Ok so I’m weighing up these two options. I live in New Zealand.
Ironman is probably my main buzz rather than Olympic distance triathlons.
My brother is moving to the Gold Coast this weekend so accomodation etc around Noosa will be no problem. I’m assuming Noosa also costs a heap less to enter than IM west oz.
I’m also guessing it is going to cost me at least 1.5k nz $ to get to IM WA as well. Noosa is looking pretty good at this stage.
Okay, I will be the idiot (as usual) were the heck are Noosa and IMWA?
I hear Noosa is one great party…and on my list of to-do.
Noosa is on the Gold Coast near Brisbane.
IMWA is in Western Australia…I think it is about 7 hrs flying between the two, from one side of Aus to the other?
yeah…it has surf too 
.
Just be aware that Noosa is 2 1/2 hours drive from the Gold Coast and whilst it is an amazing weekend Noosa fills up (both the town and the race) and accommodation can be extremely difficult to find and on top of that most places require between 3 and 5 day commitments over that period because of the hight demand.
Have not done Noosa or Forster for that matter , but did IMWA last year. I only have positive things to say about the entire experience.
Would presume , looking at it financially , which I presume is your point , that your additional costs would be additional airfare plus entire accomodation and car rental.
It is a 2.5-3hr drive south of Perth , rental car was reasonable and collected from airport right at arrivals really. Accomodation is varied and of a high standard.Busselton is a great little town full of down to earth , real people that were excited to have their town over-run with triathletes. Tremendous supporters , volounteers and race organization.
Cannot provide any perspective on Noosa sorry.
Hope this helps.
Noosa is one big party but it’s an expensive trip for just a od race. I did wa last year. It’s about a 2.5 hr drive south of Perth. Can get a bus but hire cars are not that expensive. Busso is a pretty quite place and it’s not the party like the east coast. Swim is in ocean. It’s not surf but because it is shallow last year got a few feet of chop as the wind was up…I didn’t think it was a big deal but then I do a lot of surf swimming. Rest of the course is flat, flat and even flatter but can be subjet to strong winds.
If you want surf Margret River is just around the corner.
Noosa is actually on the Sunshine Coast - a few hours drive north of the Gold Coast - small coastal town - very much like Naples Florida (only smaller)
Noosa is beautiful but accomodation there is limited - and the town is totall supportive of the race which has been held there now for MANY years.
In the days leading up to race day there are fun runs and ocean swims etc so the time is well spent.
If you look around for cheap airline tickets - maybe with a connection through Adelaide on the way to Perth - IMWA offers a laid back town in Busselton - great community - very relaxed with yet again - great ocean beaches.
You may well find that on a cost comparison between a week in Noosa and a week in WA - the WA trip may very well work out cheaper including airfare.
If you can’t stay in Busselton - try another town - not too far away - Bunbury
Good luck - both races are sure to please
I have spent many many months in both locations when I used to live back home in Aus
AJ
Noosa is a fair way about 4 to 4.5hr drive from Gold coast, but if you can get free accom there, Noosa would be the way to go and just stay a day or two in Noosa for the race.
I have raced this about 4 tims, and its one of AUstralia’s best courses and races for crowds and atmosphere. Its a must do at least once in a life-time for triathletes downunder.
IMWA although held in a very beautiful area, isn’t a very exciting course. its a pancake, and can get a little breezy later in the day.
For you however, it would cost considerably more. Accom for at least 4 days, car hire, flights from NZ all the way accross Aust (~9hr flight time) plus transfers and ofcourse entry fee considerably more, it wouldnot be unreasonable to expect to drop $1700 (AUS) or more.
Unless you need and really, really want to do an IM race before the end of the year, do Noosa, then stay home and do IMNZ.
my 2c worth.
http://www.usmevents.com.au/series/NTMSF/home.cfm
It’s a great event with a full schedule of activities for the week. The criterium usually includes a few of the Aussie big names from the TDF as well. The swim has a number of olympians with other well known sporting stars making the pilgrimage to compete in various events.
For those that haven’t been or heard of Noosa Heads, it’s a holiday resort town 1.5hrs north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. A nice part of the world indeed. There’re loads of sporting activities in a very agreeable climate, great restaurants and it’s ‘relatively’ uncrowded. Noosa Heads was first made famous for the surf on the points. When they work, they’re great but can get very crowded. I believe it’s the largest triathlon in Australia, though prepared to stand corrected on that.
The tourism motto for Queensland is: “Beautiful one day, perfect the next.”
Enjoy.
(I don’t even live there but really do like the place)