View Full Version : Cairns Accomodation
Hi,
Well, im going to try my luck witht he long drive "Up North" in abt 2 weeks!! To Cairns that is!! Wondering if anyone knows cheap acco there, and on the way.
Esp Cairns, i mean if anyone has a room/place on the floor etc!!!
Any help appreciated!!1
strewth
24th Oct 2002, 11:03
AVOID CARAVAN PARKS!!!!!!!
I was there doing the same a couple of years ago and managed to get an onsite van with power & fridge for about $60 a week. Bargain I thought.
Every second night I had empty VB bottles thrown at my van & car (nothing broken fortunatly), fist fights between vans were commonplace and domestic violence was the norm. Every afternoon at 15:00 a Hilux ute would drive from van to van with its tray overflowing with green can and cat ****, and every day would leave bone dry. My "neighbours" would go through 2 cartons per day between the 3 of them and I caught their 8 year old daughter drinking the dregs out of bottles in the morning. When I told the parents the told me to **** off and mind my own ****ing business.
When I finally cracked the ****s and left, I decided to splash out on a night of luxury at a local motel, and struck up a conversation with the owner. He was saying that he managed another local van park as a temp for three months, and in the first week the police raided. 12 people were arrested and another 10 were never seen again... 2 of those arrested were wanted for a series of assults and 1 count of rape. Nice place.
Some parks may be good, some bad.... but its not worth it.
(this advice goes for everywhere else I have been "up north" with the exclusion of small coastal holiday villages)
BabyMetroBoy
24th Oct 2002, 11:34
Try the backpacker hostels. Most don't mind aussies stayin there for short periods. eg 1 week.
AOPAFriend
25th Oct 2002, 00:30
DJD,
Are you a member of AOPA?
They have 8 accommodation places in Cairns that offer discounts to AOPA members.. including one that offers %50 off.
In the latest mag, or give em a call.
E.T
Thanks guyZ
i must admit STREWTH, i was counting on the caravan parks, until your post that is!!
Im not an AOPA member, but will look into it!! thanks alot. Anyone else with any more info?
will be much appreciated!
Anna Spanna
26th Oct 2002, 07:44
Just looking at your profile, I hope you have plenty of hours.
Unless you have 500 multi, chances are you may only get a look in with parachuting companys.
Majority of charter comps up here are a minimum 500 multi to even attempt to get an interview. (Normally Cairns is 1500 total, with 500 multi.)
Best suggestion would be to try the parachuting comps on your way up..
Try Toogoolawah drop zone- about 1-1 1/2 hrs from Brissy
Shute Harbour/Hamilton Island, Mackay
Tully and Cairns
Otherwise out west doing some mustering.
Your best chance is to stay in the one place and do some serious networking... remember it's not what you know, but who.
If you get stuck PM me.
Best of luck
compressor stall
27th Oct 2002, 08:47
Good advice above from AS...
Cairns has bucketloads of converted Queenslanders with communalkitchen and bathrooms and individual locking rooms just a short walk to the centre of town (and bus to apt).
You will defintely be able to find some at short notice. Usual tenants are foreign travellers workingin Cairns for a couple of months.
Get a copy of the Cairns post on Sat's. You would expect to pay around $80 a week - that includes electricity. (phone is incoming only)
Most intinerants are leaving town at the moment (getting too hot for the pale fallow pommy slappers) , so you should have no trouble finding a place.
Good luck
CS
Thanks AS and CS,
Well, i have my ATPL 1600 TT, 200 Multi, GR1 FIR with all the other goodies. i wanto move into Charter basically, and have therefore decided to move up north as astaying in SYD is basically dreaming. hoping to get into a copany with both CHT and INST, and then work my way up!!
CS, thanks for all that as well, i will be most probably leaving next week or so, and will look into what u mentioned!
DJD
compressor stall
29th Oct 2002, 00:19
Can't think of a reasonable sized company based between Cairns and Broome which does both instructing AND multi engine charter... Noone in the tropics seems to want to learn to fly!
With your time, you should have a good chance for a job in the Straits.
Just remember, rightly or wrongly, in the minds of many charter operators some instructing time is good, but "real world" charter is better, do don't come away offended if someone does not think highly of your Grade 1 instructors rating. There was an indepth discussion/debate/argument of this a couple of months back.
Good Luck
CS
DJD
For the want of not being too morbid, don't hold your breath on landing a full time job in CS straight away. Idealy your multi is a little low, I aggree with Anna Spanner except I'd say they probabley prefer 2000tt. Get on the Aerotropics (http://www.aero-tropics.com.au) web site before you leave SY and put in an application. Also check out the other Torres Straits companies, your time should be fine for them. Best of luck with it all anyway. By the way the place is not as good as everyone says it is. Its BETTER :D
Thanks Jono,
Yeah, Im not expecting a miracle when I land up there. I have applied to Aerotropics a few times now, no reply. As for the straits... you have any names etc? I have heard alot about going to the straits, butb where in particular???
Thanks!!
DJD
compressor stall
3rd Nov 2002, 19:23
There ain't much choice!
The airport is on Horn Island. Pretty much all the pilots live there, and certainly all the companies are based there. One company (Cape Air or Northern?) has a pilot based at Badu, but that's it.
Thursday Island (T.I.) is a short ferry/tinny ride away from Horn, as any map will show.
Good Luck.