A Yank here and a Yank there

Coming To Australia??? Tell us your plans, ask us questions, You're bound to find an answer here.
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westumbledonit
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A Yank here and a Yank there

Post by westumbledonit » 16 September 07 9:44 am

Goodday,

We are on our way downunder starting 9/29 for three weeks. We have lurked on the site and found some useful information. While we cannot spend the whole time caching, maybe during our second visit, we will be hunting a few.

We found Google Earth to be a great tool to identify caches near where we will stay and along routes we will drive (hopefully on the correct side of the road!!). Our trip is: Brisbane, Alice Springs, Melbourne, Canberra, Hunter Valley and Sydney.

Then over to NZ for more sightseeing and caching. We have saved for this trip of a lifetime and plan to totally experience the history, culture and natural beauty of Australia.

Safe Caching

westumbledonit (our name describes our caching style) :D

Chris & Judi

PS: Since I was born in the Northern part of the US we are considerd also considered Yankee here when we are down South.

Damo.
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Post by Damo. » 16 September 07 10:09 am

Wow! Sounds like quite a trip.
Hope you have a great time and get some caching done while you are here.

Happy "Cayshing" (as 80% of us pronounce it!) downunder.

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Grank
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Re: A Yank here and a Yank there

Post by Grank » 16 September 07 12:06 pm

westumbledonit wrote: Hunter Valley
enjoy the wine as well

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Bundyrumandcoke
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Post by Bundyrumandcoke » 16 September 07 2:26 pm

Thats a pretty big road trip you have planned. Not wanting to put you off at all, but the distances are pretty big. Oz is roughly the same size geographically as the mainland US. Brissy to The Alice via Mt Isa and the Three Ways has got to be roughly 3100km, (1000km = 600 miles) The Alice to Melbourne would be another 2000+ KM, and Melbourne to Sydney about another 800- 1000 km. Thats straight driving, no sightseeing detours, act. I only say this, because a LOT of overseas tourists dont realise how BIG Oz is, and some of the enormous distances we routinely travel between towns.

For the first part, Brisbane to the border at Camooweal, you have 3 basic ways to go. 1- West from Brisbane through Toowoomba, Chinchilla, Mitchell, Augathella, Blackall, Barcaldine, Longreach, Cloncurry, Mt Isa, Camooweal.

2- North from Brisbane through Maryborough, Gladstone, to Rockhampton, then west through Emerald and join the above trip at Barcaldine. Roughly the same distance as above.

3 Same as above, but instead of turning west at Rocky, head north through Mackay to Townsville, then west through Richmond, and join 1 above at Cloncurry.

Option 2 or 3 probably gives you more options to cache along the way, as the main highway (Highway 1- this part also called the Bruce Hwy) from Brisbane to Townsville has many caches withing a few KM either side of it, some right on it, at rest areas on the sides of it.


If you need any help planning the Queensland part of the trip, give me a PM, and I will assist as best I can. I have travelled extensively throughout Queensland. I can also give you ideas for sightseeing along the way. Others will no doubt help you with other parts of the trip.

To help with the planning of the caching part of your trip, you can utilise the Post Code search function of GC.com. From your map, look up the postcode of a particular town at http://www1.auspost.com.au/postcodes/ then enter that postcode into GC.com. A word of warning, that system isnt perfect, and sometimes gives results that are WAY incorrect. If GC.com comes up with an error message saying the postcode doesnt exist, try the postcode for a neighbouring town, or suburb.

Oh, and dont believe that "Cayshing" rubbish, its Caching, as in Cashing.

Cheers
Bundy

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Bronze
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Re: A Yank here and a Yank there

Post by Bronze » 16 September 07 3:38 pm

Grank wrote:
westumbledonit wrote: Hunter Valley
enjoy the wine as well
Image
*Hic*

Dar smoe god advize shere.

buNDy Run is rigt too. Logn wayz round here's.

.p

ian-and-penny
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Post by ian-and-penny » 17 September 07 10:44 am

Bundyrumandcoke wrote:Thats a pretty big road trip you have planned. Not wanting to put you off at all, but the distances are pretty big. Oz is roughly the same size geographically as the mainland US. Brissy to The Alice via Mt Isa and the Three Ways has got to be roughly 3100km, (1000km = 600 miles) The Alice to Melbourne would be another 2000+ KM, and Melbourne to Sydney about another 800- 1000 km. Thats straight driving, no sightseeing detours, act. I only say this, because a LOT of overseas tourists dont realise how BIG Oz is, and some of the enormous distances we routinely travel between towns.

<snip>

Oh, and dont believe that "Cayshing" rubbish, its Caching, as in Cashing.

Cheers
Bundy
I totally endorse what Bundy said.

We are based in Melbourne & would be happy to help in planning the parts of your trip that are through Victoria. (Send us a PM.)

Regards

Ian

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Bundyrumandcoke
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Post by Bundyrumandcoke » 17 September 07 3:31 pm

And whilst not wanting to plan an itinery for you, if you wanted drive by caches in Queensland, then, in my opinion, option 2 above would be probably the best. You have drive bys at Gympie- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 84d0c40f35 Maryborough- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 5d1a5a4c56
Gin Gin- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 74bfdb1a7a
Near Gladstone- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 4a9eb2ad44 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 5000f8a931 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 938fbc19d4 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... f93b32f8bf
Rockhampton- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 3b87b1adbb http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 7b5043fcf7 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... fe8eb44830
Emerald- http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... 9281b7c083 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... da224c066c These are just a few on the immediate sides of the highway, all within 100 metres of the side of the road, with probably Chillin at the Calliope needing the biggest detour, maybe all of 1 or 2 km's to get to.

Also make use of the Driver Reviver stops. http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Sa ... er_reviver You will be arriving at Brisbane in the middle weekend of our schools 2 week September school holidays. At certain rest areas along the highway, Driver Revivers operate, which are designed to encourage you to stop and have a break from driving to reduce accidents caused by driver fatigue. They usually operate on the first and last weekends of school holidays, but some are open all through the school holidays. They provide FREE tea and coffee, biscuits (cookies to you yanks) and advice on conditions ahead. They are manned by volunteers, and there is usually a donation box onsite if you feel inclined to make a donation. Along the above route you will find them at Chevallum- about an hour north of Brisbane, Gunulda- about 30km north of Gympie, Maryborough- just south of the city turnoff--very close to Bruce and Mary, Gin Gin- just north of town--very close to The Wild Scotchman, Granite Creek- about 35km south of Miriam Vale, Calliope- about 15km north of the Calliope Crossroads--very close to Kalliope Kareoke Kapers and Chillin at the Calliope, Alpha, Barcaldine, and Fountain Springs turnoff.

Cheers
Bundy

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