[cairns]

Plenty! Are you driving up from Sydney? Very interesting countryside...the roads are literally carved out of limestone.

I don't know where to begin- it's only about two hours from Sydney to Newcastle but there's a lot up that way- you could easily spend a week getting there.

You'll cross the Hawkesberry River, very pretty, stop and take a walkabout in one of the many parks or on the Great Northern Road (built by convicts at a terrible cost). You could drive through the valley and just stop whereever you see something that strikes your fancy. You can take cruises on the river, they're famous for their oysters, lots of good riverfront restaurants.

One stop also might be Port Stephens, seeing the black dolphins, sand dunes etc. That's an area all it's own. There are beautiful beaches, a koala colony (overrated critters IMO but the wife might like it), you can rent a sailboat. Nelson Bay and Shoal Bay are nearby too.

The Hunter Valley is on the way up (just to the East), you could spend a day and a night there taking in the wineries, stay in a B&B. That's another desitination in and of itself.

Lake Macquarie is also on the way up, very pretty, stop at Swansea the place is idyllic.

On the way into Newcastle (clsoe to Port Stephens) you could stop by Tanilba Bay and see Tanilba House (one of the first settlers in the area built it).

Your friends could advise on Newcastle- lots of things there and you won't see the tourists you would in Sydney or Cairns or places like that. There's a Heritage Walk I found pretty interesting, botanic gardens and lots of other interesting oz history and other things to do; good tucker too.

If you haven't been to Oz before be sure to read The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes. It's a fascinating read and one of the best book on Australian history I know.

BTW watch the speed limits. I've gotten more tickets down there than here- and they're plenty of cops and ca,meras. Call ahead for the Sydney Harbour/tunnel pass or you will be mailed the ticket.