Sydney to Brisbane - fly or drive?

[manlyago]

We are staying in Manly, Sydney for 10 nights over Christmas to see family then planning to visit other family in Brisbane. Worth driving or not? We'd only have a few days. Thanks.

I flew - easy and cheap!

yes thanks, just wondering if it was worth the drive i.e. places to see.

I should add we have three teenage boys 20,17,16

9.5 hour drive plus rest stops.

I'd fly.

How long do you have for your holiday all together? There are places to visit and airport faff can take longer than you think but it really depends on where you want to spend time. The beaches north of Newcastle are great and Byron, tho probably overrun at Christmas. Its peak Aussie travel time so accommodation might be tricky to find and pricy. You could look at relocating campers for the drive, but maybe more luck north to south. You get a 'free' camper and a few days to make the journey just paying for fuel.

Fly!

Flying is obviously the quick and easy option but if you've not experienced a long-distance drive it is something different, if only to be greatful that you could be half way across Europe in the same time....

@DogDaysNeverEnd we have 10/13 nights Manly (we're arriving in 2 lots due to school/work/Uni dates) then leave Manly 28th and 3 of us fly back from Brisbane evening of 2nd the other two on the 5/6th.

Fly! @manlyago

Australian motorways are so slow compared to Europe!! It is a never-ending journey. With 3 teenage boys in the back, tucked together, hell no.

It isn't a scenic route . Yes, there are a few spots if you want to stop, like Port Stephens, Byron Bay, but you need to get out of the motorway and drive quite a bit towards the Coast.

If you are staying in Manly for 10 days, between Curl Curl, Freshwater, Palm Beach, Shelly Beach , Collins Beach, ... you have your share of gorgeous beaches.

Make sure to plan some viewings/alternatives for wet weather as a plan B, we have had 2 years of La Niña, extreme wet weather and we have just received warnings we are in for a 3rd year. www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/10/triple-la-nina-australia-may-face-another-summer-of-flooding-rains-us-expert-warns

If Niña is confirmed, you might want to move to the Western Coast. Plenty of lovely things to see/do. Careful up North (north of Bundaberg in Queensland and in Geraldton in Western Australia) , it will be stinger season (Box Jelly fish) and you can't go in the water.

Do not underestimate the scarcity of accomodation in Australia . It is crazy .

Crosspost. East coast it is

Thanks @Cormoran that's very helpful. Yes we're right next to Little Shelly beach - very cool! Sounds like flying is the way to go.I'd love to go north but my brother is in Brisbane and we're visiting him and his two little kids. They'll be just back off a long haul from the UK (yes we didn't plan this very well!😂🙄) so I imagine they will want to just stay local. I'll see what they say though.

It's not that interesting a drive. Depends if you enjoy a few thousand miles of bumfuck nowhere with the risk of the Aircon failing (when I was little we did that drive with no Aircon, seatbelt buckles would burn my hands). I'd fly.

I’d fly. Your time is better spent doing things around brisbane like the Gold Coast theme parks and the Sunshine Coast/ australia zoo

Oh no definitely fly of you only have a couple of days before heading off. Your back won't have recovered before the mammoth flight home otherwise (assuming you are UK based).

Sounds like flying is the way to go!

@Rainbowqueeen Yes that's a good point actually. What is there to do in/near Brisbane? Been to the gold coast, the zoo and Noosa. Is there any other good things to do?