>Hello everyone:
>
>I will be in the Brisbane area from June 29 to July 17. Does anyone has suggestions for fun activities?
>
>Thanks,
>Daniel

I was there in October 1998. Brisbane itself is worth a stroll, but I don't think there is a lot to do in the city. There was supposed to be a good aboriginal art market, but it was closed, or something. We rented a car and drove out to Lamington National Park. I don't know if any busses go there. The road climbing up to the park was incredibly narrow and winding. The park is a subtropical high-elevation (1000m) rainforest. We stayed at an expensive resort (on an agent discount), where they put out food to attract the parrots. There is a campground.

If you can afford it, you could fly up to Gladstone and take the catamaran ($80) or helicopter ($150) to Heron Island, in the Great Barrier Reef. The catamaran crossing is two hours and can be very rough, with everyone except the crew getting sick. The island is small and remote. You have to stay at the resort, which is about $250/day. (we had an agent discount). At that time many seabirds were breeding, making an incredible noise at night. You'll be there during the Australian winter, so there might be no breeding birds or sea turtles. If the tide isn't low, you can snorkel right off the beach, or take a boat further out into the reef. There is no need for SCUBA, though many do. The reef is the best there is, so I'm told, and I believe it. The numbers, color, and variety of fish were beyond my wildest Jacques Cousteau-inspired fantasies.