Any intel on NE Australia?

[xwindsurf]

Hi Guys,
I will be in Cairns and vicinity in late August, supposedly a prime kiteboarding season. If you kiteboarded there, and have some tips to share, anything at all, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

[Like To Kite]

Wow, should be a great trip!

I spent about a month in that general area. I had fixed up a van and traveled around the coast of Australia in it teaching kite surfing and representing Ozone Kites.

You are going to a beautiful area. Very unlike the rest of Australia, it is lush with rain forest habitat.

Limit your time in the city of Cairns. The beach is a huge tidal mud flat.

Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas was amazing for kiting, perfect sandbar set up. About an hour or so North of Cairns. Here's a link to Windswell, good guys in that area. http://www.windswell.com.au/content/view/117/155/

Here's a link for weather and maybe you'll find some more useful info on the forum. http://www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/qld2.asp

Generally extremely safe to travel anywhere in Australia except watch out for car theft and break-ins, very common. My van with all my kite gear was stolen in the touristy city center of Cairns. Was the beginning of an amazing new adventure and led to great unexpected travels. Helpful hint - make sure nothing valuable is in plain view and it looks messy inside.

If you are venturing further away from Cairns I can recommend some incredible kite locations mostly South of Cairns. Let me know.

[xwindsurf]

Awesome, great help, thanks.
The plans are just shaping up so info about places South of Cairns would be great too. Four Mile Beach was on my list, now it's confirmed!
Also, did you go to Cape Flattery, which seems to be the most consistently windy place north of Cairns but there seems to be some issue with access (Aboriginal land, etc.)?

[Like To Kite]

Glad that helps!

Didn't make it up to Cape Flattery though did hear very good things about it.

Picture above #4 is actually Yorkey's Knob just North of Cairns. Nice kite spot.

As far as South of Cairns, I'll start at Mackay which is a ways, 9 hours, but distances are all relative in Australia. Mackay has lots of kite options and varies greatly depending on the tide. Really cool spot at the river mouth opening and tide can increase "wind" there which is fun. Behind river the beach fills in at high tide and becomes a huge shallow area. http://www.ikiteboarding.com/schools/36 ... ralia.aspx








North of Mackay, Cape Hillsborough National Park is a well hidden gem. With wind, amazing kite spot. Better yet, kangaroos and wallabies on the beach. The campground nearby feeds them around 5pm everyday to encourage them to come around. They are free to come and go as they please. My travel buddy, Julia, and I got there the day the kangaroos returned after three months away.







Conway Beach is another similar huge bay type kite spot kinda near Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach itself is extremely touristy though cool if you get out on a boat to the Whitsunday Islands. There's a super white sandy island within the Whitsundays that is supposed to be great for kiting.

Conway Beach:




Alva/Lynch Beach/Townsville area is awesome for kiting too. Nice protected sandbar option for kiting. We were lacking wind there though is usually very good.







Mission Beach is beautiful with a really cool atmosphere and super nice people. We thought it was going to be touristy though it was quite the opposite. No wind though nice people invited us out for some action packed fishing which we ate on a secluded paradise island, bliss!



Actually almost all Aussies are super friendly and really open to meeting new people. They just want to get to know you better. Offer them a drink and they'll probably invite you to dinner. The kite communities are truly nice and helpful and the kiters tend to end up on the same kite spot circuit naturally. I know you'll have a great time there.

If there's any more information I can provide just let me know.

Here's a link to my friend's blog about that trip
http://www.julispace.com/?paged=11

Have Fun!

[xwindsurf]

Awesome, thanks for being so generous with your time.
I'll make sure to add a few of my own when I'm back

[Like To Kite]

Few more links here for more info:

http://www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Com ... id=C201004

Have fun on your trip and looking forward to hearing about it!

Happy Kiting!