Sue - Re accommodation for your journey round Australia - a good compromise for you might be cabins - which you will find in most of the caravan parks. Very comfortable, airconditioned and have ensuite bathrooms (always check of course). You will find them listed on the various motoring organisations web pages. Yours for Victoria (as you probably know already) would be http://www.racv.com.au It would worth your while joining the RACV for emergency assistance (breakdowns) anyway - the membership should be vaild in all states but again check first.

If you do decide to use cabins it's worthwhile joining the 2 main chanins Big 4 and Top Tourist Parks as you will get a dicount in their accommodation and they will book accommodation ahead for you which can be useful and will save you paying for the phone call. See http://www.big4.com.au/public and http://www.toptouristparks.com.au

Now about those flies that are worrying you so much. Paul is right about them stopping activity at 10.30 on 12 April although due to the new Industrial Relations legislation some may continue to operate over Easter. Anyway I suggest a more positive attitude on your part. They are very interesting animals and in rural areas are a valuable aid to navigation when you are, for example, searching for a country dunny, where you will find them in swarms. By the way watch out for Joe Blakes in outback dunnies. Also If you have a tendency to swallow flies try and do it before rather than after spraying as they taste much better without garnish.

I'm a bit reluctant to recommend destinations because it all depends on individual taste but I wouldn't miss Maria Island (short ferry trip from E coast of Tasmania), the Atherton Tablelands (N Qld) which give wonderful relief from the heat and oppressive humidity down below in Cairns and Lamington National Park, high above the revoltingly (to me) over-developed Gold Coast south of Brisbane. While you're in that area you shouldn't miss Byron Bay on the N Coast of NSW and its hinterland where you shouldn't miss the climb up Mt Warning.

Have a good trip and remember that even in the most remote outback areas thanks to our copious and varied insect life you will never be alone....

Michael Sydney, Australia