the advice will I call the school this week (Well Mrs jetcrew will).
Might well be 4 weeks after the cape .

Whenever we do it I will post it up.

Thanks
Jetcrew 

[Frostd]

Hey Jetcrew, as Steveandviv (good friends) said, we are heading to the cape as well, but are taking about 6 weeks  return, ex-Tweed Coast. Lets us know your movements and we'll try to fit in. Our girls will be 10 & 11 and love to get out in the bush as mush as we do.
Frosty

[HEM19X]

Theo,

Unless there is something you want to look at on the way up, I would "straightline" to Cairns. Travelling inland means you make better time than going by the more populated coast road.

You would be surprised how far you can get in one day. That said I'm not advocating speeding or pushing things too hard, afterall you need to enjoy the journey.

Eventhough we live on the coast, the next time we do the cape, we will travel inland & maybe even have a night or 2 at a motel, that way you can travel longer/further.

That way you will get to spend more time there.

Just my thoughts.

Hem

[idlegossip]

Theo,

Unless there is something you want to look at on the way up, I would "straightline" to Cairns. Travelling inland means you make better time than going by the more populated coast road.

You would be surprised how far you can get in one day. That said I'm not advocating speeding or pushing things too hard, afterall you need to enjoy the journey.

Eventhough we live on the coast, the next time we do the cape, we will travel inland & maybe even have a night or 2 at a motel, that way you can travel longer/further.

That way you will get to spend more time there.

Just my thoughts.

Hem

Hey Hem,

When we did the trip 10 years ago we did the drive in 4 1/2 days.
Day 1 Melb - Dubbo  857.8km 9hr 13min
Day 2 Dubbo - Moree - Artisian Baths great to warm up the bones   382.9km 4hr 11min
Day 3 Moree - Emerald    840.2km 9hr 28min
Day 4 Emerald - Townsville     611.4km 6hr 45min
Day 5 Townsville - Cairns   348km 4hr 20min

Figure from whereis.

We are planning a similar sort of drive this time around with mandatory stop at Moree for the Artisian baths. (Mum and SWMBO insist). That time round our daughter was only 3 year old so we needed frequent stops every 2 hour or so. This time around they will be much older and will have things to keep themselves occupied with so fewer stops hopefully. Day 2 isn't a long drive at all so we will break the first day drive a little earlier this time as this is much longer. I would say we save ourselves an extra day on the road

This makes it a very easy drive and there aren't to many place we can think of we really want to see. From memory there is also the observatory around Coonabarabran that the kids would like to see, and I can't think of much more at this stage.

I am open to any must see suggestions from myswaggers going up this way and we will see if we can fit them in. I would rather spend more time on the return trip cruising down the coast visiting places like the Whitsundays, Fraser Is, Atherton Tablelands, Coffs Harbour, Port Maquarie, Byron Bay, etc etc. And I HAVE BEEN TOLD that we must spend 2-3 days at the theme parks or my kids will disown me and make me walk back home.   

This is similar to what we did 10 year ago and it was a very relaxing drive home. It will be great to see some of these places again. Still to early to set the trip plan at this stage I think.

Jetcrew can you shed any light on the Kids Van park you mention in Cairns?

[McGirr]

This is the caravan park Jetcrew mentioned.

http://www.coconut.com.au/

Mark

[idlegossip]

Thanks Mark,

Now I remember it. That's the one we stayed at 10 yrs ago. But boy has it expanded in that time. Yeah I thinks that one is also going on the must stay at list.

Theo

[jetcrew]

Thats the one. I drive past it each year when I go to Weipa and I always think how much the kids will enjoy it .Seeing as the little jet will be 4 1/2. I think its a good time to take him there.

I have looked at the prices and I think we will get a cabin its only $30-$40 more per day then a powered site. So that way we can get away early with no packup for the meet up at springfield to head north with the group.

Jetcrew

[jetcrew]

Update,

Well it,s looking like 4 weeks before cape tripe and heading Northwest from brisbane travelling up the centre and doing the Qld side of the gulf region cut straight across to normanton/kurumba ect ,then into Cairns to cocconut palms park stay 4-5 days resupply and then head out to cape with group.

As A side note If anyone needs accom on the way back from cape I live on a decent block and can fit 5-10 camper trailers no probs so if people need somewhere to stay the gate is always open  I am 10 mins off the h/way.

jetcrew   

[JCAT]

Not going on the Cape Trip but for those of you heading up from Melbourne, DO NOT miss Carnarvon Gorge.

We spent 2 nights there on the way up to Cairns last year and we will definitely be going back again. Great spot.

[KM4]

Sorry I'm a bit late chiming in on this thread.  I've been an occasional visitor to this site for a few years, but haven't logged in that often.
The wife & I are doing the Cape next year via Lawn Hill Gorge, Kingfisher Camp, Normanton (must be in N'ton for weekend of 21-22 May) , then over to the Cape Rd to Weipa. We'll have 5 weeks all up with the first getting to LHG, KFC & N'ton.  Then 4 wks from Normanton to go north & back home again. After Normanton our itinerary is flexible, but SWMBO is keen to see Cooktown & Daintree on the way back.  So our main destinations are Normanton, then Weipa to see friends up there, and very flexible around that.  Not even sure at this stage if we'll get all the way to the top.  Our car has standard suspension and no snorkel or winch, so we'll be going steady.

I would love to join the Myswag tour to meet people & get involved, but our trip is a month earlier.

[jetcrew]

For those who said "keep me informed" I have penciled in a rough iteniary

Canarvon Gorge 2-3 days

longreach 2 days

Adels grove  3-4 days

KFC 3-4 days

kurrumba 2 days

undarra 1-2 days

Cairns 4-5 days

cape tribulation 2-3 days

Cooktown MEET MYSWAG GROUP

Do cape trip.

This will happen 4 weeks before the cape trip so if anyone wants to meet up around that area drop me a line I am still flexible.

Jetcrew