After a bumper holiday season for tourism, Queenslanders are ready to wind it up, with a long weekend.

While many will be staying home to watch those football grand finals, others are packing up and heading out of town.

Gabrielle Martini reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Getting up and heading out, sports fans are flying south in droves.

The excitement is palpable, some fans have flown in from overseas to be there.

Vox 1: “I’ve waited all my life for this. I’ve just traveled all the way from Los Angeles to come to the game.”

Others will be enjoying the season’s climax in traditional Aussie style.

Butchers have been reaping the benefits leading up to the long weekend.

Terry Ohagan, Butcher: “We make sure we have plenty of rumps, plenty of sausages, plenty of burgers, rissoles, all that stuff. Anything you can literally chuck on the barbie.”

Bottle shops are under the pump keeping up with demand.

Robert Stewart, BWS: “We’ve just sort of stepped up everything and ordered extra stock.”

But with predictions being fine all weekend, many Queenslanders are likely to forego alcohol and head to the water.

Brisbane will feel some early summer sun on Saturday and Sunday.

Hot spots across the south east over the weekend will include South Bank’s Lagoon, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Monday marks the end of school holidays and authorities are urging road users to take caution.

Anna Jeffries, RACQ: “It means there’s going to be a lot more traffic on the road. People really need to pack their patience behind… before they get behind the wheel. And make sure they are prepared for the journey.”

And early this afternoon this was the scene on the M-one southbound.

Gabrielle Martini, QUT News.