Backpacking along Australia's east-coast....

I'm travelling along the east-coast of Australia where I started in
Sydney and have now been in Byron bay (wonderful!) and and currently in Brisbane, staying with locals I've met on the Internet.

Seen many nice places, kangaroos in the wild, a couple of koalas in a national park type area (unfortunately not in the wild -couldn't spot any in the many trees, but saw two of the up close in a place set up by those running the place -I'd love to see them completely in the wild though!!!). I've been shown around here in places I'd otherwise not know about or have a chance to go to, being a backpacker, not having a car, but I feel it's time to move on soon, so I can see more of Australia (I'll be in this country till the end of February).

I have a Greyhound/McCafferty's bus ticket from Sydney to Cairns with unlimited stops, so I'll be heading in that direction, but I'm not sure of which places are worth stopping at. By asking for information at the various travel agents I've been offered lots of organized tours, but I'm not really into that sort of thing. They seem to be geared towards young party-going kids for the most part, visiting the usual tourist traps, and cost a lot of money.
I'd rather see more of the *real* Australia and pay less.

I've been to several beaches already, but would like more of that
-especially the kinds that *don't* only have huge surfing waves (yes,
I've also tried surfing -rented a board, but never got the hang of it, also had too big and fierce waves to start with I guess), but more of the kind of place I can actually swim and catch some sun.

Other than that I don't really know what I want to see.
I do know that I want to see the great barrier reef, and as far as I understand this is best seen from Cairns.

I initially thought about travelling to see Ayer's rock, but I think
I'll leave that for another trip to Australia as it seems an awful long way (and expensive) thing to do just for one thing. But since I'm leaving Australia from Sydney I have to travel south anyway....

Still.... would it be possible to take a plane from Cairns down to
Adelaide, then a bus from Adelaide, along that coastal highway (forgot the name right now), see the cities along that way and get back to
Sydney, without it birnign a hole in my wallet?

I know there's a lot to see in Australia, but since I'm on a budget and this is part of a trip around the world I have to be sensible and keep money left for countries after here (New Zealand, Japan, some short stops in USA), so huge, fancy package tours isn't something I can afford or am interested in. Other than that I'm open for suggestions!

Hmmm... didn't know they were that cheap! I might consider that.
Having seen very nice waves under completely different conditions in
North Stradbroke island I think I want to give it another go if I can repeat the same waves as I saw there and have access to renting a board again.
I saw a few people who looked like beginners who made it standing.
I'll be happy if I can only stand on the board and ride it for a second or two!

So there are actually tents there already? I don't have to bring one myself? Sounds very nice indeed.
I guess I can also spend time swimming there and just hanging out in the sun too when you mention snorkeling and diving. I'd like a relaxing place to hang out in for a few days. A holiday within my holiday so to speak!

SO these islands aren't overrated? I'm sort of put off when
*everybody* that has a backpack wants to go to that place (and a bunch of other places where you're supposed to go), and especially when it's all package tours. Very touristy and commercial.
But if it really is a unique and nice place I'd reconsider. Especially if I can see some of it without having to pay hundreds for an organized tour. Is that possible at all?
WHat is the cheapest I can expect to pay for experiencing this island at all?

I'm doing that right now! Staying with people here in Brisbane, who have been very kind in showing me around the area and given me some travel tips as well. It's also been very nice to get away from the
"summer camp" type partying crowds of the various dorms I've been to.
In my mid 30s it gets rather tiring when I'm more interested in seeing new places than the bottom of a beerglass.

I'll have to have a look at the map to find this as I've never heard of it. I actually didn't have any guidebook at all until today where I picked up a 2001 edition of "Go Australia!" for only AU$ 4.95 !!!!!
It usually costs around AU$ 40! And since I'm mostly interested in the places I don't care if prices etc. might be a bit outdated.

WOW! I'd LOVE to see a Koala up close in the wild!
I've seen two really cute ones here in Brisbane, in a national park sort of place (forgot the name -no, not Lone Pine) -Koalas are free in the wild there, but protected from development etc. They had two koalas in a tree inside the actual building so that kids could have a guaranteed look at them. It's the first time I've seen koalas, but I'd love to see them in the wild, completely free, just as I've seen kangaroos just a few metres from me! Awesome!

Yeah, it's apparently a place where *everyone* goes, so very touristy
I guess. I've been to North Stradbroke island (just outside Brisbane)
so I've already been to a "sand only" island. Is there anything more I can see there that I haven't already seen?

Is it possible to just hop on a barge/ferry to the island, then walk around a bit, then take the barge back? At least I'd have been there and seen some of it. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on all sorts of organized tours where others decide where I should go and for how long.

I'll try to look it up. Wouldn't mind some nice beaches where I could relax and go for a swim. I hear that above Rockhampton there's risk of running into Jellyfish this time of year, and since I don't have a wetsuit this will probably mean no more swimming for me here (unless I can go swim again when I arrive in Adelaide and travel along the coast again till I get to Sydney, at the end of my trip).

I got a great suggestion from the people I'm staying with. They suggested that I take a trip into the country from Rockhampton, then going to Barcaldine and Longreach to see some of the real bushlands in
Australia.
Then go back again to Rokchampton to continue my trip northwards again.
I can take both train and bus that way, so I'll try to make it so that
I take one of the two each way so I won't repeat the exact same travel route.
Anyone been there?

Sounds like I've arrived at the same conclusion with what I've just written!

I was told that the price of going directly from Cairns to Adelaide would be about the same as Cairns-Alice springs-Adelaide, but if I'd want to see Ayer's rock I would have to put in AU$ 500 extra.
I don't think I'm prepared to do that this time around.

Thanks. It's given me some more ideas to work on.
And I'm still open for more suggestions