Make most of life in paradise

THE temperature is a lovely top of 28C, the sun is shining, the water is glistening at the beaches and there is not a crowd to be seen.

Yet in southern cities, there are millions of miserable people having to make the daily commute by car on packed roads or in trains and buses, wrapped up against the cold (varying from 10C-20C at the most).

And it’s going to get colder and wetter.

Where would you rather be? Tropical North Queensland, of course.

Now’s the time to make your family, friends and colleagues immensely jealous in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide – and all places in between.

Why bother with the Gold Coast, too? The roads are a nightmare and it’s barely going to reach 20C this week, dropping to lows of 9C overnight.

With more flights on the schedule and relatively reasonable fares (most would have missed out on the $19 specials of last week), head north for a post-COVID lockdown relaxing break from July 10 and earlier if within the state.

The region’s friendly tour operators, hoteliers, restaurateurs, retailers and baristas are looking forward to meeting new faces and reacquainting with old.

The tropical north is open for business from Cape Tribulation in the north, to the Outback west, and south to Cardwell, not forgetting Port Douglas, the Tablelands, the Cassowary Coast and Cairns.

The region is picture-postcard perfect and recent rain has kept the place looking vibrantly green.

Head north to the tropics, which is splendid one day, impeccable the next.

Nick Dalton

Deputy editor