Sunshine Coast Map

Sunshine Coast short-changed on train services

Sydney is classified as one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in but when it comes to train fares a Sydney to Wollongong commuter on a yearly ticket will spend around $2240.00 - half of what a Sunshine Coast commuters would pay.

While Melbournians outside Geelong have a little more complexity in their commute, commuters from Marshall to Melbourne will spend a maximum of about $2693.60 on a yearly tickets.

Their train services come with toilets and foodcarts.

And savvy travellers in both states can spend even less with a range of ticket incentives to get people using public transport. Here at the Journal we've broken it down for you.

Wollongong is a beach city approximately 83km from Sydney. The train trip takes about 1.5 hours.

Services run roughly every half hour. Cityrail timetables are divided into two areas - suburban trains, and intercity services. The train to Wollongong is classified as an intercity service.

Price: An adult using the simple ticket system will pay - single $7.80, return $15.60, weekly $56, monthly (28 days) $204, quarterly (90 days) $560 and yearly (365 days) $2,240.00.

Verdict: These are standard fares which are easily accessible on the Cityrail website. Sydney's Cityrail also offers a range of other discounts. Even better, the website has a ``first-time users'' section. VICTORIA

In Victoria it's called V/Line It's the difference between a suburban train (Metlink) and an inter-urban train.

Marshall is about 79km outside of Melbourne and has a V/Line train service. It sits just outside Geelong. From Marshall services run hourly, or for those who travel the extra few kilometres to South Geelong, they can access a half-hourly service.

Price: V/line is reasonably cost-effective. A single ticket from Marshall to Flinders Street on a peak service is $9.50. Peak return is $19.50.

Like NSW once you start looking at multi-trips it gets cheaper. A weekly economy ticket is $63.10, and a monthly ticket is $227.10. Annually, it will cost $2693.60 for a full 52-week ticket.

Verdict: V/Line actually has a targeted ticketing strategy specifically for commuters. It is on their website and their prices are transparent.

Commuters can save money by purchasing date-to-date, (eg: 10 or 20 weeks at a time) weekly, monthly and ``Zone B'' yearly tickets (which have station restrictions).

Vacationing In Noosa on the Sunshine Coast of Australia | Ss Sdsos

When overseas visitors come to tropical Queensland in Australia, they often imagine the Great Barrier Reef in northern Queensland or the Gold Coast in southern Queensland first. When Australians think of holidaying in sunny Queensland, they consider the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast is found in Central Queensland, about 70 miles (113km) north of the Queensland capital of Brisbane and 112 miles (180 km) from the Gold Coast. One of the great attractions of the Sunshine Coast is that, while it’s a well-developed area with lots of amenities for everybody, it is not overdeveloped. 265,000 residents call the 312,000 hectare region of the Sunshine Coast and its 40 miles (65 km) of beaches home. Why do they gravitate there from all over Australia and abroad? It’s because the Sunshine Coast has achieved a reputation for being one of the most desirable places in the world to stay. The word “beach” shows up frequently on a map of the Sunshine Coast. Beginning in Caloundra, the largest town located on the southern end of the coast, you pass through villages with names like Coolum Beach, Peregian Beach and Sunrise Beach before arriving at Noosa on the northern edge of the Sunshine Coast. The beach and the beach lifestyle define the whole area more than anything else. If you’re keen on the beach and ocean activities, then certainly you’ll love the warm tropical waters and white sandy beaches on the Sunshine Coast. Of many of the beaches across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa is the most renowned. The town rests on the northern edge of Noosa National Park. It isn’t a large town, but it welcomes thousands of tourists every month of the year. They are lured there by its winning combination of excellent beaches, its magnificent National Park and its five star facilities. All these attractions are within easy walking distance of the main street in town, Hastings Street. Hastings Street is usually cited as one of the most ideal tourist streets in Australia. It manages to have an exclusive “champagne set” atmosphere at the same time it has a laid back Aussie surfer feel. For this reason, it is a popular spot to hang out for everyone who visits Noosa. Even better, it runs parallel to Noosa Beach and is within a stone’s throw from the National Park and the famous waves of Noosa Heads. In the course of just one day, a family of six can find something unforgettable to do in Noosa that suited everyone’s tastes without having to get in their car and drive. The teenagers could take on the waves along the rocky headland while the little ones play in the protected and patrolled waters of the beach. The parents could stroll up and down Hastings Street, shopping and dining and the entire family could take a walk along the well-maintained trail that winds through Noosa National Park. All of these attractions aren’t limited to Noosa alone. On the contrary, Noosa is only an example of what the entire region has to offer. If you are looking to get in the car and explore, you’ll find more natural wonders, great beaches and friendly suburbs, each of which has something different to offer. You can choose to stay in a 5 star family resort or an inexpensive Sunshine Coast accommodation for backpackers. Whatever you want, you will find it on the Sunshine Coast.

Sunshine Coast (Map).

Bright Seas, Pioneer Spirits, A History of the Sunshine Coast

Sea Kayak Desolation Sound and the Sunshine Coast

Fodor's Australia 2008

Cycling Australia